Ethics in Business - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2343 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Ethics Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Business ethics (also known as corporate ethics) is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. It applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and business organizations as a wholeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . (www.wikipedia.org) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Business ethics comprises the principles and standards that guide behaviour in the world of business. Investors, employees, customers, interest groups, the legal system, and the community often determine whether a specific action is right or wrong, ethical or unethical.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Ferrell. Fraedrich. Ferrell. 2008, p. 6) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Aristotle said, The end and purpose of the polis is the good life. Adam Smith categorized the good life in terms of material goods and intellectual and moral excellences of character. Smith in his The Wealth of Nations commented, All for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ (www.wikipedia.org). Ethical misconduct has become a key concern in business today. Ethics is the main area of corporate governance, and management must take responsibility for their actions on global community scale. Ethics in business and shareholders desires for profitability are not always put on the same pedestal, and it is the responsibility of the executive management to ensure ethics surpass profitability. The 2008 financial crisis initiated critics to inquire about the ethics of the executives who were put in charge of large financial institutions around the world and financial regulatory bodies. Finance ethics is usually not looked into because issues in finance are often seen as matters of law rather than ethics. In the simplest way corporate ethics is a lawful matter. Laws such as protecting workersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ rig hts and suitable compensations must be top priority for management. Ethics becomes more difficult with the way things are done in particular practices, which makes it important to be aware of how certain steps may affect the community in a bad way. Managers are the key decision-makers, which is why they must be held responsible for the way the business is run and the affect it will have on shareholders, employees and the community in which it operates. Business ethical customs reflect the customs of each historic period. As time passes customs evolve, causing accepted behaviours to become intolerable. Business ethics and the subsequent behaviour evolved as well. Business was involved in what drove slavery, colonialism, and the cold war. Before 1960, the United States went through several difficult phases of wondering what the concept of capitalism was. In the 1930à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s came the New Deal, which blamed businesses for the countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s fiscal woes. Busines ses were asked to work more thoroughly with the government to help increase family income. Through the 1950s, the New Deal advanced into the Fair Deal which was an ambitious set of proposals put forward by President Harry S Truman. This program made clear matters such as civil rights and environmental responsibility as ethical issues that needed to be addressed by businesses. Up until the 1960s ethical issues associated to business were often discussed within the field of theology or philosophy. Moral issues that were related to business were now addressed in churches and mosques. Religious leaders started to speak out about fair wages, labour practices, and the morality of capitalism. During the 1960s, the American society turned to causes about social issues. Antibusiness attitude developed as people attacked the individuals in power that got benefits from the economic and political sides of society that they controlled. The 1960s saw the deterioration of inner cities and the b eginning of ecological problems such as pollution and the disposal of toxic and nuclear wastes. This era also saw the rise of consumerism. The word à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"business ethicsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ came into common use in the early 1970s in the United States. It was developed as a course to study in the 1970s. The foundation that certain principles could be applied to business activities which were laid down by theologians and philosophers led to business lecturers start teaching and writing about corporate social responsibility (CSR) which can be defined as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (www.wikipedia.org). Philosophers increased their participation, putting together ethical theory that will help to build the discipline of business ethics. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Companies became more concerned with their public images and as social demands grew, many businesses realized that they had to address ethical issues more di rectly.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Ferrell, pg. 13). Conferences where scheduled to discuss the responsibilities that businesses had socially and also ethical aspect of business. By the end of the 1970s, key ethical issues such as bribery, misleading advertising and price collusion had formed in the business. Business ethics became a common expression thanks to the media and it was no longer considered as an oxymoron. Limited efforts were made to explain the way the ethical decision-making process would work and also the things that would influence this process in organisations. Firms started emphasizing their ethical standing in the late 1980s and early 1990s, probably trying to distance themselves from the business scandals of the day. Academics and practitioners started to acknowledge à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"business ethicsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ as a field of study. In the 1980s, the Defence Industry Initiative on Business Ethics and Conduct (DII) which was developed to give a guide to organisations about support for ethical conduct. This era was the Reagan-Bush era where the belief of self-regulation was seen to be in the publicà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s interest. In the 90s it was all about the institutionalization of business ethics. President Bill Clinton and his administration continued to show support for self-regulation and free trade. Unprecedented actions such as teenage smoking were dealt with by the government. Proposals included prohibition of cigarette advertising, and stopping sports events from using cigarette logos during advertisement. President Clinton chose Arthur Levitt to be the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1993. Levitt who ineffectively pushed many reforms which could have prevented the accounting ethics scandals demonstrated by Enron and WorldCom. The 2000s had a new focus on business ethics. This era brought in the many scandals that shook the business world to this day. Although business ethics was seen to have become more instit utionalized in the 1990s, in the 2000s evidence came out that more than a few business executives and managers had not been compiling with the publicà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s desire for high ethical standards. For example, the former CEO of Tyco Dennis Kozlowski was indicted on thirty-eight counts of misappropriating $170 million of Tyco funds and netting $430 million from inappropriate sales of stock. Dennis Kozlowski pleaded not guilty to all the charges. He allegedly used the funds to purchase personal luxuries such as art for $14.725 million, also throw his wife a $2 million birthday party and also bought a $30 million apartment in New York City. He was found guilty and sentenced to serve eight years and four months to twenty-five years in prison for his role in the scandal. Arthur Andersen, which was a holding company and formerly one of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Big Fiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  accounting firm. In its role as Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s auditor, they were responsible for make sure that Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s financial statements and internal bookkeeping were accurate. The firm after been found guilty of criminal charges in the way the auditing of Enron was conducted gave up their licenses to practice in the US. The reputation of the accounting firm disappeared over night, also most of its clients left, and the firm went out of business, but it still exists in a small way today. The verdict was overruled by the Supreme Court of the United States. Most of the other accounting firms bought most of the practices of Arthur Andersen. Other companies such as Halliburton, WorldCom, Dynegy and Sunbeam where faced with charges about employing certain accounting practices and they were also audited by Arthur Andersen. One of the few revenue-generating assets that the Andersen firm still has is Q Centre, which is a conference and training facility outside of Chicago. Accenture which is a consultancy firm separated from the accountancy side of Arthur Andersen in 1987 a nd renamed themselves after splitting in 2000, still continues to operate and it is one of the largest multinational corporations in the world. These accounting scandals really confirmed to the public that falsifying financial reports and reaping questionable benefits had become part of the culture of many companies. Firms outside the United States such as Royal Ahold in the Netherlands and Parmalat in Italy, also were caught out in practicing accounting misconducts from a global perspective. Such scandals increased public and political demands for accountability and to also improve ethical standards in business. The Enron Corporation was created in 1985 out a merger of two major gas pipeline companies. Through its subsidiaries the company provided products and services associated with natural gas, electricity, and communications for its wholesale and retail customers. It was based in Houston, Texas. It generated, transmitted and distributed electricity to the north-western Unite d States and marketed other commodities such as natural gas globally. It was also involved in the growth, construction, and operation of plants, pipelines, and other energy-related projects all over the world. Throughout the 1990s, Chairman Kenneth Lay, chief executive officer (CEO) Jeffrey Skilling, and chief financial officer (CFO) Andrew Fastow transformed Enron from an old-style electricity and gas company into a $150 billion energy company and Wall Street favourite that traded power contracts in the investment markets. From 1998 to 2000, Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s revenues grew from about $31 billion to more than $100 billion, making it the seventh-largest company of the Fortune 500. The wholesale energy income represented about 93 percent of 2000 revenues for Enron, with another 4 percent coming from natural gas and electricity. The remaining 3 percent came from broadband services and exploration. The companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s worldwide internet trading platform Enron Online co mpleted on average over five thousand transactions per day, buying and selling over eighteen hundred separate products online that brought in over $2.5 billion in business every day. For the third quarter of 2001, Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s whole-sale business generated a potential $754 million of earnings (before interest and tax). This was an increase of 35 percent from the previous year. This represented over 80 percent of Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s worldwide sales. There was no reason to doubt that Enron was not financially stable in the third quarter of 2001 but it was later reported after a bankruptcy examiner examined their financial reports that there was a discrepancy in their net income and cash flow accounts. On October 22, 2001 Enron announces that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched a formal investigation into its related partyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s transactions. Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s corporate culture was described by people using words such as arr ogant or prideful. Enron only employed competent, creative and hardworking employees who were the best and brightest graduates and they were recruited from top universities. Enron employees had thus belief that competitors had no chance against it. There was an overwhelming confidence among Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s people that they could handle the increasing risk and pressure that came with the job. The culture of Enron was about a focus on how much money could be made for the people at the top, at many levels, that shared in a stock option incentive program. Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s aggressive employee culture was motivated by the desire to improve their financial position. Skilling brought in a system where employees were appraised every six months and if the employees ranked in the bottom 20 percent they were let go. This system called the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"rand-and-yankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ helped create a fierce environment in which employees didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t only compete with rivals outside the company but also the rivals at the next desk to them. Problems in the trading operation were covered up and not told to management because of the fear of losing their jobs. Lay who was the chairman always maintained that he was concerned with ethics. In his indictment the business ethics issue was that he lied about the financial conditions of Enron, but he maintained that he openly dealt with all issues that were brought to his attention. During 2001, when a series of revelations were revealed involving improper accounting procedures bordering on fraud committed throughout the 1990s involving Enron and its accounting company Arthur Andersen, Enron suffered the largest bankruptcy in history which has been surpassed by those of WorldCom during 2002 and Lehman Brothers during 2008. Off-balance-sheet financing called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"special-purpose entitiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ (SPEs) which were the write-offs and the losses not disclosed were the main thing that turned Enron into a disaster. Fastow the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s then CFO said that Enron established the SPEs to help in the moving of assets and debt off its balance sheet so as to increase cash flow by showing that funds were flowing through its books when it sold assets, while in a meeting with Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s lawyers in August 2001. Critics believed they might constitute fraudulent financial reporting because they didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t accurately represent the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s true financial condition. Most of the SPEs at Enron were alleged to be entities in name only, and that Enron funded them with its own stock and maintained control over them. After the crash of Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s stock price, assets that were associated with the SPE system had to be written off. This cost Enron over $1.2 billion in equity in late 2001. Enron filed for bankruptcy and faced twenty-two thousand claims totalling $400 billion. For some time it appeared that Dyn egy might save the day by providing $1.5 billion in cash but when Standard Poor downgraded Enronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s debt below investment grade on November 28, $4 billion in off-balance-sheet debt came due and Enron didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have the resources to pay. Dynegy terminated the deal. Fastow and his wife, Lea, both pleaded guilty to charges against them. Fastow pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy and was sentenced to ten years with no parole in a plea bargain to testify against Lay and Skilling. Lea was indicted on six felony charges, but prosecutors later dismissed them in favour of a single misdemeanour tax charge. Lea was sentenced to one year for helping her husband hide income from the government. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Ethics in Business" essay for you Create order

Counseling A Native American Client - 1075 Words

Counseling a Native American client will often present a unique set of challenges, especially if the client has a high degree of what Horse refers to as native consciousness (2001, cited by Choudhuri et al., 2012, p. 85) in which he or she is deeply â€Å"anchored in tribal traditions and native language† (p. 85). About 37% of Native people live on over 300 reservations and tribal jurisdictions within the United States. To be prepared to help them, a counselor should know the Native demographics of the state in which they practice, be familiar with the populations and businesses of local reservations, and become educated about the customs and structures of local tribes. Native American tribes have a great diversity of fascinating culture and language, yet share many common ethnic values and tragic historical experiences with the U.S. government which contribute to their unique worldview. Perhaps the most obvious commonality among Native tribes is a strong sense of community de rived from a sense having survived this common peril. Indeed, the situation of a Native person voluntarily seeking help from an outside source instead of from a traditional healer is unusual in itself (Barcus, 2003, p. 25). Whatever the Native client’s presenting problem may be, it is likely a reflection of communal conditions and beliefs. In order to successfully treat Native American clients, a counselor should use an approach that integrates Native community values and be willing to advocate and utilizeShow MoreRelatedCulturally Appropriate Counseling Practices And Advocacy766 Words   |  4 Pagesappropriate counseling is important when forming the counselor-client relationship. Also, it is key that the counselor understands the client’s cultural characteristics, and is always in a continual process of self-reflection of their own socio-cultural beliefs and biases. This paper will discuss how generic counseling through the lens of culture, class and language and the how Native Americans/First Nations differ when using these same markers. This paper will also discuss the implications of Native Americans/FirstRead MoreHistory And Theories Of Counseling827 Words   |  4 PagesAmong the many issues that face the counseling profession, counseling culturally diverse clients is one of the most challenging. Becoming culturally competent is a road that all counselors must travel in order to be truly effective. In order to successfully travel that road, counselors must have multicultural training with the intended destination being culturally competency. Cultural competence requires trainees to become aware of their own world views, their assumptions of human behavior, theirRead MoreInternalized Oppression And Implications Of Client Characteristics877 Words   |  4 PagesInternalized oppression and Implications of Client Characteristics Due to various socio-cultural factors that impede First Nations/Native Americans’ usage of mental health programs and services, their particular needs and characteristics will influence the way assessments, goal setting, and interventions will be utilized when working with a First Nations client. For example, Grayshield, et al., (2015), discuss the historical trauma that Native Americans/First Nations populations have experiencedRead MoreOvercoming Racism And Discrimination That Has Affected Asian And Native Americans1426 Words   |  6 PagesOvercoming Racism and Barriers to Counseling in Asian and Native Americans Both Asian Americans and Native Americans have faced oppression and discrimination for over two-hundred years (Hays and Erford, 2014). In this paper, I will identify how a counselor can reduce the effects of racism and discrimination that has affected Asian and Native Americans. Additionally, I will address what role a counselor plays in reducing the stigma of mental illness within both Asian and Native American’s community. FurthermoreRead MoreEssay on Discrimination Against Native Americans and Asians612 Words   |  3 Pagesthat have impacted Native Americans and Asian Americans? (1 Asian American parents believe in keeping many of their issue within the family which makes them reluctant to seek services. Because of this culture believe, Asian Americans utilize mental health services at a lower rate compared to other Americans (Sue, 1994). Socially sanctioned claims concerning Asian Americans social character or integrity helps to explain why they dont utilize services as often as other Americans. Counselors can workRead MorePersonal Counseling : Cross Cultural Counseling1534 Words   |  7 PagesRUNNING HEAD: CROSS CULTURAL COUNSELING 7 Cross Cultural Cross-Cultural Counseling Sophia Henry American Public University Abstract For this assignment I chose counseling American Indians and Alaska Natives because it is the one group I have not studied or been around much. There is a huge population of American Indians and Alaska Natives in Washington where I currently live. I stay approximately 30 minutes from an Indian reservation. A few of the kids that attend the schoolRead MoreHow Counseling Is Impacted The Well Being Of Cultural Diverse Populations By Increasing Growth1099 Words   |  5 PagesCounseling has impacted the well-being of cultural diverse populations by increasing growth in ethnical and minority groups. Cultural diverse has influence counselors to work together as one, empower skills to meet the challenges and demands of diverse client groups (Hays, 2016). Counselors utilize interventions focused on client’s needs to assess cultural concerns. These techniques establish the significant collaboration of the counsel/ client relationship, promote clients awareness to their limitationsRead MoreSocial, Cultural, And Economic Systems Responsible For Perpetuating Injustice1522 Words   |  7 Pageson how to deliver effective counseling to individuals experiencing social inequalities and injustice through equipping counselors with the skills necessary for becoming agents of change. The author in his 13 chapters examines the social, cultural, and economic systems responsible for perpetuating injustice and inequality with illustrations underlying the importance of counselors’ acceptance of their professional, ethical, and moral responsibility in working with clients in transforming social justiceRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcoholism On American Indians And Alaska1429 Words   |  6 Pagesunable to live a normal and healthy live. â€Å"Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of death in the United States and has a greater health impact on American Indians and Alaska Native than on other racial groups† (Landen, M., Roeber, J., Naimi, T., Niel sen, L., Sewell, M., 2014). American Indians and Alaska Natives have the â€Å"highest rate of binge drinking (30.2%) and heavy alcohol use (8.5%) of all racial groups in the United States† (Rieckmann, 2016). To fight high rates of alcoholismRead MoreBSHS 345 Week 4 Annotated Bibliography1433 Words   |  6 Pages Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development 37.2 (April 2009): 94-104 This article is a great article that relates to African Americans seeking mental health treatment at lower rates than whites. The article states that this disparity can be attributed to attitudes toward services, alternate coping, and differences in care. This article also illuminates biases in counseling. Snowden, Lonnie R, Barriers to Effective Mental Health Services for African Americans, Vol. 3, Issue 4, 181-187 (Dec

The Rape of the Lock Essay - 1989 Words

The Rape of the Lock Popes portrayal of Belinda and her society in The Rape of the Lock This Lock, the Muse shall consecrate to Fame, And midst the Stars inscribe Belindas Name! In The Rape of the Lock Alexander Pope (1688-1744) employs a mock-epic style to satirise the beau-monde (fashionable world, society of the elite) of eighteenth century England. The richness of the poem, however, reveals more than a straightforward satirical attack. Alongside the criticism we can detect Popes fascination with, and perhaps admiration for, Belinda and the society in which she moves. Pope himself was not part of the beau-monde. He knew the families on which the poem is based but his own parents, though probably comfortably off,†¦show more content†¦Think not, when Womans transient Breath is fled, That all her Vanities at once are dead: Succeeding Vanities she still regards, And tho she plays no more, oerloks the Cards. Her Joy in gilded Chariots, when alive, And Love of Ombre, after Death survive. For when the Fair in all their Pride expire, To their first Elements their Souls retire: [l.51-9] We might expect this part, the deepest and most essential part of her being, the first Elements, to be her soul, but in Belindas case it is her Vanities, her Joy in gilded Chariots and her Love of Ombre, suggesting that her soul consists of nothing more that vanity and a love of pleasure. Belindas vanity is seem to take the form of religious devotion in the passage describing her morning toilette. And now, unveild, the Toilet stands displayd, Each Silver Vase in mystic Order laid. First, robd in White, the Nymph intent adores With Head uncoverd, the Cosmetic Powrs. A heavnly Image in the Glass appears, To that she bends, to that her Eyes she rears; [l.121-6] The ironic transposition of cosmic powers in Cosmetic Powrs indicates the excessive value she attributes to her make-up, and bowing to her own image shows her devotion to her religion of narcissism. The passage is a mock version of the arming of the epic hero, her weaponry of cosmetics being ridiculed by the implicit comparison with the swords and shields of the epic hero. The passage includes a mockShow MoreRelatedThe Rape Of The Lock1295 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstand Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock, it is imperative that the reader comprehends the meaning of wit and its purpose, the resulting effect of rhymes, and what meanings and/or feelings are conveyed when reading a heroic couplet or the â€Å"coupletness† of the poem. For Pope, wit and couplets are overlapping, intersecting concepts. Pope employs vocabulary, syntax and style to bring wit to his poems, proving that form is not divisible from content. In The Rape of the Lock, Pope utilizes style andRead M oreEssay on The Rape of the Lock1267 Words   |  6 PagesThe Rape of the Lock Alexander Popes mock heroic epic The Rape of the Lock appears to be a light subject addressed with a satiric tone and structure. Pope often regards the unwanted cutting of a womans hair as a trivial thing, but the fashionable world takes it seriously. Upon closer examination Pope has, perhaps unwittingly, broached issues worthy of earnest consideration. The Rape of the Lock at first glance is a commentary on human vanity and the ritual of courtship. The poem also discussesRead MoreRape Of The Lock And Paradise Lost1308 Words   |  6 PagesRape of the lock vs Paradise lost The Rape of the Lock employs many of the traditional epic conventions used in Paradise Lost, but instead of recounting a story of a hero whose actions are of great importance or of national significance, The Rape of the Lock tells one of a timid character that makes an adventure out of the attainment of a fair damsel’s lock of hair. It uses the conventions of an epic poem on a miniature scale and the meaning of the subject is very much trivial. Since epics areRead MoreThe Rape Of Lock By Alexander Pope1448 Words   |  6 Pagesdignified language that celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero. In Alexander Pope’s, The Rape of Lock, his poem is a mock epic, not only because it is a long narrative poem; but his work consists in a series of events and revolves around beauty over brains. This mock epic satirizes not only sylphs, but also satirizes a woman’s ability to think logically than emotionally. The Rape of Lock is considered to be a mock epic, because the length is not only long enough, but has a series of eventsRead MoreAlexander Pope s The Rape Of The Lock1340 Words   |  6 Pagesarchetypes of these works known as epics are so well-known, that they are even parodied, take completely out of context, and pasted on the wall for laughs. One of the most recognized parodies of this kind would be Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock. The Rape of the Lock is a story about taking a minor incident and satirizing it by making it into a huge and important epic of divine proportions. One might think of the phrase â€Å"a tempest in a teapot†, which perfectly describes this poem. In the poemRead MoreCritical Analysis of the Rape of the Lock by Pope1633 Words   |  7 PagesThe destruction of the grand style of the epic is just what Pope was after in his mock epic, The Rape of the Lock. Pope had no such universal goal, or moral pronouncements to make as did Milton. His purpose was merely to expose the life of the nobility of his time. While Milton chose blank verse to express the immensity of the landscape of his epic, Pope chose to utilize the heroic couplet to trivialize this grandeur. Popes quick wit bounces the reader along his detailed description of his parlor-roomRead MoreRape of the Lock by Alexander Pope Essay596 Words   |  3 PagesRape of the Lock by Alexander Pope Alexander Popes The Rape of the Lock is not studied and admired only because of its style and form, but also for its base content and underlying themes. Popes ability to manipulate text into mock-heroic form, constructing a flow of satirical description is what makes this poem one of such quality. The piece was first published in 1712 by the request of Popes friend, John Caryll. It was to make peace between the Fermors and Petres, two prominent RomanRead MoreLiterary Analysis of The Rape of the Lock Essays1922 Words   |  8 Pagestime period today. The Rape of the Lock, his most notable publication, was actually inspired by the real world event when a Lord Petre cut of a lock of Arabella Fermors hair. Form, structure, and plot: The poem is a mock epic divided into 5 short cantos, very similar in form to Shakespeares acts. The first act is a kind of exposition, giving background information about Belinda. Canto 2 introduces the conflict--the Barons desire to cut off and steal Belindas locks; canto 3 encompasses theRead MoreEssay The Mock-Epic and The Rape Of The Lock1067 Words   |  5 PagesThe Mock-Epic and The Rape Of The Lock The argument can be made that the purpose of the Rape of the Lock is to attack the vanity of women. Pope states this directly in his dedication to Arabella – â€Å"to laugh at their sex’s little unguarded Follies,† and the author’s use of the mock-epic seems to reinforce this purpose through its comparison of the epic odyssey to trivial events. In this comparison there can also be found a description of the relationship between the sexes not as a mutualRead MoreAlexander Popes The Rape of the Lock Essay1296 Words   |  6 PagesAlexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock is a satirical poem that features a theme of gender roles. Throughout the poem, Pope uses his protagonist Belinda, to poke fun at the superficial nature of aristocratic women. He focuses on the ritual of womanhood and approaches it like a trivial matter, and her reaction to the offence is hysterical. Through this portrayal, he reveals that the Baron has a childish quality in his need for revenge for Belinda’s stab at his ego. The speaker’s view does come across

The American Dream in Death of a Salesman and Seize the...

In today’s society the term â€Å"American Dream† is perceived as being successful and usually that’s associated with being rich or financially sound. People follow this idea their entire life and usually never stop to think if they are happy on this road to success. Most will live through thick and thin with this idealization of the â€Å"American Dream† usually leading to unhappiness, depression and even suicide. The individual is confused by society’s portrayal of the individuals who have supposedly reached the nirvana of the â€Å"American Dream†. In the play â€Å"Death of a Salesman† Willy thinks that if a person has the right personality and he is well liked it’s easy to achieve success rather than hard work and innovation. This is seen when Willy is†¦show more content†¦Willy also focuses on getting his sons to follow his ideas, he raises them to believe that they will be very successful and that school isn†™t important, it’s important to be liked by everyone. Before Willy dies he talks about all the people that are going to visit his funeral and everyone will see how liked he was. Ironically no one shows up at his funeral but his family and the neighbors, hence vividly showing how much he actually achieved chasing his dream of being well liked. Ben from â€Å"Death of a Salesman† the brother of Willy believes that the American Dream is the ability to start with nothing and somehow to achieve a great fortune â€Å"William when I waked into the jungle I was seventeen. When I walked out I was twenty one. And by God I was rich!† Throughout the play Willy is portrayed as envious of his brother. Willy’s wife is rather not pleased with his presence, she sees Ben as mischievous character that is up to no good. This can be seen when Ben comes over and is playing around with Biff, once Biff starts winning the sparring match Ben trips his and points his umbrella at Biff’s head. Ben believes that only certain people can achieve the â€Å"American Dream† and they need to be ruthless or mischievous to achieve it. Biff the son of Willy in â€Å"Death of a Salesman† has the opportunity to follow his dad’s footsteps and go into pursuing the â€Å"American Dream† but he has in inner conflict of his dad’s adultery. Biff is also much like his dad and is good with his hands,Show MoreRelatedAristoles View on Drama1347 Words   |  6 Pagesclassical Greece around the fifth century B.C. The earliest performances took place in amphitheaters, which the Greeks invented to incorporate plays in their religious and civic festivals. These Greek festivals were huge theatrical events filled with three days of drama. The structure of the amphitheater allowed for an audience of thousands to observe the theatrics and watch as the actors vie to win the drama competition. In addition, ancient Greek theater used dramas to relay moral and political messagesRead More Degradation of America in All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, and The Crucible.2446 Words   |  10 PagesAmerica in All My S ons, Death of a Salesman, and The Crucible  Ã‚     Ã‚   Arthur Miller was, as a playwright, very critical of American society.   He condemned every aspect and satirized every ideal of modern American culture, from democracy to the American dream.   He degraded every part of Western civilization down to a much more basic and much more negative idea – capitalism became greed, and rule by the people became rule by the mob.   Many people of his era saw him as anti-American, and in many waysRead MoreSurvival Guide : The Great Gatsby, And Death Of A Salesman1796 Words   |  8 PagesChristine Powroznik English Final Exam: Survival Guide Pursuit of Happyness, Dead Poet’s Society, The Great Gatsby, Death of a Salesman 1) The American Dream The Great Gatsby: The American dream is a chance to start a new life in a new setting. In this book, Gatsby’s American dream was Daisy. Once he met her, he devoted his life to pleasing her: he bought the mansion across the bay from her, had extravagant parties, etc. He always held onto his hope, or the green light, that he would win herRead More The Character of Uncle Ben in Death of a Salesman Essay2550 Words   |  11 PagesThe Character of Uncle Ben in Death of a Salesman The character of Ben in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman serves a complex dramatic function.   He is Willy Lomans real brother, the idealized memory of that brother, and an aspect of Willys own personality, and these distinct functions are sometimes simultaneous.   Through his aggressive actions and vibrant speech, the audience is given a strong contrast to Willys self-doubt and self-contradiction.   In addition, the encounters between BenRead MoreSupernatural in American Fiction Essay2928 Words   |  12 PagesSupernatural in American Fiction The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. Therefore, it makes sense that if mortals cannot bear the darkness, they [should not] not go there. If man dislikes black night and yawning chasms, then should he not even consider them? Shouldnt man seek out the sunshine, instead? The remedy is very simple: Avoid the darkness and seek the light. But, no. Mankind would never submitRead More Biography of Andrew Carnegie Essay3952 Words   |  16 PagesCarnegie was born into a poor working class family living in the town of Dunfermline, Scotland, in 1835. His father operated a small hand looming business located in the family home. The Carnegies was literate, well read, and active in the politics of the day. It was a time of repression of the Scottish worker by the Government, the employers, and the culture. Rebellious in thought as well as actively participating in protests was part of the Carnegie family life style. He was exposed to all of Scotland’sRead MoreBrief Survey of American Literature3339 Words   |  14 PagesBrief Survey of American Literature 1. Beginnings to 1700 Great mixing of peoples from the whole Atlantic basin Bloody conflicts between Native Americans (or American Indians) and European explorers and settlers who had both religious and territorial aspirations - Native American oral literature / oral tradition - European explorers’ letters, diaries, reports, etc., such as Christopher Columbus’s letters about his voyage to the â€Å"New world†. - Anglo (New England) settlers’ books, sermonsRead MoreWall Street14268 Words   |  58 Pages1 Wall Street (Drama) ( 1987)  © 2000 by Raymond Weschler Major Characters Bud (Buddy ) Fox†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Charlie Sheen A young, smart and very motivated stock broker (seller) who dreams of making millions of dollars. Gordon Gekko†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Michael Douglas A very rich, ruthless and immoral stock trader and â€Å"corporate raider,† which is a person who buys and sells companies, often with horrible results for company workers. Darien Taylor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Daryl Hannah A young and beautiful interiorRead MoreConfucianism in Journey to the West31834 Words   |  128 Pagesthere is a lengthy dialogue between the two. Central in this dialogue are the repeated references to filial piety, such as: â€Å"From what you say, the Monkey King replied, youre a filial son and a gentleman−−youre bound to be rewarded for it one day.† â€Å"çÅ' ´Ã§Å½â€¹Ã© â€œ: æ  ®Ã¤ ½  Ã¨ ¯ ´Ã¨ µ ·Ã¦  ¥, ä ¹Æ'æ˜ ¯Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã¤ ¸ ªÃ¨ ¡Å'Ã¥ ­ Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥ â€ºÃ¥ ­ , Ã¥ â€˜Ã¥ Å½Ã¥ ¿â€¦Ã¦Å"‰å ¥ ½Ã¥ ¤â€ž.†[57] â€Å"(†¦)and who would look after my poor old mother then?† â€Å"è€ Ã¦ ¯ Ã¤ ½â€¢Ã¤ º ºÃ¥ ¥â€°Ã¥â€¦ »?†[58] After the entire dialogue, all we know about the woodcutter is that he works hard and is a filial son; he is the story’s main representationRead MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 Pagess Of Marketing) 3.5. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Ethics in Marketing 4. Have you understood type questions 5. Summary 6. Exercises 7. References 1. INTRODUCTION: The apex body in United States of America for the Marketing functions, American Marketing Association (AMA) defines marketing as â€Å"Marketing consists of those activities involved in the flow of goods and services from the point of production to the point of consumption. The AMA has since amended its definition to read as: â€Å"Marketing

Silencing the Past Summary free essay sample

The book Silencing The Past is about how people â€Å"silence† the past through selective memories to benefit us in the present. We pick out certain events and either dramatize them or play them down to the point of no importance. This paper is about both our played up dramas and our forgotten realities. In the first chapter of the book the author Michel-Roth Trouillot he brings up the story of the Alamo. He shows the reader how the same story can be viewed in completely different ways. He starts by telling the story in very matter of fact fashion from the Mexican point of view. He talks about how Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna took over a Franciscan Mission with a total number of 189 defenders. (Little did he know that mythic heros Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie were inside) The siege went on for twelve days before the Mexicans finally charged the fort and killed everyone inside. We will write a custom essay sample on Silencing the Past: Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A few weeks later at the battle of San Jacinto Santa Anna was defeated by the Secessionist leader Sam Houston. The Texans went on to secede and Santa Anna went on to be the leader of a much smaller Mexico. During the battle of San Jacinto the Texans shouted the phrase â€Å"Remember the Alamo!† Santa Anna saw the battle at the Alamo as a sound victory over some rebellious individuals. The Texans that came after the Alamo saw the Battle as turning point in their lives as subjects to rule. The Texans under Houston took that defeat and saw it as an opportunity to rise up against their oppressor. This story shows how there are at least two sides to every side of any historical event. There is the first side which is the very factual way at looking at history; Names, places, and dates etc. Then there is the side from the winners perspective. Santa Anna factually won the battle of the Alamo but in the socio-historical context he lost the battle to the Texans. During the battle of San Jacinto the Texans shouted the phrase â€Å"Remember the Alamo!† Santa Anna saw the battle at the Alamo as a sound victory over some rebellious individuals. The Texans that came after the Alamo saw the Battle as turning point in their lives as subjects to rule. The Texans under Houston took the defeat at the Alamo defeat and saw it as an opportunity to rise up against their oppressor. The next part of the book is talking about the Haitian rebellion. The Haitian rebellion can be looked at in many ways. The Haitian people look at the Haitian rebellion as the most successful slave revolt in all of history. It was a flipping of society similar to the French revolution, and marks the seconds oldest democracy in the western hemisphere of the world. If the story of the Haitian revolution is told in a completely factual way, the story would be about how the Slaves revolted and started a nation on their own. To the neighboring Americans this was not a good thing. At the time in America there was a large population of slaves, in fact the American agricultural industry relied totally on slave labor. So the Haitian rebellion was talked down so to not give the slaves in America any ideas. The Haitians even silenced part of their own rebellion after their rebellion in silencing Sans Soucis. Sans Soucis was an African born man who fought in the Haitian revolution. He rose to the rank of Colonel for his expertise in guerrilla tactics. He fought alongside Henry Christophe and Toussaint Louverture. Sans and Henry did not get along so Henry had him executed. To erase Sans Soucis King Henry named his palace at Milot Sans Soucis so that everyone would remember the name Sans Soucis because of the palace not the person. All stories are examples of how people have retrospectively changed events to aid them in the present and future. The winners have written history in their favor, leaving the loser to be silenced in history.

Critical and Simplest Measure of Performance

Question: Discuss about the Critical and Simplest Measure of Performance. Answer: Introduction: Front office can be defined as the reception area or the front desk that manages the core operations of any hotel. The front office involves reservations, housekeeping, concierge, sales and marketing and various other departments. The front office is the first place where the customers arrive at the hotel. The front office attends to the customer queries, complaints and confirmations. Moreover, the cashier, mailing service, concierge also form a part of the front office at hotel as they deal with the customers directly. The key performance indicators used in the front office are discussed. Performance goals can be defined as short-term objectives which help the employees in making aware what is expected of them (Abbott and Lewry 1999). Occupancy is the most critical and simplest measure of performance in hotel which indicates the percentage of rooms available. This indicator is important as it provides proper calculation to confirm booking. If the front office does not provide a correct figure for occupancy, it may lose a customer. Another performance indicator is Average daily rate (ADR) which measures the average price paid for a single room. This performance metric helps in assessing the total guest room revenue for a particular period in comparison with occupied rooms within the same period. The ADR is important for the front office as it helps in measuring the financial performance and compares the hotel performance against the competitors (Baker, Bradley and Huyton 2000). The third performance indicator is customer satisfaction rate. The front office staffs play a supporting factor to determine the customer satisfaction which helps in analyzing the decision to return, demonstrate loyalty and recommend the hotel to others. The key indicator depends upon the responsiveness and service quality provided by the front office managers for addressing the requirements of customers. Greater the responsiveness and problem-solving capabilities of the front office employees, higher shall be the satisfaction rate (Bardi 2010). With a higher rate of customer satisfaction, the visitors of hotel shall visit again. The fourth performance indicator is strong communication standards and relationships. The front office workers in the hospitality industry directly communicate with the customers. Their professionalism and conduct helps in building a good rapport with the colleagues and guests through strong communication. The front office employees must ensure that the issu es listed by the guests are passed on to the relevant department so that the tasks and duties can be accomplished in a timely fashion. Strong customer relationships can be enhanced by going above and beyond every guest. The front office employees escorting guests to their rooms or site such as tours or explaining the facilities help in building strong relationships (Hayes and Miller 2011). Another performance indicator is possessing adequate knowledge. Every employee in the hospitality industry is expected to know the products, services and packages so that they can address customer grievances. If the customers see that the staffs are knowledgeable and are well acquainted with the overall structure of the hotel, it shall leave a positive impact on them. The ability to multi-task is another key performance indicator. When the front office employees greet and interact with the guests who are checking in and out through emails and phone calls, it has a positive impact on the customers (Robinson et al. 2016). The room rate of a hotel holds greater significance than the occupancy. If the room rates are higher than the average, it gives an indication about well-run property. Every hotel has a primary objective of 100 percent occupancy so that no room is empty. Other very important performance goals of a hotel are excellent customer service, high quality product packages. Every hotel aims to provide excellent hospitality services after which the customers shall be surveyed for measuring hotel performance (Walker 2010). The room rate also acts as an element for the customers to compare the performance standards between different hotels for the product package offered at a particular price. Therefore, the customers can measure consistency and satisfaction level. The room rate also gives an idea about the quality of services that shall be offered to the customers for the price paid by them. Occupancy is usually not considered as a performance goal as it may lead to low profits. Greater the occu pancy, higher shall be the staffs engrossed in providing services to the customers. However, the rental units have no effect in loss of average rate thereby acting as performance indicator (Madanoglu and Ozdemir 2016). Conclusively, it is critical for the hotels to find a balance between rate and occupancy. The productivity level may be based on either one or combining both figures. There are hotels that consider occupancy as operational target while there are some hotels which consider rate as the operational target. Housekeeping and Role of Revenue Managers Housekeeping can be defined as the management of cores and duties such as cleaning, re-ordering room and various other tasks. A revenue manager focuses on multiple tasks in a hotel such as review of reservations, competitive review, inventory control, reporting and overall business development. The revenue manager uses certain tools for maximizing revenue and occupancy rates (Bragg 2015). Room types are the different categories of rooms classified on the basis of beds and amenities. The rate differs according to these classifications. The three basic categories of a hotel room are standard room, family room and suite. The standard room has the basic amenities such as telephone, television, coffee maker and others. The offering varies according to different hotel for a two-star to five-star hotel. The family rooms are meant for occupancy of more than one person and a suite is a deluxe room which are best suited for businesspeople. The room type may be used as a revenue manager as a tool for maximizing revenue and occupancy as the categories of room can suit the needs of different people (Sloan, Legrand and Chen 2009). Every individual has different needs, preferences and level of expenditure when it comes to choosing a room. A wide variety of room types can be offered as choices so that the customer can choose a room based on his preference and affordability. The diffe rent room types can be used by the revenue manager for addressing the customized needs of the customer which attracts the customers for booking room in a particular room thereby increasing revenue and occupancy (Raghubalan 2007). Management of inventory is crucial for the hotels as it encourages new and returning visitors to stay in the hotel. Every hotel constantly strives to offer best customer services and experience. There are many fixed assets in the hotel such as laundry machines, carts and vacuum machines that need to be maintained. The revenue managers may use managing inventory as a tool to maximize revenue and occupancy by preventing shrinkage. Stolen, lost or misplaced assets can be recovered if taken by the customers (Lashley 2000). This operation can help the hotel to run efficiently at less cost thereby maximizing revenue. The supplies for bathroom, mini-bars and laundry may be used as tool by revenue manager by ensuring constant supply. The hotel shops such as spa or gift shop adds as additional revenue for the hotels. The inventory level needs to be maintained so that the customers are attracted towards optimum occupancy. Therefore, the revenue manager can maximize occupancy and revenue (Casad o 2000). The room rates directly generate revenue that makes it crucial for the revenue managers to set a price which generates maximum profit in context with the services offered. The revenue managers may use dynamic pricing model in which the prices are adjusted based on the products and services offered. The availability of room and function space increases the presence of value transparency. The room rates help in analyzing the uncertainty and increasing demand thereby enhancing occupancy and revenue (Noone and McGuire 2013). The room rate also acts as an element for the customers to compare the performance standards between different hotels for the product package offered at a particular price (Sloan, Legrand and Chen 2009). The room rate also acts as an element for the customers to compare the performance standards between different hotels for the product package offered at a particular price. Therefore, the customers can measure consistency and satisfaction level (Freedman and Kosova 2 012). The strength of the distribution channels help in competing with the competitors for revenue management. The revenue managers use online distribution as the main tool for enhancing occupancy and revenue. The direct booking through online portal is pushed as the stay of customers is confirmed. The online booking helps the customers to book rooms from portable devices such as mobiles or tabs (Sloan, Legrand and Chen 2009). Also, other channels such as booking via email or phone calls shall add to the convenience of customers that are well perceived by the customers. A variety of distribution channels for confirmation and booking of rooms shall help in maximizing revenue and occupancy. If the hotel booking facilities are available on multiple channels, the chance of occupancy and revenue shall be greater than usual (Noone and McGuire 2013). Conclusively, every hotel must adopt housekeeping strategies through operational perspective. The housekeeping industry must conform to strict cleanliness, scheduling and planning. The hotels may maintain compliance where the employees shall be prevented from purchasing stock from outside vendors. The room type may be used as a revenue manager as a tool for maximizing revenue and occupancy as the categories of room can suit the needs of different people. The inventory level needs to be maintained so that the customers are attracted towards optimum occupancy. References Abbott, P. and Lewry, S. (1999). Front Office, 2nd edition, Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. Baker, S., Bradley, P. and Huyton, J. (2000). Principles of Front Office Operations. London: Cassell. Bardi,J. (2010). Hotel Front Office Management, 5th edition, Hoboken: Wiley. Hayes, D.K. and Miller, A.A. (2011). Revenue management for the Hospitality Industry, Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. Madanoglu, M. and Ozdemir, O. (2016). Is more better? The relationship between meeting space capacity and hotel operating performance. Tourism Management, 52(1), pp.74-81. Robinson, R., Kralj, A., Solnet, D., Goh, E. and Callan, V. (2016). Attitudinal similarities and differences of hotel frontline occupations. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 28(5), pp.1051-1072. Walker, J.R. (2010). Introduction to Hospitality Management. 3rd edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall. Bragg, S.M. (2015). Hospitality accounting: a financial and managerial accounting reference. Centennial: Accounting Tools Inc. Casado, M.A. (2000). Housekeeping Management, New York: John Wiley Sons. Freedman, M. and Kosova, R. (2012). Agency and Compensation: Evidence from the Hotel Industry. Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 30(1), pp.72-103. Lashley, C. (2000). Hospitality Retail Management, 1st edition, Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. Noone, B. and McGuire, K. (2013). Pricing in a social world: The influence of non-price information on hotel choice. Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, 12(5), pp.385-401. Raghubalan, G. (2007). Hotel Housekeeping: Operations and Management, New Delhi : Oxford University Press. Sloan, P., Legrand, W., and Chen, J.S. (2009). Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.