Loctite case free essay sample

The case of Loctite Company de Mexico presents an example of an inefficient incentive system that leads to lack of motivation, high employee turnover and internal competition. Given the need of keeping salesmen motivated Loctite used a MCS based on result control by establishing compensations based on performance. According to Merchant and Van der Stede (2012), result control influence actions because they make that employees will be concerned about the consequences of such actions. In this kind of control employees are empowered to take whatever actions they believe will best produce the desired results. However, in Loctite this incentive system was not effective and was yielding unwanted effects. To understand the fault in their system, a set of conditions for the result controls to work have to be examined, as proposed by Merchant and Van der Stede (2012): 1. Managers know what results are desired: In order for controls to be effective organizations must be aware of what their prefered results in an area are and these desires needs to be effectively communicated to the employees who are active in that area. We will write a custom essay sample on Loctite case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In case of the result chosen being wrong or the importance of an area is given inaccurate significance it motivates employees to undertake wrong actions (Merchant and Van der Stede, 2012). In the case of Loctite, results controls are focused on the improvement of sales (15%) and margins (20%). So, the targets are devoted to maximize shareholder value. 2. Employees have the ability to influence the desired results. If the results area are totally uncontrollable by the employees, the measures reveal nothing about what actions or decisions were taken. In our case, the sales people complain about the lack of tools to achieve their aims. Indeed, the price and the place are fixed by the top management and salespeople are not allowed to derogate to these two important aspects of the marketing mix. It could be argued that this is what Merchant and Van der Stede (2012) call action control by behavior constraint. In this way, their principal selling strength is the relationship with engineering, production, maintenance manager to provide them the most adequate product at their needs. However, these kind of products are easily duplicated by competitors. So, salespeople’s inventiveness permits only to generate the first sales but not to compete in the long term against cheap competitors. This situation does not provide any motivation, because salespeople feel powerless to achieve their results. 3. The organization can measure the results effectively. Results measures should be precise, objective, timely and understandable. In our case, we can see that measures are made once every two months. That allows to keep a pressure over employees and also to obtain a rapid feedback over â€Å"a less mature market†. The understandability is divided into two aspects, employees must understand both what they are being held accountable for (improve the sales) and what they must do to influence the measure (list of standards of performance targets). However, like we have seen above, this list may not permit to achieve results due to lack of controllability. All in all, it could be argued that in Loctite’s case the result control was not effective due to the lack of controllability which led to lack of motivation since it was negatively affected by behavioral constraints. The performance-dependent compensation systems of Loctite has it advantages, however it fails to provide incentive in certain areas as the personnel does not believe in the system. According to Merchant and Van der Stede (2012) in order for ideal motivation performance-dependent rewards have to satisfy certain criteria, rewards should be: valued, large enough to have impact, understandable, timely, durable, reversible cost efficient. For instances Loctites profit sharing compensation provided the employees with no motivation as they â€Å"They take [the payments] for granted† (p. 57). Moreover the sales targets where in many cases unrealistic due to the market situation in Mexico along with many competitors. Not meeting their required targets made the sales personnel loose motivation and made for a high staff turnover. In this case, a solution is recommended to improve the MCS at Loctite. A personnel control should be introduced in salesmen level. Merchant and Van der Stede (2012) believe that employees have natural tendencies to do what is right. Lack of motivation and personal limitations can be solved by the improvement in self-control, ethics and morality, loyalty through reselection and replacement, training, job design and provision of resources. Another initiative could be giving them a good work environment and the necessary resources.

The Necessary Cruelty of Medieval Rulers essays

The Necessary Cruelty of Medieval Rulers essays In reading Machiavellis The Prince, one would gather many insights into the sort of moves a ruler should make and into the mind of Machiavelli. Machiavelli has many topics and gives a lot of advice, but some of his advice is more drastic than others. For instance, Machiavelli states that cruelty should be pursued in occasional acts of severity as needed to put a message out to the public. It is used to set an example and grab the attention and most importantly fear of the princes subjects. Machiavelli states this because in order for the Prince to keep his subjects fearing him, which Machiavelli leans toward as a better option than their love, the Prince must exercise his authority and show the people that he means business. In order to keep them under control and prevent any sort of insurrection. Therefore, Machiavellis references to necessary cruelty and being feared are simply actions a ruler must take to keep safety and order in a kingdom. Cruelty is a subject which dictators and princes alike have dealt with as long as crimes have required punishment. It is a tough subject for a ruler to deal with, but it is necessary that a ruler, according to Machiavellis point of view, be cruel when it is needed. Machiavellis justification is that if a ruler comes out with cruelty against one or a few individuals for a crime or any disobedient action. It is better to inflict consequences on a few individuals than it is to be merciful and to let the problem at hand grow. If you let something slide before the public, people see it. The public may have higher favor for or even love a king if he grants mercy. However, it only triggers another affect from those who would commit a crime which requires consequences. The people who are on the side of the guilty party and people who are simply on the opposite side of the Prince would be smiling at his mercy more than any other subjects. The reason is that the...

Capstone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Capstone - Essay Example The mission and vision provide a target for the company’s strategy development. This means that a single criterion of a careful strategy is how efficiently it assists the firm in achieving its mission and vision (Bonaich, 2004). Strategies are clear on what the company will do and not do in order to achieve the mission and vision. The company’s vision also gives a bridge between the strategy and the mission. Wall-mart vision and mission enhance the spirit of continuous innovation of products and also their improvement (Edward, 2006). The mission and vision give a top notch guide, and the company’s strategy provide a more certain guide, to the company’s goals and objectives (Chazen, 2002). This shows both the successes and the failures of the set strategy, and at the same time, the satisfaction of the set objectives found in the mission (Bonaich, 2004). The stakeholders are the pillar of the organization they are essential during the starting period of the company, but once the firm became functional it was the customers who keep the business going (Fishman, 2006). Customers are influential in generating revenue which is crucial for running the company (Ruta, 2009). Customers of Wall Mart are, therefore, the most influential stakeholders of the company. Employees give the necessary human resources that move the engine of production of goods and marketing of the produced goods (Chazen, 2002). Without them, the company is unlikely to function even if there exists customers and shareholders ready to purchase the goods offered by the company. Employees of Wall Mart are highly treasured since they are the ones selling and marketing the products to consumers (Bonaich, 2004). Suppliers of the goods and services are vital as they provide the goods which the company depends on to produce or sell its outputs. Without them, marketing and production become rendered null and void. Society impacts the organization in a big way (Ruta,

Elder Abuse In Patients With Dementia By Cares Dissertation

Elder Abuse In Patients With Dementia By Cares - Dissertation Example An assessment carried out for Ireland’s National Dementia Strategy (Cooper, Manela, Katona, & Livingston, 2008) offers evidence on the dominance of dementia and on the provision of dementia care in Ireland. Results point out that there are 41,740 individuals with dementia in Ireland, most of whom are over 65 years of age. A substantial percentage of these older people, 23,058, live in the community where care is available, in the main, by household caregivers, largely by women, within an embryonic and fragmented community support services frame (Pillemer & Suitor, 1992). Family caregivers of elder people with dementia may be uninformed of activities that are offensive (Beech et al. 2005). Additionally, such activities may have negative or positive effects on the older person. For instance, in a study titled Caring for Relatives with Dementia (CARD), over half of caregivers self-reported committing physical or psychological mistreatment of their care-recipient and one third met the benchmarks of substance abuse. Elder abuse has received substantial consideration in public addresses, policy reports and study as the issue has progressively been debated and studied and efforts have been made to address it (Naughton, Drennan, Treacy, Lafferty, Lyons, Phelan, O’Loughlin & Delaney, 2010). At the same time, new angles have exceeded the outdated, medical perception of dementia, permitting new considerations from other disciplines to arise, which draw attention to the economic and social inferences of the disorder (Alzheimer’s Association, 2012). In this context, a connection between dementia and a higher threat of elder abuse has been proven.

How to Relieve Stress and Anxiety Through Yoga Essay Example for Free

How to Relieve Stress and Anxiety Through Yoga Essay Stress is an inevitable part of life. Our jobs, families and friends are constant potential sources of stress in our lives. People are constantly on the search for ways to deal with their stress. Yoga has been proven as a means of dealing with stress so in this essay I will discuss how yoga has been used to deal with stress and anxiety. By definition, Yoga is; â€Å"a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation†. I feel that it is a very calming and soothing form of exercise that also manages to improve health, flexibility and thought-processing skills. When people are stressed or suffering from anxiety, they tend to think less logically, sleep less, eat unhealthily and practice less exercise. However, dealing with ones stress is the best idea in improving ones lifestyle so, yoga is a practical solution for these issues. Specifically, yoga is more than just stretching. It loosens up the tense muscles in the body (due to the vast amounts of stretching) especially (the high stress areas); the neck, the shoulders and the back. It combines a loosening the muscles with regular deep breathing and relaxation of the mind. When practicing yoga, one must always â€Å"stay in the moment†, it is one of the key phrases of the activity. When people are stressed they constantly think of their next upcoming deadlines rather than focusing on the now. Yoga manages to relax the person by allowing you to think solely on the moment. When in a yoga pose you only think of the current pose and how it should match your breathing, thinking and balance. You cant think of your pose if youre thinking of your problems therefore, the poses are designed to make you think about the moment so you can successfully accomplish them. In doing so, you become so involved in your pose that you forget about the issues which caused you stress in the first place. Also, yoga emphasizes slow deep breathing which, in itself, is a means of dealing with anxiety therefore already helping the person to relax. This means that one of the core features of yoga is already a means of solving anxiety. Breathing is the key to yoga stress management. Instructors encourage people to focus on their breathing because it allows you to focus on something other than your stress. Listening to your own breath makes your problems seem further away because you pay more attention to your core self rather than your external issues. Every yoga class ends with a corpse pose. This pose is designed for deep relaxation. After undergoing several challenging poses that really stretch out the tense muscles, the corpse pose (or â€Å"playing dead†) allows your body to re-adjust whilst also relaxing the mind. Whilst â€Å"playing dead† I tend to not think about anything and just flow with the music like â€Å"a pebble flowing in the river†. This is possibly the most relaxing phase of yoga because of motionlessness of the body after an intense session. This phase can be so relaxing that many people even tend to fall asleep. This is clearly a sign that yoga works because, stressed people do not sleep easily. As college students, yoga can be very useful at peak times such as; before class, before a test or before going to bed. Before a test you can easily do some neck and shoulder rolls and relieve yourself. Before bed, if you have a lot of things on your mind, you can do a few stretches (maintaing them for 3 to 4 full breaths) and thus relax yourself enough to sleep comfortably without any impending thoughts. In conclusion, I feel that yoga is very useful for stress and anxiety relief. In my personal experience, yoga has helped me become a less stressed and thus more comfortable person because I have found an escape as a college student from the, occasionally, mundane and monotonous routine.

Sexism in the Media and Music Industry | Essay

Sexism in the Media and Music Industry | Essay Introduction Sexism is the type of behavior created by a society through gender conditioning which equally degrades both men and women. â€Å"Sexism is the subordination of one sex, usually female, based on the assumed superiority of [another] sex† (Kendall, 2004, p. 76). It refers to a system of beliefs that objectifies and lowers the status of one sex and that creates reason of discrimination on the basis of this status. Examples of this attitude are sexist humor, sexist naming, sexual violence and employment discrimination. At personal level sexism refers to behaviors and attitudes that are used in everyday interactions. Gender or sex role related to the difference between men and women that are society or culture originated. SEXISM IN MEDIA In the few last years we have read and watched women who are not afraid to talk out about sexism attacks, abusively written about , threatened with hostile actions and being send aggressive and sexually detailed tweets, Facebook messages and emails. Almost every women have been on the receiving end of such abuse and I think every women should stand up for herself and be heard, writing this assignment can be just one small part to achieve change, people should realize how the media degrades women or the impact it has on individuals and our society. SEXISM IN MUSIC Popular culture takes everything to an extreme exaggeration, including this type of sexism, to earn profit. As the mainstream music industry that have grown over the last 10 years, the majority of the songs that are being played on the radio and channels are not appropriate, even the inappropriate words is replaced with something cheesy and age-appropriate ,it does not help or change the message hidden in this songs. In the article written by Tricia Ross â€Å"There are Bitches and Hoes,† she is addressing that rap/hip-hop and urban culture has often promoted the demeaning of women in the music industry. Popular old hip hop artists like Too Short, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, and Snoop Dogg are among the few hip hop artists that are allowing the degrading of women. Snoop’s popular lyrics â€Å"Bitches ain’t shit, but hoes and tricks,† and Too Short’s song â€Å"Gangstas and Strippers† are so inappropriate for being released on the music industry. The hi p hop culture advertises the idea that being a pimp to a woman is completely fine. Their defense being that â€Å"they are talking about a reality of life and dare people to deny it† (Rose 322). Popular artist like Snoop tries to justify his song by saying he is not talking about all the women even though even though they don’t specify the type of women they sing or rap about. â€Å"There is no question that the sexism that‘s in our hip-hop videos is a reflection of how sexist men are in the world today. It‘s just that in the past things weren‘t so obvious† (Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def. Jam Records). Since its birth in 1974 till today’s popularity worldwide, hip-hop music has extremely changed. Nowadays in the hip-hop music and music videos, there is many explicit words that degrades women. In many music videos women have no individuality and are promoted as sexual playthings and eye candy. Artists, such as Eminem, Ludacris, R.Kelly, Lil Wayne, Robin Thicke and Chris Brown are among the many artist who describe women as objects of harassment or male controlled world by communicating that submission is a desirable action by woman. Most of the messages in their song glorify sexism against women including rape, abuse and advertise gender objectification and dehumanizes women mainly. Robin Thicke and Pharell Williams’s popular song in 2013 â€Å"blurred lines† created a controversy with the lyrics such as† I know you want it, But youre a good girl ,The way you grab me, Must wanna get nasty† ,well you cant know they want it unless they tell you they want it, he assumes she want it. It advertises and promotes attitude towards sex and consent. Many people have called the song a rape song, the song would have escaped censure if the music video, that had Robin Thicke, Pharell Williams and T.I all three of them dancing and goofing around with barely dressed girls and that is the clean version, the other version had topless models, this has generated its own separate but also overlapping controversy. People who have been calling this song completely offensive to women have a strong case. Nevertheless, the song is about setting a good girl free by telling and showing her that she really wants some crazy sex that she is not even asking for. Robin Thicke keeps repeating the lyrics I know you want it while his rapping partner T.I. raps Ill give you something big enough to tear your ass in two. In GQ magazine when Robin Thicke was interviewed, he said, We tried to do everything that was taboo. Bestiality, drug injections, and everything that is completely derogatory towards women. Because all three of us are happily married with children, we were like, Were the perfect guys to make fun of this. What underlies Robin Thicke’s depressing statement this that if the men respect their women, it is alright for them to degrade their women. The artist makes it sadly clear when he explains: People say, Hey, do you think this is degrading to women? Im like, Of course it is. What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. Ive never gotten to do that before. Ive always respected women, not only is he saying it totally fine to degrade women, it’s actually fun. All issues in the world exist within these lines. The thought that it’s a â€Å"pleasure† to demean women after he had lived all his life respecting them is ridiculous. That it’s even funny or that he could do that because he is happily married with woman and has children is the thought of someone completely deluded, who has been living his complete life in a bubble of entitlement. Kanye West’s latest album has been accused for its sexist words against women, it also has been criticized by male and female critics alike as a very amazing, brilliant and bold album. Most of the attention and reviews focused on Kanye West’s potential sacrilege and harmful use of racism, few people called out his offensive and degrading attitude towards women. â€Å"Took her to the Bleau, she tried to sip the fountain/ That when David Grutman kicked her out/ But I got her back in and put my dick in her mouth.† Those are some lyrics from Kanye West’s first track, â€Å"On Sight,† which seems to refer directly to West’s girlfriend and mother of his baby girl Kim Kardashian and her relationship with Grutman, who is one of the people in-charge of Fontainebleau hotel in Miami, which would means he wrote this disgusting lyrics about the women he allegedly loves and about to marry. West himself was raised by a single working mother, whom he respected and loved. He was raised by a feminist, although she was never named that but She was a strong-willed woman who had raised an artist who both claims to completely inspired and completely, purposely sexist. The most interesting fact about hip-hop artists using this language towards women to be alright is the women’s reactions and behavior while listening to this music .When a young woman, a fan of the certain artist, listens to lyrics in the song like â€Å"bitches and hoes,† the hip hop musician is encouraging fans to imitate the behaviors and acts of these so-called â€Å"bitches and hoes.† Women participate not only in the acts these rappers are rapping about but also are featured in the music videos. These women who participate in this videos are called â€Å"video hoes† or â€Å"video vixen. When a women participates in this behaviors or staring in these rapper’s videos and even singing along in their car points out that they are okay with sexism. Being against sexism in a society or culture that takes advantage of it is not very easy, in a system that rewards us for participating. In another parts of the world, a group consisting of all girl Indian rock band have been disbanded after being targeted online by hate campaigns and have been issued fatwa (Islamic legal opinion handed down by an Islamic religious leader) against them . Pragaash (meaning â€Å"First Light† in Kashmiri) have won the third place in the battle of the bands a competition that’s being held in the Muslim dominated Kashmir, but the attention they gained after their achievement in the competition was so horrible that it caused them not to only stop their performances but to end their ties to the music industry, even one of three band members have fled her city to another. These girls have been called â€Å"whores† and â€Å"prostitutes† by these online hate campaign members and are being called indecent by the issued fatwa against them, while they were all wearing jeans, scarfs and long-sleeved shirts/jackets. While many members of both local and online communities have shown their support for the band members, others have being continuously threatening the girls and their immediate families, and they accused the girls of western-style culture influence. The nature of this matter is obviously affected by culture and religious differences but the main fact remains the same, that sexism is common around the globe. It also asks the question of how much more do we need to develop before it is universally know that this type of act is not simply unfair or harmful but that it is also a crime.

About Ginger

Ginger or ginger root is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family (Zingiberaceae). Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal. Ginger cultivation began in South Asia and has since spread to East Africa and the Caribbean. Ginger oil has been shown to prevent skin cancer in mice and a study at the University of Michigan demonstrated that gingerols ([6]-gingerol) can kill ovarian cancer cells. Ginger can also heal inflammation. Ginger is particularly useful in treating chronic inflammation because it partially inhibits two important enzymes that play a role in inflammation gone awry — cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (LOX). Ginger does not cause stomach irritation; instead it helps protect and heal the gut. Ginger also treats a broader range of the inflammatory problem because it affects both the COX and the LOX enzymes. And because it doesn't shut down the inflammatory process entirely, ginger may actually allow it to work properly and then turn itself off, the way it does with an injury. Besides reducing inflammation, ginger has many other benefits. It helps relieve nausea, destroys a host of viruses, and in some laboratory studies has shown promise as an anticancer agent. Health care professionals may recommend ginger to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting from motion sickness, pregnancy, and cancer chemotherapy. It is also used to treat mild stomach upset, to reduce pain of osteoarthritis, and may even be used in heart disease. Ginger extract is not widely known as a solution for hair loss, but it has properties to improve blood circulation in the scalp, which may protect the hair from falling off.

Rawls Theory Essay

A contemporary philosopher, John Rawls (1921-2002), is noted for his contributions to political and moral philosophy. In particular, Rawls’ discussion about justice introduced five important concepts into discourse, including: the two principles of justice, the â€Å"original position† and â€Å"veil of ignorance,† reflective equilibrium, overlapping consensus, and public reason. What is interesting about these five contributions is how Rawls’ speculative thought has been used by scholars across disciplinary lines, influencing such diverse academic disciplines as economics, law, political science, sociology, and theology. A theory of justice†¦ Rawls’ most famous work, A Theory of Justice (1971), provides an introduction to this body of thought as well as some of its implications for ethics. Like many philosophers before him, Rawls focused upon justice because of its substantive importance for organizing and governing society. The problem, however, involves defining what that term means theoretically (i.e., speculatively about organizing and governing society) and practically (i.e., the consequences for people and their lives). Generally, speaking, justice can be defined in one of two ways. One definition emphasizes an individual’s merit or lack of it. According to this definition, each individual must be treated exactly as one deserves. This â€Å"merit theory† of justice, reflecting utilitarian ethics, uses merit to determine just how individual members of society will be rewarded or punished based solely upon whether one’s conduct is useful or harmful to society. The â€Å"need theory† of justice, which assumes that individual members of society should help those other members who are most in need so as to redress their disadvantages, reflects the influence of natural law theory and Kant’s categorical imperative. In this view, â€Å"doing good† dictates that every member of society recognize that need entitles the most disadvantaged to some sort of special consideration and that the more advantaged must compensate the disadvantaged with the goal of bringing them up to an acceptable level of advantage. Attempting to balance the demands posed by these rival theories, Rawls maintained that inequalities in society can only be justified if they produce increased benefits for the entire society and only if those previously the most disadvantaged members of society are no worse off as a result of any inequality. An inequality, then, is justified if it contributes to social utility, as the merit theory asserts. But, at the same time, Rawls argued, priority must be given to the needs of the least advantaged, as the needs theory asserts. Thus, differential rewards are allowed to the advantaged members of society but not because of any merit on their part. No, these rewards are tolerated because they provide an incentive for the advantaged which ultimately will prove beneficial to society (e.g., taxing the advantaged with the goal of redistributing the wealth to provide for the least advantaged). The original position†¦ Using a thought experiment Rawls called â€Å"the original position† from which agents behind a â€Å"veil of ignorance† select principles of justice to govern society, Rawls argued that two principles serve to organize society, the â€Å"liberty principle† and the â€Å"difference principle.† He rooted the original position in and extended the concept of â€Å"social contract† previously espoused by Hobbes, Rousseau, and Locke which made the principles of justice the object of the contract binding members of society together. In addition, Rawls’ advocacy of treating people only as ends and never as means rooted his philosophical speculations in and extended Kant’s categorical imperative. According to Rawls, a society is a cooperative venture between free and equal persons for the purpose of mutual advantage. Cooperation among members makes life better because cooperation increases the stock of what it is rational for members of societ y to desire irrespective of whatever else its members may want. Rawls calls these desires â€Å"primary goods† which include among others: health, rights, income, and the social bases of self-respect. The problem every society must confront, Rawls noted, is that the members will oftentimes disagree about what constitutes the good and how the benefits and burdens within society will be distributed among its members. Some believe, for example, that the good consists in virtuous conduct which perfects the commonweal while others believe that the good is discovered in the pursuit of individual happiness, at least in so far as the members of society define these terms. Some members believe that an individual’s merit should determine how one will participate in society’s benefits while others believe that society must provide the least advantaged extra assistance so that they will be able to share equally in society’s benefits. If society is to exist and to endure despite these and other such differences, its members must de rive a consensus regarding what minimally constitutes the good. What consensus requires in actual practice is that the members of society agree upon the rules which will govern them as a society and that these rules will be applied consistently. But, Rawls asked, just how would a society and its members know what constitutes a â€Å"fair† principle? And, how would it be possible to determine what is â€Å"reasonable† for every member to agree with? Thompson cites the example of welfare to make this point: The growth of the welfare state has often been explained and defended as a progressive recognition that government should provide certain benefits (positive rights) in order to prevent certain harms to citizens (negative rights). Yet its opponents claim that the welfare state violates the negative rights of other citizens (property owners, for example). (1987, p. 104) Rawls responded to this challenge by invoking the original position, in which representative members of a society would determine the answers to these difficult questions. That is, absent any government, the representatives would rationally discuss what sort of government will be supported by a social contract which will achieve justice among all members of society. The purpose for this discourse would not be to justify governmental authority but to identify the basic principles that would govern society when government is established. The chief task of these rep resentatives would not be to protect individual rights but to promote the welfare of society (1971, p. 199). To this end, the representatives do not know—are â€Å"veiled† from—which place in society they will occupy. In addition, every factor which might bias a decision (e.g., one’s tastes, preferences, talents, handicaps, conception of the good) is kept from the representatives. They do, however, possess knowledge of those factors which will not bias one’s decision (e.g., social knowledge, scientific knowledge, knowledge identifying what human beings need to live). From this original position and shrouded by a veil of ignorance about their place in society, Rawls argued the representatives ultimately would select the principle of justice rather than other principles (e.g., axiological virtues, natural law, utilitarian principles) to organize and govern society. While individual members of society oftentimes do act in their self-interest, this does not mean that they cannot be rational about their self-interests. Rawls argued that this is precisely what would occur in the original position when the representatives operated from behind the veil of ignorance. Freed from focusing upon one’s self-interest to the exclusion of others’ self-interests, the society which the representatives would design determines what will happen to its members and how important social matters like education, health care, welfare, and job opportunities will be distributed throughout society. The idea is that the representatives operating from behind the veil of ignorance would design a society that is fair for all of its members because no individual member would be willing to risk ending up in an intolerable position that one had created for others but had no intention of being in oneself. Why is this so? Rawls claimed that the representatives to the original position would invoke the principle of rational choice, the so-called â€Å"maximin decision rule.† This rule states that an agent, when confronted with a choice between alternative states of the world with each state containing a range of possible outcomes, would choose the state of affairs where the worst outcome is that state of affairs which is better than the worst outcome presented by any other alternative. Rawls’ example of two persons sharing a piece of cake demonstrates how the maximin decision rule works in actual practice. Suppose there is one piece of cake that two persons want to eat. They equally desire to eat the cake and each wants the biggest piece possible. To deal with this dilemma, both agree that one will cut the cake while the other will choose one of the two pieces. The consensus derived guarantees that the cake will be shared fairly, equating â€Å"justice† with â€Å"fairness.† The two principles of justice†¦ By equating the principle of justice with fairness, the representatives in the original position and operating from behind the veil of ignorance would elect to organize society around the liberty principle and the difference principle. The liberty principle requires dictates that each member of society has an equal right to the most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of equal liberty for all. Accordingly, each member of society should receive an equal guarantee to as many different liberties―and as much of those liberties―as can be guaranteed to every member of society. The liberties Rawls discussed include: political liberty (the right to vote and to be eligible for public office); freedom of speech and assembly; liberty of conscience and freedom of thought; freedom of the person along with the right to hold personal property; and, freedom from arbitrary arrest and seizure. In contrast to some libertarian interpretations of utili tarianism, Rawls did not advocate absolute or complete liberty which would allow members of society to have or to keep absolutely anything. The difference principle requires that all economic inequalities be arranged so that they are both: a) to the benefit of the least advantaged and b) attached to offices and positions open to all members under conditions of fair equality of opportunity. If this is to occur, Rawls argued, †¦each generation should â€Å"preserve the gains of culture and civilization, and maintain intact those just institutions that have been established† in addition to putting aside â€Å"in each period of time a suitable amount of real capital accumulation.† (1971, p. 285) Rawls is willing to tolerate inequalities in society but only if they are arranged so that any inequality actually assists the least advantaged members of society and that the inequalities are connected to positions, offices, or jobs that each member has an equal opportunity to attain. In the United States, this scheme is oftentimes called â€Å"equal opportunity.† The inequalities Rawls discussed include: i nequalities in the distribution of income and wealth as well as inequalities imposed by institutions that use differences in authority and responsibility or chains of command. The reason the representatives in the original position and operating from behind the veil of ignorance would agree upon the difference principle is not due to the existence of a social contract but to ethics. That is, members of society do not deserve either their natural abilities or their place in a social hierarchy. Where and when one was born and the privileges and assets afforded by one’s birth is a matter of sheer luck. It would be unfair, Rawls contended, were those born into the least advantaged of society to remain in that place if all members of society could do better by abandoning (or redistributing) initial differences. According to Rawls, this is what ethics―according to the standard of justice―demands and, in the United States, this is the basis of what is oftentimes called â€Å"affirmative action.† The representatives would agree. The liberty principle must always take precedence to the difference principle so that every member of society is assured of equal basic liberties. Similarly, the second part of the difference principle cited above (b) must take priority to the first part (a) so that the conditions of fair equality of opportunity are also guaranteed for everyone (1971, p. 162). Thus, the two principles of justice, the liberty principle and the difference principle, are ordered because society cannot justify a decrease in liberty by increasing any member’s social and economic advantage. Reflecting Rawls’ interest in political philosophy, the liberty and principle and the difference principle apply to the basic structure of society (what might be called a â€Å"macro view†)―society’s fundamental political and economic arrangements―rather than to particular conduct by governmental officials or individual laws (what might be called a â€Å"micro view†). The liberty principle requires society to provide each citizen with a fully adequate scheme of basic liberties (e.g., freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, and due process of law). The difference principle requires that inequalities in wealth and social position be arranged so as to benefit society’s most disadvantaged group. In cases where the two principles conflict, Rawls argues the liberty principle must always take precedence over the difference principle. One example that applies Rawls’ theory of justice involves how one would become a lawyer in the society designed by the representatives in the original position and operating from behind the veil of ignorance. This example also indicates how and why inequalities would exist in that society. In the original position and operating from behind the veil of ignorance, representatives organize society to be governed according to the liberty principle and the difference principle. In that society, any member of society can become a lawyer if one possesses the talent. So, a young woman discovers that she possesses the talent and interest to become a lawyer and decides that this is what she wants to do in her life. But, to get the education she actually needs to become a lawyer requires an inequality. That is, less fortunate people must help pay for her education at the public university’s law school with their taxes. In return, however, this young woman will perform some very important functions for other people―including the less fortunate―once she becomes a lawyer. At the same time, however, the lawyer will make a lot of money. But, she is free to keep it because she has earned it. At the same time, she will also pay taxes to the government which, in turn, will be used to provide needed programs for the least advantaged members of society. The issue of equitable pay also provides a practical example that clarifies how Rawls’ theory of justice can be applied (Maclagan, 1998, pp. 96-97). Noting that the principle â€Å"equal pay for equal work† is eminently fair in concept, Maclagan notes that not all work is equal. What is really needed in society is some rational basis to compare what sometimes are very different occupations and jobs, especial ly when this involves comparing â€Å"men’s work† and â€Å"women’s work.† Typically, the criteria used to compare dissimilar jobs quantifies work requirements as well as the investment individuals must make to attain these positions. In addition, the amount of skill and training required, the potential for danger and threat to one’s life, the disagreeableness involved in the work, as well as the degree of responsibility associated with a job all figure prominently when making such calculations. In actual practice, however, making comparisons between dissimilar jobs is an immensely difficult undertaking, as Maclagan notes, citing as an example the difficulties management and labor both confront in the process of collective bargaining. Collective bargaining involves ethics because each party declares what the other ought to do. When these differences are resolved through a consensus, a â€Å"contract† provides the basic structure by which the members of that society (called the â€Å"corporation†) will organize and govern themselves for a specific period of time. Coming to agreement upon a contract—like Rawls’ concept of reflective equilibrium—requires both parties to the collective bargaining process to align their principles and intuitions through the process of considered dialogue and mutual judgment. Furthermore, the contract―like Rawls’ difference principle―tolerates inequalities in pay but only as long as the least advantaged enjoy equal opportunity and their situation is protected if not improved. What is noteworthy about Maclagan’s example is that the parties are not in the original position nor do they operate from behind a veil of ignorance. Instead, they have to move toward those positions if they are to adjudicate their differences amicably and for the benefit of both. The critics†¦ Since its first publication in 1971, Rawls’ work has received some begrudging if not respectful criticism. Some have asked which members of society constitute the â€Å"least advantaged†? For his part, Rawls identified these people generally as unskilled workers and those whose average income is less than the median income. What Rawls failed to address, however, is the plight of those who may be the truly least advantaged members of society, namely, those citizens of some permanently unemployed underclass, who depend entirely upon government largesse to subsist (e.g., welfare), or whose racial or ethnic origins condemn them to permanent disadvantage. The critics ask: Should not their plight be considered more important than those who possess more of society’s benefits? Furthermore, in so far as Rawls states the difference principle, it appears that inequalities are permissible but only if they better the lot of the least advantaged members of society. However, cr itics note, that position is inconsistent with Rawls’ claim that the representatives to the original position must not take an interest in anyone’s particular interests. The logic fails if preference must be given by those in the original position to the least advantaged. Lastly, Rawls’ critique of utilitarianism, his embrace of egalitarianism, and the actual effects of the difference principle combine in such a way that his philosophy can be construed to advocate political agenda with Marxist overtones. That is, in actual practice Rawls’ theory would redistribute society’s benefits away from the â€Å"haves† to the â€Å"have nots† with little or no concomitant bearing of society’s burdens. Economists, for example, note that Rawls has neglected to consider the market forces unleashed in a capitalist society where seeking one’s self-interest is arguably the primary motivating principle. These critics argue that even the least advantaged, if they so choose, can take advantage of the minimal benefits society offers them by virtue of citizenship. Through education, persistence, and hard work, the least ad vantaged (or, their children in the next generation) will be able to participate more fully in enjoying the benefits as well as in bearing the burdens of membership in society. The critics ask: â€Å"Is this not what has happened to waves of immigrants to the United States during the past two hundred years?† In light of these criticisms, Rawls modified the principles of liberty and difference. Pondering the question of social stability, Rawls considered how a society ordered by the two principles of liberty and difference might endure. In Political Liberalism (1996), Rawls introduced the idea that stability can be found in an overlapping consensus between citizens who hold diverse religious and philosophical views or conceptions about what constitutes the good to be sought. As with Maclagan’s (1998) collective bargaining example, this â€Å"overlapping consensus† is found in their agreement that justice is best defined as fairness. In Justice as Fairness (2001), Rawls introduced the idea of public reason, that is, the reason possessed by all citizens which contributes to social stability, a notion he first detailed in The Law of Peoples with â€Å"The Idea of Public Reason† Revisited (1999). References Aristotle. (1958). Nicomachean ethics (W. D. Ross, Trans.) In J. D. Kaplan (Ed.), The pocket Aristotle (pp. 158-274). New York: Washington Square Press. Maclagan, P. (1998). Management & morality. Thousand Oaks, IL: Sage Press. Rawls, J. (2001). Justice as fairness: A restatement. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press. Rawls, J. (1999a). A theory of justice (rev. ed.). Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press. Rawls, J. (1999b). The law of peoples with â€Å"the idea of public reason† revisited. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Rawls, J. (1996). Political liberalism. New York: Columbia University Press. Rawls, J. (1971). A theory of justice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Thompson, D. F. (1990). Political ethics and public office. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Dealing with terrorists essays

Dealing with terrorists essays There are many different ways to fight terrorism, but two of them stand out more than the others. One way involves diplomacy and the belief that if you give in to terrorists demands they will leave you and your people alone. The other way includes diplomacy too, but there is a lot more ass kicking and name taking involved. One might think that there would be an agreed upon method to take on terrorism, but ideas and opinions on the subject vary as much as the terrorists reasons for hating their victims. Some people think appeasing terrorists is cool. Parts of the world have appeased evildoers before, and they are doing it now too. Neville Chamberlain, the once Prime Minister of Great Britain, thought it was cool too. In the late Twentys and early Thirtys, he and other world leaders where being nice or diplomatic or whatever, and let Hitler build an awesome war machine that terrorized Europe. Their inactions threatened the freedom of the rest of the world. Earlier this year in Madrid, Spain terrorists bombed a train station and killed 190 people getting on and getting off of the public transportation system. The national elections were days away and the party in the lead saw the election shift in favor of their opponent because their opponent thought it would be cool to just leave the terrorists alone. The end result of all this appeasing was millions of Jews dead, billions of dollars in damage, and an overall not cool situation. Appeasement did not work, and other people had to come in and help defend Great Britain. In the end, a good majority of Europe had to be liberated. That was not cool. The result of the Spanish elections showed that the terrorists actions had most definitely influenced a whole nation to placate the terrorists. On the other hand, preempting terrorist actions can seem cool too. Although it depends on whom you ask. Some will say, They hav ...

Dell case Essays

Dell case Essays Dell case Essay Dell case Essay down the time it takes from ordering that the customer gets the computer to themselves , they have revolutionized the way how the PC market sales are made . The major competitors such as HP and 18M, are trying to predetermine based on market studies what customers want , and then produces computers for stock, while Dell lets customers decide what components they want in their computer. Customers ordering via the telephone or , increasingly , via the Internet. In doing so, avoid Dell intermediaries becomes more cost carriers. Where competitors more trying to focus n creating services around the product , thereby creating value for the customer , trust Dell more on the customer already has the implementation knowledge required to do a proper , active purchasing choice . In order to have a control system that meets the requirements for speed and flexibility , Dell has focused on reducing the number of intermediaries ( touches ) in the production of computers. The main way to do this is by outsourcing all production of components , and instead the focus solely on the reassembly of the roduct . This meant that Dell went more toward being a service company than a generation . To decisions taken in the control system will also maintain the requirements of speed is possible for managers far down the systems to make decisions without involving managers from the top ( depending on how important the decision is ) . This allows the organization becomes very flexible to change, and that Dell avoids slow bureaucracy. By making use of most of the economic data that is continuously easured , and are always available for sales representatives and managers , the organization can measure its effectiveness in real time. This is Dell s so-called scorecard , which includes for example Return On Invested Capital , average selling price , etc. The fact that you use the same type of control data throughout the organization makes the entire organization can implement strategies that proved to be positive in some small part . That decision-making is decentralized , and that economic control data is always vailable , allows a Dell different parts of the organization becomes investment centers. Both of the goals is the goal you are trying to reach by creating investment centers , namely that the information required to make the right decisions is available and that each business units performance is measured. Key data is visible especially the difference between Dell and its competitors in return on equity , cost of goods sold and inventory turnover . All these differences are based on Dell management of production and storage, or rather the lack of storage, omputers. Dells input based on direct demand when the customer places his order , wnlle competltors are trying to estimate tne customers needs . Inls means that Dell basically has no storage of the products , allowing the stock turnover is much higher than the competition. Dell does not tie up capital in inventory management also makes it get a higher return on capital employed. However , Dell has higher production costs than competitors , then they choose to outsource it and thus get an additional cost .

Outline the similarities and differences in the marxist and liberal Essay

Outline the similarities and differences in the marxist and liberal approaches to understanding the state - Essay Example Very few countries in the world even consider themselves Marxist anymore and the economic systems as well as the approach taken to the state is often a mixed one for former Marxist countries. Nevertheless, the ideas presented by Marxist theorists remain important because there are quite a few supporters of Marxism and Marxist theories in the world even where the majority holds the liberal approach. Perhaps the best representation of the ideas behind Marxism is given in the communist manifesto which was written jointly by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel. The Communist Manifesto was first published in 1848 and the book deals with the program of the communist party as well as the purposes of its foundation. In essence the viewpoint taken by the Marxist approach to the state focuses on the conflict between proletariats and the bourgeoisie (Avineri, 1968). Ideally, for a Marxist, the conflict would result in the overthrow a capitalist state system which exploits workers that controls the means of production. The eventual aim of the Marxist viewpoint is to create a state that remains classless as opposed to a liberal state which can result in the creation of rich and poor classes (Drydyk, 1991). Even though the book was written almost a hundred and fifty years ago, it still remains relevant today since the class struggle and the negative effects of capitalism remain present in many societies. After laying down the idea that communism is not understood and feared unnecessarily, the communist manifesto initiates the section on Bourgeois and Proletarians where many famous sayings of Marx are placed. For example, Marx suggests quite clearly that all history is nothing more than the story of class struggles between the haves and the have-nots and this essentially becomes the view of the state as a propagator of the class system when it is under a liberal

Merger and Acquisition of Ford Motor Company Essay

Merger and Acquisition of Ford Motor Company - Essay Example Mergers can take place only when there are healthy relations between both companies. Mergers also depend on the percentage of shares acquired from the firm. If the company to be acquired has good standing in the market, high share value and high points in the share market then we can say that a company is worth to be acquired or suitable for acquisition. Merger or acquisition sure has its impact on the employees and shareholders who are the unforeseen assets of the company. It is well known that any merger will have its pro's and cons. Some mergers happen for profit and some not to incur losses. Employees may or may not be benefited by the merger. The new mangemen6t may not provide all the facilities, unlike the earlier owner. The new company will definitely try to curb miscellaneous expenses and cut management costs. In order to cut costs, they may reduce the number of employees working per department. After merger employees may be asked to change their shift timings, move from one department to another etc. employees need to co-operate with the new management. Ford Motor company one of the oldest car manufacturing companies, if intending to acquire an ancillary unit or a vendor's factory, any company will be more than glad because of the whopping amounts on the deal. Ford has the best facilities to offer to its employees.  Ã‚