Prepositional Phrases Essay Example for Free

Prepositional Phrases Essay Once, there was a little girl named Matilda. Her father worked for an organization concerned with the health of the people, so Matilda was used to traveling all across the city, and all over the world. At age seven, she demonstrated the abilities of an eighteen year old. Being exposed to the kind of work his father had, Matilda had always been filled with concern for those in need.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As Matilda was walking home, she was interrupted by a citizen, who looked familiar to her. She realized that it was her old neighbor, Mrs. Paterson, who left their street three years ago. Matilda remembered her to be a very pretty lady who loved to help other people. Her family was rich, but she opted to live a very simple lifestyle. Unlike before, Mrs. Paterson looked different—her clothes were shabby, her hair was chaotic, and her beautiful face was covered with dirt. Matilda was surprised with what she had seen, and asked Mrs. Paterson about it. Soon, Matilda learned that Mrs. Patersons husband had a gambling problem, causing them to lose all of their wealth. Mrs. Paterson broke into tears telling her that their only daughter, Morgan, who was only three years old, was diagnosed with a rare liver disease that could actually take her life. She had to undergo a new treatment and surgery that was costly for her parents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Without hesitation, Matilda volunteered to help in order to give Morgan the treatment she needed. She had flyers distributed and posted around the park, and in the different areas in the city. Matilda was very much determined, with her friends doing much of the postings. Unsatisfied with the results, Matilda wrote to the mayor of their city to ask for assistance. The mayor was touched with Matildas kindness, and her story was known by everyone. It was even published in the newspaper, drawing much attention from the whole world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end, Matilda was able to raise money for Morgans sensitive operation that practically saved her life. Mr. Mrs. Paterson were able to start anew with the money that Matilda had given them. Matilda, on the other hand, was filled with happiness and content for the good deed that she has done. The mayor, and the town, were deeply affected with the kindness that the little girl offered, giving Matilda her own â€Å"Matilda Day†, falling on her birthday. All is well.

The Concept Of Rural Marketing In India Economics Essay

The Concept Of Rural Marketing In India Economics Essay The concept of Rural Marketing in Indian economy has always played an influential role in the lives of rural population of India. In India, except few metropolitan cities, almost all the districts and industrial townships are well connected with rural markets. Though rural marketing is a new concept and ideology in the arena of marketing, it has left a strong feeling among the people that without giving appropriate weight to rural areas and its development, it could never be possible to ensure the overall growth and well being of the country. Since past few years considerable developments are taking place to reconstruct the rural part of India. Many corporate houses have entered into the field of rural marketing to contribute in rural development of the country. Godrej, Birla, ITC, Reliance and many others has established rural retail hubs as a result of that economic status has been significantly improved. Farmers are getting access to market to sell their product as well as keeping themselves updated and informed regarding the going on trends of market. * Assist. Professor, Rajarshi School of Management Technology, U.P. College, Varanasi The rural market in India is not a separate entity in itself and it is highly influenced by the sociological and behavioral factors operating in the country. The rural population in India accounts for around 627 million, which is exactly 74.3 percent of the total population. The concept of rural marketing in India is often been found to form ambiguity in the minds of people who think rural marketing is all about agricultural marketing. However, rural marketing determines the carrying out of business activities bringing in the flow of goods from urban sectors to the rural regions of the country as well as the marketing of various products manufactured by the non-agricultural workers from rural to urban areas. To be precise, Rural Marketing in India Economy covers two broad sections, namely: Selling of agricultural items in the urban areas Selling of manufactured products in the rural regions Some of the important features or characteristics of Rural Marketing in India Economy are being listed below: With the initiation of various rural development programmes there have been an upsurge of employment opportunities for the rural poor. One of the biggest cause behind the steady growth of rural market is that it is not exploited and also yet to be explored. The rural market in India is vast and scattered and offers a plethora of opportunities in comparison to the urban sector. It covers the maximum population and regions and thereby, the maximum number of consumers. The social status of the rural regions is precarious as the income level and literacy is extremely low along with the range of traditional values and superstitious beliefs that have always been a major impediment in the progression of this sector. The steps taken by the Government of India to initiate proper irrigation, infrastructural developments, prevention of flood, grants for fertilizers, and various schemes to cut down the poverty line have improved the condition of the rural masses. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently talked about his vision for rural India: My vision of rural India is of a modern agrarian, industrial and services economy co-existing side by side, where people can live in well-equipped villages and commute easily to work, be it on the farm or in the non-farm economy. There is much that modern science and technology can do to realise this vision. Rural incomes have to be increased. Rural infrastructure has to be improved. Rural health and education needs have to be met. Employment opportunities have to be created in rural areas. Go rural is the slogan of marketing gurus after analyzing the socio-economic changes in villages. The Rural population is nearly three times the urban, so that Rural consumers have become the prime target market for consumer durable and non-durable products, food, construction, electrical, electronics, automobiles, banks, insurance companies and other sectors besides hundred percent of agri-input products such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and farm machinery. The Indian rural market today accounts for only about Rs 8 billion of the total ad pie of Rs 120 billion, thus claiming 6.6 per cent of the total share. So clearly there seems to be a long way ahead. Although a lot is spoken about the immense potential of the unexplored rural market, advertisers and companies find it easier to vie for a share of the already divided urban pie. The success of a brand in the Indian rural market is as unpredictable as rain. It has always been difficult to gauge the rural market. Many brands, which should have been successful, have failed miserably. More often than not, people attribute rural market success to luck. Therefore, marketers need to understand the social dynamics and attitude variations within each village though nationally it follows a consistent pattern looking at the challenges and the opportunities which rural markets offer to the marketers it can be said that the future is very promising for those who can understand the dynamics of rural markets and exploit them to their best advantage. A radical change in attitudes of marketers towards the vibrant and burgeoning rural markets is called for, so they can successfully impress on the 230 million rural consumers spread over approximately six hundred thousand villages in rural India. What rural market buys? Rural India buys small packs, as they are perceived as value for money. There is brand stickiness, where a consumer buys a brand out of habit and not really by choice. Brands rarely fight for market share; they just have to be visible in the right place. Even expensive brands, such as Close-Up, Marie biscuits and Clinic shampoo are doing well because of deep distribution, many brands are doing well without much advertising support Ghadi, a big detergent brand in North India, is an example. Why Rural Market? The Indian rural market has a huge demand base and offers great opportunities to marketers. Two-thirds of Indian consumers live in rural areas and almost half of the national income is generated here. The reasons for heading into the rural areas are fairly clear. The urban consumer durable market for products like colour TVs, washing machines, refrigerators and air conditioners is growing annually at between 7 per cent and 10 per cent. The rural market is zooming ahead at around 25 per cent annually. The rural market is growing faster than urban India now, says Venugopal Dhoot, chairman of the Rs 989 -crore(Rs billion) Videocon Appliances. The urban market is a replacement and up gradation market today, adds Samsungs director, marketing, Ravinder Zutshi. Reasons for improvement of business in rural area *Socio-economic changes (lifestyle, habits and tastes, economic status) *Literacy level (25% before independence more than 65% in 2001) *Infrastructure facilities (roads, electricity, media) *Increase in income   *Increase in expectations MART, the specialist rural marketing and rural development consultancy has found that 53 per cent of FMCG sales lie in the rural areas, as do 59 per cent of consumer durable sales, said its head Pradeep Kashyap at the seminar. Of two million BSNL mobile connections, 50 per cent went to small towns and villages, of 20 million Rediffmail subscriptions, 60 per cent came from small towns, so did half the transactions on Rediffs shopping site. Special features of rural market Unlike urban markets, rural markets are difficult to predict and possess special characteristics. The featured population is predominantly illiterate, have low income, characterized by irregular income, lack of monthly income and flow of income fluctuating with the monsoon winds. Rural markets face the critical issues of Distribution, Understanding the rural consumer, Communication and Poor infrastructure. The marketer has to strengthen the distribution and pricing strategies. The rural consumer expects value for money and owing to has unsteady and meager status of weekly income; increasing the household income and improving distribution are the viable strategies that have to be adapted to tap the immense potential of the market. Media reach is a strong reason for the penetration of goods like cosmetics, mobile phones, etc., which are only used by the urban people. Increasing awareness and knowledge on different products and brands accelerate the demand. The rural audience are however critical of glamorous ads on TV, and depend on the opinion leaders who introduce the product by using it and recommending it. Opinion leaders play a key role in popularizing products and influence in rural market. Nowadays educated youth of rural also influences the rural consumers. Rural consumers are influenced by the life style they watch on television sets. Their less exposure to outside world makes them innocent and fascinated to novelties. The reach of mass television media, especially television has influenced the buying behaviour greatly. Creating brands for rural India Rural markets are delicately powerful. Certain adaptations are required to cater to the rural masses; they have unique expectation and warrant changes in all four parameters of product, price, promotion and distribution. A lot is already emphasized on adapting the product and price in terms of packaging, flavouring, etc and in sachets, priced to suit the economic status of the rural India in sizes like Rs.5 packs and Re.1 packs that are perceived to be of value for money. This is a typical penetration strategy, that promises to convert the first time customers to repeated customers. The promotion strategies and distribution strategies are of paramount importance. Ad makers have learnt to leverage the benefits of improved infrastructure and media reach. The television airs advertisements to lure rural masses, and they are sure it reaches the target audience, because majority of rural India possesses and is glued to TV sets! Distributing small and medium sized packets thro poor roads, over long distances, into deep pockets of rural India and getting the stockiest to trust the mobility is a Herculean task. Giving the confidence those advertisements will support. Sales force is being trained to win the confidence of opinion leaders. Opinion leaders play an important role in popularizing the brand. They sometimes play the role of entry barriers for new products. The method of promotion needs to be tailored to suit the expectations of the market. Techniques that have proved to be successful are Van campaigns, edutainment films, generating word of mouth publicity through opinion leaders, colourful wall paintings. The Wide reach of television has exposed the other wise conservative audience to westernization. Panchayat televisions in Tamilnadu carries message that are well received and contribute to community development. Dynamics of rural markets differ from other market types, and similarly rural marketing strategies are also significantly different from the marketing strategies aimed at an urban or industrial consumer. This, along with several other related issues, have been subject matter of intense discussions and debate in countries like India and China and focus of even international symposia organized in these countries.   Rural markets and rural marketing involve a number of strategies, which include: * Client and location specific promotion *Joint or cooperative promotion *Bundling of inputs *Partnership for sustainability Client and Location specific promotion involves a strategy designed to be suitable to the location and the client. Joint or co-operative promotion strategy involves participation between the marketing agencies and the client. Bundling of inputs denote a marketing strategy, in which several related items are sold to the target client, including arrangements of credit, after-sale service, and so on. Media, both traditional as well as the modern media, is used as a marketing strategy to attract rural customers. Partnership for sustainability involves laying and building a foundation for continuous and long lasting relationship. Innovative media can be used to reach the rural customers. Radio and television are the conventional media that are reaching the rural audience effectively. But horse cart, bullock cart and wall writing are the other media, which can carry the message effectively to the rural customers.   Rural marketing is an evolving concept, and as a part of any economy has untapped potential; marketers have realized the opportunity recently. Improvement in infrastructure and reach, promise a bright future for those intending to go rural. Rural consumers are keen on branded goods nowadays, so the market size for products and services seems to have burgeoned. The rural population has shown a trend of wanting to move into a state of gradual urbanization in terms of exposure, habits, lifestyles and lastly, consumption patterns of goods and services. There are dangers on concentrating more on the rural customers. Reducing the product features in order to lower prices is a dangerous game to play. Rural Market: Areas with high level of expectation The Indian growth story is now spreading itself to Indias hinterlands. Rural India, which accounts for more than 70 per cent of the countrys one billion population (according to the Census of India 2001), is not just witnessing an increase in its income but also in consumption and production. The Union Budget for 2009-10 hiked the allocation for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) to US$ 8.03 billion, giving a boost to the rural economy. This is in addition to the ambitious Bharat Nirman Programme with an outlay of US$ 34.84 billion for improving rural infrastructure. According to a study on the impact of the slowdown on rural markets commissioned by RMAI and conducted by MART, the rural economy has not been impacted by the global economic slowdown, according to a study by the Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI). The study found that the rural and small town economy which accounts for 60 per cent of Indias income has remained insulated from the economic slowdown. Moreover, rural incomes are on the rise driven largely due to continuous growth in agriculture for four consecutive years. Moreover, the rural consumer market, which grew 25 per cent in 2008 when demand in urban areas slowed due to the global recession, is expected to reach US$ 425 billion in 2010-11 with 720-790 million customers, according to a white paper prepared by CII-Technopak. That will be double the 2004-05 market size of US$ 220 billion. According to the study, while the durables market shrunk in urban India, the rural market is seeing a 15 per cent growth rate. Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sales are up 23 per cent and telecom is growing at 13 per cent. FMCG According to figures released by market researcher AC Nielsen, demand for personal care products grew faster in rural areas than urban areas during the period April-September 2009. Several FMCG companies such as Godrej Consumer Products, Dabur, Marico and Hindustan Unilever (HUL) have increased their hiring in rural India and small towns in order to establish a local connect and increase visibility. GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Healthcare (GSK) and Nestle and are now launching products specifically for rural markets. Anand Ramanathan, an analyst from KPMG, said, Till recently, most FMCG companies used to treat rural markets as adjuncts to their urban strongholds and rural consumers as a homogeneous mass without segmenting them into target markets and positioning brands appropriately. Retail The rural retail market is currently estimated at US$ 112 billion, or around 40 per cent of the US$ 280 billion Indian retail market, according to a study paper, The Rise of Rural India, by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). Major domestic retailers like AV Birla, ITC, Godrej, Reliance and many others have already set up farm linkages. Hariyali Kisan Bazaars (DCM) and Aadhars (Pantaloon-Godrej JV), Choupal Sagars (ITC), Kisan Sansars (Tata), Reliance Fresh, Project Shakti (Hindustan Unilever) and Naya Yug Bazaar are established rural retail hubs. Pharmaceuticals /Healthcare According to a report by McKinsey, the rural and tier-II pharmaceuticals market will account for almost half of the growth till 2015. The tier-II market will grow to 44 per cent by 2015, amounting to US$ 8.8 billion. The health ministry is setting up a mechanism to screen people in rural areas for lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that in the case of diabetes, the government was working out a strategy to diagnose those in the age group 30-40 years in rural areas, for diseases. The multinational drug company, Sanofi-Aventis, has launched Prayas, a marketing initiative to market generics in rural areas and small towns. Through this initiative, the company looks to share medical knowledge with a body of practitioners and specialists in rural areas through workshops. Telecommunication A joint Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Ernst Young report reveals that of the next 250 million Indian wireless users, approximately 100 million (40 per cent) are likely to be from rural areas, and by 2012, rural users will account for over 60 per cent of the total telecom subscriber base in India. In a bid to acquire rural subscribers, most Indian telecom operators have started investing in infrastructure to roll out their services in these areas. Realising this as a huge potential, small Indian handset manufacturing companies, including Micromax, Intex Technologies and Karbonn, have lined up a marketing spend of around US$ 21.02 million for the financial year 2009-10. Infrastructure The World Bank has said that all-weather roads in villages in India have served to double the income of rural households, lift the literacy rate and increase land prices. Meanwhile, the Orissa government had decided to undertake an initiative to improve roadways in rural areas and upgrade 10,000 km of roads in rural areas. The decision was taken at a high level meeting chaired by Mr. Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Orissa in December 2009. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned an amount of US$ 34.4 million to the government of West Bengal under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) XV. NABARD has also sanctioned a US$ 26.29 million loan to Karnataka for the construction of infrastructure projects, such as secondary schools, rural godowns, jetties, minor irrigation structures, roads and bridges, in rural areas. Automobiles Mahindra and Mahindra Group (MM) arm, Mahindra First Choice, has announced that it is to set up sales and service outlets in rural areas with the target of setting up 100,000 vehicles by 2015, according to MM President Rajeev Dubey. Meanwhile, motorcycle manufacturer TVS Motor Co. Ltd has said that it is depending on a far-reaching penetration of the rural market and the launch of new brands to boost the companys growth in 2010. Services Sector According to a report based on the 63rd round of survey by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), 60 per cent of the services sector enterprises in the country are located in rural areas. Of the 16.5 million services sector enterprises in India in 2006-07, 85 per cent were own account enterprises (OAEs) while the remaining 15 per cent were establishments. Seventy six per cent of the workers employed in these enterprises were employed in the rural areas of the country. Road ahead According to international consultancy firm Celent, rural markets in India will grow to a potential of US$ 1.9 billion by 2015 from the current US$ 487 million. Rural markets are growing at double the pace of urban markets and for many product categories, rural markets account for well over 60 per cent of the national demand. The success of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), which has so far trained 100,000 rural youth, has led the rural development ministry to request an increase in budgetary allocation for the project. Rita Sharma, Secretary in the Rural Development Ministry, has said that they had sought US$ 2.29 billion from the Finance Ministry.

Technology in the Mathematics Classroom Essay -- Math Mathematics Tech

Technology in the Mathematics Classroom In today’s society, technology is advancing at such a rate that on can hardly stay ahead. Technology surrounds every person in civilization. To not use the technology that is readily available would be absurd. The same idea applies to technology in the classroom. Calculators, in particular, are becoming more readily available in the classroom, but technology should not stop there. Many inspiring computers programs, such as Geometer’s Sketchpad, Math Success, Fathom, Maple, and Minitab greatly enhance the mathematical teaching and learning that can take place in a classroom. With these types of programs, teachers can cover required more in-depth, and addition material more closely related to the students’ lives. In agreement with Bert K. Waits of Ohio State University, I believe technology, specifically â€Å"calculators[,] in conjunction with mental, paper-and-pencil, and estimation skills when appropriate, comprise the tools to help students work through the computations and manipulations necessary for solving problems† (p. 8). Many people are skeptical about 2 using quality technology in the classroom because they believe it decreases the student’s ability to complete mathematics problems without the technology. In my opinion, in agreement with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, â€Å"technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics† (p. 24). Even though many people are apprehensive about using technology in the classroom, I feel confident that students can and will use the provided technology wisely and greatly appreciate the ideas and concepts that can be discovered by using technol... ...lassroom, I want all of my students to have access to a handheld calculator and a computer with mathematical software. I plan to encourage my future students to embrace technology and all of its advances. 7 Works Cited â€Å"Handheld Graphing Technology at the Secondary Level: Research Findings and Implications for Classroom Practice† 25 August 2003. gsecondary2.html>. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. Reston: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc., 2000. â€Å"Recommendations for Technology in Teacher Preparation† MAA. 24 August 2003. m>. Waits, Bert. â€Å"The Role of Calculators in Math Education.† 25 August 2003. .html>.

Medieval Weapons Essay -- European History

Medieval Weapons Medieval society, in spite of its stereotypes, was not inherently more violent than modern society. â€Å"Although there was no state in the modern sense, and therefore no set of laws that inherently took away the power of the average man or woman to exercise violence, the violence of the day was considered differently, and with out the inherent sense of criminality that accompanies it today. Our understanding of the weapons of the medieval world is skewed by the vast disarming of the â€Å"the civilian† that is taken for granted today, yet is a vastly different situation compared to what existed in many parts of â€Å"the West† as little as seven years ago. Medieval weapons and armor are, for better or for worse, generally considered in light of the knight and the nobility. The nobility, fighting as heavy cavalry, had exerted a tremendous influence on the battlefield. In spite of the pressures brought to bear on the knight by the increased use of the longbow, crossbow, handgun, and pike, heavy cavalry continued to play an absolutely essential role on the battlefield. The 14th-16th century saw great chanteys in weapons and armor, not because they â€Å"evolved† per se, but because they changed to maintain their effectiveness under deferent conditions, as John Clements puts in his book Medieval Swordsmanship â€Å"after all, swards did not get sharper, stronger, or especially more effective after the middle Ages. They did not evolve as guns did to become more accurate, of l...

Iago’s Manipulation of Othello in Shakespeare’s Othello Essay -- Othel

Iago’s Manipulation of Othello in Shakespeare’s Othello Once a seed of suspicion or doubt is planted in a person’s mind, the noxious effect of jealousy is soon to ensue. Jealousy and suspicion are Othello’s flaws hubris throughout the play and foreshadow to the audience his imminent downfall. He believes what Iago tells him so strongly that he compromises his close relationship with his best friend and his love for his wife. Iago manipulates Othello through the use of extortion, literary techniques, and his keen judge of character. His syntax and diction are so simple yet so powerful because he uses the correct rhetorical questions and addresses Othello with respectful terms such as â€Å"my lord.† He allows Othello do most of the talking and the thinking; then begins to twist his mind usi...

Csr Assignment – Starbucks

| November 5, 2012| | Management 3031Y | [Ethics and Social REsponsibilities ]| Starbucks| Introduction Starbucks is one of the places to find the world’s best coffees. The first Starbucks opened over forty years ago, in Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle, Washington. The owners’ main philosophy was to provide customers with the world’s finest and richest coffee. Over time, and endeavoring this ultimate philosophy, Starbucks expanded internationally and has more than 19000 stores around the world.The management of Starbucks has managed to improve their managerial process through location of their business, higher quality and better prices of their products. Although it is an expensive coffee store, the price of their product is based on the quality they supply. However, Starbucks is fully engaged in providing everything in an ethical manner. In this article, Howard (2011) explains that the most important thing to Starbucks is â€Å"the key to that culture is the belief that people are more important than profits† (Howard, 2011).This paper will discuss the procedures put in place to ensure ethical behavior, their ethic of business and their corporate social responsibility and will focus on assessing the company’s contribution to the community. Ethical issues As stated in Alec, Gonca & Efe’s (2011) journal, â€Å"the evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the concept of Corporate Sustainability (CS) have converged resulting in a similar objective of achieving the balance between economic prosperity, social integrity and environmental responsibility† (Alec,et al. , 2011).CSR is the concept coined to describe how organizations now consider the welfare of the people by being responsible for the impact of their activities on all groups of people involved and affected by their business, (ie. their employees, customers, stakeholders). Many businesses have taken CSR very seriously that they have gone beyon d â€Å"following laws†, and do more than being â€Å"responsible†. Starbucks is one of those corporations that fully engages in providing its stakeholders, its employees, the community more than necessary, and go beyond its responsibilities.One issue that Starbucks addressed and which stakeholders were being targeted was for the latter to have access and know how the company’s commitment and passion to improve the world and the ways which are demonstrating it. For example, Starbucks is committed to the environment, whether it’s regarding recycling, reducing water usage, thinking green or lowering its energy consumption (Starbucks, 2012). However, one of the main topics of Starbucks’s corporate ethics revolves around the climate change. Addressing climate change is a priority for Starbucks† (Starbucks, 2012). Since most of Starbucks coffee crops are outside of North America, mostly in the Third-world countries, Starbucks has implemented a cli mate change since 2004, which focuses on renewable energy, energy conservation, advocacy (Starbucks, 2012). One biggest step taken by Starbucks is reducing its gas emission. They conducted an inventory of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in 2011, using the World Resources Institute/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol to find out where their energy is mostly consumed.More than 80 percent of their GHG emissions are attributable to energy used in stores, office, and roasting plants, they are now focused on energy conservation and purchase of renewable energy (Starbucks, 2012). Reducing emissions of tons of carbon dioxide makes a huge impact on the climate. By reusing energy in their coffee-roasting plants, or offices, Starbucks was able to reduce its GHG emissions by 2. 7% compared to their 2012 GHG emissions (Starbucks, 2012). Moreover, another issue that is important for stakeholders is to have access to all the reports, codes, ethics, social responsibilities actions endeavored by the c orporation.Starbucks has also addressed that issue, and rather than attempt to address every issue in their annual report, they simply just conducted a materiality assessment to determine what topics are of most significance to their stakeholders and to Starbucks itself and publish everything online. In a letter addressed to the stakeholders, Howard Schultz (2011) explains the reasons of creating a report with the summary of all the positive aspects to the company, as well as how the company is doing with regards to their CSR. This focus on materiality helps not only the stakeholders, but also the hareholders with regards to how effectively the company is doing. And for example, letting stakeholders have access to the their progress regarding their environmental by publishing their Global Responsibilities Goal & Progress report online, Starbucks is showing how effectively its doing. Codes of conduct Starbucks codes â€Å"Business Ethics and Compliance† and CSR are stated on t heir website, and is available to the public. They have also made the â€Å"Standards of Business Conduc†t book available, which facilitates legal compliance and ethical issues such as potential conflicts of interest (Starbucks, 2012).The main idea is that every person in the employ of Starbucks is to act ethically and report any unethical or questionable behavior by any person under the employ of Starbucks. Because everyone is equal at Starbucks, any unethical actions should be reported. They have provided the partners with communication channels, which allow them to report all type of issues or concerns (Starbucks, 2012). The communication channel is basically a webline with contact information of the Business Ethics and Compliance department (Starbucks, 2012.Starbucks Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz stated (2012) â€Å"Each of us is personally responsible for supporting our core values, which require compliance with the law as well as ethica l conduct. We have issued the Standards of Business Conduct to restate our long standing commitment to uphold that responsibility and to provide guidance to our partners. † (2012). Starbucks mission statement and guiding principles are also stated on their website. Starbucks mission is â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time†.What this means is that Starbucks is dedicated in delivering each person a unique experience with their coffee purchase. It’s a one-on-one experience that should not only make the customers day but also the barista’s day. Being a barista or a partner at Starbucks not only means making beverages and giving them to the customers, but it also means going beyond being a simple coffee maker and providing customers with more than what they expect. For example, during my time at Starbucks, I remember that each and every customers that came left with a smile, because all of us were trained to always put the customer on a pedestal and make them happy.If one customer comes back unsatisfied with the drink, without any questions asked, we take the drink back and remake a new one with no charge. I also remember one day, during my shift, an elderly lady came to buy a coffee and a mix of granola and yogurt. She stayed at the location to drink her coffee, then to finish her yogurt. Few minutes later, she came back to us and complained about how the granola tasted different and she wasn’t satisfied/happy with it. Even though she had half of it finished, we gave her another one, free of cost and let her go with a smile on her face. As the mission states, it is about one person, one cup at a time.This also describes Starbucks principles related to customers. â€Å"When we are fully engaged, we connect with, laugh with, and uplift the lives of our customers – even if just for a few moments. Sure, it starts with the promise of a perfectly made beverage, but our work goes far beyond that. It’s really about human connection†. (2012) Starbucks also have other principles, either about their products, their shareholders, or their partners. Either way, they are dedicated in being an ethical corporation. As mentioned earlier, they have a report stating all their corporate social responsibilities and how they are doing.Here is a table of what Starbucks Mission Statement and Guiding principles are: STARBUCKS MISSION STATEMENT AND| GUIDING PRINCIPLES| To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest| coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising| principles as we grow. | The following six Guiding Principles will help us measure the| appropriateness of our decisions:| †¢ Provide a great work environment and treat each| other with respect and dignity. | †¢ Embrace diversity as an essential component in the| way we do business. | †¢ Apply the highest standards of excellence to the| purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of our coffee. †¢ Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of| the time. | †¢ Contribute positively to our communities and our| environment. | †¢ Recognize that profitability is essential to our| future success. | | Starbucks, by generally being omnipresent in the communities (whether doing communities work, making changes to how the business and centers operate†¦), aims to follow its principles, and encourage its partners and customers to do the same. Ethics in practice The corporation accounts for its ethical and social responsibilities, by either being involved in communities through different ways, or helping the society in general.As stated on their website, they make a difference in the society, in the environment, at the workplace, in the products†¦ â€Å"A good example of a corporate culture which focuses on quality and ethics is Starbucks. Starbucks has won a number of ethics awards and has been recognized as a role model of social responsibility. †(Academic journal 2010). This sentence summarizes what stakeholders and public think about Starbucks. Indeed, the corporation has made huge differences in the community by doing small gestures, but gestures that matter. As stated in their website, they â€Å"support farmers and their communities†.For example, they have established Farmer Support Centers in Costa Rica and Rwanda to provide local farmers with the resources and expertise that help lower the cost of production, reduce fungus infections, improve coffee quality and increase the yield of premium coffees (Starbucks, 2012). They have also set up something called the Starbucks Farmer Loan program. It aims to provide financial resources to cooperatives to fulfill their cash flow needs during harvest time, and to make infrastructure investments that result in better competitiveness (Starbucks, 2012). Their goal is to dispurse U.S $20 million to this program by 2015. Another exa mple in respective to their ethical practice is regarding their kids cups. They recalled over 250,000 children's plastic cups in the U. S. and Canada. â€Å"According to the report, once the cup is dropped, the colorful face on the cup can break off and leave small parts or sharp edges that can pose a choking or laceration hazard to young children† (2008). Also, by coming to the new communities, such as in the U,S where its experiencing a job crisis, Starbucks provides employment, as the only thing you need is a smile and willingness to provide excellent customer experience. The company first priority is taking care of the employees in its retail stores who communicate with and serve customers. Starbucks executives believe that by taking care of these employees, the company can provide long-term value to shareholders (Schultz ; Yang 1997). Trust is vital to all organizations and it expected that ethical leaders demonstrate behavioral consistency between words and actions; tre at all employees fairly without violating human rights. † (2011). Starbucks has teamed up with the Opportunity Finance Network (OPN) to create new jobs for Americans. TransparencyAt Starbucks, transparency is important thus they have published their CSR report as part of their broader communications efforts to provide transparency on their activities and performance. This initiative not only makes their stakeholders happy but also provides everyone else, either its customers or employees, with what Starbucks is doing to be a socially and environmentally responsible company. This transparency should be the priority in all successful organizations has us customers need to know what is the company, that is technically part of our daily routine, doing for us.A clear apercu of their goals, mission statement and principles is necessary, because communities need to support only corporations that care and value ethics and social responsibility. But as mentioned, Starbucks is in all wa ys clear about their ethics, and as nothing is a mystery, they have published everything online. Overall assessment Starbucks is focused on being a fully ethical and a very philanthropic corporation. All their ethics, values, match Carrol’s definition of a Corporate Social Responsible corporation.As per Carrol, the social responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary expectations that a society has of organizations at a given point in time (Michael Hopkins, p. 2. 2011). Although, like all other corporations, making profit is the most important, Starbucks doesn’t forget that it started as a small business that eventually and slowly expanded. Starbucks participates in many environmental and social programs around the world. The corporation is focused in providing communities with all types of benefits, such as jobs, good quality of coffee, good working conditions, improving its energy consumption.In general, the company is progress ing towards better system and practices. For example, according to the published metrics on the environmental responsibility, the company has been able to reduce its energy consumption by 7. 5% in 2008-2011, purchased the equivalent of more than 50% of electricity used in their global company-owned stores worldwide in 2011, and decreased its water consumption by more than 17% since 2008. Starbucks’ goal by 2015 is to decrease water consumption by 25%, purchase renewable energy equivalent to 100% of the electricity used in their company-owned stores and reduce energy consumption by 25%.Conclusion We have studied about corporate responsibility, companies’ omnipresence in communities, in society and in our day-to-day routine. We have also studied how a company’s values and ethical decisions can make a significant difference in the way we perceive it. Applying what we learnt from class, Starbucks is implicitly ethical and follows all the norms and values of a social ethical company. Thought, a company is made of employees, it is very important to provide those employees with the company’s core values and explain them what it really means to work at that company.In Starbucks’s case, partners are all participating in making the company an ethical and socially responsible corporation. References Katrinli, A. , Gunay, G. , Mehmet E. (2011). The Convergence of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Sustainability: Starbucks Corporation's Practices. Cambridge: The Business Review. Moronke, S. (2012). Impact of Ethical Leadership on Employee Job Performance. Journal of Business and Social Science. Schultz, H. (2010). It's Not About the Coffee: Leadership Principles From a Life at Starbucks.Journal for Quality ; Participation;Vol. 33 Issue 1, p20, 1/3p. Academic journal. Starbucks. Retrieved from http://assets. starbucks. com/assets/4dd6216d0fd0400f8689eceba0497e04. pdf http://www. starbucks. com/about-us Starbucks Recall Mugs. In jury Prevention; Feb2008, Vol. 14 Issue 1, p70-70, 1/9p. article Ethics and Compliance Webline. Retrieved from https://businessconduct. eawebline. com/ Hopkins, M. (2011). Definition of Corporate Social Responsibility. MHC International. P. 2. article. Retrieved from http://mhcinternational. com/articles/definition-of-csr

Liberal education Essay

According to Perry, the aim of a liberal education is for one to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed and reasonable decisions. Any other consequences should be treated as merely incidental. He explains that the first means to this end is through the simple gaining of knowledge by memorization of certain key facts, such as the periodic table. This is often necessary, and should not be avoided, but too often it is seen as synonymous with learning. In his essay, â€Å"Examsmanship and the Liberal Arts: A Study in Educational Epistemology,† William G. Perry, Jr. uses the term â€Å"cow† to describe â€Å"writing on the assumption that `a fact is a fact.’ †¦ presenting evidence of hard work as a substitute for understanding†¦Ã¢â‚¬  while using the somewhat more traditional term â€Å"bull† to mean deception as to the presence of actual data. I definitely agree with Perry’s opinion on what education should foster, the purpose of education is to enable students to learn for themselves, not to spoon-feed them every fact they will ever need in their lives. Current day teachers have a huge influence on how education is nurtured. I believe that the problem nowadays is that many teachers feel a need to have students undergo the same thinking process as them, and to arrive at the same conclusion in the same way. Many teachers have made students hate reading because when asked about a certain aspect of the book, the teachers never really wanted to hear your thoughts but rather, what they thought it was. Because of this, one finds many students lacking the ability to think for themselves. The students get in the mindset of â€Å"what would the teacher want me to say†. The â€Å"cows† are unable to look beneath the bare facts in order to understand why something has taken place. Not only do they lack imagination, they lack the ability to truly think. Therefore, one would be robbing himself of his education and soul. Unfortunately, this approach to learning is held by many, both students and teachers. Education should encourage students to learn how to make connections between facts, and give them the ability to use this process throughout life.