Saturday, January 25, 2020
The Concept Of Linguistic Variation
The Concept Of Linguistic Variation The ability of spoken language is believed (by many) to be attributed uniquely to humanity. Despite this evidently phenomenal existence the exact date of languages birth remains unknown and yet it continues to evolve. (Klein, 2009) The study of this ever mutable method of communication has come to be known as linguistics. However due to the communal and social nature of the human race the study of sociolinguistics could be said to more accurately represent language within human societies. Furthermore Linguists have known for some time that differences in language are tied to social class (Ross, 1954) Sociolinguistics is the study of the way in which language varies and changes in social groups (communities) of speakers, focusing primarily on the impacts of linguistic structures (such as sounds, grammatical forms, intonation features, words, etc) and social factors (such as a speakers gender, ethnicity, age, degree of integration into their community, etc). (Reference) The study of sociolinguistics has ancestry in dialectology, beginning in the 1960s (reference) partly due to the existence of inadequate methods associated with previous approaches to the study of dialect. Sociolinguistics uses recordings of informal conversations as its data; taking a significantly more scientific approach relying on quantitative analysis to highlighting dialect differences. How language changes (meme Theory) One possible reason for this change and transition of language through social groups may be attributed to a unit of cultural evolution, the Meme. A meme is defined as an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture. (Dawkins,) By this definition a Meme acts as an evolutionary/replicatory unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols or practices, allowing transmission from one mind to another through an act of imitation such as writing, speech, gestures or rituals. This description of the Meme and its transmission can be applied to the Learning of language. Such learning requires, at its foundation, the ability to imitate sounds (Tomasello, Kruger, Ratner, 1993). One may be uncomfortable in describing something as complex as language as imitation, however, language clearly fit the evolutionary theory in regards to Memes. Information is copied from person to person, variation is introduced both by degradation (due to failures of human memory and communication) and by the creative recombination of different memes. Selection of this variation is then a potential result of limitations on time, memory, transmission rates and other kinds of storage space. Variation between Social Classes As described sociolinguistics is built on the foundations the presence dialect variation is from random, but are determined by what Weinreich, Labov and Herzog (1968) defined as orderly heterogeneity structured variation. This structure can be shown in a number of ways, particularly interesting from the sociolinguist perspective is the correlation often exhibited between linguistic structure and social status. Varieties of English can be identified into two groups referring to the changes of the variable (Figure 1). The variable (t) refers to the use of a glottal stop instead of [t], such as in the word bottle, which can be written botle to represent the changed pronunciation of the medial (middle) [t]. Most English speakers appear to glottalise final [t] in words such as cat, with no/little correlation to social class. This is not the case however for the use of glottal stops in the medial position, e.g., bottle (botle), butter (buter). This variant is associated with a social stigma. Table 1 shows the occurrence of glottal stops corresponding to social class in Glasgow for all positions within a word (including the final [t]) compared with that occurring only in medial position (Macaulay 1977). Upper class (Professionals) is represented by Class I whilst the working class is represented by Class III (unskilled workers). When considering the glottal stop in the medial position, the highes t social class show zero occurrences, while the lowest class uses 68.8%. The above linguistic variation is not isolated in its relation to social classes; there are of course many other variables in English which show similar sociolinguistically significant distributions. Trudgill (1974) showed the relationship for variables (ing) and (h) in a Norwich based urban dialect study (Table 2). Once gain the values show the percentage of variant forms used by different classes. The variable (ing) refers to variations of alveolar [n] and a velar nasal [ng] in words ending with -ing for example breeding and cooling. Once again a lower social status is associated a higher percentage of nonstandard variation (alveolar) rather than standard (velar nasal) endings. In common terms this variants is known as `dropping ones gs, and is a commonly recognised marker of social status over the English-speaking world. The variable (h) refers to the presence between [h] and lack of [h] at the beginning of for example heart (eart) and hand (and). This particular variation is slightly more complicated as most urban accents in England do not have initial [h]and as such no variable of it. However in regions that do represent both variants (present of and lack of initial [h]) a similar pattern is shown. The lower the individuals social status, the more likely he/she is to drop hs. As shown in all the examples above a common pattern appears to form (these cases have dealt with stable linguistic features) this can be plotted affectively as an s-shape curve. Figure 2 shows the correlation for the absence of present tense markers (she play rather than she plays) with social classes (Trudgill 1974) once again the lower the social class, the higher the variation from standard. As shown in figure 2 the data represents a continuum (s-shaped curve) despite differences between classes, this can be consider once again in a broadly evolutionary sense. Just as the transmission of linguistic features (memes) may be stopped by physical geographical barriers (i.e. mountain ranges, oceans), it may also be hindered by social class. This limitation results in boundaries between social dialects that tend not to be perfect. As such sociolinguistics has should be considered a quantitative approach not a qualitative method. Future Developments The above approach outlined for analysing language variation has been popular, being used across many speaking communities worldwide. However, whilst these studies have accepted the basic guidance (the linguistic variable), some have suggested (reference) that sociolinguistic studies have been naive by correlating social facts about the subject in isolation (gender, ethnicity and social class), rather than observing how social groups come to be and change over time, and subsequently analysing the variants that emerge as a result. As a result some studies have become to approach studies form a bottom up perspective, examining self-forming social groups and see linguistic structure reflect these grouping rather than starting with a broad social category, and look at the language use within it (a top-down approach). Research
Friday, January 17, 2020
Macroeconomic Issue Paper Essay
Financial crisis has changed our vision of the future. We are scared by the growing unemployment rates and are not confident whether tomorrow economy will bring any positive changes. Non-economists use unemployment rates to determine, how well international and the U. S. economy performs; in simple terms, the growing unemployment rates suggest that we are at the edge of the deepening economic recession. Many of us keep to a misleading opinion that the growing unemployment is the direct result of the current financial collapse. In its recent article, the Economist (2008) sheds the light onto the major unemployment controversies that also impact real GDP, consumption, and speed up the development of the credit crisis spiral. Macroeconomics of the growing unemployment in the U. S. The Economist (2008) provides the detailed review of statistics and economic implications of the growing unemployment in the U. S. ââ¬Å"On Friday November 7th he [Barack Obama] got the news that unemployment had shot up to a 14-year high of 6. 5% in October and non-farm employment had plunged by 240,000 from Septemberâ⬠(The Economist, 2008). The figures are threatening, but despite the persistent opinion that the current financial crisis is the direct cause of unemployment, the Economist (2008) suggests that ââ¬Å"whereas it had been thought that the financial crisis pushed a teetering economy over the edge, it now looks like the crisis kicked an economy that was already downâ⬠. In other words, unemployment rates had been gradually rising even before the notorious bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers. What makes current unemployment different from all previous crises is that those losing their jobs do not leave labor force as quickly as they used to; ââ¬Å"that may be because losses on retirement savings and homes have deprived many of the option of sitting out of the workforce for a spellâ⬠(The Economist, 2008). In any case, the growing unemployment may threaten the stability of the U. S. economy in short- and long-run, and macroeconomic consequences of the growing employment instability may slow down the process of economic recovery in the United States. From the macroeconomic viewpoint, ââ¬Å"a person who is able and willing to work yet is unable to find a paying job is considered unemployed. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed workers divided by the total civilian labor force, which includes both employed and unemployed and those with jobs (all those willing and able to work for pay) ââ¬â (Layard, 2005). Although the majority of the U. S. population tends to evaluate the quality of national economic performance through the prism of the changing unemployment rates, these rates are notoriously difficult to measure. As a result, we frequently lack objective view of the way unemployment impacts our economic achievements. Unemployment tends to produce irreversible macroeconomic effects and requires that state authorities and financial institutions develop sound macroeconomic policies, to minimize and prevent the long-term consequences of the deepening economic recession. In general terms, poverty, crime, and healthcare issues are the three direct consequences of the growing unemployment. In terms of economics, unemployment severely impacts purchasing activity and leads to long-term real GDP decrease. Under the growing unemployment pressures, we are unlikely to use all available financial and non-financial resources to the fullest. ââ¬Å"Much unemployment ââ¬â called deficient-demand or cyclical unemployment ââ¬â thus represents a profound form of inefficiency, sometimes called Keynesian inefficiencyâ⬠(Layard, 2005). The results of profound statistical analysis imply that we have not yet hit the bottom of the economic crisis (The Economist, 2008); simultaneously, it is very probable that statistical figures are at least distorted and do not form an objective and realistic vision of what processes are currently taking place in the national economy. The problem is not in that the United States is going to become the largest international source of potential job-seekers. The problem is in that the United States cannot produce relevant and reliable statistical figures that would help address the growing unemployment rates before they hit the record. Macroeconomics lacks one single universal method for measuring unemployment rates. The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counts employment and unemployment on the basis of the weekly survey; ââ¬Å"people are considered employed if they did any work at all for pay or profit during the survey weekâ⬠(Layard, 2005). As a result, the BLS does not account full-time students and prisoners as employed. Furthermore, those who are jobless but are actively involved into job search are also considered as unemployed. Economic professionals seem to omit the whole population layer, including students, retired, and people with mental and physical disabilities ââ¬â according to BLS these people are neither employed, nor unemployed. When we hear that unemployment rates have reached 6. 5%, what does that mean? Does that mean that 6. 5% of the American population is no longer willing to work? Does that mean that 6. 5% of population is actively looking for new jobs? Does that mean that 6. 5 percent of the U. S. population is likely to remain unemployed in the long-term period? Statistical research does not provide the answers to these questions. That is why it is very probable that the Economist (2008) operates unreliable measurements and risks distorting the real picture of the American labor market. Macroeconomics lacks agreement as for the causes and the consequences of unemployment. When the Economist (2008) implies that we are facing the challenges of cyclical unemployment, the real causes of unemployment may vary. According to Keynesian theory, ââ¬Å"the main causes of unemployment result from insufficient effective demand for goods and economyâ⬠(Layard, 2005). Some economists are confident that the current economic crisis can hardly be the direct cause of the growing unemployment, and that structural unemployment does not threaten economic stability. From the viewpoint of classical macroeconomics, minimum wages and taxes may severely change the balance of forces in the U. S. labor markets. Regardless the exact cause of unemployment in the U. S. , non-economic population lacks relevant instruments that would help re-interpret statistics. We are used to the thought that statistical analysis is the source of reliable and unbiased information and that statistics may open the gateway to understanding the real causes and economic implications of the current financial difficulties; yet, the time has come when the methodology and analytical instruments behind statistics need to be reconsidered. I am confident that while statistical unemployment may cross all reasonable boundaries, the real picture of unemployment may be completely different. Certainly, thousands of people are being laid off and drown in the unemployment pool against their will, but the existing methods of economic and statistical analysis must also be refined; otherwise the coming years are unlikely to being economic relief to the American labor markets. Conclusion Statistical research suggests that the rates of unemployment in the U. S. have reached unbelievable 6. 5%. The Economist (2008) writes that the current financial crisis may not necessarily be the direct cause of the current unemployment shakes. Regardless the specific causes and consequences of unemployment in the U. S. , the national economy lacks relevant economic instruments that could be used to measure statistical variations in labor markets. Macroeconomic theorists lack unanimous agreement on the way unemployment should be defined and measured. The time has come when the major macroeconomic indicators and the means of measuring them should be refined. Non-economists are misled by inaccurate statistical data that causes panics in the labor markets. Unless we are able to evaluate the full labor market potential, and until we are confident that the results of the statistical analysis are at least close to reality, we will not be able to develop reasonable macroeconomic policies, and will fail to protect national economy from the deepening crisis. References Layard, R. (2005). Unemployment: macroeconomic performance and the labor market. Oxford University Press. The Economist. (2008). A painful job to do. November 7th. Retrieved November 18, 2008 from http://www. economist. com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory. cfm? subjectid=348876&story_id=12583077
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Experience in Los Angeles Personal Narrative - 636 Words
My Experience in Los Angeles Los Angeles, or the City of Angels in its directly translated English name, was founded on September 4, 1781, by Felipe de Neve, the Spanish governor of the California territory. After Mexico succeeded in winning their independence from Spain with the close of their war of independence in 1821, Los Angeles became part of Mexico, then in 1848 after the US prevailed in a war with Mexico Los Angeles and the rest of California became a part of the United States. Los Angeles has grown all that time, and today is the second most populous city in the country. My first experience of Los Angeles came in 1997 when I was twelve years old. This was the year that my father, a dentist and professor at the Seoul University in Korea, was sent as a visiting professor to the University of California at Los Angeles, and in December our entire family moved across the world and I enrolled in seventh grade at a Los Angeles school. Before school was the LAX airport and the drive to our new home, and this provided me with my first striking impression of the city and some of its details, especially the palm trees. Long trees with a tendency to bend and droop trees that I have never seen before arriving in LA. Bent and curving trees and very straight roads led the way from the airport to what would now be our house, and as we drove along I lowered the window of the taxi to let the hot dry breeze of LA air in, and to feel the warmth of the sun directly on my skin. It wasShow MoreRelatedAccess Of Contraception And Abortion Within The Latina Community1480 Word s à |à 6 Pagescommunity in Los Angeles, California has been influenced culturally, socially, and economically. Cultural beliefs, economic disparities, social environment, and language barriers have all prevented Latinaââ¬â¢s access to proper pregnancy termination services, which is causing in the detrition of Latinaââ¬â¢s sexual and reproductive care. Ultimately in order to promote better reproductive/sexual health and provide better access to contraceptives and abortion within the Latina community in Los Angeles, policy makersRead MoreThe Homelessness Reduction And Prevention, Housing, And Facilities Bond1642 Words à |à 7 PagesHomelessâ⬠, n.d.). The main goal of this proposition is to reduce homelessness in the City of Los Angeles, by building 10,000 housing units over the next ten years (The Times Editorial Board, 2016). Furthermore, this measure needs two-thirds votes to pass in the November 2016 election. This measure will finance the construction of supportive and affordable housing for homeless people in the City of Los Angeles. Permanent supportive housing is a type of housing that has supportive on-site services likeRead MoreFacilitating Career Planning for African American Women in Organizational Leadership1283 Words à |à 6 Pagesthe researcher and the interviewees, ââ¬Å"discomfort is an important, even desirable component of qualitative research. Being uncomfortable makes us more aware and alert, stretches our thinking, and enriches our insight about the very struggles and experiences of the marginalized or oppressed populations we studyâ⬠(Padgett, 2004, p. 236). Purpose of the Study The goal for this intended study involves making business strategies that are centered on boosting recruitment and retention of African AmericanRead More The Azusa Street revival of 1906 to 19092452 Words à |à 10 PagesStates and eventually throughout the Christian world. However, representations of the revival in the early years of the 20th century were biased, and distorted the events that occurred. Early believers portrayed the revival as an eschatological narrative in which the power of God came down to earth and revolutionised the church, especially with the gift of tongues. Pentecostal historians later mythologised Azusa Street representing the revival as the birthplace of Pentecostalism. On the other handRead MoreCareer Theory. Narrative. Growing Up I Would Be Constantly1742 Words à |à 7 PagesCareer Theory Narrative Growing up I would be constantly moving between different cities, states, and countries, as my family would participate in seasonal migration. The couple of months that I would stay at any one particular place, I never allowed myself to make long term friends or commitments as everything seem to be temporary. When I was in ending middle school entering high school, I found myself familiarizing myself with Los Angeles as a permanent home base as my parents found assembly lineRead MoreMy Family s Story Of Immigration1966 Words à |à 8 Pages While every immigrant story is unique to the places theyââ¬â¢ve come from, their personal narratives, and their integration, many share commonalities within the American immigrant experience. My family is no exception to this fact as they highlight many of the theories of migration outlined in sociology. By examining my familyââ¬â¢s story of immigration through these different lenses, I hope to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation f or those who ultimately brought me into America. Around 85 yearsRead MoreFilm Analysis : The Neon Demon1270 Words à |à 6 Pagesmovie itself doesnââ¬â¢t aim to entertain people. Rather, it pushes viewers in a position where they must respond to what they have visually witnessed. The Neon Demon follows Jesse, a sixteen-year-old orphan girl who left a small town and settled in Los Angeles to pursue a modelling career. Her visually gorgeous nature and naà ¯ve youth facilitated her encounter to the fashion world. Entering the modern fashion industry, Jessie befriended with Ruby, a makeup artist, and met two other models, Gigi and SarahRead MoreOn Dumpster Diving by Las Eighner Essay1116 Words à |à 5 Pagesleaving a job he had been with for ten years as an attendant at a state hospital in Austin, Texas. ââ¬Å"For three years he traveled back and forth between Austin and Los Angeles with his dog Lizbeth, earning what money he could from writing stories for magazinesâ⬠(Eighner 712). While living on the streets Eighner began writing down his experiences about being homeless down on paper that he would find while scavenging. This is what became into his article. Eighner and his dog became homeless again when aRead MoreReflection1317 Words à |à 6 Pages As a former co-worker and adviser, I decided to observe Carmen Macias from East Los Angeles College (ELAC). I wanted to interview her because I knew first hand of her impressive work ethic. In addition, she serves at an institution that services students who come from my home high school of South Gate, CA. ELAC is located in Monterey Park and is one of the nine community colleges apart of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). The class profile consist of first year students who areRead MoreBaseball Is A Grueling Sport Essay1659 Words à |à 7 Pagesare always on the road and away from their families. Even the front office members of a MLB organization can enjoy a bit down time on the off weeks when the team is out of town. Through interviewing Sue Jo, MLB Social Media coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers, it was evident that she has a very similar schedule as the players. She doesnââ¬â¢t travel with the team but she works the away games from home, she gets to the ballpark early and stays late. In the following pages Iââ¬â¢ll discuss the role of
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Ficticious Recount of Professional Profficiency - 799 Words
As asserted, I am known worldwide and one well respected writer as a published author and expert editor by countless publishers, business entities, and to my vast, and pervasive readership I have acquired over the many years within writing successes. With an awe aspiring success have I resoundingly with great effort to date published with great diligence insomuch as profound endurance haven again, of me--to date renowned in the publishing domain in both the United States and in Germany and other Europe countries like England. Thus far to date I have published fifty-seven (57) books and play scripts on and about those imagined of any one writer who created and them considered an established poet laureate to volumes of poetry, one as well of writer for children books, who with their name built up their reputation with such of them being a writer of the horror genre, and proudly one of an American novelist of love and romance suspense books, and having a passion and devotion to h is having a tenure of twenty-five years being devout playwright--where last year I finally after twenty-years of work and producing the play script--with thus allowing me as the original playwright to complete Heaven Only Knows--The Professional Theatrical Production Play Script for On-Broadway and Off-Broadway performances. I wish to firstly share with my reader a quote I my-soon-to-be-published four volume series of books--a quote from my upcoming--four volume
Monday, December 23, 2019
Csr(References) - 1138 Words
How relevant is CSR in todays business agenda? Corporate Social Responsibility is described as being a companyââ¬â¢s ethical, economic, environmental, social and legal attitude towards its stakeholders in order to establish long-term success (Crane at el, 2008). These issues have come to have an important role in the running of a business in recent years. CSR was developed over a number of years and has been researched by professional economists. There are many arguments in favour of and against the CSR strategy. A company that adopts and operates the CSR can gain control over a variety of sectors, including shareholders and stakeholders. In brief, businesses can generate maximum profit and reduce potential risk by adopting the CSR strategyâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦According to Joell Brohier-Meuter, however, Asian countries launched such societal policies as Green Social, Harmonious Society and Business Ethics policy. Therefore, multinational companies need CSR for expanding their business. This source explores the role o f multinational business activity and outlines the factors of CSR in running a business. In addition, it shows a variety of elements, which can affect a businessââ¬â¢ success or failure. Crane, A., Matten, D. and Spence, J. L. (2008). Corporate Social Responsibility. Routledge. In this book, Clane et al (2008) states why companies need the CSR strategy in many areas of their activity: increased social awareness, as a result of global warming; major disasters; social consciousness and media pressure. The book explores each of these factors and analyses how a business can overcome its weakness and create opportunities. This source explains the overall advantages to a business and it details the benefits of running a business. Furthermore, this source is highly influenced by a businessââ¬â¢s social performance, purpose and adherence with Corporate Social Responsibility. Friedman, M. (1970). ââ¬ËThe Social responsibility of business is to Increase its Profitsââ¬â¢. Place of publication: The New York Times Magazine, 13 September 1970. Available atShow MoreRelatedBusiness Case Study : New Balance1610 Words à |à 7 Pagesathletic footwear industry, the company faced challenges in the realm of CSR in the areas of human and labor rights issues in the supply chain, increasing demands for transparency, greenhouse gas emissions regulation, and health, safety and product stewardship. While CSR is an embedded part of New Balanceââ¬â¢s values and mission, the company lacked public awareness of its CSR activities due to the fact that the company did not have a CSR department and fact that the owners were hesitant to talk about socialRead MoreParadigm Shift of Firms from Capitalism to CSR (Rationale) The integration of social700 Words à |à 3 PagesParadigm Shift of Firms from Capitalism to CSR (Rationale) The integration of social responsibilities in business that emerged with the financial capitalists spurred a fierce debate on whether or mot CSR should be included in the corporate objective function. the earliest reference to such criticism appears to be Ghent, who in 1902 criticized this new trend for its similarity to the economic feudalism of the middle Ages, and who argued that CSR was being used as a tool for forestalling public criticismRead MoreIs Corporate Social Responsibility a Way to Cover Exorbitant Charges1268 Words à |à 6 PagesContents 1. Introduction 2 2. Motivations behind CSR 2 2.1 Self-Interest 2 2.2 Ethics 2 3. Arguments for CSR 3 3.1 Innovation 3 3.2 Cost-Saving 3 3.3 Brand Differentiation 3 3.4 Long-Term Thinking 3 3.5 Customer Engagement and Employee Engagement 3 4. Arguments against CSR 3 4.1 Misdirections 4 4.2 Controversial Industries 4 5. Conclusion 4 6. References 4 Is Corporate Social Responsibility a way to cover exorbitant charges? 1. Introduction Various authors have different definitionsRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Business Communication And Technology835 Words à |à 4 PagesExample ââ¬â Carnival Australia 3 Conclusion 4 Recommendations 4 Reference List 5 Appendix 1 6 Appendix 2 7 Ã¢â¬Æ' Corporate Social Responsibility Introduction What is Corporate Social Responsibility? The responsibilities a business has to the environment, society, and public health (The Triple Bottom Line Approach, refer to appendix 1) are major factors in relation to the long sustainability of a corporation. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a means by which an organisation can incorporate self-regulationRead MoreImplementation of Corporate Social Responsibility Programs by Foreign Subsidiaries716 Words à |à 3 PagesHow can a foreign subsidiary located in the United States improve its CSR in the United States? Are attitudes toward CSR in the United States changing as more foreign subsidiaries locate within the United States? How, and why? Foreign subsidiaries need to start with a well-planned and defined strategic plan if they are to succeed with their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, taking into account value creation, risk management and corporate philanthropy as part of their strategic visionRead MoreHow Remuneration Is Determined in Csr1202 Words à |à 5 PagesHow your Remuneration is Determined 1. INTRODUCTION CSR staff are paid an annual salary, along with company superannuation contributions and annual leave loading. In the case of senior staff, the salary and benefits are combined as a remuneration package. The processes for determining annual salaries and fixed remuneration packages in CSR are the same. All references to salary in this document relate equally to both salary and remuneration package. Senior staff however, should also referRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility And Its Impact On The Food Industry996 Words à |à 4 Pagesfood industry, as this sector has strong impact and high dependence on the economy. CSR threats and responsibilities are increasingly shifting from single firm level to the food chains and network. Over the past decade, there has been substantial evolvement in CSR as a response to perceived limitations of governmental regulations such as privatization and globalizations. Another main reason for rising relevance of CSR is shift in values and preferences of more affluent citizens in western society asRead MoreTo What Extent Is Csr Beneficial to a Companys Performance1184 Words à |à 5 PagesTo What Extent is CSR Beneficial to a Companyââ¬â¢s Performance? Corporate social responsibility (CSR), which is a popular debate topic over decades, has divided into five major dimensions over time. They are known as the stakeholder dimension, the social dimension, the economic dimension, the voluntariness dimension and the environmental dimension in research (Dahlsrud, 2008). The relationship between CSR and companyââ¬â¢s performance, which is classified as the stakeholder dimension, aroused a controversialRead MoreThe Relationship of NGOs and CSR813 Words à |à 3 PagesThe essence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is that businesses should be self-regulating in their strategic and tactical business models that ensure they are in compliance with the moral, ethics, and standards of stakeholder expectations and the law. The goal, of course, is to encourage moral actions so that it does not become necessary for governments to legislate compliance (Kotler Lee 2003). CSR has been increasingly important in the global arena after the Enron scandal, and is a trendRead MoreThe Benefits of Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility Programs965 Words à |à 4 Pagesdiverted form landfill (Bell, 2009). These facts show that Bell as same as Rogers, also take a proactive stance facing the environmental issue. They contribute to the charitable fund and make full use of renewable resources. Compared with the CSR programs of Rogers and Bell, it seems clearly that the big companies are more and more willing to give generously to charity. Actually, some people have already wondered what was that for? According to Bansal, Maurer and Slawinski (2009), ââ¬Å"by corporate
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Ebay Strategy Free Essays
Short history of eBay Pierre Omidyar launched the first online auction in 1995 under the name ââ¬ËAuctionwatchââ¬â¢ under the domain name of www. eBay. com with the intention of creating a person-à ? to-à ? person trading community based on a democratized, efficient market where everyone could have equal access through the same medium, the Internet. We will write a custom essay sample on Ebay Strategy or any similar topic only for you Order Now The initial concept was to attract neighbours and other interested in the San Francisco Bay area residents to the site to buy and sell items of mutual interest. From there, the business grew to succession year after year. 1996: Jeffrey Skoll became co-à ? president and director of eBay. 997: Margaret Whitman became CEO of eBay. 2004: eBay acquired a share in Craigslist. 2005: eBay acquired Rent. com and Shopping. com. 2006: Acquisition of Skype. 2007: eBay acquired Stubhub. com. 2008: Margaret Whitman resigned as CEO. John Donahoe was her successor. During the years 2006-à ? 2008, eBay experienced a drop in gross merchandise sales to -à ? 12% and a reduction in number of auctions listed to -à ? 15%. This signalled a downturn in business for eBay, and a need to overcome the challenges which it now faced. Between 2006 and 2008 : eBayââ¬â¢s share of the US e-à ? commerce market had fallen from 19% to 17% (Amazon market hares, same period: from 3,7% to 5,3%). In 2008, John Donahoe took over the firm. Donahoe was a man who liked change. He believed that the firms marketplace sector had reached its maturity and a change in strategy was needed for the firm to move forward. In other words, he believed that the emphasis should no longer be put on the market place sector of eBay but on expanding the business by providing an array of other services. Question 1: Portersââ¬â¢ five forces: When eBay was first set up in 1995, it was the first business in the online auction industry. Since then, the industry has grown significantly. eBays competitors include Amazon, uBid, Yahoo, and Google. Due to the increasing interest in the online auction industry, eBay is now facing competition from a number of different rivals, most importantly Amazon. 1. Bargaining Power of buyers: Medium Buyers have the power to negotiate a price which suits them through setting their preferred bid. There is no pressure on buyers to surpass their preferred price limit. However, the number of buyers in the market is vast therefore their power is limited. 2. Bargaining Power of Sellers: Low As a result of endless number of sellers in the market, the bargaining power is low as there are many alternatives which an offer buyers good value and at a low price. Unless dealing with high end items or collectibles, which may be rare, the bargaining power of suppliers is low. 3. Existing Rivalry among competitors: Medium: The online auction industry is oligopolistic in the sense that there are a few large companies who own a large proportion of the market shares (eBay, uBid) . However eBay is facing competition from several online retailers (Amazon, Overstock). 4. Threat of Substitutes: High Many consumers still prefer to use traditional methods for purchasing and selling items such as in-à ? store purchases. Consumers prefer to use this ype of purchase for many reasons. Firstly for security purposes, there is no risk in giving cash-à ? in-à ? hand to an establishment as opposed to giving credit card details online. Also, buyers have the opportunity to check the value of the good they wish to purchase. Many retail outlets have also extended their market to an online level. 5. Threat of new entrants: Medium The threat from new entrants is medium. As a result of low barriers of entry into the market, it is not difficult for businesses to be created. Businesses find it difficult to generate regular customers, as they must build up a reputation of having a safe nd secure website. In this sense, eBay has a competitive advantage as it has created a stro ng, trusted environment for its customers. Rising competition in the market will, in turn, cause improvements in product quality and innovation. Also in order to generate good profits, eBay must focus on the sector of suppliers which regulates the most profits, this being the suppliers of high end items such as collectible products. EBay can differentiate by specialising in the market for collectible goods. Question 2: PEST Analysis: à §? Political: The internet is a tax free environment. EBay is not affected by the governmentsââ¬â¢ laws on axes. However, eBay is affected by certain policies considering the sale of certain products in different countries. For example, the CNIL in France. Economical: As a result of the economic crisis, consumer behaviour is changing. Consumers have less disposable income to spend caused by problems associated with the economic downturn such as rising unemployment rates, inflation rates etc. Sociological: Consumer behaviour has changed dramaticall y in recent years. Consumers want a quick and convenient way to source their products/services; the internet provides this through online retailers and auctions. The number of internet sers has amplified (insert statistics later? ). Technological: The internet has revolutionised, its range of activities has expanded with time. Along with offering search engines to quickly find products/ services, internet now makes it possible to quickly make transactions between buyers and sellers (PayPal). à §? à §? à §? The combined aspects of political, social, economic and technological will strengthen competition in the industry. In reference to economical, the economic crisis will cause companies to differentiate and work harder to find a competitive advantage over its rivals. In relation to technological, the use of e-à ? ommerce is becoming more and more popular; it has transformed the market place. Changing demographics has meant the internet and e-à ? commerce has become a more pro minent force in the lives of consumers. E-à ? commerce is appealing as a more attractive industry as opposed to traditional retail outlets. It is less expensive for companies to create a business online as they can avoid the cost of employing a sales workforce. Also, as technology progresses, there will be the opportunity for firms to globalize, therefore expanding their market reach into different countries, and increasing their consumer base. Online businesses ill be able to target a larger number of consumers worldwide. In the current economic crisis, people need to increase their cash flow. This is an advantage for online auctions such as eBay as people can sell items that they no longer use. It creates a larger market for second-à ? hand items such as worn-à ? once clothing. Question 3: Key Success Factors: Online auctions and retailers â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ These key success factors apply to both online retailers and online auctions. However, in the cas e of the online auctions, a key success factor would be the necessity to create a community of trusted buyers and sellers. Online auctions uch as eBay emphasise the importance of good values among their users such as honesty and trustworthiness. A second key success factors for online auctions is the importance of attracting and keeping sellers as without sellers supplying the items, the market would not exist. It is essential that online auctions are made attractable to sellers. This can be done by offering suppliers the option to set a minimal price for their products, further advertisements of their products e. g. eBay will display sellers products on their homepage for a minimal fee. As shown, there are specified key success factors for online auctions. â⬠¢ Necessity to create a community Necessity to attract suppliers Expertise in technology Brand name Generate traffic to the site: by attracting and keeping customers Overcome internet users nervousness about using the inter net for e-à ? commerce Security of payment Question 4: Our strategic map conveys that this is an oligopolistic market. There are two main competitors who hold strong positions in the market, those being eBay and Amazon. Both businesses have a strong reputation in the market combined with a wide variety of auctions/product categories. EBay is a household name when it comes to online auctions. The map shows hat eBay holds the strongest position in the market. Amazon lacks in number/variety of auctions compared to eBay but it still managed to hold a strong position in the market through its well-à ? established brand name. In comparison with eBay, Yahoo holds a weak position in the market. It lacks in brand recognition as an online business. Yahoo also has a limited variety of auctions paralleled with the market giants eBay and Amazon. Question 5: Swot Analysis à §? à §? à §? à §? Strengths: Global brand for online auctions (Brand awareness). Quality and Quantity of products. C ommunity spirit. Payment security (Paypal). Opportunities: Acquisition of new business. Develop a market in emerging countries (India, Brazilâ⬠¦). Increase in online shopping. à §? à §? à §? Weaknesses: Model opened to fraudulent activities. System breakdowns. Increasing customer demands Threats: Substitute products (stores, online shopping web sitesâ⬠¦). Success attracts competition. Interest and foreign currency exchange rates. Consumersââ¬â¢ fear of fraudulence à §? à §? à §? à §? à §? à §? à §? The SWOT analysis reveals that eBays strengths outweigh its weaknesses. eBays most promising strength is its globally known brand name. EBay has been established as a household name with its continued success in the -à ? commerce industry. It is still possible for eBay to expand and grow in this industry due to the increasing interest in online shopping. A notable weakness of the online commerce industry would be its systems openness to fraudulence. This has been faced by many businesses in the market including eBay. Even th ough eBay was subject to controversy over this problem it has still emerged in a strong position nevertheless. Question 6: After computing the current ratio, we found that the company is able to pay its liabilities with its assets. 2005 2006 2007 Current Assets Current Liabilities 3990993 1266792 4970586 2518395 7122505 099579 Current ratio = current 3,15 1,97 2,30 assets /current liabilities It means that in 2007, the company can reimburse its liabilities with its assets 2 times. We noticed that the net income is decreasing (-à ? 70%). In fact, the gross merchandise sales are decreasing (-à ? 20%) and the auction listed too (-à ? 14%). The working capital shows us that eBay has enough cash available for the firm day to day operations. Working capital = current assets-à ? current liabilities 2005 2006 2007 2724201 2452191 4022926 The average collection period in 2007 is about 22 days. That means the company wait just 22 days before receiving the How to cite Ebay Strategy, Papers
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Mobile Phones A boon or a bane free essay sample
Is a knife useful instrument or a perilous weapon? It depends on how it is used. Same implies with the case of technology. The greatest invention are those which affect the mass of people; and of those greatest invention is cell phones .It would be very ungrateful on our parts not to recognise how imperative are they to us. Cell phones have revolutionised the human existence .This is possible only because they are getting cheaper and cheaper day by day. Discounted cell phones accessories have made it even easier to keep the phone intact and give it a longer life. Undoubtedly , if cell phones are in right hands ,then they are a marvel ! Firstly they are proved to be a gratuity on the account of uniting not only the country but the entire planet as a ââ¬Å"global villageâ⬠. No matter how far we are sitting we can gossip anytime anywhere! In fact itââ¬â¢s bliss to the parents as well as children . We will write a custom essay sample on Mobile Phones: A boon or a bane or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Parents can every time monitor their children and children are also safe. If anyone is in any kind of danger s/he can call for help immediately . It arrests mishaps. The delight of watching favourite tv shows, songs, etc is unmatched; as now cell phones are embedded with all high tech features. Also discounted cell phone accessories have added cherry on the top. Accessories such as wireless Bluetooth handset (can be used to talk without even locating the cell phone ) , cases and pouches (keeping the phone intact and out of harms way ) , charger ,adapter battery covers ,screen protectors are so easily available that they help people to uphold their cell phone with an ease. There are always two sides of a coin . The Time creation aspect of technology has posed a peril which we keep ignoring .The cell phones have progressed rapidly at the rate of knots. Also at the same time they have provide us with a cushion to challenge more task than what we would have attempted if cell phones would have gone on a French leave! This invites element of multitasking. This deprives a person of enjoying his own hard earned money! Also when a person is multitasking rather than completing a single task he merely juggles between a huge number of tasks. This causes burden and hence results in Stress . Stress is a bane to the modern era. Due to our ill capacities of not understanding the correct usuage of resource, our life has turned into a Frankensteinââ¬â¢s movie! Also cell phones have made terrorist attacks in the world very easy. This has become a global matter of concern .Not going far beyond and viewing things aerially and focusing solely on our lives children are growing in precocious manner ,which is again a big matter of concern for parents .Also discounted cell phone accessories have made it easier for children to buy them and keep them unnoticed! They burn their time to ashes by playing games on it, listening songs etc. Instead of going out and playing, they stick to their easy chairs or couches and play games on their phones , which turns their reflexes into slow responses! We have heard of batteries blasting when they were put to charging. This is again on the account of using discounted cell phone accessories .The retailers replace the original piece with duplicate ones, to which customers are totally unaware of. Over utilisation of any resource is harmful . Now mobile phones have interweaved into our lives so much ,that some have started considering it as an inevitable part of their lives. They are addicted to it like a drug addict is addicted to drugs and some have gone even worse! This has consequently given rise to new phobias! Such as Nomophobia (the fear of being out of cell phone) ,Phantom ring (imagining call phone to be ringing when it is actually not) , Human antenna (holding phone high up in the air so that it can catch signal! )and so on. Not only this usage ,of cell phones driving have contributed 10% to the road accidents. We should always remember , that there lives a wise man between the valley of two mountains. Plain and pleasure are a result of modern technology . Usage of cell phones as a boon or a bane ; the answer lies in our hands!
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