Evaluation of Strategic Alternatives in Second Focus Area of The Research Paper

Evaluation of Strategic Alternatives in Second Focus Area of The Limited Brands INC - Research Paper Example Therefore, this present paper will explore appropriate alternatives that Limited Brands Inc can explore in order to eradicate the weaknesses that have been identified and make the company competitive, thus increase its market share, sales, and profitability levels. While evaluating the strategic alternatives that the company can explore, the study will focus on marketing function of the company. Strategic alternatives Considering the weaknesses that have been noted that been noted which include poor brands, lack of efficient resources, inadequate technology, and poor positioning it can be deduced that the strategic alternatives that the company have comprise of rebranding. Rebranding will focus on its beauty products and apparels in order to come up with brands that are competitive within the market place; this is according Burtenshaw et al. (2006). The second strategic alternative is mobilization of funds from shareholders through options such as initial public offering, issuing of bonus shares to the current shareholders, merging with a strategic company or investor who can bring into the company more financial resources as well as strong management skills or borrow additional funds from financial institutions such as banks. The third strategic alternative is acquiring latest technology that can improve the operations within the company, lower operational cost, and improve the quality of customer service (Tench and Yeomans, 2006). It is of essence to state that acquiring latest technology largely depends on the availability of financial resources and therefore, this third strategic alternative is dependent upon the second strategic alternative. The fourth strategic alternative is repositioning Limited Brands Inc within the market so that prospective customers can have a new positive attitude towards the beauty products and apparels of the company; this is according to Smith and Taylor (2004). Under repositioning, the company will engage in aggressive marketin g campaign in order to change consumers’ perception and attitude towards the company as a whole and that they may be able to associate the company with superior beauty products and apparels. Selected alternatives Considering that, the alternatives focus on different areas of operations in Limited Brands Inc it would be impossible to pursue all the strategic alternatives simultaneously because some dependent on the other. For example, the company cannot seek to acquire adequate technology without having adequate financial resources. Furthermore, the company cannot acquire additional resources if it still has poor brands and has a weak position within the market since it will be unable to convince any willing investor or financier that it will offer them good returns. Therefore, the only viable alternatives for Limited Brands Inc are to rebrand its beauty products and apparels, and repositioning itself within the market. According to the writings by Fill (2006), these alternati ves will enable Limited Brands Inc to record more sales, generate more profits, and acquire more market share. By being able to record more sales and higher profits the company can be able to easily acquire more financial resources and advanced technologies. Collectively, these achievements will give the company a competitive advantage within

Communicate with Clients Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Communicate with Clients - Case Study Example By contrast, a poor communicator will speak non-stop, denying the other party an opportunity to take an active part in the dialogue. Examples of non-verbal dues are facial expressions and eye contact(Daisley-Snow, et al., 2014). Facial expressions reveal the emotions of a person in a powerful way that words cannot. For instance, a person who is surprised may raise their eye-brow. Similarly, when people are sad, they frown and when they are happy they smile. Eye contact is one of the most powerful visual clues (Daisley-Snow, et al., 2014). When one talks to a person and the recipient maintains their gaze into the eyes of the speaker, this is usually taken as a sign of interest. Also, when a person is thinking, they tend to stare far into the distance. These are the tools I would use to build a therapeutic relationship with my client Adonia. In order to get the most of my consultation with Adonia, I would use several listening skills. These would include paraphrasing, summarizing, questioning and the use of encouragers (Bolton, 2009). I would use paraphrasing whenever Adonia would seem uncertain of what they were telling me. In that case, I would paraphrase what they had just said and ask if that was what they meant. I would resort to summarizing if I felt that the client was giving too much information that was not relevant and, therefore, not adding value to the consultation. I would look for appropriate moments then intervene. Such moments would include her pauses. I would intervene by redirecting her to the purpose of the consultation. I would question my client whenever they appeared not sure of whatever they were saying or at moments when they appeared doubtful of me. In the first instance, I would restate what they had just said and ask them if they were sure of it. In the second instance, whenever I sensed doubt through the way she expressed herself facially, I would encourage her to ask me questions so I could clarify points. Encouragers would come

Coronary Artery Disease and Diabetes Mellitus

Coronary Artery Disease and Diabetes Mellitus Introduction The coronary artery supplies the blood to the heart muscles to enrich it with oxygen and other nutrients. It also carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart. The coronary artery consists of 2 main arteries; the right coronary artery which supplies blood to the right ventricles and right atrium and the left coronary artery which supplies blood to the left ventricles and left atrium. The two many arteries further divide into two; the left coronary artery divide into the circumflex artery which supplies blood to the back of the heart, the left anterior descending artery supplies blood to the front of the heart; the right coronary artery is divided into right posterior descending artery and large marginal arteries and supply blood to the sinoatrial nodes that control the heart  rhythmic rate. The coronary arteries have 3 layers of tissues; the tunica adventitia which covers the outside, the tunica media which is the middle layer and the tunica intima endothelium which is the inner layer. The diameters of the coronary arteries range from 0.6mm-4.4mm, any blockage to any of these arteries that stops blood flow to the affected area lead to coronary artery disease (CAD).       The normal blood glucose range is 4-6 mmol/L and 7.8mmol/L 2 hours after meal. This range is controlled by insulin which causes cells to absorb excess glucose in blood and glucagon which causes cells to release glucose from stores. Insulin is produced by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas. When blood glucose level rises above its normal range insulin binds to the extracellular subunits of its receptors (IRS-1 and IRS-2) on the cell surface which sends signals into the cell causing the intracellular proteins to alter their activity which in turn initiates the movement of glucose transporters (GLU1-4, depending on the cell/tissues involved) to the cell membrane which then transports glucose into the cell where it may be further be converted glycogen, the storage form of glucose. Any impairment to the function of insulin, or its receptors lead to hyperglycemia and when excess of this glucose in bloodstream is passed in urine it results to diabetes mellitus. Diabe tes mellitus can be classified into two main types; Diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM 1) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM 2). High sugar levels in blood (hyperglycemia) maybe due to insulin resistance in cases of type 2 diabetes or destruction of beta cells of the pancreas in cases of type 1 diabetes, which downstream leads to CAD. Atherosclerosis which can occur in any part of the body result from endothelia damage which can be caused by high blood pressure, smoking, genetics, age, gender, high blood glucose, weight gain etc. when atherosclerosis occurs in any of the coronary arteries it leads to coronary artery disease. Events leading to atherosclerosis include; Endothelial damage which leads to inflammatory responses such as accumulation of white blood cells , low density lipoprotein (LDL)and high density lipoprotein (HDL), oxidation of LDL induced by free radicals (reactive oxygen species), platelet aggregation, chemotaxis of macrophages, formation of foam cells, proliferation of smooth muscle cells (atheroma occurs), fibrous tissue and calcium salts cause the atheroma to harden this results in less elasticity of the artery (atherosclerosis). All of these events narrow the coronary artery from the normal physiological range of 0.6-4.4mm (including small coronary arteries branching from the main arteries) to very smaller diameter depending on the level of narrowing and then eventual blockage preventing or limiting blood and nutrient supply to heart tissues leading to death of affected heart tissues, heart attack or even death of the patient. According to statistics, diabetes and coronary artery disease are closely related, this is because 50% of patients with diabetes are at risk of suffering CAD alongside. In the United States 77% cause of death is diabetic CAD. The prevalence of diabetes globally is increasing and its the major risk factor of other health conditions. The National Institute of Health reported that 65% of diabetic patients are more at risk of developing stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, kidney failure, and heart diseases such as cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, and atherosclerosis in the heart (CAD) which when not optimally managed could lead to death. CAD and Diabetes Mellitus The cause of DM1 is unknown but studies say it could be genetic or viral infection which leads to an autoimmune condition where the body defense mechanism destroys its cells, in this case the pancreatic beta cells where insulin is produced. When the beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed, the pancreas will no longer be able to make insulin which downstream causes the bloodstream to be glucose logged due to inability of the body cells to move glucose out of the bloodstream, leading to impaired insulin secretion, decreased signalling in the hypothalamus, increased food intake, weight gain and hyperglycemia, which downstream leads to atherosclerosis. DM 2 is due to the body cells inability to respond to insulin stimulation. Insulin resistance is due to obesity, age and sedentary life style (irregular body activities), Age and sedentary lifestyle both lead up to increase in body weight (accumulation of adipose tissue). With or without hyperglycemia, insulin resistance can cause atherosclerosis, this results from increased lipolysis of adipocytes leading to increased nonesterified fatty acid secretion (NEFA), pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumour P1521598x necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). NEFA can be deposited in and cause dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells, liver and skeletal muscles, all of which enhance insulin resistance and reduce production of insulin. Accumulation of NEFA in skeletal muscle leads to competition with glucose for substrate oxidation thereby increasing the intracellular content of fatty acid metabolites such as diacylglycerol (DAG), fatty acyl coenzyme A and ceremide which together activate serine/threonine kinase processes leading to insulin receptor substrate 1and 2 (IRS 1 IRS 2) phosphorylation, reducing their ability to undergo tyrosine phosphorylation and carry out their normal physiological function in insulin signalling. The final target of these receptors is the blockage of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3) which is responsible for decreasing expression of adherent molecules, NF-kb activation, Ros formation and increasing eNOS production. PI3 blockade leads to hyperstimulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP-kinase) by increasing insulin production which contributes to vascular hypertrophy, hypertension, increased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) production and arrhythmias, all of these processes lead to endothelial lining damage which causes atherosclerosis. Diabetes and Atherosclerosis Hyperglycemia can also lead this atherosclerosis because increase in blood glucose levels leads to increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) because of mitochondrial dysfunction which is the initial event observed in hyperglycemia. Glycolysis generates nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and pyruvate. Pyruvate in tricarboxylic cycle (TCA) generates molecules  of CO2, 4 NADH and 1 FADH NADH and FADH are electron carriers/donors in the electron transport chain which is made up of 4 complexes, I-IV). In mitochondria, NADH and FADH donate electron for generation of ATP. In hyperglycemia, there is increased glycolysis which leads to increased electron donation to the electron transfer chain (ETC) which increases electron flux raising voltage across the membrane and generates higher membrane potential eventually reaching a threshold where transport at complex III is blocked, increasing electron donation to O2 at complex III generating ROS, mostly superoxide (O-). Superoxide inactiva tes glycolytic enzymes glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase which induces vascular injury via 4 main pathways; protein kinase C pathway, hexosamine pathway, advanced glycation endproducts and polyol pathway. ROS enhances atherosclerosis by blocking eNOS synthase which enhances production of other ROS especially in endothelial cells and vascular muscle cells. Superoxide reacts with nitric oxide to form peroxynitrite which selectively inhibits prostacyclin (PGI2) disrupting its synthases iron-thiolate centre. PGI2 inhibition causes build-up of its precursor prostaglandin endoperoxide (PGH2) which induces vasoconstriction and endothelial dysfunction. In addition, PGH2 promotes the conversion of PGI2 to thromboxane A2 by thromboxane synthase which leads to platelet aggregation. Diabetes and Response to injury Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are responsible for response to injury and hypoxia, both are lacking in diabetes, this makes repair of injury very slow enhancing atherosclerosis. Conclusion   Ã‚   With or without hyperglycemia, DM leads to atherosclerosis which if it happened in the coronary artery lead to narrowing and eventual blockage of the coronary artery leading to CAD. In DM 1 it goes through hyperglycemia/mitochondrial dysfunction pathway whereas in DM 2 it goes through insulin resistance/lipolysis pathway even in slim individuals if there is unequal distribution of fat across the body, it interferes with insulins ability to suppress lipolysis leading to higher NEFA production. Whichever way, DM is likely to lead up to CAD (when atherosclerosis occurs in the coronary artery) and other diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, kidney disease and heart attack. One thing that can be seen in the events leading up to CAD are positive feedback events, for example, ROS blocks eNOS synthase which enhances the production of more ROS.

William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay -- William Shakespeare Ro

William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Although the story of Romeo and Juliet is over 500 years old, it is as relevant and appealing today as it was when first performed. Although dated, the story of Romeo and Juliet still holds great appeal and relevance to today’s society, despite the differences in morals and values between William Shakespeare’s audience 500 years ago, and Baz Luhrmann’s audience today. The arising issues of order and authority, fate and love entertain/ed and appeals/ed to both viewers in different ways. Shakespeare’s original play, Romeo and Juliet reflected the important Elizabethan concerns in relation to authority, law and order, making it relevant to the audiences’ morals and values of the time, as well appealing and entertaining. Shakespeare explored the consequences of order breaking down in society, demonstrated through many characters’ disobediences, with the result of chaos and ultimate consequence being the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. All characters were disobedient in some way, including Romeo and Juliet themselves. For instance, they both deceived their parents by getting married, Romeo killed Tybalt and Juliet faked death. Other characters, such as Tybalt, Mercutio, Montague and Capulet boys, went against the orders of the Prince by continuing violent actions in the city of Verona. The Friar and the Nurse are also guilty because they aided the young lovers’ immoderate actions - their meetings and marriage. Shakespeare offers the simple solution to this chaos as being obedient by respecting authority, law and order, being responsible with power as well as to be punished for their sins. This punishment is ultimately seen at the end of the play following the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. All characters have been hurt by this, hence being punished for their disobediences; â€Å"All are punished!† – the Prince. In this sense, Shakespeare’s play sets morals for the Elizabethan era, displaying the results of disobedience, violence and chaos. Luhrmann’s modern appropriation of the play also deals with authority, law and order, however instead of setting morals and offering solutions, it is relevant in that it displays a different viewpoint on modern society. He displays the world as being hectic and very fast, focused mainly on wealth and power, having lost sight of true values such as love, compassion and moral t... ... continuous, but particularly apparent in the use of water as a symbol of purity and harmony. During the ‘balcony’ scene, the water plays a major role in the connection between the lovers. It is a symbol of their unity and reciprocated love. This symbol of peace and harmony is then tainted by the death of Tybalt as he falls into a pond after being killed by Romeo. This scene also uses sequences of flashbacks to Romeo and Juliet in the pool, memories of the purity and cleanliness of Romeo’s conscience. It is then non-existent in the scenes of Romeo in the very dry, baron landscapes of Mantua. This symbolises the loss of his true love, and also any peace and harmony he knew before being banished. Other romantic symbolism in the film includes the extreme close-up shots of Romeo and Juliet when they are together, for example, in the tomb, repeated shots of the wedding ring – a physical symbol of their love. Together, Shakespeare’s original play and Baz Luhrmann’s modern appropriation is a relevant and appealing insight into the Elizabethan era as well as modern society. By comparing the two, it is made obvious the changes and differences in morals and values over 500 years.

Gender /Sex Discrimination in the Work Place Essay

Thirty five years after civil rights act of 1964 was passed, female workers amounting to 80% are still doing the ‘women work. ’ Some as secretaries, others are sales clerks while others are support workers in the administrations. In the year 1993, only 19 women found themselves among the directors in the country and more than 500 boards had no female members. In 1999, the New York Times conducted a poll and found out that the biggest problem women were facing in America at that time was job discrimination. In the same year, working women were so much concerned about the wage gap between them and their male counterparts. Although the law came to prohibit these discriminations they continued even after (Mayor, 2010). This essay seeks to find out what the law is all about and who are covered in the law. It also seeks to differentiate between sexual and gender identity discriminations and sexual harassment based on some case studies. The federal law title VII, criminalizes any harassment or discrimination in the work place. It encompasses or covers all the employers in the private sector, state and local governments including education institutions which employ 15 workers and above (HR Hero, nd). Other groups that are covered by the law include; government agencies, political sub divisions, labor unions, associations, corporations, companies among others (US Equal Opportunity Commission, nd). The term employee as used in the act refers to a person who is involved in industrial activities that affect the commerce of the county and has more than 15 workers under him. It also refers to corporations that belong to the government or the Indian tribes and any department in the District of Columbia. The word also includes clubs that have private membership which do not pay tax as provided by the law. The term employment agency as used in the act refers to those persons who are involved in searching for employees on behalf of the employers either with or without compensation. Another group that is covered in the law is the labor organization. This refers to all those labor organizations which are affecting commerce in one way or another. This may also include the agents of these labor organizations and also committees that represent employees. Those groups which are involved or deal with grievances of the workers are also covered in the law (US Equal Opportunity Commission, nd). Apart from prohibiting discrimination in the work place based on sex, race, color, religion basis and national origin, it goes further to prohibit discriminations based on pregnancies, sexual stereotypes and sexual harassment against the employees. Currently, the law does not include discriminations based on sexual orientations but under the employment non –discrimination act, that kind of discrimination is covered. Many states have implemented this law and they have included more classes to be covered for example, marital status (HR Hero, nd). Civil rights act of 1964 has so many provisions in regards to employers and employees in the work place. Under section 2000e-2, the law declares that, it is unlawful for the employer to discriminate against any individual in regards to terms of payment, compensation package or privileges that the employment offers based on his /her race, gender, country of origin, color and religion. The law continues to say that any employer, who will be found imposing limitations to his workers, preventing them from accessing employment opportunities based on the above mentioned discrimination grounds, will be criminalized (Find US Law, 2008). Both employment agencies and labor organizations have also been put on notice by the law in that, when they fail to employ a person based on race, sex color among other factors, then they will also face the law. The term ‘based on sex’ here, refers to, based on pregnancy or medical conditions that are related to it and child birth. In the act, the law requires that all women affected by the above mentioned conditions, should be treated equally just like their male counter parts in regards to work related issues. This also applies to the benefits that they are supposed to be given. The condition that they are in should not limit them to enjoy their benefits just like other workers who are not in their condition. These provisions are included in section 2000e-2(h). This section does not allow the employer to pay for abortion benefits unless the life of the mother is in danger (US Equal Opportunity Commission, nd). Moreover, under this section it is considered unlawful when an employer comes up with standards of compensation or privileges and earning measuring system with an intention of discriminating employees based on the earlier mentioned factors. They are also forbidden to come up with ability tests whose results are intended to discriminate individuals. An employer is also not supposed to be biased when it comes to determining the amount of money he is going to pay his workers especially when based on sex. This can only be allowed when it has been provided for in the section 206(d) of the labor standard act of 1938, title 29 as amended (US Equal Opportunity Commission, nd). This law makes the employers responsible to prevent sexual harassment cases among their employees. They are supposed to take caution in regards to sexual harassment and correct any instance of it in the work place (Equal Rights Advocates, 2010). Differences between sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and gender identity discrimination Sexual Discrimination Sexual discrimination is mostly associated with the employers but if can also be committed by other employees. When this happens, the employer would be held responsible. There are two types of sexual discrimination; direct and indirect. The former refers to those situations where women at work place are treated with less favor than their male counter parts because of either their gender or marital status. Direct discrimination also comes in when treating a woman less favorably because she is pregnant or has gone for a maternity leave and this can extend even to pregnancy related illnesses. This mostly happens for example when a woman has gone for an interview and the interviewer only concentrates on the domestic circumstances of the interviewee (Thomson’s Solicitors, 2010). Another instance of discrimination based on gender comes in when a man who is less qualified than a woman is employed instead of her or when a man who is less experienced in the work place is promoted. Sometimes they are given excuses that those jobs are dirty ones and that there are no good toilet facilities for them. Sometimes, employers can be so cruel to the extent that, they can demote a woman because of her pregnancy or just immediately after maternity leave. In addition, sex discrimination comes in when a woman employee is not allowed to see clients or meet them for that matter and sometimes she cannot be invited to social events and instead a male colleague is chosen over her (Thomson’s Solicitors, 2010). Indirect discrimination refers to the adoption of some policies or practices in the places of work by employers. These policies are in one way or another disadvantageous to one gender than the other, even though they may appear on the surface to treat them equally. For example, an employer may require his employees to work full time and this disadvantages most women by barring them to take such a job. Some examples of this kind of discrimination include; some employers imposing age bars to their workers which can affect women negatively because most of them take time out to go to bring up children and thus these age bars will mean that, they will acquire their qualifications later than men (Thomson’s Solicitors, 2010). Some employers may also give their workers some benefits as a result of working for long in an institution and this will definitely not favor women who have decided to take time out to go and bring up children. Clauses related to mobility are also out to work against women in that, they may have difficulties when it comes to relocation because of their families and sometimes because of relying on their husbands as primary earners in the house. Some employers also go to the extent of requiring their workers to provide weight and height measurements and this will favor male workers more than their female counter parts. Lastly, those employers who require their employees to work in those hours which are unsocial may disadvantage women who have family commitments especially those who have children to care for (Thomson’s Solicitors, 2010). A case study related to this kind of discrimination involves a woman who had worked for a water transport business for some time but in her case, she was working in an office. Later, she decided to apply for a job in the same company but as a deck hand. In the process of application, she expressed her desire to acquire a captain’s license. She later complained that her male colleagues made her feel not welcome because they started to make such comments like how the job would be too dirty and heavy for her (Anti-Discrimination Commission, 2004). A time came when the business was facing some financial crisis and the company decided to do away with a particular service and this led to work hours for deck –hands to be reduced. As a result, the company shortened her water –time and this made her lose hours and opportunities in training and career. Her complaints to the company over the issue on how male counter parts were being favored in regards to time were futile. She sued them and as a result, she won the case and a compensation of $12,000. The company’s administration was directed to carry out anti-discrimination training among its workers (Anti-Discrimination Commission, 2004). This case study applies to discrimination among the workers themselves. Some companies also discriminate when it comes to offering services. In a case study, a woman wanted to be served by a certain company and in the process, she sought an appointment with the management for an in-home quote. The company’s representatives told her that it would be better if her husband was present for the quote. In her astonishment, she asked if the same procedures would apply on both of them regardless of who was present but they ignored her. The company gave some excuses regarding the matter stating that singles or widows were allowed to be accompanied by friends. The company was directed by a court to provide written apology to her and also to develop an anti-discrimination policy in the work place (Anti-Discrimination Commission, 2004). Sexual harassment When it comes to sexual harassment, it is perceived as a form of sexual discrimination. It can be defined legally as any unwelcome behavior or conduct that is of sexual nature and can be expressed through the word of mouth, physical means or even through the eyes; the conduct having severe consequences affecting the working environment in a negative way, making it be hostile. This means that any conduct that is welcome is not sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can be committed verbally or written by commenting on how somebody has dressed, on his or her behavior, somebody’s body structure, making jokes that are based on sex, asking somebody for sexual favors or for outings repeatedly. This may also include threatening a person or even spreading rumors about a person’s sexual life and also sexual innuendos (Equal Rights Advocates, 2010). Physical sexual harassment includes; assaulting a person, trying to block somebody’s movement, touching somebody inappropriately which may include kissing, patting, stroking and even hugging. One can harass an individual non- verbally by looking at a person’s body from up downwards, using derogative gestures towards a person, or even employing facial expressions that are of sexual nature (Equal Rights Advocates, 2010). Following a person comes under non -verbal sexual harassment. Visually, it can happen through drawings, pictures, emails, screen savers and posters that are of sexual nature. Some people may be harassed because they are females not males or the vice versa. This can also be considered as sexual harassment of non- sexual conduct. For example, if a lady carpenter works among male colleagues and she always finds her tools hidden, this can be considered a sexual harassment. The only condition that must exist for a conduct to be considered a sexual harassment is when the conduct is severe or pervasive (Equal Rights Advocates, 2010). If one is fired, demoted or the employer refuses to promote one because of rejecting sexual advances, that is automatically becomes sexual harassment. Even if it may not lead to injury or job status changing, so long as it interferes with ones performance at work place or even creating a hostile environment; that can be considered as a sexual harassment (Equal Rights Advocates, 2010). A case referred to as Meritor Savings Bank V. Vinson is one of the best cases on sexual harassment. The Supreme Court held that if a relationship is not welcome, it is considered to be ‘involuntary. ’ A plaintiff who was a lady sued her supervisor. During her first year working in the bank, she entered a relationship with him unwillingly because she feared losing her job (TWC Home, nd). She knew that she would face it rough the moment she refuses the advances. So she continued with the relationship for two years. The man would fondle her in the sight of other workers, sometimes follow her to the rest room and even go to the extent of exposing himself to her. For her, she did not expose his conduct to the management due to insecurity. The plaintiff proved that the relationship was unwelcome and it created a working environment which was abusive. The Supreme Court heard this and ruled in favor of her. The accused had to pay for the damages to the plaintiff (TWC Home, nd). Gender Identity Discrimination Gender identity refers to a situation of self identification either as a female or a male regardless of the anatomical sex at the time of birth. In normal circumstances, gender identity goes hand in hand with anatomical sex. A person identifies with females because she has physical features of females and a male does the same because he has male physical features. However, this does not apply to all human beings because for some, their identity does not match with their physical feature and this applies mostly to transsexual people (Work Place Fairness, 2009). A female may have the stronger side of males and a male may have stronger characteristics of females. Society may view the situation very differently. For example a man who identifies himself as a woman can be said to be feminine and a woman who identifies herself as a male is considered masculine. ‘Transgender’ is used to refer to a person whose stereotypes of gender identity do not apply. This term refers to cross dressers; both male and female, impersonators from both genders, individuals who are inter sexed, transsexuals, males who are feminine and females who are considered masculine (Work Place Fairness, 2009). These people usually face a lot of discrimination especially at work place. Mostly, they are usually fired the moment the management learns of their plans to undergo surgery on sexual reassignment. Some of them live in fear of being fired especially those who engage in cross dressing outside their work places. Those who try to wear appropriate clothes that match their gender identity are usually punished or fired all together for not conforming to the company’s policy of dress code. This happens especially in those companies that do not recognize individuals who are trans-gendered. Some employers even go to an extent of prohibiting these trans-gendered people to visit the rest rooms and are sometimes harassed by co workers on that basis (Work Place Fairness, 2009). This discrimination is not prohibited by the law particularly the federal one. How ever, efforts are being made to pass a law that will make this kind of discrimination illegal. Some have argued that, it can be covered with the law that bans all kinds of discrimination in the work place. Supreme Court has allowed these discrimination cases to be treated as harassment but is not clear how a court should handle such a case (Work place fairness, 2009). In conclusion, many people do not differentiate between the three kinds of discrimination making it hard to press charges regarding the matter. Some may have been discriminated without their knowledge and thus it is high time, companies adopt anti discrimination policies to make every one aware of his or her rights at the work place. References Anti-Discrimination Commission of Queensland. (2004). Sex discrimination case studies. Retrieved from http://www. adcq. qld. gov. au/Cases/Sex. htm Equal right advocates. (2010). Know your rights: Sexual harassment at work. Retrieved from http://www. equalrights. org/publications/kyr/shwork. asp Fine US Law. (2008). Civil rights act of 1964-cra-title vii-equal employment opportunities 42 US code chapter 21. Retrieved from http://finduslaw. com/civil_rights_act_of_1964_cra_title_vii_equal_employment_opportunities_42_us_code_chapter_21 HR Hero. (nd). Title VII of the civil rights of 1964-title VII. Retrieved from http://www. hrhero. com/topics/title7. html Thomson’s solicitors. (2010). Summary of the law on sex discrimination. Retrieved from http://www. thompsons. law. co. uk/ltext/l0840001. htm TWC Home. (nd). Case studies on sexual harassment. Retrieved from http://www. twc. state. tx. us/news/efte/case_studies_in_sexual_harassment. html US Equal Opportunity Commission. (nd). Title VII of the civil rights of 1964. Retrieved from http://www. eeoc. gov/laws/statutes/titlevii. cfm Work Place Fairness. (2009). Gender Identity discrimination. Retrieved from http://www. workplacefairness. org/genderid? agree=yes#1

Corning Incorporated : the Growth and Strategy Council

CORNING INCORPORATED: THE GROWTH AND STRATEGY COUNCIL Company Background : Corning Glass Works was founded in 1851 by Amory Houghton, in Somerville, Massachusetts. The company was known as Corning Glass Works until 1989, when it changed its name to Corning Incorporated. Corning Incorporated is an American manufacturer of glass, ceramics, and related materials, primarily for industrial and scientific applications. In 1998 Corning divested itself of its consumer lines of Corning Ware and Corelle tableware and Pyrex cookware.As of 2008 Corning had four business segments: Display Technologies, Environmental Technologies, Life Sciences, and Telecommunication. Innovation was the core of corning’s Identity, because coning is a science based company, Innovation is the engine for the company. Fact 1 : The Formed of Growth and Strategy Council Corning has formed the Growth and Strategy Council (GSC) in 2001 the core group member are CEO, COO, CTO, heads of research, development and engi neering and the head of HR. The role of GSC is varied from making decisions about pacing and investment, advising businesses on pricing strategy etc.The GSC is about establishing best practices and getting all innovation programs to the same level of rigor. Lesson learned 1: GSC as Change Agent Management. Corning needs to maintain their performance in a long term condition. It needs strategy and great people who involved and have willingness to improve the performance for sustainability. The individual or group that undertakes the task of initiating and managing change in an organization is known as a change agent and that what’s corning did when fomed GSC.In many innovative-driven companies, managers and employees alike are being trained to develop the needed skills to oversee change (Tschirky, 2011). My experience I am working at bank bjb which the ownership is 100 % by the government of west java province and Banten province. By 2010 the company had their IPO so some of t he ownership goes to public. And it makes change to the company business overall. To make the company keep sustain my company formed change agent management program that include the director, Groups head, and Branch Managers that made decision about varied company problems. Fact 2 : Corning’s Stage Gate Innovation ProcessInnovation at Corning followed what was called the ‘innovation recipe’ its involved the management that used Corning’s gate innovation process that’s are : Stage I : Gather Information, build knowledge Stage II : Determine feasibility Stage III : Test Practically Stage IV : Prove Profitability Stage V : Manage the life cycle Advancing to the next stage required meeting deliverables and advancing through the ‘Decision Diamond’ Lesson learned : Innovation as a Process and Philosphy For Corning Innovation was as much a set of principles as it was a process, innovation is about idea creation.Innovation at Corning also about being willing and able to take failed ideas and apply them elsewhere Innovation is much more than invention – the creation of a new idea and its reduction to practice and it includes all the activities required in the commercialization of new technologies (Freeman and Soete 1997) Others company experienced We can learned from 3M company that produce the product Post It from accident. A man named Spencer Silver who worked in the 3M research laboratories in 1970 was working on developing a strong adhesive to incorporate it to some of 3M’s current products.After some trial and error he finally developed an adhesive, but for his own disappointment, it was even weaker than what 3M already manufactured at the time. It stuck to things but could easily be lifted off. A couple of ants could lift it up. Then four years later, another 3M scientist named Arthur Fry was singing in his church’s choir. He used markers to keep in the hymnal but they kept falling out of the boo k. Then he remembered Silver’s weak adhesive and used to coat his markers. With the weak adhesive the markers stayed in place, yet lifted off without damaging the pages.Fact 3 : The Concept of Patient Money in Corning Key businesses Corning lost money for 14 years before becoming profitable in 1999. And optical fiber took 20 years to become profitable despite the hundreds millions of dollars the company invested during the 1960 – and 1970s. In 2001 the company approved the appropriations request for a $250 million new factory for the diesel business at a time when telecom business was crashing and the emission regulations for 2007 were not yet in place.Lesson learned : Sustainability investment on Technology Innovation . Innovation at corning meant being willing to make significant. Sustained investments knowing that the payback would likely be well into the future. Corning’s Emphasis on innovation and its long term outlook-made the company unique. Unlike conven tional investments in plant and equipment, which generally have declining returns over time, technological investments are argued to produce positive returns through creating new knowledge, options and opportunities (Arthur 1990). My ExperienceIn early 2011 bank bjb cooperate with western union to facilitate customers who wants to transfer their money to other countries. One of the problems sometimes the transfer didn’t get on time and many system failure. So to solve that problem bank bjb do the research to choose another vendor that more appropriate. Bank bjb also develop their own Information Technology system to create independent remittance to other countries. The result are bank bjb has cooperate with BNI in remittance and also will launch independent remittance system in 2013 that will serve customer better in the future.

Views Comparison on the Problem of Climate Change

Views Comparison on the Problem of Climate Change Introduction Singer’s discussion dwells on the issue of climate change in detail whereby he underscored the fact it is a global problem that has to be addressed carefully. Because of the urge to strengthen the global economy, as well as local financial systems, developing countries are keen on establishing industries without necessarily following the regulations set out by the environmental regimes, such as the UNEP.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Views Comparison on the Problem of Climate Change specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The rain patterns are unpredictable leading to losses among farmers. The ongoing drought in many parts of the world is attributable to the changes in climate. Several philosophers and theorists posit varying views on the current problem of climate change. In this article, utilitarianism, the views of Locke, and the principle of time slice would be compared, as far as climate change is concerned. Comparison Utilitarianism is a form of consequential ethics suggesting an action is determined whether it is right or wrong by looking at its effects. In other words, an action should guarantee happiness to the greatest number of people for it to be termed right. In this regard, climate change does not maximize the happiness meaning mitigation strategies must be formulated if society is to be guaranteed of happiness. The activities that are undertaken in various societies are harmful to the environment and this does not support human survival. Any action is assessed based on the pleasure it brings to people. If the act is good, chances are high that it would maximize happiness meaning it is the only intrinsic good that must be sought by each person. Under utilitarian ethics, there are no chances of pain, which suggest satisfaction is pleasure minus the total pain. The problems human beings face because of climate change suggest it entails one of the things that interfere with pleasure. Its effects are negative in three major ways, including increasing temperatures, facilitating unfavorable weather conditions, and lastly increasing the chances of disease contraction. Due to the high temperatures experienced in various parts of the world, the ice is likely to melt and the seas levels tend to rise at unprecedented rates. High sea levels are known to interfere with the normal lives of the poor locals because it sweeps away their homes rendering people refugees. The case of Tuvalu, which is a tiny island in the Pacific, serves as an example. Apart from this effect, high sea levels lead to droughts and heat waves that are likely to kill crops meaning individuals would go for days without food.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Continuous release of carbon compounds facilitates extreme weather conditions, including tornadoes and hurrican es, such as the sandy and Katrina, which have extreme consequences given the fact many people lose their lives and property whenever they happen. Human activities are to blame for the increased release of carbon dioxide, especially when people drive, heat, and consume electricity. According to utilitarianism, conditions that destroy life increases aggregate pain in the sense that the family is left agonizing and yearning for the love of the deceased. The agency charged with environmental protection conducted a study to establish the cost of human life. The findings revealed that a human being is estimated to cost at least $47314.50. Unfortunately, human beings cannot do without engaging in activities that pollute the environment since they bring satisfaction and pleasure. For instance, flying saves time and driving enables other people to access food and basic services. However, the total aggregate pain derived from emissions is above the aggregate pleasure meaning reduction of secr etion to zero is the only option if the issue of climate change is to be resolved. In fact, an emission of zero carbon footprints facilitates environmental conservation implying it maximizes total aggregate pleasure. In this case, carbon should be diluted through various existing methods to mitigate the challenge of climate change. On their part, scholars supporting the views of Locke suggest that all forms of regulations should be done away with if society is to achieve its desired interests. The existing environmental agencies tend to impede the chances of development in the sense that they urge people to focus on sustainable development meaning preserving resources for future use. In fact, the existence of the environmental conservation policies is a hindrance to the development of the financial system. Based on this, the state has to ensure people are provided with everything if they are to realize their objectives. In other words, the government has no role intervening in econo mic activities since its only role is to provide an enabling environment that facilitates individual fulfillment. The idea of freewill dominated the thinking of Locke meaning people have responsibilities while the government has the duty. The responsibility of each citizen is to take care of the surrounding since it only benefits him or her and not any other person. In this case, the use of the natural resources should be controlled since depletion would lead to human suffering.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Views Comparison on the Problem of Climate Change specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since individuals are highly appetitive, the government should come in only to ensure equal distribution, but not to control the usage meaning human beings should exploit what is available to achieve the interests. The environment is one of the things that could be owned privately in a moral away according to scholars supporting the views of Locke, which implies the state should never make a mistake of acquiring or owning it. Robert Nozick was the philosopher behind the formulation of the time slice principle. He formulated the theory of entitlement, which was based on the ideas of Rawls on social justice. In his analysis, he cautioned people against insisting on distribution of natural resources because they are never up for grabs the way an individual would receive manna from heaven. He opposed the views of Rawls that everything should be divided equally arguing that each object has an origin. In this case, an individual is simply entitled to what he or she obtained rightfully meaning the rights of another person should not be interfered with in the process. In this regard, the environment has to be protected together with everything it contains because it has an owner. Supported Idea The views of utilitarian scholars are valid since everything done in society should aim at maximizing happiness and reduc ing the chances of pain. If the environment were protected, chances are high all issues to do with climate change would be solved. Climate change has resulted in many problems ranging from deaths to contraction of serious diseases, such as malaria, which is known to kill many people globally. In this regard, it is upon the members of society to ensure they do something to protect the environment since it would go a long way to save lives. In this case, the aggregate for happiness would exceed the aggregate for pain. Since the consequences of climate change have long-term effects, all activities that cause it are negative and cannot be undertaken in favor of environmental conservation. For instance, driving brings pleasure, as it saves time and enables others to access services, but the carbon emissions are dangerous to human survival. Therefore, mitigation should be selected over undertaking human activities that facilitate economic development. Disputed Idea The views of scholars b asing their arguments on the thinking of Locke are invalid since they simply encourage people to destroy the environment to boost economic development. The effect of human activities on climate change is immense because it entails a matter of life and death.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There would be no need of pleasing the current generation and neglecting the demands of the future generation since it would affect the existence of the human race. Human beings should strive to conserve the environment because nature has the capability of destroying them if it is not well maintained. According to scholars supporting the views of Locke, the only focus should be on production and distribution of goods and services since it would facilitate development. This view is invalid because it is insensitive to the demands of the future. Conclusion The issue of climate change is the biggest challenge in the modern society since it has affected the way goods and services are distributed. For instance, the persistent drought in various parts is a result of climate change. Without developing strategies to conserve the environment, many people would be affected by hunger. Therefore, Singer’s ideas on climate change should be embraced to reduce human suffering.