Problems Faced by Women in the 1880s

During the 1880s, many women faced difficulties because of gender issues. Because of this, females were sometimes described as weak, emotional, and overreacting. As well, it was believed that they did not match the same qualifications as with men in certain work fields. Women who were hired as hired girls back in the 1880s had little control over their earnings. They also believed that their employer would take care of them and would not hurt them. But due to the disadvantages that they had and what they believed in, the employers often took these weaknesses for granted and benefited from them. These women often faced the danger of sexual harassment by their male employer and/or by other brutal men because of their weaknesses such as: they could not disrespect their bosses and they did not have the strength to fight back. Women, at that time, did not have much opportunity to pursue a higher education, which caused a lack of qualified female workers during the 1880s. Most of the women were hired as servants, farmers, or factory workers. In contrast, married women took care of their families and served their husbands. Indeed, women had faced many difficulties since that time because of their gender disadvantages. My Antonia showed many situations that girls were often used as tools by the people in their work fields. Moreover, women workers back in the 1880s did not have the same amount of wages as men did even when they performed the same duties. The women who had jobs did not have the chance to enjoy their earnings because they had to send it to their families in order to help with the family expenses. They had to keep very little for their own living. The same was true with the married women who became housewives just to serve their husbands while raising and taking care of their children because their earnings also went to their husbands and children. In My Antonia, Antonia was taken advantage of by Ambrosch because he took her wages and Antonia could not do anything about it because he was her boss. Lena also did not have the authority over her wages because she had to provide the financial support to her family. Neither of the girls had control over their earnings, and had no power to spend the earnings for their own needs. Among all of the risks that women had faced during the 1880s, the most challenging was sexual harassment. This easily occurred because women were physically weak to resist the advances of their bosses, coworkers, or even husbands. Women back in the 1880s can be simply raped and sexually harassed at all places including the farm, factory, or even at home. The sexual harassments often resulted in favoring the suspects, and blaming the victims for their â€Å"misconducts† that had caused the unlucky event. For example, in My Antonia, Antonia almost became a rape victim when she was approached by her boss, Mr. Cutter, who was going to sexually abuse her. And in another case, Antonia was fired due to her â€Å"misconducts† while dancing and parting, which attracted the men in the parties. These showed that there were really aspects that were against womens' behavior and social order. Willa Cather compared the condition of being raped as being â€Å"ruined. † Comparing the working conditions and social issues that were addressed in the 1880s to the present, there are changes but it had not been completely solved. Nowadays, we have more legal documentary that protects women against hostility from unnecessary forces. Nevertheless, it is still common that women are viewed to be weak and sexual harassment issues still appears to be common. Also, gender discrimination still exists today.

Las Casas Anticipated the Thoughts of Hobbes

I believe, Las Casas had anticipated the thought of Hobbes in some way. One of the battle cry of Las Casas is a peaceful and non-violent war. Hobbes in the first law he proposed, states that: â€Å"Every man ought to endeavor peace, as far as he has hope of obtaining it, and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek and use all helps and advantages of war. (Leviathan as cited in Williams 2006).Both of them had preferred that every man should seek to have peace with other men. Las Casas had also used the term â€Å"natural rights† (Carozza 2003) which was also used by Hobbes in explaining that under the natural state of man, man has the right to be violent towards other men (Williams 2006). The situations of the Indian slaves led Las Casas to fight for human rights. It integrated individual right with the collectivities in community and in society in general.Moreover Hobbes also supposed, the congregation of individuals to form a commonwealth that would provide associated con tract with the highest form of social organization (Kemerling 2001). Las Casas firmly believed in human freedom not only among Indians but also across the globe. He soon realized that what he wanted for the blacks was to be free laborers and not just slaves (Carozza, 2003).Hobbes had similarly adhered the concept of genuine freedom just like La Casas when he said that the â€Å"genuine human freedom† is when one work on his/her volition without having to interfere with others (Kemerling 2001). Las Casas had engaged on treaties and ideally passed law on freeing the Indian slaves, hobbes on the other hand had pictured a sovereign society in which people had agreed upon as the protector of their interests. Invariably, both advocated a law that would protect each individual in a peaceful manner.

Mariano Azuela’s novel “Los de Abajo” Essay

Mariano Azuela’s novel â€Å"Los de Abajo†, titled â€Å"The Underdogs† by Enrique Munguà ­a Jr., in his English translation, has been hailed as the novel of the Mexican revolution. In this novel Azuela creates characters representative of the two factions that are at variance, the revolutionaries and the federalists. The novel is divided into three parts and each part subdivided into chapters, the first part being the longest and the third being the shortest. Enrique Munguà ­a’s translation is about 140 pages in length and many have noted that this novel is one of Azuela’s shortest. The novel is, however, quite entertaining and it maintains the readers’ attention throughout. For anyone interested in a serious study of Mexican history, this is an essential novel to read as it gives a perspective into the social aspects of the revolution that few textbooks can capture. The book has historical significance because it gives a description of the Mexican revolution from the perspective of people who were directly affected by and involved in the revolutionary process. Literally the title of the novel in Spanish â€Å"Los de Abajo† translates to mean those from or at the bottom. This I believe is a very appropriate title and in itself captures Azuela’s primary argument that he maintains throughout the novel. The revolutionaries and the federalists are constantly juxtaposed against each other in the novel but Azuela, through the eyes of Luis Cervantes, allows the reader to see that the two groups are not that dissimilar. Both factions display distrust, treachery, moral decadence and kill so mercilessly that it is no wonder that the words of the title â€Å"Los de Abajo† is used in the novel to refer to both the rebels and the federalists. Early in Part I chapter three when Demetrio led his men into the first ambush of the government troops he instructs his men to â€Å"Get those coming up from under! Los de Abajo! Get the underdogs!† be screamed. Later on in chapter 6 the narrator reflects of Luis Cervantes, on the first night of his joining the revolutionaries, that â€Å"Did not the sufferings of the underdogs, of the disinherited masses, move him to the core?†¦ the subjugated, the beaten and baffled.† The events in the novel mirror the Mexican revolution of 1910. The main plot of the story is that of a peasant farmer, Demetrio Macias who, after having suffered at the hands of the federalists, decides to join Pancho Villa’s revolutionary army. A defector of the government army, Luis Cervantes – elite and educated, joins Demetrio’s troop because of his support of the ideals he believed the revolutionaries espoused. Azuela, however, uses this character as his mouthpiece and, in his disillusionment that the revolutionaries were not fighting based on ideologies; the reader gets an understanding of Azuela’s perspective. He, like Cervantes, abandoned the struggle and migrated to the United States after having worked along with Pancho Villa as a military doctor believing his ideals to have been betrayed. One of the main lessons that Azuela delivers here is relevant in so many areas of life. His major argument in presenting his novel is that without purpose, focus, planning and proper management, even the most worthwhile efforts will prove to be futile. The most positive aspect of Azuela’s novel is that it was written while the struggles in the revolution were still going on. Beginning in 1914 the novel began to be published as a series in a Texas newspaper in installments though it was not until 1925 that it began to gain worldwide attention. This novel details the battles in the Mexican revolution from the perspective of the author who himself was a witness of these very events. Prior to moving to Texas, Azuela supported the revolutionary movement by offering his medical services to Pancho Villa’s army. In such a position he was exposed to the ills of the revolutionary battle, more so from the perspective of the revolutionaries. Azuela was therefore in a fitting position to discuss the Mexican revolution because he too had been very intimately involved in the process. However, while this novel bears relevance to the themes that were facing the Mexicans at the time when they were most involved in the revolution, it fails to give a complete picture of the revolutionary process. The problem with the novel is precisely because it was written so close to the actual events. This prevents the reader from having a total picture of the ‘before’, the ‘during’ and the ‘after’ of the revolution. In the same way that Demetrio’s eyes remain ‘leveled in an eternal glance’ at the end of the novel, so does the battle between the revolutionaries and the federalists give the impression that it will last eternally without resolution or victory for either side. The tone of Azuela’s novel therefore comes off as being very pessimistic. Failure and doom is the only outcome of the revolutionary struggle and no one seems to be winning. Azuela’s conclusion here seems to be rather generalized. Authors who have written about the revolution subsequent to Azuela have had the benefit of seeing the long-term results of the struggle which revealed much more positive effects than what were immediately obvious while the struggles were still going on. REFERENCES Azuela, Mariano (1963). The Underdogs (Enrique Munguà ­a Jr. Trans.). The U.S.A.: Penguin Group. (Original work published 1916).

Business Plan for Car Hire Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Plan for Car Hire Company - Essay Example These factors include the income and expenditure of the people, the availability of the market and the effects of the global financial issues on the location of the business. The city of New York is one of the major financial hubs in the world. For this reason it is set to be susceptible to changes in the economic conditions, say fluctuations in currency. This and many others will most definitely have an effect on the spending habits of the consumers and this will trickle down to the financial performance of the business.   The major headache that comes up when developing any particular business is when it comes to setting up. This is the time the proprietor asks the question of whether it is in order to develop a new establishment altogether or just purchase and refurbish what has already been in existence. The cheaper alternative is the one which is to be sought. After this issue has been sorted out the next thing to deal with will be the availability of inputs and whether the se rvices will be timely. The car hire business can be a tricky one because there are some factors which may be beyond the control of the people involved. One such factor is the case of being stuck in traffic. This is something that can happen at any one time and it cannot be controlled by the car driver or the owner of the business.Aside from the issues dwelling on finances and the availability of the target market there are certain issues which may bring down the functionality market.... The P.E.S.T. analysis is the best way of getting to know of these traits in the environment of operation. This analysis will try and point out the effect which the political situation has on the business and its operations. At the same time it will point out the economic factors that influence the performance of a business. These factors include the income and expenditure of the people, the availability of the market and the effects of the global financial issues on the location of the business. The city of New York is one of the major financial hubs in the world. For this reason it is set to be susceptible to changes in the economic conditions, say fluctuations in currency. This and many others will most definitely have an effect on the spending habits of the consumers and this will trickle down to the financial performance of the business. The major headache that comes up when developing any particular business is when it comes to setting up. This is the time the proprietor asks th e question of whether it is in order to develop a new establishment altogether or just purchase and refurbish what has already been in existence. The cheaper alternative is the one which is to be sought. After this issue has been sorted out the next thing to deal with will be the availability of inputs and whether the services will be timely. The car hire business can be a tricky one because there are some factors which may be beyond the control of the people involved. One such factor is the case of being stuck in traffic. This is something that can happen at any one time and it cannot be controlled by the car driver or the owner of the business. Aside from the issues

Law Definitions Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Law Definitions Review - Essay Example The essay "Law Definitions Review" presents the review of such definitions as law, policies, guidelines, strategies, and tactics. For example, the law is a rule of conduct established and enforced by the authority, legislation, or custom of a given community, state or nation. And policies govern the way in which public and private resources, eg. land, labor, and capital are used, rather than the kind and quantities of resources used. Policies could be the plans and procedures adopted by the Government for achieving pre-determined objectives for the guidance of decision and actions. This could also be said to be a plan of action adopted by the Government which lays down the parameters of its functioning and the logical reasoning behind pursuing goals, objectives, and plans for the achievement of projects or executive function. Policies differ from laws in the scope of their operationality and adherence. While laws are enforceable mandatorily, policies may be devised and used on a situ ational basis, depending upon the exigencies of the circumstances and the need for enforcing policies. Common examples of policies are Children and family health policies which may, or may not be governed by laws, The policies relating to increasing taxes, taking action for reducing alcohol consumption among young people and rehabilitation of HIV/AIDS victims may all be governed by policy decisions taken by the government. Guidelines are documents produced by the regulatory agencies to accompany the regulations and acts.

Critically analyse class expectation and gender in Pride and Prejudice Essay

Critically analyse class expectation and gender in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - Essay Example Collins who spends so much of his time fawning Lady Catherine expresses class consciousness. Mr. Collins is an epitome of a society that cares nothing but getting their feet off the mud with the misconception that wealth, status and power are the basis of a good life. He has a complete disregard of the more important values in life. Austen depicts the barriers in classes in the 19th century England in the character of Mr. Collins. (Pascoe, 2002, p. 11-19) The boundaries in class are vividly drawn by Austen through the characters in the novel. Another example is Lady Catherine’s aristocratic image in the story. She appears as the protagonist who comes in between the relationship of Darcy, his nephew, and Elizabeth. The image-conscious aristocrat represents the people from the upper class of the society. She is prejudiced of the likes of the Bennets and most especially, Elizabeth. She finds the Bennets inconsequential due to their status and the fact the sisters are not able to draw. Aside from those, Elizabeth’s character, an uncommon girl in her era, makes Lady Catherine dislike her even more. Her incompetence in singing and playing the piano is far from what a girl in that time should be. (Goodin, 1972, p. 85-96) The social structure in the 19th century is present throughout the novel though the definition of characters relies more on the dialogues and not much on the description. Darcy for instance, portrays a character with excessive pride which is due to what society expects of him and with the big influence of what his father taught him. He is basically born into aristocracy but due to his honest and kind heart, tagged with his encounters with Elizabeth, Darcy eventually sees that the factors other than material possessions, status quo and power are the ones that truly belong to aristocracy. (Peterson, 1982, p. 11-13) When she declines the marriage proposal of Darcy, it shows that she does not belong to the class-conscious women that the only thing that runs in mind is to look for a wealthy man who can give them tiaras to make them belong to the upper class. Her character is the most prominent in the novel that breaks the stigma on women marrying wealth to climb a few notches higher in social ladder. The novel shows how someone like Elizabeth, a woman from the middle class values what she thinks and couldn’t care less if the society rejects her for being far away from the norm. Her character defies the concepts of social class and gender in the 19th century. (Austen, 1933, vol. 2 p. 86-89) Pride and Prejudice portrays the absurd value of marriage – financial security. Charlotte Lucas explains to Elizabeth upon accepting the marriage proposal of Mr. Collins that is refused by Elizabeth, â€Å"I am not romantic you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collin's character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state." (Haggerty, 2008, p. 125) This line shows that Lucas sees marriage as resolution to poverty. Lucas represents women in general who will do everything to enter the upper class world to attain the respect middle class women don’t get. A marvellous irony of disrespecting oneself to be respected is what Austen tells through Charlotte’

The Pros and Cons of Steel Construction to Firefighters Essay

The Pros and Cons of Steel Construction to Firefighters - Essay Example The advantages of steel construction are vast. First, steel is much lighter than other construction materials like wood, brick, and concrete. Second, it is resilient, it has an excellent strength to weight ratio, meaning it is able to support heavy weights with a low mass proportion. Third, it is malleable and is thus available in various shapes and sizes making it more efficient. Finally, it is cost effective. Its alloy nature is a combination of various elements that would have been expensive individually (Connell, 2005 pg 252). These advantages make firefighting easier for that; its light property makes it easier for firemen to move through rubble and save property as well as lives. In other buildings such as those constructed of concrete, maneuvering through the rubble is difficult for firemen making it hard for them to do their jobs. Also, steel is highly flame retardant. This makes it easier to put out fires and it less costly for fire departments. The main disadvantage of steel construction is that steel is an excellent conductor of heat and has a poor ability to resist fire (Connell, 2005 pg 251). In the event that the architect did not put in place specific measures for the particular building, the occurrence of a fire or high temperatures causes building disintegration. The improper placing of steel beams, joists and studs would cause a building to fall immediately in catastrophic events. These poor connections are what make steel construction hazardous to firemen. The high probability of steel to disintegrate makes it difficult for firemen to perform their duties during fires as there are chances of the building collapsing on them. Therefore extra precautions are required which may take time. Generally, steel construction makes firefighting easier.  

Kite Runner of Khaled Hosseini Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kite Runner of Khaled Hosseini - Essay Example Comparison between Amir and Hassan The comparison between Amir and Hassan shows that Amir is a jealous person as opposed to Hassan. This is because, whenever Amir sees his father loving Hassan more than him, he gets jealous. As a result, he seeks methods aimed at attracting his father’s affection by trying hard and winning the local kite-running tournament. To ensure that he remains alone with his in their home, he frames Hassan as a thief by planting some money and a watch under his mattress so that when his father finds out Hassan is a thief, he will force him out of the family. In addition to jealousy, Amir is cold and a coward. For instance, when Hassan takes long after going to look for the blue kite, he goes searching for him and when he finds him in the hands of Assef who bullies Hassan and sexually abuses him, he does not help him (36). Besides, he hides and watches helplessly but thinking if he does get the blue kite to his father, he will approve him. In the other en d, Hassan is a true successful kite runner. Hassan is also a brave boy and loving friend. For instance, when Assef tries to attack Amir, he steps forward to defend Amir simply because he is brave and a caring friend for he defends his closest friend Amir. Similarities between Amir and Hassan The novel portrays Amir and Hassan as closest friends despite Hassan being a Hazarajat and therefore not allowed to stay close to Amir traditionally. The novel gives a number of similarities between Amir and Hassan. For example, within the context of their close friendship just as portrayed in part of the novel, it is deducible that both Amir and Hassan are friendly (44). Hassan is a Hazarajat and their tradition does not approve of his friendship with Amir. On the other side, Hassan does many things to help Amir due to their friendship. He defends him from bullies and helps him win the local kite-running tournament (59). All this happens because they are both friendly. When Amir returns to Paki stan after Rahim Khan who is ailing calls him, he establishes something that portrays another similarity between him and Hassan. Khan tells Amir that, for all that time he was not aware but as of that time, he knows. Khan is certain that Ali was not the true father of Hassan; his real father was Baba, Amir’s father. On that note, Amir finds out that Hassan was his half brother and they both shared the same biological father. This shows that, apart from being closest friends, they are also brothers. It is therefore agreeable that Amir and Hassan have another thing in common which is, they share the same father (64). Furthermore, both Hassan and Amir have talents. The novel portrays Hassan as a talented kite runner while Amir has talent in locating where the kite will fall even without looking. Thus, their talents are also part of the similarities that they share. How do their differences ruin their relationship? Amir and Hassan relate as friends and share the same home. Howeve r, they are not relatives. Baba, Amir’s father is rich and Amir gets almost everything that he wants. Hassan on the other hand ails from a poor family and can only get what is necessary. Since Amir feels that his father does not love him as much as he loves Hassan, he resolves to do things that ruin his relationship with Hassan. For examp

Do corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports provide shareholders Essay - 7

Do corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports provide shareholders and stakeholders with useful information on corporate soci - Essay Example The gaining momentum of CSR activities is evident from the fact that many mergers and acquisition dealings are also viewing investments in such activities as a factor for consideration prior to finalising the deal. Despite such growth in the value of CSR activities, the question as to why managers find it important to undertake these activities and whether there is any need for engaging in these activities apart from maintain good public image (Font et al., 2012). There are multitude of problems in the business world which include accounting frauds and corporate irregularities and graver concerns like environmental issues and social obligations. In this regard, the paper discusses the importance of engagement of companies in a socially responsible behaviour and also illustrates reasons behind non engagement of few organizations in the same. The paper discusses evidence of non compliance and lack of belief in CSR initiative in firms and concludes in discussion of relevance of such CSR initiatives in today’s world. Importance of Engaging in a Socially Responsible Behaviour CSR reporting that are now being mandated in firms by various controlling bodies are an attempt to legalise the concerns business activity while making it comply with various environmental, social and ethical issues. It is argued that voluntary as well as compulsory CSR reporting ensures competitive advantage of firms over those who do not engage in CSR reporting (Mahoney et al., 2013). The melamine contamination case of China was a shock for the entire world. It highlighted the need for investors to respond to a corporate social responsibility of companies towards its consumers. It is argued that a firm’s financial performance has direct bearing with consumer buying and selling activities and such immoral behaviours drop sales by drastic measures. In the similar way, the case of Coca Cola and Cadbury contamination brought forth an alarming situation of quality standards and norms that were practiced within the company. These events tarnished the brand name to such large extent that it required years to gain back reputation and hence sales. Hence it is critical to understand the direct linkage between CSR performance and financial results (Kong, 2012). The importance of engaging in CSR activities can also be studied in light of most important financial decisions like a merger and how it impacts the decision and impact on shareholders during such events (Deng, Kang & Low, 2013). In support of shareholder’s value maximisation in engaging in a merger, the role of CSR activity has been explained as a trust building action among the stakeholders (Jo & Harjoto, 2011). This argument thus establishes that high socially responsible firms have greater support of shareholders and stakeholders which in turn contribute towards firm profitability and long term efficiency in contrast to firms that maintain somewhat weak socially responsible image (Jensen, 2001). Evi dence of dismissal of view of CSR Corporate governance requires that companies make their activities more transparent, their activities more accountable and their business more socially responsibly. It is argued that companies engage in business ethics, corporate governance and social responsibility merely to gain legitimacy in business activities and they do not really care about what possible impacts these could have on their business activity (Brennan & Merkl-Davies, 2013). According to views of Milton Friedman, social

Mattel Responds to Ethical Challenges Essay Example for Free

Mattel Responds to Ethical Challenges Essay Mattel, Inc. is a global leader in designing and manufacturing toys and family products. Well-known for brands such as Barbie, Fisher-Price, Disney, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Tyco, Cabbage Patch Kids, and board games, the company boasts nearly $5.9 billion in annual revenue. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, with offices across the world, Mattel markets its products in over 150 nations. It all started in a California garage workshop when Ruth and Elliot Handler and Matt Matson founded Mattel in 1945. The company started out making picture frames, but the founders soon recognized the profitability of the toy industry and switched their emphasis to toys. Mattel became a publicly owned company in 1960, with sales exceeding $100 million by 1965. Over the next forty years, Mattel went on to become the world’s largest toy company in terms of revenue. In spite of its overall success, Mattel has had its share of losses over its history. During the mid to late 1990s, Mattel lost millions to declining sales and bad business acquisitions. In January 1997, Jill Barad took over as Mattel’s CEO. Barad’s management-style was characterized as strict and her tenure at the helm proved challenging for many employees. While Barad had been successful in building the Barbie brand to $2 billion by the end of the 20th century, growth slowed in the early 21st. Declining sales at outlets such as Toys ‘R’ Us marked the start of some difficulties for the retailer, responsibilities for which Barad accepted and resigned in 2000. Robert Eckert replaced Barad as CEO. Aiming to turn things around, Eckert sold unprofitable units and cut hundreds of jobs. In 2000, under Eckert, Mattel was granted the highly sought-after licensing agreement for products related to the Harry Potter series of books and movies. The company continued to flourish and build its reputation, even earning the Corporate Responsibility Award from UNICEF in 2003. Mattel released its first Annual Corporate Responsibility Report the following year. In 2011 Mattel was recognized as one of Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For for the fourth consecutive year. MATTEL’S CORE PRODUCTS BARBIE AND AMERICAN GIRL Among its many lines of popular toy products, Mattel is famous for owning top girls’ brands. In 1959, Mattel introduced a product that would change its future forever: the Barbie doll. One of the founders, Ruth Handler, had noticed how her daughter loved playing with paper cutout dolls. She decided to create a doll based on an adult rather than on a baby. Barbie took off to become one of Mattel’s critical product lines and the number one girls’ brand in the world. Since her introduction, Mattel has sold more than 1 billion Barbie dolls in over 150 countries. The Barbie line today This material was developed by Debbie Thorne, John Fraedrich, O.C. Ferrell, and Jennifer Jackson, with the editorial assistance of Jennifer Sawayda under the direction of O.C. Ferrell and Linda Ferrell. It is provided for the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at the University of New Mexico and is intended for classroom discussion rather than to illustrate effective or ineffective handling of administrative, ethical, or legal decisions by management. Users of this material are prohibited from claiming this material as their own, emailing it to others, or placing it on the Internet. Please call O.C. Ferrell at 505-277-3468 for more information. (2011) Includes dolls, accessories, Barbie software, and a broad assortment of licensed products such as books, apparel, food, home furnishings, home electronics, and movies. To supplement the Barbie line, in 1998 Mattel acquired a popular younger type of doll. Mattel announced it would pay $700 million to Pleasant Co. for its high-end American Girl collection. American Girl dolls are sold with books about their lives, which take place during important periods of US history. The American Girls brand includes several book series, accessories, clothing for dolls and girls, and a magazine that ranks in the top ten American children’s magazines. HOT WHEELS Hot Wheels roared into the toy world in 1968. More than thirty years later, the brand is hotter than ever and includes high-end collectibles, NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) and Formula One models for adults, high-performance cars, track sets, and play sets for children of all ages. The brand is connected with racing circuits worldwide. More than 15 million boys aged five to 15 are avid collectors, each owning forty-one cars on average. Two Hot Wheels cars are sold every second of every day. The brand began with cars designed to run on a track and has evolved into a â€Å"lifestyle† brand with licensed Hot Wheels shirts, caps, lunch boxes, backpacks, and more. Together, Hot Wheels and Barbie generate 45 percent of Mattel’s revenue and 65 percent of its profits. CABBAGE PATCH KIDS Since the introduction of mass-produced Cabbage Patch Kids in 1982, more than 90 million dolls have been sold worldwide. In 1994, Mattel took over selling these beloved dolls after purchasing production rights from Hasbro. In 1996, Mattel created a new line of Cabbage Patch doll, called Snacktime Kids, which was expected to meet with immense success. The Snacktime Kids had moving mouths that enabled children to â€Å"feed† them plastic snacks. However, the product backfired. The toy had no on/off switch and reports of children  getting their fingers or hair caught in the dolls’ mouths surfaced during the 1996 holiday season. Mattel voluntarily pulled the dolls from store shelves by January 1997, and offered consumers a cash refund of $40 on returned dolls. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission applauded Mattel’s handling of the Snacktime Kids situation. Mattel effectively managed a situation that could easily have created bad publicity or a crisis situati on. Mattel stopped producing Cabbage Patch Kids in 2000. MATTEL’S COMMITMENT TO ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Mattel’s core products and business environment create many ethical issues. Because the company’s products are designed primarily for children, it must be sensitive to social concerns about children’s rights. It must also be aware that the international environment often complicates business transactions. Different legal systems and cultural expectations about business can create ethical conflicts. Finally, the use of technology may present ethical dilemmas, especially regarding consumer privacy. Mattel has recognized these potential issues and taken steps to strengthen its commitment to business ethics. The company also purports to take a stand on social responsibility, encouraging its employees and consumers to do the same. PRIVACY AND MARKETING TECHNOLOGY One issue Mattel has tried to address repeatedly is that of privacy and online technology. Advances in technology have created special marketing issues for Mattel. The company recognizes that, because it markets to children, it must communicate with parents regarding its corporate marketing strategy. Mattel has taken steps to inform both children and adults about its philosophy regarding Internet-based marketing tools, such as the Hot Wheels website. This website contains a lengthy online privacy policy, part of which is excerpted below: Mattel, Inc. and its family of companies (â€Å"Mattel†) are committed to  protecting your online privacy when visiting a website operated by us. We do not collect and keep any personal information online from you unless you volunteer it and you are 13 or older. We also do not collect and keep personal information online from children under the age of 13 without consent of a parent or legal guardian, except in limited circumstances authorized by law and described in this policy. By assuring parents that their children’s privacy will be respected, Mattel demonstrates that it takes its responsibility of marketing to children seriously. EXPECTATIONS OF MATTEL’S BUSINESS PARTNERS Mattel, Inc. is also making a serious commitment to business ethics in its dealings with other industries. In late 1997, the company completed its first full ethics audit of each of its manufacturing sites as well as the facilities of its primary contractors. The audit revealed that the company was not using any child labor or forced labor, a problem plaguing other overseas manufacturers. However, several contractors were found to be in violation of Mattel’s safety and human rights standards and were asked to change their operations or risk losing Mattel’s business. The company now conducts an independent monitoring council audit in manufacturing facilities every three years. In an effort to continue its strong record on human rights and related ethical standards, Mattel instituted a code of conduct entitled Global Manufacturing Principles in 1997. One of these principles requires all Mattel-owned and contracted manufacturing facilities to favor business partners committed to ethical standards comparable with those of Mattel. Other principles relate to safety, wages, and adherence to local laws. Mattel’s audits and subsequent code of conduct were designed as preventative, not punitive measures. The company is dedicated to creating and encouraging responsible business practices throughout the world. 1 Mattel, Inc., Online Privacy Policy, http://www.hotwheels.com/privacy-policy (accessed August 23, 2011). Mattel also claims to be committed to its workforce. As one company consultant noted, â€Å"Mattel is committed to improving the skill level of workers [so that they] will experience increased opportunities and productivity.† This statement reflects Mattel’s concern for relationships between and with employees and business partners. The company’s code is a signal to potential partners, customers, and other stakeholders that Mattel has made a commitment to fostering and upholding ethical values. LEGAL AND ETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES Mattel prefers to partner with businesses similarly committed to high ethical standards. At a minimum, partners must comply with the local and national laws of the countries in which they operate. In addition, all partners must respect the intellectual property of the company, and support Mattel in the protection of assets such as patents, trademarks, or copyrights. They are also responsible for product safety and quality, protecting the environment, customs, evaluation and monitoring, and compliance. Mattel’s business partners must have high standards for product safety and quality, adhering to practices that meet Mattel’s safety and quality standards. In recent years, however, safety standards have been seriously violated, which will be discussed in more detail later. Also, because of the global nature of Mattel’s business and its history of leadership in this area, the company insists that business partners strictly adhere to local and international customs laws. Partners must also comply with all import and export regulations. To assist in compliance with standards, Mattel insists that all manufacturing facilities provide the following: 1 Full access for on-site inspections by Mattel or parties designated by Mattel 2 Full access to those records that will enable Mattel to determine compliance with its principles 3 An annual statement of compliance with Mattel’s Global Manufacturing Principles, signed by an officer of the manufacturer or manufacturing facility2 With the creation of the Mattel Independent Monitoring Council (MIMCO), Mattel became the first global consumer products company to apply such a system to facilities and core contractors worldwide. The company seeks to maintain an independent monitoring system that provides checks and balances to help ensure that standards are met. If certain aspects of Mattel’s manufacturing Principles are not being met, Mattel will try to work with them to help them fix their problems. New partners will not be hired unless they meet Mattel’s standards. If corrective action is advised but not taken, Mattel will terminate its relationship with the partner in question. Overall, Mattel is committed to both business success and ethical standards, and it recognizes that it is part of a continuous improvement process. 2 â€Å"Mattel’s Commitment to Ethics,† eBusiness Ethics, http://www.e-businessethics.com/mattel9.htm (accessed August 23, 2011). MATTEL CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION Mattel takes its social responsibilities very seriously. Through the Mattel Children’s Foundation, established in 1978, the company promotes philanthropy and community involvement among its employees and makes charitable investments to better the lives of children in need. Funding priorities have included building a new Mattel Children’s Hospital at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), sustaining the Mattel Family Learning Program, and promoting giving among Mattel employees. In November 1998, Mattel donated a multiyear, $25 million gift to the UCLA Children’s Hospital. The gift was meant to support the existing hospital and provide for a new state-of-the-art facility. In honor of Mattel’s donation, the hospital was renamed Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA. The Mattel Family Learning Program utilizes computer learning labs as a way to advance children’s basic skills. Now numbering more than eighty throughout the United States, Hong Kong, Canada, and Mexico, the labs offer software and technology designed to help children with special needs or limited English proficiency. Mattel employees are also encouraged to participate in a wide range of volunteer activities as part of â€Å"Mattel Volunteers: Happy to Help.† Employees serving on boards of local nonprofit organizations or helping with ongoing nonprofit programs are eligible to apply for volunteer grants supporting their organizations. Mattel employees contributing to higher education or to nonprofit organizations serving children in need are eligible to have their personal donations matched dollar for dollar up to $5,000 annually. INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING PRINCIPLES As a U.S.-based multinational company owning and operating facilities and contracting worldwide, Mattel’s Global Manufacturing Principles reflect not only its need to conduct manufacturing responsibly, but to respect the cultural, ethical, and philosophical differences of the countries in which it operates. These Principles set uniform standards across Mattel manufacturers and attempt to benefit both employees and consumers. Mattel’s Principles cover issues such as wages, work hours, child labor, forced labor, discrimination, freedom of association, and working conditions. Workers must be paid at least minimum wage or a wage that meets  local industry standards (whichever is greater). No one under the age of 16 or the local age limit (whichever is higher) may be allowed to work for Mattel facilities. Mattel refuses to work with facilities that use forced or prison labor, or to use these types of labor itself. Additionally, Mattel does not tolerate discrimination. The company states that an individual should be hired and employed based on his or her ability—not on individual characteristics or beliefs. Mattel recognizes all employees’ rights to choose to associate with organizations or associations without interference. Regarding working conditions, all Mattel facilities and its business partners must provide safe working environments for their employees. ISSUES WITH OVERSEAS MANUFACTURING Despite Mattel’s best efforts, not all overseas manufacturers have faithfully adhered to its high standards. Mattel has come under scrutiny over its sale of unsafe products. In September 2007, Mattel announced recalls of toys containing lead paint. The problem surfaced when a European retailer discovered lead paint on a toy. An estimated 10 million individual toys produced in China were affected. Mattel quickly stopped production at Lee Der, the company officially producing the recalled toys, after it was discovered that Lee Der had purchased lead-tainted paint to be used on the toys. Mattel blamed the fiasco on the manufacturers’ desire to save money in the face of increasing prices. â€Å"In the last three or five years, youve seen labor prices more than double, raw material prices double or triple,† CEO Eckert said in an interview, â€Å"and I think that theres a lot of pressure on guys that are working at the margin to try to save money. The situation began when Early Light Industrial Co., a subcontractor for Mattel owned by Hong Kong toy tycoon Choi Chee Ming, subcontracted the painting of parts of CARS toys to another China-based vendor. The vendor, named Hong Li Da, decided to source paint from a non-authorized third-party supplier—a violation of Mattel’s requirement to use paint supplied directly by Early Light. The products were found to contain â€Å"impermissible levels of lead.† On August 2, 2007, it was announced that another of Early Lights subcontractors, Lee Der Industrial Co., used the same lead paint found on Cars products. China immediately suspended the companys export license. Afterward, Mattel pinpointed three paint suppliers working for Lee Der—Dongxin, Zhongxin, and Mingdai. This paint was used by Lee Der to produce Mattels line of Fisher-Price products. It is said that Lee Der purchased the paint from Mingdai due to an intimate friendship between the two company’s owners. On August 11, 2007, Zhang Shuhong, operator of Lee Der, hung himself after paying his 5,000 staff members. Later that month, Mattel was forced to recall several more toys because of powerful magnets in the toys that could come loose and pose a choking hazard for young children. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other inside the child’s stomach, causing potentially fatal complications. Over 21 million Mattel toys were recalled in all, and parents filed several lawsuits claiming that these Mattel products harmed their children. At first, Mattel blamed Chinese subcontractors for the huge toys recalls, but the company later accepted a portion of the blame for its troubles, while maintaining that Chinese manufacturers were largely at fault. The Chinese view the situation quite differently. As reported by the state-run Xinhua news agency, the spokesman for Chinas General Administration of Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine said, â€Å"Mattel should improve its product design and supervision over product quality. Chinese original equipment manufacturers were doing the job just as importers requested, and the toys conformed to the U.S. regulations and standards at the time of the production. Mattel also faced criticism from many of its consumers, who believed Mattel was denying culpability by placing much of the blame on China. Mattel was later awarded the 2007 â€Å"Bad Product† Award by Consumers International. How did this crisis occur under the watch of a company praised for its ethics and high safety standards? Although Mattel had investigated its contractors, it did not audit the entire supply chain, including subcontractors. These  oversights left room for these violations to occur. Mattel has also moved to enforce a rule that subcontractors cannot hire suppliers two or three tiers down. In a statement, Mattel says it has spent more than 50,000 hours investigating its vendors and testing its toys. Mattel also announced a three-point plan. This plan aims to tighten Mattel’s control of production, discover and prevent the unauthorized use of subcontractors, and test the products itself rather than depending on contractors. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT’S REACTION Chinese officials eventually did admit the government’s failure to properly protect the public. The Chinese government promised to tighten supervision of exported products, but effective supervision is challenging in such a large country that is so burdened with corruption. In January 2008, the Chinese government launched a four-month-long nationwide product quality campaign, offering intensive training courses to domestic toy manufacturers to help them brush up on their knowledge of international product standards and safety awareness. As a result of the crackdown, the State Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) announced that it had revoked the licenses of more than 600 Chinese toy makers. As of 2008, the State Administration for Commerce and Industry (SACI) released a report claiming that 87.5 percent of China’s newly manufactured toys met quality requirements. While this represents an improvement, the temptation to cut corners remains strong in a country that uses price, not quality, as its main competitive advantage. Where there is demand, there will be people trying to turn a quick profit. MATTEL VERSUS FORMER EMPLOYEE AND MGA In 2004, Mattel became embroiled in a bitter intellectual property rights battle with former employee Carter Bryant and MGA Entertainment Inc. over rights to MGA’s popular Bratz dolls. Carter Bryant, an on-again/off-again Mattel employee, designed the Bratz dolls and pitched them to MGA. A few months after the pitch, Bryant left  Mattel to work at MGA, which began producing Bratz in 2001. In 2002, Mattel launched an investigation into whether Bryant had designed the Bratz dolls while employed with Mattel. After two years of investigation, Mattel sued Bryant. A year later MGA fired off a suit of its own, claiming that Mattel was creating Barbies with looks similar to those of Bratz in an effort to eliminate the competition. Mattel answered by expanding its own suit to include MGA and its CEO, Isaac Larian. For decades, Barbie has reigned supreme on the doll market. However, Bratz dolls have given Barbie a run for her money. In 2005, four years after the brand’s debut, Bratz sales were at $2 billion. At the same time, Barbie was suffering from declining sales. In 2008 Barbie’s gross sales fell by 6 percent. Many analysts believe that Barbie has reached the maturity stage of its product life cycle. Four years after the initial suit was filed, Bryant settled with Mattel under an undisclosed set of terms. In July 2008, a jury deemed MGA and its CEO liable for what it termed â€Å"intentional interference† regarding Bryant’s contract with Mattel. In August 2008, Mattel received damages in the range of $100 million. Although Mattel first requested damages of $1.8 billion, the company is pleased with the principle behind the victory. In December 2008, Mattel appeared to win another victory when a California judge banned MGA from issuing or selling any more Bratz dolls. However, the tide soon turned on Mattel’s victory. In July 2010, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the ruling. Eventually, the case came down to whether Mattel owned Bryant’s ideas under the contract he had with the comapny. In April 2011, a California federal jury rejected Mattel’s claims to ownership. In another blow to Mattel, the jury also ruled that the company had stolen trade secrets from MGA. According to the allegations, Mattel employees used fake business cards to get into MGA showrooms during toy fairs. Mattel was ordered to pay $85 million in liabilities, plus an additional $225 million in damages and legal fees. MGA CEO Isaac Larian has  also announced that he will file an antitrust case against Mattel. Mattel continues to claim that Bryant violated his contract when he was working for the company . MATTEL LOOKS TOWARD THE FUTURE Like all major companies, Mattel has weathered its share of storms. The company has faced a series of difficult and potentially crippling challenges, including the recent verdict against the company in the Bratz lawsuit. During the wave of toy recalls, some analysts suggested that the company’s reputation was battered beyond repair. Mattel, however, has refused to go quietly. Although the company admits to poorly handling recent affairs, it is attempting to rectify its mistakes and to prevent future mistakes as well. With the economic future of the United States uncertain, Mattel may be in for slow growth for some time to come. Mattel is hard at work restoring goodwill and faith in its brands, even as it continues to be plagued with residual distrust over the lead paint scandal and its alleged theft of trade secrets. Reputations are hard won and easily lost, but Mattel appears to be steadfast in its commitment to restoring its reputation. QUESTIONS 1. Do manufacturers of products for children have special obligations to consumers and society? If so, what are these responsibilities? 2. How effective has Mattel been at encouraging ethical and legal conduct by its manufacturers? What changes and additions would you make to the company’s Global Manufacturing Principles? 3. To what extent is Mattel responsible for issues related to its production of toys in China? How might Mattel have avoided these issues? 9 Sources: Lisa Bannon and Carlta Vitzhum, â€Å"One-Toy-Fits-All: How Industry Learned to Love the Global Kid,† Wall Street Journal, Apr. 30, 2003, http://online.wsj.com. Adam Bryant, â€Å"Mattel CEO Jill Barad and a Toyshop That Doesn’t Forget to Play,† New York Times, Oct. 11, 1998. Bill Duryea, â€Å"Barbie-holics: They’re Devoted to the Doll,† St. Petersburg Times, Aug. 7, 1998. Rachel Engers, â€Å"Mattel Board Members Buy $30 Million in Stock: Insider Focus,† Bloomberg.com, Dec. 22, 2000. Mattel, Inc., Hot Wheels web site, http://www.hotwheels.com. â€Å"Independent Monitoring Council Completes Audits of Mattel Manufacturing Facilities in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand,† Mattel, press release, Nov. 15, 2002, www.shareholder.com/mattel/news/20021115-95295.cfm. â€Å"Investors and Media,† â€Å"Mattel Children’s Foundation,† and â€Å"Mattel Independent Monitoring Council,† Mattel, http://www.mattel.com/about_us (all accessed Apr. 30, 2003). â€Å"Mattel and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Announce Voluntary Refund Program for Cabbage Patch Kids Snacktime Kids Dolls,† U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Information and Public Affairs, Release No. 97-055, Jan. 6, 1997. â€Å"Mattel, Inc., Launches Global Code of Conduct Intended to Improve Workplace, Workers’ Standard of Living,† Canada NewsWire, Nov. 21, 1997. â€Å"Mattel, Inc., Online Privacy Policy,† Mattel http://www.hotwheels.com/policy.asp (accessed Apr. 30, 2003). Marla Matzer, â€Å"Deals on Hot Wheels,† Los Angeles Times, Jul. 22, 1998. Patricia Sellers, â€Å"The 50 Most Powerful Women in American Business,† Fortune, Oct. 12, 1998. â€Å"Toymaker Mattel Bans Child Labor,† Denver Post, Nov. 21, 1998. Michael White, â€Å"Barbie Will Lose Some Curves When Mattel Modernizes Icon,† Detroit News, Nov. 18, 1997. Laura S. Spark, Chinese Product Scares Prompt US Fears. BBC News. July 10 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6275758.stm (accessed May 8, 2009). Benjamin B. Olshin, China, Culture, and Product Recalls. S2R. August 20, 2007, http://www.s2r.biz/s2rpapers/papers- Chinese_Product.pdf (accessed April 5, 2008). Mattel Recalls Batmanâ„ ¢ and One Pieceâ„ ¢ Magnetic Action Figure Sets. CPSC. 14 Aug. 2007, http://service.mattel.com/us/recall/J1944CPSC.pdf. Parker. Magnetic Toy Sets (accessed May 8, 2009). Product Recall. Mattel Consumer Service. 1 Apr. 2008 http://service.mattel.com/us/recall.asp. David Barboza and Louise Story. Toymaking in China, Mattel’S Way. New York Times. July 26, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/26/business/26toy.html?pagewanted=1_r=3hp (accessed May 10, 2009). Shu-Ching Chen, A Blow to Hong Kongs Toy King. Forbes.Com. August 15, 2007, http://www.forbes.com/2007/08/15/mattel-china- choi-face-markets-cx_jc_0815autofacescan01.html (accessed May 10, 2009). David Barboza, Scandal and Suicide in China: a Dark Side of Toys. Iht.Com. August 23, 2007, http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/23/business/23suicide.php?page=1 (May 10, 2009). The United States Has Not Restricted Imports Under the China Safeguard. United States Government Accountability Office. Sept. 2005, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d051056.pdf (May 10, 2009). Jack A. Raisner, Using the â€Å"Ethical Environment†Paradigm to Teach Business Ethics:the Case of the Maquiladoras. Journal of Business Ethics. 1997, http://www.springerlink.com/content/nv62636101163v07/fulltext.pdf (May 10, 2008). â€Å"Mattel awarded $100M in doll lawsuit,† USA Today, August 27, 2008, pg. B-1. Nicholas Casey, â€Å"Mattel Prevails Over MGA in Bratz-Doll Trial,† The Wall Street Journal, July 18, 2008, pp. B-18-B-19. Nicholas Casey, â€Å"Mattel to Get Up to $100 Million in Bratz Case,† The Wall Street Journal, August 27, 2008, http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB121978263398273857.html (accessed 28 Aug. 2008). American Girl, http://www.americangirl.com (accessed 14 Sept. 2008). â€Å"Barbie,† http://www.mattel.com, http://www.mattel.com/our_toys/ot_barb.asp (accessed 14 Sept. 2008). Mattel Annual Report 2008, http://www.shareholder.com/mattel/downloads/2007AR.pdf (accessed 14 Sept. 2008). â€Å"Mattel History,† http://www.mattel.com/about_us/history/default.asp?f=true (accessed 3 Dec. 2008). â€Å"Learning from Mattel,† Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, http://mba.tuck.dartmouth.edu/pdf/2002-1-0072.pdf (accessed 3 Dec. 2008). â€Å"Mattel to Sell Learning Company,† Direct, 2 Oct. 2000, http://directmag.com/news/marketing_mattel_sell_learning/ (accessed 3 Dec. 2008). Miranda Hitti, â€Å"9 Million Mattel Toys Recalled,† WebMD, 14 Aug. 2007, http://children.webmd.com/news/20070814/9_million_mattel_toys_recalled, (accessed 3 Dec. 2008). â€Å"Third toy recall by Mattel in five weeks,† Business Standard, 6 Sept. 2006, http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=297057, (accessed 3 Dec. 2008). â€Å"International Bad Product Awards 2007,† Consumers International, http://www.consumersinternational.org/Shared_ASP_Files/UploadedFiles/527739D3-1D7B-47AF-B85C-6FD25779149B_InternationalBadProductsAwards-pressbriefing.pdf (accessed 3 Dec. 2008). Gina Keating, â€Å"MGA ‘still accessing’ impact of Bratz ruling: CEO,† Yahoo! News, 4 Dec. 2008, http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081205/bs_nm/us_mattel_larian_1 (accessed 5 Dec. 2008). â€Å"Bratz loses battle of the dolls,† BBC News, 5 Dec. 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7767270.stm (accessed 5 Dec. 2008). â€Å"100 Best Companies to Work For,† CNNMoney, http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2011/full_list/ (accessed 23, Aug. 2011). Andrea Chang, â€Å"Mattel must pay MGA $310 million in Bratz case,† Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2011, http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/05/business/la-fi-mattel-bratz-20110805 (accessed 23 Aug. 2011). Ann Zimmerman, â€Å"Mattel Loses in Bratz Spat,† The Wall Street Journal, 22 April 2011, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703983704576276984087591872.html (accessed 23 Aug. 2011). â€Å"Income Statement: Mattel Inc. (MAT),† Yahoo! Finance, http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=MAT+Income+Statementannual (accessed 23 Aug. 2011).

How to Analyze Sources and Information

How to Analyze Sources and Information By Riley Kohl       Today, we live in a world that runs on information. Information is gathered, shared, bought, and sold. More and more, individuals are consuming vast amounts of information and using it to shape themselves and the way they perceive the world around them. In our journey to reach new heights of understanding, we construct for ourselves a tall watchtower, with each brick being a new piece of information. Far too often, however, we dont ask ourselves a crucial question: what if this new brick has cracks? My goal is to explain why you need to be able to appraise the quality of the information you consume and to give you the tools to do so reliably and efficiently. A Growing Need One of the most commonly used sources of information is the news, specifically the mainstream media. In recent years, there has been a gradual, observable decline in the quality of journalism. Noticing this, the American people have subsequently displayed a gradual decline in the level of trust they place in the mainstream medias ability to report information in a trustworthy and unbiased manner. In a Gallup poll conducted in 2016 with a random sample of 1,020 adults, only 32% professed to having a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the mainstream media.[1] A graph of this trend is provided in Figure 1. A Practical Demonstration In order to better grasp the methodologies of information analysis, and the need for such skills, a practical demonstration is best. On November 20, 2015, CNN published an article alleging that President-elect Donald Trump made a definitive statement regarding the implementation of a Muslim database.[2] Several hours later, an article was published by the Gateway Pundit claiming that the conclusions presented by the CNN article were based on falsified evidence.[3] Figure 2 provides a side- by-side view of the article headlines. This leads to the first, and most important, critical rule of information analysis: no source is above scrutiny because no source is infallible. CNN is a major media outlet. The first reaction of the average person would be to simply trust them over the Gateway Pundit, a relatively unknown source. The CNN article also provides a video which seems to support the claim presented in the headline. The two most notable arguments presented by the Gateway Pundit article are that the CNN video is heavily edited and that the reporter deliberately pushed a vague, unspecific question. The first step the reader must take at this point is to watch, or re-watch, the CNN video. It is clear that the video is edited, but this practice is not unusual. Videos provided in articles and reports are often edited for time purposes, cutting out unnecessary information in order to deliver the important information in a timely manner. Thus, we arrive at the second critical rule: when in doubt, consult the raw data. This is not always an easy task. In scientific reports, the raw data is often extensive or presented in a format that is difficult for laymen to understand. News articles, on the other hand, often draw their data from raw video or official statements. Given the positions presented by the two articles, at most only one of them can be correct. Therefore, at least one of these articles must be false. The result of this is that a person who believes the false article will likely form an opinion on Donald Trump, then a Presidential candidate. This newly assimilated information might affect a choice of action taken by the reader, such as who they vote for, which could have consequences as significant as deciding the next political leader of the United States of America. Placed in this perspective, it is clear that information and misinformation can be a powerful, dangerous forces. It is imperative that they a re properly evaluated by the readers. Methodologies for Appraising Information Some of the simplest methods for appraising the quality of an information source involve asking basic questions. These include confirming whether or the not source is unbiased, comprehensive, current, and clear.[4] While the latter questions are fairly simple, the question of bias is a tricky beat to handle. Bias is fundamentally difficult to avoid when writing, or choosing not to write, articles or reports. These are written by human beings, who have their own ingrained outlooks and opinions on the world. Additionally, the existence of bias extends outside the article itself, into the meta realm of publication. There can exist a bias in what information is published and what information is not. A news outlet might choose to only report on the legitimate scandals of a political figure and publish nothing regarding their accomplishments. Even though the published articles may be true, the bias still exists. A very common misconception is that the authorship of an information source is a good measure of its quality or trustworthiness. While this can serve as a significant, time-saving shortcut, it can also lull the reader into a false sense of security. The most well-respected news outlet can publish erroneous articles, and the most sensational tabloid can publish articles containing nothing but the truth. A final concept to note, before proceeding to a more orderly listing of methodologies, is the writing itself. The writing styles of information sources can vary widely based on their intended audience and purpose. A scientific report on geological predictions based on survey data will vary in appearance and flow from a news article reporting on a recent crime wave. Despite this, the hallmark of a good article lies with its objective reasoning. There should be a clear logical flow from the raw information being cited to the final conclusions drawn and presented by the author.[5] Faulty logic or subtle fallacies can take factual evidence and output misleading conclusions. A Simple Checklist for Appraising Sources Ask yourself the three Cs: Is it comprehensive, clear, and current? Look to see if the source has a logical flow of objective reasoning. Identify the purpose of the article. What is the writer trying to convey? Identify any potential for bias. Does the author have an underlying motive? Cross-reference with alternative sources. Consult the raw data if necessary. Remember that is is alright to decide that no definitive conclusions can be drawn from insufficient sources. Works Cited [1] Gallup, Inc. Americans Trust in Mass Media Sinks to New Low.Gallup.com. N.p., 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 05 Jan. 2017. [2] Trump would certainly implement national database for U.S. Muslims.CNN. Cable News Network, 20 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. [3] Hoft, Jim. THEY LIED! Media Edited Video to Claim Donald Trump Said to Register All Muslims (Video).TheGatewayPundit. N.p., 21 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. [4] Markel, Michael H. Practicalstrategiesfortechnicalcommunication. 1st ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. Print. [5] LibGuides: Critically Analyzing Information Sources: Critical Appraisal and Analysis.CriticalAppraisaland AnalysisCriticallyAnalyzingInformationSourcesLibGuidesatCornellUniversity. N.p., 27 May 2016. Web. 05 Jan. 2017.   Ã‚  

Commercial Management And Project Management Construction Essay

Commercial Management And Project Management Construction Essay Kalifomatos Consultants is a Quantity Surveying firm with a wide range of services provided for the potential Client. One of the fields KCQS specializes in is Project Management. Project Management aims to deliver any given Project ensuring the desired balance between Time, Cost and Quality. Feasibility reports, according to Douglas (1999), test whether the requirements initially set out can be actually met or not. Boyle (2003) suggests that feasibility reports can take different forms. Functional feasibility amongst others refers to physical requirements as well as soil conditions. Technical feasibility refers to the statutory consents as well as the time constraints whereas financial feasibility deals with the costs of the development and in essence creates a budget for the Client to decide on whether he can follow it or not. In addition to the above, business feasibility deals with the strategic brief analysis indicating if the qualitative aspects of the development match the business model of the Client. In this stage, the initial statement of requirements is developed into the design brief on behalf of the Client confirming the key requirements and constraints for the development, following the feasibility analysis taken earlier. The next step that follows is the identification of which procurement method is better for use which sufficiently meets the Clients requirements; the Project Manager could do this. The last step of the Design brief is to assemble the people that need to be involved in the development process which comprise of Architects, Quantity Surveyors etc. (Boyle 2003) According to the information our firm has been provided with, the borehole records the Client is said to have in his possession are of a neighboring site to the proposed one. The fact that a neighboring site has previously undergone a site investigation does not guarantee that for example the soil conditions for the proposed one will be the same. The strata could vary as well as the depth of the water table; maybe a new site investigation for the proposed site reveals that the site has been bombed during the war, resulting to a distortion of soil conditions in the site. This could be seen as a possible constrain which would have been identified if a site investigation had been undertaken. Another activity that has been undertaken was the acquiring of the site. Following the previous point, as well as the fact that our company has not been presented with an actual investigation for the proposed site, the site could be rendered as completely useless for the purposes its needed. Taking into consideration the fact that the Clients directors have previous development experience for some years, the acquiring of the site with no site investigation undergone could be seen as a very naà ¯ve move. According to Hacket (2007), Management Contracting and Construction Management are very similar in many aspects, nevertheless, there is one essential distinguishing characteristic which is fundamental to the understanding of the two systems; the contractual arrangements between the parties involved. In Management Contracting, the subcontractors are in contact with the Management Contractor whereas in Construction Management they are in direct contact with the employer; none of the subcontracts are entered into by the Construction Manager. The difference is illustrated by comparing the two diagrams provided. The most important requirement the Client has set out was that the quality level is to be prestige. The best quality is offered from traditional procurement method. Another requirement set out by the client is the flexibility of the design; also traditional procurement is the best suited for this but Design and Manage offers a high utility for this section as well. However, when it comes to high complexity of the design, Traditional procurement does not best suit the description whereas all the other methods do. The next requirement set out is asap completion; Traditional Procurement does not offer that whereas again, all the other methods do. Furthermore, Design and Manage offers the single point responsibility the Client is looking for as well as Design and Build. This feature would not be available with Traditional Procurement method nor with the Design and Build or the Management Contracting as illustrated in the previous schematics. Furthermore, two of HRD2010s directors have pr evious development experience, so the fact that in order to use Design and Manage one needs previous experience is seen as a disadvantage, is easily one to overcome here. The main reason Construction Management has been rejected even though it is very similar to Design and Manage, was the single point of responsibility required by the Client; thus total utility offered in the chart is 450. And last but not least, the Client welcomes the sharing of risks; Design and Manage can also satisfy that requirement. Based on the RIBA task allocation, the Client has not performed properly the Preparation stage. Vital points have been left out which could have major impacts on the projects development. KCQS has provided the Client with some recommendations for the successful progression of the development. These would be the immediate conduction of a site investigation for the proposed developments site in order to be able to proceed accordingly. The Client has failed to provide a proper feasibility report (recommended) which is vital in assessing the quality of the proposed development, its costs as well as the need to meet statutory consents. Following the above, the Client should be able to address to possible constraints with regards to the development and overcome them in due time. It is also recommended that the people that are to be involved in the development process are to be identified.

Adam Sandler Essay -- essays research papers

It seems you either love him or hate him - but there's no avoiding him. Adam Sandler has risen to the top, and he has his loyal fans to thank for it. While most actors fight their way to the top while relying mainly on hype, for Sandler this was actually against him. No one thought he would succeed, but the fans made it happen, carrying him to the top of the box office. Sandler grew up in Brooklyn, New York and was born on September 9th, 1966. While this probably doesn't come as a surprise, Adam was the class clown throughout high school. What was surprising is that Adam never realized how useful his sense of humor would be. He got his start in stand-up comedy one night when he got and started performing at a Boston bar he frequently went to. Although Sandler is often dismissed as Immature, he has a University education with a degree in Fine Arts from New York University. He relied on the money that he earned in stand-up and from a recurring role on the hit Cosby Show as Theo Huxtable's dim-witted buddy. He spent some time doing stand-up in L.A., where former Saturday Night Live star Dennis Miller caught his act. Miller spoke to producer Lorne Michaels about him, and Adam Sandler was soon working for SNL. At first, he was mainly a writer who appeared on the show occasionally. However, his appearances were so popular (ie: Operaman, Canteen Boy) that his status soon changed to that of a regular player. During the early 90s, he was by far the most popular and entertaining ca...

Osama Bin Laden’s Claimed Motivations for 9/11 are False Essay

Osama Bin Laden’s Claimed Motivations for 9/11 are False Where did the animosity which lead to the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001 originate? It is obvious at this point in time that the leader of the al Qaeda network, Osama bin Laden, was the mastermind behind the attacks, but the reasons why the attacks occurred and the fact that a small majority of people can support such acts remains very unclear. Osama bin Laden stated in his February 1998 Fatwah, â€Å"The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies- civilians and military- is an individual duty for every Muslim.† When examining the three direct reasons given by Osama bin Laden to kill Americans his reasoning based on factual evidence veers far from the truth and his reasoning based on religion is not a true reflection of the Islamic religion thus creating an illogical argument. Osama bin Laden’s reasons for killing Americans and their allies are insufficient in the sense that his claims about United State’s motivations are wrong and that his justific ations are not rooted in the Muslim religion. In looking specifically at each of Osama bin Laden’s reasons their invalidity as well as, their true purpose, to create an uprising amongst his followers to succeed in his Fatwah, to kill Americans and their allies becomes apparent. Osama bin Laden refers to his reasons as facts. In his first fact he addresses the issue of the United States presence in Holy Middle Eastern places. He believes that the United States is there for the wealth and not only to harass Iraq, but other Muslim countries. Osama bin Laden must have forgotten that in Iraq invading Kuwait it was a breech of International Law and had that not happened the United States presence would not have r... ... Islamic countries. Bernard Lewis also raised an additional point that Osama bin Laden felt he had to fight the United States because there was no one else who could since the fall of the Soviet Union. Osama bin Laden has made such allegations against the United States not because they are true, but only to help him in his ultimate goal of proving to the World that the Islamic world can defend itself and that he is capable of it. He also made such allegations to try to unite the Islamic world in hopes that an Islamic state may rise. Works Cited Alexander, Yonah, and Swetnam, Michael S., Usama bin Laden’s al-Qaida: Profile of a Terrorist Network, Transnational Publishers, September 2001 Bergen, Peter, Holy War, New York: Free Press, 2001 Lewis, Bernard, The Revolt of Islam, The New Yorker, November 19. 2001 Miller, Judith, Interview PBS, 2001

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is a 2003 novel written by the British author Mark Haddon. It won the 2003 Whitbread Book of the Year, and the Commonwealth Writers’’ Prize for best first book. Christopher, fifteen-year-old boy with behavioral problems, lives with his father in Swindon, England. His mother has been dead for over 2 years. He discovers the dead body of Wellington, the neighbor’s dog, speared by a garden fork, and Christopher decides to write a mystery murder novel about the dog. One day his father found the book and hide it from him, and when Christopher goes for a search he finds a bunch of letters directed to him from his mother. With the letters he realizes that his mom is not dead and she had left them. His dad confesses that he was the one who had killed the dog, and because of that Christopher left his house with the fear of being killed by his dad, he goes to London to find his mother. After reunited with his mother they return to Swindon, where he takes his A-level exam and get an A grade. The book ends with Christopher optimistic about his future, having solved the mystery of the murdered dog, gone to London on his own, found his mother, written a book, and achieved an A in his A-level math’s exam. The book takes part in England; only two different cities were visited, London and Swindon. The book starts in Swindon, where Christopher lives with his father, the same places were he finds the dead dog and stars his murder mystery novel. When Christopher finds out that her mother was living in London and that she was not dead he was very confused: â€Å"Mother had never lived in London† (98) that was when he just read the first letter and did not knew what to think. That is why he goes to London. The time of the book is in the end of the 20th century and we are able to know because of the dates inside the letters. However in my opinion the setting is not very important in this book. The main character of the story is Christopher and he is the one telling the story. â€Å"My name is Christopher John Francis Boone. I know all the countries of the world and their capital cities and every prime number up to 7,057† (2). He is a very interesting character; he has Asperger Syndrome, which is a type of autism. Because of that it is very difficult to find out what he is thinking, however the author is able to interpret it very good. There are many other characters in the story but in my opinion the next most important is his father. He treats Christopher really nice, even though his syndrome. He is a very good father but he sometimes looses his patience and reacts explosively. In the other hand Christopher’s mother is another important part of the story, but she appears later on in the book. She is a good mother, loving Christopher very much, but she thinks that she is not, that is the reason she fled. The style in the book is very important, because there was a lot of effort in the writing. He interprets the point of view of the autistic boy very precise. â€Å"Haddon worked with autistic individuals† (0) making its work with a deep meaning and very accurate to a real autistic boy. More over the book is written in 1st person from beginning to end: â€Å"It was seven minutes after midnight. † (1) Evidence about it being written in 1st person. The main idea of the book is to create and accurate point of view of the life of a boy with Asperger syndrome. Haddon is able to do it; he was able to do a very deep search into the mind of an autistic boy by studying them and working with them personally. The moral of the story is that people with Asperger syndrome are normal, even though they look different. They have feelings and they are very smart, the difference is that they have really bad social skills and have problems connecting ideas and a several behavioral problems: â€Å"These are some of my behavioral problems A) No talking to people for a long time F) smashing things when I am angry or confused O) hitting other people† (47) Christopher talking about his behavioral problems, it is very curious how he has them very clearly in his mind but keeps doing them. The idea of the book is very important and is well interpreted, creating a clear view of it and the moral. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is a very interesting novel, filled with exciting changes in the story and a unexpected end. However I thought it was very slow at the beginning and the middle, making it a little boring in some chapters. Haddon does interpret amazingly the mind of an autistic boy, which in my opinion is one of the best parts of the book. It is very easy to read and that makes it good for bad readers. In an overall view I did like this book and would recommend it to others.

Implications of Space and Time for Distributed Work Essay

In this paper â€Å"Implications of Space and Time for Distributed Work: An Interpretive Study of US-Norwegian Systems Development Teams†, Saker and Sahay (2004) present the results of a study they conducted on problems and strategies of virtual collaboration in space and time in the area of Information System Development (ISD). A theoretic presentation of the concepts of space and time investigated in the study is given. By studying the actual experiences of eight teams, the authors show that space and time pose difficulties for virtual teams therefore influencing team organization and strategies. The teams were selected from the University of Norway and the University of America ensuring that team demographics in terms of gender, age and educational backgrounds were evenly distributed to rule out any factors that may influence the results of the study. The authors used the methodology for studying virtual teams called virtual ethnography. The results show that both separations in time and space posed communication problems resulting in delayed responses that caused tensions and discomfort in meeting of targets and deadlines. Individual members had difficulties in synchronizing their biological clocks hence the inability to commit to work schedules, missing online meetings and deadlines. The ICT tools used posed difficulties in time management. Some teams failed to understand each other on a personal level due to lack of human interaction. Language and cultural barriers caused misunderstandings resulting in passing of judgments on others’ work ethics. Different levels of skills and knowledge of ISD hindered production of desired outputs by teams in different locations. Biases in software use were also evident for different country locations forcing teams to use software platforms they had little experience on. Addressing the problems mainly centered on the better use of the ICT tools, reaching compromises, improvising, and developing relations in a bid to approximate real organizations. The teams also came up with engagement rules and codes of conduct to ease their work relations. The authors conclude that electronic and face to face communication is never the same with the former producing some social behaviors that have to be adjusted for.

Cultural Destruction Essay

Development of society has forced the Native culture to vanish due to the break their tradition has undergone in the past. The Natives were forced to adapt the white tradition thinking it would benefit them in the long-run. Both â€Å"The Loons† by Margaret Laurence and â€Å"Compatriots† by Emma Lee Warrior portray similar messages about the Natives. The main characters Hilda and Vanessa represent ignorance because of their stereotypical nature towards the culture. However, as Vanessa matures she goes through a realization and understands the sorrow and pain of Piquette and her tradition other than herself. Vanessa’s final understanding of Piquette’s life and culture symbolizes the loons. Both short stories reveal the lack of knowledge and understanding the white society knows about the Natives. The perception that Vanessa classifies Piquette as shows how ignorant and narrow-minded she is as a child. The knowledge young Vanessa has about the Natives are based on stereotypes from her peers, which only consists of their physical appearance and territory. â€Å"It seems to me that Piquette must be in the same way a daughter of the forest, a kind of junior prophetess of the wilds, who might impart me, if I took the right approach, some of the secrets which she undoubtedly knew-where the whirlpool made her nest, how the coyote reared her young, or whatever it was that it said in Hiawatha† (Laurence 112). This description of Native life shows the reader that Vanessa really has no clue what Piquette’s life is like, she may live in a forest but her secrets are dark and deep. Vanessa thinks that if she leaves Piquette with a good first impression then she’d reveal those secrets to her. Young Vanessa most likely picked up this stereotypical opinion from her surroundings, which is seemingly a vision from the white society’s point of view. However, Vanessa’s perspective is limited because she is born as part of the white culture. Due to Piquette constantly brushing Vanessa aside when she attempts to be friendly kills Vanessa’s beliefs to what it means to be a Native. In addition, Hilda as well shows ignorance towards the Natives. Hilda also has an ignorant view of the Native culture. Hilda is anxious to learn about the Indians and their tradition as she follows Lucy around seeking for â€Å"real† Native experiences. She searches for Helmut in hopes of fulfilling her desire to understand the complex history and modern day reconstruction of the Native culture. â€Å"’I want to see him,’ Hilda said, ’I heard about him and I read a book he wrote. He seems to know a lot about the Indians, and he’s been accepted into their religious society. I hope he can tell me things I can take home. People in Germany are really interested in Indians. They even have clubs’† (Warrior 171-172). Hilda believes that Helmut knows a lot of information about the Native’s lifestyle due to the fact that he wrote a book about them and also dresses like them. Her being narrow-minded blocks the true perception of Helmut being phony because the Native’s themselves are not concerned of their own culture. â€Å"Shit, that guy’s just a phony. How could anybody turn into something else? Huh? I don’t think I could turn into a white man if I tried all my life. They wouldn’t let me, so how does that German think he can be an Indian- they’re crazy† (Warrior 174). This statement proves the inequality in our society between the Natives and whites, the option of ethnic change remains both socially and politically acceptable for those with privilege and power only. Although, young Vanessa and Hilda are perceived as ignorant, young Vanessa has an epiphany at the end of the story. As Vanessa matures, she goes through a sudden realization of everything that happened at Diamond Lake during that summer with Piquette. Many things has cause Vanessa’s final understanding of Piquette’s struggles as she recognizes her father’s effort to try to open up her perspective to the bigger world when she was a child, forcing her to leave her boundaries due to Piquette’s stubbornness to express herself. The significance of her father’s effort becomes valuable to Vanessa when she returns to Diamond Lake and sees the changes. â€Å"The small pier which my father had built was gone, and in its place there was a large and solid pier built by the government, for Galloping Mountain was now a national park, and Diamond Lake had been renamed Lake Wapakata, for it was felt that an Indian name would have a greater appeal to tourists† (Laurence 119). The government’s idealization of  the lake shows how their ignorance connects with young Vanessa visualizing of Piquette as the â€Å"daughter of the forest†. Although, Vanessa’s knowledge of Piquette’s life is much clearer, she still doesn’t understand the Native culture. Vanessa also realizes that trying to gain more knowledge and understanding about the Native culture through Piquette won’t get her anywhere because Piquette is as clueless as her. She accepts that her understanding towards the tradition is not going anywhere further than what the white society views it. However, Vanessa acknowledges the effects the white society has done to the Tonnerres’ family and the Natives. Piquette had the mindset of an adult while growing up due to the struggles her family has undergone. â€Å"’The mother’s not there,’ my father replied. ‘She took off a few years back. Can’t say I blame her. Piquette cooks for them, and she says Lazarus would never do anything for himself as long as she’s there† (Laurence 110). The effects of hatred and discrimination they’ve gone through drove them into a dark hole of poverty causing Piquette’s mother to leave, which fully shaped her life. To cease ra cism, she marries a white man to attempt to acquire identity. â€Å"For the merest instant, then, I saw her. I really did see her, for the first and only time in all the years we had both lived in the same town. Her defiant face, momentarily, became unguarded and unmasked, and in her eyes there was a terrifying hope† (Laurence 117). Piqutte desperately tries to fit in with the white community that constantly rejects her and as a result, Piquette surrenders herself to them by marrying a white man to satisfy her craving to belong in the society. Also, another reason she marries a white man is because she refuses to let her children to go through the same treatment she experienced as a child. However, her husband either left her or she left him, which drove her to alcoholism. Vanessa uses the loons as a symbol to represent the Native culture and Piquette’s life. Vanessa uses the loons’ sadness and disappearance as a metaphor for Piquette’s life. The government destroying the loons’ natural habitat represents the white society invading the Native’s territory. The government spoils the wilderness, the most important thing they should value. â€Å"It seemed to me now that in some unconscious and totally unrecognised way,  Piquette might have been the only one, after all, who had heard the crying of the loons† (Laurence 120). The white society misunderstood Piquette and her culture instead of embracing them. Piqutte is the only one who understood the crying of the loons due to the similar struggle they’re going through. â€Å"Perhaps they had gone away to some far place of belonging. Perhaps they had been unable to find such a place, and had simply died out, having ceased to care any longer whether they lived or not† (Laurence 120). The loons either died or left Diamond Lake trying to find another place to fulfill their needs because they’re forced to leave the society by ignorant people, just like Piquette and the Natives. In conclusion, the Native culture in today’s society is scattered due to the destruction the culture experienced in the past. The white culture thought it was a good idea to get rid of the Natives thinking it’ll help them, but in reality it just made many lives miserable. People are trying to revive the culture by learning about the tradition, but since it wasn’t passed down to generations, people only practice the information they think they know.

Case study ‘Elite Hotel’ Essay

INTRODUCTION: In this case, the operating environment for Elite Hotel run in Azerbaijan is like that it is a newly independent republic country which formerly part of the Soviet Union and situated between Iran and Turkey. It is a lowly economic developed country but recently Western oil companies are looking for inward investment in the development of its oil and gas industry in this country. Therefore, there are plenty number of clients for the hotel and the local hotel can’t service these high level clientele. Thus it is worth to open an Elite Hotel in Azerbaijan. The hotel industry heavily utilizes labor for its daily operations. It is people-centric and thus HR practices are crucial to organizational success. Coupled with new regulations on labor, the hotel industry is a useful example to learn from, due to its high dependency on manpower. This answer aims to solve some of the key issues faced by the industry and specifically Elite Hotel, through which insights are derived from Elite Ho tel’s HRM strategies. THE MACRO OPERATING ENVIRONMENT: LOCATION: The hotel will locate at the capital city Baku in Azerbaijan. This city has a cosmopolitan reputation in an overtly Muslim country which can be defined as a traditional male dominance society. Therefore, the hotel needs to take care and show the respect to the local culture. Moreover, this city often loss its power such as gas, water, electricity during daily living. In order to maintain the high quality service and seeking to expand, the hotel need to solve this power issue at first. 2. DOMESTIC LABOR MARKET AND EVOLVING EXPECTATIONS According to the Trading Economics (2014), Azerbaijan has a high rate of unemployment at 5.2% in 2013. Hence, there are lots of well-educated people willing to do any kinds of jobs. Due to the strong competition for labor, hotels face difficulties in recruitment and retention, especially when hotel jobs are viewed as a high level wage payment. Therefore, to hire the local employees, the hotel must consider very carefully. Furthermore, this country also enforced a curfew, so if the hotel is seeking to expand, they must obey the laws and consider about the risk about the political instability. HR CHALLENGES: 1. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT The issue of productivity has never been more pertinent than now. Elite Hotel will have to enhance productivity from a smaller pool of labor without compromising on service quality due to challenges in employment. Training therefore is needed to boost productivity and standards of service to meet customers’ expectations. In departments with peak and trough periods, training can be mixed- the waiters in the F&B Division can be trained as lobby hosts or even wine sommeliers. Another problem is that the employee may not be reluctant to be training and spend off-work hours on job-related  tasks (i.e. lessons) THE IMPORTANCE OF KEY HIRES The importance of the first one or two hires is also a challenge. ‘I have long endorsed and applied the approach of finding the one or two key candidates. These are leaders who are respected in their present positions in the market, or who may have previously worked there, relocated for career opportunities or unrelated personal reasons in another market and who may desire to return or are willing to return for the ‘right’ opportunity’, according to Owen Dorsey(2011). 3. LOCAL VS. EXPAT Some local candidates should be recruited since hotel may be influenced by its ownership structure which includes political or governmental factors geographically. Increasing governmental pressures have been witnessed to create more jobs for local people so as to eliminate the dependence on foreign employees. In this case, Elite Hotel is planning to employs a total of 300 full-time staff across 7 departments for locals are cheaper than their foreign counterparts. It is good news to the hotel owners and also forces hotel management companies to think carefully when staffing a hotel. As Tim Williams (2013) addressed, â€Å"Do not hire expats as Resident Manager, Rooms or F&B Director unless you think they have the potential to push through to GM.† 4. THE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT Elite Hotel faces other HR challenge pertaining to the local culture workplace environment and because of the culture in Azerbaijan is a traditional male dominance society. Therefore, how to balance the relationship between female and male employees is very important. Q2. WHAT STEPS COULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THE COMPANY MEETS THESE  CHALLENGES AND WHAT PEOPLE CAN THE COMPANY DRAW ON TO UNDERTAKE THESE TASKS? 1. EVALUATION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT It is of vital importance to ensure that employees are provided with knowledge and skills which aims to achieve a high standard of customer service. Elite Hotel needs to examine its 1) Training Needs Assessment, 2) Training Design and 3) Training Delivery. Under assessment of training needs, it is crucial to identify the training objectives and priorities – what KSAs (Knowledge, Skill and Ability) are needed in which department? How will task-specific KSAs evolve in the future as job descriptions change? In tackling the problem of unreceptiveness, Elite Hotel should focus on Training Design by analyzing Learning Readiness, Learning Styles and Learning Transfer, these which will eventually lead to effective learning. Managers need to find ways to boost their employees’ self – efficacy and motivation to learn before effective learning can occur. As part of job-site learning, Elite Hotel can introduce job rotations. This broadens one’s experiences and knowledge of overall hotel operations. E.g. in the Front Office Department, an employee can be rotated to the roles of concierge, front desk, porter. This is effective in teaching employees the technicalities of various roles, and in the event of manpower shortage, productivity will not be compromised. However, an employee might also be rotated away from a position that he excels in, resulting in underperformance in the new position. To mitigate this, Elite Hotel has to ensure that managers know the strengths and weaknesses of their staff. This aligns with its belief to â€Å"spend more time on people, educate them, counsel them [and] invest in our people†. 2. EVALUATION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF KEY HIRES In this case, if the Elite Hotel wants to set up a new hotel of international five-star quality, they have to look for experts to improve their network. Hiring an experienced GM or HR Director in the market would be the decisive factor especially when they are in place the whole thing unlocks. After  their join, the hotel could take advantage of their network to find out who they have worked with, who impressed them. That’s to say, the hotel may find potential clients. Nowadays typically a new brand in a new market may establish an executive committee which includes half internal hires and half external from the local market respectively. 3. EVALUATION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR LOCAL VS. EXPAT With a very limited hotel supply, now the owners of hotel have to concentrate more on training. Michael Farrell, an Elite Hotel senior manager, argue that in some markets we are entering there is no local talent full stop, so we have to develop it. We put in a General Manager and HR Director with very strong training focus and put a lot into people development. Over time we can then export and develop that local talent further in our older hotels back in Europe so that they eventually return back home with a raft of best practices to share.† 4. EVALUATION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT Enforcing that only the English language is spoken during work hours can address part of this problem. Elite Hotel also needs to manage relationships with NTUC, especially when active union members try to lobby for increased welfare and in particular, increased salaries. The hotel mavens, say, HR, need to study in the latest legislation and regulations, for instance, Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, Trade Unions Act and Work Injury Compensation Act etc. Moreover they have to keep learning professional knowledge through programs, courses and seminars. REFERENCE LIST: Trading Economics, 2014, http://www.tradingeconomics.com/azerbaijan/unemployment-rate Owen Dorsey. 2011, Tourism student perceptions of a travel agency career. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 1 (4), 295 – 312.