Guest Lecture Response Paper #+ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Guest Lecture Response Paper #+ - Essay Example Population growth has increased overtime effectively leading to upsurge in individuals in the urban settings. John Mandyck noted that it was important to embark on building strategies that ensure sustainability in terms of environmental well-being and reduction in energy consumption. Building physical structures should be conscious about environmental well-being. The basis of John Mandyck was enhancing environmental sustainability by venturing into green housing facilities. Physical structures that are built in the modern dispensation should have a focus on energy saving. Johns point of departure was that every building should consider environmental sustainability by raising physical structures that are keen on effective energy consumption. There are a number of things that were learned from the presentation in so far as sustainable development in construction is concerned. It is important to consider building from a multi-dimensional perspective. Case in point is that while it is important to consider the design and the structure of a building, it is essential to think about green facilities during construction. Additionally, energy saving is a critical component in building physical structures, and it is essential to ensure that the materials used are effective in meeting the objectives of sustainability in building. Most of the buildings consume up to 40% of the energy. However, the emergence of various technologies has effectively reduced consumption. The topic addresses a number of safety and health issues. To begin with, carbon emissions and heating emanating from the buildings pose a danger to a number of people. Consequently, carbon emissions to the atmosphere are an environmental hazard. The topic fundamental offers solutions towards dealing with the safety and health issues. Appropriate technologies are effective in reducing tendencies of heating in

The Impact Of Globalization Business Essay

The Impact Of Globalization Business Essay Globalization: An Insight In recent years, swiftly escalating global competition, a sharp focus on quality, and an ever increasing zest and quest for higher productivity, led to new circumstances for a large number of organizations which are operating on a Global platform. Globalization (economic or otherwise) has lead to a total makeover of every phase of business. The scope of these effects ranges from manufacturing, to product development, vendor support, integration, upto logistics and even best manufacturing practices. Thus, globalization is a mixed bag of opportunities and challenges. Today, doing business at the global platforms is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity if businesses want to survive in the long run. About the Organization The organization chosen for this response is coded as VR Shoes Inc., a leading name worldwide in sports gear shoes. To protect the identity of the organisation, I have assigned it this name. I shall use the case at hand to demonstrate how, in a real life organisation, globalization affected the operations, code of conduct, strategy, trade union behavior, organizations outlook and response to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and other aspects of business. The approximate time span, for which I have discussed the case, is from mid 1980s to the end of 1990s. The Dangers of Globalization: Leveraging the advantages of global out-sourcing opportunities so as to produce optimally-costing sports gear and shoes, alongwith sound investments into newer designs and marketing campaigns, VR Shoes drove to severe criticism for outsourcing products to nations where low wages, bad labor conditions, human rights violations were rampant. These were challenges, which VR Shoes had not envisaged as part of their Go Global campaign. (Locke, R.,2002). Initially, VR Shoes top and middle level managers refused to accept responsibility on account of the multitude of labor and environmental concerns raised globally by adversaries, human rights groups, and environmentalists. By early 1992, VR Shoes devised a Code of Conduct, which mandated that the suppliers observed basic labor and environmental norms as per the law of the resident country where plants and facilities were located. New and existing suppliers, both, were warranted to adhere to this code. This is directly attributable to the ef fects of global business mandates, which VR Shoes had to fall in line with. The Impact of Globalization: The impact of globalization in businesses has been discussed under the following nine heads: Globalization Challenges to Product Design Globalization Newer Training Regimes for Staff Globalization Increased Monitoring of Suppliers Supply Chains Relationships with Global Not for Profit Organizations Globalization Globalization Trade Unionism Globalization Meeting of Consumer Expectations Multi-National and Multi-Cultural Managements in Globalised Businesses Economies of Scale Globalization Globalization Challenges to Product Design In the 1990s, design was also thrown up by globalization as it took a quick seize of the Asia-Europe-America axis. Asian corporations from Japan and Taiwan acknowledged very early on the importance of design for their intensive marketing efforts. Consequently, VR Shoes Inc. opened contact offices in Asia Europe, which functioned as probes in their respective markets. Globalization Newer Training Regimes for Staff As part of the changes mandated by globalization efforts, VR Shoes created newer functional departments like those for catering to the specific needs of training for the employees. This was a grey area in the sense that VR Shoes had never considered a need for the training of its employees. Globalization efforts made the organisation to think on such lines. Some of the newer departments were finally clubbed under Corporate Responsibility and Compliance Department. As of now, VR Shoes has 100 employees specifically dedicated to ensure the compliance of labor and environmental norms. These are located in all countries where VR Shoes products are being manufactured. However, but for the impact of globalization, business in VR Shoes would not have evolved to cater to such an important aspect. Globalization Increased Monitoring of Suppliers Supply Chains Another effect which globalization of production activities resulted in for VR Shoes is its heightened monitoring of its suppliers who are located around the globe. This is necessitated by stiff global competition from rival players in this field. With suppliers located around the globe, and competition not allowing for any lapse in quality, whatsoever, organizations are fast realizing the need to keep quality tabs. Inspection is carried out by VR Shoes own production staffs who are deputed for this purpose from any facility in the world map.VR Shoes own labor specialists and third party consultants like PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) are also engaged in such activities. This level of serious and committed concern for quality is the offshoot of global competition and newer business ethics and norms. Relationships with Global Not for Profit Organizations Globalization Over and above developing internal skills, capacity, and expertise in standards and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), working on its vendors suppliers, VR Shoes has been active in supporting many different global Non-for-Profit organizations, which are directed at improving standards for employees in various under developed developing nations. For instance, VR Shoes is involved in the United Nations Global Compact, a program that seeks to promote CSR amongst international business organizations (Locke, R., 2002). Such relationships would never have been possible in localized business environments, which we had witnessed for centuries prior to the present day Globalization wave. Globalization Trade Unionism Trade unions are broadening their agenda items so as to include emerging issues like as engaging with international business giants organizations. This has made competition the absolute regulatory principle at the world business platforms. (Bieler, A, 2008). At VR Shoes also, in the ever on-going search for lower labor costs competitive business strategies, production has increasingly been restructured and organized on a trans-national platform across borders. Consequent to this, there is an increasing pressure to de-regulate labor markets. (Cohen, E., 2006) Globalization Meeting of Consumer Expectations Usually, consumers across the globe are better informed, have higher incomes and hence have more exacting requirements. This phenomenon compels business houses to strive and meet better product and service standards. This also happened with VR Shoes who had to continuously improvise and excel to meet the ever increasing quality and service needs of its customers. Multi-National and Multi-Cultural Managements in Globalised Businesses Another challenge faced by businesses and their managers is a multi-national business environment. A multi-cultural employment policy is needed to tackle employees from various countries, ethnicities, languages, religion culture. Their responses to reward, recognitions, motivational mechanisms etc. are very varied. In the case of VR Shoes Inc., the Japanese managers were disappointed with their Thai subordinates who didnt respond well to Japanese methods of building up corporate loyalty and motivation. But, as soon as they converted production targets into a game, the Thais excelled over Japanese peers! Economies of scale Globalization One of the advantages of globalization has been the fact that selling into a global market allows room for huge economies of scale. VR Shoes did successfully leverage this to beat rivals who were not truly global in operations. Challenges posed by Globalization to Data Management Information Exchange Many recent advances in mankinds ability to store, manage, process share information in digital forms has lead to a total reshaping of economies and social infrastructures of many countries around the world. (Information Technology and Globalization, 2006). Information is the emerging currency of global businesses. Moreover, its security is a worrisome challenge to global operations. Globalization is flattening the world. The threat to information while being stored or exchanged is getting real by the day. Already, China is testing U.S., U.K, and other national cyber-defenses. Economic systems may be distributed globally, operating in a variety of environments. (Olzak, T., 2008). There are specific threats to critical business secrets and databases. In the global business scenario, rival organizations seek to pry on their competitors and peers. Data security and management is thus fast turning into a business threat. However, Information technologies are the backbone of globalizatio n. Meeting the Challenges posed by Globalization to Data Management Information Exchange IT giants in global businesses are warranted by law that they must maintain and demonstrate compliance with a host of security standards, and guidelines. In the United States, the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA) is the backbone. This act requires each federal agency to develop, document, and implement cost-effective programs to achieve information security on their systems (Olson, C., 2007). Some of the main postulates of the act are as under: Implement Repeatable Processes Based on Best Practices Provide a Comprehensive and Consistent View of the IT Ecosystem Implement Effective Change Management Automate Processes Facilitate Compliance Testing Globalization: Its benefits to the end user of VR Shoes In the particular case we discussed above, for VR Shoes Inc., the organisaton gained on many fronts and so did the society at large, as we discussed above. Nevertheless, I strongly feel that the winner at the end of the day is the End-User of the products being produced by VR Shoes Inc. Not only does the user get world-class products at local and highly competitive prices, but is also assured of good quality and is sure that the company follows safe manufacturing processes and does not use harmful chemicals. The competition ensures that users of the products of VR Shoes Inc. get fabulous after sales service from the leader in sports gear and shoes. In the stray event of a bad product reaching the customer, the global image of the manufacturer compels it to offer hassle free replacement of refund, whichever the customer demands. Not all this would have been possible in a regulated and closed business environment. It is a fruit of globalization, which is finally served to the customer. REFERENCES Bieler, A. Impact of Globalization on Labor and Trade Unions. http://openesf.net/projects/labour-and-globalization/ Cohen, E. (2006). Effects of Globalization on firms. Paris: Siemens Business Service Information Technology and Globalization. (2006). www.globalenvision.org/library Locke, R. (2002). Note on corporate citizenship in a global economy. Cambridge, MA: Industrial Performance Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Olson, C. (2007). Meeting the Challenge of IT Security Compliance in the Federal Government: BMC Software. Olzak, T. (2008). The Information Security Risk of Globalization. http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/adventuresinsecurity/the-information-security-risk-of-globalization-24341

Malachi Constant/Unk raped a young woman and murdered his best friend. :: English Literature

Malachi Constant/Unk raped a young woman and murdered his best friend. Why does the reader feel sympathy for him instead of anger? In 'The Sirens of Titan' there are many places where the reader would feel anger towards Malachi Constant/Unk if it is read out of context. However there are also many occasions where the reader feels sympathy and forgives Malachi/Unk. This is helped by Winston Niles Rumfoord who knows everything and Winston's wife, Beatrice, who is another main character. Malachi Constant was born rich and had everything he wanted but the reader finds out after few chapters that he had not had a happy family life. His mother was a whore and he only ever met his father once in his life. "You said you had a very unhappy childhood and made everyone listen to how unhappy it was." In this quote the language is simple and repetitive. This is perhaps to show the annoyance this character has for Constant. It also makes the reader feel less sympathetic here though because he was moaning and complaining which is not a good attribute in people. This might be so that later on the reader can see how they judged him unfairly so that when there is less proof of something bad happening to him they are more easily forgiving of him. This brings out the readers sympathy because the reader realises this is what leads to his financial ruin and bankruptcy because he gets drunk and depressed and gives away all his oil wells. However if we had not read this part then the reader would feel angry at wasting what he had. "Every courageous thing he [Constant] had done had been motivated by spitefulness and goads from childhood" In this quote there are lots of strong negatives that suggest a very powerful outside force. All the words here are emotive and indicate another source had dominance over Constant's life. We, the readers, are told he tries to hard to be sophisticated and fashionable and this makes the reader sympathetic because the reader pities him and relates to him for trying so hard to 'fit in' with others. "Everything Rumfoord did he did with style, making all mankind look good. Everything Constant did he did in style - aggressively, loudly, childishly, wastefully" This is a direct comparison with Rumfoord and shows how young, eager and naÃÆ'Â ¯ve Constant is in contrast to Rumfoord who is much older and knows everything. The adverbs are all negative showing how Rumfoord is a good person but Constant takes everything for granted. The story follows Constant and then Unk throughout the book giving only important facts such as what they look like and character points Malachi Constant/Unk raped a young woman and murdered his best friend. :: English Literature Malachi Constant/Unk raped a young woman and murdered his best friend. Why does the reader feel sympathy for him instead of anger? In 'The Sirens of Titan' there are many places where the reader would feel anger towards Malachi Constant/Unk if it is read out of context. However there are also many occasions where the reader feels sympathy and forgives Malachi/Unk. This is helped by Winston Niles Rumfoord who knows everything and Winston's wife, Beatrice, who is another main character. Malachi Constant was born rich and had everything he wanted but the reader finds out after few chapters that he had not had a happy family life. His mother was a whore and he only ever met his father once in his life. "You said you had a very unhappy childhood and made everyone listen to how unhappy it was." In this quote the language is simple and repetitive. This is perhaps to show the annoyance this character has for Constant. It also makes the reader feel less sympathetic here though because he was moaning and complaining which is not a good attribute in people. This might be so that later on the reader can see how they judged him unfairly so that when there is less proof of something bad happening to him they are more easily forgiving of him. This brings out the readers sympathy because the reader realises this is what leads to his financial ruin and bankruptcy because he gets drunk and depressed and gives away all his oil wells. However if we had not read this part then the reader would feel angry at wasting what he had. "Every courageous thing he [Constant] had done had been motivated by spitefulness and goads from childhood" In this quote there are lots of strong negatives that suggest a very powerful outside force. All the words here are emotive and indicate another source had dominance over Constant's life. We, the readers, are told he tries to hard to be sophisticated and fashionable and this makes the reader sympathetic because the reader pities him and relates to him for trying so hard to 'fit in' with others. "Everything Rumfoord did he did with style, making all mankind look good. Everything Constant did he did in style - aggressively, loudly, childishly, wastefully" This is a direct comparison with Rumfoord and shows how young, eager and naÃÆ'Â ¯ve Constant is in contrast to Rumfoord who is much older and knows everything. The adverbs are all negative showing how Rumfoord is a good person but Constant takes everything for granted. The story follows Constant and then Unk throughout the book giving only important facts such as what they look like and character points

Napoleon Bonaparte Heir or Betrayer Essay

Napoleon Bonaparte has been one of the biggest known leaders and highly debated characters. Known for his leadership skills, but debated for the many different interpretations of his actions. Most historians have believed that Napoleon is either an Heir or a Betrayer. It was through his actions on how you can see how Napoleon is considered a betrayer to the French revolution. This is shown through different actions and the way he handled certain situations. The first sign that he was a betrayer against the French revolution was that he was established as an absolute dictator. Also, Napoleons betrayal is portrayed with the unnecessary wars that bankrupted France due to the idea of expanding his universal brotherhood. Lastly, Napoleons actions were considered to be completely contradictory to the French revolution motto of Liberty Equality Fraternity. As you can see through these three arguments, that Napoleon proves that he really is a betrayer to the French revolution. The basis of the French revolution was that the people wanted to get rid of the absolute monarchy that had no interest in serving the 3rd estate. Napoleon on the other hand, did the opposite of what the French revolution wanted. He maintained power, and became an absolute dictator that made all the decisions in his own interest. With all this power, Napoleon showed that he was a betrayer, because he did not do anything for the good of the people, rather he did it for his own interests. One example, is that instead of allowing people to vote, Napoleon established representative institutions that only gave the illusion of democracy because really they had no power. Also, in the beginning of his dictatorship, he established the â€Å"Coup D’Etat† which made himself the first consul which later on allowed him to crown himself Emperor. This can be considered a betrayal because he was crowning himself â€Å"king† in a sense. Clearly, these arguments show how Napoleon, although a great leader, was too focused on the power that he obtained from becoming Emperor and it clouded his decisions causing him to become a betrayer to the French revolution. Another big part of why people consider Napoleon as a betrayer to the French revolution, was his relentless quest for personal glory and his desire to conquer more than he could. Napoleons commitment to make everybody into a brotherhood completely went against what the French Revolution stood for. This is shown in his many unnecessary wars that took place. He started recruiting mass armies for the sole purpose of conquering other lands. Napoleons focus on universal conquest was shown by the year 1812, when almost every country besides Russia, Great Britain, and the Ottoman Empire, were under his control. Another aspect that shows how Napoleon betrayed the French revolution was when he implemented the Continental System, in which he resorted to economic warfare by forbidding his subjects and allies to trade with the English. Thus, further more affecting the already poor economy and worsening ties with England. These actions portray Napoleon as somebody who is entirely set on European domination and showing how his military focus lead his straying away from the idealistic French revolution. The French revolutions motto was Liberty Equality and Fraternity. The French expected Napoleon to honour these sayings and bring back peace, order and to consolidate the political and social conquests of the Revolution. But, Napoleon used other means of establishing a revolution. Unlike the motto, Napoleon used certain things such as censorship, the power of terror, and even execution to establish control. Napoleon to keep control of public opinion, he censored almost everything, and filtered what the people could hear. Also, Napoleon used the aspect of fear to keep people under his control, and he used force to subsidize anybody going against his will, thus showing how he did not follow the motto of the French Revolution. Also when he was in power, he rolled back many of the reforms of the Revolution, including the rights of women and basic protections for civil liberties. He anointed himself emperor and established his family members as hereditary monarchs of sovereign European nations. In this sense, he completely eviscerated the liberal reforms of the revolution. This depicts how Napoleon truly went against the motto of the French Revolution and showed how he truly was not an Heir, rather a betrayer. Napoleon to this very day is still argued as whether he is an heir or a betrayer. But in many cases, he is seen to be a Betrayer to the French revolution. This is shown through different ways, such as his absolute dictatorship and how he uses his total control of power to make decisions for his own interest. This shows how Napoleon became what the French revolution sought out to get rid of with the start of the revolution. Also, with his many attempts at European domination, you can see that Napoleon put too much focus onto wars and campaigns, instead of trying to create equality for everyone. Lastly, the revolution was about liberty and rights, as said in the French revolutions motto. But Napoleon went against that, and denied the peoples liberty, and their rights with things such as censorship and execution. Overall, you clearly see how Napoleon, in many situations, goes against what the French revolution stands for and shows how he really is a betrayer of the revolution.

How Information Technology has Impacted My Daily Life Essay

In the twenty-first century, information technology (IT) is at the core of most business activities (Laube xiii). IT is also at the core of many personal activities. Like many U.S. Americans, my personal and professional activities relay heavily on the use of technology. From the alarm clock in the morning to the computer at work, technology plays a vital part of my everyday life. Technology enhances the ease and simplicity of activities and adds convenience to life. Although, when these technologies fail to operate correctly, they disrupt daily activities and hinder productivity. It is six in the morning and my cell phone rings. It is my alarm clock. Due to technological advances, I no longer have a need for a traditional alarm clock. I do not have to worry about waking up late because of a power outage at night. Although, if I forget to charge my cell phone battery or the volume is off, then this great convenience disrupts my daily routine. The cell phone has also eliminated my need for a land-line house phone. The cell phone is an immense expediency and allows me mobile contact with anyone, no matter where I am. In addition, the camera in my cell phone is extremely handy. This feature allows me capture a cute moment in time of my daughter at times when I would not normally have my regular camera with me. I can print, download, or send these pictures to friends and family. My cell phone also acts as a notepad and calculator. For example, if I am driving and think of something I need to write down, I can simply record myself a message and write it down later. This is not only a convenience, but also serves as a safety method. In addition, if I am in the store and need to calculate a sale price or total, I only need to go as far as my purse for assistance. The cell phone reduces my need for many other modern day conveniences and also reduces the number of items I have to carry in my purse. If my cell phone was lost or not operating correctly, it would terribly impede my daily activities because I depend on it for so many different matters. Besides the computer, the cell phone is one of the most utilized and revered technological devices in my life. The computer aids me both in my personal and professional life, as it is used for a vast variety of activities. I utilize the computer for work, fun,  relaxation, and money. I would be lost without a working computer and internet connection. At work, everything I do depends on using the computer. I use the computer to look up client information, log client contacts, run proposals and ledgers, keep up to date on industry and company happenings, and to stay in contact via email with clients and co-workers. At home, I use the computer for a number of different tasks. Tracking and logging my finances depends on computer usage, as I do my banking and pay bills online. This eliminates the need for paper statements and bills. Word processing programs and the internet enable me to complete homework assignments without even leaving the comfort of my own home. Email allows me to stay in contact with my group members for school as well. Computer technology also permits me to supplement my regular income by selling items online. Websites, such as ebay.com and half.com, make it quick and easy to earn money by selling stuff I no longer need or use. The computer is not all work and no play though. I use email to stay in contact with friends and family. The internet is used to play online games, watch television shows, or download music, all of which are a source of relaxation for me. Without a properly operating computer and internet connection, my life would be extremely difficult. Many peoples personal and professional lives revolve around technology, including mine. From cell phones to computers, the world depends on technology to survive. Technology serves as a means of communicating, gathering and obtaining information, and convenience. When these technologies fail though, daily life can be extremely difficult, or even disastrous, due to the immense dependence on technological devices. Work Cited: Laube, David R. and Raymond F. Zammuto, eds. Business Driven InformationTechnology: Answers to 100 Critical Questions for Every Manger. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 2003.