Monday, January 27, 2020
Analysis Of Slumdog Millionaire Film Studies Essay
Analysis Of Slumdog Millionaire Film Studies Essay In this assignment I will be describing the structure and the ownership of the UK film industry and exploring the production, distribution and the exhibition of Slumdog Millionaire. I will be also looking at the relationship between films and their production contexts and the relationship between audiences and films. Danny Boyle, a British director, directed the film, Slumdog Millionaire. It was about Jamal, who was Dev Patel, grew up in the slums, who then becomes a contestant in Who Becomes a Millionaire. The events that happen when he was young becomes back to life, when he is being asked questions in the game show. When people watch the movie everyone will have their own interpretation of what the outcome of the story will be. The first half of the film, the colour, style, and subject matter felt reminiscent of City of God, but Danny Boyles distinct shots choices and humour separates the film above the rest. The second half of the film does slow down a bit and the fairy tale ending makes you feel good inside, but it doesnt always bring critics accolades. The bit that attracted the viewers the most was the cultural and social issues highlighted throughout the film. The poverty, violence caused by poverty, and religious discrimination was very prevalent throughout the film. Danny Boyle chose certain shots to show the poverty and desperation of the people of India, without any dialogue he kept the social and cultural context all-visual. Some parts of the film were from a Hollywood style, where they had artists from America, M.I.A. The movie showed some negative aspects of India, where they were slums, poverty, prostitution and robbery. The young boys resorting to violence for food and shelter becomes at times heroic. Young children finding their way to survive and being forced to mature long before their time. India in the past 10 years has drastically changed the countrys economic standing growing the middle class from the rise of industry. TALK ABOUT BOYS AND GIRLS The characteristics of Inde Films are: They are largely driven, they relate individual to a wider social/cultural background, narrative are left often, some do/some dont have closure, there is an emphasis on a documentary style and photography, they deal with real current social issues, narratives can be circular cut up back to front and sometimes simple too, they often deny generic expectation, and independent films tend to have lower budgets, lesser or unknown stars, and they are shot on location. The British and the French were the ones who created the equipment that were needed to make a movie. After the World War happened, the British had changed, where they couldnt make any more movies. The American had a chance to produce quality movies and produce more. Vertical Integration is a style of management control. It is a process of steps in the production, distribution and exhibition of the movie product that are then owned by a company. The big 5 were: Warner, MGM, Paramount, 20th Century Fox and R.KO. They are now: Disney, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Paramount, Columbia, and Warner Brothers. The five owned their own studios, distribution divisions, and theatres. They also signed contracts with actors, actresses, and other filmmaking personnel. They had the scriptwriting, filming, production, and the distribution of a movie. The Little Three are: Universal Pictures, Columbia, and United Studios. The Little 3 owned few or no theatres, so there was no built in guarantee that the films that they made would be shown. Each of them lacked one of the three elements required in vertical integration owning their own theatres. The casting of Slumdog Millionaire constructed and targeted towards different audience segments by looking at the most of the famous Bollywood Stars in India, Anil Kapoor who is the Millionaire host in the film. Anil Kapoor is a famous Indian Actor who appears in most famous Bollywood films. Slumdog Millionaire was Anil Kapoors first role in an international film. Frieda Pinto, is another famous Indian actor, she was starred at Latika. Before she was starred in Slumdog Millionaire, she was modelling for a company called Elite Model Management India for two years. Frieda had won eight Oscars for the film. Her life was transformed as she embarked on a promotional tour round the world, staying in five-star hotels and being driven by chauffeurs. Irfan Khan is an Indian Actor in film, television and theatre. In the movie, Slumdog Millionaire, Irfan Khan has a role of being a police inspector, who he investigates if Jamal cheated in the game show or telling the truth. A R Rahman produced m ostly all of the Bollywood soundtracks. Slumdog Millionaire at times sounds like a mixture of random pieces that dont have much to do with each other. The soundtracks were created with specific visuals in mind. The song, O Saya was one of the two nominated tracks for Best Song at the Oscars, and the other winner being Jai Ho. The past is genuine with rich sounds mirroring the Mumbai cityscape. Jai ho is an essential Rahman track, completed with his favourite vocalist, Sukhvinder Singh. In scene 5 M.I.A make an appearance in Paper Planes, the track is relaxed and carefree. In the first scene A R Rahman uses M.I.A to sing, from Hollywood, distinct an American audience. The soundtrack is really important to India. Cross Media Ownership is where a company owns different media in press. This is terrible for Democracy, there is no incentive for the reporters to investigate and get the story, since the ownership alone decides what news is and what isnt and there is no competition for viewers/readers. It is important because it allows the movie and the companies to get more attention by the audiences. If they wanted to watch a movie they would have to spend money to see it, which will give more money to the company. The slums kids had enjoyed the experience of the movie. The slum kids didnt have to act, they just had to be natural in front of the camera. The slums lived on the side of the rail tracks, which were made out of plastic sheets with tinned roofs. After their movie had been successful, they were invited to the Oscars where they were being interviewed, meeting Hollywood celebrities and they could walk on the red carpet. The movie was to show the viewers how they were living in such conditions in India. In conclusion, the audiences were attracted to the Hollywood film style, and werent not paying attention to the European film style. The European film style had to be changed so more viewers could watch it. Hollywood was high up in the market, where they could afford to make 3D films.
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Coming Full Circle in Blue Highways Essay -- Blue Highways
In his traveling diary, Blue Highways, William Least Heat Moon takes a trip to various destinations of unknown worth. His American back roads tour is characterized by the pattern of taking a journey that follows a circle. Least Heat Moon's circular journey is both literal and spiritual. His travels circle the nation, and he gathers history and personality from all corners of America. More importantly, however, Least Heat Moon sets out to fully explore and find himself. He provides the audience with the simple explanation of the circular nature of his journey because "following a circle would give a purpose&emdash;to come around again&emdash;where taking a line would not"(Least Heat Moon 3). Immediately, the reader is faced with William Least Heat Moon's goal to find himself and the wisdom of others. Before his journey began, Least Heat Moon experienced two significant life-changing events. First, the author was abandoned by his wife after being separated for nine months. Then, as a result of declining enrollment, he lost his job teaching English at the Universi...
Saturday, January 11, 2020
The Body Shop, Corporate Social Responsibility
The objective of this piece of work is to undertake a critical analysis of the cosmetics company The Body Shop, in terms of its philosophy, business practices and other activities and assess the extent to which the organisation can legitimately be regarded as a socially responsible corporate entity. The concept of corporate social responsibility will necessarily be outlined and discussed to provide a theoretical framework within which the subsequent analysis will itself be located. The study will then explore the organisationââ¬â¢s opposition to animal testing, its support for community trade and commitment to environmental protection. The chosen areas represent three of the five core values that underpin The Body Shopââ¬â¢s mission statement (Appendix 1) the other two being the activation of self-esteem and the defence of human rights, which will not be addressed specifically. It is anticipated that the structure of the study will allow the companyââ¬â¢s history, achievements, strengths and limitations in each defined area to be evaluated within a holistic paradigm (Campbell & Kitson, 2008). The values which the company has defined and set for itself will ultimately be used as benchmark criteria against which the organisation will be assessed. Evaluation will therefore be an ongoing and integral part of the analysis, rather than a process that is separate and distinct from it, although the main themes and issues will be drawn together to expose areas of concern and signpost future courses of action. Introduction The Body Shop International PLC is a global cosmetics company launched in 1976 by Anita Roddick and her husband Gordon, which was predicated on ethical principles and the values of environmental sustainability. Generally known as The Body Shop, the company has 2400 stores in 61 countries, two thirds of which are franchised, selling a range of over 1500 products (The Body Shop, 2009a). The company also sells its products through an in home sales programme, The Body Shop at Home, in the United States, Australia and here in the United Kingdom (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2009). One of the first companies to prohibit the use of ingredients tested on animals, The Body Shop also pioneered Community Trade agreements with countries in the developing world. The company is also attributed for shaping ethical consumerism in the way it has produced and retailed its various consumer products. For many years, bolstered by its eco-friendly credentials and ethically focussed marketing strategies, The Body Shop accommodated a decidedly popular position within the public consciousness and for some at least, was seen as the epitome of a socially responsible organisation. In March 2006, The Body Shop was sold to Lââ¬â¢Oreal in a à £652. 3 illion takeover deal, netting Anita and Gordon Roddick à £130 million for the firm they had conceived and set up thirty years previously (The Times, 2007). Anita Roddick died in September 2007 of a brain Haemorrhage (BBC News, 2007). Corporate Social Responsibility At its most basic, corporate social responsibility is an umbrella term used to describe the various ways in which organisations strive to ââ¬Ëintegrate social and environmental obligations with their business activitiesââ¬â¢ (Watson and MacK ay, 2003:625). Put differently, corporate social responsibility is the belief held by increasing numbers of individuals that businesses have responsibilities to society and the community in which they operate, that go beyond their obligations to investors. Although evidence of socially responsible business ventures can be traced back some significant time, the concept of corporate social responsibility in its recognisably modern form is generally regarded as a Twentieth Century phenomenon, finding formal expression in Howard Bowenââ¬â¢s Book ââ¬ËSocial Responsibilities of the Businessmanââ¬â¢ (1953). Bowen defined social responsibilities in the business context as those which are ââ¬Ëdesirable in terms of the objectives and values of our societyââ¬â¢ (Bowen, 1953:6). Since then, definitions of corporate social responsibility have become more sophisticated responding to and taking account of changes in the complexity, nature, diversity and size of business organisations operating within an increasingly global context. There are those however who believe that ethical and moral considerations or indeed social responsibility of any kind have no place in business, its operations or processes. Milton Friedman argued that ââ¬Ëthere is one and only one social responsibility of business ââ¬â to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profitsââ¬â¢ (Friedman, 1962:133). He disputed that businesses can have responsibilities, ââ¬ËOnly people can have responsibilitiesââ¬â¢ he asserted (Friedman, 1970). Friedman viewed business organisations as amoral, accommodating a position that is neither moral nor immoral. In this sense, as long as business takes place in context of open and free competition, is conducted in the spirit of fairness and within the ule of law, questions of social responsibility remain mute. Other theorists link the growth and ascendancy of corporate social responsibility, to the proliferation of ethical consumerism. From this perspective, it is the demands of consumers for products and services that are produced ethically, do not benefit from human exploitation or have no detrimental effects upon the environment, rather than the philanthropic endeavours or altruistic tendencies of business entities that is of most significance (Burchell and Cook, 2006). Irrespective of its precise definition or the theoretical perspective from which it is evaluated, there is little doubt that since its formalised conception, corporate social responsibility has become a major entity on the management and business landscape as well as the object of widespread academic interest. In this context, it appears that the CSR concept has a bright future because at its core, it addresses and captures the most important concerns of the public regarding business and society relationships (Carroll, 1999). Opposition to Animal Testing From the outset, The Body Shop has maintained and publicly declared that it does not test its cosmetic products on animals, nor does it commission others to do so on its behalf, as it considered the practice to be unethical. Indeed, this sentiment became a central facet of the organisationââ¬â¢s philosophy and one that set it apart from its main industry competitors. It is also a policy that has served to define the organisation in terms of its ethical stance and one that has been reaffirmed in many of the companyââ¬â¢s publications (The Body Shop, 2006a). In the 1980ââ¬â¢s The Body Shop, supported by many of its customers and a wide spectrum of animal protection groups, campaigned for a change in the law on the testing of animals for cosmetics purposes in the UK, Europe, the Netherlands, Japan and Germany. In 1996, The Body Shop presented the European Union with a petition signed by over four million people, objecting to the use of animals in cosmetic testing, which at the time was the largest of its kind ever constructed. The organisation played a significant part in the UK governmentââ¬â¢s decision in 1998 to ban animal testing for cosmetic products and ingredients. Additionally, the various campaigning activities of Anita Roddick resulted in the banning of finished product tests in Germany and the Netherlands, whilst in Japan The Body Shop was responsible for organising the first major campaign on this issue. In 1995, The Body Shop arranged for the independent auditing of its Against Animal Testing supplier monitoring systems and for their certification using the ISO 9002 quality assurance standard. The organisation was one of the first to sign up to the Humane Cosmetic Standards scheme (HCS) in 1996. This internationally recognised framework was conceived and implemented to enable consumers to easily identify in the purchasing process, cosmetic and toiletry products that have not been tested on animals. In 2004, The Body Shop Foundation (BSF) awarded à £20,000 to The Centre for Alternatives to Animal Testing at John Hopkins University to support research into alternatives that might eradicate the need for animal testing entirely. In 2005, the Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) awarded the company first place in the cosmetics category for ââ¬ËAchieving Higher Standards of Animal Welfareââ¬â¢ in recognition of its efforts on this issue (RSPCA, 2005). The following year, it was awarded first place in the ââ¬ËBest Cruelty-Free Cosmetics category by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Lauren Bowey of PETA said at the time of the presentation that ââ¬ËThe Body Shop is a driving force in promoting a more humane lifestyle. By renouncing animal tests, The Body Shop has shown beauty doesnââ¬â¢t have to have an ugly sideââ¬â¢ (The Body Shop, 2006b). In 2008, the RSPCA once again recognised the achievements of The Body Shop, by presenting it with the Good Business Award and in 2009 the society bestowed its ultimate accolade, A Lifetime Achievement Award upon the company. The Body Shop was presented with a special lifetime achievement award for its longstanding commitment in campaigning for animal welfare, and for the work of Dame Anita Roddick in being instrumental in driving legislative change, which has seen an European Union wide ban on animal testing come into force this yearââ¬â¢ (RSPCA, 2009). Despite its seemingly impressive track record, there are those who argue that The Body Shopââ¬â¢s stance against animal testing did not develop from deeply hel d ethical beliefs concerning animal welfare, but was rather a commercially motivated strategy to enhance the companyââ¬â¢s profitability. Anita Roddick, apparently held no strong views on the issue, but after the use of a Not Tested on Animals slogan was proposed by the companyââ¬â¢s first cosmetic consultant Mark Constantine and was later proven to have improved sales, her commitment to this cause seemed to shift. Indeed, no mention is made of animal testing or lack thereof in any of the companyââ¬â¢s early promotional literature, nor could its customers reasonably deduce The Body Shopââ¬â¢s ethical position on the matter from logos or slogans on the packaging of its initial product lines. It was not until 1987, when The Body Shop undertook a promotional campaign with the British Union Against Vivisection (BUAV) to end testing on personal care products, that the companyââ¬â¢s alignment and identification with the issue against animal testing for cosmetics products can be said to have taken place (Entine, 1996). The Not Tested on Animals claim that became almost synonymous with The Body Shop brand has also been the target of much criticism by animal welfare campaigners and others who argue that the statement is clearly and demonstrably false. For example, it is not possible for The Body Shop or any other cosmetics producer to guarantee that its products contain materials or ingredients that have never been tested on animals. All cosmetics contain fragrances, colourings, preservatives and other formulations that must comply with international regulation and certification processes. It is the case that compliance with such regulatory mechanisms almost certainly involves the use of animal testing, even if it is acknowledged that such tests were conducted some time ago. Indeed, The Body Shopââ¬â¢s shift from the use of Not Tested on Animals to the adoption of Against Animal Testing logo in 1989 was influenced to a large extent by legal challenges in Germany and in the United States following complaints from cosmetic companies and animal welfare groups. The objections were not solely concerned with The Body Shopââ¬â¢s unjustified and exaggerated claims, but the organisationââ¬â¢s portrayal that its policies and practises vis-a-vis animal testing were somehow more ethically robust and superior to those of other companies. In making the transition from one position to another, The Body Shop redoubled it publicity campaign giving the impression in the public domain at least, that it was strengthening its opposition to animal testing in the production of its cosmetics. Perhaps the most significant attack against the Body Shop by animal rights supporters and indeed those who subscribed to and took seriously the notion of corporate social responsibility, followed the sale of the company by Anita and Gordon Roddick to L'Oreal in March 2006. Despite vowing to give away the ? 30 million that she apparently made from the sale, Anita was accused of ethical hypocrisy and abandoning the principles that she had espoused during the course of her entrepreneurial career and upon which her Body Shop empire had itself been based. At its core was the policy of opposition to animal testing, a position that was not one shared by L'Oreal and for which Roddick herself had criticised the company in the past (Roddick, 1992). Campaigners against animal testing also pointed to L'Orealââ¬â¢s link with the Swiss multinational firm Nestle that held a twenty six per cent share in the company (Milmo, 2006). Nestle, had attracted condemnation in the past for its alleged role in promoting baby powder in the developing world and had also been voted as the ââ¬Ëworld's least responsible companyââ¬â¢ in an internet poll (Berne Declaration, 2005). Support for Community Trade Community Trade is a system that promotes the purchase of gifts, products, natural ingredients and accessories from communities around the world that are socially or economically marginalised and is a concept that The Body Shop has actively supported for more than twenty years. By allowing producers to access markets that would otherwise be unavailable to them and ensuring that remuneration for the materials, ingredients and products that are supplied is fair and ethical, Community Trade has the very real potential to provide stable sources of income for producers in some of the most socially and economically disadvantaged parts of the world. Indeed, Community Trade and other variants of it such as Fair Trade, is a central pillar of corporate social responsibility and as an identifiable scheme or programme, can have demonstrable benefits for those individuals and groups who participate in it. Under the banner of Trade Not Aid, The Body Shop purchased its first Community Trade products in 1987 from Tamill Nadu, a small community in Southern India. In 1991, Kayapo Indians used their skills to harvest the Brazil nut oil which Body Shop used in one of the companyââ¬â¢s bestselling hair conditioning products. Similar projects quickly developed in various parts of the world such as New Mexico where the Pueblo Indians were commissioned to supply The Body Shop with Blue Corn, an essential component of its scrub mask product. Since then, the organisation has identified and worked with trade partners in over twenty countries and is now helping over twenty five thousand people throughout the world to earn a fair wage. It is also that case that more than half of The Body Shopââ¬â¢s core product lines contain one or more ingredients acquired through Community Trade (The Body Shop, 2006c) and that in 2009 à £7. 4m was spent to support the Community Trade programme itself (Body Shop, 2009b). Over the years, the Community Trade programme has enabled The Body Shop not only to source high quality, sustainable and demonstrably natural ingredients and other products from across the world, it has allowed the organisation to make a real contribution to the lives and future of those with whom it has developed trading links and partnerships. ââ¬ËCommunity Trade is our commitment to trading fairly and responsibly with suppliers. We actively seek out small-scale farmers, traditional craftspeople, rural cooperatives and even tribal villages, all of them highly skilled experts at their workââ¬â¢ (Body Shop, 2009b). Through its Community Trade programme, The Body Shop has also supported initiatives in its supplierââ¬â¢s local communities, with projects that involved the building of wells, schools, community centres and the supply of educational material to enable learning and the acquisition of knowledge. Indeed, The Body Shopââ¬â¢s pioneering efforts in the area of Community Trade is regarded by many as a model within the cosmetics industry and one that the organisation itself hopes that others will strive to emulate (The Body Shop, 2006c). In 1996, a Code of Conduct was constructed by The Body Shop which outlined the ethical standards to which all of its suppliers should adhere. The Code was developed further in 2005 to ensure its alignment with the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI) Base Code that sought to identify minimum standards for workers within a global context (The Body Shop, 2005). The Body Shop gave operational expression to the Code by setting up monitoring and assessment systems to ensure compliance by all its suppliers. The Body Shop also worked with those groups whose practices or conditions fell below that which was expected as it believed an educational and awareness raising approach was a more responsible and imaginative way to deal with none compliance than more Draconian responses. Indeed, there is evidence that by engaging with this audit process, suppliers have become more valuable as partners, not only for The Body Shop, but for other retailers and in some cases have caused suppliers to implement their own ethical trade agreements with others further down the supply chain. Whilst The Body Shop would appear to have pioneered the notion of Community Trade, at least if one were to accept the accuracy of the organisationââ¬â¢s publicity and promotional material, some anthropologists and activists have criticised the company for exaggerating the scale and nature of its programmes and other claims that have been made regarding its support for indigenous communities throughout the world. In 1994, it was estimated that Community Trade spending accounted for less than 0. 6 per cent of The Body Shopââ¬â¢s gross sales (Bavaria et al. , 1994). This figure is clearly meagre when compared with the finances of the fair trade organisation Traidcraft, which in the same year disclosed that no less than 31 per cent of its turnover came from fair trade sources (Entine, 1995). Such comparisons are used to question why The Body Shop focuses so much public attention on a programme that accounts for such a small proportion of its total business. Terence Turner, an anthropologist at the University of Chicago has argued that The Body Shopââ¬â¢s purchase of Brazil Nut oil from the Kayapo Indians did nothing to prevent the destruction of the their rain forests, as the company claimed in its public pronouncements. According to Turner, the Kayapo derived most of its income from selling logging and mining concessions on their lands, the very the activities that the Body Shop claimed to have protected through its Community Trade programme. Turner also argued that whilst The Body Shop used images of Kayapo Indians extensively in its stores and in other ââ¬Ëinformational broadsheetsââ¬â¢, to enhance its depiction as a culturally sensitive company, the villagers have not been fully compensated for the use of their images by the company in this way (Bavaria et al. , 1994). There is evidence also that some of The Body Shopââ¬â¢s Community Trade associations are patronising and have brought mixed economic benefits for producers, whilst creating tensions, divisions and evoking widespread disruption to the existing social order for indigenous communities. It has certainly not helped the Indians come together as one people; on the contrary, it has contributed to internal antagonisms and divisions, not to mention social dislocation and alienation which recently ruptured the community completelyââ¬â¢ (Corry, 1993:11). Environmental Protection As one would expect from a company that has aligned itself so fundamentally with ethical principles in its business practices and operations, environmental protection forms a significant part of The Body Shopââ¬â¢s philosophy of sustainable development. Indeed, since its creation, the organisation has supported the use of technologies and materials that cause minimal harm to the environment and its inhabitants and has promoted the use of resources and ingredients in its product lines that are renewable and sustainable. In 1976, when The Body Shop set up its first UK store in Brighton, it was the one of the first cosmetics companies to provide a refill service and actively encourage its customers to return their used containers and packaging for recycling, a practice that continues today (Roddick, 2006). In continuing its tradition of waste reduction The Body Shop has recently introduced plastic bottles made from one hundred per cent recycled material, an initiative that built upon the companyââ¬â¢s replacement of all its carrier bags in 2008 with recycled and recyclable paper bags, the environmental benefits of which are apparent (The Body Shop, 2006d). The Body Shop also sources wood products through suppliers who are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and hopes ultimately to become a carbon neutral retailer by 2010 (The Body Shop, 2006d). In seeking to turn the rhetoric of its environmental protection objectives into reality, the Body Shop is constantly exploring new ways to improve business practices that result in the reduction of the companyââ¬â¢s carbon footprint. Many of its stores have already benefitted from structural refurbishment projects that have resulted in energy efficiencies and more are planned in the future as part of an ongoing programme. Low energy lighting and heating systems, conversion of company cars to lower emission models and the reduction of air travel by Body Shop staff are all hoped to contribute towards the longer term objective of carbon neutrality. Where it is possible, The Body Shop is also committed to using renewable sources of energy to run its offices, stores and warehouses throughout the world. In the UK for example, sixty five per cent of its stores are linked to renewable energy contracts. Such energy saving and conservation strategies have been underpinned by awareness training for staff members, which it is hoped will lead to further reductions in the companyââ¬â¢s use of finite environmental resources (The Body Shop, 2009d). Although regulatory changes are planned in the future (DEFRA, 2006) public companies are not currently compelled by law to report on their environmental record, unlike the publication of financial statements, nor indeed maintain systems though which such data can be accurately captured. It is the case however that The Body Shop voluntarily published three independently verified environmental statements in 1992, 1993 and 1994, each of which met the criteria of the European Union Eco-Audit, which is now the Eco-Management and Audit scheme (EMAS). In 1994, The Body Shop enhanced and developed its environmental reporting strategy, by combining it with evidence based information of its performance and progress in a number of other areas. The outcome was the production of The Body Shopââ¬â¢s Values Report 1997, a document that is often seen as ââ¬Ëone of the most significant social performance reports ever preparedââ¬â¢ (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2009:798) and for which the company developed its own ethical auditing methodology (The Body Shop, 2008). Since then The Body Shop has produced further Values Reports, the latest of which includes contributions from a stakeholderââ¬â¢s panel and an external advisor Alan Knight. Alan serves on the UK Sustainable Development Commission and is a highly respected voice, whom we felt would challenge and provoke usââ¬â¢ (The Body Shop, 2009:8). Despite the apparently positive stance taken by The Body Shop on matters of environmental protection and its portrayal in the public domain as the very epitome of a progressive company, there are those who have challenged this perception and rather than being a champion of green issues within the cosmetics industry, believe the org anisation is concerned more with the pursuit of profit than it is with saving the planet (Suzuki, 1996). Whilst publicly declaring its commitment to recycling, The Body Shop has in the past printed its catalogues on ReComm Matte paper, a product produced by Georgia Pacific, a company based in Atlanta notorious for its environmental problems and the large scale harvesting of rainforest timber. Sources within The Body Shop at the time said that the firm had switched from the post-consumer waste recycled paper it was then using to the Georgia Pacific product in January of 1993, apparently because it was cheaper and glossier than the material it had replaced (Entine, 1996). The Body Shop has also phased out the use of reusable and more easily recyclable unbreakable glass containers in favour of plastic receptacles made from petrochemicals that are not recyclable in the majority of markets within which The Body Shop operates. Once again, sources within the company suggest that this move was motivated by escalating shipping costs and thus the imperative to save money, although was apparently promoted in the media and within company literature as being environmentally progressive. There is also evidence that some of The Body Shopââ¬â¢s processing operations have resulted in the discharge of non-biodegradable and some toxic chemicals into local sewerage systems. David Brook, former head of The Body Shopââ¬â¢s United States Environmental Department has confirmed a number of incidents that involved the leaking of materials from the companyââ¬â¢s facility in New Jersey. This is underpinned by public records held by the Hanover Sewerage Authority that cites three cases of discharge, although Michael Wynne, an official with the organisation suspected that there were probably more (Entine, 1994).
Friday, January 3, 2020
Analysis Of The Poem The Dead - 2307 Words
McCrea and Cheng have differing views on the role of identity within Joyceââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"The Dead.â⬠McCrea argues that identity is incomplete because of the limitations of language whereas Cheng argues that the cultural atmosphere shapes identity. I, however, agree with certain aspects of both arguments. Firstly, I believe that McCreaââ¬â¢s focus on failed communication is needed to understand the nature of identity within ââ¬Å"The Dead;â⬠however, McCrea incorrectly blames everything on the failure of language, when the individual and society is also partly responsible. Therefore, I believe that Chengââ¬â¢s argument, that the environment partly forms identity, is valid; however, he needlessly restricts the Conroysââ¬â¢ identities by directly comparing them to Britain and Ireland. I will use Chengââ¬â¢s focus on a culturally formed identity in tandem with McCreaââ¬â¢s thematic focus on failed communication within ââ¬Å"The Deadâ⬠to answer the ques tion of why Gabriel Conroyââ¬â¢s identity fades at the end of ââ¬Å"The Deadâ⬠(248). To answer this question, I will consider Gabrielââ¬â¢s personal thoughts about himself, others, and how he responds to each challenge he receives to his personhood. First, we must discuss the state of Gabrielââ¬â¢s identity before it fades. Before it fades, he is misunderstood. This fact is seen when Gabriel has a conversation with Lily. During this conversation, Gabriel exclaims that ââ¬Å"I suppose we ll be going to your wedding one of these fine days with your young manâ⬠(197). Lily responds, with ââ¬Å"greatShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem The Dead 1416 Words à |à 6 Pages The Dead Muse: A Critical Analysis of The Raven Your Name Your University Ã¢â¬Æ' The Dead Muse: A Critical Analysis of The Raven The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe is a very famous poem which intricately weaves layer upon layer of meaning through singsong verses. Combining allusions to literature, mythology and religion, the poem tells many stories at once while evoking a feeling of nonsense and a descent into insanity. It is hard to understand what the poem is aboutââ¬âif anything at all, and Poe does notRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Dead 1672 Words à |à 7 Pagesher money. It is set on this day, because it highlights Gabrielââ¬â¢s epiphany. He is there to break traditions, because they are either dead or dying, just like the Christ. He brings more modern views in regards to how the people respond and remember the dead. The dead in the story are the old traditions that they hold. Also, the memories the people there have on the dead from their past. Specifically, Grettaââ¬â¢s first love, Michael Furey. Gabriel is different from other party guests as he is more modernRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Living Dead 1479 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Living Dead: An Analysis of Emily Dickinsonââ¬â¢s 1861 version of ââ¬Å"Safe in their Alabaster Chambersââ¬âââ¬Å" Assorted critics commonly believe that Emily Dickinsonââ¬â¢s 1861 version of ââ¬Å"Safe in Their Alabaster Chambersââ¬ââ⬠indicates the speakerââ¬â¢s mood about death and religion. One criticââ¬â¢s view, specifically Brent E. Kinser, coincides with the common perception, and adds that she signifies the inevitability of death in the universe (Kinser 144). In his periodical, ââ¬Å"Dickinsonââ¬â¢s SAFE IN THEIR ALABASTER CHAMBERSâ⬠Read MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Dead 1399 Words à |à 6 Pageswould have happened given a certain set of circumstances, but a story all the same. The memories are recalled with a sense of melancholic nostalgia, as though by simply mulling over and transferring the memory to paper, the end will change. In ââ¬Å"The Dead,â⬠Joyceââ¬â¢s protagonist Gabriel Conroy depicted as someone generally considered well-respected, well-educated, and well-mannered. The story takes place over the course of one evening whereby Gabriel and his wife are attending a party hosted by his auntsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem For The Union Dead 1412 Words à |à 6 PagesThe poem ââ¬Å"For the Union deadâ⬠by Robert Lowell is one of the writings whose title is exquisitely regarded. Commencing as a private meditation of his childhood the poet flashbacks on the commitment of Colonel Robert Shaw a union officer who was assassinated during the battalion of the black soldiers during the time of the civil war. Altering from the historical ancient and modern analysis, the poet is depicted lamenting that the heroic nature in the Contemporary America has been eroded. The contemplationRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Dead 1804 Words à |à 8 Pagesthat ââ¬Å"The Deadâ⬠was ââ¬Å"Joyceââ¬â ¢s crowning masterpiece in the short story genre, both chronologically and aesthetically [â⬠¦as it] disappears or blends at different points [â⬠¦] only to converge in the epiphanic experience of Gabrielâ⬠(Monterrery 63). We witness Gabrielââ¬â¢s epiphany at the end of the story as he reflects on the eveningââ¬â¢s events and how important his family was in being a vehicle for his success. Joyce wrote, ââ¬Å"His soul had approached that region where dwell the vast hosts of the dead. [â⬠¦ H]isRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Dead Of Night 2410 Words à |à 10 Pages In the dead of night, caked in icy mud and blood from the abrasions of the brambles in the mire passed the Fluted Vale; Aberdeen escaped in the cover of darkness in scantly a stitch of clothing stark against her rice flower white skin. She removed leeches from her body with numb fingers and slight pain and annoyance as the chill of the cold ground permeated her tired cold bones in a place just past pure exhaustion. Her heart raced with a sluggish gurgle in her heart and she could feel it inRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Burial Of The Dead 2047 Words à |à 9 PagesThe third and the fourth sections of The Waste Land share the images of ââ¬Ëfireââ¬â¢ to rebuild the images of ââ¬Ëdeath and birthââ¬â¢ and connect them to the first section ââ¬Å"The Burial of the Deadâ⬠. ââ¬Å"The Fire Sermonâ⬠assumes the life after death, through Buddhism, and the medieval Christianity: Burning burning, Burning Burning O Lord Thou Pluckest O Lord Thou Pluckest Burning (TWL, 307-311) The fire image here represents the desires of the human beings yet is theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Dead Poets Society 863 Words à |à 4 PagesDead Poets Society is a 1989 film which tells the story of a group of boys who were in a strict private school, Welton Academy, where they must study rigorously. They were accustomed to memorizing information, never think of themselves until the arrival of Mr. John Keating who inspires his students to think of themselves and overcome their reluctance to make changes in their lives and stirs up their interests in poetry and literature. After watching this film, Mr Keating impressed many people deeplyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Fandom Of The Walking Dead 1167 Words à |à 5 PagesFor my ethnography project, I chose to study the fandom of The Walking Dead. For the purpose of this paper, I will refer to The Walking Dead as a comic, a video game, and a TV series. The focus of this ethnography is to understand how the comic book culture influences many fans. Since the series is based on a graphic novel series, and some of the fans are schooled in comic culture; they arrive with literacy in comic storytelling. Others who are not fans may recognize the visually and narrative
Thursday, December 26, 2019
The Great Depression Of The 1930 S - 1026 Words
John Maynard Keynes was the most influential economist of the 1900ââ¬â¢s and many of his ideas were adopted by Franklin D. Roosevelt to combat the Great Depression of the 1930ââ¬â¢s. With the passing of the economic crisis in 2008, countless articles have been published supporting Keynes and his economic thought. He originally investigated the origins of the Great Depression and remodeled the field of economics with a basic conclusion: economies recover from downturns by spending money. Keynes theorized that during financial downfalls, the public becomes frightened and decreases spending, this leads to more layoffs, which in turn leads to an even greater decline in consumption, creating a vicious cycle. Many of Keynesââ¬â¢ theories in The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (1936) are accurate, but are often overlooked in the legislative sector, due to political agendas triumphing over logic. ââ¬Å"When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. The measure of success attained by Wall Street . . . cannot be claimed as one of the outstanding triumphs of laissez-faire capitalism.â⬠I will be addressing Keynesââ¬â¢ concept of business cycles in The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Moneyââ¬âmainly focusing on the 2008 financial crisisââ¬âand analyze whether or not these arguments are more or less accurate than his other conclusions. I strongly believe that many of his ideas are true as heShow MoreRelatedThe Great Depression Of The 1930 S1476 Words à |à 6 Pagesthe great depression of the 1930ââ¬â¢s and the great recession in the United State of America. First, Iââ¬â¢ll make a general overview of each of these two different periods and then focus on certain specific aspects during these different times. This will include the causes to the economic recessions witnessed, impacts of the economic recessions and the solutions that were introduced. When talking about any topic regarding American history, it would be hard not to mention the 1930ââ¬â¢s great depression. AuthorsRead MoreThe Great Depression Of The 1930 S Essay762 Words à |à 4 PagesJohn Maynard Keynes was the most influential economist of the 1900ââ¬â¢s and many of his ideas were adopted by Franklin D. Roosevelt to combat the Great Depression of the 1930ââ¬â¢s. With the passing of the economic crisis in 2008, countless articles have been published supporting Keynes and his economic thought. He investigated the origins of the Great Depression and remodeled the field of economics with a basic conclusion: economies recover from downturns by spending money. Keynes theorized that duringRead MoreThe Great Depression Of The 1930 S832 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Great Depression of the 1930ââ¬â¢s was enveloped within a rather large scheme of issues that were left to the wayside until it was to late. One indefinite issue can not be highlighted, due to the co mplexity and despair the occurred during this time period. The date that begun the financial meltdown was noted as ââ¬Å"Black Tuesdayâ⬠, this specific date occurred on October 29, 1929. Perhaps though, this was a day of climaxing events that exacerbated the Great Depression. The time period that preceded theRead MoreGreat Depression Of The 1930 S1439 Words à |à 6 Pagesintroduction of GATT, it is important to note that the trade was not always free. Many nation states including the United States had protectionist policies in place to give them an advantage. These protectionist policies grew during the great depression of the 1930ââ¬â¢s and these depressing economic conditions are believed to be what gave rise to Hitler and the Second World War. According to David. N. Balaam and Bradford Dillman, authors of the introduction to International Political Economics 6th editionRead MoreThe Great Depression Of The 1930 S2417 Words à |à 10 Pagescrisis, next to the great depression of the 1930ââ¬â¢s. The meltdown revealed the instability of the US banking system and led to the bankruptcy of investment firm Leimen brothers, and collapse of worlds largest insurance company AIG, which triggered a global financial crisis. International share prices tumb led, causing 30 million people to become unemployed and doubling the US debt. It was the start of a global recession and it was not an accident. â⦠¡ - History After the great depression the US went 40Read More Canada and The Great Depression of the 1930s1378 Words à |à 6 Pages1929-1939- The Great Depression The depression years of 1929 - 1939 proved to be the worst, and some of the best years for Canada and Canadians. It was a time of extreme highs and lows socially, emotionally, and economically. It was a time that Canada came into her own being on the world wide stage. During the worst depression years in Canada, there were many people who tried tirelessly to get Canada out of the crisis she was in more quickly and efficiently. William Aberhart and his group ofRead MoreThe Great Depression And Harsh Weather Conditions During The 1930 S1453 Words à |à 6 Pages The United States experienced both the Great Depression and harsh weather conditions during the 1930ââ¬â¢s causing Americans to suffer through extreme hardship and impoverishment. Many of the migrant farmers were bankrupt, destitute, and struggled to survive. Photographer and photojournalist, Dorothea Lange, captured the dangerous conditions migrant workers and their families endured through her photograph, Migrant Mother. The photograph not only displays a woman and children suffering, but also revealsRead MoreThe Effects Of Global Economic Crisis On The Great Depression Of The 1930 S876 Words à |à 4 PagesWhile the causes of the global economic crisis are still widely debated, a vast majority of economists agree that it was the worst global recession since the Great Depression of the 1930ââ¬â¢s. Large factors that contributed to it are greed, risk assessments, fraud, the Federal Reserve in the United States lowering interest rates, rating agencies, credit default swaps, international currencies being depreciated to the United states dollar, and sub-prime mortgages. Banks in the United States were borrowingRead MoreHistory Of The Financial Crisis During The Great Depression Of The 1930 S1823 Words à |à 8 Pagesaccounts on what the financial crisis was and how it started with different people giving different opinions on what caused the crisis. According to the IMF (international Monterey Fund), it is said to be the worst financial crisis since the Great depression of the 1930ââ¬â¢s. The first claims that the chief root was government involvement in the housing market, this contribution is said to have overvalued a housing bubble and resulted in the crisis. Another attributes the financial crisis to greedy wall streetRead MoreThe events of the 1930ââ¬â¢s, or the Great Depression, did the most to influence contemporary America.900 Words à |à 4 Pagesof the 1930ââ¬â¢s, or the Great Depression, did the most to influence contemporary America. During the twenties, America was at its most prosperous economic times until the stock market crashed in 1929. The stock market crash led to a dramatic decline of the U.S. economy. The decline in the economy changed Americans everyday lives. In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president and he created the New Deal to provide relief, recovery and reform. The Depression impacted America in the 1930ââ¬â¢s in every
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Tips For Improving The Value Of Your Home - 1035 Words
Some Tips for Improving the Value of Your Home Ever find yourself watching HGTV and going like, Wow! I didn t think of that! or I d like to do that. Well, where there is a will, there s always a way. My husband and I recently put the house we ve called home for the last decade up on the market, and truth be told, we had no money stashed away somewhere for home improvements. Regardless of how costly home improvement can be, we were determined to pull it off on our budget. I d like to share some things that we did to increase our home s value - they are in no particular order. Tip #1: Inspect Before Listing This was our first home and it was brand new when we bought it. Besides the normal wear and tear, we had pretty much taken care of it (or so we thought). Nevertheless, we contacted a licensed home inspector and his report revealed some things that would have messed up our listing price. For example, the few floor squeaks that we had learned to live with, apparently were an unacceptable item on his list. Our basement had radon gas of levels slightly higher than 4.0pCu/l, another unacceptable condition. With this inspection, we were able to fix things that we didn t even know were a major issue. Keep your inspection report and all the receipts of the work done in a file in case your potential buyer wants to see proof. Note: It is possible for an inspector to miss something crucial. You have been living in the home, you know it better than anyone. Take time toShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Sluggers Come Home1271 Words à |à 6 Pages| | |The Sluggers Come Home | | | Read MoreEssay On Home Selling Market729 Words à |à 3 PagesHow to Make your Home Stand out in a Competitive Home- selling Market Most home sellers are always looking for ways that they can make their homes more appealing to potential buyers. When you finally make a decision of selling your home, you should be aware that the home selling market is a competitive one. This is because there are other homes in the market that have similar features just like yours. If you want your home to stand out in the market, then you must be willing to put effort and timeRead MoreHome Maintenance1060 Words à |à 5 PagesProblems with home maintenance can become harmful if not taken care of in a timely manner. The most cost-effective way to protect your home is with ongoing and preventive maintenance. Spending time and money now can help avoid costly repairs and improve your homeââ¬â¢s ability to with stand natural hazards. Ongoing maintenance goes a long way toward avoiding costly repairs, improving energy efficiency, prolonging the life of major systems and appliances and preserving your homeââ¬â¢s value. A regular sc heduleRead MoreDisadvantages of a Nuclear Family1478 Words à |à 6 Pagesthe importance of sharing, being patient, and simultaneously, their lives get enriched while living in a joint family.à à Sharing work, finances, space, love and affection is what comes to my mind when one thinks of a joint family. In many Indian homes, people still prefer joint families to nuclear families. There are reasons a plenty for this preference but the common reason is stability in family ties. à Rinki, a homemaker in a joint family, feels that bringing up a child is a mammoth task forRead MoreTraining Manual on Communication, Conflict Resolution and Ethics1369 Words à |à 6 Pagescommunicator you are able to communicate and relay your message without being misinterpreted. Effective communication combines a set of skills including nonverbal communication, attentive listening, the ability to manage stress in the moment, and the capacity to recognize and understand your own emotions and those you are communicating with (helpguide.org, n.d.). Conflict is the struggle that results when people with different and seemingly incompatible goals, values, or agendas disagree (Healthfirst UniversityRead MoreThe Art of Negotiating1715 Words à |à 7 PagesArt of Negotiating T. Sivasankaran Advesh Consultancy Services Chennai India Factors to successful negotiation 1) Mastery 2) Skill 3) Knowledge 4) Awareness BASICS OF NEGOTIATION : BASICS OF NEGOTIATION â⬠¢ We all negotiate, all the time- at home, with friends, at office, in public These negotiations can be about anything Negotiation is the most effective way of resolving conflicts and securing agreement A two way discussion to agree terms Conferring for the purpose of mutual agreement A processRead MoreThe Importance Of Marketing And Concept Of Customer Value1385 Words à |à 6 Pagesrelative to what they give up (Valarie, 1988). Therefore, meeting their needs and understanding customer value have become the top priority for all marketers. This essay will focus on identify the importance of marketing and concept of customer value, as well as the link between them. The Importance of Marketing Facing a constantly depressed global economy and increasingly fierce competition, improving management and restructuring showed unsatisfactory results. Therefore, marketing is obviously becomingRead MoreWhy I Didn t Not Trust Auto Save And Do It The Long Way?868 Words à |à 4 Pagesthe time and effort to overcome these short comings. Thereââ¬â¢s beauty in failure. It is in knowing these things, the areas I need to improve, and the effort I need to overcome these short comings that growth and success can manifest itself. Part of improving is looking back at what was done well in the semester, and what went wrong. I think I have a strong feel for the structure of an essay and have full control over the writing process. For example, I still outline individual paragraphs when I getRead MoreClassic : The Classic Plan1559 Words à |à 7 Pagesneeded preventive screenings and tests. Members who complete five eligible activities within a single calendar year will receive five $10 gift cards from national retailers. The program is designed to reinforce health messages and support your efforts to encourage your Humana-covered patients to get the screenings and tests they need (Humana, 2012). In addition, Humana is teaming with the South African company Discovery Holdings to offer a wellness program aimed at reducing its medical claims and loweringRead MorePersonal Statement On Leadership And Leadership1226 Words à |à 5 Pagestheir own goals but the goals of my unit and the Coast Guard. 3. From these experiences I have developed my leadership philosophy around a few guiding principles. First- Be professional in all that you do. This does not mean just being a ââ¬Å"master of your craftâ⬠by being the best shooter, boat driver, or armorer; rather, being a professional Coastie. Treat people that you encounter with dignity and respect, sooner or later you will need their assistance for mission success. Maintain a neat, fit, and
Monday, December 9, 2019
Performance Management Eerie Ltd
Question: Discuss about thePerformance Managementfor Eerie Ltd. Answer: Evaluation Our company Eerie Ltd has been in operations for 8 years. We manufacture sensors and we implemented a hybrid strategy of cost leader and differentiation strategies to manufacture and sell our products. The performance analysis showed that we took some business decisions, out of which, some turned out to be productive and others were a failure. The overall performance outcomes were not good as expected. The company did well in managing the costs and maintained a balanced financial structure throughout the course of 8 years. What backfired at us was that during the implementation of the hybrid strategy we forgot that it needs time for a new company to gain a strong and competent brand image, and it put the company at risk of missing customers. It resulted in a loss for the company, as high expenditure in plant expansion could not be handled because of insufficient customers and led to taking emergency loans twice. In addition, we made some poor investments in TQM initiatives that resulted in low returns. (Ward and Peppard 2016). The hybrid strategy worked for us in the case of product identity. Due to the objective of the company in being present in every segment of the market and improving RD competency the company readily passed high provider costs to consumers due the absence of alternative products in the market. A loyal customer base helps keep the revenue flow of the company st eady and diminishes the impact of recessions and inflations. The strategy was not ideal for the company as there was a risk of being imitated by competitors at every stage (Rothaermel 2015). By implementing cost leadership, Eerie Ltd tried to beat competition by offering products at a low price than others, compromising on RD costs, material costs and production costs. It helped us in competing with other companies in the price segment and improved our sales. We also were able to maintain a good balance between debt and equity. Manufacturing of low end and conventional products helped us minimize labor costs also. The benefits that our company reaped were the minimization of costs, but missed acquiring significant market share. It brought profits and a good volume of demand because of the lower prices. The thin profit margin does not allow the competitors to regain their previous positions in the market (Lechner and Gudmundsson 2014). Focusing on cost and price reduction took away the attention from catering to customer choices and preferences. Competitors imitated this strategy of making money fast and lowered their product prices. Low investment in RD slowed down imple mentation of innovative and new technologies. It resulted in reduced introduction of customer demanded products. The firm suffered from loss in the context of ROS and ROE, which resulted in lack of confidence from the investors side. Later on ROE improved due to proper utilization of assets and stocks. Low investment also made the whole research and development process slow, and by the time a new product was developed the technology became obsolete. It made the firms high-end product segment suffer and lose out from the competition. To focus in expenditure reduction we did not concentrate of customer satisfaction, and it is a very important factor in acquiring maximum market share. Moreover, initially we were conservative in introducing new products due to low capital. To focus on recouping the costs, our company decided to charge customers above average prices. It did not agree with the previous decision of price reduction to bring in good volume of sale. However, with the increase in price, the customer base began to decrease and the demand of our products came down. Sales and profit margins went down (Hill, Jones and Schilling 2014). While evaluating the decisions we took, while implementing some business strategies, we learnt how to avoid mistakes in future and take better decisions to bring in maximum profits for the company. After finding out about our low profit margins and reduced demand we understood that we forgot to give importance to one thing i.e., customer satisfaction. We also understood that the way to satisfy customers is to provide them with products and services that fulfill their tastes and preferences. Customers are satisfied when they are provided with new and innovative products regularly. The product should also abide by the factors of low price and high efficiency. Ultimate customer satisfaction results in high demand and in turn increases profit margins. A good amount of revenue generation leads to the acquiring of more market share and winning over competitors. Thus, it is imperative that a companys products and its prices are satisfactory and reasonable enough to attract the maximum numbe r of clients and create high demand in turn (Oliver 2014). What I learnt from this whole success and failure situation is how to solve problems and manage crises effectively. I learnt a lot of things through this simulation and certain aspects of my decision making improved. I improved on how to identify the purpose of the decision to be taken. Identifying the problem and the requirement is the first step to taking good decisions. I bettered on gathering information related to the problem. My data collection relevancy improved and so did my ability to judge information on the basis of amount. Not all data gathered is required, and unwanted data needs to be eliminated (Clinton 2012). I improved on how to judge the alternative solutions, on what criteria should they be assessed and then formulate the appropriate solution to the matter in hand. I learnt how to examine each alternative and calculate their possible outcomes and consequences. The cons and pro analysis of each alternative is necessary so that a suitable solution can be decided upon . The next thing I improved upon is how to implement and transform the solution chosen into the specific action plan and how to execute the whole plan effectively. I finally learnt and polished on my skills evaluating the outcomes of my decision in the matter and how to decide on my further action steps (Ferrell and Fraedrich 2015). The gaps I identified in the whole evaluation process are my inability to depend upon my intuition and reasoning skills. I failed to give importance to my sense that arose from my experiences and my perceptions. I also could not improve upon my reasoning skills. I acted impulsively and only took decisions based on short-term objectives instead of long term ones (Betsch and Haberstroh 2014). Because of that, my company had to incur debts and had to take emergency loans after falling short on capital and funds. Companies take decisions to reduce risks in any new and uncertain ventures. Decisions get influenced by surrounding uncertainties that are not in control of the company at times. Identifying and attempts to control these factors put the company in the path of accurately improve their decision making processes. Some other factors that influence my decision-making in any situation are different cognitive biases, rise in commitment and sunken results, individual differences and a belief in individual relevance. Cognitive biases over dependence on previous experience of decision making, viewpoint bias, belief bias, omission bias and confirmation bias. Cognitive biases help individuals in relying more on observations and taking efficient decisions (Arceneaux 2012). Sometimes people take decisions at the heat of the moment and give rise to irrational commitment. They get a tendency of taking risky decisions when they sense they are responsible for negative outcomes. Individual differences like demographic and socio-economic factors influence the ability to take decisions and add in personal preferences. Personal relevance gives rise to decisions based on the belief of individuals that they are providing material and effective decisions. All these factors have a direct influence on decision making processes (Saaty and Vargas 2013). References Arceneaux, K., 2012. Cognitive biases and the strength of political arguments.American Journal of Political Science,56(2), pp.271-285. Betsch, T. and Haberstroh, S. eds., 2014.The routines of decision making. Psychology Press. Clinton, J.R., 2012.The making of a leader: Recognizing the lessons and stages of leadership development. NavPress. Ferrell, O.C. and Fraedrich, J., 2015.Business ethics: Ethical decision making cases. Nelson Education. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014.Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Lechner, C. and Gudmundsson, S.V., 2014. Entrepreneurial orientation, firm strategy and small firm performance.International Small Business Journal,32(1), pp.36-60. Oliver, R.L., 2014.Satisfaction: A behavioral perspective on the consumer. Routledge. Rothaermel, F.T., 2015.Strategic management. McGraw-Hill. Saaty, T.L. and Vargas, L.G., 2013.Decision making with the analytic network process: economic, political, social and technological applications with benefits, opportunities, costs and risks(Vol. 195). Springer Science Business Media. Ward, J. and Peppard, J., 2016.The Strategic Management of Information Systems: Building a Digital Strategy. John Wiley Sons.
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