Organization Theory and Design by Daft, RL Essay

Organization Theory and Design by Daft, RL - Essay Example Rites of Renewal: The 'culture fit' after a long time in practice wanes its characteristics. To rejuvenate the organization with more or less the same culture-specific new rites are implemented from time to time. They are essentially system-supportive; and enthuse in the employees' mind a hope that their expectation is being realized, so that they reinforce their motivation in the organization as before. Rites of Passage: They help in new recruitments in the organization. The pre-training in the military and the police, extensive and intensive testing, screening, counseling, group discussion, interviews and assessment exercises are examples of these rites. Rites of Integration: These rites foster social co-relation by reviving common feelings and realsing individuals' commitment to the bound to the organization. They attempt at bringing people of different hierarchy through recreational activities like giving parties, picnic and joining en mass the common eating, drinking, dancing and other exchange performances. 1(b). Mission Culture: The 'mission culture' is as defined by D Denison in 'Corporate Culture and organizational Effectiveness' (1990) is a hypothesis that concentrates on certain values, goals and cultures (or subcultures) to achieve within a timescale. For this it lays a set of shared definition of the function and purpose for an organization. It is concerned with both internal factors and external environment to make the shared values positively effective. It has primarily two focused motivations. One, it instills in the mind of the employees non-economic reasons along with the economic targets, for employing their efforts for the well-being of the organizational set-up: there lies their own wellbeing. It sets a defined direction and cherished end-goals to follow for the organization. The Adaptability Culture: Adaptability culture is however more plastic in nature. It involves risk taking efforts, trusting each other. It follows a proactive approach to organizational life and is quick to recognize a possible hurdle and find its solution. It instills a positive confidence in the ability of the persons of all ranks and thus enthuse in them to achieve the 'mission culture'. Good examples of the 'mission cultures' which have made themselves a name to reckon with in the world are the McDonalds, Honda, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). McDonalds has a mission culture, while its varying menus for different cultures is the example of its adaptability culture. Therefore we may say that adaptability culture is more effective in achieving the target than the mission culture which is its mere identity with all unique technologies. 1(c). Culture strength: The strength that derives an organization is enshrined in a set of rules to be followed by strictly. Deviation is not tolerated. It rather makes people to instill assurance and certainty about the organization and is closely associated with durability of it. Only then the employees have faith in the organization and hence can be motivated to accomplishment. (Hmapden-Turner; 1990:13). Subcultures: They are just opposite of the culture strength in characteristics. Every dominant culture is characterized by some small homogeneous sets of beliefs, values and assumptions within it. The dominant culture

The impact of service recovery on customer satisfaction, loyalty and Literature review

The impact of service recovery on customer satisfaction, loyalty and word-of-mouth - Literature review Example This essay discusses that service quality in the hospitality industry and hotels specifically has been an area of great research interest. Research has shown importance of service quality. Parsuraman et al. indicated that service quality of hotels is both a significant differentiator and the most aggressive weapon possessed by them. Leading organizations in the hotel industry ensure to put up a high level of service quality over their competitors for over large durations of time. The relationship between service quality and customer loyalty has been of great interest. Researchers have also investigated the relationship between customer loyalty and the complaints received from the customer. Heskett et al. define customer loyalty as repeated purchasing by the same customer and their willingness to recommend the product/service to other customers without any outright benefits. High customer loyalty is beneficial to the organization as it reduces the firms’ marketing costs and inc reases its market share. There can be various reasons of a customer being loyal to a hotel. While some might be loyal because of lack of options, others might face the problem of high cost of switching. Wong and Sohal in their research found that there is a positive relationship between service quality and customer loyalty in the retail trade. Researchers have concluded that service quality is positively related to behavioural outcomes including word-of-mouth, complaints, recommendations and loyalty. Measurement of the service quality expectations of service organizations is primarily done by using the tool SERVQUAL or its variants. Babakus & Boller (1992) and Carman (1990) found that amongst the hotel customers, the most important service quality dimensions are: assurance, reliability and tangibles. Many further studies (Saleh & Ryan, 1999; Fick & Ritchie, 1991) suggested the absence of any significant differences among the rankings of any of the five dimensions. The application of Servqual to two fine dining restaurants revealed the emergence of assurance, and reliability as importance expectations of the customers, and tangibles as the least important (Lee & Hing, 1995). Gabbie and O’Neill (1997) in their research in the hotel sector found that reliability and assurance were the most important

Sony Corporation Essay Example for Free

Sony Corporation Essay Sony Corporation is engaged in the development, design, manufacture, and sale of electronic equipment and devices, as well as game consoles and software. It is also engaged in the production and distribution of motion picture, home entertainment, television products, and recorded music. Further, Sony is also engaged in the financial services businesses, including insurance operations through their Japanese insurance subsidiaries and banking operations through a Japanese Internet -based banking subsidiary. Sony ‘s primary manufacturing facilities are located in Asia. They have a broad sales network, registered in approximately 200 countries and territories. Primarily, Sony ’s products are marketed in Japan, the United States, and Europe. Sony has a history of more than 60 years. In 1946 in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Masuru Ibaka and Akio Morita founded a company called Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation, also known as Totsuko, with start up capital of 190,000 yen fo r the research and manufacture of telecommunications and measuring equipment. (Sony, 2010) With branches all over the world and with an annual revenue about 68.39 billion US dollars, it can be considered as a huge company. The companys headquarters are situated in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It is one of the leaders in the field of electronic equipment, communication and information technology (IWALOM LIMITED, 2010). After moving their head office and factory to Shinagawa, Tokyo, they successfully produced and launched a power megaphone and completed the first magnetic tape recorder prototype that was produced and launched in early 1950 and called the G-Type. In the early 1950’s Ibaka traveled to the United States and came across Bell Labs’ invention of the transistor. He negotiated with Bell to license the transistor technology to his company intending to apply it to communications, while most American companies were looking for military applications. In 1955 they launched Japan’s first transistor radio, the TR-55. While they were not the first to produce the transistor radio, they were the first to make it commercially successful as the product took off in Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and Germany as well as within Japan and continued to be a good seller till the sixties. In 1957 Totsuko produced the  TR-63 model, the smallest transistor radio in commercial production at the time, which was a worldwide success, ultimately cracking open the American market and launching the new industry of consumer electronics. One year later, in January of 1958, they changed the company Description of the elements of macro environment. An organization’s macro environment consists of nonspecific aspects in the organization surrounding that have the potential to affect the organization’s strategies. When compared to a firm’s task environment, the impact of macro environment variables is less direct and the organization has a more limited impact on these elements of the environment. Macro environmental variable include socio-cultural, technological, political – legal, and economic. A firm considers there variable as part of its environment scanning to better understand the threats and opportunities created by the variable and how strategic plans need to be adjusted so the firm can obtain competitive advantage. Socio – Cultural Factors The socio-cultural dimensions of the environment consist of lifestyles, and values that characterize the society in which the firm operates. Socio – cultural components of the environment influence the ability of the firm to obtain resources, make its goods and services, and function within the society. Socio – cultural factors include anything within the context of society that has the potential to affect an organization. Population demographics, rising educational levels, norms and values, and attitude toward social responsibility are examples socioculturalvariables. Technological Factors. Technology is another aspect of the environment a firm should consider in developing strategic plans. Changing technology may affect the demand for a firms products and services, its production processes, and raw materials. Technological changes may create new opportunities for the firm, or threaten the survival of a product, firm, or industry. Technological innovation continues to move at an increasingly rapid rate. Political And Legal Factors. The political-legal dimension of the general environment also affects business activity. The philosophy of the political parties in power influences business practices. The legal.. Environmental factors that influence Sony Corporation Macro environmental factors Political factor Political factors could have a direct impact on the ways Sony operates. Government often makes new decisions involving policy or legislation and it affect daily business.In the directive of businesses, the political factors have a huge influence. An example of political factors that affects Sony which includes government laws is minimum wage law. This would affect Sony as the minimum wage law keeps changing every year. As in the same time product cost also keeps on changing, this will make Sony facing losses. Due to various governmental regulations in the different countries, Sony has to adapt different strategies in the countries it operates. Sony had passed a Global Policy On Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in 1998. It deals with group standard and shows Sony’s cares about the health and safety of its employees. It also requires fullfilment with all the laws regarding ooccupational health and safety. (Sony Corporation, 2009). To manage the chemicals which the use of it is controlled by goverment ennvironmental legislation use at sites, a group-wide common approach is developed by Sony. Sony not only manage the chemicals used but also the amount released into the air, water and soil in order to not affect the environment. Sony sites apply internal standards based on Japans Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) (Sony Corporation, 2009). Among Class 1 substances, Sony used 412 kilograms of mercury as an additive in button batteries and 30 kilograms of lead solder, which is used in certain exceptional cases, including automotive applications.Sony used perfluorooctane sulfonate(PFOS) that is Class 2 substances in semiconductor fabrication in fiscal year 2009, but eliminated this substance in March 2010. Class 3 chemical substances are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases. The Sony Groups target in terms of the atmospheric release of VOCs is to achieve an absolute reduction of 40% or more from the fiscal year 2000 level by fiscal year  2010. In fiscal year 2009, Sony released approximately 1,190 tons of Class 3 chemical substances, which is 204 tons less than in fiscal year 2008 and 35% less than in fiscal year 2000. The principal factor behind this decline was the implementation of production adjustments in response to the global economic downturn. With new semiconductor fabrication facilities expec ted to come on line, Sony expects emissions of Class 3 substances to increase and will take steps to counteract these increases, including installing gas scrubbing equipment and amending production processes. (Sony Corporation, 2009) This is how Sony Corporation manage all the harmful chemicals used by them. Lastly, political factors could have a direct impact on the ways Sony operates. The impact that could impact Sony Corporation is an international company and in all countries the leadership style is different. Sony utilsed a Global Policy On Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in 1998. It shows Sony’s cares about the health and safety of its employees. Sony not only manage the chemicals used but also the amount released into the air, water and soil in order to not affect the environment.Although Sony use three class of chemical substances which are quite harmful for their products, but Sony have taken a full measures to make sure not harming the environment This shows Sony Corporation cares about the environment and also obey goverment rules that is do not harm the environment. Lastly, Sony Corporation is an international company that does business in the whole world. It is important for Sony to follo w all the rules implied by the goverment. Social factors Demographic and cultural aspects includes in the social factors of the external environment. Sony has also been affected by social issues from time to time. This is mainly because Sony has so widely expanded into different cultures and different markets that it tends to become hard to deal with all the diversity. The social factors which influences Sony varies in each country. These show the customer’s needs and the size of the potential markets in every country. Social factors such as health consciousness of customers and consumer health rates might affect Sony. Usually the older population may not be interested in the latest Sony Products which includes more advance technology despite the better income they may receive, they are  more interested in the simplicity of the products they buy.Countries such as third world countries, for example some Asian and African countries may not be able to afford to buy Sony products which are quite expensive products. Instead these consu mers will on the other hand buy a cheaper brand.Home life changes have a big influence on attitudes and expectations of consumer. Nowadays, telephone and catalogue sales are increasingly popular.Lately many youths demand better features such as better access to entertainments in their electronic products. This creates a demand for Sony’s products such as Play Station Portable (PSP) and Sony MP3 Player. Research shows that by 2005 Japans population will be over age of 65. Thus, Sony home-care robots for elders will soon be a social necessity (Kunii, I. M. and Port, O., 2001). Lastly, social factor is one of the factors that affect Sony’s business. The social factors which influences Sony varies in each country. These show the customer’s needs and the size of the potential markets in every country. Social factor involve customer’s income, attitude, behaviour and other factors of a customer. It is important for Sony to fully understand and know well about customer. So that, they can target their specific product to which type of consumer they want to sell. Ecological Environment Climate change is something unpredictable and unchangeable. It might become a threat to Sony corporate activities and also society. Generally, it is also give a chance to Sony an opportunity to become one of the solutions. Sony tackle climate change is an important commitment for them. this is to ensure their business continuity. Sony strongly believes that there is a need for protect the environment. Moreover, responses and eco conscious actions must be taken before it gives impact to Sony Company. For instance, rising sea levels and abnormal weather which cause by climate change could predict the underlying physical risks. Furthermore, the markets might change a flow, as their perceptions change to another purchasing trend. Sony has realized this problem where it could be social and financial ramifications, so to deal with legal and regulatory developments; the Company is evaluating the risks and also be alert to solve this problem anytime. For example, the Company started to colle ct information on laws and regulation in force in different countries to make sure that activities and products are match with the  existing requirements. Moreover, climate change might influence Sony existing opportunities. An obvious example is the highly use of products boasting improved energy efficiency ratings to help minimize the factors that spur climate change (Sony, 2011). Sony’s electronics products mainly contain few hundred or thousand parts that made from chemical substances. If these parts are not handed well, it may harm the environment. To prevent such environmental harm, Sony has set up necessary procedures according with the EU’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation’s requirement. So, Sony follows the JIB initiative (Joint Industry Guide) to collect data on certain chemical substances that buy from suppliers. At last, Sony follows the survey response tool by JGPSSI (Japanese Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative) for materials declaration that contains information on the parts, purpose of use and so on (Sony, 2011). Sony should obey the rules and laws to continue their business and also to preserve the environment. Additionally, Sony has to think more solution to face the climate change and ways to protect the environment. Environment technology Sony is working hard on their products to reduce the effect towards the environment. It is to decrease the total energy that used and also reduce the resource in their product, such as BRAVIA and VAIO. Moreover, Sony has an effective supply chain management of controlling, reducing, and eliminating the use of chemical substances on their products. For instance, recycled plastic in product and the development of vegetables based product. All these are to preserve the environment being polluted (Sony, 2011). Sony has compliance lab at Stuttgart, Germany which specialize in efficient and accurate of chemical compounds and materials that can match with their electronic products. Among their initiatives, they are using more and more recycled materials, and renewable energy in factories and offices which use around 32 sites in Europe alone itself. However, starting 2010, Sony’s objective is to maintain sustainable consumer electronic brand. Moreover, they are also wish to continue t heir success work in 2009. The main purpose of the eco activity is to show that technology can overcome the climate change and how they can help with the change. So, Sony office, warehouses  and manufacturing around Europe have cut down CO2 emissions drastically, but they are still aiming to cut down more 10% emission for UK specific sites. Sony has established green teams in the UK businesses where people coordinate activity and the communication at different sites. This includes cutting general power consumption in facilities and offices, employee travel especially flights. Additionally, some of the effort and new ways can bring former costs down and help reconstruct business models in a different economical ways. Nowadays, people are more concern companies’ environment standpoint. Companies which are environmentally friendly, practices, products, and services are being seen by the buyers and also stakeholders (GreenPacks.org, 2011). Sony Europe is applying their eco thinking so that they can maximize the use of the renewable energy. Sony uses renewable energy is to reduce carbon dioxide emission. In year 2008, a record shown that a reduction of 55,216 tons of CO2 emissions in Europe, itself (92,000 tons globally). Sony uses shipping more efficiently by reducing the packaging and the size towards less CO2 intensive forms of transport such as barge transport (Sony, 2011). Next is about dye sensitized solar cell. It can produce electricity by converting energy from light. This type of cell is produced by low cost materials so manufacturing expenditures will be lower. Moreover, vegetable based plastic can last long and fire resistant which is suitable use for durable consumer goods. Sony has decided use this material in year 2002 for walkman cases use. After that, it has been widely used in different products including DVD players, VAIO devices and so on (Sony, 2011). It is undeniable that technologies can help to protect the environment, so Sony should take this advantage to maximize the use of technology and contribute it to the environment. The uses of technology can reduce carbon dioxide; apparently can avoid green house effect. Customer ‘No customer there is no business.’ Customer satisfaction will be a target of company. SONY business can improve customer satisfaction. (David Eaves, 2010) If we make the customer feel that they are special, customer will be appreciate us and help in increase our dividends in business with support our product. (Adhijik Naik, 2011) For example, SONY camera gives a high quality services to customers and meet their needs. Sony’s promoter will  give more details and information to customers when they have question or problem with buying SONY camera. Information about SONY camera will attract their interested in SONY camera and needs. They will feel more satisfy when using SONY camera. Then their satisfaction will be achieved through SONY camera. So, customers are very important in our business because they can easily influence our level of business. Then, with customer it will increase sales by up selling and cross selling other products. (David Eaves, 2010) Up sell ing means promote the product to attractive customer to buy it while cross selling means sell the product in another branch. SONY will have an excellent profit and their sales will increased with loyal customer to support it. For example, SONY’s promoter describes the function and advantages of SONY camera to customer and compared with another product. They use their technique to persuade customer such as cheaper prices or special package of SONY camera. Besides, customer can satisfy and increasing requires of business on the need to efficiently route and apply fresh idea. Customer can also help in increasing business revenue. (Gaynor Borade, non-year) For example, customer will purchase the SONY camera and SONY Company will earn profit from them and their business will achieve a high target. SONY Company also always creates some new fresh function of SONY camera to attractive customer to purchase in order to earn profit and their loyalty to SONY camera. So, SONY Company will have a stable commerce with emergence of the customer. In addition, customer can become addition of the businesss behavior. That’s mean customer enable the entrepreneur to observe the growth of business into dream mission planned. (Gaynor Borade, non-year) To success in a business, entrepreneur always observe customer’s needs, wants, and demands in order to make a strong strategy to attain achievement. For example, they create the SONY camera according to customer’s favourite for instance different colour of camera and it will attract them to purchase it even improve business environment to better. From the analysis above, it is obviously that customer is very important to SONY Company because customer’s needs, wants, and demands even their response will influence the SONY camera will be purchased or not. More customers there will higher market value of SONY camera while fewer customers there will lowest market value of SONY camera. S upplier Suppliers always work as equal partner and building relationships according to mutual trust (Sony Corporation, 2011). A supplier can satisfy a market function when he creates a new relationship with customer and partners. (Walter A., 2003) For example, suppliers promote and transmit the SONY camera to partners and have a good communication with them when they are selling SONY camera to customer. When partners satisfy with supplier and SONY camera then they will continue have a business with them in order to satisfy a market function. After that, Sony strengthens relationship with suppliers in make stronger technological capability, guarantee and advancing the quality of parts and sustaining competitive prices. Besides that, Sony manage and observing ‘Sony Group Environmental Vision† together with supplier in order to protect the global environment and realize a sustainable culture. (Sony Corporation, 2011) So, suppliers have strong bargaining power in SONY Company. Suppliers are very important in developing new technology of SONY camera in SONY Company. Sony Company always creates and supply camera to customers in order to fulfil their needs, wants and demands. So, suppliers are important to become Sony partners to provide the product to customers and create a value in SONY Company. When supplier provides different prices and materials of SONY camera then it will affect competitive among SONY. Then SONY Company’s business will reduced and less profit will be gained. So, SONY Company are always expects supplier to provide items at greatly reasonable prices and make a concentrated effort to decrease cost. (Sony Corporation, 2011) Lastly, it shows that supplier is vital in SONY companies. It plays a role in building relationship and strengthens it among customer and SONY product. Supplier’s service will bring good outcomes for SONY companies and get a well performance in the market. Intermediaries Retailer and wholesaler are included in intermediaries. Regarding to SONY’s website analysis, without intermediaries there is a difficult to get SONY product. (Sony electronics Inc, 2011) For example, intermediaries need to purchase SONY camera from SONY Company and set an acceptable prices even a quality package of SONY camera in order to fulfil customer and let them easy to purchase SONY camera. These processes are vital in a business. Through research of SONY’s website, retailer is also helps customer to prevent from  buying low quality product. When customer purchase SONY camera from retailer, they can be assured that they are purchasing a high quality product. Retailer can confirm quality of SONY camera and provide warranty for customers. If retailer fulfil customer satisfaction there will achieve a high level of business because of high responses from SONY customer. So, retailer can assure customers to have greatest experience when buying a SONY camera from reseller. (Sony electronics Inc, 2011) With SONY’s analysis, SONY retailers can produce assistance in setting up customers products and provide a good customer service to them. They can provide a good customer experience that can helps the customers to make a right decision. SONY’s retailer also can assist in sending the value products and service to customers when they buy a SONY camera. (Sony electronics Inc, 2011) For example, retailer can help them and explain the whole SONY camera’s function and uses to them and introduce them a good quality product that suitable them and satisfy their needs when they want buy camera. A good service such as talk politely to customer will persuade and influence customer to purchase it. So, retailer is important for customer. From the analysis above, retailer is strongly to help in SONY companies to get a high value in the market. They try to give a good performance to customer and try to meet customer’s needs. Retailers also fulfil customers’ requirement. So, retailer is quite vital and their service will be appreciated by customers. Competitors It is crucial for Sony Corporation to watch attentively to its competitor so that they can maintain its position in the market. Sony Corporation has two types of competitor, that is, direct competitor and indirect competitor. Direct competitors are organisations that produce ‘similar’ products and services (wiseGEEK, 2011). Nokia, Motorola, Canon, Fuji Photo are all examples of direct competitors to Sony (Upvery.com, 2010). Indirect competitors are firms producing different types of products but satisfy the same needs (Rich Harshaw, 2011) of customers. The indirect competitor of Sony is video iPod. In which Sony PSP and iPod produced similar striking feature (Frank Hedley, 2008). Other competitors, especially in the software industry are Microsoft. To maintain its competitive edge, Sony keeps updating the products with latest technologies that make it stable and  sustainable over its competitors. The use of advanced technology in products has raised the quality and uni queness, and has resulted in a mark demand increase. Though other competitors may seemed to be a threat to Sony Corporation, however with the fast paced advance in technology and the unstable global economy, Sony has embarked on collaboration and strategic alliance with its main competitors. Sony is in joint venture with Sony Ericsson which itself is a threat for new market entrants (Butod, 2010). Advanced use of technology in Sony products such as Game Consoles, Video Equipment and Mobile, and continuous production, switching costs and product differentiation has made Sony rather unbeatable in the electronic industry. Apart from forming strategic alliances with its competitors, Sony has reviewed its manufacturing priorities and streamlined its resources to produce electronic products that are in greater demand and has continued producing differentiated products which could ensure its competitive advantage. As reiterated above, Sony’s ongoing process and product innovation has made it almost impossible for any current competitors and new entrant to compete them successfully, and this will be the core factor that will ensure Sony’s dominance in electronic products consumer market. Thus, despite threats of current competitors and new entrants to the market, Sony Corporation is one of the world’s leading producers of electronic products. Approximately eighty (80) percent of hand-held computers in the United States operate on a Sony operating system while Microsoft which is a major competitor has only sixteen (16) percent of market share. Sony Corporation has hardware market share of sixty (60) % (2002), and other major competitors, Handspring is using Sonys operating system, and hold about 7% and 14% market shares respectively. (Butod, 2009). Government The government imposed regulations to ensure business transactions are conducted in a fair and just manner. Legislations that are passed often influences the productions possibilities of a company and hence the type of goods and services that can be offered to the consumers. Apart from the above, the government also enforce taxation to collect revenue that will maintain itself and supply public services that may be needed by companies such as Sony. For example, Sony’s income taxes benefit amounts to $19billion resulting in an effective rate of 10% in Oct 30, 2009 (wikinvest, 2009). In  addition to the government’s role in regulating companies and taxation, the government also plays a major role in ensuring companies observe corporate social responsibility. An example of Sony taking over public responsibilities is the attitude of how Sony enthusiastically engages themselves in activities related to environment and climate changes. Sony plans to cut down 7% or more of CO2 gas emission comparing to the fiscal year of 2000 levels (Sony Corporation, 2009). In July 2006, Sony joined the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) with companies that plan and also carry out efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. By participating in this program, Sony is committed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and lower the product annual energy consumption. In short, Sony maintain corporate social responsibility, and though it incurs cost, but in the long run it ensures business sustainability. The Financial Community Shareholders are very important for Sony Company because they support the organization’s future expansion. There are two types of shareholders, that is private and institutional. As seen in the chart below, a major portion of Sony’s shareholders are the corporation itself (60.18%), followed by foreign investors (27.27%) and subsequently financial institutions (8.74%) (Sony Financial Holdings, 2010). Figure 1: Ownership and distribution of share Resource: http://www.sonyfh.co.jp/en/financial_info_e/shareholder_e/shareholder.html Sony cooperation has to consider the needs and hope of possible investors. The shareholder share represents a certain small percentage of ownership in the company therefore, stockholders has the right to obtain certain percentage of the company’s profits in the form of dividends (Farlex, 2009). As in Sony, one of its important management task is to increase in returns to its shareholders, as well as return on equity. Its basic policy on returning profits to its shareholders is to maintain the trust of current shareholders and attract new ones, as well as securing enough retained earnings for future business expansion. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, Sony provided the year-end cash dividend of  ¥3,000 per share of Sony Financial Holdings totaling to  ¥6,525 million as approved at the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on June 25, 2010. With regards to its  retained earnings, Sony has planned to utilize it in exploring new business, including the establishment of an individual annuities subsidiary, investing in information technology systems accompanied by business expansions (Sony Financial Holdings, 2010). Thus, with Sony’s dominance in the electronic company, and its high returns to shareholders and retained earnings, Sony is not only able to generate high profits with its current business ventures, but has also sufficient funds to ensure its future expansion in the competitive industry. In conclusion, Sony must not be harming the environment and human being as they are using a lot of chemical substances in their product. Next, they must proper dispose their chemical waste. Furthermore, Sony should cooperate with supplier, government to continue their business and also to compete with their competitors. Sony also has to change their strategy in every country to boost their sales.

Social Exclusion Deprivation

Social Exclusion Deprivation Social Exclusion Deprivation â€Å"In recent decades, crime prevention has taken on increasingly exclusive forms What is Social Exclusion? According to Vleminckx and Berghman (2001), â€Å"social exclusion† is a concoction (or blend) of multidimensional and mutually reinforcing processes of deprivation, associated with progressive dissociation from social milieu, resulting in the isolation of individuals and groups from the mainstream of opportunities society has to offer. Mayers, et.al., (2001) defined it as an inability to exercise the social rights of citizens to a basic standard of living and as barriers to participation in the major social and occupational opportunities of the society. Methodologists (Atkinson et. al. 2002) use the term as â€Å"shorthand for a range of concerns considered to be important in setting the European social agenda† and in ‘the fields that people have in mind when they talk about social rights.† In contrast to poverty, which is exclusively economic, material, or resource-based, social exclusion offers a more holistic understanding of deprivation (de Haan 1999). The risk of crime increases with social exclusion and low income: people living in poorer areas tend to be more at risk than people living in more affluent areas. (Bowling, 1998). Based on Eurostat 2000 the following are the indicators of Social Exclusion: Financial difficulties in the household; unaffordability of some basic needs; unaffordability of consumer durables; disadvantageous housing conditions; poor health: life expectancy; self-perceived health status; Infrequent contacts with friends and relatives and dissatisfaction with work or main activity. These indicators are the main cause of crimes in the society. This drive the European government as well as the Americans to create preventive method in order to decrease the statistics of crimes committed. Crime rate rises during the Cultural Revolution was followed by economic crisis and great individualism, which began in most advanced industrial countries before the early Seventies and then continued to rise, often at a greatly augmented rate, as the economic recession began to bite. In the Eighties and Nineties, the process of social exclusion is involved. The process includes the involving of the transformation and separation of the labour markets and the rise in structural unemployment, and the exclusion arising out from the attempts to control the crime that arises from changed circumstances and excluding nature of anti-social behaviour. The process of desegregation in the sphere of community and the sphere of work The erosion of the inclusive world of the modernist period, involved processes of desegregation both in the sphere of community (the rise of individualism) and the sphere of work (transformation of the labour markets). As an example, from a situation where exclusion creates crimes to one where attempts at inclusion are met by violence and aggression. The most prominent change during the post-War period, is the entry of women into the labour market and their participation in public life whether leisure, politics, the arts, is per haps the most profound structural change of the post-War period. Today crimes are committed as a result of exclusion. The case of violence against women is a key example, although racist violence is a close parallel. Violence in these two examples can occur, therefore, as a result of exclusion and inclusion, and it can be caused by relative deprivation and by clashes among individuals demanding equality and others resisting them. Of course, where both relative deprivation and individualism occur together as in the macho-culture of lower class, young unemployed males when confronting the demands for equality of women, often in poorly paid yet steady employment, one would expect a particularly high rate of conflict often resulting in the preference to setting up homes separately and the preponderance of single mothers. Because of the increasing number of crimes committed caused by the indicators mentioned above crime prevention has taken into exclusive form. The future of exclusion does not augur well. Firstly, the demand for unskilled and semi-skilled manual labour has contracted in all the countries of the First World. The globalization of capital has meant that the factories of South East Asia can compete much more cheaply than in Europe and North America. The poor are isolated in inner-city ghettos, in orbital estates, and in ghost towns where capital originally led them, then left them stranded as it winged its way elsewhere, where labour was cheaper and expectations lower. Crime Prevention Methods There are several inclusive and exclusive forms in preventing crime; it includes 1) Situational crime prevention; 2) Social crime prevention; 3) Situational crime prevention objective is to reduce crime by managing, designing and augmenting the physical environment by: a) reducing the opportunity to commit crime, simply by making it harder to offend; b) increasing the risk of detection if deterrence fails; and c) reducing the rewards of crime. The installation of surveillance cameras in public places, controlling access to buildings, car steering locks and gun controls are examples of situational measures that aim to reduce opportunities for the commission of crime. Security guards, baggage screening and surveillance cameras, are examples of situational measures aimed at increasing the risk of offenders being caught. Removing car stereos, cleaning up graffiti and property marking are examples of situational measures that may reduce the rewards of crime. It has been argued that crime displacement significantly diminishes the efficacy of situational crime prevention strategies for while crime rates may decrease in the area where situational projects have been undertaken, they might increase in other areas where these measures do not appear to exist. Social crime prevention By changing the social rather than the physical environment, social or community crime prevention prevents offending unlike the situational crime prevention. Interventions in this case provide tools for communities to use in an effort to minimize criminal behaviour by changing social conditions. The aim is to strengthen community bonds, increase levels of informal social control and thus stops actual or potential offenders. Social crime prevention measures could focus on making those who are in the way of offending feel more integrated into the community e.g. schemes such as youth drop in centres and activity groups Developmental crime prevention either involves the early identification of potential offenders or victims and intervenes in some way to keep them from realising that potential or, works with those who have already offended or been victimised to prevent further offending or victimisation from taking place. (www.aic.gov.au). For example, at the offender level, prevention could take the form of early childhood intervention for those deemed to be at risk of offending. Projects in this case might attempt to improve childrens health (physical and/or mental) and educational achievement. For those who have already offended, the prevention of future criminality could be sought through rehabilitation strategies aimed at reforming them through various treatment regimes. Victim-focussed prevention could also be centred on early intervention for those considered at risk of victimisation or take place after victimisation has occurred to prevent repeat victimisation. Thus, victim-focussed intervention might include educational campaigns warning young children about the dangers of getting into cars with strangers or self-defence courses for women. Secondly, the introduction of more and more sophisticated computer software will eliminate many lower middle class jobs as well as making many lower rung professional jobs increasingly precarious. Reference Atkinson, T.,et.al. (2002), Social Indicators: The EU and Social Inclusion, London: Oxford University Press. Bowling, B. (1998) Violent Racism: Victimisation, policing and social context. Oxford: Carendon Press) De Haanm A., (1999) Social Exclusion: Towards a Holistic Understanding of Deprivation Mayers, D. (2001), Introduction: In Social Exclusion and European Policy, p 1-26, Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar. Preventing crime in Australia 1990 2002: a selected register of crime prevention projects http://www.aic.gov.au/research/cvp/register/def.html Vleminckx, Koen, and Joseph, Bergman, (2001), Social Exclusion and the Welfare State: An Overview of Conceptual Issues and Policy Implications. P27-46. Young, J. FROM INCLUSIVE TO EXCLUSIVE SOCIETY: NIGHTMARES IN THE EUROPEAN DREAM, http://www.malcolmread.co.uk/JockYoung/inclexcl.htm

James Joyces Ulysses :: James Joyce Ulysses Poem Essays

James Joyce's Ulysses "There's five fathoms out there.... A sail veering about the blank bay waiting for a swollen bundle to bob up, roll over to the sun a puffy face, saltwhite. Here I am" (18). If "Old Father Ocean" (42) is Proteus (Gifford 46), god of "primal matter" (32) corresponding with a viridian tinge of primal soup as well as the tide that washes in the ruined flotsam and jetsam of man's voyages, it makes some kind of sense that there is no corresponding symbolic organ to this episode. We are in the protean realm of the non-organic, or rather unorganized and de-organized matter. The aforementioned bobbing corpse is of course more than a homicide case in Joyce's symbology. The corpse lost to sea's rot and "bladderwrack" is the body of Proteus manifest in a disturbing (dead) human form, bloated and dissolving. It is there to intimately remind us of our eventual return to unformed matter, to entropy at its extreme. This disintegration will lead to a chaotic reintegration with the Ocean, unfathomabl e body of energy, crusher of bodies washed to shore, carried to the sandflats of Dublin via "Cock Lake." Proteus harbingers the "seachange" (42) of all organisms, all matter; the corpse also manifests the "Seadeath, mildest of all deaths" (42), "soft as the hand of mist" (Book XI of The Odyssey). "Full fathom five thy father lies" (41): Father Ocean or Proteus as the drowned, absent father, hidden body of "coral" and "pearls" (The Tempest), always in the "sea change... rich and strange" (ibid.). This macabre dance of matter and energy is witnessed in the undead movement of the corpse "driving before it a drift of rubble" (41), an indeterminate mass of preterite matter. He will rise again "sunk though he be beneath the watery floor" (41). He is a "bag of corpsegas," porous, "a spongy titbit." In his undead, coral-like growth, matter transforms according to unpredictable, heretical logic, which Dedalus is compelled to read as he does "signatures of all things... seaspawn and seawrack, the nearing tide, that rusty boot" (31). This logic only a poet could follow, or perhaps it is simply poetic creation: "God becomes man becomes fish becomes barnacle goose becomes featherbed mountain" (41-2). This fabulation of the chain of being is certainly profane, or at least outside the accepted, predictable logic of any catechism. Ocean is God as an immanent storm and flux; the abstract, ethereal God of Christendom is more ascetic, barren, removed.

Contrary Interpretations of The Yellow Wallpaper -- The Yellow Wallpape

Contrary Interpretations of The Yellow Wallpaper   Ã‚   â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† was first published in New England Magazine in 1892.   Charlotte Perkins Gilman, an advocate for the advancement of women, authored the short story.   She intended the piece to bring to light the inherent ineptitude of the Weir Mitchell â€Å"rest cure.†Ã‚   Though this subject is addressed, many other pertinent topics are broached, ever so subtly.   Other themes in the book include the role of women in a society dominated by men, the role of the mother, and how oppression can affect the mind of a creative individual.   These themes, however, can be altered merely by how the tale is edited.   I intend to point out some of the pertinent differences that exist between the full text of the story and an abridged version, describing how they give the same story contrary interpretations.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To better understand the differences I will be noting, one may find it helpful to be familiar with the basic plot of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.†Ã‚   Both versions relate the story of a woman losing her mind.   She has not been feeling well for some time, so her husband, a physician, decides a summer spent relaxing in the country would benefit her.   While there, she is forbidden to write in her journal, as it indulges her imagination, which is not in accordance with her husband’s wishes.   Despite this, the narrator makes entries in the journal whenever she has the opportunity.   Through these entries we learn of her obsession with the wallpaper in her bedroom.   She is enthralled with it and studies the paper for hours.   She fancies she sees a woman trapped behind the pattern in the paper.   The story reaches its climax when her husband must force his way into the bedroom, only to find... ...woman being driven mad by her position in life.   The wallpaper merely serves as a catalyst for her breakdown.   This interpretive discrepancy, as well as the loss of authenticity and finally the weakening of John’s power, ultimately leaves the two versions of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† open to varying interpretations.       Works Cited Gilman, Charlotte Perkins.   The Yellow Wallpaper.   Ed. Dale M. Bauer.   Bedford Cultural Edition.   Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1998. ---. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.†Ã‚   Great American Short Stories.   Pleasantville: Reader’s Digest, 1977.   195-206. Works Consulted Golden, Catherine, ed. The Captive Imagination: A Casebook on "The Yellow Wallpaper." New York: Feminist Press, 1992 Kasmer, Lisa. "Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 'The Yellow Wallpaper': A Symptomatic Reading." Literature and Psychology. 36, (1990): 1-15.   

Evaluate the Importance of Ecosystem Management and Protection Essay

Evaluate the importance of ecosystem management and protection Every living thing on Earth belongs to an ecosystem. An ecosystem can be as small as a puddle or as large as an ocean. No matter its size, every ecosystem is vital to life on Earth, and requires human respect, support, management and protection. The term â€Å"ecosystem† refers to a community of plants and animals that share a common space and common resources, and are all dependent on one another for survival. Ecosystems are characterised by the complex interactions between these abiotic and biotic environments which involves a number of major systems such as the biosphere, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. Ecosystems are delicately balanced. If one component fails to thrive, the others become weakened, and may fail as well. If one ecosystem fails, neighboring ecosystems become threatened as well. Ecosystems are under constant and increasing threat of disruption from natural forces, invasive species and human development. Although ecosystems are dynamic, they are also fragile. Natural forces such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions can destroy ecosystems. Depending on the severity, ecosystems may take a long time to recover, such as the slow rate of recovery from volcanic eruption. However natural disturbances do not occur often, or are on a regular basis, such as the El Nino or tornado. Human disturbances to the ecosystem however, occur on a regular basis. For example, the logging of the Amazonian trees at the rate of one football field per second. The constant degrading to the environment means there is no time for the ecosystem to resist the change hence resulting in a simplified, modified and eventual disclimax ecosystem Human have modified natural ecosystems in many ways intentionally and unintentionally but the distinction is not always clear. An example of an intentional modification to ecosystems would be construction of a dam on a river. The unintentional changes that could result from this might be the extinction of some species that needed shallow water to survive. There are other ways that humans have changed the ecosystems such as destroying, degrading and simplifying ecosystems. Agricultural land use often requires the wholesale clearing of land to grow single crops or graze animals. This monoculture system simplifies the complex interrelationships existing in natural ecosystems and is maintained through pesticides and fertilisers. Urban land creates greatly modified ecosystems. The vast quantities of fertilisers, herbicides and esticides are required to sustain the yields of the crops. The runoff pollutes streams, lakes and oceans and causes changes to their ecosystems. Human-induced changes in one ecosystem usually have cascading and unpredictable effects on other inter-related ecosystems through their nutrient cycles. Human-induced modifications to nutrients cycles are numerous and vary in scale from local to global. The clearing and removal of timber from a rainforest disrupts the nutrient cycle in these low-fertility ecosystems. The apparent richness of the rainforest ecosystem is a result of the recycling of nutrients stored in the trees and leaves. The soils are typically shallow and leached because of heavy rainfall. If the timber is removed, the nutrients are not recycled and the soil is not replenished. In addition, once the protection offered by the trees and their root systems is removed, rapid erosion occurs, removing the shallow topsoil and making regeneration of the rainforest a long, slow process that may take centuries, if it is allowed to happen. Ecosystems have various key features that determine the relationship between their biophysical components and that include interdependence, diversity, resilience, adaptability, unpredictability and limits set by abiotic and biotic factors. Human simplify ecosystems and attempt to control them for their own purposes. There are many complex interrelationships between biophysical components in natural ecosystems that are disrupted through human activities. Some of these disruptions create feedback loops that adversely affect activities. If crocodiles were not protected in Australia, for example, their role as a keystone species would be threatened. When hunting of crocodiles was permitted, the saltwater species was on the brink of extinction. Since the protection, their numbers have built up to pre-hunting levels and the estuarine ecosystems where they live are more balance. All of the Earth’s plants and animals rely on ecosystems to provide food and habitat. Ecosystems must maintain a delicate balance in order to stay vital. For example, a deer living in the meadow ecosystem needs water to drink, vegetation to eat and shrubs and bracken to sleep and hide in. If the deer population increases too much for their current ecosystem to provide these things, the extra deer will have to search for food and shelter elsewhere, encroaching on the habitats and ecosystems of other species. Humans also rely on ecosystems to provide food and natural resources. For example, the wood used to create lumber for building and pulp for paper comes from the Earth’s many forest ecosystems. When natural resources are harvested out of an ecosystem, it can disrupt the delicate balance if not done in a responsible way. According to the United Nations funded researches, 60% of the ecosystems on Earth are being used up faster than they can replenish themselves. Recent advancement in science and technology has help humans become more aware of the need to protect and manage the inestimable value of the ecosystem for humans and the world in terms of their genetic, utility, intrinsic, and heritage values, as well as perceiving the need to allow natural change and thus evolution to proceed. The ecosystems of the Earth can be protected through various ways such as responsible use. Heavily cultivated lands planted in single crops can be replaced with diverse cropping systems that help maintain soil productivity and prevent erosion. As homeowners, humans can plant native species that provide food and shelter to animals. These native species tend to grow with less supplemental water and little need for fertilization, which both conserves and protects our water sources. As consumers, humans can buy sustainably grown goods, use fewer disposable products and purchase products with minimal packaging or recyclable packaging. Each act of conservation in our homes, yards and workplaces reduces the stress on our ecosystems and helps maintain the necessary balance to maintain them. Therefore it is very important to protect and manage ecosystems properly for the benefit of all living species including us human beings. Ecosystems rich in diversity generally have greater resilience and are, as a result, able to recover more readily from naturally induced stress, such as drought and fire, and human-induced habitat degradation. Where diversity is diminished, the functioning of ecosystems and by association the wellbeing of people is put at risk. Biological diversity or biodiversity covers these areas – genetic diversity, species diversity and ecological diversity. Genetic diversity is the variety of genetic material contained in all individual plants, animals and micro-organisms. Ecosystems rich in genetic diversity generally have greater resilience and therefore are able to recover more readily from natural and human stresses. Where diversity is low, ecosystem functioning is often at risk. Ecosystems have utility value and this is concerning the usefulness of ecosystems in monetary terms. Recent study estimated that total value of goods and services provided by the earth’s ecosystems is US$33 trillion. This means that all the living and the non-living components of the earth’s ecosphere have either an existing or potential utility value or usefulness. By maintaining and protecting ecosystems we maximise humanity’s ability to adapt to change. The sheer diversity of life represents a vast store of genetic material that can be tapped as human needs change. The loss of a species – whether plant, animal fungus, bacterium or virus denies humanity possible future source of food, medicine, chemicals, fibres and other materials. Their protection is critical to the physical wellbeing of humanity. Ecosystems are endowed with their own intrinsic and ethical value, that is, they have the right to exist irrespective of their utility value. While few would disagree with such a sentiment, and most people would support the view that we need to protect ecosystems for the benefit of future generations, there is still no generally agreed mechanism or strategy by which this could be achieved. Central to the notion of the intrinsic value of ecosystems is a recognition that the biophysical environment provides for many of the inspirational, aesthetic and spiritual needs of people. Heritage protection of areas seen as having outstanding universal value. In Australia, the Royal National Park was dedicated as an area of outstanding heritage as early as 1879. The latter half of the 20th Century saw the emergence of great concern for the heritage value of ecosystems. The Australian heritage Commission views natural heritage, worthy of National Estate listing, to include those places, being components of the natural environment of Australia or the cultural environment of Australia, that have aesthetic, historic, scientific or social significance or other special value for future generations, as well as for the present community. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the heritage areas named by the World heritage listings. Because of the numerous values and benefits of ecosystems, they need to be managed properly using management strategies such as exclusion/preservation strategy. That is the habitat and species are totally protected from human activity of any kind. For instances, Wildlife Management and this is where humans make use of the wildlife either through ecotourism as in the African game parks or through hunting as in many of north American parks. The aims of managing wildlife are to manipulate wildlife populations and their environments for their survival and for human benefits. Conservation is one strategy that could be used to manage ecosystems. There is limited impact on ecosystems through sustainable use of resources. Scientists believe a minimum of 10% of the land area of the Earth needs to be protected to conserve ecosystems, their biodiversity and integrity from human activities. Some developing countries have little of their land protected. The major priority in selecting a site for a reserve is to protect fragile ecosystems under threat. Some of these take thousands of years to form and can never be recreated if lost. In an ideal world, the management strategies would select the best combination of these factors to preserve the ecosystems at risk. In reality however, the choice of site is often limited to what is available after other human demands have been satisfied. This compromise puts ecosystems at risk further pressure. Some difficulties confronting management of ecosystems include institutional difficulties. This involves varying regulatory arrangements applied to different land uses in adjacent areas making it difficult to achieve conservation on a landscape scale. Not only that limited corporation between public and private sectors in long-term environmental management to name a few. Ecosystems are modified by humans for sustainable use such as commercial agricultural. Again ecosystems are exploited regardless of the consequences. This results in species extinction, ecosystem destruction and reduction, and possible ecosystem collapse. The way to management and protect ecosystems is to provide public with education that could help decrease this exploitation and destruction of ecosystems. Rehabilitation and restoration of ecosystems are probably the most obvious management strategies that deal with ecosystems that have been damaged or degraded. Examples of such ecosystems are mined, farmed, logged, grazed and burned for a long period of time. Given enough time, the natural processes of ecological succession will eventually repair the ecosystem. But this depends upon the degraded ecosystems being protected and managed so that the natural processes can occur and the ecosystem be sustained. All this is costly and time consuming. If species are extinct, the ecosystem will never return to the pre-disturbance state. One way of protecting and managing ecosystems is o make laws to protect ecosystems. Traditional management of ecosystem is one way of managing ecosystems. Other strategies include restriction on species caught, closed seasons, taboo areas and species, designated areas for hunting groups and individuals, limits to population growth and sustainable methods of hunting were used and resources were not wasted to name a few. To conclude, ecosystems are very hard to manage, protect and conserve especially in the developing countries where populations are exploding and the pressure on the land is intense. The crippling debt most developing countries have and the urge to develop their ecosystem resources represent the real threat to the integrity of global ecosystems. So management strategies needed to protect ecosystems are at a local, national, regional, continental and global level. The management strategies to preserve and conserve ecosystems at risk recognize the need to manage whole ecosystems. This may involve strategies that range from total preservation to sustainable development Furthermore, the management of ecosystem is important to ensure sustainable development, preservation and minimized disturbances and recognition of ecosystem’s importance. Ecosystems change when they are controlled or disturbed. This may be the result of human or natural factors and may be intentional or inadvertent. Intentional changes can produce a number of unforeseen consequences, which creates the need for responsible management. .Management strategies change over time. This is due to changes in environmental quality, technological advances, economic, social and political attitudes.