The Naked Ape Essays - Human Behavior, Behavior, Abnormal Psychology

The Naked Ape In The Naked Ape, Desmond Morris provides an alternative explanation of the causative factors underlying various human behavior patterns and societal and cultural activities. He develops his theme around such human activities as feeding, grooming, sleeping, fighting, mating and care of the young. He compares human traits and behaviors with those exhibited by animals, mainly the primates, in like activities. His point is that understanding the evolutionary source of many behaviors can throw new light on understanding the complex nature of the human species. Morris begins by examining the evolution of the mammals, from the earliest insectivores to the latest carnivores, detailing the survival characteristics which led to the success of some species over others. He provides great detail on the development of the nearly naked carnivorous 'hunting ape' from the fruit eating primate group. He presents a thorough discussion of sexual behavior, stressing the similarities between human 'rituals' and primate behaviors. Tracing the three characteristic sexual phases of pair formation, pre-copulatory activity, and copulation, the evolutionary process which lies at the root of modern human sexual behavior is clearly laid out. Similarly, he examines human child-rearing, and provides interesting insights into non-verbal communication and body language between mother and child. The role of exploratory behavior in the basic survival patterns of feeding, fighting, and mating, as well as its importance to an individual's social adjustment, is detailed. Morris analyzes thoroughly our human aggressive urges, as always providing examples of animal behaviors which serve as an objective base upon which to understand why we act as we do. In addition to territorial and social dominance aggressive behaviors, he describes the actual mechanics of aggression, both physiologically and behaviorally. Both displacement activity and appeasement activity are explored in detail. He concludes by examining human feeding and comfort behaviors and mankind's relationships with animals. Throughout the book he stresses that as a species, man is a simple biological phenomenon subject to all the basic laws of animal behavior. He feels that it is important to the survival of the human species to understand itself and the limitations implicit in being a 'naked ape'. Morris admits that he perhaps over-stresses the biological/zoological slant of his thesis, but even so his concepts are capably and logically developed. I found it easy and fascinating to recognize myself (and others) in almost every behavioral situation he describes. One very important point to keep in mind about Morris' book is that he is exploring 'normal' social behavior, not abnormal behavior. He has taken almost every aspect of man's everyday life and shown, acceptably and believably in my opinion, that in many cases human behavior can be understood in terms of our evolutionary roots.

Describe A Life Changing Event †English Essay

Describe A Life Changing Event – English Essay Free Online Research Papers Describe A Life Changing Event English Essay Many people have significant events that occur in their lives that provide a definite distinction between before and after: before the event, and after the event (respectively, B.E. and A.E.). If it merely changed the way they did something, perceived something, or felt for something (or someone), or if it changed their entire lives, there’s always the notion of the before and after. For me, it was my writing†¦the before and after of my so-far career as a writer. The event I am thinking of wasn’t really one event; it was an experience, spanning the course of a school year, the end of my sophomore and beginning of my junior years in college. More defined than that, it was a class. Well, two classes, but with one professor, and the second was merely a continuation of the first from the prior semester. The class was Literature and Law, although it should have been called ‘Literature and Law and Tons of Writing’. It involved reading pieces of literature that in some way involved the legal/justice system. Three papers were due during the course of the semester, the topic for each being chosen by the student from a pool of options concerning several different pieces of work. Upon entering this class, I was fairly confident with my abilities as a writer. Comments from previous professors had encouraged this level of confidence, and my process leading up to and the eventual act of writing was relatively solidified to a particular pattern: construct an outline, plug in different ideas, write a hand-written rough draft and then finally sit down at the computer to begin typing. Yet it goes farther back than that†¦third grade graduation, awards given out to each student, some of them random and an obvious stretch to find some award for those students who really had nothing awardable. â€Å"And for Gerry, the awards for best recess etiquette†¦Ã¢â‚¬  my teacher proclaimed. And then my name was announced. â€Å"For Stephanie Thomas, the awards for best creative writer†, she said with unmistaken enthusiasm. Even at the tender age of nine, I felt like I deserved it, that I was being rewarded for a skill I truly felt as though I possessed. This routine seemed to work for me and my sometimes anal quirks about my schoolwork. I carried this routine with me for my first chunk of college, and it got me through with flying colors. It was a good routine. No one likes change, or so the saying goes. But change I would the day I first walked in to David Larry’s class. I would change not only how I wrote, but also how I viewed the practice of putting words down on a page, and the power they can unexpectedly carry. He was one of the best to learn this skill from†¦he wasn’t really considered a â€Å"writer†. In addition to teaching a few classes, he is also the Assistant Attorney for Appalachian. He has amazing stories to tell of his years as an attorney in D.C., and also the many adventures of being engrossed in the political and social mayhem of the sixties. He even once ran for sheriff out in Oregon. He didn’t win, but managed to organize one of the largest protest rallies in Oregonian history. All in all, he’s an interesting person who never let class or the subjects discussed to become dull, and never lost the captivation of his students. My first paper in his class was created using this comfortable and familiar process. Looking back, I can’t even remember what it was about, maybe ‘Puddin’head Wilson’ by Mark Twain. Handing it in I had a slightly smug feeling, assuming he would be surprisingly impressed by the natural writing abilities of an as-of-yet minimally trained and novice writer. The fact of the matter was, I had written a fine paper, but the importance of the knowledge taken from the experience wasn’t as cut-and-dry as being a good or bad writer. It was how to take a good piece and make it even better. How to trim out the excess, re-piece the loose ends, and create a beautiful little tight package of a paper: concise, to the point, yet an interesting read that conveyed the purpose and motivation of the writer. Sitting in class the day papers were returned, I was turned around in my seat chatting with one of my friends. â€Å"Ugh, my paper sucked. It was, like, two pages and that was stretching it† they admitted to me, with a tone that seemed to me as if â€Å"oh well†. This was a far cry from my attitude about writing, especially when it was for a grade. The distribution began, calling out each name, waiting for the hand to go up, and then delivering the paper to its owner. I received my own, and immediately flipped to the back page, the part with the summary evaluation of the entire paper. â€Å"A bit wordy; you can rewrite some parts to be clearer with fewer words used† was the gist of it. Through the paper, in the margins, was the abbreviation â€Å"awk†. Awkward, confusing, unclear. At the time, this flashed to me â€Å"Not good!†, or â€Å"I’ve seen much better†. This wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. It was a learning experience in how to take criticism, realize it is constructive, and go from there. This is an important lesson for any writer to learn, especially those who have been on somewhat of a high horse with regards to their writing abilities, much like I was. The lesson learned in this experience was one taken with me during the next few years, leading up to my internship. My internship involved a good deal of newspaper writing, where making your point and making it fast is the central idea. By now, I had improved my writing style enough that writing a sentence without fillers and fluff came as second nature. When a sentence did come out a bit too wordy, I immediately recognized it and pulled out my writing scissors.I will always appreciate the lesson taught to me by David Larry, even though it was one he probably didn’t realize he was teaching. Although the names of characters and their tangles with legal matters have long since faded from my memory, the gift of being a better writer will long remain. 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Business ethics Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business ethics - Dissertation Example The relationship between business ethics and the law has in the recent past become a controversial issue necessitating the need for further research in this area.This is since empirical evidence illustrate that when businesses aim at garnering a competitive edge,they are predisposed to performing practices that are contrary to the business ethics. Is it therefore viable to believe that businesses that have been able to maintain a competitive edge act unethically? Consequently, can businesses that have upheld their ethics be referred to as being anti-competitive? It is in the wake of these research questions that this essay will illustrate the influence that business ethics has on the performance of an organization and the relationship between business ethics and law1. Research Questions: 1. Is there any relationship between business ethics and the law? 2. Does competition influence the business ethics of an organization and how is this related to law? 3. Is social responsibility rela ted to the business ethics of an organization and the law? 4. What is the way forward to enhancing the synergy between business ethics and law? Prior to answering the research questions delineated above, it is important to understand what ethic means and why business ethics is important in law. Ethics is a moral principle that determines the conduct of behavior of various professionals as pertains to how they conduct their business and in the decisions they make. As pertains to the utilitarian theory of justice, professionals need to make decisions that are aimed at meeting the greater good of the society and not out of their inner selfish motive. This therefore means that there is need for businesses to uphold their ethics as pertains to how they conduct business. Business being aimed at prevailing above the competitors and making profit, there is need for business men to adhere to ethical principles but still remain competitive. How then is business ethic related to law?2 The law is a combination of rules and regulations that govern a group of people and violation of the law leads to criminal offence. The law is made from sanctions and principles that have been developed by people and more often than not, the law depicts the public opinion of people as pertains to various issues. With reference to business ethics, the law is sought when a business acts in an unethical manner that harms another organization or harms the general public of the organization. The law acts as leverage in disputes resulting from claims that one business did not act ethically and violated the moral principle required in business. Having understood what business ethics entails and the relationship it has with the law, it is important to evaluate how business ethics can be violated as businesses conduct their business and the implications of these violations with reference to the law.3 Models of public policy have been developed in an attempt to illustrate business ethics and what it encompasses: moral manager and the moral market. With reference to the moral manager model, it is upon the managers to engage in morally upright decisions as pertains to the decisions they make and the influence of these decisions to the performance of the organization. This therefore means that the goal of business ethics entails training managers so as to develop morally upright behaviors that re translated to decisions made and the influence they have on the performance of the organization. An organization therefore needs to institutionalize a design that monitors the performance of individuals involved in the business. Moreover, markets also serve as a concern as pertains to business ethics and the law. The forces prevalent in the market influence the performance ethics of individuals in an attempt to counter these forces or to adapt the organization to these forces.4 As businesses attempt to advance in comparison to their competitors, more often than n

Stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Stress - Essay Example This kind of stress is experienced equally by administrators, managers, employees and workers. Segal et al (2008, para.2) assert that â€Å"while some stress is a normal part of life, excessive stress interferes with your productivity and reduces your physical and emotional health, so it’s important to find ways to keep it under control†. A little stress is beneficial, as it keeps one going and forces him to maintain his good performance. This is called positive stress. However, negative stress weighs heavily on one’s well being because one feels weakened enough to fight the hurdles (Volhard & Volhard, 2011). Behavioral effects of stress include discontentment, argumentative behavior, lack of attentiveness, lack of commitment to the job, and conflicts in relationships (Soreq, Friedman, & Kaufer, 2009, p.42). Physiological effects include headache, stomachache, slow digestion, obesity, decreased sex drive, blood pressure leading to coronary heart diseases, and var ious skin infections (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Before treating stress, it is important to rule out the possibility of factors that accompany stress. Segal, J., Horwitz, L., Jaffe-Gill, E., Smith, M., & Segal, R. (2008). How to reduce and manage job and workplace stress. Stress at Work. Retrieved 6 April, 2012, from

Youtube.coms Way of Producing Value and Transforming it Into Money Essay

Youtube.coms Way of Producing Value and Transforming it Into Money - Essay Example YouTube's uses video playback technology that allows the company to display videos with quality comparable to more established video playback technologies that generally require the user to download and install a small piece of software called a browser plug-in in order to watch the video. Although the Flash itself requires a plug-in, said plug-in is generally found in approximately 90% of Internet-connected computers, hence users could easily download. It was the use of this technology that explains a key component of company’ success as it viewers watch video instantly without installing software or dealing with a common problem found in other video technologies stock. According to a July 16, 2006, survey, 100 million clips are viewed daily on YouTube, with an additional 65,000 new videos uploaded per 24 hours (Wikipedia, 2006) (Paraphrasing made). YouTube business must have come to what has predicted long ago where the users of its website may be considered the ‘technocrats’ or part of the ‘knowledge class’. In the early 1970’s Bell (1973) predicted the advent of the information society would which inevitably lead to the hegemony of the creators of information: the Knowledge Class. Touraine (1974) was predicted also about the new dominant class [of technocrats] which defined as knowledge and a certain level of education. Youtube.com's production chain operational strategy is a combination of contributions from creative labor and immaterial labor.

Ethical Issues in Surrogacy

Ethical Issues in Surrogacy Introduction: Surrogacy is a term used when a woman agrees to carry a pregnancy as a surrogate mother for another person, who will claim the parental rights of the child. The parental rights holding person acts as the legal guardian who has the authority to care for the child born from the surrogate mother. There is no definite set of laws or rights in Ireland to cover the legal issues arising due to surrogacy and the maternity rights in Ireland also favors the male parent for the child. In this essay, the ethical issues due to surrogacy and maternity rights are explained in detail with a high court case where a Woman loses maternity benefit claim over surrogacy which was published in Irish Times on Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015. Regarding surrogacy, there is no definite ethics and legislation in Ireland regarding surrogacy where is an upsurge in the cases regarding surrogacy. Questions regarding the societies concern for a woman being used as a paid breeding tool. Questions regarding the societies concern for exploitation and commodification, of a woman being used to becoming pregnant and deliver commissioning couples child. Questions about contracting a woman for surrogacy, Is it more like contracting for employment or labor or prostitution or slavery?. Questions regarding the motherhood of the child where Is genetic mother the actual mother or the gestational mother the actual mother? and much more. These major ethical issues are faced in Ireland regarding the maternal rights and legal guardianship for the child which were born through surrogacy. The problems that arise regarding the surrogacy is due to the unrefined Irish legislation which doesnt cover the legal issues arising from surrogacy. High Court Cases regarding surrogacy: Woman loses maternity benefit claim over surrogacy: The commission on assisted human reproduction released a report in the year 2005 which recommended that the parental rights should be given to the commissioning parents and not to the surrogate mother. A regulatory body is suggested for the regulation of assisted human reproduction, including surrogacy was also recommended by the commission. However, still there is no regulating body for the assisted human reproduction. According to the commission on assisted human reproduction, the surrogate mother is the childs guardian and legal mother. The legal maternity is important for documents such as birth certificate, citizenship, etc. By the Status of Children Act 1987 under Section 46 the surrogates husband is considered as the childs father, and if she is not married, she is the sole guardian. The woman had an emergency hysterectomy due to a serious cancer illness during her pregnancy which left her unable to carry a pregnancy. She and her husband came to a decision that they were going to use surrogacy to give birth to their baby. A surrogate entered into an agreement in the US, where she was implanted by the woman and man genetic material fertilized via in-vitro fertilization treatment. A daughter was born through the surrogacy process in the US by the surrogate where every arrangement was legalized. The couple became the legal guardians and the biological parents by the registration in the birth certificate of their daughter. The woman was allowed to avail leave for maternity by her employer, but the pay maternity leave allowance was not agreed by the employer. She also applied to the Department of Social Protection for the State allowance which replied that she is not eligible. The woman claimed the refusal of maternity leave allowance through the court by discriminating in breach of the Equal Status Act. However, in the judgment, Ms. Justice Iseult OMalley disagreed the womans claim by stating that the Equal Status Act cannot be taken into consideration in the case of surrogacy where is an absence of legislation. The judgment also included that the maternity leave allowance is for the woman who carries the baby during her pregnancy. The woman was denied her maternity benefits due to the reason that the child was born through surrogacy. Landmark High Court surrogacy case adjourned: According to the commission on assisted human reproduction, the surrogate mother is the childs guardian and legal mother. The legal maternity is essential for documents such as birth certificate, citizenship, etc. By the Status of Children Act 1987 under Section 46 the surrogates husband is considered as the childs father, and if she is not married, she is the sole guardian. However, the man commissioning the surrogacy can also apply for the childs guardianship if he is the genetic or biological father under the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964. The position is not clear for the surrogate who carries the embryo of the commissioning couple, but if the surrogate uses her ova to conceive the child, the Irish court will hold her as the legal guardian for the child. In the Landmark High Court surrogacy case the parents who commissioned the surrogacy discovered that they had no genetic link to the child which was born using the surrogate. It was believed to be the first case of its kind to come to the courts hearing. Since the parents could not establish a genetic link to the child and the child was allowed into Ireland. The parents applied to make the child as a ward of the court where an interim order was granted, and the couples were appointed as the interim guardian for the child in September. Further DNA testing was ordered by Senior Counsel Gerard Durcan to the President of the High Court Justice Peter Kelly, which can be used to establish the parentage of the child. The judge ordered that further clarification and confirmation is required and the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) has no concerns regarding the welfare. The full hearing of the case would proceed in the month of January. Surrogacy can also be Good: In the developing world, there is both good and bad for every decision made in the peoples life. Surrogacy came into existence due to many reasons; two major are difficulty in adoption and infertility. 11.3% of people are infertility in the US which is the statistics given in the year 2013. Infertile people who want their children who can fulfill the wish of the family has no other option rather than surrogacy so that there is a possibility for living out the dream. Not just infertility people goes for surrogacy, the people who are married to the same sex also has no other option rather than surrogacy. In these cases, surrogacy might not be bad though adoption is suggested and it is a very complicated process and takes a longer time to adopt a child than surrogacy. The legal paperwork involved along with the psychological evaluations and the waiting list etc. may take many years. On the cons, it debated that the surrogate mothers are well aware and conscious of their choice to carry someone elses child. The woman involved in the surrogacy is perceived as an altruistic gesture, and most of them have a positive experience and feel satisfied with the surrogacy process. Conclusion: Surrogacy has both the aspects of good and bad in Ireland it is not well defined which is double edged sword both for the people commissioning surrogacy and to the government. In the first court case of surrogacy, the woman was affected due to the denial of her maternity benefits and the second court case of surrogacy; the court got affected by taking the child as the ward of the court. Clear rules and legislation for the process of surrogacy should come into existence in Ireland. A governing body should be allotted for resolving the problems involving the surrogacy and the problems arising from surrogacy. The government body should have the power decide whether the couple is allowed to commission a surrogacy or to adopt a child if there is a possibility for adoption. According to the commission on assisted human reproductions report released in the year, 2005 should be taken into clear considerations, and a panel should be arranged to decide the power to be allocated to the governin g body.

Emotional Hinderance :: essays research papers

Emotional Hinderance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"You must put your emotions into your work† is a phrase often heard in life. It proposes that emotions, which are often ignored, are a key to success. This holds true in many regards, however there are times when emotion should be restricted in swaying one’s thoughts. The pursuit of knowledge is to be completely objective. Thus, although emotional intelligence is necessary, it is more of a hindrance than a help, and should be controlled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since knowledge is justified true belief, it follows that the justification must be logical and true in itself. It must also be accurate, but broad. Emotional intelligence goes against this by treating subjective feelings as fact. Because the chain of logic is only as strong as its weakest link, knowledge built strongly with emotional intelligence can often turn out to be incorrect. Take, for example, an individual studying the disposition of dogs. If this individual had a traumatic childhood experience involving a dog (an attack, for example), this snippet of emotion will always taint the individual’s research, even if the circumstances are unrelated (the childhood dog may have been rabid).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emotional intelligence is very important, however, in living life. That is why we evolved it. Revisiting the aforementioned dog and disregarding rabies, it is possible that there is something about this individual that entices hostility in canines. Although this says nothing about dogs, the childhood experience conditions the individual to avoid dogs in the future. This gives the person a greater chance of living longer, and procreating, the innate goal of man. Emotional intelligence is very important, however it is primarily for survival in everyday life. The pursuit of knowledge, however, is not an everyday event required for survival. It is part of a deep thinking about life, reserved for philosophers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is no question that emotional intelligence is required in the pursuit of knowledge. Without any emotional attachment, there would be no pursuit of knowledge, in the first place. Some may argue that emotional intelligence helps to guide us in the pursuit of knowledge. This notion is not logical in that it is subjective, itself. How are we to know whether or not we are being guided correctly? As illustrated earlier, just because something â€Å"feels† correct does not mean that it is.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Things that can be discovered through emotional intelligence can also be found objectively. Using emotional intelligence, one can infer that sugar is good for the human body because it gives the consumer pleasure.

Dannon Case Study Essay

Danone, Dannon’s parent company, was one of the largest health-focused food companies in the world. Danone traced its heritage back to 1919 in Barcelona, Spain, when Isaac Carasso wanted to create yogurt with inherent health benefits. Through the years and different lines of succession, Danone continued to grow, but never lost its core vision of providing better health to people through their products. When this case was written, Danone’s global business focus was on fresh dairy (Activia yogurt), bottled water (Evian), medical nutrition, and baby nutrition. Danone viewed the United States as an emerging market for yogurt, thus Dannon’s marketing efforts needed to focus on growing U. S. yogurt consumption and expanding the category, while also growing its brand. (Marquis, p. 1) Dannon entered the US market in 1941 and by 2010 was poised to become the leader in America’s domestic yogurt sector. This was a major accomplishment for the simple fact that America’s yogurt market was practically non-existent at the time! A new product, called â€Å"Fruit at the Bottom† changed that and became an instant success. In 2007, even though Dannon had success, U. S. yogurt consumption was only 11. 8 lbs versus 62. 4 lbs in Switzerland and 42 lbs in France (Marquis, Exhibit 2) The implication of the latter statistics to Dannon was the U. S. was a high potential market for the next 5 to 10 years. (Marquis, p. 5) Dannon had maintained a strong commitment to CSR and was integrated into the company’s overall mission of â€Å"bringing health through food to as many people as possible. † Their CSR mission, however, was very internally focused and few customers knew about its activities. (Marquis, p. 1) Dannon’s CSR activities fell under the Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Department and focused around three key themes: nutrition and health, nature, and people. The case identified notable accomplishments in each of these areas, to include the U. S. Dannon Institute (nonprofit foundation dedicated to promoting excellence in the field of nutrition) with its many noteworthy educational programs. The question behind this case, as proposed by its senior director of public relations, was how Dannon’s long-standing, deeply ingrained corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts could play a role in achieving Danone’s and Dannon’s overall marketing strategy. Discussion with Key Dannon Leaders brought out the following pro’s and con’s concerning the proposed idea of communicating Dannon’s CSR efforts to its consumers: Pro Con Possible increase in marketing of Dannon’s social mission Hard to measure ROI and benefits would be mostly intangible Possible increase in marketing individual products Limited, short-term sales impact Consumption of products might increase Impact of consumption might not be immediate Potential tax incentive or government assistance to promote health programs Competitors could take advantage of hallo effect Opportunity to communicate what Dannon stands for at the product level Change in overall budget priorities and expenditures for new program Opportunity to use Danone global brand Critics could say CSR efforts were only for publicity Brand campaign would have halo effects down to Dannon’s individual products Customers could perceive effort as disingenuous. Dannon employees would feel better about the company they worked for People don’t buy products just because they like the company’s CSR stance Would help build social interests May not support business interests Message might be too complex (Pro and Con information taken from case study, pages 9 -14) To Communicate or Not to Communicate? Dannon seems to be very focused on its Return on Investment (ROI) for marketing and communication dollars spent. While the question of whether or not to communicate its CSR seems very simple, research shows this important undertaking is very complex and there is no easy cookie-cutter answer for Dannon executives. What consumers feel does not always translate to what they buy. According to a 2010 survey, more than 75 percent of consumers surveyed say that social responsibility remains important to them despite the recession. In addition, 38 percent of these respondents indicated that they would spend the same or more on products or services from socially responsible companies compared to 2009. Yet, according to the very same survey, these sentiments do not have a significant impact on favorability and purchase intent — only 13 percent of folks actually proactively seek out CSR friendly brands and purchase them. (Lester, 2010) The latter finding seems to agree with other academic research. According to another survey, CSR impacts a very small group of people, namely the affluent. This report went on to state in its conclusion, â€Å"consumers with strong social preferences (and high income) buy CSR products and consumers with weak social preferences (or low income) buy non-CSR products. (Etile & Tyessier, 2011) General â€Å"assumptions† about CSR and consumer purchases may not be telling the whole story, though. Further research indicates consumers attach more CSR importance to certain industries. For example, the food and healthcare industries had an 88 percent importance rating for CSR initiatives – two of the top three in the entire survey (the other was energy). â€Å"Drilling down† even further shows the sector where CSR is both important to the consumer and CSR communications has performed extremely well is in the food industry. (Lester, 2010) One of the most telling findings in the 2010 CSR branding survey was the importance of tying social responsibility to a product. Its conclusion was consumers are more likely to select the product with an added social benefit hen given a choice between similar products. (Lester, 2010) Research shows a consumer’s loyalty to specific products also has an impact on a company’s overall brand. In an online article of The Economist, the author writes about the importance of brand in the context of specific product purchase. Once customers trust a certain product, they tend to look for the brand associated with it when selecting dissimilar products or services. (Case for Brands, 2001) This all being said, the flip side of the power and influence of a brand is its growing vulnerability – a single failed advertising campaign or hint of scandal can send customers fleeing. According to another article, â€Å"brands—and the multinationals that are increasingly identified with them—are not more powerful, but more vulnerable. Consumers will tolerate a lousy product for far longer than they will tolerate a lousy lifestyle. † (Who’s wearing the trousers, 2001) Pulling all of these points together lead me to the following conclusion: If Dannon intends to tie CSR into its product marketing, it should do so at the individual product level, and If Dannon intends to include CSR as part of its marketing and communications strategy, it needs to be sustained and intentional to have an affect (i. e. measurable ROI). My recommendation is Dannon follows my two suggestions above! Dannon has a distinct advantage in being a well-known name in both the health and wellness sectors as well as the food sector. Customers surveyed tend to research a provider’s reputation more stringently in these areas, as such, a combined external CSR and CR campaign would be, in my opinion, advisable. Dannon’s current CSR strategy, which is mostly internal, is good for its culture and employee retention. However, it does not maximize profitability and overall goodwill. Therefore, an external strategy must be added for full ROI maximization. Impact of a Corporate Parent Dannon is a wholly owned subsidiary of Danone and has a significant fiduciary responsibility to them. According to our case, Dannon is obligated to meet annual targets for profitability, operating free cash flow, manufacturing safety, and environmental sustainability. Dannon’s decision to change its marketing strategy, either as a branding exercise or for a specific product, would absolutely impact several of these obligations. (Marquis, p. 1) Obligation Potential Positive Impact Potential Negative Impact profitability a successively executed plan will increase customer sales and loyalty, both having a long term impact to the parent company’s bottom line. If customers feel the CSR communications are disingenuous, they will discontinue buying Dannon products, thus losing market share and reducing overall profits. operating free cash flow Increased profitability should increase overall free cash flow. Sustained marketing costs a lot of money and will reduce the company’s cash flow; assuming a long-term commitment, this will become a drag on profits if not successful. manufacturing safety No impact If cash flow is reduced, new equipment of safety training may not be purchased, thus allowing for accidents to happen. environmental sustainability No impact When cash flow is reduced, local operators might look for ways to cut expenses. One way to do that is to cut corners, especially in the ways waste is disposed of. customer loyalty A good campaign will increase the number of Americans buying Dannon products as well as the amount being consumed. Market share will increase and provide opportunities for new Dannon products to be distributed. All the reverse of the positive outcomes. Looking at our case, I think the impact to Danone is very minimal. It seems that Danone’s culture is to trust the country-based units and train its leadership to think globally. From my perspective, if Dannon executes a successful CSR campaign for a single product, the likelihood of success is extremely high. The Communication Strategy As indicated in the â€Å"To Communicate or Not to Communicate? † section of this paper, Dannon should take advantage of being in the market sectors where CSR impact is very high (health/wellness and food) and select a single product to use as a CSR marketing and communications platform. Because of its market penetration and dominance, I would use its top proactive health product, Activia, as the product. Danone and Dannon’s sustainable development model focuses around Nutrition and Health, People, and Nature. These three areas and how they relate to Activia would be my focus, with the specific bottom line result being how Activia contributes to a customer’s â€Å"personal health and nutrition naturally. † Once this is done, I would test my new outreach models in focus groups, specifically those that are already purchasing Activia (existing clients) and those that aren’t (potential clients). All successful marketing plan needs to keep both groups in mind; if no new clients are drawn to this approach, then go back to the drawing board. This strategy falls in line with Dannon’s desire to focus on growing the yogurt industry and proving its relevance to Americans. (Marquis, p. 5) When both groups trended positively toward the new marketing strategy, I would roll out a multi-faceted plan that includes print, web, television, internet, and social media. I would also tie this new communication in with the community grant programs that Dannon is already known for. This plan would need to be executed for 90 or 120 days and then measured for tangible ROI, specifically on the Activia product and secondarily on increases in other brand sales. Conclusion In conclusion, I believe that Danone was created with a definite CSR culture as part of their overall operating strategy. As such, all facets of their global organization reflect these core values, to include Dannon. I think this bodes well for an expanded, external CSR communications strategy because: Dannon risks very little in detractors saying they are simply communicating their CSR accomplishments as a profit motive – their legacy as a company, both locally and globally, state otherwise. Dannon is fortunate enough to be in the right sectors where CSR and CR are highly regarded. As such, they can leverage this fact to impact their product marketing even more. Dannon’s consumers, especially the health conscious, tend to have more disposable income and be more drawn to sustainable products and brands. Dannon has a single product, Activia, that is very high in market penetration and fits into both health/wellness and food categories. Again, this can be leveraged. Dannon can test the impact of communicating their CSR philosophy with a single product before exposing their entire brand. If Dannon’s product-based approach works well, then they have set a positive template to add new products, both within the United States and beyond. If it does not, then Dannon can quietly drop their marketing campaign without tainting all their products or the overall Danone brand. In the final analysis, I think Dannon is an ideal company to further communicate their CSR values. As a global company, they can impact and influence other organizations within the food industry. References Etile, F. & Tyessier, S. (2011). Corporate Social Responsibility and the Economics of Consumer Social Responsibility. Paris School of Economics. August 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013 from http://ageconsearch. umn. edu/bitstream/120399/2/Etile_Fabrice_359. pdf Lester, B. (2010). Corporate social responsibility branding survey. Penn Schoen Berland. Retrieved May 18, 2013 from http://www. psbresearch. com/files/CSR%20Branding%20Survey%202010%20EXTERNAL%20FINAL. pdf Marquis, C. , Shah, P. , Tolleson, A. , & Thomason, B. (2011). The dannon company: marketing and corporate social responsibility (A). The Harvard Business School. Revised September 28, 2011. File number 9-410-121 The Economist. (2001, September 6). The case for brands. Economist. com. Retrieved May 18, 2013 from http://www. economist. com/node/771049 The Economist. (2001, September 6). Who’s wearing the trousers? Economist. com. Retrieved May 18, 2013 from http://www. economist. com/node/770992

Free Essays on Islam And Terrorism

Islam is one of the largest religions in the world. When a person says â€Å"La Illaha Ill Allah Mohammad eh Rasoullilah,† (There is one God â€Å"Allah† and Mohammad is his messenger) he or she becomes a Muslim. This phrase teaches peace and implies harmony; in no way does it mean to inflict harmful acts on others or to be a terrorist. Terrorism is not, in any way, affiliated with Islam; in fact, it contradicts the belief of Islam. In addition, there is a misconception that has developed which links Islam and terrorism together. The media has been a big contributor to this misconception in many ways. In the religion of Islam, there are five duties that a Muslim must obey. These are referred to as the five pillars of Islam. Nowhere in these pillars does it state that the killing of other human beings is an obligation. The first pillar consists of the recitation of the Muslim act of faith: â€Å"There is only one God, Allah, and Mohammad is His messenger.† The second pillar is the act of praying five times a day, facing in the direction of the Qa’aba in Mecca. The third pillar is the donation of a portion of the surplus of one’s wealth to charity. The fourth pillar is fasting during the holy month of Ramadan- a total abstinence of all food and drink from sunrise to sunset. The last pillar is to make a pilgrimage to Mecca (called the Hajj) at least once in a lifetime. These pillars, none of which implies terrorism, are what build the foundation for a Muslim. Islam in no way supports the killing of innocent people, the causing of destruction, or creating chaos in the world. In fact, it is one of the most peaceful religions in the world. Islam teaches patience, obedience, peace, and purity. The Holy Quran encourages the practice of obeying and following God, yet ordains his followers to avoid the creation of destruction, war, and any other kind of violence. Islam even teaches its followers not to take revenge against their enemi... Free Essays on Islam And Terrorism Free Essays on Islam And Terrorism Islam is one of the largest religions in the world. When a person says â€Å"La Illaha Ill Allah Mohammad eh Rasoullilah,† (There is one God â€Å"Allah† and Mohammad is his messenger) he or she becomes a Muslim. This phrase teaches peace and implies harmony; in no way does it mean to inflict harmful acts on others or to be a terrorist. Terrorism is not, in any way, affiliated with Islam; in fact, it contradicts the belief of Islam. In addition, there is a misconception that has developed which links Islam and terrorism together. The media has been a big contributor to this misconception in many ways. In the religion of Islam, there are five duties that a Muslim must obey. These are referred to as the five pillars of Islam. Nowhere in these pillars does it state that the killing of other human beings is an obligation. The first pillar consists of the recitation of the Muslim act of faith: â€Å"There is only one God, Allah, and Mohammad is His messenger.† The second pillar is the act of praying five times a day, facing in the direction of the Qa’aba in Mecca. The third pillar is the donation of a portion of the surplus of one’s wealth to charity. The fourth pillar is fasting during the holy month of Ramadan- a total abstinence of all food and drink from sunrise to sunset. The last pillar is to make a pilgrimage to Mecca (called the Hajj) at least once in a lifetime. These pillars, none of which implies terrorism, are what build the foundation for a Muslim. Islam in no way supports the killing of innocent people, the causing of destruction, or creating chaos in the world. In fact, it is one of the most peaceful religions in the world. Islam teaches patience, obedience, peace, and purity. The Holy Quran encourages the practice of obeying and following God, yet ordains his followers to avoid the creation of destruction, war, and any other kind of violence. Islam even teaches its followers not to take revenge against their enemi...

Argumentative Essay Example Should High School Be Mandatory

Argumentative Essay Example Should High School Be Mandatory High school students are facing the whole new world of education. Is it worth getting? When you’re in high school, it’s challenging enough to plan for the next week, let alone the next 10, 15, 25 years. But if a high school student had the foresight to look ahead that far in the future, and even further down the road, they would undoubtedly see the importance of having a high school education. Rather than leaving it up to the near-sighted adolescent to decide, a law should be enacted mandating that all American residents and citizens complete a high school education. After all, it’s free to the public (or paid for with taxes) kindergarten to the 12th grade. And it’s probable that most people who drop out before graduating from high school tend to lead lives of struggle, financial hardship, and criminal troubles, too. HIGH SCHOOL YEARS ARE THE MOST MEMORABLE ONES To begin with, a high school diploma should be the standard in America, because a solid high school education lays a solid foundation for the rest of a person’s life. In high school, as well as the years leading up to high school, a student learns the basics, of course – reading, writing, and arithmetic – but also how to do many other skills that will serve them well as working adults. The school prepares a person to be a responsible, resourceful adult. In school, whether a student realizes it at the time, they are developing quite valuable skills and learning important information. When a person finishes high school, they can do just about anything an adult person needs to do to survive and live a good life – read road maps and plan a trip; understand contracts and agreements, as well as read directions on how to assemble something; balance a checkbook, research how to solve a problem. A high school education is imperative for everyone looking to survive adulthood. Ultimately life is disease, death and oblivion. Its still better than high school. Dan Savage Secondly, a high school education provides a person with the knowledge and fundamental skills needed to get a job as an adult; therefore, it should be made mandatory. To survive in America as an adult, one needs a decent-paying job – and to get a job that pays even the minimum wage, a person generally needs a high school diploma. Take, for example, a gas-station attendant. They work with money most of the day, so they must have a strong foundation in math – a skill taught in school from the very beginning, up until the more-advanced math courses in high school, such as algebra and statistics. Even gas-station attendants are generally required to have some basic knowledge of technology to work the money machines. Nowadays, students begin working on computers from a very early age, in elementary school, and they’re taught more advanced computing skills in high school. Also, attendants each day must communicate information to customers and supervisors alike. Communi cation skills are created and developed through one’s schooling, through writing papers, engaging in discussions, reading, researching and conversing. Without a high school education, a person lacks the necessary skills to be successful as an adult. Thirdly,  a high school education should be mandatory for all Americans for another important reason: the entire point of education is to establish the intellectual foundations needed to be self-educated. In other words, when a person graduates from high school, they possess the intellectual and  informational resourcefulness one needs to teach him or herself just about anything. Naturally, there are tons of people with just a high school education who have gone on to become very successful individuals in just about various fields and industries. Due to their educational foundation, however, they are self-learners capable of mastering any task and challenge they face as adults. FRATERNITY VIOLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION To conclude, there should be a law that makes a high school education mandatory for all Americans; that is, a person should be penalized for not finishing high school and getting their diploma. A lack of education hinders an individual, which hurts the economy in the long run – which in turn hinders a country from moving forward and flourishing. It gets left behind. One may go as far to argue how Americans should be legally required to have some sort of post-high school education – whether a college degree or at the very least some sort of specialty education, an apprenticeship, if one prefers the less-academic route. Either way, a high school education is necessary for anyone required to work for a living. It’s imperative for success.

Human Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Language - Essay Example However, this physicality poses a greater risk ÃŽ ¿f choking as food passes directly across the trachea. Other animals do not have this anatomy so therefore physically cannot speak. Evolutionary psychologists argue that for this to have evolved into humans over millions of ÃŽ ¿f years the advantages must far outweigh the potential hazards. They maintain that human language originated for a specific reason. The majority ÃŽ ¿f time spent by our early ancestors would be foraging for food in a hostile environment, with little time for establishing bonds with their present groups. Primates communicate within groups by grooming, but obviously, this is time-consuming and can only be done on an individual basis. Dunbar comments, "What language seems to do is allow you to overcome that barrier and use what time you have in a much more efficient way." Language allows humans to talk to several people at the same time. You can talk whilst doing other tasks and this enables humans to reach many m ore individuals, increasing the amount ÃŽ ¿f people you are communicating with. Physicalities aside, Aitchison defines human language as having four unique factors; semanticity - in that the words or other units must have a meaning; displacement - where language can be used whether the object in question is present or not; structure dependence - given that the order ÃŽ ¿f the words must make grammatical sense and creativity - probably the most human quality ÃŽ ¿f all, as there are in essence.... Other animals do not have this anatomy so therefore physically cannot speak. Evolutionary psychologists argue that for this to have evolved in humans over millions f years the advantages must far outweigh the potential hazards. They maintain that human language originated for a specific reason. The majority f time spent by our early ancestors would be foraging for food in a hostile environment, with little time for establishing bonds with their present groups. Primates communicate within groups by grooming, but obviously this is time consuming and can only be done on an individual basis. Dunbar (1993, p. 89) comments, "What language seems to do is allow you to overcome that barrier and use what time you have in a much more efficient way." Language allows humans to talk to several people at the same time. You can talk whilst doing other tasks and this enables humans to reach many more individuals, increasing the amount f people you are communicating with. Physicalities aside, Aitchison (1983) defines human language as having four unique factors; semancity - in that the words or other units must have a meaning; displacement - where language can be used whether the object in question is present or not; structure dependence - given that the order f the words (syntax) must make grammatical sense and creativity - probably the most human quality f all, as there are in essence, a never-ending number f different expressions that can be communicated. Humans use particular tools when communicating. They attempt to recognise and allocate words to certain meanings, then identify the grammatical placement f the word in a sentence, and finally refer back to a wider textual context, using previous knowledge to

Introduction to marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Introduction to marketing - Assignment Example These include government rules, regulations and policies that impact on the business environment. According to Georgiev’s (2013, p. 4) study, these policies and regulations include tax policies, trade and labour laws, trade restrictions, tariffs, environmental laws and regulations, infrastructure and development policies. On the same note, political stability is also a critical factor that affects both the economy and the business. From these factors, it is clear that the political factors impact on the daily operations of businesses. This requires that businesses prepare to respond to the current, as well as anticipated future legislations, in order to adjust their marketing policies accordingly. These factors relate to the economy and affect how an entity conducts its business and their profitability. These factors include inflation, interest rates, exchange rates, economic growth, and disposable income of consumers and businesses. An entity has no control over these factors, and it only adjusts its business strategies, commercial and financial policies to benefit most from the prevailing economic conditions. These denote the social-cultural factors and include the shared beliefs and attitudes and can affect the business strategies positively or negatively. They include the demographic aspects such as religious beliefs and social stigmas, age distribution, employment and income statistics, education and career trends, overall general attitude, and population growth rate. These factors have a great impact on the operation of an entity since poor strategies, especially those which go against the societal norms face opposition, criticism protests and even negative publicity. A marketer must, therefore, understand individuals based on age as well as the whole society and what drives them to making a purchase. These factors are brought about by the technological landscape changes in the