Reaction paper on the documentary called The corporation Essay

Reaction paper on the documentary called The corporation - Essay Example These are just a few of the mind games businesses use as bait to catch the big fish in a sea of high-potential buying power of consumers today. With this said, understanding what goes into the process of the â€Å"prey-predator† in the business kingdom & how the predator uses temptation to blur the lines between â€Å"needs† and â€Å"wants† is crucial for everyone as consumers to know when to take a bite and when to commit to a non-indulgent fast. The Corporation documentary written by Joel Bakan and directed by Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott shows they are up to one thing in producing this material – to breach into the politics of the pursuit of power and profit of businesses today. First of the points this documentary has tackled that is worthy of notice would be the difference in the business environment before and today. In the past, all that a business would pursue would be to breakeven from the cost of operating the business and earning beyond that was considered a bonus. However, contemporary businesses today, I believe spend half the time minding their own business and the other half monitoring their competitors’ moves and constantly on the lookout for events that they could use to benefit them. Just like dirty politics as we call it, there are a lot of hidden secrets to the success and downfall of business tycoons. Some of the well-kept secrets that have been revealed by this documentary would be the reality of the bargaining activities of corporations to fight for their rights that human beings alike enjoy, the business hoax against the United States President Franklin Roosevelt, the suppression of a news-worthy story of a television station so they could protect certain parties affiliated to them, and the most trivial among all would be the alleged involvement of IBM in the historical Nazi holocaust that destroyed so many lives (Bakan, J.). Indeed, what can be a matter of just being provided quality products and s ervices for consumers like us could come from controversial undertakings waiting to be avenged. The second point that awakened my cognizance was when the writer of the documentary tagged corporations today as either being a person or a psychopath (Bakan, J.). It was for me automatic to comprehend how corporations are so much like people. They have rights to intellectual property, tangible properties, properties that are backed up by contracts and trusts which a company could always fight for to propel a peaceful and at the same time speedy development of their business. Aside from that, just like people, corporations have certain needs that would smoothly fit Maslow’s hierarchy – Physiological needs that pertains to legal documents, capital, manpower, & goods needed before they could start operating the business; Safety from market-reach-devouring competitors; The need for belongingness in a certain business category, being fully equipped for competition; Achieving utm ost self-esteem by being top of mind of not only one’s chosen target market but including those that are not; And lastly, the highest would be self-actualization where competitors’ moves does not directly affect one’s business performance anymore. However, what is naked to consumers’ eyes would be when corporations start being a psychopath. This could be

International Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

International Finance - Essay Example This keeps the revenues of the company intact and also caps the amount of its currency outflows. In the event of any adverse movement in the foreign currency receivables, the company can exercise the forwards or the options. If a company having dollar receivables is afraid of strengthening the domestic currency against dollar then by taking the desired position in dollar futures the company can keep the value of its receivables intact. All these financial instruments have their own set of merits and limitations. In the following paragraphs, these instruments have been discussed with various examples that will give an idea about their usefulness. A forward contract on a foreign currency eliminates the risks related to exchange rate fluctuations. In this case the parties entering the contract agree to exchange a specified amount of currency at a future date at a pre-determined exchange rate (Redhead, 2008, pp.730; Von Pfeil, 1988, pp.127). Suppose A Ltd, a British company got $1 million receivable after 3 months. The company is afraid of British pounds appreciating against dollar as this will lower the value of its receivables. To hedge its position the company can enter into a forward contract that will entitle it to sell the receivables after three months at an agreed upon rate irrespective of the rate prevailing in the market. Suppose the spot rate is GBP 0.60/$. In three months time the company expects that the value of pounds will strengthen against dollar due to which the rate will fall to GBP 0.55/$. A Ltd can enter into a 3 month forward contract of GBP 0.62/$ which will freeze the exchange rate of the company. Now suppose after three months the spot rate is GBP 0.56/$, the company will then be able to sell the dollar receivable at GBP 0.62/$. As evident from the above calculations, the amount realized if the position is hedged through forward contract is GBP 620000, whereas the amount realized if the position is

Motivational Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Motivational Strategies - Essay Example Employing various mixes of motivational strategies depends on the kind of employees to be supervised and the situation the managers find themselves in. Managers should have it as a priority to learn when to they should praise, trust and delegate and above all they should know and understand the benefits and disadvantages of the reward system and motivation theories. At Gift of life clinic back street is a private hospital owned by a renowned doctor who adds up as the overall manager, and their work philosophy includes improving productivity together with better management skills. This is a common organizational strategic for development world while among medics. To develop motivated employees, must management to; Paying a worker has both short term and long term goal of motivating the employees at any organization. The primary aim of a rewarding system is to bring positive reinforcement, and there should be various factors to be considered in designing a real worthwhile system. A real rewarding system comes with accountability and based on employee’s performance and includes having appraisal for individual employees. There is also the importance of the management not only to focus on the financial form of reward but also behavioral approach to rewarding individual employees. Workers incentives are also important as they offer motivation to employee since they give employees extra to endeavor for than just regular paycheck and it is in different categories which includes bonuses, cash paid time off and travel perks. Another motivational strategy that the clinic can employ is the need for management to develop a free and honest communication channel within the workplace. It is of importance that the doctor in charge who is also the manager communicates individual employee’s expectation freely so that each worker has a clear idea of what task lies ahead. When management does this it goes

Strikes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Strikes - Research Paper Example As a means to an end, it recommends strategies that an organization can implement to maintain a successful working relationship with the unions. The management plays a pivotal role in a firm. It ensures that the working environment is conducive for the employees; hence, reducing cases of strikes. It also works jointly with the unions to improve the welfare of the workers and ensure high productivity. Additionally, it controls and manages the activities of the firm to guarantee smooth running of the business. Most of the organizations have unionized employees; thus, the unions ensure that the rights of the workers are fully protected. On the same note, they impact organizations negatively and positively. For instance, they ensure increased profitability, reduced turnover, and improved relationships with the employees. However, in case there are disagreements, there is likelihood of engaging in strikes; hence, low profit and negative publicity. In that case, organizations need to work jointly with the unions by seeing them as partners and developing a strategic partnership with them that is based on respect and trust (Ghosh, 2 005; Tschida, 2006). This discourse focuses on discussing the role of the management and unions in an organization. It also gives a detailed summary of the effects that unions have on the management. Finally, it recommends strategies that organizations can implement to create a productive working relationship with the unions. It is without doubt that the trade unions play a major role in enhancing productivity; thus, managers should work together to maintain a positive working setting that is based on mutual trust and social cohesion. Managers are paramount in a firm as they ensure all activities are in accordance to the stipulated goals. The main role of an organization’s management is to guide firms towards accomplishing their goals as well as

The mitigation analysis of unusable motor vehicles in Saudi Arabia Assignment

The mitigation analysis of unusable motor vehicles in Saudi Arabia - Assignment Example The cars, like any other machine, grow old and require repair, maintenance and eventually replacement. The well off urban population has been noted to more often than not opt for replacement of their aging cars, rather than have them repaired to elongate their working life. Like any other waste, the then retired cars pose a problem of disposal to their owners and some of them will either choose to abandon them either where they breakdown, at a mechanics compound, by the roadside or at the public parking places. Though legitimate methods of disposal exist –like selling the vehicle to scrap dealers in places like Bariman, most of the people opt for the illegal yet easy mode of disposal. What the law says. The ministry of the interior defines an abandoned property as any motor vehicle, outboard motor, vessel, ATV or trailer that is unattended which is operational or not and which is subject to removal or is removed from private or public property (PME 2012). It also defines a tow ing company as an entity or person who toes, stores or removes property which has been abandoned. The abandonment offence as defined by the presidency of the environment is the abandonment of a vehicle or any part that was part of a vehicle on any open land or any land constituting part of a highway or waterway. The offence also includes anything that has been abandoned and which was brought on land purposefully for abandonment. The law enforcement agencies will grant a towing company authorization to remove an abandoned property where: Abandoned on the right of way of any highway or on a freeway where: If in an urban area and the vehicle is left unattended for a maximum ten hours or four hours where the law enforcer feels that it poses a danger to other motorists or Away from an urban are if the vehicle abandoned for 24 hours or after 4 hours where it is perceived to pose a hazard to other motorists. If the unattended vehicle is on a bridge and obstructs the normal flow of traffic and no efforts from the owner to remove the property are evident. If the property had been reported as stolen or taken from the actual owner without their consent. Where the operator of such property has been arrested and taken to custody and has not been able to secure removal in time. Where the owner has parking/traffic violations which relate to any other local ordinance or municipal law and which are outstanding. Where the unattended property is violating any local ordinance or municipal law for which visible signs have been posted to give notice. Where the property is on territorial waters, is obstructing movement and has been there for more than ten hours or is floating loose. Where the operator of the property successfully eludes arrest for an offense which would otherwise have seen them taken into custody. The law enforcement agencies are allowed to immediately tow any vehicle or cargo that poses a hazard on any municipal highway, this includes the vehicle, the property ther ein, spilled cargo or personal property. For commercial haulers, if they are not transporting waste or cargo that is designated as hazardous, the enforcers have to grant the owner a reasonable chance to contract a towing organisation of their own. If property is abandoned on a private property, the security/property manager or the property’s lessee can have it removed without consent. They only need to contact an enforcement agent in their jurisdiction who will

What were the political and intellectual outlooks of the civilizations Essay

What were the political and intellectual outlooks of the civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia How did geography influence the religious outlooks of these two civilizations - Essay Example Like Mesopotamia, Egypt was also dominated by a major river: the Nile, which was central to its life (Pollock, 1999). According to Trigger (2003), city-states in Mesopotamia, after successfully resisting incoporation into larger political systems for more than fifteen hundred years, were not transformed into territorial states, but absorbed into regional kingdoms. Unlike a hegemonic city-state system, the â€Å"Inka† empire was organized as a series of provinces ruled by the Inka upper class. Governorships were not allowed to become hereditary. Provinces were governed from administrative centres which were new foundations. Local rulers who in the central highlands were mostly descended from the hereditary chiefs, administered largely rural populations. Their executive powers were subject to the approval of the provincial governor. To reduce the power of conquered groups, they were sent as colonists to far-off regions of the Inka state, and replaced by reliable settlers from older parts of the kingdom (Patterson, 1987). In contrast to the situation in Mesopotamia, where urban development played a prominent role in shaping the civilization, most people in ancient Egypt continued to live in small, largely self-sufficient villages. Although the reasons for this are complex and include fundamental differences in political organization (Trigger, 2003), the greater uniformity and stability of natural resources and correspondingly lower risks associated with agriculture in Egypt were significant (Wenke, 1989). In Mesopotamia, political entities were most often small-scale competitive polities rather than centralized regional states (Pollock, 1999). Politically centralized territorial entities were the exception rather than the rule, and most were of short duration. Contrastingly, in Egypt, after the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt around the end of the fourth millennium, it remained a politically centralized state comprising of a great geographical

Economics and Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics and Government - Essay Example More and more economies are opening themselves up for the free and unrestricted trade with partners from East and West. Countries like China and India have benefited a lot from the free trade and a drive towards globalization. Over the period of time, countries like China has been able to dominate the world trade market with exporting their goods and services to other countries. Though the free trade offers important benefits to improve the overall economic conditions of rich and poor countries however, it can also serve as an important deterrent for war. Globalization and integration of economic interests of the countries make it relatively difficult for countries to fight with each other. The complex nature of international free trade and how the economic interests are intricate with each other make it extremely difficult for the countries to wage war against each other. This paper will argue and discuss that free trade stops war between countries. Globalization and Free Trade Glob alization has emerged as one of the most important forces of change during recent times. What started as an economic move to open the borders and allow free trade has now made inroads into other fabrics of the society also. More importantly, changes are being observed at socio-political level where smaller and developing countries are transitioning towards democracy and improved economic performance. It is critical to note that globalization is really a diverse term and to define it appropriately may be a difficult task. Over the period of time, the explanations as well as the impact of globalization has really widened. Globalization, initially focused upon ensuring developing mechanisms and processes which can be put in place to allow nations to trade with each other with no or very restricted barriers to entry. Â  (Chanda, 2007) As a result of this drive towards the free trade, many nations including China and India benefited from open economies. Since developing countries are es sential providers of raw material and also possess cheap labor therefore the overall benefit was perceived to be transferred to poor countries. Through globalization, poor countries were allowed to benefit from their raw materials and cheap labor sources. Apart from this, poor countries also benefited from the transfer of technology which took place due to globalization. Developed countries, in order to avail the benefit of cheap labor and raw materials actually helped transfer of technology to the poor countries to take advantage from the latest technology to manufacture goods in more efficient manner. (Escobar, 2006) One of the moves towards achieving the free trade and ensure further trade liberalization, World Trade Organization was founded. World Trade Organization or WTO is considered as the apex body which formulates the rules of the game when it comes to trade between the countries and also monitor the same. WTO not only creates the agreements which reduce the barriers to en sure free trade between the countries but also mediate the disputes between countries arising due to trade. (Moore and Lewis, 2009) The overall debate on free trade and what are its pros and cons actually are based upon two set of important arguments. One set of arguments is based upon the moral arguments and other set of arguments is purely based upon the economic impacts of free trade. The moral set of arguments was based upon the assumption that the free