Friday, December 27, 2019

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) In an Organization

As the industrialization and globalization have become more intense for decades, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) becomes more advocated and is employed by corporation globally (Smith, 2011). However, despite an urge for performing â€Å"good† social roles, there still be numerous of organizations showing their unwillingness to fulfill their expected responsibility due to the controversy of how the concept should be defined amongst academia, businesses, and society, in addition to the conflict of interests between a firm’s shareholders and stakeholders that accounts mostly for difficulties in implementing CSR practices. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to dig deeper into above problems by presenting the definition of†¦show more content†¦For example, a different in law systems among countries may cause ethical dilemma. Moreover, major concern of stakeholders after economic crisis has turned to corporate governance or the transparency in the activities of business as number of corruptions, bribery, and frauds revealed by media reports is increasing nowadays (LRQA, 2010). However, not only dealing with legal and ethical compliance, multinational corporations are also socially expected to promote the general welfare of the society it functions through philanthropic practices, contributions to health and education, disaster preparedness and responses, and poverty alleviation since â€Å"companies cannot succeed in societies that fail† (Slater, Thanatrakolsri Wokeck, 2013, p. 1). Finally, there are too many areas that ethical dilemma could occur and it is insufficient to solely comply with local laws; while meeting the expectation of the society requires a great deal of resources (Shubiri et al., 2012). On the other hand, CSR in international business provideShow MoreRelatedCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr ) And Store Brand The Organization Essay1681 Words   |  7 Pagesto the corporate social responsi bility (CSR) and store brand the organisation assumes. The purpose of this report is an investigation into CSR efforts, affording an indirect measurement of reputation. It describes a series of CSR activities, and finds that in each case, TWG s reputation is reinforced and is stronger than competing organisations who lack or do not efficiently execute such techniques. The supporting references used describe research that has previously investigated how CSR activitiesRead MoreThe Impact Of Corporate Social Responsibility On Business1626 Words   |  7 Pages In contrast, this research shows that the impact of corporate social responsibility can extend beyond public relations and customer goodwill to influence the way consumers evaluate a company s products. Specifically, this research documents that acts of social goodwill--even when they are unrelated to the company s core business, as in the case of charitable giving--can alter product perceptions, such that products of companies engaged in prosocial activities are perceived as performing betterRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr ) Essay1369 Words   |  6 Pageshave a responsibility to give back to the customers they serve and the communities they operate in. Today, many organizations have realized the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in response to consumers and stakeholders becoming more mindful of social issues. Corporate social responsibility has continued to change and grow. It can be difficult to define CSR because it takes on a variety of social, economic, political and environmental formats depending on the business. Corporate socialRead MoreThe Code Of Corporate Social Obligation Essay1557 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Corporate social obligation is an administration idea whereby organizations incorporate social and natural concerns in their business operations and collaborations with their stakeholders. CSR is by and large seen as being the path through which an organization attains to a parity of financial, natural and social goals while in the meantime tending to the desires of shareholders and stakeholders. The Indian Companies Act, 2013, which fuses CSR The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has advisedRead MoreCsr : Corporate Social Responsibility Essay1285 Words   |  6 PagesCSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility and it is a concept with many definitions and practices and also a buzzword in the media. In general, corporate social responsibility is the policies and programs of business corporations which tend to benefit society while improving a corporation’s public image and profitability at the same time. The meaning of it is implemented in different countries and companies differently. Warren Buffet said that it takes 20 years to build a reputation and onlyRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility Is A Hard Edged Business Decision1073 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Corporate social responsibility is a hard-edged business decision. Not because it is a nice thing to do or because people are forcing us to do it... because it is good for our business† (Fitzerald, n.d.). In view of the aforementioned citation, it dispenses an intuitive frame of reference into the purpose of this case assignment. As this paper will be expounding upon both the short and long-term ramifications of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Moreover, this case assignment will reviewRead MoreSocial Marketing1409 Words   |  6 PagesHenderson (2001) also adds that: ‘Embracing CSR would inevitably have consequences that would raise the cost of doing business, could well reduce revenues, and might also cause companies to sponsor low yielding investment which they would otherwise have turned down.’ In addition, organizations really motivated to apply and absorb CSR as a core value in its activities, would have to undergo a deep and internal change in its business operations and culture (employees, suppliers, offices)Read MoreAn Organization s Corporate Social Responsibility957 Words   |  4 Pages An organization’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drives them to look out for the different interests of society. Most business corporations undertake responsibility for the impact of their organizational pursuits and various activities on their customers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment. With the high volume of general competition between different companies and organizations in varied fields, CSR has become a morally imperative commitment, more than one enforcedRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility Of The World Essay1545 Words   |  7 Pages Chapter: 2 Corporate Social Responsibility 2.1 History of Corporate Social Responsibility 2.1.1 Corporate Social Responsibility in the World: The origin of Corporate Social Responsibility in businesses has no fixed date. Most experts, scholars, researchers, practitioners, writers, philanthropists, civil societies conscious citizens opined that it can be carried out in an ethical and socially responsible manner. It is assumed that in the year 1960 corporate social responsibility began to emergeRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1281 Words   |  6 PagesCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Corporate social responsibility (CSR) could be essentially put as how organizations deal with their organizations, and the procedures embraced to viably deliver a general positive and enduring change inside the general public or the business environment where they work. Each business works in a regular social environment, and each business society contains the shareholders, clients, money related expert (Carroll and Buchholtz 2003, p. 36). Government, non-government

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Specified quotes from Things Fall Apart by Chinua...

Things Fall Apart: Quote Hunt Mood. -After Nwoye is lured into the Christian religion and abandons his culture and family, Okonkwo is ashamed and states, you have all see the great abomination of your brother. Now he is no longer my son or your brother. I will only have a son who is a man, who will hold his head up among my people (172). Nwoyes father disowns him only because he chooses a path untraditional to his culture. The serious, frustrated, and unhappy mood that is created in Okonkwos statement gives the reader an idea of how much the Ibo culture values tradition, choice, and family. -When Nwoye is informed of Ikemefunas death, the narrator states, a deathly silence descended on Okonkwos compound...throughout the day,†¦show more content†¦Achebes message is that fear is only developed though silence of feelings and words. The danger of silence is the words and emotions are neither told nor shared, so a persons weakness is unknown until expressed. -While talking about the Christians and how the gods fight their own battles, on man states, When a man blasphemes, what do we do? Do we go and stop his mouth? No. We put our fingers into our ears to stop us hearing. This is a wise action. Okonkwo chimes in and states, If a man comes into my hut, what do I do? Do I shut my eyes? No. I take a stick and break his head. That is what a man does (158). Okonkwo wants to silence anyone who talks nonsense or disagrees in his actions. Society says that if a person hears or sees something irritating, then he or she should tune it out. Okonkwo displays that silence can be used as a weapon of offense and defense. -When Okonkwo and the other detainees return from the prison, the narrator describes the scene: they walked silently...the village was astir in a silent, suppressed way (199). Achebe delineates the discontent of the Africans through their silent, and to a point, negative emotions. Although the prisoners returned from the prison, Achebe tries to show that a transition between cultures caused high tensions too precarious to be expressed. Father/Son Conflict. -The relationship between

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Sociology - family diversity free essay sample

Using material from Item A and elsewhere assess sociological explanations of the nature and extent of family diversity today. Family diversity means that there are many different types of family in society today not just nuclear, cereal packet families. There are several different types of family within UK society. These include; nuclear, single parent, gay or lesbian, extended and reconstituted. Although nuclear remains the most common family type in the UK today with 20% of families falling into the category, other types are fast on the increase due to societies changing attitudes towards what is considered ‘acceptable’. Perspectives such as functionalist and the new right have been described as ‘modernist’. That is, they see modern society as having a fairly fixed, clear-cut and predictable structure. They see one ‘best’ family type- the nuclear family- as slotting into this structure and helping it by performing certain essential functions. Modernists are firmly opposed to family diversity. We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology family diversity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They hold the view that there is only one correct or normal family type. They see the traditional patriarchal nuclear family consisting of a married couple and their dependent children, with a clear labour division between the breadwinner husband and the home maker wife as correct. They also see a clear distinction between who should carry out the ‘instrumental’ and ‘expressive’ role in the household. For example, according to Talcott Parsons there is a ‘functional fit’ between the nuclear family and modern society. He sees the nuclear family as uniquely suited to meeting the needs of modern society for a geographically and socially mobile workforce, and as performing two ‘irreducible functions’- the primary socialisation of children and the stabilisation of adult personalities. He claims these functions contribute to the overall stability and effectiveness of society. Hence, other family types can be considered as abnormal, or even deviant, since they are less able to perform the functions required of the family. However, other sociologists reject the modernist idea that there is one ‘best’ family type or that he family’s structure shapes its members behaviour. Feminist and postmodernist views would argue that modernist approaches ignore significant facts. They argue, as individual social actors, we make our own choices about family life and relationships, and we now have much greater choice about our personal relationships, and that has increased family diversity so much that we can no longer talk about a dominant type. There are many things in modern society that have lead to an increase in family diversity today. One of the main reasons for diversity is the divorce act introduced in 1969-71 meaning women can get a divorce if they feel it is necessary. Judith Stacey argues that greater choice has benefitted women and enabled them to free themselves from patriarchal oppression and to shape their family arrangements to suit their needs. The act has lead to an increase in single parent families and singletons. The modernists would see this as having a negative effect on society as single parent families are ill equipped to bring up a well rounded individual who can make a positive contribution to society. However, a postmodernist, Fiona Weir, argues â€Å"the vast majority of children growing up in single-parent families do so healthily and happily†. Another piece of legislation that is helped increase family diversity is the civil partnerships act (2004). It has meant that same sex couples can legally get married and in many cases adopt a child. Teenage pregnancy is on the increase and this has again increase family diversity and has meant there is an increase in single parent families and the three generational family all living under the same roof. This contradicts parsons claims that the extended family is not as important or needed as much as it was in preindustrial times and points out that in some cases it is needed as much as ever. The changing position of women in society has also had a large impact on family diversity. Many women now are going out to work, whereas in the past they would have stayed at home and looked after the children and her husband. It has meant that many are now either not having children at all or waiting until they are older so they can focus on their careers. The new right and the functionalists would have a big problem with this as they see it as a women’s main job is to bear children, take care of her children and the household. The feminists and postmodernists would however see the changing stature of women as something that is very positive as it empowers them and gives them a choice on what they want to do with their own lives. Another key factor to point out when talking about family diversity would be the role of the media in the betrayal of modern families. In soap operas for example there may be a lot of teenage pregnancies and families such as reconstituted ones. This would have a major impact on what people think is acceptable in today’s society, and if people think it is acceptable they are more likely to do it. The media may have cause subjects such as divorce, which would have been a taboo subject in the past, to become socially acceptable which inevitably lead to an increase in the amount that take place. One of the main issues when talking about family diversity would be the increase in the neo-conventional family. Chester defines the neo-conventional family as a dual earner family in which both spouses go out and work. This family type would be relevant to today’s family because of the recession. The recession has meant that the woman can no longer afford to stay at home and care for her family as it is unaffordable. It is similar to the symmetrical family described by Young and Willmott. For Chester, the extent and importance of family diversity described by the new right has been exaggerated. Like the functionalists, Chester sees the nuclear family as dominant. The only important difference between his view and that of functionalists is that Chester sees a change from a conventional to neo-conventional nuclear family where both play an ‘instrumental’ or breadwinner role. Ulrich Beck argues that we now live in a ‘risk society’ where tradition has less influence and people have more choice. As a result we are more aware of risks. Today’s risk society contrasts with an earlier time when roles were more fixed and people had much less choice in how they lived their lives. The modernists would see this traditional view on society as correct and the way our lives should be lived out today as it is the only way a functioning society can survive. For example, people were expected to marry. Once married, men were expected to play the role of the breadwinner and disciplinarian and to make important financial decisions, while women took responsibility for the housework and childcare. However, the traditional, patriarchal family has been undermined by two trends; greater gender equality and greater individualism. These trends have lead to a new type of family; Ulrich Beck calls it the ‘negotiated family’. Negotiated families do not conform to the traditional norms, but vary according to the wishes of their members. These types of families are increasingly prevalent today mainly because of the recession and also many women want to work.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

TQM In Foodservice Introduction One Of The Most Important Industries O Essay Example For Students

TQM In Foodservice Introduction One Of The Most Important Industries O Essay verall is the food industry. The food industry consists of everything from food processing plants to fast food restaurants. The food industry affects nearly every living person. Most people dont realize how important this industry is and how it affects their everyday lives. That is why it is so critical that the products of this industry are at their highest quality, are free of bacteria and ensure that the consumer will not face any detrimental consequences. Total Quality Management (TQM) plays a big role in promising these results. We will write a custom essay on TQM In Foodservice Introduction One Of The Most Important Industries O specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Total Quality Management seems to be a confusing term for the layman. TQM is a philosophy advocated by Dr. Edward Deming, a world renowned quality guru. It was widely accepted by Japan from 1950 onward. They used this principle for continuous refinement of an organization-wide quality system. Since then many organizations around the world have adopted TQM or similar methodologies. There have been many successes and many reported failures. Success of the system depends on the total commitment of the people to quality from top to bottom within the organization. TQM implementation is based on team work and the philosophy of continuous improvement. Statistics need to be used extensively to analyze and reduce the variation in the process. In the food industry, continuous improvement is vital to the survival of a specific company or restaurant. The customer is constantly purchasing the products of competitors and any decline in quality will equal a decrease in gross profits. There are several areas that a restaurant may focus on for quality improvement such as menu offerings, hospitality, service, cleanliness, and over all food quality. All of these aspects will be covered in this paper concerning Total Quality Management. Summary Employee ; Product Quality Various well known companies such as Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Taco Bell have implemented Total Quality Management programs in an effort to increase quality and market share. Ritz-Carlton of Kansas City, Missouri, recently revamped menu selections for its rooftop-level restaurant and bar operation. This came about through customer surveys, focus-group studies of local restaurant patrons, employee opinions, and market analysis. This began with the general manager, Norm Howard, as TQM must start at the top to be successful. He states that It is about listening to your customers and empowering your employees to participate in important business decisions (Stephenson, 1993). Taco Bell, with the implementation of a Total Quality Management system, has improved its speed of service, friendliness of service, and value for money ratings. This company has done this by empowering employees and seeking customer input. By integrating their employees into the system, Taco Bell has also decreased employee turnover by 63% (Stephenson, 1993). According to the article TQM: Making it Work for You, there are six areas that need to be focused on (Stephenson, 1993). The first area is measuring quantitative results of various surveys and studies and basing future decisions strictly on these outcomes. This information could come from something as simple as a comment card, but these cards must tell the business more than what was good and bad, but why. The second area to be focused on is empowering the employees. Allowing the employees to be involved in the team effort. Make the employees feel responsible for their actions and allow the employees to fix their problems. This is where many franchises lack, making it the managers responsibility to fix the problems that the employees create. If management treats employees in a respectable manner, the employee will turn around and treat the customer with respect also. Avoiding errors is the third area that needs to be focused on. The main focus of a Total Quality Management program is to eliminate errors before they can occur. .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b , .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b .postImageUrl , .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b , .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b:hover , .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b:visited , .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b:active { border:0!important; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b:active , .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2a995bec9623234295c9baed35c33f3b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: "War" (Helmet for My Pillow) Essay Systems cause about 80% of all errors, so if the system is error free, then the employee has a lesser chance of making mistakes. Next comes the integration of management into the process. Total Quality Management implies that management must be 100% in favor of the program, or else the employees will not respond properly. Employees will follow the lead of the management team. Last is to do what the customer want, as tells the aphorism The customer is always right. This is the same principle. There is no sense in serving only fried chicken if the customers demand a more health conscious baked or grilled chicken. Customers are not only the people who walk through the doors looking for a meal but also your suppliers and employees (Stephenson, 1993). Health Safety Quality Total Quality Management does not just deal with product quality, but all around, or total quality. Another area that quality needs to be continuously improved in is health and safety. Sky Chefs, an airline caterer recently came to the conclusion that their workers comp. Costs were skyrocketing, so they incorporated their Total Quality Management program to help solve these health and safety problems (Kay, Murphy, Harris, 1994). The main reason for business is profit, and if workers comp. Costs are at unacceptable levels, that cuts out profit. Initially, the program focused on injury prevention and set a goal of reducing workers compensation costs by 50% in three years. Task teams were initiated to collect data on estimated future loss, loss sources and medical treatment patterns which would be evaluated and used to eliminate hazardous areas of operation. They also gathered qualitative data on employee and management attitudes and beliefs, current policies which focus on potential hazards, and the physical environment. With this data, changes were made and continuously updated with Sky Chef reaching their goal of a 50% decline in less than 18 months (Kay, Murphy, Harris, 1994). The teams developed several guidelines for improvements as follows: Incorporate safe work practices into standard work processes; Involve line workers in all aspects of process improvement, particularly safe work practices; Integrate and continuously improve post-injury management processes; Communicate concern for employees; Create a unified data base that could deliver timely, useful information to line managers; Review vendors objectively and thoroughly; Institute criteria and time-based medical care and disability management; Implement a comprehensive modified duty program; Create a single managerial focus for loss prevention and work-related injury manage ment (Kay, Murphy, Harris, 1994). By following these directives, a company could efficiently reduce workers compensation costs. They have earmarked this as the Concern, Awareness, Responsibility, and Excellence program (C.A.R.E) which is a safety communications program which involves and rewards the line employees for committing safe acts (Kay, Murphy, Harris, 1994). One aspect that these articles seem to have left out is the actual quality of the product, the food. In food service classes and in the real world, one form of Total Quality Management is known as the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, or the HACCP system. This system was developed to ensure zero defects during food handling by monitoring the whole preparation process. Its purpose is to identify and correct errors before they happen. The old method of quality assurance was to test the final product (TechniCAL 1996). If the product was not sufficient, it was either held, reprocessed, or ultimately destroyed (TechniCAL 1996). This method was costly, not only in an economic sense, but also timely. The HACCP system monitors the food from the delivery point through-out storage and preparation until consumption. It analyzes critical control points where extra precaution may be needed with potentially hazardous foods. A flow chart is established to determine which foods need to be analyzed at which times.Management and employees alike must take this system very seriously and follow all steps which includes assessing hazards, identifying critical control points, setting up procedures for critical control points, monitoring critical control points, taking corrective action, setting up a record-keeping system, and verifying that the system is working (Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Foundation , 1992). This system is necessary to maintain a quality food product and I feel is a part of Total Quality Management. .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e , .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e .postImageUrl , .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e , .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e:hover , .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e:visited , .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e:active { border:0!important; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e:active , .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u09b03961ae7dd4a2090543c440d0e95e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: In what ways does the writer engage the reader with notions of the masculine and the feminine in this text ? Essay According to Russell Cross, industry guru on HACCP, the foundation between Total Quality Management and HACCP are the same: do it right the first time and every time and you get a good final product (1994). He also goes on to state that it is necessary to check each step along the process to make sure the product is safe and the process is in control instead of relying on the end product when its too late to correct the problem (1994). Conclusion The food industry is an industry where it is a necessity that health and safety are given a number one priority, a nd with a Total Quality Management system in place, it becomes much easier to facilitate these needs. If any food product becomes contaminated it could mean illness for any customer which consumes this product, which could bring about lawsuits and even an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigation which could result in the closing of the business. I was part of a management team at a local fast food restaurant and I feel that our employee turnover rate was extremely high compared to other businesses in town. By implementing a Total Quality Management system such as the one used by Taco Bell, these turnover problems could subside to acceptable levels, along with increased customer satisfaction. The three most important factors in any food service business are cleanliness quality, and service. A Total Quality Management program, if implemented properly from the top down, with everyone involved in the program believing in it, would ensure the three factors are met and will constantly continue to improve. I feel that this is a very important factor in an industry that is so diverse and ever-changing. Works Cited _____Cross, Russell. (1994). What HACCP Really Means Available: http://ifse. tamu.edu/ifse/haccp.htm pp. 1-4. _____Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association, (1992). Applied Foodservice Sanitation, (4th ed.). Kendall/Hund Publishing Company. _____Kay, Michael Z., Murphy, J. William, and Harris, Jeffrey S. (1994 January/February). How to Zap Your Workers Comp Costs Financial Executive, pp. 44-48. _____Stephenson, Susie. (1993, October 1). TQM: Making it Work for You Restaurants Institutions, pp. 109-111. _____TechniCAL. HACCP: A Principle Whose Time has Come Available: http://www. tcal.com/haccp.htm p 1.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Scarlet Letter Essays (409 words) - Film, Free Essays

The Scarlet Letter Essays (409 words) - Film, Free Essays The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter Death, deceit, beauty, and love: These are some of the many themes of Hawthorns The Scarlet Letter. The most visible theme in this novel of the four is love. They say that love can last forever, and this book is written proof. The protagonist, Hester Prynne, is a lovely lady who has committed one of the worst crimes a woman can, adultery. Her husband had sent her over to the new world from Europe. He had asked her to wait for him there until he finished some business. She had waited for two years. When it seemed that he would never come, she gave into temptation. After resurfacing incognito, her husband discovers the identity of the unnamed man that she had relations with. After all of her husband's attempts to destroy their love, they decided on leaving the country. That way they would not have to bear the shame that the town had grown to pay unto them. Even after her newly found love, Arthur Dimmesdale, had passed away her love for him still thrived. The punishment for her crime was she must wear a scarlet A on her bosom for the remainder of her life. Her daughter, Pearl, had stared at it, wondering what it was many times. She had grown accustomed to seeing her mother wearing it. The townspeople had all ridiculed her for her crime, but still commended her on her sewing skills. These skills displayed every day in plain site on Her chest. One event that truly explains the theme of this book is the part in the forest when Pearl sees her mother for the first time as her true self. She saw her as she used to be without the scarlet letter on her chest. Pearl's reaction was that of non-recognition. She would not even approach her mother because she did not recognize her. It was not until her mother put her hair up and the letter back on that she would come back. Though she loved her mother she had grown accustomed to seeing the letter everyday. If you grow up seeing something everyday and then all of a sudden it is gone it can be very traumatizing. Though at first Pearl was afraid of Arthur, she grew to love him in the end. The best part of this book is the theme of everlasting love. The rest of it is actually quite boring. If you like love stories this is a good one to read. There love and hardships end in tragedy just like real life.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Bullying English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bullying English - Essay Example Bullying may occur because of several reasons that include but are not limited to racism, hatred, and jealousy. When an individual bullies another, it fundamentally reflects a sense of insecurity in the bully to alleviate which, the individual tends to make use of bullying. Bullying is one of the most complicated issues in all kinds of organizations including schools and offices. This paper discusses the effects of bullying on the victim. Bullying has many negative effects on the psychological and physical health of an individual at any age, and is often a root-cause of life-long trauma. Bullying has many psychological effects on the victim. Bullying puts the victim into the psychological trauma. This does not only put the victim into depression, but also ruins the personality of the victim. The victim loses the tendency to deal with the challenges of life. The victim tends to underestimate his ability to handle bullies in any kind of task, because he has failed to deal with them eff ectively once in the past. This shatters the victim’s self-confidence. While the victim has a lot of potential, he is not able to utilize that because of under-estimation of his abilities. Mental scars are much more long-lasting and painful as compared to the physical scars that may be caused by bullying. Mental scars are formed as a result of complete break-down of the reputation, self-respect, and self-esteem of the victim of bullying. Sometimes, bullying inculcates violence in the behavior of the victim. The feeling that he was not able to defend himself against the bully makes the victim over-conscious in his social behavior in the future. The victim tends to interpret everything negatively even if it was not intended by the other party. Thinking that bullying has caused him a lot of suffering in the past, and moved by the urge to not let that happen ever again to him, the victim overreacts in situations where it is not required at all. As a result of this, the victim sta rts losing his respect in the eyes of others and is perceived by the society as an evil person. â€Å"[S]o many children who are bullied turn to delinquent behaviors in an effort to escape the mental anguish that has pushed upon them by a bully† (I Hate Bullies, 2009). While at heart, the victim is not a bad person and the over-reaction is just a measure of self-defense necessitated by years of pain and suffering, he gets his image tarnished in the eyes of the public. Bullying has many physical effects on the victim, particularly when the bully casts physical abuse on the victim. Physical abuse can cause anything ranging from minor scars to death of the victim. Victim of bullying is susceptible to becoming drug addict. Victims of bullying tend to seek refuge in drugs in an attempt to escape the constant feeling of embarrassment and loss of self-esteem caused by bullying. The victim becomes extremely depressed and finds ways to numb the depression, and drugs seem to provide a way out. The victim starts from occasional drug intake, and gradually becomes regular which leads him to the path of drug addiction

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Rejuvenating Jamaican tourism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Rejuvenating Jamaican tourism - Research Paper Example It has a monarchy system of government. It has an ideal climate for agriculture and tourism industries. In 1940s, the country discovered bauxite and the government shifted from banana and sugar export to mining. People in Jamaica share a combination of culture from Spanish and Taino. They use English as their official language thought many people use a local language called Patois. Section A: Internal and External Assessment of Tourism in Jamaica In the Greater Antilles, Jamaica leads in the tourism industry. The government depends most from the tourism industry. The industry provides about 50 % of the country’s foreign exchange. It provides about a fourth of the total jobs offered in Jamaica. Tourism industry helps in boosting the economy and creation of job opportunities to the youth. Tourism activities are carried in the northern coast island, which includes communities like Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Port Antonio. Other places with tourism activities include western tip is lands. The country has many airports and airlines, which help in transportation of tourist. According to Clarke (2009) the government also helps in development of the industry. Each finance year, the minister for tourism gets same funds to manage the industry. The government has worked to ensure success of the tourism industry because it contributes a lot in the government revenue. The fame gained through Olympic and music has made Jamaica attract more international visitors. Tourism Demand and Market in Jamaica Tourism has been on high demand in Jamaica. The famous musician, â€Å"Bob Marley† and the Olympic sprinter, â€Å"Usain Bolt† promoted the image of Jamaica world wide. Many people, tour in Jamaica to witness the Olympic champions and famous musicians. The level of visitors has been on the increase from 2000 to 2012. Tourism income increased to 53 % from 2000 to 2005. Tourism net earning doubled from 2000 to 2005 reaching $ 437 million. The rate increased from 2005 to 2010. Tourism industry will earn 1 billion in 2012. According to Black (2011) the demand for tourism does not decrease like other industries, which do not have a consistence growth. In 2000, the hotel occupation rose from 41 % to 65 %, and this has risen up to 90 % this year. Consecutively, the industry has grown for the last five years. In 2008, the industry had a total income of about 500 million, in 2009 it rose to 570, in 2010, it rose again to 700, 2011 it rose to 850 and in 2012 the income will reach 1 billion. The graph below represents Jamaica’s income from the tourism industry. The market of tourism has been promoted by many factors ranging from environmental, social and political. Tourism is promoted by people form other countries and the citizens of Jamaica. Citizens from different counties visit beaches and other places preserved by government for tourism purposes. People from other countries visit the cities in order to have a look of the geographical fea tures. They also visit in order to see the famous Jamaican sprinters who always win in the Olympic Games. According to Dove (2010) music industry has attracted many people who visit the areas. The international visitors contribute more to the income than the local tourist. It is estimated that about 70 % revenue from the industry is generated by international tourists from foreign countries. The remaining 30 % comes from the local tourist or the individual

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The characterisation of Lady Macbeth Essay Example for Free

The characterisation of Lady Macbeth Essay Compare and contrast the way in which the characterisation of Lady Macbeth and the setting and atmosphere are developed in three productions of act 1 scene 5 Macbeth was performed for James I in August 1606 at Hampton court. He was asked to be King of England by Queen Elizabeth I when she was dying, because she didnt have any children to become her successor and he was the closest heir. James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603 after Queen Elizabeths death. Shakespeare based the story Macbeth on a book called, The History of Scotland written by Raphael Holinshed. In this true story Banquo helped Macbeth kill Duncan but because James was a descendant of Banquo, Shakespeare thought it would be indiscreet to suggest that one of Jamess ancestors had committed regicide. Duncans son Malcolm killed Macbeth in real life where as Macduff killed him in the play. The witches were added more into the play because James wrote a book about witches. The Elizabethans were also very interested in witchcraft and the supernatural. Macbeth is a story about regicide. In Shakespeares time the people thought that regicide was the greatest crime anyone could commit. They thought that God appointed kings to rule over the kingdom and any attack towards them meant that they were attacking God. In Macbeths letter he tells Lady Macbeth everything they do not have any secrets from each other. In the play Lady Macbeth thinks that Macbeth is too kind to murder Duncan and become king rather than waiting until he dies normally. Yet I fear thy nature; it is too full o the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way. She is thinking that she has to control Macbeth to murder Duncan. Hie thee hither, that I may pour my spirits in thine ear. She wants to drive away all the things that would stop him being king. And chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round. She wants to take away all her feminine values and replace them with pure evil to become a sexless, pitiless fiend so she can be able to commit such a great crime. Unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty. She makes him ignore the fear of no afterlife in order to become king. As soon as she hears that Duncan is coming, she talks about killing him. O never shall sun that morrow see! she is telling him to hide the fact that they are going to kill Duncan from him but still be thinking it. Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent undert. She is trying to control Macbeth to kill Duncan just after she has heard that he is coming. And you shall put this nights great business into my dispatch. In the Royal Shakespeare Production Lady Macbeth is powerful, she can control what Macbeth does, she manipulates him with sexual persuasion to do what she wants him to do. She turns away from him and makes him move to her, this shows that she has power over Macbeth and can manipulate his actions. She is wearing a black flowing robe that covers up her shape and a black hat that covers up her hair. She is not very feminine, this portrays her as evil and capable of killing Duncan to become queen. When she is thinking about killing Duncan, she shows intense concentration. They embrace each other when Macbeth comes in; this shows that theyve got a very close relationship. In the BBC Production Lady Macbeth has not got much power over Macbeth. She runs up to him when he enters and he turns away from her when shes talking. She is wearing a long beige dress with a rope belt and has long hair, she is more feminine than the Lady Macbeth in the Royal Shakespeare Production because her clothes show more of the shape of her body. She does not seem as evil, but when she changes her voice she transforms the way she portrays the character. She moves around when shes thinking of how to kill Duncan and doesnt concentrate that much. She does stop and look through a window theres a long dramatical pause while she is thinking. this adds to the effect and shows that she is thinking about something important like murdering Duncan. She uses sexual movements and gestures in the unsex me scene; I dont think this is how Shakespeare intended this scene to come across. In the film by Polanski, Lady Macbeth is stroking some dogs when she is reading the letter from Macbeth, this shows her as sensitive and loving and not a devious, evil woman which I think is what Shakespeare wanted her to come across as. When shes talking about what Macbeth could become, she does not seem very exited. The unsex me scene is moved to when shes standing outside on her own, she is portrayed as evil when she changes her voice. When Macbeth comes in she runs up to him, he picks her up and carries her up the stairs, this portrays her as weak and childlike. She has little power over Macbeth, she has a little sexual persuasion but she doesnt seem to be able to manipulate him very much. When she says that they will kill Duncan, O never shall sun that morrow see. She comes across as playful and childish. She does not seem to be able to commit regicide, and too innocent to be filled with direst cruelty I think that the Royal Shakespeare production was the closest to the representation that Shakespeare portrayed in this play. The clothes she wore showed what Lady Macbeth was like. The actress played Lady Macbeth well because she showed that she is evil and manipulative using her movements and voice, she has power over Macbeth and influences what he does. In the BBC production she has not got as much power over Macbeth as in the Royal Shakespeare Production. She does not show that she is evil until she changes her voice. Her clothes show that she is more feminine and less capable of committing regicide. She uses sexual persuasion more than mental persuasion, this shows that she is not as calculating. In the Polanski film she is childlike and does not seem to be able to kill someone or even think about killing someone. She is very feminine because she is wearing a light blue dress, which shows the shape of her body. In my opinion Polanski got the character of Lady Macbeth completely w rong.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Strategic business management

Strategic business management Introduction: Strategic business management has its roots in the thinking of the workforce; strategic thinking can no longer become a textual presence of words in the notebooks. The training programs and the meeting conducted at the sense of urgency do not mean that a company is on the right path. In the competitive era the stability of the market is doubted. Even though experts and analysts say the market is recovering from the slow down, the psychological impact that has changed the attitude of people had to be recovered, and it will take time on the long run. In this research of study certain tools and business strategies are used that exemplifies the impact that change bring in and how the company needs to manage the change. Resistance to chance would occur in the initial stages. The source of information that is used in this assignment. Comprises secondary data s by means of white papers, journals, magazines and case studies of the company were also used. The analysis part of this assignment includes the interpretation of psychological attitudes that exists when a change is implemented. And when a company decides to grow itself strategically impacts would be demographics and all the functional areas of the management such as production, operations, finance, human resource, marketing etc But all the outcomes of the results purely rely on the workforce and their attitude. The nature of the research is descriptive as the assignment examines the existing affairs of the company. And it also includes the Expost Facto method in sourcing of the datas. COMPANIES TAKEN IN TO CONSIDERATION FOR THE ASSIGNMENT: In this assignment as per the instructions laid down, as a must I have taken in to account the strategies and the process of International Business Machines one of the pioneers in information technology and computer hardware. And for the optional choice of opting the other company o have taken HONDA The power of Dreams, the reason I chose was personal and I always have a craze on the engine and the models of Honda. At the other end, Honda is known for its expansion and diversification in the recent past as they also pioneer in Intellectual Property Rights in getting the patent rights for their designs of engines. As this assignment needs a wide discussion on the change management I opted for Honda that has a strong workforce. TASK I SOURCES OF CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT CHANGE IS THE ONLY THING THAT CANNOT BE CHANGED without change it will be boredom for human beings and also for other living things. Liberalization, privatization and globalization all these have enhanced the frequency of occurrence of change. Competition exists everywhere smart people are defined by the way they adopt to change. Since the cultural impact plays a role in managing the change, traditional philosophy in the flow of communication in the management also defines the future. Information technology has created resistance to change, especially for the tradional and the baby boomers. As these generations of workforce stick on to the routine work and resist change. Not to blame them but its the responsibility for the management to sort out such things without dissatisfying. SOURCES OF CHANGE IN AN ORGANIZATION: PEST AND ITS ROLE ON CHANGE: Most of us would wonder the relation between a change and the PEST. _ SHAPE * MERGEFORMAT ____ POLITICAL: Legislative norms to be abided by the companies on the run might create a change in any of the management process. For example, few of the acts that had come in to enforcement like Paternity act and more had to be implemented by the human resource department. But the intentional movement and implications that are laid down by the ruling party should be abided by a company. This involves sudden change in the norms and the standard operating procedures followed by a company. But when again another party comes to ruling in the next 5 years another set of implications will be laid down at this time when a company is undergoing expansion it will face lot of resistance at this juncture. SOCIO CULTURAL: The employment opportunity that prevails in the current scenario is the worst of all times. The impact of the slowdown has thrown its roots psychologically in the mindset of the people and thus it has an impact on the productivity too. And the socio cultural patterns might also reflect on this as companies like Honda, IBM have a diversified workforce problems might arise when downsizing is done. The life style choices of the employees coming from various origins might also be reason to accept or refuse a change when a company diversifies its portfolio. And the cultural fit of new hires is also a subset that falls under this. TECHNOLOGICAL: Technological boom has helped the companies to automate work up to a great extent and the impact of the emerging technologies might have the urge to bring about a change in the organization. Internet intranet, remote and Tele Commuting has helped the workforce to balance their work and life. In order to beat the rivals and compete with them the Research and Development department has the key role and its is more or less dependent on the information technology. Change might also be viewed especially in this area. The transfer of technology when a company is in an expansion mode might also cause change and bring about problems. ECONOMICAL When a company is undergoing change either it is in an expansion mode the existing business cycle stage has its part for sure. Companies like HONDA, IBM are in the matured stage and so these factors contribute to the decisions that they take to opt for diversification. Pink slips and the unemployment rates along with the inflation and the growth rate have gone down. The U.S mortgage loan i.e., the sub prime crises has also hit the other markets and this is because of the reason the impact of globalization. The Labour costs and the availability of the manpower vs. the vacancies are also to be considered as these might force to bring about a change in an organization. TASK II INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES AND ITS CHANGE (STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT) International Business Machines pioneering in hardware, software and also in IT service this baby was born in the year 1896. Herman Hollerith being the founder he maintains about 398,455 employees globally. With enormous diversifications across the world it has one if the best strategic team that opens its ears across the changes form time to time. Recession is said to occur recently, but IBM had learnt on how to cope up the changes that occurs due to recession. In the late 1986, IBM faced a recession this is sadi to be one of the worst time the company had faced but to be http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1075217,00.html http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1075217,00. (date:21-12-09, time: 3.35p.m) IBM The recession in 1986: In 1986, the IBM has slum down its market capability. Since 1981, the sales have slipped about 35% to 29%. It has sales around 3 million in personal computer in the year 1981. The market has continuously slipped in the year of 1986. The profit has comes down as 4% and the sales also move slowly. The market share ranges as 133% to 125% in a week. 9,370 computers are launched for the customer during the period of 1986. But it is inefficient to transport the computers to other branches. The customer should not wait till the computer reach to them. Only Loyal customer may wait for that. The IBM has decreased the retail sales during this period and they sales to the NYNEY, the New York based company. The recession was followed by the launch of nearly 9370 computers in the market. In this case the value chain got struck as the lead time to reach the customers got delayed. The primary stream of the value chain was good still the secondary chain including the retailers, dealers was having some problem. This might be because of the mass production that the company was in to. This led to dissatisfaction among the new customers as the word of mouth turned bad and at the other end the loyal customers might also get dissatisfied. And this led to a decision of destructing the sales that IBM was handing over to retail sales. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1075217,00.html (date:22-12-09, time: 5.15p.m) The EXIM norms that were laid down at south Korea and Japan led to imports at low tariffs and the logistics returns were not goods the other end the rivals were opting for smart thinking with the emergence of laptops and mini computers the rivals were capturing the market share and at the end of the day IBM was forced to push down the selling of computers. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-158239452.html (date:23-12-09, time: 3.45p.m) DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS: In the case of IBM the fame that it had in its own origin was relatively high. It is very usual that the local market and the perceptions among the retailers and the customers would be positive. And at the other end, the corporate social responsibility that IBM has served to the origin would also serve as a catalyst for further prospects in the same region. And when it comes to the products competitive strength even though the value chain of IBM has proved to be poor, the product fitness is said to be quiet good an even it could be considered as a competitive edge. INFERENCE: The marketing strategies of IBM solely rely on the 4Ps Product, Price, Promotion, and Place. Hence, the inference from the analysis is that the competitors for IBM is more and even in the period of 1987, besides the decline they have grabbed lot of eco friendly awards for ensuring the hazardous wastes to be low. And to the surprise, IBM made it to a percentage of 96% which none of them scored. And the recent initiative that IBM had made in the name of GO GREEN IBM, in which when a project head shouts GO Green all the employees under his belt switches off the monitor they by reducing the green house gas content to the maximum. Coming to the market growth IBM is making ways to expand its market to a greater extent in the presence of competitors the strategies should be focusing on converting the strength at ease by making use of the opportunities. And also the intelligence team and the Research and development team should keep itself updated right starting from the job cuts and the cos t cutting impacts and its relation with the consumer behavior. IBM goes Green Business Week,29/12/09,06.00.p.m IBM IN THE EXPANSION MODE: The strategic team consisting of around 6-8 people in the IBM strategic department devised a growth strategy for expanding its services in all directions. At this juncture the management was much more concerned about ensuring the following things: Setting up a new R D plant in the areas to be diversified. The workforce at these places might consist of experts and also few people with a diversified mixture. The expansion should ensure that the resources by all means should be utilized effectively and efficiently. No room for psychological deviations should exist at the time of expansion. Headhunting a competent workforce candidates from the rivals at the area where the company is expanding After considering the golden rules IBM decided to sketch the road map for calking out the expansion. At the time of expansion IBM was concerned about achieving the growth by means of hike in sales, profits, assets and also the stake holder satisfaction by enhancing the value of returns. Cost cutting at the same of expansion was also a challenge that was hiding behind. Implementation of Total quality Management tools such as 6 sigma, 5S were the areas where IBM ensured perfection. For this a team of quality circles were also appointed and expenses over the Training and development were turning high but they were continuing it expecting Return on Investment through Proper Reinforcement that as possible only when IBM provides a conducive climate for working. This task was then focused towards the Human Resource Department. Several research and surveys were conducted to measure the existing working climate at IBM plants and necessary changes were also made to ensure the reinforcement is witnessed VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL GROWTH PLANS OF IBM Soon after the plans got devised IBM started working at full phase, it was concentrating on enhancing the value chain in the secondary stream especially in the distributors and suppliers (retailers)and at the recent statistics IBM has gone for serving the customers at the door step. The use if SAP by means if ERP made the suppliers and the retailers to get connected directly. ERP VERTICAL GROWTH OF IBM: The need of Enterprise Resource planning across the service points was very high. IBM understood this and soon it acted on the opportunity. The extent of interaction went to such a level where the suppliers could place an order from the desktop of their service point to the production plant. This growth base was not easy as the implementation of ERP brought about psychological barriers. ERP implementation and Change Management: Both the backward and the forward integration was possible was IBM on the use of ERP. Still, resistance to change occurred at IBM and the company was pushed to the process of managing change. IBM CHANGE MANGEMENT STRATEGY THE LEWINS 3 STEP MODEL: IBM was in the process of managing the resistance to change that raised in the diversification of the plants as well as the implementation of ERP. UNFREEZING: IBM mad the communication transparent and so it also conveyed the plans for the growth in the individual career growth plan and devised ways to unfreeze the change. MOVEMENT: IBM ensured that the new state will reach soon and it also happened as per the devised plan. REFREEZING: IBM ensured the HR practice and the climate after their companies expansion at different areas did not affect the emotional quotient of the employees. Counseling and work life policies were also designed and certain fringe benefits also were provided Horizontal Growth: IBM also moved through the phase of horizontal growth and the acquisitions with the other companies like TOKYO OKHLOA and KOGYO CO LTD turned to be one of the successful strategic alliances by means of working through low consumption of solar energy. Diversification @ IBM: IBM devised new product lines and perfect products with the help of research and development dept .The diversification was a combination of both concentric as well as conglomerate. As the first involved in enhancing the production process with marketing strategies through the sales force and the later involved the merger in to the solar business industry. The new products at IBM after the year 1986 and the recent collaboration with LENOVO has also paved way for the emergence of laptops and other devices. IBM now is trying to capture the market where it has been lagging earlier the restructuring process at IBM under the guidance of CEO Louis U. Gerstner who rearranged the brand and the logos and also incorporated the GO GREEN. TASK III An international company and pioneer in manufacturing of engines. Equal competitor for the German automobile companies when no one dreamt of it this company right now stands as a leader in the automobile industry. The company surprised the customers and delighted them by selling its product CIVIC HYBRID. Yes of course its HONDA THE POWER OF DREAMS. These dreams were made true when a simple mechanic named Soichiro Honda founded the company in the year 1940 at Japan. Incepting with a normal 50 cc bike Honda has now emerged as the core competitor for the rivals. http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Honda-Passenger-Car-Industry/206913 http://www.1stgencivic.org/(date: 23-12-09, time: 5.45p.m) THE DOWNFALL OF HONDA: When we are asked to comment about HONDA we would say its leading company in the automobile industry, but the fact is like any other company Honda also faced a downturn and this was said to happen when the company failed to invest actual funds in to Research and development at the right time. This paved advantage to its competitors like Toyota and Nissan. As Honda was keen in designing the engine it failed to take in to account the customer perceptions and taste of the customers in other countries. Later, the company decided to opt for a strategic alliance to enhance the productivity and to capture the market share in the other countries other than its origin. When Hondas strategic alliance team was analyzing on which of the action to select it went for a mutual beneficial consortium with DONGFEN a Chinese company as this resulting in capturing of markets with cost cutting in the process that minimized waste of time and resource at certain levels. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/6259440/Hondas-UK-plant-is- leading-the-car-industrys-revival.html(date:24-12-09, time: 6.21p.m) OTHER ALLIANCES: Honda did not stop with a mutual consortium it also decided to take along step of opting for a Joint Venture with Siel Siddhartha and it produced nearly 38,849 and nearly 15.5 million engines and this decision turned to be one of the most important moves that actually leveraged the financial risk of Honda. Honda also opted for a joint venture with siel followed by a value chain partnership which actually has now made Honda to be one of the pioneers in automobile manufacturing with one of the best in class total quality management and it has now captured the customers and had made them to be at the top of ladder of loyalty. Thus these strategic alliances with the other companies by means of value chain partnerships and joint ventures followed by a mutual consortium. The following were the pros that Honda acquired because of the strategic alliance. Research and development team got stronger and the company was able to make focus on a specific target of customers that also paved way to a decline in the risk that is to be bared individually rather it turned to be mutual risk and profit sharing decision. Thus by holding hands through strategic alliance Honda was able to strengthen its base and acquire more of the market. http://www.myautoupdater.com/a29182-world-class-honda-car-parts-sold.cfm(date:24 -12-09, time: 5.35p.m) TASK IV ASSESSMENT OF RISK INVOLVED IN RUNNING A NBFC BUSINESS Risk is there everywhere, with out proper assessment of risk even a traditional company would collapse in a short span of time. Risk management has been given more importance in the field of non banking financial corporation. The recent slow down that has rooted out from the sub prime crises has made all the industry to rethink of its strategies in opening and sustaining in the existing market. The initial investments that is required to run the business is relatively high. Some of the risk factors are discussed below: The nature of the financial product might not be very attractive as the rivals will be more in number. Finding out the small gap in this segment would be the challenge. The negative of financing would be the competition that the company would face form the banking industry as customers are more aware of the shortcomings in this regard. In the team of marketing the attrition rate has witnessed to be very high amidst the financial crises. The fancy incentives are not stable and so the income and the job security are also not constant. The marketing department would sell of the loans to the consumers but the problem rises when the collection team keeps on insisting the customers to repay the amount when fails leads to loss in the concern. The present rates that is prescribed by the government of u,k to run a business related to non banking financial industry is quiet tough to maintain. And moreover the issues of the corporate governance and the disclosure of the financial statements are the issues. The policies are now made stringent rather it was lenient those days that led to the recession. The task of processing the loan for a new commercial vehicle becomes an important risk factor as the appraisal of the customer and his pay back ability could fail at any time and more over the loss incurred in case of the customer failing to repay the amount is relatively high than in that of refinancing. RECOMMENDATIONS: The recommendations that I would put forward in this issue would be to follow the risk management and assessment tools usage and also the use of porters competitive strategy would be an optimal solution for the NBFC business. Cost Leadership: The NBFC is a service oriented sector and so the cost would be much more on the interest rates and the IRR value that the company would yield on the long run. The implications that are laid down by the government should be followed strictly. And also the mortgage loans would have an impact. Differentiation: In order to differentiate the products the NBFC industry is all complicated with lot of products and the mode reaching the customers and converting them in to a loyal customer by offering special loans based on the track records would be the solution on this function. Cost Focus: Nothing much on the cost focus is needed provided the interest rates are low. The above strategies would find out an optimal solution for the business to run successfully. Sekaran Uma, Strategic Management, published by Tata Mc Graw Hill, 2005(date: 23-12-09, time: 6.14p.m) BIBLIOGRALPHY: Mcshane L. Steven VonGlinow Ann Mary Sharma R. Radha, Organizational Behaviour, Published by Tata McGraw Hill, 2006 (date: 22-12-09) Robbins Stephen P, Organisational Behaviour, 12th Edition, published by Prentice Hall Pvt. Ltd, 2000(date: 22-12-09) Sekaran Uma, Strategic Management, published by Tata Mc Graw Hill, 2005(date: 23-12-09) http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1075217,00.html#ixzz0aFfXIqNW (date:21-12-09, time) http://www.1stgencivic.org/(date:21-12-09) http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1075217,00.html (date:22-12-09) http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-158239452.html (date:23-12-09) http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Honda-Passenger-Car-Industry/206913 http://www.1stgencivic.org/(date:23-12-09) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/6259440/Hondas-UK-plant-is- leading-the-car-industrys-revival.html(date:24-12-09) http://www.carazoo.com/article/2908200801/Hondas-NewPlayers-in-the-Indian-Car-Industry(date:24-12-09) http://www.myautoupdater.com/a29182-world-class-honda-car-parts-sold.cfm(date:24-12-09) http://www.sme-blog.net/sme_blog/mediumsized_companies/(date:24-12-09) http://rd.kpmg.co.uk/mediareleases/19475.htm(date:24-12-09) http://www.pr-inside.com/financial-services-firm-edward-jones-sells-r1542966.htm(date:25-12-09)

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Airframe by Michael Crichton Essay

Michael Crichton’s 1996 literary work takes its audience into a flight adventure of suspense with a dash of humor. As the title suggests, Crichton’s audience might deduce a frame which could be found in the air. In more accurate terms, speculate about the structure of a plane. As the audience read’s it, this deduction is further strengthened with the illustration of a plane â€Å"accident† that results to an investigation on the quality on a Norton Aircraft-manufactured N-22, followed by media frenzy. For some, the event of an airplane accident which eventually results to tedious and cumbersome investigation is quite uninteresting and dull. However, readers of this book are still compelled to continuously read it because of the twists, thought-provoking exploration of a plane’s structure, high tension issues and jitters. Moreover, Michael Crichton’s style and themes informs and teaches several factual issues and concerns to its audience while entertaining them. By looking into the history and flight events, it can be said that Michael Crichton’s accounted problems in his book indeed portray real-life scenarios. Michael Crichton’s novel starts at the Transpacific Airlines flight 545, said to be a Hong Kong based transportation. In addition to this, it was also illustrated that the plane, as mentioned before, a Norton Aircraft-manufactured N-22, that is expected to arrive at Denver. However, severe turbulences occur at the California Coastline, resulting to an emergency landing at the Los Angeles airport. From the pilot’s report on the status inside the plane, there were already several injured passengers and two dead passengers. The dilemma rises from the fact, as the book states, that the plain’s history never showed or experienced poor safety record or performance. In addition to this, the pilot who was maneuvering the plane was highly trained, which takes the possibilities of human error out of the question. As such, the story tediously proceeds and revolves around the investigation regarding this â€Å"anomaly† on the plane’s condition or on the question of its safety records, and generally about how the whole incident happened. In this novel, the aircraft manufacturers in this novel responded in a way that imitates what â€Å"real† aircraft manufacturers would show or usually do after such accidents. There are cases where manufacturers are held liable or not liable to certain accidents by the jury. If the jury was impressed with the overall save rate, the manufacturer is not considered liable, resulting to the acknowledgment of the whole design utility being optimized for the majority to the detriment of a few. On the contrary, if the jury would inspect the high-speed aspects of risk in contrasts to the high-speed save rate, the manufacturer can be considered liable. As such, it is â€Å"factual† or logical that manufacturers would react in ways that Crichton describes it. On the other hand, the actions or events which follow the media hype on the airplane accident seem exaggerated, though again, convincingly true. Several scenes or illustrations regarding the media generally show that they tend to scrutinize whatever links they find regarding a certain topic which could boost their ratings. In addition to this, there is generally a persistence of the media crowd to grab whatever fact they could get a hold on to, and sometimes create stories to build or form the bits of information that they have into a persuasive story, which can either be true or partly-true. In his accounts of both the airplane problems, media and manufacturer investigations there are convincing facts which are laid to the audience by the author. In addition this are critical observations which shows Crichton’s style and manufactured tensions that keeps his readers stuck on the book, without boring their selves (just like what I felt). Crichton is like giving an ice cream, with a sprinkle of reality and fiction, mounted on a cone, coated with information and served in a plate garnished with humor that definitely keeps its audience from wanting more. References Crichton, Michael. (1996). Airframe. Alfred Knopf Publishers.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Child Marriage: Reasons and Consequences Essay

Acknowledgement I am highly indebted to my Professor who gave me such an interesting project and who helped me in every way possible to complete the project. I owe my deepest sense of gratitude to my parents who influenced me and helped me to complete this project. I would also like to thank the library staff who helped me finding the reference texts. Introduction Child marriage in India, according to Indian law, is a marriage where either the woman is below age 18 or the man is below age 21. Most child marriages involve underage women, many of whom are in poor socio-economic conditions. Child marriages are prevalent in India. Estimates vary widely between sources as to the extent and scale of child marriages. The International Centre for Research on Women-UNICEF publications have estimated India’s child marriage rate to be 47% from small sample surveys of 1998, while the United Nations reports it to be 30% in 2005. The Census of India has counted and reported married women by age, with proportion of females in child marriage falling in each 10 year census period since 1981. In its 2001 census report, India stated zero married girls below age 10, 1.4 million married girls out of 59.2 million girls in the age 10-14, and 11.3 million married girls out of 46.3 million girls in the age 15-19 (which includes 18-19 age groups). Since 2001, child marriage rates in India have fallen another 46%, reaching an overall nationwide average 7% child marriage rates by 2009. Jharkhand is the state with highest child marriage rates in  India (14.1%), while Kerala is the only state where child marriage rates have increased in recent years, particularly in its Muslim community. Rural rates of child marriages were three times higher than urban India rates in 2009. Child marriage was outlawed in 1929, under Indian law. However, in the British colonial times, the legal minimum age of marriage was set at 15 for girls and 18 for boys. Under protests from Muslim organizations in the undivided British India, a personal law Shariat Act was passed in 1937 that allowed child marriages with consent from girl’s guardian. After independence and adoption of Indian constitution in 1950, the child marriage act has undergone several revisions. The minimum legal age for marriage, since 1978, has been 18 for women and 21 for men. The child marriage prevention laws have been challenged in Indian courts, with some Muslim Indian organizations seeking no minimum age and that the age matter is left to their personal law. Child marriage is an active political subject as well as a subject of continuing cases under review in the highest courts of India. The children are forced into the institution of marriage without knowing about its significance in the long run. Though parents are of the opinion that they involve their children in such rituals because it is an age old custom and it will also secure the future of their children but the reality is not so. Though in some cases parents believe in such superstitions and dogmas in other cases greed is the most significant factor. How can a girl’s future become secured if she gets married to a man who is 60 years of age while the girl herself is barely 14 or 15? Only their parent’s future will be secured with the amount of money the man and his family pay in return of the girl. This heinous crime cannot be termed as marriage it is simply selling of the girl child. The man will molest her at a tender age and at the same time he will kiss death pretty soon. The girl will end up being so horrified with the custom of marriage that she will dare not enter the institution again. A whole future filled with frustration and anger will result thereby. The sad news is that the institution of child marriage is still present in India in a number of villages and districts. Though the government has taken strict actions and child marriage has been declared as a big crime, still this practise is prevalent till today. Definition of child marriage India The definition of child marriage was last updated by India with its The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006, which applies only (a) to Hindus, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and those who are non-Muslims of India, and (b) outside the state of Jammu and Kashmir. For Muslims of India, child marriage definition and regulations based on Sharia and Nikah has been claimed as a personal law subject. For all others, The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006 defines â€Å"child marriage† means a marriage, or a marriage about to be solemnized, to which either of the contracting parties is a child; and child for purposes of marriage is defined based on gender of the person – if a male, it is 21 years of age, and if a female, 18 years of age. World UNICEF defines child marriage as a formal marriage or informal union before 18 years of age. UN Women has proposed that child marriage be defined as a forced marriage because they believe children under age 18 are incapable of giving a legally valid consent. Statistics The small sample surveys have different methods of estimating overall child marriages in India, some using multi-year basis data. For example, NFHS-3 data for 2005 mentioned in above table, used a survey of women aged 20–24, where they were asked if they were married before they were 18. The NFHS-3 also surveyed older women, up to the age of 49, asking the same question. The survey found that many more 40-49 were married before they turned 18, than 20-24 age women who were interviewed. In 1970s, the minimum legal age of marriage, in India, for women was 15. The states with highest observed marriage rates for under-18 girls in 2009, according to a Registrar General of India report, were Jharkhand (14.1%), West Bengal (13.6%), Bihar (9.3%), Uttar Pradesh (8.9%) and Assam (8.8%). According to this report, despite sharp reductions in child marriage rates since 1991, still 7% of women passing the age of 18 in India were married as of 2009. UNICEF India has played a significant role in highlighting the Indian child marriage rate prevalence data from its 1990s study. According to 2011 nationwide census of India, the average age of marriage for women in India is 21. In the age group 15-19, 69.6% of all women surveyed in India had never been married. WHY DOES CHILD MARRIAGE HAPPEN? (Reasons) Tradition: Child marriage is a traditional practice that in many places happens simply because it has happened for generations – and straying from tradition could mean exclusion from the community. In study sites, pressure to abide by  societal norms was also cited as a reason for the persistence of early marriage. While these norms were clearly internalized by parents, neighbours and others in the community also exerted overt pressure on parents to get their daughters married at a young age. Such pressure included enquiring from parents why they were not getting their daughters married, passing unpleasant comments about the unmarried girl and her parents or bringing them proposals for marriage. But as Graà §a Machel, widow of Nelson Mandela, says, traditions are made by people – we can change them. Institution of patriarchy In many communities where child marriage is practised, girls are not valued as much as boys – they are seen as a burden. The challenge will be to change parents’ attitudes and emphasise that girls who avoid early marriage and stay in school will likely be able to make a greater contribution to their family and their community in the long term. It is important to view the phenomenon of child marriage within the context of patriarchy. â€Å"Patriarchy has a strong hold on Indian Society. It operates at all levels on the basis of sex, age and caste and contributes in lowering the status of women in every possible manner. Stratification and differentiation on the basis of gender are integral features of Patriarchy in India† Gender differences are reflected in the sexual division of labour between the productive and reproductive activities. The collective effect of patriarchy reinforces the subordination of women in the name of care, protection and welfare and makes them dependent on men throughout their lives. Child marriages for women, comparative seniority of husbands, and patrilocal residence upon marriage are thus the attributes of the patriarchal institution. Poverty (Dowry & economic determinants) Where poverty is acute, giving a daughter in marriage allows parents to reduce family expenses by ensuring they have one less person to feed, clothe and educate. In communities where a dowry or ‘bride price’ is paid, it is often welcome income for poor families; in those where the bride’s family pay the groom a dowry, they often have to pay less money if the bride is young and uneducated. Apart from religious considerations, the other reason for child marriages among the higher caste is dowry. Traditionally, dowry  was not prevalent among lower castes, most of whom followed the opposite custom of bride price. Most Brahmans also did not practice dowry, but in recent years this custom has extended itself among both higher and some lower castes. Even non-Hindu communities have not escaped from its evil influence. â€Å"It has been found that quantum of dowry increases with the age and educational level of the perspective brides. Some upper castes parents prefer to keep their daughters uneducated and marry them off young to avoid heavy dowry demand† Parents who are poor and have more than one daughter often arrange the marriage of all their daughters collectively, in one ceremony, to reduce marriage costs. To avoid more expenditure by marrying her at a later age, parents prefer to marry her off at an earlier age. Therefore, the system of dowry perpetuates child marriages. Security: Many parents marry off their daughters young because they feel it is in her best interest, often to ensure her safety in areas where girls are at high risk of physical or sexual assault. Parents of a child entering into a child marriage are often poor and use the marriage as a way to make her future better, especially in areas with little economic opportunities. Dowry is a practice in India where the bride’s family transfers wealth to the groom; in many cases, it is a demand and condition of marriage from the groom’s family. Dowry is found among all religious faiths in India, and the amount of dowry demanded and given by the bride’s family has been correlated to the age of girl. Nagi, in 1993, suggested that the practice of dowry creates a fear and pressure to avoid late marriages, and encourages early marriage. Poverty in India has been cited as a cause of early marriages. Child marriages of girls are a way out of desperate economic conditions, and way to reduce the expenses of a poor family. In some parts of India, the existence of personal laws for Muslims is a cause of child marriages. For example, in Kerala, 3400 girls of 13-18 ages were married in 2012 in the district of Malappuram. Of these, 2800 were Muslim (82%). Efforts to stop this practice with law enforcement have been protested and challenged in courts by Indian Union Muslim League and other Islamic organizations, with the petition that setting a minimum age for marriage of Muslim girls challenges their religious rights. What is the impact of Child Marriage? (Consequences) Child marriage has lasting consequences on girls, which last well beyond adolescence. Women married in their teens or earlier, struggle with the health effects of getting pregnant too young and too often. Early marriages followed by teen pregnancy also significantly increase birth complications and social isolation. In poor countries, early pregnancy limits or eliminates their education options. This affects their economic independence. Girls in child marriages are more likely to suffer from domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and marital rape. EDUCATION Child marriage often means the end of education for girls. It is closely linked to girls dropping out of school, denying children their right to the education they need for their personal development, their preparation for adulthood, and their ability to contribute to their family and community. Out of school and in marriage, child brides are denied the ability to learn the skills that could help them earn an income and lift them and their children out of poverty. Married girls who would like to continue schooling may be both practically and legally excluded from doing so. Child marriage is a major barrier to progress on girls’ education. Over sixty per cent of child brides in developing countries have had no formal education. Many girls aren’t in education because schools are inaccessible or expensive, because of the traditional role girls are expected to play in the household, or simply because parents don’t see the value of education for their daughters. Child marriage and a lack of education for girls are both underpinned by girls’ low status. Little or no schooling strongly correlates with being married at a young age. Conversely, attending school and having higher levels of education protect girls from the possibility of early marriage. In many countries, educating girls often is less of a priority than educating boys. When a woman’s most important role is considered to be that of a wife, mother and homemaker, schooling girls and preparing them for the jobs may be given short shrift. And even when poor families want to send their daughters to school, they often lack access to nearby, quality schools and the ability to pay school fees. It is usually safer and economically more rewarding to spend limited resources on educating sons than daughters.  This boxes families into early marriage as the only viable option for girls. HEALTH Child marriage can have devastating consequences for a girl’s health. It encourages the initiation of sexual activity at an age when girls’ bodies are still developing and when they know little about their sexual and reproductive health. Neither physically or emotionally ready to give birth, child brides face higher risk of death in childbirth and are particularly vulnerable to pregnancy-related injuries such as obstetric fistula. It is extremely difficult for child brides to assert their wishes and needs to their usually older husbands, particularly when it comes to negotiating safe sexual practices and the use of family planning methods. Child brides often face intense social pressure to prove their fertility. When a girl marries as a child, the health of her children suffers too. The children of child brides are at substantially greater risk of perinatal infant mortality and morbidity, and stillbirths and new-born deaths are 50% higher in mothers younger than 20 years than in women who give birth later. There is little doubt that reducing child marriage will help to ensure more children survive into adulthood. POVERTY Poverty is one of the main drivers of child marriage. Child brides are more likely to be poor and to remain poor. Where poverty is acute, giving a daughter in marriage allows parents to reduce family expenses by ensuring they have one less person to feed, clothe and educate. In communities where economic transactions are integral to the marriage process, a dowry or ‘bride price’ is often welcome income for poor families. Child marriage traps girls and their families in a cycle of poverty. Girls who marry young do not receive the educational and economic opportunities that help lift them and their families out of poverty and their children are more likely to undergo the same fate. Domestic violence Married teenage girls with low levels of education suffer greater risk of social isolation, domestic violence and sexual violence from their spouses, than more educated women who marry as adults. Domestic and sexual violence from their husbands has lifelong, devastating mental health consequences for  young girls because they are at a formative stage of psychological development. Child brides, particularly in situations such as vani, also face social isolation, emotional abuse and discrimination in the homes of their husbands and in-laws. Women’s rights Child marriages impact a range of women’s rights such as access to education, freedom of movement, freedom from violence, reproductive rights, and the right to consensual marriage. The consequence of these violations impacts not only the woman, but her children and broader society. Trafficking and sale of girls Child marriage also results in the trafficking of children for various purposes, including prostitution, labour and exploitation. Young girls are lured/forced into marriage for the purpose of selling them to other states. Rajib Haldar, Secretary, Prayas, says: ‘Trafficking of married girls’ is rampant in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and even Kerala.†. Also, a survey of victims of trafficking revealed that 71.8 per cent of the respondents were married when they were children (i.e., when they were less than 18 years of age). This suggests that child marriage is among the key factors that make women and children vulnerable to trafficking Laws against child marriage The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 The Child Marriage Restraint Act, also called the Sarda Act, was a law to restrict the practice of child marriage. It was enacted on 1 April 1930, extended across the whole nation, with the exceptions of the states of Jammu and Kashmir, and applied to every Indian citizen. Its goal was to eliminate the dangers placed on young girls who could not handle the stress of married life and avoid early deaths. This Act defined a male child as 21 years or younger, a female child as 18 years or younger, and a minor as a child of either sex 18 years or younger. The punishment for a male between 18 and 21 years marrying a child became imprisonment of up to 15 days, a fine of 1,000 rupees, or both. The punishment for a male above 21 years of age became imprisonment of up to three months and a possible fine. The punishment for anyone who performed or directed a child marriage ceremony became  imprisonment of up to three months and a possible fine, unless he could prove the marriage he performed was not a child marriage. The punishment for a parent or guardian of a child taking place in the marriage became imprisonment of up to three months or a possible fine. It was amended in 1940 and 1978 to continue rising the ages of male and female children. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 In response to the plea (Writ Petition (C) 212/2003) of the Forum for Fact-finding Documentation and Advocacy at the Supreme Court, the Government of India brought the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) in 2006, and it came into effect on 1 November 2007 to address and fix the shortcomings of the Child Marriage Restraint Act. The change in name was meant to reflect the prevention and prohibition of child marriage, rather than restraining it. The previous Act also made it difficult and time consuming to act against child marriages and did not focus on authorities as possible figures for preventing the marriages. This Act kept the ages of adult males and females the same but made some significant changes to further protect the children. Boys and girls forced into child marriages as minors have the option of voiding their marriage up to two years after reaching adulthood, and in certain circumstances, marriages of minors can be null and void before they reach adulthood. All valuables, money, and gifts must be returned if the marriage is nullified, and the girl must be provided with a place of residency until she marries or becomes an adult. Children born from child marriages are considered legitimate, and the courts are expected to give parental custody with the children’s best interests in mind. Any male over 18 years of age who enters into a marriage with a minor or anyone who directs or conducts a child marriage ceremony can be punished with up to two years of imprisonment or a fine. Applicability Muslim organizations of India have long argued that Indian laws, passed by its parliament, such as the 2006 child marriage law do not apply to Muslims, because marriage is a personal law subject. The Delhi High Court, as well as other state high courts of India, have disagreed. The Delhi Court, for example, ruled that Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 overrides all personal laws and governs each and every citizen of India. The ruling stated  that an under-age marriage, where either the man or woman is over 16 years old, would not be a void marriage but voidable one, which would become valid if no steps are taken by such court has option to order otherwise. In case either of the parties is less than 16 years old, the marriage is void, given the age of consent is 16 in India, sex with minors under the age of 16 is a statutory crime under Section 376 of Indian Penal Code. Legal Action on Legal Confusion There is a standing legal confusion as to Marital Rape within prohibited Child Marriages in India. Marital rape per se is not a crime in India; but the position with regard to children is confusing. While the exception under the criminal law (section 375, Indian Penal Code, 1860) applicable to adults puts an exception and allows marital rape of a girl child between the age of 15–18 years by her husband; another new and progressive legislation Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 disallows any such sexual relationships and puts such crimes with marriages as an aggravated offense. A Public Interest Litigation filled by Independent Thought – www.ithought.in an organization working on child rights law, is being heard in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India for declaring the exception allowing marital rape within prohibited child marriages as unconstitutional; Independent Thought vs. Union of India [W.P(civil) 382 of 2013]. CEDAW The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, commonly known as CEDAW, is an international bill attempting to end discrimination against women. Article 16, Marriage and Family Life, states that all women, as well as men, have the right to choose their spouse, to have the same responsibilities, and to decide on how many children and the spacing between them. This convention states that child marriage should not have a legal effect, all action must be taken to enforce a minimum age, and that all marriages must be put into an official registry. India signed the convention on 30 July 1980 but made the declaration that, because of the nation’s size and amount of people, it’s impractical to have a registration of marriages. Conclusion Child marriage is an age old practice that is still prevalent in India, especially in the state of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana till today. The development and modernization of India and with the implementation of the strict rules of marriageable age to be 18 for girls and 21 for boys has resulted in a considerable downfall in the number of child marriages. Still there is a lack of awareness in small villages where the illegal practice of Child marriage is prevalent. The legal age for marriage in India is 18 years for girls and 21 for boys. Any marriage of a person younger than this is banned under the Child Marriage Prevention Act, 1929. It is an incontrovertible fact that a large number of child marriages are performed in violation of the existing provisions of the law, particularly on ‘Akha Teej’ or ‘Akshaya Tritiya’. When child marriage takes place, the children are too young to understand what marriage means. It is true that the re is a large body of social opinion and customary practice that sanctions early marriage. It is a religious tradition in many places in India and therefore difficult to change. The dire consequences that follow child marriage, particularly for girls are – the child’s education is sacrificed, girls become more vulnerable to domestic violence and due to early pregnancies their health gets much worse. The babies born to girls under 16 are more likely to die during their first year of life. UNICEF describes child marriage as a â€Å"gross violation of all categories of child rights.† It is a social evil that has degraded the status of girl child in our society. Child marriage is against the law but the marriage itself is valid once performed, even if the child was as young as 5 years at the time. Police cannot make arrests without applying for a Magistrate’s order. The present provision for simple imprisonment for 3 months and a fine has proved totally inadequate. To stop this menace, the law must make registration of all marriages mandatory. Stringency of punishment is the next important element in the strategy to tackle this menace. The appointment of anti-child marriage officers in every State, and making it a law that anyone who attends a child marriage has to report it, would help in checking child marriage What is required on the part of the citizens and the government in general is to join hands and raise a movement so wide that every parent could only visualize themselves locked up in jails even if they think of committing such a crime. It is essential on the part of the citizens to  remain active. People who witness child marriages should be determined enough to launch a police complaint against the parents of both the bride and groom. It is essential on the part of the government to award the people who inform about the conduction of child marriages and also to enforce harder laws to discourage this practice. Thus by helping two children from entering into such a horrendous affair, you are assuring a brighter future not only for these children but for India as a whole. Bibliography 1) Jaya Sagade, â€Å"Child Marriage in India† Oxford University Press, New Delhi. 2) http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/child-marriage/india/&gws_rd=cr&ei=cBktVaSCGI6QuASvsIDwBQ 3) http://www.csrindia.org/child-marriage-in-india 4) http://middleeast.about.com/od/humanrightsdemocracy/a/child-brides.htm