Monday, August 19, 2019
Essay --
Sumedha Kucherlapati -MS in Information Management Systems-2014 ____________________________________________________________________________________ My earliest memories as a child were playing ââ¬Å"SUDOKUâ⬠with my sister and thoroughly enjoying it. As I grew up my love for logical games grew with me. When I started working at Deloitte, I was always applauded for my analytical and problem solving skills. Further due to the professional exposure at Deloitte as Business Technology Analyst, I got acquainted to business to technology transition of real life challenges and requirements. This fascination has progressively transformed into my career goal to be the best blend of technical and functional consultant and I believe that doing a Masters in Information Systems management will help me step closer to my goal. I have always excelled in education and did my entire high school on scholarship. My undergraduate studies in Electronics and Telematics from GNITS, one of the top three private colleges in the state has given me a very substantial knowledge of the basic areas of Computer Science. Courses like Cryptographic algorithms, Network analysis, Wireless Communication Network and Computer Networks helped me learn about Information security, Computer Architecture and gave me an insight into hardware of electronic devices. To complement my theoretical knowledge, I presented a paper on ââ¬Å"Use of Compact Fin-FET memory circuits to increase read, write capability.â⬠This article focused on the results of an independent-gate Fin FET SRAM cell simultaneously enhancing the read data stability and memory integration density. The paper fetched us first prize at a National Level technical fest. I also headed the IEEE, ISTE s... ...lp 275 Special and differently abled children on the ââ¬ËNational Impact Day' conducted by Deloitte which is the biggest Annual event of the firm. Working at Deloitte has helped me understand that to stand out as a leading consultant it is very important to have business insight along with technical expertise and MISM course structure at your esteemed university would equip me with perfect blend of the same. My experiences assured me that I am on the right path towards my goal and would like to continue pursuing my skills in this direction. I strongly feel that courses like IT Project Management and Consulting Communications in your curriculum would further boost my skill set. I would be honored to be under the unmatched guidance of the eminent professors at Heinz college and am looking forward with great hope to get an opportunity to join your university.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Growing With Style :: Writing Style Styles Essays
Growing With Style Defining writing style is somewhat like describing Big Foot. People study it, and talk about it, they try to enlighten others about it. But when itââ¬â¢s all said and done, you just rely on; ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll know it when I see it.â⬠Style is not unique onto ourselves, but I think that we all, either as audience or as writer, have our own interpretation of style. For example, the University of Miamiââ¬â¢s Philosophy and Literature Departments hold a Bad Writing Contest that gives mock prizes to the ââ¬Å"worst published academic writingâ⬠that someone can find (Miami.edu). It is all in good fun and it is based solely on the opinions of the judges of the contest. The texts, Style: Toward Clarity and Grace by Williams and Elements of Style by Strunk and White teach about the importance of ââ¬Å"good style.â⬠Both books are quite different in their approach and the style in which it is presented. Strunk and White is short and sweet. Williams is lengthy and often times a tedious read. Both books are biased to their opinions; Williams is more instructional while Strunk and White almost sounds like a reprimand. However, both books offer up a wealth of knowledge and support. Both Williams and Strunk and White discuss the idea of clarity. Clarity is an important element of style because without it, you will have a lost or disinterested audience. Strunk and White state, ââ¬Å"Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary partsâ⬠(23). Keeping this in mind will help a writer to stay on track. Instead of digressing on an unrelated topic, the writer can focus on a point and stick to it. Williams has two principles that help with managing and expressing a flow of ideas in a concise manner: 1. Usually, compress what you mean into the fewest words. 2. Donââ¬â¢t state what your reader can easily infer (115). A writer can achieve meaning compression by eliminating such things as redundant pairs (full and complete, true and accurate) and redundant modifiers (completely finish, past memories) (116). Some of these examples are so common in our speech that we can fail to see them as a problem in our prose.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
What Doesn’t Kill You Make You Stronger
Survival is a word that has a pretty basic meaning, ââ¬Å"To continue existenceâ⬠I the name from Microsoft Office, there is really nothing to argue about. As I remember Living at 528 N. Bayard Ave; the only way you could live is if you had thick skin. Our definition of thick skin was being able to takes joke and being bullied without crying or running and telling Aunt Sabrina what happened. My cousin Darnell and I would play as much jokes on my sister Desiree and cousin Ruby. Every since I was younger I could remember everyone I know had jokes. Everyone was made fun of, and the only you made it through it is you had to get back at them by a joke or a prank believe that through all the jokes and pranks I am able to not be so offended by the little things people do to bother me and shaped me into a stronger person. I believe in the social world if someone does an act to diminish your character and you donââ¬â¢t shutdown and go in to social isolation then you have thick skin. In this paper I will argue that with more details that when it comes to the saying ââ¬Å"what doesnââ¬â¢t kill you makes you strongerâ⬠is the main key is survivalin a social aspect the saying is true. Living in most urban neighborhoods with as many as fifty young children of all ages for all my life you are bound to get teased by someone; especially if you are not the best dresser or have the coolest sneakers on, or the most money. You have to be able to bend and not break. I can remember a time where I was the butt of all jokes but since I didnââ¬â¢t let anything make me go under a rock. These experiences allow me to one a day to be the joke maker and not be subjected to being that weak loser. I can remember a being in Tenth grade at Overbrook High School. Every day I would go into Biology class and we would tell momma jokes so like three kids would gang up and talk about my mom; at this age being 16 I was already prepared since all the encounters in my past that helped me I this situation. Thatââ¬â¢s the only I made it through high school and itââ¬â¢s the reason why I can hold my own in the world today. On the other side of this debate; I can remember being in my house and my parents bring up how my little sister tell them that me and my others siblings were picking in her. So I said that, ââ¬Å"Well teasing her is not killing her and what doesnââ¬â¢t kill you makes you stronger and I only trying to prepare her for all the people that will talk to her so it cannot effect herâ⬠. Then my dad responded, ââ¬Å"It may kill her and but you are hurting her, or maybe even crippling her and make her socially inaptâ⬠. He continue by saying that she may not even want to take risk because of the things that people may say about the from the withdrawal state I may have cause. After making me feel guilty he used a wildlife analogy saying, ââ¬Å"If a lion is hurt in battle then is he strongerâ⬠. Then I said another way I can prove how my saying is true is how you see all the people that commit suicide form cyber bullying and from people making jokes about them. They couldnââ¬â¢t handle the joking around or hazing; since it didnââ¬â¢t make them stronger it killed them. Living as long as did you are bound to have days were you are going to receive an amount of jokes, but its up to you if you let them get to you and mess up your life. Your never going to get away from. So when it to survival (at least the social aspect of survival) I believe that the key is ââ¬Å"whatever doesnââ¬â¢t kill you make you stronger. Even though people may say the word ââ¬Å"survivalâ⬠they have a tendency like Darwinââ¬â¢s theory of evolution ââ¬Å"only the strongest surviveâ⬠. What I say to that is how do I people get to the ââ¬Å"strongestâ⬠. That is where my definition comes in to play you have to endure all the negativity or the positive things that happened to you. So you get to the point of being the ââ¬Å"strongestâ⬠.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Chicago Gun Violence
Chicago has earned a lot of negative attention in recent years earning the infamous nickname ââ¬Å"Chairsâ⬠due to the high rate of gun violence. In 2014, thus far it has been 1,775 reported shootings in Chicago In which 252 were fatal. That is extremely high given the fact that the year Isn't over. Today Is September 8th; which also means this Is the 51st day in the year. That means someone, on average, was shot and killed every day of the year In Chicago. Those statistics do not even Include norm-gun related homicides.If I was to Include those extra 48 homicides, the average deaths per day would be 1 . 2. If homicides were to continue at that rate, it could possibly be 436 murders by the end of the year. These numbers are very disturbing and hopefully something is done about that. When you observe Chicago in comparison to other cities, Chicago has always been in the top 5 for murders. One thing that has changed about that is in recent years it has been number one in murders w hich is another obstacle that holds Chicago back. In 2013, Chicago led the way with murders with 412 homicides.New York was in second with 333, It Is eye catching that the Jump between 2nd place and 1st place was almost 100 homicides. Los Angels was not too far behind in 4th place with 255 homicides. Chicago In comparison to these other cycles Is a war zone. 2012 was even worse with 503 murders that year and this was the same year Chicago was given the title of Murder Capitol. The violence in Chicago is very serious, during the July 4th weekend 82 people were shot in which, 14 were fatal. It got to the point where PoliceSuperintendent Garry McCarthy was pressured to deploy National Guard. Back in 2012, Chicago gained national attention because of the death of Hading Pendleton, a 15 year old girl who had a lot of promise in her future. She was shot and killed a week after performing in the band at President Beam's second inauguration. After, that tragic incident, she became the face of anti-gun violence in Chicago. Still to this day In Chicago, the death of young children and teenagers is still a problem. In fact, a 3 year old and 9 year old were shot this past week In Chicago.The 3 year old survived but is in critical condition. It Is heartbreaking to hear incidents Like that constantly In the news. Earlier In the year, during Easter weekend, 45 people were shot. Amongst the 45, SIX were children In the age range of 11 to 15. To add to it, that was all one incident. That is awful that an event like that even As you can see, Chicago gun violence is very prominent in the communities. This violence has become a major problem mainly because it affects the teenagers and children around it every day.It alters their minds and desensitizing them to certain things that people normally would not be numb too. Too many lives are being lost in the violent streets of Chicago. So much potential within these communities are being wasted or lost and something needs to happen s o these statistics can drastically drop. This topic really hits deep with me because Chicago is my home. I could have easily became a statistic and succumb to the influence of my neighborhood. I Just hope one day that Chicago can one day move forward from the egregious nickname ââ¬Å"Chairsâ⬠.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
The Changing role of women in Britain since 1900
Target 1: How useful is source A as evidence about attitudes towards suffragettes in 1908? Explain your answer using source and knowledge from your studies. The attitudes towards suffragettes in 1908 were mixed; everyone had their own opinions of them. Some people were very supportive on what they were doing and some of them had a very negative response. In source A there is a picture of a ââ¬Ësuffragette demonstrations in London 1908'. Underneath the source the source it states ââ¬Å"Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst leading a demonstration which 200,00 people are said to have attended.â⬠This source does not give enough evidence to prove this statement. I explain why. In this picture it shows me the suffragettes having a peaceful demonstration they are smiling and at the same time getting what they want to say across, from my knowledge and understanding suffragettes were seen as violent and they were seen as a very confrontational group. In the source booklet under The WSPU- the suffragettes it tells me that In 1903 Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters formed a breakaway group called the Women's social and political union (WSPU), that was to campaign for the parliamentary vote for women on the same terms as it was granted to men, or would be in the future, their motto was ââ¬Å"deeds not wordsâ⬠yet the photo paints a different picture. In source booklet source 6 under Suffragette tactics it tells me that in 1908 the suffragettes would start occasional attacks on properties such as breaking windows, etc. But yet again from source A I cannot see this. The source also states, ââ¬Å"200,000 people are said to have attendedâ⬠From source A it seems to me that at least only 1,000 people attended. In this source I can see only one policeman and he looks quite peaceful and undisturbed. If this were a demonstration where 200,000 people are said to have attended there would be hundreds of policemen on sight. This photo is very unreliable to its statement. The source says that Ms Pankhurst lead the campaign yet there is no proof to prove this. This is supposed to be a demonstration but from my understanding a demonstration is 1) an outward showing or feeling. 2) A public meeting or a march for political or moral response. 3) A show of military force. If this was a demonstration you would have seen exactly what they were demonstration from the use of banners and posters or even photos but I cannot see any of this. This photo (source A) is very unreliable and does not give enough evidence to represent that it was a suffragette demonstration in London 1908. This source is not useful evidence about suffragettes in 1908. Target 2:Source D and E are both from 1910, yet they give different views about the campaign to gain women the vote. Which is the most reliable source for investigating people's attitudes in 1910 towards the campaign? Source D is an article from the daily sketch (newspaper) in 1910. It is about a demonstration made by women in 1910. This article is anti-suffragette; it's against women for what they are doing. This article is about a suffragist attack on the House of Commons. The title ââ¬Å"DISCRACEFUL SCENESâ⬠, and ââ¬Å"120 arrestsâ⬠gives you a dreadful view of the suffragettes. This source is also very negative against women because it puts them down. In the first passage it states ââ¬Å"they caused even more violent scenes then beforeâ⬠. This gives you the impression that they were always violent and aggressive and that's all they were good for. Also in the first passage it states ââ¬Å"It was a picture of shameless recklessnessâ⬠. This makes the women look disgraceful and outrageous. In Passage two the first four lines say, â⬠One campaigner sprawled in the mud to the obvious disgust of decent men and the obvious delight of othersâ⬠. This gives me the idea that some people found it a revolting and thought they were shameful, but yet some people saw it a something very positive. This source is very negative towards the suffragettes and makes them appear violent and shameful. This really affected the way people viewed the suffragettes. Source E is in favour of the suffragettes and are for the vote for women. This source is a postcard issued by the suffragettes in 1910. This postcard shows what a women may be, such as a mayor, a mother a doctor or even a teacher and still not have vote, then goes on to show what a man may be, such as a convict a lunatic, unfit for service or even a drunkard but yet still get the vote. Women were put in a lower category then these types of men; Suffragettes saw this as an insult. However I feel that both Source D and Source E are very reliable for investigating people's attitudes towards the campaign, but I think the most common attitude towards the suffragettes at that time was Source D. Source D gives the most relevant information and is the most reliable source because these were the negative attitudes shown towards the suffragettes at this period of time. The community didn't like to see women behaving as men or behaving inappropriately it made them look bad. This source investigates the minority of people's attitudes towards suffragettes in 1910 but at the same time remains relevant for the investigation of people's attitudes towards suffragettes in 1910. Target 3: Without the First World War women would have not gained the right to vote in 1918â⬠³ Do you agree or disagree with this interpretation? I agree with this interpretation. I believe that women would have never gained the vote without the First World War. So many men had gone of to war that the women were needed to fill their places this increased the number of women in the industry. The war made it adequate for women to work such jobs. People believed that women shouldn't be prohibited from doing work they are fit for. While the men were sent of to war, women showed how equally they worked to men, the leaders saw this as an opportunity to show what women were capable of, they showed how capable they were of doing what was seen as a man's jobs. The suffragettes broke the stereotype of how people viewed women, women were seen as housewives, they stayed home and cook and look after the kids. Men also thought that they didn't have the intelligence or intellect to do a ââ¬Å"mans jobâ⬠. In Source 27 on the source sheet written by E.S. Montague, Minister of munitions, in 1916 he states that: ââ¬Å"Women of every stationâ⬠¦. have proved themselves able to undertake work that before the war was regarded as solely the province of menâ⬠¦. Where is the man now who would deny women the civil rights which she has earned by her hard work?â⬠Women were showing themselves how equally skilled they were to men, and that both sexes were equally alike. People started to see the women as people that played a likewise part in society as men and that they deserved the vote. People believed that the women earned their rights through their hard work. In Source 29 on page 68 it also state that: ââ¬Å"â⬠¦ Many women had witnessed the suffering and anguish of men of men as they had not seen in the previous wars and had also worked side by side with comrades and friends. It was inevitable that this would start to change mutual perceptions of and the granting of the votes at last (to women over thirty) seemed totally appropriate.â⬠This gives me the impression that people did see the women working really due to the war and did all they could to gain the vote and the only resort and the most appropriate was to give them the vote. In Source 19; Page 66 we are shown a female tram driver it does not give us a date but it shows it shows us that women were enthusiastically involved in a man's role. This acts helped change the way people viewed suffragettes. Before most people attitudes were biased towards giving women the vote, but after the war people attitudes change and However in 1918 the barrier against women's suffrage was broken and a partial victory won, under the Representation of the People Act, women over 30 years of age were given the parliamentary vote if they were householders, the wives of householders, occupiers of property with an annual rent of à ¯Ã ¿Ã ½5 or more. About 8.5 million women were put under this new law. It was not until ten years later, however, that all women could vote on equal terms with men, at the age of 21 and over, the new bill becoming law on July 2, 1928.
Media Research Example Essay
Start with a short intro You can start with the title or genre as your basic point. Dicussing why, where,when or how. Remember to always do background checking on the genres to get the codes and conventions to make yours suit the conventions, not to confuse your target audience. Dont forget to do some research on your target audience too. This is essential. Other research you can do, for example on scripts or previous posters similar to yours is a mustdo and a real big help! My example: Research for my thriller film Forbidden Pieces For the title of my film, I researched different films that had similar film ideas to mine and tried to think of a title that would represent my idea but not give it away as soon as someone read it. I looked at different musical words with other adjectives and came up with these ideas and after asking those from my target audience they agreed that Forbidden Pieces would be the best title. >Swinging Life. > Forbidden Pieces > Crescendoing complications > Paper Cut This is because some of the scenes I believe a younger audience wouldnââ¬â¢t understand, yet there are parts that I believe students can relate to better than adults ââ¬â that is also why I have based my film in a school with a student around education ââ¬â something that influences students every day, or that they can relate to everyday. I then asked them using my questionnaire and series of questions; one being what they would like to see in a psychological thriller, nearly all of them said suspense or death and blood, one that makes you really think. So with their list of most popular everyday uses I have added a few to my film, including laptops, phones and school equipment as well as music. Usually in a psychological thriller, the target audience is those who are above the age of 18 and this is because of some of the characters may have psychological illnesses that younger viewers would find disturbing. However, for my film Forgotten Pieces, I have lowered my target audience to 15 because there is not going to be so much bloody scenes. My character does in the end go insane after loosing everything, and commits suicide ââ¬â not that you see her commit suicide just her feet hanging, meaning it is suitable for slightly younger teens. Past research has shown that women are more attracted to psychological thrillers, because they enjoy the mystery and story behind events that take place in thriller films. My script research has come from many different things, the first from looking at thriller scripts online. I found that the website: http://www.simplyscripts.com/genre/thriller-scripts.html was really helpful, as it gave me lots of different thriller scripts to look up. I used the scripts from 13 Ghosts, and Sixth Sense to help me, and I realised when and where I had to make things bold, or stand out more by putting them into caps. I never realised how hard writing a script could be, how much you actually have to include. I also looked at what my target audience would like to see in a thriller film, and used that in my script. As well as making the dialogue modern but still sounding posh or proper English at some parts as the school is for the elite. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jaI1XOB-bsTo start off with, I had to think of what type of genre I wanted my film to be, whether it was just a horror ( which I was informed is a very popular choice) or if I wanted it to be a thriller. I decided to look up what was needed in terms of codes and conventions for a thriller, but when I looked I found that there were so many different types of thriller: my one, I decided would be a psychological one, one that plays with the mind and makes youà shake with suspense. So I then looked up what I would need for a psychological thriller and found these; Codes and Conventions of a Thriller movieà I also looked then, at similar style films. Either with an instrument as the main focus ( the piano) or with psychological issues, and found.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Business and Virtue Ethics Essay Example for Free
Business and Virtue Ethics Essay Abstract For the purposes of this assignment we will analyze the Mattel case and discuss the actions of the company regarding the behavior and actions in conjunction with the Global Manufacturing Process that was implemented. Breaches of the two business ethics elements of integrity and egoism will be assessed. Within the discussion I have identified the virtues prudence, justice, fidelity, and courage that were largely violated by the Mattel organization and how it affected the employees of Mattel. We will discuss the implications of virtue, deontological, and utilitarian ethics regarding their potential usefulness in evaluation of the Mattel case. Introduction Mattelââ¬â¢s concept of Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP) was not a novel concept. The many forms of GMP including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) have been around for decades and have worked to insure that specific industries are held to a standard that is industry wide. ISOââ¬â¢s model is ââ¬Å"Say what you do, and do what you sayâ⬠. When a company endeavors to become ISO qualified, it is required to document every activity (as a standard operating procedure, SOP) that occurs within the company and adhere to that process without deviation. ISO qualified companies are always subject to audit by other ISO registered companies and is initially audited by four such companies in order to acquire certification. Having been directly involved with ISO implementation at a former employer that supplied fasteners for manufacturing, I am fully aware of how involved the certification is. The company SOP was over 1000 pages. Additionally, another ISO company can and will come in and audit your company prior to electing to conduct business with your company. In some instances, ISO qualification is not enough to be awarded the business. The nutrition industry also adheres to the Good Manufacturing Practices, of which I was required to be certified in every year. Each department of the nutritional company I worked for had its own GMP standards that we were to adhere implicitly. The nutrition industry, while not regulated by the FDA, is controlled indirectly by the FDA. GMP is an FDA requirement. Having worked in two industries where the concept is not only expected, but required in some instances; I was not impressed by the fact that Mattel implemented GMP of their own volition for the sole purpose to improve public perception after misconduct was exposed by the media. Business Ethics Issue The one word that I found that resonates throughout the article, whether spoken or implied, is ââ¬Å"integrityâ⬠. The incoming CEO stated that Mattel would behave in all actions with ââ¬Å"unwavering integrityâ⬠and that the companyââ¬â¢s commitment to the GMP remained unequivocal and undiminished. (Sethi, Shapiro, Emelianova, pg.490) Ironically, I identify the most noticeable and important business ethics issue as just that; a lack of integrity. Merriam Webster defines integrity as ââ¬Å"the firm adherence to a code of especially moral value, the quality or sate of being complete or undivided, and the quality of being honest or fair. Mattel exhibited none of these traits insofar as where their GMPââ¬â¢s were concerned. In fact, there were numerous infractions regarding the non-enforcement of their GMPââ¬â¢s across the board in the Asia and Mexico based manufacturing facilities. The second ethics issue I identified was narcissism. Mattel implemented this GMP program with the attitude of ââ¬Ëlook at what weââ¬â¢re doingââ¬â¢ but with minimal effort to ensure the success of the program. According to Duchon and Drake (2009) extreme narcissistic organizations will establish these formal ethics programs but will not have much effect on hindering unethical behaviors. This was evident in that the supervisors at the factories knew what they were supposed to be doing; but found ways to circumvent the system and there were no reprisals as a result of their nonconformance. Ultimately, it was a program of words and not deeds. Three Virtues Prudence ââ¬Å"Careful good judgment that allows someone to avoid danger or risks. â⬠(M-W, 2013) In my opinion, a great deal of misfortune and hardship could have been avoided if Mattel would have practiced a modicum of prudence before ever moving their manufacturing to Asia. In a perfect world, and especially in a modern world we do not expect children to work. However, when dealing with underdeveloped countries; it is normal for children to work in conditions that would be an affront to any Americanââ¬â¢s moral nature having abandoned child labor decades ago. If Mattel had done due diligence, they would have known that the facility in Indonesia was operating in an unacceptable manner (Sethi, et al. pg. 486) and could have implemented working conditions and requirements from the get-go. Then the exposure by the media would have never been an issue. I have no doubt that the draw of paying lower wages and increased productivity was the catalyst to overlook the conditions in those overseas factories. Justice ââ¬Å"The quality of being just, impartial, or fair. Conformity to truth, fact, or reason. â⬠(M-W, 2013) The concept of justice was completely lost on Mattel. While the implementation of the GMP program was comprehensive; the execution and enforcement was unconscionable. The last paragraph of the GMP, exhibit 1 says that if ââ¬Å"Mattel determines that any of its manufacturing facilities or vendors violate these principles, we may either terminate our business relationship or require that facility to take corrective action. If corrective action is advised and not taken, Mattel will immediately terminate current production and suspend placement of future orders. â⬠(Sethi, et al.pg. 487). However, when audits were performed; the facilities were rife with infractions but there was no follow through when corrective actions were required. The facilities were allowed to continue to operate unhindered. Astonishingly, the 20 plus companies that were not owned by Mattel were allowed to operate without any disciplinary actions imposed by Mattel for infractions if any auditing was conducted at all. Considering the fact that both Mattel owned and vendor factories employ some hundred thousand plus employees; Mattelââ¬â¢s actions were nowhere near impartial, fair, or conforming to fact or reason. Fidelity ââ¬Å"Quality or state of being faithful, accuracy in details. â⬠(M-W, 2013) For this virtue, I am concentrating on the act of being faithful to the employees. Whether or not the GMPs were self-imposed or not, Mattel had an obligation to the people it employs. Throughout the article, it was found during audits that the employeeââ¬â¢s time cards would systematically be incomplete where they were not being allowed to clock-out. This resonates that these people were being required to work overtime ââ¬Ëoff the booksââ¬â¢. Employees were not being given the appropriate days off or vacation time. Some living conditions and canteen conditions were substandard. Fines were being imposed. (Sethi, et al. 2011) The list goes on and on. In my opinion, Mattel should have had impartial representatives on the ground in these factories to ensure that the rules for payment, working overtime, and work conditions were being upheld. There should have been constant supervision and vigilance on a corporate level. To think that audits that were being conducted every three years was comprehensive enough to get the job done was blind and narrow minded. Courage To go one step further. A virtue is an attitude. Courage is measured when there is risk involved; but also rationality. To be truly courageous there needs to be a clear picture of what a personââ¬â¢s values are. Courage does not need to be proven beyond a doubt. (Hartman, 2008) In the case of Mattel, I feel it was courageous to implement such a comprehensive GMP program although it was misguided and ultimately failed. An even more courageous act would have been to rehab the program and bring it to its full potential and fruition. The article does not mention whether Mattel experienced any loss of revenue as a result, but public perception is a fickle entity and once all of the attention over sweat shops and child labor overseas died down, Mattel was no longer under the microscope. Financially, Mattel was spending money it perceivably no longer needed to spend. Since their program was self-imposed; it is no surprise that Mattel just unceremoniously abandoned the GMP program after nine years. When some organizations implement and enforce codes as part of a self-regulation process and others do not, those who self-regulate invariably incur greater costs. These costs are usually passed onto the consumer who subsequently (and sensibly) choses the organization which offers the cheaper product. (Blackburn & McGee, 2004) Virtue Ethics ââ¬Å"Virtuesâ⬠are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop this potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues. (Andre, Meyer, Shanks, and Velazquez. 1988) Virtue ethics indicates that business decisions should be made in a manner that attributes to the overall goals of the professional. It stresses activities and motives, what we do and why. Virtue ethics proffer that action and motive are connected to character and disposition. Actions are taken and decisions made because they are linked to a certain character. (Blackburn and McGee. 2004) ââ¬Å"That ââ¬Å"oughtâ⬠does not imply ââ¬Å"rightâ⬠can be seen in another sort of case as well, namely, when what one ought to do in oneââ¬â¢s circumstances results from oneââ¬â¢s own prior wrongdoing. In such a case, doing what one ought to do may not be the same as doing a right act or a ââ¬Å"good deedâ⬠. In fact, the same prior failure may both increase oneââ¬â¢s level of obligation to do a given act now and decrease oneââ¬â¢s level of praiseworthiness. â⬠(Russell, 2008) The above quote is especially poignant in the Mattel case. Because Mattel implemented the GMP program on the heels of a media expose, the intentions were not solely based on the ââ¬Ërightââ¬â¢ thing to do, but on what they ââ¬Ëoughtââ¬â¢ to do. Mattel probably did not get the recognition or good press they were looking for and therefore had no proclivity to ensure that the plan was a success. Utilitarian Ethics ââ¬Å"Actions are approved when they are as such to promote happiness and disapproved when they have a tendency to cause unhappiness. â⬠(Driver, 2009) We also know that utilitarian ethics work for the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Mattel directly employs over twenty thousand people throughout Asia and Mexico. If the happiness of those employees would have been considered; the pay, working conditions, time off, and canteen programs would have never been an issue. If the executives of the company would have experienced any of those adverse conditions, they would have cried ââ¬Å"foulâ⬠all the way to an attorney. The employees are ultimately left without a voice and no recourse. Deontology ââ¬Å"To act according to the maxim that you would wish all other rational people to follow as though it were universal law. â⬠ââ¬Å"Never treat a person as a means to an end. â⬠(Pecorino, 2000) Kant contends that where morality is concerned, it is guided by law and therefore judgment is not necessary to fill in the blanks, because there are no blanks. He believed that people can conform to duty and not be morally limited. He believed that we could use indeterminate action-guidance for imperfect duties, and Iââ¬â¢m paraphrasing; to weigh the moral options for decisions regarding duty towards others. Because that decision requires the minimum of our morality. Kant rejected virtue ethics. (McAleer, 2001) My opinion is that deontology would not work in the Mattel case. There are too many variables to consider in order to narrow down the maxim that will be comprehensive enough to include thousands of people over a number of cultural variances. Conclusion While the design of Mattelââ¬â¢s Global Manufacturing Principles may have been well intended and meant to improve the working conditions of the employees, the implementation was short-sighted and poorly executed. All too often when the few aspire to set standards for the many, the end result is a miscalculation. GMPââ¬â¢s are not a one size fits all type of endeavor. Each facility should have had a program that was custom to their country and working conditions. The ethical treatment of employees was the intention; but the ultimate governance was not enforced. The aftermath was the abandonment of the program due to the lack of interest and participation on the public and other companies in the industry. References Andre, Claire, Meyer, Michael and S. J. , Shanks, Thomas, Velasquez, Manuel. (1988) Ethics and Virtue. Issues in Ethics, V1 N3. We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you
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