The Driving Age Should Be Rasied to 18 free essay sample

NZ young people are increasingly proving that they are too immature, too irresponsible to get behind the steering wheel of a car. Instead of cleaning up after young drivers who have crashed, or advertising against student drunk drivers, the Gov. t could put more money into public transport so youth wouldnt have to drive to work. 15 are far too young, and it definitely should be raised. Remember a driving license is a privilege not a right, as some of you think it is Not only should the driving age be lifted to 18, there should be more draconian restrictions in place during the licensing period. Road safety should be compulsory in schools from an early age. Bicyclists should be licensed, as party of attaining a full drivers license having completed the bicycle module, the applicant must then spend a compulsory period on the treadle; the next step will be a basic motor scooter/motorcycle course, followed by another compulsory period riding either a scooter or restricted output motorbike. We will write a custom essay sample on The Driving Age Should Be Rasied to 18 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Having completed these modules, an applicant may then apply for permission to be considered for a full drivers license the process of attaining such should NOT be easy; too many of us consider piloting two tonnes of death down our highways at lethal speeds to be a right, when it is, in fact, a responsibility. And, time and again, we continue to prove that we are not responsible beings. 15 year old minds are not able to link cause with effect and therefore are not mature enough to hold a drivers licence. The age for driver’s licences should be raised to 18. In conjunction with this, the money spent on safe driving advertising campaigns (which are proven to be ineffective) should be spent instead on public transport systems. The young kids are too irresponsible to be driving at anything less than 18. The school leaving age should be 18 too. I think the driving age should be raised to 18 because young people strive to take opportunities that take advantage of something everyone knows is big. They think that they can tackle the road by the horns, knowing that their 15 years old, confidence is more powerful than common sense in such early development. Basically, the number 15 makes young teenagers react like they have the experience when they dont. Privacy and Freedom sometimes lets kids go all cocky because they want to impress a cute girl or a group of wannabe gangsters. Here is a question. How do you keep your kids at home? And here is the answer. Let the air out of their tires. Or let them wait until age 18 before being able to drive. I agree. Lets face it. Anything under 18 is still a child. Even a lot of 18 yr. olds are still kids really. However (especially in Auckland) they need a good public transport system as an option. Also another option is to restrict the ownership (and driveability) of vehicles to people under the age of say 25 to a certain horsepower. Jap imports are so cheap. Ive seen teenage (looking anyway) people driving Subarus that have at least a couple of hundred kilowatts-that my friends is a recipe for disaster. Earn your right to drive a performance car. A full license should only be able to be obtained at the age of 17-18. You should really be in school until this age and there is no need to being able to get to work. If you do have a part time job, jump on a bike or if too lazy for that, get a scooter. Also I have never understood the point of learner, restricted and full licenses. No one follows these rules anyway, how many learners dont we see on the roads without any supervision? The attitude towards cars and driving in NZ is all wrong and the penalties are far too soft. I totally agree with the above comment that the young kids are too irresponsible to be driving at anything less than 18. The school leaving age should be 18 too. Ive been a teenager and I certainly thought I was old enough to concur the world, but looking back I know now how immature I was. Although it is required to have better and cheaper public transport in place. If this is obtained we may see fewer cars on the roads altogether which would benefit in so many other ways as well. It has been shown that a lot of youth are not aware of their actions and drink driving, by increasing this age, the number of car crashes should decrease. Anyone under 18 is not responsible enough to be in control of something that can kill people. I think that adulthood should be defined as 18 at which point everything that is currently prohibited based on age can become available.

Free Essays on Orpheus

In the Metamorphoses of Ovid, Orpheus, madly devoted to his wife, Eurydice, goes into hell, and pleads for the chance to see her again. Shortly after their wedding, Orpheus’ wife steps on a snake whose venom kills her. This deeply upsets Orpheus who feels that seeing his wife again will soothe his soul. Orpheus’ request to see his wife occurs in the form of a song to the kings of the dead. As he begins his song, he explains that his true intentions are to see Eurydice, not the same as many of those before him. He adds that although he tried to live without her, but his love for her had made it impossible for him to stay away. Unsure whether the Gods of the underworld could symphathize with his submission to Love, he explains that â€Å"within the upper world, he has much fame†(326) and hopes that the God of love â€Å"has gained renown†(326) in the underworld. The â€Å"he† that Orpheus refers to is Love. He argues that Love is too powerful to resist, as he begs for the gods to â€Å"restore the life†(326) of his beloved wife. Orpheus accepts that at some point in time, all humans must report to the underworld. â€Å"Our final home is here; the human race must here submit to your unending sway†(326). Yet, though Orpheus realizes thi s, he also believes that Eurydice was taken too soon. â€Å"She, too, will yet be yours when she has lived in full the course of her allotted years†(326). Not until his wife has lived to an old age, does Orpheus feel that she should be taken to her death. He is so determined to see her, that he proclaims, â€Å"if the Fates deny my wife this gift, then I shall stay here, too, I won’t go back; and you can then rejoice-you’ll have two deaths†(326). If Orpheus is not allowed the opportunity to see his wife and for her to regain life, he swears that he too will remain in the underworld. â€Å"Moved by Orpheus’ song, the Furies wept†(326). He had brought about the â€Å"only tears the Furies ... Free Essays on Orpheus Free Essays on Orpheus In the Metamorphoses of Ovid, Orpheus, madly devoted to his wife, Eurydice, goes into hell, and pleads for the chance to see her again. Shortly after their wedding, Orpheus’ wife steps on a snake whose venom kills her. This deeply upsets Orpheus who feels that seeing his wife again will soothe his soul. Orpheus’ request to see his wife occurs in the form of a song to the kings of the dead. As he begins his song, he explains that his true intentions are to see Eurydice, not the same as many of those before him. He adds that although he tried to live without her, but his love for her had made it impossible for him to stay away. Unsure whether the Gods of the underworld could symphathize with his submission to Love, he explains that â€Å"within the upper world, he has much fame†(326) and hopes that the God of love â€Å"has gained renown†(326) in the underworld. The â€Å"he† that Orpheus refers to is Love. He argues that Love is too powerful to resist, as he begs for the gods to â€Å"restore the life†(326) of his beloved wife. Orpheus accepts that at some point in time, all humans must report to the underworld. â€Å"Our final home is here; the human race must here submit to your unending sway†(326). Yet, though Orpheus realizes thi s, he also believes that Eurydice was taken too soon. â€Å"She, too, will yet be yours when she has lived in full the course of her allotted years†(326). Not until his wife has lived to an old age, does Orpheus feel that she should be taken to her death. He is so determined to see her, that he proclaims, â€Å"if the Fates deny my wife this gift, then I shall stay here, too, I won’t go back; and you can then rejoice-you’ll have two deaths†(326). If Orpheus is not allowed the opportunity to see his wife and for her to regain life, he swears that he too will remain in the underworld. â€Å"Moved by Orpheus’ song, the Furies wept†(326). He had brought about the â€Å"only tears the Furies ...

How Many SAT Subject Tests Should I Take

How Many SAT Subject Tests Should I Take SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Decisions, decisions! Not only do you have to make up your mind about which Subject Tests to take, you also have to decide how many Subject Tests to take. In this guide we'll look at the most important considerations when signing up for Subject Tests so you can be confident about your choice. How Many SAT Subject Tests Should You Take? This isn't as simple a question to answer as you may think; there are actually multiple factors to take into consideration. To make it easy for you, we'll go over all the key questions you should ask yourself. #1: What Do the Colleges You're Applying to Require? The most important factor in answering this question is the requirement of your colleges.Schools require zero, one, two, or three Subject Tests. The most selective schools usually require two Subject Tests. Georgetown is one exception that comes to mind - they want to see three. Click here to learn more about SAT Subject Test Scores for the Ivy League and other selective schools. If a college asks for two, you probably shouldn't send along more than two. If you do take more than is required, the college should look at your highest scores. It will also consider your highest score if you sit for the same test more than once, but it might appear less strong to admissions officers if they see you took several tries to achieve a certain score. Besides its required number of Subject Tests, you also need to know if the colleges you're applying to have any specific requirements or expectations for which ones you take. Subject Tests requirements might differ by academic program. An engineering program, for example, probably wants to see math and science. Technical schools like MIT and CalTech require one math and one science Subject Test to apply. Check out our comprehensive list of all the colleges that require, recommend, or consider the SAT Subject Tests here. Remember, when a college "recommends," but does not require the tests, it's still a good idea to take them! It shows that you're putting forth extra effort and challenging yourself, along with demonstrating your academic strengths. Plus many colleges appreciate Subject Tests as a somewhat objective measure of your learning. While high school classes and grading systems vary across the country, the SAT and SAT Subject Tests are a nationally accepted standard meant to test students' academic knowledge on a level playing field. Once you're confident about the requirements of your colleges, you can reflect on your strengths and interests. #2: Which Subjects Do You Know Well? Are you intrigued by the process through which plants turn sunlight into food? Do you love learning about population flows within an ecosystem? Are word problems fun head-scratchers, or would you rather be reading Jane Austen and Mark Twain? By the way, if you answered "yes" to any of the above, my Subject Test recommendations would be Biological Molecular, Biology Ecological, Math, and Literature, respectively! Reflect on what you know, what you like, and in what subject areas you can perform well. Subject Tests are your opportunity to show that you've studied and gained significant knowledge in a particular area. Choose wisely so that you not only get a high score to add to your application, but you also add another dimension to the story of who you are and what you like. For more on this, check out our expert guide: Which Subject Tests Should You Take? If you feel you excel in several subjects, you may want to take three tests in one day (the maximum, unless there are Listening tests involved). Then, time permitting, you can choose your highest scores and send them along to your colleges. However, you don't want to give yourself unnecessary stress or waste time studying for a test you don't need. When Harvard says they want two tests, they want two - not four! To learn what makes a good score for each Subject Test, check out the full breakdown here. Another important consideration in choosing and preparing for the Subject Tests is how much time you can realistically devote to studying. No need to over-commit! #3: How Much Time Do You Have to Prep? As I mentioned above, there's no need to over-commit yourself and exceed requirements. Admissions officers are busy looking at thousands of applications. They want to see the number they require or recommend: no more, no less. Since you can take up to three in one day, you may feel that taking three will benefit you. If that's the case, make sure you have a thoughtful study plan in place. You wouldn't want your prep time to take away from studying for the general SAT, AP exams, or finals. At the same time, sometimes Subject Test and AP prep so closely align that you can kill two birds with one stone. Speaking of all these other tests you have to take, when should you fit in the Subject Tests, anyway? Click here for tips and strategies for choosing your SAT Subject Test dates for 2015 and 2016 and planning an effective study schedule. To Sum Up... Just how many SAT Subject Tests do you need to take? Most selective schools require two Subject Tests, but check with your school of interest to make sure and find out about any special instructions. Some schools have specific tests in mind, others want to see a range of subjects, and others differ depending on the program to which you're applying. While you may feel like no Subject Test requirement means you're off the hook, your school might still recommend them. For all intents and purposes, let's just interpret "recommends" as "requires." Unless you have a really good reason or the tests present a financial barrier*, you should still abide by your school's "recommendation" and send along your scores. *If finances make it difficult for you to take the tests, speak with admissions officers and investigate whether you qualify for an SAT fee waiver. What's Next? All the Subjects Tests are one hour in length, but the number and type of questions you have to answer in that hour vary by test. For a breakdown of exactly "how long" each test really is, check out this article here. For more on the differences between the tests,find answers to all your questions about "What are the SAT Subject Tests?" here. Do you know yet if you're taking the SAT or the ACT? This article offers a full technical breakdown of the differences between the two tests so you can figure out which one is best for you and your college applications. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

ETHICS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ETHICS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES - Essay Example During this era, some of its techniques were quite confusing and blatant. The company had excluded some of its expenses from its financial book. The case highlights various red flags such as an extreme growth-oriented management team and growing need for extra capital. With this, the auditors allowed themselves to be misled and missed the red flags that could have alerted them to dig and analyse their analysis more deeply. During the era 1990-1994, the company was involved in a fraud scheme whereby Gottlieb and Drabinsky received $7, 000, 000 directly or through the company owned by Gottlieb. Approximately $ 4, 000, 000 of the total amount was capitalized as the pre-production costs. Gottlieb and Drabinsky operated a kickback scheme with Livent vendors and took the mentioned amount from the company and took into their own pocket. To fully convince the company of the transaction, Gottlieb instructed the two vendors to present an invoice that could not expose their deal. After Livent agreeing to the deal, Gottlieb and Drabinsky received the payment for bogus services. In the mid 1990s, it became difficult for the company to attain its financial goals. Gottlieb and Drabinsky enjoyed their financial gain, and in turn, the company had to bear the loss. It became difficult for the company to raise additional capital to sustain its operation. Further, Gottlieb and Drabinsky manipulated the company by directi ng Livent’s accounting staff to obscure the company’s financial crisis. Some of the manipulations included erasing the accounting records that recorded the liabilities and expenses of the company at the end of each year. The Livent’s accounting staff engaged into an accounting scam of transferring the preproduction costs of existing show to shows that was in production. This transfer manipulated the company to comprehend the cost of the major items used in production. To reduce the costs of

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Questions - Assignment Example Some of the differences between mitosis include but not limited to, mitotic cells divide once whereas meiotic cells divide twice. Mitosis results in cell replication as for meiosis, genetic recombination and production of reproductive cells being the sole aim. Mitosis doesn’t yield exact copies whereas meiosis does. Mitosis also gives rise to diploid cells while meiosis gives haploid cells. DNA crossover occurs only in meiosis (Armstrong, 2007). As for similarities, duplication of an organism’s genome takes place only once preceding any other duplication in both processes. There is the existence of metaphase plates, centrioles in both (Armstrong, 2007). Basic steps of division are the same for both. Mitosis and meiosis occurs both in eukaryotic cells. Finally, both represent reproduction processes. A wild population contains tall and short plants. In one cross, two parental tall plants yield all tall progeny. In another experiment, two short plants are crossed and all progeny are short (cross 2). In the third experiment (cross number 3), two different short plants from cross 2 are crossed and 23 tall progeny and 77 short progeny are observed. The F1 generation came about through selfing of F1 plants. While maintaining Mendel’s first law, law of segregation, where the gamete is formed when each member of the allelic get disjointed from their other member. Confirmation of accuracy of his law through selfing of F2 plants yielded all tall and short plants respectively (Tornqvist, 2006). This can be depicted using a Punnet square as depicted on the next

Corporate Social Responsibility A Strategy For Inclusive Development Business Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility A Strategy For Inclusive Development Business Essay Events around the world over the last few decades have emphasized the need for corporate entities, their stakeholders, governments and international organizations to take the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility seriously. Incidents such as the explosion at the Union Carbide Bhopal, India in 1984, the oil spillage at Prince William Sound, Alaska USA in 1989, a few corporate scandals; for example the Mirror Group UK 1991, the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) 1991, UK, Polly Peck 1992, UK, Enron USA 2001, World Com USA 2002, Parmal at Italy 2003 remain fresh and indelible in our minds. Issues such as rampant poverty, climate change and global warming, human rights abuses, terrorism and the globalization of the world economy also affect how corporate entities conduct their operational practices. These operational practices consequently impinge on how corporate entities perceive their responsibilities to societies; and in turn societies expectations from corporate ent ities have increased. Societies give license to businesses to operate and consequently businesses have to serve society not only by creating wealth, but also by contributing to social needs and social expectations towards society. The current state of world affairs, calls for development that is inclusive. This paper delves upon issues such as the need for inclusiveness in development, the role of business in the contemporary society and its association with inclusive development, the Governments contribution towards CSR facilitation and the promotion of CSR by the corporate sector as a strategy for Inclusive Development. Inclusive Development Many people end up being excluded from the mainstream society; the reasons may be varied like gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation disability or the deprivation of basic human rights. This exclusion has resulted in making poverty and inequality a global challenge today, affecting nearly all countries of the world. The World Bank estimates for the year 2008 indicate that approximately 3 billion people or 45% of the global population is living below the international poverty line ($1-2 a day). If inflation is taken into account global poverty is on the rise. Poverty is a vicious cycle and the poor or unfortunate are in a way trapped in this cycle.   They lack access to good nutrition, health care and decent living conditions face barriers to education, employment and public services and are thus denied a dignified human existence.    Economic growth is an important factor in reducing poverty and generating the resources necessary for human development and environmental protection. The past fifty years have seen unprecedented global economic growth. This growth evidently has failed to bring about an overall development to societies across the world. The challenges discussed so far underscore the need for Inclusive development, an  emerging concept that recognizes diversity as fundamental to sustainable socio-economic and human development, based upon the notion that every human being can and should contribute to the development process where isolated policies be replaced by integrated strategy benefiting individuals and societies as a whole.   It is only right then that economic growth and development today is revisited by all actors in the society instrumental in generating this development. In order to structure such a strategy, all projects related to  education, health promotion, environmental and social protection need to consider those trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty. Development that is Inclusive reduces poverty where all groups of people contribute to creating opportunities, share the benefits of development and participate in decision-making. United Nations Development Programs human development approach complements Inclusive development as it integrates the standards and principles of human rights: participation, non-discrimination and accountability for all social and environmental concerns. Sustainability and Inclusive Development Sustainable practices encourage conserving, mitigating waste and enhancing our resource bases by gradually changing the ways in which we use natural resources available to us for industrial and personal consumption and the technologies we choose and the way we apply them. Nations strive to meet the basic requirements of their people for employment, food, energy, water and sanitation. To achieve this sustainably, there is need to balance economic, environmental and social goals so that prosperity is ensured not only for the current but future generations as well. Poverty eradication is an integral part of the goal of an environmental strategy for the world. The concepts of a shared planet, global citizenship, spaceship earth cannot be restricted to environmental issues alone. They apply equally to the shared and inter-linked responsibilities of environmental protection and human development. Restoring natural systems and improving natural resource management practices at the grassroots level are central to a strategy to eliminate poverty. It can be inferred that sustainable development is a precondition to achieving inclusive development. Role Of Business Corporate Houses have become powerful institutions on the planet in the last 50 years. Businesses have emerged stronger and more powerful when compared with Nation states. Willis Harman notes that the dominant institution in any society needs to take responsibility for the whole as the church did in the days of the Holy Roman Empire. The expectations from Business are indicating reflections of a demand for change. Business has been asked to be Inclusive and not just merit based; maximal and not just legal; to be ahead of law and not just run with it; to be consultative rather than just procedural; to meet global standards and not just local ones. In short, a large part of social responsibility is expected to be taken by corporate houses and therefore the concept Corporate Social Responsibility has emerged over time. Inclusive Development is to be shaped by various factors, such as; the functional definition of inclusive development, interventions that enhance governance and promote effective institutions, sound economic policies, and cultural and socio-economic considerations in policymaking and implementation. Inclusive development is an effective tool for overcoming social exclusion, combating poverty and ensuring social and economic sustainability, i.e. all sections of the society benefit out of such initiatives. Governance, trade, technology and financing practices determine social justice and protection of the rights of the underprivileged. It involves all actors in the society the government, businesses, public and private sector institutions, civil society or communities themselves. CSR as a strategic tool by companies with collaborative support of the above mentioned actors can and has become one of the important drivers to promote overall human development ensuring environmental protection. Such development is sustainable and leads to Inclusive Growth. CSR Models Today we have innumerable examples of Companies where Inclusive Development has been the guiding principle for Business in the long run. A few International names include Coca Cola, Starbucks, Johnson Johnson and Microsoft. In the Indian scenario we can begin with the legendry Tatas followed by Infosys, ITC, Bharti, Mahindra Mahindra, Wipro and many others. Initiatives of a few companies are covered underneath. The Tata Group Pioneers in the area of CSR in India, the TATA group has always played an active role in nation building and socio-economic development. Over the years, the Tata philosophy to Give back what you get has been followed by all their enterprises across India. Be it relief measures, rural development, health care, education, art and culture, they have been very forthcoming. As a result every year, the Tata Groups contribution to society has been phenomenal. Tatas spent Rupees 1 billion on 8 community development and social services projects during the fiscal 2001-02-the highest by any corporate house in India. ITC ITC partnered the Indian farmer for almost a century. They are now engaged in elevating this partnership to a new paradigm by leveraging information technology through its trail blazing e-Choupal initiative. Figure 1 : An ITC E- Chaupal In June 2000, ITCs Agri-Business Division conceived E-Choupal ( Figure 1) as a more efficient supply chain aimed at delivering value to its customers around the world on a sustainable basis. The model has been specifically designed to tackle the challenges posed by the unique features of Indian agriculture, characterized by fragmented farms, weak infrastructure and the involvement of numerous intermediaries, among others. E-Choupal also unshackles the potential of Indian farmer who has been trapped in a vicious cycle of low risk taking ability > low investment > low productivity > weak market orientation > low value addition > low margin > low risk taking ability. It makes the farmer and the Indian agri-business sector globally uncompetitive, despite rich abundant natural resources. Such a market-led business model can enhance the competitiveness of Indian agriculture and trigger a virtuous cycle of higher productivity, higher incomes, enlarged capacity for farmer risk management, larger investments and higher quality and productivity. Infosys Infosys, Mr. Narayan Murthy has been at the forefront to champion the role of good corporation He said we should look for public good and private good will automatically come. In March 1996 the Infosys Foundation was created in the state of Karnataka operating in the areas of health care, social rehabilitation and rural uplift, education, arts and culture. Since then, this foundation has spread to the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerela, Orrisa and Punjab. The foundation receives 1.5 % of the company after tax profits. In line with its stakeholder driven approach the allocation of funds is based on a participatory process. Since 2004, Infosys has embarked on a series of initiatives to consolidate and formalize its academic relationships worldwide under the umbrella of a program called the AcE ie Academic Entente. Through case study writing, participation in academic conferences and university events, research collaborations, hosting study trips to Infosys development centres and running the instep Global Internship program, the company communicates with important stakeholders in the academia promoting meaningful development. Starbucks Starbucks, a leading example of Environmental Sustainability has outlined a bold global environmental strategy that will help achieve a meaningful reduction in the companys environmental footprint. Starbucks has identified climate change as a key priority for the company and is in the third year of implementing its climate change strategy. The company has committed to significant renewable energy purchases for its stores and has also focused on ways to improve energy efficiency through store design. Starbucks also believes it has a role to play in consumer education and awareness, and is beginning to engage its supply chain partners on climate related issues such as renewable energy. In 2005, The Starbucks Emerging Issues Council, (a group 18 senior Starbucks executives) prioritized climate change as a key issue for the company in response to the environmental threats facing coffee growing communities. The council is also involved in determining what further measures are needed for the company to proactively and responsibly address the issue of climate change in a leadership capacity. The Starbucks three year climate change mitigation strategy includes the following steps to reduce the companys emissions: Purchasing renewable energy Focusing on energy conservation measures Educating and advocating the need for collaborative action Figure 2: A Starbucks Plantation The Starbucks three year climate change mitigation strategy includes the following steps to reduce the companys emissions: Purchasing renewable energy Focusing on energy conservation measures Educating and advocating the need for collaborative action As a responsible company, Starbucks is open and honest about the successes and challenges they face. Their Global Responsibility Reports give a clear picture of the progress theyve made in the areas of ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement. Coca Cola Established in 1886, The CocaCola Company operates in more than 200 countries and markets nearly 500 brands. They are a global business that operates on a local scale in every community where they do business. The CocaCola system operates in the context of a broader value cycle: They work with others to source ingredients, create packaging, sell products, recover and reuse packaging materials and replenish the water used. Managing sustainability through a complex business cycle can be challenging, however collaborating closely with our business partners, communities and consumers, they seek to ensure environmental and social responsibility and are working to encourage consumers to recycle the packaging materials associated with their products. Global Sustainability select goals and targets for Coca Cola include: Active Healthy living, Energy management, Climate protection, Community, Sustainable packaging and Water stewardship. It is evident that a new paradigm for innovation is emerging: a partnership between private enterprise and public interest that produces profitable and sustainable change. Companies are moving beyond corporate social responsibility to corporate social innovation. Traditionally companies viewed the social sector as a dumping ground for spare cash, obsolete equipment and tired executives. This mindset could not create lasting change. Community needs are now viewed as opportunities to develop ideas and business technologies leading to both business and community payoffs. Government as a CSR facilitator Inclusive development requires that planning and interventions are state-led, with indispensable but ancillary engagement by the private sector and other stakeholders. CSR has not evolved separately from the public policy. Many governments have actively participated in encouraging corporations to voluntarily assume greater responsibility of the social/environmental aspects of their business policies by way of seeking to harness various market mechanisms to promote CSR. They have been promoted by various National governments, the European Union and several Inter-Governmental Organizations most notably the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It is interesting to note the shift in the motivations of governments for encouraging CSR. For almost three decades now it has been associated with addressing corporate governance deficits but more recently improving corporate policies with respect to issues like social cohesion, national competitiveness and environmental stability have been emphasized. The interest of the Governments is not only to encourage CSR initiatives but also to build CSR capacity. Shift is also being witnessed from endorsing and facilitating CSR by corporate to including partnering and mandating CSR through soft legislation. In advanced capitalist countries governments are playing extensive roles in a variety of initiatives to encourage CSR. The last decade has seen developments of newer roles and relationships between Governments and corporations. The UK Government has created a ministerial portfolio of CSR; corporations have created forms of self reporting and self regulation for instance The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) ; NGOs such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Amnesty International, to name but just two have entered partnerships with corporations to help them improve environmental and social practices. There is evidence of substantial growth in the number of ethical or social mutual funds as well. In India, The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has issued CSR Voluntary Guidelines in 2009 for the Private Sector, to help encourage business entities formulate a CSR policy, guide its strategic planning and provide a roadmap for its CSR initiatives which are an integral part of the overall business policy and aligned with its business goals. The policy is expected to be framed with the participation of various level executives and approved by the Board. The Ministry of Corporate affairs has urged all companies to create a separate fund for their CSR activities in the interest of greater transparency. The recommendation is a part of Voluntary guidelines for companies especially those listed on the stock market. Core Elements of the Policy Guidelines include: Care for all Stakeholders: The companies should respect the interests of, and be responsive towards all stakeholders, shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, project affected people, society at large etc. and create value for all of them. Ethical functioning: Their governance systems should be underpinned by Ethics, Transparency and Accountability. They should not engage in business practices that are abusive, unfair, corrupt or anti-competitive. Respect for Workers Rights and Welfare: Companies should provide a workplace environment that is safe, hygienic and humane and which upholds the dignity of employees. They should provide all employees with access to training and development of necessary skills for career advancement, on an equal and non-discriminatory basis. Respect for Human Rights: Companies should respect human rights for all and avoid complicity with human rights abuses by them or by third party. Respect for Environment: Companies should take measures to check and prevent pollution; recycle, manage and reduce waste, should manage natural resources in a sustainable manner. Activities for Social and Inclusive Development: Depending upon their core competency and business interest, companies are expected to undertake activities for economic and social development of communities and geographical areas, particularly in the vicinity of their operations for disadvantaged population. The CSR policy of the business entity is also expected to provide for an Implementation strategy that includes identification of projects/activities, setting measurable physical targets with timeframe, organizational mechanism and responsibilities, time schedules and monitoring. The Implementation Guidelines: *Companies may partner with local authorities, business associations and civil society/non-government organizations. *Companies should allocate specific amount in their budgets for CSR activities. *To share experiences and network with other organizations the company should engage with well established and recognized program/platforms which encourage responsible business practices and CSR activities. *The companies should disseminate information on CSR policy, activities and progress in a structured manner to all their stakeholders and the public at large through their website, annual reports, and other communication media. In addition to the Voluntary Guidelines another Government initiative if materialized, would lead to a situation where Corporate Social Responsibility for a state-owned firm may no more be just a photo opportunity for its chairman but would involve people-centric projects to be funded by 2-5 per cent of the companys net profits. The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) is in the final stage of preparing guidelines for the Central Public Sector enterprises (CPSE s) to take up important CSR projects. The proposal, cleared by the Committee of Secretaries is awaiting approval by Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Ministry. It proposes a contribution of 3-5 % for enterprises with net profits of up to Rs 100 crore. Those earning net profit of more than Rs 100 crore may be asked to contribute up to two per cent of the amount. The Government has taken a very firm step and its regularization may see tangible impact on CSR initiatives undertaken by the companies. The CSR would inherit dimensions apart from traditional welfare related CSR practices like organizing blood donation camps charity events and the like. The CPSEs would be obliged to take up specific projects to help people affected directly or indirectly by their businesses. It would be the Companys primary obligation, to recycle part of their profits in order to help the society. While several CPSEs provide funds for CSR projects, it is not obligatory in nature so far. The guidelines would provide for measurement of the CSR. These obligations would be set in the Memorandum of Understanding, which sets targets for an individual CPSE. The performance evaluation of the companies would also have CSR performance as one of the parameters of overall performance of the company. The CSR Credits system that was proposed recently by the Corporate Affairs Minister Shri Salman Khurshid is a way forward where soft legislation will gradually facilitate CSR integration into the very core of corporate strategy. Mr. Khurshid believes that charity is rewarded in tax exemptions and other benefits however CSR remains unrewarded. Reiterating the idea of making CSR quantifiable he has urged corporate to debate the possibility of establishing a CSR exchange to deal in CSR Credits. Through the CSR exchange mechanism, companies would be able to trade in CSR credits, akin to trading in carbon credits. This is to be done through certification for their CSR activities by a government body. The credits could then be traded in a CSR credit exchange. The system translates into a situation where a company yet to engage in CSR may be able to compensate it through purchasing CSR credits from company that has already earned them. This would be quite similar to carbon credits where a polluting entity has to buy carbon credits from companies that have earned them through environment-friendly activities. In addition to this another issue under consideration is the conflict of interest where a company produces consumer products that are deemed harmful to consumption and health. Shri Khurshid said If there is a business that is inherently destructive and unwholesome, a way has to be found to offset the negativity of that business. The Governments are using CSR to complement Government policies in order to promote Inclusive Development. This system reflects new forms of Governance in which Governments employ a much richer and subtler array of mechanisms to affect business behavior rather than employing enforcement. The use of policies that endorse, facilitate and partner with firms is further characteristic of a new governance paradigm which emphasizes norms, networks, incentives and volunteerism. Government participation in promoting CSR may be an anathema to the business world as it may conjure up visions of control and constraints to operate competitively in a global world but positive though incipient signs of change are visible as we trace the evolution. CSR-Business Society Interface The phrase Corporate Social Responsibility originates with H. Bowen, who wrote Social Responsibility of Businessmen in 1953. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is used to describe businesses integration of social and environmental issues into decisions, goals, and operations. Other terms used in the CSR context are: Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability, Corporate Citizenship, Ethical Business Practices, Social/Environmental Responsibility, Triple Bottom Line and Environmental and Social Stewardship. The basic questions at the heart of CSR are as old as business itself, such as what is business for? What contribution does it make to society? Its rise to prominence however has not been a smooth one, as the concept has been frequently discredited, written off, marginalized or simply overlooked in favor of new or supposedly better ways of conceptualizing the business and society interface. Archie Carroll has provided an interesting overview of some of the prominent CSR Definitions. Milton Friedman (1970) contends that social responsibility of the firm is to increase its profit, Keith Davis (1973) supported the view that CSR requires consideration of issues beyond the narrow economic, technical, and legal requirements of the firm. Definition concepts in the Oxford Handbook range from CSR as an obligation to respond to the externalities created by market action to CSR as a discretionary spending in furtherance of an explicit measurable social objective consistent with relevant social norms and laws and CSR as an additional political responsibility to contribute to the development and proper working of global governance. Defining CSR is therefore not just a technical exercise but also a normative one in setting out what corporates should be responsible in society or an ideological one describing how the political economy of society should be organized to restrain corporate power. CSR is still a developing field of research as also Lockett et al concluded from a decade long study of CSR literature that CSR knowledge could best be described as in a continuing state of emergence. To sum up Corporate social responsibility (CSR) can most comprehensibly be called an approach through which companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis. The relative ambiguities regarding the definition and clear identity of CSR as an area of academic enquiry is also reflected in the institutional infrastructure of CSR, most notably in the Journals where CSR research is published, the societies and conferences which facilitate scholarly debate, and institutionalization of CSR as a field of academic teaching. The table below lists the Journals in the field of CSR. It can be noted that none of the CSR Journals have CSR as a title. Table 1: CSR Journals Journal Name Formation Date Editor Base Business Society (Sage) 1960 USA Business Society Review(Blackwell) 1972 USA Journal of Business Ethics ( Springer) 1982 Canada Business Ethics Quarterly(Society of Business Ethics) 1991 USA Business Ethics: A European Review ( Blackwell) 1991 UK Corporate Governance:International Journal of Business in Society(Emerald 2001 UK Journal of Corporate Citizenship (Greenleaf) 2001 UK Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 2002 China CSR Evolution: The concept of CSR has long and wide ranging history, it is mostly the product of the 20th century especially since the 1950s. It was referred more as social responsibility (SR) than CSR for many years. Patrick Murphy in the University of Michigan Business Review, 1978 states that the period before 1950s was the philanthropic era in which companies donated to charities. Between 1953 and 67 was the awareness era during which there was more recognition of the overall responsibility of business and its involvement in community affairs. The period between 1968 -73 was termed the issue era in which companies began to focus on specific issues such as urban decay, racial discrimination and pollution problems. Finally the responsiveness era 1974-2008 and continuing beyond, companies began taking serious management and organizational actions to address CSR related issues. CSR Theories: Various CSR Theories have taken shape over time the most comprehensive are compiled by Garriga and Mele (2004) mentioning precisely four theories about the responsibilities of Business in Society: Corporate Social Performance Theory, Shareholder Value Theory, Stakeholder Theory, Corporate Citizenship Theory. Corporate Social Performance Theory has its roots in Sociology. It has evolved from several previous notions and approaches. It is a configuration in the business organization of principles of social responsibility, processes of response to social requirements and policies, programs and tangible results that reflect the companys relations with society, (Wood 1991). Archie Carroll (1979) was the first to introduce the concept of Corporate Social Performance. He made a synthesis of the basic principle of social responsibility. Carroll suggested that the entire range of obligations that business has to society must embody economic, legal, ethical and discretionary (philanthropic) categories. In 1991, Carroll first included them in a Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility, as shown in Figure3. Figure 3: CSR Pyramid The four classes reflect that the history of business suggests an early emphasis on the economic and then legal aspects and a later concern for the ethical and discretionary aspects. It was suggested that, although the components are not mutually exclusive, it helps the manager to see that the different types of obligations are in a constant tension with one another. More recently, Schwartz Carroll have proposed an alternative approach on three core domains (economic, legal and ethical) and a Venn model frame work. The Venn framework yields seven categories resulting from the overlap of three core domains. Wartick Cochran extended the Carroll approach suggesting that corporate social involvement rests on principles of social responsibility, process of social responsiveness, and the policy of issues management. In recent times more and more corporations are being proactive in publishing reports on economic social and environmental performance. The Global reporting initiative has become more and more popular as have certifications or reports, such as the UN Global Compact, AA1000, SA 80000 and others . All of this introduces more complexity into the corporate social performance models but in essence, the conceptual foundations remain unalterable. Shareholder Value Theory is based on Economic Theory. It is also referred as Fiduciary Capitalism and holds that the only social responsibility of business is making profits and as a supreme goal, increasing the economic value of the company for its stakeholders. In the 1960s and 70s there was a debate between Friedman and others who defended the business enterprise as being responsible only for making as much profit as possible, in contrast scholars including David and others argued that corporations had power and power entails responsibility, therefore corporations had responsibilities beyond economic and legal. Friedmans position was clearly against that of the concept of social responsibility. Theodor Levitt, (once the editor of HBR) wrote about the dangers of corporate social responsibility. In his words Corporate welfare makes good sense if it makes good economic sense, and not infrequently it does. But if something does not make economic sense, sentiment or idealism ought not to let it in the door Since then some economists have argued that the market, instead of managers, should have control over allocation of resources

Evolution or Ignorance of Education

Throughout recent history creationists and evolutionists have argued whether evolution should be a part of America's public education. Whether evolution is science fact, or science fiction. Evolution being a science based on statistics has some faults, although many concepts in science or math do. The process of learning about evolution is a necessary part of a well-rounded student's education due to the fact that it is a statistically proven science and removing it in turn revokes certain student's rights. In a student's academic career that a student is most likely at one time or another going to have to take a science class. Science, being the main topic of discussion in this class, should at one point include evolution, because that is what evolution is, a science. Although to truly understand evolution in its fullest context, one must not look to a dictionary, for dictionary definitions just are too vague. One of the most respected evolutionary biologists has defined biological evolution as follows: â€Å"In the broadest sense, evolution is merely change, and so is all-pervasive; galaxies, languages, and political systems all evolve. Biological evolution †¦ is change in the properties of populations of organisms that transcend the lifetime of a single individual. The ontogeny of an individual is not considered evolution; individual organisms do not evolve. The changes in populations that are considered evolutionary are those that are inheritable via the genetic material from one generation to the next. Biological evolution may be slight or substantial; it embraces everything from slight changes in the proportion of different alleles within a population (such as those determining blood types) to the successive alterations that led from the earliest protoorganism to snails, bees, giraffes, and dandelions. † – Douglas J. Futuyma in Evolutionary Biology, Sinauer Associates 1986 All sciences are based on some form of proof. Whether it being living proof such as in Biology where one can observe cell division, mathematical proof such as in calculating air-resistance in Physics, or statistical proof as in all science experiments when a predicted result occurs again and again. All sciences have at least one of these qualities, including evolution. The proof of evolution's existence has been on this earth ever since life was formed from carbon based atom structures. Humans, however, have not been in existence long enough to observe properly the phenomena of evolution. Although by using the latest technology we can accurately observe the process of evolution as it occurred over time long ago and is still happening today. Charles Darwin, a British naturalist, made the first major step in classifying evolution during his studies in the Galapagos Archipelago in 1831 when he was only 22 years of age. Due to this he is credited with first forming a structured theory of evolution. During his studies in the Galapagos Archipelago he found a multitude of flora and fauna that had complete isolation from the rest of the world. One particular type of animal that he paid close attention to be a small bird called a Finch. This was thought as being simple at first, but as he traveled to the different islands he noticed many different species of finches. These finches probably descended from one type of ancestor and then, due to isolation and through chance, different climates and natural forces such as food availability and type, they evolved into many different types of finches. Some finches had different colorings, wingspan, and even beak style. In total he found thirteen different varieties of finches. Later on in Charles' life he formed many theories on the origins of man. This was directly related to his studies in the Galapagos Archipelago. In his book â€Å"Decent of Man† written in 1871 he declares why man had been so ignorant by denying evolution in the final parts of chapter one. â€Å"Thus we can understand how it has come to pass that man and all other vertebrate animals have been constructed on the same general model, why they pass through the same early stages of development, and why they retain certain rudiments in common. Consequently we ought rankly to admit their community of descent: to take any other view, is to admit that our own structure, and that of all the animals around us, is a mere snare laid to entrap our judgment. This conclusion is greatly strengthened, if we look to the members of the whole animal series, and consider the evidence derived from their affinities or classification, their geographical distribution and geological succession. It is only our natural prejudice, and that arrogance which made our forefathers declare that they were descended from demigods, which leads us to demur to this conclusion. But the time will before ong come, when it will be thought wonderful that naturalists, who were well acquainted with the comparative structure and development of man, and other mammals, should have believed that each was the work of a separate act of creation. † (Darwin) As seen in the above text, Charles Darwin explains how statistically man did evolve from a lower form of life. This is directly related to the finches due to that the same forces that caused them to evolve may have caused humans to evolve as well. Yet still some schools in America have tried banning the teaching of evolution in the classroom. Every student in a United States public school has a constitutional right to hear the whole story when it comes to evolution. It is called the first amendment in the Bill of Rights. According to the American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU, the authority on civil rights, states that every student has the right to a non-biased education (ACLU Urges†¦ ). In the Supreme Court decision Edwards v. Aguillard, 482 U. S. 578 (1987), the Court ruled that to compromise by omitting evolution and creationism from the science curriculum would â€Å"undermine the provision of a comprehensive scientific education. On this point, the law is very clear, and the Supreme Court put its foot down — the First Amendment forbids a state to alter its curriculum simply in order to defend a religious belief. That's an establishment of religion, and it's unconstitutional. (Edwards) So not only is removing evolution from the classroom unjustified, but it is against the law. Creationism has its place in the classroom as well as Evolutionism, although not the same classroom. Creationism belongs in a class like Theology or History of Religion. This is because creationism is the belief in the biblical account of the creation of the world. Biblical meaning the Bible, restricting it only to a group of religions. So-called â€Å"Creation Science† is not a science at all. Lately it has been more of a political movement than a science. Sure creationists may have facilities like the â€Å"Institute for Creation Research† (a church that does no scientific research at all) and the â€Å"Creation Research Society† (another church that also does no scientific research), but in the end there is not a shred of science in creation. Recently many science teachers in public schools have tried to work their way around teaching evolution by teaching a so called â€Å"intelligent design theory† (Washington State). This is just one of the many guises of creation science, and it does not change the fact that states and school districts may not adopt religious theories as standards in school curricula. Creationists will always exist, since ignorance will always exist, although evolution will always have a place in science curriculum. Creationists believe in creation because their masters have told them to believe in Creationism as a tool to their â€Å"salvation†. They do not care that evolution is an observed fact: they have â€Å"faith† that Creationism is true, and that's all they need. They consider facts and truth to be a hindrance to their ticket to Heaven. The teachings of these people should have no place, and will have no place in our children's science classrooms, only evolution and other proven sciences have the right to be present. Therefore, the process of learning about evolution is a necessary part of a well-rounded student's education due to the fact that it is a statistically proven science and removing it in turn revokes certain student's rights.