The Accomplishments of Cardinal Richelieu Essay Example For Students

The Accomplishments of Cardinal Richelieu Essay Up until the mid 17th century, it was evident that France was by no means a major player in the field of European affairs. Spain was still the most powerful state as it held a dominant monopoly over European commerce and economics. However, by 1648, this power would shift, and France would come into its own in terms of political and economic influence. The transfer of power was aided by a weakening of the Spanish Empire, along with the establishment of an increasingly strong French state. This establishment of France would begin to occur prior to the religious wars, and would be spearheaded by a strengthening of the centralized government through the development of royal absolutism. The most significant contributor to this movement was Cardinal Armand du Plessis de Richelieu, political advisor to the king, Louis XIII, and head of the French Roman Catholic Church. The Cardinals capable leadership, ambition and strong will fortified Frances move from a second rate country to a European powerhouse. During his reign as first minister, Richelieu would accomplish numerous tasks, and establish himself as a symbol of power and leadership in France. Born in Paris in 1585, Armand du Plessis de Richelieu is considered by many to have been the most important single figure in the building of French absolutism . Despite his role in distinguishing France on the European map, some of the Cardinals greatest personal accomplishments lie before his reign as first minister. To best understand these accomplishments, in particular how a middle ranking ecclesiast of little influence would become the most successful of the Kings political advisors, it is best to look into his personal background. Probably the Cardinals greatest assets in his rise to the top were his strong ambition and will. These characteristics can be traced back to his father, Francois Richelieu, whose own ambition and military accomplishment helped gain him the reigning Kings, Henry III, favor. This rise in favor, along with the establishment of important family connections, would allow Francois to tap into royal ecclesiastical patronage . Armand eventually benefited from this by gaining the title of Bishop of Lucon. Unfortunately, before Richelieus father could create any form of financial establishment, he died, and left the family in debt. However, the message he left his sons, in particular Armand, was not one of failure, but rather one of what could be accomplished when one was willing and ambitious. This attitude would set the stage for the son of Richelieu, who would use his religious status as bishop and educated background along with some important family connections to help pull his way to the top. It took Richelieu a full decade to accumulate the title of Cardinal and he would suffer a number of political setbacks along the way. But, by the year 1624, Richelieu had gained entrance into the kings council, and soon after became the kings personal advisor. His decade long assent prov ided him with the education needed to maintain an 18 year reign (until his death in 1642) which would see the beginnings of French dominance in Europe. Although King Louis XIII and Richelieu would eventually work together to create a politically dominant France, it is important to note that their relationship was not always as such. Prior to his roles as political advisor and Cardinal, Richelieu entered the queen mothers court by becoming the secretary of state during her regency. At this point, Richelieu would suffer a major upset in his political assent when Louis overthrew his mothers court and took political control of France in 1617 . Affiliation with the Queen Mothers court and suspected implication in attempted rebellions against Louis kept the future Cardinal in exile for a number of years. However, the Queen Mother and her son would eventually come to a temporary peace settlement, and when she was reinstated, so was Richelieu. More importantly, as advisor to the Queen Mothe r, Richelieu had shown a political shrewdness and wisdom that had gained Louis favor . The king was willing to overlook Richelieus earlier associations and an overbearing administrative style that he had once likened to tyranny, and appointed him to council in 1624. The Cardinal soon became the kings advisor through his ability to provide help in relation to conflicting religious and secular interests and his display of able political decisions. Although the king had provided the Richelieu with much political influence, he still had strong personal notions of where he wanted his state to go, and the characteristics of his advisors. Part of the Cardinals success was due to his ability to conform to the kings ideas, and at the same time execute a strong influence over council. The resulting relationship entailed a respect of Richelieus political ability by the King, and a respect of the Kings authority by Richelieu. The result of this dual respect was the ability of Richelieu to stay in power, and be able to influence the shaping of France into a dominant European state.Even before he had become first minister, Richelieu recognized the need for change in the governing of French affairs. He would portrayed his views in a speech to the queen mothers court in 1616 , his first public address, during which he outlined the weaknesses of the present-day structure of government. Once he had become first minister, Richelieu set out to eliminate these weaknesses in order to create a more stable French state. One of Richelieus main objectives to allow for a fortification of Frances European position lay in a strengthening of the countrys internal political structure through the establishment of an absolutist monarchy. Richelieu saw three main ways to fully and successfully establish this ideal monarchy; to deal with any threat of Religious conflict; to humble the great men , that is, reduce noble power; and to bring the subjects to their duty, which meant full loyalty to t heir ruler, King Louis XIII.Richelieus first issue, to deal with Religious conflict or threat, was focused mainly on the Huguenots. The Huguenots of France were a group that had benefited substantially from the Edict of Nantes signed in 1598 as it permitted them both political influence and military presence. Richelieu saw both of these privileges as a direct threat to the crown since they conflicted directly with the ideology behind his absolute monarchy. Not only this, but he foresaw in this political and military power the means and makings of a revolt, especially should the Huguenots gain foreign support. Revolt would eventually occur as the Huguenots, aided by the British, rebelled against the French crown in the city of La Rochelle . Richelieu quickly crushed the rebellion and stripped the Huguenots of all political and military power through the signing of the Edict of Alais in 1629 . It is important to note however, that Richelieu did not persecute the Huguenots for religiou s belief despite his position as Cardinal of the French Catholic Church. This religious lenience reflects the Cardinals priorities of state in his search for political stability, something which religious dispute and conflict had shown to disrupt in the past.Richelieu also focused his attention on the types of people who were to fill ecclesiastic roles, especially the high church officials. It had been made obvious to Richelieu through past example, that the scandalous and flamboyant lives often lead by these church officials did little else than annoy the common public and thus endanger the stability of the state. Richelieu aimed to fill the church hierarchy with persons of both merit and commendable habits . This would not only cleanse the churchs image, but allow Richelieu to strategically place allies and supporters within the church hierarchy. The Cardinal employed this same strategy to gain supportive factions in both the military and civil offices.Richelieus second focus area was the aristocrats, a class which he saw as an important organ of the state capable of contributing much to its preservation and stability. This recognition of aristocratic importance, however, did not override the Cardinals ambitions for absolute monarchy, and he placed the affairs and powers of state far above those of the nobles. In short, the Cardinal recognized the need to limit the aristocratic domain, and impose upon it royal law and order. It had become obvious to the Cardinal, that a lack of enforcement of centralized power, on the part of the French government, had allowed the French nobles to develop a sense of defiance towards the crown. Some of the major land-holding aristocrats had grown particularly powerful and independent. This resulted in a lack of loyalty towards the crown as many nobles felt that their position placed them above the status of royal subjects. Richelieu would come down hard on the nobility through a restriction of their rights, and independence. By implementing the spy system, Richelieu effectively crushed any conspiracies and thereby eliminated any major internal threat to the king. The rigidity and severity of the Cardinals methods were quite evident, as portrayed in the punishment of Seigneur Bouteville, who was executed for fighting a simple duel on the Place Royal . This restriction of dueling would become one of the Cardinals target areas since it was a show of noble military presence, no matter how seemingly insignificant. The end result of this and other restrictions placed on the nobles was an enforcement of state dominance through example. It wasnt long, however, before the nobles took up arms to defend their decreasing independence and began revolting. One such revolt occurred at Laguedoc, in 1632, under the leadership of the politically influential Duke of Montmorency . Richelieu responded to this and other conflicts by defeating the rebels, using the Kings forces, and executing the participants. Through this th orough and methodical defeat of the aristocracy, the Cardinal effectively established King Louis as the sole symbol of power in France.The other major group that Richelieu wished to reform was what he referred to as the third order of the realm . This third order was composed of three groups: the judiciary, the finance officers, and the common people. Richelieus goal in the reformation of these groups was to clearly define their roles as subjects of the king, and thus further enforce kingly power over all affairs and aspects of the state.When it came to the judiciary and finance officers, Richelieu attempted to dispell their perceived corruption through a strategic placement of allies who displayed more merit in office. Again, to forcefully establish crown dominance in the state, Richelieu would employ the use of state officials. The officials effectively carried out their role of executing government orders within the state, and using force to deal with any attempt to refuse them. The result was a successful enforcement of kingly authority over the states provinces and kings subjects; the commoners. In an attempt to set an example for the role of these commoners Richilieu discouraged their education. The cardinal explained that one would find little obedience and an excess of pride and presumption in a country made up entirely of educated people. Richelieu would instead encourage the kings subjects to take a greater interest in the military rather than the luxuries of education. This definition of the subjects roles displayed the Cardinals further ambition of military strength and French expansion in Europe. It is usually assumed that just as Richelieu had a clear plan to create an absolute monarchy in France, he wished to expand French power abroad . At the time, one of the best ways to expand a countrys influence in Europe was to establish a strong navy. This would become one of the Cardinals focus areas as he sought to create a fleet of ships capable of tr ansporting goods, and providing adequate protection in the process. The result was a strengthening of the countrys economic and political status through increased trade of French and foreign goods. To fortify French presence to a greater extent, Richelieu showed his support of the arts and education by founding the French Academy . The country would greatly increase its output of art and writings and eventually establish itself as cultural model for the rest of Europe. Another method that allowed the Cardinal to strengthen Frances position in Europe was through a fortification of the military. This proved to be extremely useful during the course of the ensuing religious wars which would see France come out victorious over a declining Spanish empire.From a middle ranking and uninfluential bishop, to the man who molded France into a European powerhouse, Armand du Plessis de Richelieu achieved a number of accomplishments on a number of levels during the course of his life. The Cardinal not only established himself politically, but stabilized the French state through absolute monarchy, and introduced to Europe a new dominant France. Perhaps one of the only failures lay in his inability to stabilize the French Economy, which would spiral upward during his reign, and ultimately become the countrys downfall in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Despite this, it is clearly the political ability, ambition and will of Cardinal Richelieu that would allow him to mold France into a political and cultural model for the rest of Europe and earn him the respect of historians and contemporaries as a true man of destiny . .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 , .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 .postImageUrl , .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 , .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9:hover , .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9:visited , .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9:active { border:0!important; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9:active , .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9 .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5180fd23fe88aa8c6603eba4e88a63f9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Wffrfrg Essay We will write a custom essay on The Accomplishments of Cardinal Richelieu specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

Types of Spanish Pronouns

Types of Spanish Pronouns Almost all of us like to take shortcuts, and thats one way to think about what pronouns are: In both Spanish and English, theyre usually a shorter and quicker way of referring to a noun. Common pronouns in English include he, she, what, that and yours, all of which usually would be replaced by longer words or more words if we didnt have the pronouns at our disposal. Spanish and English Pronouns Compared In general, pronouns in Spanish function much as they do in English. They can fulfill any role in a sentence that a noun can, and some of them vary in form depending on whether theyre used as a subject or an object. Probably the biggest difference is that in Spanish most pronouns have gender, whereas in English the only gendered pronouns are he, she, he, and him. If a pronoun has gender, it is the same as that of the noun to which it refers. (In English, gendered pronouns nearly always refer to people are animals, although it is possible to refer to a few personified objects by gender, such as when a ship or a nation is referred to as she instead of it.) In Spanish, there are also a few neuter pronouns that can be used to refer to an unknown object or to ideas or concepts. In the list of pronoun types below, be aware that many of the pronouns can have more than one translation, many English pronouns can have more than one Spanish equivalent, and not all pronouns are listed in the examples. For example, the English me can be translated as both me and mà ­, depending on the context, and the Spanish lo can be translated as him, or it. Not all Spanish pronouns are listed here, but enough to convey how others would be classified. Note also that many of these words that function as pronouns, particularly the indefinite and relative pronouns, can serve as other parts of speech. Types of Pronouns Pronouns can be classified as to how they are used, and all of these classifications apply to both Spanish and English. Note that some pronouns, such as me and ella, can be more than one type of pronoun. Subject pronouns replace the subject of a sentence. Examples include yo (I), tà º (you), à ©l (he), ella (she), ellos (they), and ellas (they). Yo quiero salir. (I want to leave. I or yo replaces the name of the person speaking.) Demonstrative pronouns replace a noun while also pointing to it. Examples include à ©ste (this), à ©sta (this), à ©sa (that), and aquà ©llos (those). Note that many demonstrative pronouns have written or orthographic accents on the stressed vowel. Although such accents used to be considered mandatory, these days they are treated as optional if they can be omitted without causing confusion. Quiero à ©sta. I want this. (Ésta or this replaces the name of the object the speaker is referring to.) Verbal object pronouns functions as the object of a verb. Examples include lo  (him or it), la  (her or it), me (me), and los (them). Lo no puedo ver. (I cant see it. Lo or it replaces the name of the unseen object.) Reflexive pronouns are used when the direct object and the subject of a verb refer to the same person or thing. They are used much more in Spanish than in English. Examples include me (myself), te (yourself), and se (himself, herself, themselves). Juan se baà ±a. (John is bathing himself. John is the subject of the sentence, and he is performing the action of the verb on himself.) Prepositional object pronouns are used as objects of a preposition. Examples include mà ­ (me), ella (her), and nosotros (us). Raà ºl lo comprà ³ para nosotros. (Raà ºl bought it for us. Nosotros and us are the objects of the prepositions para and for, respectively.) Prepositional reflexive pronouns are used when the object of a preposition following a verb refers back to the verbs subject. Examples include mà ­ (myself) and sà ­ (himself, herself, itself, themselves). Marà ­a lo comprà ³ para sà ­ mismo. (Marà ­a bought it for herself. Sà ­ and herself are the objects of para and for, respectively, and refer back to Marà ­a, the sentences subject. Possessive pronouns refer to something owned or possessed by someone or something. Examples include mà ­o (mine), mà ­a (mine), mà ­os (mine), mà ­as (mine), and suyo (his, hers, theirs). La mà ­a es verde. Mine is green. (Mà ­a and mine refer to the object possessed. The feminine form in Spanish is used here because it refers to an object name that is feminine. The possessive pronouns in Spanish are usually preceded by el, la, los, or las, especially when they are subjects.) Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific people or things. Examples include algo (something), nadie (nobody), alguien (anybody), todo (all), todas (all), uno (one), unos (some), and ninguno (none). Nadie puede decir que su vida es perfecta. (Nobody can say his life is perfect.) Relative pronouns introduces a clause that gives more information about a noun or pronoun. Examples include que (that, which, who, whom), quien (who, whom), cuyo (whose), cuyas (whose), donde (where), and lo cual (which, that which). Nadie puede decir que su vida es perfecta. (Nobody can say that his life is perfect. The relative pronouns here are que and that. The clause su vida es perfecta gives more information about nadie.) Interrogative pronouns are used in questions. Examples include cul (what), quià ©n (what), and cundo (when). Spanish interrogative pronouns use an orthographic accent. Cul es tu problema? (What is your problem?)

Older (dumphones) better and more worth while than newer (smartphones) Essay

Older (dumphones) better and more worth while than newer (smartphones) - Essay Example Phones, after all, were made for basic communication and it does not need to be as complicated or detailed as a streaming media. It only needs to be plain understood. Discussion Smartphones or new generation mobile phones are much-hyped Blackberry, Android, iPhone, WebOS, and other mobile operating systems that are capable of ICT applications as well as hold and run large data including text, images, videos or streaming media from other outside sources including the internet (Snow, 2011). The trend for the past few years had been that one major brand outdo another with various new features until such time that another brand or model comes out in the market. Each is hyped as the â€Å"next generation† mobile phone or gadget that everybody should be purchasing or checking out. However, it should be noted that the telephone, the precursor of mobile phones whether analog or smartphone, is originally conceptualized as a medium for communication, a gadget that connects one end of a line to another, or allowing two persons to communicate even in long distances at real time. This same function and rationale is the reason behind the 73% of 234 million Americans using analog, dumb or traditional phones. Dumb phones place calls and send text messages but some are also capable to received data through internet programs. Technophile and associate editor of popular tech blog Engadget Ross Miller said, â€Å"Not everyone wants or needs all that power,† (Snow, 2011, P4) referring to smartphones which also usually came with higher monthly bills for $30-$50. Dumb phones are also simple to use aside from costing less of which releases the burden of the owner from breaking it aside from its smaller size and lighter weight. Predictions, however, on the extinction of dumb phones prevail despite the negative social repercussions already observed in many places where so-called mobile warriors stare or be engulfed by their smartphones all day oblivious to the world outsid e it. Nosowitz (2010) reported that the things that people do with their mobile phones are as follows in order of highest to lowest: texting or sending text messages, calling, and browsing the internet. The statistics, according to Nosowitz, remind consumers, the media, and the manufacturers that not everyone are going crazy over iPhones or HCT Incredible when buying a new cellphone, and that â€Å"hardly anyone does,† (Nosowitz, 2010, P 5). The sale and development of smartphones have been seen as unprecedented where applications and physical designs have merged to provide touch-screen user interface, advanced screen design with sharper and brighter images, location awareness of mobile phones, direct internet loading of programs and applications including publishing of videos and other media, and dedicated access to private data including company-wide communication systems (White, 2010). Access of information thus integration of the knowledge network is one of the most explo ited advantage of the smartphones as companies take advantage of the available services carriers provide. It has allowed remote or telecommute working systems where flexibility of hours and availability of time are making individuals give more time to their families, personal, and social lives (White, 2010). Despite the touted advanced features of the smartphone, some users may never get sufficient and satisfactory service. As White (2010) noted, web features cannot be implemented or emulated, small screen size makes it

Evaluation Review Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluation Review Paper - Essay Example My personality has also changed as I was much introvert and isolated, but when I was required to deal with many people on daily basis, I attained confidence and way of interacting successfully with people. If I check the role of journaling in my progress professionally as well as personally, I consider it quite beneficial. I was to input my experiences and my feelings regarding my work and these narratives helped me to analyze my performance at work and to bring in improvements. Sometimes, I felt weird while dealing with my clients because I was not able to meet their demands, but later on, I learned to control my behavior and temper in order to facilitate them with what they wanted. When I started working in WHW, I had a different personality. As I have mentioned earlier on, I was very shy, introvert and confused, but after learning to work in an organizational setting, I saw improvement in my professional as well as personal personality. I am quite different from what I was before. When I used to see clothes and show the clients, what they needed as a personal shopper, I felt quite weird and confused and I easily lost my temper. However, with the passage of time and learning, I was much better in dealing with the clients without losing my temper. I spent hours and hours with them to show them what they needed. I learned a lot to work as a personal shopper. I marveled in my work to assist people who were in need of help. However, sometimes, I was also worried and disturbed when I was overloaded with additional work. The process of field seminar was beneficial. Initially, I was afraid of having a collaborative experience and in corresponding and interacting with different people, but when I started the process of corresponding with other people, it appeared quite interesting. I used to help my companion interns and we helped each other in our

Ethics and Social Responsibilities of Business Essay Example for Free

Ethics and Social Responsibilities of Business Essay The emergence of management as a distinct and identifiable activity in the modern era has had an important impact on the society with which it developed (Massie 1995). Till the early days of the twentieth century, organizations were predominantly concerned with their respective profit-maximizing activities. However, this singular intention of profit maximization of business farms was protested by the social activists during the later half of the 20th century. They pointed out that, since the organizations drive their business from the society, the former must possess some obligations towards the interests and welfare of the later. The concept of business ethics and corporate responsibility gained immense importance after the publication of Bowen’s Social Responsibilities of Businessman in the year 1953. Bowen opines that business corporations should have certain responsibilities towards the society in which it operates. Often business ethics and its social responsibilities are regarded as their â€Å"science of conduct† (McNamara).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ethics is the study of morality and standards of conducts (Fred and Richard, 480). The term ‘ethics’ is, in generally, used to refer to the rules and principles that define right and wrong conduct. The study of ethics is of immense importance in international management because ethical behavior in a particular country may be considered as an unethical practice in other countries. Ethical behavior of business has become an important aspect in today’s corporate environment. Even in the United States, trading scandals, bribes etc. have gained considerable media exposures and have aroused public concern regarding ethical practices in international business management. Corporate business ethics is primarily concerned with honesty, truth and justice and should consider several aspects like the expectations of society, fair competition, public relations, consumer autonomy, social responsibilities, adherence to the rules in the operating country, and so on. An organization should be always responsible in creating an environment that fosters ethical decision-making. Corporate social responsibility is seriously considering the impact of the company’s actions on society. In the views of Andrews, social responsibility means the intelligent and objective concern for the welfare of society that restrains individuals and corporate behavior from ultimately destructive activities, no matter how immediately profitable and signifies the positive contribution to human betterment. Social responsibility contends that the business organizations are responsible to all the interest groups with which it interacts. All the interests groups such as employees, customers, suppliers, government and society should be given importance equal to that of the shareholders of the respective companies. Thus, ethical and social responsibilities signifies that the management should pay attention to the welfare of the workers, consumers’ needs and safety, the interests and rights of creditors, government’s rules, regulations and policies, and the obligations of the organization towards society as a whole. Thus, in other words, â€Å"Corporate social responsibility indicates the management’s commitment towards upholding the interests of direct stakeholders and to behave in an economically and environmentally responsible manner† (Davis and Robert, 1975). Ethical and Social Responsibility of Corporate Organizations Corporate organizations which are concerned about business ethics and corporate social responsibility need to identify various interest groups which may influence the functioning of a firm and which, in turn, may be affected by the firm’s decisions. In fact, business enterprises are primarily responsible for the well being of six major interest groups which are discussed hereunder one by one: Protecting Shareholders’ Interests The most important responsibility of business organizations is to protect the interests of its shareholders. The shareholders provide the core resource – the capital – that enables an organization to operate and grow. They expect the management to use the capital judiciously and operate the business in an efficient way that would ensure a healthy return on their investment, both through dividends and through increase in stock value. Shareholders should be provided with adequate and timely information about the functioning of the organization. Protecting Employees’ Interests Employees are the biggest assets of the organizations. In the early days, managers regarded employees merely as one of the factors of production and denied them the right to obtain an equal distribution of income. But, with the passage of time, the situation has changed in a considerable way. Now, it is absolutely mandatory for the management to protect its employees’ interests. Government laws and regulations have now define the responsibilities of the employer – ensuring equal employment rights for men and women, offering timely pensions and other retirement benefits, and providing and maintaining a secure and healthy working environment. To protect the interests of employees, management must Treat the employees as the basic pillars of the organization. Develop administrative processes that promote cooperation between employers and employees. Foster a harmonious work atmosphere by adopting a progressive labor policy. This includes allowing the participation of workers in management, creating a sense of involvement, and improving the working conditions and living standards of workers. Provide fair wages (not merely the one determined by the market forces of demand and supply) and other financial benefits to workers to keep them motivated. Fair selection, training and promotion based on quality and merit – without any discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, religion, physical appearance and so on. Protecting Customers’ Interests In the recent times, great attention is delivered to the customers. In the age of cut-throat competition, business firms have rightly begun to realize the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with the consumers. The growth and development of consumerism has compelled the organizations to become more aware of their duties and responsibilities towards the customers. â€Å"The most successful businesses put the customer first, instead of the investors† (Mackey). Business firms should fulfill their obligations to their customers by Charging reasonable prices for their products. Ensuring the provision of standardized and quality goods and services. Ensuring the easy availability of goods and services, so that customers do not have to spend too much time and energy in procuring them. Abstaining from unethical practices like hoarding, profiteering or creating artificial scarcity, misleading advertisement and so on. Refraining from deceiving customers by making false or misleading claims. Protecting Creditors and Suppliers’ Interests All the inputs productions are provided by the creditors and suppliers in the form of raw materials and capital. Hence, the management must take proper care in fulfilling its obligations towards the former. This can be done by: Creating a long-term and healthy business relationship with them. Making prompt payments to creditors and suppliers. Providing them with accurate, relevant and needed information. Protecting Society’s Interest Organizations function within a social system and draw their resources from this system. Therefore, they have certain obligations towards society. The management of business organizations can fulfill their obligations toward society by preserving and enhancing the well-being of the members of society. Management can do so in the following ways: Using its technical expertise to solve local problems. Setting socially desirable standards of living and avoiding unnecessary and wasteful expenditure. Playing an important role in civic affairs. Helping the society in events of national calamity, famine, war, and so on. Providing basic amenities, healthcare and education facilities, thus creating better living conditions. Establishing development programmers for the benefit of economically weaker sections of  the society. Protecting Governments’ Interests In any country, the Government provides the basic requirements for the survival and growth of business organizations. Most of the rules and policies which the government imposes are mainly in the favor of the businesses. Hence, the business, in turn, must have certain obligations to the business: Be law-abiding – respect the rules, procedures and policies of the government Pay all taxes and other dues fully, timely and honestly. Not bribe government employees and officials to obtain favors for the company. Not try to use political influence in its favor for own interests. Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility In the modern era, the expectations of the consumers and the society have immensely changed and, resultantly, modern corporations have become much aware of their ethical and social responsiveness. However, opinions vary from scholars to scholars as to whether business should possess much, at least any, ethical and social responsibilities. Disadvantages The motive of any business is to maximize its profit. However, much ethical values and social responsibilities may act against this objective. Any investment (or loss) incurred by the business as a result of good social or ethical behavior are adjusted by increasing the selling of its products. Hence, â€Å"the motive would be socially less desirable than in the days before when business were concerned with social responsibilities† (Friedman 1970). Business derives immense power through its social involvements and ethical behavior. This power is generally derived from the government or through other political means. This increment in power can lead to corruption and even conflicts with customers, governments and the society as a whole in the subsequent times. Generally, business people lack the required skills to deal with the problems outside the organization. Social responsibility can be an excess burden of duty to them. Advantages Social involvements and strong ethical behavior boost up the image of the business corporations in the eye of the customers. Being socially responsive, business can increase the number of its loyal customers. A favorable public image helps the business to attract more employees, customers and investors. By being socially responsible, business organizations can easily avoid the attention of regulatory agencies and earn government’s trust; resulting in increasing flexibility and independence in their mode of operations. Businesses can increase conservation of natural resources by being socially responsible. For example, Items that were considered as waste before (like empty soft drink cans and plastic bottles) can be recycled and profitably used again. Society and business are equally benefited if a symbiotic relationship exists between the two. Instead of allowing high rate of unemployment leading to social crisis (which may ruin business operations in subsequent periods), businesses can rather be the source of employment in the economy for qualified and eligible people. Conclusion It is beyond any iota of doubt that every civil citizen must possess some moral or ethical values and responsibilities for the society in which he lives. Business organizations, considered as ‘artificial people’, therefore, should have the same values incorporated in it. Obviously, there are certain principles which is directed against this conclusion, but it is a cardinal truth that business corporations must â€Å"behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large† (Holme and Watts). References Bowen, H.R. (1953), Social Responsibilities of the Businessman, Harper Row, New York, NY Corporate Social Responsibility: Evolution of a Definitional Construct: Carroll Business Society.1999, pp. 268-295 Davis, K. and Robert, L. B. Business and Society, Environment and Responsibility, Revised   Edition, Tata McGraw Hill Book Company Inc. New York, 1975 Friedman, M. The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profit, New York   Times Magazine, 13 September, 1970 Kuhn, J.W. Issues and Analysis, Values in a Business Society, Harcourt Brace Jonanovich, New York, 1968 Holme, L and Watts, R. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development,Making   Good Business Sense† http://www.mallenbaker.net/csr/CSRfiles/definition.html Joseph, L. M. Ethical and Environmental Foundations, Essentials of Management, Fourth Edition, Thirteenth Indian Reprint, Prentice-Hall of India, New Delhi, 1995 Mackey, J. (adapted from) Rethinking the Social Responsibilities of Business, October 2005   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.reason.com/news/show/32239.html McNamara, C. Complete Guide to Ethics Management: An Ethics Toolkit for Managers http://www.managementhelp.org/ethics/ethxgde.htm Richard, M.H. and Fred, L. Ethics and Social Responsibilities, International Management, Third Edition, McGraw Hill International Editions, 1997 Stehi, S.P, Dimensions of Corporate Social Performance, An analytical Framework,   California Management Review, Vol. 17, No. 3, 1975, p. 58 64 The International Seminar on Social Responsibilities of Business: (as quoted by Mukharji, P.B. Social Responsibilities of Business, p. 9

Service Learning in College Essay -- Essays Papers Education Teaching

Service Learning in College Service learning provides college students with a whole new method of learning. This type of learning provides a student with an experience outside of the classroom in their area of concentration. Emily Knab, a college student at the University of Miami, has experienced service learning and found it very beneficial in her area of interest. Emily is studying education and wants to become a teacher in the future. She performed her service learning at an elementary school, focusing her attention on the third grade. She shadowed the teacher and completed many of the tasks that she would normally do. The students found Emily to be very helpful and respected her as if she were their real teacher. Emily stated that, â€Å"Service learning strengthened, increased, and developed my knowledge in education.† Service learning brings together the needs of the people within the community and gives students the chance to work with those needs (â€Å"Service Learning,â₠¬  par. 10). Field experiences combined with service learning activities is an essential part of growing academically (LaMaster 1). Service learning brings together student, community, and teacher through performance and education. Service learning has a growing history in the United States. The Native American people are the sources of community service. It was a part of their ethics that helping one another was the right thing to do (Wade 23-4). Helping one another was one of the only means of staying alive back when the native people were located around the United States. One of the largest steps in the expansion of service learning would have to be the establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps with the leader... ... Douglas J. Simpson. To Serve and Learn: The Spirit of Community in Liberal Education. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 1998. 21-33. Frederickson, J. Patricia. â€Å"Does Service Learning Make a Difference in Student Performance?† The Journal of Experiential Education Fall 2000: 1-12. Knab, Emily. Personal interview. 29 Oct. 2001. LaMaster, J. Kathryn. â€Å"Enhancing Preservice Teachers Field Experiences Through the Addition of a Service Learning Component.† The Journal of Experiential Education Spring 2001: 1-8. Wade, C. Rahima. Community Service-Learning: A Guide to Including Service in the Public School Curriculum. New York: State University of New York Press, 1997. 19-46. â€Å"What is Service Learning?† Service Learning: The Home of Service Learning on the World Wide Web 22 Oct. 2001 .

Application of a Communicative Competence Skill Essay

Introduction I will first describe the components of Communicative Competence then the four spheres of Multiliteracies Pedagogy then conclude by applying a skill. Communicative Competence Communicative Competence has five components: 1. Discourse Competence: The selection, sequencing, and arrangement of words, structures and utterances to achieve a unified spoken or written text. Examples of Discourse Competence skills: A. Cohesion B. Deixis C. Coherence 2. Linguistic Competence: The basic elements of language: A. Syntax B. Morphology C. Lexicon D. Phonology E. Orthography 3. Actional Competence: Conveying and understanding speech acts. Examples of Actional Competence skills: A. Interpersonal Exchange B. Suasion C. Problems 4. Sociocultural Competence: The knowledge of how to communicate appropriately within the social and cultural context of communication. Examples of Sociocultural Competence skills: A. Social Contextual Factors B. Stylistic Appropriateness Factors C. Cultural Factors 5. Strategic Competence: The knowledge of communication strategies and how to use them. Examples of Strategic Competence skills: A. Avoidance or reduction strategies. B. Achievement or compensatory strategies. C. Interactional strategies. The Multiletracies Pedagogy model: 1. Situated Practice: It provides immersion for students to develop familiarity for the activities and learn by doing. 2. Overt Instruction: It provides direct information from the teacher to let the students learn the important features of the learning activities and focus on the structure (grammar) of the activities. 3. Discourse Analysis: It helps students analyze their activities and know how to benefit best from the materials. 4. Transformed Practice: it give an opportunity for students to use what they learned in new situations. Applying the model I chose service encounters to apply to the multileteracies pedagogy model: 1. Situated Practice: show the students a service encounter on how to order in a restaurant or book a room in a hotel via video or a role play. 2. Discourse Analysis: Let the students have a discussion on how to do service encounters well and what kind of language they should use. 3. Overt Instruction: Explain the structures and expressions used in service encounters, for example the use of â€Å" I want †¦, please† and â€Å"How much †¦?† 4. Transformed practice: Have the students do a role play as employee at a travel agency and a client, or a waiter and a customer. Student can also record a service encounter on the phone or a digital recorder calling for a takeout meal or the mobile service company to file a complaint