Discrimination in Virtual Organizations

The International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Convention 111 (Employment and Occupation) prohibits â€Å"any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction, or social origin, which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment in employment or occupation†. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted to eliminate discriminations on the following protected classes: (1) Race , (2) Color, (3) Religion, (4) Sex, or (5) National Origin (Henry R. Cheeseman, 2004, p. 802).A firm like Riordan Manufacturing, which is a virtual organization with multiple locations in different countries, has to grapple with issues related to discrimination constantly. Henry R. Cheeseman (2004) explains the categories that constitute the various types of employment discrimination, Race refers to broad categories with common characteristics such as Black, Caucasian, Asian, and Nati ve American. Color refers to the color of a person's skin like light-skinned, dark-skinned, etc. National origin refers to the country of a person's ancestors or cultural characteristics like Hispanic, Italian, etc (p.803). In addition to these, discrimination is possible on the basis of gender (sex) and religion. Gender Discrimination Though the prohibition against sex discrimination is applicable to both men and women, a majority of the sex discrimination cases are brought by women (Henry R. Cheeseman, 2004, p. 805). Discrimination 2 Religious Discrimination Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on traditional religions, other religions that recognize a supreme being and religions based on ethical or spiritual tenets (Henry R.Cheeseman, 2004, p. 810). Riordan’s employee demographics reveal a healthy mix of race, color, origin, sex and religion. In such a demographic diversity, there is always a possibility of biased employee treatment. The different forms of discriminatory treatment are: 1. Disparate Treatment Discrimination: This occurs when a specific individual is subjected to discriminatory treatment based on his race, color, religion, sex or national origin. 2. Disparate Impact Discrimination: This occurs when the employer discriminates against an entire protected class. (Henry R.Cheeseman, 2004, p. 803) For a company operating out of multiple locations with diverse work cultures and societal practices, the occurrence of these two forms of discrimination cannot be ruled out. Riordan Manufacturing has prime work locations in the US and China. â€Å"Many racial and ethnic groups in the United States, including blacks, Hispanics, Asians, American Indians, and others, have historically faced severe discrimination- pervasive and open denial of †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. economic opportunities† (Rebecca M. Blank, Constance Forbes Citro Discrimination 3 & Marilyn Dabady, 2004, p.1). In China, there has been an ob servation of marked gender discrimination, with women being disadvantaged quite often (Zhu Jingde, 2005, n. p). Discrimination based on national origin, race and color is also rife in China. Discriminatory practices in employment are not limited to a few countries. With multiple operation centers in all parts of the globe, Virtual Organizations need to be prepared to face issues of discrimination that might crop up. The role of a manager is critical in ensuring that there is no discrimination occurring inside the organization.His legal and ethical duties pertaining to discrimination start with personal abstinence from acts of harassment and biased behavior. The manager needs to follow a moral code of conduct and act ethically while promoting people since ‘merit’ can be offered as a defense to a charge of discrimination (Henry R. Cheeseman, 2004, p. 810). He has to ensure that there is no occurrence of disparate treatment in the team he is handling. He might come across instances of members of the staff indulging in verbal slurs against other members of a different race, religion, origin, sex or color.In such instances, he should abide by Business Ethics to safeguard the feelings and interests of a protected class. Over the years, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of lawsuits against discrimination on various grounds. Legal action can be detrimental to the reputation and growth of an organization. It is, therefore, the duty of a manager to prevent discriminatory acts to make sure that the company is not at the wrong end of the law. He has to ensure that the staff is aware of the laws against discrimination and instruct them toDiscrimination 4 refrain from harassment of fellow workers on the basis of their race, color, sex, religion or origin. Cultural practices play a huge role in discriminatory issues. For example, in most of the countries in the Middle East, it is not a common practice to employ women. And in a few countries in Asia, r eligion is a major criterion for the recruitment of a candidate. Unlike a democratic set-up, where people have the right to speak-up against discrimination, these countries do not encourage legal action for discrimination.In such cases, Business Ethics play a crucial role in preventing acts of discrimination. Since a virtual organization does not operate out of a single location, it is but natural that its workforce is a mix of different races, colors, religions and origins. A company’s strength is its workforce and when it is diverse like in the case of a Virtual Organization like Riordan Manufacturing, it is all the more important to focus on treating employees equally. This would ensure a healthy work-environment. References Henry R. Cheeseman, Business Law: Legal, E-Commerce, Ethical and International Environments, Fifth Edition, 2004, Ch.41 Rebecca M. Blank, Constance Forbes Citro & Marilyn Dabady, Measuring Racial Discrimination, 2004 Zhu Jingde (2005), The Discrimination against Women in Employment in Contemporary China, Retrieved June 7, 2007, from http://www.womenofchina.cn/research/papers/3026.jsp

International trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International trade - Essay Example At the same time, least productive firms will be forced out and only produce for domestic market, this in turn will also lead to the exit of the least productive firms (Melitz, 2003). The Melitz model uses heterogeneous firms to perform its analysis under the general states of equilibrium. This concept explains how the exit of least productive firms leads to allocation of huge market shares to the well performing firms thus resulting into increase in productivity level. This indicates how certain firms are exposed to many opportunities by exit of the other non-performing ones. This paper also adapts the model for monopolistically competitive firms, that is, only highly competitive firms are given consideration under general equilibrium conditions. In addition, the concept suggests that uncertainty in production is a very important aspect and can help a great deal when trying to explain the behavior of firms. Uncertainty creates a business environment in which the players cannot predi ct the outcome of their competition and each firm therefore competes at its best. Also under this theory, there is an assumption that only the most productive firms that earn positive results remain in the competition. This analysis further puts focus on long run effects of this type of trade on performance and behavior of firms under different levels of productivity. Another very important aspect that this study emphasizes on is the introduction of dynamic future oriented market entry decisions by firms that are facing sunk costs of market entry. The study has focused on the importance of such market cost of such market entries and their effects on the firms’ competition. Description of the model The Melitz model focuses on three aspects to analyze its studies. These include demand, production, and aggregation. These aspects are relative and are majorly the key determinants in decision-makings. Demand Demand relates to consumer preferences. The preferences relating to the re presentative of the consumer can be got by CES utility function all over a range of goods that is represented by the company. The function below can be used in this analysis (w)q dw]1/p ? represent the value of the mass of the goods available. The available goods are considered a substitute which implies that P is less than 1, but greater than 0. 0 1 Consumer behavior in regards to demand can be analyzed by considering a set of products that the consumer takes against the aggregate price of the commodities. The presence of simultaneous entry and exit during the state of steady equilibrium can be attributed to the sunken market entry cost. It also explains the survival probabilities of exporting firms in the market (Johnson, 2010). These aggregates can be applied in deriving optimal consumption and decisions regarding expenditure of various individuals. Production The industry has many firms, and each of these firms chooses to produce variety of products w. the production process is viewed to require only one important factor, that is labor. The factor of production labor L is in-elastically available at its total level. The technological level of these firms is represented by cost functions hat show constant marginal cost that is characterized by fixed overhead cost. Labor used can therefore be represented using linear function for output q i.e 1= f + q/q. An assumption that all firms share similar fixed cost f

Songs of Solomon (Bible) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Songs of Solomon (Bible) - Research Paper Example Other scholars views Song of Songs as Israel’s salvation as it has been picturesque in the Chapter 3 of the Bible. It is not foreign in Hebrew literature to represent Yahweh as a lover and the Shulammite girl as Israel. Throughout the Old Testament, the relationship of God and Israel has been compared to lovers, in the book of Hosea 2:19-20, God has told Israel that He would take her as wife likewise in Isaiah 62:4-5 that almost same message would want to be delivered. This paper , however will not focus on the allegorical interpretation of the Song of Songs, as scholars of the contemporary times have presented it from its literal interpretation which reflects the stages or the development of human love. Such interpretation has more value to our current generation which seemingly has thread way from the Christian value of loving and faithful relationship. The Position of Song of Songs in the Bible King Solomon is known for his wisdom which brought him fame and fortune. It made him attractive to women. It was presented in I Kings Chapter verse 11:3 that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. In 1King Chapter 3:4-10, Solomon asked Yahweh for wisdom so he could identify right from wrong. Yahweh was very pleased that for Solomon did not asked for wealth, long life nor death for his enemies but rather asked for wisdom. And thus, Yahweh gave him wisdom and even the things that he did not wish for. However, he had sinned against Yahweh brought by his womanizing. King Solomon defied Yahweh, to the extent of worshipping other gods and idols. At the end, there was no account that King Solomon ever repented from his sins and submitted himself again to Yahweh in the book of Kings. It somehow reflects that Solomon was corrupted by his fame and glory. Thus Ecclesiastes reflects his emptiness and questioning the worthiness of life. Song of Songs which is an account of faithfulness, lasting commitment and fidelity in a relationship was placed after Ecclesiastes to show th at hope and love have triumphed over sin and emptiness. Interpreting the Song of Songs The first chapter of the book reveals that its author is King Solomon, the son of King David to Bathsheba. The succeeding verses and chapters illustrate the courtship, engagement, wedding and the enduring love that evolve between King Solomon and the Shulammite girl. Chapters 1:2— Chapter 3:5 beautifully narrates the courtship of King Solomon and the Shulammite girl. Though, the Shulammite woman felt insecure because of her darkened skin brought by her taking care of their vineyard. It is significant to note that in this period of their relationship, the Shulammite woman has been very vocal and was the first to express his longing for Solomon. On the other hand, Solomon expressed his deep admiration for her, as he likened her to Pharaoh’s chariot and to a flower Sharon. The following verses convey the blossoming of flower and the passage of winter, which can be likened to the feeling of bliss that young couples feel on the early stages of a relationship. At the same time, the first few verses of Chapter 3 where the Shulammite woman dreamt of losing Solomon clearly reflects the fear of losing one’s relationship and her search for him reflects her desire in having a relationship for keeps . It should also be noted that the opening verses of chapter 1 is related to the concluding verses of Chapter 8. It speaks of the vineyard and the role of the Shulammite’

Changes in the European Euro Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Changes in the European Euro - Essay Example The dollar advanced 0.2 percent on 11th February 2011 to 83.43 yen. The euro declined 0.1 percent to 113.06 yen. B. Identify two or more factors that might account for the changes in the value of the U.S. dollar with respect to the Euro. The US dollar rose as against most of the currencies as Hosni Mubarak, the president of Egypt stepped down and handed power to the military, stoking demand for the safety of U.S. assets. US dollar gained third week in line against euro. Euro was weak also due to the news of President of Germany’s central bank resigned. The US jobs data are unlikely to encourage the Federal Reserve to change its loose monetary policy, which would help buttress the dollar. There was not sign of increase in interest rate of the euro-zone nations by the ECB hence that took away the support of euro as against US dollar. Referring to ‘the economics of Foreign Exchange and the Balance of International trade’ chapter, the supply of dollars offered in exch ange for a foreign currency, such as the Euro, depends on the willingness of dollar holders to purchase Euro.

Gender is not something one is, it is something one dose it is a Essay

Gender is not something one is, it is something one dose it is a sequence of acts, a doing rather then a being - Essay Example Butler (1986) states that the common thinking about how a female becomes a woman is governed by patriarchy and phallogocentric language â€Å"which precedes and determines the subject itself† (Butler, 1986, p. 36). In other words, Butler (1986) believes that the term â€Å"woman† is defined passively, not by the women themselves, but by the patriarchal culture. That said, de Beauvoir (1973) believes that oppression is not inevitable, but, rather, they persist because of cultural reasons. Butler (1990) further states that the concept of a universal patriarchy has come under fire, because patriarchy exists in â€Å"concrete cultural contexts† (Butler, 1990, p. 3). Butler (1990) also states that there is the possibility that women might have a bond through their oppression alone. Connell (1992) further states that gender, in and of itself, is a construction of power and hegemony, which means that the male identity is also influenced by culture and these outside forc es. Connell (1992) believes that masculine identities may be hegemonic or marginalized – some masculine identities are the former, others are the latter. Similarly, there is a difference between masculinity and femininity, and this, too, is contrasted with the terms â€Å"male† and â€Å"female.† Bartky (2003) states the one achieves femininity, whereas one is born female. The same with masculinity – men might achieve masculinity, and be born male, or, alternatively, as with many homosexual men, one may be born male but not achieve masculinity. As with the philosophies of de Beauvoir and Butler, Bartky (2003) states that the concept of masculinity and femininity is dictated by the power structure, which states what the contours are of masculinity and femininity (Bartky, 2003). This article will examine how patriarchy and society has defined both men and women throughout the modern era. Discussion Standards of Beauty As de Beauvoir (1973) states, the femin ine identity, and what it means to be a woman is defined by patriarchy and the male. In no area of a woman’s life is this more apparent than the standards of beauty, which are male-dominated. Women feel that they must conform to these male-dictated beauty standards, or they are somehow less than. The feminine ideal for beauty, therefore, is not only ever-changing, but is dictated by the power structure and patriarchy. Lorber (1993) states that the feminine ideal, at least during the early 1990s, which is when Lorber’s article was written, was slim-slim-hipped, small breasted and virtually emaciated. Women starved themselves for this ideal, and this ideal sold many magazines which promised women a way to become thinner, in order to fit this ideal. While this was the ideal in the early 1990s, and, more or less, continues to be today’s ideal, this was not always so – the feminine body ideal has changed over the years, according to society and culture. Calabr ese et al. (2011) state that the feminine ideal is epitomized by Playboy models, which is similar to the ideal stated by Lorber (1993), in that the women is to be slim-hipped and slender, overall. However, in this ideal, the woman must also have large breasts. Barbie dolls exemplify this ideal, and girls and women increasingly pressured to fit this ideal, to the extent that they require plastic surgery to do so (Calabrese et al.., 2011). Frederick et al. (2007) state that these feminine ideals, as pushed upon society by

Admission Essy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Admission Essy - Essay Example I realize success in this Doctoral Program requires me to apply a financial plan with efficient time management skills. I held a full-time job as a pilot while studying to receive my Master of Arts in English as a Second Language from the University of Phoenix. This combination of work and school challenged my time management skills, allowing me to successfully meet my financial obligations to the University and graduate on schedule. The difference between this program and my M.A. program is the online environment. I am experienced with the UOP learning model and appreciate its advantages for timely completion of projects. It was instrumental as a support system and the collaborative knowledge I gained was outstanding. The team approach exposed me to new ideas and perspectives in a non-threatening environment. I have an appreciation for constructive criticism as an essential learning tool and the pragmatic knowledge the UOP learning model facilitates. For many years it has been my goal to pursue a Doctorate, but until discovering the Education Specialist program there wasnt a program I felt passionate enough about to devote the time and energy. The Education Specialist program will enhance my educational background, further develop my intellectual capabilities, and prepare me to provide effective leadership in my diversified

Government Inefficiency and Policy Implications of Economic Research Essay

Government Inefficiency and Policy Implications of Economic Research - Essay Example Sections 861(b) and 862(b) state generally how to determine taxable income for a taxpayer with income sources within or without the United States after such source has been determined. Regulation 1.861-8 provides more information on allocating state and local taxes to U.S. - and foreign-source income (Kozub 2010, p.1). In return, we could see the effects of taxes in our country thru, for example, roads for better accessory of goods coming from farm to local markets and for better transportation; public schools to ensure the education of our children and our children’s children; and public funds to support and aid the citizens in terms of calamities and unforeseen disasters. Well, these are good aspects of tax in our society in which it ensures a good future for us and for the next generation. What seem to be erroneous so to speak now are the urge of the government and the abuse in the use of tax. We all know that the government highly depends upon its citizen’s support to make its substructure work. In the article made by Crane (2010, p.1), she criticized and questions the imposition of tax to the extent that everything that people do, the government will levy tax. It is also shown in her article the question on blurred distinction between income tax and property tax wherein the so-called right to jus fruendi or the right to use the fruit of the property is assumed to be just a constitutional right that is vested upon the citizens because of the unclear dissimilarity of the property and income tax. She made use of the farm, being a property as an example wherein â€Å"If the value of an asset that one assessor claimed had arisen in any one year, perhaps when the crops were first harvested, could be taxed again in another year (simply because that first year's base was used again as the measure of the tax), and then again when the value was transformed into a security, and then again when that security was transformed into cash, what was the diffe rence between a property tax and an income tax?† (1). Issues and Problems on taxes What I want to raise here as an issue would be the redundancy of the taxes that are being imposed on the citizens. The government is now being misunderstood because instead of him intervening in the affairs of the people, it is now the people intervening in the affairs of the government and making profit out of it. Thus, people discover the government not as a privileged position to serve the people, but rather, as a situation and a place of income, using the money of its citizens. As a result, heavy taxes are levied and other forms of it are implemented to gain more income, having in mind that the people could not resist it because it is mandated by the law. Moreover, the espousal of income taxes did not inevitably flow from economic forces, but rather was conditioned by social and political power and complex historical processes (Mehrotra 2010, p.1). History will show us that these kind of tax is a by-product of the excessive expenditure of the government in wars that they are engaged to or the destruction incurred are in large scale. They put the burden to the people to restore the economic power of the state, therefore, making the government to be financially strong again in the international arena because state and the government can hardly be distinguished nor separated. The government dictates what the people should do in