Honda Marketing Communications Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Honda Marketing Communications - Case Study Example Honda focuses on every aspect of marketing, not only on promotion and sales techniques, to persuade customers to buy but also on target market, marketing mix and the effective marketing strategy (Kotler & Armstrong, 2001) because successful marketing results in stronger products, happier customers, and bigger profits. Moreover, customers recognize the importance of knowledge in relation to the product being purchased. Several consumer behavior researches testified to this fact. Wong (2000) argued that a customer evaluates a product or a service. Such action is based on the customer's reaction from the using the product or service, which means that the product or service should leave a good perception to the customer's contentment. Frederick and Salter (1995) explained that it can be ensured that a customer is satisfied by taking into importance the value package, which includes: price, product quality, service quality, innovation, and corporate image. Others also stated the importance of maintaining or establishing a uniqueness of the product, while also understanding customers and what pleases them (Denton 1993). Customers should also understand the product and be allowed to set their own standards in order to be satisfied (Frederick & Salter 1995). Of all the components of a marketing plan, perhaps the most overlooked but most critical element is the definition of the target market. According to Claravall (2000), it is a homogenous group of people or organizations that a company wishes to appeal to. There are two basic targets for a product or service: the user and the non-user segments. Thus, there are also two business and marketing decisions that the company must decide upon in light of the basic targets. The first is to cultivate the present market alone while the second is to go after non-users. The former can inspire consumer loyalty which is an important factor in the survival of any business. In introducing new car models of Honda will categorize its target market into two market segments: (1) the Honda cars users or those who have already tried the product, and (2) the Honda cars non-users. Honda cars users are further classified into (a) males and (b) females in order to differentiate the market appeal and competitiveness of the offered products in terms of sex as well as the specific users of the four specified models in order to determine the competitiveness of each product per se. the Honda car non-users, on the other hand, are further grouped into (a) those who do not use cars in general, and (b) those who use other car brands. These market segmentation schemes according to product use will provide important information regarding the overall competitiveness of the Honda Cars as well as viability and opportunities for encouraging car non-users to not just try any other average cars but to choose Honda Cars among others. Moreover, companies now face the challenge of making its target consumers respond accordingly to their marketing efforts and those who understand its consumers' responses will have a great competitive advantage (Kotler & Armstrong, 2001). In this light, the Honda management as well as the advertisers will keep in mind the differences that are distinct between and among the Honda Cars target market based on

Role of the HR Department Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Role of the HR Department - Essay Example According to the report  the human resource department works as the strategic division for modern organizations, and in most cases, the management relies on the human resource department to improve overall performance of the unit. Nishii and Wright (2008) stated that in modern organizations, human resource departments perform activities such as providing training to employees, measuring their performance, measuring compliance of key performance indicators (KPI), mentoring of employees etc. In short, it can be said that human resource professionals in the organization have close relationship with employees in contrast to line managers in most of the cases.This paper outlines that  that there exist a direct link between work-life balance of employees and their emotional intelligence because an employee is a human being with multitude of family responsibilities; hence, it is not possible for employees to forget their family life completely while working in an organization. Research scholars such as Lowry and Moskos defined work-life balance as the ability of employees to successfully manage work and household responsibilities. Fonner and Roloff (2010) gave examples of the organizations where human resource departments ensure proper work-life balance of workers.   Gregory and Connolly defined â€Å"Work† as the paid employment while â€Å"life† as combination of leisure activities and family time.... There is a direct link between Employees’ wellbeing and work life balance of employees. According to these scholars, a proper work-life balance of employees can help them to remain healthy which is a modified version of personal well-being of employees. In such context, Nishii and Wright (2008, p. 226) argued that â€Å"In essence, we have hitherto failed to explicitly recognize the many ways in which individuals and groups may experience and respond differently to HR systems within organizations,† and such statement is showing that HR departments face challenge, understanding their exact role in ensuring employee well-being within organizations. The role of human resource department in ensuring employee wellbeing in terms of physical healthiness can be depicted in the following manner. Figure 1: Theoretical Model for HRM & Employee Well Being (Source: Van De Voorde, Paauwe and Van Veldhoven, 2011) According to the model above, the human resource department works as the strategic division for modern organizations, and in most cases, the management relies on the human resource department to improve overall performance of the unit. Nishii and Wright (2008) stated that in modern organizations, human resource departments perform activities such as providing training to employees, measuring their performance, measuring compliance of key performance indicators (KPI), mentoring of employees etc. In short, it can be said that human resource professionals in the organization have close relationship with employees in contrast to line managers in most of the cases. Hence, it can be conjecturally viewed that there exist a triangular relationship between perception of employee regarding HRM climate, employee wellbeing and overall unit performance. Careful consideration

Erik Erikson Essay Example for Free

Erik Erikson Essay

The Focus Of The Foreign Affairs Politics Essay

The Focus Of The Foreign Affairs Politics Essay The Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Wisma Putra as it is commonly known has been mandated to pursue the nations foreign policy in accordance with the Federal Constitution of Malaysia with the objective of protecting and promoting the nations interest at the international level. Malaysias foreign policy is premised on establishing close and friendly relations with countries in the community of nations.   It will continue to respect the internal affairs of other nations and advocate a policy of non-interference recognizing the sovereignty of nations. Since Malaysias independence in 1957 till today, the vision of our foreign policy remains consistent that is to safeguard Malaysias national interests as well as contribute towards a just and equitable community of nations.   This is achieved through upholding the countrys sovereignty and promoting universal peace; fostering friendly relations with foreign countries and protecting Malaysias interests in the regional and international arena.   In other words, Malaysia will continue to consolidate its relations with other countries and international organisations, both at the regional and international level. In line with the objectives of promoting and protecting Malaysian national interest abroad, the Ministry has established a total of 105 missions in 83 countries and appointed 53 Honorary Consuls who provide support and assistance in promoting Malaysias interest abroad. Since the independence of Malaya in 1957, the nations foreign policy has gone through several phases of significant transition with different emphases under five previous premierships.   The policy has been largely determined by the established national characteristics and succession of political leadership as well as by the dynamic regional and international environment. Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia held a markedly anti-Communist and pro-Western posture as the era saw the country threatened by the Communist insurgency.   The foreign policy during Tunkus time had to take into consideration the bipolar power struggle between opposing ideas of democracy and communism. Under the stewardship of Malaysias second premier Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysias foreign policy began to shift towards non-alignment and internationalism with Malaysia joining the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). A period of consolidation ensued under Tun Hussein Onn with ASEAN becoming the cornerstone of Malaysias foreign policy following the collapse of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1975, the withdrawal of the US military presence from Southeast Asia and the invasion of Kampuchea (now Cambodia) by Vietnam. During the premiership of Tun Dr. Mahathir in 1981, Malaysia began opening its doors to foster relations with more nations and became a symbol of a rising developing country.   Under Tun Mahathirs tenure, the nations foreign policy began adopting a much greater economic orientation in the countrys external relations while championing the rights, interests and aspirations of developing countries.   This approach led to the advocacy of the South-South Cooperation, a more proactive role in the G-77, the establishment of the G-15 and saw the Look East Policy being instituted.   This shift to the East greatly influenced Malaysias economic development.   Malaysia became the voice of the developing world and was a role model for many developing countries as it become well known for its active stance at the UN and other international conferences.   Malaysias participation in peacekeeping missions under the UN is also a testimony of the nations seriousness in instilling the will of the international community.   Since 1960, Malaysia has committed troops to Republic of Congo, Bosnia Herzegovina, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Western Sahara, Iraq, Timor Leste and Lebanon. The fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi continued to ensure that Malaysia was active in the international arena.   During his tenure, Malaysia played an instrumental role in the formulation and adoption of the ASEAN Charter which has been ratified by all ASEAN member states and subsequently entered into force on 15th December 2008.  During this period, Malaysia was also active in expanding the focus of OIC from being an organisation focused solely on political issues into one which focuses on the socio-economic development of Islamic countries.   The Islam Hadhari concept which promotes a form of civilisational Islam was also introduced by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and was accepted and recognised by the OIC member states at the 3rd Special Summit of OIC at Makkah in December 2005. Under the leadership of Prime Minister YAB Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak, Malaysia will continue to project a forward-looking and pragmatic foreign policy whilst continuing to facilitate trade, attract foreign investment as well as project Malaysia as a stable and peaceful country. Upon taking office in April 2009, the Prime Minister also stressed that Malaysias foreign policy under his administration would be shaped significantly by the 1Malaysia: People First, Performance Now concept. Among the key elements of the 1Malaysia concept is in realising the strength of Malaysia lies in its diversity.   This concept bodes well with the main vision of Malaysias Foreign Policy that is to protect and promote interests abroad and at the same time responsibly and effectively contribute towards the building of a fair and just world.   Dato Sri Najib believes that the interconnectedness of nations in the world means that Malaysia would benefit in applying 1Malaysia in its efforts in diplomacy and foreign relations. Synonymous with the 1Malaysia concept, Malaysia will continue to maintain close relations with all countries in the world and will continue to work with like-minded nations in pursuing national interest. YAB PM also introduced the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) that identified Key Results Area (KRAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the Ministry as a promise of commitment by the Government to the rakyat.   In line with this, the Ministry has identified 14 Key Performance Indicators to measure the success of the Ministry. The KRAs of the Ministry are as follows: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Protection and promotion of Malaysias interests bilaterally, regionally and internationally through proactive diplomacy; b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Realisation of an ASEAN Community by 2015 via the ASEAN Political Security Community Blueprint, ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint and ASEAN Social Cultural Blueprint; c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enhancing Malaysias standing in the international community particularly in the framework of 1Malaysia in an ever changing geopolitical scenario; and d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Provision of prompt and effective services locally and abroad. Malaysia has also maintained excellent relations with other countries, bilaterally and multilaterally through existing regional and international mechanisms of ASEAN, UN and other organisations which we are a member of. Malaysias foreign policy is structured upon a framework of bilateralism, regionalism and multilateralism where its outreach is likening to a pattern of concentric circles.   ASEAN forms the core priority of Malaysias current foreign policy, in consideration of our neighbours as our closest allies.   Looking further afield, as a country with a strong Muslim majority, Malaysia also gives importance to the solidarity of the Ummah and the spirit of cooperation among the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).   Malaysias status as a developing nation makes it imperative for the country to engage actively in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Commonwealth, Group of Seventy Seven (G77), Developing Eight (D8), Asia Middle East Dialogue (AMED), Far East Asia Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).   No less important is the countrys continued active participation in the Commonwealth, the United Nations and other international organisations.   Through these organisations, Malaysia has sought to promote the South-South Cooperation among the developing countries and the Muslim world.   Malaysia also advocates the Prosper thy neighbour policy to enhance economic relations and cooperation with its neighbouring countries through Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMTGT) and other entities. Malaysia will continue to play a significant role in the various multilateral issues that affect our interests.   These issues include disarmament, counter terrorism, trafficking in persons, climate change and environmental issues.  Ã‚   As a member of the UN, Malaysia is a firm believer of international peace and security and an upholder of international law.   Malaysias election as the President of United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2010 and the Chairmanship of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were a further testimony of Malaysias positive international image. Malaysia will also continue to engage with like-minded nations, both in the region and beyond in ensuring its sovereignty and economic well being are preserved and protected.   Malaysia will continue with the principles of engagement and cooperation rather than isolationism and unilateral action.  Trade and investment opportunities will continue to be explored with our traditional trading partners and at the same time to develop strategic partnerships for trade and investment with countries in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and other parts of Asia. In the decade leading up to 2020, Malaysia would have to deal with great changes in the global environment whilst improving and upgrading the countrys domestic conditions.   In recognising this challenge, it is vital that Malaysias foreign policy continues to focus on protecting national interests while responsibly and effectively contributing towards the building of a fair and just world. The fundamental principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect for territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes as well as mutual benefit in relations are the guiding principles that would continue to guide Malaysias relations with other countries.   Ã‚  These principles have stood the test of time. Indeed, our steadfast adherence to these principles, supported by a consistent foreign policy, has established for Malaysia a credible image in the eyes of the international community. OBJECTIVE   Implementing foreign policy is a complex and challenging task. With the dynamic environment of world politics, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to be constantly aware of changes and be able to effectively respond to ensure that Malaysias sovereignty and national interests are adequately protected and Malaysias views and positions are duly articulated in the international arena. The Ministry will coordinate and work closely with relevant Ministries and Agencies to establish workable terms of reference in implementing Malaysias national interests and to coordinate marketing and branding strategies for Malaysia abroad. In the formulation of foreign policy, every country has its own objective. In the case of Malaysia, it is as simple as the pursuit of Malaysias national interest at the international level. The Malaysian government will strive to ensure that Malaysia continues to play an active role in international relations for the benefit of the country. Principal emphasis in the pursuit of Malaysias foreign policy objectives include: Maintaining peaceful relations with all countries regardless of its ideology and political system; Adopting an independent, non-aligned, and principled stance in regional and international diplomatic affairs; Forging close relations and economic partnerships with all nations, particularly with ASEAN and other regional friends; Promoting peace and stability in the region through capacity building and conflict resolution measures; Playing an influential leadership role as Chair of the ASEAN, Non-aligned Movement (NAM) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) (As we did in the last few years); Participating actively and meaningfully in the United Nations, especially in the efforts to end injustice and oppression, and to uphold international law; and Projecting Malaysia as a leading example of a tolerant and progressive Islamic nation. FORMULATION OF FOREIGN POLICY    Malaysias foreign policy is basically an extension of Malaysias domestic policy. It is designed to defend and promote the countrys national, political, security, economic and other vital interests. It is geared towards promoting a peaceful regional and international environment, which would give Malaysia space to achieve all its national objectives without disruption from external threats.    Despite the diversity of views regarding the perception and explanation of foreign policy, no foreign policy can be formulated in a vacuum. It must serve to function in a dynamic environment. Malaysias foreign policy is no exception. Various geographical, historical, social and political determinants contributed to shaping the nature of Malaysias foreign policy and the conduct of the countrys international relations.    Our foreign policy seeks to promote mutual tolerance and cooperation amongst all countries that make up the fabric of international community. To this, Malaysia pursues an independent, principled and pragmatic foreign policy which rests on the values of peace, humanity, justice, and equality. Malaysias foreign policy is also premised on the principles of respect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the affairs of other nations, peaceful settlement of disputes, peaceful co-existence and mutual benefit in relations. Due to globalization and the rise of powerful non-state actors, such as Multinational Corporations (MNCs), non-governmental organizations, and a variety of transnational groups, it is imperative for small nation states to cooperate even more closely. To this, Malaysia maintains friendly diplomatic, and trade relations with many countries throughout the world.    As a trading nation, we advocate a multilateral rule-based global trading system which would promote and safeguard the interests of all countries, whether developed or developing, in a fair and equitable manner. In this respect, Malaysia has long advocated the economic principle of prosper-thy-neighbor and not beggar-thy-neighbor. We believe that the global economic infrastructure should be that prosperity will beget prosperity. CRITERIA AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MALAYSIAS FOREIGN POLICY   Malaysias foreign policy is guided by three criteria: a) First, it must be a CREDIBLE policy: Exudes trust and confidence from other nations. In this regard, it has to be based on certain  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   internationally cherished principles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Serves the countrys best interest and remain a responsible member of the international community.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   b) Second, it must be an ENLIGHTENED policy: Takes care of the interest of its citizens above all else.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Brings international recognition and admiration for Malaysia and   allows Malaysians to be good citizens of the     Ã‚  Ã‚   world. c) Third, it must be a CONSISTENT AND COHERENT policy:   Makes Malaysia an acceptable and reliable partner in interstate affairs. Succeeds in making Malaysia the preferred brand name in international relations. EVOLUTION OF MALAYSIAS FOREIGN POLICY    Foreign policy is not static. Its formulation is essentially a dynamic process. Hence, over the years, our foreign policy has evolved, taking account of the change in leadership as well as developments in the ever-changing global political and economic landscapes. Moreover, the advent of globalization and the transformation of interstate relations brought about by new and rapid changes in information technologies necessarily means that our foreign policy has to be adjusted and fine tuned to meet new challenges in a globalised world. The style and approaches in enunciating Malaysias foreign policy may differ in keeping with the personality of each past and present prime minister of Malaysia. A critical examination of Malaysias foreign policy since 1957 would show its steady evolution characterized by notable changes in emphasis, which took place with the change in Malaysias political stewardship. Briefly;   a) In the period 1957-1969, our country has just gained its independence. During this post independence period, under our first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, our foreign policy was geared towards the survival of our newly independent nation. Our foreign policy then was markedly anti-Communist and pro-western in posture with close links to the Commonwealth. We were also a strong opponent of apartheid. Our posture towards regional cooperation also began to take root with the birth of ASA (1960), MAPHILINDO (1963) and ASEAN (1967). b) In the period 1970 -1976, under Tun Abdul Razak, as a member of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Malaysia began to identify itself as a Muslim nation. The search for new friends substantially increased the importance of NAM to Malaysia. We became markedly non-aligned and postured towards neutrality, peaceful co-existence and independence. We also began to distance ourselves from major powers, put strong emphasis on regionalism and developed contacts and diplomatic relations with communist countries. Investments from other than British sources began to be also welcomed.   c) A period of consolidation ensued under Tun Hussein Onn (1976-1981) with ASEAN becoming the cornerstone of Malaysias foreign policy following the collapse of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1975, the withdrawal of the US military presence from Southeast Asia and the invasion of Kampuchea (now Cambodia) by Vietnam. The First ASEAN Summit was held and Malaysia signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Bali in 1976. Further emphasis on independence, non-alignment and equidistance from the major powers was also made. d) A more dramatic shift in emphasis occurred when Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad took over as the fourth Prime Minister in 1981. Malaysias foreign policy stance began to take a much greater economic orientation than ever before, coupled with a strong and nationalistic defence of the rights, interests and aspirations of developing countries and the advocacy of south-south co-operation. Tun Dr. Mahathirs premiership saw the pursuit of numerous new initiatives such as: Antarctica as the Common Heritage of Mankind. The Look East Policy (LEP). Championing of the cause of developing countries on major social issues like environment, human rights and democracy. With the advent of globalization, Malaysians identified both the beneficial and adverse impact of globalization to the developing countries. Pro-active and passionate approach on Apartheid and Palestinian issues. Islamic Unity Chairmanship and hosting of the 10th OIC Summit, hosting of 1st Expo OIC, formation of D-8. International peace and security Malaysias membership in UNSC, peacekeeping role in a number of countries such as Cambodia, Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Namibia and East Timor. Malaysia also actively championed against selectivity, double standards and pre-emptive action outside the ambit of the UN. Terrorism Malaysia forged strong regional and international cooperation in combating terrorism, strongly advocated against profiling by religion or ethnicity, proposed multifaceted approach in combating terrorism including identifying and eliminating the root causes, hosted OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting on Terrorism in 2002, established SEARCCT to primarily focus on training and capacity building. Opening of New Frontiers: Active bilateral engagements with African, Latin American and Eastern Europe countries, particularly in trade, investment and transfer technology in the spirit of South-South Cooperation. Includes opening of Diplomatic Missions and extension of Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program (MTCP) in these countries. Economic Orientation: East Asia Economic Cooperation (from EAEG to EAEC to ASEAN +3). Regional Development Cooperation Growth Triangle concept such as IMTGT, IMSGT, BIMP-EAGA. Group of 15 (G15) first advocated by Malaysia. Economic diplomacy reverse investments prosper thy neighbors, South-South cooperation, MIGHT, Langkawi International Dialogue (LID), South Africa International Dialogue (SAID). e) In the period 2003   and onwards, under the leadership of Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, foreign policy initiatives were further refined and fine- tuned to project: Pragmatic response in meeting the current geopolitical and economic challenges. More sophisticated articulation of Malaysias views. Substance as a dynamic extension to existing policies. Influential leadership role as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and ASEAN; and Malaysia as a leading example of a tolerant and progressive Islamic Nation Islam Hadhari The evolution of the countrys foreign policy under successive prime ministers reflects a pragmatic response to the geopolitical and economic changes of their times. To be continually relevant to the countrys needs, foreign policy cannot remain static. But whilst changes in emphasis have become a general feature of Malaysian foreign policy, continuity has also been evident. Both the change and continuity mark a higher level of confidence and maturing of the country in the conduct of its international affairs. Indeed, in many ways Malaysias leadership role has been recognized on several issues of deep interest to the developing world.    As a trading nation, we are very much dependent on a peaceful international environment for our well being. Naturally, our foreign policy has to be oriented to allow for a greater focus on economic diplomacy. In the past, when we were producing mainly raw materials for the world, Malaysia had to compete with only a handful of countries. But now, when we have become an industrialized trading nation, we have no choice but to work harder, to compete better and to find new markets for our goods and services. We must find better ways to do business with the outside world. We need to find niches in which we have a competitive edge.    Towards this end, Malaysia has implemented a number of policies that have a strong foreign policy component that will contribute to the creation of a strong, dynamic and resilient economy. These policies include amongst others: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢LookEastPolicy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ReverseInvestment-ProsperThyNeighbour à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢MalaysiaIncorporated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢South-SouthCooperation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢MalaysianTechnicalCooperationProgramme(MTCP) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Langkawi International Dialogue CONLUSION   One significant phenomenon that will impact strongly on Malaysias foreign policy as we move forward is globalization. Our greatest challenge would be to extract the best from the process of globalization and to give our best to the system. And in return to contribute towards making the world a much more peaceful and equitable place to live in, to provide leadership within our region and to demonstrate exemplary and responsible membership of the international community. On the political front, we see the end of the cold war. Yet the world today is no safer than we had been led to believe. The so-called friendly global village has not come about. Old conflicts either refuse to die or simply have a way of coming out of their graves to haunt us. In the meantime, new conflicts, at times much bloodier and brutal than the old ones, continue to emerge and rage or remain unresolved. Added to this, two other issues of great concern also remain, namely terrorism which continue to threaten Terrorism which continue to threaten the lives and property of innocent victims; and The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction which brings fourth the prospect of nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare. It is important; therefore, that our foreign policy be geared towards ensuring that more and more nations sign and ratify the relevant international conventions such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and the Convention on Land Mines (CLM). The economic dimension of globalization has been even more disappointing. The financial crisis that descended upon East Asia in 1997 brought about not only social misery and economic disaster but political instability as well. Massive Unemployment, negative growth, stock market crashes and severe currency devaluation have pulled down millions of people below the poverty lines. And now, we are anxiously watching the effects of the possible economic meltdown following the global financial crisis. The severity of the situation calls for the whole business of economic globalization and financial and trade liberalization to be seriously addressed. This is another biggest foreign policy challenge for Malaysia. Malaysia will continue to press for the reforming the international financial architecture that is so prone to speculative manipulations and frequently excessive fluctuation. Malaysias activism at the international front has of course attracted attention and reaction from various quarters. Until recently, Malaysia had been the target for criticism for being too vocal. But this is something that we need to take in our own stride if Malaysia is to be proactive at the global level. Our foreign policy principles have stood the test of time. Indeed, our steadfast adherence to these principles, supported by a consistent foreign policy, has established for Malaysia certain credibility in the eyes of the international community. Malaysias initiatives at various regional and international fora have put the country on the world map. Increased economic prosperity and political stability has in fact enabled Malaysia to carve its own niche in the international scene. Making its presence felt has allowed Malaysia to exercise some influence in setting the international agenda. Being less dependent on foreign aid and assistance, Malaysia has been able to speak up on issues that other developing countries feel constrained to voice for fear of retribution by the major, particularly western, powers. The years ahead therefore would see our foreign policy specially oriented towards not only ensuring Malaysias domestic success but also internationally, as a geopolitical and economic player at the global level.

Diomedes in Agamemnon :: essays research papers

Since Agamemnon refused to return the daughter of a priest of Apollo, Agamemnon agrees to release Helen only if Achilles gives him his prize of honor. This is when Achilles found it unfair and withdraws from the battle including all his soldiers. Achilles then asks the gods to grant him revenge. Agamemnon the had attacked because a dream had encouraged him to. Paris flees the battle with the help of a divinity and Menelaus rages on with his brother demanding the release of Helen. As the battle continues, Diomedes makes a heroic stand and kills many Trojans, bringing his Time', Kudos and Arete' up high. The term Time means the reputation among the prince/gods, Kudos is glory and Arete' excellence meaning, doing more than a man can do. It all started when Pamdaros had shot an arrow through Diomedes' shoulder, but Diomedes tells Sthenelos to pull out the arrow and he did. After this happened, Diomedes had prayed to thena asking her for help, here is where Diomedes is getting Kudos. Athena had decided to help Diomede just like she helped his father and she also heals him. Now not only did she heal him but she also gave Diomedes the power to see gods while he was in the battle only if he fights no other god but Aphrodite. Diomedes recieves Kudos when Aineias tells Pandaros that Diomedes may be a god. When Diomedes rejects Sthenelos advice to retreat, so instead he stands, he receives more Kudos. Diomedes now adds Time with the gods when he threw a pear at Pandarus with Athena’s help and kills him, when Aineias comes by to help his friend, Diomedes picks up a large stone and kills him by smashing the large stone on Aineias hip. More Time was added when he followed Aphrodite and then wounded her on her wrist and then shouted out to her "Away from the battle, you daughter of Zeus! Isn’t it enough that you beguile weak women? But is you will visit the battle field, I think after this is a battle will make shiver if you hear only echoes in the distance!" After this, Aphrodite tells Ares about Diomedes as she asked him for his horses to go home.

Deon Sanders :: essays research papers

Deion Sanders is an American professional football and baseball player. He is one of the few athletes in history to succeed in two professional sports. Deion Luwynn Sanders was born on August 9, 1967 in Fort Meyers, Florida, where he grew up with his mother and stepfather. His parents got divorced when he was really young. Deion loved almost all sports and he was good at all of them. When he was 8 years old he started playing football and even though he was very young, he still was a star. He was even playing teams with kids older than him and still did very well. Another sport he played was baseball and he played that just as well as football. You might think that Deion didn’t have any religion in his past life, but he did. He grew up going to church with his mother. He has never drank or smoked. Since both of his fathers were addicted to those things, he made a commitment to stay away from that. One day he was with some friends in a car and they were smoking pot. He told them that he didn’t do that stuff and they left him alone. Throughout his high school years he played all different kinds of sports. He played football, baseball, basketball and ran track. He was one of the best in all those sports. When he played for his high school basketball team he was the leading scorer, and earned the name â€Å"Prime Time.† After his four years playing for his high school team, it was time to start looking for a college. Since he wanted his mother to come see him play, his first pick of colleges was Florida State. He had great careers in all the sports he played in. Before his senior year at Florida State University (FSU), the Yankees took him, so he played professional baseball while in college. While he was in college he decided he would stay away from cursing. So every time he cursed he would pay someone 5 bucks. In 1989 he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round. In 1996 when he was playing for the Cowboys and Reds he felt miserable, he said, †After scoring touchdowns and dancing in the end zone, after a stadium full of cheering fans had finally gone home, I was still empty inside.† Nothing was making him happy, he tried money, women, and just about everything.

Application of Ethics

Understanding, acceptance, and application of ethics are important to individuals and groups for several reasons. Ethics are our basic beliefs, and they come into play constantly. Many times we are using our personal Ethics and we are not even aware of it. Acceptance of ethics is important to individuals and groups because it allows for constructive criticism, and it helps avoid and resolve conflicts. In groups it is very important for ethics to be accepted because it will give a common ground of understanding and respect that a team or group needs to be successful. Accepting ethics of others is important to individuals and groups because it allows the individual and members of a group to gain confidence in themselves which leads to morale and productivity. Application of ethics is important on individual levels because a person who applies their ethics is true to themselves. Application of ethics also makes an individual who they are or who they are perceived to be. Application of ethics on a group level is also important because it allows people to act in a way that they are proud of. It also allows a group to be responsible for their actions. If a group shares ethical beliefs the application of them will also be a common ground. Application of ethics by individuals and groups shows integrity and confidence. This can lead to pride in work, and a group mentality. These effects are important in any group situation, and the effective application of ethics will lead to success. When we work in any organization we are bound to accept the moral ethos of that organization. Relying on our own moral principles only erodes the trust and understanding that is necessary for any cooperative work to function successfully. I will discuss and evaluate these claims. In any position we hold within a company, it is important to make sure that our conduct in that company facilitates the smooth functioning of that workplace. However, if the moral ethos of the organization we work for conflicts heavily with our own, or with a common view of morality, then should we have to obey the rules and regulations of that company, or is there some way we can call the ineptitude of their moral ethos into question without risk to our position in the company? In this essay I shall discuss the problems that can arise with conflicts of organizational and individual moral values by looking at specific role moralities, the role of ethics in a company, whether the boss is really the right person to make ethical decisions and I will decide whether the ffective running of a company entails worker conformity to a company moral ethos or whether individuals should be allowed to reason ethically for themselves in the workplace. When faced with a conflict involving organizational and personal moral codes, the role we fulfill and the requirements that that role entails are important factors in resolving the conflict. Sometimes a pa rticular job will hold with it several responsibilities to be upheld which may not mesh with our own individual ethical standards and values. For instance, a lawyer may find out that their client is guilty, but cannot divulge this information to another because of the obligation of confidentiality that their job entails. In the case where keeping the confidences of another directly and negatively effects somebody else, the personal moral ethos of the lawyer may encourage her to believe that by informing someone of this private information she is doing the right thing. The moral ethos of her profession would hold that to uphold the confidentiality of the lawyer/client relationship would take precedent over doing what would commonly be seen as the ethically right thing to do. This distinction between role morality and common morality is often debated, with many believing that a professional role should provide exceptions to certain areas that are taken to be ethically black and white. Certain roles can only be carried out if a certain amount of ethical leeway is granted for their execution. Although it is widely recognized that some professions prioritize certain values above others and that this prioritization may not be consistent with a common morality view, many argue that even though specialized roles may require a certain amount of confidentiality, breaching some of the most fundamentally universal moral principles should never be condoned, even in such role related circumstances. One of the grounding features of a common view of morality is that it is seen to be universal. The role of ethics in the company is generally kept to a bare minimum, with a code of company conduct providing the skeletal structure for ethical workplace behavior. To this effect, the rules of a company are generally viewed in a more practical light as opposed to being viewed as a form of moral compass. Morality is often viewed as a highly subjective, often religiously defined way of regulating behavior and lacks the political correctness of an objective bureaucratic set of rules and regulations. Indeed displays of moral behavior can even be deemed as threatening in the workplace. They can be threatening to our position in the company if they do not gel with company policies, they can be threatening to our relationships with our co-workers, and they can make others feel uncomfortable about the way they conduct themselves in the workplace. In view of this, ethical concerns are rarely raised and an attitude which adopts company policy and coerces those who don't agree to keep their mouths shut is usually what is seen around the workplace. Raising an issue of ethics in the workplace that conflicts with company policy can lead to a breakdown of the delicate relationships which keep a company functioning. . Business decisions cannot be made based on personal values. This is why it is necessary for every business, whether large or small, to have a code of ethics in which employees can follow to ensure the success of the business. Most importantly, the leaders of a corporation Significantly affect the way the business is being conducted, and the need for strong values leads the way for employees to follow, and contributes to the success of a business (Storm, 2007). Every corporation has their own rules of conduct, or code of ethics, which refers to policy statements that define ethical standards for their conduct. Corporate codes of conduct typically do not have any authorized definition and there is great variation in the way the statements are drafted. The authors of a code are usually the founder, board of directors, CEO, top management, legal departments, and consultants. Also involved in the process, are sometimes employee representatives, or randomly selected employees When business people speak about â€Å"business ethics† they usually mean one of three things: (1) avoid breaking the criminal law in one's work-related activity; (2) avoid action that may result in civil law suits against the company; and (3) avoid actions that are bad for the company image. Businesses are especially concerned with these three things since they involve loss of money and company reputation. In theory, a business could address these three concerns by assigning corporate attorneys and public relations experts to escort employees on their daily activities. Anytime an employee might stray from the straight and narrow path of acceptable conduct, the experts would guide him back. Obviously this solution would be a financial disaster if carried out in practice since it would cost a business more in attorney and public relations fees than they would save from proper employee conduct. Perhaps reluctantly, businesses turn to philosophers to instruct employees on becoming â€Å"moral. For over 2,000 years philosophers have systematically addressed the issue of right and wrong conduct. Presumably, then, philosophers can teach employees a basic understanding of morality will keep them out of trouble. But does this position give them clear moral authority? Robert Jackall in his Drawing Lines (1988, p. 111) article from Moral Mazes believes that â€Å"†¦ people in high places i n big companies at some stage lose sight of the objectives of their companies and begin to focus on their positions†. Imagine if a manager of a grocery store had failed to evacuate his store when a fire broke out in a nearby shop. There was not a high risk of the fire spreading to the grocery store, but there was smoke coming into the store and there had been an evacuation call for the whole complex. The manager of this grocery store gave the explanation that the fire was not a great risk and it would have been unwise to cause unnecessary panic. The actual reason he did not evacuate the store was because he knew that he would not make sales targets for that day if the store had to be closed for a period of time. He may have done the right thing for his profit margins at the end of the year, but he certainly did not do the right thing ethically. In this scenario, the other employees of the store, seeing the inaction of their boss, would either have to obey his wishes and keep working and serving the customers, or they would do what they feel is the right thing and get the occupants of the store out of harm's way. It is difficult to make a decision about ethical conduct which goes against our boss, especially if this decision turns out to be the wrong one. For this reason, most people obey not necessarily the moral ethos of their company or their own personal moral ethos, but they will follow blindly what their boss tells them to do. Robert Jackall continues in Drawing lines (1988, p. 111) that â€Å"Bureaucracy transforms all moral issues into immediately practical concerns. A moral judgment based on a professional ethic makes little sense in a world where the etiquette of authority relationships and the necessity for protecting and covering for one's boss, one's network, and oneself supersede all other considerations and where accountability is the norm. This leads us back to whether conformity to an organizational moral ethos actually does create a smoother functioning and more productive workplace. Of course there needs to be a certain level of conformity in the workplace in order for there to be cooperation between employees and to hence provide a smoothly functioning work environment, but does this necessarily entail a strict fo llowing of a company's rules and regulations. On this point, even many company heads say that a company's moral ethos does not need to be followed exactly as it is written, but that compromise and flexibility are often the best way to approach work life. Of course this does not mean that company heads think it is fine for employees to freely express their own moral judgment, because this often leads to an unpredictable workplace and with this things may start to get out of hand. To keep the workplace running smoothly we often have to leave our personal ethical concerns to rest, unless of course the issue is of a very important nature. It is all about weighing up what is most important in the situation, and whether what is happening is harming anyone. If it is harming someone, then the issue should be raised and we should employ some of our own ethical standards in convincing others of the moral importance of the case. But if the issue is a minor one, it is best from both a company perspective and for our own job security that we do, in that instance, keep our mouth shut. When employees act unethically and/or without integrity, customers lose trust and confidence in organizational products and services. When leaders act unethically and/or without integrity, employees lose trust and confidence in organizational processes, systems and products. Both directly impact the bottom line and the return on investment. Organizations are built on the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Working together creates results and outcomes for the whole that outweigh the results and outcomes of everyone working for them. The secret to success is not the principle but the way synergy is created. Synergy is defined as a dynamic state in which combined action is favored over the sum of individual component actions. Synergy is an emergent behavior that arises out a multitude of simple actions based in ethics and integrity. Everyone in an organization is expected to do the right thing at the right time in order to create synergy. Doing the right thing at the right time creates positive safety, quality, and productivity and cost results. This is ethics-the determination of right and wrong in organizations. Ethics is learned through trial and error. When behaviors are wrong, they are corrected. When behaviors are right, they are reinforced. These lessons learned and best practices are the moral code that defines the synergistic behaviors required for organizational performance. Problems occur when individuals seek to maximize their personal ends through behaviors that violate the ethics of the organization and its moral code. If one gets more, others get less. For example, employees who slow down during the week to ensure overtime pay reduce the return on investment for others. To prevent violations of the moral code, leaders and managers in organizations are entrusted with a fiduciary responsibility (something that is held or founded in trust and confidence) to reinforce and enforce the requisite synergistic behaviors required for organizational sustainability. Corruption occurs when there is an abuse of entrusted poor for personal gain whether it is financial or political. Corruption sub-optimizes the performance and jeopardizes the sustainability of the whole. Corruption often deceivingly masks itself as business reality. In order to ensure business targets are achieved and performance bonuses are distributed, an accepted practice called â€Å"does what it takes to get the job done† rears its ugly head. This may mean cutting corners, applying Band-Aid solutions, suppressing , ignoring or misrepresenting information in order that the problems or defects are knowingly or unknowingly passed on to another part of the process. Since no one wants a product or service with built in defects, the second part of this practice is â€Å"don’t get caught. † This is corruption and it destroys synergy and undermines organizational principles. Corruption spreads. Employees who do what it takes and don’t get caught are rewarded. This creates a culture of knowing where employees know that doing the wrong thing at the right time will be rewarded. In time, many embrace corruption simply because everyone is doing it. Corruption ignores the fact that unethical actions involved in doing the wrong things create a chain of consequences that far outweighs the cost of doing the right thing. For example, organizations that ship product with quality defects to meet production targets lose in product returns and warranty repairs that reduce profitability. It is a short term gain for a few, and a long term pain for the many. Government, through its regulatory agencies, intervenes to control corruption in financial, safety, human rights, and environmental areas. Unfortunately, regulators cannot legislate compliance to the law. They can only enforce consequences to violations. This is where the â€Å"don’t get caught† behavior invokes ingenuity that defies the legal system. The principle of protecting the whole and the right way to do things then falls to the integrity of the participating individuals. The commitment to comply is an integrity based decision. Integrity is defined as wholeness, unfolding and objectivity. If the ethical foundation and the moral code are sound, then individuals have trust and confidence in the organization. Wholeness is completed by doing the right thing. The unfolding is defined by doing the next right things and objectivity is enhanced by doing things the right way. Performance and sustainability are the outcome of individual commitment to compliance and collective synergies arising out of an ethical moral code. If the ethical foundation and moral code is corrupt-benefiting the few at the expense of the many, then individuals lack trust and confidence in the organization and its products. Doing the wrong thing fragments the whole. Not doing the next right thing creates chaos and objectivity is compromised when people don’t do things correctly. Performance is at risk in the short term and long term sustainability is undermined. Ethics and integrity are the cornerstones of performance and sustainability. As seen in the Enron failure, corporations consistently hold more and more impact on the shape and structure of the world as we see it. They are the large and small organizations that society places their trust in to process the economy. Whether it be a large conglomerate such as Enron, or a one person â€Å"mom and pop† shop, society places their trust in these companies and deserves to have this trust upheld. A company's culture is what determines how the company is operated. A company born of poor ethics in the culture is ultimately at risk for unscrupulous acts. The acts of Enron our probably structure from only a small percentage of its employees, however, due to the company's unethical culture, procedures and policies our allowed that did not facilitate personal ethical behaviors. I believe it is this lack of personal ethics that served as the catalyst to the demise of Enron as a company and the damage that they leave behind. Who is responsible for a company's ethical culture? I believe the leaders of the organization are responsible for these ethics through their own personal ethics. One might argue that personal ethics do not have a role, provided they are kept separate from the business world. I believe it is impossible to maintain a separation between personal and business ethics. They inevitably intermingle. The issue is then, how to foster a sense of accountability that transcends the workday. I believe one method of creating a strong sense of personal ethics in all employees, and hence a corporate ethical culture, is through social responsibility. This is done by empowering employees to create and be responsible for their own actions and environment. When employees see a correlation between their actions and direct consequences, they develop pride associated with a job well done and a sense of accountability and responsibility to their jobs. An example of a company that, through its leadership has a great sense of company ethics and has created a culture of social responsibility is Enterprise, an internationally known rental car company. The company began its operation when its founder, Jack Taylor, worked for a car salesman and was tired of the lies and gimmicks that our used by the competing car companies. With his employer, Taylor invested in a new kind of car company whose culture consisted of no tricks or hidden agendas and offered all of the facts up-front to its customers. Taylor's personal sense of ethics determined the standards of his business model. And because his personal ethics centered on straightforward dealings with customers, his customers responded positively. Relieved to find someone in the automotive business who would deal with them honestly, customers helped Enterprise become an industry leader. Its status continues to this day: it has never laid off any of its employees and is considered one of the most financially sound rental car companies by Standard & Poor's. Enterprise's success is also a testament to the influence of social ethics. Their system of promoting new employees fosters a sense of social responsibility. Its primary new employee candidates are new college graduates, who are immediately placed in a junior management program. Upon their success as a branch manager, they are offered their own store location to run. All management from junior manager on up to the board of directors are then rewarded primarily on a commissions basis based on their own individual performance and those of their subordinates. Due to the empowerment of its employees for their own success or failure and the establishment of a reward system, Enterprise has reached success rates that are otherwise non-existent in its industry. Enterprise also has one of the lowest attrition rates in its industry and in many industries around, simply because its employees want to work there. It is evident that the success of Enterprise is largely due to the company's sense of social responsibility and the company's cultural ethics, which stem from the personal ethics of its leadership