Emergency Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Emergency Management - Assignment Example The author is also keen to present the seven standards that define critical thinking in a bid to enlighten the reader. In the last chapters of the book, the author presents a review of the process involved in critical thinking. One of the concepts described in the definition of critical thinking. Using the SEE-I process it is possible to break down the definition of critical thinking ((Nosich 40). For example, certain political situations compel a leader to indulge in critical thinking. This is common when nations face economic recessions and a leader must think critically in a bid to identify effective strategies for addressing the issue. The globe is facing a new Ebola threat, which has proven to be more severe than those experienced in the past. West African countries have been adversely affected by the Ebola epidemic with a registered mortality of over 1000. This situation compels nations to indulge in critical thinking as they identify potential strategies of combating the spread of the disease. This may translate to a rigorous process of critical thinking that identifies the most effective solutions that leaders can adopt in their fight against Ebola (Frieden et al). Such critical thinking should consider the eight elements of reasoning highlighted in the assigned reading discussed

Presidential Nomination Races Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Presidential Nomination Races - Essay Example As the preferred son of Ohio, Rutherford B. Hayes had much in his favor in the 1876 race. Both reform and regular Republicans liked him. This was because he was a war hero, who had supported Radical Reconstruction lawmaking and campaigned for Negro suffrage, and emanated from a big swing state (Rutland, 1996). His repute for honesty was exceptional, and his backing of bipartisan boards of state institutions commended him to reformers. Hayes understood that "availability" was his utmost strength. "Availability" worked for Hayes since James G. Blaine, the prime candidate and the preferred nominee for partisan Republicans, was blemished by accusations of corruption. Another contender, Oliver P. Morton, Radical’s favorite, was in ill health. Mr. Benjamin H. Bristow, the favorite nominee of reformers was a denunciation to Grant and Roscoe Conkling, the typical spoils politician, was undesirable to Blaine and to reformers. This meant that none of the contenders could assemble the vo tes of the mainstream convention. Through the fifth ballot, Hayes had collected votes, and by the seventh, he had finalized the nomination. By 1875, the Republican Party was in trouble. A severe economic dejection followed the Panic of 1873 and outrages in the Grant administration had smudged the party's reputation. This led to rising unemployment, falling crop prices and corruption in high places. This augured ill for the Republicans. Ohio Republicans turned to Hayes, their superlative vote-getter, to run against the inescapable Democratic governor.

Wuthering Heights by Silvia Plath Essay Example for Free

Wuthering Heights by Silvia Plath Essay  «Wuthering Heights » is a poem written by an American poet Sylvia Plath and is based on a novel of the same name by Emily Bronte. In order to convey her internal feelings of despair and disappointment, Sylvia uses a certain tone, structure, and a number of stylistic devises. Below is a descriptive analysis of how she manages to do so, and an interpretation of a poem’s meaning stanza by stanza. From the beginning of the first line, Sylvia Plath sets a depressive and negative tone to her poem. The horizons ring me like faggots†- is the first line of the poem, and yet it already suggests how desolate the place from where she looks at them is. With the use of personification â€Å"ring me† she creates an aural image of ringing, which enhances the solitude she experiences, as ears tend to ring in a silent place. Horizons are â€Å"titled and disparate†, where the word â€Å"disparate† echoes the word â€Å"despair†, in its turn implying that she is in a desperate emotional state. Through using a metaphor â€Å"touched by a match†, referring to the horizons, and saying that â€Å"they might warm me†, she not only acknowledges the reader of the coldness she feels, but also expresses hope that the horizons might warm her. However, the hope soon dissolves, along with the horizons in the last two lines of the poem- â€Å"But they only dissolve and dissolve, Like a series of promises, as I step forward†. Through repetition she enhances the bitterness she feels from the disappointment, and compares the warmth that was neglected to her, to the promises that were made to her but were never kept. The enjambment of the sentence structure between the last two lines is another proof to the possible connection between the horizons and promises. Such connection might mean that it is her allusion to her husband- a poet Ted Hughes that has not been loyal to her despite the vows given during their marriage. With the use of the word â€Å"me†, the readers become aware of the fact that Sylvia writes it in the first person inclusive and describes her own experience, which in its turns raises their feeling of compassion towards her and once again suggests that this poem might have been dedicated to her ex husband. With the following second stanza the tone of the poem becomes more depressing. By saying that â€Å"there is no life higher than the grasstops or the hearts of sheep†, she creates boundaries to the vastness of life, limiting and comparing its essence to that of a plant’s and an animal’s, leaving the humans out of the poem. The depressive mood degrades the tone and atmosphere to an extent of filling it with death and fatality. If Sylvia pays â€Å"the roots of the heather too close attention†, they will â€Å"whiten her bones among them†. The combination of the words â€Å"bones† and â€Å"white† in one sentence might suggest that the roots will bring her death; since the skin of a corpse turns white due to the lack of blood, and bones are the leftovers of a dead hence both are associated with mortality. As opposed to the first stanza, the second stanza takes her to a completely different place. Grasstops, sheep, the roots of heather- all surround her, whereas in the first stanza she is completely alone in a huge desolate space. The change in her surroundings suggests her movement across the moorland, but at the same time it points out the maintenance of her demoralized emotional state and the lack of a positive change about it. The tone of despair and loneliness is carried on to the proceeding stanzas, and is more evident in the last two. By saying that â€Å"Water limpid as the solitudes that flee through my fingers†, Sylvia shows the reader her abstract idea of being alone with the help of a consonance- â€Å"as- solitude† and â€Å"flee- fingers†. The â€Å"s† sound helps the reader imagine the literal hardness of solitude, as well as its transparency by being able to flow through her fingers with the â€Å"f† sounds. This in its turn indicates solitude’s double nature and Sylvia’s inability to neither control nor change it. In lines four and five Sylvia for the first time creates an image of nothing being straight- â€Å"hollow doorsteps go from grass to grass; lintel and sill have unhinged themselves†. By using the repetition â€Å"grass to grass†, she mimics the slowness of doorsteps’ steps, and personifies the doorsteps by giving them the ability to go. She also uses personification to describe how lintel and sill unhinge themselves, which once again reflects upon the presence of chaos and despair in her surroundings. By mentioning doorsteps, hinges and sills, she for the first time acknowledges the existence of humans in the past, and their current absence from the world that has been taken over by nature. The removal of all people but herself from the world not only enhances the bitterness she feels towards them, but also marks her egocentric nature as she is not willing to accept any advanced living thing but herself, preferring the nature instead. The fourth stanza ends with a repetition of the words â€Å"black stone, black stone†. As the air blows, Sylvia creates an aural image of the air moaning those words with the repetition technique, which slows down the speed of their pronouncement. At the same time, the air therefore is personified as it is given the ability to speak. This emphasizes the death and coldness present during the absence of life not only around her but also within her, as she is the only person that can hear the air say it. In the fifth, the final stanza of the poem the tone remains depressing and yet the ending suggests the possible appearance of hope. The paragraph begins with the reinforced idea of Sylvia being the only â€Å"upright† living thing- â€Å"The sky leans on me, me, the one upright among all horizontals†. Besides personifying the sky, she is also using the repetition â€Å"me, me† to stress the importance of being upright, and at the same time the solitude it brings her when everything else is horizontal. She then personifies the grass as it is â€Å"beating its head distractedly†, but it is also a contradiction since grass ought to be strong in order to survive in such cruel conditions. The fact that a grass beats its head may also reflect Sylvia’s unstable state of mind, which adds the feelings of compassion and grief to the atmosphere of the tone. Unlike other personifications that Sylvia Plath uses in this poem, the personification of a grass suggests her sympathy and familiarity towards it. She calls it â€Å"too delicate for a life in such company†, assuming that â€Å"darkness terrifies it†. This involvement with the description of what grass has to go through may imply that Sylvia describes her own life whilst comparing its hardship to that of a grass. The last two sentences are significant in a sense that Sylvia gives the reader a chance to decide whether the hope appears or does not. With the use of sibilance â€Å"black as†, she contrasts the blackness with the whiteness from the â€Å"light† that the house exerts. This is the first time she mentions the possible existence of human beings around her, and this raises hope as the â€Å"lights gleam like a small change† in the dreadful and dark surroundings. However, the presence of light may also mean that the rest of the world has fallen into absolute darkness, and the small light in the distance will soon die under its pressure. According to facts Sylvia Plath has committed suicide on February 11th, 1963 and this is when both interpretations undergo amalgamation to suggest that she may have had space for hope in her heart, but in reality her life was oppressing her to an extent of leading her life to a tragic end. According to the above analysis, the poem is written in the first person narrative where Sylvia gives a vivid image of her life hrough using literary devices to set the tone of despair and loneliness. Personally, I think Sylvia Plath communicates her internal troubles intensely and passionately. Through the description of landscape, the action of nature within it, the roles of colour and light- she is able to paint a picture of her life clearly enough for the reader to understand her message, and yet she disguises some aspects of the poem through imagery and metaphors to let the reader interpret and relate to the poem in a personal way. By introducing light into the poem, Sylvia twists the ending and confuses the reader, forcing him to reconsider his assumptions regarding the poem’s tone, meaning and the resolution. In case of Sylvia Plath’s life, the hope is lost in the end of it and annihilation takes over. However, because the poem lacks any names and includes the reader into it with the word â€Å"me†, the reader is left with his own imagination to decide whether the tone and the resolution take on a positive note, or fall into a greater despair.

The general concept of contemporary strategic procurement

The general concept of contemporary strategic procurement This research paper introduces the general concept of contemporary strategic procurement and some of contemporary strategic procurement issues, including services procurement, corporate social responsibility, procurement in merging market, ethics in procurement. But this research paper focuses on such issues as sustainable procurement including its benefits and some main environmental issues that should be taken into account in the procurement activity, based on a global mining organization, Rio Tinto Group. Those main environmental issues mentioned in this research paper refer to climate change and greenhouse gas emission. Next, it is discussed that how to implement the sustainable procurement strategy and it takes Rio Tinto Group as an example. Later in the research paper it is discussed an important question that is why it is critical for mining organization to be sensitive to sustainability and from three respects including resource scarcity, environmental impact, and supplier se lection. At last, it is showed that a critical market mechanism, carbon emission trading, which is a hot topic with the development of sustainable economy. It is on the purpose of achieving greenhouse gas emission reduction. Introduction In recent years, corporations are in the intense global competition. It is evident that it is hard for company to remain its competitive advantage just by production and sales. Nowadays, increasingly more organizations view procurement as a critical source for improving the competitive advantage. However, the conventional procurement is lacking of explicit procurement strategy, whats more, is neglecting to form the long-term relationships with the supplier. Facing with all kinds of development tendency affects procurement prospective, companies are demanded to pay close attention to the strategic procurement. What is strategic procurement? To begin with, strategic procurement is the procurement which distinguishes from the conventional procurement that focuses on purchasing items at a possible lowest price. In other words, strategic procurement concentrates on total cost ownership (TCO), namely, life cycle cost (LCC). Secondly, strategic procurement is that through advanced planning, scheduling, and team purchasing initiatives as well, a company can achieve effective cost reduction. Apart from hard dollar savings, there will be additional savings generated through a more efficient business operations and hence increased profitability. In the case of resource limitation of a corporation, explicitly understand internal demand and external supply, supplier capacity and market condition, in order to manage the relationships with suppliers effectively and efficiently and to establish the long-term strategic partnerships with suppliers. By means of strategic procurement, it enables company to be aware of its type of internal demand more explicitly so as to make control of the demand. In once sense, through some valuable analysis an organization can make clearer of the production process of supplier and cost structure even than the supplier, and these analysis also supports the organization in terms of supplier selection, negotiation, supplier relationships management and so on. Therefore, the organization can give up supplier who doesnt meet requirements, moreover, look for the new substitute to improve the holistic level of supplier. When it comes to the critical principles of strategic procurement, the lowest acquisition cost, win-win strategic partnership, integrated purchasing capability and so on should be taken into account. With the development of contemporary strategic procurement, it indicates a host of strategic procurement issues such as services procurement, corporate social responsibility, procurement in merging market, ethics in procurement. This research paper focuses on sustainable procurement and some environmental issues like carbon emission and climate change, with Rio Tinto Group which is a world leader in finding, mining and processing the earths mineral products include aluminum, copper, diamonds, gold, and energy products such as coal and uranium, and industrial minerals like borax, titanium dioxide, salt, talc, zircon, a nd iron ore. As we know, sustainability is one of the hottest topics people talk about in this modern society. Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For human beings, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of wellbeing, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Another word which is also mentioned is sustainable development. Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come. In the concept of business, sustainable procurement, also called green procurement, is a spending and investment process typically associated with public policy, although it is equally applicable to the private sector. Sustainable procurement broadens the framework of procurement which has historically been based on two criteria, price and quality. It takes account of third-party consequences of procurement decisions, forming a triple baseline of external concerns which the buying organization must fulfill. There are two essential parts in terms of sustainable procurement. First part is to purchase raw materials and/or products to meet the current customers needs and/or to meet the requirements of production to fulfill current customers demands. Second part is to preserve the ability of the coming generations to meet their needs. Sustainable procurement encompasses all issues where procurement is seen as having a role in delivering economic, social and environmental policy objectives. Specifically speaking, sustainable procurement means that when buying goods and services, some consideration needs to be taken into account. For instance, avoid unnecessary consumption and manage demand; minimize environmental impacts of the goods and services over the whole-of-life of the goods and services; consider suppliers socially responsible practices including compliance with legislative obligations to employees and value fo r money over the whole-of-life of the goods and services rather than just initial cost. In addition, use sustainable or recycled materials and/or products; consider the availability of the product. Organizations practicing sustainable procurement meet their needs for goods, services, utilities and works not only on a private cost-benefit analysis, but also to society and the economy, whilst minimizing damage to the environment. Sustainability can be incorporated into the whole procurement process: defining the need, evaluating options, design and specifying, supplier selection, tender evaluation, post-contract management and supplier development. It has been already integrated within the mainstream of procurement policy and practice. If the mining industry is to retain its access to resources, it must understand the sustainability better. Thus, it can continuously improve its performance and succeed in restoring public trust. How significant is sustainable procurement? To begin with, there are a number of environmental issues with mining organizations including Rio Tinto. Environmental issues can include climate change, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of soil, groundwater and surface water. In particular, that people pay more attention is climate change which is a hot topic of discussion worldwide. In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming or anthropogenic global warming. Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of earths near-surface air and ocean; arise from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. Global warming results in extreme weather, increased freshwater flow, sea level and temperature rise, and it is detrimental to the social system and biological system. As matter of fact, a host of activities of human beings and companies are contr ibuting to climate change. For instance, Rio Tinto Groups coal operations contributed to global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions are the most important cause of global warming. As a consequence, in order to achieve environmental protection thus resource can be met not only in the present but also for generations to come, at the same time, not bring harm to the economic interest of a company, the company needs to conduct sustainable development. Among the contemporary strategic procurement issues, sustainable procurement is listed into a key issue. When it comes to the benefits of sustainable procurement, first of all, it reduces adverse environmental impacts arising from the procurement activities of human beings and companies. For instance, it reduces waste to landfill, saves water, reduces air and water pollution, saves money through reusing materials and products, reduces consumption of both natural and processed resource, and decreases carbon emission. In terms of carbon emission, as mentioned above, it is the most critical cause of global warming and is mostly generated by the heavy industries like the mining organization. As one of serious issues that all mankind faces, a host of developing countries even some developed countries are taking actions to limit carbon emission primarily via some economic and political measures such as voluntary agreement, carbon dioxide tax and carbon trading. Carbon emissions trading is a form of emissions trading that specifically targets carbon dioxide and it currently constitutes the bul k of emissions trading. It is a general method that countries utilize so as to fulfill their responsibility specified by the Kyoto Protocol. In this respect, sustainable procurement builds a sustainable supply chain for the future. And it is with the addition of assisting in the protection of environmental biodiversity all over the globe, and ensuring the health and safety of the community. Secondly, it is the benefit from more sustainable goods and services. That means by choosing to invest in the sustainable solutions, it can influence the decisions made by other bodies and by individuals. Demand for sustainable goods and services can help to make these solutions more generally available, at more affordable prices to the purchasers. Buyers who conduct sustainable procurement will also demand their suppliers for sustainable products and services. As a result, the whole supply chain will become sustainable. Thirdly, sustainable procurement will be likewise more efficient use of shar eholders resources. Specifically, for the shareholders, what they pay most attention is the cost. And sustainable procurement reduces costs through greater energy efficiency, waste disposal, risk management, and the costs for products over the life cycle. In general, sustainable procurement plays a key role in the both economic and environmental development in that it identifies more sustainable ways of meeting requirements and designs sustainable procurement specifications accordingly. The approach can address the social, economic and environmental implications of product and service choices. It also can embrace whole life costing and address how aspects such as design, manufacturing materials, operating costs, energy consumption, waste and recycling options support a more sustainable approach. How to implement the sustainable procurement strategy? Sustainable procurement is a product of sustainable thinking throughout the entire organization. The organization must share the drive, responsibility and the commitment and this should be reflected in policies, strategies and procedures. Every organization should develop its own plan to improve the sustainability of its procurement activity. The plan should declare the future plans in terms of improvement showing what and by when they will be achieved. Chief Executives and senior management must demonstrate leadership and a genuine commitment by incorporating sustainability objectives into their procurement activities, policies and strategies. All those involved in specifying demands and procuring goods and services need to contribute to incorporating sustainability into contracts.4 It is critical that those who originate and develop requirements consider sustainability at the outset and through each stage of the process. Information and training on the importance and value of speci fying and purchasing sustainably is also essential for all the staff in the organization and organizational procedures and plans should reflect this. Sustainable procurement will come about only if the organization and those within it understand, and are committed to, operating sustainably. Organizations need to keep to all environmental legislative and regulatory rules when buying products, services and works; integrate the environment into procurement decisions; raise staff concerning and awareness on environmental issues into procurement by providing relevant information and training; get products, services locally wherever possible taking into account the need to achieve best value for money; and get energy supplies generated from renewable sources. At Rio Tinto Group, they have their own procurement department called Rio Tinto Procurement (RTP). They focus on the ways in which it can bring sustainable socio-economic benefits to the areas in which it operates, namely mining business. Rio Tinto Procurement claims that they deliver value to the Rio Tinto Group by providing a safer, efficient and effective procurement and inbound supply chain service to business units and functions. With respect to sustainability, Rio Tinto Procurement also declares they conduct their procurement activity in a manner that is holistic, transparent and sustainable. Respect for the environment is central to their approach to sustainable procurement. Rio Tinto Procurement seeks to contribute to sustainable development. Specifically, in the process of procurement activity, they work as closely as possible with their host countries and communities, respecting their host countries laws and customs. They minimize adverse effects and strive to improve every aspect of their procurement performance. Before they make decisions in terms of what kind of material to purchase, Rio Tinto Procurement will competitively test the material commitments to ensure that Rio Tinto obtains the best value available considering all relevant factors, such as safety, quality, delivery, specification, price, environmental and community impact and sustainable development. They believe that conducting a successful business and sustaining quality of life and the environment go hand in hand. Their commitment to responsible stewardship and business practice benefits society by keeping economies and the planet healthy for the future generations, and it benefits the company by enhancing its long-standing reputation as a good business partner and neighbor. Firstly, for society, Rio Tinto Procurement provides goods jobs, goods opportunities and a safe working environment for all employees, and partnering with neighbors to deal with a variety of issues that affect th e communities. Secondly, for environment, they minimize their environmental footprint and maximize the contribution their products make to the environment. Thirdly, for economy, they create value for their customers, shareholders, employees and economies. Why is it critical for mining organization to be sensitive to sustainability? One of the implications is that the conventional technical and professional strengths of mining and metals people are no longer sufficient for the requirements of today. Companies need to ensure that they are sensitive to sustainability. Then, why is it critical for mining organization to be sensitive to sustainability? As we know, mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, normally from an ore body, vein or coal seam. It also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock salt and potash. Mining resources are one of the most critical natural resources and are the important material foundation of society. For example, mineral fuel and iron are basic need of the country. Copper, lead and zinc are mostly used in industries. While gold and silver is used in industrial development. Nickel, manganese, fluorspar, vanadium, tungsten, a sbestos, mica, mercury, graphite, antimony a tin used in various industries. However all of them are non-renewable resources. From the perspective of sustainable procurement in the mining organization, what to concern is less investment while high productivity, as well as environmental protection. That means purchase the raw materials and relative accessories used to production at the reasonable prices to meet mankinds requirement and to improve peoples life quality, at the same time, eliminate the negative effects to the ecology. First of all, from the perspective of resource, sustainable development of resources focuses on exploring new ways to maximize the value of the resources. The first key question is whether the resources all over the globe are utilized adequately? As we know, a characteristic of all the resource is the scarcity. That means resource whatever tangible and intangible is all limited. Resource which is rich today will be exhausted one day in the future. Whats more, resource is a core element for any company, especially for the mining company. In recent years, it indicates that with the dramatical development of technology and productivity the demand of mineral resources is at all-time high in that economic prosperity and societal wellbeing require a safe and reliable supply of energy and mineral resources. For instance, in USA, it consumed 35 billion tons petroleum, 7.3 billion tons steel, 140 million tons copper and 200 million tons aluminum during 20 century. Although a plenty of mineral resource is enough for the production for this generation and a few next generations, these mineral products will be exhausted eventually in a certain generation. It is reported that there exists potential risks in terms of the quantity of other mineral resource excluding coal in Peoples Republic of China. As a result, mining organization needs to pay more attention to procure the mineral resources sustainably. Some mining organizations which conduct sustainable procurement emphasize that renewable resources, recycling, resource substitution, and increases in efficiency and conservation are needed to enhance the stability and security of non-renewable energy and mineral resources supply and demand. Some substitution can extend the mineral supplies. At Rio Tinto Procurement, their approaches is not only discovering new mineral resources, but also finding ways to contribute to recycling as well as looking for more sustainable materials and ingredients in order to preserve the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Some recycled materials should be taken into account in the process of procurement activity. In terms of recycled materials and resources, Rio Tinto also does a significant job. It is reported that 20 percent of the materials that are used in the production comes from recycled content. The second key question is whether the certain material needs to used really. This means that both the end customers of the products and the buyers have to review their product requirements and identify potential opportunities for increasing the efficiency of use. It can both cut procurement costs and save the resources which can be used more suitably. Secondly, from the perspective of environment, sustainable procurement of mineral resources also concentrates on the environmental protection. For instance, a new process at BMA Peak Downs Mine (Australia) is not only decreasing coal loss by nearly nine percent, but also improving the mines sustainability performance via reducing the area disturbed, waste production and fuel consumption, the latter assisting to meet greenhouse gas emissions targets. When the organization purchases goods and services, environmental issues should be taken into account. As a consequence, organization should purchase materials which bring less environmental impacts to both current and future life. It is inevitable for the mining organization to create adverse environmental impacts in the operations. As mentioned above, it mainly refers to climate change, carbon dioxide emission. For instance, at Rio Tinto Alcan which is one of five product groups operated by Rio Tinto and is a global supplier of high qua lity bauxite, alumina and aluminum, they invest in zero and low emission technology research, development and deployment to address climate change issue because the aluminum industry generates approximately one percent of global greenhouses gases emissions in the integrated production of aluminum products. Therefore, by running sustainable procurement, it enables Rio Tinto Alcan to reduce operating costs, enhance product value and quality with less impact on the environment. In order to produce products that meet the requirements of sustainable development, procurement department is also responsible for buying the raw materials and ingredients which have less adverse impacts on the environment. For example, at Rio Tinto, they procure low emitting materials that include adhesives, sealants, paints, primers, carpeting and composite wood products to support the manufacturing activity. Rio Tinto Procurement also carefully selected products to avoid volatile organic compounds, formaldehy des and other hazardous and irritating chemicals, ensuring that products they procured are with hazard to both living beings and environment as little as possible. Additionally, Rio Tinto Procurement is also working to better understand the future needs for metals and minerals. Sustainable procurement considers not only materials, environmental effects, but also supplier selection. Under the condition of strategic procurement, company has not focused on purchasing items at a possible lowest price. Normally, when conducting sustainable procurement it is essential for organization to make sure that suppliers and contractors are aware of environmental issues and policies, promote environmental awareness among suppliers and encourage them to minimize the environmental impacts of the supply chain. Take Rio Tinto Procurement as an example. Rio Tinto Procurement sources its suppliers with high criteria. Firstly, Rio Tintos suppliers and potential suppliers must meet the requirements of sustainable development. In other words, they must be able to demonstrate strong organizational commitments to the sustainable development such as natural resource conservation and management, carbon and greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy and fuel efficiency, waste minimizati on, improved health and safety, human rights and labor practices. Rio Tinto Procurement values suppliers whose policies and practices demonstrate active awareness of and support for sustainable development principles and help them achieve the goals of sustainable development. Through collaborating with suppliers to obtain the objectives of sustainable development, Rio Tinto Procurement seeks to create business relationships that have positive and enduring effects in the developing economies where they operate. As a result, suppliers who are safe, efficient, and meet the requirements of sustainability play a critical role in Rio Tintos success. General speaking, one of key factors of sustainable procurement is to motivate vendors to offer more sustainable products. Company may share supplier information with respect to products functional performance specifications including sustainability instead of the technical specifications of known products. Carbon emission trading In addition, sustainable development cannot be achieved by industry alone. It requires concerted collaborative effort from industry, governments, inter-governmental agencies and civil society. For instance, as a key word of sustainable development, carbon emission trading plays an important role in sustainable procurement. Carbon emission trading is a form of market mechanism on the purpose of achieving greenhouse gas emission reduction, especially reducing carbon dioxide emission. This form of permit trading was specified by the Kyoto Protocol that takes market mechanism as a new method that resolves the issue in terms of greenhouse gas emission reduction. In other words, it is a market-based approach that trades carbon dioxide emission credits. Specifically, if an organization comes in below the limit of allocation of allowable emissions, they can sell the remainder of the allocation. On the other hand, if a company produces carbon dioxide more than its allocation of allowable emis sions, they either have to offset that or buy additional allocation. Rio Tinto is encouraging governments to implement workable fair trading schemes. They invest capital in developing new technologies such as AP technology which is the most efficient approach of smelting aluminum, low emissions processing for iron ore, and block cave mining process which reduces materials handling and allows the ore to begin to break itself during the handling process. As new technologies become available, these will be adapted to further reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency. Conclusion All in all, procurement has never played such as important role in the increasingly globalized economy. Strategic procurement can mean completely different things in different industries and sectors. What cannot be denied is procurement decisions are more and more based on total supply chain cost, carbon footprint impact, other ethical, social and economic factors, rather than just purchase prices. In this modern society that people emphasizes sustainability and sustainable development, contemporary strategic procurement should also pay more attention to sustainable procurement and environmental issues. Sustainability requires the purchasing organization to be aware of both life cycle costs (LCC) and the life cycle environmental impact associated with their purchase decision and to add these factors into their supplier selection as well as relationships with suppliers. Organization which has a better understanding of sustainable procurement may implement the following three points: m inimizing impacts of the supply chain, minimizing impacts of the product and/or service, and buying resource efficient products. And their sustainable procurement activity considers products, services, and suppliers. It includes issues such as resource extraction and consumption, manufacturing and production, use and maintenance, recycling and disposal options. As a result, this organization can obtain significant economic interest, at the same time, maintain the sustainable development of ecology, keep the resources for next generations and make an effort in its social responsibility.

Fantasy and Reality in D.H. Hwang’s, M. Butterfly Essay example -- D.H

Fantasy and Reality in D.H. Hwang’s, M. Butterfly A person may search their whole life for love. Some are lucky enough to find the perfect someone, and some are not. The one’s who are not as lucky can sometimes create their own idea of their ideal partner, but never actually find them. In D.H. Hwang’s play M. Butterfly, a man by the name of Gallimard creates his own idea of the perfect partner. He falls in love with a woman by the name of Song, who turns out to be not what he expected. Song is actuality a Chinese spy disguised as a woman. Hwang illustrates in the play M. Butterfly, people are not always who they perceive to be. Through Gallimards love for song, his portrayal for the East and West, and Gallimards obsession with power, M. Butterfly, demonstrates the different views of power and weakness that symbolized masculinity and femininity. Gallimard does not find out that Song is indeed a man until the end of the play. By this time, Gallimard is already completely in love with Song, yet he knows that his love is too good to be true. In Gallimards mind, he creates this image of what he believes to be his â€Å"perfect woman.† Song portrays this image in Gallimards’ mind. He declares that he was â€Å"once loved, and was loved by very simply, the Perfect Woman† (77). In spite of knowing that Song is actually a man, Gallimard continues to fantasize about his once â€Å"perfect woman.† After learning that Song is a man, â€Å"Song covers Gallimard’s eyes with one hand. With th...

William Shakespeare :: essays research papers

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare was able to, through his writings , lead the readers to examine their own social corlas, judgment, and wisdom. The most remarkable quality of his works is that even when we read them today, we still examine ourselves. He was able to accomplish their task as well as any writer of any era. Shakespeare's writings allow his readers to question the social climate of their day. (Bender 13). William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon in Warwickshire located in the heart of England on April 23 or 24, 1564. His mother, Mary Arden grew up in a much more prosperous environment than the Shakespeares. His father John, and Mary Arden were married in 1557. John Shakespeare was a wool dealer and glove maker, who became a prominent citizen and well-respected in the community. Eventually, John held a position in the public office. (Bender 13). Subsequently, John Shakespeare experienced financial problems and lost his wealth and governing positions. This, of course, had a big effect on the whole family. William was the third of eight children. The older siblings were sistets Joan, born in 1558 and Margaret in 1562. Both of William's older sisters died very young. (Bender 14). The other dive children were Gilbert born in 1566, a second Joan 1569, Richard 1573, Edmund 1580, and Anne 1580 who died at age eight. (Bender 14). William Shakespeare was educated at the local school in Stratford. Ironically, William never attended a university although virtually every English speaking universities studies his works. Bioghrapher a man educated in " the university of life." (Bender 14). His plays and other works display Shakespeare's vast knowledge of the entertainment, social mores, and culture of his native Warwickshire. William married Anne Hathaway in 1582. He was 18 and she was 26. They had twin daughters Hamnet and Judith and later their third daughter Susanna. (Bender 15). Shakespeare lived in an England that was overwhelmingly rural and had virtually no mechanized industry. It was a society very different from the one we enjoy in the U.S. today. Death and disease were the common experiences of all families during this era in England. (Andrews 67). This society was one in which a vigorous and youthful population was growing with unusual rapidity. The resulting economic development. (And rews 72). The manner in which the English made their living at that time seemed to be greatly influenced by region. The regional differences can be divided by an imaginary line from Bristol in the southwest to Hull in the northeast.

Corporate Responsibility and Marketing Strategies Essay

Apple corporation bases its success on â€Å"creating innovative, high quality products and services and on demonstrating integrity in every business interaction.† According to Apple, four main principles contribute to integrity: honesty, respect, confidentiality, and compliance. To more thoroughly detail these principles, Apple has drafted a code of business conduct that applies to all its operations, including operations overseas. Apple disappointed socially responsible investors. Apple has come under fire since around 2006 as details emerged surrounding the workplace environment at Apple’s Chinese suppliers. An article in The New York Times publicized unsatisfactory worker conditions, which included grueling 24-hour shifts, overcrowded dorms, exposure to toxic chemicals, and horrific explosions. Foxconn Technology Group operates many of the plants in question in Chengdu, China. When it comes to customers, Apple is said to be a bold innovator that leads the industry i nto new directions and forces others to follow. However, when it comes to the management of its supply chain and treatment of workers in the Chinese factories that make its products, Apple hides behind the constraints of prevailing industry practices. What is even more disconcerting is the fact that these practices are in violation of not only local and national laws, but also of Apple’s own voluntary self-imposed code of conduct. Most of Apple’s worker-related problems were focused on Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn and its subsidiaries. Apple’s China operations first caught international attention in June 2006 with a long story in Britain’s Mail on Sunday.1 This was followed by a series of similar stories in other leading international news media, and has continued to this day.2 Because of Foxconn’s secrecy, it is well-nigh impossible to develop an accurate assessment of the problems in the factories owned and operated by Foxconn and its various subsidiaries. However, a brief descr iption of extreme conditions prevailing in these factories and widely reported in the  media gave the readers some indication of the enormity of the problems that likely to existed in those plants. Apple has audited many of its suppliers and found violations of its Supplier Code of Conduct, but requesting its suppliers improve working conditions is not as powerful as changing suppliers to ones with more humane conditions. Part of the problem is that Apple has no legal liability for what happens in Chinese factories owned by separate manufacturers. Environmental organization Greenpeace had frequently campaigned against Apple, requesting elimination of non-recyclable hardware components, the removal of toxins from iPhone hardware, and a comprehensive take-back plan to prevent Apple products from ending up as waste. Greenpeace also began a protest in 2003 against Apple’s use of toxic PVC plastics and brominated flame retardants, or BFRs, in Apple’s products. Apple eliminated these chemicals in 2008, becoming the first laptop maker to do so (Corporate Responsibility Spotlight: Apple, September 14, 2012.) Workers assembling iPhones, iPads and other devices often labor in harsh conditions, according to employees inside China’s plants, worker advocates and documents published by companies themselves. Problems are as varied as onerous work environments and serious — sometimes deadly — safety problems. Under-age workers have helped build Apple’s products, and the company’s suppliers have improperly disposed of hazardous waste and falsified records, according to company reports and advocacy groups that, within China, are often considered reliable, independent monitors. The suppliers demonstrated disregard for workers health. In 2010, 137 workers at an Apple supplier in eastern China were injured after the workers were said to have been ordered to use a poisonous chemical to clean iPhone screens. In 2009 two explosions at iPad factories, including in Chengdu, killed four people and injured 77. Before those blasts, Apple had been alerted to hazardous conditions inside the Chengdu plant, according to a Chinese group that published that warning (Duhigg, Charles and Barboza, David. In China, Human Costs Are Built Into an iPad, (The NewYork Times) January 25, 2 010.) The publications outlining the ethics and social responsibility violations of Apple caused more consumers to actually start to wonder where and how Apple products are manufactured. Consumers have focused on Apple’s remarkable products rather than how they are produced. The New York Times story on iPad working conditions, for example, generated 1,770 reader comments. Many, if not most, blasted Apple  or the overall system of cheap labor. And an online petition prompted by the This American Life piece that called for Apple to protect Chinese workers had garnered roughly 166,000 signatures—and counting. I determined that Apple’s customers would be willing to pay more for its products if Apple had to increase selling prices in order to provide better wages and benefits for suppliers’ workers. Apple seems to make people crazy, described as a cult because it has such a vociferous following.† The Secrecy Strategy† (Moltz, John., Why Apple Drives People Crazy. Macworld. Feb2013, Vol. 30 Issue 2, p100-100. 1p). Stock-market and financial analysts are known to always have had a hard time understanding Apple because Apple does not sell commodity products or chase market share at the cost of everything else. Its modus operand i is: Enter a market, stake out the high end, and scoop up all the profit. As copycats such as Samsung flood the low end, Apple continued to hold the high end by evolving and differentiating products, while looking for new markets. One key approach used is to never telegraph punches; that way, no would know which market would be remade next. Hence Apple’s famous veil of secrecy, which further frustrated analysts. The bottom line was that the appeal of Apple’s products and its business strategies were said to be inscrutable, which made the company a Rorschach test. People saw what they wanted to see, and the idea that Apple’s fortunes are plummeting is more appealing to many than the idea that it might continue to ride high. The appeal of Apple’s products and its business strategies are believed to be both inscrutable. Apple joined the FLA in 2012 following intense public attention over allegations of widespread problems at Foxconn, China’s largest private employer. The FLA said both Apple and Foxconn â€Å"have agreed to ongoing assessments by FLA in order to ensure that labor practices meet FLA standards and remain in compliance for the long term.† Current and former Apple executives, moreover, say the company had made significant strides in improving factories in recent years. Apple has a supplier code of conduct that details standards on labor issues, safety protections and other topics. The company has mounted a vigorous auditing campaign, and when abuses are discovered, Apple says, corrections are demanded. And Apple’s annual supplier responsibility reports, in many cases, are the first to report abuses. This month, for the first time, the company released a list identifying many of its suppliers. Apple has continued to be aggressive in  calling out suppliers who don’t meet up to its code of conduct. In January, Apple said it had fired Pingzhou Electronics – after it was found to be hiring underage workers. Apple’s Supplier Code of Conduct sets the minimum age for workers at 15. (Apple’s Labor Practices In China Scrutinized After Foxconn, Pegatron Reviews. Forbes.com. 12/12/2013, p2-2. 1 p. 1 Chart). What made Steve different from other marketers, is that he understood that his job as a marketer was not to focus on making money or sales, and, unlike other marketers, Steve’s marketing skills was seem in the way he presented his products: Here are some of the quotes that reflect Steve’s focus in business: If it could save a person’s life, could you find a way to save ten seconds off the boot time? You‘ve got to start with the customer experience and work back toward—not the other way around. Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying that they had done something wonderful is what mattered to Steve. Steve made the marketing process simple; if he gave people what they want, educated them on why they needed it, showed them how it will improve their lives, and why no other competitor’s products could compete with the convenience and ease of use of yours, customers would be willing to spend. References Apple’s Labor Practices In China scrutinized after Foxconn, pegatron reviews. Forbes.com. 12/12/2013, p2-2. 1p. 1 Chart. Apple’s Marketing Strategy – Sell On Value, Not Price. Retrieved from http://www.chrisnosal.com/apples-marketing-strategy-sell-products-on-value-not-price/ (Duhigg, Charles and Barboza, David.( January 25, 2010). In China, human costs are built into an iPad, (The NewYork Times). Frauenheim, Ed. February 6, 2012. Bad Apple: Could the era of exploitation outsourcing be near its end? Retrieved from http://www.workforce.com/blogs/2-work-in-progress/post/bad-apple-could-the-era-of-exploitation-outsourcing-be-near-its-end) Kannel, Charlie, The Motley Fool (September 14, 2012) Corporate responsibility spotlight: Apple. (Daily Finance). Ira Kalb, Marshall School of Business, USC . (September 13, 2013) Apple’s ‘Cheap iPhone’ might not be that affordable, but it does protect the brand (Business Insider). Retrieved from