Hurdling

Event Paper: Hurdling In track and field, the three main types of event include: running, throwing and jumping. According to britannica. com, hurdling is defined as â€Å"A sport in athletics (track and field) in which a runner races over a series of obstacles called hurdles, which are set a fixed distance apart. † Throughout the race, runners are required to stay within their assigned lane. They are allowed to knock down hurdles while running, but a runner who trails a foot or leg alongside a hurdle or knocks it down with a hand is disqualified.Hurdling, which combines running and jumping, is fairly new in comparison to the other track and field events. However, hurdling contains an impressive and interesting history and continues to be one of the most popular events at the Olympics. It was not until the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 when hurdles were introduced to the world. The original Olympics began long before in Greece, however, Roman Emperor Theodosius I had banne d the Games 1,500 years earlier as an attempt to abolish what he thought were pagan practices.The modern Olympics arose in Athens and presented hurdling events, thanks to the French baron, Pierre de Coubertin, who than became the first International Olympic Committee president. The Games initially began with 110-meter hurdles and in 1900 introduced the 400-meter hurdles. When the sport was first introduced, hurdling was completed by simply jumping over the hurdles. American Alvin Kraenslein, however, changed this and introduced a new striding technique for overcoming the hurdles in 1900. This technique incorporated straightening the front leg while tucking the back leg underneath the body.After winning both the 110- and 200-meter hurdle events, Kraenzlein’s technique became the standard for hurdling and still is practiced today. After its introduction, hurdling was mainly recognized as an event for men only. In 1926, this changed with the introduction of the Olympic 80-meter hurdle events for women. With the success of women such as Babe Didrikson exceeding, the participation and recognition of women in hurdling increased. Furthermore, as of 2011, women compete in the same hurdling events as men, including the 400-meter hurdles.In hurdling events, there are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The most common sprint hurdles is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. As mentioned, the standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women. There are also other distances that are run indoors which are usually 60 meters or less for both men and women. In sum, there are different specific techniques for each hurdle race. While the high hurdles races are sprints, they are also technical events. The ultimate goal for all hurdlers is do as little hurdling, and as much as running, as possible.This means participants must sprint, clear the hurdles, then proceed sprinting as quickly as possible. The key is to preserve momentum while clearing al l ten hurdles, maintaining one’s center of gravity as close to standard sprinting position as possible. As with the other sprint races, high hurdles participants being in starting blocks. However, unlike a straight spring, sprint hurdlers most transfer into an upright position rather quickly. Sprint hurdlers retain their speed leading up to each hurdle, but they also shorten the last step before their lead leg rises to clear the hurdle.This provokes the plant foot under the hips and allows the hurdler to shift their upper body weight forward. It is also vital to remember appropriate arm technique. The arm on the opposite side of the lead leg pushes forward and literally directs the runner toward the hurdle. As the lead leg’s knee drives to the hurdle, the lower leg extends forward until the foot approaches the hurdle’s height. As the body leans forward, the lead knee continues slight bent as the hurdler proceeds forward. As soon as the lead leg’s heel cle ars the hurdle, it is important immediately bring that foot down.Than the contestant must pull his or her trail leg over the hurdle quickly and prepare to resume sprinting. Senior-level hurdlers usually take three strides between hurdles but it can vary. In sum, it is important to never slow down and to utilize the arms, which will help the hurdler to maintain good balance. Both men and women have set astonishing records in completing the event of hurdling. The 110-meter hurdles for men, 12. 8 seconds is the fastest that has ever been ran and Aries Merritt from the USA holds that record. However, one other significant hurdler is Liu Xiang who was the first person to run under 12. seconds. Also, Allen Johnson from USA is the only four-time world champion. The fastest time ran for the women’s 100-meter hurdles is 12. 21 by Yordanka Donkova in 1988. Two other successful athletes that are the only 100 meters hurdlers to have become both Olympic Champion and World Champion are Sal ly Pearson from Austria and Ludmila Narozhilenko-Engquist from Sweden. As the Olympic Games continue, team USA remains to dominate the men’s 110-meter hurdles however, for the women’s 100-meter hurdles, athletes from Bulgaria and Germany dominate the event.The 400 meters hurdles is also an Olympic event in track and field. Runners stay in their lanes the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear ten hurdles that are evenly spaced around the track. The 400 meters hurdle race requires speed, endurance, and hurdling technique along with distinctive awareness and particular concentration throughout the race. The current men's and women's world record holders are Kevin Young with 46. 78 seconds and Yuliya Pechonkina with 52. 34 seconds. There are common physical characteristics and traits among hurdlers.Many hurdlers are considered strong and have a good amount of muscle. This is important in having a good, solid landing as well as having an aggressive star t. Also good flexibility and coordination (i. e. hip mobility) is vital. During the hurdling process one of your legs does extend to the side in which this trait comes to play. Furthermore, a hurdler must run the 100 meters well since the ultimate objective of hurdling is to sprint the event as much as possible. Finally having a tall stature can be an advantage due to having shorter strides and achieving greater horizontal distance over the hurdle.All in all, a successful hurdler contains most or all of these physical characteristics. Hurdling can now been seen at almost all levels, beginning with middle school student track and field teams, and continuing through high school and college to the Olympics. It is important to understand that hurdling involves persistent training and with that strong work ethic. As Kevin Young said, â€Å"The key thing in the hurdles is that it’s a development event. You might not do a damn thing one year, and then things just click. You really can’t discount athletes who may not stand out immediately.It may take two or three years for an athlete to develop. † References Hurdling. (2012). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/277252/hurdling Rosenbaum, Mike. (2010). Sprint hurdles technique. Retrieved Dec. 18, 2012, from About. com database. Sherwod, Chris. (2011, Jul 14). History of hurdling. Retrieved Dec. 18, 2012, from Livestrong. com database. Slingo, Mark. (2008). History of hurdling. Retrieved Dec. 18, 2012, from ehow. com database. Sports Coach, BrianMac. (2012, Oct 17). Spring hurdles. Retrieved Dec. 18, 2012 from Brianmac. co database.

Apple vs Microsoft

Everybody thinks Apple is younger than Microsoft, but Apple was born in 1976, just one year after Microsoft corporation. They develop two different ways to produce the same product, Microsoft has developed a computer platform more popular than the Apple platform. Indeed, Microsoft Softwares came in the market as a reference, due to the easiest compatibility network. In the other hand, Apple increased on the ten last years. The main problem of this war implies the consumer. How do you make your decision between two products , when they are globally similar ?Microsoft has developed an Operating System which is easy to use for anyone, and the majority of the computer have installed the O. S Windows . Moreover, a personal computer stays less expensive than an Apple computer. Behind the graphics and the user interface, technically the core of the system grant a lot of flaws, that imperil the security of the O. S. Apple bets on the design and efficiency to equal the windows industry. The O . S on the Apple computers is named  «MAC O. S ». The core of the system is very stable and very safe. Indeed, virus aren’t made for the Macintosh O.S. So a lot of consumers chose Apple for the security. The price for the Apple computers are the most expensive, and most of softwares can’t be used on MAC O. S computers. Apple and Microsoft were born together, but one pretend to a quality and luxurious product, and the other is made to satisfy another public who cares about price, but doesn’t stand with design. They have a common market, but for different client companies which don’t need the same product, so apple software is designed for the student whereas Microsoft software supply to the professional demand.What’s more, recently Apple goes through Microsoft in the highest trade price to the second place of the most powerful company. To my mind, Apple is better than Microsoft because it turned to a younger public, which is the beginning of the next generation. But for the 40 last years, Microsoft sold more laptops and computers than Apple. Today, Apple is getting better than Microsoft, how can we explain this mind changing? (360 words)

Is technology really benefitting society

Destruction due to TechnologyIs engineering truly profiting society or merely prima to its ruin? This is a inquiry one must inquire themselves. Everyone has in one manner or another been affected by engineering whether bad or good. What was the impact of that experience like? Mary Kolesnikova, writer of the essay â€Å" OMG! If LOL, so KMN! â€Å" , explains the negative impacts engineering has on society and its communicating accomplishments, giving existent life illustrations of incidents that are abashing and black. â€Å" I ‘ve been asked how to spell â€Å" here † and â€Å" one † by high school seniors and seen more your/you ‘re, there/their, to/too confusions than homophone workbook † ( Kolesnikova, 623 ) . Those are lone communicating accomplishments that have been affected. Imagine how many more countries it can hold an influence on. This is merely one of many capablenesss which have gone down the drain due to the maltreatment of engineerin g. Similarly, Eric Brende writer of the essay â€Å" No Technology? No Problem † stresses the usage of engineering as good and how it should non be made a necessity in life and is non required. Many feel and agree that engineering is a great assisting manus in our society and plays a major function throughout day-to-day lives. This is a valid point and engineering is decidedly good in mundane lives, but when abused it leads to these negative impacts. Due to the fact of the society non utilizing engineering in a practical manner, persons from ages eight to fifty are missing basic accomplishments required on a day-to-day footing. While the usage of engineering may be helpful and a necessity in society today, if continually abused, will take to a negative impact doing a deficiency in everyday required accomplishments. Kolesnikova in her essay, stresses the function engineering has on a society ‘s authorship accomplishments and how it has affected her and those around her. She sums her point up into one chief factor, this factor being that engineering is doing the population to decrease the art of authorship. â€Å" Chat slang is killing the trade of composing † ( Kolesnikova, 623 ) . In her essay she explains how the effects of engineering and confab speak led to her depression. After a canvass held by the Pew Research Center concentrating on 12 to seventeen twelvemonth olds about their usage of chat-speak, about 30 eight per centum said they let it steal into their prep and essays ( Kolesnikova, 623 ) . Kolesnikova is an occasional coach in San Francisco public schools and she ca n't conceive of how far chat speak has spread. Along with chat speak, she elucidates the usage of emoticons in prep and essays every bit good. For those who may non cognize what emoticons are, they are defin ed as a crabwise facial glyph used in e-mail to bespeak an emotion or attitude, as to bespeak wit [ : – ) ] . Harmonizing to the Pew Research Center, a canvass resulted in 20 five per centum of teens utilizing emoticons in their trials, prep, and essays ( Kolesnikova, 623 ) . Kolesnikova states how it ‘s a shame that the popular civilization today is promoting this lunacy and is traveling every bit far as making chat talk its ain wiki-dictionary. The U.S. Department of Education released the Nation ‘s Report Card on Writing 2007 and merely 30 three per centum of eight graders demonstrated abilities at or above proficiency degree ( Kolesnikova, 623 ) . This is yet the beginning and needs to be brought to an terminal before made worse. Brende, in his essay, discusses a different, yet similar instance of how engineering is non a necessity and can take to negative results. After having his alumnus grade in political scientific discipline from MIT in 1992, he and his married woman moved to an Amish-type community where they spent 18 months populating without technological progresss. â€Å" As MIT graduates go, I realize how unusual I am. I run a jinrikisha service in downtown St. Louis, where I live. I make soap at place, and my married woman sells it at the local husbandman ‘s market on Saturday ‘s † ( Brende, 619 ) . After returning place he goes on to state that these wonts stick with him and him and his household do n't truly experience a demand for such progresss. He besides states that engineering deprives an person of needful physical activity and can take to future issues. In the past persons would ramble on, thrust to the gym, or possibly even play athleticss in order to acquire in some exe rcising and remain healthy. Brende stresses that it has gotten to the point where some people perform hand-squeezing modus operandis since computing machine keyboards do non offer the physical opposition they need and can take to carpal tunnel syndrome ( Brende, 621 ) . In add-on, he explains how engineering is taking off choice clip from households every bit good as impacting the human mental powers restricting the usage of multiple capablenesss. These are merely a few of many factors that can take to a ruin due to the maltreatment of engineering. Harmonizing to the texts stated above, a decision can be reached: the maltreatment of engineering is go forthing a negative impact on society. Both writers, though from different scenarios, have from personal experience recognized that engineering is doing society to miss accomplishments required on a day-to-day footing. These accomplishments include mental, communicating, and physical capablenesss. Kolesnikova ‘s experience as stated above was as a coach and she discovered that the pupils were missing basic communication/writing accomplishments. On the other manus, Brende took a entire opposite position and unusual attack. Although an MIT alumnus, he decided to populate in an Amish-type community with his household for 18 months without any technological progresss. He came to recognize that non utilizing engineering came to his benefit, and for those who were continually around engineering, they seemed to be missing multiple capablenesss. While both took different attacks, the consequences were the same. To carry the reader and go forth a long permanent feeling they besides ended their essays with an appealing last sentence. Kolesnikova ended saying that both parents and teens either battle now or confront a sentence-less hereafter of the three missive word OMG ( Kolesnikova, 624 ) . Brende, on the other manus, stated something rather different, yet relevant to the impact of engineering. He stated that in a universe superabundant in appliances and doodads, the richest among us are those who have mastered the delicate art of thinning out the extra, doing manner for the look of their full humanity ( Brende, 621 ) . It can be agreed that both writers make valid points in their essays. The usage of engineering has changed from what it may hold been in the yesteryear. Younger and younger ages are being affected daily due to the usage of these technological progresss. Progresss such as computing machines, cellular devices, and telecastings have gotten to the point where people are incapacitated without them. Harmonizing to free-lance author Leigh Goessl, childs today would hold a reasonably hard clip imaging life without such points ( Goessl, n.pag ) . In the past kids would pass their clip running about, playing athleticss, and siting bikes. Video games were played in the signifier of out-of-door activities and everything was more relaxed. In present times about every adolescent has some kind of technological device and ne'er truly takes the clip to travel out and acquire some fresh air. They are stuck on these digital playthings all twenty-four hours and dark without recognizing it. Statistics sh ow that in September 2008, Nielsen Mobile announced that adolescents with cell phones each sent and received on norm, 1,742 text messages a month. At the clip the figure sounded high, but merely a few months subsequently Nielsen raised the run to 2,272. A twelvemonth earlier, the National School Boards Association estimated that middle- and high-school pupils devoted an norm of nine hours to societal networking each hebdomad. Add electronic mail, blogging, IM, tweets and other digital imposts and you realize what sort of hurried, 24/7 communications system immature people experience today ( Bauerlein W.11 ) . These progresss are taking over lives and non being noticed. Harmonizing to the American Record Guide the technocrats want an person to believe engineering is neutral-want them to believe that they are in charge. But more and more the persons are engineering ‘s victims. Persons are non running it ; it is running them ( Vroon, 53 ) . It has besides resulted in a major fact or of emphasis, particularly for parents. One may inquire why? This is due to the fact that their kids are more technologically advanced than they are. It is difficult for a parent today to maintain path of their kids when they themselves are non capable of some of the progresss their childs have adapted to. Aside from the parents, instructors excessively are accommodating to the emphasis. Students continually make the same authorship errors on their prep and documents and neglect to acknowledge it. This is due to their technological progresss, leting them to utilize chat speak, about a whole new linguistic communication. Mark Bauerlein, a professor of English at Emory University states that among the many effects of pupil careerism, campus selling, Facebook, texting, and other philistine forces set uping undergraduates today the chief force is the level inconsideration to linguistic communication ( Philology, Etymology, and Phoneticss, n.pag. ) . Harmonizing to the District Adminis tration Magazine pupils are taking advantage of engineering. â€Å" The job is pupils are utilizing and mistreating engineering without understanding digital citizenship † ( Ribble, 85 ) . The abuse of engineering is non merely impacting an person at present clip, but can ensue in a long term issue every bit good. They adopt bad wonts such as confabs speak, which causes proper English to melt out of their lives, the inordinate usage of a reckoner, which limits their mental capablenesss, every bit good as being lazy and non traveling out-of-doorss to acquire some needed exercising which may take to future wellness related issues. Harmonizing to the American Record Guide, the job with most of these engineerings is that they isolate people, kill conversation, and promote sedentary behaviour ( make people lazy and fat ) . They besides waste clip that may be utile ( Vroon, 53 ) . One illustration given by the writer is telecasting, which he feels leads to a overplus of jobs. â€Å" Television, for illustration, isolates people and destroys conversation. These yearss the household rarely even watches telecasting together-there are excessively many sets in every family. Television destroys attending span-just another manner it turns people against reading. It creates passiveness, controls people ‘s ideas, sets the footings of political relations, Teachs people to desire things they do n't necessitate, and stimulates the appetency for debris nutrient. It is mind-numbingly intrusive and invasive. Its velocity and aggression are downright hard-bitten. It is even turning people into chickens † ( Vroon, 53 ) . Brende in his essay makes a great mention to this explicating that these accomplishments may non be as easy to get or retrieve after they are lost. â€Å" Multimedia devices erode and wasting human mental powers and accomplishments like reading and, possibly because these are even harder to retrieve or even place, these losingss can lend to a obscure sense of inutility which our antidepressants have n't been able to bring around † ( Brende, 621 ) . Technology is non needfully a bad thing, but inordinate usage of it is ensuing in negative results. New technological progresss are created daily to assist heighten the manner we live and factors related to it, but the inordinate usage of it is merely doing it debatable. Who does n't desire to utilize a reckoner for those hard jobs, or utilize a cell phone to acquire a speedy response? These progresss are decidedly good, it ‘s merely when it becomes accustomed that it causes issues. Harmonizing to a survey in Britain, the British are looking for a manner to farther incorporate cell phones into their lesson programs for the hereafter. â€Å" We hope that, in the hereafter, mobile phone usage will be every bit natural as utilizing any other engineering in school, † says Elizabeth Hartnell- Young, University of Nottingham research chap and analyze co-author ( Docksai, 10 ) . Technology can ever ensue in benefits if used in a peculiar mode ; America merely has a wont of mist reating anything it can come across which consequences in the ruins. â€Å" It ‘s like everything else ; you have to be careful about it. There ‘s proper and improper usage † ( Docksai, 11 ) . Technology is decidedly a major factor in the day-to-day lives of many, but if continually abused it could ensue in negative results. Kolesnikova and Brende stress the impact it has left on them and society in general. Changeless usage of technological progresss can take to issues affecting an person ‘s mundane accomplishments and capablenesss. It ‘s up to the user to utilize it with cautiousness and understand the dangers of it. If twenty-four hours by twenty-four hours illustrations and incidents go to demo the impact and devastation it has caused already, than why farther encourage it? These progresss are to be used with bounds, and should be taken into consideration when operated. Overall, it is up to those who are already mistreating it to cut down. If continually abused, such progresss may be banned.Plants CitedBauerlein, Mark â€Å" Why Gen-Y Johnny Ca n't Read Nonverbal Cues. † Wall Street Journal – Eastern Edition 28 Aug. 2009: W11. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 6 Nov. 2009.Brende, Eric. â€Å" No Technology? No Problem † . Readings for Writers ( 13th Edition ) . Ed. Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell and Anthony C.Winkler. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2010. 618-621.Docksai, Rick â€Å" Teens and Cell Phones. † Futurist 43.1 ( 2009 ) : 10-11. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2009.Goessl, Leigh. â€Å" Technology: Its effects on kids. † www.Helium.com. 3 Nov. 2009.Kolesnikova, Mary. â€Å" OMG! If LOL, so KMN! † . Readings for Writers ( 13th Edition ) . Ed. Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell and Anthony C.Winkler. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2010. 623-625.â€Å" Philology, Etymology, and Phoneticss. † History of Higher Education 56.4/5 ( 2009 ) : B2. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2009.Ribble, Mike S. , and Gerald D. Bailey â€Å" Districts should learn their pupils digital smarts. † District Administration 40.10 ( 2004 ) : 85. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2009.Vroon â€Å" The Distracted Generation Victims of Technology. † American Record Guide 72.3 ( 2009 ) : 53-54. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 6 Nov. 2009.

Answer the question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Answer the question - Essay Example 151). In bureaucratic structures, organizational strategy decisions are organized and controlled by the top management level thus being able to rationalize the entire decision making process (Cunliffe, 2008, p. 78-81). Additionally strategic decision making process is fast since there are few people involved in the process (Luhman & Cunliffe, 2013, p. 83-88). The scientific management theory holds that the most efficient technique of accomplishing an assignment and the selection, motivation and development of workers can be scientifically determined. The employees are not allowed to choose their tasks. On the other hand, the human relations theory focuses on the welfare of the employees, their values and contributions (Luhman & Cunliffe, 2013, p. 140-44). The left wing ideologies are the progressive views that look to the future and purpose to assist those who cannot aid themselves and believe in equality. Left wing supports corporation and inheritance taxes and the redistribution of wealth. The right wing ideologies are that the more productive people should not subsidize the less productive people in the nation. The right wing people believe that they should not pay for other people’s health service or education. They advocate for abolition of inheritance tax. Industrial capitalism implies a social and economic system where industry, capital and trade are privately operated and controlled for profits (Luhman & Cunliffe, 2013, p. 96). It is typified by increase in the use of machinery to sustain economic stability through its production process, routine work assignments and multifaceted separation of tasks between and within the work progression (Cunliffe, 2008, p. 92). Over the past few years, aspects such as increasing size of business units, increasing competition and the split-up of ownership from management have resulted to an augmentation in the need  for professional managers. The role and functions of a manager have presently been

Customer and neighbourhood services( resit) report on CUSTOMER Essay

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Tesco PLC. Company Analysis - Essay Example Since 1997, Tesco has recorded tremendous growth making it the leading food retailer in the United Kingdom (Quelch 2010, p.1). This was spearheaded by good leadership under CEO Terry Leahy who emphasized on innovation and customer satisfaction (Quelch 2010, p.2). One of the main issues that are of great concern is inability of Tesco plc to penetrate in United States market despite the market having only few competitors such as Raphs, Vons, Albertsons and Stater Brothers. This is despite the company’s strategies to send 50 managers to learn more about the market and come up with appropriate procedures to penetrate them The main objective is to analyze if it is important for the company to go ahead with the market penetration process or it’s supposed to withdraw from the market as profits obtained cannot be compared with the investment that the company used i.e. $700 in order to position itself in the market (Quelch 2010, p.2). The predecessors such as Sainsbury, Marks and Spencer had to sell their ownership to other business as they found the market unfavorable for the business to thrive. As a result, one of the main objectives of the paper will be coming up with the appropriate conclusion on if it is profitable to venture in United States market or the business. It will also try to analyze why many retailers withdraw from the United States market. Tesco Company has experience on various markets. The company is the major retailer in United Kingdom with branches in Hungary, Ireland, and France etc. This gives the company a variety of strategies to select from in order to penetrate the US market (Quelch 2010, p.3). On the other hand major weakness that this knowledge has is that it makes it hard for the company to select the appropriate strategy to apply in the US market. This is because different markets react differently on the entry strategies applied by the companies. Tesco companies have large financial reserves that can

The drug PCP or called Phencyclidine Research Paper

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Metamorphosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Hildren with emotional and behavioural disorders Essay

Hildren with emotional and behavioural disorders - Essay Example "The students with severe and profound mental disability, autism and complex needs are offered to follow the Frame Educational Programme for Special Needs Education tailored to meet their needs and built up on the principles of the national programme for compulsory education and reflecting the students special needs" http://www.european-agency.org/nat_ovs/czech/9.html SEN students need special provisions and other support system according to their individual needs, like speech therapy, additional teaching staff, psychological counselling, special pedagogical support, more hours, sign language or more material visual, audio or any other kind of compensatory assistance. Through Acts of Legislation, Governments of advanced countries have empowered themselves to open exclusive schools for SEN students and at the same time, have also taken meaningful steps towards integration and inclusion of these students into the mainstream. Special need education within the Education System has been given careful attention in most of the countries today. "Looked at in this way, inclusion, understood as a movement for educating learners with special educational needs in mainstream schools and classes, is a resolution that emphasizes the commonality pole of the dilemma. It focuses on learners who are 'different' in ways that have the most obvious educational significance, and argues for their right to be educated alongside their peers, within a common institution and, frequently, within a common curriculum" Mitchell (2005). Please put page number here; I don't have the book. Schools are wary of accepting these students, due to their low attainment, and additional responsibility. Schools are also worried about the extra demands on teachers, peer group, emotional upheavals for normal children and the possibilities of SEN students being ragged by other able-bodied children, and this so, in spite of inclusion and integration. "All learners are the same in their essential human characteristics, in the rights and entitlements which are ascribed to them and in their participation within some more-or-less loosely defined process of education" Dyson, Alan, (March 2001). British Journal of Special Education, Volume 28, No. 1, p.25. In Dyson (2001), we come across various methods of inclusions that could be adaptable and challenging and the most important are one-track, dual-tracks and multi-tracks. Almost all the countries that are tuned to inclusion are trying to adapt one system or other and sometimes both according their needs. As an explanation, it could be told that one-track means serving all students in one system, under the same curriculum, same classes without marginalising the SEN people and treating them as equal and similar to other students. Psychologists feel that this would provide permanent bonding and friendship with normal children and the inferiority complex would disappear, as they feel accepted. It also provides challenge, appreciation and hope for future. Theoretically, this is the best method in which SEN people do not feel segregated. But the practical challenges facing could be different from the best theory and children with problems might not be able to cope with the pressures and trials of rigorous education. Under such circumstances Dual-Track education could help, by way of

Officer Mohammed (Tribute Speech) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Officer Mohammed (Tribute Speech) - Essay Example He never hid his pride about me. He treated me different from all other grandchildren, always protected me, and taught me what it takes to succeed in this life. Even though he had his good and bad days, my grandfather was so sensitive to the needs and interests of those around him. His charitable deeds cannot go unnoticed. He extended his charitable hand to the needy, poor, and orphans. He taught me that success and good performance is rewarded by taking me and my brothers to Egypt and giving me monetary rewards for my academic excellence during his life years. His memories run fresh through my mind. When I almost lost my life he was there to save me. This was the time I almost drowned at sea. Luckily Officer Mohammed was there to rescue me. After that, he took it upon himself to teach me how to swim, so that in a repeat situation I can save myself or any other person in need of my help. Amid his outstanding character and personality, my grandfather had one critical weakness; he is not the listening type. Notably, listening skills are vital in any level of interaction between persons (Downs, 2008). His quest for adventure was only satisfied by driving around the city. My father’s concern over my grandfather driving himself landed on deaf ears. He needed not the services of our family driver. An effective and efficient communication (Wood, 2009) never existed in Officer Mohammed’s world. He said and did what he wanted. His poor sight resulted in a road accident that saw him in a coma for 3 days. When he regained consciousness, he asked my father and my uncles to pass his greetings to me and let me know that he was so proud of me. Sadly, these were the last words he uttered soon after the 3-day coma, and that marked the end of his life. This was hard for me to bear because I was in the U.S from 2009 to 2010. I never got to say Good Bye to my beloved

Sweatshops Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sweatshops - Essay Example Nike violated laws about working conditions, working hours, and forced overtime. They have been labeled as employing ‘sweatshop’ conditions in their manufacturing units. Due to globalization markets expanded and the market discipline intensified. This discipline penetrated into the spheres of lives of people previously untouched. The global garment industry offers the western consumers a wide variety of styles and fashion at affordable prices. Competition in the industry gave rise to sweatshops. To survive amidst competition, market restructuring had to be done in the form of buyer-driven commodity chains and lean retailing (Micheletti, 2006). They had to respond to the changing consumer demands for fashion and quality at reasonable prices. They had to invest to create and satisfy the fluctuating demands of the consumers. To deliver fashion and quality they had to rely on the individual garment workers and not the machinery. People started clamoring for branded products and brand culture was what became the decisive factor. Sweatshops are not new to America and since the industrial revolution many generations have toiled in sweatshops. Usually women, children or unskilled workers are used in sweatshops from the poverty-stricken families, who have no other option to earn a livelihood. Their pay is sub-standard and the working conditions are unsafe and unhygienic. Although it essentially started in the garment industry, but it exists in other industries as well. Sweat shops are the result of greed and opportunism; they may also stem from competitive pressures. These have come into existence due to globalization, government regulations, immigration, business practices, racial, ethnic and gender discrimination. The people are underpaid and overworked while the working conditions are unsanitary and far from reasonable. It violates safety, heath, wage and child labor laws. People have gone to the extent of saying that they would

Was the Poor Law of 1834 Effective Essay Example for Free

Was the Poor Law of 1834 Effective Essay Agree with the three main doctrines. Malthuss principle Ricardos iron law of wages and Benthams doctrine The Act has been described as the classic example of the fundamental Whig-Benthamite reforming legislation of the period, based on three main doctrines: Malthuss principle that population increased faster than resources unless checked, Ricardos iron law of wages and Benthams doctrine that people did what was pleasant, and would tend to claim relief rather than working. http://wapedia. obi/en/Poor_Law_Amendmen†¦ Population increased faster than resources unless checked people do what is pleasant, and would tend to claim relief rather than working . The history of the Poor Law in England and Wales is usually divided between two statutes, the Old Poor Law passed during the reign of Elizabeth I and the New Poor Law, passed in 1834, which significantly modified the existing system of poor relief. The Poor Law system was not formally abolished until the 1948 National Assistance Act, with parts of the law remaining on the statute book until 1967. The Poor Law system fell into decline at the beginning of the 20th century due to several factors, such as introduction of the Liberal welfare reforms and the availability of other sources of assistance from friendly societies and trade unions, as well as piecemeal reforms which bypassed the Poor Law system . Despite these later edicts it is notable that the Poor Law Amendment Act did not ban all forms of outdoor relief. When the new Amendment was applied to the industrial North of England (an area the law had never considered during reviews), the system failed catastrophically as many found themselves temporarily unemployed, due to recessions or a fall in stock demands, so called cyclical unemployment and were reluctant to enter a Workhouse, despite it being the only method of gaining aid. The abuses and shortcomings of the system are documented in the novels of Charles Dickens and Frances Trollope. Despite the aspirations of the reformers, the New Poor Law was unable to make the Workhouse as bad as life outside. The primary problem was that in order to make the diet of the Workhouse inmates less eligible than what they could expect outside, it would be necessary to starve the inmates beyond an acceptable level. It was for this reason that other ways were found to deter entrance to the Workhouses. These measures ranged from the introduction of prison style uniforms to the segregation of inmates into yards – there were normally male, female, boy and girls yards. The Act stated that no able-bodied person was to receive money or other help from the Poor Law authorities except in a workhouse. Conditions were to be made harsh to discourage people from claiming. Workhouses were to be built in every parish and if parishes were to small parishes to group together to form Workhouse Unions. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/English_Poo†¦ The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 sometimes abbreviated to PLAA was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the countrys poverty relief system. It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the Poor Law of 1601. With reference to this earlier Act the 1834 Act is also known as the New Poor Law. The Amendment Act was called for after an investigation by the 1832 Royal Commission into the Operation of the Poor Laws which included Edwin Chadwick, George Nicholls, John Bird Sumner and Nassau William Senior. The Act has been described as the classic example of the fundamental Whig-Benthamite reforming legislation of the period, based on three main doctrines: Malthuss principle that population increased faster than resources unless checked, Ricardos iron law of wages and Benthams doctrine that people did what was pleasant, and would tend to claim relief rather than working.

Parasitic Plants and Their Hosts: Types and Characteristics

Parasitic Plants and Their Hosts: Types and Characteristics Survival of one life form is dependent not only on its ability to search and utilize available life sustaining resources but also upon its healthy competition for various such requisites with other life forms belonging to either the same or different species. To facilitate this, different life forms have evolved with special assets of abilities to exist, work and exhibit a tendency to proliferate so as to flag their dominance on ecological niche. Scientific communities at times are amazed by the kinds of interaction in which different life forms co-exist with each other and also with the surroundings. In plants, interaction science has emerged as a major area of research which deals with investigating and studying such phenomena in detail, their mechanism, reasoning for interactions of plant with plant, animals, and/or micro-organism. Evolution of a new species from an existing ancestral mob assures adaptation to new and more efficient modes of existence, wherein lesser inputs are in vested for more possible benefits. One such example is the parasitic plants or epiphytes. Parasitic plants comprise 19 families in angiosperms and constitute to about 4,100 species (Nickrent. and Musselman, 2004). Among these with various parasitic habits, mistletoes are well known as perrenial, polyphyletic group of angiospermic aerial plant parasites (Devkota, 2005) infecting generally host stem and/or branches, and belong to families, Viscaceae and Loranthaceae. Mistletoes are considered as an important component of biodiversity (Watson, 2001; Shaw et al., 2004), and have been appraised not only due to their unique parasitic relationship with their respective hosts, their growth habits, mechanism of seed dispersal but also because of their miraculous medicinal values which includes their use as sympathetic medicine to take down abnormal tissue growth under cancer (Kunwar et al.2005). They are predominantly known to occur on fruit trees. Mistletoes are characterised by the development of a root like absorptive organ called haustorium which forms the host parasite interface and draws nutrients from the host conductive tissues to the parasite (Devkota, 2005). Dendrophthoe falcata is a hemi-parasitic plant belonging to the Loranthaceae mistletoes and is considered as the commonest of all other mistletoes widely occurring in India (Parker acnd Westwood, 2009). The genus Dendrophthoe comprises of about 31 species spread across tropical Africa, Asia, and Australia (Flora of China, 2003) among which 7 species are found in India. The sp. falcata has its hold in India since ancient times and has been in use as traditional folklore medication for various ailments. Though a parasite incurring huge losses to commercial fruit and timer production, it is considered and welcomed as a sacred sign of prosperity in few areas of rural India. Well globally, much of the advanced scientific investigations have centered on other mistletoes such as Orobanche, Viscum etc. These studies have aimed towards understanding the parasite behaviour, sap flow dynamics at the host parasite interface, chemical compositions of floral organs, designing successful control st rategies, evaluating medicinal potentials etc. The present review will focus on the existing literature earlier attempts aiming study of various scientific aspects associated with D.falcata. The review considerably outlines the variety of studies performed revolving around the host-parasite relationship, morphology and geographical distribution, and studies aiming towards in vitro establishment and attempts towards scientific justification of the ethno-medicinal properties, and various existing and possible control strategies for this mistletoe family member. Morphology and biogeography: Evolutionarily, mistletoes belonging to Loranthaceae are considered older than those of Viscaceae and ever since their origin from dense Gondwanan forests; they have successfully encompassed tropics, subtropics and arid portions on the globe through their nutritional competition-driven conquests (Devkota et al, 2005). Notes on floral morphology and embryology in D.falcata have been provided by Singh (1952). D.falcata bears grey barks, thick coriaceous leaves variable in shape with stout flowers (Wealth of India. 2002). The flowering inflorescences in D.falcata was previously referred to as axillary or as developing on the scars of fallen leaves, but Y.P.S Pundir (1996) verified it to be of strictly cauliflorous nature and also notified that it shares fundamental similarity to that of Ficus glomerata, F. pomifera and F. hispida. Two of its varieties are widespread in India namely, var. falcata (Honey Suckled Mistletoe) and var. Coccinea (Red Honey Suckled Mistletoe) distinguished by occurrence of white and red flowering, respectively (Flowers of India, a World Wide Web resource). A comprehensive list of almost all the species within the genus Dendrophthoe can be availed (from web source at http://www.naturekind.org/taxpage/0/binomial/Dendrophthoe_falcata). Haustorial polymorphism, leaf mimicry, explosive flowering, fruit adhesive pulp etc. Singh, B., 1952. A contribution to the floral morphology and embryology of Dendrophthoe falcata (L. f.) Ettingsh. Jour. Linn. Soc., Lond., 53, 449. Dendrophthoe homoplastica (mistle- toe) mimic those of its common host, Eucalyptus shirleyi. (Robert L. Mathiasen, David C. Shaw, Daniel L. Nickrent, David M. Watson,2008 Plant Disease / Vol. 92 No. 7) Hosts and host-parasite relationships: Mistletoes occur mostly on forest, fruit and ornamental host trees preferentially harboring zones rich in biodiversity and thus are found excessively on mountain ridges provided with favorably optimum light intensities and in few in slopes and plains (Devkota, 2005 and references therein). Mistletoes do not follow a uniform pattern of distribution which is affected by local environments and effected by habits of seed dispersing avian visitors. Host range: Earliest, B.Singh (1962) reported that the leafy mistletoe D.falcata is parasitic on over 300 hosts in India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. Indiaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s rich plant biodiversity in 1977 could report exclusive host range numbering 345 plants susceptible to infection from this mistletoe (Siva Sarma and Vijayalakshmi 1977) which is a significant number as it contributes to its comparatively recent global record for 401 hosts (Shaw 1993). Till date, D.falcata represents the only known mistletoe with the largest global host range (Calvin and Wilson, 2009) which is continuously and rapidly widening. Haustoria: Mistleoes are known to form haustorial structures at the point of attachment to the host. Among angiosperms, parasitic relationship through the formation of haustorial linkages is known to be widespread (Wilson and Calvin, 2006). In general, haustorial connections among 72 (of the 75) ariel parasitic genera may belong to either of the four types viz., epicortical roots (ERs), clasping unions, wood roses, and bark strands (Calvin and Wilson, 1998). ERs may run along the host branches in either direction forming haustorial structures at variable intervals while à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½unionsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ occur as single points of attachment of individual parasites hence pronounced as solitary. In D,falcata on different hosts two of the haustorial kinds have been observed viz., solitary unions as on Sugar apple (Annona squamosa), and epicortical roots as on sugar apple (Achras sapota), guava (Psidium guajava), pomegranate (Punica granatum) have been observed. It is unknown about what factors decide formation of different haustorial types by the leafy mistletoe on different hosts. The host branches infected with D.falcata show a gradual reduction in growth and diameter as compared to other healthy uninfected branches (Karunaichamy et al, 1999). It has also been reported that the development of mistletoe plants on the host tree is a dynamic process which necessarily leads to the death of the host tree and that the whole process may last for about a decade (Karunaichamy et al, 1999). It is known that mistletoes have higher nutrient titer than their host (Lamont, 1983; Karunaichamy et al, 1993) and this could probably be attributed to a competitively higher water (including dissolved nutrient and growth promoting metabolite) uptake rate by the parasite at its haustorium at a point in the host branch in comparison to that in the protruding lateral ends of the branch (that extends after the haustorium). This might render key nutrients be unavailable to the host branches that could repress growth post-infection (Stewart and Press, 1990). But in work by Karunaichamy et al (1999) one D.falcata seed per stem of Azadirachta indica seedling has been tested which has shown the life threatening effect on whole plant which again itself i s at an immature seedling stage (so death of the whole plant could be expected). In a broad sense, physiological and metabolic perturbations induced by the parasite in the whole host plant outlined at the seedling stage surmised by the reduced host leaf area, leaf number, growth performance upon infection cannot be correlated to that in a fully mature host. (statement in bold italics) could be justified by that there may be an increment in the probability of multiple mistletoe seed dispersals or extended reach of haustorial structures to other branches of the same tree (as we saw in Guava) that might possibly lead to a gradual depletion of key metabolites (thereby lowering an essential threshold titer for the same) required for growth of the host plant altogether. Alternatively though unknown, it might also be possible or still unknown if the hemi-parasites dissipate any unknown metabolite in to the host xylem at the point of anchor formation that may inhibit growth and metabolism in the hostà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s axillary meristems and the whole host plant life may only be at stake if such inhibitory effects are perceived by all plant parts. This again is contradictory hypothesis as evident from fact that the haustorial connections of the parasite with the plant are devoid of any retranslocation system (Smith and Stewart, 1990, also see later). Once more, a report by Sridhar and Rama Rao (1978) unraveled the infection of D.falcata surprisingly hosting itself directly on the fruit (Table 1) of Acharas sapota (Sapota). Almost all the hemi-parasitic members of the Loranthaceae tap the xylem vessels of their host to avail water and minerals but to a considerable extent produce their own supply of assimilates (Kuijt, 1969). D.falcata does not have an indigenous rooting system and is dependent on the host for water and minerals. Nutrient dynamics have shown that a higher titre of N, P , K, Mg and Na in the leaves of mistletoe than the leaves of uninfected and infected hosts which may be due to differential translocation of elements within the host phloem (Prakash et al, 1967; Karunaichamy et al, 1999). Nitrogen loss is well pronounced in mistletoe infected hosts and a higher potassium levels in mistletoe is an indicative of higher transpiration rates and a lack of re-translocation system (Karunaichamy et al, 1999 and references t herein). Though outlined above that the total phosphorous in mistletoe leaves is present in excess as compared to that the host leaves, fractionation studies have elucidated that percentage acid-insoluble phosphate is comparatively lesser in the parasite and also that further fractionation again infers a lower percentage of phospholipid, RNA, DNA and phosphoproteins. The DNA content of the infected host leaves however demonstrate a dramatic increase compared to the healthy uninfected leaves (Prakash et al, 1967). Mistletoes are believed to mimic their hosts in floral structures. At some instance it was supported by a hypothesis which explains that such behaviour imparts protection to the mistletoe from the herbivores. Later, the hypothesis was field tested, rejected and replaced by a belief that a host parasite resemblance might help to safeguard hostsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ individual fitness by signaling the birds to expel mistletoe seeds on other uninfected hosts (Atsatt, 1979). Moreover, the hosts and parasite follow individual developmental scheduling of events under which the parasite might experience an influence from a firm epigenetic hormonal control on leaf size and shape thus evolving the mimicry or resemblance to the host(). List of hosts: Loranthaceous parasites were known in India since 1885 and until then only 35 species were known. Specifically for D.falcata from among the earliest of the reports, 268 host species have been known to be under the clutch of the deadly hemiparasite (Ravindranath and Narsimha Rao, 1959), and shortly later B.Singh (1962) reported its parasitic relation with over 300 hosts reported in India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. Until 1993, a report by Shaw III depicts a global increase of host range to 401. In Indian tropics 37 species of tree have been reported as the favourite hosts for D.falcata (Ghosh et al., 2002). Due to the ever increasing host range (Sridhar and Rama Rao, 1978) currently it is difficult to draw a margin between the more and less common host genera. Vectors for seed dispersal and pollination: Seed dispersal as well as pollination is usually mediated by the birds that thrive on fruits from the parasite and/or host. Particularly in southern India, Tickelà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s Flowerpecker which is also named as Pale-billed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum erythrohynchos, Latham) is reported to facilitate seed dispersal of D. falcata among Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss. belonging to Meliaceae) through fecal excretions or regurgitations (Karunaichamy et al, 1999; Hambali, 1977 and references therein). The mistletoe bird also eats insects and therefore has a grinding gizzard. When eating the mistletoe berry the bird is able to close the gizzard and the toxic seeds are usually swallowed as a whole and are shunt through their gut in about 3-4 minute (Murphy et al., 1993) and because the seed has a sticky coating, to get rid of the seed the bird applies its vent to the edges of the host tree branches and may turn around whereby the seed then sticks onto the branch where it may subsequently germin ate (Ali, 1931; Ali 1932; Davidar, 1985). These birds also act as vectors for pollination in the hemi-parasite whose flowers bear a mechanism that causes pollen to explosively spray on the plumage of the visiting flowerpeckers (Karunaichamy et al., 1999; Vidal-Russell and Nickrent, 2008). Studies conducted in the higher altitudes of Western Ghats (where both the mistletoes and the flowerpeckers occur predominantly), which parallel the western coast of India infer that the flowerpecker pollinated mistletoes have particularly developed feature specialized to attract a unique vector both to facilitate pollination and seed dispersal: the fruit and flowers have similar resemblance and more significantly, the fruiting time overlap with the next flowering season (Davidar, 1983). Hair-crested Drongo or Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus hottentottus) is an Asian bird of the family Dicruridae and sunbirds (family=Nectariniidae) also known to feed on the nectar from the D.falcata flowers also adds to the list of pollinators to this mistletoe (Kunwar et al, 2005 and references therein). Phytochemistry: Results for the preliminary tests in phytochemical screening analyses using ethanolic extract of the whole plant reports the presence of carbohydrates, glycosides, steroids, tannins phenolic compounds, flavonoids and triterpenes (Sahu et al, 2010). Chromatography of D.falcata fruits has recently added new members to the list of naturally occurring terpenes which has taxonomically been considered significant (Mallavadhani et al., 2006). Total phenolics in mistletoe have a comparatively higher concentration but it failed to correlate to any resistance by the host or its susceptibility to infection by the hemiparaste (Khanna et al,, 1968). Later a phenolic inhibitor of the enzyme a-glucan phosphorylase was reported ((Khanna et al,, 1971). A study by Ramchandra and coworkers (2005) indicated that an elevated antioxidant potential in the mistletoe is due to sequestration of phenolic compounds from the host plants. Their HPTLC data on samples from mistletoe hosted on Mangifera indica (Mango), reportedly contained mangiferin, a C-glucosyl xanthone synthesized by the host plant. The report raises query concerning further investigations for whether the transfer of phenolics to the hemi-parasite indicates a preliminary host mediated defense or a mode of host identification by the parasite or as a mechanism from within the parasite to bypass rejection from the host plant. In mature seed embryo 0.65 mg chlorophyll/g fresh wt; chlorophyll a : b ratio of 1.6 per mg chlorophyll has been evidenced. Moreover, in context to titre of enzymes for photorespiration, phosphoglycolate activity in the embryo has been recorded to be 16.7 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½mol substrate/min and 3-phosphoglycerate phosphatase activity 6.8 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½mol substrate/min. Similarly, NADH-linked glyoxylate reductase activity has been demonstrated in the embryo (0.09 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½mol substrate/min/g fresh wt) by Kachru, and Krishnan (1979). Chroamatography of the ethanolic extract followed by NMR and Mass spectrometry could isolate and identify Quercitin, a rhamnoside (Shihab et al, 2006). Hexokinase has been partially isolated and studied for its properties from D.falata leaves (Baijal and Sanwal, 1976). In a comparative evaluation of this parasitic plant grown on various host plants, Nair et al.10) reported the accumulation of kaempferol, quercetin, myrecitin, and their glycosides. Medicinal Properties: D.falcata possesses remarkable potentials as a medicinal plant evident from the wound healing, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, antinociceptive properties of its ethanolic extracts (Pattanayak and Sunita, 2008, Shihab et al, 2006). Medicinal properties of this hemiparasite may vary in effects respective to different hosts it establishes a relation with (Mallavadhani et al., 2006). The whole plant is used in indigenous system of medicine as cooling, bitter, astringent, aphrodisiac, narcotic and diuretic (Alekutty e al., 1993) and is useful in treating pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, menstrual disorders, swelling wounds, ulcers, renal and vesical calculi and vitiated conditions of kapha and pitta (Anarthe et al., 20081; Anarthe et al, 2010; Sastry, 1952; Pattanayak et al., 2008 ). Also, the decoction of plant used by women as an anti-fertility agent has been evidenced to possess anticancer activity (Nadkarni, 1993). The leaf ethanolic extract significantly and dose dependently inhibits the acetic acid induced writhing in mice (Shihab et al, 2006) and has indicated a low level toxicity in the brine shrimp lethality assays. Besides, a more recent work by Pattanayak and Mazumder (2010) shows significant tumor reduction in induced mammary carcinogenesis in Wistar female rats when fed with hydroalcoholic extracts of D. falcata. Ethno-medicinal aspects: Ethnomedical studies are generally characterized by a strong anthropological and/or biomedical approach and in this context the use of D.falcata as a traditioal remedy for most if not all the ailments has been well appraised. Perhaps, the variety of knowledge available has not yet been exploited full fledgedly due to the currently over-recommended chemial analogs that are predominant over market most of which have side-effects associated under frequent use. In vitro regeneration and gene introgression studies: It is known that long term caulogensis from the endosperm tissue exhibits a high degree of polyploidisation of its cells associated with abnormalities such as chromosome bridges and lagging chromosomes but mistletoe endosperms have exceptional stability in their chromosome number (Razdan, 2003). In the past, in vitro studies aiming towards investigating behavior of mature embryos have been reported in D.falcata (Johri and Bajaj, 1962). The effects of light, endosperm, endosperm extract, and position of the embryo on media have been studied on in vitro germination of D.falcata (Bajaj, 1968). Shoot induction has been successfully achieved in D.falcata (Bhojwani and Razdan, 1983). Shoot buds in Loranthaceae directly differentiate from the peripheral cells of the endosperm cultures though D.falcata may particularly require media supplemented with a combination of cytokinins and a low concentration of IAA or IBA. Among other cytokinins, 2-ip has been most effective and also addition of Casein hydrolysate (2000mg/l) has been necessarily recommended for shoot bud differentiation. For optimal shoot bud growth frequent subcultutres on fresh media is crucial. Caulogenesis from these shoot buds may be followed by differentiation into shoot and haustoria. The latter could be avoided by increased kinetin concentration and for such kinetin induced shoot bud differentiation, a low concentration of auxin (IAA or IBA) is necessary (Nag and Johri, 1971). Ready to use tissue culture strategies have been discussed by a review article by Pattanayak and Mazumder (2008). Advanced molecular level studies are surprisingly lacking for D.falcata with only single report where tests for amenability of this plant in gene introgression studies have been investigated via successful agrobacterium mediated transformation of its embryogenic cultures for GUS expression (Rohini et al, 2005). Diseases of D.falcata: Very little is known about diseases that victimize this hemiparasitc plant. The pathogen species that have been reported in association are generally known to commonly infect a wide range of plants off genera. There are realizations that propose that mistletoe specific pathogens are rare and develop endemism and be localized to favorably optimized areas where their growth requisites and nutritional demands are inline with the host mistletoe species and their host nutrient and sap flow dynamics. Fungal: The hemi-parasite itself is susceptible to diseases such as leaf blight caused by Colletotrichum state of Glomerella cingulata which has been reported on D.falcata which seriously infects Teak (Tectona grandis) plantations (Ali and Florence, 1987) in Kerala, India. Epiparasitism Plant: A surprising evidence of hyper-parasitism has been reported in the Mohand Range Forest (Dehradun, India) where D.falcata itself receives haustoria from Scurrula cordifolia (another mistletoe), both hosted together by Ougeinia oojeinensis (fabaceae) (Pundir, 1979). Similaly, Viscum orientale (Viscaceae) has also been reported to grow on D.falcata (Saxena, 1971). In another instance Cuscuta reflexa (Convolvulaceae) has been shown to act as a rival to the leafy mistletoe (Nath and Indira, 1975). Viscum capitellatum. Sm has also been evidenced from Sri Lanka to be an obligate epiparasite for D.falcata (Calvin and Wilson, 2009) and symplastic continuity exists between their phloem (Glatzel and Balasubramaniam, 1987) which is an indicative of the aggressive epiparasitism depicted more vividly by the presence of graft-resembling à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½unionsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. Viscum loranthi Elmer, thus has been advocated to have potentials for biological control of Loranthaceae hemiparasites (Pundi r, 1981) damaging commercial timber crops. Well, other species such as D.glabrata has also been reported to be parasitized by Viscum articulatum (Robert L. Mathiasen, David C. Shaw, Daniel L. Nickrent, David M. Watson,2008 Plant Disease / Vol. 92 No. 7). On the whole, 88% of Viscaceae and 61% Loranthaceae epiparasitize Loranthaceae (Calvin and Wilson, 2009). Hyperparasitism in Other mistletoes in the same genus: Notothixos subaureus (Viscaceae), parasitic on Dendrophthoe glabrescens (Loranthaceae) on Eucalyptus (source: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1876445) Insects: Recently, Cockerell Scale insects, Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli Cooley (Diaspididae) have been reported to settle on the leaves, stems and haustoria of D.falcata parasitizing Senna siamea (unpublished communication). These scale insects are known to thrive on sap nutrients and their reproduction and hence their proliferation rate has depicted relation with the nitrogen status of the host. Well in this regard mistletoe particularly D.F indicates a favorable choice as their nutrient uptake seems more biased towards drawing more nitrogen rich species from the host sap. The host S.siamea, though is a non-nodulating leguminous tree specie but can produce more nitrogen than the nodulating relatives. Controlling the parasite: Backed by easy seed dispersal by fruit eating birds, widespread and ever increasing host range of Dendrophthoe falcata continues to pose heavy losses in economically valuable fruit trees and those with medicinal properties whether growing in forests, orchards or gardens (Sridhar and Rama Rao, 1978). Healthy tree hosts can tolerate few branch attachments with mistletoes but a heavily infected host slowly moves towards its decline as the mistletoe feeds upon its nutrients and spreads on all its ariel parts (Aly, 2007). Hostsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ death is more probable when they become more prone to other forms of biotic ad abiotic stresses. Reports from 1930s evidence that until then no proper control and eradication methods were available rather the only alternative used was excising off the parasite (before seed production) completely from below the point of infection in the host and their immediate incineration (Sridhar and Rama Rao, 1978). Mechanical pruning of the infected host branches with cuts at least one foot below the point of mistletoe attachment in order to completely remove embedded haustoria has also been suggested as a method of choice but severe heading (topping) which is often used to remove heavy tree infestations weakens the host tree structure. Instead, it is best to remove severely infested trees entirely because they are usually a source of mistletoe seeds. Another method employed when mechanical pruning gives up upon mistletoe infection uses painting the infected area using a pruning paint or spray and wrapping it with layers of opaque polyethylene cover so as to restrict light source required by this leafy mistletoe. In another method, use of ethephon (a growth regulator) in form of spray to completely wet leaves of mistletoe harboring dormant host trees is recommended (Aly, 2007). Regrowth of the parasite may be prevented by pruning it and painting the spot in the host branch (Koski et al., 2009). Lately, adopted method of control uses application of 50% diesel oil emulsion sprayed on mistletoe leaves. The said morbid effect of emulsion significantly increases the intra-molecular respiration rates in the leaves followed by a gradual decline in capacity of stomatal closure consequently leading to death of the hemiparasite (Singh and Sharma., 1970). Delias eucharis, a medium sized pierid butterfly (Common Jezebel) commonly occurs in South and South-East Asia (Bingham, 1907) and is particularly known to lay its eggs and feed on leaves of mistletoes (Roychoudhury, 2005) and has been suggested in its use to control the parasitic mistletoes (Sevastopulo, 1950, Mushtaque and Baloch 1979). Alternatively, resistance to D.falcata using herbicide (metribuzin) infusion of its host, Tectona grandis (Teak) has also been tested but is of limited help as the efficiency of parasite killing was not proportional to the amount of herbicide used which is required to estimate exact dosage and infusion time for multiple of infection on one host (Balasundaran and Ali, 1989). In one of the papers from the proceedings of the 6th Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society conference, G.G. Hambali (1977) has discussed beside other uses the exploitaton of scolytid and cerambycid beetles in controlling Dendrophthoe spp. Several similar or other control alternatives have been suggested by Khan et al. (1987). Approaches as highlighted above towards control of parasitic weeds by traditional methods are limitedly effective and best control via herbicides and fumigants may be hazardous to Mother Nature (Jacobsohn 1994). Removal of mistletoe by hand is effective considerably under small degrees of infection but extensive infestation might render this approach as inevitably expensive (Aly, 2007) and cumbersome more particularly when the infestation spans large tree plantations or dense forests. Replacing the infected plantations with resistant trees has also been a method of choice. Though not reported yet specifically for D.falcata, resistance for broadleaf mistletoe (Phoradendron macrophyllum) was evidenced in some tree species viz., pear, Chinese pistachio, crapemyrtle, ginkgo, sycamore, and conifers such as redwood and cedar (Perry 1995). These few resistant species are of significance to the plant breeders but raising parasitic plant resistant crop genotypes have been very difficult and yet lack success. Use of high and low intensity fires has also been noted but is rather undesirable in plantations as wonà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½t result in complete cure but only subside heavy infestation from the mistletoes in stand without suppression of re-infestation (Carnegie et al, 2009). Chemical control of mistletoes has been extensively researched in Australia which points out the reasons for their limited routine practice in forests as these methods are labour intensive, cost-effective, variable or limited in results. Use of biological control strategies including mistletoe targeting fungi has also been evidenced (Carnegie et al, 2009). Recent efforts by S. Aly and his workgroup (at the Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Yaar Research Center, Israel) enlists successful biotechnological approaches which guarantee prospects towards achieving effective parasitic weed control and ensure environmental safety (Aly, 2007). Adoption of these tools within biotechnology viz, trait gene introgression, gene silencing, promoter technology etc accordingly towards generating transgenic host trees remain the only promising alternative to combat losses incurred from D.falcata infestations. Aspects of biodiversity: Management and control strategies whether mild or exhaustive and whether practiced on a low to high area of coverage should not overlook that mistletoes are considered a valuable component of biodiversity. They are seen as à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½a keystone resourceà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ of food and shelter for diverse population of vertebrates and invertebrates (Carnegie et al, 2009). Conclusions: (KEY: take up the previous issues in above topics and be general and also take examples from other species or genera about the same, for medicinal values and products again search for other existing natural resources. Parasitic plants and their origin Parasitic plants constitute to about 1% of the total angiosperms in nature. Studies explaining the science behind the evolutionary origin of the ariel habit in Loranthaceae have recently been initiated where primitive hypotheses are being investigated with use of phylogenetic tools and analyses (Wilson and Calvin, 2006). Phytochemistry: Though in a recent review by DCruz et al (2010) considerable reproductive toxicity that may cause upon consumption of extracts from the hemiparasite and other plant extracts had been advocated. The article also appeals for extensive research on neutralizing the toxicity of plant based products before they could be validated for their health benefits. Medicinal uses: Antioxidants are considered important for preventing human diseases but the synthetic antioxidants viz., butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA) that have a restricted use as preservatives in oils and fatty foods to minimize their oxidation are considered carcinogenic (Andlauer and Furst, 1998) which can be altered by use of ethanolic and/or methanolic D.falcata extracts as

Csr Case Study On Ikea Management Essay

Csr Case Study On Ikea Management Essay This report identifies Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a demanding topic that has moved from ideology to reality and is acknowledged as a significant dimension of contemporary business practices and has been recognized as an important tool for business survival in the 21st century. This report takes into deep understanding of CSR by depicting a road map of core subjects with related issues and implementation based on the principles of CSR and discusses briefly on its characteristics; pros and cons; theories and approaches; justifications and fundamental principles. This report gives an insight on the significance of CSR and examines in detail about the expected key potential gains from its operational use followed by the discussion on the problems and barriers that CSR generally faces .Finally the report chooses the case study on IKEA and discusses in depth about its CSR experiences by studying its development and strategy dimensions of CSR in corporate social agenda(strateg ic and responsive forms of CSR) and analyses IKEAs responsibilities as integral elements of strategy with a brief discussion on CSR communication. The concept of CSR has widened its scope and its increasing global demand makes us to realize the responsibilities of a firm with its dimension towards social, economic and environmental impacts. INTRODUCTION: This report identifies Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a hot topic and the reason for choosing CSR is due to its high profile attainment in the academic domain and most of us feel CSR as an absolute necessity to define the roles of organizations in Society and apply their responsibilities to their businesses in terms of social, ethical and legal standards. Moreover, CSR has become a globalised concept and achieved business prominence because of its geographical prevalence from US origin to its widespread suitability and establishment in Europe. This report structures the content to understand the concept of CSR by depicting a road map of core subjects with related issues and implementation based on the principles of CSR and discusses briefly on its characteristics; pros and cons; theories and approaches; justifications and fundamental principles. This report gives an insight on the significance of CSR and examines in detail about the expected key potential gains from its ope rational use followed by the discussion on the problems and barriers that CSR generally faces .Finally the report chooses the case study on IKEA and discusses in depth about its CSR experiences by studying its development and strategy dimensions of CSR in corporate social agenda(strategic and responsive forms of CSR) and analyses IKEAs responsibilities as integral elements of strategy with a brief discussion on CSR communication. UNDERSTANDING CSR: The term CSR seem to be new but research predicts that there has been an evolution of its concept throughout many decades. Way back in 30s of last century, the focus of marketing was initially on distribution and logistic, that was about how to provide some products at minimal cost. With the total marketing, the centre of attention is to set on the selling systems on the marketing mix comprising the 4 Ps: Price, Products, Place, Promotion. Social marketing emerged in the 70s whereby the company decides on the long-term interests of stakeholders internally as well as externally. A stakeholder could be any individual or a group, who can influence or get influenced by behavioral impacts of an organization. The categories of the companys stakeholder are shown in the table below: Companys Organizational structure and location Involvement in the Business activity Internal External Direct Shareholders, investors, managers, employees Customers, Lenders, Tax agencies Indirect Consultants, Suppliers, contractors Community, NGOs, Media General public Professional bodies The impact of any organization on the society through their operations, products or services rendered by associating with stakeholder groups such as customers, suppliers, employees, investors and community and this can be displayed in the form of a diagram below Source: Mallen Baker (2007) Different terms and ideas are associated and so it is difficult to define CSR due to ambiguity in the CSR field of research. There is always a problem to stick onto universal definition of CSR as the concept ranges from mere compliance with law to pure Philanthropy. Corporation refers to group of members acting as an individual, be it for business or elsewhere. Philanthropy has little to do with CSR because philanthropy is about how a company spends its money and CSR is about how a company generates money and how responsibly they conduct their business in doing so. However, European commission identifies CSR as a broad concept and recognizes, CSR as a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interactions with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis(Commission of the European Communities 2001). WHAT CSR IS NOT? 1. It is not an alternative for the regulation of companies! 2. It is not a replacement for how companies should manage their social, ethical and environmental impacts! 3. It will not save the world! CHARACTERISTICS OF CSR: The main features of CSR can be summarised as shown in the table below: Features Description Triple-bottom-line Economic, social and Environmental Voluntary All activities are taken up voluntarily. Stakeholders integrity Connecting all parties involved. Long-term action Carrying activities over a long-term period. Credibility Enhances the credibility of the firm. PROS AND CONS OF CSR: Arguments for CSR Arguments against CSR Enhances reputation in society. Solves the problems caused by business in society. Stabilises corporate power with responsibility. Increases long-term profitability Beyond government regulations. Adjusts to imbalanced demands of stakeholders. Improves environmental conditions. Business should be meant for profit maximization. Enforces unequal costs among competitors. Stakeholders compelled to hidden costs. Business may lack social skills. Makes to forget the aims of the business Social responsibility cannot be a legal responsibility. Places responsibility on the business but not on individual. CSR THEORIES AND APPROACHES: The focus on economic, political, social and ethical aspects in social reality aspects according to Parsons (1961) are primarily based on four features that can be perceived in any social structure such as adaptation to the environment ,goal attainment, social integration and pattern maintenance or latency. This hypothesis led to the classification of CSR theories into four types which can be depicted in the following table with their related approaches. TYPES OF THEORIES AND ITS FOCUS APPROACHES ILLUSTRATION INSTRUMENTAL THEORIES Focus on the economic aspect of the interaction between business and society Augmentation of shareholder value This theory argues that CSR is the only means to the end profits. It is based on wealth creation that is measured by share price. Strategies for competitive advantage Social investments in the context of competition Strategies based on the view of firms available natural resources. Strategies related to the bottom of the economic pyramid. Cause -related marketing Considering Socially recognised philanthropic activities applied as an instrument in marketing POLITICAL THEORIES Focus on the business power applicable in the areas of politics Corporate constitutionalism Firms social responsibilities arise from their strength of social power Integrative social contract Assumption of the existence of contract between the business and society. Corporate citizenship The firm is perceived as a citizen with participation in community. INTEGRATIVE THEORIES Focus on the integration of social demands Issues Management Firms response to the social and political issues and their impacts Public Responsibility Current legal procedures and public policies are considered as recommendations for social performance Stakeholder management Stabilizing the firms stakeholders Corporate social performance Exploring the responses from social legitimacy to social issues ETHICAL THEORIES Focus on the right factor to attain a good society Stakeholder normative theory Considering trustful duties towards firms stakeholders Universal rights Considering the frameworks related to human rights, labour rights and respect for environment Sustainable development Achievement of human progress by accounting present and future generations The common good Awareness towards the common good of society JUSTIFICATIONS FOR CSR: The prevailing justifications for CSR are shown in the picture below: Moral obligation Attaining commercial accomplishment in approaches that tribute ethical value Insufficient assistance to stabilize complicated competence related to social and economic interests. Varied personal values among managers and stakeholders Licence to operate Developing goodwill to safeguard the consent of Governments and stakeholders Licences and approvals are needed for a business to operate. However, this kind of approach will have to compromise in controlling CSR agenda to the externals that lack knowledge about companys operations and competitive positioning. Encourages defensive responses for time being. Sustainability Self-interest to encounter the present needs without compromising the future needs Efficiency on environmental issues yielding immediate economic benefits. In other aspects other than environmental issues, intangible long-term results give a weak justification for short-term costs. Existing justifications focus on the pressure between the firm and society rather than bringing coordination. These generic rationales give a trivial guidance for taking up company activities. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CSR: CSR mainly relies on three fundamental principles such as Economic, Social and Environmental areas. The purpose of CSR is to integrate business activity with its culture for attaining sustainability in its economic, social and environmental areas. Each fragment of CSR includes activities, which differ depending on the type of firm and the needs of stakeholders. ECONOMIC AREA: The firm is expected to behave as a transparent enterprise .Positive relationship among the investors, customers, suppliers and shareholders is expected. Economic impacts at local, national and international levels should be monitored. Stakeholders and the activities of CSR in the economic area of the market are shown in the table below: Economic area Market Stakeholders Owners and investors Customers/consumers Suppliers /partners Regulatory bodies Media CSR activities Creates ethical codex Transparency Best practice management Practice anti-corruption Build Stockholders relations Build Customer/consumer relations Build suppliers relations Build investors relations Protect intellectual property SOCIAL AREA: Responding and tackling the behavioral attitudes to employees in the working environment and focuses on assisting the local community. The company influences the working standards, education, health safety and develops the cultural aspects. The stakeholders and CSR activities in the social area are shown in the table below: Social area Stakeholders Work location Local community Employees Unions Non-Profit organizations Public CSR activities Health safety of the employees Human resources development Get rid of child labour Follow working standards Supporting laid-off employees Assurance of jobs Supporting social integrity Corporate volunteerism Donor ship Educating Public Improving the quality life of employees Creation of jobs and develop local infrastructure. ENVIRONMENTAL AREA: The Company focuses on its impact on ecosystem and elements like land, air and water. The company feels its determination to protect the natural resources. Environmental area Stakeholders Groups related to environmental aspects. CSR activities Eco-friendly processing and manufacturing products and services. Agreement with regulatory and standards(ISO,EMAS) Renewal of energies policy by recycling and using eco-friendly products. Lessening the environmental impacts. Protecting the natural resources. ROADMAP FOR CSR: The following roadmap depicts the core subjects and CSR implementation based on the principles . Source: vi.unctad.org/russiast09/docs/millercsr.ppt CORE SUBJECTS AND ISSUES: Issues related to core subjects of CSR can be depicted from the following table: CORE SUBJECTS ISSUES ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE Shareholder activism Political economy Cross border investments by foreign investors HUMAN RIGHTS Due attentiveness Risk conditions Escaping complicity Determining grievances Inequity and susceptible groups Civil rights Political rights Employees fundamental rights Socio-economic and cultural rights LABOUR PRACTICES Social conversation Child labour Forced labour Employment relationships Work conditions Social security Health and safety at employment Training and progress in the employment ENVIRONMENT Avoidance of Pollution Maintenance of resources Mitigating and adapting climatic change Protecting the nature REASONABLE OPERATIONS Anti-corruption Sensible political implications Good competition Encouraging social responsibility in the field of influence Assessing the value for property rights CONSUMER ISSUES Awareness Market sensing Health and safety for consumer protection Consumption sustainability Consumer support and solution for disputes Data security and privacy Entry to necessary services COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND IMPROVEMENT Education Culture Creating employment and developing skills Advancement of technology Income generation Social investment Community health CSR DRIVERS: The key drivers of CSR are discussed in the table below: DRIVERS DESCRIPTION Profound self-interest Generate ethical, social and economical cohesion where markets, labour and communities are linked to work together. Social investment Social capitalism and contribution to infrastructure has been seen progressively as necessary part of business activity. Transparency and trust Public perceives business as low ratings of trust. Public expectation about companys openness and accountability leads to prepare a report encompassing their performance in the areas of social and environmental issues. Increased public expectations of business Public expects beyond the companys contribution to the economy by taxation and provision of employment. In addition to the above key drivers, the following list shows general drivers of CSR. Business Risk management Reputation and brand management Learning and innovation Cost savings and operational efficiency Competitiveness and market positioning Improved relations with regulators Organizational transformation and continued improvement IMPLEMENTING CSR: Each firm is unique in its operational procedures, its awareness of CSR issues and the amount of work done towards CSR implementation.Therefore; different firms adopt different frameworks depending on their CSR approach.However, it adds value to the firm when CSR is implemented in a systematic route by integrating its mission, strategy, cultural, environmental and risk profiles, processes and activities. The following framework for CSR implementation gives scope to build quality and environmental management, which follows the model of plan, do, check and improve based on ISO standards .This flexible framework can be adapted by any firm as suitable for its organization. Implementation Framework PHASES STEPS TASKS Plan 1.Perform CSRassessment Gather a CSR management team Work out the definition of CSR Re-examine corporate documents, processes and activities Recognize and connect key stakeholders 2. Build up a CSRstrategy Develop support with experienced managerial staff Investigate others tasks Design a format of proposed CSR activities Build the ideas for scheduling and the business case for them Fix on areas of roadmap, methodology and focus Do 3. Explore CSRcommitments Take a glance on CSR commitments Organize discussions with key stakeholders Design the group to develop the commitments Plan for an introductory draft Check with concerned stakeholders 4. Implement CSRcommitments Build an integrated CSR decision-making framework Prepare a CSR business plan Lay down the quantifiable goals and find out the measures of performance Slot in the employees and to whom so ever applicable to CSR commitments Propose and perform CSR training Set up workshop to address the behavioural problems Design for setting up internal andexternal communications Check 5. Authenticate and report on progress Gauge the performance Hold stakeholders Report on performance Improve 6. Evaluate and Enhance Assess the performance Discover the opportunities for enhancement Engage stakeholders Double-check: Once a cycle completes Go back to plan and go ahead with subsequent cycle SIGNIFICANCE OF CSR: The issue of CSR initiatives and the perceptions of ethical standards have gained more attention by the management in considering approaches to strategic marketing. Usually, CSR is of growing importance towards managing the business processes and is magnetizing growing company investment. Unfortunately, marketing departments lack the skills to manage even the issues related to reputation thereby narrowing the insights. For example, pharmaceutical companies were criticised in the media for arrogance and lack of transparency. In order to rebuild its reputation, Pfizer took initiative to offer free medicines to those who were laid-off during recession. So marketing strategy expects to look for opportunities for better competitive positioning in market segments through increased customer value integrated with CSR initiatives. Majority of business leaders are focusing on CSR as a tool for differentiation and competitive advantage leading to generate revenue. CSR is not only important in considering the consumer relationships but also scrutinizes business-to-business relationships (comprising supply chain partners) with stakeholders like investors, government and lobby groups. CSR is an important business strategy by giving meaning and direction to day to-day operations. Satisfying each of the stakeholder groups allows companies to maximize their commitment to another important stakeholder group-their investors, who benefit most when the needs of these other stakeholder groups are being met. The business succeeds when values within the decision-making process and objectives of the organization are met. Lifestyle brand firms, in particular, need to live the ideals they convey to their consumers. CSR as a strategy is becoming increasingly important for businesses today because of three specific trends shown in the table below: Trends Discussion Changing social expectations: Consumers and society in general expect more from the companies whose products they buy with the regulatory bodies and organizations in place to control corporate excess. Increasing affluence: A society in need of work and inward investment is less likely to enforce strict regulations and penalize organizations that might take their business and money elsewhere. Globalization: The Internet fuels communication among like-minded groups to initiate a product boycott. These three trends portend corporate success. The result of this mix is that consumers today are better informed and feel more empowered to put their beliefs into action. CSR is particularly important within a globalizing world because of the way brands are built, at a time when these values and demands are constantly evolving. CSR can therefore best be described as a total approach to business in maintaining brand dominance. KEY POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF CSR: The benefits to firms, community and environment by practicing CSR can be discussed at length in the following table: KEY POTENTIAL BENEFITS DISCUSSION Efficiency in risk management: CSR oversees and scrutinizes the corporate activities by effectively managing the risks involved in governance, social, economic, environmental and legal aspects in day-to-day complicated market, thereby safeguarding the supply for overall market stability. Impact analysis about a firm by considering the concerns of the parties involved is one of the better ways to anticipate in managing the risks. This ultimately sharpens the decision-making. Enhanced reputation management: Reputation of a firm is mainly based on values such as trust, quality, reliability, which reflect the organizations image and brand recognition and so any firm concerned about addressing the CSR issues, can manage their reputation with effective CSR management. Ability to develop the recruitment and retention of staff: Effectiveness in CSR policies improvise the human resource management which has direct impact on firms image related to its products and services.CSR indirectly aids in executing the programs that enhance the morality and loyalty of employees who are valuable resources for companys performance. Fostering innovation, competitiveness and market positioning CSR gives positive impact in avoiding the risks by tackling diverse stakeholders who are the basic sources for generating ideas for novel products and markets thereby differentiating from its competitor, which result in competitive advantage, thus developing competitive strength based on innovative business models. For instance, a certified firm with social and environmental standards improves the chance to become a supplier to specific retailers. Increased operational efficiencies and cost reductions: By implementing CSR, there is always an opportunity to transform waste streams into revenue streams by systematic approach of environmental aspect of renewable energies by reducing costs through recycling. Tangible cost savings signify the reduction in carbon emissions. Building efficient supply chain relationships: A firm is at risk to susceptibility in its supply chain. Companies with like-mindedness can build long-term business relationships with aim to increase their profits by maintaining standards and thereby tackle the risks. Larger firms encourage smaller firms with whom they are related to take up CSR approach. For example, particular retailers may require their suppliers to adopt certain codes and practices. Improved ability to tackle change: CSR aids as a radar to anticipate the emerging market trends and by regular stakeholder dialogue with customers, a company can respond to any changes that occur in regulatory, economic, social and environmental aspects. Generate robust social licence to function in the community: Better understanding between citizen and stakeholder recognition of the firms activities and objectives can render enhanced stakeholder relations, thereby giving scope for robust alliances of public, private and civilized society.CSR enhances the social capital. Enhances investment: As CSR enhances the brand reputation, it leads to raising the companys profile in the investment community. The company value can be improved through further investments.CSR approach drives the financial institutions about incorporation of social and environmental criteria into their project plan leading sharp decision-making of where to invest money and this motivates the investors to look for better CSR management. Better relations with media and government regulators: CSR indicators act as tool for the governments to decide on obtaining export assistance contracts in some countries. In many cases, though CSR activities are beyond the regulatory requirements, governments considered CSR views to expedite the approval processes for firms in order to meet their sustainability goals by recognizing the business sector engagement as a requirement. Building customer relationships: In Cause related marketing the altruistic activities of the firms can be recognized by morally conscious customers who may be flexible in paying higher prices or in reduced costs may increase their purchasing power and so CSR in broader sense has significant impact in building the long-term customer legitimacy,loyalty,trust or brand equity. Acting as a catalyst for responsible consumption: In order to combat with the ever changing consumption patterns, company has to play a key role in achieving sustainability by the way it supplies its goods and services in the marketplace to meet responsible consumerism which considers to relate consumer rights and issues and how well the relationship between producers and consumers is authorized by regulatory bodies. BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES: CSR implementation in a competitive world draws certain barriers and challenges which are due to : Difficulty in implementing CSR concurrently with other business Concerns in a balanced and remarkable manner Difficulty of transparency Lack of clear communication Economic thoughtlessness Various instability problems in developing countries especially problematic for SMEs Complexity of the issues involved and so difficulty in managing the supply chain and regulating the sub-contractors Complex set of issues as CSR covers a broad array of direct and indirect business performances, achievements, and so its impacts differ from one business sector to another International differences that may lead to lack of universal acceptance in examining the potential impacts of CSR. Misinterpretation due to CSR being judged differently in many parts of the world depending on different priorities. For example, Chinese consumers interpret social responsibility as safe, high-quality products, while South Africans consider it as a contribution to healthcare and education. In Australia, Canada, Indonesia and the UK the highest priority is to protect the environment. In Turkey, it is believed as an indicator for charitable donation. In U.S, France, Italy and Switzerland and most of South America, the highest priority is towards fair treatment of employees. Complex set of stakeholders appealing to the business for a CSR attitude the appropriate stakeholders need to be involved stakeholder involvement is important, yet difficult Always ambiguity between CSR and financial success Low voluntary acceptance of CSR can lead to green washing Lack of devices to measure, monitor evaluate and report the impacts Two myths Smaller companies think it the responsibility of the bigger ones and It is mainly a philanthropic exercise High overheads of implementing and sustaining CSR efforts. No universally accepted frameworks Some of the main internal company barriers to CSR initiatives are: Executives recommending strategic marketing programmes that focus on CSR-based positioning must be aware of the likely barriers and challenges from those who do not believe CSR as a legitimate strategic tool. CASE STUDY: CSR AT IKEA: The reason for choosing IKEA as case study of CSR work is to understand its CSR focus as a leading company, which ranks as the first in CSR in the Accountabilitys Responsible Competitiveness Index 2008 (RCI). IKEA was selected due to its long history and experience in the area and its response to several CSR-related crises and criticisms that has enabled the organization to develop structured policies and a range of collaborations and initiatives with stakeholders and could set an example for companies aiming to develop their economic and environmental sustainability. IKEA is a value-based Swedish furniture giant that has wide recognition for its focus on cost reduction and it is a progressive company that manages to integrate its cost focus with CSR issues. This report discusses in detail about how this integration is possible for IKEA and it is interesting to know its implications for other companies who want to combine CSR into their business practices. The CSR experience gained by IKEA can make other companies to realise that CSR is not necessarily a cost addition but it is a cost-cutter, which imparts increasing knowledge on how companies can be socially responsible. The aim is therefore to analyze the