Hamlet's Failure as a Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hamlet's Failure as a Leader - Essay Example In order to be a great leader, it is imperative that a king displays confidence in his own self. Hamlet lacks this quality from the very beginning when he immediately over-thinks the request, by his mother, to stay in Denmark. He puts his own desires aside to obey her, but then he over-analyzes his life instead of believing that he has made the right choice: â€Å"Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His conon’gainst self-slaughter! O God, God! How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world†¦ (1.2.130)† Hamlet shows that he is not strong enough to execute his self-made plan for his life, thus showing a lack of value in himself. Furthermore, once he does make the decision to stay, he feels sorry for himself instead of being confident and devising a new plan. As a responsible leader, Hamlet should have carefully weighed the merits and demerits of stay ing in Denmark, and should have stayed confident with whatever decision he thus made. If he later found that decision inappropriate, he should have left Denmark instantly rather than regretting. His philosophizing again takes over when a ghost appears to him revealing how Claudius had murdered the King. Hamlet casts aside his own beliefs and concerns and only thinks about what his father, in the form of a ghost, has told him. Hamlet is â€Å"from himself be tak’en away† (5.2.220) as madness overpowers his moral beliefs. â€Å"It is not a character marked by strength of will or even of passion, but by refinement of thought and sentiment† (Hazlitt, 1819). Hamlet is a philosophical character who possesses the determination to concentrate his thoughts and come up with a plan of action necessary to achieve results; but his over-thinking habit hinders his ability to carry out the necessary actions. This quality is shown in the following lines in Act 1 Scene 5: Yea, fr om the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past That youth and observation copied there, And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain, Unmixed with baser matter (1.5.106). When Hamlet speaks these words, he casts aside his Christian morals, in order to avenge his father’s death. Although this could show strength, yet Hamlet lacks the will power to convert these thoughts and plans into actions. He sets out to avenge the death of his father, against all his beliefs of right and wrong as dictated to him by his Christian values. However, if he really didn’t care, he should have killed Claudius immediately rather than waiting to collect evidence to be sure that Claudius is the culprit. His constant thinking and planning shows that Hamlet lacks one of the most vital qualities of a true leader; the commitment and determination of following through on plans and goals i n order to achieve solid results. A final flaw that Hamlet displays is his indecisiveness as he wastes time going back and forth between what he should and should not do. In seeking to get revenge on his Uncle, Hamlet struggles with his inability to act: "Now whether it be , Bestial oblivion ,or some craven scruple, of thinking too precisely on th' event - A thought which , quarter'd , hath but one

Analytic Commentary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analytic Commentary - Essay Example This play shows his creativity as he remembers rules of road crossing as taught by his mother. But throughout the conversation, his focus on cat rescue remains his major objective. Theoretical background To a large extent, verbal communication especially pretence play and other forms of expression encompass a similar beginning (Loizou 2005). Although they constitute modes of communication, resultant meanings could be diverse but comprise of important aspects of important communication. The above case is an example of understanding language development in children undergoing the pre-operational stage. In Piaget’s cognitive development theory, early education that entails the use of the use of appropriate vocabulary to create sense constitutes a series of word plays which begin with nonsensical initiations. As evident from the play, some words Adrian uses in the play appear to be newly learnt and thus he struggles to create meaning with them. These words then form a foundation o f basic vocabulary that constitutes his ability to use appropriate words to create interpersonal communication skills. Since language is pivotal in a child’s communication, unique language behaviour from parents has varied influences on their children’s verbal skills (Brown, Donelan & Dunn 2009). Among them are variations in pronunciation. As evident from the play, Adrian struggles to get the word ‘ambu- lance’ right since his verbal communication skills are still youthful and dependent on parental influence. Accompanying such tonal variations include pitch variations. As Adrian struggles to get some words right, his pitch also changes staggeringly in attempts to get the right pronunciation. These, according to Piaget’s cognitive development theory, are normal occurrences in children at Adrian’s age. As the game progresses, Adrian’s cognitive skills can be seen as concrete. At his age, according to Piaget’s cognitive theory, chi ldren at the ages of four to five exhibit strong memories, mental clarities and use complex language to supplement their narratives (Terzi 2010). Throughout the play, Adrian does not falter to show drifting away from the play. He keeps within it and completes his mission as commenced. Although he involves many characters within it, he never loses track of his mission. This is an indication that children have adopted clear mental abilities and their cognitive abilities are able to store memories for a sustained period of time (Brown, Donelan & Dunn 2009). Parental role in supporting children is thinking. Uses of varying situations within pretence plays make the languages applied highly dynamic (Clough & Corbett 2000). Adrian’s parents use different situations which includes their demand to know where he is heading to, what is along the way and what else he can see as questioned in numbers, 4,7,10 and 12 which make language highly dynamic. Maintaining the same language for chil dren in Adrian’s age creates complexities for them. In order to create a lasting play and sustain the child’s interest in the play, the parent should involve lively language. Adrian in this case is given the same approach when his parents keep changing his language through choice of events and thus choice of words. The play becomes livelier from engagement of questions in the play all along while he keeps driving his parents and his cat to the hospital. The ability to improvement language communication in children especially as

CSR IN KENYA: FACTORS THAT DRIVE and AFFECT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

CSR IN KENYA: FACTORS THAT DRIVE and AFFECT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY This paper seeks to address the concept of CSR within the Kenyan context and in particular the factors that affect its effective practice and the benefits to the local stakeholder community. The growth and implementation of CSR-related activities throughout the years in developing countries and in particular Kenya will also be dealt with. The research questions posed will be tackled using the mixed methods cross-sectional design as focus will be on all the sectors of the economy so as to have a better understanding of the different contributions by these businesses and organisations. Through this research, I hope to identify the precise ways in which CSR is practised in Kenya while establishing the various businesses that are committed to this cause. This paper will also highlight the major characteristics of the practice of CSR in Kenya and thus, give businesses insight into which areas need improvement and how they can do so while still turning a profit. 4. INTRODUCTION a) Area Topic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an ever evolving concept that comprises of any strategic tool that creates new opportunities for businesses while mitigating and managing the risks to the businesses. The focus of this study is on the area of CSR and in particular its practice in Kenya. The topic of choice is whether there have been any factors that have driven and affected the local businesses contributions to the stakeholder community. b) Statement of purpose The purpose of the study is to examine what key CSR drivers are present in Kenya whether there have been any factors that have prevented the business organisations in Kenya from substantially contributing to the local community through the practice of CSR. Additionally, the study will also look into spheres of possible improvement by the government and the business community. 5. LITERATURE REVIEW CSR means many things to different people institutions and as Frankenthal (2001) clearly states, CSR is a vague and intangible term which can mean anything to anybody, and therefore is effectively without meaning. These CSR interpretations have evolved over the last 30 years from being relatively focused on compliance with environmental regulations a search for eco-efficiency to a broader concept that combines and balances economic, social and environmental commitments as part of the drive towards sustainable development. Therefore, different companies have adopted slightly different interpretations as to what CSR means to them but the underlying message is always the same. Welford (2004 and 2005) has noted that CSR has been adopted in different ways in the different parts of the world. CSR concerns how organisations interact with their stakeholders, and is linked to improving sustainable development, health and wellbeing for people, as well as enhancing organisational profits (Price, 2009). This is because over the years, business organisations have come under immense pressure from their stakeholders to act in a responsible manner. Scandals such as Enron and Parmalat (Ruggie 2003: OHiggins 2005), Nikes employment practices and the very recent BP/Shell oil spill have provoked increased scrutiny into business policies and practices. Mullerat and Brennan (2005) deduced from a study carried out by the Italian Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Craft and Agriculture in cooperation with Instituto per i Valore dImpresa that the adoption of CSR-related activities by companies depends on 2 factors: The size of the business enterprise/ organisation there is a difference on CSR performance between the smaller companies and the large ones due to financial personnel differences; and The particular sector of the economy in which the business operates for example, businesses within the agro-industrial, building construction, manufacturing ICT sectors are more concerned with environmental issues arising from their production processes and product lifespan. Globally, companies that have engaged in CSR have come to the realization that their environmental and social impacts need to be managed in line with their economic or commercial performance (Little, 2003). In Africa, CSR is still in its infancy stage due to socioeconomic realities such as poverty, HIV/AIDS and ineffective public administration service delivery which have had a significant impact on the drivers, role and function of CSR for companies operating in Africa (Klins, Niekerk Smit, 2010). Thus, CSR activities and projects aspire to resolve challenges faced by communities, which governments cannot fully address. Therefore, issues such as the environment, workplace, product quality and health safety get much lower priority. CSR in Africa is most often associated with multinationals or large foreign investors e.g. Coca Cola. Visser, Matten, Pohl Tolhurst (2010) have identified some of the drivers for CSR in developing countries as: Cultural tradition where CSR draws deeply from indigenous beliefs of philanthropy, business ethics and community togetherness; Reforms in politics; Socio-economic priorities e.g. alleviation of poverty, eradication of HIV/AIDS; Governance gaps; Response to crisis such as accidents, catastrophes; Market access; International standardisation through the adoption of global CSR codes; Investment incentives; Stakeholder activism; and Business supply chains. CSR is therefore seldom related to the companies core business but rather tends to be positive payback philanthropy, with public relations benefits (Klins et al, 2010). Some priority issues covered by CSR activities in Africa are poverty reduction, health HIV/AIDS, skills development education, youth development and socioeconomic development. In Kenya, the cultural context is an important factor in defining CSR and this communal culture is captured in the indigenous concept of Harambee which embodies and reflects the strong ancient value of mutual assistance, joint effort, social responsibility and community self-reliance (Winston and Ryan, 2008). This concept simply means that collective good outweighs individual gain. According to Gathii (2008), the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has been involved in drafting guidelines on CSR. These guidelines, in addition to those voluntarily adopted by companies and the current ISO standards, form a backdrop against which to measure CSR in Kenya. In Kenya, CSR is often seen as an add-on, peripheral to the core business (Imani Development, 2009). CSR departments are rare and many operate from within marketing, communications, corporate affairs, training or human resources departments (Klins et al, 2010). Furthermore, where CSR policies are established, more often than not, they refer to philanthropic approaches. CSR policy adherence is not typically evaluated in Kenya and corporate leadership involvement tends to be focused on launching community projects, supporting CSR policies and ensuring resources for these projects, rather than embedding CSR in business processes. Regulations that have an impact on CSR are often based on the ratification and subsequent domestication of international conventions which mainly focus on workplace issues and the physical environment. Examples of specific national CSR-related legislation in Kenya are: Vision 2030; Kenya National Environment Action Plan; and Draft guidelines (recently developed) by Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Ponnu and Okoth (2009) in a study done on CSR disclosure in Kenya found that Kenyan companies are relatively small if compared in the international standards. These companies participation in social activities may not be pegged on their financial capability rather, their willingness and desire for strategic positioning within the society for future economic advantages. Some organisations business committed to practising CSR in Kenya are: The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) which fights against HIV/AIDS is a signatory of the Global Compact and is also involved in Kenyas Vision 2030; The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has established the Centre for Energy Efficiency Conservation (CEEC) and has been the focal point of the Global Compact Local Network in Kenya since September 2009; The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) is promoting the UN Global Compact and is active in the field of anti-corruption; East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) founded the EABL Foundation in 2005 which deals with the supply of water, environment, health, education training and other special projects, aimed at improving the lives of the people in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania; Safaricom Ltd a leading mobile service provider that has greatly contributed to the Kenya community since 2007 through its sponsorship of various projects under the spheres of community, environment, health, sports and education; Intex Construction Ltd. a Kenyan company that deals in construction, civil engineering and real estate development and is committed to CSR, environmental impact management and Corporate Social Investment (CSI); Unilever Tea Kenya Ltd. as part of its CSR agenda is involved in health care, employee welfare (housing), community participation (educational scholarships, training of farmers) and environmental care (is a corporate member of WWF and encourages sustainable agriculture); and Equity Bank the Equity Group Foundation focuses on eradication of poverty, hunger and the provision of humanitarian aid, education, gender equality and women empowerment, health, environment sustainability and voluntary service to society by the banks leadership. Kivuitu, Yambayamba Fox (2005), argue that the CSR agenda needs to be locally owned if its to make a significant contribution to the local development priorities and it must be relevant to local enterprises, whether large or small. Many scholars agree that in order for CSR and its policies to produce substantial gains within the Kenyan local community, it needs to be tailored to suit the business practices of the organisations that operate in Kenya. 6. RESEARCH QUESTIONS i) General Questions Has the practice of CSR in Kenya been successful overall? What are issues that have benefited from the practice of CSR? How much more can be done by the relevant authorities and businesses? ii) Specific Questions What are main drivers of CSR in Kenya? How many companies in Kenya practice CSR? How many of these companies are listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE)? Does the Kenyan Government participate in CSR-related activities? Are there any state policies or laws that regulate or steer CSR in Kenya? What are the various ways in which CSR is practised in Kenya? What are the critical success factors that have led to implementation of successful CSR projects in Kenya? How have local issues benefited from CSR-related activities? Are the gains substantial and/or should more be done? 7. RESEARCH METHODS i) Design (Strategy Framework) The research questions will be answered using the mixed methods cross-sectional design with a pragmatic worldview which consists of collection of both quantitative and qualitative data sequentially. This approach is based on the assumption that the collection of diverse types of data best provides a deeper understanding of the research problem posed. The study will commence with a broad survey in order to generalize the results from a sample of the businesses to the population. Then qualitative open-ended interviews will be used to collect detailed views from the participants. The strengths of both quantitative and qualitative research will provide the best understanding of this particular study. ii) Sample Sampling is an important part of the research study and this is because its cheaper, faster, practical, and more confidential in nature and lastly it has more in-depth analysis of the research problem. The research will be located in Kenya as this is the topic of the area under study. The population from which the samples will be selected will be the companies operating in Kenya (both national and foreign internationals). This is because these companies CSR practices are the major focus point of the research study. Sampling will be done through the sequential mixed methods sampling procedure, whereby the results from the QUAN strand will influence the methodology subsequently employed in the QUAL strand. The first sample will be generated through stratified random sampling where businesses will be surveyed and from these results then simple random sampling will be applied so as to investigate the issues that have benefited from CSR-related activities in Kenya. The first sample will consist of 30 companies randomly selected from: The Nairobi Stock Exchange; Foreign internationals companies operating in Kenya; and Medium-sized companies not listed on the NSE. The second sample will comprise of 20 issues that have benefited from CSR-related activities and the size of this sample will be inclusive of institutions, individuals or group of individuals, the environment and other local causes. iii) Data Collection This will be done in 2 stages as the quantitative data collection will build on the qualitative one. Quantitative data on the factors that drive and affect CSR performance by businesses will be through a cross-sectional survey using: Close-ended Online Questionnaires Advantages are: There is greater flexibility when displaying the questions in mind e.g. through check boxes, pull down menus; It allows a quicker response from the participants; Its cheaper to administer due to the absence of costs of purchasing paper, printing and postage; There is no prior arrangement to be done; They avoid any embarrassment to the respondents; There is no bias from the researcher; Reduction in the time needed for analysis as the data is collected in a central database; and Its easier to correct any errors made on the questionnaire thus no need for reprinting. Disadvantages are: There is a limited response rate because some people may not have access to the internet; They assume that the respondents are literate; There are people who are not receptive to completing questionnaires online; and There is a bias as the demographic that generally responds to online questionnaire invitations are usually younger people. Structured Telephone Interviews Advantages include: Relatively cheaper and speedier than personal interviews; There is a high response rate which is also spontaneous ; Interviews can be aided where necessary; The researcher can tape the interviews; Has accessibility to a wide geographical area; and Has more anonymity than personal interviews. Disadvantages include: The participants can terminate the interview at any time they want; Questionnaire will be required so as to guide the researcher on what to ask; There is the inevitability of repeat calls; Respondents have very little time to think; The researcher must have phone etiquette; The questions presented must be straightforward; Non-verbal cues cannot be read (visual aids cannot be used); The interviews have to be short so as to avoid irritation; and There is the danger of contacting obsolete telephone numbers while omitting unlisted ones. While qualitative data on the contributions to the local issues will be collected through: Document Review The advantages include: The information contained the documents can be verified independently; The review process can be done independently without relying on other sources extensively; and Its cheaper than other data collection methods. The disadvantages include: The information uncovered may not be in line with the requirements of the research study; The documents may be difficult to locate obtain; The information may not be available for public viewing; The documents may be located in a distant archive thus requiring the researcher to travel; It can be a time-sensitive process; and The researcher does not have control over the quality of data unearthed and thus relies on the information provided in the documents so as to assess the reliability of the sources. Open-ended/in-depth interviews Advantages are: They provide more detailed information than the other methods; and Information is collected in a more relaxed atmosphere thus interviewees are more open. Disadvantages of this method are: The respondents may be biased in order to prove a point; These interviews are time-sensitive due to transcription and analysis of this data; and They produce results that are not easily generalized due to the small samples chosen. Audiovisual materials Some advantages of this type of data collection are: Its easier for people to relate to images; They provide a gateway for participants to share their perceptions; and They provide extensive data on real-life situations. Disadvantages include: Due to the amount of extensive data collected, they are difficult to analyse; and Data collected could be easily influenced by the researched thus theres bias. iv) Data Analysis Research Question Data Source Analysis Plan What are the main drivers of CSR in Kenya? Books, dissertations, periodicals, journals research reports Content/ document analysis of the identified paper-based sources. How many companies in Kenya practice CSR? Company websites, annual reports, periodicals journals Web content analysis of the relevant company websites. Document analysis of the relevant company-related documents. How many of these companies are listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange? Nairobi Stock Exchange website Web content analysis of the NSE website. Does the Kenyan government participate in CSR-related activities? Government reports publications Content/ document analysis the accessible and relevant government sources. Are there any state policies or laws that regulate or steer CSR in Kenya? Government statutes Document analysis of government statutes dealing with CSR in Kenya. What are the various ways in CSR is practised in Kenya? Questionnaires, books, journals, research reports conference reports. Use of constant comparison (grounded theory) to analyse questions. Document analysis of the obtained documents. Use of SPSS to collate responses to the questionnaires issued. What are the critical success factors that have led to implementation of successful CSR projects in Kenya? Periodicals, dissertations, journals, books, research papers Document analysis of the books, journals, periodicals, dissertations and research papers unearthed during the research. How have local issues benefited from CSR-related activities? Interviews, company websites, questionnaires, journals, periodicals Document analysis of journals, periodicals. SPSS analysis of the interviews questionnaires issued. Web content analysis of the various companies identified. Are the gains substantial and/or should more be done? Interviews, questionnaires, research papers conference reports. Document analysis SPSS analysis Therefore, due to the mixed methods research design formulated, the research will undergo the following 5 stages in order to fully answer the research questions posed: Data Reduction It will involve the use of memoing, descriptive statistics and cluster analysis. Data Display This will be done through charts, graphs and tables. Data Consolidation Both sets of data will be combined to create new ones. Data Comparison Comparison of data from the quantitative the qualitative data sources will then be done. Data Integration Lastly, integration of both types of data into one whole will reveal the final picture. v) Assumptions The following will be made in relation to this study: That respondents will answer the questionnaires truthfully; That the samples represent the population; and The instruments used have validity and are measuring the desired constructs. 8. SIGNIFICANCE This research study is important as it will examine deeper an area that has not been fully explored by previous scholars while paying homage to them. This is due to the fact that CSR is an ever-growing phenomenon that Kenya as a developing country needs to improve on so as to catch up to its developed counterparts. This study is important to the businesses operating in Kenya as it will enable them to gauge themselves and identify areas of improvement at the same time. 9. LIMITATIONS DELIMITATIONS Limitations The study will be limited by time constraints because of the length of time provided for completing the research. It will also be limited by the number of businesses, institutions willing to participate in the study. Delimitations This study will be delimited to companies, institutions operating in Kenya that have participated in CSR-related activities in the last 10 years. 10. ETHICAL ISSUES The following ethical issues will be taken into consideration during this study: Informed consent and the participants understanding of their rights. These consents will be both written and oral in nature; Confidentiality of any information collected from the participants; and Anonymity of the interviewees before, during and after the interviews. 11. REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY ALKathiri, N.S. (2010) Collecting Qualitative Data [Online] http://www.slideshare.net/highness85/collecting-qualitative-data [Accessed on 22nd November 2010] Amaratunga, D.; Baldry, D.; Sarshar, M.; and Newton, R. (2002) Quantitative and Qualitative research in the built environment, Work Study, Vol. 51(1), pp.17-31 Baker, M. (2010) The Business in Society, Corporate Social Responsibility What Does It Mean? [Online] http://www.businessrespect.net/definition.php [Accessed on 21st November 2010] Boyce, C.; and Neale, P. (2006) Conducting In-depth Interviews: A Guide for Designing and Conducting In-depth Interviews for Evaluation Input in Monitoring and Evaluation 2, Watertown, MA: Pathfinder International, pp. 1-12 Business in the Community (2010) The CR Academy [Online] http://www.bitc.org.uk/cr_academy/index.html [Accessed on 22nd November] Chanimal (2004) Quantitative Research Considerations [Online] http://www.chanimal.com/html/quantitative_research.html [Accessed on 19th November 2010] Clarke, R.J. (2005) Research Models and Methodologies, HDR Seminar Series, Faculty of Commerce (Spring Session) Crane, A. (2008) Corporate Social Responsibility in developing countries in The Oxford handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility, Oxford University Press, pp.480-484 Creswell, J. (2009) The Selection of a Research Design in Research Design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (ed.), Newbury Park, Cal.: Sage Publications, pp. 3-21 Creswell, J. (2009) Research Questions and Hypotheses in Research Design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (ed.), Newbury Park, Cal.: Sage Publications, pp. 129-143 Creswell, J. (2009) Collecting Data in Mixed Methods Research in Research Design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (ed.), Newbury Park, Cal.: Sage Publications, pp. 110-127 Dobers, P.; and Halme, M. (2009) Editorial Corporate Social Responsibility and developing countries, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, Vol. 16, Wiley InterScience, pp. 237-249 Driscoll, D.; Yeboah, A.A; Salib, P.; and Rupert, D. (2007) Merging Qualitative and Quantitative Data in Mixed Methods Research: How to and Why not, Journal of Ecological and Environmental Anthropology, Vol. 3 (1), pp. 19-28 East African Breweries Ltd. [Online] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_African_Breweries [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Equity Bank [Online] http://www.equitybank.co.ke/about.php?subcat=9 [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Fairbrass, J.; ORiordan, L. and Mirza, H (2005) Corporate Social Responsibility: Differing Definitions and Practices?'[Online] http://www.crrconference.org/downloads/fairbrass.pdf [accessed 25th November 2010] Family Health International (nd.), Qualitative Research Methods: A Data Collectors Field Guide Federation of Kenya Employers [Online] http://fke-kenya.org/download/hivaidsworkplace.pdf [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Frankenthal, P. (2001) Corporate Social Responsibility- a PR invention? in Corporate Communication, An International Journal, Vol. 6(1) PP.18-23 Gathii, J.T. (2008) Kenya: What does CSR really mean?, Business Daily Nairobi, 6 May 2008; http://allafrica.com/stories/200805061150.html [Accessed 25th November 2010] Imani Development (2009) Corporate Social Responsibility in Sub-Saharan Africa Built In or Bolted On? A Survey on Promoting and Hindering Factors (Eschborn, Germany: Deutsche Gesellschaft fà ¼r Technische Zusammenarbeit [GTZ] GmbH/BMZ/British High Commission SouthAfrica) Intex Construction Ltd. [Online] http://www.intexafrica.com/howwedobusiness.htm [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Kenya Association of Manufacturers [Online] http://www.kam.co.ke/?itemId=17newsId=265 [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Kenya Private Sector Alliance [Online] http://aquaya.org/wp-content/uploads/Kevit_Desai.pdf [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Kivuitu, M.; Yambayamba, K.; and Fox, T. (2005)How can Corporate Responsibility Deliver in Africa? Insights from Kenya and Zambia, Perspectives on Corporate Responsibility for Environment and Development, Issue 3, pp.1-5 Klins, U,; Niekerk, J. and Smit, A. (2010) Africa in The World Guide to CSR: A Country-by- Country Analysis of Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility, Sheffield, Greenleaf Publishing Limited Little, A. (2003) The Business Case for Corporate Responsibility [Online] http://www.bitc.org.uk/resources/publications/cr_business_case.html [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Mullerat, R. And Brennan, D. (2005) Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Policy in Corporate Social Responsibility: the Corporate Governance of the 21st century, Kluwer Law International pp.79-80 Muthuri, J.; and Gilbert, V. (2010) An Institutional Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility in Kenya, Journal of Business Ethics, Springer (August) Neill, J. (2007) Qualitative versus Quantitative Research: Key Points in a Classic Debate [Online] http://wilderdom.com/research/QualitativeVersusQuantitativeResearch.html [Accessed on 19th November 2010] OHiggin, E. (2005) Ireland: Bridging the Atlantic in Habisch, A and Jonker,J. (ed.) Corporate Social Responsibility, Berlin, Germany: Springer Verlag Onwuegbuzie, A.; and Leech, N. (2006) Linking Research Questions to Mixed Methods Data Analysis Procedures, The Qualitative Report, Vol. 11 (3), pp. 474-498 Ponnu, C.H.; and Okoth, M.O.A. (2009) Corporate Social Responsibility disclosure in Kenya: The Nairobi Stock Exchange, African Journal of Business Management, Vol.3 (10), pp.601-608 Price, T. (2009) Corporate Social Responsibility and Stakeholders in Sustainable Risk Management, Faculty of Advanced Technology, University of Glamorgan Ruggie, J. (2003) The New World of Corporate Social Responsibility [Online] http://www.hks.harvard.edu/m-rcbg/CSRI/publications/workingpaper_10_kytle_ruggie.pdf [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Safaricom Ltd. [Online] http://www.safaricom.co.ke/index.php?id=388 [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Teddlie, C.; and Yu, F. (2007) Mixed Methods Sampling: A Typology with Examples, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, Vol. 1(1), Newbury Park, Cal.: Sage Publications, pp.77-100 Ufadhili Trust (2004) Corporate Social Responsibility and Development in Kenya, Ufadhili; Nairobi Unilever Tea Kenya Ltd. [Online] http://www.eastafricancsrawards.com/downloads/shortlisted/SC_Unilever%20Kenya%20HIVAid.pdf [Accessed on 20th November 2010] Visser, W.; Matten, D.; Pohl, M.; and Tolhurst, N. (2010) Corporate Social Responsibility in developing countries in The A to Z of Corporate Social Responsibility Visser, W.; McIntosh, M,; and Middleton, C. (2006) Lessons from the past: Paths to the future in Corporate Citizenship in Africa, Sheffield, Greenleaf Publishing Limited Welford, R. (2004) Corporate Social Responsibility in Europe and Asia: Critical Elements and Best Practice, Journal of Corporate Citizenship, Issue 13 Welford, R. (2005) Corporate Social Responsibility in Europe, North America and Asia, Journal of Corporate Citizenship, Issue 17 Winston, B., and Ryan, B. (2008) Servant Leadership as a Humane Orientation: Using the GLOBE Study Construct of Humane Orientation to Show that Servant Leadership is More Global than Western, International Journal of Leadership Studies 3.2: 212-222. World Bank Institute Education Group (2007) Document Review in Needs Assessment Knowledge Base, World Bank Organisation [Online] http://siteresources.worldbank.org/WBI/Resources/213798-1194538727144/11Final-Document_Review.pdf [Accessed on 21st November 2010] World Bank Institute (2003) CSR Launch in Kenya in CSR Update, Vol.1 (2), pp.1-8 12. APPENDICES C:UsersLynResearch Methodsbusiness in society diag..gif Appendix 1 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY QUESTIONNAIRE QUESTION YES NO N/A COMMENTS Does your organisation have a CSR structure? Have targets been set? Who has overall responsibility for CSR in your organisation? Does your organisation report on CSR? Has your organisation undertaken any type of activity that has aided the community or protected the environment? Has management received training on CSR issues? Has your organisation tried to reduce its environmental impact in terms of: a) Pollution Prevention? b) Waste minimisation recycling? c) Protection of the natural environment? Does your organisation supply clear accurate environmental information on its activities to the local community? Does your organisation have open dialogue with

Hey kids :: essays research papers

Hey Kids!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I know it can be hard but try to remember when we were kids how much we all loved to wake up early on Saturday morning, sneak to the T.V., and watch our favorite cartoons. We loved to do this not only so that we could see our favorite characters go through troublesome dilemmas each episode, but also that we could see what was new on the market and try to convince our parents to spare a few dollars and buy it. This tactic has been used from years upon years and will likely continue occurring for the simple reason that it works. Businessmen in the marketing know that kids will see the latest and greatest thing and insist to their parent that they must have it. And with a little persistence and maybe a temper tantrum or two, they usually get it. Sometime commercials will appeal to not only the child, but also to parents because they can see the new toys that they are able to buy for their kids. Because there is always a constant demand for new toys, there will always be a entrepreneur trying to make money by creating a product, and market it in the way of commercialization. It is a never ending cycle which will always occur as long as there is T.V. because it is how they make their money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It had been years since I had woken up early on a Saturday morning to watch the â€Å"early bird† cartoons so when we were told to pick a show I knew what it would be, HEY ARNOLD! HEY ARNOLD! is played on NICKELODEON in the morning each day of the week. HEY ARNOLD! is a cartoon about a group of young kids that live in the city and go to school together. A similar theme that many kids can relate to. I used to watch this show as a kid and I knew that they still played it on KICKELODEON so I woke up at the same time that I used to watch it, 7:00 a.m., although it was not on until 8 a.m. it was okay. I sat down from 8 o’clock until 9 and watch two episodes of the show. When I thought about what commercials I would see I had a pretty good idea. Sitting down and watching them proved my ideas correct. Before I sat down to watch the show I made a list of types of commercials I thought would be on just to see if I would be right.

Jack Carlisle, CIO Essay

IZL is a growing financial services organization and there has been a sudden replacement of the CEO of the company. This lead the company in a state of turmoil and employees are uncertain about their job. Jack Carlisle was hired to organize the IT infrastructure in IZL. IT was not well managed in IZL to align it with the business strategy and a lot of restructuring was required. There was lack of infrastructure for applications as well as regulatory purposes. Physical infrastructure was not properly managed and people in the organization are not able to cope up with the growth in the company. IZL itself as an organization has many internal issues ranging from absence of proper business strategy to conflict amongst the business leaders. With new competitors entering into the market and lack of integrated business objectives with IT, the profits of the company have eroded and as a result, the stocks have plummeted. There is a need for the collaborative effort to put proper business strategy in place as well as standard operating procedures since the company has grown enough to be managed on adhocracy. Carlisle has been able to codify the management system and financial practices but most of the departments are not pleased with the â€Å"transparency†. Carlisle should try to get the business heads on board before defining the business applications for them as if they are not satisfied, technology will not be accepted. Moreover he was able to stabilize the current IT physical infrastructure. IZL has too many vendors and business volumes were not properly available to properly forecast the capacity required for the business. Many business areas go directly to procure a service instead of going through the IT division showing the lack of importance of IT in the organization. The business conducted over the internet has shrunk from 52% to 49% and since most of the financial service data was digital in nature, it could be very beneficial to the business. There is also lack of coordination between the sales people and the IT department. Alongwith improving the business and giving IZL a selling point, the conversion of business primarily over the internet will also help in integrating various departments. But all these plans were work in progress when Hansen was the CEO. But with recent change in leadership with Giles as the CIO, many of these ideas might not become concrete implementation. Giles’ communication has a lack of clear and direct communication which shows a lack of leadership as this could directly affect the future of the company. His employees are uncertain about what he thinks of them and are unable to relate to him. Furthermore, because of recent restructuring of human resources in the organization, especially with the key personnel being fired from the company, have created even greater uncertainty at a very sensitive time. This might show that he is probably not able to handle company transitions. The company is currently in crisis, because key personnel are not certain of their position and their future in the company Carlisle is a shooter personality who says things straight to the face which is quite opposite to the style of Giles who seldom gives comments on the situation. This might cause drift between the CEO and CIO which might not be beneficial for the company. Giles should take responsibility and properly communicate his plans to his employees to gain their trust and loyalty. He must reduce the uncertainty in the minds of his key personnel so that he may not lose any personnel he doesn’t want to. Considering the initial success of Carlisle, it would not be a good idea to let Carlisle go from the company. Giles should focus on designing a business plan which is suitable for the organization as a whole and ask Carlisle to design an IT strategy aligning with the business.

New York City History Essay

New York City has always been rife with speculations and legends about its origin. Neglected in the canon of American History that focuses on the 13 founding states, its remarkable beginnings as a Dutch colony founded in the wilderness are belied by a bustling metropolis at the center of the upwardly mobile world. Yet this relegated obscurity of the humble origins of the Big Apple hold the key to understanding the rapid growth and burgeoning world power that is to become the United States of America. New York is the port and entryway to the large American continent. International wars have been fought over its control in the early 1600’s, as its location was deemed strategic to greater dominance over the rest of the land. On the other hand, this relegated obscurity of New York in the historical canon is paralleled by the very same obscurity that plagues pre-Puritan â€Å"American† literature. For a long time, American national literature was deemed to have begun sometime after the Colonial period, and the writings, myths, and legends of the Native Americans, as well as the travel accounts and logs of the explorers were not considered â€Å"serious† academic literature. This notion, which falsely states that civilized life began when the Puritans settled on America’s shores, has now been overturned. With the introduction by the new critics of a master list of what is considered the â€Å"representative American† literature, what has once been woefully excluded has now been warmly embraced. These texts encompass a wide range of genres, from the creation myths of the Indians to their mystical chants, from the near-mythological account of Eric the Red’s discovery to the letters of Columbus to the King and Queen of Spain after the discovery of the Americas. This call to redefine what was once thought of as rigid and permanent meaning of Literature trickles down to the concept of American national literature, an area most affected by this welcoming of new genres to the canon. By adapting a flexible stance on what constitutes real Literature, a well-rounded view of America is achieved. Indeed, it is in these earliest extant written works that the groundwork is laid to understand the irony and enigma that is the United States of America. And though the whole of the country gains from this shift of paradigm, it is perhaps the state of New York, and more specifically the island of Manhattan, that stands to benefit the most. For it is New York, whose Dutch origins have been reduced to trifle icons, that lost most of its history and literature when the English took over the colony. Indeed, by turning an eye to New York as a construction of literature, its significance as gateway both to the physical and abstract America comes to fore. One of the more interesting extant documents regarding New Netherland, the New York of the 1600’s, is the letter of the Reverend Jonas Michaelius to Mr. Adrian Smoutius. Michaelius’ account of Manhattan holds a special place in both the history and literature of New York as it is the first account of the fledgling community through educated eyes (â€Å"Introduction† 120). Furthermore, this text presents not only the established New Netherland. More importantly, it presents a mirror of the already existing Dutch psyche. And even if its writer may claim it to be written from an impartial and an objective point of view, various threads of subjectivism and relativism are seen interspersed throughout the text. The most predominant thematic structure, most probably formulated by Michaelius unintentionally in the course of writing the letter, is the symbiotic relation that links together the mythological and abstract â€Å"New York† of his imagination and the real, material New York that he has come to possess. For Michaelius, it is the mythological â€Å"New York,† conceived not through legends or actual myths, but through a sense of mission and special ordination by God, that gave meaning, structure, and impetus to the creation of the material, historical New York. As Michaelius points out in his letter, his coming to New Netherland was an act ordained by God: â€Å"Our coming here was agreeable to all, and I hope by the grace of the Lord, that my service will not be unfruitful (Michaelius 123).† â€Å"All† here does not merely connote the people he came with to New Netherland; rather, it is an encompassing term that includes God. For, as he continues in the same paragraph, God has always â€Å"graciously blessed [his] labors (123).† What he is subconsciously saying with these statements is the fact that his was a Holy Enterprise, a calling of God for him to spread Christianity to the vast continent peopled by heathens. It is an ordination by God, a mission to Christianize the â€Å"others.† And, as will be seen throughout the letter, it is through this special sense of vocation that Michealius is able, against seemingly insurmountable odds, to create New York. Upon arriving at the island, Michaelius â€Å"established the form of a church (124).† His choice of words reflects the way he viewed his new surroundings. Being but in the wilderness, he was only able to shape a rudimentary church. Once again, this reflects Michaelius’ sense of vocation to tame the wild in order to glorify God. Help did not seem to be forthcoming, as the person with enough experience to guide him, Brother Bastiaen Crol, was himself busy with his own fort. This statement is a glimpse into the future life of Michaelius, which will find him responsible not only for the church but also for the trade of the community. Church people, then, were not only meant to serve God through the people, but they were also meant to serve the people themselves. Indeed, this realization of Michaelius is echoed a few lines later, where he tells Smoutius about his desire to â€Å"separate carefully the ecclesiastical from the civil matters (125).† Double tasking for the minister, the leader of the flock entrusted to him, is essential for the stability and longevity of the community. Being God’s own handmaid to them in this time of great upheaval in their lives, he serves as their link to the old world they left behind. For it is the minister who carries both God’s work and their country’s work, the figurehead for both authorities. He becomes the familiar face, the one that gives them a sense of belonging and continuity, two things vital for ensuring peace in the community. Adaptation, too, is an important ingredient to assure success in their endeavor. To fight the situation was to die and fail with the churches they just have established. Paramount in this was the way Michaelius administered the Lord’ Supper to the people. Fifty communicants attended the first celebration, some making â€Å"their first confessions before [them],† others already baptized into the faith as evidenced by their certificates (124). Still, there were others who had lost their certificate that attests to their membership in church back in Netherlands. Michaelius had no choice but to accept them upon â€Å"the satisfactory testimony of others to whom they were known, and also upon their daily good deportment, since one cannot observe strictly all the usual formalities in making a beginning under such circumstances (124).† Throughout the letter, Michaelius harps on the value of adaptation as seen through his meticulous preoccupation with practical affairs. He calls on the Honorable Directors to â€Å"furnish [the] place with plainer and more precise instructions to the rulers (126).† He keeps a detailed account of the country, and how it would best be made suitable for the support of life (130). And though he was at first reluctant to delve into these matters, being the leader, he knew that he had to step away from the mold of the clergyman to become the clerk. By staying true to his calling as leader of the flock, he molds the colony filled with people who are â€Å"rough and unrestrained† into a community, the same people who did not even think â€Å"that a church would be formed and established [there] (124).† This statement is very telling, again, of the actual and physical surrounding of Manhattan at that time. Perhaps it was an utterly desolate place, an area of monstrosity amidst abundance, populated by people who could not differ more in appearance from the white Englishmen. Its distance from any other known civilization at that time most probably reinforced such a feeling of isolation. Yet, whatever the reason may be, a church must be established, and established it was. Also, this account, aside from being a testament to the adaptation strategies of Michealius and his people, also establishes and foreshadows the modern day New York as a melting pot for people of various races. Walloons, a small ethnic minority from Belgium, Dutch, and French converge to celebrate Mass. These people, aside from having varying racial and ethnic backgrounds, were also physically dispersed throughout New Netherland. As a result, Mass could only be celebrated once every four months, since some of them live far away and could not well come in time of heavy rain and storm, so that they themselves cannot think it advisable to appoint any special service in French for so small a number, and that upon an uncertainty (125). Differing races, differing traditions, differing backgrounds, all come together in God. What Michaelius is pointing out here is that unity is achieved through the Church; hence, it is but natural that the first order of business in setting up a community is through the formation of a Church. The Church is now a unifying force, which gathers under its wings people from differing walks of life. Even though the Dutch ventured into the (relatively) unknown with the Messianic goal of converting heathens into God-fearing, Bible-quoting Christians, the ideologies of the Holy Enterprise are a loaded dice, however, against the natives of the place. It is suggestive of power relations and power struggles, one that automatically places the evangelist in a higher echelon than the one to be evangelized. A case in point is the idea of supplanting the young Indians from their homes and into the Dutch colony, in order that â€Å"they may be instructed to speak, read, and write in [the Dutch] language, but also especially in the fundamentals of our Christian religion (129).† It was not that these Indians could not speak in the literal sense, but rather, that they cannot talk Dutch. For them, this is tantamount to not knowing how to communicate in words at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In these account, the Reverend that believes he is God’s prophet shows a side of himself that to readers today imply not the upright Christian he purports himself to be. His condescension to the natives is indicative of the stance the rest of the colonizers took regarding the New World – how the New World is a remote and surreal place removed from civil society, whose â€Å"discovery† and introduction into the â€Å"correct† way of life is a source of gratitude to the Europeans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a literary piece, Michaelius’ letter presents the â€Å"New York† mythologized by its writer. It is the â€Å"New York† ordained by God as the Promised Land, the land for His weary men. As a historical piece, it gives an insight into the early days of New York, the New York of uncertainty and of disparate people. It is the story of the trials and tribulations faced by the settlers who were uprooted from their motherland, only to settle in an unfamiliar place. Through the conflation of these two seemingly different constructs in one channel, the power of the imagination to shape and construct a viable community is perceived. For without the blessing and mandate of the supernatural, which is the catalyst of the exploration and settlement of New Netherland, New York the material would not have come and grown into its charmed existence.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Our coming here was agreeable to all, and I hope, by the grace of the Lord, that my service will not be unfruitful. The people, for the most part, are rather rough and unrestrained, but I find in almost all of them both love and respect towards me; two things with which hitherto the Lord has everywhere (123) graciously blessed my labors, and which in our calling, as your Reverence well knows and finds, are especially desirable, in order to make our ministry fruitful. From the beginning we established the form of a church and as Brother Bastiaen Crol very seldom comes down from Fort Orange, because the directorship of that fort and the trade there is committed to him, it has been thought best to choose two elders for my assistance and for the proper consideration of all such ecclesiastical matters as might occur, intending the coming year, if the Lord permit, to let one of them retire, and to choose another in his place from a double number first lawfully proposed to the congregation†¦ At the first administration of the Lord’s Supper which was observed, not without great comfort to many, we had fully fifty communicants – Walloons and Dutch; of whom, a portion made their first confession of faith before us, and others exhibited their church certificates. Others had forgotten to bring their certificates with them, not thinking that a church would be formed and established here; and some who brought (124) them, had lost them unfortunately in a general conflagration but they were admitted upon the satisfactory testimony of others to whom they were known, and also upon their daily good deportment, since one cannot observe strictly all the usual formalities in making a beginning under such circumstances. We administer the Holy Supper of the Lord once in four months, provisionally, until a larger number of people shall otherwise require. The Walloons and French have no service on Sundays, otherwise than in the Dutch language, for those who understand no Dutch are very few. A portion of the Wallons are going back to the Fatherland, either because their years here are expired, or else because some are not very serviceable to the Company. Some of them live far away and could not well come in time of heavy rain and storm, so that they themselves cannot think it advisable to appoint any special service in French for so small a number, and that upon an uncertainty. Nevertheless, the Lord’s Supper is administered to them in the French language, and according to the French mode, with a sermon preceding, which I have before me in writing, so long as I can not trust myself extemporaneously. If in this and in other matters your Reverence and the Reverend Brethren of the Consistory, who have special superintendence over us here, deem it necessary to administer to us any correction, instruction or good advice, it will be agreeable to us and we shall thank you Reverence therefor; since we must all have no other object than the glory of God in the building up of his kingdom and the salvation of many souls. I keep myself as far as practicable within the pale of my calling, wherein I find myself sufficiently occupied. And although our small consistory embraces at the most – when Brother Crol is down here – not more than four persons, all of whom, myself alone excepted, have also public business to attend to, I still hope to separate carefully the ecclesiastical from the civil matters which occur, so that each one will be occupied with his own subject (125).†          Sources    â€Å"Introduction.† pp. 119-21. Michaelius, Jonas. â€Å"Letter of Reverend Jonas Michaelius.† pp. 122-33.