Social responsibilities of multinational corporations Essay

Social responsibilities of multinational corporations - Essay Example Over the years, MNCs have been criticized for various reasons despite their many advantages. It is believed that they pay less regard to human rights and the environment. Criticisms also include the fact that MNCs have resulted in huge conglomerates in different countries, which overall reduces competition and violates the concept of free market economy. They are believed to raise money in the host countries of the MNC and then ship the profits back to that country, but at the same time using the other country’s labor, resources, cultures etc. In short, MNCs are believed to exploit human beings from all over the world apart from the host country. However MNCs also have certain advantages both for the host and the home country. The standard of living of the countries will increase regardless because investment and employment increase and people have greater purchasing power parity. The host country usually gets free flow of information and technology through this institution as well as expertise which may not be available in their own country. Domestic business also gets greater competition and business due to functioning of MNCs. Those who support MNCs believe it doesn’t reduce competitiveness but actually increases it, due to the breaking of local monopolies. Host country can also reduce their imports and export the goods produced by MNCs to improve their balance of payment accounts. Lastly, home countries can also benefit from the cultural diversity in the formation of MNCs worldwide. Under the topic of MNCs, there has been a great deal of debate among professionals about the social responsibilities of an MNC in operating globally. Some believe that MNCs have limited responsibility, usually depending on the laws of the host country. Others believe that they have the duty to fulfill the negative rights of human beings, and some believe that MNCs have a duty to fulfill both positive and negative rights of individuals. MNCs have always assumed to b e self-interested organizations, with the only aim to make profit and pay no regard to the people of developing economies or the environment. They seem to take on social responsibility, only if need be, and because recent studies show that ethical practices and social justice leads to profits in the long run. They seem to follow the principle-agent assumptions and MNCs are the agent because they seem to have no moral obligations to carry out honest behavior for socially responsible outcomes. Also, they seem to exploit host nations and their people because it is easier to do so; in developed countries there are several laws and institutions are tighter thus protecting people and firms from harm, however developing economies don’t have such laws so companies operating in them need to be even more socially responsible for the outcomes. Certain conditions prevail in a developing economy that makes MNCs more accountable with regards to social responsibility: Cultural practices in developing countries may allow for practices which violate human rights basic or advanced, and in accordance with gender, or politics etc. Most of these cultural practices have been eliminated in advanced countries but seem to be a problem in developing countries. The legal framework in developing economies may not insulate the country and its people from harm which is why MNCs have to be responsible. Corruption reigns supreme, therefore even in places where a

Perfect markets, do they exist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Perfect markets, do they exist - Essay Example Fundamentally speaking, the three salient market situations are monopoly, oligopoly and perfect competition. A monopoly is a market situation characterized by a single seller, similar products and many buyers. In a monopoly, the seller commands a major influence over the price of the product. An oligopoly is a market system that has few firms, homogeneous products and multiple buyers. In an oligopolistic market, the products usually have high investment costs that make the entry of new players in the market utterly difficult if not impossible. Contrary to a monopoly or an oligopoly, perfect market is a system defined by very different set of parameters. According to Lim Chong Yah, "Perfect competition is a market situation where there is a large number of buyers and sellers, a homogeneous product, free entry of products into the industry, perfect knowledge amongst buyers and sellers of existing market conditions and free mobility of factors of production among alternative uses (1981)." The question that often attracts the attention of the students of economics is that is perfect market a pragmatic and observable reality. A thorough catechism on the given line of query necessarily calls for a basic understanding as to what a perfect market is. The essential features of a perfect market are: 1. Perfect Rationality - All the participants including the buyers and the sellers tend to be perfectly rational and economic men. 2. Large Number but Small Size of Buyers and Sellers - In a perfect market, the number of buyers and sellers is very large. However, the potential of the respective buyers and sellers is so small that none of them has a discernable influence over the demand, supply and price of the commodity being sold. 3. Homogeneous Products - A perfect market is usually associated with homogeneous products so that the buyers have no reason as to prefer the product being sold by any particular seller. 4. Perfect Knowledge - In a perfect market, all the buyers and sellers have a perfect knowledge of the price of the product prevailing in the market at a given time. Therefore, in a perfect market there exists no uncertainty as to the price of the commodity being sold. 5. Free Entry and Exit of Firms - In a perfect market, there exist no social, financial or legal restrictions hampering the entry of a new firm in the market or the exit of any old firm from the market. 6. Free from Checks - A perfect market is free from checks in the sense that the buyers and the sellers are free from all types of restrictions governing the buying and selling of a commodity in the market. Such checks may include government restrictions and agreements between the buyers and the sellers regarding the quantity, price or the production of a commodity. 7. Perfect Mobility - One basic assumption associated with a perfect market i

Exploratory methods Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exploratory methods - Research Paper Example In such context, Naslund (2008) defined case study approach as contraction of positivistic perspectives where researchers try to formulate case by analyzing secondary data or generate assumptions from small no of observations. Naslund (2008) defined four conditions for which, researchers should select case study approach over other exploratory methods and these three criteria can be defined in the following manner; When the research problem needs to be addressed through qualitative research. When researchers cannot access the primary data from respondents due endogenous and exogenous constraints. When aim of the researcher is to generate new knowledge regarding the research topic rather than validating previous claims. Researcher has the aim to address the research problem in comprehensive manner by comparing the examples of different subject matters. It is evident from the argument of Aastrup & Halldorsson (2008); researchers use summary findings of particular phenomenon as the case and use it to compare the phenomenon. In most of the cases, researchers use secondary sources such as company data, previous research works, academic journals etc to formulate the case while in exceptional cases, researchers might go for primary data based case formation approach (Naslund, 2008). There are some advantages associated with case study based exploratory research such as, 1- cost efficient, 2- requires less time than primary survey and 3- provides holistic view on the subject matter. But, Aastrup & Halldorsson (2008) pointed out that some disadvantages are associated with case study based research approaches such as, 1- researchers might indulge in incorporating subjective view on the research problem in the name of exploration and 2- scope of case study approach decreases with non availability of data. Despite these limitations, Naslund (2008) supported case study based approach as one of the fundamental aspect of exploratory research. Cozby (2012) and Campbell (2012) defined psychobiography as an important aspect of exploratory research which focuses on analyzing the lives of individuals who are historically important. In case of psychobiography, researchers take help of psychological theory and concepts in order to understand the lives of the very individual. Key objective of psychobiography is to understand the personality of the historically important figure and their motive behind taking any action. For example, Campbell (2012) did psychobiography of Jacques Derrida (one of the renowned thinker of twentieth century) while political leaders like Gandhi, Hitler, Stalin are some famous subjects among researchers to conduct psychobiography. Campbell (2012) also pointed out that psychobiography is not commentary like traditional biography rather psychobiography is intended to find self-identity of the historically important figure. Question 7 Jimerson (2003) stressed on the importance of archive as knowledge repository which stores historical dat a, criminal records, litigation papers etc in the course of exploratory research. Jimerson (2003, p. 91) stated that â€Å"representation in archives has privileged the stories of these groups, since it is their voices that are most often recorded and thus most frequently heard in historical accounts.† According to Jimerson (2003), archival research is alternative version

United Cereal Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

United Cereal Case study - Essay Example The Launch of Eurobrand would lead to the loss of United Cereals priority; these are the customers (Barlett and Carole 2011). However, this will mean a drop in production and marketing cost by 10-15% in 3 years. As the United Cereals are the first to introduce such an idea, it will guarantee them a substantial market penetration (Barlett and Carole 2011). My concern is that the panel will not represent all the views of the diverse European market. This would be rectified by changing the organizational structure that exists within the United Cereals. It should be more flexible. Lora should authorize the launch of Health Berry Crunch as a Eurobrand as there are far more advantages than disadvantages. The recommendations could be implemented by trying to get the support of the United Cereals’ management. The management should be comfortable with the Eurobrand Team. They should not be in a position that they feel their authority is challenged. Eurobrand Teams will provide a platform for United Cereals to grow. Based on the proposal its formation would reduce the cost of production while increasing

Privacy and Misuse of Private Information Essay

Privacy and Misuse of Private Information - Essay Example More specifically, the essay will address whether Clive can prevent publication of information regarding him, based on the law on breach of confidence and protection of personal information. Privacy and misuse of Private Information According to Crone et al (2002, p 93), the enactment of the law on breach of confidence and protection of personal information resulted from the need to protect personal secrets. In the recent years, people have used the law to prevent the publication of confidential information, especially in the mass media. In Clive’s case, the Daily Scandal wants to publish information about him. An action for breach of confidence can be the most appropriate to prevent against publication of personal information. Clive can easily obtain an injunction restraining the publication of information regarding cheating on his wife and attending the notorious club. He should take legal action, in which the court will apply an action called ‘blanket ban’ that prevents the magazine from publishing the photos. Under the law of breach of confidence, the Clive can prove several facts to prevent the daily scandal from publishing the information. One of these facts can be showing that the information contains adequate quality of confidence. The daily scandal has threatened to publish secret information about Clive, without his authority. ... This gives Clive the opportunity to take an action against them on the basis of ‘imputed confidential relationship.’ The court will grant the action of injunction since the differences between Clive and wife have not featured in the public domain (Aplin 2007, p 145). Tanya (2007, p 334) asserts that a person has the right to prevent the publication of this information since it does not affect the public in any way. Under this law, the media should not publish information about a person if the information does not touch on the public. Matters regarding marital unfaithfulness can be considered to be private. As such, they should not be made public; the information only refers to Clive and his wife. The media do not have an obligation to make public Clive’s personal information. Aplin observes that the law states that secrecy should not be exposed; instead, Clive and wife should be allowed to settle their differences using the due court process. Publicizing the wrong s of Clive will only worsen the relationship with his wife. As such, he can be in a position to deter the daily scandal from publicizing his photos and other information about him (Aplin 2007, p 150). He has the right to prevent the newspaper from publishing information regarding him since the information cannot be considered to be of public interest. Therefore, the ‘daily scandal’ cannot defend itself on grounds of ‘iniquity.’ The court does not intervene in the publication of public information concerning an iniquity (Stanley, 2009). In this case, the information concerning Clive attending the club and cheating on his wife cannot be regarded to be of public interest. Based on this, the daily scandal does not have an obligation to expose Clive’s conduct. Thus, they should not publicize the

My Closet :: essays papers

My Closet I sat quietly on the couch next to my father. His short muscular arm extended over my head as if to protect his little girl. His fingers got lost in my strands of hair, as I yanked my head forward as if to signal I did not want him to play with my hair. My new baby doll with big blonde ringlets and skin that smelled like a baby’s skin after it has just been powdered, rested in my lap. My meek hands stroked the tiny doll as if it were alive. My father knelt down and kissed my forehead as he said, â€Å"Don’t worry, Princess, Mommy will†¦.Oh here she is now!† I sprang from my warm, sheltered seat and sprinted to the front window as quickly as my tiny legs could move. My fingers grasped the long, wooden windowsill and my little pug nose pressed against the window pain. My breath delivered a frosty appearance on the glass as my eyes strained to see my mother step out of her car. My toes ached with pain as I fought to stay in view with the outside world. Too late. I could already hear my mothers graceful footsteps ascend the stairs. She carefully opened the door that entered my kitchen, and I flung myself into her arms. My mother yelped with shock and a hint of exhaustion, â€Å"Meggie honey, Mommy is very tired. Please be a little more careful next time.† â€Å"Mommy! Mommy! Daddy bought me a new dolly today, her name is, Madeline. Look! Look!† â€Å"Oh very nice sweetie. I have a surprise for you too.† â€Å"What is it? What is it?† I exclaimed as I jumped rapidly around the kitchen. My mind raced. Was it another doll? Maybe the game I had been wanting? Tinkerbell perfume! That is what it must be. I had always wanted Tinkerbell perfume. Everytime I saw it in a store I would shout and point with such excitement. I thought it had magical powers that would make me fly. My imagination always ran with ideas as most children’ always do. My mother griped my hand tightly and led me into the living room at a slow pace that indicated she was nervous yet excited. She sat me down gently next to my father. Her smile had never been so huge.

Physics of Downhill Skiing :: physics sport sports ski skiing

Skiing is a sport enjoyed by millions of people around the world. The adrenaline rush that skiers get from flying down the slopes is unmatched, but all too often the cause for this rush is overlooked. Physics plays a crucial role in skiing and without it, there would definitely be no skiing. The concept of skiing is simple. You attach a ski to each foot, go to the top of a hill or incline, and slide down, turning side to side. From this basic concept of sliding down an inclined plane, a worldwide sport has evolved. In this paper, I hope you gain a useful knowledge of the vitally important role that physics plays in the sport of downhill skiing. m = mass of skier g = gravitational force a = acceleration mu = kinetic friction coefficient  · Inertial Forces = (m)(a)  · Frictional Force = (mu)(m)(g)(cos theta)  · Graviational Force = (m)(g)(sin theta) Gravity is the force that holds the skier to the ground and is also what pulls the skier down the hill. While gravity is acting straight down on the skier, a normal force is exerted on the skier that opposes gravity. As the skier skis down the hill, he or she will encounter an acceleration. This acceleration is due to gravity caused by a change in the skiers velocity. The mass of a skier is different for every person and is easily calculated by multiplying a skiers weight in kilograms by the gravitational force exerted by the earth. These forces and more are explained throughout the rest of this paper. Gravity is a force that everybody is familiar with and is one of the simplest to understand. We all know that if you were to throw a ball in the air it would fall right back down. This force called gravity exerts a constant acceleration of 9.81 m/sec2 towards the center of the earth. Gravity is what pulls you down the hill. While gravity is being exerted downward, a normal force is being exerted on the skier opposing gravity. This normal force acts perpendicular to the earth's surface, and in this case the mountain on which the skier is skiing. Lets say for instance the skier was on a flat surface, both gravity and the normal force would be acting on the skier but in opposite directions, thereby canceling each other out and resulting in no movement. However when a skier is on the mountain, the combination of gravity and the perpendicular normal force result in the skier being pulled down the mountain at the same angle as the mountain’s slope.