CA Proposition 209 -Affirmative Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CA Proposition 209 -Affirmative Action - Essay Example Following the 1995 Supreme Court verdict controlled granting of contracts on the basis of gender and race, Clinton promised to ‘mend not end’ affirmative action. The Clinton government, in May 1995, disclosed a new strategy of granting government contracts (Frankel 435). The strategy ends ethnic/racial preferences in areas where the underprivileged are common, though, maintains them in areas where discrimination continues. Marginalized groups and other economically deprived business owners comprise of 6.6 percent of all central government’s contracts for both goods and services. Seemingly not contended with Clinton’s suggestion, House Republicans formulated a more extensive bill to prohibit preferences in the entire federal contracts and hiring. The bill, inaugurated by discontented Democrats as the 1997 Equal Opportunity Repeal Act, endorsed the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitutional matters in July. The debate on affirmative action took center sta ge when the President promised to make advanced relationships between races/ethnic groups a top precedence in his second rule. The Prop 209’s opponents filed a claim in 2010 in the federal court to challenge the requirements of Prop 209 by permitting the University of California to apply Affirmative Action principles in its admissions assessments, as it was applied before the endorsement of Proposition 209 in 1996. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit voted to support Proposition 209 on April 2, 2012. The similar federal appeals courts had earlier upheld the Prop 209. The claim that resulted into the April 2012 verdict had asserted that a new decision was needed by new proof demonstrating that in the years following the endorsement of Proposition 209, underprivileged admissions to California’s most esteemed universities declined. In the wake of the approval of Proposition 209, debate persisted in the interest of or necessity for affirm ative action at the colleges in California. As lately as 2010, Joe R. Hicks and David A. Lehrer who sustained Prop 209 in 1996, contended that statistics regarding racial composition of admissions at the University of California illustrated that partisan admissions actions were not essential to bring about multiplicity (Laird 133)). Whereas it is somewhat early to evaluate the long-standing impacts on women of stopping California’s affirmative action, various predictions can be drawn. Post-secondary learning chances will possibly undergo the minimal effect; women are attending schools and graduating from colleges in huge numbers compared to their male counterparts. However, the women who are poised to suffer from this gender and race predilections are the African Americans and Latino women; because of much of institutional remains of a race other than gender discrimination. The subject of affirmative action has been vastly discordant; opponents of this proposition hold the no ble-sounding oratory of color-blindness and uphold that it is incorrect for an individual to miss out on something important exclusively because of one’s race/ethnicity.  Ã‚  

Group portfolio Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Group portfolio - Research Paper Example One of the core values that Haier has is the rights and wrongs sense in which the product users are always right while the company need to improve itself2. The value acts as a motivator, hence forming values for customers. Therefore, the firm’s employees work their best to meet the customer’s requirements in addition to generating a wide variety of choices that they can choose from. The workforce has a mind-set, whereby, they feel the need to persistently advance themselves, which they perceive to be the only way they can continually refuse, dare and outdo themselves to realize triumph through establishment of innovation out of change. The organization, in addition, has an adaptive culture that has led to its growth, whereby, it maintains its pace with the social growth as well as remains in case of any world changes. Its innovativeness as well as the entrepreneurship character enables the firm to uphold a competitive benefit in the ever-changing market. That is to say, the more radical the world changes the quicker the speed of customer’s variation, hence, the more lasting the inheritance turns out to be3. In addition, the organization has employed the concept of two spirits, innovation and entrepreneurship, which is considered to be the gene for the company’s consistent culture. The gene ensures that all members of the workforce maintain their value as well as aid them in their individual development. It is also mandated for every employee to have the entrepreneurship and innovation spirits. Entrepreneurship is considered to be the spirit of pioneering work in which the company persuades all employees to have it4. They are encouraged to transform from being supervised and instead become their own managers. On the other hand, innovation specializes on creation of new value, which is majorly generated from creation of new product users. Lastly, the interest theory of â€Å"win-win model

Overview Of Colgate Palmolive Company

Overview Of Colgate Palmolive Company Colgate Palmolive, a company where its headquarters is in New York operates in the business of care within the consumer goods industry. In an Annual Report released by Colgate Palmolive Company (2010), it is reported that the company is a $ 15.6 billion global company serving people in more than 200 countries and territories with consumer products that makes life healthier and more enjoyable. The core businesses of this company are Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Among some of the worlds most recognized household brands produced by Colgate Palmolive Company are Colgate, Mennen, Palmolive, Ajax, Softsoap, and Hills Pet Nutrition. Colgates business strategy is to Win on the Ground by focusing on its three core strategies: Driving Growth, Funding the Growth and Making Colgate the Best Place to Work. Its corporate values of Caring, Global Teamwork and Continuous Improvement acts as the foundation for its business strategy and are reflected in the way the company conducts its business worldwide (Colgate World of Care, n.d.). Colgate Palmolive Corporate Structure Led by its current Chief Executive Officer and President, Mr. Ian Cook, Colgate Palmolive Company is staffed with a team of talented and dedicated employees. The companys corporate structure has been assumed to be shown in Appendix 1. Streaming in to the Global Information Technology (GIT) organization itself, this organization is divided into three main sub functions which are Global Development, Enterprise Center and Shared Services Organization. The Shared Services Organization is further divided into four main divisions which are Global, Americas, Euro Americas and Asia Pacific. Colgate Palmolive Malaysia, founded in 1957 where the company office and plant is located in Petaling Jaya is supported by Asia Pacific division which is better known as Asia Pacific Shared Organization (APSSO). APSSO serves approximately 3500 employees in terms of Information Technology and its infrastructure in over 35 manufacturing sites throughout the Greater Asia and South Pacific division. Colgate-Palmolive Business Strategy and Relationship with Business Entity The main mission of Global Information Technology which is also cascaded down to APSSO is to operate on the same system, providing the same information to ensure the same performance and processes throughout the Colgate Palmolive Companys global operations worldwide. To achieve this mission, APSSO focuses on a 5 years strategy plan which is driven by a grid like Casita. This grid is derived from a stringent process which priorities the projects according to the GITs mandates of Performance, Reliability and Regulatory, Utilization, GIT Grid Strategic Portfolio and Global Projects. The Global Information Technology partners five global external entities to ensure the success of its businesses. Colgate partners one of the worlds most renowned enterprise software developers, SAP. Aside from SAP, Colgate partners IBM and Lenovo for providing the company computer hardware, Verizon for networking and telecommunications, CISCO for LAN equipments, Wipro for consulting and resource management as well as Comvault for data management and storage. The details of Colgate Palmolive infrastructure will be discussed in Part 2: IT infrastructure: Issues and Challenges. Colgate Palmolive specifically in Malaysia does not partner any government entities for its IT infrastructure. The homepage URL of the Colgate Palmolive Company is http://www.colgate.com. Part 2: IT Infrastructure: Issues Challenges 2.1 Colgates IT Infrastructure Information technology infrastructure today is composed of seven major components (Laudon Laudon, page 203) and Colgate is not exceptional in investing in a comprehensive array of hardware software to help with its daily operations. The below is a list of IT infrastructure that Colgate is currently having: 1) Computer Hardware Platforms. Colgates permanent employees are given laptops while temporary employees are provided with desktops. a) Laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad 410: Intel i5-520M, Intel QM57 Exp, 14.1 XGA, Intel HD Graphics, 160GB 7200rpm, 4GB (2x2GB), N6200 11a/b/g/n (22), 6 Cell. b) Desktop: Lenovo ThinkCentre M58p: Intel ® Core 2 Duo Processor E8400, 2GB, 160GB 7200RPM S-ATA HDD, PCI/PCIe SFF (23),Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500,DVD Rble, Intel Gigabit Ethernet. 2) Operating Systems: Colgate is currently using Windows XP Professional but they are planning to rollout Windows 7 Professional in the 4th quarter of 2011. 3) Enterprise Software: Colgate uses SAP R/3 Enterprise for virtually all its departmental business units. 4) Networking/Telecommunication: Colgate enlists Cisco Systems and Verizon Communications respectively as its business partners for their networking and telecommunications needs. 5) Consulting System Integration Services: Colgate recruits Wipro Technologies to assist with new technology building as well as managing new projects. 6) Data Management Storage: Colgate counts Commvault as its business partner to manage its data management and storage. 7) Internet Platform: Colgate uses Microsoft.net to support its website. It uses the 2.2 Issues and Challenges in the management of IT infrastructure Even though Colgate has a relatively stable IT infrastructure in place, there are bound to be issues and challenges that the organisation faces in the management of its IT infrastructure. One of the most prominent challenges would be to keep abreast with the technology advancement. As Moores Law suggests, the number of transistors on a chip roughly doubles every two years. (Moores Law, whitepaper from Intel). Colgate has a strict workflow when it comes to implementing new hardware, which includes going through the many layers of manual approvals from the upper management, most of them scattered throughout the globe. By the time IT department is ready to implement the new hardware, newer version would have already been introduced to the market. Security is also a major challenge for the IT department in Colgate. As with any multinational corporation, Colgate takes pride in their products secret formula, new product launches and confidential employees information. Hackers and PC infections are a big risk to the company. This is due to the many software that Colgate uses. Although each laptop and computers are linked together via the Colgate network, these software are independently installed into the computer, and this making it difficult for the IT department to monitor the health of each hardware. Another challenge is to manage Colgates business partners such as Cisco, Verizon, Wipro and Commvault. As the business partners are vital to Colgates success in managing IT, they have to be exposed to Colgates culture and its ways of managing business. Perhaps the biggest challenge of all would be to manage the internal cost. The IT department is given a budget of 1.5% of net sales for software hardware acquisition, installation, training, support and maintenance. This budget also includes downtime as well as space and energy needed to keep the technology running. IT has to play its role in maintaining Colgate to be the leading consumer products company in the world. The above IT infrastructure has be to integrated seamlessly in the running of daily business activities, and this would require the IT department to be the ultimate business partner to Colgate worldwide. Part 3: Cloud Computing and its business benefits and costs 3.1 Overview of cloud computing Cloud computing is defined as a model of computing where firms and individuals obtain computing power and software applications over the Internet, rather than purchasing their own hardware and software (Loudon Loudon 2010, p. 196). The five essential characteristics of cloud computing are assumed in Figure 1 (Mell Grance 2011) On-Demand Self Service The on-demand self-service characteristic of cloud computing allows employee to use cloud computing without human interference with the cloud provider. Employees can login in the network by keying in a unique password given to them. Broad Network Access Ubiquitous network access is available to employees via cloud computing. The network can be access by all employees through a standard mechanism. Employee would only need to key in their password and once the system authenticates it, employee can access to all resources available in the network. Resource Pooling Resource pooling allows employees to access cloud computing without having to bind to location where they are. All employees within the Colgate world would be able to access the same database and same network from even their homes. This is also a step taken to encouraged employees to strike work life balance in their workplace. Rapid Elasticity Cloud computing promises elasticity where resources can be scaled both up and down as required. This will allow standardization and for Global Information Technology to achieve its mission of operating on the same system, have the same information for all its employees, which in turn ensures the same performance and processes throughout the Colgate world. Measured Service The number of employees accessing the service is measured and monitored to ensure that the cloud is able to optimize its service and to sustain the agreed service level for all employees. Figure 1: The five essential characteristics of cloud computing There are three main types of cloud computing which are public clouds, private clouds and hybrid clouds. Public clouds are usually operated by a third party company where more than one party or customer can be mixed together and can access the servers or storage system at once. Private clouds are usually on demand infrastructure owned by a single customer who controls the applications run On the other hand, hybrid clouds are the combination of both public and private cloud models which usually offers high sustainable on-demand and externally provisioned scale however adds complexity to the distribution of applications throughout the different networks (Isse 2010, pg 18). 3.2 Current trends in cloud computing In a cloud computing survey done in 17 countries in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific by Kelton Research in 2009, the results shows that technology is used to cut cost in 54% of the companies surveyed. One of the technologies discussed was cloud computing which allows companies to quickly react to market conditions and competitors. By having cloud computing, companies can use this ability to immediately tap computing power and software which in turn help company focus on its core business. 99% of its respondent also claimed that they are discussing or implementing public and private cloud computing solutions. 3.3 Benefits of cloud computing Information Weeks Thomas Claborn reported (Calburn, 2008) on a presentation by Thomas E. Hogan, senior vice president at Hewlett-Pakard, at the 2008 Cloud Summit Conference: Some 87 billion emails are drafted per day around the globe, the digital universe doubles every 18 months, and the number of network-attached storage devices double every two years, he said. Yet, some 80 percent to 85 percent of IT budgets goes to operational maintenance. ..Cloud computing promises to help IT organisations dial back maintenance cost so they can spend on creating business values. To ensure sustainability and competitiveness of Colgates business, cloud computing can be an option to reduce cost, maintenance complexity and ease of management. Among some other of the benefits of cloud computing are discussed as below. Availability of standardized data Cloud computing plays a vital role in ensuring that Global Information Technology achieves its goal to providing the same information at the same speed to Colgates entire employee. This allows managers to make decision based on the same set of data irregardless of where they are located. It also ensures data integrity and allows more decision collaboration between countries as they have access to all sets of data. Business Agility Cloud computing allows managers to have access to data anywhere at any time. The benefit of cloud computing not being device and location dependence allows managers to make faster decisions to gain competitive advantage by responding rapidly and reducing time to market. IT efficiency Cloud computing increases the efficiency and allows ease of management of information technology. For instance when they is a need for a system upgrade, cloud computing allows managers to push the updates at the backend through the server and all employees will receive the auto run update at the same time. This reduces time of IT personnel to individually install updates on each computer, ensures that all computers has been upgraded simultaneously and increases efficiency as updates need not be bonded by boundaries and time zone. Implementation of one system for all concept The implementation of cloud computing allows standardization in term of systems processes and speed. This will reduce the maintenance cost, ensures data security and provides every employee an equal opportunity to obtain data to make quality decisions. For example, an employee in India will be using the same system as an employee in Russia. This facilitates knowledge sharing among employees and also transfers of talent throughout the Colgate world. It allows our global customer (ie: Tesco, Carrefour) to make business decisions on a global basis based on the availability of standardized data and the way of doing business with Colgate. 3.4 Cost of implementation of cloud computing It is crucial to determine the return of invest and total costs of ownership to senior management before being able to influence them to make decisions on whether or not an organisation should invest in the system/infrastructure. The total costs of ownership looks into nine areas which are: Hardware acquisition The cost for purchasing of computing power might be higher at the initial stage when setting cloud computing however the return of investment in the long run might justify the initial investment. Software acquisition The licensing for software used within Colgate might decrease if the company decides to subscribe to Software as a Service (SaaS) applications such as Salesforce.com. SaaS applications allow users to pay as they use. This decreases cost of purchasing licensing for the whole package of software but employees only use partial applications within the package. Installation Installation cost remain constant with or without cloud computing. Colgate advocates providing the same infrastructure and computing power in terms of both hardware and software for all its employees. Training Trainings for implementation of cloud computing can be done via three methods. Firstly, the company can deploy collaboration tools to allow virtual training. Secondly, training can be deliver via an online knowledge portal (ElementK) which the company has subscribed to and lastly via classroom trainings for more technical personnel. The cost of training (in terms of travel) can be minimized by having power users within subsidiaries of Colgate to train employees of their own division. Support The implementation of cloud computing allows a standardized support of IT employee for every employee. By having a standardized system and processes, IT employees now need not have different sets of manual to provide differing system support. Maintenance Cloud computing eases the maintenance of systems and upgrading of both hardware and software. By implementing cloud computing, all upgrades can now be push from the backend of servers to each computer. Infrastructure Investment in specialized equipment and network at the initial stage is required. However the yield in the long run surpasses the cost of initial investment made. It also allows business to replough back the cost used to maintain IT systems to the core of its businesses after the implementation of cloud computing. Downtime The downtime of servers that support cloud computing can be managed internally. Although downtime cannot be eliminated, it can be minimized to ensure minimal disruption to the business. Downtime can be planned and communicated to employees at earlier so that employees can plan their work accordingly. Space and energy Part 4: Recommendations of cloud computing adoption/adaption Based on the issues and challenges that have been discussed in Part 2, it is vital that Colgate adopts a technology that will enable the company to move forward in the era of information technology. However, due to sensitive and confidential information that Colgate has to protect, they are not able to outsource to external providers such as Salesforce.com. Hence, it is recommended that Colgate invests in a private cloud which only employees of the organization can access, with the option of having their business partners obtaining a certain amount of information from the cloud. With the use of the cloud, the IT department will no longer need to go through the manual layers of approvals needed to implement new technologies. By creating an approval system that links to the email system, approvers will need to simply login into the cloud to sanction the requests, regardless of time zone and location once they receive email notifications. This will further simplify the approval process and the IT department will be able to rollout new technologies, thus enabling Colgate to be, if not in the forefront, at least keeping up with the latest technology compared to their competitors. Colgates IT departments objective is to have the same systems, same information, same processes and the same performance everywhere across the Colgate world. With the implementation of a cloud, a series of commonly used software can be stored in the cloud. Employees laptops and desktops will merely be terminals to access the cloud. Hence, using the method of single sign-on username and password, this would allow the IT department to have further security measures as well as enabling them to monitor the health status of each of the terminals. Business partners can be given limited access to the cloud, thus exposing them to Colgates workflow, processes and cultures. This in turn would assist them to understand how Colgate manages its business and how they are able to contribute more efficiently towards Colgates success. Cost has always been a challenge to most organisations. A resourceful firm can fully make use of a budget of 1.5% of net sales to stay ahead of competitors by investing in a cloud. As mentioned in Part 2, Colgate currently has independent software installed in each computer. By implementing a cloud, instead of having the IT personnel physically installing the software in each computer, which may take a few weeks, depending on the location of Colgate offices, they simply need to load or upgrade the software into the cloud, enabling employees to use the latest software within days, if not hours. On top of that, the cost of travelling for IT personnel to install these software will be very minimal. In line with business needs, the speed of change will be beneficial not only to Colgate, but also to their employees as they will be exposed to newer technologies/software in order to be more efficient in their daily tasks, thus reducing time needed for business to wait for processed information from the employees. Currently Colgate in every location around the globe has their own set of servers and data storage system within each subsidiary. With the implementation of a cloud, Colgate will only need to have these hardware investment and maintenance in one particular site only. IT departments can be much leaner, more efficient and more focused in their areas of expertise. Colgate has always been prudent in investing in any type of technology. The local IT department refers to a grid that lists the yearly initiatives that they will need to implement in every subsidiary. This grid consists of requests and is essentially an approved wish list from each business unit on implementing certain technologies within the department. Colgates business strategy to balance both technology and the demand from employees on the ground is important to achieve strategic goals. The yearly resource of 1.5% of net sales has always been the budget that the IT department has to adhere to. Given this allocation, the IT department has to be judicious in spending, balancing the business needs, keeping the current technology abreast with the market as well as being ahead of competitors.

Prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird & Telephone Conversation Essay

The dictionary defines prejudice as a learned, preformed, and unsubstantiated judgment or opinion about an individual or a group, either favorable or unfavorable in nature. Through the study of the book, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and the poem Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka, ones understanding of prejudice and what makes up prejudice changes considerably for what could be perceived as for the better or for the worse. Being ignorant of what is happening or not knowing and properly understanding what prejudice is can make it easy to turn a blind eye to what is happening around you. Learning what prejudice is makes one more conscious of what is happening right next to you in everyday life. Being educated about prejudice is one step closer to a more peaceful life but prejudice will likely never completely disappear, like George Aiken says, â€Å"If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon.† Ones perception of the concept of prejudice is primarily determined by the environment in which one grew up. As Sydney Smith said, â€Å"Never try to reason the prejudice out with a man. It was not reasoned into him, and therefore cannot be reasoned out.† It is evident that ones opinion of other people reflects back to the ethics that they were brought up with. From the eyes of the young and innocent Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch, we follow the story of Arthur ‘Boo’ Radley and Tom Robinson in the deceivingly quaint town of Maycomb where these two innocent men’s lives are ruined by the evil of other men and women. The two men are the ‘mockingbirds’ of the story, good, innocent people, hurt by the injustice, hatred and prejudice of a small town... .... Red pillar-box. Red double-tiered Omnibus†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Like Tom Robinson in To Kill A Mockingbird, the West African man is unjustly discriminated against because of his race and the colour of his skin. In comparing and analyzing these two texts, one gains a better understanding of the concept of prejudice. There is no logic or reasoning behind prejudice, which is why it is hard to stop it. We all like to think that one day the world will be free of prejudice and everyone will be considered equal and we hang on to that hope as in the words of Martin Luther King Jr, â€Å"Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.†

Evaluating GE’s Organizational Culture Essay

Introduction Every business has its own set of values and beliefs that make up an organizational culture that is unique to each specific business. â€Å"_Organizational Culture_ is a complex set of basic underlying assumptions and deeply held beliefs shared by all members of the group that operate at a preconscious level and drive in important ways the behavior of individuals in the organizational context† (Strategy Glossary, 2006). GE’s organizational culture is considered one of high ethical standard in the corporate world. According to The Age of Ethics (2007) â€Å"_GE now has one of the best ethics compliance programs in existence_, says Larry Ponemon, national director of Business Ethics Services at KPMG†. The purpose of this research paper is to identify and evaluate GE’s organizational cultureal appeal, shared values, customer base and customer service standards, characteristics of organizational culture, and to determine if GE’s organizational culture is ethical, customer-responsive, or spiritual. Organizational Cultural Appeal When looking at an organization’s cultural appeal, one must first realize what he or she looking for in a company. What appeals to me may or not appeal to someone else. Therefore, the following categories will show what it is about GE’s organizational culture that appeals to me personally. These categories include but are not limited to: Leadership: It is important for me to be with a company that allows leaders to have the freedom and flexibility to contribute their knowledge and expertise in both their daily job and at company levels. â€Å"At the top, we don’t [sic] run GE like a big company. We run it like a big partnership, where every leader can make a contribution not just to their job, but to the entire Company† (Immelt, J., 2005). Opportunity for Advancement: It is important for me to work for a company that offers employees an opportunity for advancement. â€Å"GE has six strong businesses aligned to grow with the market trends of today and tomorrow† Our Business, 2007). Work Environment: It is important for me to work for a company that provides a pleasant and vitalizing work environment that is easy to balance with my personal life. â€Å"GE is an invigorating place to work. Ours is a high-performance culture that emphasizes high-integrity business practices as well as work/life [sic] balance† (Our Culture, 2007). Training and Education Programs: It is important for me to work for a company that provides additional training and educational benefits that will enhance employee leadership capabilities. â€Å"We invest nearly $1 billion a year in career development for our employees at every level of professional growth.† (Leadership Programs, 2007). Shared Values When looking at an organization’s appealing values, one must first realize what he or she values. Categories in my value system may or may not be the same as someone else’s. Therefore, the following categories will show the values that I share with GE’s value system. These categories include but are not limited to: Ethics and Integrity: I believe that it is important for an organization and its employees alike to operate with strong ethics and integrity. â€Å"At GE, it isn’t [sic] enough to think big. Imagination must be practiced within boundaries of ethics, compliance and integrity† (Our Company, 2007). Community Volunteer Work: I believe it is important for every person and organization’s alike to come together and address community needs i.e. health and welfare for disadvantaged community members. â€Å"Each year, GE volunteers come together as one GE to participate in Global Community Days,  working together to improve our many communities† (Worldwide Activities, 2007). Environmental Health and Employee Safety: I believe it is important for a company to focus on environmentally safe production plants and employee safety. â€Å"Operational excellence shapes the tools and measurements that help keep employees safe while reducing our impact on the environment† (Our Business, 2007) Customer Base GE has built a strong and loyal customer base by continually meeting the needs of the customer. Robbins, S. (2005) describes six variables that are routinely evident in customer-responsive cultures like GE. Type of Employees: â€Å"outgoing and friendly† Low Formalization: â€Å"freedom to meet changing customer-service requirements† Extension of Low Formalization: widespread use of empowerment i.e. decision discretion to do what is necessary to please the customer. Good Listening Skills: â€Å"listen to and understand messages sent by the customer† Role Clarity: â€Å"Service employees act as _boundary spanners_ between the organization and its customers† Organizational Citizenship Behavior: employees are conscience of customers needs and go above and beyond the call of duty to satisfy a customer’s needs GE has been able to build such a strong and loyal customer base by meeting each of the six variables described by Robbins. Variable one, type of employee, is met through GE’s efforts to provide a diverse work environment. In fact, GE was named among the top 40 best companies for diversity by Black  Enterprise Magazine (Employees, 2007). Variables two and three, low formalization and extension of low formalization, is met through GE’s efforts to provide employees the freedom to become closer to their customers while finding new operational efficiencies and ways to work toward customer service (Leadership, 2007). Variable four, good listening skills, is provided by GE’s customer support centers through 1-800 numbers or e-mail correspondence that provide support for all customers, civil and military, with a variety of innovative support solutions tailored to individual customer needs (Customer Support, 2007). Variable five, role clarity, is met through GE’s effective use of influential employees (_boundary spanners_) who help shape the goals and parameters of inter-organizational cooperation with international markets such as: Algeria, Brazil, Columbia, Egypt, France, Germany et cetera (Worldwide, 2007). Variable six, organizational citizenship, is met through GE’s continued commitment to citizenship issues worldwide including human rights, philanthropy, public policy and environment, health and safety (Citizenship, 2007). Customer Service Standards GE’s customer service standard demonstrates their commitment to excellence and customer standards. In an effort to ensure top quality service standards in today’s competitive market, GE has implemented Six Sigma Quality standards. According to Making Customers Feel Six Sigma Quality (2007) â€Å"Six Sigma is a highly disciplined process that helps us focus on developing and delivering near-perfect products and services.† The goal behind training employees through Six Sigma and implementing this system is for GE to be able to evaluate defects and come as close to _zero errors_ as possible. Six Sigma standards have raised the bar and implemented the highest quality of customer service standards for GE since the 1980’s. According to Making Customers Feel Six Sigma Quality (2007) â€Å"Sigma †¦ is embedding quality thinking – process thinking – across every level and in every operation of our Company around the globe.† According to Key Elements of Quality (2007)†¦ the three key elements of Six Sigma quality are: Customer: customer satisfaction i.e. product quality, dependability, competitive pricing, quality service and so on takes precedence so clients will not find another service provider. Process: _outside-in thinking_ i.e. observing the company from the customer’s viewpoint and identifying areas that could use improvement to ensure customer satisfaction. Employee: _leadership commitment_ i.e. providing training, opportunities and incentives for employees to excel and focus their talents on customer satisfaction. Six Sigma centers on reducing process deviations and improving process capabilities. This process is dependant on six key concepts. According to The Six Sigma Strategy (2007) these concepts that GE focus on include: Critical to quality: customers most important attributes Defect: customer satisfaction failure Process Capability: deliverability of the process Variation: the customers perceptions Stable Operations: guaranteeing a constant and predictable process that meets with customer perceptions Design for Six Sigma: designing to meet customer requirements and process capabilities Characteristics of Organizational Culture There are seven primary characteristics of organizational culture: (1) innovation and risk taking, (2) attention to detail, (3) outcome orientation, (4) people orientation, (5) team orientation, (6)  Aggressiveness, and (7) Stability. Research indicates that GE embodies five of the seven primary characteristics of organizational culture. Innovation and Risk Taking: GE employees focus on innovation as their basis for taking calculated risks for change in the areas of transforming health care, cleaner power generation, exploring nanotechnology, aviation technology, greenhouse gas reduction, global research facilities and so forth (Innovation, 2007). Attention to Detail: GE employees focus on attention to detail in such areas as customer service, quality and assembly of products, meeting performance targets, enhanced decision-making through training and education and so on. People Orientation: GE considers their more than 300,000 employees to be their greatest asset, and they are â€Å"passionate about making life better with new ideas and technologies† (Our People, 2007). Team Orientation: A significant part of GE’s culture as a global company involves nurturing diverse and cross-cultural teams in such areas as public relations, automotives, global research, nanotechnologies, marketing and so on (Employees, 2007). Aggressiveness: Though GE does provide the tools necessary for employees to be aggressive and competitive, the degree to which people are aggressive and competitive is truly up to the individual employee. Conclusion Research indicates that GE’s organizational culture is both ethical and customer-responsive. In the area of organizational culture appeal, it was found that GE appealed to me in four categories: (1) leadership, (2) opportunity for advancement, (3) work environment, and (4) training and education programs. One should keep in mind that these categories may vary depending on the needs of each individual. In the area of shared values, it was found GE had three values that I identified with: (1) ethics and  integrity, (2) community volunteer work, and (3) environmental health and employee safety. Again, one should keep in mind that these categories may vary depending on the perception of values of each individual. In the area of customer base, it was found that GE has been able to build and sustain a strong and loyal customer base through adherence to the six variables as described by Robbins. In the area of customer service standards, it was found that GE has demonstrated their commitment to excellence and high customer standards through the training and implementation of The Six Sigma Strategy. In the area of characteristics of organizational culture, it was found that GE does embody five of the seven primary characteristics of organizational culture: (1) innovation and risk, (2) attention to detail, (3) people orientation, (4) team orientation, and (5) aggressiveness. Based on the above findings, my evaluation of GE’s organizational culture is that they do provide a strong framework for positive attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values that would be appealing to almost anyone looking for job satisfaction and advancement within an organization. References: Citizenship (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/citizenship/index.html Customer Support (2007). _GE Aviation_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.geaviationsystems.com/Systems—/Customer-Support/index.asp Employees (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/citizenship/2007_citizenship/highlights.html Immelt, J. (2005). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/leadership/index.html Innovation (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/innovation/index.html Key Elements of Quality (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/sixsigma/keyelements.html Leadership & Learning (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/culture/leadership_learning.html Leadership Programs (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.gecareers.com/GECAREERS/html/us/ourPeople/leadership.html Making Customers Feel Six Sigma Quality (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/sixsigma/makingcustomers.html Our Business (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/businesses/index.html Our Company (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/index.html Our Culture (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/culture/index.html Our People (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/culture/people.html Robbins, S. (2005). _Organizational behavior_ (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Strategy Glossary (2006). Ampol Partners. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ampolbiz.com/consulting/resources/strategy_glossary.htm The Six Sigma Strategy (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/sixsigma/sixsigstrategy.html Worldwide (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/worldwide/index.html Worldwide Activities (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/worldwide_activities/index.html

Level of Awareness on Philippine Independent Films Essay

Rationale Movies have been an important part of everyday experience for more than a century. Most people already know a great deal about it. But majority of viewers appreciate those on the mainstreams without giving prior notice to the existence of independent films. The chances for an indie film to elicit at least a semblance of ‘mainstream response’ remains very low. Independent films are largely ignored by ordinary movie-goers in the Philippines, but the genre has become the â€Å"in thing† in the country as it gains international acclaim and generates the worldwide interest. (Onscreen Asia, 2009) According to Maslog (2007), independent films which is also known as â€Å"indie films† can be in a form of short or full-length cinema which expresses self-expression and creativity different from mainstream cinema. The very nature of an independent film appears to be easier and cheaper since the allotted budget for its production is minimal. But, although the budgets are low, some of these films have been screened and awarded by local and international film festivals. Though independent films are becoming successful locally and internationally, there are also negative connotations when independent movies are mentioned. There are doubts coming from Filipino themselves because of the usual topics of indie films: poverty, homosexuality, prostitution, the underworld, and life in the margins, which exploits the image of the society (The Daily Guardian, 2012). As communication students and future media practitioners, the study will provide a profound understanding about independent films to appreciate better the ways of such films through its messages and to raise everyone’s awareness on the said genre of film. Since, the researchers and respondents are both in line with the practice of media; this study will prepare them  into the world of film industry, specifically, Philippine Independent films. Statement of the Problem The study was conducted to investigate the level of awareness on selected Philippine Independents Films of AB Communication students Specifically, the study attempted to answer the following questions: 1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of: 1.1, Age 1.2 Gender? 2. What is the level of awareness of the respondents on the following selected Philippine Independent Films in terms of: 2.1, (2009) Last Supper No. 3 2.2, (2010) Wag Kang Titingin 2.3, (2011) Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2.4 (2012) Victor? 3. What is the level of awareness of the respondents in the selected Philippine Independent films in the traits and messages as observed in terms of : 3.1, Nationalism 3.2, Social Reality 3.3, Freedom of Expression 3.4, Exploitation of Poverty 3.5 Homosexuality? Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework for the study on the level of awareness on selected Philippine Independents Films of AB Communication students Level of Awareness to Selected Philippine Independent Films -Construction of questionnaire regarding Philippine Independent films. -Distribution of questionnaires -Collection data -Interpretation of the gathered data Selected Philippine Independent Films – Last Supper No. 3 [2009] – Wag Kang Titingin [2010] – Ang Babae sa Septic Tank [2011] -Victor [2012] Significance of the Study The result of this study will be beneficial to the following: AB Communication students. The study would greatly affect them since this is much related to the topics that will be discussed in their course. The study would help them to be critical in thinking and be a good observant on what is happening around them most especially to the industry that they will be engaged to in the future. This would furthermore explain things that should be taken consideration of. Film Industry. This study will help in creating good impressions on how film should showcase the society through creative, sensible, fair and intelligent representation. Film Producers. This would help them on how they should be keenly aware and ethical in producing films. The study would remind them on the impact, influence and effect of their films to the viewers as perceived by Communication students. Future Film Producers. This study would give them knowledge and understanding on how to be creative and critical in producing independent films. This will provide them insights on ethical standards, limitations and violations when it comes to the following issues being discussed in relation to the themes of movies produced. Future researchers. This study will be useful to the future researchers who would conduct a similar study in a larger scope, because this could be a means of an additional source and baseline data to explain further ethical  issues regarding Philippine Independent Films as perceived by AB Communication Students. This research, likewise, may serve as a reference for future studies. If needed, the results of the study can be verified and tested. Researchers. The would be an opportunity for them to utilize the knowledge they have learned from their study since they would be a part of the mass media world in the future. This would serve as their basis of practice if they will be inclined on the field of media, particularly, the film industry. Definition of Terms The following terms were defined operationally and conceptually: AB Communication Students- It pertained to the bonafide students enrolled in the course, Bachelor of Arts in Communication major in broadcasting which presents opportunities for writers, performers and producers. Ang Babae sa Septic Tank- 2011 Cinemalaya’s Best Film in the Full Length category. Directed by Marlon Rivera. A comedy about misguided ambitions, the art of making art and the romanticization of poverty. Awareness- It is defined in the study as the level of knowledge or being mindful on certain subject, issues, situation and others. Cinemalaya- A film competition and festival that aims to encourage the creation of new cinematic works by Filipino filmmakers – works that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. Film- Also called a â€Å"movie† or â€Å"motion picture†, is a story conveyed with moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects. Full Length Film- According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, American Film Institute, and British Film Institute, a feature film runs for 40 minutes or longer. Last Supper No. 3- 2009 Cinemalaya’s Best Film in the Full Length category. Directed by Sherwin Dayoc. Based on a true story, Last Supper No. 3 is a humorous look at the circuitous path our legal system takes to justice. Mainstream Cinema- Defined as commercial films that are made by major entertainment studios or companies that are owned by international media conglomerates. Philippine Independent Films- Also known as â€Å"indie films† can  be in a form of short or full-length cinema which expresses self-expression and creativity different from mainstream cinema. Short Feature Film- A â€Å"short film† is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as â€Å"an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits†. Victor- 2012 Cinemalaya’s Best Film in Short Feature category . Directed by Jarell M. Serencio. A film that showed glaring realities of faith, beliefs, etc. and how Filipinos and foreigners embrace the tradition of â€Å"Semana Santa† (holy week) as an attraction to this town. Wag Kang Titingin . 2010 Cinemalaya’s Best Film in Short Feature Category .Directed by Pam Miras. The film was about a girl’s attempt beyond death and destruction to maintain for her younger sister a semblance of peace and order amid so much violence and conflict that seems to reflect today’s Filipinos. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The researchers have found the following studies and literature relevant to the study being proposed. The review of the literature for this study focuses on the level of awareness on selected Philippine Independent Films of AB Communication students Importance of Demographic Profile According to Gauntlett (2002), media and communications are central element of modern life, whilst age and gender remain at the core of how people think of their identities. With media containing images and messages about men, women and their sexuality, it is very likely that they have a great impact on peoples’ sense of identity. Age and gender are variables that affect exposure and perception according to the study conducted by Linda M. Woolf, PhD. The study states that older people perceive more negatively than younger people and females tend to absorb more from media than males. Independent Films As an art form, independent film is a great tool to express advocacies to their viewers for public awareness. Filipino independent filmmakers are steadily growing and are likely to continue to do so by virtue of its  facility for innovation, diversity and originality. Whether they are about social commentary, political statement, psychological study, or keen insights into human relationships, all of these topics represent controversial subjects that are catered to feed the audience intellectual hunger (Mon-alon, 2011). San Diego (2010) stated that 2009 was a watershed year for local independent films. Based on cinemalaya.org, from year 2009 to 2012, the following films have been awarded by Cinemalaya as Best Films: A. Last Supper No. 3 Won the Best Film in full- length category on 2009. It is based on a true story about a humorous look at the circuitous path our legal system takes to justice. Assistant Production Designer Wilson Naà ±awa is tasked to look for a Last Supper to use as props for a television commercial. He finds three, but loses the one owned by Gareth Pugeda. B. Wag Kang Titingin A film directed by Pam Miras bagged the top price in Cinemalaya 2010. The story is about a father and his two young daughters who travel through a war-torn area. The father explains to his eldest why they need to shield the youngest from what is really happening around them. The eldest finally understands and vows to protect her sister. C. Ang Babae sa Septic Tank Won the Best Film in the year 2011 in full-length category. It was also chosen as the Audience Choice Award, Best Direction by Marlon Rivera and Best Performance of an Actress awarded to Eugene Domingo. Ang Babae sa Septic Tank chronicles a day in a life of three ambitious but misguided filmmakers as they set out to do a quick pre-prod at Starbucks. They believe that they have a winning script, the energy and the drive to make to make their dreams come true. This is a comedy about misguided ambitions, the art of making art and romanticization of poverty. D. Victor The Best Film under short feature category in Cinemalya 2012 directed by Jarell M. Sarencio. It is a story about life as a big show. For ten long years, Victor religiously offers himself to be nailed on the cross every  Holy Week. Like other people, this has been a long time â€Å"panata† for he believes that God will forgive him for all and grant petitions after crucifying himself on the cross. Awareness to Philippine Independent Films Independent films are gaining widespread attention these days. Every day Filipinos alike want their stories told through a different lens and through films made with creativity beyond the demands of commerce. To students, indie films are an eye opener, giving youth a better appreciation and understanding for art. It gives an interest about the realities of our society and the creative execution in cinematography, video editing by our local filmmakers. On the other hand, Communications graduate Ogy Yap added, â€Å"There have been efforts to give awareness to Independent cinema, but these have not been successful. Robinsons Galleria has dedicated a theatre for independent cinema, but ticket sales are less than impressive. The duration of the film’s showing is also not as long as those in the mainstream world.† (Gonzales and Libre, 2012). Synthesis When the indie fever swept the movie industry, corresponding weak points interlaced with it. People involved in the indie trend are not really concerned about their subjects or the theme – they are just vehicles to fame and fortune. Poverty, homosexuality, prostitution, the underworld, life in the margins are the usual topics of indie films. These themes and subjects are exploited to the fullest not for social transformation or for the benefit of the poor, the deprived, the oppressed or the marginalized but in order to â€Å"make it.† This is called poverty porn – the exploitation of poverty and its effects, squeezing it to the last drop for money and glory (The Daily Guardian, 2012). Aside from the poverty porn issues of Philippine Independent Films, pink films are generally recognized today as erotic films produced by independent production companies for specialized sex film theatres. The low-budget pink films were produced quickly to be shown outside the mainstream venues of exhibition. This provided the opportunity for a few interested filmmakers to  use their pink films to make ironic political commentaries on the contemporary social situation (Nochimson, 2010). Independent cinema’s biggest advantage is the uniqueness that can be observed in their films. Local mainstream films depict almost the same stories, (or copied plot from an international film), the same themes (mostly romance), and the same actors. This is because mainstream cinema would stick to what the â€Å"masa† wants. There is no room for change. It is independent cinema’s biggest advantage because each director’s creativity will be showcased. People would most likely explore in to something new like these independent films, rather than watching local mainstream which is not that exciting anymore because it lacks originality. Another advantage of independent films is that it gives way to new breed of artistic and creative filmmakers. New breed of directors can express fresh ideas in making their films. Independent cinemas give their audience something to look forward to: different style, different genre, and new actors.. Through the growing support for these independent films, viewers of independent films can support, encourage, and recognize gifted Filipino independent filmmakers. Many of these independent films have already been recognized internationally (Anglo, et.al, 2011). CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY This chapter presents the method and procedures that were used in this study, it discusses the research design, the respondents, research locale and instrumentations to be used. Data gathering procedures and statistical analysis of data was also presented. Research Design This study has used the descriptive method. The researchers also utilized a self-made survey questionnaire. The method involves the description, recording, analysis and interpretation on the perception of a certain group of students. It includes the following processes: induction analysis, classification, enumeration, measurement and assessment of data (Manuel & Masinda, 2008). The survey has focused on the gathering of data concerning the respondents’ awareness on selected Philippine Independent Films from 2009-2012. The survey ascertained the messages, traits and characteristics present on Philippine Independent Films. Furthermore, the AB  Communication students were the respondents since they are the major recipients of this study. Research Instruments The researchers have used the research method opinion polls to test the knowledge of the target audience regarding the selected Philippine Independent Films from 2009-2012. An opinion poll is designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio. It is a type of survey that deals on the perspective of the audience on a certain topic and designed to discover the attitudes and behaviours of an individual. The questions are consisting of lists of possible responses which are analyzed. The results are usually given as percentages of those expressing opinion on a particular question (Asher, 1998). After the survey, the tallying has been administered by the researchers to gather sufficient data that made the research more reliable and precise. Statistical Analysis of Data Frequency Distribution The researchers have used the frequency distribution in summarizing how often different scores occur based on the answers by the respondents on each number of the questionnaire. It is one way of organizing the data needed in the study so that the researchers can interpret it in a visual way. In the study, the answers of the respondents were tallied and thus, this frequency distribution summarized the gathered data that determined the level of awareness on selected Philippine Independent Films of AB Communication students. After gathering the total responses for each item, the researchers have used the Percentage Formula in determining the percentage scores of the responses to the questionnaire (www. ivythesis.typepad.com, 2012). This has given the total percentage for the level of awareness on selected Philippine Independent Films and the occurrence of the enumerated traits or messages on the said genre of film. n % = ———— x 100;n- total no. of responses N;N- total no. of respondents x 100 The computation was: % =_no. of students who have/ have not watched any Philippine Independent Film Q #1_ Total no. of respondents x 100 % =_no. of students who are highly aware/aware/slightly aware/not aware Qs # 2, 3_ Total no. of respondents 16-18| 19-21| 22-24| 25 and above| The demographic profile of the respondents was also computed using the Percentage Formula. The bracket for age was: The pie chart or circle graph was used to show the breakdowns or component parts of whole categorical variables (socrates.bmcc.cuny.edu, 2012). Books: Blade, W. (Ed.) (1998). Polling and the public: what every citizen should know. Public Opinion (4th ed., p.25). Washington, D.C. : CQ Press. Corrigan, T. & While, P. (2008). The Film Experience. An Introduction (2nd Edition, p.442-445). Bedford: St. Martin’s publishing. Foss, K. & Littlejohn S. (2008). Theories of Human Communication (9th ed., p. 230). Belmont, USA: Thomson Wadsworth. Galt, R. & Schoonover, K. (2010). Global Art Cinema: New Theories and Histories, 48-53. USA: Oxford University Press. Gauntlett, D. (2002). Media, gender and identity. London: Anthony Rowe, Ltd. Maslog, C. (2008). Philippine Communication Today, 275, The University of Michigan: New Daily Publishers. Nochimson, M. (2010). World on Film, 228,231. United Kingdom: Blackwell’s publishing. Thesis: Szabo, C. (2010, May 26). Independent, mainstream and in between: how and why indie films have become their own genre. Honors College Theses, 5-6, 24. New York: Pace University Internet: Circle Graphs or Pie Charts. Retrieved September 11, 2012, from http://socrates.bmcc.cuny.edu/cpe/circle_pie.html Gonzales, N. & Libre, B. (2012, August 25). Retrieved September 08, 2012, from http://thelasallian.com/2012/08/25/independent-films-art-for-all/. Manuel, E. & Masinda, R. (2008, July 22). Retrieved September 11,2012, from http://www.slideshare.net/japorto/descriptive-method. Onscreen Asia (2009, March 01) .Retrieved August 05, 2012, from http://www.onscreenasia.com/article/philippine-indie-films-make-headway/4992. The Daily Guardian (2012, September 18). Retrieved August 31,2012, from http://www.thedailyguardian.net/index.php/local-news-8/1728-poverty-porn. Thinking Made Easy (2012, August 11). Retrieved Sept 11, 2012, from http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2012/08/research-proposal-on–1.html