Saturday, January 25, 2020
The Deceitful Fence Essay -- Biography, Troy Maxson
There are many causes that molded Troy Maxson into the dishonest, cantankerous, hypocritical person that he is in August Wilsonââ¬â¢s play, ââ¬Å"Fencesâ⬠(1985). Troy had an exceptionally unpleasant childhood. He grew up with a very abusive father that beat him on a daily basis. His mother even abandoned him when he was eight years old. In this play, Troy lies habitually and tries to cover himself up by accusing others of lying. He is a very astringent person in general. His dream of becoming a major league baseball player was crushed as a result of his time spent in jail. By the time he was released from jail, he was too old to play baseball efficiently. Troy is a very self-centered individual. He is only concerned with issues regarding him. For instance, he wants to be able to drive the trash trucks at his job like the white men do. In Act One, scene one, Troy tells Bono that he talked to his boss, Mr. Rand, about driving the trucks. ââ¬Å"How come you got all the whites driving and the colored lifting?â⬠(1332). If things in Troyââ¬â¢s life arenââ¬â¢t going the way he wants them to, he makes himself into the victim and searches for sympathy from others. In addition, if he ever does something erroneous, he never accepts responsibility, never admits his wrongdoing and no matter how much anguish he causes someone, he never apologizes for it. Even though Troy does not physically abuse his children like his father did to him, he verbally abuses them. He treats Cory very callously and unjustly. In a way, Troy is taking out his frustrations of having an unsuccessful baseball career by not allowing Cory to pursue his dream to play football. Troy crushed Coryââ¬â¢s dream. In Act One, scene four, Cory expresses his misery. ââ¬Å"Why you wanna do that to me? That w... ...oes tell the truth. He talks truthfully about his father and how he is a lot like him. He also admits that the only difference with him and his father is that he does not beat his children. Troy provided for his family. Additionally, even though he was very tough on Cory, he admitted that he was responsible for taking care of him and the rest of the family. In Act One, scene three, Troy explains to Cory why he treats him the way he does. Cory asks, ââ¬Å"How come you ainââ¬â¢t never liked me?â⬠(1346). Troy canââ¬â¢t admit to like his own son, so points out that he doesnââ¬â¢t have to like him in order to provide for him. ââ¬Å"[â⬠¦] ââ¬ËCause itââ¬â¢s my duty to take care of you. I owe a responsibility to you! [â⬠¦] I ainââ¬â¢t got to like youâ⬠(1347). Deep down, somewhere in the dark abyss that is Troyââ¬â¢s heart, he sincerely cares about his family. He just has a very different way of articulating it.
Friday, January 17, 2020
Qam and Qpsk
QAM and QPSK: Aim: Review of Quadrature Amplitude Modulator (QAM) in digital communication system, generation of Quadrature Phase Shift Keyed (QPSK or 4-PSK) signal and demodulation. Introduction: The QAM principle: The QAM modulator is of the type shown in Figure 1 below. The two paths to the adder are typically referred to as the ââ¬ËIââ¬â¢ (inphase), and ââ¬ËQââ¬â¢ (quadrature), arms. Not shown in Figure 1 is any bandlimiting. In a practical situation this would be implemented either at message level ââ¬â at the input to each multiplier ââ¬â and/or at the output of the adder.Probably both ! The motivation for QAM comes from the fact that a DSBSC signal occupies twice the bandwidth of the message from which it is derived. This is considered wasteful of resources. QAM restores the balance by placing two independent DSBSC, derived from message #1 and message #2, in the same spectrum space as one DSBSC. The bandwidth imbalance is removed. In digital communications this arrangement is popular. It is used because of its bandwidth conserving (and other) properties. It is not used for multiplexing two independent messages.Given an input binary sequence (message) at the rate of n bit/s, two sequences may be obtained by splitting the bit stream into two paths, each of n/2 bit/s. This is akin to a serial-to-parallel conversion. The two streams become the channel 1 and channel 2 messages of Figure 1. Because of the halved rate the bits in the I and Q paths are stretched to twice the input sequence bit clock period. The two messages are recombined at the receiver, which uses a QAM-type demodulator. The two bit streams would typically be band limited and/or pulse shaped before reaching the modulator.A block diagram of such a system is shown in Figure 2 below. QAM becomes QPSK: The QAM modulator is so named because, in analog applications, the messages do in fact vary the amplitude of each of the DSBSC signals. In QPSK the same modulator is used, but wi th binary messages in both the I and Q channels, as describe above. Each message has only two levels, à ±V volt. For a non-bandlimited message this does not vary the amplitude of the output DSBSC. As the message changes polarity this is interpreted as a 1800 phase shift, given to the DSBSC.Thus the signal in each arm is said to be undergoing a 1800 phase shift, or phase shift keying ââ¬â or PSK. Because there are two PSK signals combined, in quadrature, the twochannel modulator gives rise to a quadrature phase shift keyed ââ¬â QPSK ââ¬â signal. Constellation: Viewed as a phasor diagram (and for a non-bandlimited message to each channel), the signal is seen to occupy any one of four point locations on the complex plane. These are at the corner of a square (a square lattice), at angles ? /4, 3? /4, 5? /4 and 7? /4 to the real axis.M-PSK and M-QAM: The above has described digital-QAM or QPSK. This signal is also called 4-PSK or 4QAM. More generally signals can be generated which are described as M-QAM or MPSK. Here M = 2L, where L = the number of levels in each of the I and Q arms. For the present experiment L = 2, and so M = 4. The ââ¬ËMââ¬â¢ defines the number of points in the signal constellation. For the cases M > 4 then M-PSK is not the same as M-QAM. The QAM Receiver: The QAM receiver follows the similar principles to those at the transmitter, and is illustrated in idealised from in the block diagram of Figure 3.It is idealised because it assumes the incoming signal has its two DSBSC precisely in phase quadrature. Thus only one phase adjustment is required. The parallel-to-serial converter block performs the following operations: 1. regenerates the bit clock from the incoming data. 2. regenerates a digital waveform from both the analog outputs of the I and Q arms. 3. re-combines the I and Q signals, and outputs a serial data stream. Not shown is the method of carrier acquisition. This ensures that the oscillator, which supplies the local carrier signal, is synchronized to the received (input) signal in both frequency and phase.In this experiment we will use a stole carrier to ensure that carrier signal in the transmitter and receiver are in synchronism with each other. (Please read about Costas Receiver to understand more about carrier acquisition). In this experiment, two independent data sequences will be used at the input to the modulator, rather than having digital circuitry to split one data stream into two (the serialto-parallel converter). Two such independent data sequences, sharing a common bit clock (2. 083 kHz), are available from a single SEQUENCE GENERATOR module.The data stream from which these two channels are considered to have been derived would have been at a rate of twice this ââ¬â 4. 167 kHz. Lowpass filter bandlimiting and pulse shaping is not a subject of enquiry in this experiment. So a single bandpass filter at the ADDER (summer) output will suffice, providing it is of adequate bandwidth. A 100 kHz CHANNEL FILTERS module is acceptable (filter #3). Experimental Procedure: The QPSK transmitter: A model of the generator of Figure 1 is shown in Figure 4. The QAM modulator involves analog circuitry.Overload must be avoided, to prevent crosstalk between channels when they share a common path ââ¬â the ADDER and output filter. In practice there would probably be a filter in the message path to each multiplier. Although these filters would be included for pulse shaping and/or band limiting, a secondary purpose is to eliminate as many unwanted components at the multiplier (modulator) input as possible. T1 patch up the modulator according to Figure 4. Set the on-board switch SW1 of the PHASE SHIFTER to HI. Select channel #3 of the 100 kHz CHANNEL FILTERS module (this is a bandpass filter of adequate bandwidth).T2 there are no critical adjustments to be made. Set the signals from each input of the ADDER to be, say, 1 volt peak at the ADDER output. T3 for interest predict th e waveforms (amplitude and shape) at all interfaces, then confirm by inspection. Constellation: You can display the four-point constellation for QPSK: T4 set the oscilloscope in X-Y mode. With no input, select equal gains per channel. Locate the ââ¬Ëspotââ¬â¢ in the centre of the screen; then connect the two data streams entering the QAM to the scope X and Y inputs.The Demodulator: Modelling of the demodulator of Figure 3 is straightforward. But it consumes a lot of modules. Consequently only one of the two arms is shown in Figure 5. The PHASE SHIFTER can be used to select either channel from the QAM signal. If both channels required simultaneously, as in practice, then a second, identical demodulator must be provided. T5 patch up the single channel demodulator of Figure 5, including the z-mod facility of the DECISION MAKER. T6 while watching the ââ¬ËIââ¬â¢ channel at the transmitter, use the PHASE SHIFTER to match the demodulator output with it.T7 while watching the â⠬ËQââ¬â¢ channel at the transmitter, use the PHASE SHIFTER to match the demodulator output with it. Tutorial Questions: 1) Explain how a QAM system conserves bandwidth. 2) The modulator used the quadrature 100 kHz outputs from the MASTER SIGNALS module. Did it matter if these were not precisely in quadrature ? Explain. 3) Name one advantage of making the bit rate a sub-multiple of the carrier frequency. 4) Why is there a need to eliminate as many unwanted components as possible into the modulator ?
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
The American Economy at the End of the 20th Century
After a tumultuous century embroiled in world wars and financial crises, the United States economy at the end of the 20th century was experiencing a period of economic calm wherein prices were stable, unemployment fell to its lowest level in 30 years, the stock market boomed and the government posted a budget surplus. Technological innovations and a rapidly globalizing market contributed to the economic boom near the end of the 90s, then again between 2009 and 2017, but many other factors ââ¬â including presidential policy, foreign affairs, and domestic innovations and foreign supply and demand needs ââ¬â affected the rise of the American economy as it entered the 21st century. Long-term challenges like poverty, especially for single mothers and their children, and environmental quality of life still faced the nation as it prepared to enter a new century of technological development and rapid globalization. A Calm Before the Turn of the Century With the presidency of Bill Clinton at the tail end of George Bush Sr.s one-term presidency, the economy of the United States stabilized in the mid-1990s, creating a status in the economy as it prepared to enter a new millennium, finally recovered from two world wars, a 40-year Cold War, a Great Depression and several large recessions, and enormous budget deficits in government in the last half of the century. By 1998, theà gross domestic productà (GDP) of the U.S. had exceeded $8.5 trillion, achieving the longest uninterrupted period of expansion in American history. With just five percent of the worlds population, the United States was accounting for 25% of the worlds economic output, outproducing its closest rival Japan by nearly double the amount. Innovations in computing, telecommunications, and life sciences opened up new opportunities for Americans to work as well as new goods to consume while the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and the strengthening of Western and Asian economies offered new business ventures for American capitalists. Uncertainty at the Edge of the Millennium While some may have rejoiced in the new expansion in technology and the economy of the United States, others were skeptical of the rapid changes and feared some of the long-term challenges American hadnt resolved yet would be forgotten in the blur of innovation.à Although many Americans had achieved economic security by this point, with some even accumulating large sums of earnings, poverty was still a large issue facing the federal government and a substantial number of Americans lacked access to basic health coverage. Industrial jobs in the manufacturing field also took a hit at the end of the millennium, suffering setbacks as automation began to take over jobs and certain markets saw a decrease in demand for their goods. This resulted in a seemingly irreversible deficit in foreign trade. Ever the Market Economy As the United States passed into the early 2000s, one principle remained strong and true in terms of its economy: it was and would always be a market economy wherein the economy works best when decisions about produce and what prices to charge for goods are made through the give-and-take of millions of independent buyers and sellers, not by government or by powerful private interests, according to the State Department website. In thisà free market economy, Americans feel that the true value of a good or service is reflected in its price, guiding the production end of the economy to only produce what is needed according to the supply-and-demand model, which leads to peakà economic efficiency. As is the tradition in all things concerning American politics, it is essential to limit the governments involvement in determining the economic market of its country in order to prevent an undue concentration of power and promote the pluralist foundation of the United States.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Funding Social Security A Modern Approach Essay - 1456 Words
Social Security Overview Social Security is one of Americaââ¬â¢s most successful government programs, and has helped millions of Americans avoid poverty. Congress passed the Social Security Act in 1935 and the retirement benefits program went into effect on January 1, 1937. Social Security issued its first monthly retirement benefits check to Ida May Fuller of Ludlow, Vermont on January 31, 1940 in the amount of $22.54. Miss Fuller, a Legal Secretary, retired in November 1939. She started collecting benefits at the age 65 and lived to be 100 years old, dying in 1975. Miss Fuller worked for three years under the Social Security program, the accumulated taxes on her salary during those three years was a total of $24.75. During her lifetime sheâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦6) Public assistance and welfare services, including aid to needy families with children, medical assistance, maternal and child health services, child support enforcement, family and child welfare services, food stamps and energy assistance (Stenken). The heart of the Social Security system is the retirement program, and this was the original intention of social security and it encompasses today the greatest number of beneficiaries (Tomkiel). Generally speaking, most employees in private industry, most self-employed persons, and members of the U.S. Armed Forces are covered by Social Security however some groups of people are excluded from social security coverage. Some groups of people are excluded from social security coverage. The main groups excluded are federal employees hired before 1984, and railroad employees, who fall under the Railroad Retirement System. Otherwise the following categories of people can receive Social Security Benefits: 1) A disabled insured worker under the age of 65. 2) A retired insured worker at age 62 or over. 3) The spouse of a retired or disabled worker entitled to benefits who is age 62 or over, or has in care a child under age 16 or over age 16 and disabled who is entitled to benefits on the workerââ¬â¢s Social Security record. 4) The divorced spouse of a fully insured worker who has not yet filed a claim for benefits it both are age 62 or over, were married for at least 10 year, and have been finallyShow MoreRelatedPrinciples of Security 5th Edition Chapter 1 Review Questions814 Words à |à 4 Pages How is infrastructure protection (assuring the security of utility services) related to information security? If the infrastructure of a network is exposed and accessible to anyone this leaves the network vulnerable to damage both to hardware and software. The infrastructure must be protected to allow only authorized user to have access to the network. 4. What type of security was dominant in the early years of computing? Physical security. 5. What are the three components of the C.IRead MoreInformation Security Essay865 Words à |à 4 Pages(assuring the security of utility services) related to information security? Information security is the protection of information and it is critical elements, including the systems and hardware that used, store, and transmit that information, Thus, assuring the security of utility services are critical elements in information system. 4. What type of security was dominant in the early years of computing? The type of security was dominant in the early years of computing security was entirely physicalRead MorePrinciples of Information Security 4th Ed Chapter 1 Review Questions801 Words à |à 4 Pagessystem is open to damage. Vulnerabilities can in turn be the cause of exposure. 3. How is infrastructure protection (assuring the security of utility services) related to information security? You need to have infrastructure protection in order to have effective information security. 4. What type of security was dominant in the early years of computing? Security was entirely physical in the early years because physical access was the primary threat. 5. What are the three components ofRead MoreThe Prospect And Challenges Of Cyber Security Insurance922 Words à |à 4 Pages0 Introduction This chapter presents the prospect and challenges of cyber security insurance among It practitioners in the United Kingdom based on the literature that had been reviewed in the process of writing this paper. This chapter will draw upon results of earlier studies and reports to provide a theoretical framework to answer the research questions of the paper. 2.1. Cyber security and its importance to the modern lives In line with technological advances and the evolution of the internetRead MoreInformation Security Chap 1 Review Questions and Exercise 5 Essay991 Words à |à 4 Pagesthe security of utility services) related to information security? Information security is the protection of information and it is critical elements, including the systems and hardware that used, store, and transmit that information, Thus, assuring the security of utility services are critical elements in information system. 4. what type of security was dominant in the early years of computing? The type of security was dominant in the early years of computing security wasRead MoreWhat Is Cash Changed?884 Words à |à 4 Pagesthem, ââ¬Å"itââ¬â¢s clear that giving people money in almost any form makes their lives better in the short termâ⬠(Brown 2016:3). Through lump-sums allowing large purchases to a basic income, giving directly has at least seen to put a pause on detrimental social trends and offer a safety net for those financially strapped. A strong advocate of cash transfers, Hickel claims that ââ¬Å"A growing body of evidence suggests that direct cash transfers, with no strings attached, not only deliver success where microfinanceRead MoreThe Imperative Advantages Of Welfare879 Words à |à 4 PagesLabourers take dynamic enthusiasm for their employments and work with a sentiment association and interest. â⬠¢ Worker welfare measures expand the efficiency of association and advance sound mechanical relations in this manner keeping up modern peace. â⬠¢ The social shades of malice pervasive among the works, for example, substance misuse, and so forth are decreased to a more prominent degree by the welfare approaches. â⬠¢ Standards of Employee Welfare Service Taking after are by and large given asRead MoreTheme Of Being Mortal1271 Words à |à 6 Pagesold in a modern age. Overall, I have found that three overpowering themes in this novel are security versus autonomy, a need for pragmatism surrounding the concept of death, and our medicalized societyââ¬â¢s devaluation of hospice and palliative care. Regarding these themes, I have chosen to reflect on my grandparents, death in the West and social role valorization, respectively. 2. Security Versus Autonomy An especially relevant theme to Gawandeââ¬â¢s Being Mortal is the spectrum of security versus autonomyRead MoreCommunity Health Center for the Uninsured and Undocumented Immigrants1499 Words à |à 6 Pagesimmigrants in Northern California. The paper covers the establishment of this center with special focus on strategic funding, funding constraints, related state and national regulations, health policy, resources allocation, and managerial and leadership. Funding Like any business idea, the first step to establish a community health center is to figure out all necessary funds and funding resources for the anticipated expenses. In general, according to McLaughlin and McLaughlin (2008), to calculate neededRead MoreProcess Of Identification Definition Essay1680 Words à |à 7 Pageshierarchy of human needs. It is one of the most important components of human happiness and successful social and economic development. Implementation of the intellectual, moral and spiritual, physical and reproductive potential is only possible in a healthy society. In accordance with the Constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO), health is defined as a ââ¬Å"state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.â⬠The physical health stands for
Monday, December 23, 2019
Human Resource Management Functions Of The Company
Human Resource Management Function Based on Bandagââ¬â¢s size, it is important for the company to look closely at the human resource functions of the company. Currently, Jimââ¬â¢s executive assistant handles the day-to-day human resource management. It is important to first ask if Jimââ¬â¢s executive assistant has the expertise to deal with the day-to-day human resource tasks or is this an additional burden on the assistant. It may appear as a burden due to the many problems the company is experiencing. It may be in the companyââ¬â¢s best interest to employ an in-house employee who will specifically deal with the daily human resource management tasks. This person should be a highly trained individual. This individual should be able to competentlyâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦If Jim decides he does not want to employ an in-house human resource employee, he will need to carefully select an outsourcing firm to handle the all duties of a human resource department. This action is needed in order to find a firm that offers the solutions to the problems targeting Bandag. This decision should not be taken lightly. It is a decision that should be well thought out and researched because the outsourcing firm will work as an extension of the organization. In Jimââ¬â¢s case, cost alone should never be the deciding factor in the selection of an outsourcing firm to handle human resource processes. There are a host of other factors to consider, such as reputation, organizational fit, and degrees of experience. It is often advisable to meet those who will be performing the work itself (Caruth, Haden, and Caruth, 2013). Additionally, if outsourcing of all operations is needed, open communication is needed in order to solidify the relationship between the companies. It is also important to note regardless of the choice that is made, organizational leaders need to approach either scenario with the mindset of building a long-term relationship. Neither option should be viewed as a short-term solution to human resource management problemsââ¬âit is a long-term arrangement that requires commitment from both parties (Caruth, Haden, Caruth, 2013). Dismissal of Employee Henry The case with Henry, there is a need to gather more information regarding his claim.
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Women and Diversity in the Workforce Free Essays
There is a growing and continuous interest in workplace diversity within management and organization studies. This interest can be traced back to Johnston and Packardâ⬠s (1987) influential report, Workforce 2000, which alerted organizations to the dramatic demographic changes that were in the process of transforming the North American workforce. (Prasad, 1997). We will write a custom essay sample on Women and Diversity in the Workforce or any similar topic only for you Order Now Managing diversity at the workplace presents many dilemmas. Confronted with constant change, management, business educators, and organizational consultants continue to meet the challenges of a new and diverse workforce in a number of ways. There are numerous ways in which to define diversity. Diversity includes all the ways in which people differ, and it encompasses all the different characteristics that make one individual or group different from another. It is all inclusive and recognizes everyone and every group as part of the diversity that should be valued. (Wentling, 1997). A broad definition includes not only race, gender, ethnicity , age, national origin, religion and disability, but may include sexual orientation, values, personality, education, language, physical appearance, marital status, lifestyle, beliefs and background characteristics such as geographic origin, tenure with the organization and economic status. There is a significant increase in women and minority populations in the workplace; Americans continue to mature; an increasing number of minority youths are becoming part of the workforce; gay men, lesbians, and bisexual individuals are becoming an important part of the workforce and marketplace; people with disabilities are also increasingly entering the labor force; and more business is becoming global. (Wentling, 1997). Nearly half of all workers will be women, and more than a quarter will likely be members of minority races. About 40% of the work force will be over 45 years of age and only about 15% of new entrants will be the young white males (Labich, 1996). And yet another statistic, the Hispanic population is quickly becoming the largest minority group in the United States and the fastest growing ethnic faction in the civilian labor force (Forst, 1997). With these changes marching forward ever so rapidly, it is no wonder that management must battle to stay on top of diversity issues. Having a diverse workforce and managing it properly is perceived as a competitive strategy that can not only help attract diverse customers but also employees who have different perspectives that can contribute to the creativity of the organization (Wentling, 1997). Researchers have found that an important reason for implementing diversity initiatives in organizations is to improve corporate productivity and profitability (Wentling, 1997). A diverse workforce catalyzes more organizational creativity and productivity because workers are drawn from a larger more democratic, gene pool (Prasad, 1997). When trying to diversify an organization, you can be assured that there will be resistance. Management must be able to implement change as necessary. No one series of workshops will be ideal for every organization, but the most effective training methods seem to revolve around the daily problems workers face. (Labich, 1996). ââ¬Å"We are color and gender blindâ⬠is often heard throughout organizations in America. One of the biggest challenges may be to retrain managers to recognize and value differences rather than disregard and dismiss them (Mor Barak, 1998). You simply have to adapt your workplace to the labor force; ignore it, and you could be sacrificing quality and productivity (Labich, 1996). The point for management is understanding where the work force is at before you try to move it where you want. (Labich, 1996). Embracing diversity raises fundamental questions about how individuals in organizations define themselves, how they feel good about themselves, and how they experience and relate to others. If organizations are to embrace diversity, then they must find creative approaches to helping people become fully aware of the impact that social identity has on sense making and behavior (Prasad, 1997). BankAmerica is an example of a corporation that gives people a higher level of comfort to pursue their careers, to find out about opportunities. BankAmerica also focuses on mentoring programs and promotion practices (Brown, 1998). Yet another example of successful diversification is Liz Clairborneâ⬠s $2.4 billion-a-year fashion company which employs nearly 41% minorities. This is well about the average of 25.6% (Vinzant, 1998). Both companies have an awareness of the importance of diversification and thus make it a long-term goal. How to cite Women and Diversity in the Workforce, Papers
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Sustainable Management Futures Samples for Students-Myassignment
Question: Critically Evaluate a Particular Case Involving a Corporation of your Choosing from the Perspectives of Business Ethics. Answer: Introduction The report is aimed at evaluating the Phillip Morris campaign on anti-smoking for youths using contrasting models of business ethics like Deontology and Virtue ethics. The theories of the two models are explained in details, which are followed by the analysis of the campaign based on the viewpoints of the two theories. A brief overview of Phillip Morris Phillip Morris is the leading brand of tobacco in the world. It is a USA based global tobacco company. Out of the top 15 international brands of cigarettes, this company owns six. Their markets are spread worldwide in more than 180 countries. One of the most popular cigarette brands of this company is Marlboro. They have forty-eight production houses in 32 different countries. Before March 2008, it was working under the Altria group, which focuses only on the United States. After that, the Altria group allowing it to expand its business worldwide in all emerging markets withdrew the legal constraints on Phillip Morris. The companys corporate headquarters are in New York while the operations are headed from Lausanne Switzerland. Their product is based on tobacco, which is a big cause of deadly diseases (Pmi.com, 2017). As a result, the company is facing many legal problems from governments of countries around the globe. Phillip Morris started the business in London in 1847. It was the n a small tobacco shop at the London Bond Street. Later it expanded its business to the US. In 1919, George J. Whelan purchased the US branch of Phillip Morris and named it Phillip Morris and Company Ltd. Inc. n 1925 Marlboro cigarette was introduced with the tag line mild as may. It is considered as the turning point of the company. In 1931, Reuben M. Ellis and Leonard B. Mc Kitterick took over the charge of the company. In 1933, the Phillip Moris English blend cigarette was launched. In 1936 the company becomes the 4th largest manufacturer of cigarettes by selling 7.5 billions of it. In 1945 the Axton-Fisher tobacco company was acquired. Cigarette consumption dropped drastically post-World War II in 1945. In 1955, the Marlboro brand was reinvented with an American Cowboy theme. In 1960, the company became the leading exporter of tobacco in the US. George Weissman, the man responsible for this huge growth was appointed as the director of international operations of the company. In 1970, Miller Brewing was acquired. In 1975, the company released the Merit cigarette brand for the lower levels of the society. In 1999, the official website of the company was launched admitting that the consumption of tobacco can cause cancer and thus can lead to death. In April 2014, the company shut down is Moorabbin plant in Australia due to the decrease of sales and the legal restrictions imposed by the Australian government on health issues (Pmi.com, 2017). In 2015, the sale of cigarettes by this company was 850 billion. Some of the multimillion brands of Phillip Morris are Marlboro, Dji Sam Soe 234, LM, Longbeach, ST Dupont Paris, and U Mild. In the following sections of the report, the theoretical approaches of Deontology and Virtue Ethics are discussed in details. The strengths and weaknesses of each of these theories are also focused upon. In the Analysis section of the report, an analysis has been made on the viewpoints of these two theories on tobacco industries in general. This is followed by the analysis of the Phillip Morris campaign on the ethical grounds provided by these theories. In the Conclusion part, these two theories are compared and the contradictory findings are been discussed in order to evaluate the final understanding. Theoretical / Conceptual Approaches Figure 1: Theoretical / Conceptual Approaches of Ethical Theories (Source: Botan and Hazleton, 2010, p.22) Deontology (Ethics of duties) Deontological ethics or deontology refers to the ethics followed when a person is bound by duty (Sparks and Pan, 2010). It is based on the principle that rules bind individuals to do their duties properly. According to this theory, the right or wrong is decided at the point where the action is taken. It is not decided by the right or a wrong consequence that takes place as result of these actions (Trevino and Nelson, 2010). Strengths of Deontology Deontological ethics has certain principles, which are considered, as its areas of strength. The main strength is that it justifies a good motive even if the consequences are not good enough. Similarly, an unethical motive cannot be justified even if its results are good (Markard et al. 2012) According to this theory the consequences cannot be controlled but the actions can be. This theory considers all people equal and worthy of protection. Justice should not be denied even if it proves unprofitable for the mass (Aguinis and Glavas, 2012). Moral values should always be maintained even if it goes against time and tide. It encourages the following of ethics without thinking of the consequences (Gray and Schein, 2012) Weaknesses of Deontology The principles of deontology are not considered as practical when it comes to the real world scenarios. The decision-making is influenced by many more factors rather than just considering the duty as the main motive. It is not practical to consider only doing well when the outcomes can be disastrous (Miller et al. 2012). People do not blindly follow ethics without knowing what they are doing and why they are doing. This concept does not motivate to take decisions on the ground of sympathy or compassions (van Dijk et al. 2012). Morality cannot be defined as the set of rules that need to be followed irrespective of any situation. Real experiences decide what sort of actions to be taken (Rossouw et al. 2010). For example committing suicide is not considered as morally good but for a depressed person, it may seem like the last and the most reasonable way of escaping. Virtue Ethics Virtue ethics considers the moral character of a person carrying out the action rather than the action or the duties performed by the individual (Griseri and Seppala, 2010). The consequences of the action are also not taken into consideration. Virtue ethics serves as a guidance of the moral characteristics an individual should possess to be a good person (Carroll and Shabana, 2010). It also evaluates the rightness or wrongness of the actions performed by a person. According to this, a person cannot be classified as immoral depending on an action taken in compliance with a situation. This is very relevant with social structure since people are always prone to assassinate someone's character without judging the situation, which forced the person to take the action (Arnold et al. 2010). Punishing a person for an unlawful act only deters the situation. On the other hand correcting a person helps to build a good and healthy society. A virtue is a moral characteristic that an individual ne eds to practice to be called virtuous (Crane and Matten, 2016). Strengths of Virtue Ethics This theory deals with the characteristic traits a person possesses to make the lives of other people good and healthy. A virtuous person can treat another person with compassion, love, and respect. According to this theory, a person having good virtues is always drawn to do good things to others since these characteristics are inbuilt within that person (Brenkert, 2010). This is a contradiction to deontology, which states that person is bound by duty and is forced to do good things. Virtue ethics states that characteristics like generosity, honesty, compassion and so on are already present in a human being. It just needs to be nurtured and practiced every day to be a good human being and also help the society to be a better place to live in. It gives importance to thinking of others first over ones own interest (Nga and Shamuganathan, 2010). This theory has no defined principles on morality and is not categorized as good or bad. So it does not increase the complexity of a situation. As compared to other confusing theories, this theory considers the totality of a person to judge its morality. Another very strong principle of virtual ethics is that it considers the moral character of the person and is not concerned with the obligations or duties. This allows a person to act according to its moral values and not just simply follow the rule. It allows people to take care and be sensitive towards personal relationships and have high regard for others in the society. This theory teaches people to be happy and content with what they possess. This prevents individuals to get corrupted to fulfil their dreams of power and luxury. Weaknesses of virtue ethics Virtual ethics lacks focus on determining which act to be considered as good and which to be considered as bad. It only focuses on the qualities an individual possess to make him or her a morally good person. It does not consider the grounds on which the action is been taken (Brammer et al. 2012.). For example, murder is considered as an immoral act, irrespective of the situation on which it has occurred. Another weakness of this theory is that the moral values and practices change from people to people coming from different culture and different type of societies. Something, which can be good to some people, can be considered as a bad practice in other societies. This increases differences of opinions among people. This theory is considered as self-centred because it concentrates on the personal character of the individual without considering the effects of the actions on other people. Critics find this theory misguiding because it also supports the person whose actions are immoral and can be harmful to the society (Kitzmueller and Shimshack, 2012). According to this theory, the person needs to be corrected and not punished. Since this theory concentrates on the individual characteristics and not on the broader section of the society, it is considered as one of its greatest weaknesses. Analysis For analyzing the viewpoints of deontology and virtue ethics, the Phillip Morris anti-smoking campaign is selected as a material. It is such a situation which can be considered as moral as well as immoral on the same grounds. So it serves as a great source for studying the comparisons of viewpoints of the two contrasting ethical approaches. Phillip Morris has invested $300 million on anti-smoking programs and campaigns for youth. The very popular tagline for this campaign is "Think. Don't smoke." It has arranged for more than 130 programs in more than 70 countries. It has build partnerships with schools, colleges, and universities to spread this awareness targeting the youth. The campaign began as a part of the $206 billion agreement made by major tobacco companies including Phillip Morris, to educate the young mass about the dangers of tobacco (Pmi.com, 2017). Deontological view on the Phillip Morris Campaign Deontology states that the intentions with which the actions are performed decide whether the action is good or bad. Suppose a person kills someone. Killing is the consequence of the action taken. If the killing has been done deliberately then the action is considered as unethical. On the other hand, if the killing was accidental then the action is not considered as unethical (Gotsis and Kortezi, 2010). It classifies duties in two parts. The general duties that we do towards others like not lying, helping others when needed. The cigarette is the only legal product which can harm the population even causing deaths. The nicotine that is present in tobacco is highly addictive. It is considered as highly addictive as heroin or cocaine. As a result, it becomes very difficult for smokers to quit smoking. Smoking tobacco is the cause of more than forty deadly diseases all over the world. According to research, one of every smoker who is addicted for a long time die a premature death. Therefore, according to deontology selling any product, which causes harm or death, is ethically wrong. Hence selling of tobacco is also considered as unethical. The second category of duties is the ones, which we are bound to do due to our social or personal relationships. Keeping promises, providing for children when the individual becomes a parent are some of its examples (Singer, 2010). Deontology states that always the right thing needs to be done, even if it harms or does less good to someone. Avoid the wrong even if it benefits or saves someone (Schlegelmilch and Oberseder, 2010). According to the philosopher Kant, it is wrong to lie even if it saves someone from a murderer. According to the deontological point of view, though selling of tobacco by Phillip Morris is considered unethical, the campaign is morally right. So according to deontology, this is considered as moral, since the action is taken for fulfilling its duty enforced by the law, disregarding the consequences of the campaign. Virtue Ethics view on the Phillip Morris Campaign: A virtuous person is the one who not only follows virtues to be a good human being but also believes in the virtues. According to this theory, an action is only considered right when it matches with the action taken by any virtuous person at the same situation (Elms et al. 2010). It is the action taken based on rational thinking rather than on instinct. This theory states that there are certain common virtues, which come naturally to mature human beings though these virtues are not easy to maintain. The good virtues are those, which only benefits human beings (Botan and Hazleton, 2010). Virtues cannot be different for different people. Virtue ethics considers the morality of an individual rather than on the moral act. According to it the intentions of an act is very difficult to evaluate since it requires a deeper understanding of the background situation. The impact on the society or the surroundings should always be considered while taking up an action. So a business is considered ethical when it gives equal importance in evaluating the impact of its products on society as it gives in increasing its productivity. The principles of this ethics emphasizes that humans should reasonably avoid both extreme as well as deficient actions. According to this view, the tobacco companies' low marketing of their cigarette brands is considered as acceptable, considering the fact that even tobacco companies require marketing to sell their products. Loud marketing of tobacco products is not compliant with virtue ethics principles of integrity and trust. The modern list of virtues differs from the earlier lists. Earlier a person was considered as virtuous if that person possessed characteristics like prudence, bravery, temperance, and justice. The modern values include justice, self-care, fidelity, and prudence (Lindgreen and Swaen, 2010). Treating all human beings as equal is known as justice. Fidelity means treating near and dear ones with special care. Caring for our own selves for the betterment of our mental, physical and spiritual health is known as self-care virtues. A prudent person is the one who acquires more of justice, fidelity and self-care virtues. One of the good points of this virtue ethics theory is that ii considers the whole life of a person to call that person virtuous. This theory does not provide guidance on how to handle situations when a person is in a moral dilemma (Pedersen, 2010). However, Phillip Morris campaign seemed to be ethical according to deontology, but researchers have proved that the campaign was not targeted for spreading anti-smoking awareness but rather it was used as a new strategy to endorse their brands and attract new smokers. The campaigns conducted by this company totally ignored the strategies that proved to be effective for preventing smoking among youngsters. So according to Virtue Ethics, this campaign is considered as unethical since the company used it for their own personal gain rather than acting virtuously by preventing adolescents from smoking. conclusion: From the analysis made above it is clear that deontology is ethics based on external rules whereas virtue ethics deals with the moral character of an individual. According to deontology a person should follow and do the moral duties without considering the consequences. This should be compulsorily followed as a rule by each and every individual of the society. That is a person should continue to do his good deeds even if the outcome of the action does not do any good to the society. Whereas virtue ethics states that no one can be bound by a rule book to follow ethics. It focuses on the character of a person and not on the actions. It gives freedom to a person to reasonably identify an action as good or bad. It considers the action that a person with moral values (honesty, integrity, courageous) will take in response to a situation. To conclude on deontology it can be said that how irrelevant it might appear in modern situations, but there are certain beliefs that are worthy of keeping in mind. The exact outcomes of situations are not always predictive. In those cases, a person should always select to do what is best to combat the situation. This is where the importance of the principle of the list of rules is recognized. This set list of rules comes to aid when a person is suffering from indecision. As a result, deontology still gets immense respect in spite of its huge complications. Virtue ethics is the most popular of the ethics theories and are followed vastly in modern days. Virtue based ethics are considered logical and consistent. As it gives the flexibility to understand a situation and act accordingly, it is considered as the most successful theories of ethics. The role of a tobacco company is always considered as unethical. There are different standards for measuring the morality of tobacco companies. By analyzing the Philip Morris anti-smoking campaign for youths using deontology and virtue ethics, it is well established that judging this effort is not as simple and straightforward as it looks. According to deontology this act of Phillip Morris may be considered as ethical because it does its duty by educating the youth. However, when the campaign was looked into deeply, it presented itself as more unethical than ethical. It was clearly established that the campaign was aimed at increasing their growth and promoting their brand. Hence from the Virtue Ethics point of view, the campaigns became unethical. Tobacco, which is the cause of death for 440,000 deaths per year, is the main raw material of business of any tobacco company. Even if the company introduces a healthier form of smoking or conducts an anti smoking campaign, then also it cannot conduct its business without harming anyone. It can be concluded that it is impossible for Phillip Morris or any other tobacco company to pursue its operations ethically. Only total shutdown of operations is the only way by which a tobacco company can be ethical. Finally in order to say about the sustainable management, it can be stated that the control and maintenance of the environment are entirely needed for the environmental protection. The assumption of tobacco is unhealthy for the physical health of the human. In the similar ways, this is also harmful form the sustainability of the external environment. From the ethical point of view, the measurement and control of this incident through the arrangement of the campaign is therefore justified. On the other hand, in order to create awareness among people, the role and contribution of the anti-smoking campaign by Philip Morris is also helpful. References Aguinis, H. and Glavas, A., 2012. What we know and dont know about corporate social responsibility a review and research agenda.Journal of management,38(4), pp.932-968 Arnold, D.G., Audi, R. and Zwolinski, M., 2010. Recent work in ethical theory and its implications for business ethics.Business Ethics Quarterly,20(04), pp.559-581 Botan, C.H. and Hazleton, V. eds., 2010.Public relations theory II. Routledge Brammer, S., Jackson, G. and Matten, D., 2012. Corporate social responsibility and institutional theory: New perspectives on private governance.Socio-economic review,10(1), pp.3-28 Brenkert, G.G., 2010. The limits and prospects of business ethics.Business Ethics Quarterly,20(04), pp.703-709 Carroll, A.B. and Shabana, K.M., 2010. The business case for corporate social responsibility: A review of concepts, research and practice.International journal of management reviews,12(1), pp.85-105 Crane, A. and Matten, D., 2016.Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press Elms, H., Brammer, S., Harris, J.D. and Phillips, R.A., 2010. New directions in strategic management and business ethics.Business Ethics Quarterly,20(03), pp.401-425 Gotsis, G.N. and Kortezi, Z., 2010. Ethical considerations in organizational politics: Expanding the perspective.Journal of Business Ethics,93(4), pp.497-517 Gray, K. and Schein, C., 2012. Two minds vs. two philosophies: Mind perception defines morality and dissolves the debate between deontology and utilitarianism.Review of Philosophy and Psychology,3(3), pp.405-423 Griseri, P. and Seppala, N., 2010.Business ethics and corporate social responsibility. Cengage Learning Kitzmueller, M. and Shimshack, J., 2012. Economic perspectives on corporate social responsibility.Journal of Economic Literature,50(1), pp.51-84 Lindgreen, A. and Swaen, V., 2010. Corporate social responsibility.International Journal of Management Reviews,12(1), pp.1-7 Markard, J., Raven, R. and Truffer, B., 2012. Sustainability transitions: An emerging field of research and its prospects.Research Policy,41(6), pp.955-967 Miller, T., Birch, M., Mauthner, M. and Jessop, J. eds., 2012.Ethics in qualitative research. Sage Nga, J.K.H. and Shamuganathan, G., 2010. The influence of personality traits and demographic factors on social entrepreneurship start up intentions.Journal of business ethics,95(2), pp.259-282 Pedersen, E.R., 2010. Modelling CSR: How managers understand the responsibilities of business towards society.Journal of Business Ethics,91(2), pp.155-166 Pmi.com (2017) Philip Morris International (PMI) | Homepage. [online] Available at: https://www.pmi.com/ [Accessed on 18 Apr. 2017] Rossouw, D., Van Vuuren, L., Ghani, A.H.A. and Adam, M.Z.A., 2010.Business ethics. Oxford University Press Southern Africa Schlegelmilch, B.B. and Oberseder, M., 2010. Half a century of marketing ethics: Shifting perspectives and emerging trends.Journal of Business Ethics,93(1), pp.1-19. Crane, A. and Matten, D., 2016.Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press Singer, A.E., 2010. Integrating ethics and strategy: A pragmatic approach.Journal of Business Ethics,92(4), pp.479-491 Sparks, J.R. and Pan, Y., 2010. Ethical judgments in business ethics research: Definition, and research agenda.Journal of Business Ethics,91(3), pp.405-418 Trevino, L.K. and Nelson, K.A., 2010.Managing business ethics. John Wiley Sons van Dijk, H., van Engen, M. and Paauwe, J., 2012. Reframing the business case for diversity: A values and virtues perspective.Journal of Business Ethics,111(1), pp.73-84
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)