...Patagonia Problem Patagonia, a highly recognized brand that manufactures high end outdoor gear, refers to the Fair Labor Association’s accredited monitors for monitoring its manufacturing standards. The conflict of interest arises with the methods FLA uses to monitor its corporate affiliates like Patagonia. FLA allows its affiliates to pick the factories that need to be inspected as well as the inspectors who will be conducting these inspections. The affiliates are also responsible for compensating these monitors. As a result, FLA, which claims to be a third party monitor, ceases to be one thereby allowing its corporate affiliates to monitor themselves. The other issue in the case is that since Patagonia is a privately held company, the standards and procedures it expects of its manufacturers and suppliers are not made public. This lack of transparency does not necessarily help Patagonia back its claim operating 100% organic, since the data that proves it is not available to the public. The third issue is the fact that Patagonia enables farmers to pick their own certifier to certify the cotton fiber and production. This could pose a problem as farmers may jeopardize quality by using certifiers that are cheaper and require fewer and less thorough inspections to cut costs. The totality of these issues raises questions whether Patagonia is genuine in their efforts to promote the use of organic textiles in its effort to tackle the environment crisis or is it another case of greenwashing...
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...Muhammad Ateeb Khan 260362190 Patagonia Case Company Objectives: To earn sufficient profit by delivering innovative, excellent, useful products and service to customers without the pursuit of growth for growth’s sake. To reduce or reverse the environmental harm caused by company operations Strategy: Designing high-quality outdoor equipment and clothing. “Quality” is the way of doing business for Patagonia. This includes Quality products, quality service and quality life of employees. Internal Controls: The company initiated a program called “The workbook process” that was aimed to get the employees actively involved with the companys performance and also to assess which work groups were meeting their targets and which weren’t. The Workbook process involved making every department’s and corporation’s plan visible to all employees and encouraged employees to become actively involved in the planning and operating review process. This process also made monthly department and corporate financial and operating repots visible to all employees. This new system was initiated as an improvement to the company culture of concern for employees’ quality of life, which in turn reflected motivation to serve company objectives The Company uses results controls to monitor and direct the actions of its employees. The workbook process was designed for this very reason so that employees can be fully aware of the objectives their group needs to accomplish for the financial year and...
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...What Darwin Didn’t Know: Darwin's First Clues: By David Quammen, Photograph by Luciano Candisani, MInden Pictures Summary The journey of young Charles Darwin aboard His Majesty's Ship Beagle, during the years 1831-36, is one of the best known and most neatly mythologized episodes in the history of science. Darwin visited the Galápagos archipelago in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and there beheld giant tortoises and finches. The finches, many species of them, were distinguishable by differently shaped beaks, suggesting adaptations to particular diets. The tortoises, island by island, carried differently shaped shells. These clues from the Galápagos led to conclude that Earth's living diversity has arisen by an organic process of descent with modification or evolution, as it's now known, and that natural selection is the mechanism. His theory developed slowly, secretively, and his book, The Origin of Species, didn't appear until 1859. Many scientists, along with some Victorian clergymen, resisted its evidence and arguments for decades afterward. The reality of evolution became widely accepted during Darwin's lifetime, but his particular theory, with natural selection as prime cause, didn't triumph until about 1940, after it had been successfully integrated with genetics. Apart from those clarifications, the most interesting point missed by the simplified tale is this: Darwin's first real clue toward evolution came not in the Galápagos but three years before, on a blustery beach...
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...The Galapagos in September Charles Darwin first visited the Galapagos Islands in September, exploring the islands and discovering creatures that remain today; including giant tortoises and marine iguanas- while marveling at the volcanic landscapes and the diversity found within their borders. True to form, the islands in September are alive with creatures great and small in the midst of transition. Giant tortoises on Santa Cruz make the journey back from the coast to the lush highlands of the island. Fur seals are beginning to breed, and female sea lions are giving birth, with males fiercely protecting their harems from other bulls. It is a cool month to visit the archipelago, in both senses of the word. The chilly Humboldt Current mixes with the warmer waters of the Galapagos producing a thriving under water eco-system brimming with marine life. Schools of reef-fish feed off of plankton, dolphins and sea turtles feed on the fish, and Orca whales sit at the top of the food chain; chasing after the larger creatures of the sea. Around Darwin, Wolf, and off the western shores of Isabela Islands, humpback whales and their young are often spotted- as are massive whale sharks, the largest creature in the ocean. September also marks a waning of the number of people who visit the islands; kids are back in school after the summer break, and parents are busy getting ready for the upcoming holidays. It is traditionally a period when the locals enjoy the islands, making it a great time...
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...During late April, and early May of the year 1836 Charles Darwin landed on a French isle called “Mauritius”. Rounding the northern tip of Mauritius, Darwin said that it met all of the expectations, by many well known descriptions of the scenery. He depicted the island to have forest filled mountains, and also portrayed the land as he approached to be bright green and have very tropical aspects to it (Darwin Diary pg.509). “The centre of the island consists of a great platform, surrounded by old broken basaltic mountains, with their strata dipping seawards. The central platform, formed of comparatively recent streams of lava, is of an oval shape, thirteen geographical miles across, in the line of its shorter axis. The exterior bounding mountains come into that class of structures called Craters of Elevation, which are supposed to have been formed not like ordinary craters, but by a great and sudden upheaval. There appears to me to be insuperable objections to this view: on the other hand, I can hardly believe, in this and in some other cases, that these marginal crateriform mountains are merely the basal remnants of immense volcanoes, of which the summits either have been blown off, or swallowed up in subterranean abysses”(Darwin Diary pg 511). When Darwin reached the top of the mountain calculating it to be about 2,600 feet in elevation, he said the countryside looked predominantly cultivated (Voyage Journal pg.572). M. Lesson, in the voyage of the Coquille, has stated, that...
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... In my opinion, the most significant successes of the Progressive Movement were the constitutional amendments and improvements in the democratic process. Our text tells us “The Progressive use of the amendment created lasting effects on our political system and is often considered the greatest success of the entire movement” (Bowles, 2011). The 16th amendment allowed the federal government to begin collecting income tax from all workers. The 17th amendment gave citizens the power to elect U.S. senators and was a result of the direct primary reform in Oregon. This was important because it allowed voters to choose candidates for office instead of political party leaders (The Progressive Era, 2002). The recall, referendum, and initiative are all examples of Progressive reform that brought more democratic power to the common people. The Progressive Movement’s significant failure, in my opinion, was in regard to racial equality. Even though they fell short of their intentions, we must remember how ambitious their goals were. The Progressive Movement missed their target because they aimed to do too much. I do not think that World War I can be regarded as a Progressive conflict. The First World War was a road block to Progressive reform until the rich, who had fought alongside the poor, returned from overseas. References: (2002). The progressive era [Television series episode]. In America in the 20th Century. New York, NY: Films for the Humanities & Sciences...
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...know our responsibilities in our community as well as our duty as a citizen of humanity. My fellow youth, in behalf of the Youth in Media and Sigaw KA!bataan, I am encouraging you to exercise your right to suffrage, our decision and vote will determine what lies ahead of us. Our choice is a crucial factor that will define what kind of government leaders will lead us after the election. We are given the chance to participate in a struggle of transformation. We must not miss that opportunity or let it pass us by. Let us make a change while there is still a chance because time will come that there will be a lot room for changes but no more chances. Let us take the initiative to be different. It is our call to action. Let us be proactive rather than being passive. Let us bring to life the essence of leadership, initiative and honesty. If our ancestors shed blood, sacrificed their lives and participated in the social reform, we will also take our step towards the fulfillment of the change that is very much long awaited by Filipinos. We are all seeking to improve Philippines’ Third world country status. The youth of...
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...forty-three Ohio ballot campaigns by petition since 1950, it marked the first example of a contested issue, requiring a 'yes' vote, in which citizen proponents had sufficient TV money and a simple message. Citizen initiatives in the past have faced two different problems: a campaign that is difficult to explain and paucity of resources. A smoking ban is easily understood and the issue was well-defined in voters’ minds long before the campaign began. The dangers of second-hand smoke have been understood for decades. SmokeFreeOhio raised a significant amount of money (over $1.8 million). Although as of October 18 SmokeFreeOhio had not raised enough money to cover Ohio’s media markets on their own, they were greatly assisted by free media coverage prompted by the presence of Issue 4 (Smoke Less Ohio) on the ballot. The tobacco industry’s attempt to trump SmokeFreeOhio was well publicized in newspapers and on television, and certainly contributed to public awareness of the differences between Issues 4 and 5. This helps to explain the success of the SmokeFreeOhio campaign despite the competing ballot campaign, Smoke Less Ohio (Issue 4) and this successful citizen initiative provides a template for future ballot campaigns. For an overview of Ohio’s history of ballot initiatives visit, www.ohiocitizen.org/about/training/ballot history.html. An analysis of successful ballot campaigns in Ohio is available at www.ohiocitizen.org/about/training/ballotconsiderations.html. Big Money...
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...Digital India Digital India is an initiative by the Government of India and it was launched on July 1, 2015 by Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi. From its very beginning there has been many contrary opinions regarding the usefulness and effectiveness of this initiative. One of the major positive aspect of this programme is that, Government services are made available to citizens electronically and people get all the latest information and benefits of technology. The programme targets at empowering the nation digitally and it also includes plans to connect rural areas with high-speed internet networks. Digital India has three core components which includes, the creation of digital infrastructure, delivering services digitally and digital literacy. Thus this helps in bringing e-governance to every individual. Other facilities include Digital Locker, e-education, e-health, e-sign and national scholarship portal.. Thus it will be a boost to industry for both large and small enterprises. It create a lot of jobs and helps the citizens to connect directly with the government. The total investment made for this initiative is equivalent to one-fourth of the national budget and this itself shows the great importance with which the initiative is put forward. Along with all these positive aspects there are also some drawbacks associated with this programme. These includes, the ambiguity regarding the efficiency with which the programme handles the personal data of so many citizens of...
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...INTRODUCTION Becoming a diverse organization makes good business sense for both for profit and not for profit companies. Creating a diverse workforce provides tremendous opportunities for organizations and individuals to tap into the ideas, creativity and potential contributions inherent in a diverse work force. The composition of America’s workforce is changing. According to the census Bureau, nonwhite will represent more than one-third of the U. S. population by the year 2010 and close to half of the U. S. population by the ear 2050. By the year 2005, the ethnic minority share of the workforce will reach 28 percent. It is also projected that the Hispanic-American population will be the largest minority group in the U. S. by the year 2010. In order for companies to fully and aggressively compete in the marketplace, they will need to consider these statistics and work towards attracting, recruiting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce. This will be critical if they are to survive. They will also need to recognize that the market they cater to is becoming more diverse. Diverse groups are a growing percentage of the buying power in the United States. In order to maintain competitive advantage in the sector they serve, organizations will need to truly understand its customers, clients, members and employees and will need to create an organizational climate that is welcoming to all. The Birth of the Diversity Movement The “Diversity”...
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...Toplica, representatives of civil society, business and media, the Swiss Ambassador to Serbia HE. E. Ervin H. Hofer said that back in 2001. Switzerland recognized the importance of implementing changes at local levels. ‘The citizens of Switzerland firstly identify with their municipality, and only then with their country, because local governments serve them and their families. Citizens must feel that the municipality is working for their welfare, and that is the question of mutual trust. It is therefore very important that municipal finances are handled in a transparent way and that money is spent taking liquidity into consideration . Ambitions must be matched with available resources. It is important that the community itself has the initiative, and does not expect that representatives of the Assembly or the government will do all the work’, said the Ambassador Hofer. He added that Switzerland supports projects such as the EU PROGRESS because of its long tradition of decentralization and direct democracy. ‘We believe that sustainable development is possible only with respect to principles of good governance. These principles are closely related to the way public institutions manage their resources and whether services are provided efficiently, without discrimination and abuse, ‘ added Ambassador Hofer. During the debate, Radoje Krstović, Mayor of Municipal Assembly of Blace, said that good governance is a prerequisite for the development of local governments. ‘There is no progress...
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...David Davidson. Washington looks like it could be the first state to legalize marijuana. A general consensus among state and local polls appears to show momentum on the affirmative side of proposition I-502. Public Policy Polling , Komo 4 and the Seattle Times latest polls all show the initiative leading with 53 to 55 percent of those most likely to vote supporting the measures adoption (Martin). This is a very significant Initiative with numerous Local, State and National legal and political ramifications. An examination of I-502 would seem to be in order. Marijuana, or Hemp was legal and it’s production was actively encouraged very early on in the colonies of what would become America. Following the American civil war marijuana was used in numerous medical products that were sold over the counter- with no restrictions whatsoever. The Marijuana tax act of 1937 was the first real law that made marijuana a restricted substance (NPR). The laws have fluctuated somewhat, but for the most part have continued towards less tolerance or zero tolerance models. Democrats removed minimum sentencing laws in 1970. Meanwhile, President Nixon was beginning his all out “War on Drugs” going so far as to call them “public enemy number one”(NPR). Reagan reinitiated mandatory sentencing making them the toughest to date in the mid 1980’s- 100 marijuana plants was now the illegal equivalent of 100 grams of Heroin (NIDA). Nearly one in eight persons in prison in America...
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...to Play its HAND 1. In your opinion, which of the three major HAND initiatives: TB, Malaria, or Chagas should Jim Geraghty recommend? Defend you answer by detailing how your choice is better than the other two. I think that Jim Geraghty should recommend the Malaria initiative. The Malaria initiative is the best business decision for Genzyme. There are 250 million Malaria cases every year, compared to that of 16-18 million cases of Chagas and 25 million cases of Tuberculosis. Even though Tuberculosis has more deaths per year at 1.5-2 million and could possibly be the best initiative to recommend, I still believe the Malaria initiative is the best option. Malaria is spread by Anopheles mosquitos and there is still a great need for a cure of Malaria in today’s world. In the case, Genzyme’s goal is to have the most impact possible on a deadly disease, while doing something that is within their capabilities. All three initiatives have a very important medical need, but Genzyme has the molecular knowledge to create a vaccine for Malaria. They have done a lot of research for Chagas also, but they would have to basically start from scratch if they were to go towards the Tuberculosis initiative. By going with the Malaria initiative, they would more than likely partner with Harvard, MMV, and ICGEB, which would be great for the research and development capabilities. Jim Geraghty should recommend the Malaria initiative to Henri Teermer 2. Taking the perspective of Teermer, the CEO, how...
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...fin 370 week 3 team Strategic Initiative Paper Veronica Johnson Melissa Herrera Nick Engelke Carlos Martinez Gary Gilberthorp FIN/370 April 21,2014 Junius Jaubert Strategic Initiative Paper Starbucks Strategic Initiative expanding globally and reaching new customers is the goal of Starbucks Corporation. To produce more revenue as well as excel above the competing international coffee organizations. Starbucks Corporation must not only meet but also continually exceed this goal. Starbucks is known for continuously creating new innovations in the marketplace. The Corporation is also well-known For using various media channels to perpetuate their reputation as the top coffee organization in the world. This strategic initiative will increase these channels of communication to include Facebook, Twitter, television advertisements, and magazine ads. The resultant efforts of this strategic initiative will determine Starbucks future revenue and future direction of the organization. Starbucks has several current strategic initiatives in place to improve the organization’s sales and drive long-term shareholder value. This strategic initiative will further expand current strategic initiatives by including a multi-channel advertising and marketing campaign to increase successfully the transparency of the Corporation. This initiative will enable Starbucks to expand globally and reach new customers to enable one-on-one dialogue while increasing sales both internationally and domestically...
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...process (Shimamoto, 2012). The second step would be to identify what management’s goals are in order to align their IT strategy with their business strategy. This will help in determining if an IT change is a good investment decision (Shimamoto, 2012). Aside from liquidating some of the hospital’s assets, it would benefit the business to confront unforeseen expenses before they actually happen. Grow budget items help to introduce new projects into the facility or improve upon existing ones (Shimamoto, 2012). Grow initiatives can include the implementation of new software in order to make daily operations run more efficiently, the purchase of firewalls to help safeguard important patient information, or other items that help the facility better interact or communicate with their patients (Shimamoto, 2012). The great thing about grow initiatives is that there is no running clock on them in that they are not meant to be completed by a specific point in time. These initiative are flexible in that they can be implemented at any convenient time such as when there is money available and postponed when there is a shortage in capital (Shimamoto, 2012). This way the business will not have to sell any assets or cut funding from other projects or departments with the simple adjustment of early planning. References Shimamoto, D. (2012). A strategic...
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