Managing for sustainability - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1443 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Sustainable Development Map for Vodafone New Zealand Vodafone Group Plc is a telecommunication group, and it is ranked among the few most successful companies in the industry. The company has a significant presence in different continents around the world, including Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. Vodafone provides a wide range of services including messaging, messaging, and voice calls across fixed and mobile networks. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Managing for sustainability" essay for you Create order The purpose of Vodafone is to ensure that everybody is connected so that they can live better lives today, and also build a better tomorrow. The company believes that by pursuing this goal responsibly and sustainably, they will be able to create long term value for the whole society, and also for their shareholders (Epstein Buhovac, 2014). This paper will develop a sustainable development map for Vodafone New Zealand, and give recommendations which are based on the research. Vodafone New Zealand was started in the year 1998; it was initially started as a mobile telecommunication provider with approximately 138,000 customers. The company has grown its market share over the last 18 years to about 2.3 million mobile connections; this amounts to approximately 45% of mobile market in New Zealand. On 2013, the company purchased Telstra clear, and become the first company to with a single brand that combined two businesses (Guinee, Heijungs, Huppes, Zamagni, Masoni, Buonamici Rydberg, 2010). The purchase of Telstra clear enabled the company to meet the needs of their customers while are constantly changing. The combination of the two businesses positions Vodafone to grow, compete and innovate, especially in the current world of fiber access. The combination also strengthens their national presence, more so Christchurch. In the year 2006, Vodafone purchased hug, which was the third largest internet services providers in New Zealand (Gibson, Miller, Smith, Bell Crothers, 2013). This enabled the company to be full providers 0of telecommunications services; as a result, they were able to provide different services such as broadband and home phone lines, alongside their mobile products. This was part of their total communication strategy, which has seen them drive innovation and mobile/fixed convergence while aiming at meeting full data communication and voice needs of their customers. The company is dedicated to offer quality and safe services to their customers, they are committed to do the right thing. According to the company, doing the right thing revolves around the environment in which they carry on their activities. It is the place where the corporation operates changes, and as they respond to their stakeholders feedbacks on issues that they find material in their operations (Finnveden, Hauschild, Ekvall, Guinà ©e, Heijungs, Hellweg Suh, 2009). The past few years have been important for Vodafones sector as well as for Vodafone New Zealand. The prices of mobile phones have reduced in past few years, they have decreased significantly, and are even lower than the OECD average. The price of broadband is decreasing continuously. Also, more customers who are requiring more data, content, speed and coverage have increased, this is making the company continue investing more in network and infrastructures, accelerated by competition (Beltrà ¡n, 2013). This pressu re has resulted in the past four years, and have led to the shrinking of the overall revenue of the sector. Communication technology has already become a vital part of human lives; it is assisting transform the services that people rely on, the way people live and the way they work. Since the delivery of services is reliant on it, those people in the society without contact to it are highly underprivileged. It creates a digital division between those who have access to it, and those who do not have access, especially to those in rural areas (Dempsey, Bramley, Power Brown, 2011). The rural areas create a challenge because of the geography and the distance from centers which are major; it is challenging to deliver coverage in such places. New Zealand is a small market, and the company can identify the key stakeholders through monitoring media and public relations, and through recommendations. The main stakeholders include the customers, media, non-governmental organizations, industry, government, community, suppliers, regulators, and employees. The company has many channels for engagement for their stakeholders, and they use it to inform them their materials issues. The surveys, the customers, and the employees regularly on their performance, opinions, satisfaction, and concerns (Singh, 2014). They also survey their suppliers so that they can be able to understand their perspective. Vodafones foundation and sustainability team beyond you survey on employee annually. The survey is meant to gather the opinion of employees on how they feel about the companys tracking on sustainability. Vodafone also engages with the government, interest groups, and the media directly. They engage directly with the members of the communit ies where they want to set up their infrastructure. Since 2003, Vodafone has offered recycling programs for mobile phones known as RE: MOBILE. They have led in New Zealand Telecommunication Forum program of recycling mobile since 2010.   This program offers all people of New Zealand an option in disposing their gadgets, they create environment friendly ecosystem by disposing mobile handsets that they are not using, or are not functional. RE: MOBILE is dedicated to selling and collecting mobile gadgets that are still useful, the program is also dedicated to recycling and deconstructing end of life phones components. Accessories and mobile phones that are unwanted are dropped at bins that have been set up by RE: MOBILE in Vodafone stores (Kresak, Corvington Williamson, 2016). The program is aiming to increase the number of the collected phones per year for reuse and recycling to about 300,000. At the same time, decrease the amount of mobile phones that ends up to landfill by approximately 2 percent, reduce the number of mobile phones and accessories that are kept at homes by approximately 10 percent by the year 2020. Vodafone New Zealands electricity emission is measured and calculated by use of greenhouse gas release factors from the energy quarterly of New Zealand. Apart from electrical energy, the company also have sources of emission included in the calculations are diesel and petrol used by their network, retailer shops, air travel, and offices, all this is provided to them by CWT. Vodafone believes that these are their major backers to their carbon footprint (McLaren, McLaren, 2010). The company is looking at how they will reduce their carbon emission footprint. They have continued their programs of improving network efficiency and data center so that they can achieve an average usage of power efficiency factor of about 1.63 across the data centers in the networks of Vodafone Vodafone has also contributed to the society by offering mentoring services. The Vodafone Foundation picks up children and young people and starts to support and nurture them. The foundation also offers academic mentoring programs for those youths who are at risk, as well as young children and dads. Apart from this, Vodafone engages in ICT donations, for instance, in the year 2013, Vodafone NZ made an ICT donation of $40,000 to Manurewa intermediate. The staff completed the makeover, who volunteered more than 200 hours of their time and proficiency. This contribution included connection of Wi-Fi to more than 40 areas around schools, refurbished laptops, desktops, and new iPads. This donation would enable teachers to create an easier and richer learning experience for their students while incorporating real applications of what the students are learning. Also, technology acts as a benefactor for businesses, society, environment, and consumers, however, it comes with its negativity such as cyber bullying and other accidents. Vodafone has addressed some of this problems by introducing services and products that will empower their customers so that they can be able to address these problems. For instance, cyber bullying using communication technology is a serious issue that has is affecting many young people. Vodafone developed Vodafone blacklist as a reaction to this matter; they also ensured they had a method to enable their customers to address this problem directly (Finkbeiner, Schau, Lehmann Traverso, 2010). The company is working with Netsafe to ensure they come up with a new tool that will be used by school children and young people, who are most of the time the victims of bullying, communicate better about cyber bullying in their schools. Recommendations Vodafone New Zealand initiated a review which is more formalized to its stakeholders and their material issues on corporate responsibility (CR), however, incorporation of this act into a formalized stakeholder engagement program is yet to be completed. Vodafone increased its services scope by acquiring Telstra Clear; it also increased the number of its customers and their base. The Vodafone requires to identify and assess the material CR impacts which is associated with this operating environment; this will be a vital task for the company in the years to come.

Essay on Comparing American Culture and Latino Culture

Introduction Frequently, we do not put too much attention to our own cultural values and traditions until we are exposed to a different culture, and start comparing. In order to have a more productive and fruitful life I believe we need to become more self-aware and more sensitive to the culturally and ethnically diverse community we live in. Two cultures that have been sharing the same living space for centuries are the Hispanic and American culture. In this paper I would be analyzing each culture giving a brief background and pointing out some aspects in how they differ, like the perception of time, family, orientation, and others. American culture has a couple of aspects in which it differs from the Hispanic culture, which for the†¦show more content†¦The term Hispanic means people who come from a country where Spanish is spoken. And the term Latino means someone who comes from Latin America. Because of our Latin American origins, Hispanic Americans are also called Latinos. Within this soon to be largest group of minorities in the United States, there are people of many different national and ethnic origins. They are not from one nationality or one culture, but are from many different origins. Many Latinos identify themselves with their cultural or national background. For example someone who is born in the U.S, but his/her parents are from Mexico can call him or herself Mexican. The three largest groups of Latinos in the United States are Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans. Many Puerto Ricans also call themselves Boricua. Members of subgroups sometimes use more specialized names. For example, some Mexican Americans call themselves Chicanos, and Puerto Ricans living in New York State often refer to themselves as Nuyoricans. Many Latinos in the U.S. are descendants of Mexican people who lived in the Southwest when it was taken as plunders of war or acquired in a series of land sales. In many cases, their ancestors became Americans not by their own choice. Almost all other American Latinos or their ancestors migrated here from Latin America in search of a better life and opportunities. As a group, Latinos represent a combination of several ethnic backgrounds, including European,Show MoreRelatedSimilarities And Differences Of The Hispanic And American Culture1295 Words   |  6 PagesHispanic vs American Culture Culture is the overall moral belief, customs, language, and attitudes a person is brought and raised into. Daily, we are exposed to diverse and different cultures everyday which allow us to learn the different values and traditions each culture possess. The importance of observing and learning different customs is beneficial because it can help us better adapt and prevent misunderstandings when we communicate and interact with others. 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Not only do these minorities favor the white majority physically, but they also assimilate into our system with little to no resistance. African Americans are typically viewed as complete opposites of what Iâ€⠄¢ve described above—our modern stereotypes perpetuate African Americans as angry, aggressive people.Read MoreA Brief Note On Culture And Parenting Essay1698 Words   |  7 PagesMichael Ibiwoye. CULTURE AND PARENTING â€Å"Mommy I won’t do it again† I stuttered loudly. I really didn’t know how serious I was about that promise, but my body definitely knew it didn’t want to receive any form of whipping again. That was the first time of getting whipped by my mom, and I was only four years old. I remember wishing death upon myself, with every stroke of my father’s belt on my body. What was I thinking when I went to the bathroom on the front porch of the house? I was probably thinkingRead MoreRegional Dialects And Socio Cultural Differences1246 Words   |  5 Pagesback to American English, for example Latino English or Chicano English. The Latino dialect is part of a socio-cultural dialect and can be examined closer to see who speaks it, how its vocabulary, morphology, and syntax vary from standard American English. Along with the pronunciation, and the misconceptions or stereotypes, and educational struggles the speakers face, and finally just how important it is for educators and health professionals to understand how this dialect differs from American English

Marxism and Pluralism Views on Media free essay sample

The mass media is an extremely integral part of society as it consumes and influences our everyday lives, whether we are conscious of it or not. Whether it is through the Internet, television, newspapers, advertisements or the radio, we are constantly bombarded by mass media. As Burton observes, the main power of the media lies in the fact that it can shape what we know about the world and can be a main source of ideas and opinions (2002:2). As the media continues to compel such power over socialisation, many researchers have set out to perceive the power of the mass media (Curran, Gurevitch, Woollacott 2006:1). This essay will discuss these theories, namely the liberal-pluralist and Marxist approaches as well as the role of media in society according to these approaches. Marxism takes the view that media has an undisputable influence over society and that this helps preserve differences of power between social groups based on class, race and gender. (Burton, 2002:48). The Marxist approach stresses the power of the media to control people in society, based on the ‘base-superstructure’ model in Marxist thought. (Marsh amp; Melville, 2008:27). The base-superstructure model is made up of a base, being an economic base or infrastructure which provides the basic needs of life and the super structure, which comprises of the rest of society, including ones family and education system, as well as the mass media. (Marsh, etal, 2008:27) The base, which entails all aspects of the material world, comes first, and the superstructure depends on this economic base. Marsh, etal, 2008:27) In terms of the media, the Marxist theorists would emphasise the power of the economy to determine the content of the media, and thereby, to influence public agendas. (Marsh, etal, 2008:27) The Frankfurt school, was comprised of left-leaning, Marxist- influenced intellectuals, namely, Adorno, Horkheimer, Benjamin and Marcuse, these learners believed that mass popular culture was sapping creative thinking, reducing individual freedom and promoting false wants through consumerism. Williams, 2001:27) It was not until the 1960’s that the scholars of The Frankfurt School’s work and ideas become widely disseminated (Williams, 2001: 27). They identified with various forms of high culture such as symphony music, high art and literature as having innate value. (Williams, 2001:27). They were critical of mass media and much of their writing focused on mass media in the face of high culture (Williams, 2001: 27). They were skeptical that high culture could be reproduced by mass media. (Williams, 2001:27). For instance, as Adorno argued, neither radio, nor records could reproduce the authentic sound and experience of hearing a live orchestra (Williams, 2001:27). ‘Cultural Industries’-which referred to the role of mass culture shaping the individual in mass society, became an important term in cultural studies in the post-war period. (Williams, 2007:27). Herbert Marcusse argued that Capitalism was responsible for the creation of false needs, false consciousness and mass culture, which enslaved working people. (Williams, 2001:27). This is consistent with Marx’s theory, according to Marx, the capitalist class control the ‘production and distribution of ideas’ because of their control of the ‘means of material production’ (Williams, 2001:37) The Political Economy Approach is rooted in the Marxist theory, which focuses primarily on the relationship between the economic structure and dynamics of media industries and the ideological content of media (Mcquail, 2010:96). In other words, the media is considered part of the economic system, with close links to the political system (Mcquail, 2010:96). The Political Economy Approach suggests that the primary product of the media is really audience (Mcquail, 2010:96). This refers to the media having the primary intention to shape the behaviour of the public in certain and distinctive ways (Mcquail, 2010:96). For instance, let’s look at the Internet in terms of the Political Economy Approach. (Fuchs, 2009) explains that the key to the Internet economy lies especially in the commodification of the users of free access platforms, which deliver targets for advertisers and publicists as well as often providing the content at no cost to network providers and site-owners. Lastly, the Marxists were concerned about the effects that the mass media had on the audience. Media’s influence can be evaluated from an essentially ideological standpoint; it propounds the view that the media can be compared to a â€Å"hypodermic needle†, because it has the power to ‘inject’ a repressive ideology directly into the consciousness of the masses (Morley, 1980:1). However, ironically, Marxist and critical commentators have also argued that he mass media play a strategic role in reinforcing dominant social norms and values that legitimise the social system. (Curran ,etal, 2006:14). Marcuse suggested that we greatly overrate the indoctrinating power of the media. For instance, voting, some Marxists claim that media portrayals of elections constitute dramatized rituals that legitimise the power structure in liberal democracies, voting is seen as an ideology that helps to sustain the myth of representative democracy, political equality and collect ive self determination (Curran,etal, 2006:14). However, pioneering studies into the effects of the media on voting behaviour by McQuail (1961) concluded that the media had only a marginal influence in changing the way in which people voted. In contrast to the Marxists, who saw the media as mouthpieces for the ruling classes, free press theory highlights the independent role of the media in society in terms of the Liberalist approach (Williams, 2001:38). ‘Freedom of the press’ is a concept, which has a long and distinguished history (Williams, 2001:38). The theoretical approach to this theory can be found in John Milton’s book, Areopagatica, which was published in 1644. Milton opposed state restrictions on freedom of expression on the grounds that God has blessed individual men and woman with the faculty of reason, which allowed them to read and enabled them, according to their conscience to make choices of good and evil. (Williams, 2001:39). As Keane adds, the virtue of the individual must be developed and tested continually by engaging contrary opinions and experiences (1991:12). The theory of utilitarianism developed another argument for the free expression of press and public opinion (Williams, 2001:39). Philosophers such as Jeremy Bentham and James Mill believed the smooth operation for the political system depended on the free expression of public opinion, it was necessary for ‘good governance’. The liberalist approach sees society as a dynamic system that continuously strives for unity and harmony, for cohesion and stability. (McQuail, 2005: 168) According to the liberal democratic theory, the media play a crucial role, as channels of communication, as channels of information and communication, between social groups, by stimulating collective debate, by stimulating collective debate, by fostering social integration, by facilitating the ‘normal’ functioning of society. (McQuail, 2005: 167) Providing that they are free and independent institutions, the media will reflect and represent all the important views circulating and competing interests present within society. In doing so, they will respond to changing social circumstances and adapt the shifting relations of power (McQuail, 2005: 167). There is a thesis within the Liberalist approach that considers the media to be a mirror of reality (McQuail, 2005: 168). This is underscored within the approach with three main concepts, the emphasis of popular control over the media, the importance of professional mediation as well as seeing the media as an autonomous form of power structure over society (Curran, 1996:138). Autonomy within the media consists of the independence of the state, political and economic interests as well the journalist’s autonomy and self-willingness within media organisations. (Mcquail, 2005:168). For instance, only when a journalist serves accurate and objective reporting of news and events the wider public interest will be served (Mcquail, 2005:168). In contrast, even excessive control of the media by its proprietors and the potential abuse of their power for personal, political or ideological ends will eventually be diminished, most notably by the consumer’s authority. Mcquail, 2005:168). The history of the Liberalist approach dates back to the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and understanding this history is an integral part of understanding the relationship between media and society (McQuail, 2005:168). Within this period of time, the Liberalist theories dominated the way in which the media was traditionally conceived, in terms of the political system and the way which media contributed to the way society functioned democratically (McQuail, 2005:168). It is with the rise of rationalism, liberalism and new ideas on nature old man, the relationship between the individual and the state, and intellectual and economic freedom that the common conception of the â€Å"free market place of ideas† are rooted. With the Liberalist approach, comes much tension. Where the Liberalist’s were concerned with utilitarianism in media, James Mills was concerned that the democratic form of government gave rise to â€Å"tyranny of the majority† (Bennet: 33). Mills was concerned that with utilitarianism, people lose their individuality and identity and was concerned with social homogenisation where the line marking the differences between classes, regions and professions becomes blurred. (Bennet: 33) The reason these differences have become blurred is because there is popular education, which results in a tendency in moral and intellectual uniformity. As a result, rather than being viewed as vehicles of enlightenment, popular education and the press are regarded as reducing intelligence to the level of the lowest common denominator. Bennet: 34) In conclusion, this essay has attempted to discuss the Marxist and Liberalist view of the media and the contrast thereof. The Marxist approach perceives the audience as vulnerable and easily susceptible to propaganda. Marxists were sceptical of mass media, as they believed it had the ability to reproduce high culture and therefore diminish its exclusivity and tendency to be elite. In contrast, the Liberalists were in favour of mass media, as they believed it had the power to encourage utilitarianism and therefore harmony. Media encourages liberalisation and rationalism and therefore a ‘harmonious’ relationship between the public and their state. Although the debate on mass media and its effects and influence on the public still remains and the matter of each approach is still relevant today, the media is an extremely broad and integral component of society.

The Secret Garden Essays - English-language Films, The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett takes place in a dreary Misselthwaite manor in England during the Victorian era. The protagonist is Mary Lennox a selfish and spoilt 11 year old. The other major characters are Master Colin Craven her sickly cousin, Dickon Sowerby the animal charmer, Master Archibald Craven her reclusive uncle, Martha Sowerby a hearty housekeeper, a dour gardener, a cheerful robin and the secret garden. The tone is melodramatic and is told in the third person omniscient. The message about life to be learned from the story is that its never too late to change, no matter how terrible, you can make the best of things. Face the problems instead of cowering from them because if your don't they'll never go away. Have a positive attitude, live life and share it with the people around. Alienating yourself is not the solution. Mary, Colin and Archibald Craven are examples of this. Mary didn't care for anything, she was so spoilt that nothing and no one meant anythi ng to he; she was so used to everybody hating her. Colin is also spoilt and filled with ideas that he's going to die. Archibald is the coward that can't face reality or the hope for a better tomorrow. The one thing they all have in common is negatively, you get the sense that they would rather be dead and in reality it's like they are because they don't care about anything. Mary is tossed around like a rag doll nobody wants; Colin is expecting to die and Master Craven runs from the possibilities of getting to know his son. In The Secret Garden there is person vs. society and person vs. her/himself. In person vs. society Mary is unloved by her parents and by most of those who she encounters. Her parents ignore her existence and leave her to the care of a hateful ayah. After her parents die she moves to live with her uncle and is greeted by Mrs. Medlock who finds her a disagreeable child. She and others don't give Mary a chance; they judge and sentence her. They do the same to Colin; they don't give him hopes of living and expect him to die soon. Person vs. her/himself is found when Mary, Colin and Master Craven have to find the courage to face the harsh world. They all fear this loneliness which they bring amongst themselves by withdrawing themselves from the world The climax in the story would have to be when Mary can't handle Colins tantrums and all his ranting and raving about the lump on his back that's going to kill him. She realizes that the way that Colin acts was the same way she used to be and she sets him straight. She doesn't give in to his hysterics and proves to him that the only lumps on his back are his bones. From that day on things change, Mary tells him about the garden and Colin gets a sudden interest in life. After that Mary takes him to the garden and this view on life changes, he says I shall live for ever- and ever- and ever. It's a combination of events with the help of different characters that bring this story to its conclusion. But it all starts with Mary's arrival to the manor and her curiosity about the secret garden. Mary was used to being served and being alone, neglected by her parents she becomes bitter. Full of disagreeable thoughts about her dislikes and sour opinions of people and her determination not to be pleased by or interested in anything. There was no meaning in Mary's life and that's why she was bitter, that changed when she moved to Misselthwaite where she discovers the secret garden with fantastic healing powers. The garden is walled up and has been locked up for years. With the gardener's apprentice, Dickon, Mary coaxes the garden back to life. The garden seems to have a wonderful, magical effect on all those who come into it, allowing Mary to help restore Colin to health and a reunion with his father. It's a story where faith restores health, flowers refresh the spirit and the