Evaluation Of Microsofts Csr Policies And Activities

Evaluation of Microsoft’s CSR policies and activities Microsoft is one of companies that take social sustainability seriously and try to make a change in this world through its policies and activities. Its efforts pertaining ethical business conduct and policies has remarkable. Internal controls as defined by COSO achieve three main goals: Effectiveness efficiency of operations Reliability of financial reporting Compliance with applicable laws regulations. Thus far, Microsoft has been achieving this goal through strong internal controls through rigorous and periodic internal audits, multiple authorization levels, and employee performance scorecard. This also helps the company in complying with SOX Section 404 and PCAOB Auditing Standard 5. These internal controls cultivate ethical decision making by setting guidelines to follow. As we are moving from physical information storage to digital methods, the threats to privacy and security increase. Recent online privacy with NSA, Apple’s iCloud and Target’s data breach has instilled a fear of losing sensitive data to hackers. Microsoft’s internal controls, strong terms and conditions, and vigorous screening and data protection policies help build customer trust. Microsoft protects customer data to the extent that government has to issue a warrant/court order to obtain any information. Another major success for Microsoft is the YouthSpark program. Through its YouthSpark Program Microsoft has provided educational andShow MoreRelatedMicrosoft Internal And External Factors1652 Words   |  7 Pagesranging from personal computers to gaming devices, Microsoft has demonstrated its ability to adapt to internal and external changes. Analyzing the the current internal and external factors related to the business environment of the organization. An evaluation of the business environment in which, Microsoft operates in is very important for the progression of the company. The business environment factors are essentially divided into two groups: internal and external factors. These are events or situationsRead MoreStrategy and Society9783 Words   |  40 PagesAdvantage and Corporate Social Responsibility The Idea in Brief Many firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts are counterproductive, for two reasons: They pit business against society, when the two are actually interdependent. And they pressure companies to think of CSR in generic ways, instead of crafting social initiatives appropriate to their individual strategies. CSR can be much more than just a cost, constraint, or charitable deed. Approached strategically, it generates opportunityRead MoreMicrosoft - Strategic Management5346 Words   |  22 Pagesmarketing tactics; both the U.S. Department of Justice and European Commission found the company in violation of antitrust laws. Known for its interviewing process with obscure questions, various studies and ratings were generally favorable to Microsofts diversity within the company as well as its overall environmental impact with the exception of the electronics portion of the business. History Paul Allen and Bill Gates, childhood friends with a passion in computer programming, officially establishedRead MoreNokias Failure5185 Words   |  21 PagesIndustry Overview amp; Lifecycle | 6 | Porter’s 5 Forces Model | 7 | PESTEL Analysis | 9 | Industry’s Profitability condition, products and services and KSF’s | 12 | Industry Participants | 12 | Industry Competitors | 14 | Critical Evaluation of Nokia | 14 | Internal Analysis: SW Identification | 17 | Business Model Canvas | 19 | Implication of Strategy at Nokia | 22 | Company’s Structure and Control System | 24 | Reasons behind Low Performance | 24 | Strategy RecommendationsRead MoreSupply Chain Management29872 Words   |  120 PagesChapter 13: Financial and Operating Reports............................................................. 55 Chapter 14: Research Studies..................................................................................... 73 Chapter 15: Performance Evaluation .......................................................................... 83 Chapter 16: Firm Management and Advice................................................................. 85 Appendix: Web-Based LINKS Access...........................Read MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pages4 9.2 Building the team (.1.3) [3.5.3] [App G.2 Building teams] 9.4 Managing the team 9.3.2 Team building activities 9.2.4 Virtual teams 9.3.3.1 Team performance [9.4.2.2] 9.4.2.3 Conflict management 9.3.2.6 Recognition and awards Defining the Project 4.1 Project charter 5.1 Gather requirements 5.2 Defining scope 5.3 Creating a WBS 5.4 Tools and techniques 6.1 Define activities 9.1.2. Responsibility matrixes 10.1 Communication planning (.2.3.4) [App. G-4] Chapter 12 Outsourcing Read MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 Pagesstudy hours available will also influence the course design and the use of text and cases. †¢ †¢ For long programmes (50 hours +) it should prove possible to use the text and cases extensively and to supplement the course with other materials and activities. For shorter programmes, a more selective use of the materials is possible. For example, a course concerned largely with strategy formulation could confine the use of the text to Chapters 1–10 (or 11) and the associated illustrations, case examples

The Catastrophe of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Free Essays

On April 26 1986, the reactor Unit 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was not working properly. When workers tried to fix this problem in reactor 4 by shutting down the its power regulating system and its emergency safety systems, this caused the most serious and dangerous accident in the history of nuclear power generation. The Chernobyl accident released large amounts of radioactive materials into in the atmosphere, which were carried by air currents. We will write a custom essay sample on The Catastrophe of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant or any similar topic only for you Order Now Soon after this catastrophe, these radioactive materials were spread by the wind over many countries, which polluted their atmosphere. The release of radioactivity had a deadly effect on people’s health and the environment; thus, before building such a plant, safety and emergency procedures must be guaranteed. The radioactive materials, which have been released from the accident, affected people’s health for several years. The Russian government admitted the release of radioactivity, when the Swedish monitoring stations reported abnormal high levels of wind transported radioactivity as clarified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The government had to evacuate many areas and declare it as a † Forbidden zone † to protect people from radioactivity. Initially the accident caused the death of 32 people(B. Hummer,Nils â€Å"Chernobyl the accident† – http//:bcf. usc. edu/meshkati/chernobyl. html). The radioactive materials released from this accident are 200 times as much radioactivity as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki explosions (Dahl,Birgitta â€Å"The Chornobyl Nuclear Disaster† http//:scf. usc. edu/~melan). Its human death losses and the amount of the radiation released into the environment, raised a large number of problems not only for the treatment of severely exposed persons, but also The decisions that had to be taken considering the population. Thus, the number of people who were suffering from cancer was increasing and the number of thyroid cancers among children also increased in the most affected area: Belarus, Ukraine and Russia (Encyclopedia of Britannica online). Indeed, for several years, babies were born deformed and thousands were suffering from illnesses and cancer (which takes 8 to 10 years to appear), scientists and doctors were alerted because after only four years thyroid cancer increased much more than their expectations and its growth was more quickly than they expected and its pattern was different from the patterns known till now (Specter,M. Willy â€Å"The Three Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear power accidents† `The New York Times`, Sunday march 31,1996). All these factors have increased diseases among the people living in the exposed area and the workers involved in clearing the site after the accident. In my opinion, it is extremely difficult to imagine the psychological effects of Chernobyl accident on the people who experienced it. In addition, this emotional stress and other psychological factors are the main possible cause of people’s illnesses after the accident and in the future. The radiation did not only affect people’s health but it polluted the environment and the territories beside the reactor. The area beside Chernobyl was heavily polluted because 70% of the radioactive substances fell on it (Encyclopedia of Britannica online). As stated by Najmedin Meshkati, a nuclear scientist; â€Å"The most dangerous thing was the food pollution (cesium, strontium, plutonium and americium) in milk and meat products are with concentration several hundred times higher than pre accident levels and often above the permitted levels and it will not disappear before 300 years†. Although, people know that these regions are heavily polluted and that meat and milk products have accumulated high quantities of radioactive substances, more than 1. 8 million people are still living there (Specter,M. Willy â€Å"The Three Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear power accidents† `The New York Times`, Sunday march 31,1996). They drink radioactive fluids, eat radioactive substance (cesium131) will stay in the food and liquids and will not disappear completely before 300 years†. The consequences of these substances will not be noticed but after many years and it will not only affect the present generation but also the future generation. To insure maximum safety, emergency systems should be guaranteed before building any nuclear power plant. Thus, authorities must not ignore the possibility of the occurrence of an accident. The failure of workers to identify the problem between the systems to insure safety, and their failure to cooperate with each other is unacceptable. Workers must be trained to deal with real emergency situations in order to respond fast and to control it. However, after Chernobyl, solutions to insure the safety of large-scale technological systems have fallen into the categories of management and cost control (B. Hummer,Nils â€Å"Chernobyl the accident† -http//:bcf. usc. edu/meshkati/chernobyl. html). The cost to clean up the mess caused by the nuclear power plants are much more expensive than to install a new emergency system. Thus, the cost to maintain safety is negligible compared to the cost, which they have to pay if an accident happened. Moreover, authorities must be strict concerning the regulations of nuclear power plants. Many improvements in radiation protection and emergency preparations have been made, possible by the Chernobyl experience (Encyclopedia of Britannica online). The lessons drawn from the Chernobyl accident are valuable: human’s life is precious. Thus, human must learn from their mistakes and know how to prevent their happening especially if these mistakes may cost innocent people’s lives. An accident such as the catastrophe of Chernobyl is a descrase for humanity, that’s why we cannot afford such mistakes again. Because some mistakes are unforgiving. How to cite The Catastrophe of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Essay examples

Go Ask Alice Essay Example For Students

Go Ask Alice Essay The novel, Go Ask Alice, is basically about a 15-year old girl who subjects herself to drugs. At first she is in love with Roger and comes from a loving home, but is also very curious about drugs. She ends up running away, which didn’t last, comes home just in time for Christmas, clean of drugs, starts up again and runs away. After all that she goes through, she loses her grandparents in the time period of two months, and ends up in a mental institution. After she pleads that it was only an accident she finally gets to go home. At the end she decides not to keep a diary anymore and she died three weeks later of an overdose. Significance of the Title: In my own opinion, I believe that the title, Go Ask Alice, means that you can ask Alice anything about drugs if you are curious. Once you learn of her mistakes, maybe you won’t follow in her footsteps and ruin your life, like thousands of teenagers do every year, by reading about what happened to her when she was curious about using drugs and what they would do for her. In her diary, I believe she is trying to tell us that drugs are not the answer to solving your problems. Impressions and Changes in the Main Character: My first impression of the narrator was that she was a sweet, talented young woman. It seemed as though she had it all; a loving, caring family, great friends, and then it happened. Once she tried the drugs was when her whole life and personality changed completely. She ended up in the mental institution by tripping out, only it was by accident and in the end, she lost her life. Memorable Passage: There were a lot of memorable passages that I will remember from this story, but one that I will always carry with me would have to be the following passage: â€Å"December 3 – Last night was the worst night of my? it was no wonder he was out of control. † Pages 67 – 68. That made a great impression on me. Thinking that if I were anywhere close to subjecting myself to this kind of tragedy, I will remember this passage always. Significance of Reading This Story: One of the discoveries that I learned in the story was that a thousand teens die each year by subjecting themselves to drugs. Also, I learned that subjecting yourself to drugs will not solve any of your problems. One change in my life is that now I know I will not ever let myself be the least bit interested in drugs, not even if my life is gone to nothing. My parents have told me that teenagers are always willing to try new things, and very often, it happens. With drugs being the topic here, I do believe that I will never let myself ever be the least bit interested. This book really had nothing very enlightening. It was very sorrowful and bitter. One affirmation I made after reading this book is that teens are going to be curious about anything. Some of them will be curious about drugs when they have nothing else going for them. After they start, thinking things will get better, they will actually only get worse. Therefore, in conclusion, I believe that drugs are not an answer to any prayers. In time, your life will only get worse if you subject yourself to using drugs.

Santiago Old Man Sea free essay sample

A tragic hero is one that has a major flaw and for whom the audience usually feels pity, sympathy, empathy, and compassion. The tragic hero is someone great, but not perfect. They are often a noble person in terms of birth but also in terms of their character. The flaw in the character is what often leads to his/her downfall. When the hero falls, it is at least partly if not completely his own fault. On the other hand, its not because he is a bad person but because of the character flaw he has or because of plain bad luck. What happens to the hero is too harsh. The character flaw that might have caused the downfall doesnt deserve the punishment that he gets. If the hero lives then through the experience he realizes what caused his downfall and what he could have done to prevent it, so he grows and learns through the misfortune. We will write a custom essay sample on Santiago Old Man Sea or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The classic example is Macbeth. While there were other factors contributing to his downfall, one of the main ones was his ambition to be king. That was his tragic flaw and caused him to be open to his mothers manipulation. After that, everything kind of went downhill, to understate the situation a bit There are many examples of how Santiago was tragic hero in the old man in the sea. Santiago in the old man and the sea was known as a loser he did not have any friends but he did mentor a young boy named manolin and had the worst of luck. Santiago was outlawed by manolins parent because he had the worst of luck because of this the boy could not go fishing with him because his parents thought he was too unlucky. Santiago hadn’t caught a fish in 87 days and everyone said he would never catch a fish again but Santiago didn’t believe them. Santiago decided to go out to the deep deep waters and try to fish because he wanted to get a monster marlin on the line to prove himself. When Santiago was out in the deep ocean he had hooked a marlin and was fighting the marlin for 3 days. Santiago had the struggle of when he had the marlin up beside the boat of having the marlin was too big to fit into the boat so Santiago had to pull the marlin beside the boat until he got to shore. Unfortunately when Santiago was close to shore a group of sharks ate the marlin with all that was left of the marlin was its head. Santiago was a very unlucky being in the old man and the sea. In the beginning of the novel, he had not caught a fish for 84 days. He was thought to be the most unlucky type of luck. This is a prime example of how Santiago was a tragic hero is the book the old man and the sea.

Motivation Profiles Paper

Motivation Profiles Paper Motivation is a set of factors that activate, direct, and maintain behavior, usually, toward a goal (Carpenter Huffman, 2010). Thus, motivation is a moving force that activates human behavior and directs it to the achievement of a certain purpose. There are three major theories of motivation that explain the forms that motivation can take and the sources of different types of motivation. In this paper, we are going to compare the differences between four hypothetical individuals who want to obtain a promotion at their place of employment.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Motivation Profiles Paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The first one is Ella, whose motivation can be accounted by a biological theory of motivation. The second one is Marcello, whose actions and behavior coincide with the psychosocial theory of motivation, and the third one is Masoko, whose actions are characterized by an interactionist the ory of motivation. At the end, we are going to analyze the sources of motivation of the fourth individual Sam, who has a realistic combination of motivating theories, which give rise to various factors inspiring him to pursue a promotion. Finally, we will explain how the factors of each motivation theory might interact with each other. Thus, the first question under consideration is the sources of motivation for Ella, Marcello and Masoko. Ella is characterized by a biological theory of motivation: This biological theory of motivation (The Intuition Theory), suggests that motivation levels are regulated by neural pattern recognition events. Subconscious drives impel people to achieve excellence, or to spend exceptional energies on services to humanity† (Thomas). In other words, the biological motivation is based on our basic needs such as food, for example. Thus, the Ella’s motivation is caused by her will to survive. It is quite possible that her motivation is triggered by the fear of poverty and inability to support her family. According to the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (motives), Ella’s sources of motivation are the bottom of the pyramid. Marcello’s behavior is characterized by the psychological theory of motivation which can be explained by incentives and cognition. â€Å"Incentive theory holds that external stimulation motivates people to act to obtain desirable goals to avoid undesirable events† (Carpenter Huffman, 2010). According to a cognition theory, the motivation is affected by how we interpret our achievements. In this light, the source of Marcello’s motivation may be his esteem needs to achieve success and gain approval among his relatives, friends or fellow workers.Advertising Looking for term paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Perhaps, he was the best students in the class, and now he cannot let himself to be co nsidered unsuccessful. Thus, the sources of his motivation are external factors (everybody considers his successful) that influence his psychological state and encourage acting in a particular way to prove that he is worth his status. Finally, Masoko is associated with the interactionist theory of motivation. This theory presupposes that one’s behavior and actions are shaped by social interactions and everything that happens in the society. Thus, we can come to a conclusion that Masoko’s desire for promotion was shaped by the social opinion that â€Å"if one wants to be a part of a society, he/she should take an advance position and achieve new goals†. Thus, Masoko considers that promotion is necessary and it is his social duty. Consequently, different educational background, personal peculiarities, social level, psychological characteristics formed in childhood and goals in life shaped the main sources of motivation for those people. Ella’s sources of mo tivation are psychological and mixed with basic instincts. Marcello’s sources of motivation are psychological and partially social which come from his childhood and educational background as well. Finally, Masoko’s sources of motivation are purely social; they are shaped by his desire to be an active participant of the social development. And prove his ability to make a valuable contribution to society through his social status. Different emotions serve as motivators for individuals: Emotions occur as a result of an interaction between perception of environmental stimuli, neural/hormonal responses to these perceptions (often labeled feelings), and subjective cognitive labeling of these feelings (Huitt, 2001). However, emotions can reinforce the motivation. Thus, Ella, Marcello and Masoko experienced different emotions affecting their motivations. According to Carpenter Huffman (2010), â€Å"psychologists define and study emotion according to three basic components â €“ psychological, cognitive and behavior†.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Motivation Profiles Paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, Ella’s emotion is fear of losing job and not being able to support basic survival needs. Marcello’s emotions are based on cognitive components. As a result, he anticipates getting the promotion to feel satisfaction with his position. Masoko’s emotions are based on behavior component, as he tries to behave according to social norms and get a promotion to perform his social responsibility. Depending on the sources of motivation, Ella, Marcelo and Masoko will put forth different types of effort. Thus, Ella might show her persistence to demonstrate that she is capable to make any amount of job. Marcello might show his intellectual dominancy comparing with other candidates, and Masaco might demonstrate his organization and leadership qualities to s how that he can be valuable part of society. These differences in the efforts are explained by the personal motivations and psychological characteristics of every candidate. Another individual is Sam. He has a realistic combination of motivating theories, which give rise to various factors inspiring him to pursue a promotion. In this light, seeking for promotion, he is guided by biological, psychological and interactionist components. So, he seeks promotion to have an appropriate level of living, realize his mental capacity and elevate his social level. None of the components is dominant, thus, he will be more conscious on the emotional level and work out better strategy to achieve his goal. The Sam’s effort will be more effective and he will demonstrate different talents and abilities applicable to the desirable position. In fact, factors of each motivation do not go separately but interact with each other. However, some of the factors can dominate depending on the situation , current needs and even age and sex of the applicants. For example, the one, who does not have a need to support family and does not experience the money shortage, can be motivated by psychological need of self-realization. At the same time, the one who lack money will be probably guided by biological motivation. Analyzing everything mentioned above, we can come to a conclusion that in different situation people can be motivated by different factors. The sources of motivation can be formed under the influence of various factors, such as educational background, events that happened in the childhood, peculiarities of the social environment, etc. The motivational factors always interact with each other and influence our emotions (and vice versa) and the types of efforts we apply to achieve our goals. List of References Carpenter, S., Huffman, K. (2010). Visualizing psychology, 2nd Ed. New York: John Wiley Sons.Advertising Looking for term paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Huitt, W. (2001). Motivation to learn: An overview. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from edpsycinteractive.org/topics/motivation/motivate.html Thomas, E. A biological theory of motivation. Effective mind control. Web.

Inertia and the Laws of Motion

Inertia and the Laws of Motion Inertia is the name for the tendency of an object in motion to remain in motion, or an object at rest to remain at rest  unless acted upon by a force. This concept was quantified in Newtons First Law of Motion. The word inertia came from the Latin word iners, which means idle or lazy and was first used by Johannes Kepler. Inertia and Mass Inertia is a quality of all objects made of matter that possess mass. They keep doing what they are doing until a force changes their speed or direction. A ball sitting still on a table wont start rolling around unless something pushes on it, be it your hand, a gust of air, or vibrations from the surface of the table. If you tossed a ball in the frictionless vacuum of space, it would travel on at the same speed and direction forever unless acted on by gravity or another force such as a collision. Volker Mà ¶hrke / Getty Images Mass is a measure of inertia. Objects of higher mass resist changes in motion more than objects of lower mass. A more massive ball, such as one made of lead, will take more of a push to start it rolling. A styrofoam ball of the same size but low mass may be set in motion by a puff of air. Theories of Motion From Aristotle to Galileo In everyday life, we see rolling balls come to rest. But they do so because they are acted on by force of gravity and from the effects of friction and air resistance. Because that is what we observe, for many centuries Western thought followed the theory of Aristotle, who said that moving objects would eventually come to rest and needed continued force to keep them in motion. In the seventeenth century, Galileo experimented with rolling balls on inclined planes. He discovered that as friction was reduced, balls rolled down an inclined plane attained almost the same height rolling back up an opposing plane. He reasoned that if there were no friction, they would roll down an incline and then keep rolling on a horizontal surface forever. It wasnt something innate in the ball that caused it to stop rolling; it was contact with the surface. Newtons First Law of Motion and Inertia Isaac Newton developed the principles shown in Galileos observations into his first law of motion. It takes a force to stop the ball from continuing to roll once it is set in motion. It takes a force to change its speed and direction. It doesnt need a force to continue moving at the same speed in the same direction. The first law of motion is often referred to as the law of inertia. This law applies to an inertial reference frame. Corollary 5 of Newtons Principia says: The motions of bodies included in a given space are the same among themselves, whether that space is at rest or moves uniformly forwards in a straight line without circular motion. In this way, if you drop a ball on a moving train that is not accelerating, you will see the ball fall straight downward, as you would on a train that was not moving.

Inherent Risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Inherent Risk - Essay Example following paragraphs explains the importance of external auditors as well as internal auditors in the reducing or even eliminating the errors and frauds that stain the financial statements. The first step that the auditors do is to base their audit programs on the inherent risk of each item listed in the financial statements . This topic will further be explained in the following paragraphs(Courtney, Briggs,2004, p139). The company is owned by stockholders. Stockholders can invest their hard earned money in Qantas Airways Ltd. by just visiting the Australian stock exchange and paying for the number of shares of stocks pegged at the hours stock market share. Products. Qantas Airways Limited. is engaged in the transport of air passengers and cargo. The company provides international, domestic as well as internal or regional transport of air passengers and cargo In Australian airspace as well as outside Australia. The company also is engaged in other business activities aside from ferrying human beings from one corner of the world to another. The other financial activities include subsidiary investments in QantasLink and Jetstar. The company is also engaged in the business of inflight catering as well as holiday and travel activities. The above income statement shows that the expenses generated for the year ended June 2007 was 12,756. And, the expenses generated for the year ended June 2007 was 11,593.50 Plus, the expenses generated for the year ended June 2007 was 10,757.70. The inherent risk of this accounting item is that one or more of the accounting staff could recorded an expense in the journalisation stage of the accounting process when there is no right for such recording to occur. Generally accepted accounting principles and international accounting standards states that expenses should be recorded only if the corresponding use of an asset has also occurred. In addition, the accountant could have recorded an expense such as salary expense giving the