Out Of The Silent Planet Notes English Literature Essay

Out Of The Silent Planet Notes English Literature Essay Chapter 1 Dr. Ransom, a philologist, is wandering streets, looking for a place to stay when a woman sees him, and calls to him mistaking him for her son, Harry. After a conversation, and in half pity for the woman, half desire to find a place to stay, Ransom goes to retrieve Harry from his place of work, a farm called The Rise. After sneaking into the back yard, Ransom finds two men holding the boy in the Professors house he calls out and they approach him. The men are Mr. Devine, who was a school mate of Ransom, and Professor Weston, and physicist. The men claim to be putting Harry in the washhouse because hes become hysterical, Harry claims that they are forcing him into Westons laboratory. Because of Ransoms relationship to Devine, the arrangements are made for Ransom to take a rest, then to take Harry home, and finally return to the house to sleep. Devine seems overly accepting, Weston is not happy about Ransom, and Ransom is very suspicious and uneasy about all of it but is too tired to care. Chapter 2 Devine brings out a bottle of champagne, and quizzes Ransom about his life. Ransom was in the army, and now has only a married sister in India. No one knows or cares where he is. Devine eventually begins to fill the glasses, his own first, and realizes he is out of champagne. He asks if Ransom would like water, and Ransom accepts. Minutes later, Devine returns. Ransom drinks it, and minutes later fades into unconsciousness. He has a dream about the two men and himself climbing a wall to a dark side with queer beings. He wakes up, still foggy, and hears the two talking of using him as an experimental subject, or not using the boy Harry. Devine leaves, and Ransom throws himself at Westons feet, knocking him over. Ransom runs, and opens the front door, but is hit in the head, and dragged back inside the house. Chapter 3 Ransom wakes up in a bed, with a skylight above him. He believes the moon is lighting his room from it. He looks at the walls, and believes they are going outwards, making the room larger, but he then also believe they are all perpendicular. He realizes the walls are metal, that there is a mechanical vibration, and that there are small irregular things hitting the room from above because of this, Ransom decides hes in an airship. He realizes the moon is far too big, and becomes panicked. Just then, a naked Weston enters. Ransom, more concerned with where he is, sobbing, asks Weston what it is, it cant be the moon. Weston says it is the Earth. Chapter 4 Ransom is horrified, and demands answers of Weston. He asks how the ship works, and why he was kidnapped. Weston says he will not say how it works, because Ransom wouldnt understand, and even if he did he wouldnt be told. All Weston will say is that it is powered by solar radiation. Weston says they are going to Malacandra, a planet it our solar system. Malacandra is its real name, not the one we named it. Weston knows this as he claims to have contact with its inhabitants, he claims to have been to this planet before. As far as kidnapping, and Ransoms purpose, Weston has no idea he says he is following orders. When Ransom asks whos, Weston changes subject to breakfast. Once outside his room, Ransom strips naked and puts on a weighted harness. He then has breakfast with Weston, and Weston tells him there is not enough oxygen on the ship for Ransom to ask so many questions. Weston then exits through an unknown door. Chapter 5 Ransom takes on the duty of steward and cook on the ship, doing what he can. He explores the ship as far as he is allowed, but is never allowed into what he assumes is the control room Devine and Weston take shifts in there. Ransom begins to feel happy, invigorated. Weston explains it as getting sun rays that never reach Earth, but Ransom suspects its because the nightmare he imagined space to be, it is not. About two weeks into the journey, Ransom returns to finish some preparations in the galley late at night, and hears the two men discussing him as a human sacrifice. Ransom decides suicide would be better than this, gets a knife, and brings it back to his bed. Chapter 6 Ransom feels invigorated once again by the adventure, and the threat of death. He is sure he could face it if the time came. The ship begins to get pulled in by Malacandras gravity, and the walls become floors as the center of gravity on the ship shifts. Ransom, with Devine and Weston, moves things to compensate for this. The ship is starting to land, and the light dims. Ransom hates this, seeing this destination as a negative. He thinks of how he believed planets were the centers of life, little earths, and he now believes they subtract from space, not add to it. Chapter 7 The ship lands and the three men get off the ship, and go to the hut Devine and Weston built on a previous journey, which Ransom thought was built by the aliens. Ransom realizes the ship and hut are on a peninsula of sorts in a lake. After lunch, Ransom and the men see six elongated creatures, two or three times the height of men. In chapter 8, Ransoms decides these are sorns. Devine and Weston attempt to push Ransom into the water with them, deciding the creatures wanted them to go across. Suddenly, Weston fires his revolver at something, a black torpedo creature coming toward the men. Weston releases Ransom as he fire, and Ransom runs. He sees Devine groan, jaws snapping, and Devine collapsing into the water. He hears Westons pistol fire again and again as Ransom runs away into a forest of unknown vegetation. Chapter 8 Ransom walks through the forest, tired and full. He takes in the landscape odd vegetation, small red creatures, and warm water streams lighter in color than the lake. He realizes the water is warm and fizzy. Next to the warm, heating water, Ransom lays down promising only a short rest, as he fears the black creatures may be in the water. He falls asleep. Chapter 9 Ransom wakes up convinced he will meet Ransom, convincing himself he is Ransom, and then talking himself out of it. He contemplates whether or not he is mad, and maybe he is in an asylum on Earth and is imagining the whole thing. Ransom then sees a herd of giraffe like creatures they are taller and skinnier that eat the leafs on the trees. It calms him, until he sees close behind a sorn. He runs in fright, and ends up by more water. A black, seal like creature emerges from the water. It is covered in a black hairy coat, and is around seven feet tall and very skinny. It begins to talk an unknown language to itself, and Ransom gets its attention. They stare at each other in fright for a moment, until the seal thing begins to walk away. In English, he calls it back and it comes. Through gestures, they communicate, and he learns it is a hross, and it speaks its own hross language, which it attempts to teach him. With gestures, the hross gives him food and drink. Chapter 10 Ransom travels with the hross all day long on the boat, on choppy waters that cause him to vomit. He realizes that handramit is lowland, handra is land, and harandra is highland. He also realizes that the earth itself is not the same, valleys are not formed by mountains, but by cracks or separations in the planet itself. Ransom is taken by the hross to a fire, where there are many hrossa, and baby hrossa as well. Ransom is content, and falls asleep. Chapter 11 Hyoi is the hross Ransom first met. Ransom has spent weeks with the hross, and he sees them as old stone age creatures. They have bare necessities, and nothing else. Clumsy, improvised pots and tools. Besides this, all they have is a poetry/music art, which each group of 4 hrossa practices. Eventually, Ransom comes to form habits, begin to understand the language, and become part of the group. He comes to find out they understand astronomy, as he learns language from the elder hross, Hnohra. Hnohra points out Thulcandra (silent planet). As to why it is silent, only the seroni know. When Ransom tells of Weston and Devine, the hrossa agree he should see the ruler of Malacandra Oyarsa. Ransom also learns that the hrossa have a religion, in which Maledil the Young had created everything, and resides with the Old One. Ransom learns of the other intelligent races of Malacandra The seroni, who lived in highlands in caves, were the intelligent ones, educated in astronomy, history, and overall science but helpless in practicality. The pfifltriggi lived in a broad, open space. They mined gold and made things of it, and were frog looking. When he asks which race rules, they say they are equal, only Oyarsa rules. Ransom tells them of earth, and they write poems. When he tells them of the small black creature, they agree it is a hnakra. The hross hunt these, but have not seen one for years. They all prepare to hunt it, as Hyoi does with Ransom, they prepare the boat. On the way, Ransom asks a hross who is talking to himself why he is doing that, he tells Ransom he is ta lking to an eldil. Ransom doesnt see anything, a shock to the hross. Chapter 12 Hyoi explains that the hross are monogamous, only mating and in love for 1-2 years of their life, they treasure memories over events. A good memory brews into poetry, and makes life more special. Hyoi explains the pride, honor in killing or being killed by a hnakra. He says they are our enemy, but also our beloved. They seems to respect and admire them, but also take pride in hunting them. Ransom asks Hyoi about the day they met, who was Hyoi talking to? Hyoi says it was an eldil, a messenger of Oyarsa. He explains them as wanting to be seen or not, light passes through them. Hyoi is surprised there are none on earth, and doesnt know if Ransom can see them at all. Chapter 13 All of the hross begin the hunt, and a eldil appears to Hyoi. Ransom can hear, but not see it. It says that Ransom must go see Oyarsa, as two men are hunting him, and he is in danger. Despite Ransoms protests, Hyoi turns the boat of himself, Ransom, and another hross, Whin, back to shore. Just then, a hnakra attacks the boat, and the three kill it. Elated, Hyoi says it is all he has ever wanted, and Ransom feels he has proven himself. A shot breaks the joy, and Hyoi has been shot by an English rifle. Ransom says the humans are evil, he attempts to apologize. Hyoi calls him a hnakra-slayer, a show of respect, forgiveness enough. Whin convinces Ransom that he must go immediately to Oyarsa, or bad things will continue to happen. Out of guilt, he complies. Chapter 14 Ransom wants to give himself over to the men, but fights the urge. He wonders where he was told, and as he starts to go up to higher ground, where the sorn live, the altitude takes its toll on Ransom. He cannot think straight, and is searching for Augrays tower, as he was told. He stumbles upon a light source, which he follows into a cave, where a fire burns. A sorn is in the cave. Chapter 15 The sorn, Ransom finds out, is Augray. Augray invites Ransom in, and feeds him vegetation and cheese. This comes from yellowish grazing herd animals. Ransom realizes that the giraffe creatures were these, and the sorn he saw chasing was simply a shepherd, not a threat to Ransom. Still suspicious about the social structure, Ransom asks if the sorn rule over the other groups. Augray says only Oyarsa rules, and they are all equal, just as the hrossa said. Ransom asks more about Oyarsa, and Augray explains that Oyarsa is everywhere at once, using light as an example. We do not see light, we see the things slower than it that are lit by it. Ransom says that there is not Oyarsa in his world, and Augray says this is yet more proof Ransom is of Thulcandra, the silent planet. Augray shows him Thulcandra, and Ransom says it is Earth. He feels bleak and depressed. Chapter 16 Ransom feels relieved that he has met a sorn, and they are not evil. The sorn is carrying Ransom to Meldilom on his shoulders, and to counter act the thin air, Augray gives Ransom an oxygen tank, the sorn thought of and the pfifltriggi made. Augray tells him all about extinct species that used to live in the harandra. Augray stops for the night at an older sorns house, that has students in it. They ask Ransom all about Earth geography, history, languages, politics, arts, etc. When he tells them of war, slavery, and prostitution, they conclude that it is because Earth has no Oyarsa. Chapter 17 Augray brings Ransom to the edge of the lake surrounding Meldilorn. A hross mans the ferry, and will not bring Augray across because he has not been called by Oyarsa. As payment, Ransom offers his watch to Augray. Augray declines the gift, telling Ransom to give it to the pfifltriggi instead. Ransom is told by the ferrying hross that all three races Malacandra sent assistants to Meldilorn, and the hross run the ferry, as they are boat experts. The hross tells him the are eldila all over the island, and once he gets on to the island, Ransom sees little flashes around him, confirming this. After a snack, a nap, and some watching of the sorns, Ransom discovers stone etchings of what he decides is the solar system. As he studied it, all the planets had a flame like figure above them, except Earth. Earths flame depiction had been removed, chiseled out. He also discovers that Malacandra is Mars. He hears a tapping, a discovers a pfifltriggi making a full body portrait of him in stone. He discovers that each race has its own language, but they all use the hross language as common tongue. The pfifltriggi, named Kanakaberaka, also speaks of gold suns blood and the way that females rule in that race. Chapter 18 Ransom spends the night in a guest house with all three races, he understands words but doesnt see the humor in any of their jokes. The next morning, he is woken up by an eldil summoning him to Oyarsa. He went to the summit of the island, where he and all creatures, including all the eldila, stood still and silent for quite a while. Later, Oyarsa came to meet him. Ransom is clearly nervous, and Oyarsa asks him why. He replies that it is because of Oyarsa, and Oyarsa says that Ransom was afraid of him before he got to Malacandra. Oyarsa says that he sent for a human to be taken to Malacandra. He also says that Earth used to have an Oyarsa, but he became bent, before life, and almost destroyed Malacandra. There was a war, and Oyarsa of Earth was banished to Earth, where he remains today. Oyarsa is told that Earth is still very bend. Oyarsa tells of how the men came 4 human years ago, taking suns blood (gold) without learning the language, saying no to seeing Oyarsa, and onl y taking gold. Oyarsa told them, like cubs, that if they didnt bring a human, they would not be allowed to take any more gold. Just as Ransom is beginning to tell Oyarsa all about Earth, a procession of hrossa carrying something. Chapter 19 The hrossa carry 3 dead hross, and have the two men captive. Hyois brother explains that two were killed while capturing the men, but Hyoi was killed with a cowards weapon. Osyarsa asks why they have killed the hrossa. Weston thinks it is a trick, ventriquism. He believes it is coming from a sleeping elder hross. He addresses, yells at the hross. He threatens the crowd with Pouf! Bang! but they dont understand. Finally, he pulls out a necklace and shows them it like theyre incredibly stupid. They begin laughing, which Weston mistakes for stupidity. Oyarsa asks Ransom if the men are mentally hurt, and he says that they dont believe Oyarsa is real. Ransom warns the men that they better pay attention, as Oyarsa is real. The sleeping elder leaves, and Weston stands dumbfounded when Oyarsa speaks. Oyarsa had some hrossa take him to dunk his head in cold water. Oyarsa and the rest have a funeral for the dead hrossa. They sing an honor song. A pfifltriggi touches each of the bod ies with a glass/crystal object, and they disappear in a flash of light with wind. Just then, Weston returns. Chapter 20 Oyarsa yells at Weston, for disrespecting him and his hnaus the first visit, for killing his hnaus, and for kidnapping Ransom. Oyarsa doesnt want to kill Weston because he is not one of his hnaus. Oyarsa gives Weston the chance to speak, and he says that he is prepared to die. Devine stands up and tries to say that Weston is just stupid, but Oyarsa silences this. Weston continues, with Ransom translating, that even if he is killed, the humans are so smart, strong, and advanced that they will take over the planet eventually. Oyarsa understands his nobility in regards to his race being the best. But he says that The Lord of the Silent Planet has made him bent, and made him think that his is the only race that deserves to live. Weston says maybe thats true, but at least hes a lord of action, not just words. Oyarsa says that the men will not be killed, but that they must leave the next day, (Oyarsa will provide 90 days of food, drink, and oxygen for them, after 90 days it wil l self destruct) and until then Ransom will stay to talk of Earth. The men are led away, and Ransom stays. Chapter 21 Ransom stays, and talks to Oyarsa about Earth. Oyarsa thanks Ransom, and tells him to watch the dangers of the bent ones, with the help of Maledil. Oyarsa also has all the weapons removed from the ship, except one for Ransom. Oyarsa also sends an eldil to watch over Ransom. The three make their way through crowds the next morning, and take off. Ransom begins to make notes for a dictionary on the Malacandian language. In order to make it in 90 days, Weston plots a course that is dangerous, taking them insanely close to the sun. They all become extremely dehydrated, but survive. However, when they become extremely close to a clean landing, the moon is going to intersect them. They have no choice but to go around, and they will never make it in time. Accepting death, Ransom retreats to his chamber and falls asleep. He wakes up to the sound of rain. The others have abandoned ship, but Ransom finds his way out in the dark. He walks for 30 minutes before he sees a bright light behind him, the ship has self destructed. He walks to a local bar and orders a pint of bitter (ale). Chapter 22 The narrator speaks directly to us, saying that he got the story from a professor he knew, whos name is not Ransom. The story came up when our narrator contacted Ransom regarding an unknown Latin word Oyarses. Ransom invited the narrator to his house and told him the story. The narrator and Ransom are worried about Weston, or the forces behind Weston. The evil needs to be stopped, but the world wouldnt listen, theyd laugh, if this was presented as fact. Ransom came up with the idea to write it as fiction, so people would be more accepting, and it would be more widely spread. The narrator is concerned, however, that no one will ever take it as reality. Ransom says the the very few who go beyond fiction, who are ready to fight, will easily find them, and find Weston, and how to stop the evil.

Carroll’s pyramid of Corporate social responsibility Essay

For the past 27 years, Carroll’s corporate social responsibility pyramid (CSR) has been widely used by top management and journals to better define and explore CSR. The different components in the pyramid help managers see the different types of obligations that society expects of businesses. It is easily understandable and simple. However, the new challenges faced by corporations in the 21st century have warranted a re-examination of Carroll’s pyramid. Carroll’s CSR PyramidCarroll’s four part CSR pyramid depicts the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary responsibilities that society expects of organizations. Carroll has integrated concepts of stakeholders and corporate citizenship into his pyramid. The base of the pyramid is economic responsibility and it gives top priority to economic performance. A business has to be profitable; maximising profits, minimizing costs, plan for the future and provide shareholders with sufficient and attractive returns. The stakeholders affected most in this group are its employees and shareholders. The legal responsibility is second in the hierarchy. Businesses are expected to pursue profits within the framework of the law. Society expects businesses to adhere to all regulations and laws, honour its contracts, warranties and guarantees. Third is ethical responsibility and it involves avoiding questionable practices. It includes all activities which have not been anticipated or legislated by society. Organizations must accept emerging values and norms of society. Businesses are to operate above mere compliance of the law. Ethical responsibilities are more difficult to deal with as they tend to be new, ill-defined or continually under public debate. At the top of the pyramid is philanthropic responsibility. It involves giving back to the community and being a good corporate citizen through donations and active participation in charities or other community welfare programs. Such responsibility is desired but may not be necessarily performed and  hence is separate from other responsibilities. (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2006:22-42)Descriptive accuracyThere have been four surveys conducted on Carroll’s pyramid from 1985 to 2000. Statistical analysis has shown that the relative importance assigned to each responsibility in the pyramid reflects the empirical importance of the four categories. It also confirms that the four responsibilities are empirically interrelated but mutually exclusive. In the survey conducted by Burton, Farh and Hegarthy in 2000 on 165 Hong Kong and 157 U.S. students, they gave equal or greater value to ethical responsibility than legal responsibility. Similarly, in a 1999 survey conducted by Edmondson and Carroll on 503 black-owned businesses in U.S, ethical responsibility was ranked higher than legal responsibility. Burton, Farh & Hegarty (2000)Mean valuesEconomic orientationsLegal orientationsEthical orientationsPhilanthropic orientations-Hong Kong3.112.322.321.84-USA2.812.422.511.99Edmondson & Carroll (1999)3.162.122.192.04(Adapted from http://www.csrquest.net/default.aspx?articleID=12770&heading)These events are noteworthy. It questions whether corporate ethical responsibility has increased and if these ethical responsibilities outweigh its legal obligations. The changing social contractThe notion of CSR implies the existence of a â€Å"social contract† between a society and the corporation. (Crowther, 2004)†The social contract between business and society is to a large extent formulated from shared understandings that exist in each area in the pyramid.† (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2006: 19)If society’s preferences change, there would be a redefining and thus renegotiation of the social contract. Corporations in the 21st century are experiencing significant challenges in this relationship. The increased power of business, technological advancement, and society’s heightened awareness towards moral ethical behaviour has caused a rise in the ethical responsibility in business. Increased power of CorporationsCorporations are primary agents for advancement in technology innovation, industrialism and capitalism.  (Hopkins, 2006) Multi-national companies (MNC) such as Wal-Mart have revenues which exceed the gross domestic product of nations. MNCs dominate the global marketplace. Businesses need to expand internationally to remain competitive. Globalization has come to encompass everything from â€Å"factories shifting around† to â€Å"international bodies that set the rules for the global economy.† It has resulted in the outsourcing of jobs to less-developed nations. In the United States, jobs in manufacturing are being outsourced to China and India. In a USA Today poll in 2004, 68 percent of Americans felt outsourcing of jobs was bad for the economy. (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2006:293)Companies from banks to pharmaceuticals operate and compete in a global environment. When MNCs start work in another country, they must fulfil their social responsibilities in order to be perceived as legitimate. MNCs are caught in dilemmas. For example, if it were to repatriate a large part of its profits, it would be seen as depriving the host country of wealth. If it were to invest profits locally, it may be perceived to be tightening its control on the host cou ntry’s economy. Pay is another sensitive issue. MNCs seem to be exploiting labour with its low wages. However, if it were to pay more to its employees, local businesses would be hurt in the long run. (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2006: 297-300)MNCs may also be assailed for not adhering to standards from their home country. Two classic ethical issues are human rights abuses in â€Å"sweatshops† and questionable marketing and plant safety practices. Plant safety issues have been on-going since the Union Carbide Bhopal crisis in 1984. More recently, Mattel found lead in its toys made in China. In both cases, companies broke no laws in its host countries. (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2006: 306-311) Coating toys with lead paint is legal in China! However, it has to ensure the quality and safety of its products and employees. Society has also grown more distrustful of corporations after a spike in corporate scandals in 2001. Accounting and securities fraud have led to the demise of Enron, Arthur Andersen and WorldCom. The Sarbanes-Oxley act was created to restore public confidence in accounting and reporting practices. Society today requires not only business financial transparency but also  social and environmental transparency. This is to address a broader spectrum of stakeholders. Many multinational companies including Coca-cola, Shell and Starbucks have the adopted the triple-bottom line approach to corporate reporting. ISO 26000, launching in 2009, aims to develop an international standard in accessing social responsibility. Google was criticized by Privacy International for potentially storing data on individuals using its search engines. It went a step further in ethical behaviour by calling for new international laws to be set up to protect personal information online and is now working with UNESCO and OECD to draw up guidelines. This has shown businesses are seriously considering its ethical responsibilities to society although it is not required to do so by law. (Palmer 2007 )With the increased power that corporations are yielding, there are companies like The Body Shop who use this power and profits to raise awareness to their social causes. Other businesses have been giving large amounts to philanthropy. Japanese MNC firms such as Sony, Canon and Toyota practise kyosei. US firms gave $400 million in the few weeks after the 2004 tsunami disaster. (Hopkins, 2006) Thus corporations are setting a benchmark in society and causing a revolution of rising expectations. Future organisations must attempt to exceed these expectations. Another dimension to the increased power and scope business wields come from the privatization of government companies. It is estimated that $700 billion dollars worth of assets have been privatised worldwide (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2006:344). Governments usually provide a service for society. There is conflict of interest between maximising shareholder returns and maintaining a low cost service to the public. In Singapore, SMRT, although still partly owned by the government through Temasek Holdings, was not allowed to raise its prices in 2007 because it was already making profit margins similar to that of Singapore Airlines. Technological advancementBiotechnology and information technology are new areas in corporate growth. In biotechnology, an area called bioethics has emerged. Although biotechnology holds great promise for enhancing life and health, it could have unprecedented ethical consequences. Genetic engineering could increase supply of food as it can make plants more resistant to pests or to grow in harsher conditions. However, the issue of using or eating genetically modified food has opposition. In Europe, there is a ban on bioengineered crops. In 2004, McDonalds did not want Monsanto to introduce its bug-resistant wheat as it did not want to be caught up in the biotech debate when people eat their fries. Another area of concern is in embryonic stem cell research. It holds the greatest hope for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’ and Parkinson disease but American law denies the use of new embryos to carry out research. Scientists clone stem cells to loop around this restriction. (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2006: 260-284 )Information Technology has undergone immense growth even after the dot-com bubble burst. Emails and the Internet have enabled communication without the need of a fixed place and time. It can be a fermenting ground for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO). Individuals who were once powerless can now rally, surround and infiltrate even the most powerful organizations through the internet. For example, the Royal Dutch Shell Company changed its disposal strategy of offshore platforms after protests from Internet stakeholder swarms. (Hopkins 2006) Similarly in 2001, Nike’s global sweatshop allegations were started by an email sent out by Jonah Peretti to a few friends. Society’s increased awareness of ethical behaviourThe rising education and affluence of society have increased awareness in the ethical responsibility of firms. Most MBA and business undergraduate students now undergo some form of ethics training. Business ethics training courses are being carried out by large companies such as Lockheed Martin and Sun Microsystems. People are more aware of discrimination issues and their rights. In 2003 the Ethnic Resource Centre National Business survey showed that two-thirds of organisations provided a way to report misconduct anonymously. (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2006:243-251)The rise in social investing has also shown society’s preference for moral corporate behaviour. Socially screened portfolios in the U.S. have climbed to $2.15 trillion in 2003 and are expected to hit $3 trillion by 2011. Europe SRI market has grown $0.6 trillion from 2005 to 2007. Modification to Carroll’s CSR pyramidOne of the main weaknesses in Carroll’s pyramid is the inability to convey the tensions between the component responsibilities. To better show these organization realities it might be better to use two triangles instead. The economic responsibility surrounds and supports all the other responsibilities in the model and is the â€Å"foundation† of this model. This is because profitability is still the basis in any corporation. Corporations focus on profitability even when undertaking CSR programs. In KPMG’s International Survey of Corporate Social Responsibility (2005), 74% of respondents found economic considerations as drivers of corporate responsibility. The relative priorities of CSR should be adjusted with the rise in ethical responsibilities in corporations. The increased compliance with new standard accounting practices and laws have increased the task of legal responsibility. However, law often cannot address all new issues business face in a fast-paced global environment. Although there is an increased expectation for a corporation to give back to the community and business philanthropic responsibilities are greater than before, these are still not as large as its legal obligations. Hence, it remains the smallest out of the four components of CSR. ConclusionThe gap between society’s expectations of business ethics and that of actual business ethics has given rise to ethical problems. Globalisation has led to the broadening of the term ‘Society’. As the rate of technological change speeds up, ethical responsibilities will play a greater role in the CSR pyramid. References Bacchus, Rayman L. and Crowther D, (2004). Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility. London: Ashgate. Carroll’s CSR pyramid:http://www.csrquest.net/default.aspx?articleID=12770&headingSeptember 17, 2007. Carroll, Archie B. and Ann K. Buchholtz, 2006, Business and Society: Ethic and Stakeholder Management, 6th Edition, USA: South-Western, Thomson Corporation. Carroll, Archie B. (1991, July). The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility: toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders balancing economic, legal and social responsibilities. Business Horizons. Hopkins, M. (2006). Corporate Social Responsibility and International Development. London: Earthscan. KPMG. (2005). KPMG Global Survey of Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting 2005: KPMG International. Revisting Carroll’s CSR Pyramid:http://www.waynevisser.com/csr_pyramid.htmSeptember 17, 2007. Palmer, M. (14, September 2007). Google to call for web privacy shake-up. The Financial Times. P21.

Comparison of business system of China and Japan Essay

1. Introduction This research paper will concludes the comparison of similarities and differences of business system in China and Japan. It refers about institutional comparison and clusters and implications for varieties of capitalism and business systems theory by Michael A Witt and Gordon Redding and another one ‘s author is Zhang X & R Whitley : Changing Macro-structural Varieties of East Asian Capitalism. In general, because China and Japan both Asian country so that this two countries has many similar aspects such as culture, food, history†¦in the other hand there are exists differences between them. 2.Comparison of similarities The countries of China and Japan share numerous similarities other than their geographical proximity. They both have established extremely rich cultures and great senses of national identity.Their histories have crossed paths during several periods since both civilizations have existed for such a long times. The countries also share similar religions and value systems, which have influenced each other. In terms of Japan’s economic culture is the  idea that the firm exists to keep people employed, and that return on capital for advantage of shareholders is not a primary rationale for economic action. A casual review of publications suggests that most of the research in the field has focused on advanced industrialized nations in the West and, to a lesser extent(e.g.Berger &Dore,1996;Orr et al,1997:Redding 1990;Whitley,1992). At the same time,it implies that many questions remain fully or partially unanswered, and the field, wild open for further exploration.Whitley’s(1999) account of the emergence of six major business-system types likewise incorporates the role of culture, in the form of shared beliefs about authority, trust, and communitarian ideals. While he underlines that institutions mediate both trust and authority, the narratives included in his illustrate how cultural and historical forces lead to the emergence of some institutions. The similarities between Japan and China didn’t just happen on their own. When ambassadors from Japan visited Tang dynasty China in the 7th century, they found an empire that was much larger, wealthier and more unified politically than their own nation. When they returned home and reported what they’d seen, the Japanese imperial court became so enthusiastic about Chinese culture that they built a new capital city at Nara in imitation of the Tang capital at Chang’an. Between the years 710 and 794, the Japanese emperors reorganized the country and its legal system based on Chinese models. They also encouraged the adoption of Chinese philosophical and religious ideas. The connections between Japanese and Chinese culture began in this time period. China and Japan have both been strongly influenced by the philosophy of Confucius, who taught a system of thought based on the importance of relationships and educational achievement. In both China and Japan, parents tend to push their children to study hard because academic achievement is so closely tied to future economic success. The Confucian emphasis on relationships has also influenced both countries, but in slightly different ways. In China, people tend to be loyal to their family relationships more than to any other personal connection. In Japan, on the other hand, people are encouraged to be loyal to whatever group they belong to, such as the company they work for. Most people probably think of Zen Buddhism as being characteristically Japanese, but Zen was actually borrowed from the Ch’an sect of Chinese Buddhism. Several of the major Buddhist sects in Japan have Chinese origins.  For instance, Japanese Tendai Buddhism was based on Chinese T’ien Tai Buddhism, and the Kegon sect was founded by a Chinese immigrant during the Nara period. Defining features of traditional Japanese culture such as the tea ceremony developed through the influence of Chinese Ch’an on Japanese Zen. Japanese artists borrowed themes and techniques from the Chinese for centuries. For example, the Japanese painter Ike Taiga based his 18th-century ink paintings on Chinese instructional manuals. Japan also borrowed the use of Chinese characters, but had to modify them due to the great differences between the two languages. Shodo, or traditional Japanese calligraphy, uses Chinese characters to express the artist’s emotional and spiritual state. Although traditional Japanese artistic styles show clear Chinese influences, they are also distinct from Chinese styles. For instance, though the Japanese admired classical Chinese poetry, they also invented their own poetic forms such as the waka and haiku. 3.Comparison of differences Despite all of similarities the recent history of these two countries has caused them to diverge into two very distinct modern civilizations. A great factor in this divergence is the extreme differences in the evolution of each country’s economic policy. For China, philosopher Confucious developed a pattern of thought which was key informing a sense of national identity. His ideas have had a profound impact on the evolution of Chinese culture, government, and economics. â€Å"He believed in and practiced the highest standards of morality, yet did it all in the spirit of moderation and harmony so admired by the Chinese.† (Morton, 33). Although his ancestors may have been aristocracy, Confucious was born into a rather plebeian family in 551 B.C. He wanted to eliminate the moral relativism of his time. â€Å"In contrast to the spirit of Confucious’s age and to the behavior of those addicted to the pursuit of selfish whims, the gentleman must banish from his conduct and even from his manner or expression anything savoring of violence, arrogance, or impropriety.†(Morton, 37). Confucious stressed five virtues: humanity, courtesy, honesty, knowledge, and integrity. This laid the foundation for a restructuring of the Chinese moral value system. This foundation still lies under present day China’s heightened sense of morality. While Confucious’ teachings may have helped structure a stronger  moral code in China, it may have actually hindered the evolution of Chinese economics.First Confucianism stressed agriculture while giving commerce an inconsequential role.Also, Confucianism saw profit-making as a selfish endeavor making competition in markets almost sinful. The way of life prescribed by Confucious included renouncing assets and pursuing the Way.All of these aspects of Confucious’ thought contributed to the inept economy preceding the revolution in China. On the other hand, Japan’s value system was formed with an inherent emphasis on refined work ethic. This value worked to help rather than hinder Japan’s evolution into an Economic Power in the modern world. The aforementioned sense of loyalty to work stems from an internalized sense of responsibility in Japanese citizens to work for one another’s well-being. â€Å"Here, more than in the family, work is self –validating in the sense of affirming one’s personal achievement and maturity, and in validating one’s belonging and participation in a social group.†(Eisenstadt, 538). When they are away from their work, they identify themselves as part of their company different to others who work elsewhere. In this way work is another family- type unit to which the citizen belongs and gains a sense of identity from. Since family and work are so similarly structured in life, individuals cannot help but equate to some degree their sense of membership to each and relish their ties to each in a similar manner. The organization and unity of Japanese companies can be seen in rituals performed at work in the morning. The rituals reinforce the collectivity between co-workers and give the group a sense of belonging. Differences between Japanese and Chinese economic statistics can be traced to the different economic systems employed by each country. For example, the GDP real growth rate in China was about 8%, while in Japan it was 1.3% both for year 2000. (1) Saving is mostly an individual decision under a market capitalism system similar to Japan’s. When this decision is left up to the individuals in the economy it usually results in a lower savings rate and, in turn, investment than under a mixed socialist system like China’s.Chinese government has the ability to control investment rate unlike the capitalist system which deflates the role of government in economic activity. The discrepancy between these two countries in terms of GDP real growth can also be the result of Japan’s extreme growth in past decades and its leveling off. China on the other hand still has much room for economic  growth even though they too have experienced impressive growth. Economic systems’ impact on hard data can also be seen within China’s history.Japan has shown the advantages of the capitalist system in trying to recover from its late 90s recession. According to the mofa internet source, Japan has helped create new businesses and industries through deregulation. (2) This shows how the economic system’s flexibility allows for further gradual decentralization. China’s reforms have come through major revolution such as the 1978 revolution which was introduced by government. This is characteristic of socialist economies in which changes begin through government introduced package reform. Japan’s GDP per capita in 2000 was around $24,500 while China’s was around $3600 for the same year. (1) This can be linked to differences in unemployment rates (China’s was more than double that of Japan) especially in China’s expansive rural areas.In 2000, Japan’s inflation rate was negative while China experienced a .4% rate. This shows the socialist economy government’s ability to control rates more effectively. Health is the essential aspect of standard of living. Life expectancy in China is relatively high at 62.3 years (61.2 for males and 63.3 for females). (3) The population control mechanism implemented by government in 1979 which limited each family to one child . This is an example of the socialist economy working positively. The program has dropped China’s population growth to under 1%. Japan maintains the highest life expectancy of 74.5 years (71.9 for males and 77.2 for females). Another new indicator of relative standard of living, the Human Development Index includes several factors such as longevity, education, and economic standard of living in it calculation. Japan ranks 9th,which places it in the high human development category. China ranks 87th placing it in the medium human development category. China scores significantly lower than Japan in the education value of the HDI . Free public schooling through junior high is provided for all children in Japan which could be the reason behind the education discrepancy. Japan’s 99% literacy rate is one of the highest in the world.The Chinese government implemented a minimum standard of living program in the 1990s. This is similar to a social security program and helps poverty stricken citizens in urban areas. This system exemplifies the socialism within the economy. In 2000 an extension of the program offered unemployment insurance and pension for retired workers. China also increased  investment education, libraries, museums and broadcasting stations. In summarize,although these countries share many things such as geographical location, major religions, philosophies,etc.they have diverged partly due to the different economic systems they have employed thr oughout their histories. Both countries have enjoyed tremendous growth in the second half of the twentieth century but their modes have been very different. Japan utilized a market capitalism which was introduced by America after World War II. This has led to a present day Japanese culture which in many ways is very similar to American culture. They have a desire for material wealth, value-added goods and leisure. Hopefully they will not lose their rich culture and tradition in the midst of economic growth.China has taken a more conservative approach and has moved from planned socialism under Mao Zedong towards a functional market socialism.These countries exhibit the impact of an economic system on the people within a country as well as its impact on economic growth. References Witt, M & G Redding (2013). Asian Business Systems: Institutional Comparison, Clusters and Implications for Varieties of Capitalism and Business Systems Theory Zhang, X & R Whitley (2013). Changing Macro-structural Varieties of East Asian Capitalism Eisenstadt, S. N. Japanese Civilization. London: The University of Chicago Press, 1996. Morton, Scott W. China Its History and Culture. New York: McGraw-Hill, Gordon Redding , Michael Witt (2008).China’s Business System and its Future Trajectory

Essay on Noahs Ark vs. Gilgamesh Epic - 1552 Words

Noahs Ark vs. Gilgamesh Epic The Gilgamesh Epic is an ancient Mesopotamian story about life and the suffering one must endure while alive. Included in the story, is a tale of a great flood that covered the earth, killing all but a select few of it’s inhabitants. This story of a great flood is common to most people, and has affected history in several ways. It’s presence in the Gilgamesh Epic has caused many people to search for evidence that a great flood actually happened. It has also caused several other religions and cultures to take the same basic story, claiming it for their own. Whether in Christianity in the form of Noah’s Ark, or through Mesopotamian history in the form of an immortal, the idea of a great†¦show more content†¦He next sent out a dove, which returned without finding a place to rest. A week later he set out the dove again, and it returned with an olive leaf. The next week, the dove didnt return. Everyone then emerged from the ark. Noah built an altar and made a sacrifice to God, and God promised never again to destroy all living creatures with a flood, giving the rainbow as a sign of His covenant. The similarities between the two stories are obvious for the most part. It makes one wonder if perhaps Noah and Utnapishnem were the same person, and the different stories may have been caused by the same happening seen from different viewpoints. Though this may be the only logical answer, many people are still searching for the truth behind the tales. This has lead many people to devoting their lives to finding scientific proof that a flood covering a vast stretch of land actually occurred several centuries ago. The search for proof of a great flood has been going on for decades. Based primarily in the Middle East, the search begins with questioning history for any detail that may suggest there was a flood. Then they must ask what conditions are necessary for causing a flood of the magnitude described in the Gilgamesh Epic, or that may have seemed as large to the people affected by it. If these conditions were indeed met, what scientific evidence do we have that could prove it really happened? A flood of the magnitude stated in theseShow MoreRelatedFlood Narrative ( Genesis 6-9 ) Vs. Epic Gilgamesh And Genesis1259 Words   |  6 PagesFlood Narrative (Genesis 6-9) vs. Epic Gilgamesh, Tablet XI The Flood Narrative (Genesis 6-9) and the Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet XI have certain parallels that are undeniable, yet many noticeable differences. The parallels are strange yet oddly common in any flood narrative and the differences often lie behind the reasons, responses, and decisions made by the main characters. In both texts, each of the main characters, Noah and Uta-napishti, were ordered to build an ark or a boat due to an incomingRead MoreEssay on Epic of Gilgamesh971 Words   |  4 PagesTitle: Gilgamesh Type: Epic Author: Anonymous Theme: The central idea of Gilgamesh was the greed that he had to receive eternal life. Gilgamesh was a selfish person who was half god and half man and wanted to keep his youth after seeing Enkidu die. Gilgamesh knew his destiny was not to receive eternal life because he was half man. He decided to go against the odds to fight against not having eternal life searching for the secret despite what the Gods told him. Exposition: The storyRead MoreEssay on Gilgamesh vs. Genesis1436 Words   |  6 PagesGilgamesh vs. Genesis In our society, which is overwhelmingly Judeo-Christian, students often find it difficult to compare Bible stories with tales from other cultures, because our own belief system is wrapped up in the prior, and it is hard for many of us to go against our traditional faith to evaluate them objectively. But in a comparison of the Biblical book of Genesis with the ancient Sumerian text, Epic of Gilgamesh, many parallels suggest that the same type of spiritualRead MoreBiblical Vs. Classical Phenomenon2078 Words   |  9 PagesBiblical vs. Classical Phenomenon Throughout the semester, we have analyzed various texts that constitute some of the most important publications in the history of humankind. These myths and legends are known as the oldest in centuries and possibly the first sight of written text that humans have encountered. Dating back to the times of traditional oral-based stories, texts such as The Epic of Gilgamesh have given humankind a sense of emergence in the old times of script and literature. The Epic of Gilgamesh