A Personal Educational Philosophies

My personal philosophy of education is holistic, and focuses on the role of the teacher as a facilitator of students. This personal philosophy is important in guiding my future career goals to become a better educator. I believe that teaching and learning are concepts that often cannot be easily teased apart. Often, we learn even as we teach, as in the case of a new teacher who learns a great deal about the importance of keeping the attention and respect of children as she teaches her very first real kindergarten class. In addition, we teach as we learn, as in the case of a child who shares his family's Christmas traditions with a class who is learning about holidays throughout the world. Students, in my opinion, are active participants in the teaching process. Often, professional educators see themselves as teachers, and focus strongly on their teaching skills, abilities, philosophies, and plans. I see teachers instead as facilitators of learning among students. This belief takes the emphasis off the importance of the teacher as the authority who imparts knowledge to children, and instead focuses importance on the learner's role in acquiring knowledge or skills. My personal philosophy of education encompasses a little bit from each of the five philosophies of education. The five philosophies are: Essentialism, Progressivism, Perennialism, Existentialism, and Behaviorism. While many in the educational community tend to attach themselves strongly to one philosophy, and discount the others, I believe there is a lot to be learned from each of the theories. That said, the philosophies of Existentialism and Perennialism have special appeal for me. Existentialism places a strong focus on the unique development of the student, with the teachers role to † help students define their own essence by exposing them to various paths they may take in life and creating an environment in which they may freely choose their own preferred way† (Shaw, Existentialism). Perennialism also holds as strong appeal, which espouses the â€Å"the notion that some ideas have lasted over centuries and are as relevant today as when they were first conceived, Perennialism urges that these ideas should be the focus of education† ((Shaw, Perennialism). I strongly feel that the ability to learn, rather than simply rote learning of facts or beliefs, is absolutely worth knowing. Enabling students to become critical thinkers, who can learn on their own, in a number of different environments, is the most important facet of teaching. This is especially true today, in a world that is brimming with information. Individuals in our society, more than ever before, need to be able to obtain knowledge from the multitude of information in the world today. It is impossible to know everything in the world today, and this is often even true among specific specialties. As an example, who among us would be arrogant enough to say that he or she knows everything there is to know about education? The key components of my personal philosophy of teaching follow: A teacher is simply the facilitator of learning. All educational philosophies have some important ideas. The ability to learn, rather than simply rote learning of facts or beliefs, is absolutely worth knowing. Teaching and learning are concepts that often cannot be easily teased apart. Taken together, these components form my personal philosophy of teaching. I plan to use these beliefs to become a better teacher, who focuses strongly facilitating learning in students. I will use these beliefs as the key basis of my instructional practice. Personally, I plan to use these beliefs to empower my friends and family (and myself) to become active learners. In conclusion, my personal philosophy of teaching focuses on the student, rather than the teacher. I see myself as a facilitator of learning, whose job it is to empower students to learn on their own. I also see a valuable role in a holistic view of teaching, with much to be learned from each of the five educational philosophies.

We Do Abortions Here

What surprises me most about â€Å"We Do Abortions Here† is the level of imagery she employs. After reading the text, I feel as if I could act on the old cliche and ‘paint a picture’ of this particular abortion clinic. I can walk in the locked glass door and see the receptionist look at my bag skeptically. In the waiting room, I see and hear the dysfunctional mother, or â€Å"girl with maternal benignity,† yelling at her kids in the waiting room.I can see the fear the woman’s face as the ignorant, hot-headed father lambasts her from the adjacent chair. I feel the cold of the metal stirrups. I hear the whirring, churning, thumping of the machine. I watch the â€Å"swollen abdomen sink† as the doctor moves the tube â€Å"with an efficient rhythm,† an â€Å"intent expression† on his face. I can sense the emotion of the girl whose hand I hold with one hand as I feel the â€Å"tissue† and â€Å"contents† drain into the b asin I hold with the other.I see their â€Å"shakily applied eyeliner smear when they cry† that â€Å"sharp, childish cry. † After the â€Å"dirty work† is over, I see the â€Å"curdlike blood clots† and â€Å"translucent arm† swimming beside a hand. As it is dumped down the drain, the odor of something â€Å"rich and humid,† â€Å"hot, earthy, and moldering† fills my nostrils and hits me in the stomach. I feel like I could walk out the doors of this building with a paycheck, yet there would be a piece of me that would feel morally bankrupt for what I did in the place where â€Å"They Do Abortions. †

Branches of Government Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Branches of Government Paper - Essay Example This principle of the separation of powers is embedded in the American system of checks and balances. The system is quite a complex set-up but has amazingly worked for the past centuries since this country gained its independence from its former colonial master (Hargrove, 2000, p. 8). Main Benefits – besides safeguarding democracy and freedom in the new nation by ensuring no one individual gains absolute political power, each of the three branches are also independent and co-equal from each other. In other words, the three branches which are the executive, legislative and judicial branches can check and balance on the other two branches. It was the great French political philosopher and social commentator Montesquieu who gave the founding fathers this idea of separation of powers as a preventive measure against abuses and some critics of this system had said it had led to periods of political paralysis in which an agenda of the government cannot be pursued due to blocks within this system. The main benefit of this separation of powers through checks and balances is that all three branches are encouraged to do their best in performing their duties and responsibilities least they be criticized and censured by the other two branches of the government.

Manage change task 2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Manage change task 2 - Research Paper Example In most cases, organizational change tends to be radical and can lead to reorientation of the business. Organisational change tends to be deep seated, thereby impacting the stakeholders of the company as well (Smith, Vasudevan and Tanniru). Organisational change is based on external factors and these factors impact the organisation and also act as driving forces in a number of times. Benefits of Change Specialists: Change in an organisation means an impact on the processes of an organisation. This impact can be very wide spread or simply concentrated on one aspect of the business; however it does create major ripples in the organisation. Consulting or hiring a change consultant is crucial for a business attempting change and the benefits of hiring a change consultant is very high (Hiatt and Creasey). Firstly, change management consultants are experienced and well versed with the various aspects and change and have clear resources as well as methods of dealing with change. Also, chang e management consultants have the expertise to manage communication within the organisation, which is crucial. Change is not well accepted in most organisations and having a change consultant, who can communicate the change details effectively, makes the process smoother and more effective (Nelson and Aaron). Consultants of change also design the communication plans, training and development plans, documentation, improvements of the organisation, career development plans, and also the designing, developing of plans to bring about the improvements within the organisation. Also, consultants work with the clients and learn their requirements, make the project plans and also work on the tasks and value added solution. Change management is a professional job and it is best left to individuals with the expertise for it. Need for Change: Strategic change involves a number of changes to the organisation as a whole. Hence before an organisation decides to make a strategic change to itself, a few questions and areas need to be considered. These include the following: Firstly, is the organization a start up business? If yes, then implementing a strategic change is crucial and is a necessity rather than a luxury. The strategic change plan helps identify the business plan and also helps in linking all other elements like marketing plan, financial plans, management plans and also communication plans together (Smith, Vasudevan and Tanniru). Secondly, the next question that the company needs to ask itself is, Are we planning for a new major venture? Here if the company is opting for a major venture like product expansion or brand extensions, new department or division etc, then it is crucial for the businesses to implement strategic change. Is the company due for the annual strategic plan update? If so, it is crucial that the company has the strategic change plan developed and set as well. Companies need to focus on the various performance meters within the organisation and k eep a tab on the trends. This will help the company determine whether or not a change management is necessary or not. Strategic Objectives: The rationale and objectives for any change management program are important aspects. Objectives are in most cases specific and achievable and in most cases these objectives are the most

Geography of US and Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Geography of US and Canada - Essay Example This essay discusses that  the geological centre of Northern America has landscape made up from rocks which are up to 3 billion years old and is called the Canadian Shield. This Canadian Shield cover ups the areas from Nunavut which is south to Minnesota and is on the North East of Labrador. The human inhabitants in this vast area are very few and the agricultural opportunities in this area is very limited because of the defective soils and the extremely severe climatic conditions which are very similar to the climatic conditions that are found in the North Eastern Siberia. The Canadian Shield is now dotted with various big lakes and even more small lakes. The surface of the Canadian Shield is mostly rolling, but in the Canadian Shield there are regions of small hills and short mountains such as the Superior Upland of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The area is used to produce hydroelectricity and wood, uranium, nickel and iron are the chief natural resources that are found in the Canadia n Shield.This paper outlines that  the North American continent has more natural risks as compared to any other continent. While the United States has more natural risks as compares to any other country on this planet. The highest mountain in Rockies is Mount Elbert in Colorado which stands 14,433 feet (that is 4,399m). The Rockies has a high and rough landscape from which many chief rivers flow including the Fraser, Colorado, Saskatchewan, Missouri, Columbia and Rio Grande.

A Need for Offender Programs and Treatments Before Release Research Proposal - 1

A Need for Offender Programs and Treatments Before Release - Research Proposal Example The study will utilize questionnaire and interviews in the effort to obtain information from offenders and correctional facility officers. It is apparent that the issue of offender programs and their effectiveness has been contentious for a long time, especially in relation to their effectiveness. Apparently, this has been a concern because of the effects they have on offenders in terms of their behavior modification. Although offender programs are designed to correct behaviors of offenders, there is a need to have an effort to change their behavious. This can be enhanced during and after they have been released from correction facilities. The Alabama Department of Corrections operates 29 facilities within the state. Currently, the facility hosts around 13, 200 offenders. Pre release and reentry programs are the major programs offered by the Alabama Department of Corrections. Among other things, these programs aim at providing transitional case management services. The main focus on such services includes identifying inmate basic and technical needs, which aims at linking the offender with resources prior to his release.

Managing Information 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Information 1 - Essay Example Information system strategy incorporates the use of information technology and a range of software and hardware products that make the system efficient and fully functional (Carry 1988). According to Lucey (2005, p. 4) states, â€Å"the processing of data into information and communicating the resulting information to the user are the very essence of an MIS†. To align corporate strategy with information management mechanisms, companies need to integrate the use of management information systems in all departments. Management information system deals with the use of IT tools in speeding up business processes (Martin 2010). Some of the main fields for which integration of information systems can be useful include system analysis and design, artificial intelligence, health informatics, databases, software engineering, decision making, project management, and knowledge management. As Burke (n.d.) states, â€Å"MIS, or management information systems, are used to manage the data cr eated within the structure of a particular business†. ... related information, assists managers in developing corporate strategies based on information, helps in documentation of processed information, and assists managers in taking critical business decisions. The main purpose of using an information management system is to make effective use of latest IT tools and technologies that can support managers’ attempts to make efficient use of business information, as well as help them in carrying out different business related tasks and operations. Use of information systems has become almost essential in aligning business strategies with the corporate strategy because it establishes a useful link between technology and organizational departments along with providing assistance to the officials in carrying out business operations. In today’s world of competition, information systems are considered to be most significant essentials of success for any company or organization because it helps companies in taking right business decisi on in accordance with the corporate business strategy regarding any matter based on stored information. Information systems collect helps in collecting raw data, as well as in converting the data into useful information in such a way that it can be categorized and sent to concerned authorities (Earl 1988). We can take example of Carlson Investment Solutions Inc., which is a London based firm that deals with providing investment suggestions to clients based on information analysis (See appendix 1). The system works for the company in such a way that it stores all information and presents to the concerned departments is in the form of a well-documented report (Taken from Interview, case study). The system helps companies in setting and achieving long-term strategic goals and objectives (Earl 1996). The

Network Security setup Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Network Security setup - Research Paper Example WAN domain is a necessary domain especially when connecting with remote users. In Richman investments, it means connecting with several branches in places such as Atlanta, Georgia, Cincinnati, Ohio, and even Los Angeles, California from the headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. In order to ensure security at this domain, it is recommended to ensure proper addressing schemes, proper protocol selection and enhanced encryption of communication equipments. In Richman investments, the database software, operating system, client-server applications, and data stored in the organizations center and their hardware is collectively under this domain. Security measures necessary at this stage is proper authentication, quality network design, authorization, node security, and accounting are an imperative security considerations at this domain. Other security measures that can be implemented within the company’s IT infrastructure includes eliminating single point of failure, improving security access to sensitive data and ensuring that there is data backup in servers outside the main data centre.

Current issue in government contract Essay Example for Free

Current issue in government contract Essay The issue is focus on the financial aspect in the company operations. The law is so strict enough in the budget allocated for any accounts which are voluntary. Below is the issue accordingly; auditing the companys accounts on a voluntarily basis: â€Å"A request from the Secretary General of the Department of Finance to audit, the annual accounts of Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Ltd. I agreed to audit the companys accounts on a voluntary basis pending the enactment of legislation to put the company and its operations on a statutory footing. The audit, which was completed in June 2001, covered a period from the date it commenced operations on December 10, 1999 to the end of the year 2000. Almost ? 2 million was allocated from the Department of the Taoiseachs Vote to meet the costs of the company in the initial period. The committee will see from the accounts that something around ? 560,000 of that went to fitting out the offices which were rented in Blanchard town, ? 400,000 went to pay for executive services for the last four months of the year 2000 and ? 313,000 or so went on consultants fees (Purcell. http://www. irlgov. ie)†. Corporate governance arrangements, tendering for executive services, fee levels for executive services, credit card expenses and the tax status of the company. I can expand on the specific issues during the course of the examination if the committee so wishes. The main activities of the company during the period of the accounts were developing an architectural and environmental scheme for the company, devising the structure of a competition for the provision of the various facilities on the site and latterly organizing a competition for the provision. In my own opinion of the issue, I could rather say, if the provision issue provides the enhancement of the development of the company’s progress then it is so much advice able to adopt the audit more profoundly. Then continuous monitoring of the results of the issue to the point of view of the rest of the people concerned to either it resulted to a positive outcomes or not. If it has positive outcomes then it would be better to enhance such auditing issue just for the good of the company and all the concern as well. Other Issues â€Å" 1.) A persons children or other lineal descendants such as grandchildren and great-grandchildren, it does not mean all heirs, but only the direct bloodline. Occasionally, there is a problem in determining whether a writer of a will or deed meant issue to include descendants beyond his or her immediate children. While a child or children are alive, issue refers only to them, but if they are deceased then it will apply to the next generation unless there is language in the document which shows it specifically does not apply to them. This issues looks unfair to the new generation to which no how on how comes they are a part of the problem for infact they just come in existing. 2) n. any matter of dispute in a legal controversy or lawsuit, very commonly used in such phrases as the legal issues are, the factual issues are, this is an issue which the judge must decide, or please, counsel, let us know what issues you have agreed upon. In these issues, as long as it is following the legalities it has to be abided. The judge is the one to promulgate laws that was agreed upon standards. So if it is in my case I don’t need to argue at all though it hurts to accept facts but facts must prevail. 3) v. to send out, promulgate, publish or make the original distribution, such as a corporation selling and distributing shares of stock to its initial investors. I will rather agree to this statement, this is for the reason of visibility to everybody of what was going on the promulgation. There should be participation to everybody’s concern. 4) n. the shares of stock or bonds of a corporation which have been sold and distributed (â€Å"Issue†. http://legal-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com)†. A Problem in Contracts Assurance contracts are a financial technology that facilitates the private creation of public goods and Club goods in the face of the free rider problem. The free rider problem is that there may be actions that would benefit a large group of people, but once the action is taken, there is no way to exclude those who did not pay for the action from the benefits. This leads to a game theoretic problem: all members of a group might be better off if an action was taken, and the members of the group contributed to the cost of the action, but many members of the group may make the perfectly rational decision to let others pay for it, then reap the benefits for free, possibly with the result that no action is taken. The result of this rational game play is lower utility for everyone. â€Å"Assurance contracts operate as follows: In a binding way, members of a group pledge to contribute to action an at least N-1 other members also make the same pledge. If N members sign the pledge (perhaps by a certain expiration date), the action is taken. If the quorum is not reached, the parties are not bound to carry through the action (â€Å"Assurance Contract†. http://en. wikipedia. org)†. â€Å"The binding mechanism may be a contract enforced by a government, a contract enforced by a private organization (e. g. a mediator, a protection agency in an anarcho-capitalist society, etc. ), an escrow organization (in such cases, the binding contract is signed by depositing funds in advance, which are later either disbursed according to the contract, or refunded), etc. Many economists argued that the central planning and bureaucratic directions are necessary to produce public goods. There is at least some types of public good can be produced privately by profit seeking entrepreneurs. A new and more powerful form of assurance contract and discusses, without making rigorous is called a dominant assurance contract. This was contracts that exhibit on the goods or product. There are two problems involved in the production of public goods, the preference revelation problem and the contribution problem. One focus we have for sure is on the contribution problem, how to get agents voluntarily contribute to providing the public good. This will limit the analysis of good, which naturally comes in lumpy quantities, or goods for which we can deduce into an efficient size. If a bridge or road or light house is to built we can probably estimate the efficient size from the information about preferences and technology (Tabarrok, Alexander. March 6, 1996. http://mason. gmu. edu)†. Under this issue we can include the government contracts which were brought to news for publicly seen. A recent decision by the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has potentially momentous consequences for bankrupt government contractors and their creditors. â€Å"That court, with jurisdiction over the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D. C. , the primary place of business for many government contractors, has held that the debtor/contractor filing for reorganization of the Bankruptcy Code is not automatically entitled to continue performing its federal contracts. Instead, the government can obtain permission from the bankruptcy court to immediately terminate such contracts (Government Contracts. 1999. http://www. hklaw. com)†. This decision may result in contractor being forced into liquidation proceedings, with little remaining for its creditors. In my own opinion it is inhuman to say getting all proceeding of the debtor on which nothing left for her living. This means that, the same saying killing the debtor for not paying all the debts. It’s too much contract not giving any pardon to debtor itself. If I were to judge I have to see to it that I can make adjustment prior to both the company and the debtor. There must be equal distribution. Government Contract Commitment to the client and the promise of innovative solutions is the core of Government Contracts Consultants. Government Contracts Consultants is organized as a small woman-owned, SBA certified HUB Zone company organized to meet the ever-growing needs of business by providing creative information technology, administrative and acquisition management support services and training to government and commercial clients. Our areas of expertise included. â€Å"M3 Federal Contract Practice Group, LLC. (M3) works on behalf of Prime contractors, Subcontractors, and International companies doing business with the U. S. Government. M3 is a highly recognized U. S. Government contract consultant firm comprised of subject matter experts that focus on and comprehend every element of the federal procurement field from business development, writing winning proposals, contract management, contract closeout, and claim resolution. M3 Federal is the only company within the federal procurement field that provides an all encompassing teaming solution for any company willing to get into the federal procurement field or that has been in the federal field and has complex procurement issues to resolve. M3 Federal Contract Practice Group specializes in all areas of government contracting and federal procurement including (â€Å"M3 Federal Contract†. http://www. m3federal. com): †¢ Contract Claims †¢ Preparation †¢ Submittal †¢ Resolution †¢ Audits †¢ Qui Tam Actions †¢ Fraud †¢ Bid Protests †¢ Proposal Development DoD Facility Clearances †¢ DoD Personnel Clearances †¢ Intellectual Property Rights †¢ Export Regulation Compliance †¢ Commercial Contracts †¢ Joint Ventures/Teaming Agreements †¢ Contract Administration †¢ GSA Schedules This are all gives us the background of what covers the entire contract. The overview of this contact will focus on business. Business will be better off if it follows a standard to avail. Conclusion: We have dealt with five issues that differ in many ways. Issues has an act by the Government that goes beyond the terms of a Fixed Price Contract, Cost Type, Cost Plus Award Fee, Research Development Contract, etc. or any contract termination that has a consequential ripple effect upon the entire contract and/or Contractor, impose a substantial risk to the Contractor and require immediate action by the Contractor to ensure no financial denigration to reputation. In the sense of Government contract it is legal and purposely design to make progress not only the company but also the people at large. It is properly impose so that everybody will understand the agreement agreed upon. But in the case of problem issues it is focusing more often to the people who have not agreed to to their previous contract or might be things they fail to do and the other parties tends to claim and will sewed the debtor for example. Also problems sometimes will come out to be in the case of agreement which was not abided. If I will to make sure that agreement should complied I have see to it , that my opponents could make a written not just verbal agreement to whom I can claim even if problem arise. Reference â€Å"Assurance Contract†. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Assurance_contracts â€Å"Issue†. http://legal-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/issue Government Contracts. 1999. http://www. hklaw. com/Publications/newsletters. asp? ID=70)† â€Å"M3 Federal Contract†. http://www. m3federal. com Purcell. http://www. irlgov. ie/committees-02/c-publicaccounts/020321/Page1. htm Tabarrok, Alexander. March 6, 1996. http://mason. gmu. edu/~atabarro/PrivateProvision. pdf Sovereign acts by the Government, such as dictating to the Contractor, orally or through un-priced or unsigned modifications are a manifestation that you are working to defective specifications and/or performing added scope work. If any of the following conditions apply to your contract, you may be experiencing lost funds and may be entitled to additional mo whether or not the end item meets contract requirements. Any change in this methodology, not covered by a modification, is a delay to the contract and in many cases is considered added scope work entitling the Contractor to be monetarily Contractor must be aware that a rejection, not supported by a specific contract citation is improper, and that a Contractor is not obligated to perform the work until a citation is given or a modification is made to the contract.

Business Ethics in Bangladesh Essay Example for Free

Business Ethics in Bangladesh Essay Social responsibility requires individuals engaging in business endeavors to behave in an ethical manner. Ethics are principles of behavior that distinguish between right and wrong. Ethical conduct conforms to what a group or society as a whole considers right behavior. People working in business frequently face ethical questions. Business ethics is the evaluation of business activities and behavior as right or wrong. Ethical standards in business are based on commonly accepted principles of behavior established by the expectations of society, the firm, the industry, and an individual’s personal values. Critically, Business Ethics can be defined as the critical, structured examination of how people institutions should behave in the world of commerce. In particular, it involves examining appropriate constraints on the pursuit of self-interest, or (for firms) profits, when the actions of individuals or firms affects others. (9) With unethical business practices often receiving publicity, the public sometimes believe that people in business are less ethical than others in society. But ethical problems challenge all segments of our society, including government, churches, and higher education. Most business leaders realize their firms cannot succeed without the trust of customers and the goodwill of society. A violation of ethics makes trust and goodwill difficult to maintain. In thousands of companies, executives and employees act according to the highest ethical standards. Unfortunately managers in some firms behave unethically, and these instances are often highly publicized. Personnel executive say the major reason managers behave unethically is to obtain power and money. Business ethics is a wider term that includes many other sub ethics that are relevant to the respective field. For example there is marketing ethics for marketing, ethics in HR for Human Resource Department and the like. Business ethics itself is a part of applied ethics; the latter takes care of ethical questions in the technical, social, legal and business ethics. Origin of Business Ethics When we trace the origin of business ethics we start with a period where profit maximization was seen as the only purpose of existence for a business. There was no consideration whatsoever for non-economic values, be  it the people who worked with organizations or the society that allowed the business to flourish. It was only in late 1980’s and 1990’s that both intelligentsia and the academics as well as the corporate began to show interest in the same. Nowadays almost all organizations lay due emphasis on their responsibilities towards the society and the nature and they call it by different names like corporate social responsibility, corporate governance or social responsibility charter. Primary and Important Sources of Business ethics Ethics in general refers to a system of good and bad, moral and immoral, fair and unfair. It is a code of conduct that is supposed to align behaviors within an organization and the social framework. But the question that remains is, where and when did business ethics come into being? Primarily ethics in business is affected by the following sources – family, religion, culture, legal system, codes of conduct, and personal experience. It is for this reason we do not have uniform or completely similar standards across the globe. These factors exert influences to varying degrees on humans which ultimately get reflected in the ethics of the organization. For example, ethics followed by Grameen Phone Ltd. are different from those followed by Square Group or Unilever for that matter. Again ethical procedures vary across geographic boundaries. Family A person’s values is the source of their ethics, and it is their philosophy, spiritual or religious beliefs that usually help mold and shape those values, but most of all it is how a person is raised by his family that sets the foundation for his ethics in later life. It’s the basic source of business ethics. Religion It is one of the oldest foundations of ethical standards. Religion wields varying influences across various sects of people. It is believed that ethics is a manifestation of the divine and so it draws a line between the good and the bad in the society. Depending upon the degree of religious influence we have different sects of people; we have sects, those who are referred to as orthodox or fundamentalists and those who are called as moderates. Needless to mention, religion exerts itself to a greater degree among the orthodox and to lesser extent in case of moderates. Fundamentally however all the religions operate on the principle of reciprocity towards ones fellow beings! Culture Culture is a pattern of behaviors and values that are transferred from one generation to another, those that are considered as ideal or within the acceptable limits. No wonder therefore that it is the culture that predominantly determines what is wrong and what is right. It is the culture that defines certain behavior as acceptable and others as unacceptable. Human civilization is fact has passed through various cultures, wherein the moral code was redrafted depending upon the epoch that was. What was immortal or unacceptable in certain culture became acceptable later on and vice versa. During the early years of human development where ones who were the strongest were the ones who survived! Violence, hostility and ferocity were thus the acceptable. Approximately 10,000 year ago when human civilization entered the settlement phase, hard work, patience and peace were seen as virtues and the earlier ones were considered otherwise. These values are still in practice by the managers of to day. Still further, when human civilization witnessed the industrial revolution, the ethics of agrarian economy was replaced by the law pertaining to technology, property rights etc. Ever since a tussle has ensued between the values of the agrarian and the industrial economy! Laws or Legal System of a Country Laws are procedures and code of conduct that are laid down by the legal system of the state. They are meant to guide human behavior within the social fabric. The major problem with the law is that all the ethical expectations cannot be covered by the law and specially with ever changing outer environment the law and specially with ever changing outer environment the law keeps on changing but often fails to keep pace. In business, complying with the rule of law is taken as ethical behavior, but organizations often break laws by evading taxes, compromising on quality,  service norms etc. Business Codes of Conduct A business code of ethics is a series of established principles an organization uses when operating in business or society. Organizations often develop these codes to ensure that all individuals working in the company operate according to the same standards. Most individuals have an internal code of ethics or moral principles they follow in life. A situation one individual finds ethically reprehensible may not seem so to another individual. Using a code of ethics in business attempts to create a basic understanding of acceptable ethical behavior to be used when handling situations involving the company, government agencies and the general public. Past Experience If an individual is rewarded or is not punished for behaving unethically, the behavior will probably be repeated. This type of experience encourages other to do unethical things in future. Likewise the threat of punishment and the lack of reward for unethical activities encourage that particular person and all others to behave ethically. Factors Influencing Ethical Behavior To encourage ethical behavior, executives, managers, and owners of firms must understand what influences behavior in the first place. The several factors that affect individuals’ behavior in business: the business environment, organizational factors, and an individual’s personal moral philosophy. The Business Environment Almost daily, business managers face ethical dilemmas resulting from the pressure of the business environment. They are challenged to meet sales quotas, cut costs, increase efficiency, or overtake competitors. Managers and employees may sometimes think the only way to survive in the competitive world of business is by deception or cheating. In some instances, an organization may use someone else’s successful work without the permission of the owner or originator. Conflict of interest is another common ethical problem stemming from the business environment. Often an individual has a  chance to further selfish interests rather than the interests of the organization or society. To gain favor with people who make purchasing decisions for their companies, a seller may offer special favors or gifts, ranging from a metal to clothing to trips. Some offer cash-a kickback-for putting through a contract or placing orders with a company. Others offer bribes. Such illegal conduct will damage the organization in the long run. In order to limit unethical behavior, business firms must begin by expecting their employees to obey all laws and regulations. The international business environment presents further ethical dilemmas. Business people and government officials in different countries and cultures often operate according to different ethical standards. The Organization The organization itself also influences ethical behavior. Individuals often learn ethical or unethical behaviors by interacting with others in the organization. An employee who sees a superior or co-worker behaving unethically may follow suit. An organization can also use rewards to influence the behavior of its members. If an individual is rewarded or is not punished for behaving unethically, the behavior will probably be repeated. Likewise the threat of punishment and the lack of reward for unethical activities encourage ethical behavior. The severity of punishment also sends a message to other individuals who might be considering similar activities. The Individual Values A person’s own moral philosophy also influences his or her ethical behavior. A moral philosophy is the set of principles that dictate acceptable behavior. These principles are learned from family, friends, co-workers, and other social groups and through formal education. In developing a moral philosophy, individuals can follow two approaches: The Humanistic Philosophy focuses on individual rights and values. Individuals and organizations adopting this philosophy would honor their moral duties to customers and workers. Individuals and organizations following the Utilitarian Philosophy seek the greatest good for the largest number of people. Importance of Business Ethics Most of us would agree that it is ethics in practice that makes sense; just having it carefully drafted and redrafted in books may not serve the purpose. Of course all of us want to be fair, clean and beneficial to the society. For that to happen, organizations need to abide by ethics or rule of law, engage themselves in fair practices and competition; all of which will benefit the consumer, the society and organization. Primarily it is the individual, the consumer, the employee or the human social unit of the society who benefits from ethics. In addition ethics is important because of the following: 1. Satisfying Basic Human Needs: Being fair, honest and ethical is one of the basic human needs.  Every employee desires to be such himself and to work for an organization that is fair and ethical in its practices. 2. Creating Credibility: An organization that is believed to be driven by moral values is respected in the society even by those who may have no information about the working and businesses of that organization. British American Tobacco, for example is perceived as an organization for good corporate governance and social responsibility initiatives. This perception is held far and wide even by those who do not even know what business the organization is into. 3. Uniting People and Leadership: An organization driven by values is revered by its employees also. They are the common thread that brings the employees and the decision makers on a common platform. This goes a long way in aligning behaviors within the organization towards achievement of one common goal or mission. 4. Improving Decision Making: A man’s destiny is the sum totals of all the decisions that he/she takes in course of his life. The same holds true for organizations. Decisions are driven by values. For example, an organization that does not value competition will be fierce in its operations aiming to wipe out its competitors and establish a monopoly in the market. 5. Long Term gains: Organizations guided by ethics and values are profitable in the long run, though in the short run they may seem to lose money. For Example, Tata group, one of the largest business conglomerates in India was  seen on the verge of decline at the beginning of 1990’s, which soon turned out to be otherwise. The same company’s Tata NANO car was predicted as a failure, and failed to do well but the same is picking up fast now. 6. Securing the Society: Often ethics succeeds law in safeguarding the society. The law machinery is often found acting as a mute spectator, unable to save the society and the environment. Technology, for example is growing at such a fast pace that the by the time law comes up with a regulation we have a newer technology with new threats replacing the older one. Lawyers and public interest litigations may not help a great deal but ethics can. Business Ethics- Practice in Bangladesh In Bangladesh, though practice of Business ethics is still not so commendable in public sector and small companies, but business ethics has been an increasing concern among larger companies, at least since the 1990s. Major corporations increasingly fear the damage to their image associated with press revelations of unethical practices. The following information about the functions relating ethics and social responsibility of 2 reputed companies of our country will give a brief idea about the practice of Business Ethics in Bangladesh. ACI Limited Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Limited is one of the leading conglomerates in Bangladesh, with a multinational heritage. They have a mission to achieve business excellence through quality by understanding, accepting, meeting and exceeding customer expectations. They follow International Standards on Quality Management System to ensure consistent quality of products and services to achieve customer satisfaction. They are focusing on improving the food habit of consumers through providing more ready to cook products and ready to eat as well. Their visions are to establish harmonious relationship with the community and promote greater environmental responsibility within its sphere of influence. Their Values are Quality, Customer Focus, Fairness, Transparency, Continuous Improvement, and Innovation. Ethical Approaches: Societal Development through Educational Programs: ACI’s guiding principle in all its operations is to be a responsible corporate citizen. Thus Social Responsibility is a top priority for every individual at ACI. Their Initiatives and significant contribution to societal development is Continued Medical Education (CME) for medical professionals and Children’s Education Programs. ACI has also undertaken an English Education program in Faridpur, one of the remotest districts of Bangladesh. This provides support to teach English Language to school going children. Doctors in Bangladesh who are not living in the metropolitan cities have very limited access to the Internet or any other sources of information. In order to keep them updated on the developments in the medical practices regularly, the CME program has been proven highly effective. ACI believes that by promoting education of children, they are contributing to societal development by shaping the minds of their futur e leaders. Environment Friendly Practices: ACI has undertaken extensive programs to educate crop farmers all over rural Bangladesh in Good Agricultural Practices. They have a team of agricultural experts working at the field level all across the country, holding a range of technical trainings and field demonstrations. ACI also has similar education programs for animal and poultry farmers. These include, Technical trainings on diverse aspects of farming, and on application of new technologies, Farmers‘ group meeting for sharing of learning and experience, Free visits to farms by veterinarians, to identify problems and give advices to individual farmers. Most importantly, making the farmers aware of ways to protect the environment from hazardous uses of chemicals on their farms, allowing them the opportunity for informed decision-making. ACI hopes to continue to play a leading role in promoting greater environmental responsibility among farmers in Bangladesh. Unethical Approaches: ACI Company produces some products which do not work properly, like ACI Aerosol. It is mainly produced for killing mosquitoes, but that’s not true. Most of the mosquitoes go away for sometimes but not killed. Sometimes some  products like ACI Atta, ACI Maida, etc contains 1975 grams instead of 2000 grams but they fix their prices for 2kg of the products. These are unethical for their marketing practices. Unilever Bangladesh Limited Over the last four decades, Unilever Bangladesh has been constantly bringing new and world class products for the Bangladeshi people to remove the daily drudgery of life. Over 90% of the country’s households use one or more of Unilever products. They aim to give everybody a little something to celebrate about themselves every day. They believe that to succeed in business, it is essential to maintain the highest standards of corporate behavior towards everyone they work with, the communities they touch, and the environment on which they have an impact. Ethical Approaches: Effective Code of business principles: Their code of business principles describes the operational standards that everyone at Unilever follows, wherever they are in the world. It also supports their approach to governance and corporate responsibility. Code of business principles are- Standard of conduct, Obey the law, employees, consumers, shareholders, business partners, community involvement, public activities, the environment, innovation, competition, business integrity, conflict of interest, compliance, reporting, monitor. Women Development and Women Empowerment: Unilever strongly believes in the importance of empowering women in Bangladesh, because the progress of any society will be constrained if a significant part of its population is neglected and excluded from the benefits of development. They believe, with economic and educational empowerment, women can become more vocal about their rights and become stronger in withstanding repression in any form. So they have established â€Å"Fair Lovely Foundation†. The mission of this foundation is to encourage economic empowerment of Bangladeshi women through information and resources in the areas of Education, Career and Enterprise. It is this realization that has brought about the Fair Lovely Foundation Scholarship Program. Under this scholarship scheme, women who have passed their HSC each receives a Taka 25,000 scholarship to support her tertiary level education. Unethical Approaches: Unilever produces Fair lovely fairness cream, lotion, etc and they claim that skin color will be white after using this product. But that it is not true. There are no scientific values about whiteness. This is totally unethical performance in marketing activities of this company. Comparative Customer Evaluation on Ethical Performances of 3 Reputed Companies of Bangladesh Figure Customer Response on Maintenance of Ethical Procedure by the Companies (1) Figure Customer Response on Deceptive Practices Used by the Companies (1) Figure Customer Response on Significant Contribution toward Ethical Marketing (1) Figure Customer Response on Satisfaction through Using Products of the Companies (1) Figure Customer Response on Changing of Defective Products by the Companies (1) Bribery Nepotism- A Curse against Ethical Practice Corruption is a very strong example of unethical behavior and it is still prevailing in different business sectors of our country in the form of Bribery and Nepotism. Nepotism is the way in which someone approaches and compels a person of power and authority to take necessary steps to get his work done by capitalizing kinship, friendship or political lobbying. Bribery means offering gifts, money etc. to get a work done in unethical way. Often public officers are infamously alleged for taking bribes to award public contracts using their power. Bribery and Nepotism also exist in the corporate world, which is very harmful for ethical practices and creates hindrances in building proper and ethical business environment. Managing or Encouraging Ethical Behavior Managing the financial operations of a company can be a complex effort. Companies need to balance their desire to grow with the realities of maintaining their financial relationships, satisfying their investors and making a profit. Government Regulations: The government can do so by legislating more stringent regulations. But, rules require enforcement and when in many cases there is evidence of lack of enforcement even the ethical business person will tend to slip something by without getting caught. Increased regulation may help, but it surely cannot solve the entire business ethics problems. Trade Associations Setting Guidelines: Trade associations can and often do provide ethical guidelines for their members. These organizations within particular industries are in an excellent position to exert pressures on members that stoop to questionable business practices. Companies Providing Code of Ethics: Employees can more easily determine and adopt acceptable behavior when companies provide them with a code of ethics. Such codes are perhaps the most effective way to encourage ethical behavior. A code of ethics is a written guide to acceptable and ethical behavior that outlines uniform policies, standards and punishments for violations. Because employees know what is expected of them and what will happen if they violate the rules, a code of ethics goes a long way towards encouraging ethical behavior. However, codes cannot possibly cover every situation. Companies must also create an environment in which employees recognize the importance of complying with the written code. Managers must provide direction by fostering communication, actively modeling and encouraging ethical decision making, apart from investing in training employees to make ethical decisions. Whistle Blowing Technique: Sometimes, even employees who want to act ethically may find it difficult to do so. Unethical practices can become ingrained in an organization. Employees with high personal ethics may then take a controversial step called whistle blowing. Whistle blowing is informing the press or government officials about unethical practices in an organization. Whistle blowing could have averted disaster and prevented  needless deaths in the Challenger space shuttle disaster, for example. How could employees have known about life-threatening problems and let them pass? Whistle blowing on the other hand, can have serious repercussions for employees; those who make waves sometimes lose their jobs. Conclusion The main objective of business is to serve people with their every need for the well-being of human being and to ensure that, there is no alternative of following business ethics. Since the practice of business ethics in our country is still not ubiquitous, we are not getting the proper environment for the business, and thus often we are facing some crisis situation and it is hampering our total economic development. Our policy makers and the top executives of the organizations should give more concern in making ethical policies and take proper steps to encourage business executives and service holders to follow them. References 1) â€Å"Ethics In Marketing On Bangladesh Perspective: Study on Few Companies of Bangladesh†- collected from â€Å"World Journal of Management Volume 2. Number 2. September 2010†, the direct link- http://wbiaus.org/10.%20Tajmeela-FINAL.pdf 2) â€Å"Business for the 21st Century†- Skinner Ivancevich 3) â€Å"An Integrated Approach to Business Studies† (4th edition)- Bruce R Jewell 4) â€Å"Business Studies† (4th edition)- Dave Hall-Rob Jones-Carlo Raffo- Alain Anderton 5) www.managementstudyguide.com 6) www.smallbusiness.chron.com 7) www.cwafford.conveycontent.com 8) www.sagepub.com/upm-data/10923_Chapter1.pdf 9) www.businessethics.ca/definitions/business-ethics.html