Sustainability Approach of Wal-Mart

Questions: 1) Impact of sustainability approach by Wal-Mart.2) Reason behind improving performance when retail outlets have been suffering financially.3) Identification of Wal-Marts key stakeholders and recent approaches to improve social responsibility.4) The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits for the statement.5) Explanation of two other companies that have reputation of socially responsible to their stakeholders and being profitable. Answers: 1) Impact of sustainability approach by Wal-Mart Wal-Mart has made considerable approaches towards making it a greener company and to improve its image by making a sustainable approach towards the society. Some of the sustainable approaches made by the company include attempt to make sustainability 360 by reducing the use of greenhouse gases. Designing of new prototypes for developing and implementing innovative energy-efficient technology in the existing stores of Wal-Mart was an approach made towards sustainability (Berman Evans, 2013). In 2005, the company was opened to violation of safe environmental practices by the US Attorneys office in California due to the concerns related to recycling of their product. Approach made by the company to recycle the products and create sustainability has created positive impact in the society. Selling of products at a much lower rate leading to annual savings of at least $950 per person had increased the sale of the products of the company (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2013). Although the co mpany faced a number of ethical issues regarding the misconduct of the illegal immigration and exploiting the labor force, the sustainability approach has helped to improve the image of the company. 2) Reason behind improving performance when retail outlets have been suffering financially It has been recognized that Wal-Mart was a growing company and remained the largest and the most dominating retail organization. The company was the largest nongovernment employer in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The company has been rewarded as the most admired company by Fortune. The company has been utilizing the labor force unethically. Wal-Mart had appointed 250 illegal immigrants as cleaning crews in 61 stores in 21 states (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2013). These employees were employed at a much lower wage and work as seven days a week. These approaches have reduced the logistic and supply chain management costs. This has helped the company to offer products at a lower rate to the customers that was not possible for other local retail shops. It was due to the low price of the product that attracted more customers and helped them to improve their performance (Ferrell Fraedrich, 2015). The pricing policy was the major factor that was responsible for the mixed success of the company. There has been low-cost production that reduced the packaging cost by at least 5% that has also reduced the manufacturing cost for the retail company and therefore, they could supply the products at a lower cost (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2013). These were the basic reasons behind the continuous success of the retail company in spite being at a financial stake. 3) Identification of Wal-Marts key stakeholders and recent approaches to improve social responsibility Wal-Mart has majority of its business in China. It is the largest employer in USA. The major stakeholders of the company that are depended on Wal-Mart for their business are Clorox (23%), Revlon (22%) and Kelloggs (12%) (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2013). Certain approaches made by the company to improve their relationship with the stakeholders include encouraging of part-time jobs that have benefitted the company in a way that encouraged the performance of the employees. With this approach, Susan Chamber, the vice-president of the company has been able to encourage the employees of the company. Sam Walton supported the open-door policy that encouraged the employees to come up with their problems without resorting to any third party. In order to improve the condition of the employees regarding meal breaks the managers of the retail company altered the time card to prevent any kind of overtime. In fact, Wal-Mart agreed to pay $640 million to settle the lawsuits regarding the employee disputes. These approaches helped the retail company to create a positive image among the employees as well as the other stakeholders of the company. 4) The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits for the statement Social responsibility helps to create a positive image of the company among the society. Social responsibility creates a respect among the people for the company. It enhances employee loyalty and that in turn improves the efficiency of business operation. Social responsibilities create a positive image among the stakeholders that in turn makes them happier and helps to enhance companys stock price. In the view point of Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell, (2013), producing high quality products or treating the employees correctly and not focusing primarily into profit will avoid any kind of law suits or employee turnover that will ultimately results in profitability of the business. Employee satisfaction is one of the key components for the sustainability of a business. Therefore, by involving certain approaches to measure the satisfactory level of the employees, balancing the profitability of the business can be done easily. 5) Explanation of two other companies that have reputation of socially responsible to their stakeholders and being profitable McDonald, the fast food giant and Volkswagen, the car manufacturer are the two companies that have showed their implication towards a social responsibility. Major approaches made by McDonald are using of eco friendly packaging with 100% fiber packaging. The company has joined hands with White House of USA to maintain the global climatic condition. In terms of beef burger, the company has ensured that beef sustainability shall be the priority for the company (Oates, Alevizou McDonald, 2016). These approaches have created positive implication among the customers as well as in the society. Following a common set of guidelines has helped to develop best practices for the sustainability approach. In case of Volkswagen, the car manufacturer focuses greatly on environmental impact of the burning of fuels. The car manufacturer has proposed to equip their cars with sustainable engines that emit less carbon particles (Ihlen Roper, 2014). Although several questions have been raised regarding the sustainable approach made by the company, it has been a profitable business for the company for a time being (Whiteman Hoster, 2015). It can be said that sustainability approaches shall be undertaken by the companies to improve their business image in the society. References: Berman, B. R., Evans, J. R. (2013).Retail management: a strategic approach. Pearson Higher Ed. Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J. (2015).Business ethics: Ethical decision making cases. Nelson Education. Ferrell, O., Fraedrich, J., Ferrell, L. (2013).Business ethics: Ethical decision making and cases(9th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western. Ihlen, ., Roper, J. (2014). Corporate reports on sustainability and sustainable development:We have arrived.Sustainable development,22(1), 42-51. Oates, C., Alevizou, P., McDonald, S. (2016). Challenges for Marketers in Sustainable Production and Consumption.Sustainability,8(1), 75. Whiteman, G., Hoster, H. (2015). Vehicle emissions: Volkswagen and the road to Paris.Nature,527(7576), 38.

Department of Administrative Services and Cloud Privacy - Samples

Question: Discuss about the Department of Administrative Services and Cloud Privacy. Answer: Introduction: The scenario considered for this report involves the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and its cloud first approach alongside prominent references to its data migration policy. The other elements observed in the scenario include references to the process of implementing the shared services such as SaaS HR and Personnel management suite, PaaS SharePoint platform which can be accounted as the basis for the proposed WofG Intranet platform and the SaaS performance management suite. The following report presents a comprehensive analysis of the threats and risks associated with this project since it involves the physical location of data centres at different geographical locations (Abbas Khan, 2015). The necessity of privacy and personal information management is perceived explicitly in the case of Department of Administrative Services (DAS) decision to centralize its functions and services for different government based entities through a US based cloud service provider. The particular references to the recent emergence of profound threats due to expansion of the internet and cloud based practices in the professional domain have to be considered as significant determinants for introduction of policy guidelines. As per Gholami Laurem, the policy guidelines are indicated towards addressing the data breaches that have been reported in context of sensitive areas such as governmental and financial domains (Gholami Laure, 2016). The objective of the cloud security framework should be aligned with the personal information management of associated with particular references to security and privacy of employee data that would be recorded in the HR and performance management framework a nd the payroll information. These aspects would be provided through the single link sign in portals available for employees on the intranet. Security of Employee data: Threats in the cloud migration infrastructure could be identified in the form of Malware and Hacking, unintended disclosure, phishing emails, insider threat and employees bringing their own devices to the workplace. As per Henze, et al, the threats from the implications of employees bringing their own devices to the workplace could lead to profound security threats. The threats arise from storage of sensitive company information in the personal devices of employees could lead to data leakage since the devices could not have appropriate security software (Henze, et al., 2016). The protection of personal information could also be subject to the threat of phishing emails which could be targeted at the personal emails of employees in order to access the details of the employees individual Single Link Sign-in passwords. As per Kamarinou, Millard Hon, employees could also be subject to security risks through unintended disclosure according to which arise from human errors on behalf of the service users, contractor and data processing centre (Kamarinou, Millard Hon, 2016). Such examples could be identified in the physical loss of devices by employees that can be addressed by considering the education of employees regarding the common threat vectors that would not involve references to education and training of employees regarding the risks leading to intended disclosure such as downloading unknown software, malicious links and checking the authenticity of the web addresses. Privacy of employee data: According to Merani, Barcellona Tinnirello, the particular areas which affect the privacy of employee data could be identified in the lack of monitoring the continuous updates regarding applicable legal precedents. Furthermore, it is also essential to notice the pitfalls in collection and processing of personal data related to employees and the lack of awareness of the global process facilities regarding important changes (Merani, Barcellona Tinnirello, 2015). The privacy concerns could be addressed effectively through implementing a comprehensive framework which supports authentication. The privacy of employees personal data can be ensured through inducing a systemic approach that facilitates distinct insights into the responsibilities and authorities of supervisory personnel. These precedents would be considered in context of collection of personal information, processing, utilization and transfer of personal data and the authentication of responsibility of the individuals to undertake these processes. Digital Identity Issues: Digital identity concerns that could be observed in the case of the cloud migration initiative of DAS to introduce HR and performance management suite, the payroll management framework and management of data integration from different data processing centres include identity theft, personal data theft, and misuse of identity, privilege escalation and identity tampering. Identity theft is profoundly observed in the form of using the digital identity of other individuals to access information or impersonating the person on the digital platform. Since the web platform would be implicative of the requirements for management of personal information on the basis of integrity of the data, it is essential to implement suitable approaches such as encryption of digital identity based platforms that are used within the organization (Reichel, et al., 2016). Employees should be equally aware of personal data theft as a detrimental consequence in digital identity issues. Therefore individual employees would be held accountable for resolving issues in the digital identity pertaining to the cloud framework of the organization. As per Soghoian, the creation of a legal environment, addressing privacy concerns in the initial stages which is considered responsible for addressing the digital identity concerns in an organization. Another prominent measure that could be observed in the form of demarcating the digital identification approach from the authorisation and authentication approaches (Soghoian, 2017). Provider Solution Issues: The provider solutions provided by the service provider are also accompanied with prominent references to the multiple data centres of the organization. The particular references to the processing centre at a single location would also be complicated for the service provider to collect data from distinct sources, process the information regarding the different departments of the Government (Xiao Xiao, 2013). It is imperative for the providers to align with the policy and legal requirements pertaining to the cloud services. However, the limitations could arise profoundly in the form of conflicts between policy precedents of the service provider and individual government agencies. Data Sensitivity: The concerns for data sensitivity could be identified in this case profoundly in the form of lack of minimal control of physical security of data centres, employees financial data and performance management data (Merani, Barcellona Tinnirello, 2015). These elements have to be associated with measures such as encryption in order to ensure security of sensitive data. The notable classifications of the data into three categories on the basis of sensitivity would enable employees to perceive the appropriate levels of encryption and security precedents for each form of data. The three categories include profound references to confidential data, regulated data and public data. References Abbas, A., Khan, S. U. (2015). e-Health Cloud: Privacy Concerns and Mitigation Strategies. InMedical Data Privacy Handbook(pp. 389-421). Springer International Publishing. Gholami, A., Laure, E. (2016). Advanced cloud privacy threat modeling.arXiv preprint arXiv:1601.01500. Henze, M., Hermerschmidt, L., Kerpen, D., Huling, R., Rumpe, B., Wehrle, K. (2016). A comprehensive approach to privacy in the cloud-based Internet of Things.Future Generation Computer Systems,56, 701-718. Kamarinou, D., Millard, C., Hon, W. K. (2016). Cloud privacy: an empirical study of 20 cloud providers' terms and privacy policiesPart I.International Data Privacy Law,6(2), 79-101. Merani, M. L., Barcellona, C., Tinnirello, I. (2015, June). Multi-cloud privacy preserving schemes for linear data mining. InCommunications (ICC), 2015 IEEE International Conference on(pp. 7095-7101). IEEE. Reichel, J., Lind, A. S., Gholami, A., Litton, E., Laure, E. (2016). Design and implementation of the advanced cloud privacy threat modeling.International Journal of Network Security Its Applications. Soghoian, C. (2017). Caught in the Cloud: Privacy, Encryption, and Government Back Doors in the Web 2.0 Era. Xiao, Z., Xiao, Y. (2013). Security and privacy in cloud computing.IEEE Communications Surveys Tutorials,15(2), 843-859.

Sample Essay on Education - Simple Tips For Finding a Topic

Sample Essay on Education - Simple Tips For Finding a TopicNow that you have your text, it's time to compile a sample essay on education. Its not the simplest of assignments as there are many nuances of your topic. There are a number of ways to choose the right essay topic. The following are some of the techniques you can use to put together a sample essay on education.Always make sure that your topic is aimed at the target audience. You do not want to write about subjects that are not relevant. The target audience will be the people that are going to read and consider your essay. Make sure that they are interested in what you have to say. This is important because they will be checking your sample essays and passing on the assignments that you submit.Keep in mind that when choosing a topic there are several things that you need to keep in mind. First and foremost, do not focus too much on one topic. There should be more than one topic to choose from. It is a good idea to make a list of your possible topics so that you have a better chance of getting one that appeals to you.Having an outline for your essay is also essential. In addition to creating a list of topics, it is very important to first decide what style you would like to use in your essay. Do you prefer a straightforward, straight forward style? A more narrative style? or perhaps you would like a story to be told?Once you have your list of topics, decide what style you want to use in your essay. There are a few different types of essays that you can use in your piece. One of the most popular is the testimonial or introduction style essay, where you give a brief statement about yourself and then go into your background and the story behind your essay.Another popular choice is to use questions to ask others. You can use questions from past readers and see if they have anything to add to the discussion. This type of essay is perfect for those who have written multiple essays in the past. You can use thes e questions to introduce a new chapter in your piece.Writing a sample essay on education does not have to be hard. You can use these tips to get your text ready. You will be glad that you took the time to find the right essay for your needs.

What Leads to Intervention A Case Study of Inter Essay Example For Students

What Leads to Intervention?: A Case Study of Inter Essay vention During the BushAdministrationAs Commander-in-Chief of the most powerful armed force in a worldplagued by small military crises, the question ultimately becomes: when does acrisis call for intervention? From 1988 to 1992, this was President GeorgeBushs dilemma. The days of the United States fearing embroilment ininternational affairs due to the towering menace of the USSR and globaldestruction ended at about the same time as Bush ascended the Presidency. However, with the threat of the USSR gone, the importance of small scaleconflicts had taken priority in maintaining world peace. Further, the fall ofcommunism had left the United States with a leading role in world politics. Inthat position, with a powerful armed force behind it, the United States carriedthe heavy responsibility of how and why to use its new found eminence. Thatresponsibility fell onto the shoulders of Mr. George Bush as the first AmericanPresident to sit in that exalted position. His actions would determine theUnited States place in the new world order and set the path that futurePresidents would have to carefully tread. We will write a custom essay on What Leads to Intervention?: A Case Study of Inter specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The world order that President Bush inherited was of a vastly differentcharacter then that of all his predecessors. The Cold War environment that theworld had just left behind had provided a clear framework for national securitypolicy and the use of the US military. The environment that Bush walked into wasan environment filled with disagreement and confusion over the new frameworkwith which the US should operate. It was also an environment with which therole of Congress was almost eliminated as President Bush continually authorizedmilitary operations without the full consent of Congress. It was an environmentwhere the executive held the power to use the military based on his own intent. During his term in the Presidency, George Bush was confronted with manyopportunities to demonstrate his intent for the US military. The four yearswhile Bush was President saw crisis situations occur with alarming frequency. Ineach of these crisis areas, gross human rights violations were committed. Insome cases he reacted with swift military action, in the name of humanitarianism,while in other cases he allowed sanctions to do the job. The crisis situationswhere he advocated a military intervention and the situations where he did notboth tell the whole story. In analyzing these actions, it can be ascertainedwhich variables promoted a military intervention and which did not. The VariablesThere are many variables that could influence the United Statesdecision to send a military intervention, however very few are relevant,quantifiable or could possibly have a strong influence over such an importantdecision. Therefore, based on published literature and observation there appearto be five compelling variables which would have Category: History

A22 Churchill Tank in World War II

A22 Churchill Tank in World War II Dimensions: Length: 24 ft. 5 in.Width: 10 ft. 8 in.Height: 8 ft. 2 in.Weight: 42 tons Armor Armament (A22F Churchill Mk. VII): Primary Gun: 75 mm gunSecondary Armament: 2 x Besa Machine GunsArmor: .63 in. to 5.98 in. Engine: Engine: 350 hp Bedford twin-six gasolineSpeed: 15 mphRange: 56 milesSuspension: Coiled SpringCrew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver/hull gunner) A22 Churchill - Design Development The origins of the A22 Churchill can be traced back to the days prior to World War II. In the late 1930s, the British Army began seeking a new infantry tank to replace the Matilda II and Valentine. Following the standard doctrine of the time, the army specified that the new tank be capable of traversing enemy obstacles, attacking fortifications, and navigating the shell-cratered battlefields that were typical of World War I. Initially designated the A20, the task of creating the vehicle was given to Harland Wolff. Sacrificing speed and armament to meet the armys requirements, Harland Wolffs early drawings saw the new tank armed with two QF 2-pounder guns mounted in side sponsons.  This design was altered several times, including fitting either a QF 6pounder or a French 75 mm gun in the forward hull, before four prototypes were produced in June 1940.   These efforts were halted following the British evacuation from Dunkirk in May 1940. No longer needing a tank capable of maneuvering through World War I-style battlefields and after assessing Allied experiences in Poland and France, the army retracted the A20 specifications. With Germany threatening to invade Britain, Dr. Henry E. Merritt, director of Tank Design, issued a call for a new, more mobile infantry tank. Designated the A22, the contract was given to Vauxhall with orders that the new design be in production by the end of the year. Frantically working to produce the A22, Vauxhall designed a tank that sacrificed appearance for practicality. Powered by Bedford twin-six gasoline engines, the A22 Churchill was the first tank to utilize the Merritt-Brown gearbox. This allowed the tank to be steered by changing the relative speeds of its tracks. The initial Mk. I Churchill was armed with a 2-pdr gun in the turret and 3-inch howitzer in the hull. For protection, it was given armor ranging in thickness from .63 inches to 4 inches. Entering production in June 1941, Vauxhall was concerned about the tanks lack of testing and included a leaflet in the user manual outlining existing problems and detailing practical repairs to mitigate the issues. A22 Churchill - Early Operational History The companys concerns were well founded as the A22 was soon beset with numerous problems and mechanical difficulties. Most critical of these was the reliability of the tanks engine, which was made worse due to its inaccessible location. Another issue was its weak armament. These factors combined to give the A22 a poor showing at its combat debut during the failed 1942 Dieppe Raid. Assigned to the 14th Canadian Tank Regiment (Calgary Regiment), 58 Churchills were tasked with supporting the mission.  While several were lost before reaching the beach, only fourteen of those that made it ashore was able to penetrate into the town where they were quickly stopped by a variety of obstacles. Nearly canceled as a result, the Churchill was rescued with the introduction of the Mk. III in March 1942. The A22s weapons were removed and replaced with a 6-pdr gun in a new welded turret. A Besa machine gun took the place of the 3-inch howitzer. A22 Churchill - Needed Improvements Possessing a significant upgrade in its anti-tank capabilities, a small unit of Mk. IIIs performed well during the Second Battle of El Alamein.  Supporting the attack of the 7th Motor Brigade, the improved Churchills proved extremely durable in the face of enemy anti-tank fire. This success led to the A22-equipped 25th Army Tank Brigade being dispatched to North Africa for General Sir Bernard Montgomerys campaign in Tunisia. Increasingly becoming the primary tank of British armored units, the Churchill saw service in Sicily and Italy. During these operations, many Mk. IIIs underwent field conversions to carry the 75 mm gun used on the American M4 Sherman. This alteration was formalized in the Mk. IV. While the tank was updated and modified several times, its next major overhaul came with the creation of the A22F Mk. VII in 1944. First seeing service during the invasion of Normandy, the Mk. VII incorporated the more versatile 75mm gun as well as possessed a wider chassis and thicker armor (1 in. to 6 in.). The new variant employed welded construction rather than riveted to reduce weight and shorten production time. Additionally, the A22F could be converted into a flamethrower Churchill Crocodile tank with relative ease. One issue that did arise with the Mk. VII was that it was underpowered. Though the tank had been built larger and heavier, its engines were not updated which further reduced Churchills already slow speed from 16 mph to 12.7 mph. Serving with British forces during the campaign in northern Europe, the A22F, with its thick armor, was one of the few Allied tanks that could stand up to German Panther and Tiger tanks, though its weaker armament meant that it had difficulty defeating them. The A22F and its predecessors were also renowned for their ability to cross rough terrain and obstacles that would have stopped other Allied tanks. Despite its early defects, the Churchill evolved into one of the key British tanks of the war. In addition to serving in its traditional role, Churchill was frequently adapted into specialist vehicles such as flame tanks, mobile bridges, armored personnel carriers, and armored engineer tanks. Retained after the war, the Churchill remained in British service until 1952.

Elements of Religion and Alternative paths Essay

Elements of Religion and Alternative paths - Essay Example To begin with, one should point out that I consider myself to be a Christian. That is why I participate in some of the rituals that are characteristic to this religion. For example, I was baptized. In spite of the fact that I was too young to do make a conscious decision about it, at the present moment I consider this to be an important even in my life. I also go to services from time to time which means that I participate in rituals that were established by my religion. In addition to that, my religious belief manifests itself in a widely developed ethical system that allows me to find correct ways to behave in some of the most difficult situations. Indeed, whenever I am faced with a choice which involved many different aspects to consider, I judge the decision that I would like to make against ethical guidelines that are preached by my religion, determining if I will be able to comply with them in case I make a particular decision. I would like to note that there were many instance s when my religion allowed me to choose the best option. Finally, it would not be a mistake to argue that community as well as the sense of it plays an important role in my religion. Thus, I primarily see the latter is a shared ground for different people to unite and work out a common understanding of the world that can hardly be explained in a one dimensional way. If one takes a close look at my religious belief, one will be able to see that some of elements of it outweigh other. For example, I put big emphasis on practical (ethical system) and social aspects (community), while the central myths that are promoted are not as important for me since I acknowledge that their major function is to create symbolic value. In other words, I am far more interested in elements that are able to help be on a daily basis, rather than some abstract notions that differ my religions beliefs for other. Now, it may be quite suitable to turn to the

Physical Educations Assignment (Strength and flexibility programme)

Physical Educations (Strength and flexibility programme) - Assignment Example Stronger muscles boots ones posture, which relaxes the body organs including neck, shoulder, hips and abdominal muscles (The Training Station, 2013). Flexibility training program reduces ones exposure to risk of injury and improves the body’s physical performance. Continued stretching promotes supply of blood to all the muscle tissues, delivery of essential nutrients to the blood stream, increase of joint synovial fluid, transportation of nutrients in the joints is promoted by the lubricating fluid (Canfitpro). Entire flexibility training of the body leads to reduced soring of muscles, improved physical performance. Exercises as yoga helps relax mind and body stress (Skinny). It was ensured there was no state of inactivity during the exercise period; overload was proofed to arouse adaptation, when high level of fitness where achieved intensity was further used to promote