Of all the current examples of companies suffering from the financial crisis, very little is mentioned of the sports corporations. Most consider sports a game but the teams and leagues that provide this game to the masses are run like any other company, with presidents, managers, etc. Another reason why they are never mentioned in the same breath as companies is because of the misconception that sports teams have a never ending stream of income at their hands. Nothing can be further form the truth. As is highlighted in this article by ESPN.com sportswriter Bill Simmons, the NBA is looking at a rough stretch coming in the next few years.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090227
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Twitter Frenzy
Just recently in class i learned what twitter was, 4 days later Ashton Kutcher is the king of it, and according to a recent article Britney Spears is catching up. Now that Oprah Winfrey joined how ever all races should be called over, because 4 hours into her joining twitter she already had 130,000 followers. Impressive isn't it?
For those of you who may not know "Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length which are displayed on the user's profile page and delivered to other users who have subscribed to them (known as followers). "
I am currently not a member of twitter my self, but i wouldn't rule out the option. I think twitter is good for society. Many people don't express themselves that often, and I'm no scientist but i believe that if if you bottle up your thoughts, feelings, and emotions you're bound to explode. These blogging options now in days in my opinion may help out with today's level of high stress, may very well keep you connected to close and distant friends, and overall hopefully reduce violence. Now that's a study that should be preformed by Micheal Moore.
For those of you who may not know "Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length which are displayed on the user's profile page and delivered to other users who have subscribed to them (known as followers). "
I am currently not a member of twitter my self, but i wouldn't rule out the option. I think twitter is good for society. Many people don't express themselves that often, and I'm no scientist but i believe that if if you bottle up your thoughts, feelings, and emotions you're bound to explode. These blogging options now in days in my opinion may help out with today's level of high stress, may very well keep you connected to close and distant friends, and overall hopefully reduce violence. Now that's a study that should be preformed by Micheal Moore.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Susan Boyle Doesn't Quit
Yesterday before going to the gym, my mom pulled me to the side to watch a video on youtube (which by the way i just taught her how to use the site). At first I was a little reluctant to watch because it was an american idol looking video that didn't interest me, but I watched, and what I found was a lady with a dream that shut up the world.
My mom like everyone else in the world was prejudice, in the video you see peoples reactions when she appears on stage. At the beginning of my Business in Society class, the professor Mr. Rocha showed us a video on not quiting, and I've always been someone to follow my dream and help people follow their own. The link belows should explain what I'm trying to describe, let me know how it makes you feel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk
GO SUSAN!!
My mom like everyone else in the world was prejudice, in the video you see peoples reactions when she appears on stage. At the beginning of my Business in Society class, the professor Mr. Rocha showed us a video on not quiting, and I've always been someone to follow my dream and help people follow their own. The link belows should explain what I'm trying to describe, let me know how it makes you feel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk
GO SUSAN!!
General Mills Among 2009 ‘World’s Most Ethical Companies’
"Through a rigorous, multi-step evaluation process, the Ethisphere Institute’s researchers reviewed more than 10,000 companies in order to determine the finalists. The researchers evaluated the companies on their codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; efforts to improve corporate citizenship; nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers; and feedback from consumer action groups."
The above quote shows all the ways in which General Mills qualified as No. 2 most ethical company of 2008 for the second year in a row. If you notice innovation is one of the things highlighted by the article it self, something that is very important as an employee and as a company, which we also discussed in our last class of Business in Society.
To read the whole article go to : http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=92530
The above quote shows all the ways in which General Mills qualified as No. 2 most ethical company of 2008 for the second year in a row. If you notice innovation is one of the things highlighted by the article it self, something that is very important as an employee and as a company, which we also discussed in our last class of Business in Society.
To read the whole article go to : http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=92530
Saturday, April 11, 2009
More emphasis on ethics at Jersey business schools
http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-16/123912393832530.xml&coll=5
Article Summary: Business schools in New Jersey are taking strong measures to provide students with more ethics courses in order to “ensure they don’t produce the next Bernie Madoff.” The schools are doing this in response to the corporate greed and lack of ethics that brought down Wall Street. As a result, schools are introducing new courses such as “Professional, Legal, and Ethical Obligations of Business Managers.” According to the article, this course will "explore the reasons why executives crossed the line on their most important obligations to employees and investors.” By doing so, schools hope that their students will become ethical decision-makers in the future.
Discussion Question: Do you believe that by offering more ethics courses in school, students will be more inclined to becoming ethical decision-makers? Should students be required to take these courses or should they be offered as electives?
Article Summary: Business schools in New Jersey are taking strong measures to provide students with more ethics courses in order to “ensure they don’t produce the next Bernie Madoff.” The schools are doing this in response to the corporate greed and lack of ethics that brought down Wall Street. As a result, schools are introducing new courses such as “Professional, Legal, and Ethical Obligations of Business Managers.” According to the article, this course will "explore the reasons why executives crossed the line on their most important obligations to employees and investors.” By doing so, schools hope that their students will become ethical decision-makers in the future.
Discussion Question: Do you believe that by offering more ethics courses in school, students will be more inclined to becoming ethical decision-makers? Should students be required to take these courses or should they be offered as electives?
Friday, April 10, 2009
Activist: Firms getting rich off of selling water
http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/miami/15643.html
Summary:
This article pertains to one of the major problems facing many communities today, private water! Major companies are making water a private matter when looking at a distribution point of view. Instead of making it mandatory for all to have clean drinking water some countries such as Mexico have managed to make it so that private companies get rich by supplying water bottles at a much higher expense to its citizens, as opposed to government making it it's duty to do such.
Discussion Question: Do you believe that water companies should capitalize on the opportunity and make money on something that if not fixed can have deadly consequences for society or should fixing the problem be made part of their daily agenda.
Summary:
This article pertains to one of the major problems facing many communities today, private water! Major companies are making water a private matter when looking at a distribution point of view. Instead of making it mandatory for all to have clean drinking water some countries such as Mexico have managed to make it so that private companies get rich by supplying water bottles at a much higher expense to its citizens, as opposed to government making it it's duty to do such.
Discussion Question: Do you believe that water companies should capitalize on the opportunity and make money on something that if not fixed can have deadly consequences for society or should fixing the problem be made part of their daily agenda.
EPA & Florida DEP Work Together to Restore Florida's Surface Waters
Source: www.epa.gov
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/3881d73f4d4aaa0b85257359003f5348/112863fab6eeb9cc852575400058fb33!OpenDocument
Summary:
Florida is trying to restore and protect its waters from damaging nutrients. They will start using a numeric nutrient criteria that measures nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water that can harm aquatic life and public health. The new standards will help Florida identify which waters are polluted with dangerous nutrients and improve its water quality management.
Discussion Question: What other ways can we detect polluted waters? Do you agree with the new method of cleaning or will this produce additional damage? Why or why not?
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/3881d73f4d4aaa0b85257359003f5348/112863fab6eeb9cc852575400058fb33!OpenDocument
Summary:
Florida is trying to restore and protect its waters from damaging nutrients. They will start using a numeric nutrient criteria that measures nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water that can harm aquatic life and public health. The new standards will help Florida identify which waters are polluted with dangerous nutrients and improve its water quality management.
Discussion Question: What other ways can we detect polluted waters? Do you agree with the new method of cleaning or will this produce additional damage? Why or why not?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)