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?
New Study Reveals Dirty Air sickens People
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/dec/04/breathtaking-pollution/
Summary:
Pollution in the United States has been a problem for many years now but there are ways of fixing the problem. Study shows that pollution affects the economy in huge ways because the air is so contaminated that people are dieing of respiratory illnesses. These illnesses also cause workers to miss work and children to miss school which also lead to emergecy room visits. In the state of California, lawmakers are trying to convince the Trucking Association to spend money to install filters or upgrade their engines so they can meet air quality standards. Unfortunately, the problem isn't being fixed and people are forced to not go to the hospital or get treated due to our failing economy. Health care costs are through the rough and people are forced to stay sick so they won't waste their money.
Discussion Question:
Trucking Associations are not willing to comply with the air quality regulations because it will cost too much money and will run busineses out. If you were the owner of a business, would you spend the money on cleaner trucks and help reduce death and illnesses? If not, would you not take that risk because it would be too much cost for your business and would maybe reduce your profit?
Summary:
Pollution in the United States has been a problem for many years now but there are ways of fixing the problem. Study shows that pollution affects the economy in huge ways because the air is so contaminated that people are dieing of respiratory illnesses. These illnesses also cause workers to miss work and children to miss school which also lead to emergecy room visits. In the state of California, lawmakers are trying to convince the Trucking Association to spend money to install filters or upgrade their engines so they can meet air quality standards. Unfortunately, the problem isn't being fixed and people are forced to not go to the hospital or get treated due to our failing economy. Health care costs are through the rough and people are forced to stay sick so they won't waste their money.
Discussion Question:
Trucking Associations are not willing to comply with the air quality regulations because it will cost too much money and will run busineses out. If you were the owner of a business, would you spend the money on cleaner trucks and help reduce death and illnesses? If not, would you not take that risk because it would be too much cost for your business and would maybe reduce your profit?
President Obama on Global Warming: Finally Part of the Solution
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-becker-and-james-gerstenzang/president-obama-on-global_b_161005.html
Summary:
Now that President Obama has taken office he has continued with his promise for “CHANGE”. He ordered his Environmental Protection Agency to review and reconsider Bushes’s rejection of the request by states to write their own rules on greenhouse gasses. This will put much pressure on the already suffering Car industry; we know California wants to dramatically reduce the omission from the cars on their lots. Hopefully this will cut America's addiction to oil. Cutting petroleum imports, will alone be greater than the amount of oil we bring in annually from Saudi Arabia. California and the other states acted under Clean Air Act provisions that allow them to set standards stronger than those of the federal government, but only if the federal EPA grants them a waiver. The United States has produced more greenhouse gases than any other nation. Now Washington is willing to step to the front of the line in decisions that will slash the amount of carbon we pump into the global atmosphere. Well, at least this might be the biggest single step we can take to curbing global warming.
Discussion Question: Do you think allowing each state to write their own rules on greenhouse gasses will make a difference in our problem with global warming and our nations dependency on oil?
Summary:
Now that President Obama has taken office he has continued with his promise for “CHANGE”. He ordered his Environmental Protection Agency to review and reconsider Bushes’s rejection of the request by states to write their own rules on greenhouse gasses. This will put much pressure on the already suffering Car industry; we know California wants to dramatically reduce the omission from the cars on their lots. Hopefully this will cut America's addiction to oil. Cutting petroleum imports, will alone be greater than the amount of oil we bring in annually from Saudi Arabia. California and the other states acted under Clean Air Act provisions that allow them to set standards stronger than those of the federal government, but only if the federal EPA grants them a waiver. The United States has produced more greenhouse gases than any other nation. Now Washington is willing to step to the front of the line in decisions that will slash the amount of carbon we pump into the global atmosphere. Well, at least this might be the biggest single step we can take to curbing global warming.
Discussion Question: Do you think allowing each state to write their own rules on greenhouse gasses will make a difference in our problem with global warming and our nations dependency on oil?
Google Under the Gun
Time Magazine Online
Source: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1156598,00.html
Article Summary:
In order to gain entry and claim stake on a recently untapped market Google decided to create a Chinese version of its website Google.com. The Chinese version, Google.cn, is heavily censored to comply with regulations set forth by the Communist Party. Chinese users still can access Google.com but face annoyingly slowly speeds and at times no access at all due to filtering of content. Currently the Internet in China is monitored by 30,000 Internet censors all day everyday blocking access to sites not conforming to approved opinions. As if censorship wasn't bad enough, when web surfers try to access a government site they are greeted with two cartoon figures to remind them that Internet cops are always watching.
“Jing jing” and “Chacha” (Jing Cha = Police).
Discussion Question: Can be Google considered unethical for censoring content displayed to Chinese consumers? What message does Google convay to other corporations by complying with Communist demands in order to gain entry to a market segment?
Source: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1156598,00.html
Article Summary:
In order to gain entry and claim stake on a recently untapped market Google decided to create a Chinese version of its website Google.com. The Chinese version, Google.cn, is heavily censored to comply with regulations set forth by the Communist Party. Chinese users still can access Google.com but face annoyingly slowly speeds and at times no access at all due to filtering of content. Currently the Internet in China is monitored by 30,000 Internet censors all day everyday blocking access to sites not conforming to approved opinions. As if censorship wasn't bad enough, when web surfers try to access a government site they are greeted with two cartoon figures to remind them that Internet cops are always watching.
“Jing jing” and “Chacha” (Jing Cha = Police).
Discussion Question: Can be Google considered unethical for censoring content displayed to Chinese consumers? What message does Google convay to other corporations by complying with Communist demands in order to gain entry to a market segment?
Mortgage lender blames KPMG for its failure
Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/business/breaking-news/story/979193.html.
Date: 04/01/09
Summary:
New Century Financial Corp., an Irvine, Calif., mortgage lender has filed a lawsuit against KPMG for disclosing accounting errors on New Century Financial Corp.'s financial statements. The lawsuit charge that "Rather than exercise professional, independent and ethical judgment, as KPMG promised it would, KPMG LLP acted as a cheerleader for management to keep its client happy." In 2007 the stock plunged to 90%. Making it impossible for New Century to finance its lending business, and it went bankrupt.
Discussion Question: Is it ethically correct for KPMG keep its "clients happy" by giving them wrong information without any punishment by the law? If KPMG is saying the truth about New Century's bad financial judgement, how should the judicial system punish New Century for damaging KPMG's image?
Mattel, Wal-Mart Test Toys as Small Firms Struggle
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20090122/pl_bloomberg/adlzws6fbwro
Date: February 4, 2009
Summary: This article refers to how small businesses struggle because they cannot afford the prices for testing their products; vendors are required by Wal-mart to test their toys to meet lead testing guidelines. Such tests can go up to $4000 / item and small businesses don’t have the infrastructure to manage these costs. In 2007 there were found 21 millions toys with high lead content. If small businesses don’t follow the tests guidelines required by Wal-mart, they could decrease profitability by not negotiating with Wal-mart.
Discussion question: What do you think it would be the best ethical approach to this problem? Who should be responsible for testing the toys, Wal-mart itself, the small vendors? Can factories and suppliers be more conscious about the materials the use in the production of such toys?
Date: February 4, 2009
Summary: This article refers to how small businesses struggle because they cannot afford the prices for testing their products; vendors are required by Wal-mart to test their toys to meet lead testing guidelines. Such tests can go up to $4000 / item and small businesses don’t have the infrastructure to manage these costs. In 2007 there were found 21 millions toys with high lead content. If small businesses don’t follow the tests guidelines required by Wal-mart, they could decrease profitability by not negotiating with Wal-mart.
Discussion question: What do you think it would be the best ethical approach to this problem? Who should be responsible for testing the toys, Wal-mart itself, the small vendors? Can factories and suppliers be more conscious about the materials the use in the production of such toys?
Obama Calls for Executive Pay Limits
Source: BusinessWeek.com
Date Source: Feb. 4th 2008.
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/feb2009/db2009024_052387.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_top+story
Summary
President Obama announced top executives at bailout firms will be limited to $500 on pay and compesantion packages. Obama said that any amount paid over the restricted amount imposed to this executive will have to be paid back as stocks until the debt is payoff. Any compesation based on unethical business practices will be subject to this rule as well. Corporations such Bank of America, AIG and Citi Group are to report compesation given to executives. Other banks that also received assistance from the government but not as trouble will be exempt from those restrictions. Luxury corporate plane, fancy parties and exessiive spending renovations will be also restricted.QuestionIf you were one of these executives, would you think is the right thing to do or would you go somewhere else where there are no such restrictions? Will these restriction encourage other companies to be more conscious about their over spending?
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