Business Ethics Role of the Board

Business Ethics Role of the Board The Role of the Board The directors are individuals who represent the interest of the shareholders in the overall running of the company. Once the shareholders money is taken, the directors receive high level information relating to the running of the company at board meetings which occur periodically-at this meeting, the CEO reports to the board indicating what the status us. Directors are appointed on a number of platforms. The board approve stock grants, they might approve/disapprove acquisitions etc.-high end decisions relating to strategic direction rather than operational matters. Some are independent subject matter experts bought in to advise. It is the CEOs decision how this is acted upon. Holstein (2006) described an event at a Tiffany board meeting during which a special interest group had been instigated with a view to examination of conflict diamonds. The findings were brought to the board meeting and the CEO instantly took action ceasing all transactions concerning conflict diamonds in order to prevent an ethical debate that could ultimately affect sales of a firm wiling to deal in such a commodity. If the board disapprove of actions, the board has one key ability namely the removal of the CEO. On this basis it is often prudent to follow the advice of the board. The board can be an asset in that they can support the CEO and assist in the running and strategic direction however conversely they can equally make poor decisions and therefore be a hindrance to the company and lead to its destruction. In order to form and manage a board of directors, there are a number of protocols/recommendations designed to increase the rate of success. Allio (2004) wrote that root cause analysis of corporate oversight is commonly attributed to a lack of attention to the methods by which the board is intended to deal with its responsibilities. Forming and managing a board of directors requires consideration -one thing that people need to be aware of is when seeking venture capital and doing due diligence on the plan and individuals, Due diligence should be done on the venture capitalist as a prospective board member. Kelly and Gennard (1996) discussed the merits of appointing personnel directors as members of board of directors highlighting a number of firms in which this was found to be beneficial in shaping the formation and implementation of business strategy. Cantor (2003) wrote describing how contemporary directors are frequently chosen for such skills as judgement, leadership and business integrity however more significantly is not how to act as opposed to when to act and this can only be gained with a comprehensive understanding of the risks of the company. Cantor stressed that a more suitable process regarding the selection involved questioning relative to the extant risks, whether there was a knowledge gap in the existing board membership and if the candidate could plug that knowledge gap. This was echoed by Hutcheson (2002) who wrote that a board of directors can be an asset if shareholders are clear as to the purpose of the board explaining that board membership should be designed to fill the knowledge and skills gaps in the extant management. Ideally, board member selection must be objective, honest and isolated from the CEO on non-business and financial platforms, facilitating transparency. Davies et al, (2002) described board debates focussing on their presumed responsibilities highlighting that there appeared to be little forethought as to the importance and significance of the contents of these responsibilities. This suggested that boards tended to have a passive stance in which decisions were pushed through by dominant CEOs or managers and that the existence of the board was merely lip-service rather than a pro-active asset. Furthermore, boards needed to develop greater leadership and decision-making skills. Heffes (2009) wrote that boards should cease the opportunity to scrutinise the business plan of the company for the following year, and additionally called for greater more effective communication in order to relay their findings on the current state of the business and optimum strategic direction and its repercussions on the status quo. Consideration needed to be given as to what needs to be relayed to all stakeholders. References: Allio, R., (2004), Whats the boards role in strategy development?: Why you need to redesign your board of directors an interview with Jay Lorsch. Strategy Leadership; Chicago32.5 (2004): 34-37. Cantor, P., (2003). Getting the board of directors on board.ÂÂ   Ivey Business Journal Online; London (Jan/Feb 2003): 1. Davies, A., Joyce, P., Beaver, G., Woods, A., (2002).ÂÂ   Leadership boards of directors. Strategic Change; Chichester11.4(Jun/Jul 2002): 225. Heffes, E. (2009). Boards of directors: directors roles in assessing strategy. Financial Executive; Morristown25.2 (Mar 2009): 10. Holstein, W., (2006). CEOs Under Fire. Chief Executive; New York 215 (Jan/Feb 2006): 50-52. Hutcheson, J., (2002). Board Silly: A bad board of directors can be worse than no board at all. Heres how to make sure your small-business clients get the help they need. Financial Planning; New York (Apr 1, 2002): 81-82. Kelly, J., Gennard, J. (1996). The role of personnel directors on the board of directors. Personnel Review; Farnborough25.1 (1996): 7-24.

Art Analysis Paper :: essays research papers

Art Analysis Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first painting analyzed was North Country Idyll by Arthur Bowen Davis. The focal point was the white naked woman. The white was used to bring her out and focus on the four actual colored males surrounding her. The woman appears to be blowing a kiss. There is use of stumato along with atmospheric perspective. There is excellent use of color for the setting. It is almost a life like painting. This painting has smooth brush strokes. The sailing ship is the focal point because of the bright blue with extravagant large sails. The painting is a dry textured flat paint. The painting is evenly balanced. When I look at this painting, it reminds me of settlers coming to a new world that is be founded by its beauty. It seems as if they swam from the ship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second painting was by George W. Bellows and named Shoghead. This painting brought a sense of ease and relaxation. I can picture myself on the top of the mountain listening to the waves crash on the sides. The open countryside topped by the clouds give the painting a sense of realism. The extremely bright blue water stands out the most, though the focal point is not clear. There is not an excessive use of paint. It is as if Bellows caked it on his brush and made quick short strokes. The use of such dark colors on the hill is a mystery. The terrain has a roughness that makes the painting come to life. The artist did a great job of showing the depth. If I had to guess, he was influenced by Picasso’s work because of the extensive use of thick point.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The third painting was by Julian Story and it was called American Born in England. It was a battle painting. The black prince stands out as the focal point. It is the center of the painting and brings notice to the way the other knights are dressed. The Black Knight (the Prince of Wales) stands overlooking King John, who is blind. King John wanted to be in the battle for his country. The background (depth) is shown in the distance by atmospheric perspective. There is a sense of honor in the knight for the king. There is a great use of color. The painting is very life like. The picture seems to come to life, making me feel as if I were part of the painting!

I am performing in a Play called Trojans Essay

It is an old Greek legend but has been re-written and modernised as a play by Simon Adorian. It is about a siege of the city of Troy by the Achaeans. It was over Princess Helena who Prince Paris stole off the leader of the Achaeans, Menelaus. It is shown that it is set in modern times by the spray painting by my character, Prince Cassius, at the beginning and when Laocoon talks about the burnt out cars in scene 3. It uses a Greek style in the way it is written by using a chorus, the youths, although in Greek plays these parts would usually have been sung rather than acted out. The other play I have studied is â€Å"Oedipus the King†. This is a Greek play that is set in Greek times. Greek theatre differed very much from today’s theatre because there was no scenery. It had a raised section on the back of the stage, on which actors stood in order to be seen better. Any murder that took place was committed off stage, but with the chorus filling in the details. The dead body was the brought on the stage on a flat low trolley with wheels to show who had been murdered. The performance styles of the two plays do not differ too much from each other. The chorus still exists in Trojans through the youths, rather than an off stage singing group. Both plays have women in the positions of power and status. Trojans is a modern play with modern cultural themes portrayed through the characters. This would appeal to a modern audience more readily than Oedipus. Oedipus would have been performed in ancient times. In the Greek theatre only male actors were allowed. Also no women were allowed in the audience so it would have been a play by men for men. Trojans now has a mixed audience and therefore explores the issues women have as well as men. This is shown by the peace protestors, who are mainly women, and the youths, who are mainly men. The way plays were portrayed to the audience in Greek times was solely through the chorus, who described the scenery and who was who. There were only three actors in the play, therefore character changes were shown through wearing different masks. The chorus would also have to explain the weather and the theatres were open air and plays were performed in daylight because there was no lighting equipment. Things could also be conveyed through a character called the messenger. He would describe off stage action in long and elaborated speeches. This is closely shown in the character of the spokesman, who describes the off stage battles. As Trojans is set in modern times, different lighting effects and scenery can be used. This mean that there is no need for a passive chorus, but to maintain the Greek feeling Adorian added in an active chorus through the youths. They give transitions between scenes when it is required. The themes in the two play are quite similar. They both revolve around the royal families. With Princess Cassius fronting the peace protest in Trojans, and King Oedipus having been prophesised to kill his father, and does. They are both tragedies. King Oedipus finds out what he has done and that he has fulfilled the prophecy. The tragedy in Trojans is that the Achaeans win in the end. The characters in the two plays are similar. The chorus in Greek plays, although not strictly characters, are very closely similar to the youths by applying transitions between the scenes. Also the Messenger in Greek plays is very similar to the Spokesman, who provides elaborate and vivid word pictures of what is going on in the city and what has happened in the various battles with the Achaeans. The royal families are not similar however due to the fact that the real tragedy at the end is not to do with them as it is in Oedipus, it is to do with the youths. Reflecting on this I will play my character as flippant, perhaps a little ignorant and nai ve. The attitude he takes to the Royal family is that of disrespect and he has a bit of a love hate relationship with them, as they are his family. I would play him as strong headed and wilful due to the fact that he is fronting an active campaign against the war.

Self Reliance Essay - 1678 Words

The Transcendentalist movement flourished in New England, and proposed a revolutionarily new philosophy of life. This new philosophy drew upon old ideas of Romanticism, Unitarianism, and German Idealism. Some of these ideas pertained closely to the values of America at the time. These values included nature, individualism, and reform, and can be noted in the essay â€Å"Self Reliance,† by Ralph Waldo Emerson. In this essay, Emerson states his values and incorporates them into his philosophy of self-reliance. In the past 170 years, some of the ideas stated by Emerson in his literary work â€Å"Self-Reliance† have weathered the test of time. However, since his archaic examples no longer apply to modern life, other sources of transcendentalism must†¦show more content†¦Intertwined into this discussion is the major theme trust. Emerson explicitly states his theme of trust in paragraph 18, where he explains who the Trustee is. â€Å"The magnetism which all original action exerts is explained when we inquire the reason of self-trust. Who is the Trustee? ...† (S.R. Paragraph 18). This theme continues throughout the course of the essay, where Emerson repeatedly emphasizes trusting the gut-feeling to make the correct decisions. Some major values that Emerson advocates are self-trust and isolationism. Emerson believes that everyone should trust their intuition by disregarding consistency and conformity. In order to do this, Emerson draws upon the topic of isolationism, where each person should mentally remove his/herself from society to keep his/her intuition at its purest; â€Å"†¦but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude (S.R. Paragraph 6).† To further isolate oneself, Emerson hints that a person should become more selfish. Adopting this behavior, Emerson believes, will ensure that a person will not lose his or her money to unnecessary causes. Emerson states â€Å"Then, again, do not tell me, as a good man did to-day, of my obligation to put all poor men in good situations. Are they my poor?† (S.R. Paragraph 5). These unnecessary expenditures would only detriment self-reliance, and no such actions are permissible to achieve the greatest intuition. Therefore, Emerson’sShow MoreRelatedSelf-Reliance636 Words   |  3 PagesSanaya Williams PH-221 Professor Bradley Final Paper- Ralph Waldo Emerson Self-Reliance â€Å"Self- Reliance† is considered one of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s best-known essays. The essay was first published in 1841 in his collection, Essays: First Series. This essay contains the most thorough statement of Emerson’s emphasis on the need for individuals to avoid conformity and false consistency, and instead follow their own instincts and ideas. This essay shows Emerson’s ways for making and translating classicalRead MoreSelf Reliance Is Beneficial Or Beneficial1222 Words   |  5 PagesAn issue regarding thinking has been on the importance of self-reliance, the notion of relying on oneself for ideas and knowledge. Some people argue that self-reliance is harmful. From this perspective, self-reliance generates bad thoughts and ideas, and people should conform to society instead. However, others argue that self-reliance is extremely important for society. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a main proponent of this view, says that â€Å"To believe your own thou ght, to believe that what is true for youRead MoreThe Foul Reign of Self-Reliance2108 Words   |  9 PagesCollin Kennedy The Foul Reign of Self-Reliance My first exposure to the high-flown pap of Benjamin Anastas’s â€Å"The Foul Reign of Self-Reliance† came in a quiet library at the private institution where I had enrolled to learn the secrets of education and because I wanted, at the age of 21, to fulfill my philosophy core and graduate on time. Cute openings aside, Mr. Anastas has a significant amount of gall calling his private school teacher Mr. Sideways when it seems, to me, that he is the one withRead MoreEssay The Puritans Beliefs on Self Reliance758 Words   |  4 PagesThe Puritans Beliefs on Self Reliance Are we or are we not? That is the question. Does the current generation of Americans have the same values and morals of the Puritans of the 1600’s? Some would say yes and others would say no. This paper will show both sides of the argument. It will discuss whether or not we share the values of self-reliance and honesty like the Puritans treasured. This essay will discuss the importance of the family and home to the Puritans and compare that to today’sRead MoreSelf-Reliance By Charles W. Eliot1201 Words   |  5 Pageshimself this is a quote about self reliance by Charles W. Eliot, he was an American academic who was selected as Harvard s president in 1869 and also attended Harvard. In this essay, I will describe what self-reliance is to me, state my opinion on why being self reliant is necessary and how it can help people in there lives, and I will be creating a plan on how I personally can be more self-reliant based on books I ve read or knowledge I have already about being self-reliant also by living with peopleRead MoreKeys to Personal Leadership - Initiative and Self Reliance1418 Words   |  6 Pagesyou wind your own clock. In the sales profession, one who exhibits initiative and self-reliance is considered a selfstarter – a leader. No one needs to tell them what time to get up and go to work. If they’re in a new situation they take the initiative to ask. They ask, seek, and knock. People enter a profession without background all the time and succeed because they practice the leadership quality of self-reliance. They take personal responsibility for developing the necessary skills and knowledgeRead MoreSeeking Independence in Essay Self Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson985 Words   |  4 Pagesindependent of others. In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay â€Å"Self-Reliance†, he tells us that once people are able to be independent, they should be an individual who believes in themselves and does not conform to society. In American culture today, there are people who go with the flow and do what everyone else does. On the other hand, there are people who are unique and self reliant, a nd they are the ones who â€Å"set the trends†. American culture values self-reliance to the extent that although the majority of peopleRead MoreThe Spiritual Emerson : Introduction And Chapter 1 Summary894 Words   |  4 PagesThe Spiritual Emerson: Introduction and Chapter 1 Summary Emerson s essay on self-reliance unearths a plethora of distinctive lessons that serve to guide the people of society in each of our pursuits to become fully human. Serving as the overall driving idea behind the essay, Emerson details the significance of man valuing and acting upon his own ideas and judgement. He writes, â€Å"To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men,—that isRead MoreSelf-Reliance Essay946 Words   |  4 Pageswhere everyone does as he or she wanted, much chaos would be present. In Emersons Self-Reliance, he shares his version of an ideal society where nobody conforms to one another. Even though his ideas maintain influential in modern society, his impractical world contradicts with human nature and ceases to encourage any nation to establish such a society. I have recently read Ralph Waldo Emerson’s, Self –Reliance, and have many different thoughts about the essay. I personall y think he is a weirdRead MoreEmersons Self Reliance5249 Words   |  21 PagesR.W. Emersons Self-Reliance The essay has three major divisions: the importance of self-reliance (paragraphs 1-17), self-reliance and the individual (paragraphs 18-32), and self-reliance and society (paragraphs 33-50). As a whole, it promotes self-reliance as an ideal, even a virtue, and contrasts it with various modes of dependence or conformity. Self-Reliance Paragraphs 1-17. The Importance of Self-Reliance. Emerson begins his major work on individualism by asserting the importance of