Competitor Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Competitor Analysis - Essay Example Lego provides wide range, high quality and commitment to the customers’ needs in terms of new products. Lego’s Online activities like comics, online games, forums, educational product tutorials, online interactive sessions to support community development and learning etc. are some highly applauded and attention grabbing features for the customers. The company is highly responsible in managing employees, customers, returning back to environment and safety and security of the people linked to LEGO’s environment. 4M-ind is based in HongKong, however distributes its products across the geographical boundaries with online stores like Amazon’s STEM toy shop. It also has a list of authorized dealers in some countries. The company is committed to the provision of educational toys industry only. 4M-ind provides a wide range of products for all ages with the ease of pricing each product targeting a different income group. Its products are as cheap as $5. 4m-ind offers unique products that enchant and entice young customers like glow stars and the more scientific robotic hand. 4M-ind categorizes its products in two broader categories namey science and crafts. The science category involves scientifically advanced products at a reasonable price. Their prices are too competitive and are unbeatable for the newer competitors for the features and product ranges it offers. Makey Makey targets younger innovative minds by providing them with a key to innovation in the shape of maKey invention kit that transforms daily-use products to touch pads while establishing a connection through to the web. The miraculous product startles users as it changes a simple drawing to a touch pad and a banana as a piano key (MakeyMakey.com). The uniqueness of the MaKey kit with its affordability in terms of pricing is of great attraction to the customers. The products offered invoke innovation in the children and

The Philosophy of the Enlightenment Research Paper

The Philosophy of the Enlightenment - Research Paper Example It is safe to say that every aspect of life is dependent upon history. It is through history that one is able to make predictions, give valid evaluations, connect forms of life with another, creates programs and strategies as they relate to success and continuity. History helps to revolutionize the thinking processes. The different experiences help to prepare a generation of people for a new age and a new era. The level to which they use the knowledge to steer away from the mistakes of the past should not solely be the responsibility of history and historians. The consequences are related to the attitudes, will, and direction of events at any given time. History is responsible for producing new schools of evidence and debate. In the different explanations of the creation story, for example, there are opposing sides as to how the earth was generated. In the absence of the concrete record that can withstand the scrutiny of scientists and other scholars, history provides a medium throug h which religion, philosophy, sociology, and psychology can equally share and contribute to the different explanations.  One must admit that although history is essential and indispensable there exist many doubts and uncertainties. In many prominent universities such as the University of Oxford, while subjects such as theology, law, music among others were included in the curriculum of the university for many years it was not until 1850 that history was added to the program of studies. It could not be described as having claims to a wealth of truth and there was a lack of systematic knowledge.

Poverty and Pollution Essay Example for Free

Poverty and Pollution Essay Determine the ethical implications of business polluting in third world country. Explain your rationale. The Third World refers to the poorer and undeveloped countries of the world. Often, these countries have extremely poor environmental situations. Countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia are the greatest victims of this environmental inequality. In addition to problems created by development and industrialization, poorer nations also suffer environmental difficulties caused by poverty and war, among other causes. Many environmental problems arise in the Third World. Air pollution, water pollution, deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, and poisoning of the environment are among the largest of these. (pollution problems on third world , 1999) The businesses that are polluting in a third world country are the businesses that think that because the third world countries are poor and under developed. They do not have the restriction that the U.S. does to prevent business from doing everything that they can to the environment, These countries are left with making decision on whether are not to eat are having clean environment. What do you think they are choosing to do? We sometime take advantage of people because of the situation they are in at the time. The Western countries take advantage of these Third World countries. They dump their trash and other hazardous waste into these Third World countries. The First World companies will go into these countries and build plants, which will pollution the air, in Third World nations to not have to deal with the regulations that they would face at home. Some of the transnational corporations that produce hazardous chemicals look at as overly dangerous in the First World find an acceptable market in the Third World. There, governments cannot restrict usage of these chemicals. They are trying to provide a way for its citizens to make a living. How can this be fair? How can these business live with themselves. What I have stated time and time again it always comes back to money. Suggest the reasons a business may conduct operations in a third world country and disregard any standards of pollution control. We see the pollution problem affecting the whole world. Industries are going overseas because the cost of labor is a lot cheaper. Therefore all they want to do is make a big profit by paying less and acquiring quality goods and services. (pollution problems on third world , 1999) Industries don’t care about the employees never the less about the environment. Laws and regulations a lot different in third world countries and there is a lot of corruption too; with this been said if anyone complaints money is the solution. Also as I mention before countries of the Third World struggle with population growth, poverty, famines, and wars, their residents are discovering the environmental effects of these problems, in the form of increasing air, water, and land pollution. Industrialized nations often dump wastes in developing countries where there is little or no environmental regulation, and governments may collect considerable fees for accepting their garbage. And not only that some of this garbage can be hazards not only for the environment but to the individuals leave close to this dump sites this third world countries would accept garbage for money this is hard to believe. This industries move to third world countries because there is not pollution controlled laws. Therefore industries are not allowed to manufacture of produce certain things their only option is to move if they want to still be in business. (gale, 2005) It has been said that pollution is the price of progress. Assess the connection between economic progress and development, on the one hand, and pollution controls and environmental protection, on the other. The optimal level of pollution is supposed to be the level at which the costs to the company of cleaning up the pollution equal the cost of environmental damage caused by that pollution. If the pollution charge is equivalent to the cost of environmental damage then the theory says that the company will clean up its pollution until any further incremental reduction in pollution would cost more than the remaining charge, that is until it is cheaper to pay the charge than reduce the pollution. This might seem to be less than optimal solutions to the community but economists argue that the polluter is better off than if it had paid to eliminate the pollution altogether and the community is no worse off because it is being compensated by the firm for the damage through the payments to the government. In theory the payments made by firms in the form of charges can be used to correct the environmental damage they cause. (beder, 1996) Support the argument that human beings have a moral right to a livable environment regardless of the country they live in. Every person in every community has the right to health, and to a safe and healthy environment. Unfortunately, these rights are often not respected. Many people suffer from serious health problems caused by a scarcity of basic necessities and an excess of harmful substances. The most vulnerable people are those who have low status because of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, class, caste, poverty, or for other reasons. They usually suffer first, and worst. The struggle to live in a healthy, safe, productive, and enjoyable environment by communities whose rights are not well respected by people in power is sometimes called the struggle for environmental justice. As part of the human rights; each human being has a moral right to life and to a livable environment. Also is not fair for these individuals from third world countries to suffer from more things they’re already struggling and then u have industries polluting their environment. Everyone should be able to have a good environment to live in. Also something that caught my attention is the even though here in the United States of America we have good environment individuals don’t not how to take care of it. For example people throwing garbage out their cars windows or disposing of chemicals in their back yard. This types of thing can cause damage to our environment. Take a position on whether nations have an obligation to provide poorer nations with, or help them develop, greener industries and sources of energy. Explain your rationale. Although some of this nations are poor they can also be rich because of natural resource for example oil, gold and expensive minerals. Many third world countries have been able to be successful because of natural resources. I think that if a nation is wealthy and individuals are happy, then it should help other nations because today for them and tomorrow for us. We never know when we are going to need someone’s help. Therefore it is not an obligation to other nations but it’s good to show support. The United States of America is known for helping others but I know there is always an interest or a agreement to repay the USA. Also increasingly, through globalization, many countries have become dependent on each other. While some countries are endowed with better quality resources, others have to be satisfied with current resources. History has shown that the poorer countries are usually those more vulnerable to disasters (economically and socially) and are less equipped to overcome these disasters. Rich countries, therefore, are consistently required to support those poorer countries through international aid. However, the right type of aid is more important than the quantity of aid. Rich countries should invest in the human capital of poor countries, provide defense against wars, and help develop the skills of the people instead of simply providing donations. There should be agreements and follow-ups on how the aid is being used. Propose a plan for uniform global pollution control standards and how you would enforce them. It’s hard to say how something can be done about this the procedures and norms are in place now. I think pollution is always going to be an issue and it’s going to be too late when individuals try to help with the problem. The only thing I can suggest is to maybe have dump sites in out of space and if the garbage tries to enter earth of other planet it would burn anyways. But to enforce new regulation it’s going to be a challenge hopefully they can come out with a solution soon. Industries are not going to stop producing thing while the demand is high. And if we told inviduals that this is harmful for the earth that they need to stop they would just laugh References Pollution problems on third world . (1999). Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/Economics/pollution_problems_in_the_thir.html Beder, S. (1996). charging the earth: the promotion of price- based measures for pollution. Retrieved from http://www.herinst.org/sbeder/enveconomics/economics.html

Sonnys Blues Plot Analysis

Sonnys Blues Plot Analysis The contrasting lives of two brothers contribute to the theme of being safe while being risk takers. In this story, Baldwin writes about two brothers who grew up together. As each of the boys grew older, their friendship diminished and they ended up having two completely different lives. The narrator, who is the older brother seemed to be more cautious and had a more determined manner to develop a good future. Sonny, the younger brother, was more free and adventurous as he lived in the moment. Sonny did not even know what his plans were for the next hour, let alone the rest of his life. The narrators greatest source of dissatisfaction was his selfish desire to learn and live a respectable life safely as a teacher of high school algebra. When Sonny learns the consequences about drugs and the law, he feels threatened. Sonnys brother lives in a safe environment while Sonnys environment is very unsafe and that is why Baldwin carefully set the brothers as opposites. The narrator is a cons ervative, respectable family man who is a professor of mathematics and is proud of its professional status. In the story, Sonny interprets of the narrator, who worked for Sonny as guardian, father figure, and a brother-peer. The narrator describes Sonny as a savage, but not crazy. He says Sonny had always been a good boy, he never healed or evil or disrespectful, and how children can so quickly (Baldwin 85). He compared students Sonny: a dreamy, disillusioned and obedient, but is grappling with the desperation of his live in a poor promise. The author used the name of the story Sonnys Blues, to give readers a clue to the theme of history. Noun the blues is defined in the mood unhappiness and depression. This theme is present throughout the story. Blues is a style of music that reflects a sad mood. Blues as well as being in the music, the basic structure of the story, and as the narrator and his brother, Sonny has played a role in depression. Sonnys brother is a shared perspective on this story, because he feels responsible for keeping his brother safe. His Brother learns to listen to all this history to understand the life of Sonny. The narrator as he fought for his life and how he is now watching his younger brother, Sonny fought through the same situation. He worried about the life of Sonny that might not be able to escape the turmoil that life brings, above all, a musician who has no family ties and job security. Sonny tries to become a jazz musician, the narrator watches and listens as Sonny goes through many adversities in life. He does not want Sonny to be a jazz musician, because there is no future there. At the end of the story, Sonnys brother was invited into a nightclub to watch and listen to his brother. During his visit, he learns and listens to understand Sonny and how he uses his music to survive, and how the music gives meaning to their lives. In the central scene of Sonnys Blues, is when the narrator agrees to go with Sonny to the night jazz club. The narrators realization that he must accept Sonny for who he is happened at the night club. This is the first time that Sonnys brother feels content with Sonny as he plays the piano and listens to his blues music. There he meets Sonnys musician friends who appreciate the way in which the narrator accepted his brother. The next scene, the narrator begins to understand the language of jazz and how it has changed the lives of Sonny for the best. Director, Creole, who was the bassist of the band, did the brother of mighty deed teaching Sonny how to play the piano. The benefit of the blues helped Sonny to end his drug addiction. During this scene, the brother of Sonny reflected in Creole and Sonny saw him with respect, to let him run the band that made his brother see that Sonny had talent and pursued his talent. Living in a housing project in Harlem, Sonnys brother determined to protect themselves from the risks that surrounded them. You will notice that the narrator and Sonnys neighborhood were mostly blacks and poor people in Harlem. Their working class embittered father, whose pride and optimism is diminished fought to support the family to openly racism. Sonny, however, is a romantic artist, who is not afraid to take risks to pursue what he wants. His passion for music makes him impatient. He stayed away from school, but not away from danger. Sonny wants to live a respectful life but it is very hard for him. He did different things to try to escape this corruption, he tries to escape by joining the army, but fails. And he tries to escape by use of illegal drugs. When life feels like a toll on Sonny, he takes for his music. He realizes that his problems are real and that he can really escape them. Music is played in his life which changes his pain and suffering. Maybe not so that you can definitely stay away from danger, as the father of Sonny said, there is no safe place at all (Baldwin 95). Sonny music provides a channel to express the darkness within him, while his sense of life slowly recovers. The story of Sonnys Blues illustrated how life was growing up in an African American family during 1930 -1960s. Black Americans struggled to make their imprint on society. The life of the amazing blind musician Ray Charles comes to my mind as I struggle to understand how the African American culture learned to survive during this time. Sonny and Ray Charles had many of the same life experiences, in particular relying on drugs to forget their past and living in a society where the black man struggled to make a living. Both men used their music of rhythm and blues to gain respect from family and friends.

The Dominican Republic, and its owner, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Essay

The Dominican Republic, and its owner, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo All throughout the 20th century we can observe the marked presence of totalitarian regimes and governments in Latin America. Countries like Cuba, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic all suffered under the merciless rule of dictators and military leaders. Yet the latter country, the Dominican Republic, experienced a unique variation of these popular dictatorships, one that in the eyes of the world of those times was great, but in the eyes of the Dominicans, was nothing short of deadly. Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, or â€Å"El Chivo†, controlled the people of the Dominican Republic in a manner that set him apart from the other leaders of that time. By controlling every aspect of the country’s economy, he controlled the people, by controlling each individual’s income and their jobs, he controlled their lives. (Sagas, 173) It is true that from the outside it may appear that the economy was getting better in the Dominican Republic, but the problem was that all of the enterprises and businesses were directly or indirectly owned and controlled by Trujillo himself, not the government. Building bridges, making better roads, and establishing monuments were Trujillo’s ideas as to how to make the Dominican Republic a better place. (de Besault, N/A) True that these things made the Republic more appealing and made transportation better, but the inhumane methods Trujillo employed to maintain his complete and utter control of the people completely ove rshadowed any positive things that he may have done. This previously inexistent economy is what allowed Trujillo to attain and strengthen his power in the Dominican Republic. Oddly enough, the same peo... ... In addition to being powerful, his ruthless murders made him a dangerous man too. This specific case in Latin American history comes to show how economic â€Å"stability† does not always mean happiness and wealth. The Dominican Republic’s economy was stable, but all the wealth belonged to one man, Trujillo. A Nation’s wealth in the hands of one man only means that the Nation’s safety and life-force also rest in his hands. Works Cited Bosch, Juan. Trujillo: Causas de una tirania sin ejemplo. Caracas: n.p., 1961. de Besault, Lawrence. President Trujillo: His work and the Dominican Republic. Santiago: Editorial El Diario, 1941. Ferreras, Ramon. Trujillo : 20 aà ±os despues. N.p.: n.p., 1981. Roorda, Eric. The Dicator Next Door. London: Duke UP, 1998. Sagas, Ernesto. The Dominican People: A Documentary History. Princeton: Markus Weiner, 2003.

Diversity in the Workplace Essay

This diversity audit begins with a background about the company, as well as some important information about key Diversity executives. What will be addressed in the audit are what efforts Johnson & Johnson made to foster diversity competence and understand, what efforts were made in furthering the knowledge or awareness about diversity, what strategies were used to address the challenges of diversity and how will you ensure that your leaders and managers will be committed to the diversity initiative. The audit concludes with a quote from the vice president of recruiting at Johnson and Johnson, as well as their Diversity and Inclusion Programs and Activities from the Johnson and Johnson Website. In 1886 three brothers, Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson, fount the Johnson & Johnson company in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Today, the company employs approximately 128,700 people with more than 275 operating companies in more than 60 countries. The worldwide hea dquarters remains in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The company prides itself in caring for everyone in the world, they feel this inspires and unites the people who work there. Johnson & Johnson is the world’s sixth largest consumer healthy company, the world’s largest and most diverse medical device and diagnostic company, the world’s fifth largest biologics company and the world’s eighth largest pharmaceutical company. These companies together touch the lives of more than a billion people throughout the world every single day. This company, without a doubt, knows what diversity is. Their product line in itself is so diverse that I would say that diversity is what this company was built on and continues to grow from. They offer health care products that go from taking care of a skin blemish or a headache, to beautifying your hair and teeth products, to products used for metastatic breast cancer, hip placements and coronary stents, to prescription drug products treating everything from migraines to cancer a nd serious infections. According to  the company website, diversity is described as follows, â€Å"People and values are our greatest assets. Diversity is a central part of the cultures across the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. It’s a key to our people’s passion for improving the health and well-being of people the world over. Further, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is deeply rooted in the values instilled by Our Credo and is exemplified in a number of our companies’ programs and activities. We recognize that differences in age, race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, physical ability, thinking style and background bring richness to our work environments. Such differences help us connect better with the health needs of people in communities around the world. We believe that attracting, developing and retaining a base of employees that reflects the diversity of our customers is essential to our success. We also believe success hinges on relationships with diverse professional and patient organizations, civic groups and suppliers†. (jnj.com) In addition, Johnson and Johnson offers mentoring programs and leadership development programs to ensure personal professional growth. During my research I found that Johnson & Johnson has supporting affinity groups that has strengthened the impact of diversity not only within the organization, but in the community as well. Some of these groups include the Community of Asian Associates at Johnson and Johnson, South Asian Professional Network and Association, Gay and Lesbian Organization for Business and Leadership, Women’s Leadership Initiative, African-American Leadership Council and Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Achievement. These groups are just the tip of the iceberg as far as diversity for Johnson & Johnson. A key executive, Anthony P. Carter is Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion, as well as Chief Divers ity Officer for Johnson and Johnson. In an article from Diversity Global Magazine, Mr. Carter was named a 2013 Diversity Executive of Distinction. The article stated that Mr. Carter’s focus on developing cutting edge Diversity and Inclusion programs and strategies is successful because it is aligned with the company’s strategic business objective. As I researched deeper into the company’s responsibility to its customers, employees, communities and shareholders I found that Johnson & Johnson’s respect towards these groups of people who keep the company alive is supported by Anthony’s implementation and design of an inclusive global organizational system, as  well as Diversity and Inclusion incentives. He has further developed opportunities for Johnson and Johnson to maximize their diversity. He oversees an office that implements programs such as Crossing the Finish Line, which is a career acceleration program for people of color. Programs such as these are crucial in developing world-class diverse leaders. An interesting quote by Anthony P. Carter sums up his role nicely, â€Å"Diversity and inclusion describe how we can work together to bring innovative ideas, products and services together to advance the health, well-being and the quality of life of those we serve.† (Diversity Global) In the article Harnessing Diversity to Affect the Bottom Line by Ron Dory, it was noted that one of Carter’s best practices in relation to diversity is the use of ERGs (Employee Resource Groups), which have brought in new markets and impacted the company’s growth in a positive way. Johnson and Johnson prides itself in it’s membership in the Billion Dollar Roundtable, an elite group of companies that spend a billion dollars annually on women owned and minority owned suppliers. Johnson & Johnson’s use of Employee Resource Groups or ERGs as an organization where people who share a culture or background, for example gender, ethnic, religion or age, can meet to rejoice within their culture or address issues in relation. ERGs are often chartered organizations and have volunteer leaders and business plans that are in alignment with the organizations goals and bring value to the company. Mr. Carter’s use of ERGs at Johnson & Johnson has allowed everyone to see that they are not the same but different while trying to achieve the same goals and objectives. He has also advised other companies to not move towards being the same or creating an organization where differences are not acknowledged. It appears the ERGs have allowed diversity to take a strong root within Johnson & Johnson. The have led to the company receiving numerous awards as leaders in diversity. As an example, Johnson and Johnson continue to develop world-class leaders. In September 2013, The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) announced this year’s Corporate Advocate of the Year, and the award went to Johnson and Johnson’s Chief Procurement Officer for Medical Devices/Supplier Diversity, Ruben Taborda. The president and CEO of USHCC stated, â€Å"Ruben Taborda is a visionary leader who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering business relationships between minority-owned enterprises and corporate America. Mr.  Taborda is a true role model, leading by example, committed to providing concrete growth opportunities for Hispanic businesses throughout the nation.† (Global Newswire) Ruben Taborda is just another example of the success Johnson & Johnson has had implementing diversity programs throughout their company. Just from my audit I have seen their success with women, Hispanics and many other minority situations. They truly believe in what they stand for and what they are trying to accomplish in the diversity arena. In retrospect, even though Johnson and Johnson has an impeccable reputation regarding diversity, even to the point that the company thrives from the immense diversity, it is always on the top of the list of the best places work and was one of Divers ity Incs. Top Companies for Diversity, problems arise sometimes when employees or perspective employees do not see it the same way. Examples of this come in the form of lawsuits against the company for discrimination. One case in particular, Francine Parham, vice president of human resources was always bothered that there was a lack of minorities in the high positions within the company. She filed a lawsuit claiming that she did not receive a promotion because she is African-American and was then fired for speaking out against â€Å"a corporate culture of discrimination† (Gordon). Perham stated that in the lawsuit that she was told by her supervisor that he envisioned a promotion for her within the next twelve months and that she never got the promotion because that position was eliminated and that she was not qualified for a higher position even though she had excellent performance review. Perham also alleged that less qualified white men and women were promoted to higher positions and she believes this was because she is black. She also pointed out the lack of diversity at the top. Johnson and Johnson’s responded, â€Å"We have a deeply established commitment to diversity and incl usion in the workplace and deny the allegations in this case†(Gordon). There were two other cases, one in which an African American and one a Hispanic, filed similar lawsuits, accusing Johnson and Johnson of paying them lower wages and denying promotions to people of color. After ten years, that case was dismissed. Despite the fact that five of the highest-paid executives at Johnson and Johnson are white, four of them being men, and ten of the twelve directors are white with no women of color on the board, Calvert Investments still rated Johnson and Johnson’s diversity an 85 out of 100. They have an  abundance of internal minority groups and minority recruitment outreach efforts, they are a strategic partner of Minority Business Round Table and they sponsor scholarships for minority students. (Gordon) I believe that companies such as Johnson and Johnson, with such outstanding reviews regarding diversity, and notable for their roles in diversity, are sometimes an easy target for people who are looking for lawsuit settlements. Reverse discrimination plays a large part in this process. It is very easy for a person, especially one of a protected class, to claim discrimination, especially against mega companies such as Johnson and Johnson. These people know that the company would not want their reputation tainted so they make false claims to try and get whatever they can from the company. So the five highest paying executive in Johnson and Johnson may be white, but they also may be the most qualified, they may have worked the hardest to get to that point and they may be the most dedicated thereby deserving every dollar they earn. In my own experience, in managing a small local business, it is the qualified, hard-working, dedicated and reliable employee that will be promoted, no matter what the race, gender, religion, etc. According to Global Dynamics Inc., â€Å"leading healthcare provider, Johnson and Johnson has been rated, by Diversity Inc. Magazine as the #1 company for promoting diversity and inclusion in the U.S. Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) are regarded as critical factors in making Johnson and Johnson one of the â€Å"best places to work† in the U.S†. Although Johnson and Johnson met some challenges when they wanted to expand its Diversity and Inclusion initiative globally, they succeeded in meeting those challenges and the initiative was a success. Town hall meetings led by local leaders and web-based training reached several countries within the regions, live video conferences and live international video meetings were introduced and became groundbreaking for Johnson and Johnson. This resulted in improved employee morale, productivity and communication. (Global-Dynamics) In conclusion, my diversity audit of Johnson and Johnson showed they are a major player in the diversity arena. They have diverse employees, market their products to diverse groups and have initiatives in place to expand lead their company diversity even further in the future. An article in the NY Times sums it well by stating, â€Å"Johnson and Johnson’s achievements in diversity, in concept and in practice, succeed in bringing value to all those  con stituents† (Forsythe). Johnson & Johnson is a company that is focused on building their brand by building superior products and understanding the importance of diversity in achieving success in the global marketplace. They have made diversity an integral part of their processes including procurement, supply chain, product development, information management, sales and marketing, and community service. My audit research of Johnson & Johnson showed they are a worldwide leader in all of the above and they make a concerted effort to lead other companies in the same direction. Having all the initiatives and being part of outside organizations that push diversity allows them to exert pressure necessary to achieve diversity in the workplace throughout the world. The NY Times article also quoted Marjorie Geller, Vice President of Recruiting as saying â€Å"There’s no question about it, our commitment to diversity has a powerful impact on our recruitment and our talent-development processes, as well as the products we offer to customers. We try very hard to assure that our diverse culture translates into value for our customers, our employees, our communities and our stockholders† (Forsythe). The following is the Diversity and Inclusion Programs and Activities from the Johnson and Johnson Website: Throughout our companies, a wealth of programs and activities support our belief that a diverse, inclusive culture is essential to business success. Following is a sampling of these activities. Employee Resource Groups Employee resource groups are voluntary, employee-driven groups that focus on shared interests and experiences and look to apply those perspectives to initiatives that create value for the enterprise. These groups provide support, networking as well as personal and professional enrichment opportunities for their members such as mentoring, community outreach, supplier diversity, career development and cultural awareness activities. Mentoring Programs Mentoring is widely offered throughout the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies as formal or informal programs. We look to expand learning opportunities and support development of a diverse workforce by making these  nurturing relationships available to an ever increasing number of employees across the enterprise. In the spring of 2010, Johnson & Johnson introduced a custom, web-enabled mentoring service called Mentoring Works! that contributes to the Global Diversity & Inclusion strategic objective of building a culture of inclusion. Mentoring Works! is an enabler for talent development, employee engagement, and effective knowledge transfer as it makes it easier for people to connect, network and learn from each other. Diversity University Recognizing that education is essential to learning about the benefits of diversity and inclusion, we have established the Johnson & Johnson Diversity University. Diversity University is a dynamic online website designed to help employees build the competencies and the skills needed to understand and value differences and the benefits of working collaboratively to meet our Credo commitments and business goals. Diversity University includes a variety of guides, toolkits and resources for self-guided learning; a strong elearning curriculum that includes Diversity & Inclusion Fundamentals, Building Trusting Relationships in a Global and Diverse Environment, and Leveraging Diverse Thinking Styles: The Whole Brain ® Advantage; as well as links to other interactive portals providing cross-cultural education and skill building exercises. Office of Diversity & Inclusion The Office of Diversity & Inclusion was formed as a functional group within Johnson & Johnson to drive diversity & inclusion as a business imperative and to ensure a competitive advantage. The Chief Diversity Officer reports directly to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson. The team serves as business catalysts, executing a global diversity strategy that enables Johnson & Johnson to win in the global marketplace. (JNJ.com) Also of interest is the following web address which shows the details of Johnson and Johnsons Diversity and Inclusion Business Model: http://www.jnj.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Global%2BDI%2BCall%2BOut.pdf References: Diversity Global. Retrieved from: http://www.diversityglobal.com/tops.aspx?id=Anthony-P-Carter-1449 Dory, R. Harnessing Diversity to Affect the Bottom Line. Epoch Times (Oct 10, 2013). Retrieved from: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/313845-harnessing-diversity-to-affect-the-bottom-line/ Forsythe, J. (2005) Leading With Diversity. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/marketing/jobmarket/diversity/jandj.html Global-Dynamics (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.global-dynamics.com/johnson-johnson Globe Newswire (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/09/25/575887/10049970/en/USHCC-Honors-Ruben-Taborda-of-Johnson-Johnson-with-Corporate-Advocate-of-the-Year-Award.html Gordon, C. Fired Johnson & Johnson Exec Claims ‘Culture Of Discrimination (July 2013) Retrieved from: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/07/15/fired-johnson-and-johnson-discrimination/[->0] JNJ.com (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.jnj.com/about-jnj/diversity [->0] – http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/07/15/fired-johnson-and-johnson-

My First Day In The US Essay

As I remember it, the first day that I came to U.S. was June 26, 2006. My first day in U.S. was both exciting and upsetting, I was exciting about was seeing my mom for the first time over a year, the upsetting part is I had to leave my good memories in my hometown. I had to left all of that behind friends, family and schools. However, life moves on, things need to be done. When I got out of the terminal in LAX, I saw the smile on my mother’s face that was the happiest smile I hadn’t seen in a long time. She waved at me and she was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. As we were walking towards the car in the parking lot, she asked me â€Å"how do you feel, are you happy to be here?† Then I answered â€Å"the weather is pretty good and the people seem nice.† As we headed to dinner from LAX, I noticed there are a lot of open roads in California that are well taken care of, and people tend to drive a lot faster here in California than in China. I said to my mom, â€Å"The roads here seems to be in better condition then in China.† My mom answered â€Å"Well, yes, the road construction in the United States has a higher quality than China, however, it takes more time to complete Highways here. Normally, in the United States it takes around 4-5 years to build a bridge. In China, as you know, it only take one year or two years tops, which that might be the reason why the roads here are a better quality than in China.† As we went along, I also noticed California drivers tend to be more aggressive than Chinese drivers, often changing lanes without using their turn signals. Californians also tend to drive a lot faster than those in China, might be because the roads are in better conditions. It only took us about an hour to the restaurant where we had dinner. It was called â€Å"The Hat†, in Victoria Gardens. I noticed along the road parking patterns in the United States are much more regulated. People in China park either way and either direction on the road, while people in United States park based on the direction of the road (i.e. if someone is driving on the right side of the road they just park on the right side of the curb). Inside the diner, we ordered a pastrami dip sandwich, and a tuna sandwich. They were both was tasty. The chili cheese fries were enormous. We didn’t even finish it all, but I loved â€Å"The Hat† from that moment on. However, as we waiting for the food, I saw on the menu, almost all the food is stylized around individual servings. Such as steak sandwich , french fries, pastrami dip sandwiches and soups. They are all served as separate courses (appetizers, main course, etc). Back in China, in my mind, I thought all of the food from every â€Å"individual† course is served together. As we were eating, I looked at the kitchen where they are making sandwiches, it seems that the kitchens of American style food are more peaceful. People tend to buy only things like lumps of fish that can’t be distinguished from other fish without a label or crabs that may have already been boiled. All you have to do is put them into the oven or the pan and cook them. In China, however, the kitchens seem very violent and active. All of the chicken, duck and fish are freshly cut in the kitchen. The kitchen is full of glimmering kitchen knives. I feel as if it is like a battle field. The atmosphere of American and Chinese food differ greatly. A lot of good American restaurants are generally built in beautiful scenic or metropolitan areas, so I sometimes feel as if American food is about â€Å"Eating the scenery† rather than â€Å"Enjoying the taste†. Time flies, I have been in the U.S. for more than six years. There are some more things that I didn’t notice on the first day I arrived in California. There are many cultural differences between the U.S. and China. In China, one of them is people think about ideas in a collective sense, often considering how their actions will affect their friends and families. Chinese people tend to collaborate before making a decision. Decisions are made for the greater good as opposed to personal choice. In America, prioritizing individual goals and motives over the group is considered the norm. The number one reason I came to U.S. was because my mother wanted me to. I had to leave all my friends and family behind. It was the hardest decision that I ever had to make because I didn’t want to disappoint my mother. Students in California are not as stressful as the students in China. There are be many actives available in California, because of more freedom to young people then would be in China. At last, to be in the U.S. is just like a new adventure, I learned many things that I could never learn in China. I met a lot of interesting people that I probably could never have met if I am still in China. Overall, looking back to the first day, I was like a country’s boy that just came into the city.