Free Essays on Watergate

A major issue at the beginning of Nixon’s second term became known as the Watergate scandal. Agents hired by the Committee for the Re-Election of the President broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate apartment-office complex in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1972. They had penetrated the files and installed listening devices. Early in 1973 the agents were convicted of burglary and political espionage. The Senate held hearings to investigate allegations of attempts by high White House officials to cover up administration involvement in the case. President Nixon repeatedly denied that anyone in his administration was involved in the break-in. However, several of Nixon’s closest advisers did resign. When it was revealed that White House conversations and telephone calls had been recorded, Congress subpoenaed the tapes, but Nixon refused to release any of the White House recordings claiming â€Å"executive privilege.† Meanwhil e, the House Judiciary Committee began an inquiry into whether he had committed impeachable offenses. On April 30, 1974, Nixon released some edited transcripts of White House conversations that he felt would reassure the public of his innocence regarding the Watergate break-in and cover-up. Instead he lost many of his supporters. The Supreme Court ruled that Nixon must surrender the additional White House tapes sought by the special Watergate prosecutor as evidence in criminal proceedings. Three of these recordings documented Nixon’s personal order to cover up the Watergate break-in. With their release, Nixon admitted the evidence was â€Å"at variance† with earlier statements. The House Judiciary Committee had already voted in late July to recommend Nixon’s impeachment. With Congressional support destroyed, Nixon chose resignation over impeachment. On Aug. 8, 1974, Nixon appeared on television to resign the presidency, and the next day Vice-President Ford became p... Free Essays on Watergate Free Essays on Watergate Watergate was a designation of a major U.S. scandal that began with the burglary and wiretapping of the Democratic party's headquarters, later engulfed President Richard M. Nixon and many of his supporters in a variety of illegal acts and culminated in the first resignation of a U.S. president. The burglary was committed on June 17, 1972, by five men who were caught in the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate apartment and office complex in Washington D.C. Their arrest eventually uncovered a White House-sponsered plan of espionage against political opponents and a trail of complicity that led to many of the highest officials in the land, including former U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell, White House Counsel John Dean, White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, White House Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs John Ehrlichman, and President Nixon himself. On April 30, 1973, nearly a year after the burglary and arrest and following a grand jury investigation of the burglary, Nixon accepted the resignation of Haldeman and Ehrlichman and announced the dismissal of Dean U.S. Attorney General Richard Kleindienst resigned as well. The new attorney general, Elliot Richardson, appointed a special prosecutor, Harvard Law School profesor Archibald Cox, to conduct a full-scale investigation of the Watergate break-in. In May of 1973, the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Activities opened hearings, with Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina as chairman. A series of startling revelations followed. Dean testified that Mitchell had ordered the break-in and that a major attempt was under way to hide White House involvement. He claimed that the president had authorized payments to the burglars to keep them quiet. The Nixon administration immediately denied this assertion. The testimony of White House aide Alexander Butterfield unlocked the entire investigation pertaining to White House tapes. On July 16, 1973, Butterfield t... Free Essays on WaterGate A major issue at the beginning of Nixon’s second term became known as the Watergate scandal. Agents hired by the Committee for the Re-Election of the President broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate apartment-office complex in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1972. They had penetrated the files and installed listening devices. Early in 1973 the agents were convicted of burglary and political espionage. The Senate held hearings to investigate allegations of attempts by high White House officials to cover up administration involvement in the case. President Nixon repeatedly denied that anyone in his administration was involved in the break-in. However, several of Nixon’s closest advisers did resign. When it was revealed that White House conversations and telephone calls had been recorded, Congress subpoenaed the tapes, but Nixon refused to release any of the White House recordings claiming â€Å"executive privilege.† Meanwhil e, the House Judiciary Committee began an inquiry into whether he had committed impeachable offenses. On April 30, 1974, Nixon released some edited transcripts of White House conversations that he felt would reassure the public of his innocence regarding the Watergate break-in and cover-up. Instead he lost many of his supporters. The Supreme Court ruled that Nixon must surrender the additional White House tapes sought by the special Watergate prosecutor as evidence in criminal proceedings. Three of these recordings documented Nixon’s personal order to cover up the Watergate break-in. With their release, Nixon admitted the evidence was â€Å"at variance† with earlier statements. The House Judiciary Committee had already voted in late July to recommend Nixon’s impeachment. With Congressional support destroyed, Nixon chose resignation over impeachment. On Aug. 8, 1974, Nixon appeared on television to resign the presidency, and the next day Vice-President Ford became p... Free Essays on Watergate Kutler’s Watergate Watergate was a site of major scandal in the U.S. It involved burglary, wiretapping of the Democratic Party’s headquarters. The President and many of his trusted men were targets of investigation. Water gate led to the first ever resignation of a President. The burglary was committed on June 17, 1972, by five men who were caught in the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate apartment and office complex in Washington D.C. Their arrest eventually uncovered a White House sponsored plan of espionage against political opponents. This conspiracy involved many of the highest officials in the land, including former U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell, White House Counsel John Dean, and White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, White House Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs John Ehrlichman, and President Nixon. On April 30, 1973, a year after the burglary and arrest and following a grand jury investigation of the burglary, Nixon accepted the resignation of Haldeman and Ehrlichman and U.S. Attorney General Richard Kleindienst and announced the dismissal of Dean, The new attorney general, Elliot Richardson, appointed a special prosecutor, Law School professor Archibald Cox from Harvard Law, to conduct a full investigat ion of the Watergate breakin. In May of 1973, the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Activities opened hearings, headed by Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina as chairman. A series of startling revelations followed. John Dean said is his opening statement, that he had discussed the cover-up with President Nixon in several meetings. At the first meeting, in September 1972, he told the president how he and other members of the White House had handled the cover-up so far. Dean claimed that in another important meeting with Nixon, on March 21, 1973, the president agreed $1million should be raised to silence the burglars. However Dean said that he dealt with the presid... Free Essays on Watergate watergate scandal George McGovern, the Democratic presidential nominee the year of 1973, called it ''the mother of all White House scandals.'' Watergate was in fact the name of the biggest political scandal in United States history. It involved illegal activities such as burglary, wire-tapping and espionage. All designed to help Richard Milhous Nixon to win re-election in 1972 But, instead it resulted in the resignation of president Nixon. On June 17, 1972 five men were caught breaking into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. The headquarters were in a large apartment building complex called Watergate. The men had intended to photograph documents and to place wire taps on the telephones. The group’s leader was James McCord who was on the committee to reelect the President and was also handling Nixon’s campaign. Papers found in the pocket of one of the burglars led to White House staff members. Which meant that there were more people involved then just the original seven. The cover-up started to begin. The Nixon administration hid and shredded any and all documents, which could lead to any, connected between the white house and the burglars. Weeks later the seven Watergate defendants were indicted and were paid money for their silence. Throughout 1972 little was said about the Watergate scandal. A poll showed that most Americans had not even heard of it. In November, Nixon was overwhelming reelected and in 1973 the trial of Watergate seven was held. All defendants pleaded guilty or were convicted and it seemed as if the whole mess was over. Then on March 23, 1973 Judge John Si... Free Essays on Watergate The term Watergate became known as a scandalous series of events that ended Richard Nixon’s presidency and threatened the foundations of American government. In preparation for the 1972 election, Nixon was determined to win an overwhelming mandate for a second term. To protect Nixon at all costs from anything that might weaken his position, he made what is called the â€Å"enemies list. â€Å" This was a list developed by a special council that listed names of prominent people unsympathetic to the administration. It included politicians such as Senator Edward Kennedy, members of the media such as reporter Daniel Schorr, and a number of outspoken performers including comedian Dick Gregory and actors Jane Fonda and Steve McQueen. Aides then considered how to harass these White House â€Å"enemies.† One idea was to arrange income tax investigations of people on the list. Despite his dedication to a domestic policy of law and order, Nixon was sometimes willing to take illegal actions more serious than the activities the were meant to control. Then the White House organized its own unit - nicknamed the Plumbers - to stop government security leaks. The group included E. Howard Hunt, a spy novelist and former CIA agent, and G. Gordon Liddy, once an FBI agent. This intelligent branch mastered outstanding plans such as an elaborate scheme of wiretapping. They planned to tap top Democrats to try to compromise them at their convention. They decided it would be to expensive and risky but they finally approved of the tapping of the phones at Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate apartment complex in Washington, D.C. The first break-in to install illegal listening devices failed. A second attempt, on the night of June 16... Free Essays on Watergate The Watergate Scandal By: Sandy Bratchet The Watergate Scandal Richard Nixon was the thirty-seventh President of the United States of America from 1969 until 1974. Nixon completed his first term as President in 1973 and was re-elected for the position for the next four years. However, Nixon would have his time in the White House cut short by the series of events that occurred in the twenty-six months that followed the Watergate burglary. On June 17, 1972 five men, one White House employee and four Cubans, broke into the Watergate Office Building in Washington, DC in an attempt to bug the Democratic National Committee (DNC) office. The break in and the events that took place afterwards led to the resignation of Richard Milhous Nixon on August 8, 1974. The morning of June 18, Nixon was at his home in Key Biscayne, FL. when he read a headline about the Watergate break in. The idea was out of this world and Nixon did not believe what he was reading. Nixon dismissed the story as a political prank (Nixon 625-626). James McCord , Bernard Barker, Virgilo Gonzalez, Eugenio Martinez, and Frank Sturgis had been arrested charged with second-degree burglary by the Washington police. McCord, a former CIA officer, was employed by the Committee to Re-elect the President (CRP) as a security consultant. Ironically McCord was supposed to prevent the very things he was doing to the DNC. Nixon telephoned Charles Colson, a special counsel to President Nixon, that evening to discuss the Watergate break in. Colson said, â€Å"he was so furious.......he threw an ashtray across the room and was outraged that anybody even remotely connected with the campaign would have anything to do with a thing like Watergate.† Nixon did not understand why anyone would try to bug the DNC, because no useful information could be rendered from anything recorded there. What started out as a prank in the eyes of President Nixon had now become a possible issue in the re-electi... Free Essays on Watergate The Watergate Scandal involved a number of illegal activities that were designed to help President Richard Nixon win re-election. The scandal involved burglary, wiretapping, campaign financing violations, and the use of government agencies to harm political opponents. A major part of the scandal was also the cover-up of all these illegal actions. â€Å"Watergate, however, differed from most previous political scandals because personal greed apparently did not play an important role. Instead Watergate attacked one of the chief features of Democracy – free and open elections† (Worldbook 1). The Watergate Scandal got its name from the Watergate Complex in Washington D.C. This large office building was the home of the Democratic National Headquarters, and the site of the break-in that began the largest scandal in American Politics. However, even before the break-in, President Nixon had begun illegal operations. President Nixon had created a special investigation unit to prevent the leaking of confidential documents to the public. He did this after a number of Defense Department papers were released to the public concerning President Nixon’s paranoia over the public’s criticism of his Vietnam War policies (Owens 1). The â€Å"Plumbers†, as they were nicknamed, were headed by two of Nixon’s top aides, G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt. In order to prevent all information leaks, the â€Å"Plumbers† investigated the private lives of Nixon’s political enemies and critics. The White House rationalized the actions of the plumbers by saying that they were protecting National Security. The actual Watergate Scandal began on June 17, 1972, with the arrest of five men for breaking into the Democratic Party’s National Headquarters located in the Watergate Complex in Washington D.C. The five men were part of the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP). They were attempting to fix a broken phone tap that they had installed ab... Free Essays on Watergate "The Watergate Complex is a series of modern buildings with balconies that looks like filed down Shark's Teeth" (Gold, 1). Located on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. it contains many hotel rooms and offices. What happened in the complex on June 17, 1972 early in the morning became a very historical event for our nation that no one will ever forget. The "Watergate Scandal and constitutional crisis that began on June 17, 1972 with the arrest of five burglars who broke into the Democratic National Committee (DMC) headquarters at the Watergate office building in Washington D.C. It ended with the registration of President Richard M. Nixon on August 9, 1974. (Watergate) At approximately 2:30 in the morning of June 17, 1972 five men were arrested at the Watergate Complex. The police seized a walkie talkie, 40 rolls of unexposed film, two 35 millimeter cameras, lock picks, pensized teargas guns, and bugging devices. (Gold, 75) These five men and two co-plotters were indicated in Septem ber 1972 on charges of burglary, conspiracy and wire tapping. Four months later they were convicted and sentenced to prison terms by District Court Judge John J. Sercia was convinced that relevant details had not been unveiled during the trial and offered leniency in exchanged for further information. As it became increasingly evident that the Watergate burglars were tied closely to the Central Intelligence Agency and the Committee to re-elect the president. (Watergate) Four of these men, that were arrested on the morning of June 17, 1972, came from Miami, Florida. They were Bernard L. Barker, Frank A. Sturgis, Virgillio R. Gonzalez, and Eugenio R. Martinez. The other man was from Rockville, Maryland named James W. McCord, Jr. The two co-plotters were G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt. (Watergate) The senate established and investigative committee headed by Senate Sam Ervin, Jr., to look into the growing scandal. As they were investigating, they related tha...

Ecology In and Around a Dead Tree

Ecology In and Around a Dead Tree The small image included with this article is an old dead tree snag on my rural property in Alabama. It is a photo of the remains of an old water oak that lived grandly for over 100 years. The tree finally succumbed to its environment and completely died of old age about 3 years ago. Still, its size and rate of deterioration suggest that the tree will be around and influencing my property for a long time yet - and for that I am pleased. What Is a Dead Tree Snag? Tree snag is a term used in forestry and forest ecology which refers to a standing, dead or dying tree. That dead tree will, over time, lose its top and will drop most of the smaller branches while creating a debris field underneath. As more time goes by, maybe as long as several decades, the tree will slowly be reduced in size and height while creating a viable ecosystem in and underneath the decomposing and falling biomass. A tree snags persistence depends on two factors - the size of the stem and the durability of the wood of the species concerned. The snags of some large conifers, such as coast redwood on the Pacific Coast of North America and the largest cedars and cypress of U.S. coastal south, can remain intact for 100 years or more, becoming progressively shorter with age. Other tree snags of species with rapidly weathering and decaying wood - like pine, birch, and hackberry - will break up and collapse in less than five years. A Tree Snags Value So, when a tree dies it still has not completely satisfied its ecological potential and the future ecological value it provides. Even in death, a tree continues to play multiple roles as it influences surrounding organisms. Certainly, the impact of the individual dead or dying tree gradually diminishes as it weathers and further decomposes. But even with decomposition, the woody structure may remain for centuries and influence habitat conditions for millennia (especially as a wetland snag). Even in death, my Alabama tree continues to have a tremendous influence on the microecology in, around, and under its decomposing trunk and branches. This particular tree provides nesting for a significant squirrel population and raccoons and is often called a den tree. Its branching limbs provide a rookery for egrets and perches for hunting birds like hawks and kingfishers. The dead bark nurtures insects that attract and feed woodpeckers and other carnivorous, insect-loving birds. The fallen limbs create understory cover and food for quail and turkey underneath the falling canopy. Decaying trees, as well as fallen logs, may actually be creating and influencing more organisms than a living tree. In addition to creating a habitat for decomposer organisms, dead trees provide critical habitat for sheltering and feeding a variety of animal species. Snags and logs also provide habitat for plants of higher orders by creating habitat provided by nurse logs. These nurse logs provide the perfect seedbed for tree seedlings in some tree species. In forest ecosystems such as the alluvial Sitka spruce-western hemlock forests of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, almost all tree reproduction is confined to rotten wood seedbeds. How Trees Die Sometimes a tree will die very quickly by a devastating insect outbreak or from the virulent disease. More frequently, however, a trees death is caused by a complex and slow process with multiple contributing factors and causes. These multiple causal concerns are typically categorized and labeled as abiotic or biotic. Abiotic causes of tree mortality include environmental stresses like flooding, drought, heat, low temperatures, ice storms, and excess sunlight. Abiotic stress is particularly associated with the death of tree seedlings. Pollutant stresses (e.g., acid precipitation, ozone, and acid-forming oxides of nitrogen and sulfur) and wildfire are usually included in the abiotic category but can significantly impact older trees. Biotic causes of eventual tree death can result from plant competition. Losing the competitive battle for light, nutrients or water will limit photosynthesis and result in tree starvation. Any defoliation, be it from insects, animals or disease can have the same long-term effect. Declines in the vigor of a tree from periods of starvation, insect and disease infestations and abiotic stresses can have a cumulative effect that eventually causes mortality.

Task-based Instructions in Interactive Communication Research Paper

Task-based Instructions in Interactive Communication - Research Paper Example Task-based Instructions in Interactive Communication In this system, the teacher gives an assignment that has to be done practically in the field by the students, using the second language, being taught. The students take up the assignments and have to make a choice regarding the setting where they would like to perform their tasks on. Students may choose to talk to the customer care mobile operator, interview a doctor, talk to a government official, talk to members of staff who are adept in communicating in that particular language taken by the student or rather a fellow student who is conversant in communicating in that language. Since the operation is student centered, the students undertake it and file a report on the task. This extends to the presentation of the tasks in class. The teacher then has the responsibility to analyze and give a score in conjunction to the student’s work. This poses major challenges in administration by the teachers, honesty in the part of the student and sentimental trade-offs. The task-based instruction learning system is coupled with several quandaries. It involves focus on the utilization of a given target second language by students. Such assignments include communicating with different people. Assessments of performance ids analyzed from the perspective of the outcome of the assignment as disputed to the expertise or accuracy of the student in that particular language.... The problems begin from this point. Since this method of learning is more students centered and has minimal supervision by the teachers, the students may decide not to advance their vocabulary and explore the language with proficiency. They might limit themselves to simple, elementary vocabulary that is not advancing their proficiency in the second language being studied. Other students may seek to rely on the others working. Another challenge is that of time shortage. Students may run out of time in the practical tasks extending to failure. If not properly organized, the practical task may prove to be confusing and cumbersome in terms of the size of the student body being analyzed. Limited resources and confidence by the students can be a major trade off. Significance of the Problem The quandaries, outlines above are significant in such a way that they affect the task based instructional kind of education to students who take a particular language as the second language. This poses a major debate on whether the system of education is up to standard. However, research will definitely aid in the explanation of the problem and various ways of dealing with its outcome, as well as prospecting the major ways of solving this query. The system of education, as mentioned above, has various disadvantages and poses an immense challenge to those applying it in education. These challenges ought to be addressed and put into profound consideration. The issue also has a streak of advantage as it helps students to push harder and avoid imminent victimization, which may be quite challenging to detach oneself from. The research also looks into different analyses by former and present writers in a way that the

Psychological Testing and Assessment Selection Paper Research

Psychological Testing and Assessment Selection - Research Paper Example An expectancy table provides an indication or prediction of the possibility that the scores of a person taking test will lie within interval on the measuring criterion that qualify categorization as failing, passing or acceptable. For instance, an expectancy table applied in experimental test on personnel in an employment setting may show that the higher the score of a worker on a new test is a prelude that the worker may be gain approval as successful. Commonly used expectancy tables include Naylor-Shine tables and Taylor-Russell tables (Cohen, Swerdlik & Sturman, 2013). Decision theory and test utility are another combination or resources that can help a counselor select a psychological test or assessment. Decision theory provides guidelines for setting cutoff point for particular scores recorded from tests. Another tool that counselors can use in selecting a psychological test or assessment is the Brogden-Cronbach-Glaser formula (Ployhart & MacKenzie, 2011). This is mostly useful in calculating the amount of dollar of utility retrievable from the use of particular instrument selected under a given condition. A counselor selecting a psychological test for a client needs to consider the four issues that include difficult-index of an item, reliability and validity indices of items and discrimination index. To determine an item’s difficulty index, one has to calculate the proportion of the number of test takers that answered an item in correct way. Usually, a lower case â€Å"p† helps in denoting item difficulty with subscript to show an item’s number. Cohen, Swerdlik and Sturman (2013) educate that the value of item index can range from zero incase everyone failed the item and one incase everyone passed the item. The larger the item difficulty index, the easier is the item, and the smaller the item difficulty index, the tougher the item. Easier items scored by all people and difficult items failed by all test takers are inappropriate

The Impact Sociological Theories Have on Religion Essay -- Sociology

The Impact Sociological Theories Have on Religion Sociological theories are usually constructed from ideas of early sociologist through scientific research in regards to developing a better understanding of how our social world operates. By gaining this type of knowledge, sociologist can better explain (to those who are interested) the social world that we have grown accustom to, as well as make predictions of how the social world will develop and function in the future. Three are three major categories that are classified under sociological theories: functionalist theory, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction theory. All three of these theories are known to have an impact on social institutions such as families, healthcare, religion, education, mass-media, politics, and economics. The primary focus of this research paper is to assess how the three major sociological theories have influence on religion. Functionalism is a structural-consensus perspective that views society as a system (Stevens, 2008). One of the benefits for functionalism is that can be correlated in almost every kind of system, especially a system that is created for the power of integration, socialization, and legitimization for society. Religion is something that provides individuals with particular morals, values, and guidance to venture through life. Religion is an institution that can provide stability for societies through various religious concepts, and is substantial for the support of social cohesion and order. Many functionalist theories of religion, for example, claim that religion functions in such a way as to integrate societies (McCauley, 1984). There are many types of religion that people practice world-wide such as Christianity, Catholi... ...uis, Missouri: McGraw-Hill . Schaub, E. L. (1920, July). A Sociological Theory of Knowledge. The Philosopical Review, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 319-339. Duke University Press on behalf of Philosophical Review. Stevens, W. J. (2008, February 4). Religion: A Functionalist Assessment. Retrieved from Helium.com: http://www.helium.com/items/841304-religion-a-functionalist-assessment Svensson, I. (2007, December). Fighting with Faith: Religion and Conflict Resolution in Civil Wars. The Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 51, No. 6, pp 930-949. Sage Publication, Inc. Wimberley, D. W. (1989, Spring). Religion and Role-Identity: A Structural Symbolic Interactionist Conceptualization of Religiosity. The Sociological Quarterly Vol. 30, No 1. pp 125-142. Blackwell Publishing. Unknown. (n.d.). Retrieved from Forum for Relgion og Identitet: http://identitetogsamfunn.blogspot.com/ The Impact Sociological Theories Have on Religion Essay -- Sociology The Impact Sociological Theories Have on Religion Sociological theories are usually constructed from ideas of early sociologist through scientific research in regards to developing a better understanding of how our social world operates. By gaining this type of knowledge, sociologist can better explain (to those who are interested) the social world that we have grown accustom to, as well as make predictions of how the social world will develop and function in the future. Three are three major categories that are classified under sociological theories: functionalist theory, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction theory. All three of these theories are known to have an impact on social institutions such as families, healthcare, religion, education, mass-media, politics, and economics. The primary focus of this research paper is to assess how the three major sociological theories have influence on religion. Functionalism is a structural-consensus perspective that views society as a system (Stevens, 2008). One of the benefits for functionalism is that can be correlated in almost every kind of system, especially a system that is created for the power of integration, socialization, and legitimization for society. Religion is something that provides individuals with particular morals, values, and guidance to venture through life. Religion is an institution that can provide stability for societies through various religious concepts, and is substantial for the support of social cohesion and order. Many functionalist theories of religion, for example, claim that religion functions in such a way as to integrate societies (McCauley, 1984). There are many types of religion that people practice world-wide such as Christianity, Catholi... ...uis, Missouri: McGraw-Hill . Schaub, E. L. (1920, July). A Sociological Theory of Knowledge. The Philosopical Review, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 319-339. Duke University Press on behalf of Philosophical Review. Stevens, W. J. (2008, February 4). Religion: A Functionalist Assessment. Retrieved from Helium.com: http://www.helium.com/items/841304-religion-a-functionalist-assessment Svensson, I. (2007, December). Fighting with Faith: Religion and Conflict Resolution in Civil Wars. The Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 51, No. 6, pp 930-949. Sage Publication, Inc. Wimberley, D. W. (1989, Spring). Religion and Role-Identity: A Structural Symbolic Interactionist Conceptualization of Religiosity. The Sociological Quarterly Vol. 30, No 1. pp 125-142. Blackwell Publishing. Unknown. (n.d.). Retrieved from Forum for Relgion og Identitet: http://identitetogsamfunn.blogspot.com/

Contemporary Issues in Hospitality & Tourism Essay

Introduction Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has progressively become known as a germane issue in the corporate world for the past decade. Making the world a better place, socially and environmentally, is a global accepted phenomenon. According to Porter & Kramer, 2006, â€Å"corporate social responsibility has emerged as an inescapable priority for business leaders in every country.† The objective of this review is to discuss benefits of CSR on the hotel industry. What is CSR? Corporate social responsibility involves the ethical and non-commercial responsibilities of businesses as they relate to society in general. It is based, on a triple bottom-line approach for companies — people (society), planet (environment) and economic (profit) (Gard McGehee, Wattanakamolchai, Perdue, Onat Calvert, 2009; Kuriakose, 2007; Clark, 2006). Smith posited that CSR implies the need for businesses to contribute to the communities and markets that have made them successful (cited in Gard McGehee et al, 2009, p.417); consequently, companies must consider the wellbeing of society in addition to their concerns for owners, investors and any shareholders. According to Holcomb, Upchurch and Okumus (2007), the value of CSR is in achieving corporate sustainability in order to create long-term shareholder value. This involves exploiting the market’s potential for sustainable product and services, while successfully reducing and avoiding associated cost and risk. The Gap – The Negative Impact of Not Engaging in CSR Porter & Kramer (2006) posit that, â€Å"Frequently, though, CSR efforts are counterproductive, for two reasons. First, they pit business against society, when in reality the two are interdependent. Second, they pressure companies to think of corporate social responsibility in generic ways instead of in the way most appropriate to their individual strategies.† This leads to a three-fold impact on companies not engaging in CSR– bad reputation, lower profits and customer cynicism. Examples of CSR in Hotels The idea of CSR has gained traction within the hospitality industry. Consequently, many hospitality businesses, including Sandals and Starwood Hotels, are developing CSR programs and strategies in an attempt to boost customer loyalty, conserve environments, reduce social problems and contribute to the development of communities. Several initiatives include the adoption of linen exchange programs, the use of environmentally friendly cleaning agents and energy conservation through the installation of energy saving devices (White, 2006). An example is the new eco-friendly Element Starwood Hotels and Resorts that contributes to sustainability through the implementation of the 3Rs practice of reduce, reuse and recycle. The Benefits of CSR to Hotels Companies that practice CSR achieve better reputation, improved brand image, increases in sales, more visible to investors, and increases in customer loyalty. It can also lead to enhanced public relations and benefits. For example, due to LaRosa’s Pizzeria’s contribution to community growth and development, two hundred volunteers, who had benefited from LaRosa’s generosity over the years, came to the aid of LaRosa’s Pizzeria after a fire. The volunteers made up for the short fall that resulted from inadequate insurance, with work and loans and saved the pizzeria from bankruptcy (Detwiler cited in Lynn, 2009 p. 2). Thus, companies deemed good corporate citizen are attractive to new customers and workers, and assist in raising staff morale, and have lower operating expenses. A recent study by a University of Chicago professor published in Management Accounting revealed that companies that are perceived by the public to demonstrate more socially responsible business practices and ethics are likely to perform financially better than those who do not. In 1995, a study conducted by Vanderbilt University found that eight of ten cases of low-polluting companies financially outperformed their dirtier competitors (Brands that do good, 2003; Act responsibly, 2004; Clark, 2006). As such, consumers prefer to do business with companies that have good CSR reputations Recommendation for CSR in Hotels In making decisions, management, should consider environmental outcomes, which limit and/or reduce the impact of operations on the natural environment. Hotel’s management need to implement responsible measures because of high cost associated with electricity consumption for heating/cooling, lighting, cooking, etc., which levies pressure on local resource and increase costs. Thus, the impact on the total cost consumption of a hotel from energy conservation measures is strong and more direct (Kasim, 2006). Consumers are progressively more concerned with how companies make their money and are expecting businesses to engage in responsible activities that will limit, as well as lessen their social, ethical, and environmental impacts on society and the community. White, (2006) cautions that, â€Å"that travel-savvy consumers are more environmentally aware and that having environmental and social programmes in place are a consideration in selecting accommodation.† Furthermore, any CSR program must involve the employees in order to achieve success. White (2006) also points out that, â€Å"It’s not enough for senior management to devise new ways to engage customers, to make these programs work; they must involve employees at all levels. This means ensuring that everyone in the company is informed about CSR policies and practices and are involved in implementing them.† Conclusion Corporate social responsibility means different things to different people. The underlying themes regarding CRS are that it is good and necessary, activities within which businesses participate should not be viewed or undertaken lightly, but rather, serious consideration must be given to how best CSR should be implemented. To be effective and deemed as true corporate citizens, businesses should not only demonstrate CSR during times of economic well being and its practices, during such periods as the current recession, based on measures of adherence. According to Porter & Kramer (2006), if corporations were to analyze their opportunities for social responsibility using the same frameworks that guide their core business choices, they would discover that CSR can be much more than a cost, a constraint, or a charitable deed–it can be a potent source of innovation and competitive advantage.† If hospitality organizations adopt and integrate CSR into their organizational strateg ies, they can facilitate innovativeness, increase and/or improve their organizational competitiveness, while at the same time contributing to solving problems in society that may arise. References Allen, Robin Lee. â€Å"Act responsibly: corporate good deeds help communities and build long-term business. (NRN Editorial).† Nation’s Restaurant News. 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2009 from accessmy library: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286- 13321917_ITM Clark, S. (2006). Corporate social responsibility: A marketing tool for major hotel brands. HSMAI Marketing Review, 23(1), 42-45. Gard McGehee, N., Wattanakamolchai, S., Perdue, R. R., & Onat Calvert, E. (2009). Corporate Social Responsibility Within the U.S. Lodging Industry: an Exploratory Study. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 33(3), 417-437. Hartman, L. P., Rubin, R. S., & Dhanda, K. K. (2007). The communication of corporate social responsibility: United States and European Union multinational corporations. Journal of Business Ethics, 74, 373-389. Holcomb, J. L., Upchurch, R. S., & Okumus, F. (2007). Corporate social responsibility: What are top hotel companies reporting? International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 9(6), 461-475. Kasim, A. (2006). The Need for Business Environmental and Social Responsibility in the Tourism Industry. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 7(1), 1 – 22. Lynn, Christine (2009) Corporate Social Responsibility in the Hospitality Industry. School of Hotel and Restaurant Management Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ Nicolau, J. L. (2008). Corporate Social Responsibility: Worth-Creating activities. Annals of Tourism Research, 35(4), 990-1006. Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2006). Strategy and society: the link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 84(12), 78-92, 163. White, Michelle.†Make sure that you deliver on green promises.† Caterer & Hotelkeeper. 2006. Retrieved September 26, 2009 from accessmylibrary: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20063017_ITM

Critique Of A Literature Review Essay - 807 Words

Assignment 1: Critique of a Literature Review The article, â€Å"Evaluation of the Dogs, Physical Activity, and Walking (Dogs PAW) Intervention†, by Richards, E., Ogata, N., Cheng, C. aim to conduct a longer-term evaluation of the ability of the Dogs, Physical Activity, and Walking (Dogs PAW) intervention to increase dog walking among dog owners. The research problem being addressed explores maintenance of physical activity (PA) behaviour change postintervention and whether changes in behavioral theoretical constructs mediated changes in dog walking behaviour. The literature review is appropriately positioned in the research report and provides support for same. The first few paragraphs of the article discusses the relationship between†¦show more content†¦Under theoretical framework, the literature review explains a good amount on SCT and PA, however, it is lacking in how it relates in particular to dog walking. It is not until the next paragraph that the authors me ntion the relationship between pet walking and specifically pet attachment to be relating to health outcomes that can be measureable such as blood pressure, triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Upon a review of the authors’ sources, I have identified that a majority consisted of primary sources. One of the sources cited, Albert Bandura, provides a good deal of credibility in conjunction with several medical journals such as the Journal of Physical Activity Health and Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Many of the sources are extremely relevant to the topic being discussed which in turn provides the reader with pertinent information. One of the other sources which is from Centers of Disease Control and Prevention backs up this article with data pertaining to body mass index calculation and interpretation and information that defines over-weight and obesity. 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