Ethics Auditing Essay Example

Ethics Auditing Essay Example Ethics Auditing Paper Ethics Auditing Paper Ethics Auditing: Identify the benefits and limits of ethics auditing. Is there a strategic role that ethics auditing may play in a company? Ethics Auditing By definition, an ethics audit is a â€Å"systematic evaluation of an organization’s ethics program and/or performance to determine its effectiveness. † (1) This concept of ethics auditing is fairly new and few companies have conducted an ethics audit. However, performing such audits will likely become more mainstream as recent legislation encourages greater ethical accountability for companies to demonstrate they are abiding by the law and have established programs to improve their ethical decision making. The U. S. Sentencing Commission (the â€Å"Commission) has amended the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations (â€Å"FSGO†) whereby an effective compliance and ethics program must â€Å"exercise due diligence to prevent, detect, and report criminal conduct and otherwise promote an organizational culture that encourages ethical conduct and a commitment to compliance with all applicable law. (2) The Commission noted there are seven minimum requirements of an effective ethics program: (1) Standards and procedures to prevent and detect criminal conduct; (2) Responsibility at all levels of the program, together with adequate program resources and authority for its managers; (3) Due diligence in hiring and assigning personnel to positions with substantial authority; (4) Communicating standards and procedures, including a specific requirement for training at all levels; (5) Monitoring, auditing, and non-retaliatory internal guidance/reporting systems, including periodic evaluation of program effectiveness; (6) Promotion and enforcement of compliance and ethical conduct; and (7) Taking reasonable steps to respond appropriately and prevent further misconduct upon detecting a violation. These requirements should be addressed through the ethics audit. Framework for an Ethics Audit In addition to the requirements noted by the Commission, there are many different questions that can be addressed by an ethics audit. How broad should the audit be? How often should the audit be performed? How will the company communicate the results with its constituencies? As each company has unique needs, each ethics audit should be unique. An example of a framework for an ethics audit is detailed below(4). Companies can adapt this framework to their own needs and circumstances. Step 1: Secure Commitment of Top Managers and Board of Directors As noted in the class slides, â€Å"a corporation only acts through those who act for it and it is the latter who must assume responsibility for the corporation. † (3) Essentially, management and the board of directors are responsible for the direction of a corporation. If there is no commitment from the top levels of a corporation, it is very unlikely that an audit would be successful. Step 2: Establish a Committee to Oversee the Ethics Audit The committee should consist of members who are knowledgeable about ethics auditing and come from various departments. In most cases, companies may not have internal employees that have the skill set to serve on an ethics audit committee. In such circumstances, external consultants, such as the Ethics Resource Center, can be used to assist with the audit. Step 3: Define the Scope of the Audit Process As mentioned above, each organization is unique and therefore, the scope of an ethics audit will differ from company to company. The committee should establish a scope based on the company’s risks and how those risks will be addressed. The committee should then monitor the progress of the audit based on the scope defined. Step 4: Review Organizational Mission, Values, Goals and Policies and Define Ethical Priorities In this step, the committee should examine and review all of the company’s policies, procedures and practices related to any areas defined in the scope of the audit process. All of these items may or may not be stated in the company’s mission statement. In some cases, the committee may find areas where policies need to be established and procedures updated. An effective ethics audit should review all these areas and assess their strengths and weaknesses. Step 5: Collect and Analyze Relevant Information This step is the where the majority of the audit work will take place. The committee should review internal and external documents and more importantly, gather employee, customer and stakeholder feedback through surveys. As employees are the key to carrying out an effective ethics program and to successful business operations, gathering and understanding their feedback is crucial. Customer and stakeholder perception of the company is also critical, so collecting their thoughts and opinions will help to create and maintain customer satisfaction and uphold stakeholder expectations. Step 6: Verify the Results The results collected in Step 5 should then be verified by an independent source. The independent assessment will verify the quality, accuracy and completeness of the audit. Having a third party verify this information will also offer an extra layer of assurance to external constituents. Step 7: Report the Findings The final step of the process is to report the findings to management and the board of directors through an ethics audit report. The report should outline all six steps discussed above and identify what the committee discovered throughout the process. In some cases, the findings may be more meaningful if combined with some benchmarking of similar companies in the industry. Such benchmarking is available through the OCEG Benchmarking Study that discusses best practices across industries. Benefits of Ethics Audits There are many reasons companies go through the process detailed above and perform an ethics audit. In some cases, management may simply want to comply with the FSGO or the board of directors may encourage compliance with these guidelines. From a business perspective, the auditing process can highlight trends, improve organizational learning and facilitate communication and working relationships (5). Internally, companies are able to assess their current policies and possibly find ways to increase efficiency in its operations. Additionally, the buzz word in the business world today is â€Å"transparency†. An ethics audit is one way to provide employees, customers and stakeholders with greater transparency. Many constituents have become wary of verbal assurances from companies. An ethics audit is verified by a third party and thus, seems to carry more weight than internal communication from management. Limits of Ethics Audits While the benefits of performing an ethics audit may be many, there are also some limitations. Many people interchange the words â€Å"ethics† and â€Å"integrity†. How do you measure the integrity or ethics of an organization? It is certainly not as easy to measure integrity as it is to measure financial performance. Financial performance can be quantified while integrity and ethics are the subjective aspects of a company’s culture. Models such as Six Sigma, the Balanced Scorecard and the Triple Bottom Line have been developed to capture structural and behavioral organizational ethical performance (6). However, these models likely will involve external consultants, which can prove to be costly to an organization. Additionally, ethics audits could uncover an issue that, when reported, could hurt employee, customer or stakeholder relations. This could also lead to public scrutiny. Strategic Role of Ethics Auditing Ethics auditing can be an important piece of the strategic direction of a company. The ethics audit can prove to be a useful management tool in helping a company to identify important initiatives and improvements. By identifying such initiatives, companies can prioritize its resources to focus on such ideas. The ethics audit can also help companies to fulfill their mission statements and identify areas where improvement of operating practices may be needed. In summary, and perhaps most importantly, the auditing process can demonstrate the positive impact of ethical conduct and convince constituents of the value of adapting more ethical and socially responsible business practices (7). Reference Page Cited Materials: (1) Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, Eighth Edition, p. 243 (2) Ethics Resource Center, FSGO, Part 2 Article: thics. org/resource/fsgo-series-part-2 (3) Corporate Governance Social Responsibility Class Slides, 9/26/2011 (4) Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, Eighth Edition, p. 252 (5) Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, Eighth Edition, p. 245 (6) Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, Eighth Edition, p. 248 (7) Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, Eighth Edition, p. 265

I Love You in German - German Phrases of Love

I Love You in German - German Phrases of Love He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me!...So youre in love. Or perhaps you just like someone. Anyhow, however your heart beats, here youll find phrases that all relate to I love you in German. If you want to leave an everlasting impression I have a suggestion for you at the end of this article. So, stay tuned. You Like Him/Her (All phrases mean â€Å"I like you.†) Ich mag dich. Ich hab dich gern. Du gefllst mir. You Like Him/Her a lot (All phrases mean â€Å"I like you a lot.†) Ich mag dich sehr. Ich hab dich lieb.Ich hab dich mehr als gern†¦Du gefllst mir sehr. You Love Him/Her Ich liebe dich: I love you.Ich liebe dich mit ganzem Herzen: I love you with all my heart.Ohne dich kann ich nicht leben: I can’t live without you.Ich bin verrà ¼ckt nach dir:  I’m crazy over you.Ich liebe dich, nur dich alleine:  I love you, only you.Ich bin in dich verliebt: I’m in love with you. When You Miss Him/Her Ich vermisse dich. Du fehlst mir.Ich habe so Sehnsucht nach dir: I ache for you so terribly.Ich verzehr mich nach dir: I yearn for you. After You’ve Done Something Stupid Bitte verzeih mir,...:  Please forgive me†¦Ich meinte es nicht so/ Es war nicht so gemeint: I didn’t mean it in that way.Ich war so ein Dummkopf: I was acting stupid.Kannst du mir vergeben?: Can you forgive me?Ich werde es nie mehr tun: I will never do it again. Asking Someone on a Date Mà ¶chtest du mit mir ins Kino gehen?  Would you like to go to the movies with me?Bist du heute Abend frei?  Are you free this evening?Bist du morgen Abend beschftigt? Are you busy tomorrow night?Kann ich dich wieder sehen?  Can I see you again?Wann kann ich dich wieder sehen? When can I see you again? Complimenting Him/Her Du siehst schà ¶n aus:  You look nice.Du siehst wunderbar aus: You look wonderful.Du bist heiß/ Du siehst so heiß aus!  You are hot/You look hot!Du siehst ja reizend aus!  You look so charming! Valentine and Love Phrases Tausend Kà ¼sse zum Valentinstag!  A thousand kisses for Valentines day!Ich wà ¼nsche dir einen wunderschà ¶nen Valentinstag!  I wish you a wonderful Valentines day!Du bist nicht nur an diesem Tag, sondern jeden Tag in meinen Gedanken:  You are not only on this day, but every day in my thoughts.Ich liebe dich wie nichts auf dieser Welt: I love you like none else in this world.Du machst mich so glà ¼cklich! You make me so happy!Ich liebe dich bis in alle Ewigkeit: I love you for all eternity.Ich liebe dich, mein Valentin/Valentinsschatz: I love you my Valentine/Valentine treasure. Some Familiar Expressions About Love Die Liebe ist alles: Love makes the world go round.Die Liebe macht blind:  Love is blind.Die Liebe wchst mit der Entfernung:  Absence makes the heart grow fonder.Die Liebe geht durch den Magen:  The way to a mans heart is through his stomach. Soll ich dich einem Sommertag vergleichen?  Shall I compare thee to a summers day?Er ist wie du so lieblich nicht und lind.*Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Shakespeare A Wonderful LoveSsong In case you prefer to sing about your feelings I have some inspiration for you in form of Bodo Wartke, a charming and gifted German entertainer  and you should certainly check out the other songs in the recommendations below.

A Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Business Plan - Essay Example Following is the list of elements required for the business plan Executive summary is one of the most important segments of any business plan. It will give the brief idea of the company’s business, background and expectations from the particular group. This creates interest for the investor to read further. It should be carefully written. This is written to give an idea about the market and the company operating in. The background of the company should include information like when company started, product or services it offers, its customer base, the growth it’s experiencing and current performance. Apart from company specific information it should also include the information regarding the market and industry it’s operating in. The market can be new developing or developed. The competition and the position of the company within that market give an idea to the investors about the overall position of the company and validity of its growth projections. The clarity of vision can be supportive to attract investors. Vision gives the overall picture of the opportunity existing and how company will be growing with that opportunity. It is supported by the financials and other non financial factors. This section discusses the about the opportunity existing in the market and the roadmap through which company will be operating to earn the profits. This will include planning for various functions of the company i.e. operations, marketing, human resource management and financial management. In this segment the financial strategy should be described. The capital budgeting, break even analysis, operating cost, fixed and variable cost, projection of profits, investment requirement, cash flow and balance sheets. The financial projections will give the bank or investor an opportunity to understand the financial planning and its coherence with the overall strategy. The organization structure includes the organization chart, brief

Line Management, Culture, Resoursce based view Case Study

Line Management, Culture, Resoursce based view - Case Study Example Line management is crucial in recruitments that are done in organizations. Procedure that are applied in line management have enabled following of norms in recruitment from analysis of jobs, advertisement of vacancies available based on job specifications and job requirements, resumes collection, conduction of written and verbal interviews and selection methods used in choosing the best recruits (Roy, 2007). Human resource management and function is much important aspect that has been applied in line management to achieve goals of organizations. Strategy that has been applied in human resource involves systematically linking of employees with activities of the organization. This has enabled working of employees with focus of achieving organization’s objectives. Analysis that line managers have done in organizations has enabled solving of strategic issues that relates to management of human resources in organizations (Bedward, 2007). Line management have been also used in focusing the integration between management of human resources and objectives and strategies that organizations have. This has contributed to effective management of resources leading to improvements in performance of organizations. Line managers have come to realize that they play an important role in peoples and employees that they manage. Issues that have come out in line management have been fast responded to enabling lack of diversion in objectives and strategies in organization (Lewis, 2006). Line management has enabled proper handling of costs in organization in achieving objectives in the organizations. Organizational cultures in human resource involve behaviors in hiring, training and orienting of employees in an organization. Culture in organizations has been crucial in strong alignment of organizations towards their achievement of goals (Bedward, 2007).

Author’s thesis Essay Example for Free

Author’s thesis Essay 1. Reviewer question: What is the author’s thesis? The author’s thesis revolves around the different ways wherein Carl can maximize his roles and capabilities in the profession he is associated with. Under this process, it requires an active communication of responsibilities and at the same time carefully understanding the planning and implementation process of his objective. This then helps strengthen his department and allows him to grow at the same time. 2. Reviewer question: Is the thesis clearly stated? If not, how would you help the writer restate it? Looking at the article, the thesis statement was not clearly stated within the introduction or beginning of the paper. Though the document was thorough in elaborating on ideas, the reader shall decipher relevant information in order for the main idea to be understood. If I was the writer, I would try to create one to two sentences wherein I will elaborate the central idea of my study and concern. Writer question: List the changes made based on this feedback. Also list those suggestions that were offered but that you did not make, and explain why you did not make the suggestions. Reviewer question: Does the essay’s body stick to the main topic? If not, where does it digress, and how could the writer revise the paper to make it stay more on the main topic? The essay main body does stick to the contention made by the author in the introduction. Though it lacks a clearly stated thesis statement, the succeeding paragraphs offer the readers a clear view of what are the (1) background, (2) prevalent problems, (3) what needs to be done and (4) recommendations for the issue. On the other hand, the writer must take a look at the transition and coherence of the paper. Sometimes there are different paragraphs that do not connect with the overall content and scope of the paper. Writer question: List the changes made based on this feedback. Also list those suggestions that were offered but that you did not make, and explain why you did not make the suggested changes. 4. Reviewer question: Does the paper contain any ambiguously-worded or confusing sentences? Please list them below and offer a suggested revision for each one you identify. The paper also contains several errors that need to be addressed. For example, the first sentence in the introduction seems confusing. The use of the word analysis was phrased incorrectly to address the idea. In here, the word analyze should be used instead. At the same time, under the key problems, the last sentence must also be looked into. The use of the word issues does not coincide with the succeeding phrase in the sentence. Either the word is changed to singular or plural form depending on the writer’s preference. Writer question: List the changes made based on this feedback. Also list those suggestions that were offered but that you did not make, and explain why you did not make the suggested changes. 5. Reviewer question: Which closing strategy did the writer use? Is the closing effective? Why or why not? Offer a revision suggestion for making the closing more effective. The strategy that the writer used revolves around providing a summary of what happened to the case of Carl. Analyzing this, it may prove to be effective on one point however this could have been changed to a more assumptive tone. This is because his case was already pointed out in the beginning and middle part of the paper. The readers already know what the consequences of his actions are and what it can provide to the company. One way to reinforce this study is by outlining in the closing further strategies Carl can do to maximize his potential and responsibilities. At the same time, it can also include new approaches and methods that can justify his position and further his role in addressing the current trends. Writer question: List the changes made based on this feedback. Also list those suggestions that were offered but that you did not make, and explain why you did not make the suggested changes? 6. Reviewer question: Please give the writer feedback regarding the essay’s effect on you. The essay was good in terms of providing information about the case and was able to outline the processes in a coherent manner. However, there needs to be changes in the way the thesis statement is presented, some grammatical considerations and the closing strategy. By trying to do these things, it can have further effect on readers because it can help them learn from the problems experienced by Carl and at the same time, understand the solutions and alternatives that are available in such conflict. Likewise, the use of simple words did help the reader further decipher the information and content and helped that ca cater to further comprehension of the topic. In the end, the writer should seek to address the proposed changes to help further the ideas surrounding the issue. Writer question: List the changes made based on this feedback. Also list those that were offered but that you did not make, and explain why you did not make the suggested changes.

Willa Cathers Death Comes to the Archbishop: A Narrative :: Willa Cathers Death Comes to the Archbishop

Willa Cather's Death Comes to the Archbishop: A Narrative Though many reviewers of Willa Cather's, Death Comes to the Archbishop, had difficulty classifying the book, Cather herself preferred to call it a narrative rather than a novel. I tend to agree with Cather. One definition from Webster's New World College Dictionary defines "narrative" as "a story", which is then defined as, "the telling of a happening or connected series of happenings, whether true or fictitious". A novel on the other hand is defined as having, "a more or less complex plot or pattern of events." Where most books tend to follow certain guidelines as to plot, Cather chooses to take a different route. Trying to create a tale that involves clever plot twists, bizarre characters, a telling climax, and a fitting denouement, would detract from the simple story she is telling. It is the story of two French priests who have been sent to the American Southwest to rejuvenate the Catholic churches in that diocese, during the late 1800's. The southwest, during this time period, was harsh and unhurried, and its indigenous people lived simple, remarkable lives. In keeping with the atmosphere of her story, the book is written almost as though her two main characters are keeping journals. The stories of Bishop Latour and Father Vaillant, who have adopted this rugged lifestyle, are told in little vignettes separated by chapters. Each vignette narrates a meaningful incident in their lives. I find it interesting that each chapter, or vignette, can stand on its own as an independent short story, yet it is woven together to create a tapestry of the Father's lives, with the people they meet and places they go tying it all together. Cather put it best when, in the book, she says, "Observing them thus in repose, in the act of reflection, Father Latour was thinking how each of these men not only had a story, but seemed to have become his story" (182). This type of "narrative" writing gives believability to the people, and a sense of realism to the story.

Leadership Style Essay

According to Reh (2014), a leader is a â€Å"person who has a vision, a drive and a commitment to achieve that vision, and the skills to make it happen† (para. 2). I want to be a leader; however I must understand my leadership style at this moment to understand where I am at, where I want to be, and what I need to do to get there. Raines (2014) states â€Å"your style defines your values and perspective, and being aware of it will aid your communication with those you work with† (para. 1). For the purpose of this paper I have chosen former President Bill Clinton as a leader that I admire. I will analyze his leadership style to identify characteristics and will provide specific examples of leadership qualities that I believe contributed to his success. I will finally examine my leadership style and offer ideas and plans for improving my effectiveness as a leader based on my work with my mentor. Read more:  The person whom I admire Bill Clinton Former President Bill Clinton is a transformational style leader. A transformational leader garners â€Å"trust, respect, and admiration from their followers† (Cherry, 2014, para. 4). President Clinton started his path to great leadership at the age of 13 when he became a comic book entrepreneur (Florida, 2013, para. 1). He learned that he could support himself and that gave him a confidence in himself that stays with him to this day. The qualities that I see in President Clinton that make him an excellent transformational leader is that people really do trust and admire him. When asked to describe his leadership style he states â€Å"explain where we are and  decide where we want to go. Figure out how to get there, get good people and trust them to do the job as long as they’re competent, realistic, and flexible when change is required† (Florida, 2013, para. 10). He also believes that the main skills necessary to motivate a team are â€Å"good listening and the ability to build consensus for action† (Florida, 2013, para. 16). President Clinton is also very charismatic. It has been told that he has the ability to make someone feel like they are the most important person in a room of many when he talks to you. He is a visionary, as seen in his many humanitarian efforts, and has that knack to make you believe in his vision. Personally, when I hear him talk I feel a calming presence, he talks in a language I can understand, and I trust him. One of the best examples of his leadership abilities in play was his ability to work productively with the Republican Party to solve the multi-billion dollar national debt during his term of presidency. It is well known that our current president very rarely has bipartisan support in anything he wants to do. My Leadership Style After reviewing all the leadership style theory’s and discussing this with my mentor it became evident that I am currently considered a participatory leader. WiseGeek (2014) defines participatory leadership as a â€Å"style of leadership that involves all members of a team in identifying essential goals and developing procedures or strategies to reach those goals† (para. 1). This is how I lead, by involving others in the entire process. While this is not a bad type of leadership style, the motive behind why I do these things illuminates a flaw in my leadership abilities. I have the tendency to not have enough confidence in myself to make decisions without a lot of input from others and permission seeking. My mentor used to be my boss and he told me that while I was ultimately one of his best program directors he had ever supervised; my journey to the directorship was exhausting and sometimes a bit frustrating for him. He stated that I would ask questions about every minute detail because I seemed to fear making a mistake. He said that for me to become a leader I need to believe in myself, have confidence that I am capable and I do know what I am  doing. He told me that until I learn to trust myself, I am going to have a difficult time getting others to trust me as a leader. He also told me that I have the capacity to become a transformational leader, which is my goal, but I have to let go of the fear, and allow myself to make mistakes. According to him, mistakes teach valuable lessons, and the way I react to the mistake builds character. My Plan My plan to transform into a transformational leader is to take risks, allow myself to make mistakes, and find the lessons in them. I am going to begin by taking initiative at work and in my personal life. I have historically taken initiative when I knew (for the most part) that things would work out. I can’t always have that luxury of seeing into the future, I just need to believe in myself and my abilities. I also plan to look at failure as an opportunity to start over and do better. I am not shy in asking for help, or asking questions when I am unsure of something. I do need to stop asking questions when I really do know the answer and take accountability for my decisions. I am a very good talker, and I have the ability to make confusing situations seem clear to others. For example, on our learning teams, I am the one that can break down the assignment and make it make sense for others, so it doesn’t seem so overwhelming. I plan to take that same confidence and apply it to all aspects so that I may one day become a leader like former President Bill Clinton. Conclusion In conclusion, President Clinton is a well-known transformational leader and the one I admire the most. He started young believing in himself and it has translated into great success for this man. My goal is to become a transformational leader and while I have traits of a participatory leader, I believe that it is possible to become the leader I aspire to be. I just need to have faith in myself so others will have faith in me. References Florida, R. (2013). President Bill Clinton: Don’t worry about yesterday, embrace tomorrow. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rana-florida/president-bill-clinton-do_b_3697725.html Raines, S. (2014). The advantages of knowing your leadership style. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-knowing-leadership-style-18924.html Reh, F. J. (2014). What is a leader. Retrieved from http://management.about.com/od/leadership/a/whatisaleader.htm WiseGeek.org. (2014). What is participative leadership?. Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-participative-leadership.htm