Evaluate a classic study in psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evaluate a classic study in psychology - Essay Example Classic studies have been conducted to reveal the reason for the variations in accuracy of numerical detail regarding an event, particularly if it is tragic in nature like an accident. Interestingly, the variations observed in the different accounts seem to be dependent on some factors which influence the narrators’ judgment. In this study, one of such factors has been discussed to demonstrate the extent of influence by variables on the recalling of details resulting in reconstruction. According to Gruber and Goschke (2004), human cognition processes incorporating language and memory are complex behavioural and functional processes. In the findings, the authors reported that the human working memory can be divided into two systems distinguished from each other by their neuro-anatomical organization as well as by their evolutionary origin. In this work, it is admissible that the biology of the brain is behind the apparent disconnection between the language and memory of an event. The fact that there exists some division of the brain memory system, as occasioned by the anatomy and evolutionary functionality of the systems acts as a pointer that the human brain is prone to functional disjunctions. Reported details of an incident are therefore subject to the efficiency of the two systems of brain functionality, which evidently have some disconnection. To support this argument, Gruber and Goschke postulated that the two systems relied on different networks; one that su pports and mediates attention while the other mediates language functions. It has been found out that the control of these two systems is done from different centres; one prefrontal parietal and temporal systems dealing with behaviour while the other is controlled by the left hemisphere premotor and parietal region and largely directs language. Language

Exotic animals as pets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Exotic animals as pets - Essay Example Therefore, the issue needs to be demystified once and for all by understanding why the people who keep exotic animals as pets do so. I make out that this subject is fascinating and requires more research, because, there are a considerable number of people who spend their lives with long snakes, big cats, apes, non-human primates, bears, wolves, fish and other dangerous wild animals. These people keep these animals with them as companions, and mostly train them to become accustomed to staying with them. Many people may not understand this. On the other hand, there are people who are totally against the keeping of such exotic animals as pets, citing various dangers such as health concerns, cost issues, safety concerns and ethical concerns among others. They claim that exotic animals are not good pets because everything that they require is special, ranging from maintenance, diet, housing and attention. For this reason, there is a lot to learn concerning the rearing of exotic animals as pets. I have to understand the minds of those who keep exotic animals as pets and know how they manage to do it, or if they fail. I will clearly have to do a lot of research to understand the history of this problem, the history behind rearing exotic animals as pets, and the mindsets of those who rear exotic animals as pets, as well as those who are against the idea. I am researching this issue because, as a veterinary practitioner, I am likely to encounter many cases of clients bringing in exotic animals as pets to be treated and cared for. I am of the strong opinion that the issue should not be ignored, because, more and more people are embracing and keeping exotic animals as pets. People should, therefore, address the issue and know how to handle situations that may come up when rearing exotic animals as pets. The author of this book target veterinary technicians and keepers of exotic pets. The exotic animals that are most likely to be reared and

New Generation Sequencing Technologies: Population Genetics

New Generation Sequencing Technologies: Population Genetics New generation sequencing technologies have the potential to rapidly accelerate population genetics research, allowing scientists to comprehensively understand complex evolutionary histories, as well as functional and ecological biodiversity (Shokralla, et al., 2012; Shendure Hanlee, 2008). Prior to 1977, sequence production involved the handling of toxic chemicals and radio-active isotopes, restricting sequencing to persons of high expertise and speciality (Hunkapiller, 1991; Swerdlow, et al., 1990; Sanger, et al., 1977). In 1977, Fred Sanger and Alan R. Coulson published two methodological papers describing a new form of DNA sequencing technology, which would lead to the method (capillary-based, semi-automated Sanger biochemistry) used almost exclusively in the field, for the next 30 years (Shendure Hanlee, 2008). Sanger sequencing transformed biology. It became a tool for deciphering complete genes and, later, entire genomes. Due to the unprecedented extent at which Sanger techn ology grew, factory-like enterprises, called sequencing centres, were established, housing hundreds of DNA sequencing instruments, operated by cohorts of personnel (Schuster, 2008; Hunkapilla, et al., 1991). Despite the dominance of Sanger sequencing in laboratories, for a number of decades, the technology had and continues to be hampered by inherent limitations in throughput, scalability, speed and resolution (Shendure Hanlee, 2008). To overcome these barriers, an entirely new technology was required, one that democratised the field, putting the technology of comprehensive genetic analysis into the hands of individual investigators, not only major genome research centres (Shendure Hanlee, 2008). The need for new technologies was pushed for by the facilitators of the Human Genome Project (HGP) (Ventor, et al., 2001). The excitement and successful completion of the HGP, by two competing research bodies, lead to collective hunger for more advanced, economical sequencing technologies. Next-generation sequencing (NGS), also known as massively parallel sequencing, was such a technology and has ignited a revolution in genomic science, similar to that seen when Sanger technology was presented in 1977, honing in on the era of ‘post-genomic’ research (Schuster, 2008). The revolutionary nature of NGS technologies first became apparent in 2005, in two separate publications, 454 Life Sciences (Marguiles, et al., 2005) and the Multiplex Polony Sequencing Protocol (Shendure, et al., 2005). The methodology of both research groups resulted in vast reductions in the necessary reaction volume, while dramatically extending the number of sequencing reactions (Schuster, 2008). Despite such advances, in sequencing technology, NGS had a slow uptake in the scientific community, with a number of scientists having reservations. According to Schuster (2008), scientists accustomed to Sanger sequencing, as well as the initial scepticism echoed by funding bodies, resulted in a fear that large financial investments into Sanger-sequencing technologies would not produce returns, due to the technologies becoming obsolete. Other concerns were also raised, regarding the sequencing fidelity, read length, infrastructure cost and the handling of the large data volumes produced by NGS (Zhang, et al., 2011). It was the process of combining ongoing Sanger sequencing projects with NGS technologies that promoted its acceptance, into the scientific community. Once the enormous potential of the technology had been realised, along with new and upcoming biology projects that required sequencing outside of what the current Sanger technology could feasibly produce, the concerns raised by NGS’s early sceptics started to be overlooked. A combination of both first and second generation technologies are now used in sequencing facilities and projects around the world, the implications of which, for the fields of evolutionary biology and population genetics is vast. Researchers now have the ability to observe small changes in ecological community structure that may occur following anthropogenic or natural environmental fluctuations (Hajibabaei, et al., 2011; Leininger, et al., 2006; Hunkapiller, et al., 1991). Such implications of NGS technologies has led to the generation of whole-genome sequence data, for thousands of individuals (Akey Shriver, 2011; Harismendy, et al., 2009). The availability of such data is leading to a better understanding of evolutionary processes, such as descriptions of sex-biased dispersal and mutation rate biases (e.g., Wilson Sayres, M. A., et al., 2011). Furthermore, the ability to sequence the genomes of species, that have been long extinct, is no longer nonsensical, provided the samples from which DNA is to be extracted is still viable (Green, et al., 2010; Reich, et al., 2010). The hope that such projects may help population geneticists better understand the process of extinction, whether anthropomorphically or n aturally induced, may help those endangered species whose current possibility of extinction, in the near future, is high (Akey Shriver, 2011; Miller, et al., 2011). However, despite such ambitious aspirations of population geneticists, one large area of research that remains surprisingly unanswered, within the literature, is the definition of a population or ‘the population concept’ (Waples Gaggiotti, 2006). Given the importance of such a concept, one might expect to find a commonly used definition, one that is applicable to wild species, to determine how many populations exist within a delineated geographic area and the relationships amongst them (Waples Gaggiotti, 2006). However, one does not exist, rather there is evidence that what makes a ‘population’ is based on the research question. NGS technologies are providing population geneticists with the opportunity to flesh out a detailed definition of a population, on the molecular level. For example, Waples Gaggiotti (2006) ask â€Å"How different must molecular units be before individuals can be considered a part of separate populations?† Different criteria can be established and assigned to individuals, in order to determine the answer. The interplay of different evolutionary forces (selection, migration, drift) will favour different species, with different forces being more obvious, at the molecular level, than others. The ability to pose a research question, pertaining to the individuals, within a particular habitat, is now possible due to the ability to sequence numerous samples with NGS technologies. The implications, in population genetics, for a new generation of sequencing technologies, are a greater focus on testing expectations. Such expectations, simultaneously, result in excitement and daunt to those undertaking evolutionary and population genetic research, at present. Excitement exists because fundamental questions, pertaining to the patterns of genetic variation, within and between species, can now be analysed, with new generation sequencing technologies, such as NGS. Although NGS technology may still be in its infancy, the powerful possibility of analysing massive data sets is within reach of the individual and large-scale sequencing facilities alike, at a highly reduced cost. However, the methodological tools and theoretical models needed to interpret such large data sets are equally daunting to both new, and experienced, evolutionary and population geneticists. Despite such present and future challenges, population genetics research is looking promising, thanks to adv ances in NGS adoption and computation. References Akey, J. M. Shriver, M. D. (2011). A grand challenge in evolutionary population genetics: new paradigms for exploring the past and charting the future in the post-genomic era. Frontiers in Genetics 2, 1-2. Green R. E., Krause J., Briggs A. W., Maricic T., Stenzel U., Kircher M., Patterson N., †¦ Pà ¤Ãƒ ¤bo S. (2010). A draft sequence of the Neanderthal genome. Science 328, 710–722. Hajibabaei, M., Shokralla, S., Zhou, X., Singer, G. A. C. Baird, D. J. (2011). Environmental barcoding: a next-generation sequencing approach for biomonitoring applications using river benthos. PLoS ONE 6, e17497. Harismendy, O., Ng, P. C., Strausberg, R. L., Wang, X., Stockwell, T. B., Beeson, K. Y., Schork, N. J., †¦ Frazer, K. A. (2009). Evaluation of next generation sequencing platforms for population targeted sequencing studies. Genome Biology 10 (3), 32-39. Hunkapiller, M. W. (1991). Advances in DNA sequencing technology. Current Opinion in Genetics Development 1 (1), 88-92. Hunkapiller, T., Kaiser, R. J., Koop, B. F. Hood, L. (1991). Large-scale and automated DNA sequence determination. Science 254, 59-67. Leininger, S., Urich, T., Schloter, M., Schwark, L., Qi, J., Nicol, G. W., Prosser, J. I., Schuster, S. C. Schleper, C. (2006). Archaea predominate among ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotes in soils. Nature 442, 806-809. Marguiles, M., Egholm, M., Altman, W. E., Attiya, S., Bader, J. S., Bemben, L. A., †¦ Rothberg, J. M. (2005). Genome sequencing in microfabricated high-density picolitre reators. Nature 437, 376-380. Miller W., Hayes V. M., Ratan A., Petersen D. C., Wittekindt N. E., Miller J., Walenz B., †¦ Schuster S. C. (2011). Genetic diversity and population structure of the endangered marsupial Sarcophilus harrisii (Tasmanian devil). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 108 (30), 12348-12353. Reich D., Green R. E., Kircher M., Krause J., Patterson N., Durand E. Y., Viola B., †¦ Pà ¤Ãƒ ¤bo S. (2010). Genetic history of an archaic hominin group from Denisova Cave in Siberia. Nature 468, 1053–1060. Sanger, F., Air, G. M., Barrell, B. G., Brown, N. L., Coulson, A. R., Fiddes, J. C., Hutchison, C. A. III, Slocombe, P. M. Smith, M. (1977). Nucleotide sequence of bacteriophage phi X174 DNA. Nature 265, 687-695. Schuster, S. C. (2008). Next-generation sequencing transforms today’s biology. Nature Methods 5 (1), 16-18. Shendure, J. Hanlee, J. (2008). Next-generation DNA sequencing. Nature Biotechnology 26 (10), 1135-1145. Shendure, J., Porreca, G.J., Reppas, N. B., Lin, X., McCutcheon, J. P., Rosenbaum, A. M., Wang, M. D., Zhang, K., Mitra, R. D. Church, G. M. (2005). Accurate multiplex polony sequencing of an evolved bacterial genome. Science 309, 1728-1732. Shokralla, S., Spall, J. L., Gibson, J. F. Hajibabaei, M. (2012). Next generation sequencing technologies for environmental DNA research. Molecular Ecology 21, 1794-1805. Swerdlow, H., Wu, S. L., Harke, H. Dovichi, N. J. (1990). Capillary gel electrophoresis for DNA sequencing. Laser-induced fluorescence detection with the sheath flow cuvette. Journal of Chromatography 516, 61-67. Ventor, J. C., Adams, M. D., Myers, E.W., Li, P. W., Mural, R. J., Sutton, G. G., Amanatides, P., †¦, Zhu, X. (2001). The sequence of the human genome. Science 291, 1304-1351. Waples, R. S. Gaggiotti, O. (2006). INVITED REVIEW: What is a population? An empirical evaluation of some genetic methods for identifying the number of gene pools and their degree of connectivity. Molecular Ecology 15 (6), 1419-1439. Wilson Sayres M. A., Venditti C., Pagel M., Makova K. D. (2011). Do variations in substitution rates and male mutation bias correlate with life history traits? A study of 32 mammalian genomes. Evolution 65 (10), 2800-2815. Zhang, J., Chiodini, R., Badr, A. Zhang, G. (2011). The impact of next-generation sequencing on genomics. Journal of Genetics and Genomics 38, 95-109. Influences of Greek Culture: History of the Spartans Influences of Greek Culture: History of the Spartans The Spartans In the summer of 480 B.C a battle took place that would forever change the history of the Greeks and that would eventually influence the way in which the Western world looked at war. The Spartans took their stand against the massive army of Persians in a three day battle which resulted in the Persians taking the win but may have very well led to the Greeks winning the Greco-Persian War. A culmination of strong tactical skill and bravery contributed to the Spartans making a stand much longer and stronger than anybody could have ever predicted. The Persian king Xerxes led his massive army through the narrow mountain pass known as Thermopylae expecting no considerable fight on the part of the Spartans. The Persians bid to conquer Greece was significantly halted because of the Spartan resistance, which was led by Leonidas,followed by a small army of Spartans, amounting to no more than 300. But no matter the size of Spartas fleet, Sparta if not the strongest, was one of the strongest mili tary powers in ancient Greece. And despite them being vastly outnumbered by the Persians at Thermopylae, they did indeed prove their military strength and sophistication which resulted in their near defeat of the Persian army. Greek culture was and still is up to today a heavy influence on the modern cultures of the Western world. It is because of this heavy influence of Greek culture in the western world, the knowledge of their history proves crucial to many aspects of our understanding of our own cultures. This heavy influence on the development of the western world could very easily be the reason that the Battle of Thermopylae and other battles surrounding it, have become of such importance and high level of study. The valiant stand of the Spartans at Thermopylae lead to the Greeks defeat of the Persians in the Greco-Persian war and enabled the further development of a culture from which the western world gains many of its principles and ideas. If the Spartans had not delayed the Persians at Thermopylae there may have been a very different ending to the Greco-Persian war. This being an important observation because the Greco-Persian war played such a crucial role in the history of Greece, a defeat could have resulted in a very different future for the western civilization. The culture of Greece was one that strived for perfection in every sense of the word, but there was a dark side to the culture that so many have grown to praise. This dark side can be seen in the Spartans treatment of the Helots, who were in essence a Greek culture in their own, the Messenia’s, but early on became enslaved by the power Spartans who were in desperate need to acquire more land to deal with the burden of overpopulation. The Spartans held true and easily demonstrated as what is seen as Greece’s inability to incorporate. The poor treatment of the Helots lead them to begin a 30 year revolt, in which the Spartans took twenty years to take control of the situation. Fear of more events like this, is what turned Sparta into the war state that it became. The attempt to suppress the Helots, by the Spartans, in many ways assisted the Spartans in their attempt to defeat the Persians. No longer willing to undergo a similar revolt, the Spartans devoted a considerable a mount of time and energy making certain to prevent all such events. It was because of these efforts that major components of Spartan culture, as we know it today, were all enforced. This can be easily seen in the devotion to physical perfection and warring techniques. And equally as important as their attempt to suppress the Helots was the contribution of the Helots in constructing their armor and warring tools. So despite the overwhelmingly poor treatment of the Helots, they played a crucial role in preparing the Spartans for the challenges to come and in the heat of battle. Even though they may have played an indirect role the affect that had on both the culture and the Battle of Thermopylae itself was indeed direct. The Greeks had a large influence on the development of western world in many respects. Whether it is an influence on science or art, to anyone who has studied Greece in the days of its glory the influences be easily pinpointed. These influences continue into the art of war. As previously stated, war was a constant in Greece so much so that it became imbedded in its very culture. Consequently the way in which war was conducted in ancient Greece has become a portrait of the way in which it should be conducted, and set a standard around the Western world for years to come. Despite war being one of the most immoral, barbaric, and most appalling of all human creations, the Greeks did the impossible, by successfully portraying war as something of beauty, patriotism, freedom and self-sacrifice. Therein lays a reason the significance of the Battle at Thermopylae. That one battle not only captured the spirit of the Greeks, more specifically the Spartans, in three days but became a turning poi nt of the art of war. But the Battle of Thermopylae more importantly defended the very future of the modern world. It was Spartan culture, which in many ways, influenced the Spartans ability to stand against the Persians as long as they did. To overlook the role of Spartan culture in relation to their stand at Thermopylae would be to overlook one of the most influential aspects of the battle. Spartan culture was one of great complexity having many intricate characteristics, which adapted to the situations that they held witness to. Spartans were people of extreme patriotic pride and military prowess, who sought perfection in every form. But equal to their patriotism was their oppressive tactics towards their captives. Spartans weren’t people who believed in the concept of freedom. The Spartans for several centuries, while in Laconia and Messenia, exercised a ruthless enslavement of other native Greeks, whose land they conquered. Sparta was a military aristocracy, who wasn’t a military state for the sake of being a military state. In many respects Sparta’s army, parallel to no t other, was created and maintained for the sole purpose of suppressing the Helots. In theory it was because of Sparta’s ‘inability to incorporate’ that lead to their standing army. Sparta’s military achievements are, no doubt, the most impressive of all their possible accomplishments. By the middle of the sixth century Sparta was already considered the strongest military force in Greece. Despite the brute strength the of the Spartan army, the Spartan were still worried that a revolt from their underclass (the Helots)would cripple their advancement as a society. â€Å"The Helot underclass were always threatening to rise up in significant numbers against their masters. So, at the beginning of each new civil year Sparta’s chief elected officials, the board of five ephors (overseers, supervisors), formally declared war on them. If any Helots did choose to rebel, they might then be killed with impunity†¦.† The awareness of a possible revolt kept the Spartans military forces extremely strong. This tension between the Spartans and Helots, strongly prepared the military forces for both the expected and unexpected, a beneficial trait which played to their advantage at the Battle of Thermopylae. Another trait that played to their advantage was the educational system of Sparta. The agoge was instated into Spartan culture to both develop the physical and mental maturity of all Spartan boys and was a requirement for all Spartan males.

Post World War Two Immigrants :: history

Post World War Two Immigrants During World War Two Australians finally realised just how vulnerable they were to enemy attacks. The reality of this possibility hit home hard when the Japanese attacked Darwin and when Japanese midget subs penetrated Sydney harbour. We now realised that our island was not an impenetrable fortress. They government also realised that our country was dangerously under-populated. The fact was that we had too much space and only 7 million people living in it which once again made us very vulnerable to attack. The government realised something must be done. In 1947, during a historical speech made by the minister for immigration, Arthur Augustus Calwell announced that Australia was opening its doors to European immigrants, preferably British. Refugees and immigrants from all over Europe rushed to apply for visas. While many different cultures migrated to Australia the two we are going to focus on are the Italians and the British. At the conclusion of the war Italian soldiers and POW’s returned to a destroyed Italy. The only thing worse than the immense destruction was the human suffering. The displaced Italians sought refuge in communal camps while dreaming of escape to countries such as Canada, the USA and Australia. Italy had been looking for an overseas country that would accept its unemployed, homeless Italians and when Australia opened her doors to them Italy’s President encouraged his people to â€Å"learn a foreign language and emigrate†. Meanwhile the Britain was also in ruins and although they had won the war, it had come at a big loss. Luckily though for the British, Australia was very keen for British refugees to make up a large part of Australia’s refugee take-in. In Arthur Augustus Calwell’s initial speech he said, â€Å"It is my hope that for every foreign migrant there will be ten people from the United Kingdom.† So from the start it was obvious that 'White Australia' was the cornerstone of the immigration policy. Australia established schemes to attract immigrants from post war Britain and they created Australian Citizenship in 1948 so that ‘Australians’ were no longer British subjects. Meanwhile, much stronger and stricter restrictions were imposed against the Italians. They were only permitted to immigrate if they already had close family already resident in Australia. The Italians suffered because they were not a priority group. The British had been given assistance and had been allowed to bring their families with them into Australia.

Psychology as a science Essay

In this subject, Psychology will help you understand yourself and others. You will gain insight about why people behave the way they do, presented from a biological, behavioral, social and clinical perspective. We will explore the inner workings of the brain. It will help you to learn how to apply what you learn to yourself and your environment. Psychology is a science because it is systematic and empirical, and it is dependent on measurement. Behavior means activities that can be observed objectively, such as the reactions of the muscles and the glands, as well as the organized patterns of responses as a whole. It also includes internal processes such as thinking, feeling and other reactions which cannot be directly observed but can be inferred from external behavior. Behavior may be classified as overt or covert and intrinsic or extrinsic behavior. In this subject, Psychology will help you understand yourself and others. You will gain insight about why people behave the way they do, presented from a biological, behavioral, social and clinical perspective. We will explore the inner workings of the brain. It will help you to learn how to apply what you learn to yourself and your environment. Psychology is a science because it is systematic and empirical, and it is dependent on measurement.  Behavior means activities that can be observed objectively, such as the reactions of the muscles and the glands, as well as the organized patterns of responses as a whole. It also includes internal processes such as thinking, feeling and other reactions which cannot be directly observed but can be inferred from external behavior. Behavior may be classified as overt or covert and intrinsic or extrinsic behavior. In this subject, Psychology will help you understand yourself and others. You will gain insight about why people behave the way they do, presented from a biological, behavioral, social and clinical perspective. We will explore the inner workings of the brain. It will help you to learn how to apply what you learn to yourself and your environment.

How CSR is your company Essay

What is Corporate Social Responsibility? Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulated system that companies use to ensure that their operations are in line with ethical standards, the law and the norms of society. CSR aids companies in taking responsibility for their actions and â€Å"encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere (WIKIPEDIA, 2012)† The company that has been selected for analysis is Burberry. Burberry was established in 1856 by Thomas Burberry and is now an ‘internationally recognised luxury brand with a worldwide distribution network (Burberry PLC, 2012)’. They have 473 stores worldwide and employ approximately 6,681 people. This company claims that they are in compliance with CSR and have on their website listed the ways in which they achieve this. â€Å"One of Burberry’s five strategic themes is pursuing operational excellence. Operational excellence in CR has five key areas of focus: * Healthy business partnerships: based on shared values and high ethical standards * Excellent products and service: quality, craftsmanship, heritage and service standards * Environmental excellence: operating efficiently with minimum waste and maximum control * Excellence in people management: attracting and retaining talented employees * Contributing to society: investing and engaging in the communities where Burberry operates (Burberry, 2011)’ Employee diversity When it comes to employment, it is important for a company to be extremely diverse and offer equal opportunities. Not only are they required to do this by law (under acts such as the Equality Act 2010), but they should also choose to be diverse. A company that chooses to be diverse is well respected by societies in which they operate, and will find that increasing numbers people/other companies are seeking them out to work for/with them. In the long run, embracing equality & diversity could also benefit the company as it will enable them to gain new ideas and look at things from a different perspective. Burberry claims that they are a diverse company when it comes to employment and says that their diverse work force strengthens and drives their success as a luxury brand. The brand now ‘employs nationals of 95 countries across all continents’ (Burberry PLC, 2011). They state that gender equality is promoted within the organisation and equal opportunities are offered at every level of employment. Health, safety and well being Organisations need to genuinely care about the health and safeties of those who are working for them because once they are on their premises the employees become their responsibility. Procedures should be put into place to ensure that the working environment is safe and comfortable enough for their employees to operate in. In order to provide safe and healthy working conditions for their employees and third party contractors, the company sate that they use third party auditors in its locations all of the world to ensure that standards are being met. Stores and offices are said to be audited once every 3 years, and distribution & manufacturing sites annually. In 2010/11, a well-being programme was launched within the company designed to ‘encourage staff to lead healthier lifestyles (IBID, 2011)’. According to the company’s research, the numbers of sick days were reduced by roughly 0.8% per employee. Operating responsibility There has been much controversy around the world in regards to workers in places in third world countries being exploited by companies who simply want cheap labour and have no regards for those producing their products or merely fail to have procedures in place that ensure that these workers are not being treated any differently to for instance a factory worker in the United Kingdom. Burberry believes that ‘to be a great brand u need to be a great company (IBID, 2011)’. They are members of the UN global impact and use its ten principles to guide their CSR activities. The company have a committee of 16 which is solely dedicated to CSR. In the years 2010/11 three meetings were held. â€Å"Burberry believes that its products should be made only in factories that comply with local labour and environmental laws and by workers who work fair but not excessive hours, are provided with a safe, hygienic work environment, and who can exercise their right to freedom of association as well as collective bargaining (IBID, 2011)†. The group have an Ethical Trading Policy, under which clear rules/expectations are said to be set concerning the management of labour standards. Burberry added four new policies to the existing rules that cover bribery and corruption, foreign contract labour, unauthorised sub-contracting and animal welfare. The CRS team deliver training to suppliers where they are made aware of the company’s trading expectations, management systems and counsel on transparency standards for sub-contractors. Stake holder engagement Corporate responsibility should not just be practised with the walls of the organisation. Companies should aim to work together and encourage one and other to do what is morally right and socially acceptable in order to better the supply chain process. By working together, it will increase the chances of change occurring. â€Å"Burberry understands that it cannot solve supply chain labour issues alone and maintains an open dialogue with suppliers, other brands, NGOs and trade unions to bring collective action to bear across the supply chain† The organisation joined the Ethical Trading initiative in June 2010. Ethical trade define the ETI as being â€Å"a sound breaking alliance of companies and trade unions†¦that work in partnership to improve the lives of poor and vulnerable workers across the globe who make or grow consumer goods (2010) Fur When discussing what is ethical and socially acceptable, it is not only human beings that should be discussed. Animal cruelty is a big issue in the especially within high end fashion industry as many of them implement real animal fur and skin into their products. It is a matter of opinion as to whether or not animal fur should be used, however if a company do decided to utilise it, then it should be executed in the most ethical way possible. Burberry openly admits to using real animal fur in the designs. However they state that they only source animal fur from furriers that uphold high standards when it comes to the ethical treatment of animals & share the company’s concerns regarding animal welfare. Helping the environment Global warming is a major concern within the world today. People are being encouraged to reduce their carbon footprints whether it is by taking a greener form of transportation or using less electricity. Organisations more than anyone should be making big changes to the ways in which they operate, as through their production and distribution channels emit more carbon emissions than a normal household. Although it may cost them more money, or even lengthen the time frame of certain processes and procedures, it is an important factor that cannot be overlooked. Recycling is also very important and companies must learn to utilise all of their resources to the fullest. When it comes to trying to assist in sustaining the environment, Burberry’s website make a number of claims as to what they actively do to make a difference. They state that they are dedicated to finding new and innovative ways to reduce their carbon footprint and throughout their global operation. Their performance report for the years 2010/11 is as follows; â€Å"Energy: * Committed to purchasing solar energy to power our distribution centre in Vineland, USA * Inductive motor optimisation panels were trialled in all UK manufacturing sites to reduce energy consumption Business travel: * Due in part to executing the Group’s under-penetrated markets strategy, air travel for UK employees increased by 52% per  £1,000 of turnover Waste: * There was a renewed focus on diverting waste from landfill. In Horseferry House there was a 54% increase in waste recycled during the year * The closed loop textile recycling system launched in the UK last year has been expanded to Europe. Since April 2010, Burberry’s recycling partner has converted over 130 tonnes of sample and raw material waste into car door insulation Logistics transport emissions: * An unprecedented rise in sales coupled with the shift from seasonal to monthly deliveries impacted the Group’s ability to ship goods by sea. To address this, a number of key initiatives have been introduced, including centralised logistics decision making, shortening of critical path and increasing strategic raw materials pre-buys in order to accommodate sea transportation lead times. (Burberry PLC, 2011)† Charity work Giving back the community is an extremely huge part of CSR as it helps to build relationships between the organisation and the community in which it operates. Burberry has its own foundation which came into establishment in 2008. This foundation aims to help young and disadvantaged people with reaching their full potential and realising & accomplishing their dreams. The company encourage their employees to dedicate up to four hours of paid leave per month to help and support the foundation. They provide the youths with one-to-one mentoring, and weekly help with school homework. * â€Å"In 2010/11 over 25% of employees located in cities where the Foundation is active offered their personal talents and business skills to help disadvantaged young people work towards realising their full potential. In total, over 3,700 hours or 490 working days were dedicated to volunteering (IBID, 2011)†. Is Burberry as ethical as it portrays itself to be? Burberry makes a large number of claims on its website in regards to how seriously they take Corporate Social responsibility. However not all companies that present themselves to be good and ethical practice what they advertise. Carelessness and/or neglect can lead to a company’s image being tarnished, even if they have had a good reputation in the past. There have been a number of incidents where Burberry has been seen not to be fulfilling their Corporate Social Responsibility. In 2007, it was exposed that a Chinese factory that manufactured Burberry goods were mistreating members of staff (Appendix 1). Staff were working long hours, with no unions and earning approximately  £15 per week. â€Å"Workers at Tai Yi Sheng Fashion factory, just across the border from Hong Kong in Guangdong province, claim they work 12-hour shifts through the night, in breach of even China’s lax labour laws (The Mirror, 2007)†. In China the law states that no worker should work more than eleven hours per day, however staff claimed that over time is a regular thing and that â€Å"8pm to 8am and Saturday is a full working day(IBID, 2007)†. The Mirror reported that not only were the factory workers working over-time with very little payment, but they were also being docked large sums money from their monthly wage if any mistakes were made. As many of the staff were migrants, they lived in shared accommodation provided by the factory, with up to eight people in one room. Although the factory did not belong to Burberry and was not responsible for manufacturing solely Burberry goods, the company still should have made efforts to inspect the production on a regular basis as the supplier is indirectly representing them. As time has gone by, the company have increased the number of visits made to factories (Appendix 2). In 2008, there were 314 CR visits to factories, 2009 saw 487 visits and in 2010 637; which is approximately a 51% increase within the space of two years. The company have also provided all their supplier’s factories with worker hotlines where they can whistle blow on any unethical activities that may be occurring. This shows that they have responded to incidents such as these and are aspiring to be more ethical. Burberry has also been given a number of awards and recognition for various aspects of Corporate Social responsibility. * In 2010 they were awarded the Female FTSE 100 Award which is given to a company that has the most women on their board. In the same year Burberry were awarded the FTSE Executive Women Award. To earn this award you are required to employ the most female executives in the FTSE 100. â€Å"Thirty-seven companies have multiple women directors, but one quarter of all boards in the FTSE 100 still have no women at all†¦ 43% of their [Burberry] boards are women(BitcDiversity, 2010)† * The company again in 2010 were awarded The Carbon Trust Award. This award recognises a company’s efforts in reducing carbon emissions and it also provides proof to the public that they are committed to making a change. Competitors * Primark On Primark’s website, they state that they take their Corporate Responsibility seriously when it comes to their employees, supporting the community and packaging and waste regulations. The company, just like Burberry are part of the Ethical Trading Initiative which to an extent does provide evidence that they practice good ethics. This is an improvement for them as in 2005, the company came under fire after evidence of them using child labour and exploiting workers in India came to light. In regards to recycling, the company in 2008 recycled ‘8863 tonnes of cardboard and 1194 tonnes of polythene packaging (MRW 2010)’. Primark are yet to win any awards in relation to being eco-friendly and ethical. * Louis Vuitton Following research it is clear that Louis Vuitton strives to be an ethical organisation and is very concerned about the environment. In 2009 the company donated 15% of all sales made through their online store to The Climate Project. â€Å"The company now favours transport of products by ship, far more environmentally friendly than transport by air (as of today, 60% of all leather goods are transported by ship) (Purseblog, 2009)† However, just like their competitor, Louis Vuitton is fond of implementing animal furs and skins into their designs. Recommendations * Burberry should publish all of their emissions in greater detail as they do not provide insufficient information on the emissions that come from their operations. Carbon emissions are based on air travel and global building energy; however all of the figures that Burberry provides are based on their turnover. The company have not made clear its future goals when it comes to reducing carbon emissions within the supply chain and have not shown the public their total carbon footprint. * Remove fur from their production Although Burberry does state that they only deal with furriers that are ethical, there is still great concern around the fact that even some of the higher end furriers are not using ethical procedures and are ignoring animal welfare laws. If Burberry were to completely remove fur from their products it would greatly increase how it is perceived ethically. Other designer brands have taken the plunge in banning fur from their product lines such as Polo Ralph Lauren and Ann Taylor. Alternative materials should be sourced to replace the fur. * Eco friendly factories By winning a Carbon Trust Award, it shows that Burberry is moving forward when it comes to trying to help the environment, yet there is still more than can be done. Eco-friendly factories can help to pave the way to bettering the environment. In an eco-friendly factory, renewable energy can be used such as solar panels. It may not be able to run the whole factory however it will reduce the amount of electricity that is utilised. The factories will incorporate; * Eco-friendly bricks * Plants around the factory as this will create a cooler microclimate * Natural lighting indoors for the staff, via sunroofs * Open their own factories Burberry claim that the majority of their products are made in Europe, however for the remaining locations around the world, the company should open their own factories. This will better enable them to keep an eye on operations and to ensure that workers are being allowed to exercise their rights. When leaving the production in the hands of another organisation, it is very likely that they will operate as they please and could eventually tarnish the brand’s reputation. * Currently, Burberry is using too much air freight. To be greener they should look into using ships to transport their products and materials. Conclusion In conclusion, Burberry is a company that has been able to fulfil their Corporate and Social Responsibility to the fullest. They have been able to react quickly to any areas within the organisation that they may have intentionally or unintentionally overlooked in the past and put regulations in place to ensure that those things do not re-occur in the future. Corporate Social responsibility is not about simply ‘portraying’ the organisation in a good light, it is about going above and beyond away from the eyes of the public and trying to make genuine change. BIBLIOGRAPHY BITCDIVERSITY. (2010). Burberry. 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