Do MNEs migrate to green policy only when forced by government regulations Essay Example

Do MNEs migrate to green policy only when forced by government regulations? Essay One of the persistent debates in recent years is whether business corporations should be tightly regulated to conform to environmental preservation standards. Also referred to as the green movement, some corporations have voluntarily proposed and adopted these standards as a way of showing their public responsibility. Critics argue that such moves are largely public relations exercises, with little true intent to preserve the planet. Even if such intent exists, it is incidental to the profitability of business. (Furniss, 2006, p.46) Hence, as of now, there is no consensus as to the nature and scope of governmental regulation. The rest of the essay will present views from both sides of the debate and argue that ultimately a strong regulatory framework is essential if Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) are to take green standards seriously. In looking to answer the topic question, it is useful to peruse sociological scholarship and policy literature on the subject. Conventionally, analyses of the topic have tended to focus on corporate compliance within existing legislations. Here, it is tacitly assumed that complying with regulations by targeted groups is essential and sufficient for meeting goals of social regulation. (Dahl, 2010, p.248) Another assumption is that business enterprises go out of their way and improve their green standards only when they are faced with steep penalties for failing to do so. In this analytic framework, corporations are seen as ‘amoral calculators’ of risk and reward for themselves; and their primary motive is to maximize profits while minimizing losses in the form of penalties. This used to be the traditional view on corporate compliance. Yet, in recent years a refreshingly new pattern of corporate behaviour has started to emerge, giving government agencies and social activis ts renewed hope. (Kagan, et. Al., 2003, p.52) We will write a custom essay sample on Do MNEs migrate to green policy only when forced by government regulations? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Do MNEs migrate to green policy only when forced by government regulations? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Do MNEs migrate to green policy only when forced by government regulations? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer â€Å"It is becoming apparent that an increasing number of companies now perform, to a greater or lesser extent, â€Å"beyond compliance† with existing regulatory requirements. This suggests that the degree of variation in, and the motivations for, corporate behaviour may be much broader than many researchers have imagined previously. This is of practical importance: some existing regulatory strategies, in focusing on compliance, have failed to facilitate, reward, or encourage beyond-compliance behaviour, or even inadvertently discourage it, while other regulatory reformers, in contrast, have argued that government-mandated self-regulation is the key to progress.† (Kagan, et. Al., 2003, p.51) Hence, it could be argued, that MNE’s need not always be pushed by government regulations in order to make their activities clean and green. Scholars such as Samuel Loewenberg, on the other hand, are not quite enthused by the record of major corporations (especially those based in the United States), in upholding green standards. The chemical industry in the United States, which is a major contributor to environmental pollution, has been a culprit in this regard. While the industry got away with its slack quality and safety standards in its home country, it got into controversies upon entry into the European market. The EU, worried that it does not possess health and environmental data on most of the chemical compounds currently in use, is drawing up legislation that â€Å"by 2005 will require the industry to conduct extensive safety tests on 30,000 common chemicals. At least 1,500 are expected to be banned or severely restricted in their use as a result. The industry estimat es that the testing alone will cost it more than $7.5 billion.† (Loewenberg, 2003, p.55) MNE’s based in the United States, whose present safety norms are supported by Washington, continues to put pressure on the EU to loosen up its standards. In Washington, MNEs wielding insider connections and an abundance of campaign funds are used to wooing legislators and regulators. (Vernon, 2010, p.B04) But this tactic does not work in Europe, reflecting a basic difference in the way commerce and public safety are perceived in the two regions. For example, â€Å"Over the last few years, the European Union has put into effect a raft of far-reaching environmental and consumer-protection legislation that would be unimaginable in Washington: a moratorium on genetically modified foods; another on beef treated with growth hormone; a requirement that automakers and electronics manufacturers pick up the tab for disposing of their products in environmentally friendly ways; and a ban on the use of such common electronics manufacturing materials as mercury, lead and brominated flame retardants. It also recently upheld a prohibition on pharmaceutical company advertising and is debating whether to prohibit television commercials directed toward children.† (Shamir, 2004, p.635) Since the United States is home to major MNEs in the world and since its complete access to the EU market is only a matter of time, it makes good sense to make its corporations comply with EU regulations. In the case of the United Kingdom too, which upholds the common environmental preservation ethos of the European Union, there are a few instances of corporate indiscretion. That is, despite an elevated set of regulations to abide by, some businesses do ignore green credentials of their suppliers against government expectations. Take say the area of West Midland. A research by BT Business â€Å"could not find a single small business in the region that took the environmental values of suppliers into account, even though one in five said customers asked them about it†. (Scotney, 2008, p.22) Hence, in conclusion, and on balance, it is better to have comprehensive environmental regulations and strict punitive measures, as opposed to allowing MNE’s freedom in the hope that they self-regulate. Although some companies have successfully implemented green policies, most others operate purely on the profit-motive, putting the future of the planet at dire risk. References Cockburn, A. (1990, February 26). Greens, Gas and Capital. The Nation, 250, 262+. Dahl, R. (2010). Green Washing: Do You Know What You’re Buying?. Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(6), 246+. Wes Vernon, Exposing Dishonesty of the ‘Greens’. (2010, May 26). The Washington Times (Washington, DC), p. B04. Fowler, R. J. (1995). International Environmental Standards for Transnational Corporations. Environmental Law, 25(1), 1-30. Furniss, C. (2006, October). How Green Is Your Business. Geographical, 78, 45+. Kagan, R. A., Gunningham, N., Thornton, D. (2003). Explaining Corporate Environmental Performance: How Does Regulation Matter?. Law Society Review, 37(1), 51+. Loewenberg, S. (2003, July/August). Business Meets Its Match: U.S. Corporations Get Their Way at Home. but the Old Charm Isn’t Working in the Old World. The American Prospect, 14, 55+. Moore, C. (1995, January/February). Green Revolution in the Making. Sierra, 80, 50+. Pollin, R. (2009, April). Where the Jobs Are: Compared to Spending on the Military or Oil Industry, Green Investment Can Improve Both Job Quantity and Quality. but It Will Take a Massive Shift in Resources. The American Prospect, 20, 7+. Shamir, R. (2004). Between Self-regulation and the Alien Tort Claims Act: on the Contested Concept of Corporate Social Responsibility. Law Society Review, 38(4), 635+. Scotney, Tom. Small Companies Ignoring ‘Green’ Suppliers, Says BT; ENTERPRISE. (2008, May 7). The Birmingham Post (England), p. 22.

Racism and Segregation

Racism and Segregation Introduction In the book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the author, Maya Angelou, describes how she grew up as an intelligent Afro-American girl in South America and later in California in 1940’s. She gives an account of the various characteristics of her society that made her to mature. Having worked with Martin Luther in combating racism before her book, she had to incorporate the theme of racism in her work. Thus racism and segregation is highly depicted as a theme in her book (Angelou 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racism and Segregation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Racism and Segregation In this book, Maya comes across many instances of blatant racism. She is forced to face racism and segregation in her country at a very young age. While living in Stamps, Arkansas, she experiences the region’s characteristic segregation to the extent that she believes that white people do not exist. At this tender age, she is made to believe that every good thing belongs to the whites. This is evidenced in many incidences. An example is that, as she fails to recite her poem in church, she notes that her dress is probably a handout from a white woman. She associates blond hair with beauty and believes that she is trapped in a â€Å"black ugly dream† (Angelou 7) with an unattractive African-American body. She also believes that she will soon wake from her nightmare and become as beautiful as the whites. The segregation that is characteristic of Stamps is evidenced by the statement that Mrs. Henderson owns a store in the black segment of Stamps (Angelou 1 11). As she grows older, Maya encounters racist incidences that are more open and personal. Some of these incidences include the demeaning address that is directed towards her by a white speaker during her eighth-grade graduation, she also faces racist problems while applying for a streetcar job but she overcomes the problem s to get the job. Her white boss is also depicted as a racist. He calls her Mary despite her disapproval. When she visits a white dentist, he declines to treat her. There is evidence that black people were prone to acts of violence perpetrated to them by their white counterparts. This is from the incidence in which Maya and Willie help a black man escaping a white lynch mob. The importance that the black attach to the world championship boxing match of Joe Louis shows how the black people thirst for recognition and also proves inequality in the community. Maya is also portrayed as a racist in some ways. For instance, she feels guilty of loving the works of William Shakespeare due to the mere fact that he was white (Angelou 11 23). In summary, the book has a notable thematic bias on racism.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion From the discussion above, it is clear that the community Maya is living in is faced with serious segregation and racism. Maya uses this community to describe how life was during her time. She creates events that depict how racism was deeply rooted in the American community in the 1940’s. As described, these events include her belief that black people are ugly, the derogatory address by a white speaker during her graduation, the refusal by a white dentist to treat her, etc (Angelou 10 24). Through these experiences, she learns how racism and segregation has affected her family members’ characters and strives to overcome the pressure mounted on her by these social problems. Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. U.S. Bantam Books, 1983. Print.

Financial systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial systems - Essay Example tion is, i.e., the greater the efficiency with which it can mobilise the resources in the economy and create value, the stronger will be the fundamentals of the concerned nation. The financial institutions together form the financial market of a nation. These institutions contained within the financial web or community could be categorised into a number of groups depending on the type of activities with which they are involved. These different groups, namely, the agents, brokers and financial intermediaries are linked up with one another closely through contractual agreements or legal orders. While agents and brokers operate to bring the institutions and investors closer to each other, the intermediaries are the ones who channelise the flow of funds between any two agents. However, the classification above had been rather a broad one and the significant financial institutions are actually represented by special terms as follows – The banking sector – This sector comprises of financial intermediaries involved in channelising the flow of resources. To be precise, the banking sector indulges in accepting surplus deposits and lending them to deficit accounts. Foreign exchange market – Foreign exchange market also comprises of agents and brokers with the only difference with the former being that the role is being played by the commercial banks of the concerned nation (Das, 2005). Government debt market – The government debt market comprises of intermediaries in the form of the central bank of a given nation. It indulges in accumulating debt for the government from internal as well as external sources. The UK financial system is often claimed as one of the most robust and sound system among its counterparts in various developed nations, by the economists and political leaders of the nation. In fact, such claims could be debated by various facts and figures post the global financial meltdown. The bank had kept its prime lending rate rather low at 5.52%