Sunday, December 29, 2019

Womens Roles In Hermia And Juliet By Shakespeare

Omar Antonio Cardona Cruz English 315 Professor Patricia Patrick 9 October 2017 Not Your Choice, Woman! During Elizabeth times women had no control over their lives, personal decisions and future. Shakespeare does a great job challenging the typical stereotypes of female roles during the Elizabeth times. Despite the persistence of men trying to diminish women as and view them submissive and weaker. Through the characters of Hermia and Juliet Shakespeare portrays women as strong and independent willing to aggressively take control of their future. Shakespeare exposes the asymmetrical relationship between men and women, where women are expected to be submissive and subordinated. Men believe they have the power to decide for the women’s†¦show more content†¦A woman should not expect more than that. Juliet’s nurse constantly reminded her of the role she should fill in their society once she reached puberty. She would say, â€Å"Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age† (1.3.56). Juliet was expected to put up with the idea of being a mother as soon as she became fertile. Juliet’s mother teaches her about her role when she says, â€Å"Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, / Are already made mothers. By my count, / I was your mother much upon these years† (1.3.70-72). It seems like it was not an estrange thing for young girls to move from their parents’ house to their husband’s house without the opportunity to explore life. Women had very little to say when it came to deci de on their future. Juliet’s future was negotiated, and she had no control over the decision. Capulet, her father, said, â€Å"My child is yet a stranger in the world. / She hath not seen the change of fourteen years, / Let two more summers wither in their pride† to which her wooer, Paris, responded, â€Å"Younger than she are happy mothers made† (1.2.8-12). Marriage was something negotiated to the convenience to where the wife-to-be only had the option to accept her parent’s decision. Women’s opinions were silenced while their destiny was put a price because they were perceived as weaker and incapable of shaping their own future. Despite the gender assigned roles of women, Shakespeare revealsShow MoreRelatedEssay on A Midsummer Nights Dream: Critical Analysis3103 Words   |  13 PagesMidsummer Nights Dreamquot; William Shakespeare, born in 1594, is one of the greatest writers in literature. He dies in 1616 after completing many sonnets and plays. One of which is quot;A Midsummer Nights Dream.quot; They say that this play is the most purely romantic of Shakespeares comedies. The themes of the play are dreams and reality, love and magic. This extraordinary play is a play-with-in-a-play, which master writers only write successfully. Shakespeare proves here to be a master writerRead MoreEssay on The True Character of Isabella in Measure for Measure3886 Words   |  16 PagesPerhaps I take the issue of Isabella’s character so seriously because I played the role of Isabella in our college’s production of the play. Preparing and playing a Shakespearean role onstage leads to a kind of understanding of that character that no other activity can match. When we professors encourage our Shakespeare students to work toward an interpretation of a play by imagining how they might play various roles, we are approaching that kind of understanding. When we ask them to view various productions

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Essay on Robert Frosts Poem Fire and Ice - 822 Words

Robert Frosts Poem Fire and Ice If you had a choice on how the world would end, what would you choose? Would your choice to be go painfully but fast? Perhaps you would rather it be so slow and painless you do not even realize it is happening? Thats what I believe Robert Frosts poem Fire and Ice is meant to express. Although the poem is short, it holds a very interesting question to think about. The question is which way would you rather the world come to an end. There are two choices. The first two lines in Fire and Ice express the choices, Some say the world will end in fire, / Some say in ice.; I feel that he uses the term fire not to hold the direct meaning of a burning flame, but to represent the punishment†¦show more content†¦They must have what they want, and they must have it now. That is one of the main purposes of a loan. Someone wants a car, but does not want to take the time to save the money. They instead borrow the money and have to pay it back, of course at a higher cost with interest. I can honestly say that a huge majority of people are in debt. They could not wait. They had to have something now. I feel that the quote explains this by using the word desire.; It presents the fact that people are not willing to wait, if the world is going to end, let it happen. In my interpretation, the narrator agrees with this due to the line I hold with those who favor fire.; But if it had to perish twice,; shows that although the narrator would rather get it over fast, he believes there is another way that is not such a bad option. The alternative to fire, which is ice, also has its advantages. The line, I think I know enough hate,; shows that the violence of fire is caused by hate and evil. To say that for destruction ice / Is also great,; represents the fact that there is a calm, slow way to end things. For the world to end in ice, it would take a great deal of time. Perhaps happening so slowly no person would even notice. It could be happening as you read this paper. Ice represents a numbing effect. Think of rubbing an ice cube across your arm for a few minutes. At first you can feel it, but as time goes on, you feel nothing.Show MoreRelated Analysis of Robert Frosts Fire and Ice Essay1087 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of Robert Frosts Fire and Ice      Ã‚  Ã‚   For Robert Frost, poetry and life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   were one and the same.   In an interview he said, One thing I care about,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and wish young people could care about, is taking poetry as the first form   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of understanding.   Each Robert Frost poem strikes a chord somewhere, each   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   poem bringing us closer to life with the compression of feeling and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   emotion into so few words.   This essay will focus on one particularRead MoreBiography and Works of Robert Frost794 Words   |  3 PagesBiography: On the outside, Robert Frost’s life seemed easy, but what happened in his life explains why he wrote about a darker side of human nature. Frost was born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco. According to â€Å"Frost’s Life and Career† on Modern American Poetry, Frost lived there until he, his mother, and his sister moved to Massachusetts after the death of his father. That is where he married Elinor Miriam White, and had six children, two of them dying as babies. Frost grew tired of the MassachusettsRead More Robert Frost’s Fire and Ice Essays991 Words   |  4 PagesRobert Frost’s Fire and Ice Fire and Ice is a popular poem written in 1923 by Robert Frost. It is a very well known poem and is used in many high schools and colleges today. Many students along with various critics read this poem as Frost’s idea as to how the world is going to end. People also take this in a Biblical sense, because the passage that God states the next time he destroys the world, it will be in fire. He blatantly states in the first lines, â€Å"Some say the world will end in fireRead MoreThe Poetry of Robert Lee Frost810 Words   |  3 Pagesfound words,† Robert Frost once said. As is made fairly obvious by this quote, Frost was an adroit thinker. It seems like he spent much of his life thinking about the little things. He often pondered the meaning and symbolism of things he found in nature. Many readers find Robert Frost’s poems to be straightforward, yet his work contains deeper layers of complexity beneath the surface. These deeper layers of complexity can be clearly seen in his poems â€Å" The Road Not Taken†, â€Å"Fire and Ice†, and â€Å"Birches†Read MoreEssayâ€Å"Fire and Ice† by Robert Frost854 Words   |  4 Pagesbelieve Robert Frost’s poem â€Å"Fire and Ice† is meant to express. Although the poem is short, it holds a very interesting question to think about. What way would you prefer the world to end? There are two choices. In his poem â€Å"Fire and Ice†, Robert Frost compares and contrasts the two destructive forces: fire and ice. In the first two lines of the poem he presents two options for the end of the world, â€Å"Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice†. I feel that he uses the term fire, not toRead MorePoems of Robert Frost Essay1556 Words   |  7 PagesRobert Frost was an American poet, and playwright who became one of the leading pioneers in poetry in the late 1800’s into the 1900’s. Frost grew up in rural New England in the early twentieth century and experienced many hardships in his life including losing his father at the young age of eleven and losing two children at very young ages. He used his experiences of growing up in a rural area in most of his poems. Another major them in his poems are decision-making poems usually based off of hisRead More Fire And Ice - Compared To 4 Other Poems Essay1607 Words   |  7 Pages Five Great Pieces of Thought I think Robert Frost is a understandable, but yet an unconventional poet. Frost wrote in his own style, and as a result, he took quite a bit of heat from the critics of his period. Frost has an elegant style of writing descriptive and understandable poems. I am going to tell you about the five best pieces he has ever written. First off, amp;quot;A Considerable Speckamp;quot; is a unusual poem about Frost noticing a tiny speck on his paper. Upon further observationRead More A Comparison of the Poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost1062 Words   |  5 PagesThe Poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost The poetry of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost contains similar themes and ideas. Both poets attempt to romanticize nature and both speak of death and loneliness. Although they were more than fifty years apart, these two seem to be kindred spirits, poetically speaking. Both focus on the power of nature, death, and loneliness. The main way in which these two differ is in their differing use of tone. The power of nature is a recurring themeRead MoreFire and Ice by Robert Frost 628 Words   |  3 Pagestheme to the poem â€Å"Fire and Ice† that many can still relate to today? The popular poem â€Å"Fire and Ice†, was written in in 1920. This poem was very controversial when it was first published. This poem seems to deal with the question â€Å"How will the world end?† Many scientists have different opinions on not only when the world will end, but more specifically how it will end. This poem implies that when dealing with the end of the world, it will end in one of two ways; in fire or in ice. Nearly 100Read MoreShadows in the Yellow Wood: The Dark Side of Rober Frosts Poetry1508 Words   |  7 PagesShadows in the Yellow Wood: The Dark Side of Robert Frost’s Poetry Robert Frost is one of the most widely-read and recognized poets of the twentieth century, if not all time. If his name is mentioned, it is usually followed by a reference to two roads diverged in a yellow wood and taking the one less traveled by. But lurking in the shadows of the yellow wood of Frost’s poetry are much deeper meanings than are immediately apparent. As the modern poet Billy Collins says in his â€Å"Introduction to

Friday, December 13, 2019

THE USE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN EDUCATION Free Essays

As you may or may non cognize, an Information System is a aggregation of hardware, package, informations, people, and processs that work together to bring forth quality information and instruction is the procedure of geting cognition. How do people get this cognition you may be believing? Well, they learn from other people such as pedagogues, employers and workers. There are many signifiers of stuffs that are used in instruction. We will write a custom essay sample on THE USE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN EDUCATION or any similar topic only for you Order Now The traditional stuffs would be the text books and manuals used for acquisition tools, but in todays times it ‘s a different narrative. Educators are now turning to computing machines to help them with larning. This new manner of acquisition is going highly popular and is realy distributing fast. Not merely can you utilize information systems inside the schoolroom to attach to face to confront larning but it can besides be used for distance acquisition. Learning has no boundries when it comes to IS. The Internet allows pupil to hold to entree to an eternal sum of information for research intents.Students of all ages can utilize on-line activities that relate to their capable affair and keyboarding accomplishments are being developed at really early ages. In order to succed and derive more cognition about our information-rich society, pupils must be able to utilize this engineering efficaciously, both in an educational scene and beyond. The instructors of today are confronting many challenges and alterations, it is going an progressively more hard occupation because of the immense sums of outlooks. By utilizing engineering in learning it can really assist with many outlooks faced by the pedagogues of today. IS alterations from twelvemonth to twelvemonth therefore it is of import for a instructor to take portion in professional development in engineering. Professional development ensures that engineering is used eficiently and efficaciously in order to make new chances for larning and to advance pupil accomplishment. In a manner, Information Systems have become the anchor of modern instruction. It allows schools to hive away valuable pupil information and assists the disposal section with the direction of the full school. When an IS tool is good to larning, it benefits learning. If an IS tool is good to learning, it in bend benefits disposal and the learning pupils and so on. It is a collaborative attempt which affects all facets of instruction. Teachers can show many IS tools to pupils in order to assistance in the acquisition procedure. Examples of these acquisition tools would be E-learning, Web TC, online categories, construct maps and distance acquisition are all classified as signifiers of instructional engineering. Distance acquisition has many benefits, these include leting pupils to go to categories when the state of affairs does non allow them to go to the on-campus talk, it gives the pupils flexibleness to work on assignments when their agenda permits them to and in bend this releases a pupil from go toing a category where a set twenty-four hours and clip is scheduled. Students besides have the priviledge to make synergistic teamwork between groups every bit good as have the chance to cormmunicate with people from different backgrounds, civilizations from all around the universe. Having IS capablenesss in the schoolroom allows pupils to hold mention stuffs at their fingertips. The web is non merely a beginning for communicating but can besides supply mention for an tremendous figure of subjects. Today ‘s web non merely consists of Web sites where information on assorted subjects can be found but it contains pictures where the ocular scholar can analyze subjects in a manner that they process information. This resource provides pedagogues with prosecuting digital resources to be more effectual in the schoolroom and in bend addition pupil involvement by linking the schoolroom to an abundant sum of information from around the universe. When utilizing such resources, the instructor is now a facilitator in larning the capable stuff and non person who is talking the stuffs like in the yesteryear. The bulk of the determinations made within educational establishments are made from analysing informations this information is collected by the usage of IS engineering. Examples of IS engineering would be an on-line trials ( such as Exam View or Quiz Star ) where pupils take trials online and recieve their consequences about immediatly. This on-line tool so shops the trial and the memo to the trial, but will besides hive away the pupils replies. A study can be instantly generated after the trial has been completed. The information from the studies will instantly be available for instructors so they can be shown where the pupils are fighting. A common illustration of the usage of this engineering in the schoolroom are pupils utilizing computing machines for research undertakings, computing machine package and presentations. Assorted applications are taught to pupils on a day-to-day footing. Due to the fact that today ‘s pupils learn in many different ways, instructors need to calculate out variou effectual methods for them to acquire that information. The regulations of the past bash non use to the pupils of today. Alternatively of the pupils necessitating to accommodate to suit the cast of what the instructor expects, the instructor needs to accommodate the manner they deliver that information to the pupils. IS helps better instruction in the schoolroom due to the fact that it gives the instructor the chance to educate the pupils many different ways. It requires pupils to believe outside the box and acquire a better apprehension of the information that is being presented to them. Students besides have a opportunity to research thoughts on manus and do their acquisition more meaningful and relevant. In the yesteryear, instruction was one dimensional. However, due to engineering altering the ambiance in the schoolroom, instruction is now teacher directed, but pupils can go farther engaged with helping the instructors lesson with the provided engineering at a chink of a button. Teachers besides have to set up a ground for utilizing IS in the schoolroom and have to do the instruction successful for their pupils. In order for learning to be effectual instructors need to let flexibleness in the lessons prepared on a day-to-day footing. In the society of today, information systems are altering quickly twenty-four hours by twenty-four hours. There are many different manners of engineering that can be use to hike acquisition for pupils. These manners of engineering can run from Power Point presentations to mobile laptops with Internet entree for each pupil. With engineering like this in the schoolroom the pupils get a much better quality of larning. Nowdays information systems are going easier and easier to utilize and this makes it more convenient for pupils who wants to make research and happen solutions to there jobs. Students gain cognition through computing machines where engineering is used basically as a coach and serves to increase the pupils basic accomplishments and cognition and where engineering is used as a tool that can be applied to a assortment of ends in the acquisition procedure which can function as a resource to assist develop higher order thought, creativeness and research accomplishments. Communication is highly of import if you want the right message to be delivered. There are many different ways to pass on. Using the right method for its bringing is merely every bit of import. In the past instructors and pupils would do presentations in category and would utilize flip-charts, overhead projectors, or blackboards as their primary medium. Now, we have electronic whiteboards that record what the instructor writes, so pupils can entree the animated or narrated information on a computing machine for alteration after the presentation. Power Point presentations can besides be used, in which we can incorporate text, picture, sound, artworks, links to other paperss, or links to the Internet. This widespread application allows both pupils and instructors to pass on in a truly multimedia format. Social networking sites, electronic mail ( e-mail ) , and web logs ( web logs ) are three more agencies of easing communicating among pupils. Collaboration is now simpler than of all time due to the usage of online tools and package that allows pupils and pedagogues to work together on undertakings. Wikis, web seminars, and video conference calls are a few ways that pupils and instructors can come together and portion information with other pupils and co-workers. Communication can besides be done via the Web. Students can link to the cyberspace by utilizing either Dial-up entree, radio webs, DSL ( Digital Subscriber Line ) , satellite modems or overseas telegram modems. Many schools of today have Web sites that connect users to school calendars, upcoming featuring events, contact information for the school and pedagogues, library resources and a batch more. If IS did non be this would wholly be impossible to make. This method of communicating allows schools relay information to parents and pupils in a timely mode. Lots of schools have incorporated a type of IS that allows parents and defenders to hold entree to their kid ‘s consequences and attending record. In a nut shell parents sign up for their ain user name and watchword and so they have sole entree to this type of information. Via this IS tool, schools can hold 24/7 communicating with parents to inform them of their kid ‘s advancement in each category. When pupils graduate and enter into the on the job universe, they must be equipped with the necessary accomplishments to vie in an international market. An illustration of a accomplishment would being able to video conference which removes the boundaries of a traditional schoolroom. The pupils are able to derive valuable cognition that is outside of the text edition by speaking to pupils in that state. From the pedagogues ‘ point of view, computing machine applications allow for them to take a traditional schoolroom and turn it into a practical schoolroom. In the schoolroom, the assorted types of engineering deliver different signifiers of content and serve many different intents. Examples of this would be word processing and e-mailing which promote communicating accomplishments, database and spreadsheet plans which promote organisational accomplishments, every bit good as patterning package which encourages the apprehension of mathematic every bit good as scientific constructs. Educators and pupils likewise are both looking for better ways to present and larn information. Most educational plans use a computer-based preparation attack. Schools are rapidly accommodating to thse preparation plans and it in bend aids pupils in larning. The benefits that information systems give to the educational procedure are endless. How to cite THE USE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN EDUCATION, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Social Responsibility and Social Responsible Consumption of Mcdonalds free essay sample

This assignment will be based on McDonalds and will be focusing on the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) will also be heavily forces on the social ethical side of the business McDonalds Corporation is the worlds largest fast food chain, selling primarily hamburgers, chicken, french fries and carbonated drinks; and more recently salads, fruit and carrot sticks. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/McDonalds) The business was founded in 1940 with a restaurant opened by siblings Dick and Mac McDonald. It was their introduction of the Speedee Service System in 1948 that established the principles of the fast-food restaurant. However, the company today dates its founding to the opening of CEO Ray Krocs first franchised restaurant, the companys ninth, in 1955. He opened his first McDonalds in Des Plaines, Illinois in April 1955. As the first and largest international fast food franchise, McDonalds has become a focal point in public debate about rising obesity rates, corporate ethics and consumer responsibility. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/McDonalds) Social responsible consumption of McDonalds Social responsible consumption of products is important to McDonalds and to the long-term success of the business . In an industry first, with other fast food manufacturers, McDonalds have tried to created a more heailther image then before this can be look at by removing there super size meal which course a lot of prombles McDonalds menus offer a variety of safe, high-quality food products that can fit into balanced, active lifestyles. McDonalds typically serve several types of hamburgers, grilled and fried chicken products, and fish and, in many cases, salads, fruits, and additional sandwich options. McDonalds created the Ronald McDonalds House Charity (RMHC) in 1974. The RMHC ‘is working to better the lives of children and their families around the world’ (Ronald McDonald House Charity, nd). The RMHC works ‘by creating, finding and supporting programs that directly improves the health and well being of children’ More than 10 million families around the world have benefited from the Ronald McDonald House Charity (richmondrmhc. homestead. com). social consumption of McDonald is not all jolly as there are many responsible issues which is a big concern to any people and need to be looked at by the company here are some facts from the super size me website McDonalds distributes more toys per year than Toys-R-Us this should be a really concern to them as Toys R Us are in a toy industry and McDonalds give out more toys to there customers this should tell McDonalds something about what kind of marketing methods they are doing. 60 % of all Americans are either o verweight or obese this is figure is very high we know that McDonalds are trying to improve there menu and offering gyms in some of there outlets in the U S. McDonalds represents 43% of total U. S. fast food market McDonalds feeds more than 46 million people a day more than the entire population of Spain (supersizeme. com) What is meant by Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is achieved when a business adapts all of its practices to ensure that it operates in ways that meet, or exceed, the ethical, legal, commercial and public expectations that society has of business. (www. corporate-responsibility. om) To be considered effective, corporate social responsibility must be an integrated part of day-to-day business, engaging all stakeholders and including strategies to support individual managers to make socially responsible decisions, conform to ethical behaviour and obey the law (www. corporate-responsibility. com) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in McDonalds has increased over the last 15 years, as globalisation has led to increased pressure to meet society’s ethical demands and expectations. This pressure is a result of an increased number of stakeholders who ‘can affect or are affected by, the achievement of the organisations objectives’ (Beauchamp, 2004), as well as the increasing influence and power of the mass media, which is able to pick up on even the smallest issues and represent them globally. As a result, ‘in a technological age, where news spreads fast and everyone is expected to do there part to take care of the world, Corporate Responsibility is a business necessity’ (Allen, 2004). Implementing CSR within an organisation is becoming extremely crucial as ‘businesses need to be seen acting responsibly towards people, planet and profit’ (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2005). At the beginning of 2006 McDonalds created a CSR Blog on the Internet where consumers can go online and see what McDonalds do for CSR and McDonalds CSR Blog also invites the consumers to communicate with them to offer their opinions and make their experiences known with McDonalds. From these comments McDonalds are able to improve and move forward. With comments like these available to McDonalds over the Internet they are able to quickly sort out any problems. Bob Langert (2006), Senior Director for Corporate Social Responsibility at McDonalds stated ‘we want to open our doors to corporate social responsibility (CSR) at McDonald’s – to share what we’re doing and learn what you think. How to improve the buisness. Engaging Ronald McDonald as our physical activity ambassador. In 2003, a new Ronald McDonald shows Get Moving with Ronald McDonald to help provide motivation for starting and maintaining a more physically active lifestyle. Ronald McDonald is now a central figure in the unique fun communications of our global energy balance awareness campaign. ( McDonald. com) Much younger consumers, the so-called generation X and millennium consumers born since 1982, have an equal antagonism to manipulative promotion (Soloman et al. , 2002). In fact, there is some suggestion this generation (Y) expect to be able to tell the business what to do. Contrary to most predictions of consumer behaviour, the more information there is about something wrong with a product, the more this generation will buy it;. This group engage in a mass of two way communications via e mail and mobile phone, so they expect to be able to interact with a company and interrogate a product before purchase (Rach, 2000. ) this effect McDonalds way of business as most of the consumer are people under 30 Ethical issues faced by Mc Donald’s An ethical problem involves a situation that is morally difficult and makes a person question what is the right or wrong thing to do. Ethical problem make individuals think about their obligations, duties or responsibilities. These problems can be highly complex and difficult to resolve. Easier problem involve a right versus wrong answer this type of problems are always effect at McDonald’s and other large organisation there are many problems related to ethical problems in McDonald’s One of the main ethical criticisms consistently faced by McDonald’s over the last 30 years relates to the food offered in its stores. Critics claim that McDonald’s is a major contributing factor to the ever-increasing levels of obesity (Walsh, 2003) in the U. S. and other developed countries. Medical studies show that ‘waistlines are expanding faster in the UK than in any other European country†¦with 1 in 5 adults dangerously overweight’ (Walsh, 2003), while in 2001 it was reported that 300,000 deaths a year in the U. S. are related to obesity compared to 400,000 through cigarette smoking’ (McMans Depression and Bipolar Weekly, 2004). McDonald’s contribution is a result of the unhealthy nature of fast food. For example, a meal of a Big Mac and medium fries would provide you with ‘910 calories, as well as 46g of fat, 13g of which are saturated’ (McDonald’s. om, 2005). Considering the fact that this is half the recommended daily allowance for a female adult, it is clear that McDonald’s does not meet U. S. dietary requirements. Apart from obesity, ‘diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and some forms of cancer are related to a diet high in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar’ (Inside the McLibel tr ial, 1995). The impacts of a McDonald’s diet were clearly shown in Morgan Spurlock’s controversial film ‘Super Size Me’, where he ate nothing but McDonald’s for one month. Although this was an extreme example, the impacts on Spurlock were dramatic. ‘Spurlock gained 25 pounds, raised his cholesterol by 60 points, dropped his libido and turned his liver into pate’ (McMans Depression and Bipolar Weekly, 2004). He also experienced headaches and depression, and actually became addicted to the products. The impact of a McDonald’s diet on children is also a major ethical concern, as an increasing number of children are faced with obesity problems. ‘Every month, 90 percent of the children between 3 and 9 in America visit a McDonalds’ (Schlosser, 2001). McDonald’s has been criticised for exploiting children with advertising. They have traditionally aimed themselves towards children with collectable toys in ‘Happy Meals’, as well as colourful advertising campaigns and promotions in schools. Most criticised is the use of the Ronald McDonald clown character, which has been seen as a ‘cynical exploitation of children to use a clown to drum up business’ (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). These marketing tactics contribute to the increasing unhealthy diet of many children. Issues on how they really look after the environment and animals Stakeholders in a McDonalds may not only be human because animals are also seen as an important part of society and deserve the same treatment as humans. McDonald’s has been criticised for the way it treats animals before they are killed and turned into fast food. ‘The corporation is the worlds largest promoter of meat based products, the largest user of beef and the second largest user of chicken’ (McSpotlight. org: McDonald’s and Animals, 2005), and therefore is faced with the usual claims aimed at slaughterhouses. It is claimed that ‘chickens were crammed into sheds with less than one square foot of space per bird and no daylight’ (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). As a result, ‘44% had leg abnormalities and other health problems’ (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). This treatment was not just reserved for chicken but also other animals involved in McDonald’s fast food products. 40% of piglets were held in indoor breeding units, and half had tails docked for no apparent reason’ (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). Ethical criticism is also aimed at the methods for killing the animals. 14% of chickens received pre-stun shocks, which caused undue stress, while 1% (1,350 per day) were decapitated before being stunned’ (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995) . On the other hand, McDonald is now becoming more socially/ ethically aware There are many other examples of McDonalds partnership with leaders in this field, in the United Kingdom where McDonalds is supporti ng future of farming and animal welfare projects in partnership with Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. McDonalds has ushered in a new era of responsibility and accountability for animal welfare. They have helped encourage collaboration and cooperation among industry, non-government organizations, academia, and other stakeholders so that we can work together to make a difference, said Dr. Joy Mench, University of California at Davis, Department of Animal Science, and a member of McDonalds Animal Welfare Council. (McDonald’s Corporation) I am impressed by McDonalds efforts to develop animal welfare standards for processing plants, and I am encouraged by the dialogue and actions taken to establish guidelines. For example, I have seen the tangible esults of the new laying hen guidelines, and they have greatly improved the living conditions of hens. (Dr. Joy Mench) this statement clearly shows that McDonalds are improving their way of business and becoming more aware of the environment. On another environmental issue, McDonalds won praise in July from Greenpeace, which wrote, in an historic deal that has impacts far beyond the golden arches and into the global agricultura l market, McDonalds is now the leading company to halt deforestation for the expansion of Soya farming in the Amazon. McDonalds agreed to stop its role in slashing the forests for Soya, which is fed to the pigs and chickens that end up in its sandwiches and breakfast entrees, after Greenpeace pointed an accusing finger at the company in April. This Cleary is indicating that McDonalds are doing something about the environment while getting prises of Geenpeace this shows that McDonalds have come a long way of cleaning there act up and looking out for the environment issues which affect them while doing business As well as social ethical issues, McDonald’s must also consider environmental ethics, which means treating natural resources not just as good but also as part of the ecological whole. It is important because it affects the image of the company and consumer’s perceptions. For example, ‘a Wall Street Journal poll in 1991 claimed that 53% of people avoided purchasing a product because of environmental concerns about a product or manufacturer’ (Hawken, 2002). The most famous environmental issue is the suggestion that McDonald’s has destroyed hundreds of acres of Brazilian rainforest to make way for large-scale cattle ranching. This not only removes a valuable natural resource, but also has an impact on global warming, as the rainforest is an essential mechanism for the absorption of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. McDonald’s also ‘annually produces over a million tons of packaging used for just a few minutes before being discarded’ (McSpotlight. org: Environment, 2005). Traditionally a number of ozone depleting gasses were used in polystyrene foam packaging. In the 21st century, McDonald’s uses almost all recycled packaging. However, the company still faces criticism due to the amount of waste it produces. ‘Each of McDonald’s US restaurants produces 238 pounds of waste per day and each of its U. S. regional distribution centres disposes of another 900 pounds of waste per day’ (Svoboda and Hart, 1995). This is not only expensive to dispose of, but also difficult when considering that similar quantities of waste are being produced around the world. McDonalds statement: We cook all our products in 100% rapeseed oil and since 1998 have reduced the trans fatty acid levels by over 50%. We continue to trial new oils that offer us further reductions. The Food and Drink Federation said: The food industry is fully committed to reducing the level of trans fats to as low as is technically possible and has been actively reducing these levels. Internal ethical issues in McDonald’s McDonald’s also experiences internal ethical issues related to the working conditions and treatment of e mployees. ‘McDonald’s employs over 1 and a half million people worldwide, over half of them under 21 years old’ (McSpotlight. org: McDonald’s and Employment). McDonald’s has adopted ‘age differentials between adult and younger workers, meaning that they pay most of their employees less than the normal adult minimum wage’ (Transport and General Workers Union, 2004). For example, McDonald’s pays some 16-year olds as little as $6. 80 an hour. McDonald’s employees also experience poor working conditions with discrimination, illegal working hours, and poor safety conditions. There is little that can be done about this due to the absence of trade unions, within McDonald’s, to represent staff. If Milton Freeman’s theory of stakeholders is adopted, the needs and expectations of staff are just as important as those of customers. The range of ethical criticisms level at McDonald’s throughout the world has been well published. However, many of these issues were first raised in the 1970’s before tighter regulation was imposed and unethical behaviour became a burning topic. After 30 years of criticism, it is important to look at what measures McDonald’s has taken to improve its ethical conduct and how far this has been successful. McDonald’s claims that ‘being a good citizen has been inherent in the company since its inception’ (Schlosser, 2001). Ray Kroc believed McDonald’s had an ‘obligation to give back to the community that gives so much to us’. This was rooted in his founding principles of Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value. Since 1955, McDonald’s has continually made statements about its conduct to try and reassure shareholders and stakeholders. However, nothing was said or published about what attempts were actually being made to ‘do the right thing’. This finally changed in 2002 with the release of McDonald’s first Social Responsibility Report. Problems course in the 2002 report The content of the report was criticised because it focused on issues and areas where McDonald’s had been successful, but did not mention well-publicised issues, such as obesity. Similarly, it neglected to mention a number of the company’s major environmental impacts. For example, the report ‘talked about water use at the outlets, but failed to note that every quarter-pounder requires 600 gallons of water’ (Schlosser, 2001). This distinct lack of transparency enabled McDonald’s to cover up any bad issues and only show what they wanted the public to see. The key problem with the 2002 Responsibility Report was that ‘due to its decentralised nature, McDonald’s was unable to provide any of the data that is looked for as core information in their report’ (Wood, 2002). In its report, McDonald’s stated how much money it had provided for social improvements, but no figures on what impact these improvements had. Similarly, there was very little information related to the measurement of environmental impacts and improvements. This meant that the report was written as a narrative, rather than a social report. The effectiveness of the report was also reduced by the fact that there was ‘no comparative data on past and present performance’ (Strategic Direction, 2002). The final nail in the coffin for the report was the fact that ‘there was no independent verification’ (Strategic Direction, 2002), which meant that stakeholders could not even have a guarantee of the accuracy of the report. These negative factors meant that the first McDonalds Social Responsibility Report was ‘an impressive statement of intent, but it recognised that the company was not yet ready to report progress’ (Wood, 2002). The report says that ‘being responsible is one of our greatest competitive advantages’, even though the issues it tackles are growing ever more complex’ (Allen, 2004). The 2002 report made little mention of McDonald’s food, and failed to recognise the ethical concerns associated with it What McDonald’s is doing to improve their image The company highlighted efforts to offer healthier options, including salads on its menu, and revealed how they had brought in a full time nutritionist to alter the menu. Possibly the most poignant move was to phase out the ‘Super Size option’ in all restaurants. McDonald’s have also ‘added new options to Happy Meals for children, so fries can be substituted for healthy alternatives like apple slices’ (Allen, 2004), and offers milk, fresh orange and water instead of coke. The section on the environment is also more substantial, with a variety of figures on packaging and waste. For example, ‘McDonald’s achieved a 3. 2% reduction in packaging during 2003’ (McDonalds Corporate Responsibility Report, 2004). This is combined with a section, which shows McDonald’s commitment to improving the environmental performance of suppliers. This includes a statement that ‘McDonald’s will not purchase beef from rainforests or recently deforested rainforest land’ (McDonalds Corporate Responsibility Report, 2004), acknowledging one of the specific ethical criticisms aimed at McDonald’s. McDonald’s also shows its commitment to reducing animal cruelty from suppliers by increasing supplier accountability and ‘conducting nearly 500 audits at beef, pork and chicken processing facilities around the world’ (McDonalds Corporate Responsibility Report, 2004). The content of this report shows that the company is beginning to acknowledge and account for the unethical stories recounted by critics There is still an absence of evidence to prove to strong opposition that change is really occurring. This is probably a result of the fact that McDonald’s does not have an ethics department or ethics officer. It simply has codes of conduct, which are produced at the top level by directors. The result of this is that because the directors are not experts in ethical conduct, many of the ethical issues are simply covered over by well publicised, but unsuccessful schemes, and many of the needs of stakeholders are not met. In 2004 Corporate Responsibility Report shows that the menu has been enhanced with healthy options, which reinforces McDonald’s public aim to increase the healthiness of its customers. The company has increased recycling and reduced waste in stores across the world, while attempts have been made to improve the standards of its suppliers Conclusion and recommendations McDonald’s achievement is set to continue into the future. This has been sustained despite facing constant pressure from critics about its operating practices. As a result, it seems very unlikely that McDonald’s methods of publicising ethical attempts will change, especially considering the money that would be required. If there was a shift towards full corporate social responsibility, there is a need for an ethical officer and ethics department, comprised of experts who can subjectively analyse the performance of the company and set accurate objectives.