Corporate social responsible and sustainable - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: discuss about the Corporate social responsible and sustainable. Answer: Introduction CSR is the concept that focuses on completing the activities of the organization and also the activities give benefit to the society. It is concerned with the sustainability practices of the organization. This report will give emphasis on the CSR practices and also the connection with sustainable approaches to the organization. The study takes into consideration IKEA as it is one of the sustainable companies. The report gives emphasis on analyzing the stakeholder's approach that deals with the CSR practices of the organizations. Corporate Social Responsibility It is the concept that gives emphasis on completing the responsibility of the organization towards the society. It is seen that corporate social responsibility has become one of the most important parts of the organization as it assists to earn the revenue in a proper way. Any organizations that conduct the activities serve the society so that profitability can be achieved and the high level of satisfaction can be attained. It is evaluated that it is part that gives benefit to the society and helps the company to fulfill the responsibility. The organization as it is one of the largest organization who takes into consideration CSR practices. The company gives emphasis on enhancing the overall satisfaction level of the customers so that efficiency can be maintained (Simon and Wangsirilert, 2017). Practices of sustainability related to CSR Sustainable development can be defined as the practice that does not give negative impact on the society and also on the natural resources. Sustainability should also be taken into consideration by the by the individuals so that the practices can give a positive impact on the future generations. Sustainable development means to conduct the activities in such a manner that the coming generation can get the good environment to survive (Tai and Chuang, 2014). The theory related to the CSR activities of the organization is triple bottom line theory. This theory takes into consideration the moral community and the social responsibility. This theory gives emphasis on maintaining sustainability and also the company focuses on the activities on the basis of social, environmental and economic sustainability. If these three elements are considered by the company then it can be evaluated that activities can be operated according to competition level in the market (Strand, Freeman and Hockerts, 2015). Theory of CSR The stakeholder theory of corporate social responsibility plays a great role in managing the activities of the organization. When the discussion is made by considering sustainability it is evaluated that there are various stakeholders of the organization who have different expectation level and also to be sustainable is also the responsibility of the stakeholders. The stakeholders of the company are employees, shareholders, suppliers, and customers. Stakeholder achieves benefit and advantage by the decision of the organization. The stakeholders are the group of people. It is evaluated that stakeholder theory gives emphasis on the elements that give impact on the activities of the companies. The activities conducted by the stakeholders affect the policies of the organization and the strategic options of the organization (Marano and Kostova, 2016). It is important for the organization to consider the interest of the stakeholders so that the activities that are conducted by the organization attain overall objectives and goals. If the stakeholder interest is considered then it is possible to attain profitability and growth in the market (Beske, Land and Seuring, 2014). There are many stakeholders who have various expectations from the organization and also the decisions of the company are considered in such a manner that stakeholders can attain advantage out of it. It can be very difficult for the organization to give benefits to the stakeholders. Every employee who is conducting the activities of the organization requires growth, money and also good environment so that goals and objectives can be accomplished (Frding and Lawrence, 2017). The important customers of the organization are offered best services at less price that enhance the expectation level of the customers who want to attain high profits. This is seen that if the decisions are made properly as per the requirement, then it can help the companies to accomplish goals and objectives. The stakeholder approach focuses on the capability of the company so that CSR policies can be favorable to the stakeholders. To manage the stakeholders and also to involve the CSR managers in the organization can assist the company to enhance the importance of the stakeholders. Corporate social responsibility managers evaluate the practices that should be considered so that the activities of the organization can be conducted smoothly. If the practices are not according to the CSR practices then it can give negative impact on the overall performance of the organization (Fernando and Lawrence, 2014). Practices by IKEA The products that are considered by the organization are home appliances, furniture, and kitchen accessories. It is evaluated that the organization is sustainable in nature and also gives focus on practicing the operations that help the organization to consider the sustainable actions. IKEA is one of the companies that offer quality products and services to the customers. The customers get attracted towards the services provided by the company (Lueg, Andersen and Dancianu, 2016). It is seen if there is active participation of the company towards corporate social responsibility then overall performance and profitability can be accomplished. The sustainable strategies that are considered by the company are: The organization gives emphasis on improving the usage of the energy in the activities of the company. The company develops the products that are sustainable in nature. The organization also gives emphasis on considering all home furnishing materials that consist of recycled, recyclable and renewable. It is seen that if the organization gives emphasis on saving the natural resources then it can give positive outcome (Kang, Chiang, Huangthanapan and Downing, 2015). The organization does not take into consideration sustainable products but the emphasis is seen on dealing with the suppliers. The organization has gone beyond the reach of the supply chain and also helps to motivate the suppliers to consider the sustainable actions so that the supply chain can be sustainable. If the supplier of the organization does not give emphasis on sustainable practices then it can be difficult to accomplish the goals and objectives and also to attain profitability (Clapp and Rowlands, 2014). IKEA helps the individual to live happy and safe life by giving products that consume less energy and water at fewer prices. This assists the consumers to purchase the products at fewer prices and also saves money. Some of the examples are the LED light that consumes less energy. The advertisement is also given with the motive to make customers aware of the saving process of the energy. By giving attractive advertisements the company can easily enhance the image in the market and also the direct impact is seen on the sale of the company (Rangan, Chase and Karim, 2015). If the strategies and policies of the organization are concerned, it is evaluated that the organization makes various strategies so that the needs and wants of the customers can be satisfied. The company also gives emphasis on introducing products at low cost and also to use the technology that saves energy. This helps the company to conduct the activities according to the requirement of the society. It is evaluated that the company not only produces the products that save energy but also consider the activities that are sustainable in nature. The last strategy of the organization suggests that the organization deals with the suppliers and also to conduct the activities that are sustainable in nature. The sustainable supply chain of the organization tells that it is one of the effective sustainable practices that are considered by the organization so that the overall growth and profitability can be accomplished (Park and Ghauri, 2015). Conclusion By analyzing the report, it is evaluated that the report takes into consideration CSR and sustainability approaches. It is seen that the CSR and sustainability approaches that are used in this are related to each other. The corporate social responsibility is considered by the company so that it can be easy to survive in the competitive environment. If the company considers corporate social responsibility then the company can easily introduce the products that are sustainable in nature. The products and services that are offered to the consumers are in favor of the society. IKEA is the organization that takes into consideration the products and services related to home appliances, furniture, and kitchen accessories. IKEA is the company that is sustainable in nature and also practices the operations that should be considered by the company. IKEA is one of the companies that help to follow the theory related to stakeholders and also the focus is given on attaining the CSR policies so that the requirements can be fulfilled by the company. References Beske, P., Land, A., Seuring, S. (2014). Sustainable supply chain management practices and dynamic capabilities in the food industry: A critical analysis of the literature.International Journal of Production Economics,152, 131-143. Clapp, J., Rowlands, I. H. (2014). Corporate social responsibility.The Essential Guide to Global Environmental Governance. Routledge: London, 42-44. Fernando, S., Lawrence, S. (2014). A theoretical framework for CSR practices: integrating legitimacy theory, stakeholder theory and institutional theory.Journal of Theoretical Accounting Research,10(1), 149-178. Frding, K., Lawrence, G. (2017). Sustainability at IKEA.Linnaeus Eco-Tech, 67-77. Kang, J. S., Chiang, C. F., Huangthanapan, K., Downing, S. (2015). Corporate social responsibility and sustainability balanced scorecard: The case study of family-owned hotels.International Journal of Hospitality Management,48, 124-134. Lueg, K., Lueg, R., Andersen, K., Dancianu, V. (2016). Integrated reporting with CSR practices: a pragmatic constructivist case study in a Danish cultural setting.Corporate Communications: An International Journal,21(1), 20-35. Marano, V., Kostova, T. (2016). Unpacking the institutional complexity in adoption of CSR practices in multinational enterprises.Journal of Management Studies,53(1), 28-54. Park, B. I., Ghauri, P. N. (2015). Determinants influencing CSR practices in small and medium sized MNE subsidiaries: A stakeholder perspective.Journal of World Business,50(1), 192-204. Rangan, K., Chase, L., Karim, S. (2015). The truth about CSR.Harvard Business Review,93(1/2), 40-49. Simon, L., Wangsirilert, C. (2017). How large-scale companies and social enterprises improve the sustainability of their partnership?: The case study of IKEA and Doi Tung social enterprise in Thailand. Strand, R., Freeman, R. E., Hockerts, K. (2015). Corporate social responsibility and sustainability in Scandinavia: an overview.Journal of Business Ethics,127(1), 1-15. Tai, F. M., Chuang, S. H. (2014). Corporate social responsibility.Ibusiness,6(03), 117.

University Essay Sample - How to Write an Essay That is Effective

University Essay Sample - How to Write an Essay That is EffectiveWhen you are writing a university essay, it is important to ensure that you put forth the correct academic and critical writing style. Many people begin their college career by writing a number of papers in an attempt to prepare for their SAT, ACT or GRE scores. The better that you get at writing essays, the more likely you will be to succeed on your college admissions exams.The most important aspect of writing a school essay is how well you understand the topics of the SAT, ACT or GRE. For each subject test, there are specific types of essays that you must use in order to successfully get your score, and the best method to use to prepare for those essays is to learn how to write them. If you have read the multiple choice section, then you know that writing an essay is essentially the same as writing a test.The essay will be comprised of four parts: introduction, question, body and conclusion. Each part must be included in a separate paragraph, and your first paragraph must give the reader a complete and clear picture of what the topic will entail. It is important to highlight the reasons why you think you will be successful on the exam.Examples of questions are provided for each section, but it is important to write them down so that you will be able to write them all correctly. Each section should have a heading that explains the specific topic, followed by your main argument, facts, evidence and conclusions.A good example of the four parts of an essay would be an essay on the SAT, which would begin with the introduction, which would describe why you want to apply to college, the question, which would ask you what you have to offer your potential college students, the body of the essay would detail your information, and the conclusion, which would provide the readers with one reason why you are going to succeed in college. It is important to use a high quality university essay sample.There are m any great university essay samples that can be found online. A quick internet search can provide you with dozens of essay samples to help you craft the perfect one. If you are only looking for examples, there are many of these available online, but if you are looking for a unique essay that has been done correctly by a college professor, then you may want to browse the internet for samples of original essays.There are some universities that have formalized the writing of their university essay, such as Georgetown University. These examples may be found by searching through Google, Yahoo, Bing or other related keywords, and if you are looking for university essay samples that are not specific to a specific university, then there are several free websites that you can use to generate samples of essays that are not unique to a specific school or program.

Top 5 Jobs for Great Work-Life Balance

Top 5 Jobs for Great Work-Life Balance ever wondered how some people make it work? how you could manage to maintain a satisfying career, pay the bills, but still have time to travel or have a family life? sometimes it’s best to think outside of the box a bit and look to a few jobs you might not expect would fit the bill. forbes recently featured 25 jobs that could give you the best of both worlds, and still pay enough to keep you where you want to be. here are our top 5.1. web designerhave an eye for good design? a mind for technology? a self-managing style? consider a career in web design. a bit of training and talent can net you an average of $53k per year with tons of flexibility. you could work from anywhere!2. software developerthis ones is another step in the web direction, if you’re good at that sort of thing. software developers usually have flexible hours and locations, and can make up to $80k per year.3. client managerprefer the structure of working for a company, rather than on your own? still wan t a bit more flexibility? client managing can win you over $71k per year and will still leave you time to make lunches for your kids.4. substitute teacherhave teaching skills, but don’t want to be tied down to a full scholastic year? have a bit of money saved to work on starting your own business? or just don’t need to pull in all that much? substitute teaching can be a great way to keep yourself working- as much or as little as you want- without long-term commitment, and can earn you almost $25k a year.5. social media managerthis gig let’s you be involved in a company without having to stay late and come early to keep it running; you act as  that company’s mouthpiece instead! social media managing can be a low-stress, often enjoyable way to go to work every day. and at an average of $40k a year, the salary isn’t half bad either.see more here:  best 25 jobs for work life balance

200 Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs

200 Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs Homonyms are two or more words that have the same sound or  spelling  but differ in  meaning. Homophones- which means same sounds in Latin- are two or more words, such as  knew  and  new  or  meat  and  meet, that are  pronounced  the same but differ in  meaning, origin, and often  spelling. Homographs, meanwhile, are words that have the same  spelling  but differ in origin, meaning, and sometimes  pronunciation, such as the verb  bear  (to carry or endure) and the noun  bear  (the animal with a shaggy coat). Words that fall under any of these three categories often confuse readers and writers alike. But they need not perplex you: Understanding the meaning of these three grammatical terms and, especially, being able to recognize them can help clear up any confusion. A list of some of the most common  homonyms, homophones,  and  homographs can help any writer use these words correctly and any reader or listener recognize them when they occur. Homonyms, Homophones, and  Homographs   Here is a listing of some the most common homonyms, homophones, and  homographs. The first column contains homonyms in alphabetical order, while the second and third columns list the corresponding homonym, homophone, or homograph as applicable. accept - take in except - other than ad - advertisement add - join, combine advice - guidance advise - recommend aid - assist, assistance aide - one who gives assistance ail - to suffer poor health ale - a beverage air - atmosphere ere - before heir - one who inherits property aisle - a passage I'll - contraction of I will isle - island allusion - an indirect reference illusion - false appearance altar - table in a church alter - to change ate - past tense of eat eight - the number 8 bail - to clear water bail - release of a prisoner bale - a large bundle band - a ring, something that binds band - a group banned - prohibited bare - uncovered bear - large animal bear - support, yield bases - starting points bases - four stations on a baseball field basis - a basic principle beat - to strike, overcome beat - exhausted beet - a plant with red roots blew - past tense of blow blue - the color bread - baked food item bred - produced buy - purchase by - near, through bye - goodbye capital - punishable by death capital - chief city capitol - building where legislature meets ceiling - top of a room sealing - setting, fastening cell - compartment sell - vend cent - penny coin scent - an odor sent - past tense of send cereal - breakfast food serial - sequential chews - gnaws with teeth choose - to select Chile- country in South America chili - bean stew chilly - frosty chord - musical tone cord - rope cite - quote site - location sight - view close - opposite of open clothes - clothing coarse - rough course - path, procedure complement – enhance; go together compliment - praise conduct - behavior conduct - to lead council - committee counsel - guidance creak - squeak creek - stream of water crews - gangs cruise - ride on a boat days - plural of day daze - stun dear - darling deer- woodland animal desert - to abandon desert - dry land dessert - after-dinner treat dew - morning mist do - operate due - payable die - cease to exist dye - color discreet - tactful discrete - distinct doe - female dear dough - uncooked bread dual - double duel - battle elicit - draw out illicit - illegal eminent - distinguished imminent - soon ewe - female sheep you - second-person personal pronoun eye - sight organ I - first-person personal pronoun facts - true things fax - a document transmitted via telephone fair - equal fare - price fairy - elflike creature with wings ferry - boat faze - impact phase - stage feat - achievement feet - plural of foot find - to discover fined - charged a penalty fir - type of tree fur - animal hair flea - small biting insect flee - run flew - did fly flu - illness flour - powdery, ground up grain flower - blooming plant for - on behalf of fore - front four - three plus one forth - onward fourth - number four foreword - introduction to a book forward - advancing gene - a chromosome jean - fabric; pants gorilla - big ape guerrilla - warrior grease - fat Greece - country in Europe groan - moan grown - form of grow hair - head covering hare - rabbit-like animal hall - passageway haul - tow halve - cut in two parts have - possess hay - animal food hey - interjection to get attention heal - mend heel - back of foot hear - to listen here - at this place hi - hello high - up far hoarse - croaky horse - riding animal hole - opening whole - entire holey - full of holes holy - divine wholly - entirely hoarse - rough voice horse - animal hour - sixty minutes our - belonging to us knead - massage need - desire knew - did know new - not old knight - feudal horseman night - evening knot - tied rope not - negative know - have knowledge no - opposite of yes lead - metal led - was the leader leased - past tense of lease least - the minimum lessen - make smaller lesson - class loan - lend lone - solitary made - did make maid - servant mail - postage male - opposite of female marry - to wed merry - very happy meat - animal protein meet - encounter mince - to chop finely mints - type of sweet morning - a.m. mourning - remember the dead none - not any nun - woman who takes special vows oar - boat paddle or - otherwise ore - mineral oh - expression of surprise or awe owe - be obligated one - single won - did win overdo - do too much overdue - past due date pail - bucket pale - not bright pain - hurt pane - window glass peace - calm piece - segment peak – highest point peek - glance patience - being willing to wait patients - person treated in a hospital or by a doctor pear - a type of fruit pair - two (usually matching) plain - ordinary plane - flight machine plane; flat surface pole - post poll - survey poor - not rich pour - make flow pray - implore God prey - quarry principal - most important principle - belief rain – water from sky rein - bridle rap - tap wrap - drape around read - past tense of the verb to read red - color real - factual reel - roll right - correct; not left write - scribble ring - encircle wring - squeeze road - street rode - past tense of ride role - function roll - rotate rose - flower rows - lines sail - move by wind power sale - bargain price scene - landscape seen - viewed sea - ocean segment see - observe with eyes seam - joining edge seem - appear sew - connect with thread so - as a result sow - plant soar - ascend sore - hurt place sole - single soul - essence son - male child sun - the star that lights the solar system some - a few sum - amount stair - step stare - to look at steadily steal - swipe steel - alloy suite - large room in a hotel sweet - the opposite of sour tail - animal’s appendage tale - story their - belonging to them there - at that place they’re - they are threw - past tense of throw through - passing from one place to another to - toward too - also two - the number 2 toe - foot appendage tow - pull along vary - differ very - wail - howl wail - howl whale - huge sea mammal waist - area below ribs waste - squander wait – kill time weight - measurable load war - battle wore - did wear warn - caution worn - used way - path weigh - measure mass we - us wee - tiny weak - not strong week - seven days wear - to don attire where - question word weather - climate whether - if which - that witch - sorcerer wood - material coming from trees would - conditional auxiliary your - belonging to you you’re - you are Practice Using Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs Complete each of the following sentences by filling in the blank with the correct word. Youll find the answers at the end of the exercise. To heighten interest, all of the sentences are quotes from various authors writings in books and magazine articles published over the years. Feel free to use the previous table to help you if you get stumped. â€Å"He simply sat down on the ledge and forgot everything _____ [accept or  except]  the marvelous mystery.†- Lawrence Sargent HallI live in the Oakland Hills in a tiny house on a street so windy you can’t drive more than ten miles per hour. I rented it because the _____ [ad or add]  said this: Small house in the trees with a garden and a fireplace. Dogs welcome, of course.- Pam HoustonFrancis wondered what _____  [advice or  advise]  a psychiatrist would have for him.- John CheeverThe _____ [aid or aide] gets out of the way, picking her skirt out of the rubble of children at her feet.- Rosellen BrownHe seemed to want to  recapture the cosseted feeling  hed had when hed been sick as a child and she would serve him flat ginger _____  [ail or  ale], and toast soaked in cream, and play endless card games with him, using his blanket-covered legs as a table.- Alice Elliott DarkHe sat down and leaned forward, pulling  the chairs rear legs into the _____ [air,  ere, or heir]  so that the waitress could get by.- Stanley Elkins [T]he stewardess was moving down the _____ [aisle, Ill, or isle],  like a trained nurse taking  temperatures in a hospital ward, to see that they were all properly strapped in for the take-off.- Martha GellhornMrs. Parmenter laughed at his _____ [allusion or illusion]  to their summer at Mrs. Sterretts, in Rome, and gave him her coat to hold.- Willa CatherIn the long years between, she had  fashioned many fine dresses- gowned gay girls for their conquests and robed fair brides for the _____ [altar or alter].- Mary LernerOn a Saturday morning soon after he came to live with her, he  turned over her garbage while she  was at the grocery store and _____ [ate or eight]  rancid bacon drippings out of a small Crisco can.- Pam DurbanThe barn was bigger than a church,  and  the falls fresh hay _____ [bails or  bales]  were stacked to the roof in the side mows.- John UpdikeHer  two spare dresses were gone, her comb was gone, her checkered coat was gone, and so was the mauve hair-_____ [band or banned] with a mauve bow that had been her hat.- Vladimir Nabokov Without the shelter of those  trees, there is a great exposure- back yards, clotheslines, woodpiles, patchy sheds and barns and privies- all _____ [bare or bear], exposed, provisional looking.- Alice MunroThis was the time when outfields were larger than they are today and well-hit balls would roll for a long time,  giving  runners ample time  to round the _____ [bases or basis]  for a home  run.- Deidre Silva and Jackie KoneyThe conductor had his  knotted signal cord to pull, and the motorman _____ [beat or beet] the foot gong with his mad heel.- Saul BellowNancy held the cup to her mouth and _____ [blew or blue] into the cup.- William FaulknerA pigeon landed nearby.  It  hopped on its little red feet  and pecked into something that might have been a dirty piece of stale _____ [bread or bred] or dried mud.- Isaac Bashevis SingerHe was wearing a new  hat of a pretty biscuit shade, for it never occurred to him to _____ [buy, by, or bye] anything of a practic al color; he had put it on for the first time and the rain was spoiling it.- Katherine Anne Porter Answers to the Exercise 1. except  2. ad  3. advice  4.  aide  5. ale  6. air  7. aisle  8. allusion  9. altar  10. ate  11. bales  12. band  13. bare  14. bases  15. beat  16. blew  Ã‚  17. bread  18. buy Sources Hall, Lawrence Sargent. The Ledge. The Hudson Review, 1960.Houston, Pam. Waltzing the Cat. Washington Square Press, 1999, New York.Cheever, John. The Country Husband. The New Yorker, 1955.Brown, Rosellen. How to Win. The Massachusetts Review, 1975.Dark, Alice Elliott. In the Gloaming. The New Yorker. 1994.Elkins, Stanley. Criers and Kibitzers, Kibitzers and Criers. Perspective, 1962.Gellhorn, Martha. Miami-New York. The Atlantic Monthly, 1948.Cather, Willa. Double Birthday.  Uncle Valentine and Other Stories. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Neb., 1986.Lerner, Mary. Little Selves. The Atlantic Monthly, 1915.Durban, Pam. Soon. The Southern Review, 1997.Updike,  John. My Fathers Tears and Other Stories. Knopf, 2009, New York.Nabokov, Vladimir That in Aleppo Once... The Atlantic Monthly, 1944.Munro, Alice. Meneseteung. The New Yorker, 1989.Silva, Deidre, and Koney, Jackie. It Takes More Than Balls: The Savvy Girls Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Baseball. Skyhorse, 2008, N ew York. Bellow, Saul. A Silver Dish. The New Yorker, 1979.Faulkner, William. That Evening Sun Go Down. The American Mercury, 1931.Singer, Isaac Bashevis. The Key.  A Friend of Kafka. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1979, New York.Katherine Anne Porter, Theft. The Gyroscope, 1930.

Comparison Pratt's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparison Pratt's - Essay Example Therefore, presentation of conflict and tranquility at individual, local, social and international levels form the major components of contact zones. In that vein, media, time periods, traditions and faculties form major points of reference while exploring a film. Consequently, zones describe and identify origins of conflict; explanations on how occurrences of conflicts reach others and to strive to understand ways that ordinary statesmen can work for peace (Grossman, 2013). Mary concept of contact zones encompasses colonialism, slavery, and results as is witnessed in various parts of the world. Mary eventually uses the word to reconsider most models of communities that many people use to teach and theorize conflicts in the world today. It is important to note that, Guaman Poma huge letter to Philip III exemplifies some social complexities that culminate to conquests and empires. The letter was written in two languages, Spanish and Quechua and in two parts. Nueva is the name of the first part that was constituted of the main official discourses. New chronicles by Guaman Poma’s gives an instance that mary proposes to call an autoethnographic text. A text that individuals undertake to describe themselves in ways that other people talk of them in presentations they make (Grossman, 2013). Unlike ethnographic texts used by people in European metropolitan subjects to represent themselves, autoethnography represent texts that the so-defined others develop in response to other texts. Important to note, autoethnogrsphics are not equivalent to autochthonous way of expression or self-representation that many fondly mistake. Rather, it involves choosing collaborations that can are appropriated with idioms of the conqueror (Grossman, 2013). The texts are merged and blended in at different degrees with idioms to form a self-representation that strives to get involved in metropolitan

Intro to Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Intro to Philosophy - Essay Example the individual private conversations with ourselves that we conduct ‘in our heads.† People therefore talk about "making up my mind" "changing my mind" or of being "of two minds" about some matter about which a decision is required. This fits in with the idea that the mind is a very private and personal area to which no other person has access. The etymology of the word in English shows how there is some confusion as to what ‘mind’ actually means. In Old English it was ‘gemynd’, a word used to refer to memory and intention as well as thinking (, Harper 2012), even ‘having the mind aroused’. In Greek the word ‘memona’ referred to both yearning for something and also madness. In Latin, as in Old English, the word was linked to recall and memory. In English by the 14th century ‘to mind’ meant to remember. In French however the word is ‘esprit’ or spirit, and in German ‘geist’ i.e. ghost , both referring to an intangible something. The brain is obviously a physical object, it can be measured, observed, even weighed. With modern imaging techniques it is even possible to see it in action, chemically, neurologically and electronically. The mind however is much less tangible – something we all know exists yet cannot quite explain. It is a separate entity. Our body can be totally relaxed, even asleep, but the mind can be very active. The reverse can also be true - we are running along perhaps, pushing our body to its physical limits, while at the same time the mind is simply ticking over, thinking of almost nothing. The mind can be defined as that part of conscious beings which reasons, perceives, thinks, wills and judges. The Free Dictionary defines the mind as being :- The human consciousness that originates in the brain and is manifested especially in thought, perception, emotion, will, memory and imagination. It is also described in the same dictionary as :- T he collective conscious and unconscious processes in a sentient organism that direct and influence mental and physical behavior. All cognitive being are born with amazing brains and minds, yet it is something about which humanity in general knows relatively very little. This essay will consider various views on the subject, looking at research, at opinions, secular ideas and religious texts. It is likely that man, from earliest time, has been aware that he is made up of more than physical things, more even than what he perceives through his senses - man is after all a dreamer and also capable of spiritual experiences. Probably the oldest known ideas about the mind come from Zoroaster who may have lived as long ago as 2000 B.C.E.(Parsa, undated), although estimates of his dates vary considerably. According to his biographer Zoroaster, a Persian philosopher and the founder of the Zoroastrian religion taught that :- By keeping the mind healthy and by making use of creative forces, indi viduals can find satisfaction and passion in what they do. In Buddhism the body is compared to a house and our mind to a guest staying there. According to this belief when a person dies their mind moves on into the next life or place , and the house, as houses do, stays behind to be taken care of. (Kadampa 2010). The same article also points out that, as the mind is formless, it is totally unrestricted by physical objects – which explains why it is possible to dream or to consider something without being in its

Unemployment in Rwanda

Unemployment in Rwanda Rwanda is one of the smallest low income African countries and a post- conflict country that shares boundaries with Uganda in north, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in west, Burundi in south and Tanzania in east, Having emerged from the 1994 genocide and civil conflict and wars which claimed over one million people dead and left the socio-economic infrastructure completely smashed. The country suffered from harsh deficits which includes skilled human capital and this is largely for technical professions (RoR: 2008). According to the 2002 census of Population and Housing, Rwanda`s Population was estimated at 10,4 million and with the population density of 321 persons per square kilometre. The country`s Population grew rapidly from a small size Population of 2 million in 1962 to over 10 million in 2010. The country has a relatively high rate population growth of 2.9% which could carry on the population to sixteen million in the year 2020, if this pace or speed is maintained. The population is predominately young with an average age of about 20 years of old with about 60% of the total population less than 19 years old with significant implications for young people `s unemployment (RoR:2002). The young people in Rwanda represents hope for the future as a resource that holds a big reserve of human energy, and they can play a big role particularly in developing the economy. Rwanda being one of the poorest countries in the world and much of her population is largely dependent on subsistence farming or agriculture in general. The formal industrial and employment is slightly developed and nearly non-existent outside the few larger urban areas basically Kigali main capital city, followed by smaller cities such as Huye, Cyangugu, Ruhengeri, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibuye and Rwamagana. Over the past decades ,the youth in Rwanda have depended so much on employment generated by the Public Sector as the sole employer mainly due to ineffective policy framework that would facilitate the processes of generating employment ( RoR: 2005 ). Lack of active government input and facilitation has been one of the top most challenging factors among others. In the process of improving the lives and the standards of the population in Rwanda, the country has embarked on supporting and facilitating the informal sector as a means to generate more employment opportunities to vulnerable people especially the youth and has implemented policies to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other Rural Development Programmes like Vision Umurenge, Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) and the Vision 2020 as a framework to achieve the overall development in Rwanda ( RoR: 1999). Rwanda is trying to change from an aid dependent country into a middle income country by developing its human capital with skills in different capacities to enhance employment creation for the entire population which is dominated by the youth. The Government of Rwanda established five year action plan for youth employment promotion and the strategies which is meant to help in developing her human capital by empowering the young people in the labour market so as to get decent jobs (RoR:2008). It is in this regard that, the government has developed a number of vocational training institutions in all five Provinces (that makes up Rwanda) purposely to help the young people to gain certain level of skills to enable them become self-employed and make use of their effort in development. Nicola, (2005), argues that vocational education normally is projected to make young people become self reliant. This supports the argument that vocational education for young people is to become creative with necessary skills that enables them to start their own undertakings. However, many studies in developing countries show numerous constraints in vocational training institutions, a situation whereby vocational training graduates hardly succeed when trying to seek economic activities or create employment, (Haan,2006).Yet the main goal of vocational training institutions is to prepare young people to fit in the labour market. Based on the above views, this will necessitate the researcher to draw attention to the perceptions of the trainees from vocational institutions. The case of Rwanda`s vocational education system which lacks a sound and stable standard setting in place, this has created problems of low quality education that is somewhat not relevant to the current labour market which is competitive and tight as a result of large labour force supply in the country. 1.2 Statement of the problem It is claimed that, young people always consider gaining skills as sole source of solving the unemployment problem for them and it is regarded as a form of transition for them to join the independent life style. Sen.(1997), argues that skills and knowledge can enhance human capability, a situation whereby young people can be able to make their own choices to lead lives they have reason to value. A recent initiative of the government of Rwanda to address the rampant unemployment trend in the labour market among the young people is the setting up of Workforce Development Authority (WDA). This institution was set up to improve the standards of vocational institutions in a country and play a regulatory role and working under the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Service and Labour but still a lot is missing due to; limited qualified personnel in training programmes, lack of experience for young people seeking employment, Inadequate skills to prepare the young people with enoug h capability upon the labour market standards , poor education system (RoR: 2010). The high rate of unemployment in Rwanda is a result of poor education system which prepares young people basically for white collar jobs which have been declining across time.( RoR: 2002). The country`s formal unemployment rate is 15.5% and this impacts on nearly 696,260 persons (RoR:2005). The government of Rwanda has embarked on increasing expenditure on education sector and this has led to increased labour force supply from vocational training institutions. This has also led to increased demand for jobs within a tight labour market of Rwanda that is actually dependent on public jobs. This has led to a large crowd of unemployed young people based on the fact that the labour force supply exceeded the labour demands in the labour market and as a result of poor education system ,there is often smaller number of young graduates who are able to create their own employment. In Rwanda, the private sector is mainly underdeveloped and this is also one of the major cause of a large crowd of unemployed young people in a country. In this case, the public sector remains the principal employer compared to the formal private sector (segment) yet public sector employs a small fraction of the employable inhabitants (RoR: 2007). The agricultural sector is the largest employer among the sectors in the country, but this sector is largely less productive and this is due to smaller range (size) of land share as per-person in the country, the land is often very small with less than 1 (one) hectare per-person/ inhabitant. This contributes to low output and low incomes to the rural dwellers, who are the majority of whom the young people and women, such people would be employed in other sectors ( RoR: 2002). The economically active and dynamic population that is active is estimated at 4,493,000 and among those 45% are men and 55% are women counter- parts. out of the above population, 2,334,000 are in the age bracket of young people in the country ranging from 15-29 years of age, where as 1,153,000 are under 20 years of age (RoR:2004). Besides that, because of poor education and curriculum systems, the skills and competencies acquired by the young people from the vocational training institutions do not match with the requirements of labour market mainly because VET graduates often lack some confidence to stand on their own capabilities to start self-employment. The issue of self-employment has been worsened by the general lack of active labour market policies in place to facilitate the creation of employment for young people and active youth employment promotion policies in place which can also influence the decisions to avail credits and information pertaining job opportunities for unemployed young people from vocational training who may be troubled by the lack of initial capital to start the entrepreneurship businesses (RoR: 2008). As it was suggested and adopted by UNESCO (1974) in a vital recommendation that, technical and vocational education is an essential component of general education and as a system of preparing for occupational-workers and as a mechanism to shrink the mismatches involving trainings and employment. Many young people are said to be trapped-up and hardly make it to start self-employment in the labour market. Thus, this study seeks to assess the effectiveness of vocational training institutions in building human capital as well as their capabilities in terms of giving the necessary skills and competencies required by young people to be self-employed in the labour market and the necessary strategies to alleviate the above constraints faced by the young people in the labour market. 1.3 Research objective and research questions 1.3.1 Main objective of the research The objective of this research paper is to assess the labour market situation for the young people in Rwanda with reference of Gasabo District in Kigali-City. Emphasis is given to young people who graduate from vocational education and training going into self-employment. It tries to discover the mismatch between skills young people have and the desired competencies for self-employment in the current labour market. 1.3.2 Specific objectives of the research To identify the journeys into self-employment taken by young people from vocational education and training in Rwanda, To find out the perceptions of young people over the challenges they face during the course of training and how well education and training has prepared them for those challenges, To analyse the major challenges the young people encounter when taking their journeys to self- employment, To suggest policy recommendations to be adopted so as to improve the labour market situations for the young people in Rwanda. 1.3.3 Research Questions What are the economic journeys taken by young people from vocational training into self-employment in Rwanda? What are the perceptions of young people over the challenges they face during the course of training and how well education and training has prepared them for those challenges? What are the major constraints the young people encounter when taking their journeys to self-employment? What policy recommendations should be made to encourage an environment of adequate skills and capability desired in the labour market? 1.4 Relevance and justification of the research study The research study is relevant as it tries to make a good understanding of the concepts of self-employment developed by training and a labour market concept which is rather weak among several vocational training institutions in Rwanda. This paper provides response to the common mismatch of skills acquired from vocational institutions that impinges so much on the position of young people in Rwanda`s current labour market. It will also enable the concerned parties to recognize whether self-employment policies and programmes in place are relevant towards addressing the high rate of unemployment among the young people in Rwanda. It will create a platform to initiate debates on youth employment promotion policies which might be useful in addressing the unemployment problem which has affected the young people in Rwanda`s labour market and the world of work in a global perspective. Besides that, this research provides useful literature and knowledge for future reviews based on the theoretical views and opinions of several cited authors from the world of academia that are included in this research paper. This research study is also relevant especially when it seeks to make policy recommendations as an aspect that will help in building institutional capacities and as well as building human capabilities. 1.5 Research Methodology and sources of data. The research is based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected from respondents from the chosen area of study comprising of the beneficiaries of training programmes. The researcher identified young individuals who are graduates from vocational training institutions. The total number of interviewee was thirty five (35) respondents from Gasabo District and Government officials. This helped the researcher to collect data on the quality of the education system provided by the vocational training education institutions in Rwanda and was able to capture information on the perceptions of young people on the standards of the education system provided to them, after they graduate and how it is helpful or inadequate in as far as labour market is concerned. 1.5.1 Sample size and sampling procedures The ideal exercise in a research study is to find data from the whole population. This would guarantee maximum coverage/ treatment of population concerned in the research study. However, due to lack of resources, it was not feasible to study the whole population; In this case, a sample size was then deemed necessary and essential to satisfy the researcher`s study. With the use of purposive sampling method, respondents presumed to have clear/understandable and enough information concerning the economic journeys of the young people into self-employment were consulted. To get rich and enough information about young peoples transition into self employment, I purposively selected thirty (30) self-employed young respondents. For better understanding what the government is doing / planning to encourage self employment to young people in Rwanda, I selected 5 Government officials, two from the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, one official from the Ministry of Youth and two officials from the Ministry of Education and were interviewed. Thus, the sample size of the study totalled to 35 respondents. The selection of 30 young respondents that were interviewed fell in age range of 15-35 years old as being stipulated by Rwandan constitution of 2003-2004 determining who the youth are. 1.5.2 Research techniques Interviews To get primary data, it was decided to interview 35 respondents. Before holding interviews with respondents, the researcher had first to make contacts with the help of telephones calls. Using interview guide, the researcher interviewed 30 young self-employed people in Gasabo District. To know what the government is doing or planning for self employment for young people in Rwanda, 2 officials from the Ministry of Public Services and Labour, 2 officials from the Ministry of Education and 1 official from the Ministry of Youth were also interviewed. Semi-structured interviews each lasting for up 30-35 minutes were conducted. The interview questions varied in form and emphasis based on the interviewee but were based on the research questions mentioned above. In some cases, some prompts were incorporated, for example, around the nature of self-employment and the transition of young people as a starting point for informants giving their views about self-employment as a form of employment in the labour market. With respect to the qualitative practice (Davies: 1997), a mostly unrestricted/open-ended interview timetable was used to guide the conversation and discussion. The interview calendar was purposefully considered to allow informants to articulate/express themselves unreservedly and to raise their personal issues and concerns relating to the transition of young people towards self- employment in the real world of work. The interview schedules helped very the researcher to understand as well as studying the attitudes, values, beliefs and motives the young people have in as far as self-employment is concerned. The study interviews were conducted in English, but in some cases Kinyarwanda (local language) was used, with the interview transcripts which was translated into English afterwards. Desk study For the concern of secondary data collection, a desk study was used. The study concentrated on secondary data from diverse sources, but mainly from the ISS/Erasmus University library, official government publications/documents from Rwanda related to the issue of investigation, Internet sources was very crucial among other sources, Many reports and other relevant sources were also consulted during the research paper writing period. 1.6 Scope and limitations of the research study This research study focuses on the young self-employed people, and who have above average levels of education in Rwanda taking Gasabo District in Kigali-City as a case study. Due to time restriction and inadequate resources/funds, the research study could not cover the entire country, the research was conducted in Gasabo District in Kigali- City. Gasabo District being surrounded by the three Districts that constitute Kigali-City Mayor ship was considered because of the following reasons: Gasabo District is situated in the centre of Kigali-city where most of the commercial activities and many businesses takes palace, and as well government administrative offices and none governmental organization offices are located. The district is presumed to be having somewhat/ fairly well developed infrastructures in place as well as road networks, water, electricity with the planned settlements and more easily reached communities and this can facilitate those who seek self-employment and as well as employment creation per se. In this case the young people after their training may decide to stay around with their relatives while trying to find what to do in their bid to seek self-employment in tight labour market. Gasabo District was chosen because the district is presumed with a big number of young people that are self-employed relatively bigger compared to Nyarugenge and Kicukiro Districts that also make up Kigali-City. Gasabo Districts takes a bigger part of Kigali-city. Pertaining to the limitations, the researcher came across quite a lot of challenges. Which created some unexpected inconvenience in the field during data collection and they may included; Bureaucratic tendencies from some of the selected interviewees especially government officials was the most problem that frustrated the researcher so much. The scheduling of appointments with the respondents was proved to be time consuming and took most of the researchers time. However, to overcome this, several appointments were made and this pro-longed the time of data collection than the earlier planned time. Further to that, with the introductory letter from ISS/Erasmus university stating the intention of the research, several respondents started welcoming the researcher and they could spare 20-35 minutes for discussion during interviews. Language problem also delayed the progress of data collection in the field at several instances. This is mainly for the reason that most of the Official documents are prepared in French and the responses of the young people were given in Kinyarwanda Language. Irrespective of such difficulties and challenges the researcher encountered in the process of data collection, on the other hand, the data collection went well because some friends of mine helped me in translating a number of helpful related materials such as policy documents from French to English and some from Kinyarwanda into English. Samer and Bennell (2001:7) pointed out that there are generally serious inconveniences with the way in which persons are selected and traced, This implies that, the samples size were biased and not really representative of the whole population size of the young self-employed people under investigation. In this case, there could be many other young people who might have come up with different views and responses during data collection. 1.7 The organization of the research paper This research paper is structured into five chapters. Chapter 1 presents a general idea of what this research paper expected to find out and how to tackle it. It includes the general introduction of the research, problem statement of the research, the relevance and justification of the research study, objectives and research questions of the research study. It also highlights the scope and limitations of the research, the research methods and the research techniques that were used in collecting the desired data. Chapter 2 is made up of the conceptual and theoretical framework of the research. This section presents in length and gives a discussion on the concepts used according to a number of scholars. Basically this chapter concentrates rigorously on the associated concepts like: youth, transition from school-to-work, self-employment, competencies, skills, determinants of self-employment, social networks, importance of self-employment and limitations/ barriers that self-employed young people are troubled with and employment search theory. Chapter 3 presents an overview of VET programmes in the Rwandan context by giving the general picture of TVET education system pertaining to vocational education and training provided to the young people in Rwanda (TVET as an umbrella for VET programmes). Chapter 4 presents research findings and interpretations. It starts by presenting the general profile and the structure of Gasabo District as the case study for this research. It evidently shows how the collected data was analysed in connection to research questions, the economic journeys young people take to become self-employed, perceptions and expectations of the young people, forms of economic activities being done by the young people in the context of Rwanda`s labour market, factors contributing to long duration of transition to self-employment among the young people in Gasabo District. Chapter 5 offers some of the critical reflections on the research findings and recommendations and general conclusion that covers a summary of responses to the research questions and objectives of this research study. Chapter 2: Conceptual and Theoretical Framework 2.1 Introduction This chapter presents the conceptual and theoretical frameworks and which also provides a basis for this research. It covers concepts such as; youth in other words who are the young people?, Skills, competencies, self-employment, wage employment, determinants of self-employment, social-networks, importance of self-employment, limitations/ barriers of self-employment and that is also followed be the employment search theory. 2.2 Working concepts and definitions 2.2.1 Youth The concept of youth/ young people varies from one community to another, depending on customs and traditions, social behaviour and location (Curtain: 2001). According to the United Nations (UN), the standard clarity of youth comprises of people aged between 15-24 years old. However, In Rwandan context, with reference to the current constitution version 2003-2004, it defines youth as a fraction of people aged between15-35 year old. 2.2.2 Skills As cited by Awortwe-Abban (2009) in the words of Nelson and Winter in their perspective of evolutionary theory, they defined the concept of skill as a capability for smooth progression of coordinated performance that is normally effective relatively to its objectives, given the context in which it often occurs (Awortwe-Abban: 2009). In this case, individuals or young people may be able to engage themselves in different undertakings whereby, they can be able to discover, consider and at the same time evaluate possible likely changes in their ways of doing things. This concept of skill is applicable to this research study mainly because without provision of proper and adequate skills such as technical skills, business skills and many other skills to young people, entering the labour market could be difficult. This could also be a hindrance to labour supply in any labour market and self-employment opportunities per se. thus, many opportunities could remain idle and untapped mainly not b ecause of restrictions but due of lack of skills desired in the labour market. 2.2.3 Competence This concept of competence refers to a certain level of standardized requirement for an individual to practically perform a specific occupation or a task in a world of work. However, competencies are often judged as a combination of knowledge and skills required for an individual to perform a specific role adequately and professionally (Raven and Stephenson: 2001). This concept is applicable in this research study because, it is part of the training output acquired during the period of career training from vocational training institutions. And once young people are not given chance to learn some of the desired competences which would make them ready to be self-employed, they can always remain unemployed and dependants on the existing employers of the formal sector and informal sector. According to Eraut (2003), competence is defined as; the ability of individuals to perform errands and roles necessary and obligatory to the expected standards while Mandon et al (1998) admittedly, pointed out that, competence refers to the capacity of a person to do something. It should however be noted that competence is viewed as being holistic because it is comprised of the subject matter of knowledge, abilities and qualities of doing work or any activity in a diverse manner. However, for purposes of this study, the concept of competence could imply as the capability to apply knowledge and skills in practice. In this case, lack of vocational based training competencies could hinder the economic journeys that young people make to start self-employment in a tight in labour market. In other words, why the very people who are prepared for self-employment find it so cumbersome join the labour market. In this case, the research findings will provide suitable answers to such alarming is sues. 2.2.4 Self-employment From economic perspective, self-employment is a form of economic activity that provides the opportunity for individuals to improve their quality of life and/or for exploring creative entrepreneurial opportunities (Bryson and White: 1996). They argue that self-employment especially among the young people is considered mostly to be economically vulnerable and this could be a result of lack of improved economic policies and programmes that promote and facilitate self- employment amongst the young people through the provision of access to credit and business development services, networking as well as other forms of support. The young people consider self-employment as their best preference. This is based on the competencies they are given from the training which also allows them to venture into new small economic activities or entrepreneurial activities . There is also a range of motivating factors such as; the desire for self-expression and independence (Bryson and White: 1996 ). The purpose of self-employment as a concept in this study is to address the journeys and transitions that young people take in order to start their own employment that is related to their professions, skills and competences they possess as VET graduates. Despite the fact that, all VET young graduates are trained to be in specific occupations many fail to become self-employed rapidly. This will be evidenced in the subsequent chapters. 2.2.5 Wage employment This is a form of employment where a person receives wages in return for selling his/her own labour. Wage employment also occurs in both the formal and informal economy. Blanchflower (2000) pointed out that, many young people start out in wage employment and switch to self-employment at some point in their career. this could be a reason of financial constraints and it happens when your entrepreneurs wants to build up savings in their first job/employment. The difference of wage employment and self-employment is that wage employment involves less risks than self-employment in the labour market. 2.3 Transition from school-to-work/ labour market Conceptually, the transition from school-to-work is considered as a new development which is associated with change of life in development. In addition to that, it is also seen as a period where by individuals leave formal education and join the labour market. This form of transition takes place at any level of education. The school-to-work agenda gives chance to a number of long standing issues concerning schooling, employment creation and training programmes. These issues are now seen as part of a distinct practice and process. According to (OECD, 1998) the transition from school to work is defined as that period between the end of compulsory education and accomplishment of steady employment opportunity. The success of transition from school-to-work for young people highly depend on how such young people are able to secure economic activities and any other form of employment occupation in world of work that is gainful, which is the principal aim for young people when they finish formal education. For the case of developing countries like Rwanda respectively, the possibilities of employment opportunities are largely embedded in the informal sector, which is predominant in the labour market of Rwanda and this is because there are few opportunities in the formal sector of the economy (Nwuke: 2002). The young people often desire to be helped in taking helpful actions when they are to discover how to make satisfying lives on their own sake. In this case, the school-to-work transition for young people requires steady forms of mentoring and apprenticeship programs to become the core practices in the whole process which pertains school-to-work- transition in the labour market. Active labour market policies can also play an essential role in facilitating the transition school to the world of work. These policies mainly include formal employment and self-employment policies (Higgins, 2001: 110). The relevance of such policies is that they play an imperative role by incorporating the needy young people who fails to be absorbed into the labour market with some skills which enables young people to be more active. Such policies would include individuals capabilities. Blackely, (1990) pointed out that, such policies can facilitate the process of economic journeys by leading to programmes which makes economic journeys for young people successful and productive. 2.4 Determinants of self-employment for the young people Different factors determine self-employment outcomes for young people in both formal and informal sectors in developing countries. For self-employment to prevail in any economic situation, the following factors seem to be crucial: Access to credit and business development services such as basic business skills, business experience and availability of market opportunities play a fundamental role in the establishment and exploitation of gainful employment to young people (Chigunta et al. 2002: 25). Access to finances is a decisive factor for the creation of self-employment to the young people. However, young men and women often faced with the general lack to access credit in order to start their own entrepreneurial businesses and often they do not have collateral securities to have access to credits from formal financial institutions. This has been the case in many countries including the common wealth