Partnership and Microsoft - 1665 Words

1. What are some relative advantages and disadvantages of using smaller local partners vs. a large local partner? Some advantages that Microsoft might have are that in general partnerships, each participant is personally responsible for the actions of the company. This includes debts, liabilities and the wrongful acts of other partners. One advantage of a limited liability partnership is the liability protection it affords. This type of partnership structure protects individual partners from personal liability for negligent acts of other partners or employees not under their direct control, states the SBA. In addition, smaller local partners are not personally responsible for company debts or other obligations. This is advantageous for†¦show more content†¦Second, organize small teams of overlapping functional specialists. This is a blend of two leading concepts in new products management today -- have small work groups and have highly skilled functional specialists. Microsoft has large teams of small teams. At all times functional skills are at work, and team members do not lose sight of their major contribution. Yet, by having an overall plan, and overall team management, the small clusters are involved across all functions. So the firm achieves both functional skills and multifunctional operations. They talk about having distinct functional skills that are overlapped at the boundaries. This gives independence but not anarchy. Third, pioneer and orchestrate evolving mass markets. This means to be the first, or early, to enter a market, find and build mass markets, don t wait for perfect products but build a steam of incrementally better ones flowing in the direction of the market, and try to lead those markets in directions favorable to the firm. Fourth, focus creativity by evolving features and fixing resources. This means giving team’s vision statements for general guidance, freedom to implement those as their skills direct, insisting that developers keep in mind the volume of demand for the features they are building, and then restricting the total eff ort by tight restrictions on dollars and timeShow MoreRelatedThe Partnership Between Ibm And Microsoft1572 Words   |  7 Pages Introduction The partnership between IBM and Microsoft propels each other to the forefront of software design and development and create an industry standard to be followed by all. Although as both companies find themselves with conflicting visions on the design of the operating systems. Soon after Microsoft and IBM agreed to separate and produce their own operating systems. IBM continued producing OS/2 until 1996 with the last product named Warp 4, meanwhile Windows continues to developingRead MoreNokia and Microsoft Partnership Analysis1644 Words   |  7 PagesNokia and Microsoft Partnership Analysis Introduction: Microsoft is the most established software giant and Nokia is the company that is the icon for electronic and communication equipments. Microsoft had a partnership with the computer manufacturer IBM that made the software of Microsoft from DOS to modern Windows 8 famous and most used. The same underlying principle of symbiosis has been used inn this alliance. There are many reasons why Microsoft had to enter the cell phone industry. Arch RivalRead MoreNokia Microsoft Alliance Case1128 Words   |  5 PagesNOKIA AND MICROSOFT JOIN FORCES IN SMARTPHONE WAR On the 11th of February 2011, Nokia Corporation announced the alliance with Microsoft Corporation, unveiling their aggressive strategy to challenge Google and Apple for domination of the hot smartphone market. In this strategic alliance, Nokia will use Microsoft’s mobile operating system (OP) Windows Phone on its smartphones. As per the deal, Windows Phone would replace Symbian as the primary OS on Nokia’s phones and Nokia would pay royalties toRead MoreMicrosoft’s Partnership with Unhcr – Pro Bono Publico Essay1089 Words   |  5 PagesMicrosoft’s Partnership with UNHCR – Pro Bono Publico? Microsoft’s Partnership with UNHCR – Pro Bono Publico? Let me first provide the landscape of this case study by highlighting that the evolution of the partnership between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the software giant Microsoft Corporation facilitated a strategic and mutually beneficial partnership, as well as shaping the definition today of good corporate social responsibility. The corporateRead MoreNokia Microsoft Alliance1424 Words   |  6 PagesNokia Microsoft alliance LONDON – Feb. 11, 2011 – Nokia and Microsoft today announced plans to form a broad strategic partnership that would use their complementary strengths and expertise to create a new global mobile ecosystem. Nokia and Microsoft intend to jointly create market-leading mobile products and services designed to offer consumers, operators and developers unrivalled choice and opportunity. As each company would focus on its core competencies, the partnership would create the opportunityRead MoreHow Bill Gates Is The Man He Is Today1333 Words   |  6 Pageswho created history in the world of technology. The 20th century marked a major turning point in computer advancements that changed the world forever with Microsoft leading the way. Bill Gates, the co founder of Microsoft, always envisioned Microsoft to be a leader in the computer industry, and that is exactly what he accomplished. Today, Microsoft has not only touched and changed the life of the common man, but it has revolutionized the business, medical, production and communication sector of theRead MoreMicrosoft, Microsoft And Microsoft1184 Words   |  5 Pagescharges in 1998 against the software company, claiming that Microsoft had ta ken over the internet browser competition and limited consumer choice. In view of antitrust regulation in the US and EU, and increasing competition in the desktop software market, Microsoft was determined to move beyond the PC software industry. By formally recognizing the emerging business opportunities introduced by the new internet era (â€Å"Web 2.0†), Microsoft began to reinvent itself. It wanted to extend its software productsRead MoreMicrosoft Opens the Gates: Patent, Piracy, and Political Challenges in China763 Words   |  4 PagesMicrosoft faced many macro risks when operating in China. Many of these risks included software piracy, Chinese government pressure to transfer technology, host government promotion of competitor products, discriminatory procurement practices by sub-national authorities in China, and the strong encouragement for Microsoft to enter joint ventures with local firms. One main micro risk that Microsoft faced was when the Beijing Municipal go vernment avoided Microsoft by awarding operating system softwareRead MoreMicrosofts Windows Operating System1045 Words   |  5 PagesMicrosoft – Molopoly through Differntiation Microsoft is considered a monopoly regading some software products of their business. They are one of the largest software companines in the world with a considerable overall market share. More specifically, our text states that a monopolist is â€Å"a single seller of a well-defined good or service with no close substitute† (Miller p. 538). Microsoft’s Windows operating system is a product with very little competition in the desktop, laptop and office serverRead MoreNokia And The Smartphone Market943 Words   |  4 Pagesbecoming irrelevant in the global Smartphone market (Becker, Mladenow, Kryvinska, Strauss, 2012). Technology is a drive in the Smartphone industry, each day a discovery is made, and new features that are user-friendly are introduced. Nokia and Microsoft could not deny this fact and hence they had to join forces so as to compete fairly with other giants in the Smartphone industry. Moreover, Nokia started losing customers thus they had to strategize on new measures that will enable them to compete

Pros And Cons Of Compulsory Voting - 1868 Words

INTRODUCTION This research essay argues that compulsory voting does not violate international law of human rights (ILHR). In arguing so, we explore the perspectives of different commentators regarding the pros and cons of compulsory voting, and interpret how the relevant ILHR documents address the issue of compulsory voting. Compulsory voting is a process in which eligible electors must cast their vote at an election with various ways which include postal voting, absent voting, voting through mobile polling team, and voting at a polling place. Although compulsory voting literally forces people to vote, it offers flexible options for people to choose how they vote. Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly by 48 votes in favour†¦show more content†¦With the public participation in elections is diminishing among developed countries, the elected governments of those countries become less representative of the entire population. The UDHR asserts that the will of the people shall be th e basis of the authority of government. If the government is elected by the minority of the population, the elected government does not truly reflect the will of the entire population within that country, and impliedly lacks the authority to rule the country. To remedy this problem, the implementation of compulsory voting dramatically and effectively raised the public participation in elections, and thus supported the legitimacy of the newly elected government to rule stably. It is possible to argue that compulsory voting ultimately leads to a more stable society because every citizen has been given an opportunity to choose their government and there will be no excuse for people to overturn their government that is reflecting the public will. This demonstrates that compulsory voting is consistent with the notion of preserving public order and safety manifested in the UDHR and the ICCPR. Moreover, Lever illustrated how the most marginal members of society are further marginalised without compulsory voting. She explained that people who do least well in ourShow MoreRelatedShould Compulsory Voting Be A Civil Right?947 Words   |  4 PagesParticipating by voting in elections is a civil right we are given as Democratic Americans. While some people are eager to go out and vote, there are others who despise the system and neglect their duties as citizens and avoid voting in elections all together. Other nations around the globe have instituted a new system of Compulsory Voting; in which citizens are required by law to vote in elections or attend a polling place on a designated day. There are many pros and cons when it comes to compulsory votingRead MoreMandatory Voting And If It Should Be Enforced851 Words   |  4 PagesAmerica’s most recent debate focuses on mandatory voting and if it should be enforced in The Unites States. Of course many people have their doubts about this subject while others have already picked a side. Compulsory voting or  "mandatory voting† is a system in which electors are obliged to vote in elections or attend a polling place on voting day. If an eligible voter does not attend a polling place, he or she may be subject to punitive measures such as fines or community service. But surely thisRead MoreLiterature Review : Compulsory Voting1605 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature Review: Compulsory Voting The American people and government pride themselves on the freedom of choice; the freedom to pursue life goals, happiness, and religion without fear. This ability was even written into the American Constitution as the First Amendment, giving the public the ability to voice opinions and express religious ideas without interference from the government. One of the liberties encompassed in the Constitution is the freedom to choose who to elect into power, givingRead MoreAmerica Is A Free Country, And Voting1686 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica is a free country, and voting is an important part of that freedom. Unlike other countries where dictators and monarchs make decisions on behalf of the people, Americans get the right to decide who runs the country and what laws should govern the citizens. But even though voting is an important privilege, most Americans don t vote. Many American citizens don t vote because they think their vote doesn t count. This is a common excuse that people believe that whether they cast a vote orRead MoreThe Rights Of The American Citizen Essay1423 Words   |  6 Pagesto legally oblige to follow the law. A good example an American citizen has the right to bear arms but also an American citizen also has the right not to own a weapon. It is really important as an American citizen that we understand the pros and cons of voting. Just because an American citizen are not legally oblige to vote and it is consider an oral obligation. We can see by not going to the poles how can we allow other chose the wrong politicians to run our country. Because it is a moral obligationRead MoreIs Voter Turnout Not A Single Citizen?3733 Words   |  15 Pageshave revealed that turnout is at a low point. According to Thomas Cavanagh, since the peek of electoral participation in post war 1960, voter-turnout has continually been on the decline (53). In other words, people just aren’t participating in the voting process as they used to. Moreover, this trend of low turnout doesn’t seem to occur only in less exposed congressional elections. Today, even in the highly publicized, closely contested, and salient presidential elections, only about 60% of the eligibleRead More1. Case Study - Women on the Right Track at Cp Rail3638 Words   |  15 Pagesglobally,, winning several international awards along the way. Fair mont became particularly interested in the initiatives because of its locations in sensitive environments such as national parks, biosphere reserves, and wetlands. The environmental pro-gram now includes eco-innovation projects at its hotels, such as turtle Conservation in Mexico, coral reef protection in Hawaii, and whale adoption in Quebec. Empowered employees are vital to the success of the programs. Employees were first encouragedRead MoreCorporation (Fisch) Outline Penn Law Essay62808 Words   |  252 PagesBut partners can be indemnified by the partnership. RUPA requires a third party to win a judgment against the partnership and exhaust partnership funds before collecting from an individual partner. ââ€" ª Each partner has equal management/voting rights, and partners share profits and losses equally †¢ Partners have an interest in the partnership, not in particular partnership assets ââ€" ª A partner cannot transfer his partnership interest in suchRead MoreMerchant Banking18039 Words   |  73 Pagesmade, shall not be withdrawn and where withdrawn, no security shall be eligible for listing upto 12 months. 3. Underwriting as to rights issue is optional and appointment of Registrar is compulsory. 4. Appointment of category I Merchant Bankers holding a certificate of registration issued by SEBI shall be compulsory. 5. Rights share shall be issued only in respect of fully paid share. 6. Letter of Offer shall contain disclosures as per SEBI requirements. 7. Issue shall be kept open for a minimum periodRead MoreContract Obligations When Going Into Business with Partners7047 Words   |  29 Pagesconsequence of been incorporated is the company in a legal entity can make contracts, can be sued and sue, and can own property. (Durack 2010) Section 2 Memorandum of Association Recommend down loading standard format when incorporating. Five compulsory clauses required in the memorandum. 1. The Name clause: set out the company limited by shares followed by the word Limited or Teoranta. The Registrar can refuse to register a name under certain circumstances e.g. already exists, name undesirable

Developing Cross Cultural Competencies

Question: Discuss about the Developing Cross Cultural Competencies. Answer: Introduction This literature review and annotated bibliography is focused on International Human Resource Management. The annotation bibliography is based on 10 articles. The annotation bibliography is followed by literature review. In the article, authors mentioned that international human resource managers have a tough time as they have to manage the team across multiple cultures. I agree with authors that international HR managers should be visionaries that focus on organizing and implementing change. Authors did a primary research with 130 respondents. To complete the primary research, authors used random sampling methods. In the article, authors have tried to relationship between international human resource management practices and the employee behavior. The article is an interesting read where authors mentioned that to get the right mix, leaders need to ensure the team has all of the technical or functional expertise it needs to accomplish its goals. In this article, authors talked about management of cross-cultural teams in the context of international human resource management. Authors did a secondary research with more than 15 secondary resources. Authors argued that when teams work in groups that are multi-disciplined, they can bring together a wide range of knowledge, experience and problem solving skills to the table that enable projects to be tackled with multiple perspectives and thinking. The article is particularly useful for the human resource managers that may want to pursue international HRM. The article would also be useful for the multinational organizations or the organizations that have to manage the business in the multicultural environment. I can say that one the biggest strength of the article is the simple and effective language in which authors have written the article. The only weakness of the article could be the length of the article.In the article, authors discusses about the value of cross-functional teams can be invaluable in enabling agility in the organization. Authors did a primary research with 120 respondents. To complete the primary research, authors used stratified sampling methods. Authors concluded that cross-functional teams work best when: 1- They share a common vision, and are committed to achieving a common purpose. 2-They share leadership roles as well as responsibility for processes, project progress and outcomes. 3 They are both individually and mutually accountable to each other and to their collective performance. The article is very interesting, as authors talk about the team management in a global context. The organizational stakeholders can learn a lot from this article.In this article, aut hors argued that when building cross-functional team leaders should seek a balance. Complementary skills, diversity of thinking is certainly important. Many times, organizations find themselves having a strong team in one region and a weak team in one region. I would agree with the authors that the international human resource managers should ensure that a shared team structure should be followed in the global teams. The research is based on systematic sampling method with close to 200 respondents. Authors used quantitative methods to analyze the result of the survey. One of the drawbacks or the weakness of the survey or research is the possibility of biasness in the research. Overall, this article is an interesting read that provides a lot of insight about team management in international context. One of the biggest strength of the article is that authors have used number of examples to make their point.In the article, authors talk about the role of innovation and motivation in employee engagement when employees have to work in multicultural environment. Authors started the research with the initial hypothesis that international human resource managers may face certain internal and external challenges to implement the HR strategies acros s different locations. I think authors are right that leaders must find innovative ways to enhance motivation and keep employees excited about what they do on a day-to-day basis.The authors researched and concluded that initial hypothesis was indeed true. In the article, authors highlighted that virtual teams should be motivated by a clear vision of the mission and by straightforward expectations for the teamwork. Authors did a primary research and the result of the research proved that international human resource managers must learn the skills to manage virtual teams. Authors highlighted that since teams are not able to meet in person, time should be taken to have formal introductions and create an awareness of which the team consists of. An onboarding type situation was discussed by authors and the thought it is creates a connection which will make it more difficult for others to let them team down if they feel connected. It would be correct to say that this article provides a lot of insights about the role of leaders and human resource managers to manage the virtual teams that are spread across globe. In this article, authors discussed about the challenges of international human resource management and management of virtual teams. An example of a challenge related to the communication of the shared vision would be the misinterpreting of the vision based on the experience of the follower or leader. To further explain, the behavior and skills of the manager should exhibit good communication, which includes the perception of the capabilities of others. Effectively dealing with the challenge of poor communication between manager and followers requires one to establish a good relationship between members of the organization, reassure subordinates through trust and social behaviors that enrich the vision of the organization and be aware of the differences of members that compose the culture of the organizationIn Lepsinger and DeRosas article on leading effective virtual teams they suggest using the RAMP Model (relationships, accountability, motivation, and process) to improve virtual te ams (2015). Relationships build trust and without working alongside others it can be difficult to get to know them and their likes, dislikes, mannerisms, and habits. By finding ways to interact socially via virtual technology, teams can build relationships. Rather than just connect during meetings, have virtual lunch or participate in chat rooms. Accountability is enhanced when teams can see what each other are doing and how to know when it is completed. Share point sites and posted action plans with timelines can help in this area. To motivate team members schedule conference calls so people can speak with one another or have video conference calls. This is help with relationship building and accountability as well as motivation. And finally, process is how you share information. Be mindful of time zone differences, set expectations, and encourage participation through asking questions and having each team member participate (Lepsinger and DeRosa, 2015).In this article, authors discuss the impo rtance of communication in international human resource management. The key to an effective organization is communication from leadership to its staff members. I think certain visions and messages can use virtual messaging, but I also think there are some things that still need face-to-face communication and in the article, authors failed to cove these things. Indeed, this is one of the biggest weaknesses of the article. Authors used the secondary research methods to complete the research. One of the good things for the article is that authors have used the resources (articles) that were written for global context. Authors discussed the case of international human resource managers for large and multinational organizations. In the article, authors used a case study approach to conduct the research. Authors based their research on large companies like Coca-Cola, Google, Microsoft, etc. As a part of the case studies, authors discussed the international human resource management policies of these organizations. The biggest strength of the article is the structure of the article. In the article, authors used a structured approach to discuss the case of the large organizations. The weakness of the article is that all the data in the article is secondary in nature. Authors did not do any primary research. Authors should have used more references to make their point. The literature has number of studies in this area and in the article; authors have made use of these studies. Literature Review Authors Topic Major Themes Alfes, K., Shantz, A.D., Truss, C. and Soane, E.C. The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behavior: a moderated mediation model. International HRM, Employee engagement Caligiuri, P. and Lundby, K. Developing Cross-Cultural Competencies Through Global Teams. InLeading Global Teams Cross cultural HRM, Team Management Nouri, R., Erez, M., Rockstuhl, T., Ang, S., Leshemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Calif, L. and Rafaeli, A Taking the bite out of culture: The impact of task structure and task type on overcoming impediments to crossà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ cultural team performance. Cross cultural team management, Employee performance Hoch, J.E. and Kozlowski, S.W. Leading virtual teams: Hierarchical leadership, structural supports, and shared team leadership. Virtual Team, International HRM Floren, H., Rundquist, J., Schuler, R.S., Bondarouk, T. and Rul, H. HRM and innovation: themes, contingencies and directions for future research International HRM Charlier, S.D., Stewart, G.L., Greco, L.M. and Reeves, C.J., Emergent leadership in virtual teams: A multilevel investigation of individual communication and team dispersion antecedents. International HRM, Virtual team management Klitmoller, A. and Lauring, J., When global virtual teams share knowledge: Media richness, cultural difference and language commonality. Virtual Team Lepsinger, R., DeRosa, D. How to Lead an Effective Virtual Team. Ivey Business Journal, 2-6. Leadership and International HRM Den Hartog, D.N., Boon, C., Verburg, R.M. and Croon, M.A. HRM, communication, satisfaction, and perceived performance a cross-level test. International HRM, Communication Pavlica, K. and Jarosov, E. Versatile Leadership and Organizational Culture. Leadership and International HRM, Organizational Culture One of the common themes among all the above article is the role of HR managers for global companies that operates in multicultural environment. It is important that the organizational leaders and Human Resource Managers must create accountability among different stakeholders. Accountability is enhanced when teams can see what each other are doing and how to know when it is completed. To motivate team members, international Human Resource managers should schedule conference calls so people can speak with one another or have video conference calls. It would be correct to say that High-performing virtual leaders shared that the ability to build trust and relationships, accountability, motivation, implementation of processes support virtual work and collaboration help them succeed virtual team leading (Lepsinger DeRosa, 2015). Leadership and International Human Resource Managers is essential when planning for any type of organizational initiative, innovation, or change. People need to understand their role in the big picture, so the leader is responsible for planning the logistics and integrating people into the mix. According to Lepsinger DeRosa (2015) virtual teams often face distractions and challenges that can have an emotional impact on their motivation, especially for those working from home. Feelings of isolation can arise and team members can lose focus of the importance of their individual contribution. It is important that international human resource managers must show effective leadership attributes while handling the global teams. Leadership can be used when organizing any number of things for an organization. During times of change an innovation, leaders should ensure there is a method and that the process is smooth to allow for a solid transition. People tend to be afraid of change, so having everything organized can be effective for those who have their doubts. There are many things that can be done to enhance the effectiveness of virtual teams, which are rapidly growing and being used more frequently. First creating a work group that isnt too large is important.Klitmoller Lauring points out that building trust, maintaining relationships and having direct communication of groups of ten or more becomes much more difficult. It is also extremely important to set roles and ensure everyone is fully aware of their expectations and responsibilities.To further explain, the behavior and skills of the international human resource manager should exhibit good communication, which includes the perception of the capabilities of others. With any team having the right leadership on board is crucial. Fostering trust, encouraging dialogue and maintaining relationships must be a focus of virtual teams. Creating policy and expectations from the begging will be appreciated later. Identification of such things like multi tasking, surfing the web, breaks and when/how to respond, deadlines will ease uncertainty. If people know what the expectations are from the beginning there will be less hurt feelings and wondering what is going on. References Alfes, K., Shantz, A.D., Truss, C. and Soane, E.C., 2013. The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behaviour: a moderated mediation model.The international journal of human resource management,24(2), pp.330-351. Caligiuri, P. and Lundby, K., 2015. Developing Cross-Cultural Competencies Through Global Teams. InLeading Global Teams(pp. 123-139). Springer New York. Charlier, S.D., Stewart, G.L., Greco, L.M. and Reeves, C.J., 2016. Emergent leadership in virtual teams: A multilevel investigation of individual communication and team dispersion antecedents.The Leadership Quarterly. Den Hartog, D.N., Boon, C., Verburg, R.M. and Croon, M.A., 2013. HRM, communication, satisfaction, and perceived performance a cross-level test.Journal of Management,39(6), pp.1637-1665. Floren, H., Rundquist, J., Schuler, R.S., Bondarouk, T. and Rul, H., 2014. HRM and innovation: themes, contingencies and directions for future research.European journal of international management,8(5), pp.570-577. Hoch, J.E. and Kozlowski, S.W., 2014. Leading virtual teams: Hierarchical leadership, structural supports, and shared team leadership.Journal of applied psychology,99(3), p.390. Klitmoller, A. and Lauring, J., 2013. When global virtual teams share knowledge: Media richness, cultural difference and language commonality. Journal of World Business,48(3), pp.398-406. Lepsinger, R., DeRosa, D. (2015). How to Lead an Effective Virtual Team. Ivey Business Journal, 2-6. Nouri, R., Erez, M., Rockstuhl, T., Ang, S., Leshemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Calif, L. and Rafaeli, A., 2013. Taking the bite out of culture: The impact of task structure and task type on overcoming impediments to crossà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ cultural team performance.Journal of Organizational Behavior,34(6), pp.739-763. Pavlica, K. and Jarosov, E., 2014, November. Versatile Leadership and Organizational Culture. InEuropean Conference on Management, Leadership Governance(p. 221). Academic Conferences International Limited.

The Exxon Valdez Disaster an Example of the Topic History Essays by

The Exxon Valdez Disaster Many factors have been seen and people have been blamed regarding the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. One, the incapability of the third mate to properly maneuver the ship is said to have caused the spill (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, n.d.). According to the reports submitted, workers during the disaster were guilty of fatigue and excessive work load (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, n.d.). This, and the lack of training of the third mate is just one possible cause. Other issues that have been brought up and said to have contributed are Need essay sample on "The Exxon Valdez Disaster" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed the failure of the master to provide a proper navigational watch because of impairment from alcohol, two, the failure of the Exxon Shipping Company to provide sufficient crew for the Exxon Valdez, and three, the lack of an effective Vessel Traffic Service because of inadequate equipment and manning levels (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: The Spill, n.d., par. 1). In addition, the master is said to have been drunk during the operations. Among the reasons, the center of the blame is being pointed to the deemed negligence of the master (Exxon Valdez, 2007). The main question now is: why, of the many possible factors that have contributed to the disaster is the masters one-time negligence being put on the spotlight? The master of a vessel, once he gains the title of master becomes an authority. The answer lies on the invisible reward or curse put on the head of the master immediately after his acceptance of the role as master. This invisible reward or curse is what people call authority or in this case, responsibility. If the spill did not happen and the cargo was delivered successfully, still with the masters admitted drunkenness, still with the third mates ineffective maneuvering of the vessel, still with the lack of manpower and ineffective Vessel Traffic Service, the only cause would have been the masters capability to maneuver the vessel effectively and lead his crew with such experience. Unfortunately, the circumstances led to the oil spill and all others put aside, even the ineffective Vessel Traffic Service, what would always be viewed and put on spotlight is the masters inefficient monitoring of the vessel, with his drunkenness only adding seriousness and giving more reason for the blame. The Exxon Valdez disaster is said to have happened because of the negligence of the people who were responsible for it. As implied earlier, this would not have been noticed if the vessel was able to drop of its cargo successfully. It is important to note that what circumstances that have caused the situation, particularly the masters drunkenness and his allowing a third mate to maneuver the vessel seem to have had been only a natural occurrence with respect to the vessels operations. Note, that in the transcripts of the events prior to the grounding, there was no indication of the third mates anxiety to do the masters job: The master left the bridge after explaining to the third mate that he wanted the ship to pass between the ice flow and Bligh Reef at 2352. Shortly thereafter the third mate turned off the automatic pilot in preparation to turn the vessel and took a bearing of Busby Island Light. The third mate then ordered the helmsman to apply 10 degrees right rudder and informed the master the the turn had began. Two minutes later the third mate ordered 20 degrees right rudder when he saw that the vessel was not turning. Again two minutes later he ordered hard right rudder due to the reading of the radar that the ship was still traveling at a heading of 180 degrees (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: The Grounding, n.d., par. 7). The third mate was not asking questions and he acted as if the masters drunkenness and absence happen regularly. Such regularity of circumstances only made an impression of correctness, that is, if a situation happens all the time, there is an implied meaning that there is nothing wrong with it. If an inpidual likes to eat breakfast in the afternoon, then it is only correct and proper, and the society to which this inpidual belongs would not and will not try to notice any wrong if nothing uneventful happens. In the case of Exxon Valdez, if the master had been used to leading the vessel drunk, and allowing a crew member to take hold of the vessel without his guidance and had been successful in directing his assigned vessel to its destination prior to the disaster, then the crew members would not see anything abnormal or incorrect. And even if they did, who are crew members to point out a masters behavior when it was not doing anything harmful, then? As it was, the erroneous behavior was only noticed after the disaster. The comfort in regularity could also be applied to the Exxon Company. Although it may not be guaranteed that the disaster could not have happened if only the master was not drunk, the lack of Ethics program could have reduced the possibility that the master would have allowed himself to lead the vessel in such disposition, which, given that this specific disposition of the master is the center of blame, could be said to have prevented the disaster. Prior to the Exxon Valdez disaster, the company had not experienced any major problem regarding their employees and their cargo disposal (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, n.d.). Their operations had gone with all their cargoes being delivered successfully with every shipping. For a company which objective is only to be able to deliver a cargo at the right time in the right quantity, it is not surprising that operational and ethical errors were overlooked if this objective is met regularly. In cases when ends were being met, the means were almost always left unnoticed, sometimes, deliberately. And since the company had always been successful, the need for an Ethics Program had never been felt. At present, that view may have already changed, only after much judicial procedures and penalties have been imposed on the company. Exxon had been held legally responsible and not the consumers (Exxon Valdez, 2007). The cargo is always the responsibility of the shipper as long as it is within its premises. The Exxon Valdez, being an asset of the company, along with its cargo should be considered its responsibilities. In this case, since the oil was in Exxon Valdez, the oil was their responsibility. The oil spill, whether it was a result of sheer negligence on the part of Exxon as it is still believed today, or a result of a mere accident, should be considered as a responsibility of the Exxon. It then follows, that cleaning up should be pioneered as well as financially supported by the company. Undoubtedly, the oil spill had resulted in heavy losses, mostly to the environment and in effect, to the people, who depend on the environment. Thus, the oil spill had resulted to losses as well as the incurring of heavy opportunity costs. It can be said that the accident, if not for the negligence of the company had taken away possible opportunities from the citizens. Placing the responsibility on the citizens through taxes and price increases is then out of the question. Increasing the taxes and the prices would be allowing the citizens to pay doubly for an accident that they never wanted nor had something to do with. Putting the burden to the citizens would similar to having a victim pay for object that that been robbed from him. In order to compensate or at least partially restore the previous lives of the victims, direct or indirect, efforts should be directed on restoring the environment and compensating for the environmental costs. As it is, the fishing community had been directly affected by the oil spill. The other citizens were affected by changes in the air and the environment (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, n.d.).It would be inevitable that oil companies would increase their prices and the citizens could not do something about it no matter how improper it would be. After all, Microeconomics has a law of its own. The case being put on scale, now is the prioritization of the environment and increasing the prices of gasoline or, putting the desires of the citizens for low gasoline prices and risking the environment. Putting the environment as priority over the desire for low-priced gasoline would produce a better long-term effect. Restoring the environment could also restore the previous livelihood of the fishing community as well as the citizens previous lifestyles. Such restoration would be priceless. However, price increase in gasoline would still be undesirable. But maintaining the low prices of gasoline without restoring the environment would also maintain the losses incurred by the accident to the citizens. This may not be accounted for in the books but economically speaking, the effects would be the same or possibly worse. The government should then impose laws to protect the citizens either by subsidizing or putting the burden on those who are responsible for the disaster. In any case, the citizens were the victims and should not suffer. The Exxon Valdez Disaster is a case of morals since the beginning. The actions of the master and all those who were involved are results of a failure, of not just properly maneuvering the vessel but of realizing the consequences of the acts. This failure had been inculcated by the lack of recognition of the errors, lack of expectations by the company to the employees, undefined principle orientation and thus, the lack of punishment appropriated to the errors. The occurrence of the disaster had cost the citizens much but it had also paved way for the start of proper imposition of punishment, in the form of responsibility. Part of this responsibility is liberating the citizens from the costs that the disaster had burdened them. Works Cited Exxon Valdez. (2007, February 13). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Exxon_Valdez&oldid=107730814 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (n.d.). In Thinkquest. Retrieved 13 February, 2007, from http://library.thinkquest.org/10867/home.shtml. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: The Grounding (n.d.). In Thinkquest. Retrieved 13 February, 2007, from http://library.thinkquest.org/10867/spill/overview.shtml. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: The Spill (n.d.). In Thinkquest. Retrieved 13 February, 2007, from http://library.thinkquest.org/10867/spill/index.shtml.