Differences in ethnic experiences of criminal justice system Essay Example for Free

Differences in ethnic experiences of criminal justice system Essay Ethnic minorities, afro-Caribbeans and, to a lesser extent, Asians, are vastly over represented in official statistics for criminal offending, and convictions, but these statistics are not necessarily representative of what is real. An example of these statistics is that black people make up 2. 7% of the British population, and Asians 4. 7%, but black people make up 11% of the prison population, and Asians 6%. Experiences amongst different ethnic groups who interact with the criminal justice system are still very diverse. Whilst self-report studies show that whites are more likely to offend than blacks and Asians even less likely (Indians 30%, Pakistanis 28% and Bangladeshis 13% according to Graham and Bowling) this does not represent the experiences of said ethnic groups. The criminal justice system consists of a number of steps which include policing, stop and search, arrests/cautions, prosecutions, trials, convictions, sentencing and prison and at each stage it appears that blacks, and more recently Asians, are much more likely to face injustice, abuse or negativity within the criminal justice system. Phillips and Bowling note that since the 1970s many allegations of oppressive policing towards ethnic minorities have been put forward with mass stop and search operations excessive surveillance, armed raids, police violence. With policies such as the Stop and Search and the Terrorism Act (2000), police officers may stop at any time or place, any vehicle or person and search them for any or no reasons, but the patterns of how these policies put to use are disproportionate towards ethnic minorities; black people are 7 times likely to be stopped than whites, and Asians 3 times as likely. Police disproportionately using stop and search techniques against minority ethnic groups may be the result of police racism, which the Macpherson report of 1999 highlights. Institutional racism within the police force and its individual members may make officers more suspicious, weary and paranoid about ethnic minorities. This could also be the result of demography, ethnic minorities are over-represented in the social groupings most likely to be stopped and search, such as young, unemployed, working-class males. However this could simply reflect the differences in offending between ethnic groups. But more evidence for institutional racism towards certain ethnic groups appears when we investigate more, white people are given cautions for crimes much more often than blacks or Asians, arrest rates for blacks are 3. 6 times higher than for whites. This again indicates some kind of unfair or racist treatment; however it could be the result of blacks or Asians being more likely to deny an offence and look for legal advice out of mistrust for the police, leading to an eventual arrest, as we have already noted that these minorities are more likely to be unfairly policed by officers. The mistrust of the system may also result in ethnic minorities who go on trial opting for a jury. Although in contrast, 60% of white defendants found guilty as compared with only 52% of blacks and 44% of Asians, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) more likely to drop cases against ethnic minorities. This suggests that police are bringing weak cases against ethnic minorities to court, thus being abandoned. Although this suggests a more fair treatment in regards to prosecution and conviction, it indicates police racism in forcing ethnic minorities into court for frivolous crimes. Ethnic groups such as blacks and Asians possibly have a much harder and more negatively perceived experience of the criminal justice system because they are subject to a lot of discrimination, for instance in self-report studies when asked for the perpetrators ethnicity, many people would often guess black even if they arent sure, reinforcing the negative ethnic stereotype. Since the 9/11 attacks suspicions about Muslims have risen greatly, even though they cannot be justified on the large scale discrimination and prejudice they experience, this prejudice can often lead to over policing in ethnic minority areas, thus adding to the disparity in the criminal statistics, it may not be that these ethnic groups are committing more crime, it could just be that there are more police acting in a vigilant way around and towards these groups, so they are punished more harshly. It could be argued that if the same amount of vigilance and over-policing was applied to white communities equally, the statistics may equalize. Whilst it is clear that Blacks and Asians are overrepresented in criminal statistics, the extent of this remains to be seen, it is possible that the reality is that those ethnic groups, on average, do commit more crimes than others, it is also possible this is false.

Importance Of National And Organisational Culture Management Essay

Importance Of National And Organisational Culture Management Essay With the recent acquisition of Nexen Inc. by CNOOC Limited, the problem of managing cross cultural challenges arises. This is because of the cultural differences between China and Canada which both companies represent. This management report addresses the envisaged challenges of national and organisational culture arising from CNOOC acquisition of Nexen, by applying Hofstede cultural models. The report commences with introduction, followed by background of CNOOC acquisition of Nexen. It also discusses meaning and importance NC and OC culture; it then discusses the challenges and management strategies. It would conclude and make recommendations on how to mitigate the challenges. WORD COUNT: 2,498 PRESENTED TO: MS. Gillian Pallis CONTRACT CONCERNING PLAGIARISM I have read the code of practice regarding plagiarism contained in the students introductory Handbook. I realize that this code governs the way in which the Centre for Energy, and Mineral Law and Policy regards and treats the issue of plagiarism. I have understood the code and in particular I am aware of the consequences, which may follow if, I breach the code. I also authorize the centre to scan the e-copy of my research paper through the plagiarism detection software to detect plagiarism. SIGNED: ___________________________________ Date: TERMS OF REFERENCE This is a report by 110024120 an MSC student in International Oil and Gas Management, University of Dundee, Centre for Energy, Petroleum Law and Policy (CEPMLP). The report has been prepared exclusively for and at the request of the Senior Strategy Team of CNOOC Limited to address potential management challenges to the continued effective control of business arising from the acquisition of Nexen Inc. This report is focused on the perspective of delivering suitable management practices in meeting the envisaged challenges. The aim of the report is to present a critical and informed analysis of appropriate managerial strategies and practices for the challenges of national and organisational culture differences in post-acquisition performance. It concludes with some recommendations for consideration by the Senior Strategy Team of CNOOC and Nexen. TABLE OF CONTENTS TERMS OF REFERENCE 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 4 KIFs Knowledge Intensive Firms 4 KIWs Knowledge Intensive Workers 4 CHAPTER ONE 5 1. INTRODUCTION 5 CHAPTER TWO 6 2. BACKGROUND OF CNOOC ACQUISITION OF NEXEN 6 CHAPTER THREE 7 3. MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL AND ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE 7 CHAPTER FOUR 8 4. THE CHALLENGES OF NATIONAL AND ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE 8 4.1. HOFSTEDE FOUR DIMENSIONS MODELS FOR NATIONAL CULTURE 8 4.2. HOFSTEDE SIX DIMENSION MODEL FOR ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE 9 4.3. ANALYSIS OF THE MODELS AND CHALLENGES OF NC AND OC DIFFERENCES 10 4.4. STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING CULTURAL CHALLENGES 11 13 13 13 13 13 CHAPTER FIVE 13 5. CONCLUSION 13 CHAPTER SIX 14 6. RECOMMENDATION 14 BIBLOGRAPHY 15 APPENDIX 18 HOFSTEDS CULTURAL INDEX, SCORES FOR SELECTED COUNTRIES 18 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS NC National Culture OC Organisational Culture NXY New York Stock Exchange KIFs Knowledge Intensive Firms KIWs Knowledge Intensive Workers CHAPTER ONE 1. INTRODUCTION CNOOC Limited made global headlines on July 23, 2012 when it announced the acquisition of NEXEN, a Canadian based oil and Gas Company at the cost of $15.1 Billion. The acquisition is seen as Chinas largest Oil and Gas Company overseas acquisition Lauren (2012). NEXEN was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Nexen is a global energy company and is listed on the Toronto and New Yorks stock exchange under the symbol of NXY (www.nexeninc.com). Nexen is strategically located in different regions of the world; it has over 3,067 employees that add value for shareholders through successful oil and gas exploration and development. Consequent to the acquisition of Nexen, CNOOC Limited is now among one of the largest independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the world (www.cnooc.com). According to Barney (1988) many international acquisitions creates value for the acquirer through cooperation and integration to enhance sustainable growth. The objective of acquisition is to bring companies together and increase their competitive advantage through knowledge transfer, innovations and management skills. This is also a justification for an acquisition Fitzgibbon Seeger (2002). However, most international acquisitions come with complex management challenges Hitt, Harrison and Ireland (2001). Many factors are responsible for these challenges. Thus, this management report is aimed to address the envisaged challenges of national and organisational culture to the effective business performance in CNOOC acquisition of Nexen. This report will apply Hofstede (1980) four dimensions models and Hofstede (1990) six dimensions models as literature to argue that the challenges of NC and OC will affect post acquisition performance. The application of the two models is in line with a separate model developed by Hofstede for comparing OC differences. This is also consistent with Schein (1985) argument that organisational culture differences are not the same with national culture. The report will discuss the background of CNOOC acquisition of Nexen. It also discusses the meaning and importance of NC and OC culture; it then discusses the challenges and management strategies. It would conclude and make recommendations on how to mitigate the challenges. CHAPTER TWO 2. BACKGROUND OF CNOOC ACQUISITION OF NEXEN CNOOC Limited was established in 1999 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange in 2001 and is 70 percent owned by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (www.cnoocltd.com). CNOOC is one of Chinas largest producers of oil and natural gas and is also among the largest independent oil and gas exploration and production Companies in the world (www.cnoocltd.com). According to the chairman Mr Wang Yilin, based on the strategic business objective to expand CNOOC overseas business and deliver sustainable growth, thus complementing the large offshore production footprint in China. Extending its global presence to oil rich region like Western Canada, and other parts of the world are mandates for management to achieve. Consequently, the opportunity for the acquisition of NEXEN is an important part in CNOOC international business growth platform as mentioned by Chief Executive Officer of CNOOC Mr Li Fanrong, CNOOC Press release (2012). The acquisition of NEXEN by CNOOC Limited was announced on July 23, 2012 and approved by NEXEN shareholders on September 20, 2012 at the cost of $15.1 Billion (www.nexeninc.com). The acquisition will bring in benefits for both firms. CNOOC brings in a reassurance of stable company and strong financial base for investment, while Nexen Inc. will play an important part in international business growth platform. However, securing approval and making purchase does not end acquisition challenges. The challenges of acquisition may be ahead of what happens afterwards, the issues after takeover Lauren (2012). For NEXEN a Canadian company with western values and culture, the management and staff are accustomed to working independently. But with the acquisition, they will align with CNOOC as their new Chinese owner with a different culture and orientation Lauren (2012). As both companies are knowledge intensive firms (KIFs) with knowledge intensive workers (KIW) there will be challenging issues on NC and OC differences Alvesson (2004). Thus, this report addresses the challenges of NC and OC in CNOOC acquisition of NEXEN. We will proceed by looking at the meaning and importance of NC and OC. CHAPTER THREE 3. MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL AND ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE NATIONAL CULTURE This was defined as the collective programming of the mind acquired by growing up in a particular country Hofstede (1991). National culture is reflected in basic values, such as feelings of right and wrong, good and evil, beautiful and ugly, rational and irrational Olie (1990). NC impacts many forms of organisational behaviour, ranging from decision-making styles and human resources management to behaviour in groups Kirkman, Love Gibson (2006). NC is treated as a relatively stable feature that changes very slowly Erez Earley, 1993; Hofstede (2001). ORGANSATIONAL CULTURE Hofstede (1980) defined organisational culture as the collective programming of the mind that differentiates the members of one organisation from others. Trice and Beyer (1984) views it is a system of publicly accepted meanings which operate for a group at a particular time; it is a pattern of shared basic assumptions developed by a group or organisation on how to cope with its environment, that are stable and difficult to change, and difficult to observe because many important parts of culture are invisible Schein (1985); and more so it can simply imply the way we do things around here Deal and Kennedy (1982). IMPORTANCE The importance of national and organisational culture in international acquisition cannot be disregarded Hatch, 1993; Schein, 1985 and Hofstede (1980). Managing international business or acquisition means handling and understanding both cultural differences at the same time. Knowledge of cultural practices across borders is significant for multinationals in order to hold the company together. National cultures are embedded in values, whereas organisational cultures are embedded in practices, when both cultures are ignored there could create challenges that affects post-acquisition performance. CHAPTER FOUR 4. THE CHALLENGES OF NATIONAL AND ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE For the purpose of analysing the challenges of national and organisational culture, this report applies Hofstede cultural models to illustrate the major cultural differences which CNOOC of China and Nexen of Canada represent. Canada reflects the western cultural values wheras China reflects the Oriental Confucian group. The models are identified as follows: 4.1. HOFSTEDE FOUR DIMENSIONS MODELS FOR NATIONAL CULTURE INDIVIDUALISM/COLLECTIVISM This implies disharmony of interests on personal and collective goals Parsons and Shils (1951). Hofstede (1980) culture index (from the appendix) scored Canada 80 while China scored 20. This shows that the Canadians are highly independent of their organizations, preferring personal time, freedom, and challenge, whereas the Chinese employees have a stronger sense of belonging to their organization. POWER DISTANCE This refers to how different societies find different solutions on social inequality Mauk (1977). China scored 80 while Canada scored 39, indicating that Chinese employees are more comfortable with structured hierarchical levels and supervisors who make decisions. Canadians, on the other hand, prefer a more participatory style. UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE This implies the degree to which cultural members are willing to accept and deal with risky situations or unknown future Hofstede (1980). China scored 30 while Canada scored 48, meaning that the Chinese try to avoid risk and anxiety, while the Canadians neither seek nor avoid ambiguous situations. MASCULINITY/FEMININITY This refers to stereotyping gender expectations in organisations Hofstede (1984). China scored 66 while Canada scored 52, meaning that China has medium/high masculinity culture; whereas Canada has a medium/low masculinity culture. 4.2. HOFSTEDE SIX DIMENSION MODEL FOR ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE PROCESS ORIENTED VERSUS RESULT ORIENTED Process oriented cultures are dominated by technical and bureaucratic routines, while results oriented by a common concern for outcomes. In results-oriented units, everybody perceived their practices in about the same way; in process-oriented units, vast differences exist in perception among different levels and parts of the unit Hofstede (2011). JOB ORIENTED VERSUS EMPLOYEE ORIENTED Job oriented assumes responsibility for the employees job performance, while employee-oriented cultures assume a broad responsibility for their members wellbeing. At the level of individual managers, the distinction between job orientation and employee orientation has been popularized Blake and Moutons Managerial Grid (1964). PROFESSIONAL VERSUS PAROCHIAL Professionals usually imply the highly educated members identified primarily with their profession; while in Parochial, the members derive their identity from the organization for which they work. This is widely known as local versus cosmopolitan. OPEN SYSTEM VERSUS CLOSED SYSTEMS This dimension refers to the common style of internal and external communication, and to the ease with which outsiders and newcomers are admitted. It shows that organizational openness is a societal characteristic which means organization cultures also contain elements from national culture differences. TIGHT VERSUS LOOSE CONTROL This dimension deals with the degree of formality and punctuality within the organization; it is partly a function of the units technology: as most companies tend to show tight control, while others like advertising agencies show loose control. PRAGMATIC VERSUS NORMATIVE This last dimension describes the prevailing way of being flexible or rigid in dealing with the environment, particularly with customers. This dimension measures the degree of customer orientation, which is a highly popular topic in the marketing literature Hofstede et al. (1990). 4.3. ANALYSIS OF THE MODELS AND CHALLENGES OF NC AND OC DIFFERENCES By analysing the above cultural models as postulated by Hofstede, in the four dimension models we can identify differences in power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism and femininity/masculinity between Canada and China which both companies represent. For the six dimensions models, CNOOC has process oriented culture with beurocratic routines while Nexen is more result oriented having concern for outcomes (www.nexeninc.com). Also Nexen culture are more job oriented while CNOOC have employee oriented culture with broad responsibility for their members wellbeing (www.cnoocltd.com). These cultural differences as illustrated creates challenges of conflicts, costs, and difficulties Hosted (1980; 2001). The cultural differences are also responsible for challenges and obstacles to achieving integration benefits Bjorkman, Stahl, Vaara (2007). It leads to decrease in shareholders value Datta and Puia (1995). It can complicate post acquisition integration and resource sharing Brock (2005). It causes human resource challenges like feeling of uncertainty and insecurity, causing culture clash and negative emotional reactions of employees towards acquisition Elsass and Veiga (1994) and culture collision Cartwright and Cooper (1993). They also lead to communication problems, ego clashes, inter-group conflicts, low employee morale, poor performance and ultimately retention Adkins and Caldwell (2004). However, these challenges can be mitigated by applying management practices and strategies. 4.4. STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING CULTURAL CHALLENGES Managing the challenges of national and organisational culture involves applying management practices or strategies by managers to reduce the challenges. The strategies are as follows: CULTURE INTEGRATION It involves the varying extent to which we can integrate more than one cultural perspective, mind-set, and behaviour into ones identity and worldview. It implies being able to move easily among cultures. It highlights the central importance of developing leaders and managers to the point where they have an ethno-relative experience of cultural difference Randy and Jacob (2009). SYNERGY APPROACH The approach involves adopting the strategy of managing the differences in culture. This implies recognising the challenges and using them to their advantage, rather than ignoring or allowing the challenges to cause problems Adler (1997). Managers therefore should be taught how to respect culture differences at work and how to work with them to maximise the contribution of each employee Cascio (1998). RESPECT FOR HOST COUNTRY CULTURE This means accepting the cultural difference without any judgment. No particular culture should claim perfection over the other culture. Cultures are different and for people they represent the ability to manage life situations and conditions the way they are familiar with for a long time Anisha (2011). IGNORING THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES The strategy implies a stage where the managers ignore the differences. It later becomes irrelevant as the managers and employees would be having good understanding about each others cultures and practices and they would have to respect the cultures. The employees and managers in this strategy feel that our way is the only way Adler (1997). CULTURAL ADAPTATION This strategy involves mutual understanding and simplification of complicated demanding processes of behaving in a different cultural condition. This step does not mean that the participating partner should give up their cultural background, but rather they should use their knowledge of their own culture to gain knowledge about the partners culture Anisha (2011). CHAPTER FIVE 5. CONCLUSION The challenges of national and organisational culture remain crucial in post-acquisition performance. Although CNOOC may experience many complex problems during the integration process, however the challenges of national and organisational culture differences can be very devastating. This is because most successes and failures of international acquisitions have been attributed to the challenges of cultural differences ( From the analysis of Hofstede cultural models we identify cultural differences between China and Canada which CNOOC and Nexen represent. For individualism/collectivism, it implies that Canadian employees are more independent of their organization, preferring freedom, whereas Chineese employees have a stronger sense of belonging to their organization. In power distance, China employees are more comfortable with structured hierarchical levels while Canada, on the other hand, prefer a more participatory style. With respect to uncertainty avoidance, Chineese tries to avoid risk and anxiety, while Canadians neither seek nor avoid ambiguous situations. In masculinity/femininity, China has medium/high masculinity culture whereas Canada has a medium/low masculinity culture. In terms of the organisational culture six dimensions models; there are cultural disparities between CNOOC and Nexen in the OC. Consequently, we can surmise that national and organisational culture differences are the biggest challenges that could affect international acquisition performance Hofstede (2001) such as that of CNOOC and Nexen. Thus, in order to mitigate these challenges, the recommendations below are made for the senior strategic team to adopt. CHAPTER SIX 6. RECOMMENDATION For CNOOC to enjoy sustained business performance in the acquisition of Nexen, the following recommendations are made to mitigate the challenges of NC and OC: Firstly, CNOOC should adopt culture management approach. This implies the process of developing or reinforcing an appropriate culture in the organisation Pretorius (2004). Culture management is also concerned with culture change, culture reinforcement, implementation and change management. The approach will achieve effective control of cultural difference challenges between CNOOC and Nexen. Secondly, culture training for employees is vital. It will sensitize them to the discriminations, biases and negative feelings of the diverse employees in the organisation Farren and Nelson (1999). Through training, employees can understand cultural diversity that exists between CNOOC and Nexen. Cultural training will also promote cooperation and coordination among employees to enable them live harmoniously and work comfortably. Thirdly, CNOOC should create awareness on cross cultural communication. This is because all levels of communication are affected by cultural dimensions like words, language, body language, gestures, etiquette dos and donts, clothing, gift giving, dining, customs and protocols William (2005). The knowledge of cross cultural communication is necessary because what may be considered perfectly acceptable and natural in China, can be uncultured or offensive in Canada. BIBLOGRAPHY BOOKS SOURCE Alvessson, M. (2004). Knowledge Work and Knowledge Intensive Firms. Oxford University Press, May 20th , 2004. pg102. Deal, T. E. and Kennedy, A. A. (1982). Corporate cultures: The rites and rituals of corporate life. Reading MA: Addison-Wesley. Cited in; Management An Introduction, by David Boddy with Steve Paton. Pearson Education Limited, 2011, Fifth Ed. Pg. 79. Hitt, M., Harrison, J. and Ireland, R. (2001). Mergers and acquisitions: A guide to creating value for stakeholders. Newyork: Oxford University Press. Copyright 2001, Pg5-6. Hofstede, G. (1984). International Differences in Work Related Values (2nd ed.) Beverly Hills CA: SAGE Publications. ISBN 0-8039-1444-X Hofstede, G. (1980). Cultures Consequences: International differences in work related values, 1980, p.25, Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications. JOURNALS AND ARTICLE SOURCE Adler, N. J. (1997). International Dimensions of Organisational Behaviour, Cincinnati, Ohio: South-Western College Publishing. Adkins, B. and Caldwell, D. (2004). Firm or subgroup culture: Where does fitting in matter most? Journal of Organisational Behaviour, 25 (8) pp. 969-978. Barney, J. (1988). Returns to biding firms in merger and acquisitions: Reconsidering the relatedness hypothesis. Strategic Management Journal, 9(S1), 71-78. Bjorkman, I., Stahl, G., and Vaara, E. (2007). Impact of cultural differences on capability transfer in acquisitions: The mediating roles of capability complementarity, absorptive capacity, and social integration. Journal of International Business Studies, 38: 658-672. Brock, D. M. (2005). Multinational acquisition integration: the role of national culture in creating synergies. International Business Review, 14(3): 269-288. Cascio, W. F. (1998). Managing Human Resources Productivity, Quality of work Life, Profits, Boston: McGraw Hill. Cartwright, S. and Cooper, C. L. (1993). The role of culture compatibility in successful organisational marriage. Academy of Management Executive, 7(2): 57-70. Datta, D. K. and Puia, G. (1995). Cross border acquisitions: An examination of the influence of the relatedness and cultural fit on shareholder value creation in U.S. acquiring firms. Management International Review, 35: 337-359. Elsass, P. M. and Veiga, J. F. (1994) Acculturation in acquired organisations: A force-field perspective. Human Relations, 47(4): 431-454. Erez, M. and Earley, P.C. (1993). Culture, Self Identity, and Work. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Fitzgibbon, J. E. and Seeger, M. W. (2002). Audience and metaphor of globalization in the Daimler Chrysler AG merger. Communication Studies, 53(1), 40-55. Hatch, M. (1993). The dynamics of organisational culture. Academy of Management Review 18: 657-694. Hofstede, G. and Bond, M. H. (1988). The Confucius connection: From cultural roots to economic growth. Organisational Dynamics, 14, 483-503. Hofstede et al., (1990). Attitude, Values and Organisational Culture: Disentangling the concepts. Geert Hofstede. Institute research on Intercultural Cooperation, Maastricht and Tilburg, the Netherlands. Hofstede, G. (1991). Cultures and Organisations: Software of mind. Intellectual Cooperation and its Importance for survival, Harper Collins, 1991, pp. 79. Kirkman, B. L., Lowe, K. B. and Gibson, C. B. (2006). A Quarter Century of Cultures Consequences: A Review of Emperical Research Incorporating Hofstedes Cultural Values Framework. Journal of International Business Studies; Washington, 37(3), 285-320. Lodorfos, G. and Boateng, A. (2006). The Role of Culture in the Merger and Acquisition Process. Management Decision, 44(10), 1405-1421. Marks, M. L. and Marvis, P. M. (1986). The Merger Syndrome. Psychology today, 20 (10), 36-42. Mauk, G. (1977). The daily power game, Martinus Nijhoff Social Sciences Division. Olie, R. (1990) Culture and Integration Problems in International Mergers and Acquisitions. European Management Journal, 8 (2), 206-215 Parsons,T and Shils, E. (1951). Toward a General Theory of Action, reprinted as Talcott, Shils, Tolman, Stouffer and Kluckhohohn et al., Towards a General Theory of Action: Theoretical foundations of social Sciencies, Transaction Publishers, 2001. Schein, E, H. (1985). Organisational Culture and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey Bass. Schein, E. (1990). Organisational Culture. American Psychologist, 45 (2), 109-119. Trice, H. M. and Beyer, J. M. (1984). Studying organisational culture through rites and rituals. Academy of Management Review, 9, 653-669. Trompenaars, F. and Hampden-Turner, C. (1980). Riding the waves of culture: understanding cultural diversity in global business. New York: McGraw Hill. INTERNET SOURCE Anisha, C. (2011). Managing Cross Cultural Differences: Strategies to overcome differences. Dept. of management Studies and Research, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, Karnataka. June 30, 2011. http://www.indianmba.com/Occasional_Papers/OP252/op252.html last visited January 06th, 2013. CNOOC, Press release, (2012). CNOOC Limited enters into definitive agreement to acquire Nexen Inc. http://www.cnoocltd.com/encnoocltd/newszx/news/2012/2062.shtml last visited January 16th, 2013. Farren, C. and Nelson, B. (1999). Retaining Diversity, Executive Excellence, New Delhi: Sage, July, pg.7. http://www.delhibusinessreview.org/v_2n2/dbrv2n2e.pdf last visited January 12th, 2013. Lauren, K. (2012). Nexen to be acquired by Chinas CNOOC for $ 15.1B cash. July 23, 2012 http://www.therecord.com/news/business/article/766128nexen-to-be-acquired-by-china-s-cnooc-for-15-1b-cash last visited January 14th, 2013. Hofstede, G. (2001). Cultures Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviours, Institutions and Organizations across Nations. Sage Publications. http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html last visited January 18th, 2013. Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, Unit 2. http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/orpc/vol2/iss1/8 last visited January 13th, 2013. Nexen Inc, About us; CNOOC Acquisition of Nexen. http://www.nexeninc.com/en/AboutUs/CNOOCAcquisition.aspx last visited January 18th, 2013. Pretorious, W. (2004). The impact of organisational culture on effectiveness. May 08, 2005. http://www.upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd_3162004_131828 last visited January 15th, 2013. Randy, M. and Jacob, M. (2009). Leadership Practice for a Global Society, NASPA Pre-Conference Workshop, March 8th, 2009. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/77255010/Managing-Cultural-Differences-Global-Leadership-Strategies-for-the-21St-Century last visited January 17th, 2013. William Wardrobe, (2005). Beyond Hofstede: Cultural applications for communication with Latin American, Association for Business Communication Annual Convention. http://www.businesscommunication.org/convensionsnew/proceedingsnew/2005new/pdfs/13abc05.pdf last visited January 14th, 2013.

The First Crusade and the Ideas of Crusading Essay -- essays research

Contrary to many commonly held notions about the first crusade, in his book, The First Crusade and the Idea of Crusading, Jonathan Riley-Smith sets out to explain how the idea of crusading thought evolved in the first crusade. In his book, Riley-Smith sets out five main arguments to show how these ideas of crusading evolved. Firstly, he argues that Pope Urban’s original message was conventional, secondly that a more positive reaction was drawn from the laity (due to the ideas surrounding Jerusalem), thirdly, that the original message of crusading had changed because of the horrible experiences of the first crusaders, fourth, that due to these experiences the crusaders developed their own concept of what a crusade was, and lastly, that these ideas were refined by (religious) writers and turned into an acceptable form of theology. Riley-Smith makes excellent points about the crusade; however, before one can delve directly into his argument, one must first understand the backgro und surrounding the rise of the first crusade. Throughout the ten-century, particularly in France, the world had become an extremely violent place. Feudal Knights were often quarreling over land possession, looting, and looking to lay people to provide them with sustenance . Likewise, the power of these knights and the extent of violence flourished due to the increasingly lacking power and authority of the kings . The Church, in an attempt to halt the violence and anarchy attempted to take control and issued such concepts as â€Å"the Peace of God† . Similarly, at this time other movements for peace by the Church were underway, and one of the commonly held ideas was the need to transform the world to more â€Å"monkish ideals†. From these ideals also sprouted the concept of the laity having â€Å"God-given functions to perform, functions that could include fighting to protect the Church†. Pope Leo IX (1049-1054) is an example of this idea; he often used militia to fight against his opponents. In the early ele venth century, there came a pivotal figure in the ideas of Church sanctioned war, Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085). Pope Gregory was involved in the Investiture Contest, and soon turned to scholars to seek out â€Å"justification for his conviction that violence could be used in defense of the Church and could be authorized by it†. The movements generated by Pope Gregory, as well as the results of the Inve... ...f knighthood. The idea of the crusade, and the affiliated pilgrimage came to be regarded as temporary, adopted, migratory monastic life. Although none of the ideas of Robert, Guibert, and Baldric were new, in fact they were derived from the accounts of those who survived the first crusade, they romanticized the idea of the holy war and knighthood, making it more appealing to the common person, and more morally acceptable in religious circles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Riley-Smith adequately proves his argument that although the idea of crusading was not a new one; the outcome of the first crusade had a direct impact on the ideas surrounding a holy war. His book, The First Crusade and the Idea of Crusading, is a well developed and coherent argument that is neatly organized and concise, allowing the reader to gain a good understanding of the topic. This book was an excellent choice for first year university students, as it was an easy read, and very easy to identify the main points and arguments of each chapter. Bibliography/Works Cited Riley-Smith, Jonathan. The First Crusade and the Idea of Crusading. The United States of America: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986.

The Theme of The Cider House Rules Essay -- Homer Wells, moral obligat

During my senior year of high school, I often had dreams about leaving my parents house. Fantasizing about freedom and, the ability to come and go as I wished took the place of time designated for class work. I was tired of being told what to do, and I grew weary of the monotony of taking out the garbage and cleaning my room. Being told to come in the house by 10 pm while my friends stayed until 12 pm seemed unfair to me. The media bombarded my mind with the idea that being a football captain in senior year was supposed to be filled with keg parties, and orgies with cheerleaders. Schoolwork and housework weren't a a part of my 12th grade master plan. My thinking continued in this manner until I happened across a movie named "The Cider House Rules." It made me sit back and look at how ungrateful I was. I have both of my parents still alive and still together in the same house. I named about 15 friends who would praise God if they had what I had. Similar to my situation the main character in the Cider House Rules, Homer, was also desperate for a change of venue. Tired of the his mundane duties as a caretaker in the same orphanage that raised him, a way out became the only thing on his newly one tracked mind. The Cider House Rules is the tale of homer's struggle to find himself and to escape the grasp of the orphanage that was his prison. The story of Homer Wells, a child without parents who is raised and mentored by his orphanage's doctor, a man named Larch. Their bond was somewhat of an extraordinary one. Larch taught Homer everything about medicine and what he could about right and wrong. All Homer wanted was one thing Larch couldn't give him, freedom. Given the chance to leave the orphanage, and the only family he's ever k... ... him coming in the distance and was so filled with joy that he ran as fast as he could to meet his son. I learned from the mistakes of others, even if they are fictitious characters. Leaving home is inevitable, choosing the right time may be the most important thing. We all want to gain our independence and feel like a Man (or Woman). As young people its almost instinctive for us to want to get away from the evil clutches of "Mom and Dad." The old clichà © is ringing in my head like the emergency broadcast system, "You never miss the water until the well runs dry." Which really makes me think about being grateful for what we have, even though it seems to add up to chopped liver when compared to the joys of the world. Just like Homer and the Prodigal son, after "sowing our oats" we come to greater appreciate where home actually is, and we'll be glad to get there.

British-Chinese Relations in the Nineteenth Century and Alicia Bewicke

British-Chinese Relations in the Nineteenth Century and Alicia Bewicke Little's Novel, A Marriage in China The year was 1842, and Britain had just finished a successful military campaign in China, a campaign that also signified a rather humiliating defeat for the Chinese army. The first Opium War reestablished Britain's profitable opium trade routes from India to China, and also established a new mode of British-Chinese relations, one that resulted in British control of the new colony of Hong Kong and semicolonial control over various treaty ports. The progressive optimism that this combined political and economic control seemed to herald for the British Empire was reflected in a piece in the newly established Illustrated London News: A large family of the human race, which for centuries has been isolated from the rest, is now about to enter with them into mutual intercourse. Vast hordes of populations, breaking through the ignorance and superstition which has for ages enveloped them, will now come out into the open day, and enjoy the freedom of a more expanded civilization, and enter upon prospects immeasurably grander. (Illustrated London News, qtd. in Thurin 1) Voiced at mid-century, this statement paradoxically depicts the Chinese as both "enveloped" by backwardness, yet capable of reform and progress; as ignorant, superstitious, and characterized as pest-like "vast hordes of populations," yet also seen as equal partners with the British in a "mutual intercourse." This varied and contradictory opinion could just have easily been voiced at the end of the nineteenth century. In a way, this statement can be seen as representative of the history or, more accurately, the story of the relationship between ... ...sm. Thus even areas of resistance are encoded within the text of compliance (Rule Britannia: Women, Empire, and Victorian Writing, Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1995). Works Cited British Library Public Catalogue. 12 Oct 1999 . Campbell, Mrs. J. Weston. (Signed C. de Thierry.) "The Sons of Han [Chinese Emigration]." Macmillan's Magazine. 80 (May 1899): 58-66. Croll, Elisabeth J. Wise Daughters from Foreign Lands: European Women Writers in China. London: Pandora, 1989. Little, Alicia Bewicke. A Marriage in China. London: F. V. White & Co., 1896. Round about My Peking Garden. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1905. "Mrs. A. Little." Obituary. The London Times. 6 Aug. 1926: 17e. Research Library Group (RLG) Union Catalog (RLIN). 12 Oct 1999 . Thurin, Susan Schoenbauer. Victorian Travelers and the Opening of China, 1842-1907. Athens, OH: Ohio UP, 1999.

British Airway’s Essay

A research report with a word limit of 1,500 on British Airway’s (BA) change program that resulted in long-running industrial disputes between its management and crew members in 2009-2011. The contextual information about the BA’s introduction of strategic changes – why BA produced this change, explain market (rising fuel costs etc.) British Airways is the UK’s largest airline. Since becoming privatized in 1987, BA has continued to grow despite increased competition (Connell & Williamson, 2011). The UK’s economic climate had a large influence to why the British Airways’ industrial occurred. In 2011, UK inflation was 4% on the previous year, compared to an average pay rise of 2.3% for the same period. This means that the cost of living was increasing at a much more rapid rate than people’s income. As a result, workers like BA’s cabin crew put pressure on employers to raise pay. Additionally, lower disposable income means fewer than usual are withdrawing money for one-off purchases such as foreign holidays – â€Å"A lot of people are not touching their savings because they do not know what is round the corner† (Giles, Groom & Bounds, 2011). Therefore demand for international flights is lower. Fuel accounts for 25% of British Airway’s total costs, therefore any fluctuations in the price of natural resources will have a huge impact on this industry. In 2011, after oil prices surged to $110 a barrel, BA informed passengers that they face rising fares (Groom, 2011). IAG’s (BA’s parent company) fuel costs were predicted to rise by â‚ ¬1.2bn to â‚ ¬5.1bn ( £4.36bn) in 2011 (Groom, 2011). However increasing fares would have reduce the airline’s competitiveness. Alternatively the company could remain profitable by reducing wage costs instead of passing the increases onto the customer. The airline industry has also been affected by social trends. Insurance costs have risen because of fear of terrorism and tighter security checks at airports (Barrows & Neely, 2011). Technological advances have reduced demand for business flights, with companies using alternative communication systems such as teleconferencing in order to cut costs (Shaw, 2011). As a result of these macroeconomic factors, BA felt that they needed to adopt an internal cost-cutting strategy to remain profitable. The dispute developed into a row over travel concessions removed from Unite members who went on strike, as well as suspensions and dismissals (Groom, 2011). The current environment of high unemployment increased BA’s bargaining power as an employer (Conrady & Buck, 2012, 11). The union was powerless to stop the original cause of the dispute as BA removed at least one crew member from most long-haul flights, saving  £63m a year (Groom, 2011). It has also hired 700 new crew members in its so called â€Å"mixed fleet† on certain routes, earning  £17,000 a year on average compared with  £29,000 for existing Heathrow cabin crew (Groom, 2011). This programme should yield  £160m annual savings within a decade. According to Deutsche Bank, following the cuts, BA has the lowest employee costs of the major European network airlines at 22.9 per cent of sales in 2010 compared with 26.8 per cent in 2006 (Groom, 2011). Evaluation on the nature of such changes – was it gradual, radical, top management, grass roots up scale, depth time scale. Apply the kaleidoscope model. On October 6, 2009 the airline announced plans to cut 1,700 cabin crew jobs and freeze pay. Union officials accused the company of †holding a gun† to the heads of staff and warned that they were prepared to fight the proposals. It wasn’t until May 1, 2011 that the dispute was on the verge of being resolved following a breakthrough in crucial talks aimed at ending the long-running row (Telegraph, 2011, May 12). The dispute lasted more than 18 months and led to 22 days of strikes costing BA  £150m. Therefore this proved to be a costly process, and had it been resolved sooner, BA would have saved a lot of money and the brand wouldn’t have received as much negative publicity. However, analysts said the airline’s savings on staff costs would far outweigh the losses from the strike and the outcome should reduce the likelihood of future stoppages (Groom, 2011). The ‘unfreezing’ phase (Lewin’s model) of this change was a gradual, drawn-out process. Time: As this was not a company in crisis there wasn’t a need to implement change reactively, British Airways had time to achieve their long-term strategy. Scope: British Airways did not require a transformation of the organisation as a whole. A realignment of the cabin crew’s operations and wage structure was the desired scope for this change. However, due to the industrial action taken by Unite the change had an impact organisation-wide. Preservation: It is important that BA preserves what makes British Airways, British Airways. This means they need to retain their brand identity, because this is one of their biggest selling points. It is also important to not destroy the business’ heritage and culture. Job security for the remaining cabin crew will be at an all-time low. Key members of staff need to be reassured of their position so that BA doesn’t lose these assets to competitors. Diversity: The change should not affect diversity between divisions. This means that the culture should remain consistent throughout BA, from pilots, to cabin crew, to administration staff. Capability: The individual within the cabin crew will need to be capable of adapting to the new operational requirements and be able to accept the change in pay structure. It is a managerial responsibility to help staff through this transition phase. The new BA chief executive, Keith Williams was praised for being â€Å"strong, brave and courageous† in reaching the agreement. These are the sort of capabilities required by the managerial team. Capacity: With the savings made in the long-term, BA will be able to invest in training for staff so quality of customer service will improve. The managers have shown devotion to this process by holding out for 18 months to ensure change was implemented. There must also be a number of people in the organisation with an adequate change capability. Readiness: The workforce was not aware of the need for change until it was announced that there would be 1,700 job cuts. As a result cabin crew members refused to commit to making the personal changes required of them. Power: The British Airway’s managerial team were the change agents containing the most power. As a trade union, Unite also contained considerable power, and this caused opposition for the implementation of change. The change management strategy, if any, as outlined by the BA management – have they addressed employee emotions or all focused on change process? The focus was placed mainly on the change process rather than employee emotions. The strategy appears to have been to implement the change at all costs. Throughout the 18 month negotiation process BA refused to give into the union demands. Despite 22 days of strikes BA continued to refuse the people what they wanted. They were accused of â€Å"management bullying, press slanders, and legal gerrymandering†. A big factor in the two parties coming to an agreement was BA agreeing to reinstate staff travel concessions, as stated by the Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey – â€Å"I am particularly pleased that travel concessions will be restored† (Scott, 2011, May 12). However, this was used as a bargaining tool rather than as an empathetic gesture. Having said this, there were a few minor interpersonal strategies. The personnel change of BA’s chief executive from â€Å"protagonist† Willie Walsh, to former finance director Keith Williams, contributed to the breakthrough. Union leaders described Keith Williams as a ‘genuine and honest man’, saying to cabin crew, ‘he values you’ (Smith, 2011, May 12). This is evidence of showing personal compassion in order to reduce resistance. However, many workers were unhappy with the praise he received. So if anything this strategy is likely to have hindered progressive rather than help it. BA also appointed an independent facilitator in the form of psychologist, Mark Hamlin to deal with the â€Å"fragility of trust† and act as a â€Å"long-term relationship builder† (Milmo, 2011, April 10). Long-term the ‘hard ball’ strategy employed by BA has left them with integrity and respect. This will help the company move forward and rebuild relationships. Good relations prevent industrial action and hence operational interruptions (British Airways, 2010). The challenges and difficulties in implementing such changes – as experienced by BA. Resistance/Acceptance. 93% of cabin crew voted for strike action originally. Through collective action and collective resistance they forced BA to change the terms. The resistance received enthusiastic support from wide sections of the working class in Britain in form of donations from union branches and solidarity on their picket lines (Counterfire, 2011, June 24).

Social Group Inequalities in Canada

The search for a Utopian lifestyle on planet Earth has been the concern of most humans during the course of humanity itself. Immigration and emigration are both everlasting proof of some of the methods humans go through in order to establish newer and enhanced lifestyles, leaving behind misery and lack of opportunity. It is evident to the twenty first century inhabitant, that utopia or a Utopian society is practically impossible to reach. Rather than Utopian characteristics in our society, one can notice wars, illnesses, poverty, famine, disease and notably, inequalities. Inequalities are a major factor which unfortunately cause unhappiness and social separations as well as affect economic growth. Following the release of the Broadbent Institute report in October 2012, â€Å"Towards a More Equal Canada, A Report on Canada's Economic and Social Inequality â€Å", which covers the social and economic inequalities in present day Canada, one can easily be more aware of the problems that the Canadian people face due to unequal factors. In the report, several inequalities are covered including the shrinking of the middle class, the elites capturing growth, greater and increasing income gaps, inequality of wealth, and social group inequalities. Focusing on social group inequalities and using various philosophical principles, we are able to determine the validity and moral importance of this growing problem through the ideologies of Singer, Libertarianism, Utilitarianism, and sufficiency principles. According to the Broadbent Institute report, different social groups have been suffering inequalities in Canada since the nineteen sixties. Social groups such as aboriginal peoples, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, and people from deprived communities or provinces have been targets of unequal social and economical separation from the more fortunate Canadian population, notably the euro descendant man. These social groups earned and still generally earn far less than the average white Canadian citizen. Till this day, gender still defines economical differences, putting women below men with regards to financial earnings. Further more, women in Canada are still dependent on men for financial support as it is the men which earn more, and consequently occupy the majority of the top 1% earners of Canada. In addition to ongoing gender inequalities, newly admitted immigrants and aboriginal people earn far less than the white Canadian due to strict educational accreditation of foreign diplomas, racism, social profiling, and social preferences on behalf of employers. Racialized Canadians are ongoing victims of social and economical deprivation due to preferential systems in the work field, forcing these competent candidates to work in the labor field and live in low-income neighborhoods or secluded deprived areas with little financial opportunity. As an ongoing social and economical problem in Canada, these inequalities are evidently worth being improved or changed, however, whether these changes should be morally obligated is the question. To begin, we may examine Peter Singer's main ideology, â€Å"if we can prevent something bad from happening, without sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, then we ought, morally, to do so. This principle can be linked with the social group inequalities of Canada examined in the Broadbent Institute report. Having already acknowledged that these inequalities are a problem in the nation, Singer's principle may be used as a guide for improvement. Social group inequalities are economically degrading for the country in general as well as degrading to a personal level to those who are affected, hence making it a bad thing to have in a country. However, one must keep in mind that mainly racialized and new immigrants run the labor work force to Canada, and by eliminating social group inequalities, we might sacrifice many labor working employments. By sacrificing these positions, we may encounter further problems in the economy with a vacancy gap in the labor work force, which is too great to fill. Morally, it is to everyone's preference to be equal in a coexisting society of many races and backgrounds. By basing ourselves solely on Singer's principle, the conclusion of the analysis would definitely not morally agree with his ideologies. Working around the argument, we are able to minimize the â€Å"bad† â€Å"(social group inequalities) using different methods such as more relaxed education laws, placement centers, immigration help and guidance, in order to improve the situation. Improving the situation does not mean eliminating social group inequalities; hence we are not sacrificing anything of the same moral importance such as the labor work force. Moving on to a libertarian aspect, where the principle implies that everyone should have maximum liberty, consistent with equal liberty for others, the issue can be analyzed differently. Social group inequalities are in some ways depriving the victims of their liberties of electing their path of career and enabling them to become what they truly want. The victims of social group inequalities, notably immigrants, aboriginals, women, the disabled, may want to follow a certain career path or have already completed education required for a certain employment however due to the inequalities in Canada towards them, they are forced into lower income employments, hence overpowering their liberties and free will. This issue is very unfortunate as the affected are left with no choices due to their circumstances and backgrounds. Staying on the libertarian path, we may conclude that the issue of social group inequalities, morally, should be fixed as it is depriving its victims of their liberty and free will. By fixing the problem, the liberty of the rest of the population will not be affected, yet enhanced for everyone, by enabling more people to make their own choices, possess liberty and free will. Therefore, social group inequalities should be eliminated and treated in Canada when analyzing with a libertarian approach. By analyzing different philosophical moral approaches to the problem, we are able to see the different conclusions that each one might lead to. We may further analyze the problem through a utilitarian approach. Utilitarianism suggests that an action is right when it maximizes utility (happiness) overall. Social group inequalities affect Canada's economical situation by bringing down the economy in certain areas where the problem is more prominent such as low-income neighborhoods and secluded or neglected areas where there are no opportunities for economical prosperity. Creating an improvement plan with regards to social group inequalities will create happiness and opportunity to the majority of the population that are affected by this problem. Encouraging women to obtain higher education and compete for high management employment positions, creating guidance centers for aboriginal peoples in order for them to receive an education and follow a career path, enable educated immigrants to work freely in their field without racial profiling or racism, enhance the economy and growth of area with few resources by moving factories and company headquarters, are all ways to control this problem by enhancing the happiness of all including the population which were not affected by social group inequalities. Victims of the problem will be relieved of their inequalities; as for the population, which did not suffer from this inequality, their happiness and utility will also be enhanced. Racial people will be more mixed with the upper class, creating new social groups and opportunities, the Canadian economy will be boosted due to the creation of new jobs and the improvements of rural or low-resource cities and towns, social acceptance will be promoted, professional fields will be enhanced to do the vast racial diversity, labor work force will attract new groups of people such as younger Canadians, as well as many more advantages to the society as a whole. Finally, one might conclude that it is almost a moral obligation, philosophically basing ourselves on the utilitarian approach, to improve and minimize social group inequalities in Canada as it would be promoting general happiness and economical prosperity for the entire nation. Lastly, the issue of social group inequalities may be analyzed through the philosophical principle of sufficiency. Sufficiency suggests that what matters is not equality, but whether people have enough. This principle is quite different than the others as it suggests a different outcome or conclusion to the problem itself. In the previous paragraphs, we analyzed social group inequalities though philosophical moral principles in order to treat the problem and improve the situation of Canada with regards to its inequalities and economical prosperity. However, priorities were never covered and deserve to be mentioned for the purpose of this paper. Women, immigrants, aboriginal peoples, people living in rural or economically deprived areas all suffer from inequalities as previously explained and proven in the Broadbent Institute report. These social groups may live a low-income life, yet they have all that they need to sufficiently live a healthy and full life. Their life may not be as prosperous or luxurious as the higher-income social class of Canada, however their needs are all met with the earnings that are allocated to them and their families. There are other social classes in Canada, which do not have sufficient financial means to support their families, moreover themselves for that matter. Hence the government should be focusing on eliminating poverty and suffering rather than minimizing social group inequalities. Morally, it would be the correct thing to do for the government of Canada when basing our philosophical ideologies on the principles of sufficiency. The priorities for aid go from the classes of people that have nothing or the least, up to the classes of people that have the most. When comparing the situation of the population that suffer from poverty, homelessness, famine, malnutrition, to the population which suffer from social group inequalities, it is easy to conclude that the aid should be prioritized to the more needy. In addition, by providing aid to the population which do not have sufficient financial means to live a full healthy life, equality is enhanced and promoted by raising the standards of living for all Canadians, hence somewhat aiding with the issue of social group inequalities by eliminating poverty. The Broadbent Institute report served as a very well organized and efficient study, raising social awareness about the inequalities that are present and faced every day in Canada. Using the aid of philosophical principles and ideologies such as Peter Singer's, Libertarianism, Utilitarianism, and the principles of sufficiency, we were able to more deeply analyze the moral importance of improving and eliminating the issue of social group inequalities which are very much present in our nation today. Each principle suggests a different moral approach; consequently providing various conclusions which Canadians can base their opinions with regards to this problem. By utilizing different moral aspects of philosophy, we were able to demonstrate clearly why the problem of social group inequalities should or should not be reduced in our society depending on the outcome and well-being of the general Canadian population.