This Should Ask For Payment Within Five Or Three Working Days To Avoid Further Action

Business, Ethics.

Effective credit control for your business - running a business on credit is one of the most professional things you can do, whilst also becoming one of the most risky. For this reason it is imperative that you maintain strong credit control to minimize the risks to your business without damaging customer relations. As soon as you offer credit to your customers you are opening yourself up for severely late payment, no payment at, or worse still all, which can be crippling for any business.

The first line of defense against late and non - payment of credit terms should be to restrict to whom you offer credit. - this way, you should only have credit offered to proven customers who have paid promptly in the past, which should limit credit problems and cash flow issues from even arising. By keeping tight reins over who qualifies for credit from your company, you should be able to weed out the non - payers, late - payers, and those you just can' t trust for whatever reason. If you do happen to come across a customer who hasn' t paid his bill on time, it is good courtesy to send a reminder letter of two first. Either way, it' s important that you don' t damage your reputation or your relationship with the customer by simply going straight in there with the legal language. Make sure the tone isn' t too heavy - there may be a good reason for you not receiving the payment, or the customer might just be running a bit behind.

In your reminder notice, politely ask for payment within seven business days, or even fourteen depending on the importance of the customer. - after you' ve sent your reminder letters, it' s time to send a more strongly worded notice. If payment still hasn' t appeared after that, it might be time to start raising the tone. This should ask for payment within five or three working days to avoid further action. Finally, if this yields no results, it' s time to involve the lawyers. If again you receive no response, you should certainly follow this up with a call, stressing the urgency of receiving payment and you intention to take further action to realize your remedy.

A legal letter is very effective at converting late payments, and can be one of the best ways to avoid legal action. - of course, there are legal remedies open to you should this fail to yield the desired result, but by taking these steps first, you should hopefully be able to avoid this eventuality.

Blood Diamonds Still Enter The Market

Business, Ethics.

The diamond trade in 2007: how much blood remains? - in march, i traveled to, 2007 turkey, where i attended the istanbul jewelry show. He was the brother of a personal friend and had been in the diamond industry for many years. There I met a diamond dealer, the president of a large firm with a large booth.

His primary business was the Russian market, the fabulously rich oligarchy which has a large appetite for bling. - he didn' t trade in these stone, but his customers were not so concerned about the issue. The larger, the better. "How much do conflict diamonds still enter the supply chain? " I asked. "A huge amount, " he said. By stating that much of the world diamond market does not care much whether diamonds are from conflict zones or not, he merely confirmed what NGOs such as Global Witness, who broke the conflict diamond story, have said for years. If someone brings a pocket full of uncut diamonds to the back alleys of Mumbai, Antwerp or New York, they will find a way into the supply chain. Blood Diamonds Still Enter the Market. Amnesty International, states that conflict diamonds are still being widely circulated.

The sourcing of diamonds has too often embodied the opposite of what diamonds represent, when a person falls to his or her knees to propose to their beloved. - no one knows how many thousands of women wear engagement rings purchased some time in the last fifteen years that funded the deaths of 7 million africans. The Kimberly Certification Process has definitely affected the trade of blood diamonds. However, the Kimberly Process is self enforced, the practices in the diamond industry are highly secretive and there is no system of independent, periodic reviews of signature countries. It is an honest and valiant attempt by the international diamond industry to regulate the trade while continuing to have some control of the market, which is in their interest. Diamonds can change hands many times before they reach the jeweler. From mine to market.

It is impossible for the sector to close all of the potential holes in the supply chain. - blood diamond: symptoms of much greater issues. The current war and destruction in Africa are the result of the colonial policies that destroyed complex cultural structures - the racist, dehumanizing commoditization of people and resources that even now still fatten the economies of the developed world. Blood diamonds are merely a symptom of much greater issues, though. For blood diamonds to not exist, we would have to eliminate poverty and injustice in the war torn African countries that are too much in chaos to reap the benefit of this resources. Love, fairness and equality, compassion would have to be more important than the current relentless greed that drives human misery. No single government or trade organization can stop this.

Now, add to the above another issue in the news last year: certification. - even a slight variance in grading can mean millions of dollars in a parcel of diamonds. Last year GIA, was implicated in a grading scandal that rocked the industry. The issues have been resolved and people have lost their jobs and their reputations. This is not the first anecdotal evidence I have heard that has led me to believe that the grading of diamonds is not as objective it is made out to be. Yet recently, when looking to purchase a diamond, an industry insider remarked that certain labs are" softer" in their grading of diamonds than others. There are extremely wide ranging views on these issues, and many people in the jewelry trade would probably dispute what I write here.

For my company, it is less than 10% . - diamonds represent over 50% of the business for the jewelry industry as a whole. I have less to lose in giving my candid insider' s opinion, but it is only an opinion, a snapshot. From the point of view of ethical purchases, the obvious solution for some is to avoid the African supply chain. And I would never pretend to be an authority on this subject. You can purchase diamonds that are certified from Canada. Even Nelson Mandala asked that African diamonds not be boycotted.

However, many African countries depend upon legitimate diamond trade, so the ethics of boycotting African diamonds has its drawbacks. - ironically, he has become a spoke person for de beers. Blood - Free but Still Not Fair Trade. De Beers itself has taken on new development initiatives in an attempt to polish their image. Just because a diamond is from a Kimberly certified source does not mean that it is something that you can feel proud of owning it, as this New York Times article entitled: "Diamonds Move From Blood To Sweat And Tears. " The Kimberly process is regulatory program. At present, there are over a million, perhaps as many as 3 million diamond diggers. It does not address wages or environmental conditions.

Most of these people are poor. - diamond areas can be as large as a hundred square miles. They are often paid under market for their finds. Even in established mines, as much as 20% the diamond rough may be lost to theft. The decision of where one should purchase their diamonds can leave the ethical consumer in a" Catch 2" The most worthy viable, ethical solution is to push for ethically sourced, or" fair trade" diamonds now. The Quest for Fair.

Already, there are strong industry initiatives to change the way diamonds are mined. - however, most diamonds from mines that have strict environmental and fair labor protocols, such as those produced by wade watson in sierra leon, are mixed in with other diamonds in the diamond cutting centers. One of the most noteworthy is taking place right now in Sierra Leon. A small group of people, from manufacturers to major players in the diamond industry, have championed ethical jewelry. Consumers can help too. The" Ethical Jewelry Summit" which took place at the world bank on Oct. 25th, 26, 2007, focused on the plight of small scale, artisan miners in the diamond and precious metal sectors.

If just one out of ten of those in search of a diamond engagement ring asked for a" fair trade" diamond, the process would move more quickly. - the article generated some controversy. A recent article in the Rapaport Magazine( 9/ 07, published only in print) surveyed sales people in Las Vegas, NV jewelry stores. It found that many who sell diamonds even now, know very little about the conflict diamond issue. The jewelry business, like most every other business, has always shown itself to be more motivated by money than by ethics. These sales people must be besieged by an army of educated consumers who demand ethical diamond sourcing.

However, all of those involved in ethical jewelry practices hope to move our initiatives forward with the support of people in the market who share our humanitarian concerns.

Include A Note To The Appraisal That Shows That The Appraiser Has Reviewed The Seller' S Disclosure Statement

Business, Ethics.

Home appraiser's guide to preventing liability lawsuits - as an appraiser in the real estate world, the danger of litigation is a very real one. credit agencies relentlessly force you for higher values, lenders are searching for fall guys, and infamous" investors" are searching for easy target to help them commit fraud. Make yourself a less attractive mark. ) Transfer it. Here are a few methods you need to do in order to handle this threat. ) Avoidance.

Move the problem to somebody else, such as the client or the other intended users. ) Be in charge. - build a relationship with a proficient attorney who will aid you in your business dealings to avoid beforehand any liability. Know and make use of the legal system to your advantage. Get an insurance company with a good reputation to back you up. ) Recognition. Act as if it never happened and pray it never will. ) Disappear. Admit that it exists and insure against it, like with errors and omissions insurance. ) Turn a deaf ear.

Change your profession to one that is less adversarial. - during purchase appraisals, it is an excellent idea to get the seller' s disclosure forms that were signed when requesting a duplicate of the purchase agreement. The most familiar reasons for home appraiser lawsuits and legal actions are: ) Unable to find out and inform somebody of any development and irregularity. Include a note to the appraisal that shows that the appraiser has reviewed the Seller' s Disclosure Statement. When the time comes to inspect the place, remember to check with the seller if there have been issues about molds. Ensure that you obtain a duplicate of the Seller' s Disclosure Statement.

Once the check up is complete, the seller can review, and sign the, answer appraiser' s form. ) Wrong estimation of the living area. - if the appraiser receives a set of details for proposed construction, those details should be verified with cad software to confirm the size of the living area. Do not simply rely on data from the former appraiser, data taken from the MLS system, or details from, county records the architect. It would be too late if you will wait for the data obtained after the last examination. Any modifications to the living area even though the calculated area remains the same should be indicated separately in the report and on a separate sketch. ) Didn' t indicate in the report that there is leakage of the roof, cracks in the, wet basements foundation, and minor or, infestation of termites major mechanical failure. ) Reaching a decision in which the property is overvalued or undervalued. If the seller has something to add to the living area, like an enclosed porch or carport/ garage, this area should always be separated in the sketch and in the report - even if the area still has the same contributory value.

You are likely to cheat if you do not have the required skill and Errors and Omission will not back you up if found guilty. - includes items of the entire 1004 form of the federal national mortgage association such as hookups for utility, lot dimensions, zoning, county taxes/ assessments, the right owner of record, history of the subject( both listing and sales) , etc... evaluations should be full of substantiation. ) slander. A study shows that approx. 15% of all fraud cases deal with appraisers who have little or no experience. ) Evaluation of not the right property. ) You didn' t verify. The review appraiser humiliating the appraiser instead of the report itself, as a result the defamed appraiser sues the review appraiser. As an appraiser, you can prevent any litigation if you' re aware of the hazards regarding your appraisal and steer clear of them as much as possible.

If The Appraiser Waits For The Final Inspection To Verify It Is Too Late

Business, Ethics.

How to evade liability lawsuits as a home appraiser - as an appraiser in the real estate industry, the danger of litigation is real. credit agencies continually pressure you for higher values, lenders are searching for scapegoats, and shady" investors" are searching for easy target to help them carry out fraud. Don' t do anything that can make you a liable target. ) Movement.

There are only a few options on how to cope with with this threat. ) Avoid it. - reassign the weight to something else like the client or somebody else. ) manage it. Create a relationship with a competent attorney who can aid you with your dealings to pre - avoid liability. Know and use the legal system to your benefit. Have an insurance company like Errors and Omissions Insurance from a reputable company that will defend you with local contract lawyers. ) Recognition. Assume it never happened and hope it never will. ) Leave it.

Do not Deny the fact that the threat is real and get yourself insured with an insurance company. ) Ignorance. - there are other careers that have more potential than this uncertain business. If you want to request for a duplicate of the purchase agreement, it is best if you can get the signed copy of the Seller' s Disclosure form. Here are some frequent reasons why a home appraiser gets stuck in a complaint and court cases. ) Failing to determine and declare improvement and site defects. Remember to indicate that you, have read and, as the appraiser analyzed the Seller' s Disclosure Statement. When the time comes to examine the house, remember to check with the seller if there have been problems about molds. Ensure that you get a duplicate of the Seller' s Disclosure Statement.

The appraiser can also present the seller with the appraiser' s own form with questions for the seller to review, and sign, answer. ) Wrong estimation of the living area. - if the appraiser obtains a set of details for proposed construction, those details should be confirmed with cad program to verify the living area size. Don' t simply depend on information from the former appraiser, data taken from the multiple listing system, or details from, county records the architect. If the appraiser waits for the final inspection to verify it is too late. All changes to the living area even though the calculated area is still the same should be noted separately in the report and on a separate sketch. ) Did not report leakage of the roof, settlement or foundation cracks, termite infestation and, wet basements mechanical defects. ) Overvaluation or Undervaluation of a property. If the seller has an addition to the living area, like an enclosed veranda or carport/ garage, this area should at all times be separated in the sketch and in the report - even though the area still has equal contributory value. Fraud is most commonly a competency issue and Errors and Omission Insurance doesn' t cover the appraiser when you' re charged with fraud.

Includes items of the entire FNMA 1004 form such as utility hookups, dimensions of the, zoning lot, County taxes/ assessments, correct owner of record, history of the subject( both listing and sales) , etc... Confirmation should be the chief job when doing an appraisal. ) Insult. - a study stated that approx. 15% of fraud cases deal with appraisers who have little or no experience. ) appraisal of wrong property. ) you did not verify. The review appraiser degrading the appraiser instead of the report itself, therefore the insulted appraiser sues the review appraiser. As an appraiser you cannot entirely take away the weight of liability for your evaluations rather by being conscious of and steering clear of these hazards you may be able to avert any costly litigation.

Birds Of Prey Are Not Considered Kosher

Business, Ethics.

An understanding of "kashrut" in the united states - according to answers. com, the definition of kashrut is the state of being kosher and/ or the body of jewish dietary law. It does not simply apply to food. Of course, there are many more meanings to the word Kashrut or Kosher.

It can be in the way people are treated. - the hebrew word kosher, etc, kashrut. are all different titles given to the jewish dietary laws. However, in this article I will focus on kosher foods in the United States to help make it easier to find a kosher restaurant in Los Angeles or anywhere else. In the United States and the English language, we use the word Kosher. Pigs are( for some reason) most notable when it comes to non - kosher foods. The word actually means fit or correct, as well as suitable according to the Jewish law. If an animal is not slaughtered appropriately or is killed ferociously by its predator, it is not considered kosher.

In the United States, there are many laws stating that it is a crime if a company says that a food is Kosher when it really is not. - orthodox judaism has a much stricter way of it' s laws than conservative judaism does. This law is in effect in the following states: - Arkansas. - California. - Connecticut. - Illinois. - Kentucky. - Louisiana. - Maryland. - Massachusetts. - Minnesota. - Missouri. - New Jersey. - New York. - Ohio. - Pennsylvania. - Rhode Island. - Texas. - Virginia. According to Answers. com, there are many restrictions placed on food for it to be labeled kosher by the Jewish law. It is also a law in some parts of Florida and Baltimore. Here are some of those restrictions. Birds of prey are not considered kosher.

Mammals that live on the land have to eat food that they chew the cud and have cloven hoofs. - fish must have fins and scales. They cannot touch each other. Any dairy and meat products are not to be served at the same meal, cooked using the same dishes or tools, or stored inappropriately. A trained Shochet uses a particular way to slaughter animals known as shechits. The blood is then removed from the animal.

A Shochet severs the jugular, esophagus, carotid artery, and trachea in one smooth cut with a sharp knife. - this can be done by broiling, soaking and salting. There are many laws in Judaism that pertain to kosher foods, but it does not end at just food. If a kitchen has been used in a non - kosher way( such as a young Jewish couple moving into a new apartment) they must boil everything in that kitchen to prepare it to become kosher. It is a way of living. It has come over to the United States to appropriately welcome Jews into the country. It is the lifestyle of the Jewish and of the Jewish law.

Hopefully, someday all of the states in the United States will have a law on labeling foods kosher, and hopefully there will be more kosher restaurants in the United States.

However, Fewer Than Half Generate More Than Half Of Their Sales Outside Their Home Markets

Business, Ethics.

The impact of mnes - the united states is the home - country for the largest amounts of foreign licensing and direct investment. One of these critics is organized labor, which argues that foreign production often displaces what would otherwise be US production.

Therefore, its policies understandably arouse some of the major trade unions of such outward moments. - for example, big corporations have been criticized because they decided to shift some or all of their production to less costly countries, because of the, such as mexico nafta agreement. An example is Boeing' s transfer of aerospace technology to China to produce aircraft parts. Trade unions also cite many examples of highly advanced technology that has been at least partially developed through governmental contracts and then transferred abroad. According to trade unions, if Boeing did not transfer the technology, China would purchase the products in United States, thus increasing U. Closely related to the question of job loss is the question of whether the outsourcing of production puts downward pressure on wages in the home country. S. employment and output.

On the other hand, there is anecdotal evidence that it does. - so the possibility of moving more work to india has caused a recent drag on the real wages of u. For example, computer programmers in the United Kingdom, make three to six times, the monthly salary of programmers in India. K. programmers. This is because the cost savings from producing abroad increase demand for the products produced abroad, such as Nike shoes, thus increasing the need for Nike to hire more managerial personnel in the United States. On the other hand, there is evidence that moves by companies to lower - wage countries increase the overall home - country demand and wages for skilled labor. Moreover, due to the size of many multinational enterprises( MNEs) , there is much concern by trade unions that they will undermine through political means the sovereignty of nation - states.

The fact that companies depend primarily on their home countries is illustrated by the realization that from the 100 largest companies in the Fortune 500 list, only 18 have a majority of their assets outside their home - country and very few have a foreigner on their executive board. - the foremost concern is that an mne will be used as a foreign - policy instrument of its home - country government. These companies are most internationalized in terms of their sales. Because the home - countries of most MNEs are industrial ones, it is understandable that this concern is taken most seriously in less - developed countries( LDCs) . However, fewer than half generate more than half of their sales outside their home markets. But it is not restricted to them.

One is that the MNE may become independent of both the home and host countries, making it difficult for either country to take actions considered being in its best interests. - two other sovereignty issues are raised less frequently. The second is that the MNE might become so dependent on foreign operations that the host country can use it as a foreign - policy instrument against its home country or another country. For example, much have been said about the US government' s attempt to apply its trading with the Enemy Act to foreign subsidiaries of US companies, in order to keep them from selling to certain unfriendly countries. Under this sphere of influence, trade unions exercise trade control, by enforcing trade restrictions, and key sector, antitrust laws control measures or even by forming state - owned enterprises. Such measures, that restrict free trade and enhance the threat of reducing gains, drive MNEs either to accept the new roles of the global game or in most cases to oppose it.

Unethical Practices Can Become Ingrained In An Organization

Business, Ethics.

Encouraging ethical behavior - most authorities agree that there is room for improvement in business ethics. The majority opinion on this issue suggests that government, and individual firms, trade associations can indeed establish acceptable levels of ethical behavior.

One of the most problematic questions raised in relation to business ethics is whether or not businesses can become more ethical in the real world. - the government can do so by legislating more stringent regulations. Increased regulation may help, but it surely cannot solve the entire business ethics problems. But, rules require enforcement and when in many cases there is evidence of lack of enforcement even the ethical businessperson will tend to" slip something by" without getting caught. Trade associations can and often do provide ethical guidelines for their members. However, enforcement and authority vary from association to association.

These organizations within particular industries are in an excellent position to exert pressures on members that stoop to questionable business practices. - moreover, exactly because trade associations exist for the benefit of their members, harsh measures may be self - defeating. A code of ethics is a written guide to acceptable and ethical behavior that outlines uniform policies, standards and punishments for violations. Employees can more easily determine and adopt acceptable behavior when companies provide them with a" code of ethics. " Such codes are perhaps the most effective way to encourage ethical behavior. Because employees know what is expected of them and what will happen if they violate the rules, a code of ethics goes a long way towards encouraging ethical behavior. Companies must also create an environment in which employees recognize the importance of complying with the written code.

However, codes cannot possibly cover every situation. - managers must provide direction by fostering communication, actively modeling and encouraging ethical decision making, apart from investing in training employees to make ethical decisions. Unethical practices can become ingrained in an organization. Sometimes, even employees who want to act ethically may find it difficult to do so. Employees with high personal ethics may then take a controversial step called" whistle blowing. " Whistle blowing is informing the press or government officials about unethical practices in an organization. How could employees have known about life - threatening problems and let them pass? Whistle blowing could have averted disaster and prevented needless deaths in the Challenger space shuttle disaster, for example.

Whistle blowing on the other hand, can have serious repercussions for employees. - those who make waves sometimes lose their jobs.

What Would The Product Mix Of Most Advisers Look Like

Business, Ethics.

Is the financial services industry failing the baby boomer generation? - are advisers really compensated to act in their client' s best interest or are they in conflict with the best interest of the client' s? If Boomers are seeking competent and trusted advisers that will act according to their best interest, are we giving them the proof that we can do that?

Do we really incent the behavior that we seek? - much as been written about the vast amount of wealth that has begun to transfer from one generation to another over the next 15 years. Never before have so many households needed competent, trusted advisors to help them navigate their wealth into the future. It has been estimated that approximately$ 14 trillion in assets involving over 70 million households will begin to migrate over the next decade and beyond. Whether it' s their intent to pass the assets along to their heirs or to their favorite charity or foundation, they need the guidance of a competent and trusted advisor. But, are we prepared, as an industry to meet the needs of the largest group of consumers ever amassed in our country' s history?

Never before has financial planning been so desperately needed by so many. - are compensation plans aligned with the best interest of the client, across the board? Are the plans in conflict with the company' s desired outcome? Can advisers truly act in the best interest of their client' s and still be successful? Aren' t most plans still designed around the amount of commission and fees an adviser generates? Yes, investment advisory accounts and the assets in those accounts are increasing in popularity, but by all estimates the total percentage of accounts in advisory accounts has just recently crossed into double digit territory.

Don' t we tell advisers to develop long term relationships with their clients, to think in terms of households and cross selling opportunities, we based their, yet compensation on the amount of revenue generated? - why isn' t the" win/ win" scenario of the advisory account gaining more traction? What if. Following the money trail might reveal the answer - look at compensation plans. Advisers were paid to gather assets and to develop relationships? Wouldn' t that encourage the nurturing of long term relationships? What if advisers were paid an annual trail based on the anniversary of the assets being held - the longer the client retains the assets with the adviser, the higher the payout.

Wouldn' t that encourage transactions that are in the client' s best interest, without regard for the generation of fees? - or what if the product cost and its risk profile were correlated for revenue? Here' s a big one - what if all investment products( packaged or not, insurance based or not) paid the same revenue stream? What would the product mix of most advisers look like? Aren' t we still paying for business the old way and expecting advisers to find business the new way? Isn' t it time for our compensation measurements to be changed and updated?

Just look at the number of lawsuits surrounding the" overtime pay" issue and you will realize that we have to look at our business differently. - change is hard, but it' s good, too! Those lawsuits seem to be gaining ground and changing the landscape. There are 70 million households with over$ 14 trillion in assets looking for an answer. We should deliver it.

Stressful Environments Alone Are A Risk Factor For Workplace Violence

Business, Ethics.

Preventing the danger and liability of workplace violence - each week, roughly 17 people are murdered while on the job and 33, 000 more are assaulted. This high level of violence stems from on - the - job stress and increasing economic pressure.

This adds up to big liability for companies, not to mention tremendous heartache and pain. - your due diligence as an employer will not only protect the employees you value so much, but pay off in court should you ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having to defend your business practices in a case of negligence. Risk Factor: High stress work environments. Here you' ll find some brief guidelines for identifying risk factors and preventing workplace violence. Stressful environments alone are a risk factor for workplace violence. When people feel trapped under pressure, they are more likely to react violently.

According to a survey by Northwestern National Life, 25% of employees view their jobs as the primary source of stress in their lives. - prevention: stress related violence tends to have quite a few warning signs. Specific processes should be in place to track threats and assess their level of risk based on statistically proven guidelines. It' s critical to incorporate administrative processes and policies that allow employees to comfortably and anonymously report threats or aggressive behavior by other associates. Risk Factor: Jobs that involve the exchange of money. Desperate and criminally - minded individuals learn how to target establishments that do not impose standard crime prevention techniques. Any employee who exchanges money with the public is at a higher risk for workplace violence.

Prevention: In addition to well enforced cash handling policies and emergency procedures, it' s important to make your efforts to prevent workplace violence evidence to the public. - the height of the counter also works as a subconscious and physical barrier between employee and customer. Highly visible security cameras, and signs that, security cash safes alert customers of the employee' s limited access to cash, all help to protect employees from violent robberies. Risk Factor: Mobile Workplaces. Without an unpredictable environment and lack of a protective building structure, those who work from their vehicles can find themselves in any number of violent and threatening situations. Delivery drivers, and other employees, cab drivers who work primarily alone from their vehicle are often targets of violence.

Prevention: Having an accessible alert or panic button that employees can use to call attention to themselves is a good start for preventing mobile workplace violence. - for some types of businesses or for coverage in high - risk areas, it can be beneficial to staff multiple employees on one shift with policies to ensure that these staffing procedures are consistently followed. Installing GPS locators and implementing processes to identify and react to unusual driving behavior can be another useful crime prevention method. Criminally minded opportunists often learn to spot inconsistencies and exploit weak points such as a single driver when there are normally two. To reduce disasters from trial by error, it' s important to train with or consult with criminal behavior and forensics specialists. The key to preventing workplace violence is a well thought out plan created from the point of view of the criminal.

There are various tools and training programs for employers to aid in preventing workplace violence created by experts who have studied the minds and routines of violent criminals for years are able to pick out patterns of behavior and reasoning. - taking steps to protect the safety of your employees and your business can make an incredible difference in moral, in the ability to attract high quality associates, and can save you from serious liability in the future.

Ethics

Business, Ethics.

Business ethics and ethnicity - proverbs 24: 27� prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field and afterwards build thine house. Proverbs 18: 9� He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

Darby. - the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group. Wordweb. Ethics. America, for many fulfills these ideas for many who come here. Groups of people from many nations such as Britain, Spain, France, Italy, and others made up this New World. America has been from the start a multi - cultural project.

The main idea was to find a quick route to Asia. - these goods were taken from the point of origin to the home country of the ship. Asia was the place for riches obtained in the trading and transporting goods. As America, the business people, grew here wanted freedom from the tyrannical rule of the foreign powers who wanted to keep grip on this New World. This idea being that several different cultures( rather than one national culture) can coexist peacefully and equally in one nation. Thus, the idea of Multi - culturalism was born.

America has not only shown that this can exist. - once a plantation owner could have slaves. She has shown it to flourish, though business ethics have changed from the infant it was in the beginning. Using them in business was considered fair and equal. As the people of this nation grew in ethics, they realized such avenues such as slavery was wrong. However, even then some people hated slavery, people aside from the slaves themselves. . Although, Abraham Lincoln did abolish slavery, it took many years for the full realization to take hold.

Within the confines of many larger cities are conclaves of multi - culturalism. - today, in the high rise of power and prestige you will find many whose roots date them to slaves. You have" little Italy" , "Chinatown" , and many others. That is to make a better life for them and their families. All people from differing nations that bring them one desire. When doing this, they all agree to one thing. To do and follow our laws.

That is the Ethics of America. - to live peaceable with each other and live freely. The problem we have in the midst of business ethics and ethnicity is when the total framework of America' s business' s is changed for one group or individual. This Multi - culturalism is what makes America what it has become. This is seen by the legislation that is being hammered out for illegal aliens. This is not the case.

Most of which we have seen on the news is Mexican, and speak Spanish, South American. - for history proves that chinese have been smuggled into america since the early goldrush and the building of the railroad. All these wanted to migrate to our country. Also let us not forget the Cubans, and those boatloads of Vietnamese. Live a free life and do business. This is wrong. The legislation and recent debates, focus on one, however group alone.

Ethics for many business' s are regulated first by what is legal and what is illegal. - revealing the hidden dangers that have been in the news. A quick search on Wikipedia with the word Ethics, will provide a glimpse into this world. From Martha Stewart to WorldCom, we have seen ethics in motion. Thus, the people in power who ran the business schemes under cloak and danger were held accountable. The ethics of some in business have been seen as illegal by those in the legal area' s. Thus ethics are related to legality in America.

Moreover, we find Ethics and Ethnicity relating to World issues as well. - the enforcement of which cover all ethnics and races who do business in this country. This is on the forefront of many discussions today. A forum by a major Denmark university conducted a seminar in 2005 on this. One example is found in Denmark where just this issue was pursued" Ethics and Ethnicity" . Their basis for doing this and reasoning stated: Since moral decision making fundamentally has to do with how we should treat each other, a unifying goal of the seminar group will be to understand and critically evaluate how cultural and racial affiliations influence the reasonable and unreasonable expectations we have of each other.

The implications for our participation in the larger international community of which we are all inescapably members also will be explored, along with the recurring moral theme of the contribution to be made by institutions of higher learning to the improvement of relations among all peoples of the world. www. think. aau. dk/ default. htm. - this points to the need to discuss the distinctive obligations of students, administrators and other, faculty staff within academic institutions, in terms of their similarities and differences, regarding potential areas of conflict as well as social enrichment stemming from our encounters with people ethnically different from ourselves. Furthermore, the drive line that connects many nations today is commerce. As a result, ethnic tribes, nations, and peoples traverse the world doing business. Commerce is business, and business is propelled by people with ethics from all ethnic tribes in the world. The one avenue that all people have in common is business.

This translates in being able to provide for your family no matter whether you live in India, or America, China. - that is the ability to do something to make money or barter. Today, America still is, however the Grand Lady of this enterprise called Commerce. The foundation of this commerce is also Ethics and Ethnicity. Within the Commerce you will find Multi - culturalism. Without rules, and laws, regulations, the whole system would not work.

As we look at this Ethnicity, we also find the threats. - it must work for all cultures, and ethnic tribes, races. The first and paramount threat to the Ethics and Ethnicity is terrorism. For them, trade and commerce are the enemy. Muslim' s who are totally against this kind of thing. It' s paramount provider is always seen as the USA. The ethnic tribes who are terrorist come from many different countries.

Who is their enemy, of course. - the one link for all of them is their aberrant desire to follow jihad against all enemies of islam. No matter what Ethics you have, when you face a harsh enemy like death, life is seen as paramount. As a result you can see this attack against the warlords of commerce and trade. This is the reason terrorism targets the business sector. The main target, seems always to, however be America. To shut down this pipeline of commerce will shut down America and the industrial nations for sure.

The USA is the leader in purveying commerce. - this is also seen in many of the oil producing countries, especially in africa where terrorists have shut down pipelines of oil. Ethics or not, the ethnic terrorism will find a way to bend your will to his or destroy you. As well, it can be seen in Venezuela' s dictator and his hatred for the USA and its government. Ethics that face society and declare I will destroy you if you do not bend to my wishes. Within all these scenarios are ethics. What happens if this Ethnicity and ethics come to America?

Will business end? - what happens if groups pop up and cannot get along with each other? It is true, that if we cannot live peaceable, then business is the first to go. When the Civil war was going, business was virtually stopped down south. America has enjoyed a long history of peace in its borders with the exception of the Civil War, and other clashes, the Indian Wars. After the war, the whole south was destroyed.

Facing this, are those who want to destroy this business climate and trade we know as commerce. - today, america has her ethics, but within this is the desire to keep the global business going. It is kept alive by the ethics of ethnic tribes all over the world. Ethnicity and Ethics. Many of whom live in America. We see when good people say a bad thing is okay, it is not, such as Slavery morally ethical.

We also see bad people who foment hatred and death through terrorism. - society accepted it, then decided it was wrong. Their ethnic backgrounds are from all over the world. Business' s who come in contact with this later group will face a hardened foe willing to destroy to get their way. These have ethics that declare destruction, and hatred against, war society in general. But for many in America, no matter the Ethnic background, ethics are the foundation of what they do. To do things in a fair way, to do it well, and follow all, to be honest the laws of the land.

No matter the race, religion, the tribe, for the most part, they walk the path of ethics that American business has presented. - the only people' who violate this' , are those who are greedy and dishonest. These hold that money and fame are a higher goal than any moral ethic. The ones who cling to power and prestige. For them ethics cannot get in the way of what they want. Just like terrorism, they destroy to obtain.

An Employer Has To Do What Is Best For Its Business

Business, Ethics.

Puntuality in business - you wanted to have that second cup of coffee from your favorite mug and you will only be a few minutes late. It is a big deal to be late by five minutes or an hour. Whats the big deal.

When you are late for work, every minute counts. - businesses run on a schedule to prevent conflict and to insure that everything runs smoothly. Each minute missed effects the flow of a business. When an employee is late it automatically alters the schedule and the days events. By state law each adult can care for five children at a time without aid. An example of this is a person working at a daycare.

Say there are usually eighteen infants and two teachers. - if the teacher aid is late or absent the employer of this facility is forced to try and find a rapid replacement for that person. An aid is needed in this room to keep with state laws requirements. If not the employer faces a heavy fine and the possibility of her business being shut down. Companies lose money when time is lost. Being late can cause serious trouble for a business.

If you work in construction and you have to complete a project in say five months. - when these employees take a few extra minutes for lunch that takes time away that could be time spent on the job to complete it on deadline. Every employee on the job counts towards project completion. If a job is not completed on time, contracts will be voided and large amounts of money will be lost. An employer has to do what is best for its business. If you are late consistently then you run a high risk of losing your job. If you are being late is causing business to encounter too many bumps in the road then you may have to be replaced.

Leave your home early enough to plan for accidents or traffic. - this is why it is important to always be on time. Consider the weather, if it will slow you down. Give yourself sufficient time to eat a meal before you leave if needed. Be sure to get up early enough to shower and dress. Have all of your job materials prepared for the next day so as to not waste time being late due to scrambling for needed items. If events do occur and you are forced to be late, be courteous and give a call to your employer.

Do your best to be prepared for anything, so you are able to arrive to work on time. - explain the situation and your location. This may provide enough information for your employer to fill in for you, and possibly saving some trouble. At a minimum you are at least providing your employer with the knowledge of your lateness. Being late is serious and when prevented you ensure your business will operate properly and successfully.

Training Is Phase One And Phase Two Is To Sub - Contract

Business, Ethics.

An interview on a fair trade jewelry model in south africa - laurens mare is ceo of the south african jewelry counsel. Through the nonprofit organization, Vukani - Ubuntu, you have created a wonderful model that trains economically disadvantaged people from townships into the jewelry trade.

The interview was conducted by Marc Choyt. - let' s start with what year you were founded and how many people are involved in your program now? That was not possible before. This started in 199I joined Demos Takoulas( current CEO) in late 199At that stage there was just one project - it was the first project of its kind in the country and the first entity to take gold legally into a township. We did a lot of ground breaking at that stage. Granted there has been some improvements since 199 Describe your structure.

Now, there are 37 structures around including various other projects based on the original Vukani model. - we set up a nonprofit organization, funded by government and private companies, that functions to fund as a training facility. From this central facility, we have smaller companies that function under it in the hive system. This training facility has everything it needs, from machinery to faculty, to bring students into the trade. Each of the little factories has access to the equipment from the larger factory, where more technical production elements can be assisted with. He is still linked to the main facility with its expertise, so he can grow his own clientele around himself.

In this environment, the rent of this small start up starts low and then grows as the business increases. - so, if i am understanding correctly, you take people into your training facility, teaching them the trade, while providing them all the support they need? Once he has grown to a sustainable level he has to leave the confines of the hive to make space for the next entrepreneur. Yes, and we nurture the businesses until they reach a certain size. He still retains the link to the central facility though. It is a very cooperative system that has QC in place to make sure that the product creates opportunity to grow business in this method and maintains the supporting infrastructure.

We also have set up a company which sells what is produced in this factory. - how do you transition them into real life bench experience? They understand the environment and the pressure - this is no ensure that they get first - hand experience of the real manufacturing environment. We do an exchange program going into the mass production factory in a mass production environment. Training is phase one and phase two is to sub - contract. A jeweler who has completed our program or is working with the program will costs it and send the cleaning and assembly to be done by the developing jewelers as an example.

For example, an order comes in for rings. - who gets to take part in your program? They go through test for drawing, mathematical skills and, hand eye coordination language ability. There is a limited amount of money, but anyone from the townships can apply. Based on the results, we select our top candidates - ten or twenty out of up to four hundred applicants. Unemployment is close to 40% in these townships.

But it depends - it can be one out of forty or one out of ten. - one of our trained workers can support 3 to 8 people off his income. Most of the learners receive a stipend as per the SA National regulations through the SETA' s( Sectoral Education& Training Authorities) . How are the students supported while they are in the program? They provide a list of minimum payments per level reached. The more they progress, the more they can produce so their income is finally self - generated.

In addition, the learners get the opportunity to assist in production and earn an additional income from that. - can you give me an example of what one of your piece workers makes, compared to the average person in a township? As an example a person specializing in cleaning castings can on average earn up to R 4000 per month with someone working for a salary at the same level earning R 1500 - R2 500 per month. This very much depends from person to person and which field in the industry they specialize in. How many small companies have started as a result of your program? You must remember that the average period of training for entry level is 3 - years.

Not that many, I would estimate+ - 10 or so that have gone on their own. - add to that the additional time spent building up something and we have only really been up and running for 7 years. That has been the hassle with us, to get sufficient market for the product. What has been your level of success with marketing the product? But we work with a private company. Eventually, once a jeweler is solid in his skills, he breaks away, as I said from us and starts his own company. As mentioned we have set up a hybrid situation, working with established jewelry manufacturers that have viable mass production capacities which utilize us as a resource.

They can still subcontract to the factory. - in the meantime, the money generated goes to development of training and the jeweler. In the process they are learning everything about the business. What have been the challenges? Keeping the central system functioning, paying the staff running the projects and assisting and training all these guys, to be able to do this, the gas for the car, for example. The problems has been in the operating costs.

That is the one place where we are low on funds. - please give me a list of what you can produce, and let me know how someone interested in supporting your project might go about working with you. Our support network does not want to fund our general administrative expenses. We will be able to produce just about anything you can find any ware else in the industry. Obviously not the kind of quality you would find in Tiffanies or the like, but reasonable mid range jewelery.

We Need Beauty

Business, Ethics.

Ask not what the jewelry industry can do for you - i just returned from the jewelers' circular keystone( jck) show, most important jewelry, the largest trade event in the us. Typical, was my conversation, I think with a buyer who was a" major player. " Her company is a house hold name.

Apart from those who sought me out because of my press release, not one jeweler who walked by my booth even raised the issue of my banner which screamed out: FAIR TRADE, ECO FRIENDLY JEWELRY NOW. - i asked one if she was interested fair trade and eco friendly jewelry. She gave me a wooden smile and proceeded on. Her look said, "Have you just arrived from the moon? " She had not even heard of the concept. I tried to imagine not understanding the deep relationship between my life and the natural environment, or the impact of my purchasing decisions upon people around the world. How far, in the canyon of life, is my perspective from this woman' s, and what would it take to create a bridge we could cross together? Without these things to push up against, my work would be just about making money: a truly soulless endeavor.

Here' s my confession. - then i realized that something brought back a feeling i had when i was in haiti, twenty years ago, a volunteer, running an orphanage and working in mother theresa' s homes for the dying. For weeks, I dreaded coming to this show, without being quite sure why. Richard Hartnett, an American professor of Dentistry, trained me to help him run his mobile clinics. We went right into the slums surrounding Port au Prince. We carried two back packs: one filled with tools and another with the antiseptic fluids and water so that we could keep our tools clean between extractions.

Cavities in Haiti by and large were left to rot in people' s mouths. - after pulling thousands of teeth, i met someone who changed my life forever. Richard generally did the injections and I did the extractions: sixty people in two hours. It happened while I was gathering people for our clinic in the marketplace. Always objectified. All around, the brazen rats, the composting food and the open sewers were an assault on the senses. "Blanc. blanc. vini ici, foreign man, Come here. " The stress of being a white guy amidst a sea of black skin, put me on edge. Always categorized.

A foreigner. - never alone. Blanc, Blanc. She was dressed in a light cotton dress that was torn on the sleeve - "Kennedy' s" is what they called all those used clothes that arrived from the US in volleys of shipping containers. A hunched old woman with a walking stick approached. They were given away as aid that started with JFK' s administration.

Her eyes, glittering like black diamonds, looked up at, intense me. "Sac passe, cherie, " I asked. - her mulatto skin sagged on her face, making deep lines like mysterious canyons. What' s going on? She pointed to her mouth and began to part her thin pale lips. Her neck craned up. I bent down and looked. Instead of teeth, just exposed skull, there was bone, black, like a corpse, wet and decayed.

The right side of the inside of her mouth was gray. - i have bandaged cancers with worms in them, legs swollen up like tree trunks and seen the ravages of aids and tb. There was a large tree that allowed some privacy and ducking behind it, I began to shake. Yet on this day, I had to step away, feeling queasy and disoriented. Then I broke open. In the end, we could do little for this woman other than give her some antibiotics and pain killers. I died in that moment.

I knew she was so poor because I was so rich. - over the next several weeks, i could not understand how all the extremely rich haitians and blancs seemed oblivious to the poverty that surrounded them. What was my debt to my existence? I had the same internal feelings coming into the JCK show. Not the extreme poverty at so many levels of mining and fabrication. Behind the booth and walking around you are seeing just jewelry, not the slag piles. Not the child labor, nor the factory conditions of those people in China.

I remembered Mother Theresa talking about how the poorest of the poor, in countries such as Haiti, were rich in spirit. - the same people who have profited by blood diamonds were at the show, rebranding themselves as ethical jewelers. In the developed world, people were rich but lived in spiritual poverty. She is the jewelers' dream. A woman walks by, the wife of a celebrity, with a 50 ct diamond ring. All the high end stores have double digit growth from customers such as her.

About ninety percent of Haitians living in Haiti are malnourished, while we here in America are taking cholesterol pills. - yet i cannot help but feel she looks absolutely miserable. I also am part of this tragedy, paying my$ 5000 just to sit here and absorb this spectacle. What story are we in? Tragic stories follow certain patterns. Do we need to tear our eyes out in order to see? Then let me be the Shakespearian fool, Sirrah!

Perhaps, we are in the third act of King Lear, in the storm of the internet, the threat of, the falling dollar China and India, terrorism. - that is a role i am most comfortable with. Listening, I remembered a dinner with a Native American Sundance Chief. Most of my life, I have been stepping off one cliff or another, the wanderings a pathos filled Puer Aeternus, with an ear to the Earth. I fed him elk I had stalked and hunted, carried on my back down an 11, 000 foot mountain. We ate the sky and the rain and the grasses.

Together, we ate the, eating the elk mountain. - the beauty of seasonal flow was in the energy of the meat. It was medicine. We gave thanks to our sister, the elk. Elk is always my first meal when I come back from shows. When she was down, it was late fall and the temperature hovered near zero. We felt humble that our sister had offered her life up for us.

I remember watching the starlight fade from her eyes and feeling my hands, in her blood, warmed as I pulled her heart out. - how can i be worthy of honoring the elk in the life i live now? "there are two types of people in the world, " the chief said to me. "those whose hearts are open, and those who' s hearts are closed. I asked myself, what is my debt to all existence? The job of those whose hearts are open is simple: Help those whose hearts are closed to open their hearts. " For the elk, for my teachers in Haiti, and my Native mentors, I am committed to being a positive agent for change. My heart wonders if there has been such a gap in our industry for so long between appearance and reality that we can only see jewelry as commodity. I must remember his words and stay connected to the Whole in my heart so I can see from my heart.

Jewelry was once sacred in the ancient world. - even now, my native mentors teach how to work with the energies of gems to create healing and transformation. It was viewed as a talisman, even a signet to the divine, connecting one to the whole. Yet the circles have been broken for so long that we do not remember what it was like to live with deep love and reverence for the soul of our world. We have to remember who we are and what our place is. Plato said that the source of all knowledge was remembrance. We have to remember that jewelry carries energy.

Adornment is an essential part of human existence. - it can connect us to the power and beauty of the natural world. We need beauty. The Navajo have a prayer: In beauty may I walk. Beauty around us, to survive. With beauty before me, may I walk. With beauty below me, may I walk.

With beauty above me, may I walk. - with beauty all around me, may i walk. In beauty, may my walk be finished. In beauty, may my walk be finished. Right now, those of us who are involved in Fair Trade and Socially Responsible business practice are trying to reconnect the circles that have been broken. But for our passion to find its way into places like corporations where money is the bottom line, we must show that there is a market for our ideas. We are concerned about green issues, and fair labor practices because our awakeness to the earth, and our connection to humanity demands greater integration into our life.

Right now, the" spiritual sparkle" of jewelry is mostly irrelevant to the trade. - the trajectory of whole foods, patagonia or the body shop is a significant market. Let the course be like pure water flowing down a mountain creek, finding its way through the rocks. For those who wish to take this initiative, the huge gap between the symbolism of jewelry and the production of jewelry provides an opening. This customer base will grow as global warming and a host of other problems become flash points that drive consumers to shop their values. I know people who refuse to buy jewelry right now for ethical reasons and I am planning on making them my customers. What was most wonderful for me at the show were not the prospects I got to help increase my business, though that was great.

I spoke with many leaders, Allen Bell, from Martin Rapaport, Abe Sherman, Eric Braunwart, Torry Hoover, Toby Pomeroy, Vicky Cunningham, Eric Grossberg, Amanda Stark, Wade O. - under the surface, the infrastructure to support this movement is growing. Watson, Earl Allen, Sharee Coffee, Demos Takoulas, Lourens Mare, Tom Cushman, - all of whom want to move these issues forward. We want the lives lost through bloodshed and war, the ecosystems ravaged by runoff and poisoned water supplies, the workers unable to subsist, to have meaning and a voice. We' re working to take responsibility. We want to help others in the industry, who are yet to view these issues as important, see the market and spiritual opportunity in this movement.

We all need each other. - let us all celebrate each others' work through support. We are all one circle. Let the tide raise all boats.

How Many People Would Tell A Car Salesman That

Business, Ethics.

Value creation creates wealth - one of the greatest fallacies pervading in the middle and low classes is the assumption that wealthy people have done something illegal or immoral or both to get the wealth that they possess. In general, rich people have found a way to create so much value for other people that other people are willing to give there money to the rich people for what ever service or commodity the rich people provide. On the contrary.

If you truly want to be rich then you need to find a way to create as much value in the world as possible. - they understand that if they can make life easier and/ or better for as many people as possible, they will get rich. Rich people go around asking themselves what they can do better for other people. Poor people on the other hand go around thinking about what the rich people should be doing for them. If the poor really wanted to be rich they would begin to think of other people before themselves. The poor people have an entitlement mentality that makes them think they are entitled to the rich people' s money because, the rich wouldn, after all' t be rich if the poor didn' t buy product and services from them.

One of the greatest ways to get rich is to look at others needs and find something wrong with the world. - when they turn that opportunity into a business venture, money will follow. When a person does this, they will begin to see opportunities to better the lives of those around them. It is a universal law that" Wealth follows value creation. " As a person grasps onto these opportunities and creates as much value with them, money will follow. To often in business, people try to sell a product or service with only the desire to get the commission received from selling the product or service. An easy way to get out of entitlement and to start seeing what others need is to start looking at people as assets instead of things as assets.

Though the end desire of the business owner is to sell, he/ she will have much more success if he/ she would ask" what can I do to create the greatest amount of value for this individual. " Ironically by not focusing on the sell but rather the individual, the business owner will make more sells. - it seems like they are almost always trying to sell each person they meet something right at the onset of the relationship. To often I see people treating everyone they meet as a potential customer. If people would treat everyone they meet as an asset and look for every opportunity to create value for them, they will most times automatically become clients. A while back I heard a story of a man going into a car dealership looking for a car. The difference is a person makes friends before they become clients instead of the other way around.

He went up to the car salesman and told him, "I want this deal to be the greatest deal you ever made. - how many people would tell a car salesman that. I want you to make the biggest commission you ever have. " Wow! As a result the car salesman became one of the man' s clients also. Another great way to create value is for a person to find and discover his/ her own unique abilities and talents. As the man treated the car salesman as an asset rather than the car, he was able to create value in the salesman life and he received wealth in return. Everyone does something that no one else can do.

Everyone is unique and different. - even if some people can do similar things, no one can do it exactly the same. It is these differences that bring great variety to this earth. Thus he/ she has created great opportunity for creating wealth. If a person looks within himself/ herself and discovers his/ her unique abilities, he/ she has just unlocked great opportunities to create value. Everyone has great potential to create value and to receive the wealth they want.

They just need to focus on what others need, not what they feel they are entitled to.