Ethics in the N.B.A.

In the NBA there are many teams who play professional basketball games against each other for the entertainment of us the viewers, but what about all the stuff we don't see behind the scenes. I don't mean the trades and the rumors mills I mean other things like food and drinks being sold at the arenas and the cleaning up of the arenas.

Which brings me to this ethical dilemma i think most professional sport organizations have, which is the selling of liquor during sporting events.  In the NBA they have a law or a rule you can call it that states that no arena can sell anyone any alcoholic  beverages once the 4th quarter starts which makes sense because all these people have to get home after the game and they are. Assuming you can get one or two beers out of your system after one quarter of basketball. 

I feel this would be the case if the average person was buying only one or two beers during the course of a game but I have been to many sporting events were people clearly have had way to many to drink and the arena people aren't cutting them off., but why would you they are spending so much money and you're not their responsibility technically.

I have been to games where they have sold me beer after the 4th quarter had started and I just assumed they could but then later found out they are not supposed to but if they are not responsible for us then why does it matter right make as much money as you can profit Which brings me back to the question can you ever have too much profit?

Useful links.

http://rossnishionba.wordpress.com/2011/05/24/ethics-in-the-nba/   - Speaks about the 2004 Pistons/Pacers fight

http://www.nba.com/help/NBAP_Code_of_Conduct.html - NBA code of conduct

Brandon Chambers (friday 8am Seminar)

Reusing Plastic Bottles Brings Light Affordably to People in Need

As my theme this semester I have chose to research the arising global problem of recycling plastic, specifically plastic bottles. Did you know that:

• Forty percent of bottled water is really just filtered tap water. 
• Every day we throw away 30 million single-served bottles of water.
• In Corpus Christi, Texas alone they are currently using 714 million gallons of oil each year to manufacture the PET they use in plastic water bottles, that could fuel 100 000 cars!
• There are more plastic pieces in the ocean than plankton.

In developing countries where poverty is extremely high, they have discovered a way to recycle plastic bottles when they cannot even afford them. This first video shows villages in the philippines and Brazil where the house are so close together and completely dark almost all day. The community rarely has any power and when they do it must be used very sparingly. Mothers could not complete hardly anything in these small houses, making it very difficult to cook and care for their families. A young man discovered a way to construct a simple skylight out of recycled 2L plastic bottle. 

http://www.inthehopper.org/uncategorized/reusing-plastic-bottles-brings-light-affordably-to-people-in-need/

These homemade solar lights are being used in homes and schools all over developing countries. It is a smart, economically friendly solution to reusing plastic bottles and saving money on solar lights which sell for $400 a piece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHTD_RX3J2I

Above is another video worth checking out. It shows the same solar light being created in south-east Asia. A man creates a small business campaign on how this source of light will change the world.

I hope this blog was both inspiring and informative.

Ashley Darwin 

(Seminar Wednesdays 12-2)

References:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHTD_RX3J2I

http://www.inthehopper.org/uncategorized/reusing-plastic-bottles-brings-light-affordably-to-people-in-need/

CSR & Internet Influence

"IBM Study: Corporate Social Responsibility"

           As well all know, the Internet has revolutionized  not only the world, but ourselves and the way we do business. Looking at the more local things, it has changed both companies and consumers. It has changed business, making them more visible and open, much like glass that the consumer can press their face up against the glass and stare through any time they wish. Consumer's now care about the business they purchase from; what those business are doing for themselves, their families, and their communities. People can now just grab almost any information they want/need of off the Internet, and easily compare between companies.The people are easily swayed and influenced by corporations and what they "offer" the consumer's, but waving benefits in front of their faces as if the consumers were nothing but starving dogs. Companies are noticing the amount of people pushing up against the hypothetical glass, and noticing the difference it makes the more they show the gears of the company. They see this, and they change out the concrete walls to glass panes, but only in places that place them in good lighting. 

           Companies are also using the Internet to further themselves and their sales, but taking the voice of consumers that were not heard through the concrete walls before, and laying them all out on the floor. The companies place their logo on these artworks, claiming it as their own, and increase their profit off of the consumers. The consumers voice ends up being a way for the consumer to suggest to the company a way to get them to buy more of a product they already own. Profit before consumers.

[Photo Source: www.iccsr.org]

            "The survey, "Attaining Sustainable Growth Through Corporate Social Responsibility," indicates many companies now view CSR as a growth opportunity and not just a regulatory compliance. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed say they are using CSR activities to help generate revenue. In addition, many companies also view these types of initiatives as a way to gain a competitive advantage and access new business opportunities." - George Pohle: VP & Global Leader, Business Strategy Consulting, IBM Global Business Services. 

          Many companies are not seeing the benefit of CSR and the visibility for their consumers to have the accessibility to the corporation. The corporations are trying to scrub all the smudge off of the windows from the people pressing up against them, trying too peek around the concrete wall and see what is hiding. Consumers may be sheep, but they are not as dim witted as most businesses and marketers make them out to be. With the Internet, it's almost impossible to hide things away from your customers.  

By: Skylar McGeorge

Reference's:
1) Internet & Corporate Social Responsibility
2) Initiatives by Industry
3) Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility on the Internet

Here's how to do it...

First you go to blogger.com
where it says "sign in"
use the email address

lsmith@flemingc.on.ca

The password is

powercourse

Now you are in
It will show you two blogs

one is Corporate Social Responsibility

and the other is the Power Course Blog

you will use the Corporate Social Responsibility blog

DO NOT CREATE A BLOG

You want to click the orange button with the pen inside
that button allows you to

create a post

So go ahead write up your post.

I suggest that you write up your blog on a word processor and then come to the blogger site and cut and paste it into a blog post.

Please note that in the create a post window there are the standard word processing tools including a
LINK button that will help you create links to the stuff you want to share with the group.

MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOUR NAME ON YOUR POST!

Feel free to add pictures and videos.
Make multiple links

Have fun.



THEN REMEMBER TO SIGN OUT.


 If you don't the next guy can't get in to write their blog.





The idea is to provide our group with ideas and information about the CSR concept and practices in an enjoyable and entertaining way.

Cheers,
Les