Illuminating the Illusion Essay Example for Free

Illuminating the Illusion Essay Jay Chiat, and expert in the advertising field, looked at advertising differently than those in the advertising business today. He launched the Energizer Bunny and Apple commercials. Not only that, he started a new age of advertising during the Super Bowl. Chiat was an amazing advertiser; however, he reached a point in 1997 where he desired to leave the marketing industry. He no longer agreed with the ideals of the advertising world. In Chiat’s essay, â€Å"Illusions are Forever,† he uncovers the true ideals of the marketing industry. His essay discusses how the lies in advertising â€Å"lie in the situations, values, beliefs, and cultural norms used to sell a message.†(212) Through this essay, Chiat uses strong, vivacious words to create an image of the true face of advertising. In the same manner, he includes examples and descriptions that embellish that image and grab the attention of the reader. Amidst all of this, Chiat composes his essay in a manner that allows for a clear, insightful message to come across. Chiat is indeed bitter of advertising, but that does not affect his message. He remains conversational throughout the course of the essay. The technique that Chiat uses throughout his writing is superb, and he does an excellent job of getting his message across. Chiat uses strong, vivid word choice throughout his essay to give his readers a precise image of the schemes used by today’s advertisers. Chiat’s words â€Å"unrelenting†(213) and â€Å"24-hour-a-day drumbeat†(213) allow his readers to imagine how advertisers are constantly hammering their ideas into the heads of the viewers. Words such as â€Å"robs us†(213) allow Chiat to make the point that advertisers rob Americans of their view of life, replacing it instead with an â€Å"illusion†. Chiat also uses â€Å"seductive†(214) to give his readers a further understanding of what advertisers are seeking. Chiat is using words such as â€Å"seductive†(214) to enlighten consumers to the idea that advertisers twist their lies in a fashion that is seemingly pleasing to the eyes but is still made up of lies. Chiat’s words are critical of advertisers and how they do not truly care about their consumer. Chiat, nonetheless, does not blind his reader to the essay’s purpose by getting lost in the emotional rhetoric. Chiat’s writing is filled with informative and detailed rhetorical modes that greatly add to the impact of his argument. Unlike many writers who seem to get lost in their descriptions of a topic, Chiat includes examples, definitions and descriptions while still shining light upon the advertising backdrop. One instance of this occurs when Chiat uses the example of the wedding ring from DeBaers, Chiat uses this example to help the readers visualize how the advertisers seek to infiltrate the minds of their consumers. Following this example, Chiat then defines â€Å"unmediated†(213) as â€Å"without media†(213). Chiat defines â€Å"unmediated†(213), a word that most take lightly, in an effort to give his readers a clear understanding of the strategies used by advertisers. A few paragraphs later, Chiat proceeds to describe internet advertising. Chiat gives a clear image to his readers on how internet advertisers drag adults in with their â€Å"authoritative-looking†(213) websites. Chiat’s placement of these examples, definitions and descriptions is excellent. He places them in positions that not only increase the flow of the writing but also pique the interests of his readers. Adding the rhetorical modes previously mentioned is very important for writers such as Chiat because there are points in writing where the pace of the writing dies down. Chiat places these modes in marvelous positions that keep up the pace of the article as it moves along. Along with descriptive words and examples, organization of ideas is also critical when writing an essay, and Chiat’s layout of paragraphs is very logical, and in turn deductive, in other words, the reasoning follows the thesis. Chiat opens up his essay with a bit of background on advertising in order to strengthen the thesis that follows. His thesis is clear and to the point. Because his thesis is mentioned in the beginning of the essay, and the reasoning behind his essay follows in each of the body paragraphs, Chiat’s essay follows this deductive style. Chiat then uses this combination to capture the reader’s attention and make them want to read more with each following paragraph. Chiat pulls the reader along not only with his strong words but also by arranging his ideas in a fashion that allows for a constant pace. In the same manner, each of the points that Chiat makes relates back to the thesis. The readers are not led up to an  apparent climax only to find another exposition; Chiat’s points are clear and flow beautifully. He includes good transitions that allow the writing to have the feel of a constant flow and not have abrupt stops in the middle of the writing where a change in direction occurs. Chiat has a great understanding of how to organize his thoughts, and he demonstrates that in his writing. Besides simply writing in a way that is pleasing to the eyes, Chiat also keeps a good tone throughout the course of the writing. This allows him to keep his readers from turning to other writings. The tone throughout his essay is bitter, but Chiat remains conversational at the same time. The descriptions of the different advertisers are definitely negative; Chiat makes it clear that he does not agree with advertisers. In the concluding paragraph of his essay, Chiat challenges us to find our own personal truth rather than the apparitional truth presented to us by advertisers. In a similar manner, Chiat says in his final paragraph that people should ignore the vision of life offered by advertisers. Amidst all of this negativity, Chiat’s writing maintains a conversational feel. Chiat involves his readers directly by asking them questions, having them imagine images, etc†¦ Chiat may have held a bitter tone over the course of the essay, and though in many cases writers using a bitter tone in their writing drive away their readers with their immense negativity, Chiat does not overpower his readers with his negative thoughts and descriptions. In fact, Chiat’s calm yet bitter tone allows his readers to better embrace his feelings. Chiat uses strong word choice and rhetorical modes, clear organization, and an inviting tone to strengthen his essay on the schemes behind advertising. These different components throughout his essay enable his readers to gain a broad understanding of Chiat’s different poins and the lies surrounding them every day. Chiat uses his great understanding of these different devices to uphold a steady pace and a smooth flow. Chiat’s â€Å"Illusions are Forever† is a well spoken essay. It captures the interests of its readers, it is very informative, and it is a very relaxed read for a negative view of advertising.

The Function and Process of Perception Essay Example for Free

The Function and Process of Perception Essay The function and process of perception can vary depending on a particular state of consciousness. Normal waking consciousness is a mental state that encompasses the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that occur when we are awake and reasonably alert (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 123). Since this state of mind expires after an amount of time, other forms of consciousness follow; whether naturally or self-induced. While sensory data is inevitable, the brains interpretation and perception of such stimuli during an altered state of consciousness will differ from that of waking consciousness. This mini-paper will elaborate on the effects of perception, including its process and function, related to three altered states of consciousness. The first being sleep and dreams, next drug-altered consciousness, followed by hypnosis. Before discussing the effects of perception while in an altered state, an overview of the basic function and process of perception in a normal setting is needed. Sensation is the bodys initial encounter with a sensory experience. This begins when the sensory receptors receive energy from a particular stimulus, which trigger receptor cells. The physical energy is converted into electrochemicals, then passes along sensory nerves, to the central nervous system where the brain receives the energy as a detailed message. However, not all physical energy produces a sensation. A minimum intensity, termed absolute threshold, must be achieved in order to produce a sensation. Perception takes place when the message reaches the brain and is then deciphered. Here, the sensory information is organized and interpreted to be made sense of. Using sensory information as raw material, the brain creates perceptual experiences that go beyond what is sensed directly (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 06). Again, this is the series of events in the normal waking state of consciousness. During an altered state of consciousness the effect, process, and/or function of perception may vary. Sleep is the bodys natural way of recharging itself mentally and physically. Research has shown that adequate sleep contributes to cognitive functioning such as enhanced creativity, decision-making, and problem-solving skills, and also crucial to the formation of long-term memories (Morris Maisto, 2010). These are some of the basis of perception, hence the reason for its peak during waking consciousness. REM sleep, or paradoxical sleep, ironically, is a close resemblance to waking consciousness. However, REM is a deep sleep, it is difficult to wake the person, and is when most dreaming takes place. Dreams, in a way, could be considered perception. The brain subconsciously interprets information without the need of sensory stimulation. Psychologists define dreams as visual and auditory experiences that our minds create during sleep (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 131). This is an example of a natural occurrence of altering consciousness. Drug-altered consciousness on the other hand, is self-induced. Psychoactive drugs are substances that change peoples moods, perceptions, mental functioning, or behavior (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 134). Drugs are taken to purposely alter ones state of consciousness. To analyze the effect drugs have on the nervous system, three categories of drugs will be mentioned: depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Depressants slow behavior, thinking, and perception by increasing or decreasing nerve impulses. Stimulants, such as amphetamines, produce feelings of optimism as well as never-ending energy by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system. These drugs cause the release of norepinephrine from adrenergic nerve endings (Weil, n. d. ). Lastly, hallucinogens distort the users senses and induce perceptual changes by causing experiences that resemble hallucinations. A positive for psychoactive drugs is the ability to explore different parts of the brain while in this altered state of consciousness. Although, the negative consequences of abuse and addiction are high risk. The last section is a technique that has been used for centuries for positivity, without the risk. Hypnosis is a trancelike state in which a person responds readily to suggestions (Morris Maisto, 2010, p. 50). This is an altered state of consciousness that works like sleep. The subconscious person receives a suggestion, which acts as a stimulus, and is sent to and interpreted by the brain. Hypnosis can help ease pain as well as cure an addiction. In conclusion, perceptual experiences vary in different forms of consciousness. Whether it be the sensory organs or the brain itself, interpretation of the coded message is somehow changed. The process and function of perception in waking consciousness differs from those while in an altered state of consciousness.

Diversity And Equality In Workplace Commerce Essay

Diversity And Equality In Workplace Commerce Essay According to the Yearbook of Statistics Singapore 2012, the main ethnic group in Singapore consisting of Singapore Residents and Permanent Residents are Chinese, Malays, Indians and Others. Figure Statistics for Ethnic Groups in Singapore (June 2011) Under Part IV, Act 12 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, stated that 12.-(1) All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law. (2) Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens of Singapore on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law or in the appointment to any office or employment under a public authority or in the administration of any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment. Diversity and equality in workplace are important to maintain a safe and comfortable working environment for all. Diversity Diversity is generally defined as acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practice, and public assistance status (Esty, et al., 1995). Each individual person comes with the visible and non-visible differences and through respecting the dissimilarities would make each of them feel valued for their efforts which is valuable not only for the individual but for the organization. Equality Equality can be described as breaking down barriers, eliminating discrimination and ensuring equal opportunity and access for all groups both in employment, and to goods and services; the basis of which is supported and protected by legislation. Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN General Assembly states that All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Some other definitions of Equality are: Equality is simply a quest for sameness in all aspects of social life. (Dunleavy, 1989) Equally talented people have an equal chance of attaining them fair equality of opportunity' (Sachs, 2011) However, due to the face that there is no correct or one specific definition of equality, there are many limitations to the policies being implemented. Equality can cover over a broad area such as gender rights, age, race, culture, religion, beliefs and etc. Importance Importance of Diversity Diversity in the workplace can reduce lawsuits and increase marketing opportunities, recruitment, creativity, and business image (Esty, et al., 1995) However, when an organization focuses only on results and ignoring the importance of having a diverse team, communication and trust can break down, resulting in lower performance. Importance of Equality It is important to have equality policies enforce in workplace to ensure that all employees have the same rights as each other regardless of any differences in gender, age, religion, language and disability. Equality will also create a more favorable environment by promoting a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as they are given equal opportunities to improve themselves. Limitations Limitations towards diversity policies According to (Mayhew, Demand Media), the challenges related to receptiveness to training and prioritizing hiring decisions based on diversity can transform those challenges into disadvantages. Negative behaviors and attitudes can be barriers to organizational diversity because they can damage working relationships and bring down morale and work productivity (Esty, et al., 1995). Workplace diversity creates opportunities for organizations to get a wider perspective on business situations and to improve global reach, but it does often create some negative impacts in the company (Kokemuller, Demand Media). Common negative impacts arise are: Unresolved Conflict Staff that comes from different cultural and backgrounds have dissimilar perspectives and opinions in handling issues or concerns that emerges. An incapability to observe where the other person is arriving from can forbid effective resolution of conflicts. When employees feel that they cannot reach to an agreement in conflict, the tendency to give up and simply let ill feelings fester can create a pessimistic behaviour. Poor Communication If an organization has employees from different backgrounds with different languages, communication can prove to be difficult. However, a number of filters can forbid meaningful and clear communication between staff and employees. It is vital that organizations educate employees on cultural differences in the attempt to encourage them to freely converse their diverse viewpoints on things as opposed to generating conflict. Turnover A considerable bottom line result of poor management of diversity is the case of high turnover as they are displeased with the working environment. The replacing of employees lost to feelings of discontent is expensive as the organization has to pay to hire and teach replacements. Businesses will risks losing top talents to rivals unless the organization makes available a safe and inspiring culture where employees from diverse backgrounds are treated fairly. Limitations towards equality differences Although having equality among employees, the organization may still find it difficult to establish a perfect equality workplace for all. There are limitations in having equal opportunities due to internal and external factors. Poor Implementation Lack of awareness of the laws being executed can lead to poor implementation by organization and the managers. Poor implementation can also be attributed to the presences of deeply ingrained negative attitudes and gender stereotypes, which cannot be uprooted through legislation alone. (Spehar, 2011) Limited implementation can happen due to the development of bureaucratic responses that focus only to comply with the duty rather than removing the inequality in question. Lack of support Managing equality in the Organization cannot be carried out by the Organization and managers alone. In addition, with the lack of support from the Government, weak equal treatment bodies, shortcomings in judiciary together with the lack of support from the Organization itself, where there are no consensus, no single position being defended or attacked; it is difficult for equality policies to be carried out. Lack of clarity The lack of clarity can lead to confusion among the employee. If the Organization does not successfully and clearly communicate their equality policies or the definitions of equality, and without the proper identification of what kind of equality is desirable, equality of whom all of humanity or members of particular political society it can bring the whole equality agenda into disrepute. The lack of general agreement of equality can cause employee to be uninterested in equality within their communities. Religion and Beliefs Many religion and beliefs exist in an Organization for e.g. Christianity, Buddhist, Jewish, Communism, Marxism, and Socialism. Although some may understand religion in a more communal and cultural way, there are others that are not particularly agreeable to the idea of equality. Some religion might be hostile to equality on grounds of sex and sexual orientations, believing that men should enjoy headship over women, homosexuality is sinful. (Vickers, 2011) This can be problematic as well. Discrimination or disadvantage can be experienced regardless of individual beliefs, because of group identity18. (Vickers, 2011) Different values in equality S. Temkin (2011) stated that many argue for equality and in so doing think of themselves as opposing non-egalitarianism because they favour significant redistribution from the better- to worst off. The reasons they have for favouring such redistribution vary markedly, and may have nothing to do with a concern for equality itself. Managers can get confused with the meaning of equality and therefore think that the action they carry out will be beneficial to the employees where in actual fact, they might be doing the wrong thing. Lack of proper training The types of training method taught will affect the way managers react in situations. They might be unaware of the complexity of the issue and are uncertain on how to deal with it as they may not be trained using a variety of situations. Population Size The size of the population affected by the policy of equality matters due to the fact that more parties involve means more attention needs to be given to each individual. A complete equality is difficult to attain in a society that is marked by diversity is that people in such a society come attached to groups. This can result in difficulty to maintain both individual equality and group equality. (Kukathas, 2002) Lack of positive messages from senior level within the authority Even if the Organization has a policy on equality, it would be deem useless if there is no positive influence from the senior management with positive commitment to equality in practice. Culture of Organization Different Organization has different cultures. These cultures will affect how equality is being implemented internally. Is the Organization culture a heavily masculine workplace culture or feminine collaboration culture? This can have an effect on some managers that are genuinely interested in becoming more equal with the other groups in society, but are hampered by its very nature of cultural structure. Presence of Diversity Diversity presents a serious problem for equality. The existence of diversity is not only inescapable, but also reflective of the fact that people pursue the good life collectively but in different ways, not all of which value equality in the same way, or at all. If diversity is to be accepted, then equality must be abandoned as the situation might become too complex. (Kukathas, 2002) Obstacles Obstacles resulting from diversity policies For policies to be effectual in promoting the acceptance of workforce diversity by the company it is required to understand the obstacles to its implementation for diversity. CESS (2003) suggests that, with the other forms of investment into new human resource policies, there will be two groups of implementations to workforce diversity policies: Internal obstacles they are distinct to individual organizations and developed from attitudinal, institutional, cultural, and historic elements within individual enterprises. In spite of this, many groups of organizations may face the same types of obstacles. Its been identified that there are some internal obstacles which have the possibility to prevent the implementations of diversity policies within individual organizations Awareness among managers there may be some who lacks the knowledge of the business advantages of a diversity workforce and the implementation to make changes to be effective. Attitudes within some organizations there may have negative behaviors towards the emergence of a diverse workforce in the midst of significant groups of staff or managers. This may reflect on a wider resistance to all major changes in the context of HR processes and policies. Additionally, there may be already well-established work cultures that create indirect discrimination and which employees are unwilling to change. Economics there may be apparent economic reasons that affects why some businesses are unwilling to invest in the establishment of a diversity workforce. On the other hand, furthermore disadvantage of investing in diversity programs is that intangibles are significantly more difficult to manage than tangible assets. Thus, these obstacles make it difficult to measure benefits and therefore to undertake traditional investment evaluation processes. Resources some organizations lacks the key resources necessary to implement changes required to emerge a diversity workforce. Such resources include monetary cash, management time, managerial experiences, external advices, and the leadership and competence of senior managers. External obstacles these are developed from regional or national factors, such as the institutional networks, attitudes/culture, and regulatory components. They affect large groups of organizations in similar ways. The implementation of diversity workforce policies by organizations may serve complications to accomplish because of wider and broad attitudinal and cultural factors in certain countries or regions. Potential causes include national cultures that concentrate on the incorporation of ethnic groups rather than on the acceptance of multi-culturalism. 3.2 Obstacles resulting from diversity policies (Maybe can put in point form like Ben and add a few more points?) There are a few obstacles leading from the implementation of equality policies. Firstly, the Organization may feel obligated to hire someone of different race and gender even though their skills or talent may not be ideal for the Organization. This is to ensure an equal number of individuals from each race or ethnicity. Secondly, due to the fact that there are many equality laws or policies being passed, employees might feel that the Government or Organization is trying to intrude in their working lives to ensure workplace equality. What is to be done? Diversity An application to provide support to the process of implementation of diversity management in organizations is by adopting the diversity management setup (diversityatwork.net). It provides support in two main ways: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It details a 5 phase procedure on how to implement a diversity management program in the organization; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the setup support for each of the action to carry out during the implementation of a diversity management program in the organization. It is best to regard the development of diversity management policy in the organization as an assignment or project. It is vital to establish support for the project, analyze the requirements and opportunities, developing own solutions and then implement the project as it progresses. The setup provides the organization with a set of methods, information and skills which have been created to simplify the process of a diversity management implementation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Phase 1 Given the lack of awareness of diversity management, it is fundamental that the diversity management project is inserted into the mainstream of the organizational activities as smooth as possible. Additionally, setting up the procedure should include using the best practices from project management skills. These approaches are demonstrated in the four activities of this phase Campaigning support and determining potential stakeholders, examine the degree of the problem, establishing diversity management structures and attaining agreement on taking place with the process. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Phase 2 This phase is essential to the diversity management project as it establishes the current practices and the problems and opportunities in the organization for managing diversity. The success of this phase depends on factors, which most important of these is the participation of employees. To ensure participation, they need to be well briefed about the project and its actions, the reason that it is being undertaken and how will they stand to benefit from it. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Phase 3 In this phase, solutions are being generated to tackle problems and opportunities known in the previous phase. The objectives of this phase is to evaluate the problems and needs that has been identified and to use creative skills to suggest a set of solutions which are then prioritized and established into a diversity management plan. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Phase 4 This phase manages issues that are related to implementing diversity management activities in the organization. With the diversity management program plan developed in the previous phase, the team is required to decide which activities to be financed and to start developing during the initial year of the implementation program. It should be clear what the aims and objectives are and how to meet them, who is going to do what, when and how. Encouraging employees for participation and to deal with possible resistance during implementation must also be put into consideration. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Phase 5 The activities undertaken during this phase the monitoring and evaluation of the diversity management project provides the foundation for assessing the overall value of the project and for making necessary recommendations for changes in the future. Monitoring the phases would allow the user to moderate how well the activities worked in that phase, while results from the evaluation exercise are helpful in providing feedbacks to employees and management on the difficulties and successes faced in the project. Alternative Approaches Another approach towards implementation of diversity management is the transformative approach (Cockburn, 1991) which is required to challenge organisational structures, therefore enabling diverse perspectives to influence organisational activity (Bendick et al., 2001). This will resemble an effective and learning approach where both the differentiation and integration of individuals is acknowledged (Thomas and Ely, 1996), thus identifying value in bringing differences together to generate continuous development. However, diversity literature puts slight emphasis on the distinction between legislative knowledge and the knowledge of putting legislations into practice. Briefly, knowledge that is easily quantifiable and can be stored is regularly termed as hard knowledge and the knowledge which is less quantifiable and cannot be easily stored is referred as soft knowledge (Hildreth and Kimble, 2002). One of the possibilities highlighted as being a method through which the diverse perspectives and soft knowledge in the workforce can be coupled is by the use of informal staff networking, which generates interactions and provides the organisation with a mechanism within which to generate improvements as well as new initiatives and ideas (Kandola, 2004). CASE STUDY NTUC FairPrice Food and Service How FairPrice have been successful in implementing diversity and equality policies in workplace. CASE STUDY 1: NTUC FAIRPRICE (Food and Service) From a single supermarket in Toa Payoh, FairPrice has grown to become one of Singapores leading retailers, with more than 100 supermarkets, 7000 employees and 2.8 million customers per week. FairPrice also operate in 6 different store formats (FairPrice Supermarkets, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra, FairPrice Xpress, Cheers and FairPrice Online), a Fresh Food Distribution Centre and a centralised warehousing and distribution company, Global Logistics of Singapore Pte Ltd. Beyond Singapore, FairPrice has also recently entered into a joint venture to open a hypermarket chain in Vietnam. Workplace Equality A number of commitments shape a Great Workplace agenda. Looking into one of the commitment where FairPrice promotes workplace equality: Promoting an open communications culture to support a tolerant workplace free from discrimination with regard to gender, race, ethnicity, religion, disabilities, age, marital status and social background As one of the leading supermarkets in Singapore, FairPrice wants to be the Best Place to Shop and the Best Place to Work. This commitment stated shows that FairPrice values workplace equality and wants their staff to be aware that they will not allow any discrimination. And by doing so, they can achieve a harmonious working environment. FairPrice believes that if they work in a desirable environment, their employees will be motivated and inspired, leading them to deliver professionalism and teamwork when working, and most importantly creating a customer focus team. With the commitments kept in mind, FairPrice proved themselves by achieving the most number of awards at the National Excellent Service Award (EXSA)  [1]  for 3 years straight (2009-2011). This can only be possible when FairPrice creates an excellent working environment and treating each employee equally. This will inspire more employees to aim for the best when they work. Workplace Diversity FairPrice believe that their stores should reflect the communities they serve, and that included the people who work there. The diversity policy that FairPrice enforced in their workplace strives their employee to work hard. The management looks into recruitment, language training and flexible working practices in particular, to ensure that all employees have the same opportunity to succeed with us regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, disabilities, age, marital status or social background. Shown in the diagrams below are ways in which FairPrice manage diversity in their company: FairPrice hires staff from all four major ethnic groups from Singapore and kept a balance of full-timers and part-timer in their company. Moreover, 90% of the workforce consist of Singaporeans, leaving10% opportunity open to foreign workers and the company also emphasizes on gender equality. Active Aging project Of particular note is FairPrice effort in recruiting seniors aged 60 and above as Customer Relations Officers (CROs) at some of the stores in conjunction of its newly launched Active Aging Project. By launching this project, FairPrice aims to promote a more active lifestyle for those aged over 60. These CROs main role is to assist customers with their needs or enquiries, or simply chat with the customers to gather feedback and suggestions. Seah Kian Peng, chief executive of FairPrice, believes that seniors have very good skills, and by staying active they are able to use their time meaningfully and added that older workers are ideal employees because they offer stability and experience. This project that FairPrice launched, shows that they are willing to accept employee regardless of age and promotes diversity and equal working opportunities for everyone. CASE STUDY anf Retail Abercrombie Fitch failure to manage diversity well within the organization. Case Study 2: Abercrombie Fitch (Retail Industry) Abercrombie Fitch, an American clothing retailer which focuses on casual wear targets mainly consumers aged 18-22 has more than 700 stores in the States and has been expanding its market internationally. The management team responsible for the implementation of the diversity policy to ensure that equal treatments are being addressed in the organization only focus on employing a diverse workforce but pay little attention when coming to the application of the diversity policy. Below are 2 examples of Abercrombie Fitch incapability of diversity management. Example 1 In 2009, Riam Dean, a 22 year old who was born without a left forearm sued Abercrombie Fitch for disability discrimination after being told not work on the shop floor unless she took off the cardigan as she was breaking the firms look policy. Being excluded from her main job role which requires her to be on the shop floor due to her disability simply shows discrimination from the company towards Riam. The tribunal has found in Riams favour on Abercrombie and Fitch harassment and failure to make reasonable adjustments towards her. Riam won the disability claim of  £8,013 against the company for loss of earnings and wrongful dismissal. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/woman-with-prosthetic-arm-forced-to-work-out-of-sight-in-storeroom-1718041.html Example 2 In a 2004 lawsuit  Gonzà ¡lez v. Abercrombie Fitch, the company was accused of discriminating against African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and women by preferentially offering floor sales positions and store management positions to the whites and men. Abercrombie Fitch agreed to the settlement of the class case suit which not only requires the company to pay up to $40 million and also to set up a range of policies and actions required to promote diversity among its workforce and to prevent discrimination based on race, gender, nationality or physical disability. Below are some of the initiatives that Abercrombie Fitch have to comply to promote diversity within the company; Abercrombie marketing materials will reflect diversity by including members of minority racial and ethnic groups. Advertising of available positions in publications targeting minorities of both genders. Benchmarks for hiring and promotion of women, Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans. These benchmarks are goals, rather than quotas, and Abercrombie will be required to report on its progress toward these goals at regular intervals. A new Office and Vice President of Diversity, responsible for reporting to the CEO on Abercrombies progress toward fair employment practices. Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Training for all employees with hiring authority http://www.afjustice.com/index.htm Abercrombie Fitchs legal cases of discrimination had resulted in unfair treatment in the workplace and requirement process. The cases dictate that people with same qualification do not get the job at Abercrombie Fitch because of their physical outlooks, race or gender and this may hinder the companys competitive advantage over its competitors as talents of the diverse population are not being utilised due to the lack of enforcement on diversity management. However, since the start of the initiative, Abercrombie Fitch has made significant focus on diversity and inclusion; Diversity and inclusion are key to our organizations success. We are determined to have a diverse culture, throughout our organization, that benefits from the perspective of each individual. As of April 30th, 2010, vase improvement in the diversity of the in-store staff can be seen; The in-store workforce, as a whole is 50.22% people of color, The in-store models are 48.44% people of color, The in-store managers-in-training are 41.04% people of color. http://sg.abercrombie.com/anf/careers/diversity.html People in general has very broad range of differences in their needs and an interest that needs to be managed well hence treating everyone the same way may not work to avoid the conflict. Therefore it is important that the management not only needs to be aware of what diversity is about but also managing diversity and equality well in an organization in order help to tackle the issue on the fair treatments and discrimination at work place. Lastly, organizations that are able to manage the workforce diversity well will have a competitive edge as they are able to maximize the potential of the team through their diverse talent and background. As stated by Terence Swee, the chief executive of Muvee Technologies; You need to be made of the world to sell to the world. Terence Swee, Chief executive officer of Muvee Technologies (Singapore-based Software Company) : http://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/Pages/WDM.aspx (DONT KNOW IF THIS PART IS RELEVANT, IF ITS NOT JUST REMOVE K THANKS) (: What can be done by companies to ensure that diversity and equality is not only being preach but also practice at the workplace? Management needs to put in place necessary channels to enable employees to raise any concerns regarding unfair treatments or discrimination so that necessary actions towards unfair treatment can be rectify. Support from management to implement the right practices. Reduce workplace tension that arises from the different demographics of employees by not limiting benefits to any one particular group. Ensure that management role has a clear understanding on what managing diversity is about in order to promote equality in the workplace. Diversity and equality must be lodged in the heart of any organization serious about implementing the policy. As Ng and Burke (2005) states that the best educated and most able are attracted to an environment that embodies diversity and equality. Therefore, company should implement and follow-thru the diversity and equality policies in order to ensure that equal opportunity exists for everyone. Diversity and equality training and education play an important role in avoiding potential failure of diversity initiatives, Wentling (2004). REFERENCING Anderson and Metcalfe. (2005). Managing diversity: linking theory and practice to business performance. Available: http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/research/managing-diversity-business-performance.aspx Last accessed 7th Aug 2012. Badici, Emil. (2011). Standards of Equality and Humes View of Geometry. Pacific Philosophy Quarterly . 92 (1), p448-467. Bendick, M. Jr, Egan, M.L. and Lofhjelm, S.M. (2001), Workforce diversity training: from anti-discrimination compliance to organizational development, Human Resource Planning, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 10-25. Centre for Strategy Evaluation Services . (2003). Methods and Indicators to Measure the CostEffectiveness of Diversity Policies in Enterprises. Available: http://edz.bib.uni-mannheim.de/daten/edz-ath/gdem/03/cbfullrep_en.pdf Last accessed 8 Aug 2012. Cockburn, C. (1991), In the Way of Women: Mens Resistance to Sexual Equality in Organizations, Macmillan, London. Dunleavy, Patrick. (1989). The Concept of Equality in Policy Analysis. Journal of Theoretical Politics. 1 (2), p213-248. Hildreth, P.M. and Kimble, C. (2002), The duality of knowledge, Information Research, Vol. 8 No. 1, paper No. 142, available at: http://InformationR.net/ir/8-1/paper142.html (accessed 28 May 2010) Lawsuit  Gonzà ¡lez v. Abercrombie Fitch (2004) http://www.afjustice.com/index.htm Kandola, B. (2004), Skills development: the missing link in increasing diversity in leadership, Industrial Commercial Training, Vol. 36 No. 4, pp. 143-7. Kukathas, Chandran. (2002). Equality and diversity. Politics, Philosophy and Economics. 1 (2), p185-212. Ng, E.S.W. and Burke, R.J. (2005), Person-organization fit and the war for talent: does diversity management make a difference?, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 16 No. 7, pp. 1195-211. Rawls, J. (1971). A theory of justice. Cambridge: The Belknap Press Riam Dean (2009) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/woman-with-prosthetic-arm-forced-to-work-out-of-sight-in-storeroom-1718041.html S. Temkin, Larry. (2001). Inequality: A Complex, Individualistic, and Comparative Notion. Social, Political, and Legal Philosophy. 13 (11), p327-353. Sabrina Zolkifi. (2011). NTUC FairPrice Keeps Older Workers Active. Available: http://www.marketing- interactive.com/news/24824. Last accessed 15th Sept 2012. Singapore Government. (1965). CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE. Available: http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/v

Reverend Hale Essay -- essays research papers

Reverend Hale The Crucible written by Arthur Miller is a play that takes place in the sixteen nineties during the famous but tragic witch trials. Reverend Hale who is a minister and an expert of the demonic arts and witchcraft is sent from East Hanover to Salem where there is a spreading fear of witchcraft. When Hale arrives in Salem he finds the entire town in total chaos. At the beginning Hale is adamant in believing that they’re where witches and that nothing but good could come of his being there. Near the end when the truth has been exposed, Hale with so much blood on his head pleads : ‘‘ I come to do the Devil’s work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves. There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head!’’ (Miller,131). For Reverend Hale the witch hunt in Salem is the scene of a moral journey as he eventually makes a complete turn around in thoughts and beliefs as he is forced to see certain realities. At the start of Reverend Hale’s metamorphosis he is so sure of himself and of his belief, in witches, that he even inadvertently eases their lying. At this point when he meets Parris and the girls who have been ‘‘ bewitched’’ he encourages them to talk about their being bewitched, and puts some words into their mouths, but he only does this because he really believes in witches, and believes the girls’ stories. This back fires however, and helps the girls with their lies. Soon after the trials begin Hale begins to have doubts in the...

Democracy Essay example -- essays research papers

Democracy may be a word familiar to most, but still I would like to mention the fact that demos means pertaining to people and kratios means to rule. Thus this word original coined by the Greeks means rule of people as a whole and not by an individual or a privileged soul. It is a concept still misunderstood and misused in some parts of the world where totalitarian regimes and dictatorships have witnessed popular support by usurping democratic labels like in Iraq and Pakistan. By the dictionary definition, democracy is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. In a famous phrase of Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.Freedom and democracy are often used in place of each other, but the two are not the same. True, democracy is a set of ideas and principles about freedom, but it also consists of a set of pract ices and procedures that have been founded through a long history. In short, democracy is the institutionalization of freedom. For this reason, any society must possess time-tested fundamentals of constitutional government, human rights, and equality before the law to be properly called democratic. Democracies can be typified into two fundamental categories, direct and representative. In a direct democracy, all individuals, without the elected or appointed officials, can participate in making public decisions. This system however seems to be impractical possible only with relatively small numbers of people, say for example in a community organization, village of a developing country, tribal council, or the local unit of a labor union, where members can meet in a single room to discuss issues and arrive at decisions by consensus or majority vote. In rural India the head of such committees are called pancha and the place where issues for a small population of the concerned area are discussed is called panchayat.These meetings are held mostly under a village tree with the maximum number of people who can physically gather in one place and practice direct democracy.Modern society, with its enormous size, complexities and ramifications offers few avenues for direct democracy. Today, the most common form of democracy, whether for a town of 50,000 or nations of 50 million, is represe... ...titutional provisions to intervene in the administration of the States. The response of the Central Union Government to the growing economic and political crisis in India has been in terms of greater centralization strategies and interventions.Another equally important limitation of the Indian parliamentary democracy has been that below the state level it was not mandatory to have elected bodies at district, sub district or local level till 1994. In other words it was a system of parliamentary democracy at the central and state levels and bureaucratic governance at the lower levels. Grass root level democracy visualized in terms of selfreliant and selfgoverning villages was an important nationalist ideal. When the new constitution was framed, elected local bodies at the local levels were not made part of the mandatory structure of government, but enshrined in the Directive Principles of the constitution. By and large the Indian democracy is still in a phase of evolution and chang e. It seems that the concept of democracy is interpreted in a subjective manner and changes in nations from time to time according to the whims and fancies of the contemporary affluent and powerful people.

The Effect of Video Game Violence on Youths Essay -- Video Gaming

Does exposure to violence in video games, on TV, and in social media have an effect on those exposed to it? Are those who are underage more susceptible to any detrimental side effects from viewing these things? This has long been a topic of discussion among lawmakers, psychologists, and the scientific field as a whole. It concerns parents and community members, especially in the wake of a seeming rise in violence at school from bullying, fighting, or in the extreme cases of school shootings. Were any of these types of incidents encouraged by exposure to violence in media? For the scope of this paper I'll only be using information from a small number of experiments, and the results generated by them. There is simply too much information out there to cover it all, however interestingly there are very few long term studies on the effects of violence in media on youths that have been completed at the time of this writing. The debate over the effects of violent video games have direct correlations, and indeed many of the same arguments as were used in the debate over the safety of violent comic books for youths which occurred in the 1950's(Hall, Day, and Hall). There were concerns that the comic books would lead to a decline in morals, an upswing in violence, and a growth of lawlessness and social deterioration(Hall, Day, and Hall). There was testimony by experts in the medical field before the Senate regarding whether or not these comics should be purchasable by children, or even in eyesight of them. (Hall, Day, and Hall) Dr. Frederic Wertham, forensic psychiatrist, gave this testimony before a Senate subcommittee using many of the arguments that we see again today regarding the safety and effects of violent video games a... ...artlett, Christopher, and Christopher Rodeheffer. "Effects of Reaslism on Extended Violent and Nonviolent Video Game Play on Agressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Physiological Arousal." Agressive Behavior. 35.3 (2009): n. page. Web. 13 Feb. 2015. . Anderson, C. A.. "Violent video games: Myths, facts, and unanswered questions." American psychological association. American Psychological Association, 2003. Web. 13 Feb 2015. Greitemeyer, T, and N McLatchie. "Denying Humanness to Others: A Newly Discovered Mechanism by Which Violent Video Games Increase Aggressive Behavior ." Psychological Science. 25.5 (2011): n. page. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

Major Players in Indian Real Estate Sector

India’s real estate market is on a high growth curve. The industry is projected to grow to US$50 billion by the end of FY2010 at an average rate of 20%. Looking at the bigger picture, the recession seems like a hiccup. Despite talks of price correction, the worse is definitely behind us. In this feature, we present our list of market leaders. The task was dauntingand complicated. Instead of a list that says India’s Top 20, we divided the players regionally based on their headquarters. Many are national players but some are purely regional players and hence it would be unfair to compare them.The idea was to identify national as well as local leaders. Of course, all such lists are subject to market dynamics. TOP REAL ESTATE COMPANIES FROM NORTH DLF Ltd Headed by:  Dr Kushal Pal Singh, Chairman About:  With a track record of 64 years, DLF is India’s largest real estate company in terms of revenues, earnings, market capitalization and developable area. It current ly has pan India presence across 30 cities with approximately 238 million sq ft of completed development and 413 million sq ft of planned projects, of which 56 million sq ft of projects are under construction during FY10.Project Spectrum: Residential, townships, commercial complexes, IT Parks, hotels, multiplexes, etc. Quick fact:  Only listed real estate Company included in the BSE Sensex, NSE Nifty, MSCI India Index and MSCI Emerging Markets Asia Index. Latest: Will take its luxury mall DLF Emporio (already operational in New Delhi) to other big cities such as Hyderabad and Chennai. OMAXE LTD Headed by:  Rohtas Goel, CMD About:  Over the past 22 years, Omaxe has established itself through diverse range of residential and commercial projects. The company at present has 53 projects under execution and planning.Omaxe Ltd was the first Construction Company of northern India to receive an ISO 9001:2000 Certification. Project Spectrum: Integrated townships, Group housing, SEZs, Sh opping malls & commercial complexes and hotels. Latest: Has entered into infrastructure sector through Omaxe Infrastructure & Construction Ltd (OICL), a wholly owned subsidiary. OICL has bagged the first contract to construct Highway and three high level bridges in Punjab. The contract is awarded by Greater Mohali Area Development Authority and its value is pegged at Rs704 million. UNITECH Headed by:  Ramesh Chandra, Executive ChairmanAbout:  Established in 1972, Unitech is today India’s leading real estate developer in India. It is the first developer to have been certified ISO 9001:2000 in North India. Project Spectrum: Unitech offers diversified projects across residential, commercial/IT parks, retail, hotels, amusement parks and SEZs segments. Unitech was the first real estate company to be part of the National Stock Exchange’s NIFTY 50 Index. The company has over 600,000 shareholders. Unitech and Norway based Telenor Group came together to build Uninor  œ a telecommunication services company providing GSM services across India.Latest: Has ventured into the infrastructure business by launching Unitech Infra. ANSAL API Headed by:  Sushil Ansal, Chairman About:  Established in 1967 as a family business, Ansal API today is clearly amongst the real estate leaders of India. Having established itself very strongly in the NCR region, Ansal API is now focusing on ventures in cities like Bhatinda, Mohali, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Sonepat, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad, Meerut, Agra, Lucknow, to name a few.Ansal API has till date, developed and delivered more than 190 million sq ft. The company currently has a land reserve of about 9,335 acres. Project Spectrum: Integrated Townships, Condominiums, Group Housing, Malls, Shopping Complex, Hotels, SEZs, IT Parks and Infrastructure and Utility Services Latest: Raised Rs231. 4 crore through private placement of shar es with institutional investors for reducing its debt and execute ongoing projects. PARSVNATH DEVELOPERS LTD Headed by:  Pradeep Jain, ChairmanAbout:  Incorporated in July 1990 by Mr Jain in New Delhi, Parsvnath today has a substantial pan India presence in over 45 cities across 16 states. The company has emerged as one of the most progressive and multi-faceted real estate and construction entities in India. Project spectrum: Housing (premium, mid-market as well as affordable), office complexes, shopping malls & hypermarkets, hotels, multiplexes, IT Parks and SEZs. Quick fact: First real estate company to have integrated with ISO 9001, 14001 and OHSAS 18001.Latest update: Has partnered with Red Fort Capital to execute a Concession Agreement with DMRC for development of a prime Grade A office project in New Delhi’s Connaught Place. TOP REAL ESTATE COMPANIES FROM WEST GODREJ PROPERTIES LTD Headed by:  Milind Korde, MD About:  Established in 1990, Godrej Properties Ltd ( GPL) brings the Godrej Group philosophy of innovation and excellence to the real estate industry. GPL aspires to be among India’s top three real estate companies while continuing to be the most trusted name in the industry.GPL has completed several landmark projects and is currently developing significant projects in 11 cities across India. Godrej Properties Ltd is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and The National Stock Exchange (NSE). Latest: Sold over 200 apartments within 2 days of launch of its project Godrej Frontier in Gurgaon. This is the company’s first residential project in northern India. K RAHEJA CORP Headed by:  Chandru L Raheja, Chairman About:  Incorporated in 1956, this Mumbai based real estate giant has been engaged in real estate development for more than four decades.K Raheja Corp has built residences, commercial buildings and hotels throughout India. The Group also diversified in the hospitality sector in 1981and in the retail sector in 1991. The company has several landmark projects to its credits across cities. Quick fact: K Raheja Corp has given a firm commitment to have all of its future projects undertaken anywhere in India to be Leed Certified Green Building Projects. OBEROI REALTY LTD Headed by:  Vikas Oberoi, CMD About:  Founded in 1998, the company was recently in limelight for its IPO.The Company’s consolidated total income and consolidated net profit after tax and prior period items as restated were Rs8,054. 95 million and Rs4,576. 20 million for the year ended March 31, 2010 and Rs 1658. 27 million and Rs797. 96 million for the three months ended June 30, 2010. The company has presence in Mumbai and Pune. Project Spectrum: Oberoi Realty focuses on premium, single space and mixed used development across residential, office space, retail, hospitality and social infrastructure segments. KALPATARU GROUP Headed by:  Mofatraj P Munot, PromoterAbout:  Established in 1969, Kalpataru is one of th e leading real estate development groups in India. The Group has been active primarily in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) & Pune. It is also undertaking projects in other key cities such as Hyderabad, Surat, Nagpur, Jaipur and Udaipur. The Kalpataru Group has interests in real estate development, property and project management, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracting for power transmission and infrastructure projects including road projects, warehousing and logistics.Project Spectrum: The focus has been on the development of premium residential, commercial, retail, integrated townships, lifestyle gated communities and redevelopment projects. DB REALTY Headed by:  Vinod Goenka and Shahid Balwa About:  It is one of India’s fastest growing real estate companies headquartered in Mumbai. The Company currently has more than 30 ultra premium projects under various stages of planning and also completion in both Mumbai and Pune. It has 20. 5 million sq ft of saleable area of ongoing projects with a projected area of 40. 5 million sq ft in forthcoming and upcoming projects.DB Realty is publicly listed company both on BSE and NSE with a market capitalisation of more than Rs10000 crore. Latest: Few months ago, it bagged the right to redevelop a large chunk of the 100-acre PWD government colony in Mumbai’s Bandra suburb. This will be one of the biggest redevelopment projects in the city. TOP REAL ESTATE COMPANIES FROM SOUTH SOBHA DEVELOPERS LTD Headed by:  PNC Menon, Chairman About:  The Company was founded in 1995 by PNC Menon after he returned home from the Middle East where he was acclaimed for quality interiors and construction since 1977.Today, this Rs10 billion plus company is one of the largest and only backward integrated company in the construction arena. Its IPO in 2006 was oversubscribed by 126 times that created history, being the first event of its kind in Indian capital markets. Till date, Sobha has completed 47 residential projects, 13 commercial projects and 166 contractual projects covering about 36 million sq ft area in 18 cities across India (as of 31 March 2010). The company currently has 21 ongoing residential projects aggregating to 8. 5 million sq ft, while 4. 4 million sq ft of contractual projects are under various stages of construction. BRIGADE GROUP Headed by:  MR Jaishankar, CMD About:  Established in 1986, Brigade is one of South India’s leading property developers. It is headquartered in Bangalore with projects extending across several major cities in South India like Chennai, Chikmagalur, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mangalore and Mysore. Project Spectrum: Brigade has a multi-domain portfolio that covers property development, property management services, hospitality and education.Latest: Brigade recently obtained the license from the World Trade Centers Association to classify and manage its one million sq ft office tower in its mixed use project Brigade Gateway as †˜World Trade Centre Bangalore. PURAVANKARA GROUP Headed by:  Ravi Puravankara, Founder and CMD About:  Established in 1975, the Group has grown to be one of the leading real estate developers of the country, primarily in the premium housing segment. It has projects across cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Mysore, Kolkata and Colombo. The Group also has a presence in Dubai, UAE.With a land bank of over 125 million sq ft, the Group has above 20 million sq ft of residential and commercial space currently under construction. Latest: Recently launched Purva Venezia that recreates the beauty of Venice at Yelhanka in Bangalore. NITESH ESTATES Headed by:  Nitesh Shetty, MD About:  Founded in 2004, Nitesh Estates is an integrated property development company headquartered in Bangalore. Project Spectrum: In just six years, the Company has brought more than nine million sq ft of space under development across housing, hotels, office buildings and shopping m alls.The company is growing even faster with plans to expand its operations in other cities like Goa, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi. Nitesh Estates has to its credit a series of firsts: the first to win India’s largest corporate housing project (ITC Limited), one among the first few to attract FDI in real estate (Och Ziff and Citigroup) and has the distinction of bringing to India it’s very first Ritz Carlton. It has 27 ongoing and forthcoming projects in and around Bangalore and Goa. It has land bank of 19 million sq ft, which will be developed in the next 4-5 years.PRESTIGE ESTATES PROJECTS LTD Headed by:  Irfan Razack, CMD About:  Founded in 1986, Prestige has completed more than 142 projects and has 59 ongoing projects. The company has presence in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mysore as well as Goa. Project Spectrum: Develops projects across segments like residential, commercial, integrated township, retail, leisure & hospitality and mixed-use. Latest: P restige raised Rs12 billion rupees through its IPO recently. TOP REAL ESTATE COMPANIES FROM EAST AMBUJA REALTY Headed by:  Harshavardhan Neotia, CMDAbout:  Ambuja Realty has been providing housing in West Bengal, in a pioneering joint venture with West Bengal Housing Board for the past 15 years under the name Bengal Ambuja. The first real estate company in Eastern India to get ISO: 9002 Certification, in 1999, Bengal Ambuja has also earned them the highest developer rating in India – DRI from ICRA, in 2003. Project Spectrum: The Group has a diversified presence across segments like residential, retail, commercial and hospitality. The company is also planning an aggressive pan-India growth strategy to deliver an unprecedented number of high-quality projects.Currently, it is building more malls, hospitals, IT Parks, luxury resorts, business hotels and are even aspiring to build a University. Latest: To invest around Rs500 crore in developing three shopping malls under the à ¢â‚¬ËœCity Centre’ brand in Raipur, Haldia and Patna. MERLIN GROUP Headed by:  Sushil Mohta, MD About:  Merlin Group is a recognized name in the realty business of India’s eastern parts. The Group has grown over past three decades with over 50 residential and commercial complexes as well as several standalone projects.Project Spectrum: Merlin Group has innovated with various formats and core projects including premium housing, essential housing, country homes and bungalows, specialty malls, office towers, IT buildings, hotels new generation clubs, and resorts, serviced apartment’s stadium and townships. It also has presence in other parts of India with its various residential and commercial projects at Chennai, Chhattisgarh and Ahmedabad. PS GROUP Founded by:  Pradip Kumar Chopra & Surendra Kumar Dugar About:  Today, the original pair of founders has grown into a group of seven players, with the second generation joining the business in right earnest.Pro ject Spectrum: PS Group is involved in the development of premium residential complexes, integrated townships, commercial buildings, hotels, IT parks and a wide range of shopping malls. The company already has completed 100 projects with Trinity Plush and intends to complete another 50 projects in the next two years. HILAND GROUP Headed by:  Nayan Basu, CEO Credited with more than 50 multi-storeyed landmark developments adorning the skyline of Kolkata, the Hiland Group has today emerged as one of the most prominent developers in Kolkata.Latest: The Group has also entered into a 50:50 joint venture with West Bengal Housing Board to form Bengal United Credit Belani Housing Ltd. Hiland Woods is the key project of this joint venture. It is a residential development catering to a mix of demographic profiles across LIG, MIG and HIG. BELANI GROUP Headed by:  Nandu Belani About:  The Company commenced operations in Kolkata in 1967 and has pioneered the business of building, promoting and developing high-rise apartments and commercial buildings in the city over the last four decades. Some of the key rojects done by this Group are Metro Towers, IDBI Building, British Deputy High Commission, Belmont Apartments, East End Gardens, Neelkamal , Shakespeare Court, Greenwoods and Palacio. The Group has presence across segments like integrated townships, residential, commercial, retail and hospitality. TOP REAL ESTATE COMPANIES TO WATCH OUT FOR We wind up our feature with five names to watch out for. TATA HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COMPANY Headed by:  Brotin Banerjee, MD & CEO About:  Tata Housing is a closely held Public Limited Company and a subsidiary of Tata Sons Ltd.Since it’s revival in 2006, Tata Housing has been focused on developing and transforming real estate development in India. With the primary business being the development of properties in residential, commercial and retail sectors, the company’s operations span across various aspects of real es tate development. With existing presence in Mumbai, Goa, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Pune, Lonavala, Talegaon and Kolkatta, the Company is in the process of expanding its projects to other parts of India across tier I and II cities.Latest: Has announced aggressive growth plans to invest over Rs2500 crore in the affordable and value homes segment by 2011. SUNIL MANTRI REALTY LTD Headed by:  Sunil Mantri About:  With substantial presence across residential, retail, commercial, office, IT parks and SEZ development, this Company is poised on the cusp of rapid growth and expansion into newer territories. The company is now poised to diversify into hospitality and financial services sector in a significant way. With 300% growth recorded in the past three years, the company is one of the fastest-growing real estate companies in India.From a presence in 2 cities, it has grown miraculously to 14 cities in India and is venturing into Malaysia to build an ICT centre in Johor. LODHA DEV ELOPERS Headed by:  Abhisheck Lodha, MD About:  Founded in 1980, Lodha Developers are primarily Mumbai based with some presence in Pune and Hyderabad. Lodha Developers provides comprehensive residential and office space solutions across real estate categories and diverse consumer segments – from luxury garden residences in South Mumbai to large integrated townships in the suburbs, from thoughtfully designed office environments to private villa retreats.The group has extended this philosophy to office spaces as well, where it was one of the first in India to introduce the concept of branded office spaces. Latest: Announcement of World One, a landmark development on a 17 acre site, slated to be the tallest residential development in the world. AKSHAYA PRIVATE LTD Headed by:  T Chitty Babu, Chairman & CEO About:  Headquartered in Chennai, Akshaya has successfully completed over 148 landmark projects in a short period of 15 years.Akshaya is one of the few CRISIL rated org anizations in Chennai’s real estate space. Akshaya’s excellence in its endeavours has also resulted in the Integrated ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, OHSAS 18001:2007 Management System. The Integrated Management System Certification, incidentally, has been conferred on only 11 companies in India. Akshaya also achieved the feat of being one of the two companies in our country to win the SA 8000:2008 Certification (the global social accountability standard for creating employee-friendly workplace).Akshaya is now foraying into commercial and IT space while envisioning state-of-the-art shopping malls and diversified operations in other parts of South India. Latest: Recently launched its luxury project, 36-Carat, which became the only project in Chennai to get the coveted ‘Chennai-5 Star’ rating. THE 3C COMPANY Headed by:  Three directors including renowned architect Vidur Bharadwaj About:  Founded in: 2007, The 3C Company has presence in the Delhi NCR. The Company stands apart due to focus on designing and developing green projects with on schedule delivery.Its USP of developing environment friendly designs has helped it carve a niche in the real estate segment. The Company is currently developing projects worth over Rs15000 crore. Project Spectrum: The 3C Company has presence across segments such as residential, commercial, IT Parks and SEZs. Latest: After the success of three green projects, it announced the launch of another green residential project called Lotus Zing. It has tied up with Kotak Real Estate Fund for this project, which has a total capital outlay of Rs850 crore.