What Does a Rigorous High School Course Load Look Like

What Does a Rigorous High School Course Load Look Like SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Chances are, you've heard the phrase "rigorous course load" before. You probably even know that this is something colleges really look for in applications for admission. So how can you ensure that your high school course load is rigorous or challenging enough? How do you balance this with getting a good GPA? How do you balance the need for rigor with your limitations, extracurricular interests, family and friends, and desire to not overwhelm yourself? Read on for our advice on choosing between harder classes and more classes, and harder classes and better grades. We also go over how many AP classes and electives you should take. What Does Rigorous or Challenging Mean? First off, what does the vague word "rigor" actually mean? Andwhy do colleges value seeing you challenge yourself? As it turns out, exposure to a rigorous curriculum in high school is a better predictor of academic success in college than theeducation level of your parents is, or even your test scores, class rank, and GPA are. And the best place to show that you've been exposed to a challenging curriculum is through your transcript. In other words,college admissions officers want your transcript to show that you are driven, hardworking, and willing to push yourself- especially since research indicates thatif you have these qualities, then you're pretty likely to be a great college student! How to Avoid Being Overwhelmed by a Rigorous Course Load A rigorous curriculum is, at heart, a balancing act. You should take the most challenging courses that are within your ability to handle.At the same time,you should pace yourself so that you're not too overwhelmed by the challenge. Part of showing good judgment and a mature level of self-guidance is being able to balance a hard course load with your extracurricular activities, job, friends and family, and other responsibilities. When in doubt, remember how many expressions there are for this exact situation:"Don't bite off more than you can chew," "Don't let your eyes be bigger than your stomach," etc. Another way to think about a rigorous curriculum is to imagine your high school experience as an uphill climb.Most of the time you want to be farther up the mountain than where you were previously, hiking up steeper and steeper terrain and using everything you've learned to help you keep going. But like all mountaineers, sometimes you need time to stop at base camp or just take a break. As long as you're mostly climbing and not mostly resting, you know you'll get to the top eventually! Sure, they climbed all the way up there. But now it's hot chocolate time! More Classes or Harder Classes? Because much of your high school course load is up to you, a classic question students often have is whether they should show more breadth or more depth. For example, if you're into science, should you take every science course available at a basic level? Or should you focus on a couple of specific subjects, such as biology or physics, and take harder honors/AP classes in them? Based on our experience, colleges tend to favor students who've taken a few harder classes instead of a lot of easier classes.According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC) 2017 State of College Admission Report, 52% of schools surveyed ranked strength of curriculum as considerably important in admissions. Your transcripts should show how you've taken full advantage of the challenges available to you at your school- but always within reason, of course.This means that you should take progressively more difficult classes in each topic each year rather than jumping from intro class to intro class. The general idea is to show that you're intellectually prepared for college-level studying, and that you've developed a habit of guiding yourself toward increasing challenges. This demonstrates grit, resilience, perseverance, and a mature work ethic. Why is this guy so chill? Because he has figured out his own carrying capacity perfectly. Better Grades or Harder Classes? Again, definitely opt for harder classes. Most colleges say that a transcript that shows a student has taken increasingly demanding classes is more important than a transcript with a higher GPA.The NACAC survey reported that 77% of schools surveyed believe that grades in college prep courses(i.e., core classes such as English and science), as well as grades in allclasses you take as a high school student, are considerably important factorsin the admissions process. Butgetting straight As in low-level classes, instead of trying for an honors or AP class, might suggest to colleges that you're not challenging yourself enough. It's like asking Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps to compete against 5-year-olds; colleges would rather see you get a B in an AP course than an A in a regular course. Of course, this isn't to say that all your classes should be as challenging as possible- this goes back to the whole balance thing we talked about earlier. A D in an AP course looks a lot worse than an A in a regular course! Still, you want to demonstrate that you're able and willing to reach slightly beyond your grasp.The best course of action, then, is to challenge yourself most in classes that reflect your specific interests.So if you're a science whiz, you might consider diving more deeply into calculus, biology, or physics. If you're into the social sciences, you can take economics and psychology at high levels, even at the expense of taking AP Physics. You never know what might spark your passion, though, so be open to finding challengeeven in those fields you aren’t particularly interested in now. Which Classes Should You Take for a Rigorous Course Load? Now that you understand that colleges prize course difficulty over GPA, how can you decide on the courses you should take? This heavily depends on what your high school's course options and prerequisites are. Your school has already figured out how to get you from one step to the next. What Are My High School’s Course Progressions? Planning a rigorous curriculum should start early (think 9th or 10th grade), and it should definitely take into account the way your high school has structured your learning from grade 9 to 12. Step 1: Meet With Your School Counselor Come to the meeting ready to take good notes- you're about to get a whole lot of information! It's probably a good idea to bring your parents to the meeting as well. Ask about requirements for graduation.Discuss possible ways you can progress through the required course load. Ask how many electives you can fit into your schedule.Talk also aboutthe elective opportunities your school offers. Ask about prerequisites for honors, AP, and/or IB classes.Make sure you're clear on what you need to do to start taking a higher-level class than you were in before. Ask about the possibility of independent study.This option might make most sense after you finish a particular subject’s course progression. For example, my high school offered five years of Latin (from 8th to 12th grade). A fellow Latin nerd and I took one of those years over the summer. With the help of our amazing teacher, we created a Latin 6class our senior year. This took my passion for Latin literature even further and also definitely demonstrated rigor on my transcript. Step 2: Draw a 4-Year Chart Now that you have much of the information you need, you can start to make a plan. Draw achart by dividing a piece of paper into four sections; each section represents ayear of high school. Divide each of these sectionsinto smaller rectangles, with each rectangle representing one course you'll take that year. Pro tip:Don't draw more rectangles than the number of courses you're allowed to take per year! First, fill in all the graduation requirements you learned about in your meeting. Be sure that you're planning to take a harder, more challenging class for each subject each year. Now, with the rectangles that are still blank, you can start gaming outelectives. To help you out, here are our in-depth articles on required and elective classes, from standard through AP: High school math classes High school English classes High school science classes High school history classes High school foreign language classes High school electives Right now, it'sbalanced. But what if you addone more? How Many APs or IBs Should I Take? You know what your school's course progressions are- but where do AP and IB classes fit in? And how can you know whether you're ready for these challenging classes? Read on for our tips. Am I Ready for AP/IB Material? There are a couple of different ways to check whether you areready to take an AP- or IB-level high school class: Get an outside opinion.For example, your teacher should be able to tell you whether you'd be able to handle the work load and meet the overall academic expectations. If you took the PSAT or PreACT, use your scores to see where you stand. Your guidance counselor can look at these and then tell you whether he or she thinks you're ready to take AP and/or IB classes. Where Is the Line Between Challenging and Too Much? A good rule of thumb is to try for one to three AP classes per year of high school (probably not counting 9th grade). This kind of course load definitely shows a willingness to be challenged. 11th and 12thgrade is the time to go even harder- if you think you're up to it. For example, though I took only one AP class my freshman year and two my sophomore year, both junior and senior years I took four AP classes apiece.Sure,the added depth and breadth of what I was studying looked good on my transcript- but more importantly, it made my learning fascinating and engaging on a whole new level! What About Electives? Although the name makes them sound either optional or trivial, electives are nothing but.In fact, research indicates that students who take courses in the fine/performing arts often perform better in school and on standardized tests! In a rigorous course load, electives can be the bridge between what you need to do and what you want to do. Courses such as visual art, theater, journalism, computer science, and philosophy can ultimately demonstrate your passions and interests to colleges. Electives are alsoa way for you to showcase your strengths.For example, taking extra years of a foreign language or optional classes in STEM fields such as statistics or robotics lets you continue building upon your passion, while also raising your GPA and showing that you are willing to pursue rigor. Sample Rigorous Course Schedule for Each Grade Level By now, you should have a pretty clear idea as to what a rigorous course load is and what kinds of classes you can take to impress admissions committees. To give you an even better idea of what a possible schedule could look like, here are some sample course schedules for each grade level (from 9th to 12th grade). Note that you do not have to follow these schedules exactly when planning what courses to take, sinceyour school's course offerings, your state's graduation requirements, and your own interests will likely differ from what we include below.That said, feel free to use it as a rough guide for how you might want to plan your future class schedule. The following schedule would be most appropriate for somebody who is strong in the fields of math and science, and who hopes to study one of these topics at the college level. Notice how this student uses electives to take additional science classes (e.g., marine science and computer science) and to keep up her foreign language skills. 9th Grade Course Schedule Fall Semester Geometry Honors Biology Geography Honors Language Arts French 1 Physical Education Spring Semester Geometry Honors Biology Geography Honors Language Arts French 1 Marine Science 10th Grade Course Schedule Fall Semester Algebra 2 AP Chemistry Honors World History Introduction to English Composition French 2 Physical Education Spring Semester Algebra 2 AP Chemistry Honors World History Introduction to English Composition French 2 Computer Science Choose classes that let you explore your academic interests on a deeper level. 11th Grade Course Schedule Fall Semester Honors Precalculus AP Physics US History AP English Language and Composition French 3 Health Spring Semester Honors Precalculus AP Physics US History AP English Language and Composition French 3 Physical Education 12th Grade Course Schedule Fall Semester AP Calculus BC AP Biology Honors English Literature Honors Government French 4 AP Statistics Spring Semester] AP Calculus BC AP Biology Honors English Literature Honors Economics French 4 AP Statistics What If My High School Offers FewRigorous Classes? Not all high schools offer tons of challenging courses. If this is the case for you, what should you do to prove that you're indeed ready for college-level work? Here are your two best options: Option 1: Look for Outside Options Whether your school lacks advanced study options or lacks subjects you find especially compelling, one option is to take classes outside your school.Ask yourself the following questions: Does your school offer adual enrollment program? If so, you could take rigorous college-level courses that provide both high school and college credit. Do you have the opportunity to take online or summer courses? This could be a way to fill in curriculum gaps. Option 2: Explain Your Circumstances on Your Application College admissions offices put a tremendous amount of effort into figuring out what your high school is like when they look at your transcript. This is why if you go to a low-performing school, it's a good idea to include in your college application a description of what was and was not available at your high school. You should also definitely know that even the most exclusive colleges do not expect you to be able to provide coursework for yourself outside what your school offers you. For example, Yale's admission QA page stresses how much they take context into account: "We know you did not design your school’s curriculum ... Different schools have different requirements that may restrict what courses you can take. Again, we only expect that you will excel in the opportunities to which you have access." All colleges expect you to wear many hats. What About Life Outside My Schoolwork? One of the qualities colleges also look for in applicants is your time-management skills. Being able to balance your courses alongside extracurricular activities that are meaningfully sustained over time indicates that you are ready for the kind of independent work and time management necessary to succeed in college. If you find that so much of your time is going into your school work that you're neglecting every other aspect of your life, it's time to step back and reevaluate your challenge level. What’s Next? Ready to learn about the class progressions of different high school classes? Read our guides to choosinghigh school math classes,English classes,science classes,history classes,foreign language classes, andelectives. Want to start planning a more rigorous class schedule? Check out our guide to picking the right AP classes for you. A little confused about whether the AP or IB program is right for you?Our guide spells outthe differences between the two programs and gives you tips on how to choose. Wondering if asummer class is right for you? Exploreour guides totheSIG, CTY, and Stanford EPGYprograms! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Law - Essay Example The principle established in this case is what is sometimes referred to as the ‘Principle of state liability in European Union law.† The European Court in this case held that the Government of Italy had breached its obligations and was therefore liable to pay compensation to workers who had suffered loss as a result of the breach. The court went on further to state that such damages should be made available in matters before various national courts. However, before such remedies could be made available, one had to prove that the directive he is alleging has not been implemented conferred upon him some specific rights that could be identified as well as an existing link between failure to implement it and the loss occasioned. It encompasses the doctrine of indirect effect where national courts are required to ensure enforcement of European Union obligations and ensure that interpretation of domestic law is consistent with the directives of the European Union. It can be sai d to be an additional and corollary of the direct effect doctrine. It is very vital in the enforcement of European Union law and rights that have been breached by private individuals in what is seen as a horizontal effect. Since directives usually have direct effect concerning claims on those directives on private individuals, it is therefore prudent to note that domestic law could be the only one that provides a basis for commencing an action against someone. The national courts are therefore expected to make sure that they interpret domestic law consistently with the directives given by the European Union. However this is only possible where the national law is not entirely inconsistent with the European Union law. The European Community is now entering into many international agreements in its capacity as an independent party. The agreements it enters into qualify to be community law in so far as they are covered by the competence of the community. Before community law can be eff ective, there must be liability on the part of member state. This is what led to the question as to whether a private individual can make a member state liable where they are in breach of an international agreement. It is good to note that the European Community’s relations externally are mainly characterized by existing legal and political conditions, the answer as to whether an individual can sue a member state will be shaped by the jurisprudence of the courts. This therefore depends on the will of the court to give effect to its earlier jurisprudence. This is the jurisprudence by the court that answered the question in the affirmative. However, the principle remains uncertain in majority of the cases. In R. v. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, ex parte Hedley Lomas, [1996] ECR I-2580, para. 104, the court upheld the decision in Francovich that there was need to ensure that community law was effective which could only be achieved through its uniform application. The court held that member liability which was inherent was one of the greatest to secure effectiveness of the community law. The court developed principles through which it could be possible to extend the liability of member states to cover external relations as well. The principle developed by the court was that first it was important to determine whether such international agreements have eventually formed community law worth of according primacy. This concept has been further developed by courts as evidence by the many decisions that have been delivered by the courts. For example the court in the case of Dillenkoffer

Write a memorandum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Write a memorandum - Essay Example Due to this, the City Council is losing significant revenue collections, crime has gone high, the decline in the waterfront area is more real, and the economy is dwindling. As a result, the council is deciding on how to react on these complaints. In doing this, the Council will use the Measure A, that seeks to revitalize the economy on the waterfront area where the Marina sits. It also relies on the amended Referendum 3 that aims at limiting the government’s eminent domain power by restricting the permissible interpretations of the â€Å"public use† requirement for eminent domain (Dyson 1-2). The council seeks to take over the waterfront area and compensate the owners like Mr. Park. Henceforth, the city plans to transfer the land to public use where it hopes to derive jobs, revenues, and minimize noise on Elm Street. The City also relies on Kelo v. City of New London, 545 U.S. 469 case studies (2005) to succeed in its quest. Mr. Park’s house, marina is on that st reet and the council is bound to make it a stadium. Hence, Mr. Park is seeking legal advice on how to stop the council from taking his waterfront home. In 2000, New London, a city in Connecticut, used its eminent domain powers to acquire private property for purposes of selling it for private use with an aim of boosting the city’s economy. In doing this, New London sought to create more than 1000 jobs, revitalize the economy, and increase tax revenues. As such, aggrieved owners took the matter to court arguing that the seized property was not for public use and the Fifth Amendment Takings limits the government from seizing private property for public use without just compensation. The legal question in this question was whether the city’s seizure and selling of the reference property is of â€Å"public use† according to the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment. In a majority ruling, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled for New London qualifying the city’s

Plato, Descartes, and The Matrix Essay Example for Free

Plato, Descartes, and The Matrix Essay Consider this, Is what we believe to be real and true real and true? In the movie The Matrix, Neo is a computer programer by day and hacker by night. He senses that something is wrong with the world but insists what he know he feels. When he dreams, he isn’t sure if it was real or just a dream just as Descartes believes he cannot trust his senses to tell him whether or not he is still dreaming. Neo meets with Morpheus and Morpheus gives Neo the option of knowing the truth. According to Morpheus the world isn’t real, it is an illusion and offers Neo a life altering choice. To take a pill that will give him the truth. The truth Morpheus refers to is that the world Neo believes in is just an illusion. What Neo perceives as real by his senses is nothing more than a computer generating ideas in his head without any real experiences. Morpheus gives Neo the option of continuing to live his life in the shadows and the way he perceives it or to see the light and the truth. This closely resembles the allegory of the cave by Pluto. Plato invites us to imagine humans being held prisoners, with no freedom to move or see except what is directly in front of them in the form of shadows. This is the prisoners reality. This is what they come to believe is real. When in-fact there is another world just beyond their reality. It is only after one prisoner escapes the shackles and chains and finds that the actual world is not just shadows but a world with the light of the sun. The prisoner has difficulty adjusting his eyes to the brightness, but eventually does. This experience parallels to what Neo experiences. Descartes poses the questions in his work Meditations of First Philosophy, 1961, of how we cannot for certain that the world he experiences isn’t not the product of an illusion forced upon him by an evil demon. He questions what he believes is real because of what he sees and feels while dreaming and therefore can’t trust his senses to tell him if 2he is still dreaming. When Neo accepts the â€Å"red pill† and his perception of his life slips away when he realizes that the human race is held in containers, unconscious, with a computer generating their thoughts and experiences. Humans invented Artificial Intelligence and in turn the AI took over mankind and enslaved them using them for the energy they required to stay ‘alive’. Neo realizes what Descartes proposed, that Neo’s life was just controlled by an evil demon, the Matrix. But Descartes went on to argue the existence of God, saying a Good God would not let an evil demon control us. Neo struggles with this new truth because he didn’t believe in fate because he didn’t like the idea he wasn’t in control of life. Neo life as he knew it is gone, and he is faced with the new reality and he struggles with the different emotions first of shock, fear and disbelief and then acceptance. He joins the group of dissidents to help others see the truth and reality of life. Knowing the truth doesn’t necessarily ‘set you free’ as we find out. A fellow dissident Cypher discovers the truth is hard and decides that ‘ignorance is bliss’. He negotiates a deal to deliver Morpheus in turn for his previous ‘life’. For Cypher, the truth was too much to handle, he liked the illusion of his previous life. Once Neo gains knowledge of he Matrix, he is able to discern between the truth and illusion and ascends to a higher level of understanding. He realizes that he can no longer blindly accept information received through his senses, but must requires answers to his questions. He like Descartes comes to the conclusion â€Å"I think, therefore I am†. The difference between the Matrix and Plato and Descartes is the movie gives Neo a way back to the physical real world whereas Plato and Descartes only suggest there is another reality and we are dreaming but doesn’t give us a way back. None of the notables address God within the realm of truth. God states he is the way of the light and the truth. We are challenged in our daily lives to live a real life.

How two chapters of Great Expectations reflect the influence of society :: Great Expectations Essays

How two chapters of Great Expectations reflect the influence of society in the time it was set. Charles Dickens is one of the most popular British novelists in the history of literature with many of his characters being recognised in British society today. His ability to combine pathos, comedy, and most of all, his social satire has won him many contemporary readers. Dickens was born in Portsmouth in 1812. At 12 he was sent to work for a few months at a shoe-polish warehouse on the banks of the Thames when his family hit financial difficulty. A few days later Dickens's father was sent to jail for debt. He recalled this painful experience in the early chapters of David Copperfield. While his father was imprisoned, all his family except himself and his sister, who was studying music, stayed at the Marshalsea Prison with his father, very much like the Dorrit family at the beginning of Little Dorrit. By the time he was 25 years old, Dickens was already famous. Dickens's life influenced his writing a lot, and many of the novels he wrote were based on real experiences during his lifetime. For example; in 1832 he met Marie Beadnell and wanted to marry her but she rejected him; the comic portrait of Flora Casby in Little Dorrit is said to have been inspired by Dickens's meeting with Maria again later in life. Dickens lived in Victorian times, times when there was a lot of focus on social class and status. Victorian society was, for all the change that was taking place, a stratified, hierarchical society with a great gap between rich and poor. In his childhood Dickens was part of a working class family who soon became low class due to their financial difficulty. But when he became an adult he was of high social class while his novels kept increasing in popularity and was earning him money all the time. Dickens had been from one end of society to the other and the contrast he saw was widely expressed in his novels. Victorian society had a constantly growing urban population, and with the pessimistic analyses of Thomas Malthus, this helped mould one of the most notorious Victorian institutions, the workhouse. This was based on a theoretical distinction between the "deserving" poor, who owed their poverty to misfortune, and the "undeserving" poor, who were to blame for their poverty: the workhouse was made as unpleasant as possible to deter the latter from seeking refuge there. Tight-fisted and callous administration made the institutions even worse, and the target of some of the bitterest controversial literature of Charles Dickens. Conditions gradually improved, but the dreaded "workhouse

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Edward Albee's â€Å"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf† is a play based on illusions. Each character lives their life behind some sort of illusion whether it's based on their past, their marriage or their whole life. Each illusion presents a view into their personal lives and either connects or tears apart relationships in each character's life. George's life is surrounded by illusions. He never was able to succeed in anything he attempts and Martha finds joy in attacking him emotionally for this.He first wrote a novel which Martha's father refused to publish. The storyline is first brought up through him telling Nick a story from his adolescence. It's the story of his friend who kills both of his parents and ends up institutionalized. When it's brought up in Act 1 by Martha, she presents it by saying â€Å"†Well, Georgie boy had lots of big ambitions In spite of something funny in his past†¦ Which Georgie boy here turned into a novel†¦ His first attempt and his last†¦ † (149) This makes the reader question if maybe his friend was actually him.Regardless of who it was about, George is angry that Martha brought up his novel because it shows a weakness about him. The novel was one of his ways of escaping reality and even that was put down. He had hopes of his novel become a success and instead he has to live with Martha who insists on telling everyone that he is a â€Å"great†¦ big†¦ fat†¦ FLOP! † (93) The biggest illusion in George's own life is the mystery behind whether the tragic novel he wrote was an autobiographical story or just a piece of fiction.When Nick and Honey are introduced they seem young, vibrant and happy. Once Honey leaves the scene in Act 2 Nick tells George about an illusion that actually brought Nick to marry Honey. Nick tells George that he married Honey because she was pregnant and George questions him since he said earlier that he had no children. Nick tells him, â€Å"She wasn't real ly. It was a hysterical pregnancy. She blew up, and then she went down. †(104) Honey faked a pregnancy to make Nick marry her so their whole relationship is based on an illusion.He later reveals that Honey's family had a good amount of money and that is good enough reason to stay with her. Throughout the whole play Nick is shushing and talking over Honey. He is embarrassed of her simple-mindedness but deals with her because he is stuck with her.. George and Martha's son was a lie. George pushes her to talk about him and she glorifies him. Once she is done George shoots her down and kills him off using the same storyline as his novel. This shows the fiction and illusion behind their son.She is so heartbroken after there illusion is exposed that she doesn't know how to live without pretending she has a son. The illusion of their son gave them something to relate through. George was sick of pretending and realized that it was time to face the truth and begin actually living life without illusions. QUOTES â€Å"Isn’t tomorrow supposed to be his birthday or something? 76† â€Å"The one thing 241†Ã¢â‚¬ Whose afraid of Virginia Woolf? I am257† Why do people live behind illusions? Does it make life easier or in the end does it make it hurt more? Who is Virginia Woolf?

Do You Think Firms Have Any Responsibility to Society - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2787 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/09/23 Category Business Essay Type Argumentative essay Level High school Did you like this example? MBC 703 –CORPORATE FINANCE ACCOUNTS ASSIGNMENT: The Primary goal of a firm has been held out to be shareholder wealth maximization which translates to maximizing stock prices. In light of this statement, do you think firms have any responsibility to society? BY Akanji Emmanuel olusegun BSU/MS/MBA/08/3104 FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCE MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA) BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY MAKURDI. AUGUST,2010 1. 0 Introduction: The fundamental economic role of business is to make profit and to maximize shareholders wealth. Therefore, this primary objective is carried out in the society. Firms Operations are not performed in a vacuum but in an environment. Business Organizations are open system that must interact and respond to the environment. The performance of the Firm therefore is influence by the environment. The environment of business is made up of all the elements that are relevant to an organization’s operation though outside its control. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Do You Think Firms Have Any Responsibility to Society?" essay for you Create order This means that to survive in business environment, firm must anticipate, interact, act and react to environments to utilize the opportunities (maximizing Shareholder wealth) and avert the threats of not getting involve in(corporate social responsibilities) protect the interest of the societies. 1. 1 What is Corporate social responsibility? : Corporate social responsibility (CSR), also known as corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, responsible business, sustainable responsible business (SRB), or corporate social performance, CSR is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. Ideally, CSR policy would function as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business would monitor and ensure its support to law, ethical standards, and international norms. The definition of CSR used within an organization can vary from the strict stakeholder impacts definition used by many CSR advocates and will often include charitable efforts and volunteering. CSR may be based within the human resources, business development or public relations departments of an organisation, or may be given a separate unit reporting to the CEO or in some cases directly to the board. Some companies may implement CSR-type values without a clearly defined team or programme. Consequently, business would embrace responsibility for the impact of its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. Furthermore, CSR-focused businesses would proactively promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminating practices that harm the public sphere, regardless of legality. Essentially, CSR is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making, and the honouring of a triple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit. Free market theory founded on liberal business ethos, presumably from Adam Smith: In the free marketplace, the essential (and ethical) aim for business leaders is to relentlessly pursue capital for their shareholders. The sole responsibility of business becomes simple: to facilitate the efficient allocation of economic resources and maximize shareholder wealth (i. e. become and remain as profitable as possible). Thus wealth creation transformed from selfish pursuit to â€Å"moral act. † Organized corporate responsibility programs not core function of business but seen ancillary to essential goal of profit-making This includes not only activities such a philanthropy, civic volunteerisms, and the like, but also â€Å"people centered† strategic public relations, such as Identifying and building mutually beneficia l relationships with publics, or Establishing and maintaining a favorable public reputation Sacconi(2004). 2. 0 CSR and Value Assertion Bansal(2000) stated that Corporate social responsibility are more than philanthropy, not just extraneous activity but should be core moral part of spectrum of obligations businesses address as part of society: in his word, he thought specifically about those decisions which managers face in the daily course of carrying out the firms normal business activities, but which carry inherent ethical connotations. Examples of these types of decisions would include those decisions regarding layoffs, plant closings, workplace safety, product safety, worker compensation, executive salaries, information disclosure, or the level of pollution emissions . 1 Business Decisions and Corporate social responsibility Because every business decision ultimately affects someone, the decision should be made responsibly. Public relations should play a vital role in decision making by pointing out the potential implications and consequences of all of the firms behaviors not only for the various stakeholders of the business but, in the long run, for the organization itself. Elements of Liberal Business Ethos †¢ Society is based on atomistic individual freedom, †¢ Individuals are exclusively self-interested; †¢ All relationships in economic society are by nature instrumental; Free markets are inherently stable and self-regulating; †¢ There is a natural division of labor between business and government; and †¢ The sole ethical responsibility of business is to maximize shareholder wealth (profits). Adam Smith credited with articulating basis for liberal business ethos in the Wealth of Nations: 2. 2 APPROACHES TO CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES An approach for CSR that is becoming more widely accepted is community-based development approach. In this approach, corporations work with local communities to better themselves. Often activities companies participate in are establishing education facilities for adults and Children, given scholarship and HIV/AIDS education programmes. The majority of these CSR projects are established in Nigeria by blue cheap companies such as Shell Nigeria in the Niger delta, Daimond bank Nigeria Plc –Building School Hostels Accommodation, AP oil, First bank Nigeria Plc to mention but a few. A more common approach of CSR is philanthropy. This includes monetary donations and aid given to local organizations and impoverished communities in developing countries. Some organization do not like this approach as it does not help build on the skills of the local people, whereas community-based development generally leads to more sustainable development. Another approach to CSR is to incorporate the CSR strategy directly into the business strategy of an organization. For instance, Diamond Bank Nigeria PLC in one of her product sponsor children to South Africa for maintaining some balances in their account. Another approach is garnering increasing corporate responsibility interest. This is called Creating Shared Value, or CSV. The shared value model is based on the idea that corporate success and social welfare are interdependent. A business needs a healthy, educated workforce, sustainable resources and adept government to compete effectively. For society to thrive, profitable and competitive businesses must be developed and supported to create income, wealth, tax revenues, and opportunities for philanthropy. CSV received global attention in the Harvard Business Review article Strategy Society: The Link between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility Michael(2000). Mark(1998) In his article provides insights and relevant examples of companies that have developed deep linkages between their business strategies and corporate social responsibility. Many approaches to CSR pit businesses against society, emphasizing the costs and limitations of compliance with externally imposed social and environmental standards. CSV acknowledges trade-offs between short-term profitability and social or environmental goals, but focuses more on the opportunities for competitive advantage from building a social value proposition 2. 3 Criticisms and concerns The practice of CSR is subject to much debate and criticism. Proponents argue that there is a strong business case for CSR, in that corporations benefit in multiple ways by operating with a perspective broader and longer than their own immediate, short-term profits. Critics argue that CSR distracts from the fundamental economic role of businesses; others argue that it is nothing more than superficial window-dressing; others yet argue that it is an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations. Corporate Social Responsibility has been redefined throughout the years. However, it essentially is titled to aid to an organizations mission as well as a guide to what the company stands for and will uphold to its consumers. Development Business ethics is one of the forms of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that can arise in a business environment. CSR and the nature of business :Milton Friedman and others have argued that a corporations purpose is to maximize returns to its shareholders, and that since (in their view), only people can have social responsibilities, corporations are only responsible to their shareholders and not to society as a whole. Although they accept that corporations should obey the laws of the countries within which they work, they assert that corporations have no other obligation to society. Some people perceive CSR as incongruent with the very nature and purpose of business, and indeed a hindrance to free trade. Those who assert that CSR is contrasting with capitalism and are in favor of neoliberalism argue that improvements in health, longevity and/or infant mortality have been created by economic growth attributed to free enterprise. Critics of this argument perceive neoliberalism as opposed to the well-being of society and a hindrance to human freedom. They claim that the type of capitalism practiced in many developing countries is a form of economic and cultural imperialism, noting that these countries usually have fewer labor protections, and thus their citizens are at a higher risk of exploitation by multinational corporations. A wide variety of individuals and organizations operate in between these poles. For example, the REALeadership Alliance asserts that the business of leadership (be it corporate or otherwise) is to change the world for the better. Many religious and cultural traditions hold that the economy exists to serve human beings, so all economic entities have an obligation to society (e. g. Economic Justice for All). Moreover, as discussed above, many CSR proponents point out that CSR can significantly improve long-term corporate profitability because it reduces risks and inefficiencies while offering a host of potential benefits such as enhanced brand reputation and employee engagement. 2. 4 CSR and questionable motives Some critics believe that CSR programs are undertaken by companies such as British American Tobacco (BAT), the petroleum giant BP (well-known for its high-profile advertising campaigns on environmental aspects of its operations), and to distract the public from ethical questions posed by their core operations. They argue that some corporations start CSR programs for the commercial benefit they enjoy through raising their reputation with the public or with government. They suggest that corporations which exist solely to maximize profits are unable to advance the interests of society as a whole. Another concern is when companies claim to promote CSR and be committed to Sustainable Development whilst simultaneously engaging in harmful business practices. For example, since the 1970s, the McDonalds Corporations association with Ronald McDonald House has been viewed as CSR and relationship marketing. More recently, as CSR has become mainstream, the company has beefed up its CSR programs related to its labor, environmental and other practices All the same, in McDonalds Restaurants v Morris Steel, Lord Justices Pill, May and Keane ruled that it was fair comment to say that McDonalds employees worldwide do badly in terms of pay and onditions and true that if one eats enough McDonalds food, ones diet may well become high in fat etc. , with the very real risk of heart disease. Shell has a much-publicized CSR policy and was a pioneer in triple bottom line reporting, but this did not prevent the 2004 scandal concerning its misreporting of oil reserves, which seriously damaged its re putation and led to charges of hypocrisy. Since then, the Shell Foundation has become involved in many projects across the world, including a partnership with Marks and Spencer (UK) in three flower and fruit growing communities across Africa Gary (2004) Critics concerned with corporate hypocrisy and insincerity generally suggest that better governmental and international regulation and enforcement, rather than voluntary measures, are necessary to ensure that companies behave in a socially responsible manner. Others, such as Patricia Werhane argue that CSR should be looked more upon as a Corporate Moral Responsibility, and limit the reach of CSR by focusing more on direct impacts of the organization as viewed through a systems perspective to identify stakeholders Fields(2002). In the increasingly conscience-focused marketplaces of the 21st century, the demand for more ethical business processes and actions (known as ethicism) is increasing. Simultaneously, pressure is applied on industry to improve business ethics through new public initiatives and laws (e. g. higher UK road tax for higher-emission vehicles). The term CSR came in to common use in the early 1970s, after many multinational corporations formed, although it was seldom abbreviated. The term stakeholder, meaning those on whom an organizations activities have an impact, was used to describe corporate owners beyond shareholders as a result of an influential Freeman(1984). . 5 Potential business Impacts of CSR The scale and nature of the Impacts of CSR for an organization can vary depending on the nature of the enterprise, and are difficult to quantify, though there is a large body of literature exhorting business to adopt measures beyond financial ones found a correlation between social/environmental performance and financial performance. However, businesses may not be looking at short-run financial returns when developing their CSR strategy. A recent survey of 20,000 people in 20 countries offers some fascinating insights into the way consumers, and societies at large, perceive the social and environmental responsibilities of business. Corporate Social Responsibility Monitor 2001: Global Public Opinion on the Changing Role of Companies identifies those aspects of corporate practice that matter most to the general public. It also reveals some intriguing differences in priorities between different regions of the world. The survey was undertaken by Environics International, and involved interviews with around 1,000 people in each of 20 countries including the USA, Canada, Mexico, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, India, Russia and Nigeria. The key findings are as follows. 1. Significant numbers of investors take a companys social performance into consideration when making investment decisions 2. In wealthy countries, social responsibility makes a greater contribution to corporate reputation than brand image 3. Companies that ignore social responsibility place market share at risk 4. Views and behaviours of opinion leaders indicate that consumers social expectations of companies will continue to grow 5. North American consumers represent the most socially demanding market for companies 6. Two distinct groups of citizens, making up a third of the world, are engaged in pressurizing companies to assume greater social responsibility Human resources A CSR programme can be an aid to recruitment and retention, particularly within the competitive graduate student market. Potential recruits often ask about a firms CSR policy during an interview, and having a comprehensive policy can give an advantage. CSR can also help improve the perception of a company among its staff, particularly when staff can become involved through payroll giving, fundraising activities or community volunteering. See also Corporate Social Entrepreneurship, whereby CSR can also be driven by employees personal values, in addition to the more obvious economic and governmental drivers. What to Do? Articulate an alternative corporate ethical framework that places public relations into the core goals of socially responsible corporations. Public relations often perceived as attempt by cynical corporations to manipulate public opinion. Sadly true in some cases, but PR much more than this. 3. 0 Conclusion If Corporate Social Responsibilities(CSR) could become truly valued and supported by all Firm, it could become the foundation for a revised ethos between businesses and their societies all over the world. Such a revision should turn the invisible hand of business profitability into a visible and active hand of social prosperity. And businesses would be the better for it. . 0 Recommendations If corporate morality is to change into something less selfish and more humane, it should be guided by someone who values human relationships and be socially responsible too. Corporations must acknowledge that they are part of broader society and that publics in the society can have an impact on their achievements. Corporate Social Responsibilities(CSR) is based on publics, and publics are cultural constructs. Corporate Social Respo nsibilities , therefore, must take into account culture. REFERENCES: Baker, M. Companies in Crisis- What to do when it all goes wrong. Bansal, P. , R. Roth (2000). Why Companies Go Green: A model of Ecological Responsiveness. The Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 43, No. 4. Bulkeley, H. (2001). Governing Climate Change: The Politics and Risk Society. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, New Series, Vol. 26, No. 4. Davis Lewiz (2001) â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility Monitor† Global Public Opinion on the Changing Role of Companies https://www. environicsinternational. com/ Fields, S. 2002). Sustainable Business Makes Dollars and Cents. Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 110, No. 3. 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