Blog comments

I made my comments in the following blogs: Lina Gaviria, Laura de Bedout, Juliana Aldana, Paulina Patiño and Carolina Jaramillo.

Preserving the Environment

The biggest Oil Brazilian Company “Petrobras” is a multinational recognized for its performing in exploration and production; downstream; trade, transportation and petrochemicals; derivative distribution; natural gas; biofuels, and electric energy. In the same way, Petrobras is also directed to propel development and ensure the future of the society showing that is possible to produce oil without forgetting the environment and acting in obedience to competency, ethics and respect for diversity.

Socio-environmental responsibility is a keyword that belongs to Petrobras´mission and vision caring about a sustainable future of the planet and next generations. It is worried to preserve natural resources and construct socio-environmental consciousness in the community. To accomplish these objectives the Organization uses a rational quantity of water in its operations, generates the least residues and gas emissions trying always to reduce the environmental impact and to reinforce their commitment.

Since 2003 Petrobras has been developing and supporting some environmental projects and programs investing high amounts of money. In 2008 the investments surpassed the 557 millions of Brazilian Real not only in environmental projects but also in the social, cultural and sporting ambits. The initiatives are carried out by commissions mainly represented in the civil society, the government and some professionals that compose the Petrobras personnel.

This activities and projects should be taken as clear models to follow up by all companies around the world. It is necessary that the society as a whole adopt a solidarity attitude in order to protect the place we live in and assure at the same time a proper space for our children.

What can different organizations & the Private sector do to avoid the abuse of minorities?

Abuse of minorities is a social and cultural problem that has been affecting the communities of many countries around the World. For this reason plenty of organizations and programs have been created in order to avoid or diminish the effect of those forms of exclusion and abuse of minorities. However, because the efforts of some governments to fight against this problem have not been enough and the outcomes are not the awaited, it is necessary to implement some strategies that allow a satisfactory solution. Both the organizations and the private sector have to make a serious commitment in this area, they have to adopt projects and programs of action that engage the society as a whole and assure a community cohesion and effective equality.

As a primary tool there is the education which can be used to sensitize people about the importance of diversity and the inclusion of minorities into the society. This can be achieved also through campaigns of communication that promote the protection against any form of discrimination and reduce race inequalities. Political and community leaders could represent an important key developing a great labor in this educational activity.

Finally, in order to assure the well functioning of all this campaigns and programs some committees or groups of work should be created. They would be charge of supervising the development of all the activities, control the labors of the people involved and correct the anomalies that could obstruct the progress of the mission.

Trade Unions

Trade Unions in Europe could be classified into the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) that was founded in 1973 to promote the interests of working people at the European level and to participate in the EU institutions. The ETUC speaks at a single voice on behalf of 82 trade union organizations in 36 European countries, plus 12 industry-based federations.

The ETUC`s prime objective is to work for the development of a united Europe of peace and stability and to foster European Social Model assuring full human and civil rights. This social model embodies a society that combines a sustainable economic growth with living and working standards, full employment, social inclusion and protection, equal opportunities and democratic policy-making processes. The ETUC also believes that workers’ consultation, collective bargaining, social dialogue and good working conditions are key factors to promote innovation, productivity, competitiveness and growth in Europe.

In the Latin American side there exist as well some Trade Unions that are representatives of workers in several industries tending to be concentrated in some specific areas, especially the public sector, with the purpose of improving their economic standards and working conditions through collective bargaining with employers. Despite of the objectives that are quite similar in both contexts, Labor Unions in Latin America do not work in the same way than the European Unions do. Because the State constantly figures in defining the union´s effective environment, their relationships with the state and political leaders sometimes becomes more relevant than their dealings with the employees they represent.

Enlace de Interés

http://mundoporlibre.com/

Islamic Law

The Islamic Law or “Sharia” is defined as the set of laws and principles that establishes the way Muslims should live or the path they must follow. This law also emphasizes moral and ethical values in all dealings of life and covers many aspects including economics, politics, business, banking, family and social issues.

The Electronic Commerce is a matter that is also analyzed in the frame of this set of rules generating a controversial debate in turn of its legality and accomplishment of Islamic principles in conducting businesses. This new process of selling and buying goods electronically has to be examine taking into account the rights of privacy, consumer data protection, rights to know the detailed of the products and other aspects. In this order of ideas, Muslims catalogue E-commerce as a short selling business with absence of concrete delivery, uncertainty and with juridical authentication´s problems.

I consider that E-Commerce should be worldwide accepted as a new way of technology that gives the benefit of facilitating economic transactions between producers and consumers. Despite of the contradictions that could emerge in this affair, E-Commerce should be taken as a tool and not as a threat against the Islamic Law. The principles that composed this ruling could be more flexible taking into account that it is very difficult to control a strict fulfillment of all requirements. The Law can require a minimum of conditions such as clarity and continuity in the communication, clearly defined products and conformity between the contracting parties.

Japanese-Korean-Colombian Management Styles