When Did “Happy Holidays” Become Offensive?
The end of the year brings with it a number of holidays associated with different religions or groups. Christians (and many non-Christians) celebrate the birth of Christ with Christmas. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that revolves around the miracle that took place at the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem (during which God made one day’s worth of oil last for eight nights, hence the number of candles on the menorah). And African-Americans celebrate their dual heritage with five days of Kwanzaa, an alternative to the dominant practices of the majority culture. Of course, there are many other holidays that take place globally during this time of year, and each comes with its own history and traditions for celebrants to observe. So it seems only natural, in a growing global economy, that businesses would adopt an open-minded attitude and wish everyone a happy holiday so as not to offend them by voicing inappropriate holiday sentiments. However, the movement towards acceptance has unexpectedly backfired in recent years, practically turning “Happy Holidays” into a four-letter word. Read more
Little Kindness in Big Business: A Resolution for the Corporate World
When most people hear the word “corporation”, they probably don’t think of a kind, caring, and fatherly entity that puts the needs of its workers at the top of the priority list. Corporations are cold and heartless, run by boards of wealthy individuals who are more concerned with the size of their dividends than the names of their employees. The bottom line is all-important and if layoffs or longer hours (for salaried workers) are the price, then so be it. But did you ever stop and wonder why so many people are willing to put in their time at large corporations only to defect to small businesses later on (taking their expertise with them)? Read more
Is the Threat of Firing Unethical?
There is sometimes a fine line between honesty and unethical behavior when it comes to business practices, particularly as it pertains to the job security of your employees. While it could be viewed as a kindness to let your employees know that layoffs are imminent (allowing them time to put together their resumes and begin searching for alternate employment before they find themselves out in the cold), some businesses might use the threat of job loss to motivate employees to take on extra work without commensurate pay or promotion, work longer hours or skip breaks sans overtime, or do things they wouldn’t otherwise do. In short, the threat of firing can be used to manipulate and exploit employees. This is not only unethical, but also illegal. Read more
Tanking Competitor Websites: Unethical or Illegal?
The “www” moniker used for the worldwide web could just as easily be said to stand for “wild, wild west”, due to the largely unregulated landscape that the internet represents. Because the potential for expansion is limitless, and indeed, millions of new websites spring up each day, it is almost impossible at this point to control what people are doing and how they are manipulating the chameleonic nature of the beast. As a result, it’s almost too easy to undermine competitors as a way to keep your own website on top, and many businesses are not above employing underhanded tactics to ensure that their rankings remain high. But how do they do it, and more importantly, why are they getting away with it? Read more
The Giving Pledge: Businessmen and Women Give Back
If you’ve never heard of an organization called The Giving Pledge, don’t feel left out. Before a few days ago, most people had never heard of this amazing group of billionaires (or at least not in connection to their charity). The recent inclusion of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has brought this organization prominently into the spotlight and most people will be amazed to find that it has been in the works for a while, flying largely under the radar despite the miraculous promise it entails. Started by some of the biggest of big names (Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates), those who elect to join the group must pledge to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy either during their lifetime or upon death. The one requirement for membership: a net worth that numbers in the billions.
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Ethical Christmas Shopping
This is a guest post on behalf of Stocking Fillers.
Christmas is the season of gift giving. But instead of just buying gifts for friends and family, why not consider doing your Christmas shopping the ethical way? Ethical shopping, also known as ethical consumerism, is when people deliberately buy products that are produced in an ethical way. Examples of ethical products would be those that seek to minimize harm to and exploitation of humans, animals and the environment. There are two ways to perform ethical consumerism – you can either practice ‘positive buying,’ which means purchasing products that are made ethically, or ‘moral boycotting,’ which means refusing to purchase products made by companies that cause harm or exploitation. Ethical Christmas shopping is basically a way of killing two birds with one stone – purchase a great gift and help contribute positively to the world at the same time. Here are three things to look for when shopping ethically for Christmas.
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Women’s International Loan Fund Makes Female Entrepreneurs
If you live in a country where women are not only allowed to work, but encouraged to do so, you may not be aware that there are still many places in the world where opportunities for females to work simply do not exist. On top of this, smart and motivated women who are eager to learn a trade that helps them support their family will probably face a battle on multiple fronts. Not only will they have to contend with a husband who is threatened by their independence and a community that clings desperately to traditional gender roles, they are also generally unable to secure the funding needed to start their business venture (even if it is only a small amount). To this end, the Women’s International Loan (WIL) Fund strives to provide entrepreneurial women across the globe with a chance to make their business dreams into a money-making reality. Read more
The Debate over “End-of-Year” Bonuses
Veterans of the corporate world likely remember a time when “Christmas” bonuses were something to be expected every year. A bump in pay around the holidays was just the company’s way of saying, “Thanks for helping us have another profitable year.” In most cases, this type of bonus actually had nothing to do with merit, but was simply seen as a way to give a little something extra to employees during the season of giving. However, the practice has become a problem for many businesses, especially with an ongoing recession bringing questions of frivolous spending to the forefront. And whether a company is adding a percentage to the holiday paycheck, hosting a lavish party, or handing out gift baskets, they may have to face recriminations from the court of public opinion for a practice that was at one time expected, and lauded as generous. Read more
Tax Cuts for the Wealthy: A Recipe for Disaster
If you pay attention to current events, then you have probably heard about President Obama’s long crusade to end the tax cuts for the wealthy that flourished under the Bush administration. In fact, it was a big selling point in his bid for presidency. Unfortunately, he recently made an abrupt about-face on his stance, reneging on his promise to end unfair exemptions for the wealthiest Americans. Although this has a lot to do with selling his agenda for extending unemployment benefits for the many jobless citizens who continue to go without work (back-alley deal-making at its finest), he may not realize the blow he has dealt the country. And many nations that deal with tax brackets can learn a valuable lesson from the blunder that the American government is about to make. Read more
Be Good to the Economy AND the Earth This Christmas
There’s no doubt about it: Christmas generates a lot of negative side effects for the environment even as it helps to bolster our failing economy. But it doesn’t have to be one or the other. In fact, you may be doing more for the global economy this year if you make a concerted effort to help the environment as part of the deal. You don’t necessarily have to forego gift-giving by offering donations to charity in the names of your loved ones (although that is certainly an eco-friendly option). You can still be a good little consumer, keep your loved ones happy with piles of presents, and do your part to support the ongoing functionality of the planet just by following a few simple guidelines this holiday season. Read more