Impact of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in India

Impact of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in India Abstract NGO’s have grown in number over the past years in India and has been an important factor that has an impact on business, government and society. NGO’s work directly or indirectly with companies to ensure proper corporate behaviour especially when it has an impact on the society and environment. NGO’s have become an important stakeholder in business activities, government decisions by playing an important role in pointing out the shortcomings of government and Multi national corporations. The visibility of NGO’s has increased throughout the years. Many corporations are partnering with NGO’s to carry out their Corporate social responsibility related activities. So this paper aims at measuring the impact of NGO’s on Business, government and society through certain indicators and case study . Literature Review Hansen and Spitzeck.H (2010) in their paper â€Å"Stakeholder governance:An analysis of BITC Corporate responsibility index â€Å" have found that over the years NGO’s have become an integral stakeholder of a multinational corporation. Companies are partnering with NGO’s in order to address social and community needs . LaFrance and Lehmann(2005) in their paper â€Å"Corporate-Awakening why some corporations engage in Public –Private partnership† have found that the important factors why companies engage in CSR activities are to improve the community as a whole and companies provide the necessary finance , the NGO’s ensure that the right amount reaches the right people. Hess and Warren (2008) in their paper have indicated that it is important that both the company and the society benefits from CSR activities. This is on the impact of NGO’S on the business and society front. The impact of NGO’s on the functioning of the government has also increased over the years. Inger Ull in his paper â€Å"The role and impact of NGO’S in capacity development â€Å" found that NGOs have become the main service providers in functions where government lacks efficiency and over the years NGO’s have moved a step ahead from a mere â€Å"gap filling â€Å" role to a capacity building role. So this paper aims at answering the research question â€Å"In India are the NGO’s able to play a significant role in CSR activities of a company and inturn help in the transformation of the society â€Å" and â€Å" Is the government in India shunting the role of NGO’s in improving the society ?†. Method The research methodology is a case study based approach in which Procter and Gamble’s Shiksha program is taken to study how NGO’s and companies can work in a collaborative manner to bring about a change in the society. The case of Karnataka is taken to discuss the relationship between NGO’S and the government . Case Discussion CSR ACTIVITIES IN INDIA A 2011 KPMG report showed that of 100 earning companies in India only 16% of the companies have a proper CSR strategy . Even after the 2009 rule that all companies must set aside atleast 2% for CSR activities many companies struggle in putting that to use. This is mainly because companies often lack expertise on how to manage these funds. This brings a wide range of opportunities for NGO’s to step in . Major companies are relying on NGO’s to manage the CSR activities. One of the companies that has successful CSR activity in collaboration with NGO’s is Procter and Gamble through their Shiksha program PG’s CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAM IN INDIA PG’s flagship CSR program is the shiksha program which was started in 2005 when PG found that education is the sector in which consumers were willing to contribute in their own little way. Shiksha enable consumers to contribute for education of under-privileged children through simple brand choices. Since inception Shiksha has gathered close to around 22 crores for helping children for a better education. The major pillars that help PG in this endeavor are the consumers and the NGO’s with which PG has partnered with. It has partnered with NGO’s like Save the children India, Army wives welfare association, Round Table India etc where these NGO’s help in building infrastructure, lay emphasis on education of girl child and differently abled children . Through this program PG along with the NGO’s have built SHIKSHA schools which gives children proper health and hygiene facilities at schools such as clean drinking water, advanced educational aids for chi ldren such as libraries and computer centres. Shiksha has also evolved into a national consumer movement with support from media, employees , consumers and celebrities . IMPACT ON THE SOCIETY The shiksha program now reaches around 385,000 children in across 200 schools in India. It has provided children with various facilities like digital library and schemes like mid-day meal and parivartan. In 2012 PG’s initiative brought about distance learning program at Government High schools through which children had access to listen to experts from various parts of the country. PG also partnered with IBTADA an NGO to adopt a girls high school in Rajasthan to encourage education of girl child. PG’s key partner a NGO called Round Table India, takes care of the maintenance and running of the RTI Shiksha schools . With the Motto of â€Å"Padhega India Toh Badhega India† PG believes that secret of brighter India lies in the future generation attaining good quality education. Through this program PG commits a minimum donation of 1 Crore every year. IMPACT ON BUSINESS CSR activities at PG had not only benefited the society , it has benefited the business activities of PG too. The shiksha program became a huge movement which was endorsed by top notch celebrities . This has increased the brand image of PG products among consumers. Moreover by making the consumers also contributors to their CSR program , PG has made the consumers also their major partners in the CSR activities and gives them the sense of giving back to the society by buying PG products. All this wouldn’t have been possible without proper partners who can make use of the funds appropriately and ensure that the money reaches the right hands. So major credit for the success of this program is owed to the NGO’s who ensure that all activities take place in a smooth manner. Therefore NGO’s indirectly contribute to the growth of a company by helping companies manage the CSR activities. Therefore from the above example of PG we can conclude that a collaboration between a company and NGO can have a significant impact on the business and society. IMPACT OF NGO’S ON GOVERNMENT Over the years NGO’s have become an integral part of the society they have become the main service providers in areas where government fails to achieve. They not only play the role of gap filling but they also help in capacity building . Unless government and NGO’s partner with each other capacity building initiatives will not be successful. But does the government in India really support NGO activities is a big question mark. Inorder to answer the question the case of relationship between government and NGO’s in Karnataka is taken. IMPACT OF NGO IN KARNATAKA In India there can be observed a pattern in the relationship between state and NGO’s pre independence NGO’s where silent partners . Post independence the relationship became antagonistic. The state sought to control the NGO’s by posing many restrictions and regulations. But in the present India most of the states work in a collaborative manner with NGO’s and the NGO’s have also become highly professionalized. Karnataka was one of the states which has an active collaboration with NGO’s. Karnataka has a fair amount of voluntary groups and they are majorly rural oriented NGO’s. One major factor for NGO development in Karnataka is the devolution of powers within the panchayathi raj. Decentralization of power makes the relationship between the government and NGO’s easier. The NGO’s in Karnataka are mostly rural oriented NGO’s but apart from these there are NGO’s who emphasize on growing importance on the alliance between the state and NGO’s . In 1990 when Infrastructure was lacking in bangalore CIVIC was started to address the issue of rapidly decaying infrastructure in Bangalore and to pressurize the government in taking necessary steps. Today Bangalore is one of the cities that has best infrastructure. Karnataka also has a strong formal networks which helps NGO’s to express solidarity, share experiences and help in identifying developmental problems. Another important factor that has helped in the collaboration of NGO’s and the state is the establishment of point of contacts. The government of Karnataka regulates and funds NGO’s . The government has also taken initiatives in setting up NGO’s or supporting existing NGO’s . An example of this is the establishment of MYRADA inorder to resettle Tibetean stay homes. The government of Karnataka has also attempted to establish institutional channels for communication with the NGO’s. In 1984 it set up a forum that consisted of NGO representatives and government heads and it was chaired by the development commissioner . This forum meets atleast twice a year inorder to discuss developmental problems and to resolve the procedural problems between the government and NGO’s . This has facilitated a better relationship between the two parties. Today Karnataka is one of the states that has active voluntary groups and the number has increased year on year. From the above case we can conclude that if NGO’s work in collaboration with the government they can have a huge impact on the government and the society Conclusion The number of NGOs in India has increased over years and they play an important role in the society. NGO’s can also have a huge impact on business and government. Through CSR activities NGO’s help companies in manging their funds and ensure that the money allocated for CSR purpose reaches the right hands. With proper collaboration with governments NGOs not only do the role of gap filling but they also help in capacity building. Therefore NGO’s have a significant impact on business, government and society. References Allard, Gayle. The Influence of Government Policies and NGOs on Capturing Private Investment. Diss. Instituto De Empressa, 2008. Web Home. PGIndia.com Social Responsibility Programs in India: Team Building, Employee Engagement. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Hansen, and Spitzeck. Stakeholder Governance:An Analysis of BITC Corporate Responsibility Index. N.p., n.d. Web Lafrance, and Lehmann. Corporate-Awakening Why Some Corporations Engage in Public –Private Partnership. (2010): n. pag. Web

The Oppression of Women and Their Movement Toward Individuality :: Essays Papers

The Oppression of Women and Their Movement Toward Individuality The theme of individual and society can be looked upon in many different manners. There is the concept of people separating themselves from society in order to become individuals and express their individuality. There is the concept of individuality and the consequences its expression may have. The situation exists in which individuality is limited by society. Each of these ways of looking at the theme of individuals and society is something that has affected women since the beginning of recorded time. Throughout history, women have been suppressed and undermined by those who claim superiority over them based solely on a difference in chromosomes, not a difference in intelligence, talent, or ability. These claims have been made based on ideas from Biblical representations of men and women to protecting women and ensuring their mental and physical well-being. Still, women formed a unity that had clear goals, valid supporters, and strong leaders that enabled them to overcome their oppressions. Many ideas of male superiority come from and began with the Bible. It can be noted that woman, in the second creation story in Genesis, is made from that which is man. It can also be noted that it is a woman who, in the Garden of Eden story in Genesis, initially commits the first act against God's wishes and therefore causes herself and her companion to be judged and punished. Throughout the Bible, women are rarely referred to by an actual proper name. Women are referred to as property, a mere woman in a world of men. Also in the Bible, women are presented to be focused entirely around the home and are property of men with the sole purpose of bearing children, as in the Abraham, Sarah, and Haggar cycle in Genesis in which the two women are property of Abraham, there only to provide him with an heir. However unfortunate, in the context and time it was written, this was the case. Still, today we cannot believe the Bible to be a guideline for the roles of women. Many ideas may be false concerning what has been inferred and what was actually written and its purpose. A closer reading of the text will prove that women played a vital role in many of the treasured beliefs of believers. Even without names, women had a voice and were a force to be reckoned with.

Leaders

Does the quest for power and wealth, which led to centuries of violent guest and subjugation of city? States and empire during ancient times, continue to happen at present times? – Leaders, presidents, barraging captains, a ruler off place, and others have this ranks getting better and better. For this instance this leaders abuse their power to people to feel that they are strong and they have power, but they are not and they do not have any power. Some leaders are going to be violent because some people do not follow them so they would get mad. Ferdinand E.Marco's, he is en of the presidents that he thinks that he can rule over the people. The people, that time, does not have any rights to talk, they do not have any freedom. Yes, he is very smart, and made our country a better country, but that was the problem, he did not give any freedom to the people. Money changes people. There are these people who uses their money for them instead help the community. Let us use President Gloria MacDougal Arroyo as an example, instead of using the money or donating the money for the people she used the money of the people for her body and face.If you re wondering what my answer is, it's a yes. Leaders wanted power and wealth. It led violent guest and subjugation of the city. Every year or every time they change the leader they have these laws or rules that you should follow whether you like or not. Leaders want to execute people who disobey them. Being a leader those not mean you have to have all the power and money It Is all about being smart, how good you are in helping people, you are ready for the challenges, you have to give what the people want, and you have to give them the people's rights. That is when the leaders darted doing right things.They gave us freedom, and rights. Other countries helped us with the wars and with the Spaniards who are punishing us for no reason and used us as slaves. These leaders feel that they are higher than us, but all of us are t he same. This led our country to do things for others because they think that we are low. There are a lot of countries that tricked us. Like the Americans they went to the Philippines to use our lands but the Filipinos thinks that time that they are going to help us but they did not do anything. The American people tricked us. Then the Filipino people had enough.That Is how we, Filipinos started fighting and we started defending there selves. We stared creating our own rules, our own laws, governments, and policies. That time other people does not have any right to rule us but the ones that can rule us Is the people that can take care of us and can listen to the people problem. These kinds of presidents brought us to stay strong and fight for our country and us. We started as a ruined group of people but we are building walls behind us to make us strong and to tell people that If they mess with us they mess with the wrong people.Until now there are still presidents, not only preside nts but also senators or mayors that use the money of the people, but we know that one day we can be a better country. By bulls_babe you have to have all the power and money it is all about being smart, how good you Filipino people had enough. That is how we, Filipinos started fighting and we started but the ones that can rule us is the people that can take care of us and can listen to the people problem. These kinds of presidents brought us to stay strong and fight for behind us to make us strong and to tell people that if they mess with us they mess

Make your writing incredibly appealing with 10 unexpected secret

Make your writing incredibly appealing with 10 unexpected secret Make Your Writing Incredibly Appealing With 10 Unexpected Secret There are many writers in the world, however, not all of them have their own voice. Writing with you own voice is something that comes with time. Begin by reaching inside yourself to find your inner dark, or light side. It is suggested that writers write about what they know. We can think all day about our experiences, but putting them down on paper is harder that it sounds. It is hard because as writers we forget that in order to become a paid writer, we don’t write for ourselves, we have to do it for our audience. When we were kids, those of us that love to write, were usually somewhere off to ourselves writing poems or short stories, and we only had to listen to our own thoughts and just jot things down. Our parents praised out efforts whether they understood what we wrote or not. That is not the way we should be writing today. In order to find our voice, we need to have an audience to listen to it, to validate it, to make us some money. Don’t get me wrong, there are still times that writing is just for writings sake, but when we have to pay the bills and we have graduated college and need that extra cash, we need to be writing to get it. How do you find your voice to write for others’, how do you begin to engage your audience? Get to know your Audience This means doing extensive research. When you are surfing the Internet interacting with social media, begin to keep a record of the demographics that are going on at the sites that you visit. What are the people in your groups saying, what are they asking about? Their ages? Locations? The people that you have chosen to spend time with are your homework, they are who your audience is. Google Plus has a communities’ page that gives you access to hundreds of groups. Which of these are you drawn too? That is your audience. People that can make you open your mind and write in your voice are the people that will buy your writing skills. These are the people that your writing will be incredibly appealing too. Survey Your Friends and Neighbors There are plenty of ways to utilize surveys. One way in particular is the â€Å"what do you need† type of survey. Finding out what people need is a great way to find your voice. When you know what someone needs, you can reach into the wealth of information that you have gathered through research and life, and see if it is something that you can service. Your Voice Not Someone Else’s’ Look in the mirror. See that face? It is totally individual from anyone’s on the planet. You are not going to write like anyone but you. If you try to , you will fail miserably, and you will stunt your own writer's creativity. Stop comparing yourself to the other who is making good. You time will come. You have to work on it, each and every day. Keep your thoughts on finding what you can write about that will come naturally from your soul instead of how so-and-so had a release party for their new book. Find your voice in an essay Can you think of a time in your life that things were making you feel trapped? How did you grow up, was it in a bad neighborhood, were you adopted, an orphan? Possibly you may have had a golden life. Did you grow up rich and then find yourself penniless after the recession? Are you feeling me on these topics? Write about details of your life and release it in essay form. Oh? You thought your essay writing days were over?   No, you are a writer and you will be developing essays for various reasons all your life, well serious writers will. Blog the essay onto social media and wait for the comments. What are people saying about it, is there any response at all? If not, try something new, but if you get a plethora of comments that start off with, I wish I had†¦or, If I could have done†¦. or This is what I have been looking for, then you have found your audience. Appeal to The Humanness in Humans When you begin to get those creative juices flowing onto that blank page, what are going for? Tears, laughter, anger? Engaging your audience begins with being able to drive right through the heart of the individual that is reading your copy and being able to keep them interested in what you are saying. If your characterizations are boring, so will the outcome of your story. If your topic doesn’t grab their attention with the opening paragraph, some may read two or three but seriously, how many books/articles/ etc. have you read past the first couple of paragraphs that sounded like Charlie Brown’s parents, uninteresting and un-intelligible.   When explaining a book, you have read, doesn’t it feel good to say how much you loved it and how engaging it was? Feelings are what every type of writing is going after. Pets cannot read, although there are some pet owners that think that theirs can. That is a whole different article. Leave Your Arrogance for Your Diary Focusing on using your voice for your audience’s sake, comes with examining your style of writing. To choose a style begin by exploring the level of understanding that the reader has of your topic. Experts: When writing for those that already know what they are talking about you run into those that have very strong opinions about what you are writing, and sometimes those opinions don’t flex. You can work around this as long as you do your research and you know your stuff. Writing for experts gives you the opportunity to write about the topic without having to take baby-steps around the subject to get to its meaning. You can mention the things that they already recognize and allude to people that they have been exposed to. Engaging your audience on this level is challenging but also beneficial because you are learning something that you may not have tried before. Stretch your voice beyond what you think you hear inside your head. It is profitable. General Audiences: This style of writing needs more explaining, clarifying and background information. The audience reading general information are open to learning about the topic and not question too much about what you are trying to convey. The Novice: This audience member is the one you write manuals, how to books, and essays for. It is the most detailed oriented style of writing. Make sure the audience that is new to the subject is walked through what you are saying step by step. Many product reviewers use this style of writing for consumers who do not know anything about the products they may be purchasing. Learn a New Language You may ask, â€Å"what does this have to do with engaging my audience or finding my voice†? Think about it. It comes next to impossible to underestimate the importance of improving language skills.  Today there are many gadgets that can be used to transcribe your work into different languages, wouldn’t it be beneficial for you to expand your language knowledge base so that you can reach people in other countries with your content? But to do that you need to have at least a basic command of the target nationalities language that you want to expose your writing too. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on language software. The link above has many sites that will teach you a new language for free. Staring at the Screen Too Long The creativity you need to start writing comes in many forms other than your writing. Get up from your desk and do other things besides stare at the screen. That white space is not going to fill up with your creative genius just because you are sitting there. If you are going to find your voice, you have to explore beyond your own back yard. Travel if necessary or possible for a day or two, take photos of your surroundings. If your writing is boring, it is because your life is boring. Spice up everything around you. Sleep in a different place tonight, and write about it tomorrow. Contrast and Compare If you are trying to get a good response from your audience, give them an article that will present two different arguments. This form of writing takes a certain amount of research because you want the statistics about the subject to be correct. At the end of the article or blog post, welcome comments or opposing views. You are bound to get readers that come back to this style of writing, everyone has an opinion. Read The best writers read continuously. Not just their preferred genre but everything that is accessible. When you are an assignment writer, a Kindle or a good e-reader is your best friend. You can begin a library of hundreds of books, that you can carry around with you while doing that research you need to meet that deadline and come up with engaging copy for your audience. So, you want to be a writer? Well this won’t be the last list of tips for writing that you will read. Start a file with them, copy/paste all that you come across and study them. There is a mindset that you as a writer must establish, writing is first and foremost a love affair with words, and in order to keep the relationship fresh you must find your voice in your audience to make your writing incredibly appealing.

The outcasts of poker flats quick to judge essays

The outcasts of poker flats quick to judge essays The Outcasts of Poker Flat is a great example of what life was like during the rough and tumble days of the California Gold Rush. The author Bret Harte tells the story of a town known as Poker Flat wishing to improve itself by removing the undesirables from it. The story begins by learning of the group of people chosen to be outcast into the world and to fend for themselves during a harsh winter season. After they have been exiled and are outside the city walls, most of the group can not handle the situation presented before them The four people labeled by the secret town committee as improper persons (414) and forever banished from the town are: Uncle Billy, a thief and the town drunkard, Duchess, a local prostitute, Mother Shipton, another prostitute, and the extremely, over successful gambler Mr. John Oakhurst. As the outcasts heavily armed escort heads back to Poker Flat, the reader soon begins to realize who the leader of the group is. As the escort disappeared, their pent-up feelings found vent in a few hysterical tears from the Duchess, some bad language from Mother Shipton, and a Perthian volley of expletives from Uncle Billy. The philosophic Oakhurst alone remained silent(414). As for the rest of his company, they cant believe theyve just been left alone to take care of themselves, and can not handle the pressure and therefore explicitly express their distaste for their situation. Oakhurst, however, with the easy good humor characteristic of his class (415), chivalrously gives his own horse Five Spot (415) for the sorry mule that Duchess rode. This example of Oakhursts leadership and kindness is just one of many instances in which the author portrays John Oakhurst as the strongest of all the characters. Oakhurst, being the extremely talented poker player, maintains his poker face even in the face despair. As the story pro ...

Economic Growth Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Economic Growth Experience - Essay Example Therefore, real GDP is preferable as it gives a more accurate view of the economy. Per capita GDP is the most preferred measure because it shows and compares relative performances of each given country. There are problems that may arise when comparing the growth rate of different countries; this may be due to components that are used in one country in calculating their GDP may be omitted in the other country. In additional to that the economies of the two countries may not be equal or homogeneously comparable. However in any country whereby there is a constant increase in per –capita GDP may signify improvement in welfare and living standards. Other statistics that can be used in analyzing economic growth of a country include income distribution analysis, household consumption and wealth analysis. These statistics are not widely used in all countries compared to GDP, but they work efficiently giving the same results. Year GDP GROWTH Growth rate (%) Mean rate Deviation from mea n(?) 1990 544.7 1991 533.8 -10.9 -2 1.78 -3.78 14.2884 1992 531.1 -2.7 -0.5 1.78 -2.28 5.1984 1993 542 10.9 2 1.78 0.22 0.0484 1994 565.4 23.4 4.3 1.78 2.52 6.3504 1995 581.2 15.8 2.7 1.78 0.92 0.8464 1996 593.7 12.5 2.2 1.78 0.42 0.1764 1997 614.4 20.3 3.4 1.78 1.62 2.6244 1998 628.6 14.2 2.3 1.78 0.52 0.2704 1999 635.7 7.1 1.1 1.78 -0.68 0.4624 2000 650.4 14.7 2.3 1.78 0.52 0.2704 ?=17.8 ?=30.536 a) The growth rate is given in column 4 above and the overall growth rate is; {(650.4-544.7) ?544.7} ?100 =19.4% b) The average growth rate shall be; (-2+-0.5+2+4.3+2.7+2.2+3.4+2.3+1.1+2.3)?10 =1.78 c) The standard deviation shall be; vn; where n is the number of years. Therefore; v30.536/10 = v3.0536 = 1.75 The GDP growth rate has been relatively stable over the years. Q.3 (a) Alpha Beta Gamma Growth Rate 0.05% 2% 6% 2001 $1,000.00 $1,000.00 $1,000.00 2002 $1,005.00 $1,020.00 $1,060.00 2003 $1,010.03 $1,040.40 $1,123.60 2004 $1,015.08 $1,061.21 $1,191.02 2005 $1,020.15 $1,082.43 $1,264. 48 2006 $1,025.25 $1,104.08 $1,338.23 2007 $1,030.38 $1,126.16 $1,418.52 2008 $1,035.53 $1,148.69 $1,503.63 2009 $1,040.71 $1,171.65 $1,593.85 2010 $1,045.91 $1,195.08 $1,689.48 2011 $1,051.14 $1,218.98 $1,790.85 2012 $1,056.40 $1,243.36 $1,898.30 2013 $1,061.68 $1,268.23 $2,012.20 2014 $1,067.00 $1,298.60 $2,132.93 2015 $1,072.32 $1,319.47 $2,260.90 2016 $1,077.68 $1,345.86 $2,396.56 2017 $1,083.07 $1,372.77 $2,540.35 2018 $1,088.49 $1,400.24 $2,692.77 2019 $1,093.93 $1,428.24 $2,854.34 2020 $1,099.40 $1,456.81 $3,025.60 2021 $1,104.90 $1,485.94 $3,207.14 2022 $1,110.42 $1,515.66 $3,399.56 2023 $1,115.97 $1,545.97 $3,603.54 2024 $1,121.55 $1,576.89 $3,819.75 2025 $1,127.16 $1,608.43 $4,048.94 2026 $1,132.80 $1,640.59 $4,291.87 2027 $1,138.46 $1,673.41 $4,549.38 2028 $1,144.15 $1,706.87 $4,822.34 2029 $1,149.87 $1,741.01 $5,111.68 2030 $1,155.62 $1,775.84 $5,418.38 2031 $1,161.40 $1,811.35 $5,743.49 With a growth rate of 0.5% the GDP of alpha is expected to rise to $1161, beta $1811 , and gamma $5743 by 2031. Q. 3bSmall differences in growth rate could have a big impact on countries’ economy Q.3c.The per capita GDP at a future year, (tn) shall be given by; Vtn = Vt0*(1+CAGR) n 1. Where; CAGR is the compound annual growth rate 2. Vtn is the GDP at time n 3. Vt0 is the initial GDP at the beginning Q.4 a. 1960 2000 Minimum GDP per capita $456.2411 $515.0736 Maximum GDP per capit

Corporate Social Responsibility and Disclosure Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility and Disclosure - Essay Example The abstract summarises in a very few words the contents of the paper. It is well written and divulges important and necessary information that is important from a reader’s perspective to decide whether the paper is of his/her interest or not. In the introduction, the author does a good job introducing the research topic and the reason behind choosing this topic. The introduction clearly states the purpose of the research. The research topic chosen by the author is important, mainly because of the target country/sample – Companies in Saudi Arabia. Going forward Saudi Arabia will not only play an important role in Middle East economy but also in world economy. It is one of the most important emerging markets globally and hence, the author’s topic is justified and relevant. The literature review lacks depth as it only lists the studies/research conducted on the topic and its results but fails to discuss in depth the importance of the findings of those researches. T he author has just touched upon each variable wherein in-depth discussion could have been very effective. The sample chosen and the methodology have been designed carefully by the researcher taking into consideration various factors and the population of the research. The author has explained the reasons behind the chosen research strategy. The researcher finds through this research that firm size significantly positively affects the level of disclosure while the other variables are insignificant. The researcher could have again in detail discussed the reason behind the role of different variables but instead only briefly discusses them. This leaves an opportunity for further research, to understand how and why the variables affect disclosure in companies. Article 2 - Contexts and corporate social responsibility: The case of Saudi Arabia The article looks at the different kinds of the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) related activities in Saudi Arabia. The content of the topic has been well chosen, as this area of the research has not been explored well in the near past. There are a number of the social determinants that need to be taken into the consideration in critiquing the various facets of the paper. As mentioned previously, this area of the research is very significant due to the implications of the research in this area. The definitive principle of this paper deals with the different kinds of the activities being carried out in the state. The title contents have been well chosen. The key words have been provided for the paper, which makes it easier in terms of referring to the relevant contents in terms of the key words. The credentials of the author have been given, but the previous experience in writing the papers is missing. It deals with the present area of the research. The contextual realities of the ground have been detailed. This paper has been written well in a number of the areas. But, on closer introspection; there are a number of areas that seem half-baked. The key drivers of the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) have been mentioned, but the exhaustive definition of each of the levels has not been provided. The weak points of the stakeholder have been mentioned. The characterization of these points is missing. The explanation also seems very theoretical, failing to explain the mechanisms behind it. Overall, the paper has been very well written; but