A Corporate Social Responsibility Program In A Company Business Essay

A Corporate Social Responsibility Program In A Company Business Essay In todays highly competitive business world, corporations want to do everything to survive and grow. Corporate Social Responsibility is now part of daily business practice of many companies in the world, but this idea is not shared by everyone. There are still lots of debate about whether Corporate Social Responsibility is merely a cost to the corporation or it can bring competitive advantages. With proper analysis and implementation, Corporate Social Responsibility can greatly enhance corporations competitive advantage. 1.Introduction Corporate social responsibility becomes popular in the late 20th century. As consumers became more and more aware of corporate activities around the world, a growing number of corporations began to consider their impacts on the society and the environment. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) basically means that a corporation does more for wellbeing of others than make more money and obeys the law sense. In depth, CSR (also called  corporate conscience,  corporate citizenship,  social performance, or  sustainable responsible business/ Responsible Business) is a form of  corporate self-regulation  integrated into a  business model. CSR policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance within the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international  norms. CSR is a process with the aim to embrace responsibility for the companys actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities,  stakeholders  and all other members of the public sphere who may also be considered as stakeholders [1]. Corporate social responsibility involves marketing philosophies, policies, procedures and actions whose primary objective is the enhancement of the society [2]. To establish a corporate social responsibility program in a company, a description of the program in the companys mission statement and code of ethics is usually required. Also, company need to making the existence of the program known to the stakeholders and other interested parties. These programs often produce such benefits as improved customer relationships, increased employee loyalty, market place success and improved financial performance. Companies can benefit from their contributions to the society and at the same time minimize social environment impact. Social responsibility demands that organizations accept obligations to give equal weight to profits, consumer satisfaction and social well- being in evaluating their companys performance. They must recognize the importance of relatively qualitative consumer and social benefit as well as the quantitative measure of sales, revenue and profit by which companies have traditionally measured marketing performance. Competitive advantage is a set of unique features of a company and its products are perceived by the target market as a significant and superior to the competition. It is the factor or factors that cause consumers to patronize a company and not the competition. The purpose of corporate social responsibility as a tool for competitive advantage is to win the fidelity of the community as a result of the intense and keen competition among the industries. The practices of the CSR create a symbiotic relationship between the company and the community within which it operates, therefore giving them the insight about the importance and the need to be socially sensitive. The following are Corporate Social Responsibility issues: Employee issues in workplace, health and safety work environment. Issues with customer in market place Social development Risk Management Brand differentiation Aspect and well treatments in workplace Issue in community There are four Different types of Corporate Social Responsibility: Environmental CSR: businesses need to operate in ways that are not waste environmentally. Once considered the cost of doing business, encourage corporations to operating procedures to reduce environmental impact, and government has stepped in to apply rules to waste disposal. Community based CSR: businesses work with other organizations in order to improve people life quality in the community. Also use the most efficient procedures to minimize wasted capital. HR based CSR: placed corporations in a precarious position that improve the wellbeing of the staff. Philanthropy: businesses take the form of investments in the community. Common examples of corporate philanthropy include donate money to supporting or fully funding educational initiatives, scholarship programs and community beautification projects. 2. CSR Brings Competitive Advantages The benefits of CSR for a corporation can vary depending on the business nature of the corporation. There is correlation between social/environmental performance and financial performance [3]. CSR can bring following competitive advantages to the company: Human resources A CSR program can be an aid to recruitment and retention, particularly within the competitive graduate student market[4]. 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. CSR has been found to encourage customer orientation among frontline employees . First CSR placed corporations in a precarious position that improve the wellbeing of the staff, it satisfied employees. Satisfy employee safety needs. Ensure employees job security, provide them their safety needs( physical health, job security ). Employees feel satisfy with physical safety needs. Their medical insurance and financial meet their safety needs. Employees feel more satisfied with a stable work. 1. Satisfied employees. Employees want to feel proud of the organization they work for. An employee with a positive attitude towards the company, is less likely to look for a job elsewhere. It is also likely that you will receive more job applications because people want to work for you. More choice means a better workforce. Because of the high positive impact of CSR on employee wellbeing and motivation, the role of HR in managing CSR projects is significant. Mutual respect create a welcoming company culture, it can satisfy employees belonging needs (ex. friendship, social integration, family and romantic relationships). Giving employees the freedom to socialize. Allow employees to build relationships at work but provide guidance by implementing workplace discrimination policies and leading by example when it comes to avoiding workplace politics. Reward high performers publicly and provide employees with personally rewarding challenges to satisfy their esteem needs. Esteem needs include respect from others, a sense of achievement and confidence in ones abilities. Set the tone in your organization by speaking personally with as many of your employees as possible. Encourage employees and recognize rising stars in your company for their outstanding achievements. Make sure everyone has a chance to earn rewards and receive encouragement to maintain a sense of fairness among employees. Institute comprehensive employee development programs and provide ample opportunity for career growth in your company to satisfy employees self-actualization needs. Self actualization is the highest order of needs in Maslows hierarchy. Self actualization has to do with discovering ones identity, which includes developing a career that fully leverages ones strengths and experience while providing a sense of accomplishment and inner fulfillment. Nonprofit organizations can satisfy employees self-actualization needs more readily than for-profit companies, as they provide employees with opportunities to use their skills to help people in need. For-profit businesses can satisfy this need as well, however, by placing top performers in positions of leadership, responsibility and accountability. Risk management Managing  risk is a central part of many corporate strategies. Reputations that take decades to build up can be ruined in hours through incidents such as corruption scandals or environmental accidents. These can also draw unwanted attention from regulators, courts, governments and media. Building a genuine culture of doing the right thing within a corporation can offset these risks. Consumers increasingly dont accept unethical business practices or organisations who act irresponsibly. Advances in social media (giving everyone a voice) mean that negative or destructive practices quickly fuel conversations online. Organisations are accountable for their actions like never before. Brand differentiation In crowded marketplaces, companies strive for a unique selling proposition that can separate them from the competition in the minds of consumers. CSR can play a role in building customer loyalty based on distinctive ethical values.[20] Several major brands, such as The Co-operative Group, The Body Shop and American Apparel[21] are built on ethical values. Business service organizations can benefit too from building a reputation for integrity and best practice. 2. Satisfied customers Research shows that a strong record of CSR improves customers attitude towards the company. If a customer likes the company, he or she will buy more products or services and will be less willing to change to another brand. Relevant research: IBM study Attaining Sustainable Growth through Corporate Social Responsibility: The majority of business executives believes that CSR activities are giving their firms competitive advantage, primarily due to favorable responses from consumers. Better Business Journey, UK Small Business Consortium: 88% of consumers said they were more likely to buy from a company that supports and engages in activities to improve society. 3. Positive PR CSR provides the opportunity to share positive stories online and through traditional media. Companies no longer have to waste money on expensive advertising campaigns. Instead they generate free publicity and benefit from worth of mouth marketing. 4. Costs reductions Yes, you read this correctly. A CSR program doesnt have to cost money. On the contrary. If conducted properly a company can reduce costs through CSR. Companies reduce costs by: More efficient staff hire and retention Implementing energy savings programs Managing potential risks and liabilities more effectively Less investment in traditional advertising 5. More business opportunities A CSR program requires an open, outside oriented approach. The business must be in a constant dialogue with customers, suppliers and other parties that affect the organization. Because of continuous interaction with other parties, your business will be the first to know about new business opportunities. 6. Long term future for your business CSR is not something for the short term. Its all about achieving long term results and business continuity. Large businesses refer to: shaping a more sustainable society (Vodafone 2010 report): License to operate Corporations are keen to avoid interference in their business through taxation or regulations. By taking substantive voluntary steps, they can persuade governments and the wider public that they are taking issues such as health and safety, diversity, or the environment seriously as good corporate citizens with respect to labour standards and impacts on the environment. Win new business Increase customer retention Develop and enhance relationships with customers, suppliers and networks Attract, retain and maintain a happy workforce and be an Employer of Choice Save money on energy and operating costs and manage risk Differentiate yourself from your competitors Generate innovation and learning and enhance your influence Improve your business reputation and standing Provide access to investment and funding opportunities Generate positive publicity and media opportunities due to media interest in ethical business activities First CSR placed corporations in a precarious position that improve the wellbeing of the staff, it satisfied employees. Satisfy employee safety needs. Ensure employees job security, provide them their safety needs ( physical health, job security ). Employees feel satisfy with physical safety needs. Their medical insurance and financial meet their safety needs. Employees feel more satisfied with a stable work. Mutual respect create a welcoming company culture, it can satisfy employees belonging needs (ex. friendship, social integration, family and romantic relationships). Giving employees the freedom to socialize. Allow employees to build relationships at work but provide guidance by implementing workplace discrimination policies and leading by example when it comes to avoiding workplace politics. CRS care about employees Esteem needs, corporate reward high performers and provide employees challenges personally rewarding. It satisfied employees esteem needs with respect from others, achievement feeling and confidence. Encourage rising stars with outstanding achievements from employees in the company. CRS make sure business has a fairness environment for employee; everyone has a chance to earn rewards and encouragement. CSR provide employee training programs and provide opportunity for career growth in your company. It satisfies employees realization needs. Organizations provide opportunity to help them developing a career keep them use their strengths and experience to reach accomplishment. Corporate Social Responsibility can satisfy employees self-actualization needs more than non CRS companies, as employees get opportunities to use their skills to help people in need. Employees like to work in a Corporate Social Responsibility; they feel proud of the organization they work for. They receive respect and help in needs from CSR. Employee work in CRS Company always has positive attitude towards the company, they are less likely to look for a job in the other place. By the other side, CSR Company receives more job applications because people want to work for CRS. Because of the advantage of CSR with employee satisfaction on wellbeing and motivation, the HR managing of CSR is significant. Businesses with social responsibility also get in better workforce. Second, Corporate Social Responsibility enhance Customer Satisfaction Customers are god of business. Customer satisfaction is not only social responsibility issue and also profitability issue! Put time and resource to understand the customer perspective to build strong and effective customer relations is important to build long term success. Corporate social responsibility business try to listening to customers to building good customer relations, Many businesses put their customers satisfaction as their expectations, and also include those factors in service, price, quality, value, product in order to improve their customer relations, build goodwill and keeping continuous improvement of the customer experience. With effectively listening to customers and acting upon their feedback to meet customer needs and build customer loyalty. With satisfied customers can gain more repeat business. Build Trust, advertise Honest, tell the Truth, make honor Promises, Responsive, commitments with integrity can help business build customer trust and loyalty. It is a major success factor to build corporate reputation as the quality of products and services building customer trust on products and services in the company is the critical idea to build a successful business. Since CRS have more satisfied employee, they build customer confidence with stronger customer-employee relationships. Bring in more business benefits, build brand and reputation. Building market share with customer attraction and retention Engaged and loyal customers can help position your business for growth and profitability. Resources research shows that a strong record of CSR improves customers attitude towards the company. It customer likes CRS company; customer would like buy more products or services from company with CRS, and will be less willing to change to another brand. Relevant research: IBM study Attaining Sustainable Growth through Corporate Social Responsibility: The majority of business executives believes that CSR activities are giving their firms competitive advantage, primarily due to favorable responses from consumers. Better Business Journey, UK Small Business Consortium: 88% of consumers said they were more likely to buy from a company that supports and engages in activities to improve society. 3. CRS equals PR The short answer is PR can be both a blessing and a curse to CSR. It is a matter of which comes first and what is the intention. Done properly and with a company that embraces the strategic and integrated nature of CSR, PR is a vehicle of sharing with the world the progress they are making, or what the world may not know about them. Done improperly, for example when CSR is seen by the company as a marketing problem, the latest market fad, or a PR fix PR is tantamount to greenwashing the sins of a company. True CSR guides the company away from making the sins or mitigating them in the first place. CSR should be an integrated, sustainable, and systematic approach to business. It belongs as a core component to the strategies and structure of companies. CSR is about being good corporate citizens to all stakeholders stockholders, employees, customers, community, supply chain, and the environment. It is the old social contract idea, the right to exist as a company. It is about the sustainability of the business through integrity and smart business decisions that recognize and integrate the impact on and influence of all stakeholders. I like CSR Internationals reworking of the CSR acronym as Corporate Sustainability Responsibility as it speaks to the integrational aspects of CSR. They are calling it CSR 2.0. Companies who do not understand that CSR is about business sustainability and integrity as much as it is about social programs, often make the mistake of making CSR a marketing or PR program/problem. By doing so they essentially green-wash their company. In my opinion, PR should lightly handle CSR initiatives until the CSR program has momentum and there is something to actually celebrate and brag about. Celebrating decency and expected behavior is not good PR on CSR. It is artificial and could cause more harm than good. PR should let the public know that there is a CSR program, that there will be a report, and what some of the programs are that are under development, or highlight ongoing/historical CSR efforts. Report on the activities but not out of proportion to the other activities of the company. As a career long change agent, I know that steering change in organizations takes time, embedding, and momentum. New CSR programs take time to mature and years to yield significant, sustainable results though quite often there are substantial shifts that occur in the first year. What you measure gets paid attention to. So often the first steps of CSR is measurement taking an inventory on where the company stands with respect their impact on society, economy, and the environment. This is often accomplished through a GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) checklist report or a GHG (Green House Gas) report. This is merely a starting point. The true test of sustainability and a company committed to CSR is history of improvement and performance. Unfortunately these initial documents tend to be fodder for PR and Marketing departments, which in their need for short term results and fantastic figures tend to overstate or understate the findings as they try to make the company look good. In CSR, however, the proof is in the year-to-year changes, the response from stakeholders, the integrity of the companies actions and words. CSR is about smart business practices. It is about constant improvement and integrity. PR is about reporting on the events as they occur or showcasing a history of events and trending. The danger is when the showcasing precedes the actual work. Copyright  ©2009 Matthew Rochte, Opportunity Sustainabilityà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚   Share with attribution Opportunity Sustainabilityà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚   is a Midwest-based sustainability and corporate responsibility consulting firm specializing in green innovation and seeing opportunities where others see burdens. Matthew Rochte, an experienced, operations-based sustainability consultant, works with company management to navigate and realize the opportunities in taking their company green and growing sustainably. CSR provides the opportunity to share positive stories online and through traditional media. Companies no longer have to waste money on expensive advertising campaigns. Instead they generate free publicity and benefit from worth of mouth marketing. 4. Costs reductions Yes, you read this correctly. A CSR program doesnt have to cost money. On the contrary. If conducted properly a company can reduce costs through CSR. Companies reduce costs by: More efficient staff hire and retention Implementing energy savings programs Managing potential risks and liabilities more effectively Less investment in traditional advertising 5. More business opportunities A CSR program requires an open, outside oriented approach. The business must be in a constant dialogue with customers, suppliers and other parties that affect the organization. Because of continuous interaction with other parties, your business will be the first to know about new business opportunities. 6. Long term future for your business CSR is not something for the short term. Its all about achieving long term results and business continuity. Large businesses refer to: shaping a more sustainable society (Vodafone 2010 report): Will CSR bring Competitive Disadvantage? There is argument against corporate social responsibility states that corporate social responsibility cause competitive disadvantage since it cost company money and time but didnt bring any profit. They argues that social responsibility works should be carried out by government. Or all corporations or industries should be subject to same requirement. Most companies reluctant to practice CSR complaining the disadvantage CSR causes against companies that do not practice. In other words, if company A pay for environmental programs, employee training and efficient waste management programs and company B does not, company B retains its resources, including money, for other business pursuits. Therefore, without strict industry wide standard, some companies argue that they are not willing to put money into CSR programs. But any expenses on CSR are ultimately covered by stronger relationships with key customers. Conclusions In todays fast paced world, each business needs to have a CSR program. If CSR is not yet used in business daily practice, it is easy to lose the trust of the business important people. The expectations of your staff, customers and will be changed. Consumers dont accept unethical or irresponsibly business behavior. Negative or destructive practices are very easy to spread in social media (everyone know it). Carefully implemented CSR policies can help organization. Increase customer retention; develop and enhance relationships with customers, suppliers and networks; maintain a happy work force ; save money on operating costs and manage risk; differentiate yourself from competitors; improve business reputation and standing. In todays digital, fast speed world, each business, small or big, needs to have a CSR program in place. If CSR is not yet part of your daily business practice, you must act fast. Or else youll loose the trust of the people who are important to your business. Believe it or not but the expectations of your staff, customers and the wider community have changed. You are no longer in control. They are.

Race-Based Jury Nullification Essay

Jury nullification is a situation where the jury gives a non guilty judgment to a defendant whom he has evidence that he is guilty of the offence based on various reasons. It occurs when there is enough evidence to convict the defendant but the jury is persuaded that conviction is being injustice to the accused. Jury nullification is mainly based on the race of the defendant or the unjustness of the ruling against the defendant among other factors (Rivera, 2006). Some people view that the jurors should consider this option when they are faced with situation where the defendant is from a minority and he is persuaded that the law is unjust to the defendant. Some people believe that this is the only way to bring equality in our courts of law. They believe that jury nullification based on race is the only way to bring change and reduce racial discrimination in the American law courts. The judgment issued by the judge is not supposed to be wholly based on facts but should consider factors such as the racial injustices and inequalities based on their wisdom and experience. Otherwise a machine can effectively replace the judges (Rivera, 2006). A good number of Americans are not happy about a criminal being let free not because the law is unjust, but because he belong to a certain race. They view jury nullification as releasing wrong does back to the society to commit more crimes. The juror should therefore avoid jury nullification and consider the vulgarity of the criminal act committed, the background of the defendant and whether the law is just or not before deciding on this option. Race based jury nullification is subject to misuse by both the white and the black jurors. In many occasions jury nullification has been used to favor a certain race at the expense of the other race. Whites who have committed crimes against the blacks have been set free by juries at the expense of the blacks. Black juries have also misused jury nullification to free those who harm their enemies thus using race based nullification as a revenge tool against their enemies. (J emal, 1997).

A Fourth Generation Family Business

The current team should have a plan in management as the business require focus on key sectors such as administration and finance, customer fulfillment and operations, sales and marketing. Such needs a family member who have skills and passionate about making the family business an asset worth preserving. Senior generations should have transfer plans to the junior generation in the family such that ownership is not lost. This will also help in solving issues such as technical mistakes, planning in some vacuum and the challenge of treating children equitably.Therefore, the current team should eve a plan to specify who is to step into the business, especially in responsibilities such as ownership, management and leadership among others. 2. The management made the decision because they want to solve some particular problem that they either don't have the time or the expertise to solve. Therefore, consultants will be the best to solve the problem of training and also implement the soluti ons. Consultants may also help the management team to define the problem they encounter and assist them reach their own conclusion.The involvement of the outside consultants does tot move Grater's from its roots as a family business. This is because the consultants will be brought in to solve some problem in the business. This will help in the cultivation of harmony. The many skills that come into play in helping the family business involves dealing with the family issue and also dealing with the business issue. 3. I do agree with the Grater's decision to stop franchising. The main core of GreaterFranchising manufacturing sectors also owes significant risks for the Grater's, and this is also because the customers will know that it is a franchise. Stopping franchising will also help in having the reputation of the name of Grater's. It also helps Grater's management to work and make the product branding and advertising. It allows them also to pursue the nationwide distribution through some large networks of supermarket chains and grocery stores. The Grafters will not have problems such as the reaction with the stock markets, as they will take actions themselves.

African-American History Timeline 1980 to 1989

The 1980s saw important firsts for African Americans recognized for their excellence, in the diverse fields of politics, science, literature, entertainment, and sports. 1980 January: American entrepreneur Robert L. Johnson (born 1946) launches Black Entertainment Television (BET). U.S. politician Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. (born 1934) is selected by the California Assembly to become the Speaker of the state legislature. Brown is the first African-American to hold this position. He serves in this capacity for 15 years and in 1995 is elected as mayor of San Francisco. May 17–20: A riot erupts in Liberty City, Florida after police officers are acquitted of the murder of an unarmed African-American man. The Miami Riot lasted 24 hours and an estimated 15 people were killed. The riot is considered the worst in U.S. history since the Detroit Riots of 1967.   Novelist Toni Cade Bambara’s (1939–1995) collection of short stories, The Salt Eaters wins the American Book Award. 1982  Ã‚     A national campaign against environmental racism  is launched when Reverend Benjamin Chavis (b. 1948) and his congregation block a toxic waste dump in North Carolina. U.S. journalist Bryant Gumbel (b. 1948) becomes the first African-American to be an anchor on a major network when he joins The Today Show. Nov. 30: Recording artist Michael Jackson (1958–2009) releases Thriller. The album will ultimately be considered the bestselling album in music history when it sells 45 million copies worldwide.   1983 April 18: The novel The Color Purple, written by poet and activist Alice Walker (b. 1944),  wins the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. April 29: U.S. politician Harold Washington (1922–1987) is elected the 51st mayor of Chicago, becoming the first African-American to hold the position. Aug. 30: Guion S. Bluford, Jr. (b. 1942) becomes the first African-American astronaut to make a space flight. Sept. 17: Singer-actress Vanessa Williams (b. 1963) is the first African-American to be crowned Miss America. Nov. 3: Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday becomes a  federal holiday  when Ronald Reagan signs the bill. Newspaper publisher and editor Robert C. Maynard (1937–1993) becomes the first African-American to own a major daily newspaper when he owns the majority of stock in the Oakland Tribune. 1984 Pennsylvania politician W. Wilson Goode (b. 1938) becomes the first African-American mayor of Philadelphia. The Reverend Jesse Jackson (b. 1941) runs for president in the Democratic primary, the second African-American to run—the first was Shirley Chisholm (1924–2005). During the primary, Jackson wins one-fourth of the votes and one-eighth of the convention delegates before losing the nomination to Walter Mondale (b. 1928). Carl Lewis (b. 1961) wins four gold medals at the 1984 Olympics. His wins match the record set by Jesse Owens (1913–1980). Sept. 20: The Cosby Show makes its debut on NBC. It will become the most successful series featuring an African-American cast in television history. Def Jam Recordings is established by Russell Simmons (b. 1957). 1985 Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode orders Philadelphia law enforcement agents to bomb the headquarters of MOVE, a black liberation group founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by John Africa (born Vincent Leaphart) in 1972. The bombing leaves 250 people homeless and 11 dead. Gwendolyn Brooks (1917–2000) becomes the first African-American to be named the U.S. Poet Laureate. 1986 Martin Luther King, Jr.s  national holiday is celebrated across the United States. Jan 28: Six crew members die when the Challenger space shuttle explodes after it launches from the Kennedy Space Center. One of the crew members is African-American astronaut Dr. Ronald McNair (1950–1986). March 6: Mike Tyson (b. 1966) becomes the youngest heavyweight champion in the world when he defeats Trevor Berbick (b. 1954). Sept. 8: The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986–2011) becomes a nationally syndicated talk show. 1987 Rita Dove (b. 1952)  wins the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Reginald Lewis (1942–1993) becomes the first African-American CEO of a billion-dollar corporation when he orchestrates  the buyout of Beatrice Foods. Neurosurgeon Benjamin Carson (b. 1951) leads a team of seventy surgeons at John Hopkins University Hospital in a 22-hour operation separating conjoined twins. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚   Anthropologist Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole (b. 1936) becomes the first African-American woman to preside over Spelman College. American singer and activist Aretha Franklin (1942–2018) becomes the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Novelist and essayist  James Baldwin  dies from stomach cancer.   1988 Jesse Jackson  seeks the Democratic Presidential nomination for the second time. Jackson receives 1,218 delegate votes but loses the nomination to Michael Dukakis. The first Ph.D. in African-American Studies is offered by Temple University. Bill Cosby donates $20 million to Spelman College. Cosby’s gift is the largest ever made by an African-American to a college or university. 1989 Barbara C. Harris (b. 1930) becomes the first woman bishop in the Anglican Episcopal Church. Ronald H. Brown (1941–1996) becomes the first African-American to head one of the two major political parties when he is elected chair of the Democratic National Committee. Frederick Drew Gregory (b. 1941) is the first African-American to command a space shuttle by leading the Discovery. Retired four-star general Colin Powell (b. 1937) is the first African-American to be named Chair of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. L. Douglas Wilder (b. 1931) is elected governor of Virginia, making him the first African-American to win the popular vote for the governorship. David Dinkins (b. 1927) and Norman Rice (b. 1943) are both elected mayors of New York City and Seattle respectively and are the first African-Americans to hold such positions. Former player and broadcaster Bill White (b. 1934) becomes the first African American to be chosen to head the Major League Baseball’s National League. Former player Art Shell is the first African-American to be hired to be the head coach of a National Football League team when he leads the Oakland Raiders; he is also inducted into the Hall of Fame.