Trompenaars vs. Hofstede

Trompenaars vs. Hofstede 1. 2. Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 Cultural Dimensions of Hofstede and Trompenaars †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Analogies or identities of the cultural dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Differences of the dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Advantages and Risks seeing the world a nd cultures with dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Effects on practice operation †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 Personal meaning and consequences of the dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 2. 1. 2. 2. Hofstedes’ Dimensions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Trompenaars’ Dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 1. Introduction Nowadays a lot of companies operate in a multitude of distinct countries.However, if we do a double take, it is evident that multinational enterprises and their strategies differ from country to country. If not, it might be the case that those companies will fail. For example Wal-Mart opted for entering the Japanese market. Unfortunately, they tried implement the American strategy in Japan. Americans were keen on bargain buys in huge amounts 24 hours a day. Whereas the discount strategy in the USA has been very successful, it had adverse effects in Japan. Japanese people equated low prices to low quality and thus didn’t want to buy at Wal-Mart.Moreover, Japanese weren’t used to the fact that a store was open 24 hours per day. Such misunderstandings cause huge trouble. For some situations we cannot prepare. However, it would have been important for WalMart to analyze the Japanese culture in depth before starting business there. If we look at everyday life it is safe to say that all people have the problem how to cope with people’s relationship to time, nature and other human beings. The solutions how to get a grip on these problems differ from culture to culture. Consequently, it is important to be aware of the cultural differences of each country.Trompenaars and Hofstede give some propositions how to classify cultures. 2 2. Cultural Dimensions of Hofstede and Trompenaars 2. 1. Hofstedes’ Dimensions Geert Hofstede filtered out 5 dimensions which indicate how people are influenced by their culture especially in the workplace. The first dimension refers to identity. The dimension Collectivism vs. individualism reflects the relationship between an individual and the group. In more individualistic societies the emphasis is put on freedom, personal achievement and individual identity. Consequently, ties in a group (e. g. he family, workgroup) are loose. People manifest a higher incentive for self -initiative and try to take care of themselves. In contrast, collectivistic cultures place great value on the common interest of a group, harmony between members and taking care of each other. There is a clear distinction between inand outsiders. If an outsider takes face of one group member the entire group feels offended and avoids contact with the troublemaker. Secondly, Power Distance deals with hierarchy and the degree of inequality between members of a society which is adopted as a natural state of affairs.In high power distance countries inequality in physical and intellectual capabilities is considered to be normal. Subordinates are in for displaying obedience to the boss. There is a pronounced sense of hierarchy and people enjoying a high status reveal their power. Whereas societies that rank low on power distance play down hierarchy and stress equality. There is no focus on titles and positions and leaders do not exhibit their skills obviously. Masculinity vs. Femininity i s about relationship between gender and work roles. In male-dominated cultures sex roles are sharply differentiated.There is a clear role distribution which suggests itself in the fact that men are superior to women and men normally occupy management positions. Hence, the focus is on achievement, competition and ‘fighting’. However, in female oriented cultures genders are less distinguished and both genders play the same role. These cultures stress care, compromise and harmony. The fourth dimension called Uncertainty Avoidance aims at the way people try to get a grip on unpredictable and ambiguous situations. People living in a culture with strong uncertainty avoidance have fear of the unknown.Therefore elaborate rules, regulations, and clear orders exist. Cultures with a low uncertainty avoidance tolerate differences, unanticipated situations and are more open toward change. People make decisions which are subject to individual discretion and which are based on more un iversal rules. Long-Term Orientation vs. Short-Term Orientation relate to the choice between future and present virtue. In other words, Hofstede’s last dimension can be seen as an indicator for a society’s attitude toward time and tradition. Values associated with Long-Term Orientation are thrift, filial piety and perseverance.Young people should sacrifice their pleasures of their life at their young age for the sake of the benefit of their future. Values associated with Short Term Orientation are respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and protecting one's ‘face'. Consequently, this orientation is more oriented toward the past and the present. 3 2. 2. Trompenaars’ Dimensions Trompenaars explored how people relate in private, business life and moral conflicts. Afterwards he extracted seven dimensions. The first dimension Universalism vs. Particularism can be prescribed with key words as rules vs. elationships. In universalistic cultures peopl e are supposed to strictly adhere to standards and rules. Consequently, infringing the right (regardless of the reason) is equivalent to undermining morals and should be punished. There are no exceptions. In particularistic societies obligations to the closer surrounding enjoy highest priority. Protecting your members (e. g. family, friends) is more important than observing law. In case of Collectivism vs. Individualism the question arises if people attribute more importance to oneself or to the group.In individualistic cultures there is a clear distinction of individuals within a group. It is common that personal achievement is rewarded and people are motivated to improve their individual performance in order to be promoted. Representatives of a group or a company are allowed to make binding decisions on their own. In collectivistic cultures people identify themselves with the group. High achievement of one person is put down to the good performance of the entire group and thus suc cess is shared within the group. Only the whole team or at least a certain number of members make decisions and take responsibility.The dimension Neutral vs. Affective deals with the range of expressed feelings. Neutral societies avoid to demonstrate feelings and strong gestures and hence try to display controlled behavior. If someone reveals anger or aggression this behavior is tantamount to unprofessionalism. Discussions are lead on a factual level. However, in affective cultures expression of feelings either verbally or nonverbally is normal. People expect direct emotional answers and appreciate vital and animated expressions. In the fourth place, Diffuse vs.Specific relates to the strategies and approaches for getting to know each other. People living in a specific/low context culture pursue a purpose in relating with another person, thus prefer direct and to the point communication. People clearly distinguish between private and business life e. g. titles are used in the job wo rld not in private life. As the private sphere is relatively small only few people take part in one’s private life. In diffuse/high context cultures every life space permeates all others which means that everything is connected to everything.Even employers can take an active part of the worker’s private life. Achievement vs. Ascription refers to the accord of status. Achieved status is equivalent to success because of taking action. Managers are of different age and gender as they have reached the position due to performance, knowledge and skills. Ascribed status represents the opposite side. High status does not have to be justified. It is rather independent of task or specific function. Often external factors like age, gender, connections, education and family background decide on the status.The sixth dimension Sequential vs. Synchronic deals with time management. In synchronic cultures the emphasis is on the number of activities taking place in parallel. People plac e great value on the targets and not on the way and sequence an objective will be reached. Consequently, deadlines are untypical as the schedule is open for unplanned incidents. In general, relationship is more important than tight schedules. In sequential societies events which are often slated in a plan pass step by step. Tight order, punctuality and deadlines are of paramount importance.As a result, people are unable to act in turbulent environments and dislike unanticipated situations. Relationships serve as instruments and thus are inferior to schedules. 4 Last but not least the dimension Internal Control vs. External Control is about human’s relation to nature. This can be transcended to human’s relation to an organization, government and the market. In internal controlled cultures people have the conviction to be able to control their environment even if they have to use aggressiveness. Nature is equivalent to a complex machine which can be controlled if someone could develop an expertise.Therefore success and failure should be put down to the individual endeavors rather than to environment and general-set up. However, in external controlled societies environment is taken more into account because people consider themselves to be a part of nature. As external forces can strongly influence one’s life people try to be in harmony with their environment. They adapt to their surroundings, e. g. to customers, to their colleagues or they react flexibly to market forces. Afterwards they try to react in an appropriate way. 3.Analogies or identities of the cultural dimensions Trompenaars and Hofstede filtered out the same dimension Individualism vs. Collectivism. These ideologies are the platform for political and economic systems. China is a textbook example for a collectivistic country whereas the United States represent an individualistic country. In China ‘we’ occupies center stage and members of a group experience improvemen t of their life by taking care of each other and by maintaining harmony. Consequently, pay-for-performance of a single person is rejected in collectivistic cultures.Bonus payment to one person does not reflect the fact that the whole group contributes to success of each single group member. Reward of a single person would only destroy harmony within the group and would demotivate essential teamwork. However, in the US people rather concentrate on their own life. Each person takes the responsibility to improve one’s situation by working hard on one’s own. Bonus payment stimulates the propensity to perform better and to stand out against workmates. Trompenaars dimension Universalism vs. Particularism goes hand in hand with Individualism vs. Collectivism.Americans being universalists and individualists emphasize equal treatment of everyone according to the law. E. g. If the best friend killed someone the universalist giving testimony would tell the truth in order to adher e to the law. The relationship to the friend would be neglected just to restore order as killing someone is immoral. As opposed to this, in China relationship is superior to law. The Chinese friend would lie to protect the friend who is in real trouble. The dimension Specific vs. Diffuse reveals some analogies with regard to the dimension Individualism vs. Collectivism.In specific countries or low context countries, e. g. America, business is done even if both parties haven’t established a relationship. Long communication is not necessary as the contract contains every little detail. This demonstrates that the emphasis is put on the task and on the achievement of the individual representing the company rather than on the relationship. Whereas in China companies would only strike a deal if a relationship was established successfully. In diffuse/high context cultures privacy sphere is only marginal and confidence decides on business operation.In other words, relationship and gr oup orientedness is superior to task. 5 Individualism vs. Collectivism also correlates with Short-Term-orientation/Long-Termorientation. In East-Asian countries, e. g. China, Hong Kong, Taiwan the relationship between workers and management in a company is vital. This fact can be put down to Confucianism and the concept of reciprocal obligation. Bosses protect their workers and offer them a life-time employment. In return, their subordinates are loyal and respectful. Everyone (the whole group) is responsible to contribute to the long-lasting success in the company.In Western countries, e. g. the United States people are not keen on life-time employment. They want to change their job if they have an opportunity for a better career. Managers siphon off high bonus (short term) payments if the company’s profits and numbers in the last business year are excellent. As a result, managers are not interested in sustainability but in short-term profit. Individualism vs. Collectivism in fluences Trompenaars dimension Internal Control/External Control. The political system collectivism goes hand in hand with the economic system command economy.Even if China is a mixed economy government controls life of its citizens and of each individual e. g. via censorship. Consequently, Chinese people are externalistic as government (metaphor for environment) actively shapes their lives and people haven’t had control over government. Contrary to this, Germans living in individualism and market economy are internalistic. Companies can function as lobbyists and can actively influence governmental activities. Another two dimensions which have similarities are Hofstede’s Power Distance and Trompenaars Achievement vs. Ascription.The Indian Caste system reflects High Power Distance. If someone was born into the lowest group (Shudra) of the caste system (let alone the Untouchables) this person will always belong to this caste. Shudras have to accept the fact that they wil l always be inferior to people belonging to the upper castes. The caste determines the quality of life including the profession. A Brahmin, belonging to the highest caste, will always be respected and occupies the most powerful standing in society. This fact equates with Ascription as the Indian cadre originates from a renowned family background and has normally reached a decent age.Subordinates are loyal and respectful as they can only survive with the help of the upper castes and thus are highly dependent on them. Hence, superiors dictate the conditions and take responsibility for everything. The hierarchy within the caste system is reflected in a steep hierarchy in companies and institutions. Germany being a Low Power Distance country can be considered as the opposite. Family background could help to find a job but doesn’t decide on the career track of a person. If someone distinguishes oneself from the mass because of excellent performance and great talent this person wil l probably climb up the career ladder.This example can be clearly associated with Trompenaars dimension achievement. It is also very important to remark that both staff and bosses should be treated almost equally as the roles and positions can be changed very fast due to achievement. Even if some analogies match with my example this doesn’t mean that the two dimensions compared have similarities in all areas and situations. I extracted some points of intersection. 6 4. Differences of the dimensions The other dimensions not mentioned in the prior passage may sometimes have minor similarities which are notwithstanding outweighed by the differences of their meanings.I deliberately turned my back on the analogies between the dimensions of the same author. Geert Hofstede concentrated on the subject how cultural differences influence organization, management and relationship between people whereas Trompenaars shed some light on people’s relationship to time, nature and other human beings. Trompenaars neglected the topic gender which deals with a substantial question how the roles in the family are defined. This also manifests itself in the management structure of a company. In female oriented cultures, e. g. n Scandinavian countries men go on parental leave and women equally occupy leading positions. Whereas in a male- oriented culture like Germany a dog-eats-dog society has been generated, in Norway a woman striving for her own benefit and thus threatening cooperation and harmony will be looked down upon. Trompenaars did not deal with search for Truth. Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance indicates how people try to grapple with unstructured situations. United States e. g. ranking low on Uncertainty Avoidance are not risk averse. The current financial crisis was triggered by hazardous behavior.American banks granted credits to people who couldn’t afford them. Germany ranking high on the uncertainty avoidance is often criticized for its burea ucracy. Elaborate rules and regulations should avoid uncertainty, can however cause a lot of paper work. One can also find some topics Hofstede did not have a focus on. Firstly, Hofstede did not consider the range of feelings expressed (neutral vs. emotional) which of course determine communication and behavior of people. Secondly, Hofstede did not describe the dimension dealing with range of involvement (diffuse vs. specific).Last but not least Hofstede did not mention explicitly time management (sequential vs. synchronic). 5. Advantages and Risks seeing the world and cultures with dimensions It is safe to say that dimensions can help people (that have never been to a certain country) to become more sensitive for intercultural understanding. Not until people are aware of idiosyncrasies of their own culture they can easier get to know other cultures. If someone (e. g. an expatriate) is undetermined in which country to go dimensions can help to get a first impression and contain the number of possible destinations depending on the criteria.After having chosen a country the expatriate should acquire theoretical knowledge about important symbols, rituals and common manners. Being abroad he/she can try to apply dimensions practically especially during the first days in the new surrounding as the person does not know how to behave properly. Most notably at the first meeting people need a first point of orientation to avoid big no go’s. 7 However, getting to know other cultures means learning by doing and trial by error. According to the iceberg model visible and expected occurrences account for only 10%. Consequently, 90% of our experiences with other cultures happen unsuspectedly.That’s why we should not overestimate and read too much into dimensions. A risk which arises when applying dimensions is to misunderstand and misuse them. The peculiarity of a dimension is highly dependent on the situation and on the counterpart’s personality. Dimensi ons do not reflect individual cultural preferences but convey an average and general behavior of the population living in a culture. An adverse effect is also that stereotypes are created and reinforced. Another problem point is that Hofstede carried out his studies (which serve as basis for the dimensions) at the end of the 60s.These studies are only a snapshot and did not take into consideration that culture evolves over time. Especially changes in economic or political environment, e. g. the demise of Communism in Eastern Europe or globalization, heavily affect transformation of cultures. Apart from that, both authors assumed that there is a one-to-one correspondence between culture and nation state which is sometimes not the case. In some countries, e. g. Canada, more than one culture can be found. There are even major differences of behavior between regions of a country. 6.Effects on practice operation Before going abroad expatriates should grasp how much preparation is require d to cope with the difference between the own and the foreign culture. Even if an expatriate cannot prepare for the unexpected situations abroad preparation should lead to willingness of flexibility and adaption while interacting with foreigners. However, an expatriate should know the future task in the foreign country which indicates the role and needed appearance of the expatriate. This depends on the target and the way of the company how to expand internationally.If a company opts for setting-up a new subsidiary abroad, the so called greenfield start, optimally a group of expatriates is sent to a foreign country. The task of the expatriates is to find out whether the strategy and the culture of the company can be reconciled with the foreign culture. They experience intensively foreign norms and values and try to recruit suitable locals in order to build up the new plant together. The difficulty is to decide if it is worthwile to establish a company in this country. It is evident that this decision should not be made on the basis of the dimensions.Secondly, the foreign members should be conscious of the fact that national values and norms have to be brought in line with the native corporate culture. This will only happen if the expatriates and the foreign workers could successfully build confidence so that the foreigners feel also loyal to a foreign company. My initial example with Wal-Mart showed that the company failed to apply a right strategy. If a company plans an acquisition with a foreign country expatriates should first analyze the business culture of the own and the future company. Moreover, expatriates should consider also the foreign culture!There is a high potential of conflicts as normally the managers of the foreign company are made redundant and are superseded by expatriates. The question is if those expatriates will be accepted by the national workers and if they are capable of doing successfully business in the foreign surrounding. 8 Irrespe ctive of the distinct possibilities to enter a foreign market intercultural sensitivity (both of the own and the foreign country) is the be-all and end-all. Therefore it is of paramount importance to go abroad as prepared and unprejudiced as possible.If expatriates succeed internalizing these facts they can close the distance gap between two companies operating in distinct countries. 7. Personal meaning and consequences of the dimensions My next job abroad will be as an intern not as an expatriate. That’s why I will refer to my internship in China. Generally speaking it would be easier for me to do my internship in countries where I can speak the language (German, English, French, Polish, Spanish). It is obvious that mainly Western countries are involved (e. g. America, European countries). All of them embrace democracy and in large part stress individualism. The frame’ would be alike and I could concentrate on concept of time, privacy, and way of life. However, in cou ntries were political and economic systems are at odds with democracy almost everything is different like in China. Dimensions confirm this statement. I deliberately chose a country which is unfamiliar to me as this poses a considerable challenge. The problem point is that I am permanently influenced by Western media. This leads to the fact that my subconsciousness would like to dictate that the opposite culture is different and thus ‘wrong’.I personally do not think that the other culture is ‘wrong’. I am more afraid of putting my foot in it in momentous situations. Firstly, I am used to sharing my experiences with others and of being in a group, but in a smaller one. The size of the group (especially the quantity of people on the street) will be a change. Secondly, I am used to voicing my opinion freely and saying ‘yes or no’ even in team work. This will not be possible anymore as I should not take someone’s face and indirectly the fac e of the group. I should get used to going around in circles particularly during discussions.Apart from that it is normal for me to solve problems when they arise. However, I have to adapt the fact that I should circumvent it. Ignoring these factors could lead to tensions which would have detrimental effects on the relationship between the staff and me. I am dependent on their explanation! Even if I think that in a special case the ‘German’ way of doing it would be more appropriate and efficient these thoughts should not prevail! My individual target and opinion should not be on top anymore! In general, I am a optimistic person and I like it to smile.In China people smile even if they are angry. It will be a challenge for me to estimate the feelings correctly and to deal with it. Also the perception of time and structure pose risks to me as I will certainly be confused if deadlines are not met and order is neglected. These are only few situations and points which could cause trouble and uncertainty. My examples reflect some of the dimensions, e. g. individualism vs. collectivism, diffuse vs. specific, uncertainty avoidance,†¦ Despite everything I look forward to my experience abroad and consider this seminar paper as a minor part of my preparation. 9

Are students have changed Essay

Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach. (Prensky,2001). Prensky further stated that children in the 21st century are classified as Net-gen, and digital-gen but the most useful description Prensky found for these children is Digital Natives. This is evident because in the 21st century children as young as three years are mastering the uses of computers, videogames, internets, tablets, mobile phones and other technological devices. According to Janssen (n.d) digital native is an individual who was born after the widespread adoption of digital technology. Technology is so advance and useful to students it seems like they get so addicted to it and felt like they can’t do without it and the other hand it helps students to improve in learning. Three changes that are seen with the first century learner regards to technology, they are more dependent on technology, misuse of information and unli mited thinking skills. Firstly, the internet is known as one of the greatest invention of modern age; a gateway that is magical to resources, information and communication unlike anything we previous dreamed of. It is claimed by many that it is the greatest single technological advance for education, as it opens opportunities for studying, learning and discovering. But as time goes by and the first generation of students grows up with modern internet technology from birth to teenage years, questions have been asking are children being dependent on technology. The internet provides students with  enormous advantage of a world of information at their finger tip. A single tap of the finger on the keyboard can deliver a hundred of articles under a second; far hours from when students would spend time spinning through library books and journals in days passed by. With the ease of access, the internet comes with disadvantages such as false and incorrect information that is easily distributed and can be difficult to trace sources and support the information. On, on the other side the volume of research materials online can make students to find information they need too easy, allowing them to compile these information by copying and pasting without understanding and analysing the information they are sifting through at all. While students from twent y years and beyond would have to read and absorb a huge amount of information such as putting together a report on tree frogs. These students have to use different sources for each part of the project; while on the other hand digital natives would discover everything needed to know by the internet site, picking up a little knowledge in the process. According to Jannsen (n.d) people believes that children who are digital natives think differently due to their early exposure to technology and have become accustom to using technology to solve the repetitive tasks that form the basis of traditional learning With the rise of different technology, and the fantastic way that produce communication from mobile phones to iPods to Skype and face book, modern students have become available to a wealth of education opportunities. Pupils from Jamaica can now hold an online debate with a class of their contemporaries in United States and others, interactive group webpage, class blogs, and programs that design interactive online animations which allowed educational communication to form. The reliance on the mobile phones and the laptops is taking toll on areas in education such as literacy and writing skills. This is said to be suffering as children write less and more text message expression take preference over their grammar. Also the suffering of simple communication skills and understanding of personal interaction as young people spend more time online communicating using their keyboards rather face to face contact. The reliance of such method for communication can cause students to form unhealthy relationships with others, concerned about critics that was said, and open up possibilities of cyber-bullying that is very dangerous and persecution of people online. Secondly, the expansion of the use and easy  availability of technology makes it easy for society to do negative activities that often violates the law. The main problems are the misuse of copyright, distribution of forbidden materials, violation of privacy or personal data and other serious activities. This activity can be seen in education field where the increase of plagiarism among students. Students can find information on the internet free and plagiarize other’s work whether if it is intentionally or without realising it. According to Lindemann C(2013) among students in grades 7-12, 21% have turned in a paper downloaded from the Internet. More than a third (38%) copied text from a website. The more students rely on the internet such as Google and Wikipedia answers to answer their home work questions, they are required to use less of their minds to come up with independent thoughts and opinions. Instead they simple click, copy and paste. Plagiarism is not the only way of cheating. The internet is not the only way; students can used other technology such as mp3 players, mobile phones, calculators and other technologies. In gaining information using phones this can be done by emails, texts, Bluetooth, as well as phone calls. According to Takahashi (2011) many educators perceive them a slacking more formal ICT skills. The availability and ease of use of technology makes cheating possible. The environment opens possibilities for academic dishonesty which can be difficult to discover. Students find simple and fast way to get through their studies, such way is to share materials, results, papers, information about exams. A majority of website offers a variety of finished work materials for essays, seminar papers, reports, and even degree works, answers to test for final exams in bachelor or master courses. These website are made for students to upload their work voluntary and the provider usually do not get benefit from the sites; while some sites will offer small benefit for uploading the work. Downloading the work can also be free without registration, if not unless the provider creates a user account or a fee. The reason why students plagiarize is the overload of information. The more information you have leads to the first step towards good school paper. Technology is used by teachers and professionals to increase the quality of leaning. The growth and progress in ICT changes education compare to decades ago and introduce methods that increase in students learning. From this students need to learn how to deal with information for assignments,  work tasks, research tasks and other information problems. Thirdly, technology affects students thinking skill. According to Wolpert S (2009) as technology has played a bigger role in our lives, our skills in critical thinking and analysis have declines, while our visual have improved. Thinking is the ability to reflect, draw on conclusions, knowledge, reason and insight. It is what makes students communicate, build, create and become civilized. Thinking is based from learning, observing, remembering, questioning, arguing, judging and others. The exposure of technology as changes learners. Because of students’ brain still developing and malleable, the exposure of technology causes digital natives brain to be wire in ways different from previous generation. Reading encouraged the brain to be focused and imaginative; but pleasure for reading has decline in young people which enhances thinking and creates imagination that visual media such as video games, television cannot. The using of visual media will allow students to process information better but most don’t allow students to get the time to reflect, analyze or imagine. Reading develops reflection, imagination, critical thinking as well as the development of vocabulary. Through reading, these skills are developed. Students today are more visual literacy and are less print literacy thus many students are not being seen reading often and reading for pleasure. Technology strengthens student’s ability to scan information quickly and efficiently. An impl ication for teaching and learning is that workshops or seminars should be implemented for teachers so that they receive training to know how to integrate the different types of technology into their lessons and make learning more engaging for students. As we know that student gravitates to technology and we are living in 21st century. Attending these workshops teachers are able to know more about each technology such as the usage, programs and others. They are able to monitor the technology by themselves and by doing so they are able to carry out the lesson effectively and stimulate children learning. One implication for policy makers is that in order for the teachers to integrate the technology in the classroom to meet the need of his students, firstly you should provide or equipped the schools with the necessary technology. Without these, teachers will unable to do so, which he or she wants to; so that her students can grasp the concepts well. For the school to be equipped policy makers should also develop an infrastructure to  place the technologies. Provide the necessary security and to eliminate outdated hardware and software and replace them with up to date as the years are passing by. â€Å"When technology integration in the classroom is seamless and thoughtful, students not only become more engaged, the y begin to take more control over their own learning†. (Hertz 2014). Technology integration is the use of technology in the classroom that helps to carry out learning concepts and to manage the class, such technology are computers, overhead projectors, digital cameras, internet, tape recorders, and CD-ROMs. Digital camera is a great application in the classroom as it allows collecting and documenting exciting events in the environment. Integrating digital camera properly can help to link lessons to student’s lives. For example class letter, development of stories and community based research. Cameras can be share between classes and capture images quickly and easily, in which pictures provide important context for children learning experience. Images that are culturally relevant can be a very powerful strategy for students to learn about their community. For example teaching about vocabulary, teachers can send students outdoor with the digital camera to take pictures of events, objects or actions that represent the vocabulary that was discussed . Students can be asked to write sentences or paragraph highlighting new vocabulary. Which is a very excited way for students to increase their vocabulary and become better readers; and teachers could give students the opportunity to take pictures of events or actions that reflect in a story that was read to them, downloading pictures from the computer then allowed children to write a sentence or paragraph about each picture. Having students to take pictures of the story event or action will help them to relate what they reading to their own lives in their community. Digital camera can be used to do storytelling which produces narrated short films using music, photos and voices. The grade 3 lesson â€Å"who are the people in my community†, students and teachers can take a walk within the community with the camera and take pictures of community helpers and write sentences about each role within the community. The teacher and students can produce their story by downloading the pictures on the computer using programs such as Photo-Story, Windows Movie Maker, Powe rPoint, that include narration for each. The tape recorder and boom box can be used to engage student and help save time. One activity for the whole class is teachers can use a student to  become the classroom DJ. Using a microphone, the student announces the topic of the day’s lesson. With a book in hand students can read along with their teacher during reading time. Students can even listen to a recording of their teacher who record the book tape before. The boom box can be used to create electronic portfolio that showcase student’s best work and the learning progress during a time period. By doing this teachers can record the students reading or thinking process when solving a problem, a video clip of his or her oral presentation and a CD with the child digital story. The tape recorder can be used to record student’s reading of a text at regular intervals which is assessed at each interval and strategies plan to improve the reading fluency. The overhead projector is a display system that is used to present images, videos, texts to students. It helps to carry out concepts and for students to grasp concepts by which it stimulates learning by watching videos, interactive games and retrieving texts which aid in the development of different learning styles such as audio and visual learners. The teacher faces the students while the notes that are prepared previously revealed. The lesson becomes engaging and students are attentive or focus and not only that but the teacher becomes more efficient by sharing and creating reusable work. . An example of how teachers can make the projector a part of her lesson is if a teacher is trying to bring across the lesson of the topic family to a grade two class, students will watch a video of the family then have a discussion with the teacher, from the video students will define the term family in their own words. Students will use family related terms seen in the video to write at least five sentences. The family related terms are like: grandmother, brother and sister. References Prensky M (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Retrieved February 19, 2014 from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prens†¦igrants%2520-%2520Part1.pd Hertz MB (n.d) How to Integrate Technology Retrieved February 21, 2014 from http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-implementation Wolpert S (2006) Is technology producing a decline in critical †¦ – UCLA Newsroom Retrieved February 21, 2014 from http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/is-†¦ducing-a-decline-79127.asp Lindemann C (2013) How to Stop the Plagiarism Plague | Education.com Retrieved February 21, 2014 from http://www.education.com/magazine/articl†¦cle/stop-plagiarism-plague Janssen C (n.d) What is a Digital Native? – Definition from Techopedia Retrieved February 21, 2014 from www.techopedia.com/definition/28094/digital-native Takahashi (2011) Academia.edu | Documents in Digitalian – Academia.edu Retrieved February 23, 2014 from www.academia.edu/Documents/in/Digitalian

A practical criticism of ‘For the Union Dead’ Essay

The aquarium is gone. Everywhere, giant finned cars nose forward like fish; a savage servility slides by on grease (For the Union Dead – Robert Lowell) In Lowell’s poem ‘For the Union Dead’ there is an underlying theme of the lost idealism which caused the American Civil War and its replacement with commercialism and materialism. â€Å"Giant finned cars nose forward like fish†, here Lowell reminds us of 20th century materialism by bringing about the image of the highly desired Cadillac (â€Å"finned cars†) whilst combining it with the comparison of a fish. This in my mind creates the idea of mankind following each other mindlessly to each material craze and status object. Moreover the image of men following each other (â€Å"nose forward†) alludes to the idea of slavery indicating that rather than liberating the African Americans from slavery we have in fact, all become slaves to our material needs. Also the aquatic references seen throughout the poem seem like references to Alan Tate’s poem ‘Ode to the Confederate Dead’: â€Å"Now that the salt of their blood stiffens the saltier oblivion of the sea, seals the malignant purity of the flood.† This could again be an indication that perhaps the North (and indeed all of ‘liberated’ America has in fact lost its war against slavery to materialism and are now in the â€Å"Oblivion of the sea†. Although this then creates a feeling of reliance on our objects as us fish are reliant on the oxygen in our ‘metaphoric sea of materialism’ which is also symbolized earlier in the poem by the image of Colonel Shaw’s monument in Boston Common being propped up to by planks so It can survive the building of an underground parking structure: â€Å"Propped up by a plank splint against the garage’s earthquake†. This not only shows this new found reliance on objects but represents the war Colonel Shaw was (and now again is) fighting against slavery. I pressed against the new and galvanized barbed fence on the Boston Common. Behind their cage, yellow dinosaur steam shovels were grunting as they cropped up tons of mush and grass to gouge their underworld garage (For the Union Dead – Robert Lowell) â€Å"Galvanised barbed fence [†¦] grunting [†¦] gouge† brings to mind the contrasting image that these new mechanical â€Å"Dinosaurs† are our slaves. Which is made to seem cruel not just by the use of â€Å"Grunting† but by the personification of the cranes: â€Å"They cropped up tons of mush and grass†. This suggests that the 20th century American has not just forgotten the Idealism of the North but has in fact taken up that of that South! This gives further meaning to the fact that the work these new ‘slaves’ are doing is knocking over and damaging Shaw’s monument which is close to falling into the hole in Boston Common (being dug for a new parking structure) which represents the killing of Shaw and his Idealism by Materialism. â€Å"The ditch where his sons body was thrown and lost with his Niggers† – Again.

Jet Blue Airways Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jet Blue Airways - Case Study Example This is because airline fortunes change quite quickly and by large margins that if one made a profit, it is appealing but a loss if incurred, it is devastating. There are many airlines competing in the US market most of which register losses for years. This has proved difficult especially for companies with limited resources that compete with those with enough resources to afford less travels charges for customers and higher pay packages for employees. These two factors result in mass exodus of customers and staff from poor performing airlines. The more financially able firms were also the ones that could offer high quality service, more value addition services and subsidized rates. Aviation colleges were not graduating enough pilots and other airport staff to cater for the high demand in this industry. Thus, the airlines that could not afford the high cost of hiring more staff had to do with grounding their planes since there is an official limit of hours that an employee should wor k per day. The high number of airlines in the US causes congestion in the JF Kennedy International Airport (JFKIA). Congestion results in delays and flight cancellations that in turn resulted to loss of customers for airlines who had no alternative strategies for dealing with these inconveniences. Airlines undergoing financial difficulties could only obtain limited financial assistance from well-off multinationals since the law required that a Non-US company can only have a maximum 25% stake in a US airline. No US airline could obtain foreign financial assistance beyond 25% of its value. The only other option left for these companies were mergers and cost cutting especially with the steep rise in cost of crude oil and by extension, jet fuel. Strategic Intent Jet Blue had planned to expand mainly by increasing the number of destinations that it had direct flights. This was achieved by identifying an alternative hub since JFK Airport was overly congested. In addition, the company prov ided discounted services that included low fares, snacks during flights and speedy clearance to travel. Value addition was another strategy used to attract customers mainly by offering services like private massage, manicure, hair styling, a children play area and a big screen TV. Jet Blue put these fine details into consideration and they paid off well making customers want to seek their travel services. Financial Objectives Before offering low cost services, the company had to cut down its operation costs. First, it bought economical planes for its fleet by replacing Boeing 737 with Airbus A320 that is easier to operate and maintain. Second, it used IT to cut operational costs by use of Open Skies software to manage internet bookings, electronic ticketing and revenue management. Use of IT also included phone bookings and use of PayPal to pay for their tickets. These strategies worked well for Jet Blue as it continued expanding at a faster rate than competition.  

Are Domestic and International Marketing Dissimilar Article

Are Domestic and International Marketing Dissimilar - Article Example According to Hofstede (2010), culture refers to the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of people from others. The culture of one country is distinguished from the other countries using the values of dimensions of the national cultures. She illustrated that power distance is a situation where there are differences in power holding in society. Power distance is the extent to which less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept the unequal distributed power. This power distance may be experienced in Kuwait, and she gave an example of marriage and relationship and divorce in family structures. In every family in Kuwait, every member of the family knows the extent of power that one holds in that family. In the contribution, I suggested that the society’s level of power inequality is endorsed by the followers and leaders in the Kuwait society. She also talked about the individualism and collectivism as a value that distinguishes Kuwait from other countries. She illustrated that the wealth effect has produced some form of individualism and it is evident in the new generation. I concur with her because individualism is the degree to which individuals are not integrated into groups and their ties within the society are loose while collectivism is the situation where the society is integrated into strong, cohesive groups. I contributed by saying that in Kuwait everyone is expected to care for themselves including immediate family which is mostly experienced in the new generation while in the old generation people were expected to protect each other in the society. She gave an example of collectivism using the old generations like parents and grandparents who are close to each other thus in a long time ago the extended families lived together.

Creating and Managing New Venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Creating and Managing New Venture - Essay Example First, the individual who identifies the opportunity to pursue, secondly, the entrepreneur who seeks resources from the society and finally the society who acquires hidden resources in the form of risks and opportunities. Entrepreneurship is critical to enhancing the innovativeness and responsiveness of businesses, to boost productivity and to improve cost structures and trade performance. The entrepreneurial spirit provides the entrepreneur to uphold new opportunities in the form of new developing markets, new products, new methods of production and management, new marketing channels, the discovery of new inputs and the establishment of new businesses and even new organisational forms. Entrepreneurship equips the entrepreneur with the analysis of how new ideas or information for reconfiguring objects in the material and social world can be implemented thereby creating a new venture harnessed to enhance a nation's wealth. (Harper, 2003, p. 1) Creativity, problem solving, and decision making are three keys which are linked together to survive through a new venture successfully. Creative thinking produces outcomes that welcome problems whereas problems require problem solving response. The response calls for creative aspects; therefore we can say that problem solving is actually creativity. That means creativity and problem solving overlaps each other, thereby producing a creative idea that invokes problem solving and decision making. (Kirton, 2003, p. 136) New Initiatives - Opportunity Recognition A recent Academy of Management Review article stated, "We see the field of entrepreneurship in the light of examination in which opportunities are discovered and analysed in context with how, whom, and what. These highlight future goods and services under discovery and exploitation". (Shane and Venkataraman 2000:218). In contrast with this theory, Schumpeter (1942) described entrepreneurship in terms of creative destruction, whereby an innovation disrupts the equilibrium or status quo in the marketplace. Christensen et al. (1989) proposed a new definition of recognising opportunity in the light of entrepreneurship, according to which a new profitable venture can be initiated when a new business innovation is created or when an existing business is improved. Both the cases lead to a profitable venture. (Christensen et al. 1989:3). According to an OpR theoretical Model, opportunity recognition is inherently a creative process. (Welsch, 2003, p. 74) which in the eyes of Christensen et al. (1994) is nothing but a creative step towards the entrepreneurial process. Others have described OpR as the artistic creation of a new venture (Hills, 1995) particularly in the condition in which the opportunity continues to be processed on the basis of market feedback. Five basic elements of creativity that can fit into entrepreneurship according to Csikszentmihalyi (1996) are preparation (OpR initiation process which starts with the knowledge and expertise of the entrepreneur), incubation (Idea consideration), insight (cognitive evaluation of realising profitable opportunity), evaluation (Formation of insights into businesses), and elaboration (where insight is actualised). (Welsch, 2003, p. 75) The contemporary business environment based upon innovation is analysed in terms of increased risk, decreased ability to forecast, fluid firm and industry

Adolf Hitler Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Adolf Hitler - Research Paper Example Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was born to Alois Hitler and Klara Polzl on April 20, 1889 in a small Austrian village of Braunau Am near the German border. Alois was an illegitimate child of Maria Anna Schicklgruber. It is suspected that the father was a Jewish boy of the house where Maria used to work although there is no certain evidence to support this. This is important because Hitler would later in his life go on to start a campaign of eliminating Jews and their lineages, however remote they be. By the time Alois married Adolf’s mother, he already had two kids from previous marriages – a boy and a girl. Adolf was the fourth of the six children from this marriage, the previous three having died before reaching age 3 - so Hitler would get special attention from his mother due to her fear of losing him. Alois, a civil servant, retired after 40 years of service in 1896, the same year as Adolf started attending school at age six. Having been used to strict working life, Alois would often take out his frustration of retirement on the oldest boy in the household - Alois Jr., who was 13.He, however, ran away from home at age 14 which meant that Adolf, at age 7, would now be the subject of harsh words and beating from their father. At this time, the family moved to Lambach, Austria and then to Leonding, near Linz in 1898. Around this time, one day while rummaging through his father’s library, Hitler came across a book on the Franco-German war of 1870-71. He found the book very interesting and soon became more and more enthusiastic about anything related to war. In his memoires, Mein Kampf, Hitler recalls â€Å"It was not long before the great heroic struggle had become my greatest inner experience. From then on I became more and more enthusiastic about everything that was in any w ay connected with war or, for that matter, with soldiering.† When Adolf Hitler completed grade school, he wanted to become an artist but his father forced him to go to the technical school with the wish that Adolf become a civil servant one day just like Alois had been. Hitler did quite poorly in the first year as he wanted to show his father that he was unsuitable for technical school as he wrote in Mein Kampf (Chapter 2) "I thought that once my father saw what little progress I was making at the [technical school] he would let me devote myself to the happiness I dreamed of." But his father refused to listen and persisted with Adolf staying in the technical school which made Adolf perform badly in the school and indulge in various pranks and disobedience of his teachers. Then in 1903, Adolf’s father died of lung hemorrhage making Adolf the head male of the house. This also meant that his struggles with his father over the choice of career would come to an end and there would be no more harsh words or arguing with his father. In 1904, Hitler left the high school at Linz and moved to another one at Steyr, a town 25 miles from Linz. Here, Hitler lived in a small house with another boy and the boys would sometimes amuse themselves by shooting rats. During summer 1905, Hitler suffered from an inherited lungs disease. In September 1905, after passing an exam, Hitler and his friends celebrated it with drinks leading to him getting drunk and being woken up next day in the streets. After this incident, Hitler swore never to drink again. Using his poor health as an excuse, Hitler finally got rid of the school at age 16 and after spending some

Grammar and composition Pet peeve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Grammar and composition Pet peeve - Essay Example Just a few minutes will not hurt you at all. I am ___ and I will talk about my pet peeve. If you suddenly interrupt me when I am saying something, or when I am obviously concentrated on a particular task, you will get killed by poisoned arrows from my gaze or receive sarcastic responses to brainless questions. I think hard before and even as I speak. I do not throw words carelessly like crumpled paper missing the trash as its target. The thinking-before-and-while-speaking process is an arduous and sophisticated process for me. It needs and involves order, analysis, and reflection. I frequently speak because I want to say something important. Oftentimes, I want to defend my ideas or claims, or give instructions to others. These arguments and instructions are from my consciousness and subconsciousness, so it is important for these words to flow out continuously. Interruptions are the bane of my creative juices. Attention and concentration will be gone, and I will be loss for words. When I am also doing something, I devote my whole body and mind on it. I remember I was writing a complaint letter to a company, when my dear cousin interrupted me. I forgot a very important detail, which I believed was crucial to my complaint. I could not remember that lost detail up to now. And up to now, that complaint remains unresolved. Point 2: I admit that I have memory retrieval problems, so interruptions stress me to the point that my look alone will feel like arrows on your skin, or my responses to thoughtless questions will result to sarcasm. Interrupt me and arrows will come from my eyes. You will feel yourself shrinking, as I say: â€Å"Can you not wait? I am speaking and you will have your turn. Now that you have interrupted me, you twisted my sanity and dislodged me from humanity.† And then I will smile to dissipate tension. After that, I will say, â€Å"Please do not interrupt me again. What do you have to say that is

Wars and Interest Rates in the United Kingdom, Essay

Wars and Interest Rates in the United Kingdom, - Essay Example The classical approach takes investment to be a function of interest rate directly whiles the Keynesians economists note this relationship to be a product of multiplier effect (Mankiw 73). There is significant evidence that the UK economy in the 1920s was emphatic on the desire to maintain the value of Sterling at its pre-war level of $4.86. This political move survived during the war but at the end US dollar gained prominence leading to significant inflation. It is explained that inflation affects interest rates since it raises general prices of goods and services. The case of United Kingdom during the specified period that was marred with war gives a clear picture of the influence of interest rate in the aggregate economic direction of the country. Macroeconomic policies on fixed exchange rate policy indicated that fiscal instruments are at play. Mankiw generally discusses the significance of interest rate in determining level of investment and subsequent rate of economic

Fetal Genetic Disorders Lead to Abortion Essay Example for Free

Fetal Genetic Disorders Lead to Abortion Essay When a woman first finds out that they are pregnant many factors of worry are present. One is particular is the worry of a genital defect. As women age their percentile chance of having a baby with a genital defect changes drastically. Common genetic disorders are trisomy 13, Patau syndrome, trisomy 18, Edward’s syndrome, and trisomy 21, Down syndrome. Although these can be treatable if a baby lives to adult age they will have a long list of medical problems to live with. Genital defects in babies is directly linked to the rate at which abortions occur. Although it may be easier to abort a baby with a genital defect it is still as wrong no matter what the circumstances. In order for someone to fully understand what having a baby with a specific genital disorder would be like, they must first understand the effects and symptoms of these disorders. When a baby is formed they have 46 chromosomes, 23 from their mom, and 23 from their dad. When nondisjunction occurs, no full separation of a chromosome pair is when genital disorders become present. Nondisjunction of two chromosomes 18 during the formation of an egg or sperm is by far the most common cause of Edwards syndrome. † (Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders) The interesting thing is that nothing before or during pregnancy causes this and nothing can be done to prevent it. The only well supported factor is that as the mother’s age increases there is a larger chance for complications. â€Å"Unlike Down syndrome, the developmental issues caused by Trisomy 18 are associated with medical complications that are more potentially life-threatening in the early months and years of life. (Trisomy 18 Foundation) Because of this 50% of babies with Trisomy 18 taken to term will be stillborn. (Trisomy 18 Foundation) Though there have been rare cases of people living to adulthood with this disease, they face life threatening complications that will be present until the day they die. Abortion has been present since the early 1800s and is still a major issue today. The most well known case dealing with abortion is that of Roe vs. Wade. In this case Wade was fighting against Roe by saying that if they rule abortion unconstitutional they â€Å"improperly invade a right said to be ossessed by a pregnant women, to choose to terminate her pregnancy. †(Herring 86) The final ruling on this case was that women should have the legal rights to her body and should be able to choose whether or not they will terminate their pregnancy. Several factors determine why a mother would choose an abortion. Single parenthood, not enough income, just doesnt want the baby, and/or medical issues. But one of the more rising issues is the fact that women will abort babies when they get a bad diagnosis. If their baby is going to be mentally retarded then why have it, the easier thing would be to just get rid of it. This has been the growing choice among mothers these days, especially the younger ones. By age 32 a women is 67% likely to have a baby with a genital defect, and is therefore 45% more likely to have an abortion. (Herring 193) The rising controversy of abortion can be directly linked to the diagnosis of fetal genetics disorders. If a woman receives the diagnosis that her baby will be born with Down syndrome and a series of other health issues then why give birth? If the baby is not going to be perfect then there are several women out there that feel the baby has no worth living. Every fetus becomes present at conception and deserves to live whether or not they have a genital defect. Most defects are treatable today and even the ones that are not if the baby is going to die anyway then why not let it die on it’s own terms, instead of terminating it. This is the argument that has been present since the early 1800s. In Roe vs. Wade the Supreme Court ruled that they did not have the right to tell a woman what to do with her body. But murder is a capital crime as well. So the real debate should not be that abortion is legal, the real issue should be whether or not abortion is seen as murder. Webster’s dictionary defines murder as the unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by another and also defines abortion as the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy. But when is a baby considered a human? When they are conceived, or when they are born? It would be considered murder if someone killed a baby after they were born, so why is it not considered murder if someone kills a baby before they are born. This is the true underlying issue of abortion. If the legal system can realize their gaps in their logic then maybe they can figure out that murder is murder no matter how big or how small a human is. Everyone has different morals and beliefs on what they think is right or wrong. But know matter what their moral or spiritual background n one can deny a human being life. So whatever the reason for abortion there need only be one reason against abortion. It is killing plain and simple. If killing is illegal then so is abortion.

Classical Music

Classical Music Classical music seems definitely more comprehensive and soul searching. Classical music seems to be much less accessible than rock since it has become very elitist. Elitism always strips the emotion necessary to inspire any passion. Because rock is not valued as high art there remains room for real emotion. People always like what is natural and real. Classical music has been and still is a major part of American and European cultures. This type of music was my aunts and still is her favorite type of music. She listened to classical music all of her life ever since she was first introduced to it by her parents back in the mid 1900s. Her parents tried to encourage her to only listen to classical music because they said that it brought peace to the mind and helped people concentrate on their work better. Classical music is just so hard to relate to since there are very few or no words and it has been in existence for a very long period of time without much change. This, is one reason younger people, like me, do not quite know what to make of classical music, but on the other hand, the seriousness of classical music could also be an attraction. To me it is as if classical music and rock inhabit different worlds, where people think in entirely different ways. Listening to classical music was seen as a sign of someone who was very well educated and well mannered. Classical music was just so wonderful to her because it brought together so many different kinds of instruments in a beautiful harmony. Classical music almost never talks about such things. Classical music just seems so repetitive and gets tiring to me very fast. She very much appreciated the musical works of composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Haydn, and many others. Some of these benefits include optimizing brain d evelopment, building social and emotional skills, and stimulating creativity and enhancing joy. According to my aunt, classical music has many benefits. Classical music because she was so engrossed in it that she wanted to learn everything about it and more. This music is just so inspirational. The most obvious example is when rock first appeared in 1954, it was an eruption of black music into the white pop mainstream. When I listen to music, I like to hear words in the song. However, in a classical song, one cannot really try to improvise because it might disrupt some of the harmonies of other instruments, and just overall mess up the whole song. Classical music certainly is more complex. HoweverI always wonder why the rock musicians are millionares. Most of them dont even know how to read music. They dont spend years taking lessons and seem to master their instruments. A guitarist in my favorite rock band, only took a couple of guitar lessonsyet now he is considered one of the best guitarists in rock and is a millionaire. I guess the real art in rock, is the creativity of coming up with something that the public likes. I would say that rock music is the dominant music in the western world today. I wonder why that is. Is it because of the strong beat in rock? Or because it is easier for people to listen to? Or maybe because the rock compositions (overall) are shorter? Is the electric guitar easier to master than symphony instruments? Perhaps the real clue is, there are so many different kinds of classical music, that exploring the genre will eventually involve an attempt to understand some sort of music. And this is what, to me, rock music doesnt need: all you have to do is listen to the music, and listen to the words; if it moves you, you like it. Rock music tends to lack the mental effort of comprehension. This does not mean that people who listen to rock music are stupid :). They are people who simply want to enjoy their music. I see them as wanting to relax to it, not wanting to be discerning and analytical. This is why I like to listen to some rock. As the why rock musicians make more money: They play in huge stadiums, where classical music is very hard to perform. Rock music is generally fairly catchy, has singable lyrics, that really hit home to some people, or just something about the ease in listening to it that makes everyone like it.

Reducing the Risk of HIV Among Adolescent Girls :: essays research papers

According to the CDC, the majority of female adolescents will have had at least one sexual partner by the time they reach the age of 18. Once reserved for high school students, sex ed is now being introduced in junior high and even elementary schools. It is undeniable that our teenagers are becoming sexually active earlier and inevitably, are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections and HIV. While it is impossible to alter the choices of sexually active teens once they have been made, it is a mandate for those who interact with them to equip teens with the proper resources to make smart choices and offer suggestions to modify risky behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The aim of this particular study was two-fold. First, the authors studied the possibility and practicality of reducing the HIV risk among adolescent girls through the utilization of a small group, community-based setting. Secondly, the effectiveness and usefulness of such an intervention was determined and further analyzed using a controlled design. In the examination of statistical conclusion validity pertaining to this study, one threat that is imperative for the reader to consider lies in the low statistical power of the study. With 129 girls recruited, less than half (62) attended either the HIV or control intervention groups with only 48 completing the three month follow up session. Polit and Beck states that studies with low statistical power may not succeed in establishing a relationship between the variables. As a pilot study, it is hardly dismissive and worth noting that, at best, a relationship may be present or could be present between the two variables, however, the low statistical power causes me to hesitate to assign an irrefutable relationship between the intervention group and reduced risk behavior as demonstrated by the behavioral changes (decreased substance abuse, increased knowledge on HIV prevention, fewer engagement in risky sexual behavior). The authors acknowledged this threat to the statistical conclusio n validity but also noted that outcomes were â€Å"encouraging†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attrition presents a threat to both statistical conclusion and internal validity. In the aforementioned statistics, it is obvious to deduce that attrition was a direct result of the unavailability of many girls, which consequently resulted in low statistical power. The attrition rate in this study can be considered random as it was blamed on work schedules and inability to form contact and did not alter extraneous characteristics of those remaining in the study.

Revenge and Vengeance in Shakespeares Hamlet - Typical Revenge Tragedy :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Hamlet

Hamlet as a Typical Revenge Tragedy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare’s Hamlet very closely follows the dramatic conventions of revenge in Elizabethan theater. All revenge tragedies originally stemmed from the Greeks, who wrote and performed the first plays. After the Greeks came Seneca who was very influential to all Elizabethan tragedy writers. Seneca who was Roman, basically set all of the ideas and the norms for all revenge play writers in the Renaissance era including William Shakespeare. The two most famous English revenge tragedies written in the Elizabethan era were Hamlet, written by Shakespeare and The Spanish Tragedy, written by Thomas Kyd. These two plays used mostly all of the Elizabethan conventions for revenge tragedies in their plays. Hamlet especially incorporated all revenge conventions in one way or another, which truly made Hamlet a typical revenge play. "Shakespeare's Hamlet is one of many heroes of the Elizabethan and Jacobean stage who finds himself grievously wronged by a powerful figure, with no recourse to the law, and with a crime against his family to avenge."         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seneca was among the greatest authors of classical tragedies and   there was not one educated Elizabethan who was unaware of him or his plays. There were certain stylistic and different strategically thought out devices that Elizabethan playwrights including Shakespeare learned and used from Seneca's great tragedies. The five act structure, the appearance of some kind of ghost, the one line exchanges known as stichomythia, and Seneca's use of long rhetorical speeches were all later used in tragedies by Elizabethan playwrights. Some of Seneca's ideas were originally taken from the Greeks when the Romans conquered Greece, and with it they took home many Greek theatrical ideas. Some of Seneca's stories that originated from the Greeks like Agamemnon and Thyestes which dealt with bloody family histories and revenge captivated the Elizabethans. Seneca's stories weren't really written for performance purposes, so if English playwrights liked his ideas, they ha d to figure out a way to make the story theatrically workable, relevant and exciting to the Elizabethan audience who were very demanding. Seneca's influence formed part of a developing tradition of tragedies whose plots hinge on political power, forbidden sexuality, family honor and private revenge. "There was no author who exercised a wider or deeper influence upon the Elizabethan mind or upon the Elizabethan form of tragedy than did Seneca." For the dramatists of Renaissance Italy, France and England, classical tragedy meant only the ten Latin plays of Seneca and not Euripides, Aeschylus and Sophocles.

Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun - Money :: Raisin Sun essays

A Raisin in the Sun - Money Where money is but an illusion and all it brings are nothing but dreams, one family struggles to discover that wealth can be found in other forms. In the play "A Raisin in the Sun," Lorraine Hansberry uses the indirect characterization of the Younger family through their acquaintances to reveal that money and materialism alone are worthless. Living in a society where the fulfillment of dreams is based upon material wealth, the Younger family strives to overcome their hardships as they search for happiness. As money has never been a way of life for the family, the insurance check's arrival brings each person to see the chance that their own dreams can become reality. Whether in taking a risk through buying a "little liquor store" as Walter wishes to do or in -"[wanting] to cure" as Beneatha dreams, the desires of the family depend upon the fate of Mama's check. In the mind of Walter Lee Younger, the check is the pinnacle of all, dominating his thoughts, as he does not wait a second before "asking about money "without" a Christian greeting." He cannot see beyond the fact that he "[wants] so many things" and that only their recently acquired money can bring them about. The idea of money and being able to hold it "in [his] hands" blinds him from the evils of society, as he cannot see that the Willy Harris's of th e world will steal a person's "life" without a word to anyone. When money becomes nothing but an illusion, Walter is forced to rethink his values and his family's future, realizing that there is more to living that possessing material riches. When Walter loses his "sister's school money," the consequences are widespread and Beneatha sees that dream diminish before her eyes. She sees her slipping through Walter's fingers and finds her lifelong goals changing. From the days of her childhood, she has longed "to be a doctor" and "fix up the sick." While her family and friends do not understand Beneatha's dream, she continues longing for the education she needs to create a successful life she desires rather than one where she is waiting "to get married.

Literature Review and Empirical Essay

From the early eighties to the nineties, the Standard Rate increased modestly, but is still below its mid-seventies level. While researchers have identified many reasons for the low UI recipiency rates over the past twenty years, many questions remain as to the causes behind the low rate and steps that policy and program officials might take to increase it. While the Standard Rate is the most commonly used measure to evaluate the effectiveness of the UI program, researchers have developed alternative UI recipiency rates to address some of the limitations of the standard measure. The standard measure is expressed as the ratio of the insured unemployed (i. e. , the number of regular UI claimants) to the total number unemployed. Alternative measures have been designed to better capture the effectiveness of the UI program by including the full range of UI programs available to the unemployed (beyond the regular program) and by more accurately defining the UI target population (a subset of unemployed workers). Purpose and Methodology The purpose of this report is to examine why the Standard Rate, as well as alternative recipiency rates, declined sharply in the early eighties and continued to remain well below their midseventies level in the early nineties. We critically reviewed the findings from the research literature to explore the factors others have identified to explain the drop in the UI recipiency rate. The literature review enabled us to identify factors for inclusion in our empirical analysis and to assess the effects of factors that could not be included in our own analysis. Our empirical analysis is based primarily on the methodology used by Burtless and Saks (1984) and focuses only on changes in the UI recipiency rate over recessionary periods. It is important to compare similar economic periods because the UI recipiency rate is higher during recessionary periods and lower during periods of economic expansion. We first replicated the analysis from Burtless and Saks, estimating the effects of various factors that influenced the rate used in their original analysis from the seventies recession (1975-76) to the eighties recession (1981-83). We then extended their earlier analysis by testing the effects of additional factors during that period. Next, we updated the analysis to include data from the most recent recessionary period in the nineties (1991-92). We chose the period in the nineties to be consistent with the periods of rising unemployment rates selected by Burtless and Saks. Finally, we extended their analysis by using the Standard Rate and two additional measures of UI recipiency selected to measure the performance of the UI programs during recessionary periods. Our conclusions about the effects of various factors on the UI recipiency rate are based on the findings from both the critical review of the literature and our empirical analysis. We also present evaluation design options to address some of the limitations of current knowledge. The Lewin Group, Inc. E-1 156059 Executive Summary C. UI Recipiency Rate Measures Four UI recipiency rate measures were selected for the empirical analysis. Standard Rate: number of weekly claims for regular program unemployment insurance benefits, as a proportion of all unemployed workers;1 All Programs Rate: number of weekly claims for all program (regular, extended and federal) unemployment insurance benefits, as a proportion of all unemployed workers; Standard Short-term Rate: number of weekly claims for regular program unemployment insurance benefits, as a proportion of job losers unemployed less than 27 weeks; and All Programs Job Loser Rate: number of weekly claims for all program (regular, extended and federal) unemployment insurance benefits, as a proportion of all job losers. The final three UI recipiency rates deviate from the Standard Rate by changing the definition of UI claimants, unemployed workers, or both. Because the All Programs Rate and the All Programs Job Loser Rate include all UI program claimants, Wandner and Stengle (1996) argue that they are generally better measures of UI coverage during recessionary periods when extended benefit programs are provided. The All Programs Job Loser Rate differs from the All Programs Rate because it targets a subset of unemployed workers (i. e. , job losers) who would be most likely to qualify for UI benefits. The Standard Short-term Rate only includes regular program claimants and the general â€Å"target population† for the regular state program, job losers unemployed less than 27 weeks. This final measure was used in the original Burtless and Saks analysis. All three alternative rates are larger than the Standard Rate because they use either a more expansive definition of UI claimants and/or a more restrictive definition of unemployed workers. From the seventies to the eighties, all four recipiency rates declined sharply (Exhibit 1). The largest reductions are for the All Programs Rate and the All Programs Job Loser Rate. These rates declined by more than the Standard Rate because of the large cutbacks in the extended benefit programs that were implemented in the early eighties. From the eighties to the nineties, the Standard Rate increased slightly. There is not, however, a large change in either the All Programs or All Programs Job Loser rates over this period, due to the small number of extended claimants. If, however, the analysis were extended to periods following March 1992, there would be an increase in both of these rates because of the extension of benefits through the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EU3) program. 2 The Standard Short-term Rate follows the same general pattern as the Standard Rate, though there is a much sharper drop-off in the Standard Short-term rate in the early eighties that corresponds with fewer short term job losers receiving regular program benefits.

Evaluating Strategic Management Essay

The strategic management process result in decision that can have significant, long lasting consequences. In many organizations, strategy evaluation is simply an appraisal of how well an organization has performed. Strategy evaluation includes three basic activities: 1. Examining the underlying bases of firm strategy 2. Comparing expected result with actual result 3. Taking corrective action to ensure that performance conform to plan. Strategy evaluation is becoming increasingly difficult with the passage of time, for many reasons. domestic And world economies were more stable in years past, product life cycles were longer, product development cycles were longer, technological advancement was slower, change occurred less frequently, there were fewer competitors, foreign companies were weak, and there were more regulated industries. Other reasons why strategy evaluation is more difficult today include the following trends: 1. A dramatic increase in the environment ‘s complexity 2. The increasing difficulty of predicting the future with accuracy 3. The increasing number of variables 4. The rapid rate of obsolescence of even the best plans 5. The increase in the number of both domestic and world events affecting organizations 6. The decreasing time span for which planning can be done with any degree of certainty Four Criteria (Richard Rummelt in evaluating strategic management: †¢ Consistency Strategy should not present inconsistent goals and policies. Conflict and interdepartmental bickering symptomatic of managerial disorder and strategic inconsistency †¢ Consonance Need for strategies to examine sets of trends †¢ Adaptive response to external environment †¢ Trends are results of interactions among other trends †¢ Feasibility Neither overtax resources or create unsolvable sub problems †¢ Organizations must demonstrate the abilities, competencies, skills and talents to carry out a given strategy †¢ Advantage Creation or maintenance of competitive advantage †¢ Superiority in resources, skills, or position Nowadays, the strategy evaluation is become difficult because adjusting with the trends happened. There are some reasons for it: 1. Increase in environment’s complexity 2. Difficulty predicting future with accuracy 3. Increasing number of variables 4. Rate of obsolescence of plans 5. Domestic and global events 6. Decreasing time span for planning certainty a.Reviewing Bases of Strategy – Develop revised EFE Matrix – Develop revised IFE Matrix Review effectiveness of strategy is important to evaluate how far these strategy matches with our goals, the way are: 1. Competitors’ reaction to strategy 2. Competitors’ change in strategy 3. Competitors’ changes in strengths and weaknesses 4. Reasons for competitors’ strategic change 5. Reasons for competitors’ successful strategies 6. Competitors’ present market positions and profitability 7. Potential for competitor retaliation 8. Potential for cooperation with competitors b.Measuring Organizational Performance †¢ Comparing expected to actual results †¢ Investigating deviations from plan †¢ Evaluating individual performance †¢ Progress toward stated objectives

Human Resource of Ritz Carlton Essay

Introduction In today’s economy where knowledge and skills demand are rising, it is also the responsibility of an organization’s human resource team to analyze and ensure they recruit the most appropriate candidate for the job. Organisations have been seeking, attracting and retaining the best talents available in order to overcome the competitive challenges that they are facing today. Apart from achieving the strategic goals and objectives of an organization, human resource management (HRM) also plays a part in the output of a company performance as it lays down strategic decisions, policies, as well as systems, that may affect the most important asset in the organization, its employees (Armstrong, 2008, p.5). In this assignment, it will reference to Ritz Carlton that is one of the most successful organizations that have acknowledged their human resource (employees) as the most important asset to achieve goals and objectives. The focus on human resources into recruiting, selecting and development has aided them to achieve several worldwide recognition awards such as the gold standard of hospitality (The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 2011). Recruitment and Selection Hellriegel and Slocum (2007, p.161) states that Ritz Carlton knows the type of employees they are looking for in every job position, and is careful to only employ those who display the skills and behavior required to accomplish the job. Ritz Carlton has always been successful in selecting and recruiting the most suitable talents to their organisations that will fit into their cultures, values and service standard that is crucial in maintaining or even heighten the standard of Ritz Carlton. With positions that require employees to be on the front line to interact and serve guests, it is of utmost importance that an employee is able to provide the level of service required to meet or exceed the satisfaction level of the guests as failing to do so may result in negative feedback, leading to poor company performance. In the success of Ritz Carlton, its employees had played a significant role by blending into the organization’s culture, abiding by the organization’s value and philosophy, to create a unique and pleasant experience for its guests. Training & Development A well planned and structured training not only provides information and direction to accomplish specific tasks related to organizational needs and objectives, it also leads to behavioral change and improvement in job performance (Vaughn, 2005, p.2) In Ritz Carlton, be it current employees or new hires, employees are provided with an array of opportunities to learn and develop skills to facilitate and enhance employee performance. In the case of an employee in management role, training could lead him to better decision-making skills for both himself, and for the organization. For employees in the non-management positions, training could include developing the necessary skills, knowledge, the right mindset, as well as the abilities to resolve problems. Today, with the numerous awards won for its legendary services, Ritz Carlton had proven that its employees had been consistent in demonstrating the skills, knowledge, and behavior obtained via training. With their heavy focus on human resources training and development, employees are more equipped and knowledgeable in tackling problems, changes or any obstacles while performing their tasks which will lead to increased productivity which may be crucial for organizations that may need constant improvement. Employee Retention For an organization to be relying very much on its employees Ritz Carlton have not only provided a unique work environment, it has also recognized the needs to prioritize the health and well-being of its employees as a mean to retain its talented employees. By being able to retain the talented individuals in the organizations, Ritz Carlton will be able to invest their capital more efficiently as they do not need to waste time and money on new hires and re-trainings. High-turnover rate of any organisation will be disruptive and non-productive for the work environment that will might slow down or affect the growth of the organisation. Therefore, retaining the best talent within the organisation is also crucial for any organisations. Ritz Carlton is a good example as they create a very good working environment as they respect others and in return, receive the respect from others with their famous motto â€Å"We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentleman†. (The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 2011). Employee Compensation Career development plans, opportunities to promote within the organization, complimentary employee meals and retirement plans are just some of the benefits offered by Ritz Carlton to motivate its employees. Apart from that, Ritz Carlton had also recognized the need to respond to the needs of its employees by getting employee feedback. By having motivated employees, Ritz Carlton had also gained a competitive edge by having more loyal and committed employees who would go the extra mile to get their job done. Conclusion Human Resource (employees) is the greatest asset to an organization as they contribute directly to the growth of an organizations. With capable and talented employees in the workforce, an organization can benefit greatly as its employees could make critical and responsible decisions that determines the progress of an organization. However, an effective and efficient human resource strategy needs to be implemented for both employees and organization to fully benefit from it. In the example of Ritz Carlton where its employees are its greatest asset, its human resource department has taken further measurements by analyzing and identifying the requirements of an individual who can perform the job. With the right attitude and beliefs, its employees are given a wide array of opportunities to learn and develop skills via training which would lead to increased productivity and efficiency. In an attempt to retain its top talents, Ritz Carlton had also been successful in providing attractive benefits, as well as a distinctive work environment, so as to keep its employees motivated, loyal and committed. To conclude, Ritz Carlton had been remarkably successful in its strategy of using its employees as its greatest asset to achieve its goals and objectives. References A. Noe et al.(2010): Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage(7th Edition) . New York: McGraw-Hill D.Hellriegel and W.Slocum (2007): Organizational Behavior (11th Edition) . USA: Thomson South-Western H.Vaughn (2005): The Professional Trainer: A Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Delivering, and Evaluating Training Programs(2nd Edition) . San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers M. Armstrong (2008): Strategic Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action(4th Edition) . US: Kogan Page Publishers The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company,2011. About Us.[Online]. Available at: http://corporate.ritzcarlton.com/en/About/Default.htm. [Accessed 16 November 2011] The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company,2011. Learn and Develop.[Online]. Available at: http://corporate.ritzcarlton.com/en/Careers/YourCareer/LearningAndDevelopment.htm. [Accessed 16 November 2011] The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 2011. Gold Standards. [Online]. Available at: http://corporate.ritzcarlton.com/en/About/GoldStandards.htm#promise. [Accessed 16 November 2011] Bibliography H. Koontz and H.Weihrich(2008): Essentials of Management: An International Perspective(7th Edition) . New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill

Introducing Customer Services Essay

Introduction In this assignment I will be writing about the importance of having good communication skills in customer service. I was assigned to a two week work placement at Superdrug where I had to deal with different types of customers and their needs and expectations. I also was instructed by the supervisor to give good customer care and service to customers. Task 3 Explanation of what a customer is Customers are people or businesses who pay for goods and services or benefit from a particular business. People such as: * The elderly * Teenagers * Disabled * Insurance companies * Banks * Cleaners Task 4 In this task I will be explaining the meaning of internal customers. I will also be giving examples of what an internal customer is. Internal customers Internal customers are those people and employees who might use a company’s services and products. Examples of internal customers are: Store Manager The store Manager is an internal customer because he/she benefits from the company when the company gets sales. They also may get a pay rise if the business does really well. The manger depends on the business to get sales, if the business does badly the manger is then at risk of losing money or getting sacked. Security guard The security guard is an internal customer, for his/her service of making sure goods are not thieved from the store he/she benefits from the business by getting a months salary and also may get discounts from the business. Cleaners The cleaner’s job is to make sure that everything in the shop is clean and presentable. The cleaner benefits from this by getting a monthly salary and may get a discount on the products he/she buys from the business. Task 5 In this task I will be explaining the meaning of external customers. I will also be giving examples of what an external customer is. External customers An external customer is an individual or business outside of the company who receives goods or services from that particular company. For example: Banks Banks are external customer because they benefit from the money that is given by companies. They benefit from this money because when the money is given to the bank the bank loans the money to other companies and make profits off of it e.g.(interest). Suppliers The suppliers are external customers because they provide the products for the businesses and the businesses therefore buy the products from them. The suppliers make a profit from that money used to pay for the product which enables the people who work with the supplier to get a salary. People People are external because they buy products from the business and in return they get good service and quality products. Task 6 Customers at Superdrug and their needs and expectations In this task I will be identifying 4 types of customers I came across while working at Superdrug and what their needs and expectations were. While on my work experience I came across a range of different customers such as: * The elderly * Disabled * Teenager I didn’t come across the external customers who are: * The cleaners * Bank * The manager * Insurance company Internal customer needs at Superdrug Store Manager The store Manager needs to come to the store and buy product in-order for him/her to get paid. The manager also needs employees to come to work early in-order for the store to open if no-one comes in to work the business will have to get closed down and the manager will lose his job. He/she also needs holiday entitlement Security guard The security guard needs to get paid for his/her services. Him/her also need to have at least one lunch break and needs to be useful e.g. (watching out for thieves). External customer needs at Superdrug Bank The bank needs Superdrug to put more money into it that they take out so the bank can make profits. The bank also needs the money to get into the bank on-time and always have some of that money in the bank. Insurance company The needs of the insurance company are for Superdrugs to pay them. Elderly To meet customer needs knowledge of the products are necessary. A lot of elderly customers come in to the store for the in-store pharmacy, the customers brings their prescription to the counter and or they may ask you for something you will have to understand what they need so that the customer can purchase the product. The customers are also like to be buying the product from a decent enough price and have good quality. Teenagers Superdrug attracts a lot of teenage customers because they like to buy a lot of hair products and perfumes. They need good value for money as they don’t work to get money themselves and quality products. Internal customer expectations at Superdrug Store Manager The store Manager expects employees to come in every day and give good customer service and expects a permanent job. He/she also expects the employees to be polite and pleasant to him/her, and expects the business to look after him/her e.g.(sick pay). Security guard The security expects to be treated with respect by all staff in the store, a lot of thieves come into the store everyday and if the security is to catch one of those thieves he/she expects to be praised and maybe get a pay rise for the hard work. For his/her service of making sure goods are not thieved from the store he/she expects to benefit from the business by getting a months salary and also may get discounts from the business. External customer expectations at Superdrug Bank The bank expects Superdrug to pay their money on time and use they right forms. They also expect the money to come in regularly. Insurance company The Insurance Company expect Superdrug to pay their money on time every month and not make untrue claims because this will make the insurance company lose out on money. They also expect Superdrug to fill the form out correctly when apply for that particular company. Elderly Elderly customers expect to be treated with respect and when asking for a prescription they expect staff to be polite and the prescription to be dealt with quickly and efficiently. Elderly customers also expect to have easy access around the store. Teenagers Teenagers expect good customer service from employees. They also expect the products to be of good quality and value for money. They also expect for the product that they want is always available. Task 7 Customer’s expectations at Superdrug are quiet high and are always increasing. While on my work experience I came across many different types of customer, below are just a few examples of customers I came across in the business and what their needs and expectation were. Task 8 Why you have to present yourself appropriately and prepare your work area before customers arrive in Superdrug. In this task I will be explaining why it is important that staff present themselves appropriately and prepare their work area before customers arrive. In Superdrug the majority of customers are members of the public, the appearance of both the staff and the premises are very important. It is important in a retail business that staff pays attention to their appearance because customers expect you to be smartly dressed, and also to be approachable this includes having good hygiene. It is important that I had a positive attitude towards customers so that they may feel welcome to return back to the store and buy products. Knowledge of products and services is also very important because customers won’t always know about the product so they would seek advice from staff. In Superdrug it is important that the work area is clean and tidy before customers arrive to provide a pleasant and sufficient environment to give the impression to the customers that the store is well looked after. It is important that equipment is easily accessible to those who need to use it. For example the tills would be turned on and appropriate amount of cash put in, and televisions advertising certain products so that customers can buy them. The work tops will also be cleaned before customers arrive. It is also important to keep store safe for customers at all times this can be done by making sure that the till area is always tidy and making sure the walking areas no obstructions such as boxes and plastic wrappers left from staff stacking items. There would also be security staff protecting the store. Task 9 How Superdrug staff prepare themselves and their work area for customer service In this task I will be describing how staff in Superdrug prepares themselves and their work area for customer service. Staff Positive attitude While on my work experience I had positive attitude when dealing with customers and was enthusiastic about the products I was selling. It is also important that I was polite and understood the customer’s needs so that the customer will be happy to buy the product I was describing to them. Personal presentation In Superdrug it was expected of me to be professionally presented. The customers will have certain expectations including being approached by staff that is clean, smartly dressed and has good personal hygiene. Dress code I was instructed by the manager to arrive at the Superdrug wearing a smart black blouse with smart black trouser and black shoes (no trainers). It is also expected of me to have clean hair and brushed teeth so my breath does not smell while talking to customers. Posture It was important that I had good posture which means standing up straight and looking confident so that you look approachable by customers. If I did not have a good posture for example slouching with my hands in my pocket customers may think I can’t be bothered and I don’t care about my job, therefore customers will not feel comfortable approaching me. Personal space It is important that when I was talking to a customer face to face that I was to stand at least arms length away from them. Standing closer than the recommended length is invading that customer’s personal space and they may feel uncomfortable. Standing further away from the customer may give them the impressions that you are either scared or you don’t have time for them. First impressions First impression of a business is very important. If a shop is first opening and the shop floor is dirty and staff looks scruffy, the customers may think the business is not run properly and may not get the chance to see the products. The customers will see the dirt and poor appearance of the staff and will expect the product to be poor quality. Knowledge of products and services Customers expect staff to know about the products and services that the retail outlet provides. It is important that staff familiarise themselves with the layout of the shop floor, this will enable staff to provide information regarding products (e.g. product whereabouts). While on my work experience at Superdrugs it was required of me to have knowledge of the section I was working in and also know other sections around the store, I was given a sheet of paper showing everything that was in the store and where they were. By the end of the day I knew where every thing was on the shop floor, when customers approached me asking where a particular item was, I was able to tell them straight away. It helped to have the section I was given to work in because I had a lot of knowledge of those products as I am always buying those products myself. Organisations guidelines and standards required for customer service It is essential that Superdrug have a customer service policy that states the required standard for customer service. This ensures that employees know what to do when they are dealing with customers and will help them provide a high standard of customer care. Teamwork It is important that staff are good at working as a team, this can improve your customer service skills as you would have to use the same skills in order to build a good relationship with your team workers. For example listening skills, negotiation skills and assertiveness. Teamwork involves sharing ideas and working together, for example in Superdrug on the pharmacy counter processing customers prescriptions is customer service staff working with each other the till staff send prescription info to a computer behind the scenes, the prescription is then processed and given to the customer. Work area Appropriate equipment In Superdrug it is important that the work area is clean and tidy before customers arrive to provide a pleasant and sufficient environment to give the impression to the customers that the store is well looked after. It is important that equipment is easily accessible to those who need to use it. For example the tills would be turned on and appropriate amount of cash put in, and televisions advertising certain products so that customers can buy them. Safe and tidy work area It is important in that Superdrug keep the work area clean and tidy. I did this by making sure that I cleaned up my rubbish after stacking the shelves. If the store is not kept safe and tidy it could cause hazards and may result in customers injuring themselves. It is also important that the workplace is kept tidy because staff may find it is easier to lose important documents. Efficient use of space It is important that in Superdrug there is enough space for all types of customers to walk about with. For example mothers with buggies and disabled people in wheelchairs. It is also important that items displayed on the shelves are easy reach by customers of average height. Remember high shelves can make it hard for shorter people to reach. Health and safety By law all employees/staff are required to take responsibility of their own health and safety and that of other e.g. (customers). It is also important that when staff use equipment they clean up after themselves or put the equipment in its rightful place. For example, when stacking out items on the shelves make sure the boxes or the products wrapping is not obstructing the aisles, this could cause a customer to trip and injure themselves. Fire safety It is important that staff follow the procedures of fire safety. All members of staff should know what to do in an event of fire and where the equipment is, for example marked fire exits, emergency evacuation procedures and fire extinguishers. While on my work experience on the first day I was shown all the nearest fire exits and it was explained to me what I should do in an event of fire. There was a practice fire alarm and it was my job to make sure that all customers were safe and evacuated the building immediately. Accident It is important that all staff in Superdrug no what to do in case of an accident to an employee or customer. If a customer or employee has been injured it is important that you notify an appropriate member of staff e.g. (manager, first aider). If the injury severe you should dial 999 and ask for an ambulance. Task10 Health and Safety risks in the workplace Task 11 In this task I will identifying four possible hazards found in Superdrug. Four possible hazards in Superdrug Poor maintenance Slips, trip and falls Fire exits Smoking Task 12 In this task I will be identifying the potential hazards and risk in Superdrug. I will also be explaining how the hazards and risks could harm employees and customers. Hazards Risks Poor Maintenance If shelves are broken and not repaired quickly. A customer might want an item which is on a high shelf not knowing that is broken they will pick up the item and the products could fall on the customer which may cause an injury. If shelves are broken and not repaired quickly. An employee can be stacking the shelves not knowing the shelf is broken they will stack items on there and the shelves will collapse onto the person causing an injury. Slips, Trips and Falls If the floor has just been cleaned and a hazard sign has not been put up. A customer could walk into the store not knowing the floor is wet, they would then walk in that wet area and slip and injure them self. If an employee has just finished their task of unpacking products and stacking them on the shelves and they leave the rubbish on the floor, another employee could walk by not knowing the rubbish is there, the could trip over rubbish and fall and injure themselves. Fire exits If the fire exits are not clearly labelled for customers in an event of fire customers could be a great danger. If employees leave their boxes and rubbish in front of the fire exits in an event of fire people won’t be able to get out of the building and will then result in a lot of staff and customers getting injured. Smoking It is important that customers do not smoke in the building because if they are to drop the cigarette on the floor without putting out, this could cause the building to set on fire and put a lot of lives in danger. If employees are to smoke in the building they at risk of injuring themselves and others around them, everyone around them will be breathing in second hand smoke which could damage their body severely. The employee is also at risk of causing a fire and getting sacked. Task 15 In this task I will be explaining the meaning of communication. The meaning of communication Communication is when people interact with each other and share information. For example, while on my work experience I listened to customer’s needs and what they had to say which is that they wanted to buy a 3 mobile, then I gave back the right information on products and services in order for them to buy the products they wanted. Task 16 Why it is important to have good communication skills It is important to have a good level of communication skills because in the retail industry a large proportion of the work is dealing with customers verbally. Customers expect retail staff to be helpful, polite and to be well presented. Retail staff are required to have a good level of spoken English in order to understand customer needs and to be able to clearly provide information on request. Throughout my work experience I think I had very good communication skills towards customers I feel that I showed that I was enthusiastic about what I was doing. And there for customers would not hesitate to approach me. In the end it is important that the customers get what they want, the business then makes money and customers will be happy to return to the store. Task 17 In this task I will be explaining 3 types of communication I came across when approaching staff in a business Verbal communication One example of verbal communication that I came across as a customer was that when I asked a member of staff for a particular item they explain very clearly where the item was and they were very welcoming and polite Non-verbal communication One example of non-verbal communication that I came across was that when I tried to approach a member of staff in a store they didn’t even make eye contact with me they just pointed to a section of the store. Body language One example of body language that I came across is that when I tried to ask a till cashier for some information they just shrugged their shoulders with an angry face like I done something wrong. Task 18 In this task I will be identifying six communication skills and why they are important Appropriate spoken English It is important to have appropriate spoken English in Superdrug. While on my work experience it was important that I was polite to customers and that my language was clear and straightforward so that customers would fell comfortable buying the products and to return back to the store. Level and tone of voice When speaking to customers it was important that I pay close attention to my level and tone of voice. For example, if my tone of voice is too loud the customer may think I am being angry towards them. The level of voice should be balanced, not too loud and not too quiet. Welcoming In Superdrug it is important to be welcoming and friendly. For example, I welcomed every customer that came into the store and ask if they needed any help finding anything. This encourage .customers to return to the store/ Listening In Superdrug it was important that I know how to listen to customers. I made sure that I listened to the customer’s needs and what they wanted. I showed that I understood the customers and didn’t interrupt them unnecessarily. Assisting It is important to offer and give help to customers. While on my work experience I made sure I did this. For example, opening doors for customers with lots of bags, this will encourage customers to come back to the store. I also offered to get products from high shelves and if the customer was looking for a product that my store didn’t sell I advised them on what others stores would sell the product. Questioning Questioning is very important in customer services in Superdrug. When customers first enter the store the first contact with them was in form of a question. For example, ‘how can I help you Sir/Miss?’ or ‘what are you looking for?’ Questioning helped me find out the needs of the customer. Which then gave me information on what they needed, to ask another question like, ‘what is your budget for this item?’. M3 How can I provide good customer care and services? In this task I will be describing how I can provide consistent customer care and services. Good customer care It is important in Superdrug that customers are satisfied with the way they have been treated; giving good customer care and loyalty will attract more customers to the store and keep Superdrug in business. Giving good customer care means being polite and helpful to customers. It is important that I listen carefully to customers and ask them questions so I get an understanding of what the customer wants so that I can get the right products for the customer. Having a positive attitude towards customers is mostly important because without a positive attitude customers will receive a negative vibe and therefore will not feel comfortable with me serving them. For example, while on my work experience customers asked for products that were no sold at the Superdrug store, instead of saying ‘we don’t have that’ I recommended them to a store that might have it. It is important when providing customers with information that I am clear and accurate about the product and that I confirm that the customer understands the information I have supplied. It is good to remember that when a customer enters the store, try and give customers more than they pay for. Good customer services When customers enter the store they should be assisted. In Superdrug every customer that entered the store was given information on the products that were sold there and the products features. It is important in Superdug to provide after sales care such as refund and guarantees. Communicating with customers is an essential part of customer service. This includes letting them know what services are available and making sure they are happy with the product I have sold to them. Good customer service in Superdrug attracts more customers and increases sales. It also improves the business reputation which means more customers just through recommendations. For example, two main factors that contribute to its business success are Superdrugs commitment to high standard of service and the expertise of its staff. To maintain these standards and keep staff up to date with new products Superdrug invests in training. D2 The importance of providing good customer care and services Importance of good Customer service Customer service is the provision of care to customers from pre-service to after sales service. It may be face-to-face, over the telephone, written or via new technology using e-mail and the Internet. Superdrug use customer care to create an overall impression of an organisation that puts the needs of the customer first, to ensure quality and increase sales over competititors. Increasingly, Superdrug have customer services departments or customer services desks whose job is to ensure the efficient process of delivering customer care, including provision for those customers with special needs. Superdrug produce literature, which outlines their Customer Care Policy or Charter; this may include their policy on refunds, warranties, after sales service and how to make a complaint. Customer service is very important part of any business organisation. Bibliography BTEC introduction business-published by Heinemann in 2005 Heinemann Educational Publishers Halley Court, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8EJ ISBN 978 0 435401 21 4 John Ruskin college intranet site Superdrug 452-456 Brixton Rd