Jean Jacques Rousseau And Mary Wollstonecraft - 1201 Words

The Age of Enlightenment began in the late 17th century and had some key ideas developed by education innovators that changed the way that society views children and education. Many of these ideas stem from the revolutionary work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Mary Wollstonecraft. This essay will discuss the main ideas from their work and also how it is reflected in other work during the Age of Enlightenment for educationalists such as Johann Pestalozzi and Robert Owen. The final aspect of this essay will discuss how these ideas are reflected in early New Zealand education and the system. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s ideas about children and education were both admired and criticised widely. He was â€Å"regarded as a foundational thinker on education† (May, 2013, p.32). Ideas of his that were praised and inspired other people’s work included encouraging infants to be unrestricted and roam free in the environment. During the time of Rousseau’s work, children were swaddled to prevent bones and muscles from becoming deformed. Rousseau believed that it would be beneficial for children to have some freedom and interact with the surroundings of the environment. This is thought to be extremely beneficial for their learning and development. Rousseau also had a view that male education should be superior to female education. He believed that females should be educated to become good mothers and wives. Females should be supported by their husbands. These skills would be taught to them by theirShow MoreRelatedMary Wollstonecraft vs. Jean Jaques Rousseau E ssay1044 Words   |  5 Pagesenlightenment authors, Jean Jacques Rousseau and Mary Wollstonecraft, took part in a debate in which they argued about the purpose and education of women. In an article recently written in The New York Times by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, the impact of the Enlightenment authors’ work on the 21st century is described. Though both of the authors expressed their arguments well, Mary Wollstonecraft’s debate was overall more persuasive and convincing than that of Jean Jacques Rousseau’s, and herRead MoreThe Scientific Revolution And The Enlightenment1528 Words   |  7 Pagesby the light of Science. Out of the Enlightenment come two very different philosophers. Mary Wollstonecraft and Jean-Jacques Rousseau had two very different ideas regarding the rights and opportunities of both men and women. While both argued that society oppressed human kind, Wollstonecraft argued that men were oppressing women while Rousseau felt that women exist in order to serve man. Mary Wollstonecraft believed that in order to keep society from becoming materialistic and oppressive, childrenRead MoreIntellectual Developments Pertaining to Gender in Japan and Europe765 Words   |  4 Pagessociety as tools to make the lives of men better. In the words of Rousseau â€Å"the education of women should always be relative to men. To please us, be useful to us†¦ make our lives easy and agreeable—those are the duties of women at all times† (Wollstonecraft 54). Men want obedient wives that make their lives easier so women are taught to be obedient, useful wives and to treasure beauty so they can get a husband to support them. Wollstonecraft complains that â€Å"women are taught at a young age by the exampleRead MoreThe Enlightentment of Age of Reason Sparked Change1049 Words   |  4 Pagesslave labor in horrible conditions. Enlightened Reformers saw this with disgust as people received sugar and other cash crops by the blood of the slaves. Slaver y became an important concept because of the disgust of the enlightened thinkers. Jean-Jacques Rousseau saw this and wrote his book the Discourse of the Origins of the Human Inequalities in 1754 on the inequality seen through slavery and how it contradicted enlightened beliefs. The argument against the abolishment of slavery was that it wouldRead MoreA Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman Essay1094 Words   |  5 Pagesthe name of Mary Wollstonecraft. In her book, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Wollstonecraft preaches her belief that the oppression of women is largely due to lack of female education. Although the term feminism wasn’t coined until decades later, Wollstonecraft paved the way for future women’s rights movements by advocating equality in education for women. She believed men and women should be equal in the very basic aspects of life, such as in loyalty in marriage. Wollstonecraft openly calledRead MoreAnalysis of Vindication of the Rights for Women by Mary Wollstonecraft 787 Words   |  4 Pagesfor Women by Mary Wollstonecraft was published in 1792, during the French Revolution. Wollstonecraft preached that intellect will always govern to persuade women not to endeavor to acquire knowledge but convince them that the soft phrases, acceptability of heart, delicacy of sentiment, and refinement of taste, are most preferred. By intellect, I mean the men because they were the ones that were allowed to get an education therefore allowing them to become intellectual. Wollstonecraft cleverly doesRead MoreThe Romantic Period Of Jean Jacques Rousseau1915 Words   |  8 Pagesduring the Eighteenth Century, influential ideologies, portrayed in literature, from religion to nature, to childhood and education began to shape people’s perception and thinking on such matters. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a contemporary, and is considered one of the earliest prominent voices in Nineteenth-Century Romanticism. The Romantic period marked the gradual but significant shift from the rational thinking of the Eighteenth-Century Enlightenment to a more emotional and individual thinkingRead MoreWomen’s Inequality in Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women Rousseau’s On the Origin of Inequality1008 Words   |  4 PagesBoth Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Mary Wollstonecraft agree that in society women and men are not equals. Rousseau’s idea that socialization brings inequality in his Discourse On the Origin of Inequality is manipulated by Wollstonecraft in her A Vindication of the Rights of Women. She uses his arguments to prove that the inequality between men and women is not natural, but it comes from Rousseau’s idea of socialized inequality. The inequality experienced by women is a product of society, which WollstonecraftRead MoreThe Intersection Of Modernity And Gender1601 Words   |  7 Pagesmultidimensional. It does not have to prescribe to a socially acceptable norms. Mode rnity though the gender movements is explored though the works of Baudelaire s Flowers of Evil†, Marry Wollstonecraft’s â€Å"A Vindication of the Rights of Women†, Rousseau s The Social Contract â€Å", Virginia Woolf’s â€Å"A Room of One s Own†, and Goethe s Sorrows of Young Werther† which present the breakdown the rigid gender roles the challenges everyone faces for perspective lifestyles. Charles Baudelaire, a frenchRead MoreWomen in the Enlightenment Essay1406 Words   |  6 PagesThe Enlightenment allowed a period of educational growth to begin. A new love for knowledge and debate sprung up throughout the century. Women joined in with the intellectual banter by starting salons. â€Å"If Voltaire transformed the thoughts, and Rousseau the feelings, of the eighteenth century, it was the salons of Paris that the new conceptions of ‘reason’ and ‘nature,’ of ‘free thought’ and the importance of the individual, were sifted, codified, and eventually imposed.† Women played a central

The American Dream By Cristina Saralegui - 1462 Words

Cristina Saralegui, an American Journalist, once said, â€Å"to realize the American Dream, the most important thing to understand is that it belongs to everybody. It s a human dream. If you understand this and work very hard, it is possible†. The American Dream, although in high demand by all people of all skin colors, is an aspiration often misunderstood. It is much simpler than what people make it out to be. The American Dream is not about fame or fortune. It is defined by studying hard at night, commuting to your long work day, and cleaning the home you own. The Dream is textured by hard work throughout a life. For the African Americans in our nation, the American Dream has regressed into somewhat of a nightmare, the people tortured by their own drive and hard-work that is constantly thrown out the window because of socioeconomic stereotypes passed down through generations. In the poem â€Å"I, too, Am America†, Hughes implies that to â€Å"be America† all people with a variety of skin colors have to be united by equality in common American Dreams such as homeownership, education, and the job market. Based off of this theory, blacks today are unable to be considered ‘America’ in Hughes’ standard because of of the unbearable gaps between whites and blacks. The Dream is meant to be a human dream for all, not an unattainable wish for some. Freedom begins with understanding. Understanding sprouts from education. Education comes from an environment where the student can feelShow MoreRelated History of Latino/a Immigration to the U.S. Essay1475 Words   |  6 PagesRoosevelt said, â€Å"the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.† That statement holds strong for immigrants in America. Equal access to opportunities allows immigrants to achieve the American dream. Their success correlates with America’s success because of the contributions immigrants provide to America. Un fortunately, the current immigration policy in America denies many immigrants the American dream. It is crucial to understand the historical context of immigration in America

Concerns and Developments in Customer†Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Concerns and Developments in Customer Behaviour. Answer: Introduction: The origin of high-tech publicities as well as interpersonal associations exemplifies the considerable and the most advanced functioning approaches of peripheral interface which benefits the grouping of outline of constructive outlook. It is aptly operational in the process of generating right means of marketing endeavors to breed the uniqueness of brand of specific group in multifarious kingdoms. (Berger, 2012). The investigator determined to analyze the influence of methodologies of communication on the existent configurations of commercial infrastructures of McDonalds those roles in superior countries extending at nearly one hundred and eighteen regions transversely through the comprehensive viewpoints (Kotler, 2012). The Institution targets to convey correct resources of the structure of communicative attitudes to form the impeccable flairs of assertiveness in the direction of the individuals and expedite wide-ranging formulae of interactive events. The modifications and accessibilities delivered by the well-designed division through its distinguishing openings and cafeterias are impressively prized by the viewers (Aboutmcdonalds.com, 2017). McDonalds stands as a protuberant group, which plans various formulae of nutritional stuffs such as the specific techniques of preparation of chicken items, vegetal burgers and sandwiches, breakfast cereal, oats, distinguished flavors of cornflakes, iced tea or cold chocolate drinks and coffee, divergent categories of fruit shakes using milk, lunch as well as added mealtimes supplemented by way of different types of fish, miscellaneous arrangements of salads and French fries alongside cyclical variations of fruits or smoothies and other lucrative components c onstructing the sense of taste that produces American bouquet (Mcdonalds.com, 2017). The utmost and persistent series of adored expeditions of the cafeteria was initiated in the tradition of fast-food matters with hamburger at the year 1940 in the neighborhood of United States expending the determination of sustaining the regulars of wide-ranging age accumulations regardless of sexual characteristics and class variables. It was promoted in the design of Barbeque Eatery during 1948 using the serviceable measures of distinguished corporate temperaments of Maurice through the rigorous backing of Richard McDonald. The coordination of fabrication was well along technologically advanced through Roy Kroc who contributed as the authorization of demonstrative franchise at 1955 and eventually secured the commercial actions and acknowledged in different provinces across the global domain (Aboutmcdonalds.com, 2016). The innovativeness accepts satisfactory revenues along the resulting periods that placed it by way of attaining the status of second leading company in the intercont inental perspectives fetching just about 1.9 million employees in consort with 1.5 million of personnel belonging to franchise subdivisions. Conversely, its dimensions of transactions depreciate through 32.6% to reach the dealings of $8111.5 million by the span of 2015. The turnover edge was predicted to drop in the assortment of 15.6%, from the valuation of $1.21 billion to those of $1.02 billion, by way of the ensuing lessening in the appraised charge of $1.21 for each extent of bonds. Nevertheless the genuine earnings were identified to have condensed by the value of 15% which stemmed into $4.76 billion proceeding with the returns of fewer than 2% to the evaluation of $27.44 billion (Mcdonalds.com.au, 2017). There were regional contests and breaks in communication strategies at the Asian as well as European constituencies which designed the track of hindrances to infiltrate in the evolving market divisions. Business Communication approaches and assertions The investigator is penetratingly concerned to recognize the indebted assessment of communication and realization of consciousness in the arena of successful inference of scientific and scientific resources of well-designed stage in creating the affirmations to promoting of products and amenities in addition to marketing measures. This sooner or later pledges productive associations with diverse groupings of personalities to improve the market values and consistency of consumers (Healey, 2011). The publication of different stuffs with the purposes of preoperational methods indicates the exercise of engendering acquaintances and prompting the publics to diagnose the brand identification of the firm as well as its business capabilities. It settles the clients to assemble the vital evidence on itemized materials that focus on the realistic inevitabilities of life. It accords with the endeavors of voicing the sections for operational and cherished relation with the societies to understan d the suitable forms of communications and awareness relating to the constituents of the physical entities. It is accurately an all-inclusive plus state-of-the-art arrangement of communal approach and e marketing scheme to recommend the necessity of elements to the public. The common people may perhaps retain the desire for knowledge to buy the substances which adapts to its leading comestibles for existence (McCurdy, 2012). There are commercial, self-assured besides physical requirements of miscellaneous assortments of individuals who challenge to decide on the resolution of the viable links and accomplish a share of the yields. The advertising events are recurrently engaged to highlight the maturing landscapes of the operational objectives and viewpoints. They meet the expense of contented values to hunt the constructive purposes of the image creation of the unit that desires to stimulate probable regulars and validate the prevailing representation of the appreciative views of the stuffs it crops or assembles (Iqani, 2012). The enlightened correspondences and the instant view of the documented products work to harvest attentiveness and communal, legitimate as well as ethical responsiveness to categorize the inclusive features of the accreditation and the technique of the underpinning of built-up matters on top of the factual individuality of the Commercial unit that sorts the applicable assets to reali ze the demands of definite consumers (Social Response, 2017). The nutriment products stretched the international satisfactory altitudes for the diverse age multiplicities of up-to-date period that are cognizant of physical in addition to mystical comfort as the psychological trance edged by the defended procedures of wellbeing cognizant populaces notwithstanding of topographical segmentations, interactive approaches, communicative procedure, spiritual problems, sexual features, public passion, and ethical principles and the rest (Kruse, 2013). E-communication objectives The promotion of the goods form remarkable events to fascinate the courteousness and the assurance of the personnel who are accurately substantial to crop the usefulness of the assets manageable for the preeminence and segregation of the sort of harvests deliberating to the kinds of the society (Cook, 2011). The uniqueness of supplies and the plan of the values of the market are authorized to be suggestively inspected over and done with the abundant categories of broadcasting of in demand media manipulation that are profusely capable by the provision of promoting establishments. Social means of communicating strategies exclusively positions on the theory of internet mechanisms as well as solicitation of multilayered measures of methodological ground rules and ideologies which overwhelms a concrete phase of media outburst. It has distinct preparation of preliminaries and demonstration of interconnecting posts and views principally governing to the perceptible confirmation (Priporas an d Vrontis, 2014). The means of communications ascribe the miscellaneous assemblies of individuals prevalent in various provinces of the region to induct assenting and operative actions of bond amongst widespread cultures, masses and individuals (Cervone, 2010). The feasible promoters anticipate spotting the events of campaigns within a motivating and authorizing technique of tempting the suitable types of audio-visual clips and special sound implements to expand the position of assimilation and boost the exercise of the elements with the workable reinforcement of the presence of merchandise (Persson, 2013). This produces grander entreaty to the intellects of the culture that requires materialistic pursuits of a flawless impact of the acknowledged convention of the product with the investigation and the success of the conveniences previously and well along subsequently after the purchase. It stays like an incomparable procedure that pinnacles the intentions of the measures of persuasive state of mind of the fineness of popular ingredients conveying nutritive ideals (Downing, 2011). There are copious categories of groundwork for instance, social, economic, ecofriendly, legitimate, comprehensive, and policymaking behaviors surviving within an evolution of communicating values alongside the business journeys. Imparting to the guidelines of Pride and Ferrell (2012), the proper services are judiciously unified to the directive of presence of trademark of item for consumption with varieties besides the transportation system to clinch a comfortable position at the domestic as well as transnational elevations. The diverse sorts of social means of diffusion of objectives and pragmatic application of ideologies of interactive announcements and declaration of specific offers of items are done through the Facebook and Twitter or Linked In, and even YouTube plus Instagram and other systems of media. This quickens the addressees to understand the aroma of interchange of assessments and wind crosswise from end to end along the drop-down windows those are labeled as the crutch es of the viable entities. The likes as well as observations and remarks cause the prominent landscapes (Chopra and Gajjala, 2012). Competitions and challenges The dissemination of a design and preparation of objects commonly deals with the interpersonal elucidations of the parallel ingredients manufactured or publicized by new-fangled and comparable other enterprises with nutritive ideologies to create social perception and disproportion in the midst of the beliefs of origination and the advertising skills (Business Insider, 2017). The proclamation can be manageable or miserable in line with the demanding situations produced by the Business through valuation of market share. The Commercial entity own its classifiable website over and above employs the penetrating implements and communicating locations as, , Google plus, and Twitter, Yahoo as well as Linked In or Facebook plus You Tube and the rest (Fisher, 2014). There are substantial possibilities of enquiring the valuation of the productions which are legally responsible to be refereed by the adversaries. Business dealings provide the chance of the ease of access to gather the records of data and information of the clients to the interesting concerns (Humphreys, 2013). McDonalds handled the crucial challenge in conceding the perception of Asian, African and Australian clients and shapes them to normalize with the enhanced standpoints of nutritious ingredients. The Firm needs to be aware of the communal objectives and the buyers activities and decisiveness in acquiring a committed creation that aides the taste of inexorableness and the economic conditions (Kirkpatrick et al. 2011). The methodical distinctiveness need to be directed toward the modern-day generation to guide the high-level convention of hi tech territory and escalate the consummation measures of the successful operation of quite a few structures of professional schedules. This positioned unprompted canons of the competitiveness between the further practical establishments that endeavor to ensure an assured conquest above other organizations. References Aboutmcdonalds.com. (2017). McDonalds Official Global Corporate Website: AboutMcDonalds.com. [online] Available at: https://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd.html [Accessed 26 Apr. 2017]. Berger, A. (2012). Media analysis techniques. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE. Business Insider. (2017). McDonald's CEO Reveals The Brand's 4 Biggest Problems. [online] Available at: https://www.businessinsider.in/McDonalds-CEO-Reveals-The-Brands-4-Biggest-Problems/articleshow/44899768.cms [Accessed 26 Apr. 2017]. Cervone, H. (2010). Emerging technology, innovation, and the digital library. OCLC Systems Services: International digital library perspectives, 26(4), pp.239-242. Chopra, R. and Gajjala, R. (2012). Global Media, Culture, and Identity. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis Cook, S. (2011). Customer Care Excellence: How to Create Effective Customer Focus. 6th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Downing, J. (2011). Encyclopedia of social movement media. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications Fisher, E. (2014). 'You Media': audiencing as marketing in social media. Media, Culture Society. Healey, J. (2011). Social impacts of digital media. Thirroul, N.S.W.: Spinney Press Humphreys, L. (2013). Mobile social media: Future challenges and opportunities. Mobile Media Communication, 1(1), pp.20-25. Iqani, M. (2012). Consumer culture and the media. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Kirkpatrick, G., Lehuede, H. and Hoki, K. (2011). The role of institutional investors in promoting good corporate governance. Paris: OECD. Kotler, P. (2012). Marketing management. Harlow, England: Pearson. Kruse, D. (2013). Sharing ownership, profits, and decision-making in the 21st century. Bingley, U.K.: Emerald. McCurdy, P. (2012). Social Movements, Protest and Mainstream Media. Sociology Compass, 6(3), pp.244-255. Mcdonalds.com. (2017). Breakfast: McDonalds.com. [online] Available at: https://www.mcdonalds.com/content/us/en/food/full_menu/breakfast.html [Accessed 26 Apr. 2017]. Mcdonalds.com.au. (2017). McDonald's Australia. [online] Available at: https://mcdonalds.com.au/ [Accessed 26 Apr. 2017]. Persson, A. (2013). Profitable customer management: reducing costs by influencing customer behaviour. European Journal of Marketing, 47(5/6), pp.857-876. Pride, W. M. and Ferrell, O. C. (2012) Foundations of Marketing - Page 468, 6th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Priporas, C. and Vrontis, D. (2014). Concerns and developments in customer behaviour across industries. J. Cust. Behav., 13(1), pp.1-3. Social Response, (2017). Social Response - Social Media Marketing Web-design Services. [online] Available at: https://www.social-response.co.uk/ [Accessed 26 Apr. 2017]. Szczepaniak, R. (2013). Media Convergence - Approaches and Experiences. Frankfurt: Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften

The Role of expatriation in MNC International Assignments Essay Example

The Role of expatriation in MNC International Assignments Paper This assignment examines the role of expatriate staff in the success of a multinational corporation (MNC) reviewing literature on international human resource management, knowledge transfer, the benefits of employing expatriates for international assignments and cross cultural training. The literature stipulates that having experienced international staff is a principle source of competitive advantage for a multinational corporation (MNC) (Hamill, 1989; Harris and Moran, 1996; Bender and Fish, 2000; Luthans and Farner, 2002; OKeefe, 2002; Paik et al, 2002; Vance and Paik, 2002; Harvey and Novicevic, 2005; Shen, 2005; Shih et al., 2005). Increasing globalisation and internationalisation has meant that international assignments are no longer reserved for a small number of top flight executives (Bonache, 2005), so companies can now recruit a wider range of individuals to expatriate and develop into internationally aware talent. Some researchers (Webbe and Wright, 1996; Yarvas and Badur, 1999; Stanek, 2000; Downes et al., 2002; Suutari, 2003) have recognised that individuals are more likely to accept further international assignments if their first was successful, so it is in the best interest of companies to expatriate their staff effectively. This assignment is a broad review of the literature. It will explore the reasons behind the employment of expatriates in MNCs, and will provide an overview of the processes which MNCs should adopt in order to successfully manage their international staff. An MNC is a firm that owns business operations in more than one country (Hill, 2005). In terms of their international workforce, there are three types of employee; the Host Country National (HCN), local managers employed by the MNC, Parent Country Nationals (PCN), those who live, and work in a subsidiary of the MNC away from their home country and are citizens of the country where the MNC is based, and Third Country Nationals (TNC) who are employed by a MNC but are citizens of a country other than the one in which the MNC is headquartered or the country in which they are assigned to work. (Hodgetts and Luthans, 2003) We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of expatriation in MNC International Assignments specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of expatriation in MNC International Assignments specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of expatriation in MNC International Assignments specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The literature identifies three main reasons for why MNCs send out expatriates: position filling, transferring technical skills and knowledge; management development, giving international experience to national managers; and organisation development maintaining the structure and decision processes of the parent company (Hamill, 1989; Harzing, 2001; Baruch et al., 2002; Morgan et al., 2004). MNCs should recognise that selection and subsequent management of expatriates will differ, depending on the reasons behind the expatriation. Perhaps the most persuasive argument as to why expatriates are needed in MNCs is due to knowledge transfer (Bender and Fish, 2000; Harvey and Novicevic, 2001; OKeefe, 2002; Fish 2004; Crocitto et al., 2005; Shih et al., 2005). Colgate-Palmolive, have harnessed their expatriates knowledge into a massive database which can be accessed by other managers throughout the company (Anon, 2003). As some researchers have recognised, if companies can effectively harness the knowledge which their expatriates have acquired during their international assignments, they can attempt to establish an international learning organisation, which would be a valuable source of competitive advantage (Bender and Fish, 2000; Harvey and Novicevic, 2001; OKeeffe, 2002). The benefits of expatriates are numerous. The expatriate will gain a holistic overview of the company at an international level which will enhance business awareness, planning and motivating techniques (Webbe and Wright, 1996; Stanek, 2000), ensuring the development of a pool of specialist employees who are more internationally business aware and culture savvy. Despite the obvious benefits of employing expatriates, the drawbacks are equally as numerous. The failure rate for expatriate assignments is staggering, and the direct costs arising from this failure are estimated to be as high as $1,000,000 per unsuccessful expatriation (Luthans and Farner, 2002). The hidden costs including a loss of business and reputation, and a negative effect on local morale (Hamill, 1989; Yavas and Badur, 1999) are equally high. The reasons for failed expatriate assignments can stem from a poor selection of candidates, a lack of cross cultural training, poorly designed compensation packages, inability to adapt to the new local environment, and a lack of preparation for repatriation (Hamill 1989; Darby, 1995; Crocitto et al., 2005). Such problems can have a massive impact on the individual, including a loss of self esteem, feelings of failure, and an inability to properly readjust to life back in the domestic country (Yavas and Badur, 1999; Banoche 2005). OKeeffe (2002) suggests that such difficulties can lead to depression, alcoholism and extra marital affairs. Nevertheless, the alternatives of sending out expatriates are very few. One suggestion is that of virtual expatriation, whereby the individual remains at their home base, but confers with the overseas office by means of videoconferencing, taking short term trips to the subsidiary if necessary. This cuts costs and the burden of coping with new cultures and family concerns, but still enhances the communication and business skills of the individual as he works closely with the foreigners in the subsidiary (Stanek, 2000). However employees choose to take international assignments for reasons including a chance for personal career development and for the adventure that these experiences can provide, and by using this technique, these may be diminished. Despite the problems and costs that arise from failed international assignments research empirically shows that companies do little to assist their expatriates. This is perplexing as the development of a pool of experienced international managers and staff is in a firms best interest, considering the benefits and competitive edge over their competitors that this would give them (Selmer, 1999; Shen, 2005). There is a superfluous of literature available on how MNCs can successfully manage their expatriates. This needs to include the selection of the right individuals to be expatriated, how to prepare these staff for their experience including any family or organisational concerns they may have, preparing an effective compensation package, and repatriation. The selection of staff to go an overseas assignment is difficult, and if the right candidate if not chosen the chances of the assignment being successful are slim. MNCs need to recognise that individuals need to have skills and abilities over and above those that are required at a national level (Hamill, 1989; Rodrigues, 1997; Yavas and Badur, 1999), and should understand that due to differences in culture across the world, as Darby (1995) illustrates, although someone is an excellent manager in the UK, they may not be elsewhere in the world. Harvey and Novicevic (2001) recognise that individuals with the right competencies can support and promote knowledge transfer throughout the organisation, and will be more able to appreciate, and take advantage of, trends at a regional, national and international level, based on the skills developed and acquired overseas. In her research, Suutari (2003) identified motivators that affect the likelihood of an individual accepting an international assignment. These include a personal interest in expatriation, for the experience this offers, and to further their own careers, however the acceptance of an offer can depend on factors such as age, and marital status. The literature acknowledges many attributes and competencies that expatriates should have, and there is little controversy in the research as to what these are (Yavas and Bardur, 1999; Baruch et al, 2002; Fish, 2004; Holopainen and Bjorkman, 2005). Having undertaken an extensive review of the literature, Jordan and Cartwright (1998) identified that the most prominent of these are four key competencies, relational ability, cultural sensitivity, linguistic skills and the ability to handle stress; and three main attributes, low neuroticism, moderate extroversion and a high openness to experience. Research also suggests, however not significantly so, that individuals with high emotional intelligence, the ability to understand and control ones own emotions, be socially aware, build strong relationships and communicate well with others (Goleman et al. 2001), will be able to prosper and adjust well during an international assignment (Gabel et al.,2005; Tan et al., 2005). If MNCs can factor these components into their selection process for expatriation, they will be more likely to ensure the success of the assignment. It is important to note however, that as well as having the right person in place, there are a number of organisational determinants that can affect the success of an international assignment. Morgan et al. (2004) suggest that the type of work that the expatriate will be undertaking can have a substantial impact on their success. Individuals working in the upstream functions of Porters value chain, such as logistics and production will have less difficulty in adjusting to their new environment than those working in downstream functions, such as marketing or sales. This is due to the fact that individuals working in these latter functions will have more personal contact and integration with HCNs, and so will be more aware of the cultural differences. The systems that a company has in place can impact the outcome of an international assignment. If the systems used in the subsidiary are different to those in the home country, the expatriate will have to overcome this as well as coping with adjusting to external cultural differences (Morgan et al., 2004) Research has found that companies can affect expatriate success by remaining in communication with their international employees (Yavas and Badur, 1999; Harzing and Christensen, 2004; Bonache, 2005). This would calm any fears of isolation and ambiguity, which can lead to the failure of an assignment. Additionally, Wright and Baker (1996) suggest that companies should allow their expatriates some time to settle in to their new environment and become accustomed to their new environment before assuming their full job responsibilities. Once a MNC has established what operational factors can be altered to facilitate the success of the international assignment, the company needs to establish any family related factors that could affect the assignment. Approximately 60 percent of international assignments fail due to family problems (Ruhsing and Kleiner, 2003) which could be due to difficulties of the partner or spouse adapting to the local environment, and often, they have more trouble adjusting than the expatriate themselves (Fish and Wood, 1997; Suutari and Burch, 2001). This is due to the fact that they are mainly left to cope on their own without the support of the MNC however the company can take steps to resolve this. MNCs need to be aware of the growing number of dual career couples in the workplace. According to the research, very few firms have made an effort to support such families, and if companies fail to address these problems, then they will suffer from both a lack of suitable individuals accepting overseas assignments, consequently limiting their pool of international talent (Selmer, 1999; Yavas and Bodur, 1999b; Riusala and Suutari, 2000; Moore, 2002) To limit the extent of these problems, research suggests (Fish and Wood, 1997; Simeon and Fujiu, 2000; Rusing and Kleiner, 2003) that companies should endeavour to create a network of expatriate families before departure, to reduce the feelings of isolation that can go hand in hand with moving to a new country, away from family and friends. Many spouses leave careers, so some companies have began to provide career advice, and have even considered employing spouses at the subsidiary (Fish and Wood, 1997; Riusala and Suutari, 2000; Glanz and van der Sluis, 2001; Baruch et al 2002). The children of expatriates are another concern. There is little research on this area, however Rhushing and Kleiner (2003) suggest that these children should be given cross cultural and language training, and the MNC should make an effort to find out about child care or the schooling in the destination country, and if necessary, contribute towards fees or costs. Hurn (1999) recognises that ideally where children are involved, companies should coincide the dates of the assignment with school terms, to limit disruption. Expatriate families will also have concerns about housing, both at the destination, and regarding what should be done with their family home. Pets are another concern, however Rushing and Kleiner (2003) suggest that companies should take advantage of professional specialist services that can assist with the practical side of the move. The firm also needs to consider soft factors, principally cross cultural training, to facilitate the move. Research proves that any type of cross cultural training facilitates expatriate adjustment, as it enables individuals to better understand, and integrate themselves with foreign cultures (Treven, 2003; Jassawalla et al, 2004; Waxin and Panaccio, 2005). Luthans and Farner (2003) suggest that this training should be a mixture of both social norms, and business culture to be most effective. Historically, pre-departure training has been generic however some research found strong evidence to suggest that such training can be improved by including the opinions of HCNs (Vance and Paik, 2002). Some of the literature suggests that firms should undertake post departure training, yet Shih et al. (2005), in their study of the management of expatriates in five large MNCs found that this didnt occur at all. There is a distinct lack of congruence between management practices and the advice in the literature on training and development (Shen, 2005; Lewis, 1996). This is again paradoxical, as it would be in the best interests of the company to provide such training, not only to limit the costs of a failed expatriation, but as the world is becoming more globalised and interdependent, it is likely that the company will have increasingly more customers, suppliers, and other employees from different cultures. Hence, MNCs need to ensure that they have some type of cross cultural training in place. Perhaps the example set by the Finnish MNCs, whom have a proportionately higher number of successful expatriates than other countries, can be followed (Suutari and Brewster, 2001). One reason why they are so successful is that they have a longer period between the selection of expatriates, and sending them abroad, allowing more time for support and training, showing how important this training is. Once the expatriate is on their assignment, there is a wealth of research to suggest that assigning the expatriate an international mentor can help alleviate any feelings of isolation, and provide support (Downes et al., 2002; Harzing and Christensen, 2004; Crocitto et al., 2005). Crocitto et al. (2005) suggest that the expatriate should have a network of experienced mentors, so that they can obtain social support, or business advice from a number of different sources. This really is a method of knowledge sharing, and so can be of mutual benefit for the organisation and the individual. This will only be possible however, if the firm has had some considerable experience on the global arena. A final factor that MNCs need to consider when preparing to expatriate an employee is the compensation and reward package that they provide. Researchers recognise that reward packages that attract, retain and motivate outstanding employees going on international assignments are essential in achieving organisational goals (Phillips and Fox, 2003; Simms and Schraeder, 2005). However Banoche (2005) has found that many expatriates are unsatisfied with their compensation packages (Banoche, 2005). The most common approach is the balance sheet approach, whereby the expatriate keeps their home salary but is given extra compensation to cover such costs as living allowances and long and short term performance incentives. Some companies even provide support for spouses or partners (Phillips and Fox, 2003; Sims and Schraeder, 2005; Banoche, 2005; Baruch et al 2002). There are many criticisms of this approach. As Phillips and Fox (2003) remark, it can be costly if the expatriate assignment runs for a long time, and it can create friction between expatriates and local workers doing the same job but for lower pay. To cut down on the expense of expatriates, Selmer (1999) identifies that increasingly, firms are reducing expatriate compensation packages or cutting extra compensation all together, reasoning that international experience is essential for career advancement, and is a necessity in todays globalising environment. However, expatriates are not likely to function properly if they cannot see a clear link between performance and reward, not only in regards to their financial compensation, but their future career progression (Harzing and Christensen 2004). Shih et al., (2005) remark that this may be a sign that MNCs themselves are unsure as to how to harness and develop their management talent, especially on repatriation. This is the final step in expatriation, and should be an integral process, thus needs to be managed effectively for the assignment to be a success. Repatriation is often overlooked (Paik et al., 2002), and research has found that people are significantly less satisfied by their repatriation, than expatriation (Morgan et al., 2004). Some companies, including Unilever and GlaxoSmithKline have sought outside advice to help this transition (Hurn, 1999). Companies need to realise that problems at this stage can seriously diminish the psychological contract that employees have with the firm, resulting in low morale, and high turnover (Fish, 2004). If this occurs, then the knowledge and expertise that the expatriate has gained from going overseas may be lost to a rival firm (Anon, 2003; Crocitto et al., 2005; Shih et al., 2005) Typical repatriation problems include feelings that the international assignment is not of as much value as expected to the company and financial difficulties, due to readjusting back to the basic reward package (Selmer, 1999). Change is another massive problem. Depending on the duration of the assignment, the likelihood will be that both the employee and the company will have changed considerably. This organisational change not only relates to systems and technology, but the turnover of colleagues and support networks (Paik et al., 2002; Baruch et al., 2002). To facilitate repatriation, MNCs should keep channels of communication open to provide support to the employee, continuing after the assignment has finished. Hurn (1999) suggests that firms should debrief the employee, identifying areas of skill development and deficiency, and actively search for roles that will now utilise and develop these skills further, showing commitment to the employee and enforcing the psychological contract. He remarks that repatriation should not be seen as a separate phase, but a holistic career step, and an intrinsic component to the expatriation process (Hurn, 1999). To summarise, firms can reduce the expense of failed international assignments by ensuring that they follow the necessary steps to select, expatriate, train and develop, and repatriate their staff. As discussed, the benefits to both the firm, and the individuals involved are substantial, and by following this process, firms can establish and nurture these international experiences into a source of key competitive advantage.

How to Estimate Standard Deviations (SD)

How to Estimate Standard Deviations (SD) The standard deviation and range are both measures of the spread of a data set. Each number tells us in its own way how spaced out the data are, as they are both a measure of variation.  Although there is not an explicit relationship between the range and standard deviation, there is a rule of thumb that can be useful to relate these two statistics.  This relationship is sometimes referred to as the range rule for standard deviation. The range rule tells us that the standard deviation of a sample is approximately equal to one-fourth of the range of the data. In other words s (Maximum – Minimum)/4. This is a very straightforward formula to use, and should only be used as a very rough estimate of the standard deviation. An Example To see an example of how the range rule works, we will look at the following example. Suppose we start with the data values of 12, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 18, 20, 20, 25. These values have a mean of 17 and a standard deviation of about 4.1. If instead we first calculate the range of our data as 25 – 12 13 and then divide this number by four we have our estimate of the standard deviation as 13/4 3.25. This number is relatively close to the true standard deviation and good for a rough estimate. Why Does It Work? It may seem like the range rule is a bit strange. Why does it work? Doesn’t it seem completely arbitrary to just divide the range by four? Why wouldn’t we divide by a different number? There is actually some mathematical justification going on behind the scenes. Recall the properties of the bell curve and the probabilities from a standard normal distribution. One feature has to do with the amount of data that falls within a certain number of standard deviations: Approximately 68% of the data is within one standard deviation (higher or lower) from the mean.Approximately 95% of the data is within two standard deviations (higher or lower) from the mean.Approximately 99% is within three standard deviations (higher or lower) from the mean. The number that we will use has to do with 95%. We can say that 95% from two standard deviations below the mean to two standard deviations above the mean, we have 95% of our data. Thus nearly all of our normal distribution would stretch out over a line segment that is a total of four standard deviations long. Not all data is normally distributed and bell curve shaped. But most data is well-behaved enough that going two standard deviations away from the mean captures nearly all of the data. We estimate and say that four standard deviations are approximately the size of the range, and so the range divided by four is a rough approximation of the standard deviation. Uses for the Range Rule The range rule is helpful in a number of settings. First, it is a very quick estimate of the standard deviation. The standard deviation requires us to first find the mean, then subtract this mean from each data point, square the differences, add these, divide by one less than the number of data points, then (finally) take the square root. On the other hand, the range rule only requires one subtraction and one division. Other places where the range rule is helpful is when we have incomplete information. Formulas such as that to determine sample size require three pieces of information: the desired margin of error, the level of confidence and the standard deviation of the population we are investigating. Many times it is impossible to know what the population standard deviation is. With the range rule, we can estimate this statistic, and then know how large we should make our sample.

Bill Gates Bib

Bill Gates Bib Bill Gates is one of the most influential people in the world. He is cofounder of the most recognized brands in the computer industry with nearly every desk top computer using at least one software program from Microsoft. According to Forbes magazine Gates is the wealthiest man in the world and has been in the number 1 position for at least seven years.Gates was born and grew up in Seattle, Washington USA. His father, William H. Gates II was a Seattle attorney and his mother, Mary Maxwell Gates was a school teacher and chairperson of the United Way charity. Gates and his two sisters had a comfortable upbringing, with Gates able to attend the exclusive secondary "Lakeside School".Bill Gates started studying at Harvard University in 1973 where he met up with Paul Allen. Gates and Allen gates worked on a version of the programming language BASIC, that was the basis for the MITS Altair (the first microcomputer available).English: Melinda Gates in World Economic Forum (Cr...He did not go on to graduate from Harvard University as he left in his junior year to start what was to become the largest computer software company in the world, Microsoft Corporation.Bill Gates and the Microsoft Corporation"To enable people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential." Microsoft Mission StatementAfter dropping out of Harvard Bill Gates and his partner Paul Allen set about revolutionizing the computer industry. Gates believed there should be a computer on every office desk and in every home.In 1975 the company Micro-soft was formed, an abbreviation of microcomputer software. It soon became simply "Microsoft"Â ® and went on to completely change the way people use computers.Microsoft helped to make the computer easier to use with its developed and purchased software, and made it a commercial success. The success of...

Relationship Between Entrepreneurship and Innovation Essay

Relationship Between Entrepreneurship and Innovation - Essay Example The present research has identified that entrepreneurship is the act of taking a risk to offer at a fee for a product or a service to the market in order to make an income. The process of entrepreneurship involves identification of a problem and formulation of a workable solution to counter the problem. Innovation is the means by which something is conducted in a unique manner or differently. The two concepts are much related to entrepreneurs rely on innovation as a tool to help him provide a product or a service in the market. Innovation might employ the use of technology that entrepreneurs exploit to offer what they have to sell to the community. In the process of conducting a business as an entrepreneur challenges arise in each step of the way. Innovation helps entrepreneurs solve such challenges in a clever way that helps them stay afloat. Entrepreneurs calculate a risk and minimize it using innovations. The tool is applied in adapting to new market trends where the most innovati ve entrepreneur always remains relevant in the business even after the introduction of new products into the market. There is a more direct relationship between innovation and the performance of an individual or an organization considering them in an entrepreneurial context. The quality of service delivery and products are directly linked to the two subjects under discussion. When there is innovation, the individual or organization experiences a competitive advantage over his peers in the industry. It is easier for an organization to take informed steps and well-calculated risks with the application of innovation as a tool in delivering a product or a service. When the two relationships are good on an organizational or individual basis there are increased benefits from an increased market share, ROI (return on investment), new products, fast-mover advantage on products and the overall firm success.

What are some of the techniques or processes that can be employed to Essay

What are some of the techniques or processes that can be employed to evaluate health policy as opposed to evaluating a specific health intervention - Essay Example Grossly, there are three types’ measures which are used for evaluation (Gilson et al, 1975). They include ‘measures of structure, measures of process and measure of outcomes’. Measures of structure and process evaluate the strategies behind the policy while the measures of outcome assess the effects of the policy on the affected population. Community participation in the evaluation of any health policy is of prime importance and deliberative approaches when used by the concerned authorities are successful in yielding information which leads to the development of effective and appropriate modifications in any health programme (Gregory et al, 2008). A specific health intervention which has definite end points like the success of Polio immunization can be simply evaluated by taking the total figures of immunization doses administered (process measure) and demonstrable data of less occurrence of Polio (outcome measure) (Gilson et al, 1975). On the other hand more comp licated policies like evaluating the outcome of preventive strategies for Alzheimer’s disease might need more through data collection, research and analysis. Evaluation of a health programme involves the general processes like audit and quality assurance to determine whether predetermined standards have been met (Bowling, 2002). It may be directly focussed on patients in relation to treatment and care, evaluation of specific biochemical indicators or on the measurement of broader quality of life of the patients. Outcome of medical interventions from social, psychological, physical and economic perspectives are measured (Bowling, 2002). Gregory J., Hartz-Karp J. & Watson R (2008) Using deliberative techniques to engage the community in policy development, Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2008, 5:16, retrieved online September 17, 2009 from

Water Pollution Plan Essay Example for Free

Water Pollution Plan Essay The Ocmulgee River runs from Lake Jackson and winds its way through thirty-three counties in Georgia before emptying into the Altamaha River. The river winds over 6, 180 square miles. Many towns can be found along the path of this river. Hawkinsville, Georgia is one of these towns. It is a city in the Pulaski County. A favorite past-time for many in Hawkinsville is the numerous fishing trips that are taken on this river every spring or summer. People from all over the south come to the Ocmulgee River to canoe down through its winding paths and beautiful forests. With the increased activity comes an increase in the amount of trash and pollution that is dumped into the river. Water Pollution in Ocmulgee River Nowadays, Ocmulgee River is already polluted. Trash is thrown into the river from boats, docks and people who are walking along the banks. People take the beauty of the river and its surrounding nature for granite. Oil and gasoline from increased boating activity leaks into the river and further contaminates the water. With new park, recreation and subdivision areas being built near the riverbanks, there is an increase in the concern over the pollution that is being dumped into the river. At one time, Hawkinsville had a textile facility located directly on the riverbank. This became a dumping site for trash and other debris that the factory no longer needed and chose not to cart off. Ways to Reduce the Water Pollution in Ocmulgee River There are several ways in order to reduce the water pollution in Ocmulgee River. According to an article published by the State Water Resources Control Board-California Environmental Protection Agency, there are some ways that can be followed in order to prevent water pollution while having outdoor community events, recreation outdoors and other recreational activities like boating (Rukeyser, 2006). First is to plan ahead and be prepared always. Bring the necessary things needed for the activity as well as emergency must-have like maps. When planning for an outdoor activity, meticulously take into account some practical means on how to reuse some items you are planning to buy. Make sure that the materials you will buy can be use after your first outdoor activity. Next is to camp on sturdy places. Also, try position up camps in more or less 200 feet away from the border of the lakes, rivers, streams and other bodies of water to prevent adding water pollution. As much as possible, have small campfires and put them off afterwards as well as spread out the cooled ash in the place. In addition, use proper sanitary facilities. If the likes are not available, bury body wastes in ‘cat holes or burrow six to eight inches deep at 200 feet away from the body of water. This is to ensure that the wastes will not contribute to water pollution especially when rain runoff occurs. Then, properly dispose all garbage. Also, clean up objects around you so that you will leave the place clean. Moreover, always dispose garbage in wastebaskets. In some parks, wastebaskets are provided so make sure to throw your litter. If not, take your recyclables and other garbage home and not just irresponsibly dispose it in the area. Furthermore, do not collect items such as natural, historical and cultural objects you saw in the place. Leave them as it is. Do not disturb the wildlife you see in the place especially during crucial periods such as winter, nesting or rearing young. As much as possible, do not bring your pets along with you so as to minimize the disturbance of the wildlife in the area. Likewise, respect and be understanding to other visitors. Stay away from activities that make loud noise. If possible, keep distance with other campers. Lastly, always follow the ‘Leave no Trace’ principles when having recreations outdoors. On the other hand, in order to lessen the pollution caused by the oil and gasoline from boating activities, use human powered recreational boats like canoes, rafts, kayaks, paddles and other non-motor powered equipments like skates and bicycles. In this case, it is not only water pollution that is reduced but air pollution as well. If there are factories that are situated near a body of water, they should provide facilities for the appropriate disposal of some hazardous wastes. These also should be labeled for proper identification. Other Approach in Reducing the Water Pollution in Ocmulgee River There are also volunteer programs whose main aim is to keep the waters of Georgia clean. For instance, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division Watershed Protection Branch has an annual program wherein the community volunteers and the 4-H office team up with them to host the annual Rivers Alive Ocmulgee clean up for the Hawkinsville-Pulaski County area. There is a pleasing outcome of the activity since everybody is involved, even the school children participates in cleaning the banks’ trash and other debris that has been dumped in or near the river. In return, the volunteers are treated to breakfast by the local 4-H office and are given a Rivers Alive shirt after the clean up to show their participation in the said annual function. Reference: Rukeyser, W. L. (2006, February 14). TIPS ON REDUCING STORM WATER POLLUTION Retrieved February 24, 2007, from http://www. swrcb. ca. gov/erasethewaste/reduce. html#community

The Role Of Decision Making In The Pre-crisis Period Of India (15 Marc :: essays research papers fc

The Role of Decision Making in the Pre-Crisis Period of India (15 March, 1959 - 7 September, 1962) More than thirty years have passed since the dramatic cling of arm in the remote Himalayan region of the Sino-Indian border. This Time gap seems to be appropriate for a correct reexamination of the conflict. The account of India's attempt to find balance with China, ever since the Kongska Pass incident in 1959 until the attack of 1962, is not merely a fact sheet that we can brows and toss and toss away. In stead we have to link each idea to the event and causes that might have played a role in the conflict. Ever since 1959 the border problem between Asia's biggest two nation- states has been picking up speed at a threatening speed. The year 1962 was the unfortunate year for India which knocked out any possibility of understanding between China and India. Of course, such an act of terror could have not started without some kind of the reason, whatever it may be. The chronological order of pre-crisis decisions taken India's authorities are of great importance. The role of the decision-makers before the time of the armed conflict had a big significance for India's position on political and economic matters in the continent of Asia. A major figure in India's decision making was Jawaharlal Nehru, leader of the Congress Party, head of the Planning Commission and chief spokesman of the government in Parliament. These titles not only made him an important nationalistic figure but also Gandhi's appointed heir and a "major architect of India's political institutions" (Brecher, 1959). Krishna Menon, "the controversial defense minister consulted in almost every issue" along with Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant was also a figure of great importance (Langyel, 1962). This importance was mainly derived from the fact that both shared the same overall world view of Nehru. However, in order to understand the cruicial importance of decision-makers, we shall looked seperately at each of India's top men. Menon was highly important and useful to Nehru in the essence that the latter helped Nehru convey his thought and policies to the outside world in a forceful and organized manner (Brecher, 1959). But as Rajani Palme Dutt said in his book "The problem of India," foreign policy was exercised "more behind the scenes than in meetings of the committee." Both Menon and Nehru acted to the desire of Nehru. It was often when the Foreign secretary would take to Pant drafts of diplomatic correspondence and get the reaction which was usually at Nehru's request (Hoffmann,1990). Foreign policy makers Nehru, Menon and Pant shared a common world view The Role Of Decision Making In The Pre-crisis Period Of India (15 Marc :: essays research papers fc The Role of Decision Making in the Pre-Crisis Period of India (15 March, 1959 - 7 September, 1962) More than thirty years have passed since the dramatic cling of arm in the remote Himalayan region of the Sino-Indian border. This Time gap seems to be appropriate for a correct reexamination of the conflict. The account of India's attempt to find balance with China, ever since the Kongska Pass incident in 1959 until the attack of 1962, is not merely a fact sheet that we can brows and toss and toss away. In stead we have to link each idea to the event and causes that might have played a role in the conflict. Ever since 1959 the border problem between Asia's biggest two nation- states has been picking up speed at a threatening speed. The year 1962 was the unfortunate year for India which knocked out any possibility of understanding between China and India. Of course, such an act of terror could have not started without some kind of the reason, whatever it may be. The chronological order of pre-crisis decisions taken India's authorities are of great importance. The role of the decision-makers before the time of the armed conflict had a big significance for India's position on political and economic matters in the continent of Asia. A major figure in India's decision making was Jawaharlal Nehru, leader of the Congress Party, head of the Planning Commission and chief spokesman of the government in Parliament. These titles not only made him an important nationalistic figure but also Gandhi's appointed heir and a "major architect of India's political institutions" (Brecher, 1959). Krishna Menon, "the controversial defense minister consulted in almost every issue" along with Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant was also a figure of great importance (Langyel, 1962). This importance was mainly derived from the fact that both shared the same overall world view of Nehru. However, in order to understand the cruicial importance of decision-makers, we shall looked seperately at each of India's top men. Menon was highly important and useful to Nehru in the essence that the latter helped Nehru convey his thought and policies to the outside world in a forceful and organized manner (Brecher, 1959). But as Rajani Palme Dutt said in his book "The problem of India," foreign policy was exercised "more behind the scenes than in meetings of the committee." Both Menon and Nehru acted to the desire of Nehru. It was often when the Foreign secretary would take to Pant drafts of diplomatic correspondence and get the reaction which was usually at Nehru's request (Hoffmann,1990). Foreign policy makers Nehru, Menon and Pant shared a common world view

The Importance of Employee Engagement

Change is a constant in today? s modern business activity. As Harvard Business School Professor John Kotter wrote in Fujitsu? s `Fit for Change? report, â€Å"the current rate of change within businesses is faster than the rate at which organisations are improving†¦many organisations just can't keep up with the speed of change. † (www. theinformationdaily. com, 2012). This more and more complex and competitive environment inflicts a greater pressure on the employees; given that the employees are the heart of organisations not approaching them appropriately is one of the main reasons of corporate failure (Argenti, 2009).Although there is not a lot of research done in this field as it is a relatively new concept (Saks, 2006), understanding the importance of employee engagement and implementing a well-developed internal communications plan is crucial for success, especially during change (Dolphin, 1999). The organisation should be guided by experts through all this complexit y if it wants to overcome all the tension that originates from the dynamics of change and survive. THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT Many authors claim that an organisation? accomplishments, financial performance and employee outcomes may be predicted by the levels of employee engagement. However, it is surprising that even if it is a logical assumption, it appears that employee engagement is waning and that disengagement among the majority of today? s workforce is costing huge amounts of money to organisations in productivity loss (Saks, 2006). At present, workers are well educated, have greater expectations than those of past generations, and aspire to have a better understanding of the company they work for (Argenti, 2009).According to Argenti (2009), most companies? senior managers exclude lower-level employees from taking part in most decision-making. According to Dolphin (1999), employee communication is too often conducted by in-experienced and junior personnel. Therefore , it could be said that organisations do acknowledge the importance of employee engagement to some degree but are not following an appropriate and effective two-way communication strategy that will engage their staff. ORDER AND CHANGEEvery organisation has a culture and identity of its own and these should be consistent, coherent, and clear. When an organisation suffers a big change, it might have the need to acquire a new identity and/or alter or even create a whole new corporate culture (Dolphin, 1999); to be able to direct this change effectively, there must be a well-defined vision. Most of the definitions of vision in this context make reference to an ideal or a future to which the organisational change should lead to (Palmer, Dunfard ; Akin, 2006).Without a firm vision and effective internal communications, the â€Å"changes introduced by managers may seem arbitrary and unneeded†¦ vision helps to motivate staff in working towards the change and engaging in what may appea r to be daunting or risky actions† (For Kanter et al. , as cited in Palmer et al. , 2006, p. 245). Sutton and Khan (1986 as cited in Jimmieson et al. , 2004, p. 12) argue that when a deep change is about to happen, workers â€Å"go through a process of sense-making in which they need information to help them establish a sense of prediction and understanding of the situation†.Palmer, Dunfard and Akin (2006) insist in the importance of having their employees well informed about the situation and about what is expected from them, To the extent that the strategic intent is not complemented by clarity as to expected actions, the chances increase employees will fail to convert a change initiative into supporting action at their level of organisation. The Key point here is that the lack of supporting action is not due to overt resistance or even apathy; it is due to the lack of clear understanding of what such supportive action would â€Å"look like. (Palmer et al. , 2006, p. 149) Organisations must therefore aim to achieve a balance between order and change. For instance, they can only operate efficiently if members execute their roles consistently, perform everyday operations, and uphold ordered structures, but they also need to stay open and agile enough to react to and anticipate the fluctuating stresses of today? s changing commercial environment. (Jacobs, 2004, p. 382). Carl Weick (1979, as cited in Jacobs, 2004, p. 82) highlights in his relational perspective the role of communication when dealing with the tension that arouses between these two elements and suggests that organisations are in essence the outcome of communication collaborations. Lewin? s Three Stage Model of Change (Carnall,2007, p. 70) can be used to help the organisation better understand this process. It consists of three stages: 1. Unfreezing. It is related to cultural change.Identifying both present behaviours and required behaviours necessary to achieve the organisation? s mi ssion and common goals and analysing the differences, with the participation of the company? s members, is the first step of â€Å"unfreezing† actual change. 2. Changing/Moving. Identifying the procedures and changes in the structure that will enable the execution of the new behaviours and the implementation and examination of accomplishments. 3. Refreezing. Instilling the new behaviours, attitudes, and values in the group.This is usually done by rewarding new behaviours, carrying out policies, implementing an effective communication, and educating members in order to support the new culture and behavioural principles; commitment to change is attained in this stage. However, as organisations and their environments are ever more uncertain and dynamic, many changes may occur at once and when one area is refreezing another might be unfreezing or moving. This has led Clark and Clegg to believe that `successful management in the future must be based on intelligence and creativity and the capacity to question and learn? â€Å"executives must learn how to combine continual change with the ability to sustain `business as usual? † (1998, as cited in Carnall, 2007, p. 78-79). An organisation is dynamic, it is persistently reinventing itself, and therefore must be monitored constantly. THE RISKS OF CHANGE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANISATIONAL SUPPORT A possible reason for failure could be that organisations simply do not dedicate enough time or attention to understand the psychology of change. Employees? xperience is a critical factor that should be considered; it is how people adapt and react to change that makes a difference. Firstly, changes in an organisation are not linear by nature and thus uncertainty is the most common psychological condition that emerges as a result (Callan et al. , 2004); â€Å"much of what we refer to as resistance to change? is really ‘resistance to uncertainty’ meaning that the resistance originates from the proces s of dealing and handling change, not from the change itself (Carnall, 2007, p. 3). Secondly, Palmer, Dunfard and Akin (2006) argue that people? perceptions of how they believe that change will affect their personal interests will influence their readiness for it. People have a tendency to support changes that do not seem threatening to their interests and resist those that appear to be harmful. (Palmer et al. , 2006, p. 149). Managers should understand the potential risks of letting employees face changes on their own without a consistent support on behalf of the organisation. Doubt and uncertainty should be dissipated and substituted by safety, and mutual interests should be addressed to avoid feelings of threat.According to Argenti (2009) effective internal communications not only requires facilitating employees with relevant and sincere information but it should also reinforce their belief that they are significant assets to the company and that subsequently their matters are to o. Listening to them and allowing their participation in conversations regarding organisational change will keep them â€Å"excited about their work, connected to the company? s vision, and in a position to further goals of the organisation† (Argenti, 2009, p. 84). An example that describes poor attention to how stakeholders react to change (whether they are predisposed to welcome it or reject it from the beginning) is Kodak? s announcement of its reduction in workforce to its staff, and of its dividend cut to its investors. They ignored the importance of setting an adequate strategy to promote a positive response prior to change and this basically resulted in resistance to change from both groups which led the merger with Compaq Computers a failure (Palmer et al. , 2006, p. 1) REASSURING EFFECTIVENESS IN COMMUNICATION Before any action is taken, the organisation must have a sense of the present effectiveness of its internal communications. Argenti (2009) reveals that an exce llent way to measure the effectiveness of its actions is by executing communication audits and systematic temperature checks to discover the employees? attitudes towards the organisation itself, their opinion about the quality of the communications they are getting, and whether the messages are being understood.Once this is done, an internal communication framework can be implemented to work on solutions to any communication deficiencies and satisfy those requests. The Strategic Employee Communication Model and Best-practice Definitions (Appendix A) can be used in a change programme as â€Å"benchmarks against which to measure a company? s employee communication strengths and weaknesses as well as a model of effective change†. According to Barrett (2004), both the model and its different elements were inspired by research done in numerous Fortune 500 companies on what actually works in employee communication.The best companies integrated many of these definitions in their pra ctice scheme. This model links all principal factors involved in employee communication between them and to the company? s manoeuvres and strategy; it analytically breaks down communication into distinguishable and manageable portions and illustrates how interconnected and inter-reliant each portion is when employee communication is placed strategically within the organisation, a must in order to make change feasible. What moves this model from a tactical level to a strategic one is the direct connection to the firm? â€Å"strategic objectives and business planning process plus the overlay of supportive management with on-going assessment of individual and company communication. † (Barrett, 2004, p. 22). An example of a good communication in practice is what CEO Gordon Bethune did in Continental airlines. Every month, he held an open-house in his own office where employees were welcome to go and talk to him about any issues, suggestions, or complaints, and in numerous occasio ns he would go himself to meet the employees at their workplace.This platform for open, informal, and sincere discussion was his trait of leadership. He has been recognised for having significantly improved employee spirit and productivity as well as enhancing the global culture of the firm. This is illustrative of what should be done to have the organisation prepared in the eventuality of change. THE LEARNING ORGANISATION. FROM INDIVIDUALS TO A TEAM In order for the organisation to move as a whole it should behave and act as one.Organisations should provide the ground for individuals to move out of their sense of self, be flexible, and connect with and contribute to the group consciousness. Many authors emphasise the need of creating learning cultures within organisations in order to achieve success during change. â€Å"Teams, not single individuals, are the key to successful organizations of the future and†¦ individuals have to learn in the context of the team† (Append ix B). Hurst (1995, as cited in Carnall,2007, p. 65) for instance exposes that a performance organisation should evolve into a learning organisation when it faces complexity; â€Å"tightly defined tasks, control systems and rigid structures† should be replaced by â€Å"recognition, networks and teams†. His ecocycle model of eight stages points toward renewal through which the company reinvents itself, more explicitly, â€Å"in which people rethink what they seek to achieve, with whom and how, and thereby recreate the organisation†¦ it is certainly a learning process†. The complexity theory can throw some light on this perspective.As Darwin, Johnson and McAuley (2002, cited in Carnall,2007, p. 84) note, the basic idea that lies beneath the relevance of the complexity theory within the literature regarding organisational behaviour is that of a multifaceted adaptive organism described as a coherent network of agents interacting in parallel with no ? command an d control framework? and who are ? adaptively intelligent? (Appendix C). This view links to the idea of ? self-organisation? (Carnall,2007, p. 84). Emery (2004, as cited in Carnall, 2007,p. 85) also presents â€Å"an analysis of open-systems theory-based action research as an enabler of learning and change†.She starts off by stating that learning is fundamental for viable change and then argues that practitioners must deal with all individuals at every level of the corporation and all practical areas must be implicated in some kind of practise that will enable them to take part in this learning process. However, she highlights that there are certain obstacles that might get in the way such as certain attitudes of the elite members, fail to use a common language throughout the organisation, and diverse framework and priority schemes.Another issue to tackle is the fact that individuals have different learning rates and they learn in different ways (Carnall, 2007). That is where the role of internal communications plays a significant role. Professional practitioners should be able to identify where communications fail and target unlike audiences with different techniques to be able to engage them appropriately. We therefore can determine that the objective of education in the long-run would be to create a â€Å"strong sense of listening and of responsiveness [that will] permeate(s) the organisation† (Macleod, p. 9) by: -Forming engaging managers that will know how to communicate cultures and values and treat their personnel with respect. As MacLeod ((Macleod, p. 79) ) states in his report, managers who engage â€Å"facilitate and empower rather than control or restrict their staff; they treat their staff with appreciation and respect and show commitment to developing, increasing and rewarding the capabilities of those they manage. †. -Giving employees a voice and tools to address management with their concerns.They must feel â€Å"they are l istened to and see that their opinions count and make a difference†¦ [And that they are able to] speak out and challenge when appropriate† (Macleod, p. 79) CONCLUSION Employee engagement levels can predict an organisation? s accomplishments and performance as it is claimed by many authors. However, due to today? s complex environment it is more than necessary to build up a strong internal communications strategy. Employees should not be isolated from the organisation as a whole and should be informed and involved in it. The corporate culture should be coherent and the vision should be clear.If organisations fail to communicate all this properly and engage its employees into believing that change is not synonym of threat, resistance will appear. Resistance may lead to a break in the internal homeostasis and the consequences will show up as a failure when trying to move the organisation forward. REFERENCES Argenti, P. (2009) Corporate Communication. 5th ed. Singapore: Mc Gr aw Hill. Carnall, C. (2007) Managing Change in Organisations. 5th ed. Essex: Prentice-Hall. Dolphin, R. (1999) The Fundamentals of Corporate Communications. Butterworth-Heinemann. Jimmieson, N. t al. (2004) A Longitudinal Study of Employee Adaptation to Organizational Change: The Role of Change-Related Information and Change-Related Self-Ef? cacy. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology , 9 (1), p. 11-27. MacLeod, D. and Clarke, N. (2009) Engaging for Success: enhancing performance through employee engagement. [report] Department for Business Palmer, I. et al. (2006) Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach. s. l. : Mc Graw-Hill Saks, A. (2006) Antecedents and Consequences of Employee Engagement. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 21 (7), p. 00-619. www. theinformationdaily. com (2012) Making your organisation fit to change. [online] Available at: http://www. theinformationdaily. com/2012/12/21/making-your-organisation-fit-to-change [Accessed: 4 Mar 2013]. J acobs, G. (2004) Corporate creative thinking. In: Oliver, S. M. ed. Handbook of corporate communications and public relations. London: Routledge, pp. 382-384. Barrett, D. J. (2004) A best-practice approach to change communication. In: Oliver, S. M. ed. Handbook of corporate communications and public relations. London: Routledge, pp. 22-24. . APPENDICES Appendix A. Figure 2. 1 Strategic employee communication model (Barrett, 2004, p. 23) *Appendix B. Senge? s five disciplines: 1. Systems thinking: everyone must learn how to view things as a whole and that one set of events has impact on others 2. Personal mastery: ? the discipline of continually clarifying and deepening†¦ personal vision, of focusing†¦ energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively.? 3. Mental models: ? learning to unearth†¦ internal pictures of the world, to bring them to surface and hold them rigorously to scrutiny? 4.Build a share vision: leadership is the key to creating and co mmunicating the vision†¦ the leader creates vision but is prepared to have it reshaped by others 5. Team learning: teams, not single individuals, are the key to successful organizations of the future and individuals have to learn in the context of the team (Senge, 1990, as cited in Carnall, p. 164) *Appendix C. Darwin, Johnson and McAuley (2002, Carnall, p. 84) describe a multifaceted adaptive organism: 1. It is a network of ? agents? acting in parallel, often interconnected, ways but without any ? ommand and control? framework 2. These agents are ? adaptively intelligent? ; constantly seeking and making sense of patterns, testing ideas, evolving and learning. 3. Change is achieved through learning, evolution and adaptation. 4. Control of the system is dispersed throughout the system. 5. Coherence within the system arises out of competition and cooperation among the agents as they see advantage in alliances and other arrangements for mutual support. This view links to the idea of ? self-organisation?. (Darwin et al, 2002, as cited in Carnall, p. 84)

Being an other Essay

In her essay â€Å"Being an Other† Melissa Algranati talks about how she didn’t know what race category she belonged to because of her ethnic background. Algranati’s father was born in Alexandria, Egypt and her mother was born in Maniti, Puerto Rico. She is a product of marriage, and her race is a Puerto Rican Egyptian Jew. She explains how her upbringing was different because of her parents’ different racial barriers. Algranati’s supports her issue and also gives emotional appeal about her childhood. By being different because she is a blend of multiple cultures Algranati and her parents had to face reality of growing up with a different ethnic background in America society. Algranati has a strong tone because she explains how she was faced with challenging her ethnicity. She really didn’t know what category she fell under from her being a mixture of races. â€Å"It was not until I took the standardized PSAT exam that I was confronted with the question: Who am I? (667). She was intertwined up and distraught because of herself identity. She felt lost because this was a moment of realization and there are a lot of issues circulating behind her race and ethnicity. Essentially, the only way she could classify herself was choosing â€Å"other†. When being intertwined in not knowing where you belong in society can be a great burden on someone. Furthermore, she’s really left with trying to figure out her true identity. Algranati connects with the reader by helping them understand her viewpoint of growing up in America with a different cultural background. With so many duel citizenships, because of parents from different traditions , life b ecomes complicated for Algranati and her family. â€Å"The only problem was that the difference in language and social status led â€Å"real† Americans not to consider them citizens† (668). With American society becoming more developed, the next generation is becoming programmed into thinking that certain cultures are below others, therefore confusing them and making them feel like they don’t belong. Algranati not only was from two different ethnicities but she had to deal with the humiliations and discrimination with her Puerto Rican and Jewish Heritage .Nevertheless, the issues behind color and a diverse background run very deep. Algranati states, that her mother was called a â€Å"white Hispanic† because of her outer appearance. She also says that once her mother’s English improved,  no one even noticed her true nationality unless she told them (669). People are quick to judge one another from the color of one’s skin. There are a lot of issues circulating behind race and ethnicity. For a country that is all about diversity and equal rights, it seems some cultures have an unfair advantage over others because of their cultural background. While a lot of immigrants feel they are being mistreated and denied opportunity to be a U.S. citizen, some children of different cultures feel they are being forced to suppress their ethnic backgrounds, to fit in with the dominating race in our society. The writer uses highly emotional language by describing how she was accepted in American society and later was rejected because of her cultural differences. In other words, Algranati was mistaken for another race. She states, how she was accepted by her friend’s father like a daughter until he realized her true uniqueness (670).Immigrants, end up becoming disliked and singled out because of their skin color or ethnicity. Because Algranati is of a different origin doesn’t mean that she should be treated unequal, no one wants to be separated from their social life. As a society most fear the unknown, but with everything changing drastically there is a lot of unknown. Society is already struggling when it comes to social class. Unfortunately, the disputes about race and where someone thinks you belong in society are very cruel because everyone just wants the best opportunities for survival. America is the land of the free, and no one should be denied the freedom to live a better life. With multicultural marriages giving way to mixed children, the families are being caught in the cross fire. Algranati may have been faced with different issues but in the end she embraced who she is. She may have not been an â€Å"All American Girl† but she has a place within society as a Puerto Rican Egyptian Jew. Life is a journey, no one wants to be singled out or treated cruelly because of the color of their skin or their ethnicity, but it happens practically every day. As far as this world has come, people still deal with race and social acceptance. Until society realizes, that the value of life is honesty and respect for one another, there will always be friction. When will this society be all about love and compassion for one another? As  human beings, all are created equally, so really no race is higher than the other. Society needs to learn how to support one another and learn to get along with each other. Most people want to be loved; if people learn to appreciate others not based on their outer appearance then society will be a much better place. Algranati, Melissa. â€Å"Being an Other† from Becoming American, Becoming Ethnic: College Students Explore Their Roots, Ed Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford, 2012. 667- 671. Print.

Free Essays on Parenting Styles

Parenting Styles Parenting styles vary. Some parents are strict, some are lenient. Some spank, some reason. Some show little affection, some give an abundance of hugs and kisses. The most heavily researched aspect of parenting has been how, and to what extent, parents choose to raise their children. Researchers have identified three parenting styles: authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative. Authoritarian parents must have complete control and expect a high level of maturity from their children. They lack clarity of communication and provide little nurturance. They impose rules and expect obedience. Permissive parenting styles are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They lack control and expect very little, yet open communication and affection are important to this type of parent. They submit to their children's desires, make few demands, and use little punishment. Authoritative parents are the most balanced. They are both demanding and responsive. They exert control not only by setting rules and enforcing them, but also by explaining the reasons and encouraging open discussion and allowing exceptions when making the rules. All three of these parenting styles are easily recognizable by their relationship with their children. The authoritative stands out as the most admirable style.... Free Essays on Parenting Styles Free Essays on Parenting Styles Parenting Styles Parenting styles vary. Some parents are strict, some are lenient. Some spank, some reason. Some show little affection, some give an abundance of hugs and kisses. The most heavily researched aspect of parenting has been how, and to what extent, parents choose to raise their children. Researchers have identified three parenting styles: authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative. Authoritarian parents must have complete control and expect a high level of maturity from their children. They lack clarity of communication and provide little nurturance. They impose rules and expect obedience. Permissive parenting styles are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They lack control and expect very little, yet open communication and affection are important to this type of parent. They submit to their children's desires, make few demands, and use little punishment. Authoritative parents are the most balanced. They are both demanding and responsive. They exert control not only by setting rules and enforcing them, but also by explaining the reasons and encouraging open discussion and allowing exceptions when making the rules. All three of these parenting styles are easily recognizable by their relationship with their children. The authoritative stands out as the most admirable style....

More Confusing Spanish Verb Pairs

More Confusing Spanish Verb Pairs Spanish students usually learn fairly early in their studies about how to distinguish between the two main verbs for to be, ser and estar, and the two main verbs for to know, saber and conocer. But because they arent used as often, it is easy to overlook some of the other confusing verb pairs. Among those pairs are those for the verbs to ask, to leave, to apply, to have, to play and to take. This list is by no means exhaustive, but if you can learn how to properly translate these verbs into Spanish you will be well on your way to avoiding some of the most common verb-choice mistakes made by non-native speakers. To Ask If youre making a request for a thing or some action, use pedir. But if youre asking for information about something, use preguntar. Remember that pedir can be translated as ask for or request, so you dont need to follow it with a preposition. Me pidià ³ tres dà ³lares, he asked me for $3. Me preguntà ³ por tres dà ³lares, he asked me about the $3 (as what happened to it). Me pidià ³ que cocinara la comida, she asked me to cook the meal. Preguntà ³ si habà ­a cocinado la comida, she asked me if I had cooked the meal. Note that pedir is irregular. To Leave If youre leaving in the sense of exiting or going away, use salir (you may remember that an exit in Spanish is una salida). But if youre leaving an object somewhere, use dejar. El tren sale a las ocho, the train leaves at 8. Dejà © mis libros en el tren, I left my books in the train. Dejar also can mean to leave in the less common sense of to allow.  ¡Dà ©jame salir! Leave me go! Note that salir is irregular. To Apply If youre applying in the sense of applying for a job, use solicitar. If youre applying something, use aplicar. Tres personas solicitan el puesto de redactor, three people are seeking the editors position. Tengo que aplicar el bronceador, I need to apply the suntan lotion. Note that aplicar is irregular. You also can use aplicarse for to apply oneself. Mi hijo se aplica mucho en sus tareas escolares, my son applies himself well to his homework. To Have To have in the sense of to possess is tener. Haber is usually used much as the English to have as an auxiliary verb with the past participle. Tengo tres libros, I have three books. He leà ­do tres libros, I have read three books. That difference is straightforward. But both verbs can also be used with que to indicate necessity. Tener que followed by an infinitive means to have to, while hay que (hay is a form of haber) also expresses necessity but doesnt specify who is performing the action. Tengo que leer tres libros, I have to read three books. Hay que leer tres libros, three books have to be read (or, it is necessary to read three books). Both tener and haber are irregular. To Play Use jugar when talking about playing a game, tocar when playing a musical instrument. Me gusta jugar al bà ©isbol, I like playing baseball. No me gusta tocar el piano, I dont like playing the piano. Both jugar and tocar are irregular. To Take Use llevar for to take in the sense of to carry or to transport. But use tomar for to take in the sense of to take for ones use. Use sacar for take out in the sense of remove. Me llevas al aeropuerto, youre taking me to the airport. Tomo el tren al aeropuerto, Im taking the train to the airport. Tengo que tomar la medicina, I have to take the medicine. El dentista sacà ³ las muelas, the dentist took out the teeth. Sacar is irregular.

Managing Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing Change - Essay Example This move would have resulted in the loss of 600 jobs in its combined workforce of approximately 4,200 employees from the two plants. For that year, annual production targets were also reduce from 70,000 units to merely 40,000. Global overproduction and a 17% slump in domestic sales for the second half of 1999 were the reasons cited by Mitsubishi for the downsizing. Mitsubishi officials also claimed that the decline in the value of the Australian dollar had made it too costly to import Mitsubishi components. The decision to downsize in 2000 followed the downsizing of already 300 production jobs for the company yet despite these decisions, profits for the company did not improve. As of December 1999, the company reported a $A 130-million loss, its worse in twenty years in Australia (Cook, 2000). In 1997, the Howard government suspended plans to end tariff protection for the car industry until 2010 due to pressure from car manufacturers and threats by Mitsubishi that it will wind-up production in Australia. This was initially regarded as guaranteeing job security for worker, but despite the existence of tariff protection, major restructuring and downsizing still continued in Mitsubishi. The reason is that downsizing is attributed not to the company's national performance but to a major global restructuring program announced by Mitsubishi in October 2000 to cut costs by $US 3 billion by 2001. The plan involved cutting 9,900 jobs from the company's international workforce of 88,800 over a span of four years. Of the 9,900 jobs to be cut, 1,400 of these are production and clerical jobs in Japan (Cook, 2000). Another factor that compounds to the company's problems is its debt of 1.75 trillion yen or $A 27 billion. Mitsubishi continues to be under pressure from Daimler-Chrysler, who has a one-third holding in the company, and the power of veto over Mitsubishi's board. Daimler-Chrysler is demanding Mitsubishi to take drastic steps to reduce its huge debt and that the company focuses its future investment in more efficient production plants in Malaysia and Thailand (rather than Australia) where there is cheaper labour and favourable local investment incentives (Cook, 2000). In addition to these problems, Mitsubishi is also burdened by a failed vehicle financing scheme in the U.S. and losses amounting to approximately $US 2.8 billion in 2003. Daimler-Chrysler, the majority shareholder for the company, also refused to give Mitsubishi a $US 6.5 billion restructuring package (Spoehr, 2004). In 2004, Mitsubishi released a restructuring plan and formally announced its decision to close down its Lonsdale Plant resulting in the loss of 650 jobs, including the reduction of 350 workers in their Tonsley Park assembly plant workforce (Spoehr, 2004). The

Research methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Research methods - Essay Example The institutions in turn are supposed to make their operations and services attractive enough for the industry and the customer. The value that is addition done by both operations management and operations strategy happens to be fundamental to any organization. The above mentioned articles have one thing in common; they underline the need for effective management of financial aspects of a business. Providing services or goods are the basic forms of operational activities. All organizations try to provide a combination of products and services, using available sources with them. Opening a bank account, taking a meal in a restaurant, visiting a hospital, buying a pair shoes, insuring a vehicle, a hotel stay etc. are all operations activities and their management is central to the successful provisioning of goods and services. Such value addition helps the banks and financial institutions help in making them friendly institutions to the customer base at large. Marketing consists of the strategies and tactics used to identify, create, and maintain satisfying relationships with customers that result in value for both the customer and the marketer. Relationship management, the very basis of running financial services, asks for earning the loyalty of customer. This in turn calls for keeping the workforce motivated enough, while extending valuable services to the customers. The global economy has made it almost mandatory for retail stores, banks, financial institutions etc. that an effective strategy is adopted for managing the workforce and the diversity at the organisation so that everybody is able to enjoy a better working environment and the customer too feels valued. This helps the company in taking on the competitors with fullest potential. The bank (or any company for that matter) can acquire competitive advantage on its rivals on account of marketing efforts, brand building, value creation, innovation, supply chain management, operatio nal