Tuesday, December 31, 2019

What Did Ancient Greek Concepts And Ideas Serve As A...

To what extent did ancient Greek concepts and ideas serve as a baseline for the growth and influence of knowledge in the Roman Empire Trevor Massey Drallos 1st Hour 27 December 2015 Identification and evaluation of sources To what extent did ancient Greek concepts and ideas serve as a baseline for the growth and influence of knowledge in the Roman Empire? Ando, Clifford. Was Rome a Polis? Classical Antiquity, 1999, 5-34. Accessed January 8, 2016. doi:10.2307/25011091. This journal written by Clifford Ando’, a professor at the University of Chicago, who earned his Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and his Doctorate from the University of Michigan, provides the researcher with crucial information in regards to the major impacts that Greek technological ideas had on the growth of the Roman Empire. This volume s purpose was intended to analyze Roman culture and compare to that of the Greek culture and how the Romans built and expanded off of Greek principals. Throughout this volume, Ando analyzes divergent Greek ideas and the way that the Romans used them as a baseline for further technological advancement. This source is rich in detail concerning the topic that the researcher is analyzing and provides rich insight on how Greek advancements help the Romans accelerate in growth and advancements. For example, the author writes , â€Å"The exponents of the varied late-Republican models shared a single method: each sought to assim ilate a RomanShow MoreRelatedProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pages Cross Reference of Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Concepts to Text Topics Chapter 1 Modern Project Management Chapter 8 Scheduling resources and cost 1.2 Project defined 1.3 Project management defined 1.4 Projects and programs (.2) 2.1 The project life cycle (.2.3) App. G.1 The project manager App. G.7 Political and social environments F.1 Integration of project management processes [3.1] 6.5.2 Setting a schedule baseline [8.1.4] 6.5.3.1 Setting a resource schedule 6.5.2.4 ResourceRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pages9 Learning objectives Introduction Coming to terms with buyer behaviour Factors influencing consumer behaviour The buying decision process The rise of the new consumer and the implications for marketing planning Organizational buying behaviour The growth of relationship marketing Summary Appendix: The drivers of consumer change 6 Approaches to competitor analysis 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 6.10 6.11 Learning objectives Introduction Against whom are we competing? Identifying and evaluatingRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 Pagescultural environments persist. The challenges for international management reflect this dynamism and the increasing unpredictability of global economic and political events. Continued growth of the emerging markets is reshaping the global balance of economic power. Many emerging markets continued to experience growth during a period in which developed countries saw their economies stagnate or decline. The global political environment remains volatile and uncertain, with ongoing conflicts in the MiddleRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesISBN 10: 0-13-283487-1 ISBN 13: 978-0-13-283487-2 Brief Contents Preface xxii 1 2 Introduction 1 What Is Organizational Behavior? 3 The Individual 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Diversity in Organizations 39 Attitudes and Job Satisfaction 69 Emotions and Moods 97 Personality and Values 131 Perception and Individual Decision Making 165 Motivation Concepts 201 Motivation: From Concepts to Applications 239 3 The Group 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Foundations of Group Behavior 271 Understanding WorkRead MoreManaging Information Technology (7th Edition)239873 Words   |  960 PagesInformation Technology Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Enterprise Systems 189 Managerial Support Systems E-Business Systems 253 187 223 PART III Acquiring Information Systems 327 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Basic Systems Concepts and Tools 329 Methodologies for Custom Software Development 361 Methodologies for Purchased Software Packages 390 IT Project Management 410 PART IV The Information Management System Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 517 Read MoreHemp Cultivation in China42289 Words   |  170 PagesHemp is produced almost entirely by ancient traditional methods and local hemp farming practices have been influenced very little by modern Western techniques. However, a modern hemp degumming, spinning, and weaving mill was constructed in the village of Dong Ping in Tai an District in 1987. In 1993, a Chinese-Dutch joint venture Figure 1. Shandong hemp farmers use traditional methods to grow and process their crop. invested in the hemp mill and began to influence the local cultivation, market structureRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 PagesIntroduction to Statistics and Data Analysis, Third Edition develops this crucial understanding of variability through its focus on the data analysis process. An Organization That Reï ¬â€šects the Data Analysis Process Students are introduced early to the idea that data analysis is a process that begins with careful planning, followed by data collection, data description using graphical and numerical summaries, data analysis, and ï ¬ nally interpretation of results. This process is described in detail in Chapter

Monday, December 23, 2019

Essay on Interracial Dating - 632 Words

Many interracial couples are faced with negative reactions from society, making it hard for them to have a regular relationship. They have to deal with disapproval from their own race, pessimistic reactions from family and friends, and not to mention the ignorance of society as a whole. Why is interracial dating so controversial? Is not racism a thing of the past, or is that what we would like to believe? People who date and socialize with people of different racial groups frequently experience negative reactions. Many of the disapproving messages come from people of their own racial group. They scoff and make fun of the idea that they are dating someone with a different tone of skin or ethnic background. According to a poll taken in†¦show more content†¦They need sanctions or permission from their parents to see if it is okay to date out of their race. The parent’s influential power causes them to be skeptical and doubtful about being involved in such relationship that they decide to end a perfect relationship in order to make them happy. Many people who date out of their race are likely to encounter tension and criticism from society as a whole. People tend to have a superficial understanding about interracial dating and forget about the true meaning of a relationship. What temerity is this, receiving constant stares and negative reactions, it is completely rude and ignorant of people. It is unequivocal that interracial dating is not easy. Is any relationship easy, interracial or not? But dating and marriage are not about pleasing others. It is about being with the person you love and want to spend the rest of your life with. Race is not an issue when love is concerned. What is important is the factors that make the relationship work, such as trust and love, not what is pleasing to others. Thus, why is society making it harder on them? How many interracial couples have been on the receiving end of many offensive stares when walking down the street? Why do people care? It is an issue of concern only to the couple. If one chooses to date a person of another race, why should society be bothered? It is an issue that needs to be dealt with by the individual people involved. Society is simplyShow MoreRelatedInterracial Dating And How Accepted It Is Nowadays961 Words   |  4 PagesInterracial Dating and How Accepted it is Nowadays Introduction: Interracial dating in the United States compared to previous history is more popular than ever before. It is more present because minorities are getting higher education, people are becoming more tolerant, there is more exposure to other cultures, there are no bans on interracial dating now, and young people are more self-expressive and believe more in individualism (Firmin Firebaugh, 2008). Though interracial dating is more acceptedRead MoreThe Changes in Society’s Views on Interracial Dating over Time1466 Words   |  6 Pagesone thing is clear, the issue on interracial relationships is still as controversial today as it was nearly fifty years ago. While times may have changed and society has gotten used to these interracial relationships, it’s still something that is being talked about regularly. Starting in the 1960’s, the issue on interracial relationships became more relevant. It sparked much controversy after a couple from Virginia was arrested for parti cipating in an interracial relationship. The case, Loving versusRead MoreEssay on Interracial Dating Explored in Save the Last Dance936 Words   |  4 PagesInterracial Dating Explored in Save the Last Dance The movie, Save the Last Dance, goes along with all of our discussions and conversations about the visual difference between the black and white cultures and the stereotyping that Hollywood does of the two cultures. The movie shows the difference in the two cultures, according to Hollywood.you have your typical white middle-class suburban girl (Sarah) and your typical low-class black boy (Derrick). Save the Last Dance is a love story aboutRead More Interracial and Cross Cultural Dating of Generation Y Essay2711 Words   |  11 PagesInterracial and Cross Cultural Dating of Generation Y Interracial romance has been an issue in the United States since the first English settlers established colonies during the seventeenth century. Over the years, views toward interracial relationships in America have changed greatly. The interracial dating trend among today’s teenagers is increasing at a steady rate (Grapes 49). However, there are still many biases facing Gen-Y youth who choose to date someone of another race. A look atRead MoreMy Personal Statement On Interracial Dating And The World Essay2403 Words   |  10 Pagesthe age of three, my mother remarried a white man and my siblings and I were now being raised in an interracial household. This change in my upbringing and surroundings left such a profound effect on my identity that I was no longer being raised in a traditional home environment. Also, the significance of being raised by someone of a different race impacted how I viewed myself, interracial dating and the world. Not understanding the reasoning behind my father’s absence, I grew to identify anotherRead MoreMy Personal Statement On Interracial Dating And The World Essay2439 Words   |  10 PagesAt the age of three my mother remarried a white man and my siblings and I were now being raised in an interracial household. This change in my upbringing and surroundings had a profound effect on my identity because I was no longer being raised in a traditional home environment. Also, the significance of being raised by someone of a different race impacted how I viewed myself, interracial dating and the world. Not understanding the reasoning behind my father’s absence, I grew to identify anotherRead MoreInterracial Marriage Should Be Legal1365 Words   |  6 PagesInterracial marriages are still considered taboo in many countries in the world and even in the United States. While the opportunity to marry whoever one desires is a reality in America, it is not always common and sometime frowned upon in our communities. Much progress has been made as a country to allow interracial marriages to be successful, but the American population has had difficulty accepting the legal development that has taken place in our nation. Interracial Marriage has been fought throughoutRead MoreThe Impact Of Modern Day College Students And Working Members Of Society1321 Words   |  6 Pages Living in the United States means living with diversity. A historically controversial topic that comes with diversity is interracial couples. Having only been made legal in 1967 by the United States Supreme Court r uling in the Loving v. Commonwealth of Virginia, there are still prominent parts of society that took down upon mixed raced couples. (Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1967) This research paper is designed to show data collected from ___ interviews from participants of a variety of ages andRead MoreTraditional Belief Of Interracial Marriage1674 Words   |  7 PagesIn contrast, popular culture theorizes that interracial marriages are motivated not by a desire to leave behind one’s heritage, but by love between two people who happen to be of different races. In this paper, I seek to analyze and compare these two perspectives, proposing a theory that combines the two by accounting for a person’s upbringing and beliefs when deciding what their motivation may be. I first analyze the traditional belief of interracial marriage in comparison to the popular cultureRead MoreCauses of Friction in Interracial Marriages Essay1425 Words   |  6 PagesCauses of Friction in Interracial Marriages The United States has witnessed a considerable amount of social and cultural desegregation between African-Americans and Caucasians. However, despite years of desegregation, social and cultural differences still exist. One of these differences that still exists is in the institution of marriage. Americans have been and are continually moving slowly away from segregation. In the past forty years, a multitude of changes have transformed schools, jobs,

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Classroom Management Plan Free Essays

I believe Classroom Management is the key component in any educational setting. I believe that if students are in a safe environment, then learning can take place. This doesn’t necessarily mean punishing behavior problems but rather a combination of setting the tone in a class, preventing behavior problems with interesting and engaging curriculums and effectively including all students in the classroom so that their needs are met. We will write a custom essay sample on Classroom Management Plan or any similar topic only for you Order Now Having the right environment for all students to learn is my major goal of implementing good classroom management–without it the students would not be able to learn. Outside of their parents, the teacher is the next adult figure with the most influence in their lives. I must take every student under my wing and guide them through the year. In order to do that, the environment of the classroom I create will comprise of me taking a sincere interest in students and see them as unique individuals. I will be notice if they play any sports, or participate in any clubs and connect with them at that level. I will also build lasting relationships that inspire and encourage students to be confident with whom they are. Every single student in my classroom will be recognized for the diversity they bring to the community and I will never allow them to think they are less significant than someone else. I want a community classroom that is structured with independence, encouragement, an open-mind, and student cooperation. Cooperation and communication are vital in establishing a classroom because it considerably limits negative situations. As a teacher, I will set guidelines the classroom. In addition to establishing guidelines, I also believe it is important to know my students as individuals. Getting to know them, listening about their interests, attending their award ceremonies, this establishes a mutual respect and trust that transcends into the classroom. When my students view me as a teacher who has a vested interest in them, they are less likely to display negative behaviors in the classroom. As a teacher I believe that it is my responsibility to provide each student with the optimal learning environment in which to thrive academically. Establishing and maintaining a positive classroom climate based on mutual respect and responsibility not only fosters academic growth, but also provides a foundation for minimizing negative behaviors. By creating this environment, serious discipline issues, as well as minor issues, are often prevented, allowing growth to be the primary focus, not discipline. The first step is to ensure that children understand what is expected of them. Teachers should model expectations. For example, when children are treated with fairness and respect, they will react in kind. Therefore adults in the classroom must model a positive, caring attitude. Because children learn differently, it is important to employ various strategies for helping a child learn how to appropriately behave in the classroom. Philosophical Statement In order for me to succeed as their teacher, I must be consistent and reliable. Students can expect me to treat them the way I want to be treated. I have learned it is important to hold myself to high standards and I hope my students will return the favor. Responsibility, respect, honor, and equality are four specific qualities I value and I anticipate my students will see me display these traits and model after them. I want nothing more and expect nothing less than to see young minds grow and mature into exceptional individuals who succeed in and out of the classroom. In addition to a structured environment, children also need a caring environment in which they feel safe to make mistakes and to learn. Though I believe that the classroom is a serious place for learning, there are also many opportunities for play and for silliness. I want my students to feel comfortable in the classroom, and to know that I am always approachable. Bringing in songs and costumes and participating in activities with my students will allow them to see that I not only care about their learning, but I also care about enjoying time with them. My assumptions about young people are that their peers and the media pull them in many directions. When I look around, I see so many advertisements, TV shows, shopping stores, and people trying to get the attention of our children. They flash pretty pictures and sound off hip music to draw our children in, and convince them that they need to be cool by either buying something or having something in their possession. The young people today also seem to be more mature than in the past, but this maturity also brings about much confusion and anxiety. Young people are looking for a safe haven and refuge from the many mixed messages that are being sent to them. For many young people, their home environments are unstable, which leads to more confusion. How to cite Classroom Management Plan, Essay examples Classroom Management Plan Free Essays There is a big difference between a classroom with a management plan and one without one. According to Wong and Wong that â€Å"classroom management refers to all the things that a teacher does to organize students, space, time, and materials so that student learning can take place† (2005, p. 84). We will write a custom essay sample on Classroom Management Plan or any similar topic only for you Order Now Classroom management skills add effectiveness and success into the classroom. It is important to have a well structured classroom so that the best education can be given to our students. A well structured classroom includes set of rules and procedures. Without rules and procedures a classroom would be chaos. Proper classroom management techniques can foster student involvement in classroom activities and can establish a productive working environment. â€Å"Some characteristics of a Well-Managed Classroom: students are deeply involved with their work, especially academic, teacher-led instruction, students know what is expected of them and are successful, there is little wasted time, confusion, or disruption, and the climate in the classroom is work-oriented, but relaxed and pleasant† (Wong Wong, 2005, p.  86). A classroom management plan helps enable teachers to get more accomplished in the classroom. They know what they should be focusing on in order to give their students the proper education. It is important to have rules for your classroom. Making up rules as you go can be very stressful and not as beneficial. How to cite Classroom Management Plan, Essays

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Effective And Micro Economic Environment †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Effective And Micro Economic Environment? Answer: Introduction Strategy and policy is important for an effective macro and micro economic environment in Sudan. The Sudanese government has had enough time to check the business community especially the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) due to the impact of Multinational corporations and Corporate Parent Organization. Due to the rapid increase of multinationals in the country the following has been the effect to the economy; firstly, there were very many small business enterprises that were closing down. To put it into perspective, the small business employ millions of youths from tertiary institutions and universities who are now facing the realities of joblessness due to closure of businesses (Aaker, 2001). Secondly due to increased closure of businesses, the country is witnessing a surge in imports and a decrease in exports that is really hurting the economy and the GDP of the country. If imports rise, the country turns to be more of a net importer leading to more money going outside the country than the foreign exchange money coming in the country. A country which exports more benefits due to increase in its foreign exchange results to an increase in gross domestic output. Thirdly, the rate of unemployment is increasing. Sudan has one of the leading GDPs in the sub Saharan Africa. It is ranked seventh in the biggest economies in Africa behind the giants like Nigeria, South Africa, Angola, and Egypt among others (Brown and Clinton, 2010). Its population is also increasing meaning that lack of creation of industries will only lead to increased unemployment especially among the youths. When SMEs close the shops, it means that formal and informal will not be created and therefore the government must do a lot in ensuring that SME are not crowded by multinationals. The process is known as crowding out effect where private companies are forced out of operation due to government operations and multinationals intrusion. The fourth issue is the tenure of MNCs in the country was decreasing gradually and this was attributed to non- renewal of trading and operating licenses. Although MNCs are not as many as locally founded companies, they form a major part of the economic ecosystem in Sudan (Dunning, 2013). The measures that will be put in place is to ensure that the MNCs life is prolonged and creating a good operating condition for the multinationals. Multinationals are mostly affected by the government policies towards their operations. These include government taxation on profits of multinationals, ease of operations and macro and micro economic conditions. Measures and policies Surge in imports can be remedied internally by the government. The government should create tax incentive measures so that it may encourage more manufacturing of internal products to spur exports. Similarly, imports should be levied with high import duties and taxes to prevent them from importing the unnecessary goods (Dunning, 2013). In the case of the SMEs closing down there are various policies that can be put forth by the government in order to sustain the business. Firstly, the government should reduce charges on startups to encourage many Sudanese to open locally owned businesses. Secondly, the government should minimize the taxes levied on SMEs to spur growth and to sustain it (Lee-Ross and Lashley, 2011). The government should also give incentives and loans to the SMEs in order for them to survive the turbulent economic climate and the coy financial institutions. On unemployment, the government should formulate a plan to work with the youth. For example, 50% of the government contracts should be given to the youths who are mostly unemployed. This will reduce the unemployment as people will start to reap benefits from the government. Creating a youth and womens fund to help the unemployed to set up businesses with government concessionary loans is also a good government policy (Liu et al., 2007). Lastly the policy on MNCs gradual demise should be dealt with in this ways; These figures highlight the many difficulties faced by small entrepreneurs in facing insolvency, generally due to the lack of resources and legal disregard that even leads them to risk their personal assets in order to save "In the desperate" business. To prevent these potential closures, Russell Bedford has developed a decalogue with the most important steps that these small businesses must follow to interpret their financial situation and thus avoid giving the final goodbye to their businesses. Ordering accounts is more than paying taxes. One of the most common problems of companies is the neglect of their accounts. It is very important that the company knows at all times in what state are their finances (equity, profitability, treasury, etc.). Make a complete scanner of the situation of the company. This will allow several months to be anticipated to a possible insolvency, enough time to take the necessar y measures. Prune before cutting the trunk. The reduction of costs ranges from the elimination of unnecessary running expenses until the regulation of employment, through closure of offices. Less structure and more efficient. For its correct operation, a company needs to have the departments that are essential and that best adapt to its activity (Onida and Viesti, n.d.). An attractive business always attracts partners. The lack of financing has led a large number of companies to seek investors interested in participating in capital. The backing of one or several partners is always a guarantee when negotiating with banks and creditors. Do not grow with the money of others. This was possible before the crisis thanks to the low cost and abundance of credit, but the current situation has shown that many entrepreneurs lived beyond their means. If the business is viable, it must be communicated. To do this, advise on develop a feasibility plan for those companies that have foreseen financial difficulties in the coming months and to expose that plan to their creditors with total transparency. Face the creditors. Only by giving face to the creditors will be possible to reach agr eements that allow the survival, since none is interested in losing customers. Do not live drowned. Once the payment priority between creditors has been established, the next step is to set the terms. If the company cannot pay immediately, it must negotiate with the creditors a calendar (Onida and Viesti, n.d.). Strategy adopted by any Multinational Corporation (MNC) and Corporate Parent organization This paper presents a theoretical exercise on the topic of coordination mechanisms in multinational companies, with emphasis on the structure of the relationships between the parent company and the corresponding subsidiaries of those multinationals that are located in markets with volatile macroeconomic environments. In this sense, a volatile environment is found in those countries whose economic and political conditions, far from being stable and favorable, offer a business environment to the subsidiaries installed in their territory in which they must face political and economic instability, legal insecurity , Administrative barriers, economic policy swings, and a variety of state controls and regulations (Price, 2015). This type of environment is common to find in developing countries, as in the case of Sudan and other Sub-Saharan nations The coordination mechanisms that are addressed in this study are specific to the following organizational design variables: centralization, for malization and socialization, which are those whose reference is more frequent in the literature on multinational companies. The expression design variables will also be used to refer to them. Also, the typology of), constructed on the basis of the aforementioned coordination mechanisms and categorizing the matrix-filial relationships that can be presented according to the complexity of the environment and the level of resources that the Subsidiaries. From the literature review, some theoretical arguments are presented on how a volatile environment influences matrix-subsidiary relations and discusses the type of matrix-subsidiary structures that could be found according to the classification. Coordination Mechanisms Coordination mechanisms in multinational corporations have been studied as a branch of international strategic management because they focus on managerial and strategic issues faced by the top managers of these companies, in particular, they are looking for ways to take advantage of several activities at the same time. Strategic implications of both in your countrys economic growth and development Integrating different subsidiaries within a multinational is one of the main problems to solve within the structure of a corporation, by virtue of the different markets where they are present and the communication difficulties that can arise; This depends fundamentally on two interacting organizational processes: the coordination of activities and their control. The use of these mechanisms allows the multinational to reduce the levels of uncertainty and certify that the behaviors originated in the different subsidiaries. The structure and strategy of a Multinational is very lean and does not support a lot of staff. In southern Sudan, multinationals form a big range for scrutiny. In the case of Sudan, the many multinationals and their parent organizations work in together. They create employment opportunities to the locals especially the youth. However, it is not all rosy. Many of the multinationals threaten the country and get their ways easily. They threaten the country that they will leave if they are not treated with special considerations (Pinstrup-Andersen and Watson, 2011). This makes it hard for the government of Sudan to argue with theme they will terminate the countries. It is so selfish to boycott the process. The strategic implications of these actions are that although the multinationals remain in the country, they repatriate profits to their own countries, they do not employ locals as expected and they act with impunity. Due to this the government of Sudan should focus on making sure that local companies like SMEs are the ones given priority as they employ more than the multinationals. References Aaker, D. (2001). Developing business strategies. New York: J. Wiley. Brown, J. and Clinton, M. (2010). Horse Business Management: Managing a Successful Yard, 4th Edition. John Wiley Sons. Business and management practices in greece. (2014). [Place of publication not identified]: Palgrave Macmillan. Dunning, J. (2013). Multinationals. Routledge. Lee-Ross, D. and Lashley, C. (2011). Entrepreneurship and small business management in the hospitality industry. New York: Routledge. Liu, D., Jiang, W., Ma, W. and Chong, A. (2007). Chinese business strategies. Singapore: Asiapac. Nelson, W. (2012). Advances in business and management. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Onida, F. and Viesti, G. (n.d.). The Italian multinationals. Pinstrup-Andersen, P. and Watson, D. (2011). Food Policy for Developing Countries. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press. Price, A. (2015). Human resource management in a business context. [Mason]: South-Western Cengage Learnin

Friday, November 29, 2019

Project Networks Dangers Benefits

Within the project management domain, project networks are fundamental tools used to illustrate the sequence in which a project’s terminal components are to be completed by constructing a network representation of the cardinal project activities and their dependencies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Project Networks: Dangers Benefits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Project networks, which are often constructed as graphs or flow charts, are important not only in understanding the types of activity dependencies and when they are utilized within the project management discourse, but also identifying the critical path in the project (Lewis, 2006). The present short paper aims at identifying and discussing some of the dangers and benefits of using project networks. Although project managers often design project networks to assist them plan for the completion of important project activities, these tools act a s a catalyst for unforeseen problems or dangers that may adversely affect project timelines (Chinowsky et al., 2011). For instance, some project networks of very large projects may be extremely complicated and confusing, with hundreds or even thousands of project activities and dependency relationships, leading to difficulties not only in highlighting the critical path in the project, but also identifying the types of constraints that create activity sequences (Soderlund, 2012). Additionally, project management literature demonstrates that project networks run the risk of prediction inaccuracies as they depend on the capacity to predict relationships and precise timeframes for a multiplicity of project activities, known as nodes. Project management scholarship reveals that this prediction of precedence relationships using arrows (arcs) may be difficult for complicated projects involving many activities and suppliers (Soderlund, 2012), and also fails to make provisions for unexpected events that may present within the lifecycle of the project (Lewis, 2006). Another danger in using project networks presents itself in the form of planning, as most models of project networks presume that all preceding project activities must be fully (100%) complete before the commencement of a new project activity.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This limitation often leads to inefficient project planning because, in practice, the sequences, interdependencies and timelines may differ, leading to a shift in the critical path (Soderlund, 2012). Moving on, it is important to explain under what circumstances project networks may be beneficial and when they may prove dangerous. Extant project management literature demonstrates that project networks may be beneficial in detailed large project planning as they assist in the identification of project activities and activity depen dencies; that is, they provide a clear graphical picture between and among project activities (Soderlund, 2012). Project networks, according to Lewis (2006), are also beneficial in circumstances where it is important for the project manager to demonstrate a visible critical path for the successful completion of the project. Many projects require that project managers demonstrate all activities that cannot in any way be delayed without negatively affecting the project completion date. In such situations, the use of project networks is essential as they not only make the critical path visible, but also predict relationships between dependencies (Lewis, 2006). Lastly, it has been demonstrated that project networks facilitate commitment and dedication of all stakeholders in meeting the timelines, cost, and performance intentions of the project. Communication and knowledge sharing are also advanced using project networks. In discussing the dangers, it is imperative to mention that projec t networks may provide a dangerous precedent when used in large complicated projects due to multitudes of dependency relationships that may lead to confusion and planning inefficiencies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Project Networks: Dangers Benefits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Additionally, it may be dangerous to use project networks in scenarios where the owners of the project demand strict interpretation of project activities and their interrelationships because these tools have weaknesses in making accurate predictions about relationships and precise timelines (Chinowsky et al., 2011). These tools also do not account for unexpected events that may affect the project, either positively or negatively. References Chinowsky, P., Taylor, J.E., Di Marco, M. (2011). Project network interdependency alignment: New approach to assessing project effectiveness. Journal of Management Engineering, 27(3), 170-178 . Lewis, J.P. (2006). Fundamentals of project management (3rd ed.). New York, NY: AMACOM. Soderlund, J. (2012). Project management, interdependencies, and time insights from managing larger systems by Sayles and Chandler. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 5(4), 617-633. This essay on Project Networks: Dangers Benefits was written and submitted by user Jaxon E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Womens role in French Revolution essays

Womens role in French Revolution essays Contrary to common belief, women were important contributors to the popular movement during the French Revolution. They staged demonstrations and food riots, presented petitions to the National Assembly, and brought the royal family back to the governmental capital. They agitated ceaselessly for the political and civil rights that they deserved, and backed up their demands with well-thought-out logical arguments. The women of 18th century France pioneered through uncharted ideological, political, and social grounds, but their work was fruitless in establishing womens rights in the constitution ratified after the French Revolution. The majority of men believed that womens participation in government was both unnecessary and redundant. Women were assumed to have the same interest and opinions as the men who represented them, and they were repeatedly assured that their husbands, sons, and fathers would always have their best interest at heart. Women were encouraged to support the Revolution by assuming the duties associated with being a good Frenchwomen, not by forming legions or social clubs that argued for equal rights. An aristocratic womens duty was to live simply and modestly, abjuring luxury, and wearing only French-made clothing. As a wife, the patriotic Frenchwoman was faithful and fecund; as a girl she was required to be virgin. The truly patriotic women would live honesty and attempt to restore morality to the nation. It was with these opinions that the constitution of 1791 and 1793 were written (1). At no stage were women included with in the definitions of citizenship. Women, like domestic servants, were not considered autonomous human beings; they were natures passive citizens, and their rights were rendered invisible in the constitutions. The most eloquent and influential male advocate of womens rights was the philosopher Condorcet. In the Essai sur ladmissoin des femm...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Hobbes and Absolute Sovereignty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Hobbes and Absolute Sovereignty - Essay Example He criticised several fields and gave argumentative ideas including sovereign governments which this work will be based upon. Sovereign is a state of a people or societies where a group of people or a person has been designated the authority to govern. The sovereign body always has control in religion, finance and military of the society. In this set up, the magistrate does not pledge allegiance to any superior forces or power and he is according to the state orders supreme. The control in the three sections by someone who has not been designated as sovereign in the social sense may as well assume the position of sovereignty. As stated by Hobbes in Behemoth, he gives a difference between de jure and de facto sovereign. Hobbes, felt that naturally the society cannot be differentiated from state of nature which is always at war. This is a condition whereby people are being forced to be in contact without an authority that is superior. The presence of the sovereign was therefore meant t o prevent this state of commotion. The erected sovereign was to be given the subject’s rights and was expected create peace by all means. The idea of Hobbes was that sovereign which is absolute had limited power specifically by power which was assumed to be greater. This power outlined rights to be forfeited and duties of the sovereign. Hobbies argument was based on the fact that a government irrespective of the state was far much better than the State of Nature. This is because he thought that absolute sovereignty as a form of government was a measure to prevent the coming back of the State of Nature and it could easily make people live peacefully, due to lack of friction in the association with each other. Hobbes gives a clear conflict between two concepts: an effective sovereign, stable and the need of peace and the denial of the sovereign the advantages listed therein. Hobbes, opinion was as a result of the attitude he had towards the England government which resulted to the civil war. For example they thought that the state could be limited in its ability to raise taxes and at the same time have the government, the government power was to be reserved in a pre-eminent manner. Hobbes outstands to be an absolutist in the view that he gives no room for revolutionary change whatsoever ideologically on the ground. One can in a violent manner plan to dismiss or overthrow the sovereign with the aim of replacing it with one that is new or change the form state. For absolutism, this is sensible. States exist with the main agenda of preventing and solving misunderstandings, confusions and conflicts, these should be done not by violence but preferably by the state. This is because the state is more organised, there are procedures and rules of conflict resolution rather than spontaneous reaction of the violent groups or individuals. Hobbes expresses his clear stand on the governments theory in his Originator of science that is Politically Authentic, De Cive 164 7 where he argued that he had finally found out a mode of rationalising a roadmap into political characters and that a new mode of science had been created by him. Hobbes studied governments that were civil by paying more attention to its central unit of operation. He compared it to humans being both social and natural and thereafter gave an extensive evaluation their forms and generation. Hobbes reasoned that

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Free topic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Free topic - Research Paper Example Consequently, this prompted him to decline Devayani’s marriage proposal because she belonged to a high caste (priestly) than his. Yayati’s reaction reveals Hindu’s cultural values regarding the issue of marriage whereby traditions dictate one to marry from his or her caste regardless of true affection that an individual feels towards the other (Chowdhury). However, this due to the superiority of the Devayani’s caste, the father gives in to his daughter’s demands, though with certain conditions; Yayati should not marry any other woman. This mythical account also reveals humanity’s unquenchable desire for pleasure, which is evident from Yayati’s actions (Apurva 4). Yayati regardless of marrying a woman from high caste in the Indian society, his lustful desires prompt him to have sexual relations with the Devayani’s maid. This ends with secretly marrying her without Devayani’s knowing, whereby she unveils the marriage throug h her maid’s male children claiming Yayati is their father. Humanity’s unquenchable desires in this account are also evident from the way Yayati begs for youth (from own son) to continue with his luxury life after Devayani’s father cursed him to a premature old age (Apurva 3). Eventually, Yayati regains sanity when he realizes his life comprised of living in denial. Since, he was aware about humanity’s desires whereby, one can only quench them through self-control. Yayati’s myth also expounds spiritual prowess held by the top caste in the Indian society. The Brahmins have the authority to curse besides declaring an individual as an â€Å"untouchable†. Yayati after violating the agreement they established with Devayani’s father, he earned himself a curse that transformed his stature instantly (Apurva 4). Since, he allowed lust to overtake him, which is against to what Khatriyas ought to conduct themselves in the public. Yayati’s cursing depicts the Indians’ spirituality exercised by few people who belong to the highest caste, whereas the rest have to exhibit total adherence. This is evident from Yayati’s conduct after cursing where he does not yield to conflict or argument with Devayani’s father, but adheres and decides to seek an alternative way meant to sustain his luxurious life. Indian society’ organization comprises of diverse castes. These normally dictate diverse societal people’s roles besides how they ought to conduct themselves to fit effectively in the already set rankings. The main Indian castes include Brahmin, Khatriya, Vaishyas, shudras and chandalas (Singh 20). The latter comprises the lowest class in the society mostly referred as â€Å"untouchables†. Historically, these people never allowed attending temple services or daring to be near because the society referred them as being impure. Hence, their work entailed cleaning the toilets, garbage coll ection and other menial jobs, which the society thought to be dirty (Jayaram). Brahmins were the societal top spiritual icons whose role entailed offering rituals besides being the most learnt people compared to other castes (Singh 20). Probably, this is due to the position they occupied where all other castes paid tribute to them through donations. Khatriya comprised the security officials whose role entailed protecting the entire society and ensuring justice (Singh 20 & 26). They also acted, as kings whereby the traditions demanded them that, they abstain from sensual pleasures, which granted them

Monday, November 18, 2019

Sir Oswald Mosley, his Political development and his Contribution to Research Paper

Sir Oswald Mosley, his Political development and his Contribution to Politics - Research Paper Example He proposed and advocated for an Irish policy of withdrawal and non-intervention, which he stood for in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Mosley later returned to parliament as an independent candidate in the parliamentary elections of 1922 and 1923. He then joined the labour party in 1924 and began to qualify himself as an expert on economic policies. In 1927, he was elected to the labour party’s national committee and then in 1929, as a chancellor of Duchy in Lancaster. Mosley resigned from office on 20 May 1930. In 1931, he founded the new party together with other MP’s. The 1930’s were characterized by emergence of Fascism in British politics. In 1932, Mosley founded a paramilitary organization called the British Union of Fascists (BUF). The ‘Battle of Cable Street’ refers to a confrontation that took place in London East end, on 4th October 1936. The police, British Union Fascists, and antifascists were involved. Keywords: Career, Sir Oswald Mosley, Battle of Cable street, British Union of Fascists, Politics Sir Oswald Mosley is best remembered for leading The British Union of Fascists in the 1930’s, as well as his unwavering support of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. From a tender age, Mosley was an active politician before turning to Fascism in 1932 (Thackeray & Findling, 2012). Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley was born in London on 16th November 1896. He was the first born child to Katherine Mead Heathcoat and Oswald Mosley. He was the eldest of three children in Oswald Mosley’s family. He was educated in Winchester, Sandhurst. He later, served in the army as a pilot and Calvary officer during World War 1, until he was circumscribed out of the army in 1916, due to an old injury. He was later elected into parliament as a Conservative coalition-unionist in December 1918 (Thackeray & Findling, 2012). Mosley got married to Cynthia Curzon, the daughter of the foreign secretary in 1920, in the presence of King George V and Queen Mary (Ritschel, 1997). Mosley’s political career was largely successful and the impetus to Mosley’s youthful political motivation was his commitment to patriotic purpose of national economic recovery and social reconstruction (Ritschel, 1997). In November 1920, Mosley opposed the British government’s policy on Ireland’s independence. This made him attain immense publicity due to his critique of government troop’s reprisals and atrocities against Ireland. Mosley proposed and advocated for an Irish policy of withdrawal and non-intervention, which he stood for in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He later returned to parliament as an independent candidate in the parliamentary elections of 1922 and 1923 (Strauss, 1993). Mosley then joined the labour party in 1924, and began to qualify himself as an expert on economic policies. It is hard however to determine whether Mosley was committed to matters of the British government, or he was just acting as a non-conformist. His unwillingness to conform to party discipline and majority decisions is evident in his controversy over unemployment policy. In 1927, he was elected to the labour party’s national committee and then in 1929, as a chancellor of Duchy in Lancaster (Strauss, 1993) In January 1930, Mosley submitted Mosley’s Memorandum to the British Prime Minister. The Memorandum was an elaborate plan on how to solve the British economy woes at the time that emanated from the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Analysing Organization Change at Tesco

Analysing Organization Change at Tesco INTRODUCTION Tesco is a multinational chain of stores for retail with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. In 2008, Tesco became the fourth largest retailer in the world, displacing the fifth largest distributor Metro AG, the first movement of positions among the top five companies in the sector since 2003. Although originally specializing in food and drinks, it has diversified into areas such as clothing, electronics, financial services, selling and renting DVDs, compact discs, digital downloads , Internet service , telecommunications , medical and dental insurance and software. Companies that are able to compete successfully in todays rapidly changing business environment, which is characterized by globalization of the economy, exploding information technology, downsizing, restructuring, and new employer-employee relationships, must be ready to make significant changes in the way they operate. Changes can be realized in a number of areas. They can, for example, be observed in attitude or behaviour. Many major organizational changes, however, are technological ones. Sometimes these changes are not intended to change behaviour, but they almost always do in some respect. Another type of change is replacement of personnel; when top management is impatient with the pace of productivity, they often replace key individuals. Changes also occur in organizational structure, formal roles and jobs, control systems, work processes, and other elements of the organizations internal environment (Hough, 2003). The motivation for change typically stems from the fact that something is not working (e.g., continued negative feedback from customers, reduced profitability, threats of acquisition, or other market pressures). For most organizations, a crisis is the catalyst for change. While a crisis may be sufficient to initiate a change, it takes much more to successfully integrate the change into the work processes. Managers must have more than an extensive knowledge of the marketplace, how to compete in it, and what internal structures must be in place to make the company successful (Atuahene-Giman, Li, 2004). SIGNIFICANT ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE AT TESCO Organizational change is defined as the ability to adapt to different organizations transformations suffered by the environment inside or outside, through learning. Another definition is the set of variations on the structure of organizations and suffering that result in a new organizational behaviour. Recently, TESCO has come across a significant change in terms of introducing and implementing a self-service check out system throughout its network. The implementation of this new payment system at Tesco is undoubtedly a strategic plan change. This is because the self-check-out system is a new system that differs from normal or traditional payment terms in terms of carrying out transactions. The cash payment required operating through a teller, but the checkout system does not need any cashier. This Self-service brings a new procedure or method to facilitate the customers. The use of the new system serves customers in a better way and provides better service without having to spend so much time in the store. When introduced into Tesco, this self-checkout system helps clients improve shopping experience and also facilitate them for easy shopping. This was done to make customers feel part of Tesco. The customer in store will select the shopping from the shelves and move to the self ch eckout, scan and pay for the items. The intended effect is the synergy of both the self checkout and the cashier checkout. The objective of this task is to investigate the Tesco self-service machine. This introduction of self-service check outs was a strategic shift. It was first introduced in Dereham, Norfolk in 2003. The purpose of the system was to accelerate check out processes and reduce labour costs associated with retail outlets. This work is to study the triggers of change, the process involved and the benefits for the organization. MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE Lately, TESCO has confronted a substantial change in terms of introduction and implementation of self-service check out system throughout its branch network. Organizational change occurs when a company makes a transition from its current state to some desired future state. Managing organizational change is the process of planning and implementing change in organizations in such a way as to minimize employee resistance and cost to the organization, while also maximizing the effectiveness of the change effort. Therefore, the objective of this report revolves around the process used by TESCO to manage the implementation of the check-out system. Todays business environment requires companies to undergo changes almost constantly if they are to remain competitive. Factors such as globalization of markets and rapidly evolving technology force businesses to respond in order to survive. Such changes may be relatively minor-as in the case of installing a new software program-or quite major-as in the case of refocusing an overall marketing strategy. Organizations must change because their environments change, according to Thomas S. Bateman and Carl P. Zeithaml in their book Management: Function and Strategy. Today, businesses are bombarded by incredibly high rates of change from a frustratingly large number of sourcesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Inside pressures come from top managers and lower-level employees who push for change. Outside pressures come from changes in the legal, competitive, technological, and economic environments. (Bateman, Thomas , Zeithaml, 1989). In case of TESCO, both the internal and factors played their role in bring ing about the change. Organizational change initiatives often arise out of problems faced by a company. In some cases, however, companies are encouraged to change for other, more positive reasons. Change commonly occurs because the organization experiences some difficulty, Bateman and Zeithaml wrote. But sometimes the most constructive change takes place not because of problems but because of opportunities. The authors used the term performance gap to describe the difference between a companys actual performance and the performance of which it is capable. Recognition of a performance gap often provides the impetus for change, as companies strive to improve their performance to expected levels. This sort of gap is also where many entrepreneurs find opportunities to begin new businesses (Bateman, Thomas , Zeithaml, 1989). Unfortunately, as Thomas (1993) noted in an article for HR Focus, statistics show that many organizational change efforts fail. For example, 50 percent of quality improvement programs fail to meet their goals, and 30 percent of process reengineering efforts are unsuccessful. The most common reason that change efforts fail is that they encounter resistance from employees. Change appears threatening to many people, which makes it difficult to gain their support and commitment to implementing changes. Consequently, the ability to manage change effectively is a highly sought-after skill in managers. Companies need people who can contribute positively to their inevitable change efforts. The management at TESCO developed a set of objectives sales increment, cost effectiveness, customer satisfaction before implementing the change and measured these developed objectives to ensure success through the attainment of these developed objectives. AREAS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE Bateman and Zeithaml identified four major areas of organizational change: strategy, technology, structure, and people. All four areas are related, and companies often must institute changes in the other areas when they attempt to change one area. The first area, strategy changes, can take place on a large scale-for example, when a company shifts its resources to enter a new line of business-or on a small scale-for example, when a company makes productivity improvements in order to reduce costs (Bateman, Thomas , Zeithaml, 1989). There are three basic stages for a company making a strategic change:1) realizing that the current strategy is no longer suitable for the companys situation; 2) establishing a vision for the companys future direction; and 3) implementing the change and setting up new systems to support it. At TESCO, the management has followed the same process and stand efficacious in implanting the new system successfully. DRIVERS OF CHANGE There are four primary drivers of major work-place change. They are a change to the organizational structure, a new product or service, new management, and new technology. Organizational structure may change through major downsizing, outsourcing, acquisitions, or mergers. These actions are often accompanied by layoffs, particularly as certain positions become redundant. A new product or service has implications for changes in production, sales, and customer service. Additionally, by changing product or service the organization may face new competitors or new markets. New management, such as a change in chief executive officer or president, often brings a period of transition during which upper-level managers are likely to alter existing business processes and personnel policies. Finally, new technology can create vast changes to the organization. Technology can change the production process or the working conditions (i.e., telecommuting), and these changes may influence the skills th at employees use on the job (Gioia, Dennis , Thomas, James , 1996). The changes are caused by the interaction of forces, these are classified as: INTERNAL DRIVERS Internal drivers are those from within the organization, arising from the analysis of behaviour organizational and presented as alternative solutions, representing conditions of equilibrium, creating the need for structural rearrangement, is an example of these technological adaptations, changing strategies, methodological, policy changes, etc. EXTERNAL DRIVERS External drivers are those from outside the organization, creating the need for internal order changes are examples of this force: The government decrees, the standards of quality, limitations on the environment both physical and economic etc. DRIVERS OF CHANGE IN TESCO Over the years TESCO has been able to apply its strategies effectively and efficiently to become one of the big Global retailers in the world. Both, internal and external drivers have played their role in sparking the change at TESCO. The main triggers are discussed below: CREATION OF VALUE FOR CUSTOMER As part of TESCO strategy to retain existing customers and attract new ones, the Company decided to create more value for its customers. This resulted in the Implementation of the self-checkout system. TESCO wanted to make the shopping experience Exciting for the customers. GROWING CUSTOMER BASE The success of TESCO can be attributed to numerous factors one of which is its fast growing customer base. The self-checkout was implemented to ease congestion on Checkouts. With the implementation of the self-checkout customers do not have to stand in long boring queues to pay for their shopping. They can use the self-checkout which is simple and faster especially if the customer has purchased only a few items. TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS In view of the growing age of technology, it is essential for all organizations to enhance their technologies if they want to be successful. TESCO implemented the self-checkout to improve upon its operational efficiency. COMPETITION Competition among organizations is one of the common triggers of change in most Industries. TESCO implemented the self-checkout system to gain a competitive Advantage against its competitors. This also led to differentiation in the market as TESCO distinguished itself from the other retailers by the use of the self-checkout System. COST OF LABOUR One of the major aims of every business is to maximize profit. TESCO wanted to Increase its operational capacity at the front end and at the same time saves cost hence the use of the self-checkout. For instance instead of employing five cashiers to operate Five cashier checkout, only one cashier will be required to assist customers on five Self-checkouts. THE PROCESS OF ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE Every change effort should be accompanied by an action plan. Once a compelling reason to change has been identified, it is necessary to create a picture of what the change will require, how the organization will effect it, and what the organization will look like when the change has been implemented. Although each action plan for change will be unique, all plans should follow a basic structure: (1) identification of a course of action and allocation of resources to achieve the organizations change goals; (2) designation of the authority, responsibility, and relationships that will drive the change efforts; (3) determination of who will lead the change effort and the specific roles and responsibilities of these individuals; (4) a description of the procedures and processes that will expedite implementation of the change; (5) identification of the training that will be required to enable people to incorporate the change into their work processes; and (6) identification of the equipment , tools, or machinery that will affect the way work is accomplished (Atuahene-Giman, Li, 2004). Many organizational changes are initiated and implemented through the authority of top levels of management. The problems are defined and solutions are developed by top-level managers based on information that is gathered by others with help from a limited number of people. Once a decision is made, the changes are often communicated to people in the organization through memo, speech, policy statement, or verbal command. Since only a few people, usually at the top, are involved in making the decisions, the change is usually introduced very rapidly. However, this strategy has proved to be largely ineffective in dealing with organizational change processes, particularly for successful integration. A common misconception about carrying out a change is that it must be directed from the top. The foundation of successful change management lies in involving the people who will be affected by the change. Sharing responsibility for change is a process whereby those at the top and those at lower levels are jointly involved in identifying problems and/or developing solutions. Virtually continual interaction takes place between top and bottom levels. The shared responsibility or participative approach can be addressed in several ways: (1) Top management defines the problem and uses staff groups or consultants to gather information and develop solutions. These identified solutions are then communicated to lower-level groups in order to obtain reactions. The feedback from the lower levels is then used to modify the solution, and the communication process starts again. The assumption underlying this approach is that although involving others in the definition of the problem or its solution may be impractical, the solution can be improved and commitment obtained by involving lower levels. (2) Top management defines the problem but seeks involvement from lower levels by appointing task forces to develop solutions. The task forces provide recommendations to top management, where the final decision is made. These task forces are composed of people who will be affected by the change and have some level of expertise in the areas that will be affected by the proposed change. The assumption here is that those who have the expertise to solve the problems are those groups that are closer to the situation. Also, the groups commitment to the change may be made deeper by this involvement. (3) Task forces composed of people from all levels are formed to collect information about problems in the organization and to develop solutions. The underlying assumptions in this approach are that people at the top, middle, and lower levels are needed to develop quality solutions and that commitment must build at about the same rate at all levels. These approaches emphasizing shared responsibility usually take longer to implement but result in more commitment from all levels of the organization and more successful integration of the change into the work processes (Hough, 2003). CHANGE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES TESCO Before, implementing the change, TESCO devised the following objectives to measure the effectiveness of the organisational change. The developed objectives were: A significant increase in customer satisfaction To achieve cost effectiveness A substential increase in sales THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS The implementation of the TESCO self-checkout systems could be said to be a strategic Change. This is because the self-checkout is a new system which differs from the Normal checkout in terms of the way transactions are carried out. The cashier checkout requires a cashier to operate but the self-checkout does not require a cashier. The self-checkout brings a new procedure or method of serving Customers. The use of the self-checkout and the normal checkout give the customers an enhanced service without having to spend so much time in the store. The self-checkout when introduced in TESCO was to help improve upon the customers Shopping experience and also to make the shopping very easy. This was done to make the customers feel a part of TESCO. The customer in store will select the shopping from the shelves and move to the self-checkout, scan and pay for the items. The intended Effect is the synergy of both the self-checkout and the cashier checkout. RESISTANCE TO CHANGE Understanding the factors that drive change and how people react to change is critical to the successful implementation of change. It is part of human nature to resist change. People prefer the security of familiar surroundings and often do not react well to changes in their work or social environment. Resistance to change often takes some typical forms. One typical reaction is denial, which individuals use to protect themselves. Many managers assume that if people think the change is a good idea, they will not resist it. Why would the work force resist changes if the changes will fix what they wanted fixed? People may want change, but not necessarily the changes that have been identified in the plan. Workers may have their own ideas about what should change, and frequently the changes they think fix the problem involve someone else changing, not them. In addition workers may think the ways to make things better is simply to adjust and manipulate their work processes, not to implement the drastic changes identified in the proposed plan. Alternatively, workers may not think that is wrong with the current way of working. Often the process of changing looks too hard, looks like it will take too much energy, and seems confusing. A strictly structured change process often ignores the ingrained human resistance to change. When that happens, people who are affected by the change end up expending most of their time a nd energy figuring out how to stop the change or altering the change until it looks like something they can live with. If the desired change is not very desirable to the work force, managers need to find out why. Insufficient information about the driving force behind the change and the benefits expected from it is likely to cause distress among those affected by the change. People tend to act in their own perceived self-interest. Managers often think of change initiatives in broader terms, while the work force tends to think of it differently, in more narrow terms of how the change will affect their work. Sometimes managers forget or overlook this reaction to change. Effective strategies for organizational change involve an understanding of the human beings in the work force. RESISTENCE MANAGEMENT AT TESCO Effective planning is imperative in any organization if it is going to be successful in Its activities. The management of TESCO had to decide on the number of self-checkout they were going to begin with and in which of their stores they would be introduced first. The checkout leaders were trained to operate the self-checkout as they would be assisting the customers to use the new system although the self-checkout has a screen Demo which makes the system user friendly and easy to understand and operate. Some cashiers thought that the self-checkout was going to put them out of their jobs As automation of a system normally leads to the elimination of the manual aspect of The system and this made them insecure with their jobs. The managers had to educate the cashiers on the purpose of the self-checkout and the Potential benefits it was going to bring to both customers and the organization as a Whole. The purpose was to motivate the cashiers to be confident and welcome the Change. The ini tial implementation was a form of feasibility studies. The customers were encouraged to use the self-checkout with the assistance of the trained front end Leaders. Management observed the system for a period of time to determine the Number of customers that patronized it and also to get feedback from both the Customers and staffs. The positive feedback gave management the green light to introduce the self-checkout in other TESCO outlets. EXTENT TO WHICH CHANGE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN MEETING ITS OBJECTIVES This change management process (implementation of the self-checkout) has had an immense effect on the entire organization as it serves a major role in the customer Shopping experience and also impact positively on the sales of TESCO as an Organization. The major benefits of the self-checkout will be discussed below. INCREASE IN SALES In this marketing era where the customer is the focus of most companies, customers will always go to shops where they can get a good and timely service. TESCO being one of the worlds leading international retailers currently has 3000 self-checkouts in 750 stores. This is a great improvement since the self-checkout was first implemented. The number of self-checkouts in stores attracts more new customers as they know They can always leave the store in time through the use of the self-checkout. This Increases customer base which impacts positively on sales. 25% of TESCOs UK Transactions are through self-checkout (TESCO plc). This means that a quarter of UK TESCO sales can be accounted for by the use of the self-checkout systems. This is represented in the pie chart below as blue. COST EFFECTIVENESS This is an important factor to consider when planning any change management Process in any organization. According to TESCOs annual statement 2005, the self-checkout was introduced into 130 stores and over 850,000 customers use them every Week. The use of the self-checkout helps to save on labour cost as a number of the self-checkout systems could be operated without the need for a corresponding number of Cashiers. The self-checkout can compensate for the shortage of staff. However a Trained supervisor may be required to assist customers with the self-checkout in case Of any malfunctioning. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION The self-checkout has brought about good customer services as customers dont have To spend time in the store queuing to pay for their shopping. Datamonitor (2008) stated that the use of technology is one of the greatest ways to improve upon customer Satisfaction. This helps to build a good relationship with the customers which results in customer loyalty. In TESCOs annual report and financial statement, 1.5million customers prefer to use the self-checkout in more than 200 stores weekly. This shows that customers are very satisfied with the system and this also has a huge Impact on sales. CONCLUSION Although the self-checkout has been well received by retailers and their customers, there are a few challenges with the system. When customers buy loose items like tomatoes in a small bag without a barcode, it will be priced by the weight. The customer has to go through the menu of the self-checkout which often gets customers confused and frustrated especially those without any IT knowledge. Another problem is when a customer has only one item and scans it the system gives a warning if it is not placed in the bagging area. This often irritates customers. Minors also use the self-checkout to purchase alcohol and this could result in Tesco losing its License to sell alcohol. NEED FOR FURTHER CHANGES IN THE FUTURE In light of the difficulties discussed above, it is suggested that a supervisor or expert staff is positioned at the checkout area from the maiden of the store to closing to assist customers who come upon any difficulties using the system to circumvent any delays in transactions and also to check the id of anyone alleged to be a minor. The self-checkout should be upgraded to make it further users friendly and also to lessen the rate at which it reports errors.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Essay --

There were many reasons behind the fall of the Roman Empire, however, the economic reasons were the main source of its collapse. The fourth century was the period of time where the economy started to experience problems. During this time period, there were many inequalities between the rich and the poor, decreasing population, the German Barbarians holding Rome for ransom, cutting off their trade networks, inflation, and finally the de-specialization of the economy. Each of these causes were very significant in leading up to the fall of the Roman Empire. Throughout history, in many civilizations, there has always been a gap between the rich and the poor, and the gap between these groups in the Roman Empire was no exception either. The difference between the rich and the poor significantly impacted the status of the economy. For example, in the Roman Empire, the rich could get away with almost everything. They could do it by two methods, they could pay their taxes in small portions so they wouldn’t have to pay them all at once, or they could also simply avoid them by bribing the government, as opposed to the poor which had to pay them all at once. (Hayward, 1958, p. 105) If they did not follow this procedure, they would be punished one way or another. Since the rich were of high status, they could be heard by the government easily, with no possible penalties while the poor were given consequences if they did the same. The gap between the rich also grew wider and wider due to wealthy landowners driving tenant farmers out of their lands and treating those lands as their own. The rich were very important in the status of the economy as well. They could impair the authority of the central government. (Haywood, 1958, p. 104-105... ...etc. Trade was dependent on the status of the government in the Roman Empire. Since the Roman government was really powerful, it restricted some aspects of trade. Along with this, maritime trade was decreasing drastically. There were attacks on ships on the Mediterranean sea, which decreased trade between Rome and other countries. Transport affected the geographic division of labor in the Roman Empire. (Paolilli, 2008, p. 282) The Roman Empire used to be a prosperous place to live in until it started to experience many problems which led its decline. The status of the economy was affected by many reasons including economic inequality between the wealthy and the lower class, inflation, the ransom of Rome with the Germanic Barbarians and finally, the de-specialization of the economy. Rome’s foolish actions along with some outside influence led Rome to its demise.

Monday, November 11, 2019

How to reflate France’s economy Essay

Introduction There are two different ways to help France’s economy get back on track. They are austerity and growth. Austerity programs consist in a set of policies established by governments in financial debt difficulties. These policies aim to reduce spending for public goods and services. (Example in France, with president Sarkozy, approximately 150.000 civil servants were fired, this decreased the amount of money used to pay civil servants in France, which in turn, made it possible to run the country without having to borrow as much money). Growth programs consist in increasing the GDP and spending money, to reflate the economy. Of course this money has to come from somewhere, so growth programs often include imposing a lot of taxes. (Example in France, with president Hollande, taxes were imposed on bank profits, and taxes on the richest part of the population were increased). Economists are very divided on this subject, and both of theoretically work; it depends of the situation we are in. Economic Program Austerity is a short term solution only; a country’s economy cannot rely on it forever. This is why as a president; it would be good to start by making the debt of France smaller, then using this to our advantage, and Firstly, we have to make France more competitive. To do this, we will change the work time of the French, and their minimum age of retirement. Today, the French work on a minimum basis of 35 hours per week, and retire at a minimum age of 60. To make France more competitive, we will change these to 40 hours, and an age of 64. The average life span keeps on rising thanks to better health care; it would only go well for the economy if people were to work a few years more, because there would be less to pay for people who work. The 40 hours will be payed the same, because if there were the same amount of workers in a company but all of them had to be payed more, the company in question would either lose money in paying them, or fire a part of them. To increase competitivity, we have to make the price of production in France lower, so that fewer companies send their production in China for example. To do so, we have to lower the national insurance contribution payed by the employer to pay his workers in France. Products that are made in France will therefore be more expensive because the workers are payed in France than in China for example. To counter this, we will add a tax on products (depending on the price of the product) made in countries that have very cheap labor. (China, Vietnam, Turkey, Thailand, etc†¦) This will bring part of the production back to France, and the loss of money in the lowering of the national insurance contribution will be compensated by the tax. Next, we will reduce the salaries of the ministers and the president. The salaries of the ministers is now of 9940 euros (Under president Hollande), which will be reduced by 30%, leaving them with 6660 euros per month. The salary of the president is now of 14 910 euros (Under president Hollande); it will be reduced by 40%, leaving the president with 8950 euros per month. We would also stop having mayors in every single city, and do like in the U.S.A, which is to instate a governor for each department. This governor would be in charge of all the cities in his department, and when a decision is to be made, 20 inhabitants of the department will be called, to hold a â€Å"committee† and make the decision. It will be a duty, which means the inhabitants will have to go. This will help the economy, as there will be only one person to pay per department, and not dozens of mayors, it also gives a â€Å"voice† to the citizens in decision making. There are many people who are unemployed in France (10%) and receive unemployment benefit for a very long time, without trying to find work. As this does not motivate them to find one because they receive money without doing anything, we will keep on giving this unemployment benefit, but only for 2 months, the time for them to find work. This reform will motivate them to find work, this way they will be productive, therefore helping a company or industry to grow, and money will not be wasted. This change will of course also make unemployment decrease. Small companies are very important to the economy, as they might end up as the next multinationals, but they are heavily taxed, which makes them very hard for them to grow. If we make these taxes smaller, people would be encouraged to start their own companies, and this will create employment. Small companies that are already created will grow faster, and will create jobs, which will make the company itself more productive. These jobs will be there for the population receiving unemployment benefit. There will be a loss if we just relieve taxes on small companies, so we will compensate this by taxing bigger companies, which have already emerged, because they will not be affected by a tax as much as a small company. (The tax in question will not be too strong; it will just be enough to compensate for the loss in the tax relief on smaller companies) Education is a very important part of the French economy. Schools are here to â€Å"train† the future generations of workers. Access to education is free today in France, but the quality of this education is sometimes questionable. Firstly, there are not enough professors in the schools. It is logical that if there were to be one professor for 25 students, the quality of the education they would receive would be better than today, where we have in average one professor for 30 students. To compensate this lack of professors in schools, we will create 12000 jobs for professors in school; this will make the student/professor ratio smaller, which will increase the quality of the education received. To become a professor, you have to be â€Å"trained† two years in a university. This is not enough, considering the disciplinary problems in some schools. Professors should have 3 years of complete training, which would include a deeper disciplinary course, teaching methods, etc†¦ The principal sectors of production of France are agriculture, energy, tourism, trade and industry (France is one of the first industrial powers worldwide). Mass market retailing is choking the sector of trade, as it attracts the clients of little traders and makes mass profit out of it; it also allows itself to buy products at very low prices from producers (Farmers in the case of a supermarket). To resolve this problem, we would add a tax on products bought in mass market retailing services, which would bring clients back to the little traders, so that they don’t die out. Little trades do not buy products as low priced as supermarkets do, which would make money for producers. In the case of a supermarket, the trade and agriculture sector would both benefit from this tax. A French household produces in average 16.4 tons of Co2 every year; this is far too much. To avoid this, and preserve the environment, a tax will be imposed on households that end the year with more than 16 tons; of course this number will decrease every year to improve the given results. Renewable energies provide 13% of the electricity needed in France, nuclear energy provides 76% and fossil fuels provide 11%. We would invest in research for renewable energies (Hydro-energy, wind energy, solar energy), and close down the most risky nuclear reactors. (For example the 4 reactors in Blayais, Braud-et-Saint-Louis, which are not very productive and are very old and unsafe). Conclusion As a president, I would go towards austerity first, to reduce the debt of France, and to have more possibilities in my actions later. France is already in a dangerous situation, and going into a politic of growth would be spending too much money that we don’t have (Which is why I chose austerity as a short term solution), and it would be too much, France would go into a recession. After a period of austerity (Which means: after having reduced the debt), I would have gone in a politic of growth, which would have thrown France’s economy back on track.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Leadership, values, and the bible Essay

The Bible is a book that refers to collections of canonical text and religious writings that has its origins in Judeo-Christian traditions. The Bible is not a mere bulk of texts, but in fact a collection of books that process within it various historical traditions and accounts of the religion of Christianity. Now, it is important for us to understand that referring to the Bible does not necessarily point towards the Bible we all know of. In fact, there is a Jewish version of the Bible which is often referred to as the Hebrew Bible, a collection of 39 books which is the foundation of the said religion. According to believers, it is God’s direct word transcribed through human hands but inspired by divine means. The Christian tradition divides the Bible into two parts, the previous consisting of 46 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. The Bible had been originally written in Greek and many versions exist as of today, but all claiming that it has preserved the original essence in order to hold the argument that it has been inspired by God and in fact are the transcribed words of the divinity. Now the question of having the Bible as our main and central point of reference for this paper is how authoritative it really is. Is it merely a collection of fictional works or indeed something that could be attested to by many of its authorities to be direct words and transcriptions of divinity? And the more important and pressing question is can it still be relied on after almost 2000 years of existence and could the stories and works found inside still be applicable for modern setting? First, the argument of time. Although it is also true that the Bible could be dated as long as 2000 years old for the King James version – more or less the same version that we are reading now if we are Roman Catholics – the totality of the Old Testament had been written much more before that. In fact, the Jewish religion, perhaps dating as long as 3000 years ago, claims that most of the text of the Old Testament were one of the most earlier writings second only to Zoroastrianism. The first books of the Bible had been written in Egyptian papyrus, ended its only much later that it had been translated into Greek. When it comes to academic text, time is indeed a valuable factor in considering its impacts to modern society. In order to reaffirm its importance, perhaps it would be wise for us to look back at that time and realize that most of the books that were written and created in that eon of human history had indeed profound effects and how our society and our thoughts as a collective society had been affected. Just take Plato’s book the Republic for example. It is basically one of the oldest texts of political philosophy. However, even if that holds true, the Republic still stands as one of the most basic examples of democracy and how it is applied. Just a few decades later when Aristotle wrote his first books, his collections of metaphysics and the many other contributions to science had been the building blocks of other studies even to the modern day. In many such areas like literature, physics, chemistry, and the many other disciplines of the modern world, it is through old texts that modern scholars look towards and reaffirm the believe that even the oldest of books hold much grain of truth compared to those which are new. In fact, on argument by most writers is that most of the books written today are merely copies or modifications of the old books of our society. They have merely been rephrased in order for us to understand better, but the same ideas and essence still remain. If this is not proof enough, one merely needs to look at authoritative leadership books as of the present and TrackBack their reference until one reaches the Bible. The second is the argument of content. Many scholars are in direct conflict with theologists because the latter group claims that the Bible had been written by some divine assistance. Academic scholars who values science more claim that it is only humans who had conceptualized and read the books of the Bible. if you were to discuss and reflect upon this debate, we would be biting more than we can chew, for this argument has existed as long as the Bible itself has existed. For our academic purpose, let us at the least reliant the fact that either way, it is not problematic for us on the source of the Bible as long as it is able to maintain the same basic truths that we consider essential to our review. Even if it’s true that it is not God who had written the Bible but a collection of imaginative man, since we are discussing the lessons of leadership that could be learned from the book, we are at a certain advantage because both theories could prove useful to us. If it is indeed written through divine inspiration acting through human tools, then perhaps we could authoritatively claim that the Bible’s leadership styles are indeed universal leadership styles that are not merely human but divine. On the other hand, having an argument that it is men who had written the contents, this our study could benefit from that idea because even in the early stages of our history, leadership signs had been detected in humanity in their heights of civilization, and these leadership styles and values still exist as of today. Having had qualified or major source, let us now proceed to our paper and identify the various leadership styles that could be found in the Bible.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

buy custom Culture and Communication essay

buy custom Culture and Communication essay Introduction Culture is defined as a specific lifestyle practiced by a group of people and comprising their values, beliefs, artifacts, ways of behaving, and ways of communicating. Also included in a culture are all that members of a social group have produced and developed, such as their language, modes of thinking, art, laws, and religion. Culture is passed on from one generation to the next through communication. Cultures differ in how their members communicate. In the face of globalization, businesses have to equip their environments to deal with diversity that calls for understanding of the differences of communication in different cultures of the workforce and continuing to establish effective cross cultural communication amongst all the members of the workforce (English142). Before we go deep into the differences caused by the cultures, it is important to first understand what culture really is and its characteristics that make it such an important influencer of employees everyday communic ation. Culture Defined Culture is the root of any society which gives it a flavor and a wholesome environment for individuals to form beliefs, views, perceptions and attitudes. Thus, culture is a set of beliefs, attitudes and values that are learned from living in a society which influence the behavior of individuals living in a particular society. Culture is an external influence upon an individual and includes all the forces that other people may induce upon him. This includes the standards raised by the people themselves living in a society for long. This is the reason why different areas have different cultures and societal norms, as they are man made and which ever object is man made and artificial is bound under variations (Carbough 93). Culture is surely man-made and not natural but it naturally affects the behaviors and communication of people who live by it. Culture shapes all the communication attributes of a person, including his beliefs, values and morals, which are hard to mould and can produc e a significant impact upon his many decisions, including purchase decisions (English 134). Culture is thus, a complex entity with several interdependent components. Two such components that play a major role in culture are beliefs and values. Beliefs consist of the thoughts and statements that reflect the comprehensive understanding of various things in the environment. Values, on the other hand, are not the same things as beliefs. Where beliefs can be many, values are few in number and are different for each society. They are sets of appropriate behaviors that are standardized by the society, and all members are bound by them. Together with knowledge, these components form customs and traditions and as whole an entire culture, that does adapt to the changing environment slightly, but stick well to its valued roots, such as the cultures in Asian countries which are still being strong (Peterson 136). Characteristics of Culture that Impact Communication Following are the major characteristics of culture that strongly influence the buying behavior of the consumers: It is Comprehensive Culture presents a comprehensive outlook whereby all rules, norms, customs, traditions, beliefs, knowledge, and standards match well and coincide with each other and not contradict each other on any ground. That is, all the elements are present in a logical pattern and are more or less similar to each other. Thus, the behaviors and communication of the members closely reflect the cultural standards, whereby the members communicate accordingly to what is set as right in their culture and doing what is considered vile is never accepted by them (Peterson 89). It is Learned Culture is the environment that a person lives in throughout his life, and the beliefs, attitudes, values, etc., are all taught to him through this environment. Culture is man-made and a person is not born with the values and beliefs vested in a culture, they are in fact learned as the child grows (Bonvillain 112). Culture is passed from one generation to another through enculturation, a process by which the members learn the culture into which they are born. A different way of learning is through acculturation, a process by which the members learn the rules and norms of a culture from the native culture. Through acculturation, the original or native culture is modified through direct contact with or exposure to a new and different culture (Peterson 190). It is Set under Boundaries Culture is bound under the acceptable and standard behavior of a society. This is what is taught to the offspring as they grow up. There are boundaries of acceptable right and unacceptable wrong behavior, in between which the culture resides (Peterson 192). It is Either Dynamic or Static Cultures can be dynamic and static. Being dynamic means they are open to change and adapt with the demands of changing times. Being static means the culture does not change any of its beliefs, values or customs. An example of sch dynamism would be the change in family structure in Singapore, where now more American culture is prevailing and youngsters are residing independently and not with parents after the age of 18. For cultures that are dynamic, the employees adjust well in culturally different environment that they face in the workplace, something which is very different for the members of the static cultures to do, as it leaves less room for adaptations (English 137). It is Free of Conscious Awareness There is limited conscious awareness of cultural beliefs, customs and norms. And also, there is a lack of information and learning about other cultures, where several conflicts occur due to misunderstandings and communication gaps. It Satisfies Needs Cultural standards have been formed in each society based on the experiences of its founders. Every group has its own experiences based on which it sets standards. It is also the case with a society, which takes up tried actions and establishes them as standards for the future prosperity of its members. Guidance and teaching being the core functions of a culture, it evolves within a society to include better rules and standards (English 140). It is Shared The best part about culture is that it exists among a group and lives through interactions and relationships. Culture prevails in a society through one generations passing on values and beliefs to another, as well as through communication and relationships. Culture links its members and promotes socialization. This is the very socialization that influences to a great extent the consumer perceptions about brands (English144). Differences between Cultures that Create Barriers in Cross Cultural Communication Different societies around the world are found to have different cultures. Researchers have found out that there are several dimensions of culture that cause such a difference. These dimensions include individual or collective orientations of a culture, whether the culture is high text or low text, the power distances that exist in the culture, gender norms, standards and values, and uncertainty avoidance. Each of these is discussed now in detail (English145). Individual and Collective Orientation Cultures are different in the way they promote individual values (for example, power, achievement, hedonism, and stimulation) versus collectivist values (for example, benevolence, tradition, and conformity). One of the major differences between these two orientations is the extent to which an individuals goals or the groups goals are given precedence. This difference is reflected in advertisements. In Korea, a more collectivist culture, advertisements rely on appeals that emphasize benefits to the group, harmony and family integrity (Devito 92). High and Low Context Cultures In a high context culture most of the information in communication is in the context or in the person. This may include information that was either exchanged via prior communications, or via making assumptions, or via common experiences. In a low context culture the bulk of the information is expressly delivered by verbal means. Collectivism is another distinctive feature of high text cultures. These cultures (Japanese, Arabic, Latin American, Thai, Korean, Apache, and Mexican) place great emphasis on personal relationships and oral agreements (Greetz 231). Low context cultures, then, are also individualistic cultures. It takes much longer for members of high context cultures to establish an interpersonal and social contact before they are ready to start any vital transactions. On the other hand, members of low context cultures need far less time to get to know each other and therefore do not possess shared experience. Consequently, to the member of the high-context culture, every de tail omitted or assumed is vital for communication whereas, for the member of the low-context, what is omitted creates ambiguity (Devito 94). Power Distances In some cultures power is concentrated in the hands of few and there is a great difference in the power held by these people and by the ordinary citizens. These are called high power distance cultures. Examples of such cultures are Mexico, Brazil, India and Philippines. In low power distance cultures (examples include Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden, and to a lesser extent the United States), power is more evenly distributed throughout the citizenry. These differences impact on consumer behavior in a number of ways. In the workplace of low power distance cultures, a member is expected to confront a friend, partner, or supervisor. In high power distance cultures, direct confrontation and assertiveness may be viewed negatively, especially if directed at a superior. Masculinity Vs Femininity In some cultures, males are deemed the sole bread winners of the family due to their superiority to females, whereas females job is limited to the care of the family and household chores. This is so because of the gendeer characteristics associated with each. Traits such as boldness, aggressiveness and command are considered important for supporting females and infants. On the other hand, females are humble, emotional and articulate, so they are given the household responsibly. This is not the case in all cultures. Some cultures give women equal opportunities as men, and they too function as the breadwinners of the family. This drift is mainly caused by the cultural adaptations to changing times (Peterson 195). Uncertainly Avoidance Cultures tend to live under either a structured or an unstructured environment regarding consequences and situations, relating to various situations. The more structured the culture prefers to keep the situations, the more certainty it prefers and avoids ambiguity and is able to tolerate risk. Thus, for such a culture a high level of uncertainty avoidance means high tolerance and preparation for risk suppression. On the other hand, cultures that live in uncertain situations are bound to face challenges and panic to the end (Devito 101). Affect of Cross Cultural Communication in the Workplace So far the discussion has been focused on the cultural differences. It is now time to discuss further the impacts that these differences make on the communication between workers belonging to different cultures in the workplace. When members of different cultures come together to work under one roof their interactions and the consequences of those interactions have large impacts upon the workplace. The workplace suffers from communication barriers and cultural shock that affects the overall productivity of the workplace (Samovar and Porter 128). Communication Barrier Different orientations of culture act as a communication barrier amongst the many members of the workplace who continue to communicate in their own set ways and produce ambiguity and uncertainty after receiving or sending ends of the communication process (Ting-Toomey 242). Effective communication is thus distorted and when misunderstandings take place, performance levels go down (Peterson 198). Culture Shock People experience culture shock when they enter an environment which is very different from what they are used to (Reisinger 81). It is normal but it makes the person very agitated and frustrated, and his work performance is highly affected as he fails to merge his own culture in the new one where some or most of his beliefs have no place. The cultural shock occurs in four stages as outlined by the anthropologist Kalervo Oberg in 1960 (Devit 93). These four stages are: Stage one: The Honeymoon at first there is fascination, even enchantment with the new culture and its people; Stage two: The Crisis differences between your own culture and the new one create problems; Stage three: The Recovery skills necessary to function effectively are gained; Stage four: The Adjustment adjustment to the new culture and experiences Effective Cross Cultural Communication Strategies There are principles that can be used to counteract the problems that result from differences in cultural communications and to make the cross-cultural communication more effective. These principles include: Learning about the culture through reading or observing; Recognizing and facing fears regarding cross cultural communication; (Peterson 100) Recognizing differences between yourself and those who are culturally different; Recognizing differences among culturally different group (English143); Recognizing differences in meaning in the other culture of words and of people; Following cultural rules and customs (Devito 96). Conclusion Culture is by the far the biggest influence upon an individual from the external environment. Culture forms a persons beliefs, values, norms and moral attitudes. Each culture has its own set of beliefs and values that it passes onto the next generation. Communication plays a vital role in the passing on of culture from generation to generation, or from a new organisation into a new employee (Chaney 15). The problem arises when two or more cultures create conflicting situations for employees in a workplace. For example, a member of one culture may find interacting more fondly and too frankly with co-workers a way to develop good acquaintances. This may be offensive to members of some cultures, where close interactions with distant acquaintances is not an appropriate way to communicate. With the advent of globalization, more and more companies are embracing diverse work groups, where cultural differences have to be settled and improved and communication has to be established to ensure an effective work environment for all. But this is not an easy task, as several cultural differences exist with regard to communication. Understanding and respecting one anothers culture is crucial to bridging the communication gap. Buy custom Culture and Communication essay