'An awareness of the impact of (national) culture on people in work Essay - 1

'An awareness of the impact of (national) culture on people in work organisations' is important in today's world - Essay Example Despite this, there are theories that argue that cultural diversity has a tendency of contributing to lack of performance in the working environment (D’Almeida, 2007). According to Quappe and Cantatore (2007), Cultural awareness is defined as the foundation of communication and the ability of people to become aware of their cultural values, perceptions and beliefs. This answers the questions that people often have in the mind regarding why things are done in a certain way, how people perceive the world, and why they react the way they do. Cultural awareness becomes an important object when one has to interact with people from other cultures who see things differently, have different opinions, and ways of evaluating things. What is often more appropriate in ones culture could be different and inappropriate in the other’s culture, and this provides an opportunity for conflicts in the work place. With this view, it is therefore important to create awareness and have knowle dge on the impact of cultural diversity amongst work mates. Many researchers have been dwelling around the issue of cultural diversity in organizations and other work places and in the process, many theories have been put in place, the purpose of these researches is to ascertain the importance of having awareness of the impact of multiculturalism in organizations. D’Almeida (2007) found out that the integration of cultural diverse groups has been involved in many parts of team dynamics in organizations with different types of customers, this has increased misunderstandings, resulting in negative effects on the side of production, job togetherness, and the quality of service has been greatly affected. In order to address the issue of negative effects of cultural diversity in organizations, there are varieties of measures that organizations should undertake. One of them is leadership approaches and trainings, which should be good enough to address the issues faced with regard t o cultural diversity. Many issues have to be overcome so that individuals can reach the objective of increasing motivation and targeted productivity levels. Amongst the awareness created is knowledge on individuals’ identities, perceptions on various things, variations in geographical setup, together with the internal and external environments. Beck and Rubaii- Berret, who are cited in D’ Almeida (2007) point out that individuals in the work place must understand and observe morals towards other people in workplace; doing this brings about motivation and effectiveness to the workers and they can therefore reach the targeted production level in the organization. Cultural awareness is very crucial for multicultural groups to maximize their business potential. It helps members of a multicultural group to identify wrong doings and best ways of solving conflicts. This can be effected through training, and by also identifying the most crucial regions that need attention and formal cross cultural awareness. There are various ways in which cultural differences can manifest from within a group of closely related people, and in this case, the workmates. According to, Kwintessential (n.d) creating real cross cultural harmony is accomplished through appropriately designed cultural awareness training. Ways of Creating Cultural Awareness 1. Treating colleagues as individuals To effectively deal with the issue of diverse cultures, people have

How Virgin Atlantic Advertise itself in the UK and Los Angeles Essay

How Virgin Atlantic Advertise itself in the UK and Los Angeles - Essay Example For a large and successful organization like Virgin Atlantic, the company uses various modes of advertising depending on the location or place where it tries to target. The type of advertisements or promotional strategies used depends on the consideration of the cultural barriers, language, attitudes of people towards such factors like advertising, advertising regulations and media infrastructures. In Los Angeles, Virgin Atlantic mainly advertises through the radio, print advertisements and publications. The following figure shows some of the print advertisements used in USA by the company. Figure 1: Print Advertisements in USA (Source: Virgin Atlantic, â€Å"Print Advertisements†) The company has recently launched its second phase of its global advertising campaign in Los Angeles. This has been titled as ‘Get Local’. This campaign targeted the ‘out of home’ advertisements which included bill boards, train shelters, buses, etc that runs in the top gat eways in the US. This primary includes Los Angeles along with New York, Washington D C, San Francisco and Boston. This is a perfect picture of an adaptation strategy by the company as it not only highlights particular aspects of the upper classes flying experiences but also tailored to present certain nuances that resonate in the city in which they appear. The following is an example of an advertisement of Virgin Atlantic in Los Angeles. Figure 2: Example of advertisement of Virgin Atlantic in Los Angeles (Source: Virgin Atlantic-b, â€Å"GET LOCAL CAMPAIGN†) Following is an example of an advertisement used by Virgin Atlantic in UK. Figure 3: Print Advertisement in UK (Source: Virgin Atlantic-a, â€Å"UK Advertisements†) In 2003, Virgin Atlantic used e-mail marketing for the creation of a new standard of upper class air travel which had lie-down beds along with personal services in the upper class cabins. E-mail alerts were sent to the air travellers having a hypertext which directed them to the website of Virgin Atlantic. Under this system customers were able to take a complete look at the cabins which were introduced, the ticket options available and the check routes also. The idea was to attract the upper classes of passengers to pay for the premium prices by the exclusivity and comfort that the new cabins provided. Virgin Atlantics’ integrated communication schemes used membership schemes with benefits that enhanced the name of the brand considerably and helped in increasing the happiness and satisfaction of the customers also (Hackley, p.128). There are certain standardized marketing elements used by the airline for all places. These global marketing elements include its logo, brand value and distinctive airplanes. The brand value of the airline as â€Å"caring, honest, value, fun, innovative†, is found in all its communication and strategies. However, certain adaptive formats are evident in its accompanying international adver tisements where it tries to translate its brand themes in certain culturally specific ways and at the same time tries to retain its international image. For example, it tries to draw passengers from Los Angeles through its bright, luxurious and

Pierce v. Society of Sisters Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Pierce v. Society of Sisters - Research Paper Example Is it poible for the state to demand that all children attent public school? In an undisputed decision, Supreme Court ruled on June 1, 1925 in contradiction of the State and in favor of parents in this case. According to the Court, this law violated Due Process Clause of Fourteenth Amendment: ...the Act of 1922 irrationally affects the freedom of parents and guardians to direct the education of children and upbringing of their children under their control. As frequently heretofore pointed out, the rights guaranteed by Constitution might not be curtailed by legislation that has no sensible relation to some purpose within the capability of a state. Fundamental theory of liberty that all governments recognized by this union, repose rejects any overall power of state to regulate its children by compelling them to admit instruction from only public teachers. Surpeme Court did this, though, it specified that a State has authority to require children to join some school and power to control schools to see to it that they are doing a good job at their education. Following this way, it confirmed the interest government has in mingling the young to citizenship, but repudiates nevertheless that the State has a domination in this project. These poored cold water on some statesas they were worried about the impact of the â€Å"foreign† and immigrant’s values well-thought-out public schools as a source of help; therefore these states enlisted laws intentionally to use these schools in order to promote common American culture. And on November 7 in 1922, Oregon electorates passed an ingenuity that rewritten Oregon Law Section 5259, which was the Compulsory Education Act. This ingenuity was mainly eliminate parochial schools. Accordingly, it led to a severe loss of revenue for private schools like the Non-sectarian and the Hill military academia! In conjunction, parents began withdrawing their children away from these schools in the untruthful believe that these will soon end. These laws were mainly aimed at eradicating Catholics schools. The Compulsory Education Act, preceding amendments, had demanded that all Oregon children between the age of eight to sixteen years to attend the public school. This was wit h exceptions. 1. Those mentally retarded/ physically unable to attend school 2. Those who had just graduated from their eighth grade 3. Those living more than a quantified distance by road from a nearby school 4. Those children thare are undergoing home-schooling or those that are tutored 5. Those that are attending a state

Four components of an information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Four components of an information system - Essay Example Software consists of the programs and manuals written to run the hardware. Software process the instructions issued by humans and relay them to the hardware. Data is what is entered into the information system (Hurson 36). It can consist of numbers or words fed into the system through typing or other means. Humans are the people who issue commands and manage the system, while processes are the steps followed in running information system. For instance, when using a computer there is a defined procedure for switching it on or off, or performing other standard operations that help to run it. It is important to consider all the aforementioned components when designing an information system because they are the fundamental parts that make it work. It cannot run without any of these components, so it is quite obvious that they must feature in its design (Stair and Reynolds 13). For example, it would be useless to design a car without a steering wheel or a fuel tank because such parts make it what it is. Information systems are probably the most common aspect of human activities in the 21st century. People use information systems to make processes easier to execute, as well as to enhance their quality of life. It is expected that information systems will become more complex as time goes, embedding themselves deeper in our lives (Stair and Reynolds

International Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

International Banking - Essay Example Studying the prospects and challenges for Islamic banking could reveal useful lessons for a reorientation of Western conventional banking. A key feature of the conventional banking system as practiced today is that it is based on interest. This is an amount of money that is paid on deposits at banks and levied on the loans they provide. This system is designed to benefit money lenders whereas borrowers are made to bear the risks entirely. Consequently, this system facilitates exploitation and many borrowers become burdened by rising values of their debts. Occasionally the problems become so extensive that financial crises occur. The Islamic financial system is characterized by the strict prohibition of riba, which is the charging, paying and receiving of interest on money loaned. The Quranic injunction is in chapter 2, verse 275, which states, â€Å"Allah has allowed the sale and has prohibited interest†. The prohibition extends to both the lending and taking of money involving interest or partaking in any other way in an interest based transaction. The justification is that the charging of interest results in an imbalance and it therefore promotes exploitation whereas the Islamic system is designed to ensure balance, fairness and justice (‘adl) in all financial dealings. Actually, Islamic finance is not unique in its prohibition of interest but it has perhaps developed the most sophisticated system to help implement interest-free banking. As Lewis (2007) noted, usury was prohibited in all the major religions but people then made it acceptable. For example, it is also prohibited in Exodus (22:2 5). In addition, the shariah (Islamic law) advises to avoid gharar (uncertainty), qimar (speculation) and greed. In short, shariah compliant financial products and services do not involve any interest and speculation and uncertainty is minimised as far as possible. Instead, the Islamic system of finance is based on the principle of shirakah, which

Macbeth Newspaper Essay Example for Free

Macbeth Newspaper Essay One way Jewett dramatizes the character of the young girls adventure is by using personification. Jewett uses personification. Personification gives human qualities to objects as a way of describing them to strengthen the description. In the story A White Heron Jewett uses personification when she says â€Å"There was the huge tree asleep yet in the paling moonlight. † Jewett here is showing the tree as a peaceful tree sleeping under the moonlight. â€Å"It must truly have been amazed. † This is when Jewett is trying to show how the tree is amazed by Sylvia and from that point it started to help her. â€Å"It felt this determined spark of human spirit. † This is when Jewett is showing that the tree felt a spark of human spirit. â€Å"And the tree stood still and frowned away the winds. † This was when Jewett was trying to show that the tree frowned away the winds and did not want the wind to make Sylvia’s journey hard for her. â€Å"The old pine must have loved his new dependent. † This is when Jewett is showing that the old pine tree now has helped Sylvia to the top and actually loves his new dependent (Sylvia). Another way Jewett dramatizes the character of the young girls adventure is by using Diction. Diction is the author’s word choice. It is very important because it strengthens the description of something or someone. In The White Heron Jewett it helps contrast between the huge tree and the small girl. Words that was used to describe Sylvia in the story was â€Å"little,† â€Å"small,† â€Å"clumsy,† â€Å"bare feet,† â€Å"weak creature† and â€Å"Harmless housebreaker. † All of these are words chosen by Jewett that describes the character of Sylvia. It strengthens the characterization of Sylvia. Those words mostly are showing that Sylvia is weak and small. She is a small girl that goes on a journey that leads her to becoming a young adult. Also words such as â€Å"determined,† â€Å"daring,† spark† and â€Å"dazzle† shows that Sylvia is determined and is daring herself to climb the â€Å"huge† tree. Jewett also uses words to describe the tree. Words such as â€Å"huge,† â€Å"strong,† â€Å"old pine,† â€Å"sturdy,† â€Å"monstrous ladder† and â€Å"great main mast† to describe the tree. This is showing that the tree is very powerful. These two are exactly opposite when Jewett describes them using word choice and diction. For example she says the girl is â€Å"small† and the tree is â€Å"huge,† she is â€Å"weak† and the tree is â€Å"strong† so there is a contrast between them. Contrasting diction and word choices contrasts the Sylvia’s personality and the tree’s.

Three Big Ideas About Child Development Young People Essay

Three Big Ideas About Child Development Young People Essay Understanding child development means that we as carers and parents can understand skills and typical behaviours of children within our care, providing an environment which is nurturing and one that will foster growth. Laura Berk (2000) provides a simple definition of child development; a field of study devoted to understanding all aspects of human growth and change from conception through adolescence. (Berk: 2000, p4). This paper will look at three important theories of child development that you as a teacher or parent should know in order to understand the changes that take place from birth to adulthood. When we talk about child development we refer to three stages called development areas; Physical development involves the growth and change in a persons body and body functions. In this domain we look at the physiological and motor development as well as the influences of health, illness and nutrition. Cognitive development refers to the growth and change of a persons ability to process information, solve problems and gain knowledge. In this area we consider the study of brain development, memory, learning, thinking, language and creativity. Social-emotional development involves the growth and change of our interactions with others and our feelings. Included in this area is the study of relationships, emotions, personality and moral development. Whilst we discuss each area of development separately it is important to realise that they do overlap. One domain can influence the other. Interest in the field of child development began early in the 20th-century. (ref) Many theories have been put forward to explain why and how children develop. Theorist Jean Piaget played a major influence on the way we understand children. He explained childrens development in terms of their cognitive development in a theory known as Piagets theory of cognitive development. Piaget believed that children think differently from adults, arguing that its not that children know less than adults but their thinking skills are qualitatively different. (ref) Many of his ideas came from observing his own children. Piaget was convinced that intellect grows through processes he termed assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation refers to using existing mental patterns in new situations. (ref) In accommodation, existing ideas are modified to fit new requirements. Thus, new situations are assimilated to existing ideas, and new ideas are created to accommodate new experiences. In his theory children mature through a series of distinct stages in intellectual development. Sensorimotor (0-2years): Piaget believed that an infant is born with no way of making sense of the world. Infants use reflexes which act on the world in specific ways so that the child gradually adapts to the world. Motor movements are seen as the basis for the eventual development of intelligence. These slowly become separated from motor activity as the child learns to represent objects, actions and thoughts through play and language. According to Piaget, object permanence emerges during infancy. This relates to the understanding that objects continue to exist even though they are out of sight. Preoperational (2-7 years): Piaget describes toddlers thinking as illogical. This is due to two main characteristics of their thinking processes; egocentricism and centation. Piaget sees young childrens thinking as egocentric; meaning they can only see things from their point of view. They cannot take into account the ideas or needs of others. Due to their stage of cognitive development their thinking is not yet flexible enough to consider more than one aspect of a given situation. They are now in a stage of self-centred thinking. (ref). Centration is the term Piaget uses to describe young childrens tendency to focus their attention on a single aspect of a situation or object. This is where Piagets experiment for the conservation of volume. This stage of development also describes toddlers having improved memory skills, problem solving skills and begin to understand concepts; for example, words such as big and small, colours and the ability to recite numbers. (ref) As children progr ess into pre-school, children practise mental representations by using mental imagery and language symbols. (Ref) Concreter Operational (7-12years): The typical school aged child is entering this stage of development. Children begin to think logically however, they tend to need concrete objects to help them solve problems rather than being able to use abstract ideas. (ref). Piaget would describe the school age child as less egocentric. According to his theory a child is now able to view the world and themselves from other perspectives. (ref) Children at this stage have a longer attention span, a better concept of time and distance and their ability to remember improves. Formal Operational (12-15years): Children at this stage break away from concrete objects and thinking is based more on abstract principles, such as honour or democracy. (ref). Full adult intellectual ability is attained during this stage. For Piaget, the development of scientific reasoning is the pinnacle of development. (Vialle, Lysaght, and Verenikina: 2008, p55). At this stage older adolescents can comprehend math, physics and other abstract systems. (ref). Some critics have faulted Piagets theory on several grounds but mostly for its vagueness. Some would say that Piagets theory has limited our perception of childrens capabilities- particularly in the pre-school years. (ref). Others may say there has been too much focus on what children cant do rather than what they can. According to Siegler (2004) children continuously gain specific knowledge; they do not undergo stage like leaps in general mental ability. (more) However, Piagets work has encouraged us to see childrens cognitive skills as being different from those of adults. His theory is valuable for understanding how children think. If we understand how children think and learn we can provide a stimulating environment that will support their learning. Using Piagets theory of cognitive development, a teacher or parents role is to provide the stimulation and observe carefully to see when to step in and interact or change experiences (ref). (125 more) While Piaget stressed the role of maturation in cognitive development, Lev Vygotsky focused on the impact of socio-cultural factors. His Socio-cultural theory of cognitive development saw that social interaction and language has a major influence on the development of childrens thinking. Vygotsky places great importance on the tole of significant adults such as teachers, parents and also peers. -The zone of proximal development: Like Piaget, Vygotsky believed that children actively seek to discover new principles. However there is emphasis that many of a childs most important discoveries are guided by these significant adults. (ref). Vygotsky realises that some tasks can be beyond a childs reach. The child is close to having the mental skills needed to do the task, but it may be slightly too complex to be mastered alone. The zone of proximal development means children learn with the guidance and assistance of those within their environment. Parents, teachers or other sensitive caregivers will know that children will need assistance, guiding the child to support them in the learning process. Vygosky argued that childrens thinking is highly influenced by interactions and conversations with other peoples. If we want to understand how children think and learn, Vygotsky proposes that we need to observe them when they are relating with others. (ref). Vygotsky proposed that language plays a critical role in learning. He noted that preschoolers often talk to themselves as they complete activities and tasks. He called this Private speech. According to Vygotsky, private speech enables children to talk through problems (ref). Erik Erikson proposed a theory of development that focuses on the emotional and social aspects of development and how these impact on the overall development of the person from infancy to old age. (ref). He called it a Psychosocial theory of development focusing on the social experiences we have in life that shape our psychological make- up. Erikson was a student of Sigmund Freud and believed that the social interactions an individual experiences has a greater influence on development. (ref). Erikson identified eight stages of development over the entire human lifespan, each stage marked by a crisis. If each crisis is resolved in a positive way then the child would develop high self esteem and was more likely to respond to the next crisis in a positive way, developing a healthy personality. If the crisis was resolved in a negative way then it was likely the child would develop low self esteem and have difficulty resolving future crisis. (ref). His theory, particularly the first four stages hold vital considerations for you as a teacher or parent, ensuring that young children develop and maintain a positive sense of emotional wellbeing. -Stage one (0-1 years) Trust vs Mistrust: According to Erikson, a critical emotional struggle in infancy is between trust and mistrust. Emotionally healthy babies come to understand they have nurturing, responsive caregivers who meet their basic needs. They view the world as safe and enter into trusting relationships with caregivers and later, other individuals. However, a degree of mistrust is also important to keep infants safe from harm. But for the most part, the emotionally healthy baby is trusting of the world. (ref) A critical part of achieving trust from Eriksons view is the ability of infants to come to know and develop an emotional tie with caregivers; also known as attachment. Mary Ainsworth described attachment as the affectional tie that one person forms to another specific person, binding them together in space and enduring over time (Ainsworth: 1973). Stage two: (1-3 years) Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt: Once toddlers have developed a sense of trust with significant adults and understand their basic needs will be met, they are willing to venture away from the safety of parents and caregivers. We see this as striving for control over their environment. (ref). Children express their growing self control by climbing, touching, exploring and trying to do things for themselves (Coon Mitterer: 2007). Offering support, achievable tasks and time, children are more likely to experience success and thus feel autonomous and develop feelings of positive self-esteem. (ref). However, if we are impatient, provide tasks that are too difficult or become unsupportive with their efforts, children will develop feelings of shame and doubt about their abilities, resulting in low self esteem. Stage three: (3-5 years) Initiative vs Guilt: In this psychosocial theory of development, Erikson saw the preschool years as a time when children develop a sense of initiative. Preschoolers develop an increasing sense of their own ability and have a desire to make things happen. Through play, children learn to make plans and carry out tasks. Parents can reinforce initiative by giving children freedom to play, ask questions, use imagination and choose their own activities. (ref). When encouraged, this sense of initiative will support the development of high self esteem. However, when preschoolers receive negative feedback, prevent play or punished for trying to plan and make things happen they will develop a sense of guilt, thus developing low self esteem. (ref.) -Stage Four (6-12 years) Industry vs Inferiority: Middle childhood is the time to resolve the crisis of industry versus inferiority, according to Erikson. Primary school years are a childs entrance into life, where children begin to learn skills valued by society. His theory states that as children gain positive feedback from developing skills required for their particular culture, they will develop a sense of industry if they win praise for productive activities such as building, painting, cooking, reading and studying. This high self esteem will motivate children to challenge new tasks. However, if children receive negative feedback and have trouble developing skills and a sense of inferiority will arise, resulting in low self esteem and less motivation to try new tasks. (160 more)