And Sun Also Rises Essay

This paper discusses Ernest Hemingway’s novel And Sun Also Rises (1926) and takes an in-depth analysis of the development of the female character Lady Brett Ashley in trying to come up with better understanding of the character’s role in the novel. Hemingway’s And Sun Also Rises is widely regarded as Hemingway’s best novel. It became the overnight Bible of the postwar generation. (Barrett, 724) The novel revolves the theme of damage done to Hemingway’s generation by the violence of World War I. All the main characters of the novel are to certain extent scarred by war. Some of them suffer physical injuries like Jake or Count Mippipopolous and others bear the psychological trauma of â€Å"lost generation† (the phrase belonged to Hemingway’s friend Gertrude Stein and became the novel’s first epigraph). Among those psychologically deteriorated individuals Lady Brett Ashley is a controversial character that evokes different readers’ and critics’ reaction. This paper explores the path by which Lady Ashley’s character develops through the novel. With the first meeting with Brett Ashley her individual female sexual appeal and exceptional general attractiveness is revealed. From the beginning of the book, men find her irresistible. When Jake, as narrator, first introduces Brett, he says, â€Å"Brett was damned good-looking. She wore a slipover jersey sweater and a tweed skirt, and her hair was brushed back like a boy’s. She started all that. She was built with curves like the hull of a racing yacht, and you missed none of it with that wool jersey† (Hemingway, 22). Robert Cohn, too, is immediately captivated by Brett, and a short time later, he says, â€Å"She’s a remarkably attractive woman† (Hemingway, 38). She is a strong and independent woman and probably these are the features that attract men more than her physical beauty. Her real tool is her charisma that strikes the men around her. Every significant male character in the novel, at one time or another, comments on Brett’s female attractiveness. When he is introduced to Brett, Bill Gorton says, â€Å"Beautiful lady† (Hemingway, 74); Mike Campbell says, â€Å"Brett, you are a lovely piece. Don’t you think she’s beautiful? † (Hemingway, 79) These compliments are like a refrain that is reiterated through the rest of the novel. Despite the abounding attention on men’s side Brett rejects to become committed to a single man, at least physically. Neither the affluence of attention nor her independence makes Brett a happy woman. Having first appeared as a careless free woman Brett Ashley turns out to be an unhappy and miserable creature just the same as all those who lived through the war. Brett is often described in the literary criticism as sexually promiscuous, or even a nymphomaniac, which seems extreme given that in the course of the story she has sexual relationships with, at most, three men – her fiancee, Mike Campbell; Robert Cohn; and Pedro Romero. Some critics, like Edmund Wilson, assess Brett’s conduct as â€Å"bitch-like†; Wilson interprets Brett Ashley as â€Å"an exclusively destructive force† (p. 238). This interpretation, plausibly, is directly related rely to Brett’s own assertion that she makes to Jake after she leaves Romero: â€Å"You know it makes one feel rather good deciding not to be a bitch† (Hemingway, 245). Nonetheless it is difficult to agree with such interpretation of Brett’s character. First of all it is known that she is one of the â€Å"lost generation†, the people whose youth fell on the post-war period when the relationships and responsibilities were loose and disordered, and so Brett’s behavior merely reflects this time. Furthermore, though Brett never stayed with any man longer than she wanted, she never displayed cruelty in attitude toward men, so she could not destruct them to any degree. And the most important thing which explains Brett’s character is again related to the time of the novel. Brett Ashley belongs to those people whose thoughts are confused being affected by the war. So while looking for her way in life she fails in finding the lull for her psychological disturbances therefore continues her self-abusive conduct. Brett can be profoundly careless of the feelings of others. She scatters cigarette ashes on Jake’s rugs, and when Romero gives her a bull’s severed ear after a successful bullfight, she leaves the gift behind, stuffed in a hotel drawer. Cohn calls her a sadist when she is unmoved by the plight of the horses gored in the bullring. Certainly she uses Jake heartlessly at times, expecting him to introduce her to a man she desires, put up with her affairs, remain steadfast in his devotion to her, and faithfully run to her rescue on short notice when she finds herself at loose ends in another country. Yet she is also deeply unhappy and emotionally fragile. Viewed more sympathetically, she can be seen as a self-destructive woman, traumatized by the ugly and unromantic loss of her first love to dysentery in the war: â€Å"Brett hurts no one in the novel as severely as she hurts herself. Her nymphomania, her alcoholism, her constant fits of depression, and her obsession with bathing are all symptoms of an individual engaged in a consistent pattern of self-abuse† (Whitlow, 56). All in her misery she often complains to Jake, her only true friend, about her aimless existence and unsatisfying life. Her vagrancy from relationship to relationship is assimilated with Jake and company roaming around bars. As the novel unfolds one observes how Lady Ashley transforms from the self-confident independent woman into one who seems extremely awkward being by herself. That is why she is searching for the shelter in more or less stable though platonic relations with Jake. As with the other characters, World War I obviously played the determinative role in the formation Brett Ashley’s character. Having lost her true love during the war she elaborated the pattern of random relations, especially with regard to men. Her skepticism and lost faith in search for true love symbolizes the search of the whole lost generation for their decayed values. Unable to find support in the traditional convictions that imposed certain meaning to her life Brett feels morally lost. Having lost belief in anything Brett together with her friends is trying to escape the reality and fill her empty life with careless wandering from bar to bar, living night life, drinking and entertaining, doing everything that fits into the notion escapist activity. The character of Lady Brett Ashley is developing through the novel from the initial impression of careless but happy woman into the typical representative of post-war generation with aimless way in life. Parties, free love and other kinds of merry-making are only the futile distraction for concealing the sorrow and insecurity that filled her soul.

International Management Essay

Evaluate the selection of negotiators from Canada Timber. Were any mistakes made in the selection? Answer 1: The success of international business relationships depends on effective business negotiations. Negotiators need to be well prepared. Understanding how to achieve international business negotiation outcomes and the factors relevant to the process will allow negotiators to be more successful. Negotiation is an inherent part of being in business. Negotiating is an acquired skill, but is very important part of your role as an entrepreneur. 4 Negotiators from Canada Timber went to Japan for Business negotiation,Tim Wilder-CEO of Canada Timber,John Sharkey-an attorney,Bill Hudak-production supervisor and Kevin Peterson-a regional salesperson. The first negotiator,Tim Wilder-CEO of Canada Timber, As a business owner, negotiations with other businessmen are inevitable. He wanted to establish a corporate partnership with another business. One of the most exciting times in the life of a business owner is when an opportunity arises to enter into an agreement that will take the business to another level. (http://www.startupbizhub.com/how-can-you-become-a-good-negotiator.htm) CEO are the highest ranking executive in a company whose main responsibilities include developing and implementing high-level strategies, making major corporate decisions, managing the overall operations and resources of a company, and acting as the main point of communication between the board of directors and the corporate operations. The CEO will often have a position on the board, and in some cases is even the chair.So the selection of Tim Wilder,CEO from Canada Timber as a negotiator was a correct decision. Second negotiator Mr John Sharkey-An Attorney works with business owners to make sure that there are no unresolved or, as is usually the case, unrecognized deal points that might be overlooked in the excitement of reaching an agreement.The deal negotiation attorney also helps to ensure that the deal is properly structured to suit both parties’ needs. A clearly written agreement that is satisfactory to both companies is the best foundation for a good business relationship which will be an asset to your company. A major deal is a break-through moment for any growing company. By having a negotiation attorney on your side, you can be sure that the agreement is one that will help propel your business to new heights of success. (http://www.davidmwalkeresq.com/pages/deal-negotiation.php)An Attorney manages all legal transactions and litigation on behalf of entrepreneurs, offering precisely targeted solutions for a full range of problems and who understand the value of maintaining an on-going relationship with counsel. They help draft, review, and negotiate contracts, advise you on legal problems and questions, and if you become involved in a dispute, handle negotiations and/or litigation. If your new venture requires more specialized services, we bring in and manage other professionals on your behalf.They provide an efficient and cost-effective service to manage all of the legal needs while the company CEO focus on the business venture. So the selection of Mr John Sharkey-An Attorney as a negotiator was a correct decision. Third Negotiator,Mr Bill Hudak a production supervisor,his knowledge of hardwoods and the production procedures of Canada Timber made him an obvious choice for inclusion on the negotiating team. He direct and supervise day to day production,job assignment,and workstation set-up.working in a co-operative effort with Canada Timber team.He participates in the development of new production processes,developing strategies for meeting production demands.Monitor production practices for the most efficient use of material to assure that we are producing a product that meets customer needs and as well is profitable for the organization.He has extensive knowledge of the methods,principles,techniques,and tools of industrial wood production.So the selection of Mr John Sharkey-An Attorney as a negotiator was a correct decision. (http://www.helenaindustries.org/images/WoodShopSupervisor.pdf) 4th Negotiator,Kevin Peterson,a regional salesperson.Not every salesperson will be a natural at negotiation. Salespeople are there to close business. This doesn’t mean they should use strong-arm tactics to close deals. For the salesperson that doesn’t have the necessary negotiation skills, there’s always the price to fall back on. It’s a crutch and an excuse, but one that’s easily accepted by businesses and managers alike. For salesperson, negotiation is second nature. Even Kevin is married to a woman of Japanese descent ,knowa a few words in Japanese and somewhat familiar with Japanese culture,selection of Kevin Peterson as a negotiator was not a correct decision. (http://www.driveyoursuccess.com/2010/07/secret-of-successful-b2b-sales-having-strong-negotiation-skills-.html) After evaluating the negotiators from Canada Timber,we felt that chosing Mr Kevin Peterson,A regional salesperson was a wrong decision made by Tim Wilder. Question 2: What differences in culture between the Japanese and Canadians can be found in this case? Answer 2: 1.Directness. Canadians tend to be more direct than Japanese. They are more likely to say â€Å"No† to things openly and are more forward about their opinions, even when they differ from or contradict another person’s opinions. This may come across as offensively blunt to many Japanese people. In most cases, they don’t mean any offense, so try not to take it personally. Understand that the Japanese prefer not to use the word no. If you ask a question they may simply respond with a yes but clearly mean no. Understanding this is critical in the negotiation process. In Japan it may be considered rude to say no or turn someone down. (http://2vancouver.com/en/articles/cultural-differences-between-canada-japan) 2. Body Language. When indicating â€Å"me† in conversation, Canadians point to their chest rather than their nose. When indicating for you to come to them, Canadians will wave you toward them with their hand palm up rather than palm down. If you wave someone over with your palm down, they may confuse this to mean that you’re trying to wave them away. (http://2vancouver.com/en/articles/cultural-differences-between-canada-japan) 3. Silence. Japanese people tend to be silent when thinking in conversation. Canadians, on the other hand, hedging sounds like â€Å"Hmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or start a sentence without finishing it (i.e. â€Å"Let me think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"Let’s see†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). If you don’t use any hedging language like this, you may find that Canadians will rush to fill what they see as an awkward silence, not knowing that you’re actually thinking and have something to say. 4.Business cards. In Japan, business cards are called meishi. Japanese give and receive meishi with both hands. It should be printed in your home language on one side and Japanese on the other. Present the card with the Japanese language side up. Take special care in handling cards that are given to you. Do not write on the card. Do not put the card in you pocket or wallet, as either of these actions will be viewed as defacing or disrespecting the business card. Upon receipt of the card, it is important to make a photocopy of the name and title of the individual in your mind. Examine the card carefully as a show of respect. (http://www.indianchild.com/languages/japanese_business_phrases.htm) 5.Touching in public.The Japanese frown on open displays of affection. They do not touch in public. It is highly inappropriate to touch someone of the opposite sex in public.(http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/japan.htm) 6.Respect culture.Just try to be over polite and dont do anything stupid because they are a culture based on honor and respect. As long as you’re making an effort to be polite (as it seems you are) people will notice that and give you the benefit of the doubt in most cases. If you’re acting like a pompous *** and being disrespectful, that’s another story. (http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/japan.htm) 7.Business Meeting Etiquette Don’t be surprised if your hosts give you something from their country too. If the gift is wrapped, don’t open it until you leave. If the gift is not wrapped, make sure to express copious appreciation (whether you like it or not). Ask some questions about the gift to show interest. (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2195.html) 8.Social Interaction If you do go out for dinner, keep in mind that â€Å"going Dutch† is not normal in Japan. If you’re the buyer, you’ll likely be in for a free evening of entertainment. If you’re the seller†¦ well, if you were a local, you’d probably be picking up the tab. However, it’s not quite this simple since your hosts may still insist on paying because you are a visitor in their country. Also, it is normal for the inviting party to pay. (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2195.html) 9.Gifts. Don’t be surprised if your hosts give you something from their country .If the gift is wrapped, don’t open it until you leave. If the gift is not wrapped, make sure to express copious appreciation (whether you like it or not). Ask some questions about the gift to show interest. (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2195.html) Question 3: What could have been done differently in order to produce a more desirable outcome? Answer 3: 1.Understand the Cultural Value Differences between Canadian and Japanese. Cultural distance or dissimilarity affects the ability of managers to be effective in foreign markets. Cultural distance is the difference between culture, language and social structure (Root 1987) that affects managers’ perceptions of what should constitute culturally appropriate behavior in a foreign market (Adler, Doktor, and Redding 1986).To achieve project goals and avoid potential risks, project managers should be culturally sensitive. However, cultural differences can interfere with the successful completion of projects in today’s multicultural global business community.Table below shows the impact of differences in cultural values to the Project results. Table Adapted from Kohls (1981); Marquardt and Kearsley (1999) Figure 1: Value Differences between Canadian and Japanese Cultures Canadian Cultural Values Japanese Cultural Values Impact on Project Management. Individualism Collectivism/Group + Achievement Modesty X Winning Collaboration/Harmony + Guilt (internal self-control) Shame (external control) X Pride Saving face X Respect for results Respect for status/Ascription + Respect for competence Respect for elders – Time is money Time is life – Action/Doing Being/Acceptance – Tasks Relationship/Loyalty – Informal Formal – Directness/Assertiveness Indirectness – Verbal Non-verbal + (+) = Positive impact of combining both values on outcomes (-) = Negative impact of combining both values on outcomes (culture clash) (X) = No direct impact on outcomes Adapted from Kohls (1981); Marquardt and Kearsley (1999) 1.1 Cultural Values on International Business Negotiation Process International Business Negotiation Process Impact of Cultures Goal Japanese negotiators value long-term relationships. Canadian negotiators aim at signing a contract. Protocol The degree of formality in a negotiation can vary from culture to culture. Japanese value etiquette and respectful manners. Canadian negotiators are very formal and highly concerned with proper protocol. Communication Japanese tend to speak softly and use almost no gestures, and prefer indirect language. Canadian are direct and prefer a straightforward presentation with a minimum of game playing. Time Canadian are sensitive to time. They view it as a limited resource that must not be wasted. Japanese regard time as long duration, spending time to learn counterparts. Groups versus individuals In decision making, a more collective culture places emphasis on group priority. An individual-oriented culture is more independent and assertive. Japanese negotiators rely on consensus 2. Provide Training to the negotiators and Characteristics of a good sales negotiator. Train your Negotiator team to be expert negotiators, says Kelley Robertson, a sales training expert and CEO of Robertson Training Group in Burlington, Ontario. Here are nine characteristics of a good sales negotiator, according to Robertson: 1. Exhibits Creativity. A good negotiator looks for creative solutions to help close the deal. Depending on your industry, you could barter with a potential customer or create a partnership. â€Å"For example, I will waive part of my speaking fee at a conference in return for the attendee list,† says Robertson. In that situation, both parties achieve something. 2. Has a win-win attitude. The best way to achieve this is to look at the sale from the other party’s perspective. What are their risks, hesitations, concerns? By determining those before you reach the negotiating table, you can better create win-win solutions for both sides. 3. Has keen listening skills. Customers will often give you clues about what they need. Say you’ve e-mailed a sales presentation to a potential client, but they keep claiming they haven’t had time to read it. What they’re really telling you is they doesn’t want to—so instead, tell them your sales pitch over the phone. Missing a clue like that can cost you a sale. 4. Exhibits patience. Without patience, you may make early concessions just to get the process moving—especially if you’re negotiating with a larger company. â€Å"Their sales process takes a lot longer than other small businesses or consumers,† says Robertson. But making the right deal, rather than a swift one, will be better for your company. 5. Understands the negotiating process. Salespeople must understand that there’s a beginning, middle and end to the sales process, and that once the relationship begins, everything you do afterward either adds value or takes away value. So remain positive, continue to be responsive, and don’t let the customer fall off your radar. 6. Clarifies ambiguity. A good negotiator takes time to get clarification. Let’s say a customer at a restaurant doesn’t like their food. The waiter shouldn’t assume they didn’t like their entire meal, and should ask specifically what went wrong. Perhaps he’ll find out it was undercooked, or just a portion of the meal was wrong. The lesson: A negotiator doesn’t take what they hear at face value and takes the time to get clarification on the other party’s qualms. 7. Shows curiosity. Being able to ask insightful questions, and having the courage to ask those questions, is another critical characteristic. â€Å"I knew a prospective customer had met with my competitor, and since I was curious I asked how my presentation stacked up against his,† says Robertson. â€Å"So I then had a leg up in the negotiating process, because I knew what I was up against.† 8. Has the ability to walk away. Most small business owners put themselve s in a position where they’re unwilling to walk away from a sale because they feel they desperately need it. This is a mistake. When you hold that mindset, a customer has a better chance of taking advantage of you. â€Å"Every deal has to make good business sense,† says Robertson. 3.Harmony. Harmony is the key value in Japanese society. Harmony is the guiding philosophy for the Japanese in family and business settings and in society as a whole. They place great emphasis on politeness, personal responsibility and working together for the universal, rather than the individual, good. They see working in harmony as the crucial ingredient for working productively. 4.Japanese Non-Verbal Communication Since the Japanese strive for harmony and are group dependent, they rely on facial expression, tone of voice and posture to tell them what someone feels. They often trust non-verbal messages more than the spoken word as words can have several meanings. Frowning while someone is speaking is interpreted as a sign of disagreement. Most Japanese maintain an impassive expression when speaking. Expressions to watch out for include inhaling through clenched teeth, tilting the head, scratching the back of the head, and scratching the eyebrow. It is considered disrespectful to stare into another person’s eyes, particularly those of a person who is senior to you because of age or status. In crowded situations the Japanese avoid eye contact to give themselves privacy. 5.Meet Meeting Etiquette & Customs in Japan Greetings in Japan are very formal and ritualized.It is important to show the correct amount of respect and deference to someone based upon their status relative to your own.If at all possible, wait to be introduced.It can be seen as impolite to introduce yourself, even in a large gathering.While foreigners are expected to shake hands, the traditional form of greeting is the bow. How far you bow depends upon your relationship to the other person as well as the situation. The deeper you bow, the more respect you show.A foreign visitor (‘gaijin’) may bow the head slightly, since no one expects foreigners to generally understand the subtle nuances of bowing. 6.Gift Giving Etiquette Gift-giving is highly ritualistic and meaningful.The ceremony of presenting the gift and the way it is wrapped is as important–sometimes more important–than the gift itself.Gifts are given for many occasions.The gift need not be expensive, but take great care to ask someone who understands the culture to help you decide what type of gift to give. Good quality chocolates or small cakes are good ideas.Do not give lilies, camellias or lotus blossoms as they are associated with funerals.Do not give white flowers of any kind as they are associated with funerals. Do not give potted plants as they encourage sickness, although a bonsai tree is always acceptable.Give items in odd numbers, but not 9.If you buy the gift in Japan, have it wrapped.Pastel colours are the best choices for wrapping paper.Gifts are not opened when received. 7.Relationships & Communication The Japanese prefer to do business on the basis of personal relationships.In general, being introduced or recommended by someone who already has a good relationship with the company is extremely helpful as it allows the Japanese to know how to place you in a hierarchy relative to themselves.One way to build and maintain relationships is with greetings / seasonal cards.It is important to be a good correspondent as the Japanese hold this in high esteem. 8.Business Meeting Etiquette Appointments are required and, whenever possible, should be made several weeks in advance.It is best to telephone for an appointment rather than send a letter, fax or email. Punctuality is important. Arrive on time for meetings and expect your Japanese colleagues will do the same.Since this is a group society, even if you think you will be meeting one person, be prepared for a group meeting. It may take several meetings for your Japanese counterparts to become comfortable with you and be able to conduct business with you. This initial getting to know you time is crucial to laying the foundation for a successful relationship.You may be awarded a small amount of business as a trial to see if you meet your commitments.If you respond quickly and with excellent service, you prove your ability and trustworthiness. Never refuse a request, no matter how difficult or non- profitable it may appear. The Japanese are looking for a long-term relationship.Always provide a package of literature about your company including articles and client testimonials.Always give a small gift, as a token of your esteem, and present it to the most senior person at the end of the meeting. Your Japanese contact can advise you on where to find something appropriate. 9.Business Negotiation The Japanese are non-confrontational.They have a difficult time saying ‘no’, so you must be vigilant at observing their non-verbal communication.It is best to phrase questions so that they can answer yes. For example, do you disagree with this?Group decision-making and consensus are important.Written contracts are required. The Japanese often remain silent for long periods of time. Be patient and try to work out if your Japanese colleagues have understood what was said.Japanese prefer broad agreements and mutual understanding so that when problems arise they can be handled flexibly.Using a Japanese lawyer is seen as a gesture of goodwill. Note that Japanese lawyers are quite different from Western lawyers as they are much more functionary. Never lose your temper or raise your voice during negotiations.Some Japanese close their eyes when they want to listen intently.The Japanese seldom grant concession. They expect both parties to come to the table with their best offer.The Japanese do not see contracts as final agreements so they can be renegotiated 10.Business Cards Business cards are exchanged constantly and with great ceremony.Invest in quality cards.Always keep your business cards in pristine condition.Treat the business card you receive as you would the person.You may be given a business card that is only in Japanese. It is wise to have one side of your business card translated into Japanese.Give your business card with the Japanese side facing the recipient. Make sure your business card includes your title, so your Japanese colleagues know your status within your organization.Business cards are given and received with two hands and a slight bow.Examine any business card you receive very carefully.During a meeting, place the business cards on the table in front of you in the order people are seated.When the meeting is over, put the business cards in a business card case or a portfolio 11.Business ethics Japanese believe in business ethics. They provide products and services to the customers and never ready to cheat them. Thus they provide service to the community and fulfill social responsibility. They do business fairly. They earn profit but not at the cost of quality. Question 4: What is Hofstede’s dimension of culture? Which category does Malaysia falls into? Answer 4: We know we are living in a global age. Technology has brought the world much closer together. This means that people of different cultures find themselves working together and communicating more and more. (http://www.ctp.bilkent.edu.tr/~aydogmus/Hofstede_Hall.pdf) This is exciting and interesting, but it can also be frustrating and fraught with uncertainty. How do you relate to someone of another culture? What do you say, or not say, to start a conversation off right? Are there cultural taboos you need to be aware of? Building connections with people from around the world is just one dimension of cultural diversity. You also have issues like motivating people, structuring projects, and developing strategy. What works in one location may or may not work somewhere else. The question is, â€Å"How can I come to understand these cultural differences?† Are we relegated to learning from our mistakes or are there generalized guidelines to follow? Fortunately, a psychologist named Dr Geert Hofstede asked himself this question in the 1970s. What emerged after a decade of research and thousands of interviews is a model of cultural dimensions that has become an internationally recognized standard. With access to people working for the same organization in over 40 countries of the world, Hofstede collected cultural data and analyzed his findings. He initially identified four distinct cultural dimensions that served to distinguish one culture from another. Later he added a fifth dimension and that is how the model stands today. He scored each country using a scale of roughly 0 to 100 for each dimension. The higher the score, the more that dimension is exhibited in society. The Five Dimensions of Culture Armed with a large database of cultural statistics, Hofstede analyzed the results and found clear patterns of similarity and difference amid the responses along these five dimensions. Interestingly, his research was done on employees of IBM only, which allowed him to attribute the patterns to national differences in culture, largely eliminating the problem of differences in company culture.(http:/www.mindtools.com) The five dimensions are: 1. Power/Distance (PD) – This refers to the degree of inequality that exists – and is accepted – among people with and without power. A high PD score indicates that society accepts an unequal distribution of power and people understand â€Å"their place† in the system. Low PD means that power is shared and well dispersed. It also means that society members view themselves as equals. Application: According to Hofstede’s model, in a high PD country like Malaysia (104), you would probably send reports only to top management and have closed door meetings where only a select few, powerful leaders were in attendance. Characteristics Tips High PD Centralized companies. Strong hierarchies. Large gaps in compensation, authority, and respect. Acknowledge a leader’s power. Be aware that you may need to go to the top for answers Low PD Flatter organizations. Supervisors and employees are considered almost as equals. Use teamwork Involve as many people as possible in decision making. 2. Individualism (IDV) – This refers to the strength of the ties people have to others within the community. A high IDV score indicates a loose connection with people. In countries with a high IDV score there is a lack of interpersonal connection and little sharing of responsibility, beyond family and perhaps a few close friends. A society with a low IDV score would have strong group cohesion, and there would be a large amount of loyalty and respect for members of the group. The group itself is also larger and people take more responsibility for each other’s well being. Application: Hofstede’s analysis suggests that in the Central American countries of Panama and Guatemala where the IDV scores are very low (11 and 6, respectively), a marketing campaign that emphasized benefits to the community or that tied into a popular political movement would likely be understood and well-received. Characteristics Tips High IDV High valuation on people’s time and their need for freedom. An enjoyment of challenges, and an expectation of rewards for hard work. Respect for privacy. Acknowledge accomplishments. Don’t ask for too much personal information. Encourage debate and expression of own ideas. Low IDV Emphasis on building skills and becoming masters of something. Work for intrinsic rewards. Harmony more important than honesty. Show respect for age and wisdom. Suppress feelings and emotions to work in harmony. Respect traditions and introduce change slowly. 3. Masculinity (MAS) – This refers to how much a society sticks with, and values, traditional male and female roles. High MAS scores are found in countries where men are expected to be tough, to be the provider, to be assertive and to be strong. If women work outside the home, they have separate professions from men. Low MAS scores do not reverse the gender roles. In a low MAS society, the roles are simply blurred. You see women and men working together equally across many professions. Men are allowed to be sensitive and women can work hard for professional success. Application: Japan is highly masculine with a score of 95 whereas Sweden has the lowest measured value (5). According to Hofstede’s analysis, if you were to open an office in Japan, you might have greater success if you appointed a male employee to lead the team and had a strong male contingent on the team. In Sweden, on the other hand, you would aim for a team that was balanced in terms of skill rather than gender. Characteristics Tips High MAS Men are masculine and women are feminine. There is a well defined distinction between men’s work and women’s work. Be aware that people may expect male and female roles to be distinct. Advise men to avoid discussing emotions or making emotionally-based decisions or arguments. Low MAS A woman can do anything a man can do. Powerful and successful women are admired and respected. Avoid an â€Å"old boys’ club† mentality. Ensure job design and practices are not discriminatory to either gender. Treat men and women equally. 4. Uncertainty/Avoidance Index (UAI) – This relates to the degree of anxiety society members feel when in uncertain or unknown situations. High UAI-scoring nations try to avoid ambiguous situations whenever possible. They are governed by rules and order and they seek a collective â€Å"truth†. Low UAI scores indicate the society enjoys novel events and values differences. There are very few rules and people are encouraged to discover their own truth. Application: Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions imply that when discussing a project with people in Belgium, whose country scored a 94 on the UAI scale, you should investigate the various options and then present a limited number of choices, but have very detailed information available on your contingency and risk plans. (Note that there will be cultural differences between French and Dutch speakers in Belgium!) Characteristics Tips High UAI Very formal business conduct with lots of rules and policies. Need and expect structure. Sense of nervousness spurns high levels of emotion and expression. Differences are avoided. Be clear and concise about your expectations and parameters. Plan and prepare, communicate often and early, provide detailed plans and focus on the tactical aspects of a job or project. Express your emotions through hands gestures and raised voices. Low UAI Informal business attitude. More concern with long term strategy than what is happening on a daily basis. Accepting of change and risk. Do not impose rules or structure unnecessarily. Minimize your emotional response by being calm and contemplating situations before speaking. Express curiosity when you discover differences. 5. Long Term Orientation (LTO) – This refers to how much society values long-standing – as opposed to short term – traditions and values. This is the fifth dimension that Hofstede added in the 1990s after finding that Asian countries with a strong link to Confucian philosophy acted differently from western cultures. In countries with a high LTO score, delivering on social obligations and avoiding â€Å"loss of face† are considered very important. Application: According to Hofstede’s analysis, people in the United States and United Kingdom have low LTO scores. This suggests that you can pretty much expect anything in this culture in terms of creative expression and novel ideas. The model implies that people in the US and UK don’t value tradition as much as many others, and are therefore likely to be willing to help you execute the most innovative plans as long as they get to participate fully. (This may be surprising to people in the UK, with its associations of tradition!) Characteristics Tips High LTO Family is the basis of society. Parents and men have more authority than young people and women. Strong work ethic. High value placed on education and training. Show respect for traditions. Do not display extravagance or act frivolously. Reward perseverance, loyalty, and commitment. Avoid doing anything that would cause another to â€Å"lose face†. Low LTO Promotion of equality. High creativity, individualism. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Self-actualization is sought. Expect to live by the same standards and rules you create. Be respectful of others. Do not hesitate to introduce necessary changes. For a list of scores by dimension per country and more detailed information about Hofstede’s research, visit his http://geert-hofstede.com/. You can also find out more about his research in the books http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_66.htm Note: Hofstede’s analysis is done by country. While this is valid for many countries, it does not hold in the countries where there are strong subcultures that are based on ethnicity of origin or geography. In Canada, for instance, there is a distinct French Canadian culture that has quite a different set of norms compared to English-speaking Canada. And in Italy, masculinity scores would differ between North and South. Key Points:Cultural norms play a large part in the mechanics and interpersonal relationships at work. When you grow up in a culture you take your norms of behavior for granted. You don’t have to think about your reactions, preferences, and feelings. When you step into a foreign culture, suddenly things seem different. You don’t know what to do or say. Using Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions as a starting point, you can evaluate your approach, your decisions, and actions based on a general sense of how the society might think and react to you. Of course, no society is homogenous and there will be deviations from the norms Hofstede found, however, with this as your guide you won’t be going in blind. The unknown will be a little less intimidating and you’ll get a much-needed boost of confidence and security from studying this cultural model. Apply This to Your Life: Take some time to review the for the various cultural dimensions Hofstede identified. Pay particular attention to the countries from which the people you deal with on a day-by-day basis come. In light of these scores, think about some interactions you’ve had with people in other countries. Does your conversation or association make more sense given this newly found insight? Challenge yourself to learn more about one culture in particular. If your work brings you in contact with people from another country, use that country as your point of reference. Apply Hofstede’s scores to what you discover and determine the accuracy and relevance for you. The next time you are required to work with a person from a different culture, use Hofstede’s scores and make notes about your approach, what you should be prepared to discuss, and why you feel the way you do. Afterward, evaluate your performance and do further research and preparation for the next time. Above all, make cultural sensitivity a daily part of your life. Learn to value the differences between people and vow to honor and respect the things that make each nation of people unique. Question 4: Which category does Malaysia falls into? Answer 4: What about Malaysia? If we explore the Malaysian culture through the lens of the 5-D Model, we can get a good overview of the deep drivers of Malaysian culture relative to other world cultures. (http://predicate.wordpress.com) Power distance This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal – it expresses the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities amongst us. Power distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. Malaysia scores very high on this dimension (score of 104) which means that people accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification. Hierarchy in an organisation is seen as reflecting inherent inequalities, centralization is popular, subordinates expect to be told what to do and the ideal boss is a benevolent autocrat. Challenges to the leadership are not well-received. Individualism The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. It has to do with whether people ´s self-image is defined in terms of â€Å"I† or â€Å"We†. In Individualist societies people are supposed to look after themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies people belong to ‘in groups’ that take care of them in exchange for loyalty. Malaysia, with a score of 26 is a collectivistic society. This is manifest in a close long-term commitment to the â€Å"member† group, be that a family, extended family or extended relationships. Loyalty in a collectivist culture is paramount and overrides most other societal rules and regulations. Such a society fosters strong relationships, where everyone takes responsibility for fellow members of their group. In collectivistic societies, offence leads to shame and loss of face. Employer/employee relationships are perceived in moral terms (like a family link), hiring and promotion take account of the employee’s in-group. Management is the management of groups. Masculinity / Femininity A high score (masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner / best in field – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational behaviour. A low score (feminine) on the dimension means that the dominant values in society are caring for others and quality of life. A feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue here is what motivates people, wanting to be the best (masculine) or liking what you do (feminine). At 50, Malaysia can be considered a masculine society – highly success oriented and driven. In masculine countries, people â€Å"live in order to work†, managers are expected to be decisive, and the emphasis is on equity, competition and performance. Conflicts are resolved by fighting them out. A clear example of this dimension is seen around election time, with ferocious, no-holds barred battles between candidates. Uncertainty avoidance The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? This ambiguity brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with this anxiety in different ways. The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these is reflected in the UAI score. Malaysia scores 36 on this dimension and thus has a low preference for avoiding uncertainty. Low UAI societies maintain a more relaxed attitude in which practice counts more than principles and deviance from the norm is more easily tolerated. In societies exhibiting low UAI, people believe there should be no more rules than are necessary and if they are ambiguous or do not work, they should be abolished or changed. Schedules are flexible, hard work is undertaken when necessary but not for its own sake. Precision and punctuality do not come naturally, innovation is not seen as threatening. Long term orientation The long term orientation dimension is closely related to the teachings of Confucius and can be interpreted as dealing with society’s search for virtue, the extent to which a society shows a pragmatic future-oriented perspective rather than a conventional historical short-term point of view. (http://predicate.wordpress.com, http://predicate.wordpress.com/about, http://predicate.wordpress.com/writers-notebook) No score available for Malaysia on this dimension. Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions on Malaysia Malaysia Fact File Official name – Malaysia Population – 23,522,482* (July 2004 est.) Official Language – Bahasa Malaysia (also known as Bahasa Melayu and the Malay language). English, Chinese dialects, and Tamil are also widely spoken. Currency – Ringgit (MYR) Capital city – Kuala Lumpur GDP – purchasing power parity $207.8 billion* (2004 est.) GDP Per Capita – purchasing power parity $9,000* (2004 est.) Overview Since the beginning of its history, Malaysia has been a meeting place for a diverse range of external cultures and religions. As a result of these external influences, a new unified but distinguished Malay culture has emerged. Contemporary Malaysia represents a unique fusion of Malay, Chinese, and Indian traditions, creating a pluralistic and multicultural nation that has its character strongly rooted in social harmony, religion and pride in its ancestral background. With such a rich cultural heritage, acquiring the relevant skills and cultural knowledge in order to conduct business in Malaysia is crucial to your success. Following years of confrontation in search of independence, Malaysia was established in September 1963 through the union of the Independent Federation of Malay, the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian States of Sabah and Sarawak. Over the last few decades the country has evolved from a successful producer of raw materials to a multisector economy. Today, Malaysia offers a unique blend of old traditional culture and new technological innovations. As the Malaysian market continues to develop and prosper, it is becoming increasingly valuable for those entering into business in Malaysia to be aware of the cultural dimensions that shape the fabric of this country Culture Face – A vital element of Malaysian culture, as with most Asian cultures, is the concept of face. In Malaysian society to â€Å"lose face†, that is to lose control of one’s emotions or to show embarrassment in public, is perceived as a negative display of behavior. Malaysians will use a number of methods in order to â€Å"save face†. Laughter, for instance, is often used to mask one’s true feelings and can reveal numerous emotions including nervousness, shyness or disapproval. Saving face is particularly crucial in business contexts as causing your Malaysian counterpart to lose face may influence the outcome of your future business dealings. High context culture – In high context cultures such as Malaysia meaning is often more explicit and less direct than in many Western cultures. This means that words are less important and greater attention must be given to additional forms of communication such as voice tone, body language, eye-contact and facial expressions. In Malaysia, because business is personal and based on trust, developing relationships rather than exchanging facts and information is the main objective of communication. This also relates to the Malay cultural values of courtesy, tolerance, harmony and face. Direct answers, particularly negative ones, are avoided in order to prevent disagreement and preserve harmony; two very important aspects of Malaysian culture. Fatalism – Malaysian culture is centered on the diverse religious values of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam and as such relies heavily on the concept of fatalism. Fatalism is the belief that success, failures, opportunities and misfortunes result from fate or the will of God. In a business context, when formulating ideas and making decisions Malays, who are predominantly Muslim, will tend not to rely on empirical evidence or hard facts, but prefer to be guided by subjective feelings combined with the Islamic faith. Your Chinese and Indian colleagues will also take a similar approach since feelings and emotions play a significant part in their business culture. Consequently, negotiations may take longer than expected and your Malaysian counterparts will view decision making in a more personal light. Economy The Malaysian economy slowed sharply in the first half of 2005, but the outlook for the year as a whole and over the medium-term remains broadly favorable. The slowdown in the pace of economic activity, which began in the third quarter of 2004, continued in 2005.1 Year-on-year growth was sustained at 5.8 percent in Q1 2005, (Q4 2004 5.8 percent) and declined to 4.1 percent in Q2 2005, below market expectations. As a result, real GDP growth declined to 4.9 percent in the first half of 2005. On a year-on-year basis, the decline in economic activity was affected by negative contributions from mining (-1.6 percent) and construction (-2 percent), and a sharply lower positive contribution from manufacturing output (3.2 percent), and growth was driven mostly by the services sector (5.4 percent). On the expenditure side, the lower contribution to overall growth from external demand was partially offset by buoyant domestic demand, which expanded by 5.8 percent, underpinned by continued strong growth in private consumption (8.7 percent) and gross fixed capital formation (4.5 percent). A recovery in external demand for electronic and electrical (E&E) products is expected in the second half of 2005, and domestic demand will receive a further boost from the mild stimulus measures announced in the 2006 Budget.2 Thus, medium-term prospects remain broadly positive, with the economy expected to grow by 5 percent in 2005, 5_-.5_ percent in 2006, and 5_-6 percent through 2008. Political System The different states of the Federation of Malaysia became independent from the United Kingdom and Singapore at different times; the 11 Malay peninsular states in 1957 and the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak in 1963. The predominantly Chinese island-city of Singapore split off from Malaysia in 1965. Malaysia is an independent member of the Commonwealth. The supreme head of state or king, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is elected every five years by the nine hereditary Malay rulers of Western Malaysia. At election time, each state ruler is asked whether or not he wishes to run for the kingship. If there is only one candidate, he becomes king if he receives at least five affirmative votes from the other rulers; otherwise, a new candidate is sought. When there is more than one candidate, the ballots are taken in the order of a rotation system. The ruler of the last of the nine states to be represented in the kingship since independence, Sultan Azlan Shah, was elected in March 1989. As in most parliamentary systems, political power resides in the cabinet, headed by the prime minister. The king appoints the cabinet from the 177-member House of Representatives, or Dewan Rakyat, whose representatives are elected by universal adult suffrage every five years. The other half of the Malaysian bicameral legislature is the 69-member Senate, or Dewan Negara, comprising two members elected by the legislatures of each of the states, and the remaining 43 senators appointed by the king, all for six-year terms. Political parties have mainly been formed along ethnic and religious divisions. Since independence, the Malaysian government has been controlled by a multiracial coalition of political parties called the National Front, or Barisan Nasional, of which Prime Minister Mahathir’s party, the United Malays National Organization (UNMO), is the largest partner. Trade System Malaysia experiences a rapid growth and its remarkably quick and strong recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Members of the trade policy review body attributed this impressive economic performance to sound macroeconomic policies, structural reforms, especially in the corporate and financial sectors, and fast growth in exports. Some Members wondered about the timing and effectiveness of Malaysia’s capital and exchange control measures implemented in the wake of the Asian crisis and the pegging of the ringitt to the U.S. dollar, measures that Malaysia saw as appropriate for stabilizing markets and building confidence. Members expressed the hope that â€Å"temporary† liberalization measures introduced during the review period would be made â€Å"permanent†. Members also sought Malaysia’s views on the need to diversify its exports, nearly half of which involve electronics. Members commended Malaysia for its strong support for and commitment to the multilateral trading system, and expressed their hope that it would actively participate in the Doha Development Agenda. As regards Malaysia’s pursuit of trade liberalization in regional fora, particularly ASEAN, some Members noted that the gap between MFN and preferential tariff rates applied to imports from ASEAN countries constituted a potential source of trade diversion, although Malaysia did not believe that this has actually happened. Members expressed their appreciation of Malaysia’s relative openness to trade and foreign direct investment and its continued liberalization efforts in these areas. In particular, Members commended Malaysia for its efforts to reduce tariffs, simplify the tariff structure, and abolish all local-content requirements (except those for the automotive sector). At the same time, concerns were raised over the fact that about one-third of Malaysia’s tariff lines were unbound and the widening gap between bound rates and applied MFN rates, which had permitted Malaysia to increase tariff protection for certain products, thereby raising the simple average of MFN tariffs during the review period. Malaysia noted that this widening gap between bound and applied MFN tariff rates was the consequence of unilateral tariff reductions and that the import-weighted tariff average had declined; some other Members felt that such a gap provided developing nations with a degree of flexibility in undertaking trade liberalization and other economic reforms. Members also urged Malaysia to reduce the scope of its non-automatic licensing system. It was noted that state-owned enterprises continued to play an important role in Malaysia’s economy and that the authorities might need measures to assure a pro-competitive climate in the sectors where such ent erprises were prevalent. Some Members encouraged Malaysia to accede to the Agreement on Government Procurement. On sectoral issues, Members noted the contrast between the openness and economic performance of the electronics and automotive industries; the much more open electronics industry had performed much better than the automotive industry, which was protected by high tariffs and non-tariff measures, including import licensing. Members urged Malaysia to bring forward the abolition of local-content requirements for motor vehicles. Moreover, Members encouraged Malaysia to continue its liberalization of the services sector, particularly financial services and telecommunications. In addition, Members also sought further clarification on, inter alia: the possibility of an ASEAN — China free trade agreement; effectiveness of investment guarantee agreements; greater use of ad valorem import duties; measures affecting exports; further progress in competition policy; transparency in government procurement; enforcement of intellectual property rights; standards and licensing concerning various agricultural products; and recognition of qualifications in education and legal services. Members expressed their appreciation of the responses provided by the delegation of Malaysia during the meeting, and looked forward to later replies to some questions. In conclusion, this Review has provided Members with a much better understanding of Malaysia’s trade and trade-related policies and of their role in fostering Malaysia’s economic development and helping it to cope with shocks, such as the Asian financial crisis. Malaysia’s recovery has apparently been greatly facilitated by Members’ adherence to the principles of the multilateral trading system and thus their willingness to keep their economies open to Malaysia’s exports. Members encouraged Malaysia to further liberalize and diversify its economy. In this context, I, along with Members, look forward to Malaysia’s continued support for future efforts to liberalize the multilateral trading system. Legal System The legal system of Malaysia was modeled after the English legal system which practices parliamentary democracy and is ruled by a Constitutional Monarchy, with His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King) ceremonially as the Head of the country. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected by the Conference of Rulers for a five-year term from amongst the hereditary Rulers of the nine states in the Federation which are ruled by Sultans. The states are Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan. In the other states, namely Melaka, Pulau Pinang, Sabah and Sarawak, the Head of State is the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or Governor of the State. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a four-year term. The Federal Constitution of Malaysia clearly divides the law-making authority of the Federation into its legislative authority, judicial authority and executive authority. The separation of power also occurs both at federal and state levels. The federal laws enacted by the federal assembly or better known as the Parliament of Malaysia applies throughout the country. There are also state laws governing local governments and Islamic law enacted by the state legislative assembly which applies in the particular state. Malaysian Business Culture Working practices in Malaysia When scheduling business meetings in Malaysia one must take into consideration the importance of prayer times in this predominantly Muslim country. Fridays are a particularly religious day of the week and if possible meetings should not be scheduled for this time. Attitude to punctuality varies according to which nationality you are doing business with. The Chinese for example expect punctuality, whereas both ethnic Malays and Indian business people have a more relaxed attitude towards time. As a general rule, you will be expected to be punctual; therefore it is advised to arrive to business appointments on time. If your business in Malaysia requires interaction with Malaysian government officials, ensure that all communication takes place in the language of Bahasa Malaysia. The majority of transactions and correspondence with Malaysian companies however, will generally be conducted in English. Structure and Hierarchy in Malaysian Companies. Regardless of the size or nature of the company, hierarchy is an integral part of Malaysian business culture. Malaysian companies generally follow a vertical hierarchical structure where authority is directed from the top. In keeping with Malaysian culture, titles and job descriptions play a significant part in many Malaysian companies. They are important for employees in order to emphasize the line of authority within the business. Working Relationships in Malaysia Malaysians’ respect for authority is evident in most business dealings. The relationship between subordinates and their superiors for example is distinct and highly official. Malaysians do not address their bosses by their first name, but use titles such as â€Å"Mr† and â€Å"Madam† followed by their honorific form of address. Relationships between Malaysian business colleagues are based on mutual respect and, as such, the same procedure used when addressing their superiors is also applied with their Malaysian business colleagues. Malaysia Business Part 2 – Doing Business in Malaysia Business Practices in Malaysia When meeting your Malaysian counterparts for the first time, a firm handshake is the standard form of greeting. However, you should only shake hands with a Malaysian businesswoman if she initiates the gesture. Otherwise a nod or a single bow is appropriate. With such an array of cultures in Malaysia addressing Malaysians properly can be difficult. It is advised to find out in advance how you should address the person you are to meet. Generally speaking, a Malay’s first name is individually given, while the second and third name indicate those of the father and the grandfather. In some cases the words â€Å"bin† (son) or â€Å"binti† (daughter) can be added after the given name. Gifts are not usually exchanged as they may be perceived as a bribe. However, in the event that you are presented with a gift, it is customary to accept it with both hands and wait until you have left your Malaysian colleagues before opening it. Be sure to reciprocate with a gift of equal value in order to avoid loss of face. Business cards are customarily exchanged after an initial introduction in Malaysia. Since a large proportion of Malaysian business people are Chinese, it will be useful if your card is printed in both English and Chinese and that details of your education, professional qualifications, and business title are included. Cards should be presented and received with both hands, and time should always be spent examining the information before placing it on the table or in a briefcase. Malaysian Business Etiquette (Do’s and Don’ts) _ DO be patient with your Malaysian counterparts during business negotiations. The process is often a long and detailed one that should not be hastened. _ DO remain polite and demonstrate good etiquette at all times. Elderly Malaysian business people for example should be treated with respect and always acknowledged before younger members of the organization. This is an essential part of achieving successful business dealings in Malaysia. _ DO take time to establish productive business relationships with your Malaysian colleagues. Initial meetings are generally orientated towards developing such relationships and will be maintained throughout and beyond the negotiations. Without them, your business plans may be fruitless. X DON’T assume that a signed contract signifies a final agreement. It is common for negotiations to continue after a contract has been signed. X DON’T be surprised if your Malaysian counterparts ask what you may consider to be personal questions. In Malaysia, asking people about their weight, income and marital status for example, is not uncommon and is viewed as an acceptable approach to initial conversations. X DON’T enter into business with a Malaysian company without a letter of introduction from a bank or mutual acquaintance. This will help your request for a future meeting, as Malaysians prefer to conduct business with those they are familiar with. Geert Hofstedeâ„ ¢ Cultural Dimensions There is a high correlation between the Muslim religion and the Hofstede Dimensions of Power Distance (PDI) and Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) scores. The combination of these two high scores (UAI) and (PDI) create societies that are highly rule-oriented with laws, rules, regulations, and controls in order to reduce the amount of uncertainty, while inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow within the society. These cultures are more likely to follow a caste system that does not allow significant upward mobility of its citizens. When these two Dimensions are combined, it creates a situation where leaders have virtually ultimate power and authority, and the rules, laws and regulations developed by those in power, reinforce their own leadership and control. It is not unusual for new leadership to arise from armed insurrection – the ultimate power, rather than from diplomatic or democratic change. Analysis Using Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Power Distance Index (PDI), High – Suggests that the degree to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unevenly. This represents high inequality. It implies that a society’s level of inequality is allowed by the followers as much as by the leaders. Individualism (IDV), Low – Collectivism, that is the degree to which individuals are inte-grated into groups. Given that the IDV index of Malaysia is low, it is implied that collectivism is more manifested than individualism in its culture. On the individualist side we find societies in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after him/herself and his/her immediate family. On the collectivist side, we find societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, often extended families (with uncles, aunts and grandparents) which continue protecting them in exchan ge for unquestioning loyalty. The word ‘collectivism’ in this sense has no political meaning: it refers to the group, not to the state. Masculinity (MAS), Average – There is no eminent distinction of how roles are distributed in Malaysia as according to gender. The index shows moderately-low to average in terms of masculinity. The gap between the two gender roles is not that great which may signify equality between the roles. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI), Moderately-Low – Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to reduce the chance of such situations by strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in absolute Truth. Malaysia exhibits a moderately-low index, which suggests that the society has a tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. The society might be relatively comfortable in unstructured situations which are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual. REFERENCES: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_66.htm http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html http://youcouldbelievethis.blogspot.sg/2010/02/geert-hofstedes-cultural-dimensions.html http://www.hraljournal.com/Page/18%20Lieh-Ching%20Chang.pdf http://weissnegotiation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Negotiating-with-Fgn-Busi_persons.pdf http://2vancouver.com/en/articles/cultural-differences-between-canada-japan http://www.termpaperwarehouse.com/essay-on/Cultural-Differences-Between-Japan-And-Canada/66039 http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=jp

Being a Health Professional for Global Environment

The modern professional world has changed the recent years forcing many professions to embrace the notion of a global environment. The International Council of Nurses exists to ensure global uniformity in standards applied by all nurses. Nurses can find themselves working in any environment. Such changes in the system call for embracing global issues in nursing through preparing nurses who can work in a global context. This essay discusses the health professional in a global environment and literacies that inform working in such an environment. Working in a global environment calls for global nurses who are culturally sensitive, collaborative and understand the conditions that affect patients around the globe. (Thomas & Galla, 2012, p. 5). Nurses understand that the global health environment is diverse and presents different opportunities and challenges that they have to deal with. These practitioners work in different settings like government agencies, hospitals, educational and research institutions or even non-profit organizations. Mary is a 78-year-old widow indigenous Australian from Old Town Road 8035, she is a retired school support officer who is respected in her munity as a leading elder (City of Horizon 2018, p.4). Having worked in a school she, speaks good English, which makes it easy to municate with her. Before admission she had lately been experiencing health problems over recent months like increased lethargy, dizziness, and increased headache. She has a history of chronic otitis media, tonsillectomy, and measles in childhood (City of Horizon 2018, p.5). She also suffers from a poorly managed osteoporosis, hypercoletroemia and cardiovascular disease. She has been admitted in the hospital and diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2, she is also suffering from ischemic stroke and penicillin allergy. Due to her condition, Mary has been admitted for therapeutic care until her condition stabilizes. The role of healthcare practitioners is to develop care strategies that will assist the patient condition t o improve. This means that developing a therapeutic relationship with the patient is important in healing process. Further, good munication skills are relevant in ensuring the success of all therapeutic processes that are put in place for healing.   Kornhaber, Walsh & Duff (2016) suggest that therapeutic relationships are defined from the perspective of the patient whee the patients see them as e passing caring and supportive behaviours that create a safe environment for the practitioner and the patient to engage in the healing process. Global health practitioners work with a range of patients who require different relationships to cement the healing process. For example, demographic factors like locality, age, race and social factors like gender shape the strategies that the practitioner applies. The quality of therapeutic care is measure Through the relationship that the practitioner developes with the patient. This forms the alpha and the omega of any form of therapy (Watson 2005, p. 11). This relationship is based on both emotional and informational ponents; since nurses are not trained as counsellors, they have basic counselling skills that can be applied to establish proactive relationships with the patient. Therapeutic relationships are termed as a working alliance between the patient and the practitioner. in the relationship nurse acts as the facilitator for change and the patient acts as the material for change.   Through forming such alliances, the nurse can understand the inner anxieties and disturbances that patients face which may hinder the overall healing process of the patient.   According to Jung, the therapist needs to see the client as an equal, thus there is need to abandon the preconceived opinions that exist in healthcare setting and approach each situation independently (Wilde McCormick & Wellings, 2000, p. 16). The relationship allows the nurse to creates a fortable and non-judgemental environment Through demonstrated congruence and unconditional positive regard towards patients thus improving the healing process. In this scenario patients like Mary will feel that the nurse is on their side Through showing respect for her inner and outer life. Further, Through proper munication skills the nurse can develop trust and build rapport with the patient which allows them to open up on issues affecting them. In the therapeutic process, the nurse and the patient municate where the patient is supposed to report progress and any changes in the body system or new symptoms that are felt. Once the nurse has established such relationships, it b es easy for the patient to open up making it easy for the practitioner to track the changes in medication of the patient (Kilduff, 2010, p. 241). This process therefore, decreases anxiety and enhance patient pliance with the therapeutic process which in turn leads to improved healthcare ou es. The nurse can easily achieve clinical goals like awareness of the problem since the patient easily opens up allowing the practitioner to identify most concerns needed by the patient. Since background history is an important element in the clinical process, some patients can exhibit barriers if they are not f ortable with the practitioner around them (Castledine, 2013, p. 15). Through munication, the nurse creates an environment that allows the patient to open up and allow collection of relevant information that guides the progress of therapeutic processes. Lastly, therapeutic relationships are not only designed for increased patient ou e but for rather professional satisfaction that results from satisfied patients. Every professional seeks for success in their field by ensuring that they have greater scores of satisfaction (Kelley, et al. 2014, p. 23). Such relationships can assist in appraisal of the nurse since they increase patient satisfaction and reduce plaints. There have been situations where patients have strongly bonded with some nurses to the extend that they asked to be served by a specific individual since they believe such an individual understands and meets their needs more. Patient backgrounds vary and some e from the introvert background   where information is disclosed to select people only (Kleinman 2013, p. 137). Therefore, the relationship boosts the professional profile of the nurse by creating personal career satisfaction. Good interpersonal and munication skills are critical in the survival of a global health practitioner. munication is an important element of healthcare that connects practitioners with their clients. It serves many purposes within the organization like assisting patients to make choices that affect the ou e of their health. Global practitioners have to municate professionally to connect with their fellow practitioners and people who need assistance (Sugg, 2016, p. 4).   The profession calls for specific behaviour expectations that increase the expected ou e from the patient. Lee & Doran (2017, p. 77) suggests that medical errors can be reduced to increase health ou es if practitioners can establish good interpersonal and munications skills. Since human factors play a role in satisfaction levels of patients, then professionals have to perfect in this area to boost their petencies. Bingham, et al. (2011, p. 251) add that good interpersonal skills assist in elimination of social and c ultural barriers that inhibit access to health. Such skills can assist the practitioner to integrate with these munities and establish rapport to be used in improving healthcare ou es. Further, the skills can assist in ensuring that people open up as they engage with the practitioner. In therapeutic care, munication is done between the nurse and the patient in away that creates a conducive atmosphere for dialogue, openness, curiosity and sharing. One strategy that will be applied to the case of Mary is the use of reflection   Through repeating her verbal and non-verbal messages to show her that you understand her feelings. Being old and from a hard disadvantaged background, Mary requires content validation from the nurse to show that her message has been heard.   This process creates a cognitive focus between the patient and the practitioner and works well in the process of beginning to know each other(Kim & Kate 2008, P. 221). This may work better in the initial information gathering process. The role of reflection in munication is to create feelings of empathy, interest and respect for patients. On the other hand, patients reciprocated Through inmproved munication and increased level of trust that is seen in high level of involvement in the therapeutic proce ss. Exploring munication strategy can also be applied in the therapeutic process when gathering personal information. Since information is the basis of clinical decision making, the nurse has to ensure that Mary opens up as much as possible. Diedrick, et al. (2011, p. 461) suggests that this technique encourages the patient to provide more information since they feel that the professional is following what they are saying. For example, the nurse will use phrases like â€Å"tell me more about what happened before†. This strategy can be helpful in tracing personal life issues that contribute to the health challenges that Mary is undergoing. The practitioner needs to place events in time or sequence to gather the right information. From the background of the patient, the sequence of events is important in tracing the health challenges Mary is facing (Kourkouta & Papathanasiou 2014, p. 65). She has had a   background and has been diagnosed with diabetes which requires her conditioned to be traced back using time sequence of events. This process will inform, decisions on the allergies that she faces during therapy. Clarifying can also be used in munication with Mary Through attempting to understand the basic nature of the statements said by the patient. When Mary responds to certain questions the practitioner is supposed to seek clarification rather than conclude their clinical experience (Kourkouta & Papathanasiou 2014, p. 66). Being an indigenous patient, she presents unique situations that require   analysis and clarification of every statement she makes. Clarification can be done Through paraphrasing where the nurse rephrases Mary’s ment or answer in a manner that is similar to what they understood. This process allows the client to confirm if indeed the statement is true. Further, providing leads to the patient can be used to encourage further discussion of the the feelings of the patient.   It also works well in the process of beginning a new discussion since it opens up   the discussion allowing the patient to talk more (Laskowski-Jones 2014, p. 5). Leading allows Mary to follow the discussion and play along as the discussion b es personal. This method works well when the practitioner wants to move from a genearl to a personal level. As the patient follows the discussion, she gets engaged and eventually opens up without leads. Once the nurse has established trust with Mary, the confronting skill can be applied to get information that has been   to get Through other munication strategies (Boykins 2014, p. 47).   Since the therapeutic process has not began, Mary can present challenges like arguing and challenging assumption drawn by the nurse based on the fact that she has an attitude for nurses. In such case, the nurse will be forced to confront her to get relevant information for the therapeutic process. Lastly offering hope and humour is one of the strategies that the nurse must use (Kourkouta & Papathanasiou 2014, p. 65). From the background of Mary, she seems to easily give medical attention because of her childhood history. The practitioner has to give hope and encourager her to persevere Through the current situation   and lighten her mood with humour that can enable establishing of rapport. Global health professionals operate in an ever-changing environment that requires the ability of the practitioner to work in a context characterized with different settings. Such situations require adequate skills and petencies that the practitioner needs to have to understand the environment that they are working in. The skills are useful in enabling the individual to operate better and survives the tides a panied with the job. Global health is a new storm that is taking the healthcare sector by storm where most institutions are revising their training programs to a modate these changes. Therefore, practitioners need to be prepared with the relevant skills that enable them to work in the environment. Bingham, A. et al., 2011. The Role of Interpersonal munication in Preventing Unsafe Abortion in munities: The Dialogues for Life Project in Nepal. Journal of Health munication, 16(3), pp. 245-263. Boykins, A., 2014. Core munication petencies in patient- centered care.. ABNF Journal, 25(2), pp. 40-45. Castledine, G., 2013. The importance of the nurse-patient relationship. British Journal of Nursing, 13(4), pp. 11-25. City of Horizon 2018. City of Horizon 2018 ver.1.1, puter Program, city of Horizon, Novus Res, Adelaide.. [Online]. Diedrick, L., Schaffer, M. & Sandau, K., 2011. A practical munication strategy to improve implementation of evidence-based practice.. Journal of Nursing Administration, 41(11), pp. 459-465. Kelley, J. M. et al., 2014. The Influence of the Patient-Clinician Relationship on Healthcare Ou es: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. PLoS One, 9(4). Kilduff M, T. W., 2010. Social Networks and Organizations. Sage ed. s.l.: Thousand Oaks,. Kim, B. & Kate, W., 2008. How can health professionals enhance interpersonal munication with adolescents and young adults to improve health care ou es?: systematic literature review. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 4(3), pp. 211-231. Kleinman, A., 2013. From illness as culture to caregiving as moral experience. New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 368, p. 1376–1377. Kornhaber, R., Walsh, K., Duff, J. & Walker, K., 2016. Enhancing adult therapeutic interpersonal relationships in the acute health care setting: an integrative review. Journal of Multidisciplinary Health, 9(4), pp. 537-546. Kourkouta, L. & Papathanasiou, I. V., 2014. munication in Nursing Practice. Journal of The Academy of Medical Science of Bosnia and Herzegovinia, 26(1), pp. 65-67. Laskowski-Jones, L., 2014. munication: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Nursing, 44(6), pp. 1-10. Lee, C. T.-S. & Doran, D. M., 2017. The Role of Interpersonal Relations in Healthcare Team munication and Patient Safety; A Proposed Model of Interpersonal Process in Teamwork. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 49(2), pp. 75-93. .Sugg, C., 2016. ing of age: munication’s role in powering global health. BBC Media action, Issue 18. Thomas, L. & Galla, C., 2012. Building a culture of safety through team training and engagement. BioMedical Journal of Quality Safety, 5(1), pp. 1-15. Watson, J., 2005. Caring Science as Sacred Science. Philadelphia,: FA Davis pany. Wilde McCormick, E. & Wellings, N., 2000. Transpersonal Psychotherapy – Theory and Practice. New York: Continuum.

Features Of Australian Federal Budget 2011 Essay

Features Of Australian Federal Budget 2011 - Essay Example ies said that the inflationary pressure would further increase according to the profile of the budget and an anticipated fall in the unemployment rate. The HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham believes that the budget may have an adverse influence on the risk elements around the inflation outlook. He argues that the government’s increased spending on skills training and encouragement on skilled immigration may not help ease inflation. The impact of Federal Budget on unemployment The terms of the Australian Federal Budget 2011 indicates that the budget can significantly reduce the unemployment rate. The budget forecasts that the country’s real GDP growth would increase by 4 percent in 2011-12 whereas the exports in 2011-12 would rise by 6.5 percent; in addition, the budget expects that unemployment rate would fall from 5 to 4.5 per cent during the next two years (‘Australian high commission media release- 12’, 2011). Presently, some of the households have not a breadwinner. Although, the Australian economy is badly in need of employees, unwilling and unskilled workers become a great threat to the country. However, the economy has created over 3000,000 jobs over the past year and hence it is estimated that the unemployment rate can be further reduced in 2013 by creating more job opportunities. The budget has set aside over $3 billion over six years as part of its â€Å"Building Australia’s Future Workforce† policy. This policy focuses on â€Å"developing stronger relations between industry and training organizations, modernizing apprenticeship programs, and reforming the national training system† (‘Employment & income support’, 2011,). The budget has provisioned for a $674 billion for productive strategies including employment outcomes. In addition, there is a... The budget forecasts that the country’s real GDP growth would increase by 4 percent in 2011-12 whereas the exports in 2011-12 would rise by 6.5 percent; in addition, the budget expects that unemployment rate would fall from 5 to 4.5 percent during the next two years. Presently, some of the households have not a breadwinner. Although, the Australian economy is badly in need of employees, unwilling and unskilled workers become a great threat to the country. However, the economy has created over 3000,000 jobs over the past year and hence it is estimated that the unemployment rate can be further reduced in 2013 by creating more job opportunities. The budget has set aside over $3 billion over six years as part of its â€Å"Building Australia’s Future Workforce† policy. This policy focuses on â€Å"developing stronger relations between industry and training organizations, modernizing apprenticeship programs, and reforming the national training system†. The budge t has provisioned for a $674 billion for productive strategies including employment outcomes. In addition, there is a $526.6 million provision in the Federal Budget for some other purposes which include the creation of employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians. Additionally, the government has designed a $8.5 million package over the next four years; one of the main objectives of this package is to improve the operational effectiveness of Job Services Australia and Disability Employment Services.

The Art of William T. Turman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Art of William T. Turman - Essay Example He left a legacy in his visual arts, and up-to-date his paints are broadly distributed in the U.S., many areas within ISU, and other institutions such as John Herron Art Institute, Indian Art Club, Swope Art Museum, homes, and libraries. He was a son of Perlina Wible Turman and Return Jonathan who offered him outstanding parental support. Today, many people renowned William as the pioneer from, which Turman Township, Turman’s Fort, Turman Prairie, and Turman Creek were named. His value of painting cannot be estimated as it continues to escalate in most institutions. After securing a strong education background in art at the Pennsylvania University, he was known for his extreme modesty and was elected as the leader of Penmanship Department, currently known as Indiana State University. With deep roots in art, the artist inspires many young artists with his paintings that clarify the impact of his work in the local culture. This essay seeks to discuss William T Turman visual arts and in doing, will provide criticism and historical, culture, and biographical information about his work. In their article, Sworp Art Museum provides biographical information about Turman’s art that records how he began his artwork. As stated, Turman instigated training in art at the Art Institute of Chicago and Chicago Academy. From 1941-1957, he served as the president of the Swope Art Museum where his paintings were emulated. Some criticizes the artist’s indistinct landscapes of Brown country with scenic sites within Wabash Valley, which some regard it be plain in content. However, one can affirm that Turman created great insights on his artwork when he painted an oil landscape of a Jewel Pool that made him awarded for his expertise of documenting the region’s people, landscape, and history as outlined in the following exhibition. â€Å"William Thomas Turman (Graysville, Indiana 1867 - 1960 Taft, California),  Jewel Pool  (detail), oil on paperboard, 1 945, Bequest of Beatrice W. Sayer, 1997.03† Retrieved from http://www.swope.org/upcoming/the-art-of-william-t-turman/ As indicated, the diagram is landscape of a jewel pool painted by oil on paperboard in 1945, and submitted to Bequest of Beatrice Sayer in 1997. Later, he exhibited most of his works in various institutions such as John Herron Art Institute, Indiana Art Club, Swope Art Museum, and Hoosier Salon among others. Though his works are mostly in private collection, there are those in public buildings such as Columbia City, Turman Township High School, and Jasonville just to name a few. The exhibition was extensively inspired by his travelling that favored his subject in artwork. In honour of his work, Turman’s exhibitions explore more on culture as the artist indicate his deep roots of different areas in painting. Turman acknowledged the importance of majoring in culture as a potential tool to capture many to his painting. In this case, some of his painting maj ors in culture in the sense that the artist uses different styles such as landscape, rivers, and paintings. As a consequence, it revealed his expertise in art as he identified applicable styles that attracted many to his drawings. Turman relied on these styles for inspiration in his paintings that appealed beautifully printed and designed. His collection elaborated writing and poetry language that revealed on culture and history. His use of a wide range of styles with an absolute absence of description linearity presented him with an honorary acknowledgement as the â€Å"The Dean of Wabash Valley Artists† (Sworp Art Museum 1). This created a remarkable reputation in his art to the extent, the art gallery ascertained in 1939 in the building at Indiana State Teachers college, named â€Å"Turman Hall†

No Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

No - Assignment Example Furthermore, the crux of the matter, as the authors relate it, hinges upon the differential that is noticed between the aforementioned â€Å"real option† as compared to the â€Å"discounted cash flow†. Regardless of the causal mechanisms, the authors argue that understanding EC as a function of behavior and what triggers it are key concerns for the operations and decision making structures that many organizations and individuals employ on a daily basis. Methods The methodology that the study employed was concentric upon a group of 80 financial managers which were drawn from a diverse group of companies. For purposes of the study, the participants were all graduates in either accounting or management. As a means to insure that the participants all had a modicum of experience, the participants were only selected from those which had a minimum average experience of around 7 years on the job. As a means of answering the questions associated with the research questions, the researchers distributed among these 80 participants a questionnaire which was divided into 3 separate and distinct subsections. The first section introduced the research and required the participants to give their general information; to include age, sex, degree, field of expertise etc. Likewise, the second part was divided into two subsections of its own. The first of these subsections offered a brief explanation of the capital budgeting methods (real option or net present value). The second subsection elaborated upon how the former were calculated; giving examples and showing the methodology/formulation. Similarly, the third section consisted of three subsections of its own. The first of these subsections helped to describe the hypothetical project to the participants as a way of seeking to gain shareholder buy in. The second subsection sought to obtain a quantitative measurement based upon the first with respect to whether they would seek to abandon or salvage a given project on a scale of 0-100 (Karimi et al 478). Likewise the third subsection required the participants to answer 9 multiple choice questions with a 0-5 rating concerning their hypothetical choices that have been previously determined within the other sections. Description Although previous studies have worked to show that the use of real option methods for the purpose of evaluation tend to yield better results, the hypothesis that were tested within this study helped to reflect a slightly different result. This is no doubt due in part to the participants which were involved. Whereas previous studies have relied almost exclusively on university students in order to populate their studies, this particular study relied exclusively on those that have spent an average of 7 years within the industry and likely this factor more than any other has helped to differentiate the results that were seen. This helps to necessarily present the researcher with a clear and unavoidable juxtaposition of actual r eal-world experience that has helped to inform the research question. Evaluation I found this project to be contextually interesting but the research model and statistical generation that were reported could have been much better written as a way to engage the reader/researcher with the findings

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Journal - Essay Example Do not wear white or tight things unless you use our products, they warn. If you get your clothes stained, it will be the greatest shame in your life. Even your boyfriend should not know that you’ve got menstruation, suggest some ads of tampons. You get the message. As to the menarche, I did feel some discomfort about it. It was a mixture if pride and sorrow. It was the sign of my growing up, but it also signaled the official end of my childhood. It is always that way: girls are proud of becoming mature, but they feel discomfort about their sexuality. Continuing the topic of shame, it is really very common among women. Many mothers do not tell their daughters of menstruation until it starts. They keep it in secret just like issues connected with sex. So girls often get frightened and feel shame, inherited from their mothers. I think it is very important to make girls acquainted with the stages of their development early in their lives, so that they could know that it is quite normal and would not be afraid of developing. #2. Like many other girls, I acquire my notions of beauty from mass media. I am lucky to have the ‘proper’ figure: to be slim. This way I could avoid pressures associated with weight. On the other hand, I do feel sometimes that I need to loose some kilograms, I realize that it is stupid but those fears simply come to my head. I do make-up both because I feel the necessity and because I like it. However, I can go out without make-up and feel OK. As to clothes, I am influenced by the demands of fashion. When I wear some clothes that are too out-of-date or baggy I feel discomfort. I like to be fluffy. Underwear, perfumes, nail varnish, handbags, jewelry – all those things attract me. They are beautiful and make you feel attractive and pleasant to look at. They give you the feeling of being rich and able to permit the life of luxury. If used properly, they make women look and smell very nice. I see nothing

Standard Of Monopolized The Oil Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Standard Of Monopolized The Oil Industry - Essay Example Buying Competitors Though most of Standard Oil’s takeovers aimed at gaining competitive advantage, they also benefitted the acquired company too. Rockefeller and his partners gained confidence from the competitors through wide-ranging volunteer association. Standard Oil also offered the former executives, of the acquired companies, high positions in the new company and was assured parity in management and was assimilated into the management because they were experienced and were well acquainted with the oil industry and local markets (Montague 76-81). The Standard Oil trust comprised of different companies in the industry which attained competitive advantage and maintained an even competition among the members. Rockefeller perceived the buyouts of the other refineries in Cleveland as foreseeable. He is quoted noting â€Å"the battle of the new idea of cooperation against competition† (Montague 52). In his mind, huge industrial amalgamations referred to as monopolies wou ld substitute competition and individualism in the oil industry. Rockefeller used hardball tactics to buy out the competitors. In 1874, the company started purchasing new oil pipeline networks. This assisted the company to amputate the flow of oil to the other companies that Rockefeller wanted to acquire. When a competing company made efforts to build a rival pipeline across Pennsylvania, Standard Oil purchased the land along the way to barricade the way. In the end, Standard Oil obtained control of all the pipelines within the nation. Notably, Standard Oil had attained full control of 90 percent of United States refining companies (Montague 176) Discounted Shipping Rates In order to attain a competitive advantage over its competitors, Standard Oil surreptitiously organized for reduced shipping rates from railroads. This aimed at reducing the average costs incurred by the company. Rockefeller had a fascination for efficiency that was unparalleled.

Role of Stakeholders in Strategic Planning Process Essay

Role of Stakeholders in Strategic Planning Process - Essay Example These will also oversee steps which will ask of the local publics to act accordingly in order to solicit a response which is not only appropriately driven but also geared to achieve their active participation. These remain some of the important ingredients behind understanding the relevant realms, as these will harness the basis of IUCN in the long run. The environmental degradation, uplifting of global standards and similar other initiatives will be bolstered immensely if the stakeholders are told about the precise strategic planning process which will be put into place. Once the strategic planning process is initiated, IUCN’s stakeholders need to agree on its different clauses so that tasks become easier and more manageable than they would be at the outset of such a strategic planning process (Ghobadian, 2002). The key ingredients that would be required on their part are an understanding that IUCN’s strategic planning process would deliver results if it is given a chance to manifest itself. Also there will be a comprehensive outlook of how the strengths and weaknesses weigh along with one another. This will put things in comparison and ask of the stakeholders to know about things which are of essence beforehand. The major roles that these stakeholders shall play include the basis of their agreement with the strategic planning process for IUCN as well as paving the way forward for achieving the end objectives and goals of the strategic planning process. It will help put things in proper perspective and ask IUCN to devise a very firm process in the first place. Their roles would comprise more of decision-making than bringing a sense of business for IUCN. Therefore proper definition of assigning roles would put things into proper perspective and resolve issues which remain fundamental to its cause (Hussein, 2008). As for IUCN, it is one of the most sought after names within the