Safaricom financial situation

Safaricom is a company that deals with telecommunication services, voice messaging and fixed broad band. The company output can be classified as voice, data and value added services. Voice services include Premium Rate Services also known as third party content service, provide recorded information or live conversation for callers. Safaricom Pre Pay services allow subscribers to pay in advance and freely choose a tariff that suits them. Data services include airtime recharging and sambaza. Sambaza, launched in March, has enabled subscribers to share their airtime with their friends and family for free. Okoa jahazi and bonga loyalty scheme has enabled subscribers to enjoy advance airtime and to be awarded for their airtime usage . Mpesa service has allowed customers to easily send money through the mobile phones, a very sophisticated technology, and a first in Kenya. Submarine fiber optic, SEACOM, provides high capacity band width for high internet connectivity. To achieve all these, the company has implemented a number of inputs. It has leased services of several companies as Cellulant, Bernsoft, interactive, Adtel , Mobile Zone and Wasp ,to provide Premium Rate Services to ensure effective live communication between its subscribes and outside world . Ongea 24/7 has enabled efficiency in prepaid airtimes. It has also assisted in dealing in virtual electronic airtime. Safaricom Broadband Modem (Huawei E220) and Safaricom Broadband Router (Huawei E960) has enabled access up to 7. 2Mbps downlink speeds as compared to 236 kbps from other technologies (Michael Joseph, 2009). The company has developed several technological solutions to deal efficiently and effectively with existing problems. The company has launch the fastest internet connection through the 3G technology known as Safaricom live(Michael Joseph,2009). The company also provides a wide range of services including broadband wireless data (Up to 7. 2 of 2Mbps downlink Speeds), video calls and telephony. It is also signing a deal with a European firm to launch fourth generation technology which will see increase in the speed of internet connection from the current 7. 2 of 2Mbps . Safaricom has also launched new products and services in the market that the normal ‘Mwananchi’ can afford e. g. bamba 20, bemba bamba and super ongea tariff which is as low as 80 cents. In September, 2001 it launched ATM top up for its pre-paid subscribers to enable top up at teller machine. It has also created technological problem solving techniques. In the magazine by MaryAnn and Chris (2009) the company has created the widest network coverage in Kenya to ensure that subscribers receive clear signal when communicating (p. 35). Business Messaging Solutions has enabled quick and affordable communication to a large audience. According to Less (2009) Safaricom has a turnover of 70. 5 billion revenues from 61. 4billion the previous year, a 14. 8 % increase, with a market capitalization of 148 billion (p. 18). Safaricom controls the stock market with a listing of 40 billion shares, the highest in Africa. It has an operating profit of16. 2 billion with a profit before tax of 15. 3 billion (Less,2009). Cash of 30. 1 billion from operations remained strong enabling the company to expand its network coverage and ensure that it had a strong network to handle its increasing subscribers. The shareholders fund increased by 19. 9% to 51. billion (Michael Joseph, 2009). The graph shows how the numbers of subscribers have significantly increased as at Nov 2009. Though Safaricom runs the telecommunication industry, it has been faced with stiff competition from other companies as Zain, Orange, Econet wireless, Access Kenya and Wananchi on line. Safaricom has continued market leadership with a control of 79. 1% of the ma rket i. e. 13. 6 million subscribers thus it can be said to be a market price setter. Reduction in GDP growth, increase in margin, Global financial crisis and high oil prices is significantly affecting the company efficient performance. Less (2009) however shows that there has been an upward movement in revenues by 83% to 12. 9% of total revenue despite of these economic back drops (p. 19). The launch of Jibambie promotion, Jambo Contact Centre and 3G and Wimax data services are some of the events the company marks as having contributed to its success. According to Chris (2009) the launch of M Pesa has been a run way success story, with a current 6. 2 million subscribers and shs 17. 1billion transfer from one person to another as at March 2009 (p. 11).

Cultural Analysis – Taiwan

Abstract This paper is an analysis of culture within Taiwan. It will focus on how different cultural elements and dimensions effect and influence business in Taiwan. This paper will also look into the implications for businesses from the United States seeking to conduct business within Taiwan. Taiwan has a unique blend of traditional Chinese cultural as well as modern Western influences. It is an open and welcoming culture and one that plays an important role in the East Asian economy. Global Business Cultural Analysis: Taiwan Introduction to Taiwan Taiwan is a small island country located off the east coast of China in Asia. Also known as the Republic of China (ROC), it is the place where the ROC settled after losing control of mainland China to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Taiwan’s population is made up of mostly Han Chinese with a few other Chinese ethnic groups and a smaller number of aboriginal tribes. The official language spoken in Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese; however, about 70% of people in Taiwan speak both Mandarin and a dialect known as Taiwanese. Another dialect call Hakka is spoken by about 15% of the population and the aboriginals have several other dialects as well (Deaton & Paxson, 2000). Taiwan has unique political status because of their strained relationship with China. At present, the PRC claims it has control over Taiwan and its territories, even though the PRC has never has exercised any governmental control over those regions. China has threatened to put political pressure on any country wanting to officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation, which has led many countries, including the United States, to only recognize Taiwan in an unofficial capacity. These countries, while still doing business with Taiwan, are forced to only officially recognize China, thereby reducing Taiwan’s global influence (Friedberg, 2005). On the economic front, Taiwan has done very well in the past few years, experiencing rapid economic growth. It is commonly referred to as one of the East Asian Tigers, a group which includes Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. The countries in this group were relatively poor until around the 1960’s when they underwent educational reforms. These educational reforms, coupled with their cheap yet dynamic workforce helped industrialize their countries and spark rapid economic growth. â€Å"In the 21st century, all four regions have since graduated into advanced economies and high-income economies† (Vadra, 2010, p. 0). Although the economic growth rate in Taiwan has slowed recently, it remains at a relatively high, yet sustainable rate. What are the major elements and dimensions of culture in Taiwan? Taiwan, like almost every country, has many different elements and dimensions of culture woven together to form an intricate and unique society. These components of so ciety affect day to day life in both obvious and also unexpected ways. Taiwan has the same core grouping of cultural elements that one would think of affecting any country: communication, religion, ethics, moral values, social structure, and education. However, the main elements which control the actions of most individuals and society as a whole will differ from other countries. For Taiwan, education and religion along with social structure play the major roles in the shaping of Taiwanese culture. It will be found that the main, guiding cultural elements in Taiwan, such as their religions, the sources from which they get their values and attitudes, and also their feelings of responsibility, are especially different from the main cultural elements guiding most of the western world. 1. 2. Communication Communication plays a major role in any functioning society. The way people communication and interpret the communications of others can drastically shape the actions of a society. Communication within a culture can usually be defined as either low context or high context. In low context cultures, â€Å"cultural behavior and beliefs may need to be spelled out explicitly so that those coming into the cultural environment know how to behave† (Satterlee, 2009). On the other hand, in high context cultures, â€Å"as a result of years of interaction with each other, many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit, because most members know what to do and what to think† (Satterlee, 2009). Communication within Taiwan is high context, with more nonverbal forms of communication used than in low context countries, such as the United States or United Kingdom. Even the official spoken language of Taiwan, Mandarin Chinese, is a high context language (Hall, 2000). High context communication. High context communication implies that â€Å"there is less verbally detailed communication and less written/formal information. Instead, there is a more subliminal understanding of what is communicated† (Kuo-Ying & Majtaba, 2010). Duties and responsibilities are frequently assumed or subtly implied rather than directly assigned or commanded. Elements of communication in high context cultures such as Taiwan include indirect and embellished verbal messages, avoidance of directly challenging another person’s opinions, and situational changes. Also, an importance is placed on personal face-to-face interaction. Nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication plays a large role in the communication process in high context countries like Taiwan. Elements, such as facial expression, eye movement, the tone of voice, gestures, and body language are all important parts of communication within Taiwanese culture. Religious beliefs Taiwan has a large population of people practicing eastern religions such as Buddhism, Taoism and small bits of Confucianism, as well as a small but growing Christian and Catholic population (Chou, & Chen, 2005). It is also common for individuals to do some mixing of religions to accommodate their personal ideas or desires. Most religions in Taiwan incorporate ancestral worship, which is a large part of the religious practices in Taiwan. Ancestral worship even affects national holidays within Taiwan. Ancestral worship in Taiwan. Ancestral worship is a religious act born from the belief that an individual’s ancestors have a continued existence after death and that these spirits of deceased family members have the ability to influence things in the physical world. Ancestral worship is practiced by some out of respect and honor for their ancestral heritage. For others, however, it is practiced more out of fear of upsetting spirits that may possibly influence the individual’s fortune on earth. In Taiwan, several national holidays are focused around ancestral worship practices. Among these holidays is Tomb Sweeping Day, a holiday where families visit the graves of their ancestors to attend to their burial place as well as pay homage. Another holiday which sprang from the traditions of ancestor worship is Ghost Festival, which is a time where people place food outside their homes to feed wandering spirits. Chinese New Year also has its roots in the traditions of ancestor worship and is a time often used by families to pay their respects to their ancestors (Newell, 1976). The role of Buddhism in Taiwan. Buddhism and Taoism are the two foremost religions practiced in Taiwan. Combined, they are practiced by more than 75% of the religious population in Taiwan (USDS, 2008). Although Buddhism teaches the putting aside of earthly ties and possessions, including family, influences from both Taoism and Confucianism and integrated some forms of ancestral worship into practiced Buddhism within Taiwan. The role of Taoism in Taiwan. Taoism and Buddhism together are the two largest religions in Taiwan. The beginning of the Taoist religion came from the early Chinese nature worshipers. Taoist beliefs center on the idea that all things have a natural order and that through obtaining harmony with nature one can obtain eternal life. These beliefs add to the non-confrontational aspects of Taiwan’s high context culture. The role of Confucianism in Taiwan Confucianism, though practiced in Taiwan by lesser numbers than Taoism or Buddhism, is to many â€Å"an honored school of thought and ethical code† (USDS, 2008). Very similar to Taoism, Confucianism has more of a focus on performing well within society and also ritualistic ancestor worship. The Role of Christianity in Taiwan. Christian churches have been active in Taiwan for many years, and today, the population includes a small but significant percentage of Christians† (USDS, 2008). Both Catholic and Mormon churches are set up in Taiwan, but their numbers are much smaller. A majority of the aboriginal population in Taiwan are Christian. Ethical practices Ethical standards are often tied very closely to the culture in which they are practiced. According to Stedham, Yamanura, and Lai in an article examining Japanese and Taiwanese ethics: â€Å"ethics cannot be understood independent of the local cultural fabric† (2008). Taiwanese tend to be very utilitarian representing â€Å"a collectivist culture that tends to be more homogeneous and has a greater group orientation† (Muk, 2007). Therefore, ethical decisions made by Taiwanese people are likely to focus on the wellbeing of their social group. Values and attitudes â€Å"Values are invisible and a ‘core element of culture’. These invisible values become evident in behavior. Decision making and the resulting actions and behavior are manifestations of the predominant values in a culture† (Stedham et al. , 2008). In Taiwan, many of the values center around the individual’s social groups, most notably, the family. Saving face is another factor which often influences and motivates decision making within the Taiwanese culture. The concept of face is â€Å"related to the preference for harmony and avoidance of conflict. One aspect of face is concerned with a person’s moral character which can only be earned by fulfilling one’s obligation to others† (Stedham et al. , 2008). Face also includes â€Å"one’s reputation or prestige which can be earned through accomplishments or through bureaucratic or political power† (Stedham et al. 2008). Great lengths will be taken to avoid situations which might cause damage or embarrassment for one’s self or other resulting in a loss of face. Another factor affecting Taiwanese cultural attitudes is the concept of guanxi, which literally translated means relationship. Having a good reputation and relations on both a personal and professional level is very important to Taiwanese people. Attitudes toward gender within Taiwanese society. Gender, though in the process of equalizing, still plays an important role within Taiwanese society. Research indicates that women in Taiwan’s job market â€Å"suffer lower earnings than men as job opportunities are not made available to them due to the labor market discrimination, family responsibilities, or lack of job mobility† (Bishop, Gronder, Liu, & Chiou, 2007). However, due to the fact that Taiwan’s industry is constantly growing, with more jobs in the labor market being filled with female workers, discrimination against females in both hiring and compensation is effectively diminishing over time (Bishop et al. , 2007). Generational differences. Younger generations tend to follow the religious or ethical guidelines set by their predecessors more out of tradition than true belief. Therefore, there is some movement away from previously accepted religious thoughts and ideas within the younger generations in Taiwan. Recent research indicates that â€Å"young Chinese people seem not to identify themselves with traditional Chinese values and Confucian ethics. Maybe it is the result of conflict between Eastern and Western cultures. However, traditional thoughts still significantly influence most people in Chinese ocieties† (Lin & Ho, 2009). Social structures Social structures are very important in Taiwan because the culture is quite Unitarian in its design. One of the largest and most central social structures in Taiwan is family and filial piety. Religion, because of its widespread acceptance, is also a major social structure in Taiwan. Another important social structure is politics with many people in Taiwan voicing their opinions on political matters, especially those matters dealing with mainland China. Military service also has bearing within society, and is an inevitable part of young men’s lives in Taiwan due to the fact that military service is compulsory. The importance of filial piety. Especially popular in Confucian households, filial piety is, along with brotherly love, considered the ‘roots’ of humanity. It is believed that the way perfect virtue and human perfection will become evident as an individual shows care and respect for these ‘roots’ of humanity (Ruiping, 2006). This belief translates into strong familial ties within the Taiwanese culture, as well as deep feelings of responsibility to one’s family. The cultural effects of politics. A Datamonitor country profile of Taiwan stated: â€Å"the issue of reunification with mainland China continues to dominate domestic politics and international relations. With both the People’s Republic of China (the mainland) and the Republic of China (Taiwan) claiming to be the legitimate authority over Taiwanese land, frequent tensions between the two are common† (2010). Within Taiwan, the debate over international policy with China is ongoing, with some in favor of increasing ties with the mainland and others advocating more independence for Taiwan. Another aspect of the strained relationship between Taiwan and China is the fact that China has greater influence in the global arena and has therefore been able to stop Taiwan’s efforts in seeking to gain global recognition as a sovereign national by the United Nations. China has also threatened severing diplomatic standings with any country to officially recognize Taiwan as its own nation. Therefore, many countries, including the United States maintain unofficial diplomatic ties with Taiwan, keeping their official diplomatic status with China intact. Mandatory military service. It is written into Taiwanese law that males between the ages of 18 and 22 are eligible for selective compulsory military service. Service duration is 12 months. Males students seeking higher education can obtain deferments, were they have several years to complete their education before serving their time in the military. Also, any citizen between the ages of 19 and 36 are considered eligible for drafting into the Taiwan military (USDS, 2008). Education Education is a very important part of Taiwanese society. Because of the high population density in Taiwan, there are high levels of competition for spots in top universities as well as positions in the job market. Academic excellence is so emphasized by parents that it often creates stress for students, who feel pressured to be the best. Emphases on education. Even though Taiwan’s laws mandate education through the ninth grade, approximately 95% of students go on to some form of higher education. Many parents see education as the best way to advance their children’s future. Taiwan also has a large number of cram schools for subjects ranging from math and English to sports. Students will often spend several hours after the normal school day or on weekends getting extra tutoring and study at cram schools. High stress levels in education faced by students. According to statistical analysis by Cheng Kai-Wen, some of the biggest contributors to stress for Taiwanese college students include fear of inferiority, excessively high expectations from parents, anxiety about the future, and lack of sleep (2009). Many parents believe that a better life can be achieved through academic excellence and therefore push their children to perform well in school. This mind set from parents can lead to children who feel guilt or shame when they are not performing up to expectations. Though Taiwan has not seen the high rates of student suicide that its Asian neighbor South Korea has experienced, it is not unheard of for students to take their own life after poor test performances. Higher education. Higher education is popular in Taiwan and, due to an increasing number of universities, greater numbers of students are able to attend under-graduate and graduate schools. How are these elements and dimensions integrated by locals conducting business in Taiwan? Successful businesses will understand the culture they are operating within and seek to incorporate elements of that culture into their policies and practices in order to be more appealing to their target markets. Therefore, many elements of culture will automatically be integrated into locals’ businesses. In Taiwan, cultural elements such as religion, education, and attitudes are sown into the fabric of local businesses. This section will examine how elements such as religion, education, and ethics are taken from the surrounding culture and integrated into local businesses within Taiwan. 1. 2. 3. Religion in local business Research done on the affects of religion in business negotiation styles indicated that the principles of Buddhism as well as Confucianism can have an effect on the business making decision made by Taiwanese (Farazmand, Tu, & Daneefard, 2011). Business decision made will take into account the good of the group over the good of the individual. Also, because of the high religious population, there is a large market for items used in religious practices such as incense burners, paper money, good luck charms, prayer beads, and religious ornaments. Education and its effects on business With increasing levels of education in Taiwan has come increased competition for better and higher paying jobs. This increased competition has led to a rapid growth in the number of people obtaining higher education degrees, such as masters or doctorate degrees (Wang, 2003). Taiwan’s economy is very open to small business owners, which gives those with the education and desire to start their own business a welcoming and available environment. Business ethics and attitudes In Taiwan it is believed that â€Å"ethical standards and moral conduct must come from within business people† (Cavico, Majtaba,Venezia, & Venezia, (2011). Many ethical standards and cultural attitudes in Taiwan are rooted in their religious beliefs, especially the teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Taiwanese businesses incorporate these standards of hard work, and family responsibility. Often, the unwritten cultural norms are relied upon to govern the decisions of employees. Also, the concept of corporate social responsibility is gain more popularity in Taiwan, with more people calling for corporations to operate in a more honest and open manner (Ip, 2007). Generational differences. As the new generations shift away from the traditional religious practices and beliefs held by previous generations there is also a shift in moral and ethical standards. Thought possibly to be a result of the increasing embracement of Western culture, this shift in viewpoint within Taiwan could actually be beneficial for American businesses within Taiwan due to the fact that the younger generations are moving more towards Western values and ideas. After researching moral cognizance in both the United States and Taiwan, Cavico et al. ecommended a stronger push not only for business ethics education, but for the incorporation of teaching ethics into every aspect of education (2011). How do these factors compare with culture and business within the United States? The differences between high context and low context cultures include communication differences, relational differences, as well as religious and educational differences. Research has shown that there is a â€Å"significant di fference between Taiwan and America in individualism/collectivism attitude† (Jung-Tsung, 2010). Communicational differences Communication differences between the United States and Taiwan involve so much more than a simple difference of spoken languages. There is a completely different style of communicating with different backgrounds of understanding as well as different personal beliefs and goals. Businesses in the United States operate within a low context culture whereas businesses in Taiwan operate within a high context culture. To cross this barrier will require American businesses to have an understanding of high context communication and managers that are capable of working within a high context environment. Comparing high context and low context cultures. â€Å"High context communication tends to be more indirect, ambiguous, and understated than low context communication, which is direct and precise, and expresses feelings and intentions rather open† (Usunier, & Roulin, 2010). Therefore, business communication may contain more implied concepts in Taiwan than business communication in the United States. Religion in the workplace The United States approach to dealing with religion in the workplace has been one of suppressing outward signs and discussion of religion so as to avoid any potential conflict which may arise. Taiwan tends to be more accepting of displays of religion, probably due to their focus on group harmony. Many prominent businessmen in Taiwan are very open about their religious affiliations, making charitable donations in the name of their religion (Hoh, 2002). Religious discussion is allowed and sometime encouraged, but when issues become uncomfortable or divisive it is ignored or avoided. Education emphasis in the US compared to in Taiwan In Taiwan, there is an emphasis put on education by parents and also businesses looking to hire new employees. In fact, education is emphasized so heavily that â€Å"attendance at  cram  schools  is an experience that the majority of Taiwanese have while growing up† (Liu, 2012). This causes individuals to seek higher education such as graduate degrees or doctorates in order to obtain highly contended, higher level jobs. Social Structures One of the main differences between Taiwanese social structures and those in the United States is the strong family connection maintained by the Taiwanese people. While Americans still view family as an important group in society, the feelings of filial piety in the United States are not as deep and motivating as they are in Taiwan. Also, religion, while still a factor in American culture is not as prevalent to the culture as it is in Taiwan. What are the implications for US businesses that wish to conduct business in Taiwan? Businesses seeking to conduct business within Taiwan should have a clear and complete understanding of how business is done in Taiwan. Not only should they learn laws and regulations which will be relevant to their desired business, but they must also study the culture to understand the people and what motivates and inspires them. Businesses from the United States who are studying the culture of Taiwan will discover important differences between American and Taiwanese ways of doing business. They will then need to incorporate policy which will successfully blend the needs and goals of their business with the needs and goals of the Taiwanese culture. Possible miscommunication Whenever companies conduct business in a foreign country, language must be taken into account. The Taiwan’s national language is Mandarin Chinese, with some of the population speaking Hakka along with some aboriginal dialects. There has been a strong push recently to learn English in Taiwan, with English classes being mandatory in school and a large number of English cram schools open for further training. Even so, the English level may be quite low, so American businesses seeking business opportunities in Taiwan should have interpreters who have a complete knowledge of both languages. An understanding of the culture is also important when communicating and research on cultural do’s and don’ts should be conducted before initiating communication to avoid confusion and unintentional offense. For example, it is offensive in Taiwanese culture to give a clock or watch to someone as a gift because it symbolizes the termination of the relationship. A full understanding of the culture will help businesses from the United States in forming good relationships and create good guanxi for their company in Taiwan (Stedham et al. , 2008). Accommodating religious freedom It is important for American businesses to understand and facilitate the different religious practices in Taiwan. As simple as insuring employees have adequate time off for important religious holidays and not requiring them to break their religious convictions, such as vegetarianism, respecting and accommodating the religious beliefs of the Taiwanese will help to insure the success of a prospective business there. The cultural element of avoiding conflict will help to make sure no religious discrimination or fighting will take place so businesses need not worry about that aspect as much as they do in America. Ethical policies Businesses from the United States with operations in Taiwan should have ethics policies that are written with the Taiwanese culture in mind. They should remember that, often times, there is no need to spell everything out specifically. With the concept of corporate social responsibility become more prevalent in Taiwan, it will be important for American business to highlight appropriate social involvement (Ip, 2007). Understand employee’s family focus. One aspect that businesses can encourage their employees to focus on is family. This will demonstrate the company’s commitment to one of Taiwan’s most important social structures, the family. The encouragement and facilitation of strong family ties will go a long way to establish a favorable public image for foreign companies operating within Taiwan. Effects of current political environment Taiwan’s economy is currently independent of China; however, any foreign business in Taiwan would be wise to watch the political relationship between mainland China and Taiwan very closely. Taiwan has been slowly moving towards closer ties with China which would allow China to â€Å"assert increasing influence over Taiwan. As a consensus emerges in Taiwan on establishing closer relations with China, the thaw [of political tensions] is calling into question the United States' deeply ambiguous policy, which is supposed to serve both Taiwan's interests (by allowing it to retain its autonomy) and the United States' own (by guarding against an expansionist China)† (Gilley, 2010). Should China be allowed to exert control over Taiwan’s economy and political environment it could drastically change the way foreign businesses are allowed to operate in Taiwan. The effects of national healthcare on business. While healthcare is not a major cultural issue, it is useful to note that Taiwan currently has nationalized healthcare, offering inexpensive healthcare to all their citizens. While some in Taiwan oppose this system of healthcare because it can be easily abused, national healthcare would affect businesses by lowering their employee coverage costs. Conclusion With favorable ties to the United States and growing acceptance of the Western world, Taiwan is a promising opportunity for businesses from the United States. With careful research and consideration of the culture, Taiwan could be a very profitable venture. American companies in Taiwan should be careful not to ignore the strong cultural elements in Taiwan, such as religion, family, and communication differences. However, because of Taiwan’s willingness and eagerness to work with foreign business and to expand its global presence, it is very open to foreign commerce. Taiwan’s rapid growth and solid economy can be a very useful tool in the future as they seek to gain wider global acceptance. Taiwan’s favorable economic situation provides the ideal environment for businesses from the United States. American businesses can take advantage of the available workforce and welcoming culture found in Taiwan. Ultimately, Taiwan is a culture that is based in tradition, yet still open to new ideas and influences. The people are friendly and accepting of foreigners into their culture. They are eager to share their culture with others. On the business side of things, Taiwanese companies work together with many American corporations and the both the culture and regulations in Taiwan in favorable to incoming businesses. Even though Taiwan has faced many challenges in the past and will continue to face those challenges in the future, mainly the task of reaching satisfactory and beneficial foreign relationships with China, Taiwan has remained strong and continued to grow. Taiwan is certain to have a bright future in the world arena. References Bishop, J. A. , Grodner, A. , Liu, H. ; Chiou, J. (2007). Gender earnings differentials in Taiwan: A stochastic frontier approach. Journal Of Asian Economics,  18(6), 934-945. Chou, T. , ; Chen, M. (2005). An exploratory investigation of differences in personality traits and faith maturity among major religions in Taiwan. Chinese Journal of Psychology,  47(4), 311-327. Datamonitor: Taiwan. (2010). Taiwan Country Profile, 1-76. Deaton, A. , ; Paxson, C. (2000). Growth, demogra phic structure, and national saving in Taiwan. Population and Development Review,  26, 141-173. Erling, H. 2002). Buddha business. Far Eastern Economic Review,165(35), 54. Gilley, B. (2010). Not so dire straits. Foreign Affairs,  89(1), 44-60. Hall, E. T. (2000). Context and meaning. In L. A. Samovar ; R. E. Porter (Eds. ). Intercultural communication: A reader (9th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. Farazmand, F. A. , Tu, Y. , ; Daneefard, H. (2011). Is religious culture a factor in negotiation: a cross-cultural comparison of Iran, Taiwan and the United States. Journal Of International Business Research,  10(1), 27-44. Friedberg, A. (2005). The future of U. S. -China relations: Is conflict inevitable? †Ã‚  International Security  30(2), 7-45 Ip, P. (2007). Corporate social responsibility and crony capitalism in taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics,  77(1-2), 167-177. Jung-Tsung, T. (2010). Cross-cultural comparisons between Taiwan and America. Interdisciplin ary Journal Of Contemporary Research In Business,  2(4), 116-129. Kai-Wen, C. (2009). A study of stress sources among college students in Taiwan. Journal Of Academic & Business Ethics,21-8. Kuo-Ying, H. , & Mujtaba, B. G. (2010). Stress, task, and relationship orientations of Taiwanese adults: an examination of gender in this high-context culture. Journal Of International Business & Cultural Studies,  31-13. Liu, J. (2012). Does cram schooling matter? Who goes to cram schools? Evidence from Taiwan. International Journal Of Educational Development,  32(1), 46-52. Lin, L. , & Ho, Y. (2009). Confucian dynamism, culture and ethical changes in Chinese societies – a comparative study of China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. International Journal Of Human Resource Management,  20(11), 2402-2417. Muk, A. 2007). Cultural influences on adoption of SMS advertising: A study of American and Taiwanese consumers. Journal Of Targeting, Measurement & Analysis For Marketing,  16(1), 39-47. Newell, W. H. (1976). Ancestors. Chicago, IL: Aldine Publishing Company. Ruiping, F. (2006). Confucian Filial Piety and Long Term Care for Aged Parents. HEC Forum,  18(1), 1-17. Satterlee, B. (2009). 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Emotional Intelligence Vs Cognitive Intelligence Essay

DECLARATION I declare that this assessment is my own work, based on my own personal research/study. I also declare that this assessment, nor parts of it, has not been previously submitted for any other unit/module or course, and that I have not copied in part or whole or otherwise plagiarised the work of another student and/or persons. I have read the ACAP Student Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct Policy and understand its implications. I also declare, if this is a practical skills assessment, that a Client/Interviewee Consent Form has been read and signed by both parties,  and where applicable parental consent has been obtained. In a fiercely competitive and changing world, organisational competency has become a crucial tool of survival (Alvesson & Sveningsson, 2007). As intelligence testing is regaining popularity, it is increasingly common to fill out personality questionnaires at job interviews. What is IQ, and does it define a person? What does it mean to be emotionally intelligent? How do these theories compare with each other, and do they provide adequate appraisal of competency? This essay presents a Cognitive Intelligence (CI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) overview in modern organisations, the two most prominent cognitive processes in the field of Organisational Behaviour; it evaluates strengths and limitations in theory and practice. Furthermore, this essay offers practical recommendations for modern organisations, including a proposed integrated approach of both theories as a comprehensive model of assessment to help gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of the human mind. Organisational behaviour examines individuals and groups in the work environment (Wood et al., 2013). The human element exerts profound influence in the workplace (Presser, 2006, as cited in Lockwood, 2006). According to Armstrong, Cools and Sadler-Smith (2012), cognitive development is an essential business tool with interest increasing six folds over the last 40 years. Evidence of ability testing was found as far back as ancient China 2200 BC (Fletcher & Hattie, 2011) but the discipline was not accredited until the late 1940’s (Wood et al., 2013). In spite of its popularity, cognitive development has generated fierce debates among the experts who disagree on concepts, interpretation and terminology; this discord has generated undesired scepticism and misunderstanding (Fulmer & Barry, 2004). CI and EI explore two distinctive aspects of cognitive abilities. The more accepted of the two, with many decades of extensive research, is CI (Viswesvaran & Ones, 2002). Over a hundred years ago, Spearman (1904) introduced CI as an essential part of learning (as cited in Schmidt & Hunter , 2004). CI is â€Å"essentially the ability to learn† (as cited in Schmidt, 2002, p. 188). Gottfredson (1997) expands with terms like â€Å"catching on,† â€Å"making sense† or â€Å"figuring out what to do† (as cited in Fulmer & Barry, 2004, p. 247). CI is measured through psychometrics tests (or intelligence metric assessment) and expressed as a number called IQ or  Ã¢â‚¬ËœIntelligence Quotient’ (IQ, 2014). There are many psychometrics tests, but the most popular are the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale – frequently revised and used worldwide (Human Intelligence, 2014). IQ scores range between 85 and 115 (please see Graph 1); the further to the right, the more gifted the individual. Early research maintained that IQ scores determined a person’s intelligence (Fletcher & Hattie, 2011) but society has evolved from this limiting idea. Many theorists agree that CI remains a reliable performance measurement (Fulmer & Barry, 2004). It is hard to ignore people’s intellectual or physical differences (Fletcher & Hattie, 2011) and to this day, CI remains the most widely accepted and understood cognitive theory (Fulmer & Barry, 2004), particularly in the fields of business, medicine and education. Armstrong, Cools and Sadler-Smith (2012) attribute this renewed interest to several factors: research is now able to recognise the difference between abilities (CI) and personality (EI); the theories are easier to grasp and considered mainstream psychology; also research is conducted in a more ethical manner and the results are more convincing. This attitude is also reflected in empirical studies. Since the end of WWI, CI has been used to hire employees in the workplace (Yerkes, 1921); its use remains consistent in many behavioural categories of health risks, crime and occupation (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004). Mistakes are learnt from the past and researchers are more politically aware, ethical and flexible; morals and objectivity have replaced lack of transparency to factor human variables (Fletcher & Hattie, 2011). CI will stay as long as technology is employed at work (Salgado & Anderson, 2002; as cited in Viswesvaran and Ones, 2002). However, some limitations are present in the research. One of the most significant limitation is Tthe wide variety of definitions and terminology generates confusion and doubt (Armstrong, Cools & Sadler-Smith, 2011). For example: intelligence testing (Fletcher & Hattie, 2011), intelligence model (Roberts, Matthews & Zeidner, 2010), general mental health (GMA) (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004) and so on. Another criticism is reducing individuals to a simplistic linear value, discounting environmental and cultural variables (Fletcher & Hattie, 2011). However the biggest criticism is the neglect of other vital aspects of cognitive ability (Neisser et al., 1996, as cited in Fulmer & Barry, 2004). Studies increasingly demonstrate that a single theory no  longer provides adequate competency measures when alternatives are available (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004). CI constraints are not limited to theoretical concepts; there are a number of practical flaws. A typical CI drawback is the lack of practical use of academic skills in the real world (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004). Brody (2004) argues that a person may have knowledge of a discipline, but not the competence to put it into application in the work environment. For instance: relationship counsellors may be familiar with the theories of dealing with harassment, yet fail deliver comfort, compassion and understanding for their clients. In reverse, research shows that some individuals without education may still possess competent thinking abilities (Fletcher & Hattie, 2011). *Linking sentence here if you’re going to introduce EI next* One of the most revolutionised ideas that came out of the nineties was EI and its impact on job performance (Goleman, 1998; as cited in Cà ´tà © & Miners, 2006). Four elements define EI: thought-processing, problem-solving, learning, decision-making and interpersonal relationships (Witkin et al. 1977, as cited in Viswesvaran & Ones, 2002); the five personality dimensions of EI that affect work performance are: introversion-extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, emotional stability and openness to experience (Wood et al., 2013). EI has been integrated in many organisations’ training includi ng business schools, professionals, sales, management and so on (Cà ´tà © & Miners, 2006). A number of EI tests have emerged but the most popular one is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Myers, 1962, as cited in Armstrong, Cools and & Sadler-Smith, 2011). CI is far more accepted than before and research reveals EI capabilities too significant to ignore (Neisser et al. 1996, cited in Fulmer & Barry, 2004). As knowledge is easier to access anytime, anywhere in the world via technology, it is becoming less about ‘what you know’ and more about what to do with the information in terms of identifying, analysing and problem-solving (Fletcher & Hattie, 2011). EI is gaining considerable influence in the business world. Research demonstrates that EI predicts academic achievement beyond CI (Miller et al. 2007, as cited in Lyons & Schneider, 2005); it also works as a contextual predictor (Borman & Motowidlo, 1997; as cited in Viswesvaran & Ones, 2002). Where CI lacks consideration for variables, EI abilities allow for a more accurate assessment of work by accounting factor s such as culture, gender,  disabilities and other environmental elements. Additionally, these cognitive abilities, which provide big insights into the human personality and its triggers, can be developed through adulthood (Boyatzis & Sala, 2004). In the practical sphere, the same concept is found. Where CI is deficient, EI is able to balance via a number of ways; for example by discerning and interpreting emotions using body language and visual signals where knowledge and practical skills fail on the job (Rafaeli & Sutton, 1987; Sutton, 1991). And vice versa by those who lack EI and can increase their CI processes through developing interpersonal skills with colleagues to seek assistance to perform the task (Law, Wong & Song, 2004; as cited in Cà ´tà © & Miners, 2006). Consequently, EI’s theoretical limitations are almost on par with the positive attention it has received over many decades. The lack of adequate research and empirical studies are its biggest downfall (Becker, 2003; Landy, 2005; Locke, 2005; cited in Cà ´tà © & Miners, 2006). EI i s also criticised over its theory and assessment (Davies, Stankov, & Roberts, 1998). Experts can’t agree with its definition; some consider EI a function purely based on emotion, others suggest that EI is a mix of personality and emotional management (Lyons & Schneider, 2005; Cherniss, 2010). There are some mixed feelings about EI’s gain to organisations (Motowidlo, Borman & Schmidt, 1997; as cited in Cà ´tà © & Miners, 2006). On the practical side, similar flaws are present. A practical limitation of EI is apparent in the MSCEIT questionnaire where the focus is to identify the emotional aspect of abstract art; a more practical approach would be to teach management and staff basic skills in stress tactics (Cherniss, 2010). The workplace is where individuals compete for goals, promotion or reputation; studies by Joseph and Newman (2010) or Williams, Bargh, Nocera and Gray (2009) caution about the possibilities of using ‘strategic’ EI for self-promotion in the workplace through manipulation, control and self-exploitation (Kilduff, Chiaburu & Menges, 2010). To avoid mishaps, the following is a proposed model to apply CI and EI in modern organisations. There are a number of ways that CI and EI can be applied to modern organisations. 1) More studies are proving that the single theory approach is inadequate and moving towards an integration of the cognitive processes to provide a more satisfying model; where linear models are too simplistic, the critical use of moderation compensates for the other (Boyatzis & Sala, 2004, as cited in Boyatzis,  2011). Organisations would benefit by providing training in both CI and EI development on a regular and ongoing basis to override the honeymoon period of training, particularly focusing on staff with the most experience as it has been found that long term employment tends to lead to a drop in performance (Schmidt & Hunter, 2004). 2) It is important to formulate questionnaires in a clear concise fashion, and keep the content practical and focus on the topic. The audience needs to be carefully considered to keep the content appropriate, for example child counsellors versus drug rehabilitation counsellors (Lynn, 2002). 3) Provide alternative assessment styles to reach a wider audience; for example, delivered as a group or in a private interview (Cools et al., 2009). 4) Consider the relevance of a cross-cultural approach, and other variables such as gender, age group and position within the company. 5) consider a variety of medium to appeal to a wide audience; for example a video, a web-based interactive medium or virtual reality (Chan & Schmitt, 1997). 6) Do some market research relevant to the industry to ensure there are no gaps in the information delivered (Armstrong, Cools & Sadler-Smith (2012). 7) Use care and judgment at all times, respect privacy and cater for existing environment culture (open or discree t). 8) Explore areas in need of development, such as cultural, religious, and interracial. 9) Be mindful that not everyone will be at the same level of knowledge, skills, social ladder and cater for introverts and extroverts. In conclusion, there are differences between CI and EI as the two constructs cover two distinctive aspects of mental intelligence. Both are relevant and contribute to organisational behaviour, however, human behaviour is much too complex to be simplified into two single independent theories. The flaws and strengths found in EI and CI complement each other in a linear fashion (Van Rooy & Viswesvaran, 2004). In this essay, many aspects of CI and EI were explored. It was determined that in spite of a long history, a person is much more than an IQ, and that EI is still at early stage of development. Much work and development is required in the theories to further explore the human potential. To conclude, fFuture studies and competency assessment tools will be interesting to witness over the next few years if the research includes various human genetic var iables in the endeavour to find more answers to adapt to change and reach the full potential of the human personality. References Alvesson, M., & Sveningsson S. (2007). Changing organizational culture: cultural change work in progress. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis. Armstrong, S. J., Cools, E., & Sadler-Smith, E. (2012). Role of cognitive styles in business and management: reviewing 40 years of research. International Journal of Management Reviews 14(3) 238-262. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2370.2011.00315.x Billett, S. (2006). Work, change and workers. Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Springer. Brody, N. (2004). What cognitive intelligence is and what emotional intelligence is not. Psychological Inquiry, 15(3), 234-238. Boyatzis, R. E. (2011). Managerial and leadership competencies: A behavioural approach to emotional, social and cognitive intelligence. Vision, 15(2), 91-100. doi:10.1177/097226291101500202 Cherniss, C., & Goleman, D. (2003). The emotionally intelligent workplace: How to select for, measure, and improve emotional intelligence in individuals, groups and organizations. New York, NY: Wiley. Encyclopaedia Brit annica. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/ Fletcher, R. B., & Hattie, J. (2011). Intelligence and Intelligence Testing. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis. Fulmer, I. S., & Barry, B. (2004). The smart negotiator: Cognitive ability and emotional intelligence in negotiation. The International Journal of Conflict Management, 15(3), pp. 245-272. Human intelligence. (2014). In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/289766/human-intelligence IQ. (2014). In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/289799/IQ IQ. [Art]. In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/70827/Graph-of-intelligence-quotient-as-a-normal-distribution-with-a Kilduff, M., Chiaburu, D. S., & Menges, J. I. (2010). Strategic use of emotional intelligence in organizational settings: exploring the dark side. Research in organizational behavior, 30 129-152. doi:10.1016/j.riob.2010.10.002 Lockwood, N. R. (2006). Maximizing human capital: demonstrating HR value with key performance indicators. HR Magazine, 51(9), 1-10. Lynn, A. (2002). The Emotional Intelligence Activity Book: 50 Activities for Promoting EQ at Work. New York, NY: Amacom. Lyons, J. B., & Schneider, T. R. (2005). The Influence of emotional intelligence on Performance. Personality and Individual Differences 39(4) 693-703. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.02.018 McShane, S., & Travaglione, T. (2007). Organisational behaviour on the Pacific Rim. Sydney, Australia: McGraw-Hill. Roberts, D. R., Matthews, G., & Zeidner, M. (2010). Emotional intelligence: muddling through theory and measurement. Industrial and organisational psychology, 3, 140-144. Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. (2004). General Mental Ability in the World of Work: Occupational Attainment and Job Performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 86(1) 162-173. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.86.1.162 Viswesvaran, C., & Ones, D. S. (2002). Agreements and Disagreements on the Role of General Mental Ability (GMA) in Industrial, Work, and Organizational Psychology. Human Performance, 15(1/2), 211-231. Wood, J., Zeffane, R., Fromholtz, M., Wiesner, R., Morrison, R., & Seet, P. (2013). Organisational behaviour – core concepts and applications (3rd ed.). Milton, Australia: John Wiley & So ns Australia. Yorks, L., & Whitsett, D. A. (1985). Hawthorn, Topeka, and the issue of science versus advocacy in organizational behavior. Academy of Management 10(1), 21-30. Marking Criteria – Academic Essay

Death Across Time and Cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Death Across Time and Cultures - Essay Example Thus, although death is regard as a typical figure or outcome for all human beings, the conceptualization of death events and cultural practices vary significantly (AÌŠhreÃŒ n, P. 154). Among different cultures such as the Chinese, Egyptian and religious cultures, death is seen as a conceived condition that involves sleep, illness or attaining a certain age of life. In contrast, among the European cultures such as the Greeks, death is seen as a total cessation of life. Cultures that views death as a transition between life and death such as the African cultures and Buddhism cultures according to Anna Indych from the ‘’Death Across Time and Cultures’’ video episode sees death as a transition from one to other form of human beings. Similarly, among the Buddhist religious culture, death is seen as a continuous interaction between the living people and the death (AÌŠhreÃŒ n, P. 152). On a broad front, as Hindu cultures’ views death as circular patterns of multiple rebirth and deaths, the Christian religious culture views death as a final end of humanly life that involves no human activities after death. In addition, different conceptions of death as described by Stanley in the view episode in relation to the art of living and grieving, significantly influence the peoples’ way of life and lifestyles. Therefore, different perception of death outcomes for different cultures and people affects their degree in which they fear death, the readiness to die as well as the nature of expression of mourning, grieving and the nature of funeral rituals conducted (AÌŠhreÃŒ n, P.

Based on a classroom learning experience, discuss the social Essay

Based on a classroom learning experience, discuss the social psychological influences on your academic achievement - Essay Example Your academic success today is not necessarily indicative of your success in the future. Working to improve shows others that you have not given up on yourself, so others will not likely give up on you (Ekeler, W. 1997).† The aspiration of every parent for their children is that they develop themselves into mature individuals who can have faith and confidence in themselves that they will succeed in life. Although the interaction within the family is a factor that can help mold the attitude and characteristics of the students, the parents have a high regard for the teachers in school to reinforce this perception. It is a fact, that in the schooling years, the children would spend at least one-third of the day in school, five days a week, thus the influence of the teachers and the interrelationship with their peers, provide the bigger factor in a child’s social development. While in school, the student have to decide with whom to conform, either with a chosen group, or the teacher’s influence with regards to his identity, that he had seemingly impressed upon the teacher. It can help when one realizes how difficult it is to decide whether to belong to a group, or to take the risk of giving up old friends, being aware that time will come, when they will be going in different directions. One discouraging idea for an individual to pursue the satisfaction of his own self identity, is that it can be lonely. Generally, a student is not aware of the Social Identity Theory, which explains that a person has not one personal self, but rather several selves that correspond to widening circles of group membership, in which the quest for positive distinctiveness means that people’s sense of who they are is defined in terms of â€Å"we† rather than â€Å"I.† (2010) A classroom experience has the tendency to implant a lasting impact, and unbeknownst to the teachers, can affect the attitude and behavior of a student towards his learning gr owth or outlook towards himself. For example, the process by which the teachers would normally segregate the students in a classroom, based on their own judgment, which is not always true and accurate, can prove to be discouraging. There was this one student who believes he has the potential to excel. However, he has not shown that side of him yet, because there was no chance. The teacher did not see him as an achiever, therefore, he was placed among the lower set, while the perceived achievers were grouped seated separately. Naturally, he was not given an opportunity to show his bright academic side. He got easily influenced with the others in his group, who were comfortable and conveniently happy that the teachers did not expect much from them. Therefore, he did not see the importance of working and studying harder. During the final test, he got a low mark, even though, at the start of the sessions, he was confident that he has the ability to tackle complex exercises. The above ex perience may be the result of first impressions that readily form the social perception. If there is no special reason to think negatively about a person, one's first impression of that person will normally be positive, as people tend to give others the benefit of the doubt. However, people are especially attentive to negative factors, and if these are present,

Professional Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Professional Practice - Essay Example On one bright day, on the New Year eve, the main server crashed. Though we were able to restart the server and line it up for service, the database could not be started. After much trying we decided to restore the backed up data from the earlier date. As luck would have it, the restored data also failed. If we had tried to restore this data it would have been two days work which the client might have had to do, instead if we were to restore the earlier one, we need to restore or reenter almost one week's data which is quite a volume. Taking all this into consideration we tried our best to bring back online the original data without loss of any information. It took almost two days for us to bring back the data and restart the database. This professional issue meant we are possibly missing our New Year celebrations. But for the client, it was down the day before the New Year and it was brought on line the day after the New Year. Literally, there was no down time for them. They were hap py. Professional issues many times are application of mind and common sense coupled with appropriate technical knowledge. May be I should say, 20% technical knowledge and 80% common sense. I have found along with this, there is also another major factor which plays an important role in sorting out professional issues and that is the attitude. The learning attitude and an open mind, both for criticisms, for new ideas and for sharing new thoughts, would all help in solving very many complex issues. Professional issues are welcome since they would bring in challenges that make our work more interesting, in the bargain, educating us and leave us with a sense of achievement at the end. Whereas Ethical issues are not... The researcher of this essay states that running and heading a private business is a challenging job. One, you are responsible for your staff and also for yourself and your family. Two, the customers need to be answered and the commitments made need to be honored including the time lines. As a matter of fact, the staff in your company will expect you to compensate them for the same kind of work. The responsibilities at the office are more profound and finding time to make contributions to forums of interest seems to be a difficult proposition. The researchr of this essay lists down some of the professional issues that he faced during the course of his work with various companies. As Head IT Technician, the researcher was expected to plan for ongoing and regular backups of database in a particular client site. This was done twice every week at an interval of three days every time. The idea was, in case there is any data related issue, the client would be able to roll back to a state t hat was maximum three days prior to the date of the problem. The researcher also planned it in such a way that there will be at least one more backup which will also be maintained. The researcher concluds that this course made a very important point and that is: we may not be able to satisfy every one at every point in time. Professionals need to up hold the highest professional tradition and ethic. The course made the researcher to appreciate these facts of the codes of conduct as well as the ethics and the morals behind these codes.

Business research methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business research methods - Essay Example In order to study this topic, the researcher would make use of primary as well as secondary data and analyse them using quantitative approach as well as qualitative approach. Statistical analysis of the data would help in understanding the relationship in a robust way and also allow illustrating the results in a visually comprehensive manner. Qualitative analysis of the data would help in gaining deep insights regarding employee behaviour that leads to the concerned level of organizational effectiveness. Aim of the Research The research work would be done with the aim of analyzing the impact of innovation on the level of organizational effectiveness in terms of organizational performance and efficiency of business strategies. Introduction Innovation has become the key to success and survival in the modern business world. During the late 1970s organizations faced a spacious business field with much lesser competition than the current business scenario. In the present business scenario , companies are operating in an intricate and complex external environment and a highly volatile market place (Vuuren, 2013). This paper aims at studying the level of organizational innovation and assessing the impact it casts on organizational effectiveness. To serve this purpose a global business firm has been chosen. The chosen company is Dell Computers. This company has a strong history of innovation and it is one of the leading companies in the field of technology. Research objectives In the current business platform, companies are required to make efforts to move beyond simple modification of their operating processes and take real innovative actions in terms of product features and service quality. Dell has a proven track record of making huge investment in its research and development department that enables the company to come up with ground breaking innovations. The company competes with the global leaders in the industry and ranks third after Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) and Lenovo. Dell makes constant innovations and utilizes modern technological knowhow in order to throw steep competition for its rivals. The company also updates itself with the changing preferences of its customer base. This fine tunes the new innovations of the company with demands of the market, which in turn increases organizational effectiveness. There are three research objectives of this study. The primary research objective is mentioned below, followed by the secondary and tertiary research objectives. To critically evaluate the theories of organizational innovation and study the manner in which organizational innovation might influence organizational effectiveness To investigate the company’s decision making in the context of their plans to expand their product range, other than computers, in the field of Information Technology To identify the strategies that might help Dell to beat the position of Hewlett Packard and become the leading supplier of personal computer s in the world market Research questions The central topic that is being explored in this paper is the relationship between organizational innovation and organizational effectiveness. To study this topic the researcher has framed three research questions. These have been mentioned below: What are the implications of current business strategies on Dell’s current level of research and deve

Wk 4 Compare the different law enforcement tactics to combat human Essay - 1

Wk 4 Compare the different law enforcement tactics to combat human trafficking. Is law enforcement criminal intelligence sharing and cooperation on human trafficking working - Essay Example (Simon p1) The question posed is whether the different law enforcement tactics to combat human trafficking including criminal intelligence sharing and cooperation is working. I would say that based on the research in the 2 articles provided it is working at least to the extent of slowing down the rate of increase of human trafficking incidents if not actually decreasing them. Some of the causes of human trafficking are beyond the direct control of law enforcement such as poverty, political and/or social inequalities, natural disasters like Katrina and political influences. Also the extent of human trafficking is difficult to quantify due to the reluctance of victims to alert law enforcement even if they can for fear of deportation and/or retribution from the traffickers. The 2 articles provided address the issue of US human trafficking in different ways. Simon discusses effective policing whereas Hepburn et al focuses on advances in legislation. Simon’s methodology is to survey Florida police departments and non government social service organizations (NGOs) to assess their policies for fighting human trafficking. He notes that proactive community policing has proven more effective than traditional reactive policing in fighting crimes such as human trafficking. This involves officers interacting with members of immigrant communities, preferably in their own language, and NGOs catering to them to gain intelligence about suspected trafficking operations. Also since prosecutions are pursued federally there must be cooperation between the 2 levels to ensure local police identify and stop the crime, manage victims and protect evidence to ensure prosecutions are effective. Police officers must be trained not only in the law but also how to deal empathetically with fearful victims. On the other hand, the Hepburn et al article outlines developments in

Do the questions below. ( every questions should be more than 200 Term Paper - 1

Do the questions below. ( every questions should be more than 200 words) - Term Paper Example By analyzing commodity in terms of use-value, the diversity of production is reflected through it since the generated goods are not limited to few modes of use. Exchange-value, likewise, signifies commodity by assigning to it various equivalents that are often relative to human aim and preference. There are, however, occasions when utilization of something ceases or times when people could no longer find accidental worth and equivalence between things and for this ground, it becomes complex to make commodity yield a single compact definition. In association to human labor, commodity is evaluated as the first product of the worker and thus, possesses inherence in this aspect. Consequently, commodity may be defined as an entity of intrinsic value which can be utilized often or be found in the process of trade at times after it has undergone production where it begins to acquire value and be translated between value forms. Q.140. Can you think of determinants of the labor process which do not belong to it as useful labor? With reference to Marx’s proposition, one such determinant can be human labor in the abstract since such labor, though not used in the actual process of creating tangible goods, is capable of value formation. By abstraction, a value found in the output of concrete labor is translated through exchange. Hence, since trade makes it possible to produce value, the labor process need not depend upon concrete or useful labor at all times for it can meet production demands via unseen workers as well. A pertinent illustration of this is manifested in the development of cash economy where Marx observes that: â€Å"In proportion as exchange bursts its local bonds, and the value of commodities more and more expands into an embodiment of human labour in the abstract, in the same proportion the character of money attaches itself to commodities that are by nature fitted to perform the social function of a universal equivalent† (Marx Vol. 1, Part 1 , Chap. 2, Par. 9). Similarly, labor derived by manual efforts can be made equivalent to certain machines at work which are altogether part of capitalist assets even if no useful labor is necessary to operate them. These tools may be treated as determinants to the labor process since their collective functions are still integrated to the entire scheme of production, affecting the manual labor utilized at stages where mechanical results can determine whether more or less number of labor hours must be expended. Q.184. What is according to Marx the relative value of a commodity? To describe the principle of relative value, Marx exemplifies â€Å"the bodily form of commodity B becomes the value form of commodity A, or the body of commodity B acts as a mirror to the value of commodity A. By putting itself in relation with commodity B, commodity A converts the value in use, B, into the substance in which to express its A’s own. The value of A, thus expressed in the use value of B, has taken the form of relative value.† Based on this, relative value may be perceived as measure of significance of an object relative or with respect to the degree of significance of another to which the former is held in comparison. Through linen-coat example, Marx illustrates how relative value may be understood in the light of value expression. According to Marx, value only emerges upon the confrontation of its equivalent and

People & Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

People & Organisations - Essay Example Maslows Hierarchy of Needs can be viewed in a pyramid form. From bottom to top the needs are as follows: These can relate to an organisation as well as the individual. Physiology for an organisation can be the basic necessities of a company. For example, a hotel must have a building capable of holding multiple rooms, electricity, heat, beds, and other basics. Security could be resources needed to continue the hotel business, such as employees, customers, and other resources. Loving and friendship could mean the employees relationships with each other, but even more importantly with the customer. Esteem could be an example of pride in ones work. Hotel employees coming to work and actually having pride in their job. Self actualisation is achieved with a successful company. For example, the Hilton hotels could claim self actualisation. 2) Apollo Culture (`Role Culture): ordered and structured organisation, operating within clearly defined and well-known rules and hierarchies; classic bureaucracy or public service organisation. 3) Athena Culture (`Task Culture): very different approach to the concept of management: emphasis is on achieving the task in hand through a problem-solving culture, with little concern about the organisational structure or rules; power and influence depends on expertise and achievement, and successful participation in team-work, not status in the organisation. 4) Dionysus (`Existential Culture): emphasis is on individualism, not on the organisation at all; the organisation exists only to enable the individual to achieve, not the other way round; typical organisational culture of professional practices such as a medical partnership or barristers chambers; no `boss at all in the normal sense, though for practical purposes one of the professionals will probably be elected or appointed by the group. (Handy, 13-36) Instead of directly describing all of these points

Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Company Law - Essay Example The essay starts by outlining the essence of the law of separate corporate personality. This will be followed by an outline of the case of John who is an employee of Diamond Car Sales as well as application of this law to the case. The essay will also look at the circumstances under which the corporate veil can be pierced. The main body of the paper will give a critical analysis of the facts that can lead the court to pierce the issue of corporate veil in certain instance. Essence of separate corporate personality Cillers et al (2004), state that an association of persons or an organised body can acquire legal personality by way of separate Act. Thus, when the company is formed as a separate entity, it acquires the capacity and authority to have its own rights and duties (Gibson, 1988). Thus, once the company has been incorporated, it can be viewed as a separate or independent person with rights and liabilities that it chooses for itself. This is reflected by the case of Salomon v Sa lomon& Co [1897] AC 22 (Hl). Salomon is the sole owner of the once glamorous company and he decides to turn the business venture into a limited company having realised that it had great potential. As such, Salomon got ?10Â  000 in debentures from the shareholders which were acquired through a bond of the company’s assets. ... This may involve creating a brand name for the company that is used as a source of identity which makes the company different from other enterprises. In as far as the aspect of corporate personality is concerned, it can be noted that the aim of the law is concerned with protecting the interests of the company since it is treated like an individual person with legal rights. For instance, Diamond Car sales built a strong corporate personality where it even went on to categorically state that there was no person who would directly compete with it after leaving the company within the first six months of termination of the contract. Situational analysis John is works for Diamond Car Sales and his contract states that upon termination of his employment, he cannot start a business that directly competes with Diamond Car Sales for a period of six months after the termination of his contract. Apparently, John’s contract is terminated and he decides to go into business straight away des pite the provisions of his contract. Fearful of the provisions of the principle of "Separate Corporate Personality" John wants to know if he can operate a business. John decides to set up a company with his son and it competes with Diamond Car Sales. However, John is neither a director nor shareholder of the new company, but he runs the business and everyone refers to him as "the boss." Against this background, this paper seeks to critically analyse the authenticity of Diamond Car Sales’ warning to John to cease trading or they will opt for legal action in order to stop him from trading in direct competition with the company. Case analysis In this

Emily Grierson Essay Example for Free

Emily Grierson Essay The object of fascination in the story. An eccentric recluse, Emily is a mysterious figure who changes from a vibrant and hopeful young girl to a cloistered and secretive old woman. Devastated and alone after her father’s death, she is an object of pity for the townspeople. After a life of having potential suitors rejected by her father, she spends time after his death with a newcomer, Homer Barron, although the chances of his marrying her decrease as the years pass. Bloated and pallid in her later years, her hair turns steel gray. She ultimately poisons Homer and seals his corpse into an upstairs room. Colonel Sartoris A former mayor of Jefferson. Colonel Sartoris absolves Emily of any tax burden after the death of her father, which later causes consternation to succeeding generations of town leaders. Tobe Emilys servant. Tobe, his voice supposedly rusty from lack of use, is the only lifeline Emily has to the outside world and he cares for her and tends to her needs. After her death, he walks out the back door and never returns. Judge Stevens A mayor of Jefferson. Eighty years old, Judge Stevens attempts to delicately handle the complaints about the smell emanating from the Grierson property. To be respectful of Emily’s pride and former position in the community, he and the aldermen decide to sprinkle lime on the property in the middle of the night. Homer Barron A foreman from the North. Homer is a large man with a dark complexion, a booming voice, and light-colored eyes. A gruff and demanding boss, he wins many admirers in Jefferson because of his gregarious nature and good sense of humor. He develops an interest in Emily and takes her for Sunday drives in a yellow-wheeled buggy. Despite his attributes, the townspeople view him as a poor, if not scandalous, choice for a mate. He disappears in Emilys house and decomposes in an attic bedroom after she poisons him. PART 2 1. The metaphor used to describe Emily in the first paragraph was a fallen monument. 2. The house is given a personality in the second paragraph in this way, lifting its stubborn and coquettish decay . 3. Colonel Sartoris had the idea of and helped abate the taxes on the Grierson property. 4. Mailed her the tax papers. 5. Small, fat woman; short, spare skeleton, bloated and pallid; eyes like lumps of coal in dough of her face. 6. 32 years. 7. A bad smell; He explained that the smell was the result of a dead snake or rat that the servant had killed. 8. She told the ladies who called on her that he was not dead for three days. 9. Homer Barron , he runned a construction company. 10. Miss Emily Griersons neighbors in Jefferson were mystified with her sudden coupling with newcomer Homer Barron. They cant believe Emily would be interested in a common Yankee. 11. We learned that Miss Emily had been to the jewelers and ordered a mans toilet set in silver, with the letters H. B. on each piece. Two days later we learned that she had bought a complete outfit of mens clothing, including a nightshirt, and we said, They are married. We were really glad. We were glad because the two female cousins were even more Grierson than Miss Emily had ever been. 12. He was let into Emilys kitchen door at dusk one evening. 13. They spinkled lime because of a foul smell emanating from the house. 14. They find Homers corpse on the bed and they realize that the space next to him has been used, and they find one of Emilys gray hairs on the pillow. 15. Homer Baron was murdered and on the other pillow was some grey hair from Miss Emily.

Debate of Nature vs Nurture

Debate of Nature vs Nurture The historical debate regarding nature and nurture has been going on for years and is still unresolved. Many theorists believe what we have inherited and our genes, makes us the way we are and affects how we develop. Other theorists believe it is the way we are brought up and our experiences, that make us the way we are and how we develop. [1] Nature is the coding of genes in each cell in us humans determine the different traits that we have, more dominantly on the physical attributes like eye color, hair color, ear size, height, and other traits. However, it is still not known whether the more abstract attributes like personality, intelligence, sexual orientation, likes and dislikes are gene-coded in our DNA, too. [2] The nurture theory holds that genetic influence over abstract traits may exist; however, the environmental factors are the real origins of our behavior. This includes the use of conditioning in order to induce a new behavior to a child, or alter an unlikely behavior being shown by the child. According to John Watson, one of the strongest psychologists who propose environmental learning as a dominating side in the nature vs nurture debate, once said that he can be able to train a baby randomly chosen in a group of 12 infants, to become any type of specialist Watson wants. He stated that he could train him to be such regardless of the childs potentialities, talents and race. [2] In the case of personality traits, non-shared environmental effects are often found to outweigh shared environmental effects. That is, environmental effects that are typically thought to be life-shaping (such as family life) may have less of an impact than non-shared effects, which are harder to identify. One possible source of nonshared effects is the environment of prenatal development. Random variations in the genetic program of development may be a substantial source of nonshared environment. These results suggest that nurture may not be the predominant factor in environment. Environment and our situations, do in fact impact our lives, but not the way in which we would typically react to these environmental factors. We are preset with personality traits that are the basis for how we would react to situations. An example would be how extraverted prisoners become less happy than introverted prisoners and would react to their incarceration more negatively due to their preset extrave rted personality [3] Throughout the stages of our life nature and nurture play a large part and help dictate where we will end up in the future for example if you were brought up in a place with a really bad drug problems its likely that you will also develop a drug addiction, also if you were brought up in an area with a lot of gang problems its likely that you will become involved in gang related issues. Neglect and abuse can also affect your development as it could leave you with psychological issues that if left unresolved could cause problems in your adult life, for example if at a young age you see your father beating your mother you might begin to think that this is what is suppose to happen unless told otherwise, leading to you in the future having psychological problems. At childhood the brain is like a sponge and will absorbs any information it is told by the senses. Childrens temperament such as their characteristics and ways of responding to emotional events, novel stimuli, and their own impulses seem to be in part affected by their individual genetic makeup. Similarly, being slow or quick to learn from instruction and everyday experiences has some genetic basis. Inherited characteristics and tendencies are not always evident at birth. Many physical features emerge gradually through the process of maturation, the genetically guided changes that occur over the course of development. Environmental support, such as food, reasonably safe and toxin-free surroundings, and responsive care from others, is necessary for maturation to take place; nature never works alone.[4] Birth and Infancy How a mother handles her pregnancy is critical to a babys development, if a pregnant mother drinks large quantities of alcohol   it can affect her unborn baby extremely, children born with foetal alcohol syndrome tend to be born smaller, tend to have smaller heads and may have heart problems and learning difficulties. Also it is important that during the pregnancy the mother stays healthy as possible as if the mother develops any infections such as rubella it can cause impaired hearing and eyesight or heart damage, things like a mothers diet could also affect their unborn child as you are affected by what your mother eats for example if a mothers diet is high in fat and sugar the child will be have a risk of heart disease and malnutrition, if a mother eats a low amount of healthy food during their pregnancy it can lead to poor health for the child. During infancy Relationships are particularly important as infants learn primarily through their relationship with others. Eye contact, smiles and imitation set the stage for more sustained communication and meaningful exchanges and engagement with parents and other caregivers, and a growing world of relationships. [5]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bibliography http://www.studymode.com/essays/M1-Discuss-The-Nature-Nurture-Debate-1503784.html https://explorable.com/nature-vs-nurture-debate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_versus_nurture#Personality_traits http://www.education.com/reference/article/nature-nurture/ http://www.beststart.org/OnTrack_English/2-factors.html

Environment Preferences of Woodlice: An Experiment

Environment Preferences of Woodlice: An Experiment Do Woodlice prefer damp or dry environments? Woodlice are commonly mistaken for insects. Although they tend to live in woodland areas, Woodlice closest relatives are actually Crabs, Shrimp and Lobsters, with all 4 belonging to Kingdom Crustacea (www.sylvanusservices.com/resources/woodlice_info.pdf accessed 10/10/14). Crustaceans characteristically live in aquatic or damp habitats. They have cephalothoraxes and lack a water proof exoskeleton (Kent, 2000). Due to their exoskeleton not being waterproof, dry environments are bad for woodlice (Kent, 2000). Water can be lost from their bodies via transpiration leaving them very vulnerable to desiccation (Anselme, 2013). Their size would indicate that transpiration can occur very quickly, preventing them from venturing very far from their usual damp habitat. They are terrestrial arthropods but are thought to have evolved from sea dwelling animals such as a Trilobite (www.sylvanusservices.com/resources/woodlice_info.pdf accessed 10/10/14). Most crustaceans breathe via gills, and therefore need to constantly be close to water sources in order to breathe (Pond, 1990). It can therefore be deduced that woodlice (as crustaceans) need to keep close to water sources in order to survive. Woodlice are actually nocturnal, emerging at night to feed and socialise (www.sylvanusservices.com/resources/woodlice_info.pdf accessed 10/10/14). They moult throughout their growth, and at the point of the actual moult they are very vulnerable, other woodlice will actively fight over a freshly moulted woodlouse until one wins and consumes it (www.sylvanusservices.com/resources/woodlice_info.pdf accessed 10/10/14). The purpose of this experiment is to find out if woodlice prefer damp or dry environments. The woodlice will be introduced into choice chambers which are half damp and half dry and allocated a period of time before counting how many have settled in each area. The damp area will be made damp via tap water as woodlice are sensitive to pH (Souty-Grosset et al, 2005). Anselme, 2013 stated that woodlice seemed to remain immobile in environments that it was deemed to favour. Therefore, this experiment will rely on the woodlice immobilising within a set period of time (10 minutes) before collecting the results. Woodlice are known as â€Å"decomposers† (www.sylvanusservices.com/resources/woodlice_info.pdf accessed 10/10/14). Everything decays and decomposes faster in damp areas, and although there is a lot of evidence that woodlice require the damp to breathe, it may also be possible that they associate damp areas with food sources and so show a preference for damp environments. The hypothesis is â€Å"Woodlice prefer damp to dry environments.† Materials and Methods 10 Woodlice Choice chamber with gauze Wet and dry kitchen roll Pot to collect woodlice in Stop watch 10 woodlice were located in a nearby woodland area and placed into the collection pot ready to transport. The choice chamber was then set up. Using the divided areas of the choice chamber, half the chamber was filled with damp kitchen roll and the other half with dry kitchen roll. The gauze was then placed on top of the kitchen roll and finally the lid was put on the top. The 10 woodlice were subsequently introduced to the middle of the choice chamber. They were then timed and observed for 10 minutes before being counted in their final locations. This experiment was then repeated under exactly the same conditions and more results were collected. A control experiment was then performed to ensure that the woodlice were not influenced by other factors when choosing their area to settle within the choice chamber. Results In the first experiment, after the allocated 10 minutes, 1 woodlouse became still in the dry area, the remaining 9 settled in the damp area. In the second experiment 2, after the allocated 10 minutes, 2 woodlice settled in the dry area and 8 were found in the damp area. In the control experiment, the sample woodlice were allocated the same 10 minutes in order to chose where to settle. 6 woodlice stopped in one half of the choice chamber and 4 in the other. Discussion The results are quite clear; the majority of the sample woodlice chose to reside in the damp area of the choice chamber in both experiment one and experiment two. The control experiment showed that the woodlice preference was purely based on the variables of the experiment. It is possible that less woodlice went to the damp side in the second experiment due to becoming saturated with water so sought out dryer areas to dry out (www.sylvanusservices.com/resources/woodlice_info.pdf accessed 10/10/14). To avoid this affecting the results, the woodlice could have been given more time between experiments. It was unclear whether the woodlice sample contained different species, and woodlice ability to survive for longer in dryer areas depends on the amount of gills they have (www.sylvanusservices.com/resources/woodlice_info.pdf accessed 10/10/14). The species of the sample was unknown, although after viewing some diagrams, it was suspected to be â€Å"Porcellio Scaber† (McGavin, 2000). Further research could compare different species and their preferences of environments. The woodlice all seemed to settle and become still after around 4 minutes of exploring their new surroundings. Their settling was taken as a sign on their preference of area (Anselme 2013). Although it did seem the exploration of the choice chamber was random, during experiment 1 a smaller woodlouse actually mounted a larger woodlouse. Its fate was therefore dependent on the choices of its carrier, not its own. This may have affected the validity of the results. The sample size was very small, which makes the experiments results very limited and therefore a repeat of this experiment would require a larger sample group to collect more varied, accurate results. The amount of water used to create the damp side was not regulated. In order to keep things the same, the water should have been measured and the exact same amount of paper towel should have been used each time. The experiment could be repeated several times in order to work out a more accurate average choice of the woodlouse. The control experiment should have been performed first so there was no chance the sample had associated a side of the choice chamber with a certain variable. A choice chamber is an effective way of finding preference; however it was not a realistic living environment. Damp and Dry soil could have given more reliable, realistic results as it imitates the environment the sample were found in. The sample woodlice were all collected from the same area. These woodlice were already living in damp conditions, which was a good indicator as to their preferred habitat. The sample could have been collected from various habitats to prove that given the choice, all woodlice prefer a damper environment. It can be concluded that, on average, the woodlice sample chose to settle in the damp environment than the dry environment, as was hypothesised. REFERENCES ANSELME, P. (2013) Preference for rich, random tactile stimulation in woodlice. Learning and motivation. (44), 326 – 336 BADENHAUSSER, I. SOUTY-GROSSET, C. REYNOLDS, J.D. MOREL, A. (2005) Investigations on the potential of woodlice as bioindicators of grassland habitat quality. European Journal of Soil Biology 41, 109–116 KENT, M. (2000) Advanced Biology. Oxford: Oxford university press. Page 488-489 MCGAVIN, G.C. (2000) Insects, spiders and other terrestrial arthropods. London: Dorling Kindersley ltd. Page 212 POND, C.M. (1990) Biology form and function: Diversity of Organisms. Kent: Hodder and Stoughton. Page 95 Sylvanus Archaeological, Natural History Illustration Services[online] Welcome to the Weird and Wonderful World of Woodlice! Norwich. Available from: http://www.sylvanusservices.com/resources/Woodlice_Info.pdf [accessed 10/10/14] BIBLIOGRAPHY ANSELME, P. (2013) Preference for rich, random tactile stimulation in woodlice. Learning and motivation. (44), 326 336 SPENCER, J.O. and EDNEY, E.B. (1954) The absorption of water by woodlice. Birmingham University:Zoology Department Sylvanus Archaeological, Natural History Illustration Services[online] Welcome to the Weird and Wonderful World of Woodlice! Norwich. Available from: http://www.sylvanusservices.com/resources/Woodlice_Info.pdf [accessed 10/10/14] POND, C.M. (1990) Biology form and function: Diversity of Organisms. Kent: Hodder and Stoughton. Page 95 McGavin, G.C. (2000) Insects, spiders and other terrestrial arthropods. London: Dorling Kindersley ltd. Page 212 Kent M. (2000) Advanced Biology. Oxford: Oxford university press. Page 488-489 Impact of Art Nouveau: Influences on Interior Design Impact of Art Nouveau: Influences on Interior Design My proposal will demonstrates that Art Nouveau was an artistic movement that took different directions in each country, how does this art movement changes the place of the world and affect all forms of visual culture. Furthermore, the impacts it has on architectures and interior design in the Art Nouveau movement. I will also demonstrates a New York architect whos work has relate to my design practice as inspiration. I was interested in Hector Guimards historic and refined architectures inspired me a lot, especially the Paris metro station. I like the dazzling virtuosity of wrought ironwork, as well as the floral designs and the unique letterform that was applied on the Paris metro entrance. Besides, the silhouettes of the metro entrance were symmetrical and it was designed to catch the eye and the surface decorations are elegant. He employs endless wealth of nature forms in architecture. Guimard architectures are essentially characterized for the naturalistic ornamentation and sophisticated design based on plant, his design idea is borrowed from nature and subsequently translates the contour of nature into architecture. I particularly like his bold use of materials and colour, such as the vibrant green he apply on the Paris metro entrance. In my own design practice, Hector Guimards architectures have an impact on my design in terms of the highly detailed surface ornamentation on architectures, the bold colour and distinctive appearance of his historic architectures have inspired me in my design where historical and contemporary design are incorporated into one design. On the other side, I found that the Art Nouveau glassware, architectures and interior design have truly inspired me a lot on detailed decorative designs and the use of plants as ornaments for interior decoration. The rich colours of Art Nouveau glassware have combined the beauty in nature and this is one of the reason I love everything that was produced during this art movement. The motif in my design practice encompasses all the characteristics of Art Nouveau, comprising the inspiration are derived from plants forms and the decorative surface. This book very clearly and thoroughly discusses how elements of Art Nouveau were absorbed into Art Deco after the World War I and how Art Nouveau styles of tile-making have been revived in the 1980s and 1990s. The book is very useful in determining why this was so and demonstrating the cultural significance this type of decoration had at the time. Verbrugge gives a detailed explanation of Art Nouveau was an attempt to give a new direction to nineteenth century art, architecture and design and to replace the prevailing historical style at the time. Additionally, the book also looks at how architects incorporate Art Nouveau ceramic decorations in buildings. This book demonstrates the many ways in which furniture not only offered Art Nouveau designers the opportunity to use their favourite sinuous curves and floral decorations, but also gave them free rein to select variety of woods and other materials to obtain different effect; in order to decorate a space in Art Nouveau style. In addition to thorough written and illustrated examples of their use, the book shows the diversity of Art Nouveau furniture that they are characterized by their charm for ornamentation. It also discusses why Art Nouveau furniture was elaborately decorated in the nineteenth and twenty century interior and discusses their meanings in the interior. It further goes on to detail on the sources that inspired designers in decorating the interior with Art Nouveau furniture. The book explores chairs and desks were adorned by elaborately distinctive styles of ornate, sinuous shape and natural curves of design. Duncan also looks at Art Nouveau furniture designers prefer is use a wide range of wood. Pale wood comprise teak, ash and maple. While dark woods were walnut, rosewood and mahogany. Mahogany has dark grain surface, it varnished repeatedly until it acquired a rich chocolate-brown hue, imparted a feeling of wealth. In addition, the characteristics of Art Nouveau furniture are their simplicity of line, richness of material and sobriety of decoration. This book offers a wide discussion on material which it has quite obviously played an important role in Art Nouveau glass. Ricke has discusses why Art Nouveau glass is not just a material for vessels but also for works that are so close to sculpture. This is relevant to my interests in the unique and distinctive design on Art Nouveau glassware. Ricke explains when various layers and colours, deep intaglio cutting and engraving are employed on glass, it make the glass looks more distinctive effect. Besides, he aslo discusses painting on glassware is very similar of paint on wall in certain aspects. Beckers book historically locates Art Nouvea jewels took on strange unprecedented characteristics; moreover, the dramatic symbolism of themes and motifs in Art Nouveau jewels. Besides, she has also referred the main principle of Art Nouveau proposed that the aim of art was to suggest reality. Becker discusses why the Art Nouveau jewels reflect the century at the time. It chronicles the role of women is the theme for many Art Nouveau jewel designers at the time and this theme reflected in many portrayals of women in the jewels. Insects, animals, plants, nature and birds are the fantasy creature as well as greatly loved motifs in Art Nouiveau jewelry, specially the dragonfly and butterfly; they were used in endless variations. Wriggling marine plants, rippling hair and the natural curves of the female form are the inspirations for Art Nouveau jewelry designers. The decorative floral motifs can also being seen in Art Nouveau jewelry. They all dominant theme of Art Nouveau jewelry. Furth ermore, Art Nouveau motif was extensively used in jewelry for a reason of harmony in life and art. Jewelry designer has put emphasise on aesthetic to the jewelry design and the femininity that employ a powerful influence during the Art Nouveau movement conveyed through the most feminine of ornaments. This book provides an excellent contextual overview for considering how Art Nouveau jewel designers express the new spirit of the art with special emphasis on the decorative element in jewel design. The book discusses questions about jewelry was the most intense expression of the Art Nouiveau movement. It reviews the nature of Art Nouveau style suited the purpose of jewelry as adornment to feminine beauty. Wealthy family who are passiobate about their plants was uncontrollable over their jewels and how they turned the natural flowers into jewels and diamonds to be transformed into flowers are further topics in this book. Becker explains the reality of nature in Art Nouveau jewelry desig n demonstrates jewel designers keen observation of the structure of and composition of plants. The book is useful because it mentioned every jewel designers contributed their individual way to their Art Nouveau jewelry design. She has also looks at the international impact on Art Nouveau jewel. Becker explores Art Nouveau jewelry designers study the plant structure and also mentions Art Nouveau jewelry have exquiste charm and deep relationship to nature. Additionally, the most extensive influence on Art Nouveau fashion jewel design came from ancient jewelry. She also gives a detailed explanation of Art Nouveau jewelry had all the vigour and intensity of youth, they are all highly decorative, streamlined and rich in order to create an abstract linear look on jewels. Hypermasculinity And Homosexuality: African American Culture Hypermasculinity And Homosexuality: African American Culture Through past experience and research, hypermasculinity has led African American culture to be defined as a culture that strongly fights for their sign of status, and sexual aggressivity and dominance appear to be highly regarded. Research has concluded that media and false misinterpretations of hypermasculinity are the main causes, and the strong influences they have are causing these dominant, aggressive and demanding behaviours. Research has been done through personal interviews, field work and observation. Perhaps present and previous research is showing a better understanding for many cultures as to why African American men display certain characteristics, in which demonstrate power and control. Furthermore studies are creating awareness for society, although they are not justifying these behaviours as being acceptable. Introduction: Life threatening situations are brought upon us every day as we walk out the front door, into the bus or into the front doors of school. Growing up in todays society and conforming to various norms, values and behaviours in which one witnesses, is traumatic and time consuming amongst young men and women, especially young African American men. Gender roles and societies expectation are presented at such a young age, this leading to pressure and unjustified behaviours, such as drug trafficking, prostitution and pimping. Within African American society, gender roles are depicted precisely and followed. Various different ethnic groups live in different parts of the world, but the status of black males in American society has been in flux for the last several decades (Lips 2001, p.5). The reasons why all these groups must show status is to prove their images of what it means to be masculine. Sentimental, submissive and superstitious (Lips, 2001, p.5) are qualities associated with females in every country. On the other hand males are more likely to be connected to characteristics resembling dominance, forcefulness and strength (Lips, 2001, p.5). In a variety of Hip Hop, Rap music video clips, the images being portrayed of how young men must behave always consists of the same factors; dominance, power, aggressivity and the tough guy. The question of how hypermasculinity is defined in African American culture and why sexual aggressivity and dominance appear to be highly regarded within this culture, has been an ideology for many. Despite false interpretation that the media portrays, and the pressure of role models and real men, the following paper will examine the main points and answers to these questions. Furthermore it will observe the use of the term nigga and gansta from an open minded point of view. Hypermasculinity defined and expressed Hypermasculinity is an extremely important sign of status for black males. Hypermasculinity is defined in the (Oxford Dictionary) as an exaggerated masculine qualities, although this term can be negative, it is also personalized when examining these behaviours as adaptive or maladaptive impassively. The term gansta for example comes from the word gangster, which means a criminal who is a part of a gang; who would want to be viewed as a criminal. The other term often miss used, is the word pimp. A pimp, is an agent for prostitutes who lives off their earnings (Oxford Dictionary). Today pimp is being used to refer to guys who sleep with many girls, or the ones who can pick up any girl they want. Where will society draw the line, and who comes to decide whether one corresponds to the definition of a man an adult human male, sometimes also used to identify a male human regardless of age, as in phrases such as mens rights (Oxford Dictionary). DeReef examines African American behaviour and defines masculinity to the degree where a male is able to successfully manifest their attributes (DeReef, F. J. 2006, p.46). These behaviours are being shown in different ways where males are modifying or distorting their real behaviours in order to conform into society, as to what seems to be correctly acceptable. Over a long period of time until today black compulsive masculinity has been a dysfunctional response to solving racial domination and has been causing more problems within the environment. In other words black compulsive behaviours is an ideology composed of African consciousness, in which has created a reactionary masculinity in many African American males who seek to imitate their white male counterparts (DeReef, F.J. 2006, p. 47). According to Wolfe African American males strongly believe it is hard to achieve masculine identity through usual work or responsibilities. They are justifying their behaviours through assumption s in which they believe that they are the only ones who must work hard and have responsibilities in order to achieve masculine identity. Maladaptive hypermasculine behaviours such as drug trafficking, or being a pimp are the ones being justified because there is not enough employment opportunities given to black men. There has been a correlation between joblessness and higher incidence of various maladaptive behaviours. Hypersexuality and homophobia Black males, especially young men are so afraid to be referred to as wimps, or homos, that they have even created the term no homo (Masculinity, homophobia and Hip Hop, n.d ),. The term No homo must be said at the end of each sentence, in order for people not to think they sound gay, or they said something gay. During an interview regarding the term no homo, males claimed not to be reinforcing that their not gay because they know theyre not, but they are just making sure that when they speak others dont assume theyre gay. Homophobia is a big issue that has aroused and has become serious within the generation today. Elijah G.Ward, discusses how the black churches are also encouraging homophobia amongst black males and most of the time those who are against homosexuality are uncertain of their own sexuality and fear that they will be categorised as a community. This strongly emphasizes their powerful beliefs that heterosexuality is the right way. Many cultures do not support homosexual ity, a significant amount of black people according to Elijah G. Ward, see homosexual relationships as unacceptable and morality wrong p.494. In the black community a famous gansta-rapper Ice Cube has implanted in one of his famous songs true niggers aint gay (Ward, G.E .2005, p. 497). Homosexuality is seen to be a sign of weakness and is associated with feminine characteristics, these also encouraging labels towards men such as fags or queers. The black church strongly enforces that homosexuality is not what a man is and a man should be violent, demanding and have control. Their main priorities are their labels and they pay close attention, not to be called sissies which is the opposite of being cool. They want to portray that hard core gansta rapper role model who is an intensified, black male cultural reflection of patriarchy, sexism, hetorosexism and gansta-style (Ward, G. E. 2005, p. 497). Violent behaviours and gansta Throughout history, the black population have undergone several changes some harder to adapt to then others. The main issue with behaviours constantly changing and deviance sometimes being accepted, is when you adapt to an aggressive dominant behaviour you dont want to let go of that control you have obtained. A problem which has occurred and is important to understand is to know the difference between, understanding what you have been told and believing and making your own judgements accordingly; if it is right. For example in the black society it is a sign of status, to sleep with as many women as possible. William, A. Wolfe, summarize in their article that it is right to deceive a girl in order to have sex with her (Wiliam, A. Wolfe 2003, p 848) and that they dont believe in the use of the condom for a simple reason that they would be undermining their masculinity (Wiliam, A. Wolfe 2003, p. 848).Black males have been socialized into using their penis as a way to achieve manhood . Different expectations within a culture or society and how values have changed over time. This has also caused many African American women to fear their partners, and studies say that a woman has been in an abusive relationship is more likely not to speak up and fight her partner. In regards to sexuality and power the black African American society believes that when sexual aggression exists in a relationship (Wiliam, A. Wolfe 2003, p. 848 ), this shows violence is involved therefore he is a man; concluding violence is manly. Adolescent black males are also accounted for having a higher victimization rate than any other racial or age group (Gregory,S. 2007, p 371). African American women compare to their counter parts are the ones to usually get involved in abusive relationships and stay quiet due to their surroundings and or an abusive father. African American women are more vulnerable and listen to their partners when they use aggressive behaviours. This also brings out statist ics which show that over fifty percent of babies are born to minor females, fathered by African American men. They also show that the father is usually on average 26.1 years older (Wiliam, A. Wolfe 2003, p. 849.From this one can clearly conclude that a young African American female is no way has interpersonal skills and dominance over her partner to demand the use of a condom. Furthermore, black males are often taught or trained to control their emotions internally towards exercises that stimulate minor frustration, although this does not emphasise the power that long term maladaptive, self destructive and life threatening (Gregory, S. 2007,p.386) consequences have above it all. An infant who is brought up in a dangerous neighbourhood, attended an unsafe school and dealt with racism is more prone to recognize feelings towards aggression and violence. Black men who have experienced a tragic event of a life threatening situation will want to be prepared if it ever happens again, this is why Gregory, S. discusses the use of carrying of a weapon. In most neighbourhoods today and schools, young teens will not walk around with knifes and use it as an excuse of security purposes, although in neighbourhoods where there are at least three people getting stabbed every day, these young kids want to feel safe. The college of New Jersey evaluated that males are more l ikely to carry a weapon than females, and a survey in 2007 showed that 27% of boys did carry a weapon (Gregory, S. 2007, p.369). Carrying a knife or a gun is a sign of security, despite its encouragement towards violent behaviours. A weapon stimulates the fight or flight response which is a decision you make when experiencing a dangerous situation. Is the individual going to walk away, or will he make a decision and fight. In a situation where someone is carrying a weapon, almost one hundred percent of the time if they feel secure enough to fight and win, the weapon is their support and will cause them to partake in this dangerous behaviour. Statistics show that in 1994, gun control accounted for approximately 1,700 Black youths aged ten to nineteen (Gregory, S. 2007, p 368). The following statistics tell us that most of crime is being committed at a young age by youth. Young children are the ones who are victimised, especially in schools in poor neighbourhoods and the fear they exp erience is unpleasant and it creates an awareness of danger. Hip Hop; a justifiable reason leading to hypermasculinity The third point, if not one of the most influential one in society influencing power, dominance and control is Hip Hop. As a whole Hip Hop has become a culture for most black African American men and this has brought up a new image of acceptable behaviours and hypermasculinity. Many video clips you watch or lyrics you read are not only full of vulgar language, but its always a battle over a girl, power or insulting someones mother. Rap has created a new lifestyle for young men, and also many role models like Eminem, 50 cent and Tupac. Luxury has also become a big part of status. Many African American men today believe that rap is a way to express their true black life. There are different kinds of rap music, this having an influence on different kind of behaviours that are being acted out in society. Rap is categorised using five different forms. Teacher-rap, nation conscious rap, gansta rap, player/lover rap, porno rap and last religious rap (DeReef,F.J. 2006). These different kinds of rap all influence different ideas from social commitment to struggle, romance, sexual aggressive behaviours and spirituality of Christianity and Islam. It is amazing to listen to a rap song and interpret all these different ideas, and thinks to yourself, how can a young fifteen or sixteen year old kid understand this. What is being said is sometimes due to a personal experience or the rap artist is expressing his feelings and or emotions. Media has shown violence to be a part of masculinity, that it has become a norm and is no longer deviance within society. Statistics show that one in four men will use violence against their partner, and eighty-five percent of murders are being committed by men. As one can witness sexuality, criminality and violence play a strong role as being partners. Hip Hop role models like Lil Wayne display high rates of criminality for young African American men, and also use violence and strength towards sexuality. Young males are being brain washed and influenced in regards to these being the real characteristics of men and its a direct justification for hypermasculine behaviours. Roots of slavery The 17th century African American slavery was devastating and today has become a part of history. Slaves were not entitles any equal rights compare to what other had. They were demanded to do hard labour work and were treated with cruelty. Slaves were working ridiculous amount of hours a day and werent even treated as human beings.These slaves were being sold as if they were commodities from city to city. Slaves were seen by many as a different class of people in society. Many slaves tried to fights their master although there was not much success as they would be arrested or sent somewhere else. Slavery today plays a role on how society view black males and how they view themselves compare to society. The word nigga The word nigga is a good example or a word that has different meanings and that has been re-appropriated in society depending on who uses it. The word nigga comes from the word nigger which was originally used to refer to black people. The word was also used in the time of slavery for the black who were trying to escape. Today many African American men use the word amongst each other like white people would use the word brother. Although if a white person were to use the word nigger it is seen as insulting and some African American men take it to the extreme of being offended they might even beat someone up. Nigger for the African American culture is a sign of self identity amongst one another and pride. It is a moment in time of history and they want to hold onto this. In the 1970 the word nigger was seen as racists, offensive and as early as today it is a word that many will refrain from using. Slavery and hypermasculinity Men have enslaved other men to show their mastery over them, and think it is a weakness to show or express their feelings towards other human beings. Patriarchal masculinity has caused problems that are so complex. Long after legal racial segregation ended ( Lips, 2001, p.2 ), it is still clear how the white society treats Black men. Unless close attention is being payed to little factors which make a difference; often Black men are referred to not as men but as boys (Lips, 2001, p.20). Black men lived through times where they were never given the same privileges as white men, and they always had to earn their masculinity, most of the time not feeling good about being a man. Black males were always viewed as inferior to other cultures and always had to prove themselves one way or another. They were always stereotypically related to drugs, poverty and violence. Black American youth during the period of black power to Hip Hop, were denied opportunities to exercise their citizenship; th is having an effect today, they dont want to fall back down beneath everyone. Being denied opportunities, rights and not able to achieve personal goals has stuck with the black society until today. Not only is being labelled black a mental damage, but creates physical aggression as well. It seems that an individual who has been constantly emasculated over the years would at least try to conform to the dominant culture in hope of their being some acknowledgment of acceptance. It has been proven throughout society especially in the United States, that growing up as a black male has been a tough process. Being a black male is a burden at times because some people see and think of me, and men like me, as menaces to society. The masculinity that has been a part of my life has been one that has been used to oppress others and oppress me (Clifford, A. 2006, and p.4). The status of poverty for African American youth is the one that is the most revealing. In 2001 among all American children under the age of eighteen, the poverty rate was sixteen percent, but it was three times as high for black children; 30 percent (Collins, H, P. 2006, p.3). Black youth are the ones who are affected the most by social problems. Increasing employment opportunities for African American males would be ideal, this would give them a better environment, better surroundings and influence them that they are like the rest of the society. This is also why many black males rape, because that act of aggression towards a women is a form of status in which they would use in a workplace which is often not available for them. In other words, having the right to work and live a normal life style, will affect them positively. Several African American men have shaped their understandings and realities based on the past and keep exercising those actions. Having a normal life style r emains a dream for many black youths living under the age of eighteen. The main problem that touches upon poverty is the ineffectiveness of political strategies that strive to resist it (Collins, H, P. 2006, p.9). The civil rights movement was the primary strategy to solve racial integration, although African American politics are trying new social challenges to meet old responses. Despite some accomplishment, African Americans are frustrated because they dont see anything opening up ahead of them and they are still dealing with high unemployment rates. Beyond social problems resulting to poverty, unemployment and lack of civil rights, masculinity today is a big part relating to the past. African American societies have developed strong personalities to prove who they are and what they are capable of. For instance when you look around today, you will see more black males working, neighbourhoods are less poor and opportunities and chances have been and are being given to black commun ities. Considering that young African American males occupy such a visible position within society, they have demonstrated a zero tolerance for race, nation, gender, age and sexuality (Collins, H, P. 2006). All these different aspects that influenced black men have created the drives towards manhood today. When black men were in slavery they were being ordered around and always given commands; comparing that to this new generations they are the ones who are in control, and for the most are the ones giving commands. Conclusion: The issue of hypermasculinity is one that is quite complex and a total solution cannot be found. Research has shown that African American men believe in proving themselves as real men; this leading to behaviours in which can no longer be controlled. These actions are being tolerated by society today especially for young black males. Sexual aggressivity, dominance and hypermasculinity are highly responded within the culture for a countless amount of reasons. Media is portraying false misinterpretations as to what it means to be masculine, there is always a constant pressure being brought upon black males which enforces violent and controlling behaviours and they are being accepted as normal. Thirdly, African American culture has such a strong influential past of slavery that their culture is looking at society through a different lens. Black male needs to accomplish giving themselves an identity that will cause them to be comfortable with themselves. Ideally black males should critically assess the dominant cultures norm of masculinity instead of reworking the norms to satisfy their social situation. Many black males have failed to see the problem of the dominant cultures norms of masculinity in their lives. Society in general has labelled black men as being dangerous, and regardless if you know the person or not before even speaking to many black men they fall into that category that they are violent, dangerous or a sex maniac. Society has enforced black males to feel this way and cause them to do things in which they shouldnt do. It has caused a psychological problem which is hard to erase. In no way do African American men believe they can show weakness, this would mean they are not men. Violence in the media is glorified, and is exposed to children of all ages. Police will not hesitate to use violence against s uspects, and these young black males are often the targets of violent behaviours in their neighbourhoods; drugs, rape, gang related fights or domestic violence.