Behavioral theory development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Behavioral theory development - Research Paper Example Unlike Erikson, Freud’s theories were based upon studies of neurotic patients; Erikson’s theories were based upon studies of normal childhood. Keoke and Porterfield (2001) explain the beginning of Erikson’s observation of normal childhood development as follows: in 1902, Erickson was born in Germany to a well-off family who immigrated to Germany from Denmark; at the age of 25 years, Erickson moved to Vienna, Austria where he established a school and was fortunate to become one of Sigmund Freud’s students and colleagues. During the Hitler reign of terror, Erikson migrated to the United States where he worked with prominent anthropologists and studied two American Indian tribes called the Sioux and Yukon. Erickson’s anthropology study turned into the first empirical study on normal childhood development. The focus of the study was the early childhood development of the Sioux and Yukon children in their home and school environment compared to White Ame rican children. After a longitudinal scientific investigation focused upon the childhood development of the Sioux, Yukon, and White American cultures, including the American Welfare system, Erikson knew that it was time to establish his own theory of development which was in direct conflict to his teacher and colleague namely Freud (Keoke & Porterfield, 2001). Santrock (1997) describes Erikson’s famous eight developmental stages as follows: (a) Trust vs. Mistrust is focused upon the fetal years through the first year and ideally the child learns to get physical and emotional needs fulfilled of which must be achieved before the child will learn how to trust; (b) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt initiate around the second year of the child’s life in which independence and the assertion of the child’s will is observed through the behavior of doing things and exploring. Erikson observed that if

TESCO's Business Plan Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

TESCO's Business Plan - Case Study Example According to Kanter (1995) such an action will not constitute an adequate response. This is so because success is based on an organisation's ability to create, rather than predict the future by developing those products that will literally transform the way the world thinks and view it self and the needs (Kanter 1995:71). The study first of all scans the market environment using the PESTLE framework; thereafter the study looks at TESCO corporate mission and vision statement in the phase of its new business plan. Finally the study looks into how ecological factors and other environmental factors have been used by TESCO to benefit its business plan. The last section of the paper provides the conclusion and recommendation for the study. Founded by Jack Cohen in 1919, Tesco Plc today, has established itself as the largest super store in Europe. According to the company 2007 corporate report and the website, Tesco PLC is an international retailer. Tesco principal activities include food retailing having over 2,000 stores in the United Kingdom. The company also has stores and retail outlet in other countries like the Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan and China (Tesco 2006 Review). Tesco operates 165 International Express stores. In addition it operates 39 stores in China, 111 in Japan, 13 in Malaysia, 62 in South Korea, 6 in Taiwan, 219 in Thailand, 35 in Czech Republic, 87 in Hungary, 105 in Poland, 91 in Republic of Ireland, 37 in Slovakia and 8 in Turkey. (Tesco Annual Review, 2006). It therefore operates round the clock which demonstrates its commitment to create customer value which in turn generates superior value for its shareholders. Tesco denotes its success to an aggressive global strategy of geographical diversification, product differentiation, cost focus and it use of umbrella branding. In its attempt to renew the brand and keep it in sync with changing customer tastes, Tesco follows various strategies including international diversification, providing value to customers, product diversification, innovation, acquisition and umbrella branding. Its recent strategy is the creation and opening of environmental friendly and energy efficient stores. 1.1.1 Political Factors The PESTLE framework outline in appendix one stipulates that a company is

Lesbian Gay Bisexual And Transgender Media Essay

Lesbian Gay Bisexual And Transgender Media Essay Most of the respondents are found to possess at least a little knowledge about the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) group as it has been found in the survey questionnaire data that most respondents heard and are aware of existence of LGBT. Majority of the respondents approach and expose to media daily, according to the data collected from the survey questionnaires. This means that they have a better understanding of what is the content of media better than those who expose less to media. If there is any information or news about the LGBT group, this group of people will be the first to know and the group who will discuss the most as they approach to the media daily. This made the credibility of respondents and the data collected from them are higher because they understands and approach more to the media, as this research study about the perception gained from media. Among the many kinds of media, a greater number of respondents approach more to the new media. As the internet is not fully controlled by the government unlike other media, the information gained from internet is different from local media. LGBT related information and news can be found more on the internet, as individuals can access to various LGBT related web sites. If the individuals want to know more about the LGBT group, the internet is definitely a better choice compare to the local media. A large part of respondents are aware of the LGBT portrayal are also believed to obtain related information more from the new media, as it can be seen rarely on the local media. Most respondents think that the media in Malaysia does not portray and expose the LGBT group sufficiently as they might not see the related information and article on the local media often. The LGBT related news can still be seen from time to time, but rarely. When there are news about the group, most respondents thinks that it is negative portrayal towards the LGBT group. It might be caused by the news shown are usually not happy news, like they are attacked, robbed or failed a law case. Although most of the time LGBT are being portrayed not positively by the media, more than half respondents still feels neutral about LGBT group after the exposure of media. It is believed that the respondents already possess some information about the LGBT even before exposure of media, and have their own impression and impression towards the group. Their perceptions are still not changed by the media even after negative portrayal of LGBT group in media. A majority number of total respondents find that the portrayal of LGBT group in media is not similar to the reality. One of the reasons might be the respondents already have friends or know someone from the LGBT group in real life, when they starts to understand about them, they find the media portrayal is different to reality. 5.2 Discussion Throughout the research data collection process, it has been found that the data collected from respondents are not quite similar to the articles and information collected in literature review. Although the articles collected so far discusses about the discrimination issues of LGBT in Malaysia, it has been found that the information are different from information gained from respondents who answers the questionnaires. From the articles that have been collected, it can be seen that LGBT suffers from attacks and robbery due to the discrimination issue. However from the data collected from survey, it can be seen that the most of respondents do not view the LGBT group negatively. In fact, they view the group as neutral and view them equally. Other than that, the data collected in the survey questionnaires are seen to be similar with the articles that were discussed. In the local Malaysian media, the media portrayal is not much enough, resulting in the audienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s lack of knowledge about LGBT related information, and often causes misunderstanding towards the group. The respondents who participate in the data collection also, agree about this. Most of the respondents thinks that media does not expose the LGBT group sufficiently. In the previous articles, it is also found that the media portrays the LGBT group differently. It is seen to be more negative as all the news is being attacked, robbed or law suits. Positive news about the LGBT related matter can hardly be seen on the media, causing most of the public perception to be more negative towards the group. In the data collection survey, the results are also similar. Large numbers of respondents agree that the media portrayal is negative towards the LGBT related information, and it is different compare to the reality. 5.3 Conclusion As conclusion, although the LGBT news can rarely be seen in the local media, the public seems to possess some knowledge about the group. It could be someone they know in real life, their peer group or colleague. Which is why, what and how the media portray does not affect much about the respondents because they already have their own perception about the term LGBT. The media, although did not portray the group in a very negative way, did not portray the group in positive manner either. The news and articles that can be seen on the media are usually robbed, attacked and other similar news. The news about positive LGBT attitude is not seen in the media, causing the information about LGBT to be a little bit stereotypes on the mainstream media. Many respondents also agrees the fact that what are the media portraying about the LGBT group are not similar to the reality, as they are not like what are being portrayed and said on the media. A very high percentage of respondents generally feel neutral to the LGBT matters before and after exposure of media. Some agree that it is human rights that should be respected, and some state that they should be accepted as they are, because they are also human being. 5.4 Limitation One of the limitation is the matter discussed is still a very sensitive issue all over the world, not to mention that Malaysia is an Islamic country that does not approve gay rights. The matter, if discussed in public, will surely stir up a big commotion among the society. Some respondents also did not answers the question open mindedly because of their religious view. Some are extremely bias towards the LGBT group and does not like the idea of the group exposing themselves in the public, and thinks that it is not moral. Although most of the respondents think neutrally about the matter, there are still a small group of respondents who carry bias and think that the matter is an issue that should not be discussed in public. 5.5 Suggestion for future research It is suggested that for future research, the scope may be narrowed down to different types of media (eg. Printed media, broadcast media). Although it is more difficult in data collecting process and looking for subjects, it will enable the data collected to be more precise and detailed. The research can also be done to a specific group of respondents, for example only target on homosexuals, and to see if the research carry what result compare to general audience.

gatjay Romantic Jay Gatsby of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

The Romantic Jay Gatsby of The Great Gatsby Doesn't it always seem as though rich and famous people are larger-than-life and virtually impossible to touch, almost as if they were a fantasy? In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays Jay Gatsby as a Romantic, larger-than-life, figure by setting him apart from the common person. Fitzgerald sets Gatsby in a fantasy world that, based on illusion, is of his own making. Gatsby's possessions start to this illusion. He lives in an extremely lavish mansion. "It is a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden." (5) It models an extravagant castle with a European style. Indoors it has "Marie Antoinette music-rooms and restoration salons." (92) There is even a "Merton College Library, paneled with imported carved English oak and thousands of volumes of books." (45) There is even a private beach on his property. He also has his own personal hydroplane. Gatsby also drives a highly imaginative, "circus wagon", car that "everybody had seen. It is a rich cream color with nickel and has a three-noted horn." (64) It has a "monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes, supper-boxes, tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of windshields and a green leather conservatory." (64) Amidst Gatsby's possessions, he develops his personal self. His physical self appearance sets him apart form the other characters. His smile is the type "that comes across four or five times in life. One of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it." (48) He has a collection of tailored shirts from England. They are described as " shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel." He has shirts with stripes and scrolls and plaids in coral and apple-green and lavender and faint orange, with monograms of Indian blue." (93) Gatsby wears a unique " gorgeous pink rag of a suit" that sets him apart as a "bright spot." (154) Gatsby's mannerisms are different too. He gives the "strong impression that he picks his words with care." Gatsby is an "elegant young roughneck

Identify three (3) risks of the bid strategy Essay

After identifying the customer key evaluation requirements I have identified three risks that may affect our bidding strategy. First, I want to identify why it’s important to know your risks when creating a bid strategy to help you understand why I choose these top three risks. Risk management is the process of identifying risk issues and the options for controlling them, commissioning a risk assessment, reviewing the results and selecting amongst the assessed options to best meet the goals. The purpose of risk analysis is to help managers better understand the risks (and opportunities) they face and to evaluate the options available for their control. (Vose software, 2007) The top risk of the bid strategy for this company would be price. Price was selected as the top risk because although the company would like to win the bid, the price has to be within a range where they could also make money. The second risk selected is Logistics. This risk was selected since the product has to travel overseas. Depending on the time frame and the cost to have the product shipped the product may not make it to the destination in time. It is very important to have the product delivered in a timely manner to satisfy the end user requirements. Thirdly, the last risk selected is Customer Commitment. Our company must follow all the requirements in order to make the end user happy. Since the product is going overseas it will be hard to follow up on maintenance. Without having our own personnel at the end user location or close to the location it will also be a challenge if there are any issues with the product. Based on the three risks of the bid strategies that were selected there are also three opportunities to mitigate each risk. First we have the price, now when negotiating on the rate we will really need to do our research. It’s important to have knowledge of previous pricing and to also include overhead, packaging and transportation. Although, we have to take all these things into consideration we also have to remember we are not the only company bidding on this offer so we must rate acceptable amount. Next, we have logistics. Our company would have to negotiate with a freight forwarder for a reasonable rate to have the freight transported to the final destination. In order to negotiate a reasonable rate we would mention that if the rate offered is good this would be an opportunity for extreme growth. While we are negotiating we would have to make sure the transit times would be guaranteed in order to have freight delivered to the destination on time. Finally, we have customer commitment. This may be the most important opportunity of them all. If our company is able to provide a reliable solution to the end user needs we will gain past performance while making our customer happy. We will provide this service by checking with the customer on a monthly basis and sending an employee over to the end user location every two to three months to check that our products are working correctly. The flip side of risk is opportunity. Every bid carriers with it some opportunities beyond those represented by winning the contract. Potential opportunities include future additions or changes to contract value via market share, maintaining dominance in a particular area, protecting an area or contract from assault by competitors, or using the contract as a gateway to future procurements. Osborne, 2011) In conclusion, by looking into these risks and opportunities we will be able to determine whether we want to bid or no bid. If we cannot provide the end user with the requirements they need in a timely manner at a great cost it will not be beneficial for us to move forward with the bid procedures. As a company we must protect our brand and our products. So, we need to look closely at this conclusion to make our final bid or no bid decision.

Critically Assess Geert Hofstede’s Use of Cultural Dimensions

ABSTRACT: Along with the trend toward globalization, communication across cultural and national boundaries has a significant effect on business. The Dutch management researcher Geert Hofstede’s work of culture dimensions is regarded as an approach to measure inter-cultural differences to business for scholars and practitioners. However, such a significant work does not escape criticism. Even though his theory consummates to six dimensions based on varies datum and is widely applied by many academics, McSweedney and many specialists assert his work as an absolute assumption.INTRODUCTION: Nowadays, the country boundaries are shaped by the spread of global communication networks and the development of transportation. Because of globalization, countries are tied closer than ever before. Since the beginning of 1970s, scholars such as Geert Hofstede started to notice the importance of cultural differences for many aspects of business life, in particular, when business related to com municate between people with different cultures. Hofstede (http://geert-hofstede. com/dimensions. html) claimed that â€Å"Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy.Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster. † Such conflicts are determined by the people’s perception which is partly the product of culture. Therefore, in order to avoid the conflict caused by culture, it is important to recognise cultural differences under global business environment. Hofstede’s cultural framework provides a guideline to recognize the differences between cultures and may improve the inter-cultural communication in business area. However, his work is critiqued by scholars and researchers as an unreliable framework.This essay firstly outline Hofstede’s cultural framework briefly and then apply his theory into practical situation to access whether it can improves the inter-cultural communication in the workplace. Afterwards, it will criti que the limitations based on the literatures opposite to Hofstede’s viewpoint. HOFSTEDE’S MODEL: Geert Hofstede’s work is ground-breaking and he himself is considered as the pioneer and pathfinder in inter-cultural study(Bond, 2002 and Sondergaard 1994). He described his significant research result based IBM employees’ attitudes and work-related values around the world.In the past 30 years, he persists to refine his theory from the previous four to six dimensions: Power distance, Individualism versus Collectivism, Masculinity versus Femininity, Uncertainty avoidance and Long-term orientation, and Indulgence versus Restraint (Hofstede et al, 2010). In his book, each country is evaluated by scores on every dimension, thus people can take an insight into the cultural differences by comparing countries’ scores. Power distance (PDI) is defined as that, to what degree people can perceive the unequal power distribution in a society.PDI scores, deriving fr om value of the less powerful people, indicate the level to which members accept power inequality. A low score demonstrates that members of the society prefer equality; whereas a country has a high PDI score means that people accept large power differences. Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV) is the dimension relating to how people ties to others within the community. Individualism pertains to societies whose members tie loosely and concern about themselves and their immediate family. On the contrary, in collectivistic countries people belong to strong and cohesive group.Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS) refers to whether emotional gender roles are distinct or overlap. In masculine societies men are supposed to behave ‘assertive, competitive and tough’, on the contrary, women are supposed to be ‘modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life’ (Hofstede, 2010: 140). Uncertainty avoidance (UAI) related to extent to which members handle anxiety w ith ambiguous and unknown situations. Strong UAI Countries maintain â€Å"rigid codes of belief and behaviour and are intolerant of unorthodox behaviour and ideas†.Countries exhibiting weak UAI encourage practice than principles with a more relaxed attitude. Long-term versus Short-term orientation (LTO) deals with which kind of value is fostered. This dimension is based on Bond’s World Values Survey on â€Å"Confucian dynamism†. Long-term oriented countries foster virtues such as perseverance and thrift for future rewards, whereas short-term orientation focuses on rewards in the present and the past, which means particularly ‘respect for tradition, preservation of ‘face’, and fulfilling social obligations’ (Hofstede, 2010: 239).Indulgence versus Restrain is linked to happiness. An indulgent society permits ‘relatively free gratification of basic and natural human drives related to enjoying life and having fun’ (http://geert -hofstede. com/dimensions. html). On the contrary, restraint countries use strict social norms to control gratification of needs and regulates. Application As the world becomes globalized, to remain competitive and minimize conflicts which are the result of ignoring cultural differences, companies should not adopt an ethnocentric management mode to different cultural staff.To minimize these conflicts, many scholars and practitioners utilize Hofstede’s work of cultural dimensions as a means to narrow the cultural gap in business. One reason why his framework is widely adopted is that his data are collected from varies companies and the fifth dimension is based on ‘Confucian dynamism’. Thus, to access its practical applicability to decrease the negative aspect of cultural differences and to elevate cross-cultural communication level, it is important to apply Hofstede’s work into real cases.Since the late 2009, the famous Japanese auto-maker Toyota struggled into an unprecedented crisis due to pedal quality problems which led Toyota to its historical largest recall in the world. The Economist (Feb. 6, 2010) commented that safety recall is a common issue in vehicle manufacture but Toyota changed the order. In the process of managing crisis, Toyota acted according to Japanese culture without taking the American cultural values into account. It can be said that one reason deteriorates the normal recall cars to a crisis is the ignorance of cultural differences.Some literatures analyse the cultural aspect affecting the crisis and group them into two main points (Feng, 2010, Huang, 2010). Firstly, the Japanese management mode and organizational behaviour is different from American. As a result of the Japanese organizational culture, Toyota responded slowly after the accident. It is reported that on American time 28th August 2009, a Lexus ES 350 caused a fatal crash due to the gas pedal was stuck and the car was out of control (Los Angeles Tim es, Oct. 25, 2009). Yet Toyota did not respond to the accident immediately.US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that documents show that Toyota knew of the problem in late September but did not give response until late January, moreover, â€Å"they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from US officials and did not take action to protect millions of drivers and their families† (Thomas, 2010). The second reason is the different communication behaviours between Japan and the U. S. A. In the American hearing and variety interviews, Akio Toyota, the president of Toyota Motor Corporation, spoke implicative, tactful and modest with a large number of modest words without any directly answers (Huang, 2010).In addition, Akio Toyota’s behaviours are understood as hiding the truth by American people. According to Hofstede’s framework, Western culture, represented by the U. S. A. , and such Japanese Eastern culture have significantly differences. The magnitude of the differences has been directly described in ways. See from the figure 1. 1. Figure 1. 1 Japan and the U. S. A It is obvious that there exist large differences between Japan and the United States. One of the most telling to explain the crisis can be the collectivist versus individualist dimension.The fundamental issue related to IDV is the extent of connection between individuals and the group (Hofstede, 1980). From the data provided by Hofstede, Japan, at a score of 46 on a scale of 1 to 100, is a collectivist society, whose group allegiances are strong, cohesive and invoke higher authority. The individuals adhere to the entity and preserve harmony. Thus the Toyota North American office was been called a â€Å"little safety deaf† by LaHood (CBC news, Feb, 2010). The North American office need invoked by the highest authority to handle the accident and the applicable proposal must pass through the whole company.Nevertheless, this system is not adaptable in handling probl ems in America. According to Hofstede, Toyota needs to handle the problem immediately rather than make a long-term agreement. Meanwhile, the high power distance (Japan 54) can be used to analysis the slow response. Japan is a more centralized decision country, and it is therefore all the command should be endorsed by the president of Toyota Motor Corporation, Akio Toyoda. Because only the CEO can respond to the allegations, the response to the event was hauled in respect to the stakeholders living in a country that has only 40 in the index.As mentioned before, the official recall and apologize came four months later after the car accident has been reported. Yet the stakeholders demanded immediate response to the accident from Toyota regardless from the CEO or other representative. Moreover, during the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing, in response to why Toyota responded so slow, Toyoda claimed that do not answered directly but reiterates his plan to set up a g lobal commission to address complains more quickly (CNN Politics, Feb. 24, 2010).This phenomenon can adopt Hofstede’s fifth dimension, long- term versus short-term orientation to demonstrate the inevitability of this divergence. Hofstede himself defines long-term orientation as ‘the fostering of virtues oriented towards future rewards' (Hofstede 2010: 239), which means that high long-orientation scores countries (Japan 80) pay more attention to the things that will benefit the future whereas low score countries tend to focus on nearby benefits or rewards. Jealous writes, â€Å"In America, we ultimately judge people on what they are doing today for tomorrow, not for what they did yesterday. (CNN Politics, Feb. 24, 2010). In the hearing, American part were expected that Toyota undertake their obligations by providing continuous plans to the stakeholders. Akio did not account for this and responded indirectly to the solution to the current accident therefore caused Americ ans the disgusted and suspected feeling. Consequently, if Toyota can notice the cultural differences and adopt Hofstede's theory to handle the problem in their American market in the bud, the common recall would not exacerbate American people and became a crisis which will threaten its reputation. CRITIQUE:Culture is deeply rooted in many aspects of business life when people must interact with the people such as suppliers, buyers, employees or stakeholders. The case of Toyota crisis demonstrates that Hofstede’s framework of cultural dimensions is practical to uncover these conflicts in cross-cultural communication. If people could realize the cultural differences concluded by Hofstede and take proper communication style and management mode, the fate of Toyota might be changed. However, the framework cannot act as a textbook to interpret the whole cultural gap even in the case of Toyota crisis.Many intercultural researchers criticized Hofstede’s theory for not providing valuable guiding intelligence or regard it as absolute assumptions. Hofstede did not mention the impact of linguistic on the communication. Different languages and contents have objectively impact on the understanding of the conversation. Take the US-based 3M Company as an example. The company earns $7 billion per year in their overseas market, it become the â€Å"forefront of language instruction by sponsoring an in-house Language Society that provides linguistic and cultural support† to 3M (Frey-Ridgway, 1997).Freivalds (1995) said that the French firm Bull adopted the 3M model to train its employees in the competition of global marketplace and still in success. Language plays an irreplaceable position in the inter-cultural communication. Different types of body languages cause misunderstanding as well. In japan, apology needs humility, in order to be forgiven, Japanese usually avoid eye contact stands for rudeness, offend and provocation, but it would be decoded as disint erest, dishonesty and cunning in western countries (Huang, 2010, Dahl, 2004).Gudykunst and Nishida (1994:2) said that misunderstanding between Japan and American people often â€Å"stem from not knowing the norms and rules guiding each other’s communication†. In hofstede’s model, the data come from the English-speaking company IBM and it is aim to evaluate work attitude and value, this led his theory ignore linguistic and body language difference. Moreover, in the process of communication among Akio Toyoda and the American interlocutor, the stakeholders, the Congress representatives or the media people, misunderstanding occurred continually.As mentioned above, Toyota responded euphemistic to the problem (Huang, 2010). Akio repeated the apology several times and declined to give pithy answers to undertake the obligation and to interpret the information and plan for the stakeholders in the hearing (Clark ; McCurry, 2010). The answer type can be derived from the pa tterns of Japanese communication. Lincoln (1995) studied Japanese and found that due to the politeness cultural they reluctance to say â€Å"no† directly. Hall (1976) separated communication into High-context and low-context.The United States is a typical low-context communication country while Japan belongs to high-context communication. Low-context communication refers to the patterns of communication use explicit verbal to convey meanings, whereas high-context pattern draw heavily on context. This cultural difference is raised by Hall instead of Hofstede. Michael (1997) claim that literatures are lack of specific details and are concluded in broad behavioral terms. Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (1997) classified cultures has seven value orientations which is more than Hofstede’s six dimensions and has somewhat different perspectives.Additionally, Dahl (2004) criticizes the theory is the result of very little data, especially from specific companies with limited num bers of questions. This indicates that culture can be separated into more dimensions and those national scores and ranks are not the exclusive guide to improve inter-cultural communications. From Hofstede’s (1980) research, Japan ranks in the middle level of Individualism versus collectivism dimension. Yet Japan is widely stereotyped as a harmonious society.Woodring (2010 cited in Jandt, 1995: 163) used the original Hofstede’s questionnaire to study Japanese students and found that students scored lower on power distance whereas higher on individualism comparing with Hofstede’s original sample. Woodring explained that the different scores might be the result of age; that is means, students may praise more on individualism and equality than the whole Japanese society. About 1990, youths 25 years old and under were named as shin jin rui (literally â€Å"new human beings†), who were described as â€Å"selfish, self-centered, and disrespectful of elders and tradition† by older Japanese.In the description from Hofstede suggested that the Japan is a group oriented and hierarchical country. However, there are evidences to show that the young generation seeks for egalitarian and individualism. This demonstrates that Hofstede’s research can lead to stereotype and this ought to be avoided. Furthermore, this study shows that cultural value is dynamic. Holden (2002) criticizes the â€Å"relative reliance† on Hofstede’s paradigm in the workplace. He points out that the data is outdated as it was collected before 30 years.Hofstede attempts to set a certain form of culture for people to understand specific cultures and he (Hofstede, 2010: 34) states that â€Å"cutlures, especially national cultures, are extremely stable over time†. This has been criticized as â€Å"functionalist ambition of measuring largely unquantifiable phenomena† (Gray and Maloory, 1998: 57). Hostede himself stated, â€Å"There is no such thing as objectivity in the study of social reality: we will too often to be subjective, but we may at least try to be ‘inter subjective’. As His data are come from the questionnaire made by a group of western people, as a result of this, the question are tend to reflect western culture which means Hofstede’s theory has its cultural bias. Meanwhile, there is a debate about what level of analysis is practical for the term â€Å"culture† to be a viable tool. McSweeney (2000) questions the classification of culture in Hofstede’s theory. Hofstede (2010: 10) stated that people are shaped by â€Å"certain cultural trains† from the same country. Although general cultural dimensions can be established at a cultural level, ndividuals may not necessarily reflect the national culture they belong to. Hofstede (1980, 1991) admits that using data from the level of country to analyze the individuals is not appropriate, and labeled it â€Å"ecological fallacy†. He (1991:253) affirms that national cultural level reflects â€Å"central tendencies (†¦) for the country†, it is, not practical to analyze and predict specific individual behaviors or events. Conclusion: Generally overview the assessment, Geert Hofstede’s use of cultural dimensions provides a measurable paradigm to attract people’s attention to cultural differences and contribute to the inter-cultural study.For those people who are involved in international commerce, culture is important for many aspects of business life, thus, if people go into another country to communicate with local company, changing the management process and practices to meet their values is essential. Concluding from the case analysis of Toyota crisis, Hofstede's cultural model indeed provides an effective reference to support better cross-cultural communication as it uncover the reasons of cultural conflict for people to apply appropriate method to minimize its nega tive influence.However, cultural dimension theory functions limited in small space as it is not perfect. It regards culture as a fixed concept and separates it by national boundaries is improper. The data is collected in several decades years before even it has been updated in recent years based on questionnaire in a specific group in international companies from a perspective of western people. Moreover, it narrows culture into six dimensions may potentially disturb the derived value prediction as certain context influences on the individual respondents.The inter-cultural communication conflicts exist no matter how much understanding goes both ways. In conclusion, Hofstede’s work of cultural dimensions is a supplement for supporting better inter-cultural communication, the bilateral respect of culture and positive attitude are the core to successful inter-cultural communication. Bibliography: Bond, M. H. (2002). â€Å"Reclaiming the Individual from Hofstede's Ecological Ana lysis- A 20-Year Odyssey: Comment on Oyserman et al. † Psychological Bulletin, 128 (1): 73-77 CBC news (Feb 2, 2010), â€Å"Toyota slow o react: LaHood- US Transportation Secretary criticizes automaker†. Available at (13 May, 2012) Clark, A. & McCurry, J. (2010). â€Å"Toyota boss offers ‘sincere regrets' for faulty accelerators†, The Guardian, Thursday 25 February 2010. Available at < http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2010/feb/25/toyota-akio-toyoda-congress? INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487> (13 May, 2012) CNN Politics (Feb 24, 2010). â€Å"Toyota president testifies before Congress†. Available at < http://articles. cnn. com/2010-02-24/politics/toyota. earing. updates_1_toyoda-inaba-national-press-club? _s=PM:POLITICS > (13 May, 2012) Dahl, S. (2004). â€Å"Intercultural Research: The Current State of Knowledge†. Middlesex University Discussion Paper No. 26. Available at < http://papers. ssrn. com/sol3/papers. cfm? abstract_id=658202 > (13 May, 2012 ) Feng, Y. (2010). â€Å"Toyota crisis: management ignorance? – a swedish case of consumers perceptions†. Available at < http://hh. diva-portal. org/smash/record. jsf? pid=diva2:349746> (13 May, 2012) Freivalds, J. (1995). â€Å"Learning languages†. Communication World, December: 24-7.Frey-Ridgway, S. (1997). â€Å"The cultural dimension of international business†. Collection Building, 16(1): 12 – 23 Gudykunst, W. & Nishida, T. (1994), Bridging Japanese-North American Differences, Communicating Effectively in Multicultural Contexts Series, Thousand Oaks: Sage, p. 2 Hofstede’s website, available at < http://geert-hofstede. com/dimensions. html > (13 May, 2012) Hofstede, G. (1980) Culture’s Consequences:International Differences in Work-related Values Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Hofstede, G. (1991). Cultures and Organizations: software of the mind, 2nd Ed.New York: McGraw-Hill Hofstede, G. , Hofstede, G. J. & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures an d Organizations: software of the mind, 3rd Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Holden, N. (2002). Cross-cultural management: a knowledge management perspective. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall Huang, Z. (2010). â€Å" —— â€Å" â€Å" † (From the perspective of inter-cutlural communication to see Japan-America cultural differeces—analysis Toyota â€Å"recall†). Journal of Huaihua University,29 (6) Jandt, F. E. (2009). An Introduction to Intercultural Communication: Identities in a Global

Methods of Attribution †Psychology Research Paper

Methods of Attribution – Psychology Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Subtitle: Assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of ‘traditional’ compared to ‘critical’ social psychological approach on attribution There are a lot of questions that people want to know the answer, most probably because human beings are curious at everything. Due to curiosity, people always want to know how other people think and why others think that way. Laymen try to explain others behaviour by ‘guessing’, they think it is a rather common sense thing to do; but psychologists try to generate theories to explain and predict attributions by scientific methods. Attribution generally means beliefs about the causes of behaviour that attributing causes to certain events which it is an important part of language. And attribution theory is a conceptual framework within social psychology dealing with lay, or common-sense, explanations of behaviour. Traditional social psychologists use experiments to ascertain how particular stimuli would affect causal attributions for particular events. There are several theories of causal attribution which Heider was seen as the founding father of attribution theory. He made crucial foundation towards attribution theory that he argued it was essential to know what people believed as it would guide ones behaviour. He viewed layperson as a naà ¯ve scientist seeking to find an explanation for everything. Heider classified two types of attribution: personal attributions (dispositional) and impersonal (situation attributions) ones. The theory suggested that it is all about motivations whether one should be responsible for their behaviour or their behaviour is caused by external factors. Heider’s work was built upon Jones and Davis (1965)’s correspondence inference theory which they suggested people interpret behaviour or acts in terms of stable underlying qualities, or characteristics, of the actors. There are several reasons for correspondent inference: free will, non-common effect, social desirable action, hedonic relevance, and personalism. Though this theory has significant historical impact, its impact has been limited. Kelley (1967, 1973) assumed that there should be different factors that cause a behaviour and she tried to separate out which effects are to be attributed to which of several factors. She claimed if two events repeatedly occur together, then we are more likely to infer that they are causally related. Kelley suggests people consider three variables when making attributions. The first one is distinctiveness which refers to the extent that people behaves in the same way to other stimuli. Secondly, she mentioned about consistency that refers to the extent to which people has behaved in the same way in the past towards the stimulus. Lastly, it is consensus which refers to the extent that other people behave in the same way towards the same stimulus as people whose behaviour we are trying to explain. People who weigh up those variables above make either a dispositional or situational attribution. There was also theory like fundamental attribution error that suggest there are bias in attributing other’s behaviour more to internal factors than to situational factors because of focus of attention (people’s attention on the situation have generally found greater level of situational attributions) and differential forgetting (tend to forget situational causes more regularly). In contrast to casual attribution theories, Semin and Manstead (1983) argue that research into attribution lacks ecological validity as experimental research into attribution sets out to explicitly ask someone why they believe people chose a particular course of action. However, it does not necessarily they will make causal attributions in the same when they are not called upon to explicitly explain their answers. And this suggestion contradicts Kelley’s co-variation model where it seems difficult to imagine that we always take different factors into account when making quick decisions. On the other hand, majority of the research has been conducted in Western cultures that imply the theories suggested may not take cultural variations into account. Critical social psychologists argue that attributions are rarely made solely at an individual level. They are the result of cultural and social forces which provide different information based. Traditional attribution theories underestimate the extent to which attributions are articulated through the uses of language and discourses especially. Besides, mass media play a big part in analyzing relationships that may affect our understanding of relationships which traditional social psychologists do not take into account, nevertheless, critical psychology places a greater emphasis on the role of discourse and attempt to engage more with the content and nature of conversation than traditional social psychologists. Recent research has been conducted in different areas such as relationships which have yielded more complex models of attributions. Fincham and Bradbury (1988) claim when a relationship is sound, people are less motivated to engage in engaging in sophisticated thought when making attributions and vice versa yet this does not take into account the cultural and historical variability in couple relationships. Smith and Harris-Bond (1993) so suggest that the difference between individualist and collectivist cultures leads to different attribution styles as the role in a relationship is different between two cultures. Traditional social psychology places emphasis on the fact that people often make attribution errors and suggests that the way people view the social world can occasionally be flawed. Critical social psychology on the other hand stress that people are quite realistic who rarely make mistakes because they use strategies and personal experience to interpret an attribution. Moreover, traditional social psychology fails to take into account the emotional factors behind attribution. Human beings have feelings, thoughts and emotions which all influence the attributions that one make. In conclusion, stresses the uniqueness of each individual failing to take into account how culture mediates understanding the world. On the other hand, it also fails to take into account other social processes such as social influences and the construction of knowledge by more powerful groups in society. People do not draw upon just their own personal constructs when making decisions. They actually use knowledge from a range of other sources such as books, experience, other family members and friends etc. People do not just use alternative constructs from within our own cognitive systems. Research Papers on Methods of Attribution - Psychology Research PaperThree Concepts of PsychodynamicEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseResearch Process Part OneRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andHip-Hop is ArtBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesAnalysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement

Ambush essays

Ambush essays When reading Ambush by Tim OBrien, I was a little thrown off at first. It seemed to start very abruptly and I wasnt too clear on the direction it was going. There was no real background information, like which war it was about, or even an introduction, so I had to read the first two paragraphs over again to get a better idea. As the story developed, I noticed the way OBrien lead into it, particularly how he set the scene and then used very engaging imagery to illustrate a better picture. For example, Very gradually, in tiny slivers, dawn began to to break through the fog.. The way he describes the setting made me feel like I was right there in the story and watching it all happen. The more detail he used in his writing, the more suspense there was towards what would happen next. Then as he began to recall the systematic way he was thinking, it gave a full understanding of the thoughts going through his mind, and the time frame they happened in. OBrien then explains how he ...did not hate the young man; I did not see him as the enemy; I did not ponder issues of morality or politics or military duty... What I found most interesting was the way he structured his sentences in brief, separate verses, just as his thoughts would have been at the time; very sporadic and inconsistent. This made it more interesting, especially when he balanced out the shorter sentences with longer more descriptive details further along in the story. Then he even continues with a different style of sentence form, switching to dashes: The grenade made a popping noise-not soft but not loud either-not what I expected-and there was a puff of dust and smoke-a small white puff-and the young man seemed to jerk upward as if pulled by invisible wires. He fell on his back. I think the way he structured this sentence in particular was to portray the panic he was feeling, and how quickly i ...

An Act of Kindness in Langston Hughes’ Short Story, Thank You MaAm

An Act of Kindness in Langston Hughes’ Short Story, Thank You Ma'Am Storyteller Aesop once quipped, â€Å"Any act of kindness, no matter how small, is never wasted.† This truth is illuminated in Langston Hughes’ short story, â€Å"Thank You Ma’am,† when a woman helps a boy from the wrong side of the tracks get back on the right path, even though he has wronged her. The woman’s merciful yet firm stance enlightens the mischievous boy about the error of his ways. Ultimately, a little generosity and kindness will go a long way. As the story begins to take shape, Roger is a misguided young man, as yet untouched by the woman’s kindness. He fails in his attempt to steal a purse from Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, and is already paying the price. Says the author, â€Å"The large woman simply turned around and kicked him right square in his blue-jeaned sitter. Then she reached down, picked the boy up by his shirt front, and shook him until his teeth rattled† (Hughes 1). Evidently, Mrs. Jones is taking matters into her own hands to discipline the wayward boy, rather than leaving it up to the police. She punishes him for his wrongdoing with the sole intent of discouraging him from making similar mistakes in the future. In this way, it is her concern for his welfare and future that makes her take such stern action. Another instance of Mrs. Jones compassionate, nearly maternal, attitude towards Roger plays out when she confronts him verbally. She remarks, â€Å"You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry?† (Hughes 2). Whereas most people would resent their attackers, Mrs. Jones wanted to care for Roger and even take him under her wing. It is a telling fact indeed that her priority was to tend to the boy, not report him to the authorities. Conclusively, Mrs. Jones exhibited tremendous generosity toward Roger, and it has made all the difference. Later, Mrs. Jones continues her motherly role towards Roger, even softening up a bit. She â€Å"did not ask the boy anything about where he lived, or his folks, or anything else that would embarrass him. Instead, as they ate, she told him about her job† (Hughes 4). Noticeably, Mrs. Jones was considerate of the boy by speaking to him in a friendly manner, discussing a carefree topic with him to ease his mind and establish a caring relationship with him, as though he were her son. In another example of her hospitality towards Roger, she says, â€Å"Now here, take this ten dollars and buy yourself some blue suede shoes†¦ The boy wanted to say something other than ‘Thank you, ma’am’†¦but although his lips moved, he couldn’t† (Hughes 4). Astoundingly, Mrs. Jones gave the boy the money he had tried to steal from her in the first place—along with a valuable lesson. As for Roger, he was clearly moved by her charity and dumbstruck to s ee that anyone could be so forgiving; he had obviously learned his lesson. All in all, Mrs. Jones showed great mercy towards Roger and was rewarded with the satisfaction of knowing that she had positively impacted his life. As Aesop brilliantly remarked, â€Å"Any act of kindness, no matter how small, is never wasted.† Langston Hughes shines the light on this reality in his short story, â€Å"Thank You Ma’am.† Roger is surprised to receive compassion and mercy from a woman he had wronged. He comes to see the error in his ways thanks to Mrs. Jones’ profoundly caring nature towards him. Conclusively, even a little kindness and hospitality can change a person’s life.

Non-Verbal Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Non-Verbal Communication - Essay Example It is a fact that the nonverbal communication presents the truth in entirety and nothing else. Nonverbal communication is pertinent since it is now being studied by people more than the verbal form of communication and it has more meaning and implication than the latter. Thus it is a wholly different field altogether and one that requires strict attention, more so by the speakers and those personalities who have a definitive say within the society’s different undertakings and decisions. Nonverbal communication started to come to the notice of people when they understood that it aids in making the clarity of the verbal communication possible. Thus nonverbal communication is cohesive alongside the verbal form of communication. It gives the people something to ponder upon since the facilitation process of nonverbal communication is strong in line with the verbal communication forms. ... Nonverbal communication could be studied in entirely an opposite manner since the usual manner in which a person might exhibit his verbal form of communication ends up being starkly against what he demonstrates in his nonverbal form. What this means is that a person might experience a bit of problem at the hands of expressing his mind and his tongue would say one thing while his hands and eyes transmit a completely different message. The element of understanding how a person makes use of his nonverbal communication regimes is essential for the audience since it presents to him the amount of truth which comes to the fore as well as deceit and lie that is hidden deep beneath the very same. Also nonverbal communication was deemed as important from the studying and understanding perspective when it started to have an impact within the lives of the people in a very direct way. What this means was the fact that nonverbal communication makes a presenter look different and stand out in his o wn right within the people to whom he is presenting his message. It could also mar his confidence and make him look illogical and irrational at the same time. This happens if he is not prepared to face the battle that comes his way in the form of the communication process. The tension that one goes through whilst delivering a public speech summarizes the fears that a commoner might have on a consistent basis. Nonverbal Communication Elements and Metaphors Moving further ahead with the discussion, the different elements of nonverbal communication include the gestures, emotions, actions, body language, posture, facial expressions, eye contact and so on.

Case Study on Land Law Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

On Land Law - Case Study Example It is stated, in this case, that the property is registered; therefore, the relevant legislation is the LRA, although the original concept of overriding interests was established in the Land Registration Act 1925. Under the 1925 Act, certain overriding interests would only continue until the point at which the land is registered. As Shambles has now been registered, the rules relating to third party interests contained in the LRA must be referred to. The first issue to be considered by Lance is that of Porter's ex- partner, Rina, who has been living in the property for a period of at least five years. On the assumption that Shambles became registered to Porter, after 1st October, 2003 and where the LRA is in force, then the rights attached to Rina will be in accordance with the LRA. The overriding interest of actual occupation existed under the 1925 Act in s70(1)(g). Whilst this old right still exists, it is now subject to the new law as contained in the LRA. Essentially, the overriding interest and the right of a third party in actual occupation will exist where there is actual occupation, at the relevant time, by the owner. This is important, in this case, due to the fact that there may be some debate as to whether or not Rina is, in fact, an actual owner, i.e. legally or beneficially entitled to the property. As Rina is an estranged partner of Porter, Rina may have a valid argument that she has an equitable entitlement to at least part of the property. Recent case law has suggested that, where both parties have contributed in some way to the property, even if it is registered in only one person's name, the court will determine the shares of the property to be held by each party, based on the course of dealings between them1. With this in mind, it would be necessary to consider the relationship between Rina and Porter and whether she could legitimately claim an equitable interest in the property (Abbey & Richards, 2007). On the assumption that Rina can show an equitable interest, she would potentially be able to rely on the actual occupation interest as stated in Schedule 3, Para 2 of the LRA. This right would exist, provided it was not an interest under the Settled Land Act 1925, it was not a deliberate failure to disclose the right and the occupation would have been obvious on a reasonably careful inspection of the land in question at the time of the disposition. Under the provisions in the LRA, there is no precise definition of actual occupation; however, case law previously heard under the 1925 Act is thought to be current and relevant under the LRA2. Under the LRA, Rina will only forfeit the overriding status of her interest, if she would have been reasonably expected to declare her right to Lance. As Lance undertook his own conveyancing, it is unlikely that sufficiently detailed questioning was undertaken in relation to any adults in actual occupation. Moreover, in the absence of such questioning, it is therefore highly likely that Rina will not have sacrificed her overriding status, based on failure to disclose reasonably. Furthermore, as Rina lived in the main property and has done so for 5 years, her presences and actual occupation would be reasonably noticeable to anyone who had made an inspection of the property. The facts suggest that Lance did not actually inspect the property, at all, due to his location in London and had he made a reasonable inspection, he would have been aware of Rina's occupation, prior to

Exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Exam - Assignment Example Dependency theory sees the world in the perspective of making poor nations or countries poorer, and enriching those that are already rich and wealthy. In other words, the inequality of countries across the world results in dominance by wealthy nations over poor nations. For example, developing countries like those in Latin America depend on the developed ones for aid among other things. With this, the developed economies deplete African resources in the name of the aids provided. The integration of weak economies is unfair relative to weak and string economies or countries in the world system. Trade agreement between the United States and Latin America would be seen as a means for United States to exploit Latin America. In the modernization theory, trade agreement between the United States and Latin America would be seen in a whole new perspective. The agreement would be treated as a bid to enhance economic relations between United States and Latin America. The move would be welcome in business and commerce terms relative to international interdependency that is based on the fact that no single nation is self-sufficient. On the other hand, the third way would see this agreement as a trail towards optimizing the welfare of both nations, in the consideration of their differences. Emerging economies like China are threatening the position of other strong nations in the world. Realism and liberalism would treat China’s rise in a global context. That is to say that China’s mode of interaction with the rest of the world would be evaluated in a global context. Given that China is more oriented towards a socialist political system, its position in realism would be characterized by the concept relations that only benefits China, a scenario that is likely to influence close associates of China like Brazil. On the other hand, liberalism would view China as a rather static nation in reforms, due to its high urge

Anthropology of humor and laughter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Anthropology of humor and laughter - Essay Example People belonging to different cultures consider something appropriate for laughter in accordance with their cultures. From a social perspective, humor is a positive emotion of an individual, which is elicited in different social contexts and is demonstrated by different vocal and facial behaviors of laughter. Canned jokes, funny utterances, funny expressions, and spontaneous witticisms are some of the main forms of humor (Martin 29). Psychological functions of humor bring various cognitive and social benefits for the humans. Some of the most significant benefits of humor include increased social interactions, help in relieving the tensions and stress, and help in regulating the emotions. In the past couple of decades, the overall concept regarding laughter has shifted from something being viewed as socially inappropriate to being perceived as socially desirable and healthy for the mind (Martin 29). The sense of humor acts as the main source of laughter for any individual. Although th e sense of humor has a number of psychological and social benefits, the mainstream psychology still needs to pay some more attention to this aspect of human behavior. Works Cited Martin, Rod. The Psychology of Humor: An Integrative Approach. Burlington, MA: Elsevier Academic Press, 2007.

Federalism and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Federalism and Business - Essay Example A federal system is favourable than a unitary one because the state territories can be used as laboratories to try out business policy changes such as several fusions of laws, technological adjustments and tax policies. New policies are important to promote competitiveness as time goes by. It is easier for a federal government to perform experiments on policy changes since it can use a selected state as a ‘lab rat’. This experimentation phenomenon has been successfully used severally in the UK in health, education and economic policies (Martin & Sanderson, 1999, 249). If a policy leads to better business performance in the selected state, it can then be used throughout the regions. If disastrous, the federal government can correct or control the effects more economically unlike a central government. Centralized governments employ more of similar policies in the entire area of governance. They are therefore reluctant to try out new policies due to extensive risks likely t o affect the entire economy (Rich & William, 2002, 58). State governments have more information on their constituents’ needs than the central government. Presumably, decentralized governments are closer to their constituents and are more likely to have better knowledge of local cost conditions and preferences. If such information is publicized, businesses can be able to take advantage of the market niche that needs to be filled. Even though the central government can theoretically employ local agents, they will probably have less political incentive to put into account their constituents’ needs above those of local government agents. The states will therefore have a relative advantage over the central government in experimentation and creating variation.... The states will therefore have a relative advantage over the central government in experimentation and creating variation. Federalized governments are better supervisors of business and business related activities. This is as a result of reduction in complexities associated with bureaucracies in centralized governments. Federal governments can therefore be said to be more effective in performing their supervisory duties to the public. According to Lord Bryce in Zavodnyik, 2011 (p65 - 68), the growth in civil order in the United States has been as a result of state governments ability to closely monitor affairs of the citizens than congress was. As per Zavodnyik, this is one of the factors which drove USA to being one of the largest and most organized economies in the world. The US through its states system can better enforce business contracts in the states. It can also perform more effective control in the respective state markets due to ‘closeness’ of the government to the people. This reduces counterfeits and the number of transactions performed in the black market. Fabbrini 2009, in the book ‘Democracy and Federalism in the European Union and the United States: Exploring Post-National Governance’ seconds this pointing the US and UK as the countries with the lowest levels of counterfeit products in their territorial markets. Even though the governments may use the federal government to reduce illegal trades in order to maximize on the amount of taxes it collects, this promotes businesses whose markets are put at risk by counterfeits and illegal transactions which are expensive (European Center for Security Studies, 2010, 103). This creates a conducive breeding ground for businesses since it means less bureaucracy and red tape measures which

Exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Exam - Assignment Example Dependency theory sees the world in the perspective of making poor nations or countries poorer, and enriching those that are already rich and wealthy. In other words, the inequality of countries across the world results in dominance by wealthy nations over poor nations. For example, developing countries like those in Latin America depend on the developed ones for aid among other things. With this, the developed economies deplete African resources in the name of the aids provided. The integration of weak economies is unfair relative to weak and string economies or countries in the world system. Trade agreement between the United States and Latin America would be seen as a means for United States to exploit Latin America. In the modernization theory, trade agreement between the United States and Latin America would be seen in a whole new perspective. The agreement would be treated as a bid to enhance economic relations between United States and Latin America. The move would be welcome in business and commerce terms relative to international interdependency that is based on the fact that no single nation is self-sufficient. On the other hand, the third way would see this agreement as a trail towards optimizing the welfare of both nations, in the consideration of their differences. Emerging economies like China are threatening the position of other strong nations in the world. Realism and liberalism would treat China’s rise in a global context. That is to say that China’s mode of interaction with the rest of the world would be evaluated in a global context. Given that China is more oriented towards a socialist political system, its position in realism would be characterized by the concept relations that only benefits China, a scenario that is likely to influence close associates of China like Brazil. On the other hand, liberalism would view China as a rather static nation in reforms, due to its high urge

Federalism and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Federalism and Business - Essay Example A federal system is favourable than a unitary one because the state territories can be used as laboratories to try out business policy changes such as several fusions of laws, technological adjustments and tax policies. New policies are important to promote competitiveness as time goes by. It is easier for a federal government to perform experiments on policy changes since it can use a selected state as a ‘lab rat’. This experimentation phenomenon has been successfully used severally in the UK in health, education and economic policies (Martin & Sanderson, 1999, 249). If a policy leads to better business performance in the selected state, it can then be used throughout the regions. If disastrous, the federal government can correct or control the effects more economically unlike a central government. Centralized governments employ more of similar policies in the entire area of governance. They are therefore reluctant to try out new policies due to extensive risks likely t o affect the entire economy (Rich & William, 2002, 58). State governments have more information on their constituents’ needs than the central government. Presumably, decentralized governments are closer to their constituents and are more likely to have better knowledge of local cost conditions and preferences. If such information is publicized, businesses can be able to take advantage of the market niche that needs to be filled. Even though the central government can theoretically employ local agents, they will probably have less political incentive to put into account their constituents’ needs above those of local government agents. The states will therefore have a relative advantage over the central government in experimentation and creating variation.... The states will therefore have a relative advantage over the central government in experimentation and creating variation. Federalized governments are better supervisors of business and business related activities. This is as a result of reduction in complexities associated with bureaucracies in centralized governments. Federal governments can therefore be said to be more effective in performing their supervisory duties to the public. According to Lord Bryce in Zavodnyik, 2011 (p65 - 68), the growth in civil order in the United States has been as a result of state governments ability to closely monitor affairs of the citizens than congress was. As per Zavodnyik, this is one of the factors which drove USA to being one of the largest and most organized economies in the world. The US through its states system can better enforce business contracts in the states. It can also perform more effective control in the respective state markets due to ‘closeness’ of the government to the people. This reduces counterfeits and the number of transactions performed in the black market. Fabbrini 2009, in the book ‘Democracy and Federalism in the European Union and the United States: Exploring Post-National Governance’ seconds this pointing the US and UK as the countries with the lowest levels of counterfeit products in their territorial markets. Even though the governments may use the federal government to reduce illegal trades in order to maximize on the amount of taxes it collects, this promotes businesses whose markets are put at risk by counterfeits and illegal transactions which are expensive (European Center for Security Studies, 2010, 103). This creates a conducive breeding ground for businesses since it means less bureaucracy and red tape measures which

Future of Food Essay Example for Free

Future of Food Essay In the passed couple of decades, the foods we deem to be natural or of the Earth are instead Genetically Engineered. The term Genetically Engineered does not mean that the entire vegetable or food is fake but rather means that there is at least one genetically modified ingredient in the food that is sold all over stores, which raises a great health concern for many people. In the feature production of the documentary known as The Future of Food looks at how modern day technology has changed the food we consume and the effects it can have on our health. In watching this film about all the advancements that science has come to in the world with the food being eaten everyday, both the positive and negative effects of all those technological changes, its only right to think of the countries that barely have enough food in general or the people who are losing their livelihoods because of the advancements created by science in first world countries. A first world country like the United States has not only a great amount but also lots of variety of nutrition; however, even this is still not enough to â€Å"satisfy† such a wealthy nation because steps are still being taken to continue to â€Å"improve† nature. Projects were done that helped produce corn in all kinds of different colors and creating bigger than normal sized strawberries. A question seems to arise, is all this technological advancement necessary? Are we as a society taking unnecessary measures to â€Å"fix† something that is natural and worked since the beginning of time? In the medical world, many health problems have been examined where food and nutrition were identified as partial contributors to the problem. This film helped in explaining how enzymes are used to knick corn DNA and how foreign DNA was then presented into the corn cell walls. Consuming the genetically modified corn caused allergic reactions and stirred a health concern about labeling genetically modified foods. In my particular opinion it should be the people’s right to know whether the food they’re ingesting has been altered genetically or tempered with from its natural state. Nevertheless, this does not belittle the question as to why it is necessity to alter the food in the first place. In order to formulate a ground based opinion I need to weigh the positives and negatives. Natural food always has the benefit of being â€Å"natural,† however, genetically engineered foods sometimes has the advantages of looking more appealing, tasting better and/or having a longer lasting flavor. I have experienced this first hand I have grown a distaste to certain organic foods simply because they just didn’t taste nearly as good as those that are genetically engineered even though the organic foods were supposed to be fresher and of course natural. This certain taste for food could just be that I got too used to the taste of all the preservatives that go into foods. It’s interesting how I got used to chemically preserved foods and genetically engineered tastes that overtime became the good tasting ones while the healthier ones were rejected by my taste buds. Another benefit is that genetically engineered foods end up being cheaper because they have a greater resistance to environmental conditions that would normally spoil the unaltered form and are also made in quantities not given the same attention organic foods are given to be fresh and ripe. Being that they are made in greater quantity, they are available for more people for cheaper prices, becoming the food of choice. The question would be, are the quantities made and the decrease in prices good enough to outweigh the negative effects of genetically engineered food? Another point and question would be why do many countries still remain unfed and continue searching for methods to feed their fast growing populations if these genetically engineered foods are produced in such a surplus manner? Keeping the advantages of genetically engineered foods in mind, there are definitely several noteworthy disadvantages too. An advantage was the surplus of food, however, how is it a benefit if such foods are harming the body? Some would agree that it is better to feed and raise a healthy smaller sized population with natural, unaltered forms of food than to infect a large population and have them suffer from the repercussion caused by the food they had consumed. Also, most people that are not keeping up with this field of work do not know that there are these bodies that have consumed the modified foods for such prolonged time periods and have overtime probably developed immunity to the side effects the modifications can have. In these genetically engineered foods the DNA is altered, and just as changes in human DNA lead to disorders, consumption of foods with altered DNA may have the same fatal effects. Certain genetic modifications can even go as far as cause cancers and brain and organ damage. A huge disadvantage that most people do not notice, especially those who live in urban areas, is that due to the production of the genetically altered foods a lot of farmers have been put out of jobs. These farmers are not needed as much anymore because more crops can be made for cheaper and therefore they no longer make as much money on each crop they plant and sow as they once did, as was shown in Central American countries. Now days, while technology could be helping the economy by decreasing the price of foods for people, it is also harming people who depended on the unaltered food to bring them income. The U. S. economy and industry is choosing quantity over quality, which is not beneficial to our health but instead just our wallets. I believe that its not fair for people not to know what is in their foods and usually people don’t seek food that can hurt them, therefore, it was crucial that the â€Å"Genetically Engineered Right to Know† act get passed. It would allow people to know what they are consuming from the labels on the foods and therefore prevented conditions that could’ve risen from individuals allergic to a modified substance. The Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration is supposed to be on top of the foods produced and their effects. Nevertheless, it seems that genetically modified foods don’t cause enough of a significant threat in order for them to take action and stop the advancement, rather than promote it and seek ways to improve it. What would bring this matter to a flashing red alert? Though I admitted that genetically altered food does taste better, I still do not agree with the fact that I am consuming and enjoying the taste of unhealthy food. People often look for the most ripe fruits and healthy looking vegetables when they go shopping, but for a lot of produce these bigger fruits and vegetables end up being the modified ones. Though I personally have only been able to see the advantages of these foods, I realize that the disadvantages outweigh the benefits of having genetically modified foods. From a realistic point of view, being a student on a low budget it would be unpractical for me to purchase anything but the cheap genetically altered food. Looking even at the bigger picture, many individuals and families have the same outlook I do. Therefore, many people may be against the genetic modification of food, yet not much course of action will be taken. People are comfortable with their life styles, making the cases and effects of modified foods not seem like such a big deal. This shows that the wrong approach is probably being taken to bring this to significant awareness. To promote foods that are not going to be altered, there needs to be ways to produce the same great quantities and keep prices affordable under the economic conditions of the country and the budget of the average American Family. It was crucial to pass an act that will help identify the genetically engineered goods but still it is not sufficient enough to solve the issue at hand. This matter is truly a very controversial issue, containing both pros and cons; therefore, we as a government and a knowledgeable society we need to take a stand and incorporate more ideas in to solving this domestic problem.

Performance Management At General Motors (GM)

Performance Management At General Motors (GM) The following assignment explores General Motors Europe in four dimensions as set out by learning outcome spertaining to performance management module. The four learning outcomes (LO) would measure, LO1: Setting GME performance targets to meet strategic objectives. LO2: Agreement on team performance targets and subsequent contribution to meet those objectives. LO3: Monitoring and control process for the goals. LO4: Politics of personal interaction of Sir Leahy. A discussion on his leadership, persuasion and influencing skills. In order to achieve these learning objectives, the author has drawn upon from his practical work experience together with the primary and secondary research through various resources. This article would primarily be divided into two segments within the domain of learning objectives as defined above. The division would be between Performance Management and Performance Measurement. Performance is defined as potential for future successful implementation of actions in order to reach the objectives and targets. The article shows that performance is constructed by the management system and by managers from his own experience of working at GME and taking a more macro view of the organisation. Performance management explains performance measurement and gives it meaning. (Lebas, 1995) Setting performance target to meet strategic objectives General Motors, one of the worlds largest automakers. GME was founded in 1908 by William C. Durant. GM headquarters is in Detroit, GM employs 209,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in more than 120 countries. GM has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931.GM and its strategic business partners produce cars and trucks in 31 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall, and Wuling. GMs largest national market is China, followed by the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Russia. General Motors Europe acquired operations from General Motors Corporation on July 10, 2009, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corporation. GME is running business with revenue of $135.6 billion (GME, 2010a). GME is using different performance management tools . In this assignment score card methodology is discussed that GME is using. Balance Score Card can be used as a short and long term fortheir financial and non financial performance measurement. There are four parts of balance score card; financial perspective, internal business perspective, customers perspective,learning and growth perspective. Balance Score Card is like your cars dash boardwhere there is indicator on as you drive, you can look at the dashboard to obtain real-time information such as how fuel, speed and the distance youve traveled or even anyfaulty system etc.Its known to help companies and implement the changes required to meet their business goals (Pangakar Kirkwood, 2007). The balance score cardenables the companies to develop a more comprehensive view of their operations andto better match all operating and investment activities to long- and short-term strategic objectives (Punniyamoorthy Murali, 2008). Link of each perspective in the Balance Score Card (BCS) High performance work system (HPWS) is also another method to explain the situation in General Motors. Independent work teams, open systems and performance-based pay are known collectively as high-performance work systems (Rouse, 2000). HPWS have also come to be known as high involvement work systems, flexible work systems and high commitment work systems (Aghazadeh Seyedian, 2004) In other words, they are simply work practice that can be deliberately introduced in order to improved organizational performance. The main focus of HPWS is rearranging work so that the employees participate in decisions that affect the everyday operations of an organization. There are three potential factors that can affect high performance work system in General Motors; retrenchment of workers, technology used and layout design. A worker is the key success to any organization. Retrenchment will cause General Motors to lose talented workers subsequently lose competitive edge. To survive in the changing environment, a company must rely on their workers creativity, ingenuity problem solving ability and strong team work. Workers are able to make their own decision on the best way to accomplish their work. The knowledge and skill shared will create a high performance work system. For example, an engineer in General Motors is developing a fuel efficient engine. Engineer A may need assistants from Engineer B, however when GM decided to retrench workers, Engineer A will face difficulty in developing the engine. Performance of employee can be boost through team works. A study by Thompson, Baughan and Motwani indicates that company such as General Motors, Proctor Gamble, Xerox Corporation had huge increase productivity as high as 250 percent and double their profit (1998). The use of technology is another feature in High Performance Work System. All managers in every department of General Motors are able to identify the technology they use in their organization. The application of Human Resource Information System that can store information on workers that can assist managers in deciding which employee is performing and which is not. The use of technology without human operating it is also meaningless. Managers in General Motor can identify whether the qualified workers are able to operate the tools or not. 1.1 The link between team performance and strategic objectives As it is clear from the figure that all the perspectives link eachother. So all the four parts directly effect the strategic objectives of the company. This principle is used at strategic level. 1.1.1 Organisations Strategic Objectives Goals of GME Lead in advanced technologies and quality in creating the worlds best vehicles Give employees more responsibility and authority and then hold them accountable Create positive, lasting relations with customers, dealers, communities, union partners and suppliers to drive our operating success Strategic Objectives of Organisations Financial Growth: Increase the revenues, gross profit and sales. Financial Efficiency: To improve overall productivity. Current Customer: To expand sales to existing customers, To increase customer retention, To increase customer loyalty, To create and use a customer database. New Customer: Introduce existing products into a new market, Anticipate future customer needs through customer feedback. Customer Service: Improve our service approach for new and existing customers. Product/Service/Program Managment: To have all product meet standard of  excellence guideline. Operations Managment: To continually improve internal process to realize  efficiencies, Capitalize on physical facilities (location, capacity, etc.) Improve organizational structure.Redirect or restructure  available resources. Technology Managment: Increase efficiencies through use of wireless or virtual  technology. Communication Management: Improve internal communications. Customer Management: Acquire enhanced CRM data mining capabilities. Marketing Management: To continuously broaden our customer database by  getting new information on customer characteristics  and needs. Develop and implement a promotional plan to drive  increased business. Channel Management: To aggressively strengthen our upstream channels. Improve the distributor and supplier relationships. People: To hire, develop and maintain the right people, in the right place Employ professionals who create success for customers. Training:Develop broad set of skills useful for customer support. To develop the leadership abilities and potential of our team. Strategic Objectives of GME Integrity: We will stand for honesty and trust in everything we do. We will say what we believe and do what we say. Continuous Improvement: We will set ambitious goals, stretch to meet them, and then raise the bar again and again. We believe that everything can be done better, faster and more effectively in a learning environment. Customer Enthusiasm: We will dedicate ourselves to products and services that create enthusiastic customers. No one will be second-guessed for doing the right things for the customer. Teamwork: We will win by thinking and acting together as one General Motors team, focused on global leadership. Our strengths are our highly skilled people and our diversity. Innovation: We will challenge conventional thinking, explore new technology and implement new ideas, regardless of their source, faster than the competition. Individual Respect and Responsibility: We will be respectful of the individuals we work with, and we will take personal responsibility for our actions and the results of our work. Sourse: gm.com 1.1.2 Workforce requirements that are capable of achieving the  organisations objectives General Motors Europe is using the hierarchical approach. In this method each and every employee is controlled by the respective supervisor. And each supervisor gives the performance report of the employee to the top management. In GME every employee is loyal. The company place the right employee to the right job to achieve the objectives of the organisation. There are 209,000 employs of the company. Each and every employee get the proper training for its job which helps the organisation to achieve the objectives with the help of compitent employs. 1.2 Tools and Techniques available to set team performance targets The following important purposes are derived from different resourses including General Motors website,articles,General Motors final reports. The operational performances of GME are reported and viewed on the quarterly at board level and than the summary report is send to the top management. The performance of employs are checked with the help of score card. I gives the daily performance measurement which could be also used for the long term strategic purposes. Daily , weekly and monthly targets are reviewed regularly. An important consideration is to make sure the objectives remain appropriate and robust measures of performance in the company. GME core purpose is to create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty. GME,s success depends on customers. The customers who shop with them and the people who work for them. If customers like what the company offer, they are more likely to come back and shop with them again. If the GME team find what the company does rewarding, they are more likely to go that extramile to help their customers. 1.2.1 Processes that deliver outcomes based on organisational goals and aims GME use balanced score card methodology throughout its organisational operations. Every department change the balance score card according to their needs. These performances are measured during team meetings at lower level and is discussed at strategic level. 1.2.2 Appropriate methods for evaluating performance Each and every employee has Personal Development Planning folder. This folder contains all the performance appraisals, the training already given and the future training needs and some departmental performance data. Again the score card helps the company to identify the improvement . 1.2.3 Review capacity and capability of current work force Using the current work force GME has become the largest company and employer in Europe private sector.GME is still expanding by leaps and bounds and earning higher profit than before.The market has enough labour to cater for the recruitment at Europe level. However, for international operations,the recruitment is carried out at local countries. With the current workforce of 209,000 people, the company is more than capable to sustain itself against any future expansion plans. 1.2.4 Plans to meet long term, medium and short term requirements Increase General Motors U.S. market share to 33% Improve customer satisfaction as evidence by points of market share, not fractions GMs Future Hydrogen Power Plans (Mike Floyd, 2010) GM Cuts Unnecessary Spending GM Sales Soar 11.4 Percent In March On Market Shift First Posted: 04/ 1/11 Medical plan and insurance for the employs All of these plans meet the objectives criteria and are in alignment with the growth. 1.2.5 communicate workforce plan GME communicates above mentioned plans through its staff briefings, pamphlets, staff benefits periodical, staffs own website, intranet, films and advertising. The use of flexi hours is very popular in organisation at GME due to the nature of people doing part timer jobs at operational end therefore each department maintains a rota and extra hours available folder through which employees can communicate and leave message for each other along with using staff message boards. The formal training program in GME consists of five components, of which the first three are available through GM University, which is one of the largest corporate educational programs in the world. General Motor has established a learning organization and culture for its employees across the entire enterprise.GM University is designed to align the companys training investment with its business needs, and disseminate best practices and core value. Foundation skill training (i.e. computer software, GM history and business orientation) Functional specific skills and techniques Leadership and professional development On-the-job training in each department In addition, GM supports advanced education and certification through tuition assistance, Cardean e-MBA program, and technical education programs. Tuition Assistance Program: This program regular active salaried employees are eligible for tuition assistance upon date of hire. Graduate Education: Variety of graduate programs are available throughout GM. Checked with the operating unit of interest to you for individual opportunities. On-Site Classwork: Number of educational courses are offered in conjunction with educational institutions throughout the United States. New Hire Mentoring: The GM New Hire (GMNH) is the unique support system for new GM team members. Simply put the GM new hires are paired with our experienced GM team members with the primary objective of professionally transitioning and developing new hires into the GM culture. Providing and enabling to experience professional growth, corporate culture, new ideas and perspectives, while driving for business results. Mentoring is critical as move into the future. The new hires of today, will be our leaders for tomorrow. 1.2.6 Improvements made are in line with the organisations vision and objectives Total worldwide vehicle sales $8.4 million in the year Offering a lease product in certain geographic areas In the year ended December 31, 2010 company worldwide market share was 11.4%. Total of 20,215 distribution outlets throughout the world. Currently offer 19 FlexFuel vehicles for the 2011 model year. Increase the volume of vehicles produced from common global architectures to more than 50% of company total volumes in 2015. Diesel vehicles have become important in the European marketplace, where company encompass 50% of the market share. 1.2.7 Improvements to reduce gap between what customers and  stakeholders want The success of the GME means that the stakeholders at all levels are very happy with the performanceof company. GMEs share is considered to be the most reliable on the market.The gap between customer and stakeholders is substantially reduced by keeping the community and different stakeholders at the heart of scorecard where the progress is checked on recurrent basis. Agreeing Team Performance Targets To Meet  Strategic Objectives This sections aims to look into the team performance targets which match with theultimate strategic gains. 2.1 Required Performance Targets Within Teams Against Current Performance It is the duty of the company to engage with the community and find out about their local shopping preferences. Teams are urged to be polite, helpful and cordial . every company have targets. These targets are compared with the year on year,season on seaon and like for like weekly targets. All the section managers and staff have the access to the relevant information and these targets are reiterated through an internal communication channel. Every single staff working at company has targets. 2.1.1 The type of skills, knowledge, understanding and experience required to undertake current and planned  organisational activities At operational level, there is not much need for high skills required but along with the increment in the hierarchy of the management, the relevant skills are also increased. For example, sectional managers have to be versed in time keeping and management, store managers are more project oriented and have to be more financially aware. GME identify the training needs of its staff. As the company is becoming more technologically oriented, company is investing a lot in the training of systems such as self help check outs monitoring and online reporting. Company employees can manage their own profile these days online and have their personnel related matters sorted through this channel. All this need to be communicated and people are trained through GME Academy. 2.1.2 Systems for collecting and assessing information on the overall performance of theorganisation to identify opportunities for improvement GME relies heavily on digital ways of collecting and assessing information. Although, it does engage with community through local leaflets and local surveys but on strategic level it engages through CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiative. It has found out that it needs to invest ingreener and more fair trade products. Every transaction at GME front end is stored for 5 years,this huge amount of data helps to analyse and compare sales data on the overall performance. 2.2 Encourage individual commitment to team performance in achieving organisational objectives. Staff members are encouraged through motivational techniques such as staff value awards competition, employee of the month and encouragement for every staff to become team members. Such techniques help raise the staff morale ultimate resulting in getting individuals commitment. 2.3 Context of delegation, mentoring and coaching to achieve organisational objectives The concept of mentoring is used at graduate training schemes where graduate recruits get their mentor for a year or so period. Operational staff tend to get more coaching and any limitations in their skills are catered for locally in the staff training room. At grass root level there is not much of delegation involved, more or less the operational teams do the jobs that they are asked to do with avery little chance of job rotation. 3 Monitor activities to improve team performance A strategy implementation to improve team performance process has to be a top to bottom approach. Communication lies at the heart of strategy implementation. If the top management doesnt have the required motivation coupled with strong communication channels then it would behard to monitor any strategic systems and processes. (Mabey 2002). Therefore, GME has adopted various channels for the smooth flow of information and introduced various checks and balances so that the balance score card is measured according to the objectives set. This whole process encompasses the involvement of supervisors, team leaders and other managers during staff appraisals which are conducted twice a year. Employees are encouraged to take part in company development programme which is labelled as personal development planning(PDP). Every employee develops his own objectives. The progress is monitored through PDP folder and staff appraisals. Identification of the work objectives, key dates and support materials are provided by the management and also at their daily and weekly staff meetings so that staff can measure their contribution. The balanced score card is considered to be used for organisational fitness for the purpose and is classified as the in-out approach to controlling strategic performance. Balanced score card helps to strengthen the core competencies of an organisation and enables workforce to sustain the competitive advantage in the market. (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990; Teeceet al., 1997). 3.1 Monitoring team performance Following a resource based review of the adopted balance score card methodology at GME. It encapsulatesthe daily, monthly, quarterly and annual strategic control and the steps through which it iscontrolled and monitored. Balanced score card focuses on alignment and integration of the human activity factor with the operations. It conditions how people work instead of directly trying to influence people (employees and community) what they should achieve. The balanced score card helps to review the objectives and progress through all structures of management and at all levels. GMEs recurring operational issues are discussed at weekly or monthly basis whereas, the strategic issues come up more often at managers meetings on quarterly basis. This is in alignment with the classical view of the balance score card evolution. 3.2 Evaluation of team performance against agreed objectives Team performances are evaluated through 360 feedback, team briefings and by adopting Demings PDC approach. The areas of improvement are defined and are communicated at once throughTeam Exercise. 4 Contribution of influence and persuasion to team dynamics Since the evolution of different management theories, the modern business world uses a mix of all these. Employee motivation through monetary means is still a bigger factor behind better labour output. The contribution of these motivational techniques to influence the team dynamics is measured in this section. 4.1 Methodologies to gain commitment to action GME management uses a combination of Taylorism and Maslow theory of need such that it enriches the job satisfaction by really involving its staff into decision making allowing them to become a part of the organisation and by giving them monetary incentives through bonus and other performance related pay increments. This is a proven methodology to gain GME Staffs commitment in achieving the targets. GME employs over 209,000 and all of them take part in Staff Question Time Sessions which enables the company management to obtain a valuable feedback about the work conditions (Email GME, 2011). This is a 360 degree exercise such that it not only gives feedback to employees but also enables staff to share their experience and opinions to help serve customers better. Staff Training and development is another successful tool that company use to engage with its staff and to enrich their experience of working with them. A good programme such as HPWS (High Performance Work System) is highly eff ective in experienced staff retention. Staff retention and loyalty is a trademark of every successful organisation. 4.2 Impact of individual dynamic on securing commitment to action The impact of the chief executive on securing its staff s commitment to action is distilled at all levels of GMEs organizational structure. For any strategic action has to be channelled through effective top level management. GMEs current boss has earned industry as well as its employees respect by achieving various awards and taking GME,s success to an unprecedented level. Conclusion The above assignment has tried to explore GME within four learning outcomes as specified aboveand has found that due to visionary leadership and innovative performance management measures. The four learning outcomes inspected setting of performance targets through the purpose and balance score card methodology adopted by the company. GME further uses various controlling and monitoring mechanism together with its High Performance Work System to help implement its objectives. Different motivational techniques are used to build up the morale and generate higher labour output by the team members.These teams include enrichment of employees experience through training and development,sharing of success through shares and profits incentives. And eventually, the all important strategic leadership has been discussed. It is argued that without the visionary leadership of management GME would not enjoy the benefits that it is enjoying today. Despite being the leading supermarket, GME continues to expand into more diversified portfolio and the author of this article, having worked in one of the stores, feels confident that the trend would continue in the foreseeable future.