Analysis of Challenges in International Management free essay sample

Analysis of Challenges in International Management† Abstract The following essay analysis the challenges in International Management with particular regard to the challenge of â€Å"culture† in international business as it is the must difficult to deal with and being essential for successful results in a wide range of global management tasks nowadays and in the future. Introduction Today successful international management requires more than a lot of frequent flyer miles or seasoned expatriate managers. But what are those exclusive challenges of international management in today’s world? The importance of international management is constantly increasing, as we exist in a world where globalisation is affecting the traditional borders in a broad range of areas. †¢Trade and investment, †¢Economic alliances, †¢The international stage players, and †¢The work environment are changing rapidly, being supported by the increasing sophistication and lower cost of information technology. World trade and investments are growing fast (the volume of world trade among countries has grown at an average rate over 8% since 2005 (WTO 2008)), linking the economies and creating opportunities and threats. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Challenges in International Management or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page New, strong and forced competitors are coming from developing nations in Asia and the transitioning economies of Eastern Europe. Furthermore, the constantly rising level of foreign direct investment also has a globalising effect (Thomas 2002). Moreover, the emergence of the free-trade areas drastically decreased traditional economic boundaries. So do the three largest groups, the EU, the NAFTA, and the APEC, account for nearly half of the world’s trade (Cullen 2002) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) now has 140 member-nations, aiming to reduce tariffs and liberalize trade. But globalization also affects the work environments within organizations. Changes involve cutbacks, team-based management movements and privatization. For instance, there can be factory closings, as Nokia closing their German plant in Bochum moving to Romania, because of cheaper labour. All in all, as one key consequence of globalisation, international managers nowadays have to face a more dynamic, complex, competitive and uncertain environment and need skills (as a global mindset or the ability to work with people from diverse background) not considered necessary for domestic-only managers. The environment of international management can be divided into †¢economic, †¢legal, †¢political, and †¢cultural factors (Thomas 2002). So for making decisions it is essential to understand the economic strategies of the countries in or with one wants to conduct business with, because level of economic development and quality of life differs extremely worldwide. Furthermore, there are various national sovereign laws and regulations existing in the world which have to be observed and made allowance for. And in addition, there are several varieties of political systems (e. g. , theocratic totalitarianism in Saudi Arabia), containing different levels of political risks which have to be managed. For instance, decision makers have to able to estimate the degree of risk associated with a government’s involvements in business affairs depending on characteristics of their company. All these factors present impressive challenges multinational management has to face. However, the management challenge of culture and its effects on business practices and organizations is one of the most difficult to deal with. As conducting business with people from other cultures will never be easy you have to understand how culture affects management and organizations. â€Å"Culture† is a concept borrowed from cultural anthropology and there are numerous and subtle different definitions. As each definition has limitations focussing on international management the following description of Geert Hofstede seems very helpful. He defines the culture of any society as comprising shared values, understandings, assumptions and goals learned from earlier generations, imposed by present members of a society and passed on to succeeding generations (Hofstede 2008). Culture is something shared by members of a particular group, differentiates humans from other groups, is transmitted through the process of learning and adapts to external and internal environments and relationships. The international businessperson needs to be aware of three levels of cultures that may influence multinational operations. These include national culture, business culture, and organisational cultures (Cullen 2002). National culture can be described as the dominant culture within the political borders of a nation-state. But one has to be aware that multiple cultures can exist within political boundaries and they do not necessarily reflect cultural borders. For instance, Canada being home to Anglophones and Francophones. Furthermore, even relatively homogenous cultures can have diverse subcultures, including cultural differences which are affecting the international business. Nevertheless, as most business is conducted within the political borders of a state and nations can be defined as political unities, varying in governmental, legal, educational, institutional and labour systems, influencing the way people interact with their environment (Thomas 2002), national culture has the greatest effect on international business being probably the most logic starting point trying to understand the cultural environment. Business culture, reflecting the national culture, influences all aspects of work and organizational life (e. g. , motivating staff, negotiating with business partners, etc. and knowing it’s basic requirements (e. g. , what to wear to business meetings, business etiquette is more formal in Germany than in the U. S. with conservative dark business suits, etc. ) is essential for the international manager. Moreover, especially in the last few years, people realized that the â€Å"culture†-concept also holds for individual organizations. So may differences in organizational culture may be one reason why the merger of two otherwise successful companies failed. It is important to evaluate the influence of organizational rules, norms and procedures to understand the causes of behaviour in organizations. With shared behaviours, conditional relationship, being socialized into and partly involved in it, etc. organizational culture differs in construction and elements of national culture. Even so understanding these cultural factors is fundamental for international managers conducting international business, they have to be aware that â€Å"cultures† can just offer wide guidelines for behaviour, as for instance organizational cultures differ within any national context and individuals vary in each culture level. One cannot predict exactly how each person acts, feels, thinks, etc. Nonetheless, broad generalization about a culture provides a level of analysis from which to begin to understand the cultural environment and the complexities of cultural differences, because management functions such as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling in a global economy have to account for them. As international managers have to face various cultural challenges testing their management abilities they must be able to unpack the culture concept. Therefore the basic concepts of cultural dimensions can help them understand how two or more cultures might be different. An essential implication of these frameworks referring to international management and culture is that cultural interpretation and adaptation are a prerequisite to the comparative understanding of international management practice (Morden 1995). The following sections describe two popular models. Hofstede’s Culture Model This Framework, created by dutch scientist Geert Hofstede and based on a research over 11600 people in 50 countries (starting with 39 IBM subsiadiaries worldwide), tries to evaluate how basic values underlay organizational behaviour. National differences are investigated by five dimensions of basic cultural values: 1. Power distance 2. Uncertainty avoidance 3. Individualism 4. Masculinity and 5. Long-term orientation (Hofstede 2008). 1. This first value dimension refers to how cultures deal with inequality and tries to postion the inequality acceptance level by unequal power distribution society members. In countries with a high power distance acceptance (e. g. , such as Mexico), people respect and hardly ever bypass formal hierarchy positions (Elizabeth M. Christopher 2008). 2. The second value dimension concerns about the degree humans in a society are threatened by uncertain situations. The social system of a higher uncertainty avoidance society is dominated by regulations and rules, predictabilties and orders and people tend to be suspicious of change, whereas people from lower levels of uncertainty avoidance societies (for instance, countries such as Denmark). tend to be less formal, take higher business risks and plan and structure less 3. Individualism refers to the affinity to primarily take care of oneself and one’s direct family, and then to the rest of society (with the U. S. being a good example) (Elizabeth M. Christopher 2008). 4. The fourth dimension of â€Å"masculinity† concerns about the ranking of tradionally â€Å"masculine† values in a society, such as less concerning for others, materialism and assertiveness, whereas â€Å"feminity† on the other side emphasises the quality of life and relationships. 5. Long-term orientation cultures are insistent and saving (e. g. the culture of China) and short-term orientation is more self-centered, money-oriented and more social. All these factors are inter-reliant and interactive in their effects. So shows the Anglo-Dutch example Unilever the practicability of multinational enterprises where the power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and individualism values are similar; and where the masculine achievement orientation of the British complements the people orientation of the Dutch (Morden 1995). All in all, so there is a lot of criticism (for instance, the time-dependence of the results, the non-exhaustive investigation of only one multinational US company, etc. to these findings and the model of Hofstede, it is still a very valuable and useful â€Å"gift† for understanding culture and culture-based behavior. Trompenaars’ Culture Model The model created by Fons Trompenaars its also based on the researched of value dimensions. He studied the behavoiur of 15000 managers, representing 47 national cultures (Hampden-Turner 2008). Five of the seven dimensions of his model deal with the challenges of h ow people relate to each other: 1. Universalism versus particularism 2. Neutral versus affective 3. Specific versus diffuse . Achievement versus ascription 5. Time as sequence versus synchronisation The two final dimensions deal with how a culture manages time and how it deals with nature. They include: 6. The society-orientation to the past, present, or future and 7. â€Å"Control of† versus â€Å"accommodation with† nature 1. The value of univerlism refers to the application to systems and rules objectively, without taking consideration to personal circumstances, whereas the particularism culture (e. g. in countries as Spain) is more subjective and focusses more on relationships. 2. The second, the neutral-versus-affective, value dimension refers on the emotional orientation of relationships (such as expressing your feelings and emotions more like, for example, the Portugese). 3. In Addition the specific-versus-diffus dimension investigates if people from a special culture tend to be more or less specific or diffuse in their relationships (for example, Germans try to separate work and personal issues). 4. In the achievement-versus-ascription dimension, it is asked: †What is the source of power and status in society? † (Elizabeth M. Christopher 2008) So is for instance, in an achievement refering culture, the â€Å"status† of a person mainly based on it’s individual achievement (such as job performance, etc. ). 5. â€Å"Time as sequence† orientated cultures separate events in time (â€Å"step-by-step†), whereas â€Å"time as synchronisation†-orientated indiviuals manage events in parallel. (For example, if their business partners are not sharp on time, Germans, coming from a â€Å"time-as-sequence† orientated culture, may consider it an insultation). 6. This value dimension is about past versus future orientations. 7. Moreover, this dimension refers to the extent to which individuals feel that they themselves are the primary influence on their lives. Using this framework trying to understand some culture-basics some interesting patterns may emerge. Altough, being recognised for their validity (the results of these both major studies have some significant parallels, even so they were carried out in different times using different methods and examples), these concepts of cultural value orientation proposed by Hofstede and Tropmenaar can only give a basic framework for the analysis of cultural differences. They are utensils to help understand a culture and adjusting business practices to diverse cultural environments. They are for instance, a prerequisite to the successful new-market country entry, whether by setting up licensing or new subsidiaries, joint ventures, mergers or for the establishment of efficient programmes of international HR development (Kay 1993). But international managers have to realise that the understanding of another culture is a inexhaustible learning process. They will have to practice for their international work with or in other countries by studiying all that they can about the country, including more than just the business etiquette. Understanding the national culture builds just the foundation. As you seldom can get behind the front stage of culture without speaking the national language onother basic instrument is learning the language. But the challenge of â€Å"culture† in international management takes such much more than this. International managers have to broaden their understanding of cultural differences and to learn to seek advantage in differences. Understanding the culture is just a basis for the diverse international management tasks, as appropriate cross-cultural communication (using appropiate communication styles), effective and positive motivating and leadership in international organisations and across cultures, successful negotiation with international business partners and making ethically and socially responsible decisions. Conclusion The environment of international management can be divided into economic, legal, political, and cultural factors, with â€Å"culture† being the most challenging and most difficult to deal with, influencing a broad range of management tasks. Providing oneself with the necessary knowlegde and understanding of the national culture of the country or the people one is conducting business with is essential and builds just the foundation for the successful complementation of global management tasks, such as for instance leadership in multinational organisations (where you have to have understanding of all three levels of culture; national, business and organisational culture, being different and influencing each other).

Less is More When it Comes to Unique

Less is More When it Comes to Unique Less is More When it Comes to Unique Less is More When it Comes to Unique By Maeve Maddox The word unique is related to a whole class of words derived from the Latin word for one, (unus) for example: uniform, unilateral, and unicorn. Soldiers tend to look alike when they are in uniform. Among allied states, a unilateral action is one taken by one member or side only. (Latin latus = side) A unicorn has one horn. (Latin cornus = horn of an animal) The word unique has the meaning one of a kind. It is a useful word and the widespread misuse of it tends to dissipate its usefulness. Listen to any talk show and you will hear people say that something or other is very unique, or rather unique, or somewhat unique. Such usage corresponds to saying that a woman is somewhat pregnant. With unique (as with pregnancy) there is no middle ground. If something is unique, thats it. To precede the word with an intensifier like very or a comparative like less or more, defeats the purpose. That is not to say that one mustnt ever use a word to modify unique. One CAN say that a thing is: nearly unique really unique perhaps unique in some respects unique but never ever very unique. TIP: Preserve the unique usefulness of the word unique by thinking twice before putting a modifier in front of it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Congratulations on or for?Latin Words and Expressions: All You Need to KnowWhen to Spell Out Numbers

Is the concept of global health useful as a way of conceptualizing Essay

Is the concept of global health useful as a way of conceptualizing contemporary health issues in world politics - Essay Example reats posed by anthrax, environmental damages, crime, human trafficking and terrorism, all come to mind when the term global health is used (Yoube, 2005). Governments and inter-governmental organizations have implemented global health policies and statements indicating that global health has emerged as an important foreign policy issue especially in relation to both national and international security (Labonte and Gagnon, 2010). It would therefore appear that the concept of global health is a useful way of conceptualizing contemporary health issues in world politics. However, Ruger (2008) argues that states have viewed contemporary global health issues as a threat to national security only insofar as it relates to the threat of biochemical weapons. Thus global health initiatives can be ramed in terms of orthodox international relations theory (Ruger, 2008). In this regard, global health is irrelevant as state rivalries take center stage. On the other hand, McInnes and Lee (2013) argue that applying a social constructivist analysis, the concept of global health is useful for conceptualizing contemporary health issues as these issues intricately tie the state to the market and forms an important part of the international political economy. It has also been argued that social constructivism more adequately reflects how states and international organizations view global health. From this perspective global heal th issues are viewed as intricately tied to other state interests that go beyond the potential of biochemical weapons (Forman, Cole, Ooms, and Zwarenstein, 2012). This research study analyses both sides of the argument. In particular this research study analyses whether or not the international relations theory of realism or social constructivism more adequately explain the concept of global health and as such whether or not these concepts of global health are useful for conceptualizing contemporary health issues. This paper is therefore divided into three

Photographic Industry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Photographic Industry - Assignment Example Previously a photograph taken in a camera could not be viewed unless developed through a process, but now in this world of digitization things have changed a lot. Now the screen within the digital cameras allows you to delete, edit and perform different operations on the spot. The result is that they need not be printed. They could easily be shown via camera, or uploaded through computer or sent through camera phones. The result is decline in prints. Prints was one of the major component in the success of photographic industry and hence its affecting the business. Though overall there has been increase in the number of overall pictures being taken but on the same side decrease in the printouts being taken out as there exist cheaper ways of showing those pictures to concerned people. Joh Larish (2006) in his article " The Analysts Speak Out: Is There a Future for the Photo Industry" states that PMA has been the largest photographic convention and trade show in the United States. This year's PMA was considerably smaller than last year because of the demise of major exhibitors such as Agfa, Konica Minolta, Bronica and others. In addition, many other companies greatly downsized their exhibits or didn't attend at all. The Kodak exhibit was less than half its normal size. There was vacant exhibit space all over the trade show floor. Nowadays people prefer... These advancements have surely made things easier but what about the photographic industry What measures do they take for their survival Most of the topped ranked companies have stopped producing the older versions of cameras, which required reels to catch the moments of life. Starting from Kodak, it is stated in Wikipedia Encyclopedia (2006), that on January 13, 2004, Kodak announced that they would stop producing traditional film cameras in the United States, Canada and Western Europe. By the end of 2004, Kodak ceased manufacturing cameras that used the Advanced Photo System and 35mm films. Production of film continued. These changes reflect Kodak's new focus on growth in digital markets. The Economist (2002) in one of its articles "Prints and the Revolution" states that 80% of digital camera owners still use film cameras more than half the time and fewer than 20% of the 30 billion digital photos taken each year are ever printed out. The industry is now trying to solve this problem since prints are what make money. From music and newspapers to travel and advertising, industries are trying desperately to forge a clear vision for themselves in a digital age that is still opaque. Amy Yee (2006) states in her article "Banishing the negative: how Kodak is developing its blueprint for a digital transformation" about Konica Minolta, which trails in third behind Fuji Photo in the film-making market, gave up the struggle, announcing that it was pulling out of its traditional camera and photo businesses to stem growing losses. This shows some companies just don't know what to do. Things were expected to improve, not change completely. She further writes that Nikon is also discontinuing single lens

Binding Contracts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Binding Contracts - Assignment Example In our case, Dave and Sam are friends from the same University, with Dave wanting to indulge Sam in a business deal, where they could purchase iPads from a supplier who is seeking to expand his business in Australia. In this case, Sam is worried because he does not have sufficient money and thus opts to say nothing. Dave concludes that both will contribute $500 each to purchase the iPads, which they will sell at a profit and share the profits equally. Considering the requirements of the laws of contract, for an offer to become legally binding, there must be a mutual consent between the two parties (Wilmot, 2009 p35). One party must make an offer and the other party must accept that offer. In this case, Dave is the party making an offer, which Sam is reluctant to accept. A binding agreement is established if the parties involved accept the offer as it is. In case one party gives a different term regarding the offer, then that becomes a counter offer, indicating the rejection of the or iginal offer (Black, 1979 p23). In our case, the original offer required both parties to contribute a Sum of $500 each. However, contrary to the requirement, Sam leaves Dave a message to the effect that he can only contribute $200 and get 20% of the profit share as opposed to the 50% he would have obtained by contributing $500. Therefore, Sam has offered a different term to the agreement, making a counter offer. At this point, the original contract becomes void and unenforceable (Peter, 1979 p45). Therefore, there is no binding agreement in existence between Dave and Sam. Further, under the laws of contract, two parties can be involved in negotiation or pre-emptive talks, where they discuss the terms of the contract just before committing to it. This is referred as an invitation to treat (Horwitz, 1974 p100). In our case, Dave and Sam are discussing about the business deal in a coffee shop, where Dave concludes by himself that they have to enter into the business and make equal cont ributions, without having Sam confirm. Therefore, the discussion they had in the coffee shop amounts to an invitation to treat, where Dave is inviting Sam to consider the iPad business deal (Ewan, 2005 p400). Thus, this is not a contract but a mere invitation to treat, meaning there is no binding agreement between Dave and Sam. More important to the creation of a binding contract is the fact that there has to be an intention to have the two parties legally bound by the agreement they establish (Barnett, 2008 p482). In this case, the two parties involved did not indicate any intention of being legally bound by the agreement. While Dave was developing the business deal that they shall indulge in, Sam was nonresponsive. As a matter of fact, Sam only agreed to contribute $200 to the deal, to avoid offending Dave since he is a friend. Thus, the agreement in this case was established based on friendship without any legal intention created by the parties involved. In this case, the contrac t is not legally binding and thus it is voidable (Gardner, 1992 p170). Therefore, there is no binding agreement that obliges Sam to pay Dave any money. Question 2 In this case, Dave approaches Jane to partner with her in securing the deal and have her contribute $500 to purchase the iPads for sale. In fact, Jane is excited about the whole idea and wants them to make it a full time business of importing 100

Humanistic And Psychodynamic Perspectives Psychology Essay

Humanistic And Psychodynamic Perspectives Psychology Essay Psychology has been influenced by many schools and theorists it is always developing, growing and changing with society. In this essay I will identify, outline and compare two psychological theories. The theories I have chosen are humanistic theory founded by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow and psychoanalytic theory founded by Sigmund Freud and influenced by Carl Jung. I will be comparing these two theories, look at the conflicting differences between them and I will give my opinion in where I feel they sit in the Nature versus Nurture debate. I will discuss how both theories can be applied to social work as well as considering the cross cultural aspects and the implications of both theories in relation to indigenous peoples and gender. The humanistic school was founded later than the other two dominant schools of psychology, which are behaviour and psychoanalytic. Humanistic theory is often referred as the third force in psychology. (Humanism, n.d, para.2 and 3). Humanistic theorists felt that behaviourists focused too heavy on the behaviour of animals while the psychoanalytic theorists focused too heavily on the unconscious mind. The humanistic theory focuses on an individuals uniqueness. The humanistic perspective suggests that people are naturally good and strongly highlights self-actualisation with a majority of individuals choosing goal directed, adaptive and self-actualising behaviours. Theorists of humanistic perspective emphasise the idea that an individual has free will and is capable of choosing their own actions. (Approaches to Psychology, n.d., para. 1). It represents a positive view of human experience. Humanistic theory focuses on the element of the personality that are human based not animal or plant based. There are two well known theorists that have contributed to humanistic theory Carl Rodgers and Abraham Maslow. Carl Rogers (1902 1987) was an American Psychologist. He was considered one of the founding fathers of humanistic theory. He was well known for his person centred approach. He excelled in various areas such as student learning therapy and client centred therapy. In 1956 the American Psychological Association recognised his work and research and awarded him with the distinguished scientific contributions award and in 1972 he was given the award for distinguished professional contributions to psychology he was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. (Carl Rogers, n.d, para. 1 and 2). Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was an American Psychologist. He created a theory of self-actualisation called Maslows hierarchy of needs. Built up like a pyramid Maslow stated that when an individual has ascended to the top of the five levels he/she has reached self-actualisation. The five levels are physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem and self actualisation. (Abraham Maslow, n.d, para. 1 and 10). Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was the founding father of psychoanalytic theory, he is regarded to be one of the most influential theorists of the 20th century but he was also the most controversial and criticised theorist especially his Psychosexual development theory which Freud believed to be the foundation of development he outline five stages, Oral stage, Anal stage, phallic stage, latency stage and genital stage. Some of the people who were critical of some of his theories were his fellow psychoanalytic theorists such as Carl Jung and Alfred Adler who stated that Freud had over emphasised sexual instincts. (Sigmund Freud, n.d, para. 1 and 2). The underlying principles of psychodynamic perspective is that an individuals behaviour is largely the result of unconscious processes, motivation and early experiences. (Weston, Burton Kowalski, 2005, p. 25). Psychoanalytic theorists emphasise that a childs early experiences with their parents largely shapes development, behaviour and personality. Freuds unconscious mind theory includes the famous iceberg metaphor. The tip of the iceberg being the conscious mind (what we are aware of) and the bottom of the iceberg which is largely hidden under the waters surface is what Freud believed to be the unconscious mind (deplorable urges, feelings and thoughts). (Weston, Burton Kowalski, 2005, p. 12). Freud believed that the human personality was split into three parts the id, the superego and the ego. The id sits in the unconscious and it operates under impulse and impatience. The super ego is unconscious and it is the part that controls guilt as well as our sense of right and wrong. The ego is conscious and is the balancing and rationalising part of the mind it has to balance impulses of the id and the guilt of the super ego. (Santrock, 2008, p. 40) In the Nature versus Nurture debate, humanistic theory is considered Nurture because a persons behaviour is learnt from the environment which surrounds them as well as choice and free will. Psychoanalytic theory is considered Nature because it focuses on the behaviour of conscious and the unconscious mind. Humanistic and psychodynamic perspectives are the complete opposite of each other. Humanistic theory is centred around behaviour and mental process they criticised psychoanalytic theorists of being too focussed on the unconscious mind. (Theoretical perspectives in psychology, n.d, para. 3). Humanistic theory focuses on the positive influences of behaviour such as uniqueness, choice, self actualisation and free will while psychodynamic focuses on the negative influences of behaviour such as unacceptable sexual urges and deplorable thoughts. Humanistic theory emphasises that people are born good and psychodynamic theory emphasises that people are born bad and that everything people do has a selfish motive. (Theoretical perspectives in psychology, n.d, para. 2). Humanistic theorists emphasise that an individual has free will and choice and that an individual is influenced by the environment in which surrounds them. Psychodynamic theory emphasises that an individual has very little free will and very little self control and reject the idea of free will. Psychodynamic t heory focuses on the individuals dark side, the unconscious mind. Psychodynamic theorists believe that it is the force of the unconscious mind that shapes personality. The humanistic perspective focuses on how human behaviour can be changed or modified through self actualisation. They emphasise the central role of consciousness in shaping our behaviours, assuming that personal experience is a powerful medium for people to become more self aware and self directed in life. (Westen, Burton Kowalski, 2006, p. 17). Whereas the psychodynamic approach is that adult personality cant be changed it is set from a young age. (Theoretical perspectives in psychology, n.d, para. 2). The approach humanistic therapist or clinicians take is through empathy, warmth and respect. It is very person centred. The approach psychodynamic clinician would take is to interpret meanings through verbalised thought and behaviour. They would observe posture, fantasies and dreams which could be referred to as the s tudy of the mind not the study of the person and their environment. The social work profession is largely influenced by the humanistic approach. As Carl Rogers famously stated It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried. (About.com, n.d, para. 3). As a social worker in Aotearoa we work with a range of cultures and practice in a non judgemental way. The humanistic approach could be used across a range of cultures and still be highly effective for the client. As a social worker it is our job to work with clients not be the experts and the humanistic approach allows the client to reflect on the situation to find the answers instead of us telling them what they should change. The humanistic approach would be for the social worker to find out how the client perceives themselves and work with the client to recognise their inner strengths and potential in order for the client to achieve self direction, responsibilities and growth. Another humanistic model can be applied to social work through Maslows hierarchy of needs. This model would be very effective not only for the client but for the social worker, as they can get a clear understanding of what is going on in the clients life for example financial stability, housing, safety, childrens well being, domestic violence and how the client maybe coping in general. (Humanistic theories, n.d, para. 2). The psychodynamic approach in the application to social work would be allowing the client to talk about the situation in depth and the social worker listening, making notes and asking open questions to explore the situation more in depth. The psychodynamic approach focuses on the unconscious that are shown through the client behaviour and the client understanding how past experiences influence their present behaviour. (Psychodynamic therapy, n.d, para. 1). The psychodynamic approach helps the client to realise and explore their feelings which have been repressed into the unconscious mind. (Good therapy, n.d, para. 1). Social workers in Aotearoa work with a range of cultures therefore as practitioners we need to be culturally aware and sensitive. Not all psychological theories will fit with every culture or gender, we as social workers must consider the barriers to the application of different theories to different cultures. For example Psychoanalytic is a male established and driven theory which feminists may see as offensive because in their view they may see it as degrading also a lot of indigenous cultures work as a collective whereas Western culture is centred around survival of the fittest, the individual and because psychoanalytic focuses on the individual not the family it could be seen as highly offensive so it would be inappropriate and offensive to apply this theory in these two situations. Humanistic theory can be applied to a large range of cultures easily because of person centred approach; this theory is more adaptable to the collective family approach as well as the individual appro ach but its down side is that this theory was designed, established and tested on white middle class males the practitioner would have to keep that in mind when applying this theory in practice with different cultures. In conclusion to this essay I have identified, outlined and compared two completely different theories, it has been established within this essay that humanistic and psychoanalytic are two very conflicting theories with very different ideas and methods but both are two very influential schools within psychology. The theorists I have mentioned Sigmund Freud, Carl Rodgers and Abraham Maslow without a doubt heavily shaped and influenced psychology in their own ways. Both theories have very different approaches but both emphasise the importance of how adult behaviour is established by early childhood environment and experiences. In the application of social work this essay explains how humanistic theory is a positive more empathetic approach, it is person centred with the person reflecting and searching for answers whereas psychoanalytic approach focuses on the negative, the deep unconscious thoughts and is expert orientated. I have also considered cross cultural aspects of both theories and explained the implications in relation to gender issues such as feminism and race issues such as indigenous people and how applying these theories to different culture or gender may influence ineffective intervention.

Airborne Express :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a highly competitive industry the structure of a firm is very important to its success. Today firms are moving away from the centralized structure of the past, and adopting a more decentralized structure (Management Challenges in the 21st Century p 315). The air express industry is no exception. FedEx, the leader in the air express industry since the late eighties, is also leading U.P.S. in the race to become decentralized. Airborne Express is not even in the race. In order to compete in today’s changing environment, Airborne Express needs to move away from its old fashioned centralized structure and form a more decentralized structure. The old fashioned structure is not the only variable that makes Airborne the follower in the air express industry. The Internet and information systems are transforming the air express market into an electronic commerce market, and Airborne needs to transform it’s operations to meet this growing market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This report describes the strengths and weakness of the organizational structure of Airborne Express. Furthermore, it also gives recommendations for future changes in Airborne Express. The first section of this report addresses how the organization of the firm evolved, and what changes are taking place structurally in its industry. The second section discusses labor issues in the air express industry and how they affect Airborne Express. The third section addresses the growing electronic commerce market and how it’s affecting the industry and Airborne Express. 1) Structure of Airborne Express During the eighties many air express companies were formed and many were destroyed. However, three companies came out of this highly competitive period on top. They were FedEx, U.P.S. and Airborne Express. Airborne survived this highly competitive period by adapting to the external forces affecting the industry. One of the external forces affecting Airborne was the size of the competition. U.P.S. and FedEx were just swallowing up competitors. So Airborne decided the best way to compete was to be the low-cost provider of air express service. Robert Cline, CEO of Airborne explains their strategy â€Å"When you are up against UPS and Federal Express, those guys are so big and so well capitalized that you have to have a tool to fight with them. It wasn’t going to be size; it wasn’t going to be how well-known we were. So, we decided to be the low-cost operator.†(Washington CEO P 33). However, to become the low cost operator Airborne had to make many structural changes .

Election a benchmark election

The united States survived this conflict under Abraham Lincoln, the Republican from Illinois. After the war ended, Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party were viewed as heroes. They had ended slavery in the United States and won the war. Most importantly they were able to keep a nation, divided by a monumental issue such as slavery seen as creating Irreconcilable differences, together. As a result of the viewed successes of the Republicans during this era, they were able to dominate the White House, even though Lincoln Vice President, Andrew Johnson, as a Democrat.Johnson would only serve one term in office after Lincoln assassination, due to the poor policies he would enact as president. The following US Presidents would be Ulysses S. Grant, a Republican war hero, and three more Republicans, Hayes, Garfield and Arthur, before another Democrat would become president. The most successful president of the era was Abraham Lincoln who Is widely considered the greatest president in US h istory for his accomplishments during the Civil War. On the other hand Andrew Johnson is considered one of the worst, and is one of only two presidents to be impeached.Lincoln achievements, coupled with the distrust of southern Democrats after the Civil War, paved the way for Republicans to control the White House for the latter half of the 19th century. SYSTEM OF 1896 (1897-1933) The System of 1 896, also known as the Progressive Era, was another span of time that was dominated by the Republican Party, for all except an eight-year gap where a Democrat held the White House. The trend started under President McKinley as he expanded America's borders with the Spanish American War, trade in China, and acquisitions of the Philippines and Hawaii, before he was assassinated.Teddy Roosevelt, who followed McKinley, made many reforms that Improved the food (meat packing factories in particular), built the Panama Canal, and built up American naval strength, both of which fostered the theme of American Imperialism set by McKinley. William Howard Taft continued the Progressive Era by reforming the American workplace at the time. Taft instituted the concept of an eight-hour workday as well as continuing to break up monopolies and trusts, such as American Standard Oil, more than Teddy Roosevelt had in his time as president . After the end of Tuft's first term,Roosevelt felt he hadn't done enough as president and ran against him under the Bull-Moose party. This led to Taft and Roosevelt splitting Republican votes and a moderate Democrat, Woodrow Wilson, winning the election. From 1892 to 1928 the Republicans were winning at or above 50% in all regions besides the south, a region Democrats considered their base at the time, the sole exception being in 1912 when Teddy Roosevelt ran against William Howard Taft under the Bull-Moose Party. This resulted in Taft and Teddy Roosevelt splitting the Republican vote .This demonstrates how strong the Republicans were during the System o f 1896 wrought the nation. Wilson would lead the nation through World War I and with it create a prosperous nation. But by the end of his presidency it was his failed ideas that would stick with him and the Democratic Party leading to Republicans controlling the White House for the next twelve years. Willow's successes included creating the Federal Reserve, Federal Trade Commission and Clayton Antitrust Act. In addition he was president when the 19th amendment, woman's right to vote, was ratified.However, what he'll always be remembered for was the idea of the League of Nations which would help dead to his party's losses in the next election. The next twelve years of Republican presidents were generally indistinct, remembered primarily for Herbert Hover's inability to deal with the Great Depression, leading to the election of Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt as president. THE NEW DEAL AND THE GREAT SOCIETY (1933-1969) The Great Depression changed the way government operated in the United States. Under FED and the New Deal the US Government grew to the largest it has ever been .Figure 1 Instead of the government being there to protect the people in times of crisis when Americans needed help, the New Deal dramatically changed the scope of government. The government changed from reactionary to precautionary, resulting in a larger, more involved federal government. FED and the New Deal helped guide the nation out of the Great Depression and through World War II, but not without changing the federal government forever. The effects of this change are still seen today with welfare, Social Security, and the Tennessee Valley Authority among other government programs created by the New Deal.After FED came Truman and the Marshall Plan continuing the trend of the United States becoming a global power by offering aid to Europe to rebuild from the aftermath of World War II and the threat of Communism. Truman also presided over the creation of the United Nations, establish ment of Israel as a country, the Berlin the mold of Fad's ideologies. After 20 years of Democratic presidents, moderate Republican and war hero Dwight D. Eisenhower won the presidency. Eke oversaw the building of the interstate highway system, as well as the beginnings of the Space Race, and the Civil Rights Era.These accomplishments were good, but did not signal a full shift from the important issues odd FED and Trauma's presidencies. Following Eisenhower presidency civil rights became a focus of national politics and focal points of both KEF and Lab's presidencies. Lyndon B. Johnson would represent the end of the Democratic hold on the presidency. Despite his role in the civil rights movement, ending all forms of segregation, and â€Å"The Great Society', he will be remembered for beginning involvement in the Vietnam War. American involvement in Vietnam would be critical in leading Richard Nixon and the Republicans to taking the presidency.REAGAN REVOLUTION (1981- ) Ronald Reagan is one of the most popularizing presidents in our nation's history and was the father of the last era of presidencies in the United States. Ronald Reagan defeated sitting president Jimmy Carter in the 1980 election. Carter will be remembered for the oil crisis and gas shortage, the recession, the Iran hostage crisis, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. This propelled the American people to elect Ronald Reagan, and not by a small margin. In 1980 Ronald Reagan won 489 electoral votes and 50. 8% of the popular vote to Carter's 49 votes and 41%. In 1984 Reagan would win 525 votes and 58. Of the vote to Walter Module's 13 votes and 40. 6% . It was unprecedented to see a Republican to do so well nationally, as the South had been a Democratic lock. In the lead up to the 1980 election the South had been moving towards the Republican stronghold it has become. In the 1950 midterms, Republicans had won Just two seats in the House from the South. In 1980 Republicans won around 40% of seats . As president, Reagan would oversee economic growth through lowering taxes and using supply side economics, the pushing back of the Soviets and thawing of the Cold War, and progress of his goal to hiring the federal government (see figure 1).Reggae's view of conservatism has been evident from then until now. George H. W. Bush, Reggae's Vice President, would continue following Reggae's beliefs while president. In 1982 approximately 35% of the nation identified themselves as Republicans, by 1994 it had increased to 43%5. George Bush as president oversaw the fall of both the Soviet Union and Berlin Wall, led a successful Persian Gulf War, and would institute the Americans with Disabilities Act. President Bush would lose reelection when he raised taxes, against his promise of â€Å"read my lips: no new taxes† .This provided the opportunity for a moderate Democrat from Arkansas, Bill Clinton, to win the 1992 Presidential election. Clinton continued to strengthen the economy, but in a different way than Reagan. Clinton balanced the federal budget by raising taxes and reforming the welfare systems put in place by FED in the New Deal. In line with Reggae's policies he ensured that there was free trade between North American countries with NONFAT. Following Clinton, George W. Bush was elected President based on many of his that would dictate his presidency (Afghanistan and Iraq).In addition to the wars, the ND of Bush's presidency saw the beginning of another major recession, leading to the election off liberal democrat, Barack Obama. Has the Reagan Revolution ended? We may not know for another 5-10 years. Despite Obama, a liberal Democrat, being elected president, many of Reggae's ideas are still championed by Tea Party Republicans. This faction of the Republican Party seeks a smaller federal government, smaller federal budget, and more rights being returned to the states, as opposed to being federal issues.WHAT HAS CAUSED THIS PATTERN TO EXIST The past 150 y ears can be divided into four distinct eras. The first two marked by Republican presidencies, the third, and longest of the periods, a Democratic era, and finally a return to Republican control of the presidency with the Reagan Revolution. When looking at each era, a few things are evident; one or two great presidents define every one of these time periods, those presidents' party is the dominant party of the era, one bad presidency or event can end the era, and that in between each era there is some form of realignment.It is these conditions meshed together that create a pattern of presidential dynasties to exist in America. The top 10 presidents in history are (in order) FED, Teddy Roosevelt, Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Wilson, Truman and Eisenhower. Outside of the founding fathers each of these presidents were part of one of these eras, either as the one whose ideologies defined the era or as the moderate of the other party who followed these ideologies, but with their party's themes.The only president whose policies defined an era not on this list was Reagan. According to a 2012 Gallup Poll 19% of Americans, the most common answer, thought Ronald Reagan is the Greatest in US history. Callus's top 10 consists of Reagan, Lincoln, Clinton, Kennedy, Washington, FED, Obama, Teddy Roosevelt, Truman, and George W. Bush. When broken down by party the results are similar. Figure 2 A great president defines an era, but how does the era end? These presidential dynasties end via a realignment of political issues in the United States.This can be caused by a single event in history, for example The Great Depression, or a bad president who brings forth a need for change, such as Herbert Hoover or, potentially, George W Bush, who impact is not yet known. The era of Lincoln ended when a trio of Republican presidents (Hayes, Garfield and Arthur) did nothing to move the country forward. The System of 1896 ended ender Hoover when the US entered the Great Depression allowing FED to win the presidency for the Democrats. The era of the New Deal and the Great Society ended when LB] entered the Vietnam War.Finally the Reagan Revolution may have ended after the George W. Bush saddled the country with two wars and an economic crisis. While not all these presidents are historically bad, Lyndon B Johnson is historically remembered as an above average president due to the policies enacted during the Great Society, the majority of these presidents are remember for the harm they caused to America rather than any good they may have provided. For example George W. Bush led us through the worst terrorist attack in American history, 9/1 1, but his failures outweighed his successes and have cost the Republican Party in Republican dominance.A different issue has defined each era, so what causes the changes in issues? Realignment is a dramatic change in an era of politics. This includes a change in the dominating issues, dominant party and even change s to the party bases. The signs of realignment include a flurry of political activity not normal to U. S. Politics (I. E. Progressive Era, New Deal, Great Society, Ergonomics), a single party controlling the House, Senate, and White House, and the emergence of a third party. â€Å"To bring about a realignment, the new issue must be one that cuts across the existing line of party cleavage. -James Conduits . Each of these eras had a cross cutting issue that divided the country, and therefore needed someone to unify them. Lincoln had to deal with slavery, both the System of 1896 and the New Deal had to deal with economic hardship. The Great Society had to face the issue of race in America once again. Each of these issues divided the existing parties forcing individuals to realign based on new party beliefs. The issue can't be a small issue, such as a setting a national driving age, it must be popularizing that everyone must pick a side, like the issue of slavery during the Civil War.R ealignment causes old cleavage issues to fade away. This can be seen today because the New Deal is no longer a dividing issue among people, while in the sass's and sass's it divided Republicans and Democrats across the country. A third party arises when both major parties in power straddle the issue. The third party forces one of the two major parties to adopt the issue and if not the third party rises power (e. G. Republicans and slavery during the sass's). The New Deal era is the best example of a realigning election. Franklin Roosevelt won 472 electoral votes and 57. 4% of the vote .In addition to the presidential election, the Democrats made big strides in Congressional elections. Democrats gained 90 seats in the House and nine in the Senate , signaling a major shift in issues for the At-enact people. WILL WE ENTER A NEW PRESIDENTIAL ERA OR HAVE WE REACHED THE END? Barack Obama is not a disciple of the Reagan Revolution, if anything he is a disciple of the New Deal. Does this me an the Reagan Revolution is over? Is Obama the beginning of a new era, dominated by Democrats? Or have we reached the point where the patterns are over and there will no longer be a dominant party in America?If you look solely at history it points towards the emergence of â€Å"The Obama Era† of the American presidency. Obama was president when the United States exited the recession, much like FED and McKinley. When he was first elected in 2008 it was the highest percentage of voter turnout since 1968, signaling the potential of it being a realignment election . The beginning of Beam's first turn was filled with active legislating, including the passing of the Affordable Care Act. All of these events fit into James Squint's Theory of Partisan Realignment. What about today's current political conditions?Yes, many of the conditions that existed during Beam's first term are similar to the pattern of other presidential eras, faction of the conservative right. The Tea Party fits i n line with the small government beliefs of the Reagan Revolution and not Beam's belief in a large, active federal government. If the Tea Party does rise to power its ideologies would be a shift from Beam's. In addition to the third party not aligning with Beam's views, their influence has been steadily decreasing over time. Secondly, there is no outbreak of political activity.The opposite is true as both the House and Senate find themselves gridlocked, unable to pass any legislation. Figure 3 The most recent Congress has been the least productive of the past 32 congresses . This is in part due to straight line partisan voting by members of Congress when both the House and Senate are almost evenly split in membership as is. During the previous presidential eras either members of Congress were able to work with each other to pass legislation or one party dominated the government so it was possible force any legislation through Congress.These conditions no longer exist as the United S tates Government becomes more and more popularized. Where does all of these leave the future America? It is always safe to look back because history does have a tendency to repeat itself, but with the current conditions it isn't likely that Democrats will hold the White House for a long time. Since Gallup began monitoring presidential approval ratings, starting with Harry Truman, the two presidents who have defined their respective eras, Reagan and Johnson, have both had average approval ratings above 50%, 52. 8% and 55. 1% respectively. Beam's current average its below 50% at 48% .A president with an approval rating less than 50% isn't going to set the tone for future presidents if less than half the nation approves of him. Another strike against an â€Å"Obama Era† is following the 2008 election there was potential for realignment, but it never actually happened. Movements such as Occupy Wall Street faded away while the Tea Party's voice only got stronger. The Democrats had a chance to grab hold of the government but didn't take it. In the following 2010 midterm elections the Republicans picked up a net of 63 seats to gain back control of the House and a net of six seats in the Senate.This isn't to say that it is impossible for President Obama can't be the start of a new era of Democratic presidents but given recent history it is unlikely. CONCLUSION As President of the United States one has the potential to shape the nation. The electorate rewards these presidents (Lincoln, both Roosevelt, LB], and Reagan) by electing presidents who emulate those same positive ideologies. This led to the creation of eras of dominance by a single party. These eras produced some of most prosperous times in American history. However, the time of single party dominance has ended.The government has become more popularized, which has led to partisan gridlock. The people have been losing faith in the government to actually get anything done, which seems to be a result of ne w popularization, illustrated by the â€Å"Do- nothing Congress†. As a result the electorate changes its views and votes for the other party hoping they will actually be able to break the gridlock in government. This is not to say there will never be another great president like Lincoln or Roosevelt again, but the time of presidential eras is reaching its end, unless the federal government becomes less popularized.

Impact of the Fourteenth Amendment essays

Impact of the Fourteenth Amendment essays The Civil War Amendments are three amendments added to the constitution after the civil war to protect African American rights, unite the union and to form equality of the nation. The amendment that had the greatest impact on individual rights was the "Fourteenth Amendment protected and guaranteed the rights of all Americans" (Smith, 127). To end the segregation and the slavery of African Americans the Fourteenth Amendment had to solve some of the major dilemmas that caused the civil war to occur. These dilemmas were citizenship, due process of law, and equal protection of laws; in order to solve these dilemmas, the Fourteenth Amendment had to give new meanings to these concepts. The first concept was citizenship. The Fourteenth Amendment had to establish that African Americans, people who legally travel to or are born in the United States have the right to become citizens and have citizen's rights." All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the states they reside in (Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1). The second concept was the due process of law. In the early view of the court, deprivation of life, liberty, or property simply meant the punishment for crime. The requirements of due process would be met by fair procedure, including notice to the defendant and an open trial with the right to counsel. "Nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law..." (Fifth Amendment) and that is the procedural due process. Later, the court concluded that due process was not limited to procedural considerations but had a substantive aspect as well. "The substantive due process requires that the substance or the purpose of the law be constitutional and that government cannot make laws that apply to situations in which the government has no business interfering" (Smith, 128). In early due process cases, the court did not place lim...

Homer Simpson Quotes on Beer

Homer Simpson Quotes on Beer Homer Simpson and beer are inseparable. Homers goofy attitude towards beer lends a whole new perspective to alcohol. Stupidity Homer no function beer well without. Insults Youve been rubbing my nose in it since I got here! Your family is better than my family, your beer comes from farther away than my beer, you and your son like each other, your wifes butt is higher than my wifes butt! You make me sick! Opinions Beer... Now theres a temporary solution. Opinions I like my beer cold... my TV loud... and my homosexuals flaming. Opinions Ah, the college road trip. What better way to spread beer-fueled mayhem? Opinions You must love this country more than I love a cold beer on a hot Christmas morning. Opinions Ive figured out an alternative to giving up my beer. Basically, we become a family of traveling acrobats. Opinions Bart, a woman is like beer. They look good, they smell good, and youd step over your own mother just to get one! Parenting Aw, theres only one can of beer left and its Barts. Parenting Now son, you dont want to drink beer. Thats for Daddies, and kids with fake IDs. Wise Cracks All right, brain. You dont like me and I dont like you, but lets just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.

What if Toward Excellence in Reasoning by Hintikka & Bachman Thesis Proposal

What if Toward Excellence in Reasoning by Hintikka & Bachman - Thesis Proposal Example The statements have been distinguished under the following headings:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"And you don’t have to be a sociologist to recognize that the prime motivation for virtually everything Americans do is entertainment; remove the entertainment motive, and you make the prospect of learning to read resemble an exercise in stoicism.†Ã‚  The premise is the part of a statement that serves as a support to the conclusive part of the whole statement; on the other hand, the conclusion is the part that expresses the final theme of the statement with the help of premise. The argument analyses of the given passage are as under Statement: â€Å"If you want an explanation for declining literacy rates in the U.S.†Ã‚  Explanations: These lines explain that it is not only entertainment, which is sought out by the masses. Rather, books provide the readers with knowledge, wisdom, and information too. Thus, television may be a source of amusement, but it is not true that books have been re placed by television because of seeking entertainment only.  Statement: â€Å"look no further than the boob tube.† (Intermediate Conclusion)  Explanations: This part of the statement speaks out television as the root-cause of falling literacy rate. The writers have used the slang phrase i.e. boob tube to mention television. As this part is based on conclusive assumption and does not emphatically prove the truth and validity of the real picture, it is, therefore, it can be stated as the intermediate conclusion.  Statement: â€Å"Spend all the money you choose on studies in an attempt to address the problem, but if you want my advice, you’d be better off unplugging the TV set.† (Final Conclusion)  Explanations: These lines disclose the conclusion of the argument, where the writers have refuted the idea that television has led to low literacy rate. Moreover, they do not agree to the notion that unplugging TV might increase trend towards reading.

Choosing health Supporting Legislation For Health Essay

Choosing health Supporting Legislation For Health - Essay Example A report by the department of health dated on August indicates that a third of adults and a fifth of children aged below15 years will be clinically obese .By the year the 2010 it is estimated that 12 million adults in the UK and a million children will be obese while more will be overweight (Department of Health, 2004a). In this case we mainly focus on children’s health and various health issues affecting them where we approach obesity as one of the major challenge. Health support legislation in Liverpool seeks to realize the shared responsibility that everyone has to make changes that will lead to improvement of health (Department of Health, 2004b). One is considered obese when his or her body Body mass index (BMI) is 30-39.9, when its 40 one is considered morbidly obese, when its 50 one is considered super obese. Prevalence of obesity cases has tripled since 1980 and obesity is mostly associated with various aspects for example age, gender (where it mostly affects the female), ethnic belonging to a certain group and people of the lower economic status. In the year 2000 it was estimated that one out every five adults was obese. Obesity may lead to complications and diseases which include diabetes, hypertension, myocardial infarction, colon cancer, stroke among others. The main causes of obesity are sedentary lifestyle, increased energy food intake through eating and lack of regular exercises. In childhood obesity which is our main area of focus it is estimated that more than 75% of obese children become obese during their adulthood, for the last 20 years the number of obese children has been seen to triple mainly for children a ged between six to seventeen years of age (Department of Health, 2000). These is due to increased central fat deposition, it is believed that nowadays children may have a lower life expectancy compared to their parents