LATIN AMERICA
As I wrote about Europe or Asia, Latin Amercia is a diverse as those others. It is imposibe to stablish how "latin americans" act, behave or do busieness for example. It depends on the specific region, or specific country that such questions can be answered. There are some definitions that are very particular because they try to define what is Latin America but as it is obvious is not a easy topic.
“Latin America includes Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries of Cuba and the Dominican Republic.”
“Region of the Americas where Romance languages are spoken”
“The areas which Spain and Portugal colonized in the Americas.”
“The countries of Central and South America (including Mexico, but excluding the Caribbean countries).”
Some important facts of latin America:
It counts with 21 different countries with about 21million km2, and about 570 million people. Population :569 million
I am not going to talk about a specific country in the region, by the contrary I would like to know more about the whole region in general and the ECLAC (Economic Comission for Latin America and the Caribean).
This was what I found:
LATIN AMERICA (ECLAC)
"The Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) -the Spanish acronym is CEPAL- was established by Economic and Social Council resolution 106(VI) of 25 February 1948 and began to function that same year. The scope of the Commission's work was later broadened to include the countries of the Caribbean, and by resolution 1984/67 of 27 July 1984, the Economic Council decided to change its name to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); the Spanish acronym, CEPAL, remains unchanged.
ECLAC, which is headquartered in Santiago, Chile, is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations. It was founded with the purpose of contributing to the economic development of Latin America, coordinating actions directed towards this end, and reinforcing economic ties among countries and with other nations of the world. The promotion of the region's social development was later included among its primary objectives".
Member States:
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Granadines, Spain, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, and
Venezuela
Associate members:
Anguilla, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands, and United States Virgin Islands.
Mandate and Mission
"The secretariat of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC):
(a) Provides substantive secretariat services and documentation for the Commission and its subsidiary bodies;
(b) Undertakes studies, research and other support activities within the terms of reference of the Commission;
(c) Promotes economic and social development through regional and subregional cooperation and integration;
(d) Gathers, organizes, interprets and disseminates information and data relating to the economic and social development of the region;
(e) Provides advisory services to Governments at their request and plans, organizes and executes programmes of technical cooperation;
(f) Formulates and promotes development cooperation activities and projects of regional and subregional scope commensurate with the needs and priorities of the region and acts as an executing agency for such projects;
(g) Organizes conferences and intergovernmental and expert group meetings and sponsors training workshops, symposia and seminars;
(h) Assists in bringing a regional perspective to global problems and forums and introduces global concerns at the regional and subregional levels;
(i) Coordinates ECLAC activities with those of the major departments and offices at United Nations Headquarters, specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations with a view to avoiding duplication and ensuring complementarity in the exchange of information".
The information was taken from: http://www.eclac.org/default.asp?idioma=IN
jueves, 20 de mayo de 2010
viernes, 14 de mayo de 2010
NORTH AMERICA
The continent of Norh America is componed by Bermuda, Canada, Clipperton island, Greenland, Mexico, Saint Pierre and Miquelon and the United States. It is the third largest continent in area after Asia and Africa, and the fourth largest in operation.
UNITED STATES.
For historical documents, Americans presidents, achievements and further information about what is happening know in the United States, visit the web page of the government of the United States: www.usa.gov,
Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. Over a span of more than five decades, the economy has achieved steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.
Some of the characteristics of the citizens of the United States are: Self-centered, aggressive, nationalistic, arrogant, jump to conclusions, they usually don’t respect cultural differences and some others.
We can refer to Americans through the Football metaphor it reflects their American culture and also the manner in which business is practice by Americans.
The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace.
And from the class presentation.
THE HP WAY
In the early 1990´s HP was passing through a successful time in history, it has a reputation of being one of the most forward thinking companies of the world. It was the best choice for employees and their way to manage the company had a huge impact on other companies.
The HP way involved a participative management style; the success of the company was reattributed to the commitment to their employees. Core values are essential for the employees and for the company; HP is considered one of the companies more secure for jobs.
The main strategies implemented by HP to sustain their organizational culture are :
One of the most important tool for the company was to tell histories in order to convey the employees to the corporate culture, all of the histories had a message in order to everyone to personify the company, is a way of guiding their values, also the employees had an MBO that is called management of objectives which purpose was to divide responsibilities. The Hp purpose when creating the corporate personnel department was to maintain a common purpose within a framework ofFreedom of method and divisional autonomy depended heavily on the openness, trust and cooperation inherent in the HP Way. The employees are hired for life, that’s the idea, the long term recruiting.
Communication was key to transmit and maintain the corporate culture, for example the ¨open door¨ principle that allows the communication and integration between all the members of the company from the junior employees to the senior managers. Freedom and the relax atmosphere incentives the personnel to work better.
In 2001, Carly Fiorina was facing a huge dillemma in terms of organisational culture. "Should Fiorina try to revitalize the HP way or attempt to replace it with a “better” culture than the one established by Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett in the 1940’s?". Explain your answer.
Keeping the HP way is a huge challenge for the company, it is necessary to do it because more than a way it is consider a tradition, this method highly motivates the workers and incentive others to work in the company because of the job security. The core values and the corporate organizational culture are the base for the company and the development, the think is that they have to work with each market and it depends on each process. (each internationalization is different from other). The changes must improve and be better that what they have today in order to keep their strong corporate culture and stay the same and improve.
*Forster, Nick. 2002. “Managing excellence through corporate culture: the HP way” The Management Case Study Journal 2(1): 13-25
An interesting video to watch about Hewlett Packard:
Information taken from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html.
UNITED STATES.
For historical documents, Americans presidents, achievements and further information about what is happening know in the United States, visit the web page of the government of the United States: www.usa.gov,
Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. Over a span of more than five decades, the economy has achieved steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.
Some of the characteristics of the citizens of the United States are: Self-centered, aggressive, nationalistic, arrogant, jump to conclusions, they usually don’t respect cultural differences and some others.
We can refer to Americans through the Football metaphor it reflects their American culture and also the manner in which business is practice by Americans.
The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace.
And from the class presentation.
THE HP WAY
In the early 1990´s HP was passing through a successful time in history, it has a reputation of being one of the most forward thinking companies of the world. It was the best choice for employees and their way to manage the company had a huge impact on other companies.
The HP way involved a participative management style; the success of the company was reattributed to the commitment to their employees. Core values are essential for the employees and for the company; HP is considered one of the companies more secure for jobs.
The main strategies implemented by HP to sustain their organizational culture are :
One of the most important tool for the company was to tell histories in order to convey the employees to the corporate culture, all of the histories had a message in order to everyone to personify the company, is a way of guiding their values, also the employees had an MBO that is called management of objectives which purpose was to divide responsibilities. The Hp purpose when creating the corporate personnel department was to maintain a common purpose within a framework ofFreedom of method and divisional autonomy depended heavily on the openness, trust and cooperation inherent in the HP Way. The employees are hired for life, that’s the idea, the long term recruiting.
Communication was key to transmit and maintain the corporate culture, for example the ¨open door¨ principle that allows the communication and integration between all the members of the company from the junior employees to the senior managers. Freedom and the relax atmosphere incentives the personnel to work better.
In 2001, Carly Fiorina was facing a huge dillemma in terms of organisational culture. "Should Fiorina try to revitalize the HP way or attempt to replace it with a “better” culture than the one established by Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett in the 1940’s?". Explain your answer.
Keeping the HP way is a huge challenge for the company, it is necessary to do it because more than a way it is consider a tradition, this method highly motivates the workers and incentive others to work in the company because of the job security. The core values and the corporate organizational culture are the base for the company and the development, the think is that they have to work with each market and it depends on each process. (each internationalization is different from other). The changes must improve and be better that what they have today in order to keep their strong corporate culture and stay the same and improve.
*Forster, Nick. 2002. “Managing excellence through corporate culture: the HP way” The Management Case Study Journal 2(1): 13-25
An interesting video to watch about Hewlett Packard:
Information taken from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html.
MIDDLE EAST & THE ISLAMIC BANKING SYSTEM
The Middle East has always been a centre for world affairs throughout history and also nowadays. It is the historical origin of the three big Monotheistic religions. Judaism, Islamism and Christianism. In modern times the Middle East remains a strategically, economically, politically, culturally and religiously sensitive region.
Islam is a very rigorous religion, The word Islam means 'submission to the will of God', this religion is consider one of the mayors of the world, the followers of Islam are called Muslims.
Explain what Islamic Banking is and its background
.
For the Muslims the Islamic Financial system is considered ethical, because Islam has some premises of how people have to be to others, and they must act consequently with some principles.
The Islamic banking is a bank system that fulfills the Muslims principles and follows the rules of the Islam religion, that in some way it could be develop or done through the economics, the principles which emphasize moral and ethical values in all dealings have wide universal appeal. The bank system operates as any other but with the exception that will follows the rules implanted by the Islam religion. (Specially the ones on transactions and interests).
The Islamic finance was practiced in the Muslim world throughout the Middle Ages, fostering trade and business activities. Its origins data to the very beginning of Islam with the trading operations and the businesses done at that time, (the daily operations). The most important factor of productions are; labor capital and entrepreneurship, the capital-owner contributed the money and the partner managed the business, with each sharing profits and when losses the one that was damage was the capital provider.
What are the key principles of Islamic banking?
Principles are based on common sense, morality, ethics which are the background or the basis for many religions besides the Islam. The Islamic banking makes it different from others because their principles follows the principles of the religion, in order for the Muslims not to feel that they are doing something against their principles and beliefs. They do business in order to benefit the humanity. Trust, justice, honesty and respect, are some values of the Islam that are highly important when doing business.
Islamic economics is a complete system of social and economic justice. It deals with property rights, the incentive system, and the allocation of resources, economic freedom and decision-making and the proper role of government.
Islamic law forbids institutions from charging interests on loans. How do they make profits when lending money?
Some of the Islam beliefs is that there is no arguable reason for a person to increase in wealth from the use of his money by another, unless he is prepared to expose his wealth to the risk of loss also. Profit is seen as secondary when doing businesses it doesn’t reflect the efficiency.
Islam sees true profit as a return for effort and objects to money being placed on a pedestal above labor, the other factor in production.
As long as the owner of money is willing to become a shareholder in the enterprise and expose his money to the risk of loss, he is entitled to receive a just proportion of the profits and not merely a merely nominal share based on the prevailing interest rate.
The most remarkably difference between Islamic banking and other banking institutes which respects that the cost of capital in interest-based banking is a predetermined fixed rate, while in Islamic banking; it is expressed as a ratio of profit.
Money is an asset that tends to be viewed and used just as a medium of exchange. Interest are seen as they can make misunderstandings and to injustice and to the a damage in the society; There is no real 'lending' in Islam since all 'lenders' obtain ownership interests in the assets that they finance, or earn a profit-share or purely fee-based remuneration. In order for an Islamic bank to earn a return on money lent, it is necessary to obtain an equity, or ownership, interest in a non-monetary asset. This requires the lender to also participate in the sharing of risk.
Explain the concept of ethical investments under Islamic law. Who is to determine whether an activity is allowed or not?
The concept of ethical investment refers to the investment or the use of the banking system but following the principles of Islam, is the only way Muslims can operate in the system.
The important principles for Islamic financial instruments for participation and investments that require strict adherence, while providing good returns, are:
• Investments must be free of interest, speculation and gambling, all are considered as forms of exploitation
• Investments are made in permissible activities
• Investments must be separately approved by an independent Shari’ah supervisory board to ensure Shari’ah principles are strictly adhered to and deviations and wayward business practice penalised, for example in Islamic finance requires penalties to be paid to charity.
"The ethical principles on which Islamic finance is based may bring banks closer to their clients and to the true spirit which should mark every financial service
Islamic financial institutions must adhere to the best practices of corporate governance however they have one extra layer of supervision in the form of religious boards. The religious boards have both supervisory and consultative functions. Since the Shari’h scholars on the religious boards carry great responsibility, it is important that only high calibre scholars are appointed to the religious boards.
How does Islamic banking influence the economy in the Middle East?
Islamic banks are evolving financial and investment instruments that are not only profitable but are also ethically motivated. It influence the economy by giving trust to all the participants of the operations, The Middle East region has seen exceptional growth in terms of both institutions providing Islamic financial services and assets under management. The Middle East is one of the most developed Islamic banking markets. The Islamic banking is the proper choice for all the muslins who wants to be active in the economy and wants also to follow their religion basically their principles.
What is the future of Islamic Banking in terms of global expansion and growth?
Nowadays the Islamic banking is growing rapidly, mostly where muslims are located or where the Islam is practice, for example in Europe there is now various islamic banking institutions in order to fulfill the needs of the muslims there and in order to them to participate in the economy. It will expand and growth because Muslims are now aware that they can invest and use the banks without dissappointing their beliefs and religion.
Information taken from:
http://www.islamic-banking.com/what_is_ibanking.aspx.
Image taken from:
www.keepnetflixprofiles.org/tag/conventional-bank
Some links related and useful to the topic: http://www.isdb.org/ and www.toutounchian.com
Islam is a very rigorous religion, The word Islam means 'submission to the will of God', this religion is consider one of the mayors of the world, the followers of Islam are called Muslims.
Explain what Islamic Banking is and its background
.
For the Muslims the Islamic Financial system is considered ethical, because Islam has some premises of how people have to be to others, and they must act consequently with some principles.
The Islamic banking is a bank system that fulfills the Muslims principles and follows the rules of the Islam religion, that in some way it could be develop or done through the economics, the principles which emphasize moral and ethical values in all dealings have wide universal appeal. The bank system operates as any other but with the exception that will follows the rules implanted by the Islam religion. (Specially the ones on transactions and interests).
The Islamic finance was practiced in the Muslim world throughout the Middle Ages, fostering trade and business activities. Its origins data to the very beginning of Islam with the trading operations and the businesses done at that time, (the daily operations). The most important factor of productions are; labor capital and entrepreneurship, the capital-owner contributed the money and the partner managed the business, with each sharing profits and when losses the one that was damage was the capital provider.
What are the key principles of Islamic banking?
Principles are based on common sense, morality, ethics which are the background or the basis for many religions besides the Islam. The Islamic banking makes it different from others because their principles follows the principles of the religion, in order for the Muslims not to feel that they are doing something against their principles and beliefs. They do business in order to benefit the humanity. Trust, justice, honesty and respect, are some values of the Islam that are highly important when doing business.
Islamic economics is a complete system of social and economic justice. It deals with property rights, the incentive system, and the allocation of resources, economic freedom and decision-making and the proper role of government.
Islamic law forbids institutions from charging interests on loans. How do they make profits when lending money?
Some of the Islam beliefs is that there is no arguable reason for a person to increase in wealth from the use of his money by another, unless he is prepared to expose his wealth to the risk of loss also. Profit is seen as secondary when doing businesses it doesn’t reflect the efficiency.
Islam sees true profit as a return for effort and objects to money being placed on a pedestal above labor, the other factor in production.
As long as the owner of money is willing to become a shareholder in the enterprise and expose his money to the risk of loss, he is entitled to receive a just proportion of the profits and not merely a merely nominal share based on the prevailing interest rate.
The most remarkably difference between Islamic banking and other banking institutes which respects that the cost of capital in interest-based banking is a predetermined fixed rate, while in Islamic banking; it is expressed as a ratio of profit.
Money is an asset that tends to be viewed and used just as a medium of exchange. Interest are seen as they can make misunderstandings and to injustice and to the a damage in the society; There is no real 'lending' in Islam since all 'lenders' obtain ownership interests in the assets that they finance, or earn a profit-share or purely fee-based remuneration. In order for an Islamic bank to earn a return on money lent, it is necessary to obtain an equity, or ownership, interest in a non-monetary asset. This requires the lender to also participate in the sharing of risk.
Explain the concept of ethical investments under Islamic law. Who is to determine whether an activity is allowed or not?
The concept of ethical investment refers to the investment or the use of the banking system but following the principles of Islam, is the only way Muslims can operate in the system.
The important principles for Islamic financial instruments for participation and investments that require strict adherence, while providing good returns, are:
• Investments must be free of interest, speculation and gambling, all are considered as forms of exploitation
• Investments are made in permissible activities
• Investments must be separately approved by an independent Shari’ah supervisory board to ensure Shari’ah principles are strictly adhered to and deviations and wayward business practice penalised, for example in Islamic finance requires penalties to be paid to charity.
"The ethical principles on which Islamic finance is based may bring banks closer to their clients and to the true spirit which should mark every financial service
Islamic financial institutions must adhere to the best practices of corporate governance however they have one extra layer of supervision in the form of religious boards. The religious boards have both supervisory and consultative functions. Since the Shari’h scholars on the religious boards carry great responsibility, it is important that only high calibre scholars are appointed to the religious boards.
How does Islamic banking influence the economy in the Middle East?
Islamic banks are evolving financial and investment instruments that are not only profitable but are also ethically motivated. It influence the economy by giving trust to all the participants of the operations, The Middle East region has seen exceptional growth in terms of both institutions providing Islamic financial services and assets under management. The Middle East is one of the most developed Islamic banking markets. The Islamic banking is the proper choice for all the muslins who wants to be active in the economy and wants also to follow their religion basically their principles.
What is the future of Islamic Banking in terms of global expansion and growth?
Nowadays the Islamic banking is growing rapidly, mostly where muslims are located or where the Islam is practice, for example in Europe there is now various islamic banking institutions in order to fulfill the needs of the muslims there and in order to them to participate in the economy. It will expand and growth because Muslims are now aware that they can invest and use the banks without dissappointing their beliefs and religion.
Information taken from:
http://www.islamic-banking.com/what_is_ibanking.aspx.
Image taken from:
www.keepnetflixprofiles.org/tag/conventional-bank
Some links related and useful to the topic: http://www.isdb.org/ and www.toutounchian.com
martes, 11 de mayo de 2010
AUSTRALIA & OCEANIA
Canberra is the capital of the Commonwealth of Australia, is a federal democracy with a population of 21,875,000 persons, with an annual population growth rate: 1.7%, some ethnic groups present are: European 92%, Asian 6%, Aboriginal 2%, predominant religions:Catholic 26%, Anglican 19%, other Christian 19%, official language: English.
The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii).
The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.
The first inhabitants of Australia were the Aborigines, who migrated there at least 40,000 years ago from Southeast Asia.
Australia is considered an isolated country, they count with a cultural diversity, multiculturalism over 140 nationalities live side by side the country, they had suffer a phenomenon of migration over the past 60 years, most of them from Vietnam and Europe and this was because of the wars. It counts with a large area as the United States, most people live in coastal cities and this makes them the people most urbanized on earth.
The tall poppy syndrome refers to describe a social phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticized because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers, this syndrome is happening constantly on Australia, New Zealand and other countries.
Some of the characteristics of the Australian culture is the egalitarianism, their openness and their individualism.
The Australian corporate culture is highly influenced by the European style. Managers tend to practice a consultative style and the role of the leader is to harness. Businesses in Australia have high tolerance to risk, and Australians don’t show the level of commitment to work than Americans tend to do.
Information taken from the class presentation.
When removed from their families, the children were prepared for “a better life”, how is that true or false when considering different perspectives?
Australia is home to many different Indigenous or Aboriginal clans, also known as Aboriginal nations or tribes. Among the largest and most prominent of the remaining clans are the Pitjantjatjara, Arrernte, Luritja, Tharawal, Wiradjuri, Wonnarua, Alvawarre, Guugu, Yimithirr, Gabi Gabi, and Yorta Yorta Peoples.
All of Australia's Indigenous Peoples are, or were at some point, seminomadic hunters and gathers. As a result, tracking of both animals and plants is considered a particularly important aspect of Aboriginal culture.
Today, 32 percent of Australia's Indigenous community lives in urban areas and 43 percent live in regional centers.
The stolen generation in Australia refers to is a term used to describe those children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were harshly removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments. The removals occurred in the period between approximately 1869 and 1969, although in some places children were still being taken in the 1970s.
In that time children were taken from their families in order to raise them better and give them education and even they used the term protection, and in a way to purify their culture, to me this reflects the situation back in Germany where the Nazis were trying to purify their race, this was not as aggressively as the Germans but it has at the end the same purpose that is to improve their population, ones did it by killing mallards of people and other made it by taken away children from their families and force them to live a life that most of them didn’t want it away from its family.
¨RABBIT PROOF FENCE¨
The movie ¨Rabbit proof fence¨ place the situation of Australian aborigines back In 1931, with the Aborigine Act in Australia, the Chief Protector of Aborigines in the State of Western Australia A.O. Neville had the power to relocate half-caste children from their families to educational centers to give the culture of the white man. When the fourteen year-old aboriginal girl Molly Craig is taken from her mother in Jigalong with her eight year-old sister Daisy Kadibill and their ten year-old cousin Gracie Fields to the distant Moore River Native Center, they run away trying to return to the tribe in the desert. They are chased by the skilled tracker Moodoo and the police under the command of Neville, and have to survive to their long journey back home.
The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii).
The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.
The first inhabitants of Australia were the Aborigines, who migrated there at least 40,000 years ago from Southeast Asia.
Australia is considered an isolated country, they count with a cultural diversity, multiculturalism over 140 nationalities live side by side the country, they had suffer a phenomenon of migration over the past 60 years, most of them from Vietnam and Europe and this was because of the wars. It counts with a large area as the United States, most people live in coastal cities and this makes them the people most urbanized on earth.
The tall poppy syndrome refers to describe a social phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticized because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers, this syndrome is happening constantly on Australia, New Zealand and other countries.
Some of the characteristics of the Australian culture is the egalitarianism, their openness and their individualism.
The Australian corporate culture is highly influenced by the European style. Managers tend to practice a consultative style and the role of the leader is to harness. Businesses in Australia have high tolerance to risk, and Australians don’t show the level of commitment to work than Americans tend to do.
Information taken from the class presentation.
When removed from their families, the children were prepared for “a better life”, how is that true or false when considering different perspectives?
Australia is home to many different Indigenous or Aboriginal clans, also known as Aboriginal nations or tribes. Among the largest and most prominent of the remaining clans are the Pitjantjatjara, Arrernte, Luritja, Tharawal, Wiradjuri, Wonnarua, Alvawarre, Guugu, Yimithirr, Gabi Gabi, and Yorta Yorta Peoples.
All of Australia's Indigenous Peoples are, or were at some point, seminomadic hunters and gathers. As a result, tracking of both animals and plants is considered a particularly important aspect of Aboriginal culture.
Today, 32 percent of Australia's Indigenous community lives in urban areas and 43 percent live in regional centers.
The stolen generation in Australia refers to is a term used to describe those children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were harshly removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments. The removals occurred in the period between approximately 1869 and 1969, although in some places children were still being taken in the 1970s.
In that time children were taken from their families in order to raise them better and give them education and even they used the term protection, and in a way to purify their culture, to me this reflects the situation back in Germany where the Nazis were trying to purify their race, this was not as aggressively as the Germans but it has at the end the same purpose that is to improve their population, ones did it by killing mallards of people and other made it by taken away children from their families and force them to live a life that most of them didn’t want it away from its family.
¨RABBIT PROOF FENCE¨
The movie ¨Rabbit proof fence¨ place the situation of Australian aborigines back In 1931, with the Aborigine Act in Australia, the Chief Protector of Aborigines in the State of Western Australia A.O. Neville had the power to relocate half-caste children from their families to educational centers to give the culture of the white man. When the fourteen year-old aboriginal girl Molly Craig is taken from her mother in Jigalong with her eight year-old sister Daisy Kadibill and their ten year-old cousin Gracie Fields to the distant Moore River Native Center, they run away trying to return to the tribe in the desert. They are chased by the skilled tracker Moodoo and the police under the command of Neville, and have to survive to their long journey back home.
EUROPE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION.
Europe is formed by 47 states, diversity is necessarily one of its greatest aspects, if not the most, one of the richest regions of the world. 7 of its countries are the richest in the world: Luxembourg, Norway, Ireland, Andorra, Iceland, Denmark, and Austria.
Other of the region's most amazing elements was the foundation of the European Union, and here is a little history o how it began.
1951: The European Coal and Steel Community is established by the six founding members(Belgium, France, Germany, Italy,Luxembourg, and The Netherlands).
1957: The Treaty of Rome establishes a common market.
1973: The Community expands to nine member states and develops its common policies.
1979: The first direct elections to the European Parliament.
1981: The first Mediterranean enlargement.
1993: Completion of the single market.
1993: The Treaty of Maastricht establishes the European Union.
1995: The EU expands to 15 members.
2002: Euro notes and coins are introduced.
2004: Ten more countries join the Union.
"In economic, trade and monetary terms, the European Union has become a major world power. However, some have described the EU as an economic giant but a political dwarf. This is an exaggeration. It has considerable influence within international organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the specialized bodies of the United Nations (UN), and at world summits on the environment and development.
Nevertheless, it is true that the EU and its members have a long way to go, in diplomatic and political terms, before they can speak with one voice on major world issues like peace and stability, relations with the United States, terrorism, the Middle East and the role of the UN Security Council. What is more, the cornerstone of national sovereignty, namely military defence systems, remain in the hands of national governments, whose ties are those forged within alliances such as NATO".
"European integration will continue in the fields in which the member states consider it is in their best interests to work together within the traditional EU framework (on issues like trade, globalization, the single market, regional and social development, research and development, measures to promote growth and jobs and many others.)
The institutional process of updating the rules governing the relations between the member countries and the EU and between the EU and its citizens has recently come to an end. A new treaty, the Lisbon Treaty, has been signed by the EU leaders. If ratified by all member states, it is expected to provide the Union with the legal framework and tools necessary to meet future challenges and citizens’ demands".
According to cultural diversity "Europe is proud of its cultural diversity. Language, literature, theatre, visual arts, architecture, crafts, the cinema and broadcasting may belong to a specific country or region, but they represent part of Europe’s common cultural heritage. The European Union aims to preserve and support this diversity and to help make it accessible to others".
Taken from http://europa.eu/index_en.htm
There is a current discussion around the existence of the co-determinism principle in Germany. Select, define and explain 3 arguments in favor and 3 against such principle.
Co-Determination refers to the voice of the workers, is the rights of the workers because workers are really important to organizations.
Co-Determinism is the right to participate in decision making of the organization within the enterprise whereby employees and their representatives exert influence on decisions, often at a senior level and at a relatively early stage of formulation.
• It operates as a complement
• Stakeholders
• It was born in Germany (is not the only country who shows co-determinism, also Austria and Denmark).
The Co-determination principle was born on 1950´s on the steel and coal industry. And by 1976 became a national law.
The co-determinism principle highly motivates the employees, they feel important and they integrate the entire company, the employees with the supervisors and the board of management (the entire company). With this motivation workers can work better and have much more results, they are willing to protect their rights and their interests. As the employees feel motivated, they are also willing to provide innovation to the company in order to the company success. They could make improve the quality of the supervisory board, by giving advices and because they have a voice they work as if the company were theirs. If all the employees are integrated to the company and feel as part of it it also can lead to a minimization of conflicts.
Some think that co-determination is an old and bureaucratic system, as they employees have more participation in the company it gives more flexibility, it is also very difficult to foreign companies to understand the principle and by then understand the system, this will reduce the investment on the region.
Co-determination is seen as a form of worker participation.
Information taken from the class presentation.
This link will provide more information about co-determination:
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emire/GERMANY/CODETERMINATION-DE.htm
AFRICA
Africa is the second largest and popular continent in the World, has 53 countries, is very rich in natural resources and has a wide variety of religious beliefs Islam and Christian are predominant. In Africa there are different ethnical groups, multiple indigenous groups, myriad values and beliefs; Africans tend to be highly collectivist.
The discovery of diamonds in 1867 and gold nine years later brought an influx of “outlanders” into the republics. During the Cold War era, the U.S. and the Former Soviet Union promoted their own political ideologies by supporting various governments and rebel groups in Africa thanks to the economic globalization and free trade markets throughout the world, combatants in resource-rich areas could finance their wars.
When you talk about Africa you can’t generalize, all the regions are very different one from each other, for example when talking about South Africa
Has a long history of exotic people setting in the region, this have created considerable conflicts between the various groups and the indigenous population, it is hard to say that south Africa has a common national culture, because of the conflict and the ethnic diversity caused by migrations. Management practices are strongly modeled on British and the American system. When working with different ethnics it is necessary to work on the understanding.
Kenya and Nigeria are countries of Africa that has high Cultural diversity, cross-cultural influences on management styles, rapid Economic Growth, high Levels of Intra-African Immigration, presence of many indigenous groups and MNC´s Influence (FDI).
Nigeria has more than 200 ethnic groups, 500 dialects, the predominant religion is the Islam and Christianity, is rich in natural resources (oil, gas), and is a country with regulatory openness to foreign direct investment, it is consider an emerging economy and the business opportunities are growing and also with them the migration.
The MEND is the most important revel goupr in Nigeria. This group has 2 basic elements:
1. Ties with preexistent rebel movements.
2. Support of local population in fighting and in logistics.
MEND is not guerilla or terrorist group although they launch several attacks to achieve their most important goal: Weak the oil supply. Other of their goals is to raise international attention on the Delta issue and create an evocative contraposition.
" In January 2006 MEND was introduced to the world with an e-mail via which it intimidated oil
multinationals based in Niger Delta area and threatened the government with reducing the oil
exportation capacity to zero. From that moment, it efficiently orchestrated sabotage actions to
damage the oil wells and a long succession of kidnappings of multinational companies’ staff".
"MEND portrays itself as political organisation that wants a greater share of Nigeria’s oil revenues to go to the impoverished region that sits atop the oil. In fact, it is more of an umbrella organisation for several armed groups, which it sometimes pays in cash or guns to launch attacks".
For further information about this subject please follow the link: http://www.economist.com/world/mideast-africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12267373
In Kenya 95% of the populations are natives, it counts with a ¨quadruple¨ cultural heritage that affects management; Arab-Muslim, Colonial (white), South Asian and Indigenous.
Some characteristics of the African management style are:
• They care about the interest of the group, they are highly collectivist
• Chiefs and elders have the power
• In the selection process they favor their families and friends
• They are a multiethnic culture
• And the seniority prevailed.
Information taken from the class presentations.
What is Ubuntu? How was it applied to support the merging process of the two companies? (3 examples)
Ubuntu means a strong sense of community, ¨Ubuntu¨ is premised on the philosophy that one’s find own humanity in helping others to find theirs, in other words I am a human because you are a human, it is commonly used by companies to create working environment that results beneficial to the company and the employees.
The African Bank Miners Credit had a challenge was to measure the efficacy of what they were doing, and also working for the recognitions and qualifications will bring them credibility to their market.
African Miners Credit has used drums as an important part of the Ubuntu process and every employee has been given a drum that was used to symbolize communication and loyalty. ¨Drums serve as a constant reminder of the importance of good communication and unity within the workplace. People have used drums since the dawn of the time to relay messages and tell stories; the drum unifies the community by moving to the same rhythm¨
The tale of the bird and the badger was used to explain the concept of growth, employees were told like the bird and the badger, we must strive to work together, because Ubuntu teach that what is good for us is good for you, and what is good for us is good for you.
The tale of how the elephant became so big was used to illustrate the concept of equality; employees were told the company was committed to building a workforce that represented the country’s demographics. Employees were told that just like the elephant, everyone has a potential, and though training and hard work, we could be able to achieve their goals.
Ubuntu by Nelson Mandela.
The discovery of diamonds in 1867 and gold nine years later brought an influx of “outlanders” into the republics. During the Cold War era, the U.S. and the Former Soviet Union promoted their own political ideologies by supporting various governments and rebel groups in Africa thanks to the economic globalization and free trade markets throughout the world, combatants in resource-rich areas could finance their wars.
When you talk about Africa you can’t generalize, all the regions are very different one from each other, for example when talking about South Africa
Has a long history of exotic people setting in the region, this have created considerable conflicts between the various groups and the indigenous population, it is hard to say that south Africa has a common national culture, because of the conflict and the ethnic diversity caused by migrations. Management practices are strongly modeled on British and the American system. When working with different ethnics it is necessary to work on the understanding.
Kenya and Nigeria are countries of Africa that has high Cultural diversity, cross-cultural influences on management styles, rapid Economic Growth, high Levels of Intra-African Immigration, presence of many indigenous groups and MNC´s Influence (FDI).
Nigeria has more than 200 ethnic groups, 500 dialects, the predominant religion is the Islam and Christianity, is rich in natural resources (oil, gas), and is a country with regulatory openness to foreign direct investment, it is consider an emerging economy and the business opportunities are growing and also with them the migration.
The MEND is the most important revel goupr in Nigeria. This group has 2 basic elements:
1. Ties with preexistent rebel movements.
2. Support of local population in fighting and in logistics.
MEND is not guerilla or terrorist group although they launch several attacks to achieve their most important goal: Weak the oil supply. Other of their goals is to raise international attention on the Delta issue and create an evocative contraposition.
" In January 2006 MEND was introduced to the world with an e-mail via which it intimidated oil
multinationals based in Niger Delta area and threatened the government with reducing the oil
exportation capacity to zero. From that moment, it efficiently orchestrated sabotage actions to
damage the oil wells and a long succession of kidnappings of multinational companies’ staff".
"MEND portrays itself as political organisation that wants a greater share of Nigeria’s oil revenues to go to the impoverished region that sits atop the oil. In fact, it is more of an umbrella organisation for several armed groups, which it sometimes pays in cash or guns to launch attacks".
For further information about this subject please follow the link: http://www.economist.com/world/mideast-africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12267373
In Kenya 95% of the populations are natives, it counts with a ¨quadruple¨ cultural heritage that affects management; Arab-Muslim, Colonial (white), South Asian and Indigenous.
Some characteristics of the African management style are:
• They care about the interest of the group, they are highly collectivist
• Chiefs and elders have the power
• In the selection process they favor their families and friends
• They are a multiethnic culture
• And the seniority prevailed.
Information taken from the class presentations.
What is Ubuntu? How was it applied to support the merging process of the two companies? (3 examples)
Ubuntu means a strong sense of community, ¨Ubuntu¨ is premised on the philosophy that one’s find own humanity in helping others to find theirs, in other words I am a human because you are a human, it is commonly used by companies to create working environment that results beneficial to the company and the employees.
The African Bank Miners Credit had a challenge was to measure the efficacy of what they were doing, and also working for the recognitions and qualifications will bring them credibility to their market.
African Miners Credit has used drums as an important part of the Ubuntu process and every employee has been given a drum that was used to symbolize communication and loyalty. ¨Drums serve as a constant reminder of the importance of good communication and unity within the workplace. People have used drums since the dawn of the time to relay messages and tell stories; the drum unifies the community by moving to the same rhythm¨
The tale of the bird and the badger was used to explain the concept of growth, employees were told like the bird and the badger, we must strive to work together, because Ubuntu teach that what is good for us is good for you, and what is good for us is good for you.
The tale of how the elephant became so big was used to illustrate the concept of equality; employees were told the company was committed to building a workforce that represented the country’s demographics. Employees were told that just like the elephant, everyone has a potential, and though training and hard work, we could be able to achieve their goals.
Ubuntu by Nelson Mandela.
SOUTH ASIA
South Asia is formed by Afganistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldive Islands, and Sri Lanka. As it is obvious diversity is one of its main elements.
It is important to see how culture changes from one country to another, so as fallows there are some important aspects of some of the countries that are part of South Asia as one of the riches regions according to diversity.
AFGANISTAN
The languages are Dari or Pashtu, religion is one of their pillars, that is why part of their habits is to pray five times a day.
The biggest religion is Sunni Muslim 80%, followed by Shi'a Muslim 19%, and others just 1%. The Islam rules the personal, political, economic and legal activities of the Afghanis. It is not curious then that they have what is called Ramadan, one of their biggest celebrations, a holy month for them.
In their personal behavior Afganhis are very hospitable, which is essential for them, in order to represent what is very important for them: Honor.
BANGLADESH
Age an position is what defines hierarchy in this society. It is common, then, to see that to denote respect Bangladeshis will add a suffix to a name for this.
The biggest religion is Muslim 83%, followed by Hindu 16%, and others other 1%.
Its language is Bangla. There is a strong tradition of music, dance, and literature and that’s why festivals are so important.
PAKISTAN
Very similar to Afghanistan because of the Islam religion.
For them the most important is Family which is the basis of the social structure. Family is not only the nuclear family but also relatives and neighbors.
They like doing business and are highly skilled for doing so.
INDIA
India had become very important for South Asia because is a very pluralistic country, multilingual and a multiethnic society. Is also one of the most attractive markets for outsourcing in products and services from other countries, because a large population speaks English and the labor is very cheap. The Indian economy is very close to the western economies, friendly relationships the government and some overseas companies help to improve the stability of the country.
“For Indian companies, managing a diverse workforce is no longer a choice but an imperative” Managing India’s organizational culture: a salad bowl rather than a melting pot.
“The following are some important guidelines to manage diversity effectively:
* To consider female employee needs, such as child care and job sharing, to prevent their turnover.
* Commitment from top management towards value diversity is a pre-requisite.
* To arrange mentoring program by senior managers to identify promising women and minority employees and play an important role in nurturing their career progress.
* To arrange diversity training programmed to bring diversity awareness and educate employees on cultural and sex differences and how to respond to these in the workplace.
* There should be an apprenticeship program to train promising prospective employees properly before they are actually hired on a permanent basis.
* Employer should set up a support group to provide a nurturing climate for employees who would otherwise feel isolated or alienated.
* To conduct diversity audit to review the effectiveness of an organization's diversity management program.
* There should be a proper communication which includes speeches by senior executives, inclusion of diversity in corporate vision statements, the publication of diversity brochure and inclusion of diversity as a topic in new employee orientation.
* Managers need to be sensitive to the needs of working parents.”*
Guidelines taken from: http://www.indianmba.com/Faculty_Column/FC578/fc578.html March 2010 (Dr. Parimalendu Bandyopadhyay, Gunamoy Hazra, Kajol Goswami)
Most of the information was taken from the class presentations.
What do you think are the reasons behind the fast-growth outsourcing industry in India?
In the past two decades, India has been making sustained progress on a scale, size and pace that is unprecedented in its own history, dramatically improved literacy, emerged as a global player in information technology, business process outsourcing, telecommunications, and pharmaceuticals.
Some of the Reasons why India is a target market for outsourcing are: Quality and education, Language, Time zone, cheaper labor force, technological platforms, and some others.
India is now seen as a huge competition for workers around the world specially in United States, Reduce costs are one of the main reason of why to outsource specially in India, in India there are more access to skill people and at the time of the real day to day business this will give you an advantage from others, when you outsource to India you are going to be outsourcing to people highly educated often holding degrees from universities sometimes of the US. Clearly language and cultural barriers exist; the good people of India speak better English than the majority of Americans.
According to the Indian overview 2009, made by the world bank: : It is equally important the building of skills among India’s rapidly rising work force, whose ranks are joined by some 8-9 million new entrants each year. Presently, nearly 44 percent of India’s labor force is illiterate, only 17 percent has secondary schooling, and enrollment in higher education is a mere 11 percent. Moreover, the quality of most graduates is poor and employers offer very little upgrading of skills; only 16 percent of Indian manufacturers offer in-service training compared to over 90 percent in China. To help produce engineers of international standards, the World Bank has supported improvements in the quality of education in engineering institutes in 13 states. A project is now supporting 400 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to become centers of excellence in technical skills that are in demand.
A good article to read about outsourcing in India: http://www.cio.com/article/146451/Seven_Reasons_Why_Outsourcing_to_India_is_Good_for_Your_Business?page=3&taxonomyId=3197
I also recommend to watch the movie ¨Outsourced¨
Outsourced is a modern day comedy of cross-cultural conflict and romance. Todd Anderson (Josh Hamilton) spends his days managing a customer call center in Seattle until his job, along with those of the entire office, are outsourced to India. Adding insult to injury, Todd must travel to India to train his new replacement. As he navigates through the chaos of Bombay and an office paralyzed by constant cultural misunderstandings, Todd yearns to return to the comforts of home. But it is through his team of quirky yet likable Indian call center workers, including his friendly and motivated replacement, Puro (Asif Basra), and the charming, opinionated Asha (Ayesha Dharker), that Todd realizes that he too has a lot to learn - not only about India and America, but about himself. He soon discovers that being outsourced may be the best thing that ever happened to him.
It is important to see how culture changes from one country to another, so as fallows there are some important aspects of some of the countries that are part of South Asia as one of the riches regions according to diversity.
AFGANISTAN
The languages are Dari or Pashtu, religion is one of their pillars, that is why part of their habits is to pray five times a day.
The biggest religion is Sunni Muslim 80%, followed by Shi'a Muslim 19%, and others just 1%. The Islam rules the personal, political, economic and legal activities of the Afghanis. It is not curious then that they have what is called Ramadan, one of their biggest celebrations, a holy month for them.
In their personal behavior Afganhis are very hospitable, which is essential for them, in order to represent what is very important for them: Honor.
BANGLADESH
Age an position is what defines hierarchy in this society. It is common, then, to see that to denote respect Bangladeshis will add a suffix to a name for this.
The biggest religion is Muslim 83%, followed by Hindu 16%, and others other 1%.
Its language is Bangla. There is a strong tradition of music, dance, and literature and that’s why festivals are so important.
PAKISTAN
Very similar to Afghanistan because of the Islam religion.
For them the most important is Family which is the basis of the social structure. Family is not only the nuclear family but also relatives and neighbors.
They like doing business and are highly skilled for doing so.
INDIA
India had become very important for South Asia because is a very pluralistic country, multilingual and a multiethnic society. Is also one of the most attractive markets for outsourcing in products and services from other countries, because a large population speaks English and the labor is very cheap. The Indian economy is very close to the western economies, friendly relationships the government and some overseas companies help to improve the stability of the country.
“For Indian companies, managing a diverse workforce is no longer a choice but an imperative” Managing India’s organizational culture: a salad bowl rather than a melting pot.
“The following are some important guidelines to manage diversity effectively:
* To consider female employee needs, such as child care and job sharing, to prevent their turnover.
* Commitment from top management towards value diversity is a pre-requisite.
* To arrange mentoring program by senior managers to identify promising women and minority employees and play an important role in nurturing their career progress.
* To arrange diversity training programmed to bring diversity awareness and educate employees on cultural and sex differences and how to respond to these in the workplace.
* There should be an apprenticeship program to train promising prospective employees properly before they are actually hired on a permanent basis.
* Employer should set up a support group to provide a nurturing climate for employees who would otherwise feel isolated or alienated.
* To conduct diversity audit to review the effectiveness of an organization's diversity management program.
* There should be a proper communication which includes speeches by senior executives, inclusion of diversity in corporate vision statements, the publication of diversity brochure and inclusion of diversity as a topic in new employee orientation.
* Managers need to be sensitive to the needs of working parents.”*
Guidelines taken from: http://www.indianmba.com/Faculty_Column/FC578/fc578.html March 2010 (Dr. Parimalendu Bandyopadhyay, Gunamoy Hazra, Kajol Goswami)
Most of the information was taken from the class presentations.
What do you think are the reasons behind the fast-growth outsourcing industry in India?
In the past two decades, India has been making sustained progress on a scale, size and pace that is unprecedented in its own history, dramatically improved literacy, emerged as a global player in information technology, business process outsourcing, telecommunications, and pharmaceuticals.
Some of the Reasons why India is a target market for outsourcing are: Quality and education, Language, Time zone, cheaper labor force, technological platforms, and some others.
India is now seen as a huge competition for workers around the world specially in United States, Reduce costs are one of the main reason of why to outsource specially in India, in India there are more access to skill people and at the time of the real day to day business this will give you an advantage from others, when you outsource to India you are going to be outsourcing to people highly educated often holding degrees from universities sometimes of the US. Clearly language and cultural barriers exist; the good people of India speak better English than the majority of Americans.
According to the Indian overview 2009, made by the world bank: : It is equally important the building of skills among India’s rapidly rising work force, whose ranks are joined by some 8-9 million new entrants each year. Presently, nearly 44 percent of India’s labor force is illiterate, only 17 percent has secondary schooling, and enrollment in higher education is a mere 11 percent. Moreover, the quality of most graduates is poor and employers offer very little upgrading of skills; only 16 percent of Indian manufacturers offer in-service training compared to over 90 percent in China. To help produce engineers of international standards, the World Bank has supported improvements in the quality of education in engineering institutes in 13 states. A project is now supporting 400 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to become centers of excellence in technical skills that are in demand.
A good article to read about outsourcing in India: http://www.cio.com/article/146451/Seven_Reasons_Why_Outsourcing_to_India_is_Good_for_Your_Business?page=3&taxonomyId=3197
I also recommend to watch the movie ¨Outsourced¨
Outsourced is a modern day comedy of cross-cultural conflict and romance. Todd Anderson (Josh Hamilton) spends his days managing a customer call center in Seattle until his job, along with those of the entire office, are outsourced to India. Adding insult to injury, Todd must travel to India to train his new replacement. As he navigates through the chaos of Bombay and an office paralyzed by constant cultural misunderstandings, Todd yearns to return to the comforts of home. But it is through his team of quirky yet likable Indian call center workers, including his friendly and motivated replacement, Puro (Asif Basra), and the charming, opinionated Asha (Ayesha Dharker), that Todd realizes that he too has a lot to learn - not only about India and America, but about himself. He soon discovers that being outsourced may be the best thing that ever happened to him.
jueves, 18 de marzo de 2010
Expatriates and overseas experiences
EXPATRIATES AND OVERSEAS EXPERIENCES.
The term expatriate refers to people who go to another country hired by companies, in order to work successfully in an international environment, there are different types of expatriate assignments; long term that refers to a period of time more than one year and involves the families, short term that is less than one year, international commuter and the frequent flyer that travel 2 times a week. The strategic reasons for international assignments are: professional development, knowledge transfer, fulfillment of scarce skills, control and coordination. This type of assignment involves for the company high costs in terms of salaries and flights, time, training, opportunities or risks, and transfer of know how. Not everybody applies for an expatriate assignment the company should select properly the person because it involves a lot of things and issues, the must study the employees, their personal development, the management need, the transfer of know how, communication skills, leadership skills, this is why choosing the wrong person will lead to failure and high costs for the company. The transition process is very important for an expatriate, they must be aware of the cultural changes and the have to be willing to adapt themselves to the new environment, is also a cultural experiences and sometimes there could be shocks, the family of the expatriate play an important role, more or less represent the 60% of the expatriates that requires their family this is why an expatriate assignment not fit for a regular employee, it requires a wise selection process. An immigrant differs from an expatriate because it involves social and economical factors. On the other hand an overseas experience is based on an own decision, this is individual, refers to traveling, backpacking and the ultimate goal is to see the world the way it is, is more a cultural experience that involves geographical mobility and the experiences its based on the personal agenda, overseas experiences gives you an open mind and a different vision of the world.
Explain one of the causes for expatriate assignment failure and provide 3 recommendations to address it.
A big issue to an expatriate to failure in the process of adjusting is family, the family play an important role for almost everybody, even more in the Latin and Asian culture that tend to be more collectivism and attach to family. As the family being the courage to work, the expatriate wants the best for them and want them to be happy, and if they are not happy the worry and the stress can be reflected at work. Family weight a lot when making a decision of going abroad, because when you are alone you just think about yourself and no one else, but when you have a family you must think also in what is best for them. The family must feel like part of the process and needs to be involve in the decision, being part of the decision makes things more easy for the expatriate and even to the whole family. They also need to be aware of the change they are going to take, it’s a risk they are taking and they need to be conscious that it could be for better or for worst, and they need to be open to the changes and the new culture they are entering to in order to adapt easily and to provide the expatriate a better work environment in order to success and not to fail. Counseling can be considered as a huge help, because some changes are not easy to over take and the whole family must need help doing it.
The term expatriate refers to people who go to another country hired by companies, in order to work successfully in an international environment, there are different types of expatriate assignments; long term that refers to a period of time more than one year and involves the families, short term that is less than one year, international commuter and the frequent flyer that travel 2 times a week. The strategic reasons for international assignments are: professional development, knowledge transfer, fulfillment of scarce skills, control and coordination. This type of assignment involves for the company high costs in terms of salaries and flights, time, training, opportunities or risks, and transfer of know how. Not everybody applies for an expatriate assignment the company should select properly the person because it involves a lot of things and issues, the must study the employees, their personal development, the management need, the transfer of know how, communication skills, leadership skills, this is why choosing the wrong person will lead to failure and high costs for the company. The transition process is very important for an expatriate, they must be aware of the cultural changes and the have to be willing to adapt themselves to the new environment, is also a cultural experiences and sometimes there could be shocks, the family of the expatriate play an important role, more or less represent the 60% of the expatriates that requires their family this is why an expatriate assignment not fit for a regular employee, it requires a wise selection process. An immigrant differs from an expatriate because it involves social and economical factors. On the other hand an overseas experience is based on an own decision, this is individual, refers to traveling, backpacking and the ultimate goal is to see the world the way it is, is more a cultural experience that involves geographical mobility and the experiences its based on the personal agenda, overseas experiences gives you an open mind and a different vision of the world.
Explain one of the causes for expatriate assignment failure and provide 3 recommendations to address it.
A big issue to an expatriate to failure in the process of adjusting is family, the family play an important role for almost everybody, even more in the Latin and Asian culture that tend to be more collectivism and attach to family. As the family being the courage to work, the expatriate wants the best for them and want them to be happy, and if they are not happy the worry and the stress can be reflected at work. Family weight a lot when making a decision of going abroad, because when you are alone you just think about yourself and no one else, but when you have a family you must think also in what is best for them. The family must feel like part of the process and needs to be involve in the decision, being part of the decision makes things more easy for the expatriate and even to the whole family. They also need to be aware of the change they are going to take, it’s a risk they are taking and they need to be conscious that it could be for better or for worst, and they need to be open to the changes and the new culture they are entering to in order to adapt easily and to provide the expatriate a better work environment in order to success and not to fail. Counseling can be considered as a huge help, because some changes are not easy to over take and the whole family must need help doing it.
National and organizational culture
NATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE.
This refers on how things are done around, the ideal way to do it; the organizational culture is defined by values, beliefs, understandings, and share by a group of people clear boundaries from other groups. Through working together people develop their own way in achieving unitary objectives. Organizational culture can be considering a business strategy.
Observable aspects: symbols, ceremonies, stories, dress, slogans
Non-observable aspects: beliefs, feelings, attitudes. The idea of an organizational culture is to create a better working environment through establishing a set of values among the members of the organization, most organizational cultures are based on the national culture, this is because some multinationals operates in different countries and they as multinationals have to fit in the society and the culture they are entering into, so the organizational culture depends on the national culture (changes from nation to nation). National culture sometimes could be stronger than the organizational culture. National culture refers to the preferences, values, beliefs of the population of the nation, (is not only refer to a country, in a country can be different cultures), by understanding the OC it gives the company an advantage, it provides guidance to all the members of the organization in order to work in a better ambient, gives the company respect among the members and the employees, The organizational culture has two main functions that are the internal integration which consists on how the members relate to each other (one to another) and the external adaptation which helps the company to adapt to the external environment. A strong organizational culture gives the organization the possibility of give the member’s motivation and commitment and it would incentive a better performance, it will also help to reduce conflicts among members. In order to have a strong and a well defined OC you must be aware of how the things are done where you are located, and based on that you must build your OC.
Exploring Diversity
EXPLORING DIVERSITY.
I've never heard that there are different views of cultural diversity.
Diversity is not only different cultures or languages, race, sexual orientation, religions, ideologies or beliefs; diversity refers to what makes a group of people similar o different from each other (individual, groups).
There are also other views that are as interesting as the ones mentioned before.
-The parochial view, for example, is "blind" to the existence of cultural diversity. Parochial see their way of doing things as the only possible way.
-The ethnocentric view, in contrast to the parochial view, accepts that cultural diversity exists, but there is only one that is superior. The question will be ¿which one?
-Finally there is the synergistic view that says that although there are many cultures there is no a superior one.
Culture can affect in big way businesses, you must be aware of differences in order to lead to a success or in the worst scenario to a failure; people even in the same country are different.
In order to understand easily diversity you must take into account these competences: Flexibility, resourcefulness, tolerance for ambiguity, vision, cultural self-awareness, cultural consciousness, multicultural leadership.
We also need to develop a cultural intelligence, in order to be able to manage a different situation that involves different kind of people, it also gives you a cultural background of the people, it helps you to interact more easily with others and understand them, you must open your mind and be sure that everybody is different and you don’t have to agree but you must respect it.
I've never heard that there are different views of cultural diversity.
Diversity is not only different cultures or languages, race, sexual orientation, religions, ideologies or beliefs; diversity refers to what makes a group of people similar o different from each other (individual, groups).
There are also other views that are as interesting as the ones mentioned before.
-The parochial view, for example, is "blind" to the existence of cultural diversity. Parochial see their way of doing things as the only possible way.
-The ethnocentric view, in contrast to the parochial view, accepts that cultural diversity exists, but there is only one that is superior. The question will be ¿which one?
-Finally there is the synergistic view that says that although there are many cultures there is no a superior one.
Culture can affect in big way businesses, you must be aware of differences in order to lead to a success or in the worst scenario to a failure; people even in the same country are different.
In order to understand easily diversity you must take into account these competences: Flexibility, resourcefulness, tolerance for ambiguity, vision, cultural self-awareness, cultural consciousness, multicultural leadership.
We also need to develop a cultural intelligence, in order to be able to manage a different situation that involves different kind of people, it also gives you a cultural background of the people, it helps you to interact more easily with others and understand them, you must open your mind and be sure that everybody is different and you don’t have to agree but you must respect it.
China
CHINA
China is the greatest country in East Asia, is considered the number one exporting country, Mandarin is the most spoken language, the liberalization of the economy brought to china its huge economy forward, Now China is the biggest economy after the US.
China was known because of its centralized organization in politics and in industry. Being Mao Zedong the head of the state, China followed a very clear path in commerce, in enterprises (that where part of the state -SOE's) and in management by a unique, almighty leader. Anyway, globalization did its job, and China had to change in order to continue its constantly evolving economic system.
There are some studies that try to explain how China has managed its recently economic opening and there are some hypotheses that show this and changes in the external environment as market forces increasingly underpin Chinese economic life. “Structural change in the economy may be then accompanied by changes in enterprise structures and management practices. People management is a central feature of how economies are run and market-led change may be re-shaping its core norms and values in the direction of HRM rather than the old-style personnel management model associated with the ‘iron rice bowl’ employment system, albeit a new form of HRM ‘with Chinese
characteristics".
MAO ZEDONG
"Mao Zedong (also Mao Tse-Tung) was the world's most prominent Chinese communist during the 20th century. Mao's Red Army overthrew Chiang Kai-Shek in 1949, and the communists seized power of mainland China. Ruthless and ambitious, Mao turned China into a world military power and created a cult of personality, forcing the distribution of his image and his "Little Red Book" (a collection of political maxims) upon the Chinese people. His campaign to export communism made China a threat to the West and led to confrontations in Southeast Asia and Korea. Under Mao's rule China endured a series of economic disasters and political terrorism, but for more than 25 years Mao was China, as far as the rest of the world was concerned. After his death, leaders like Deng Xiaoping steered the country away from pure communism, and the Cult of Mao began to disappear. These days Mao is ranked among the worst of 20th century dictators. Alongside Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler".
Taken from: http://www.answers.com/topic/mao-zedong
The relevance of Guanxi and the existence of Chinese business networks as supporting factors to the internationalization process of Chinese companies.
Guanxi is highly related to the Chinese management style and as a business strategy for HRM. Nowadays is not having the same importance because of globalization and because the companies are acquiring patterns of the western management style. Guanxi refers to commitment and friendship and is a giant linkage between the people, especially when they are doing businesses, its all about trust and reliability. For the Chinese companies Guanxi reflects the spinal core of the business. In order to success it is important to be aware of the Guanxi network connections. They consider customers as the most important in Guanxi basically because of the relationships that they could build. Communication is essential during the activity, especially face to face communication because it is important to see the other and analyze the situation as a whole. Location, networks and links are very important to Guanxi, in the culture management it will provide a better application of it. It is considered for the Chinese the tool to achieve perfection, harmony. Guanxi is still a crucial factor in the internationalization process of the Chinese companies, because is more a cultural issue, and culture doesn’t change easily it takes time.
China is the greatest country in East Asia, is considered the number one exporting country, Mandarin is the most spoken language, the liberalization of the economy brought to china its huge economy forward, Now China is the biggest economy after the US.
China was known because of its centralized organization in politics and in industry. Being Mao Zedong the head of the state, China followed a very clear path in commerce, in enterprises (that where part of the state -SOE's) and in management by a unique, almighty leader. Anyway, globalization did its job, and China had to change in order to continue its constantly evolving economic system.
There are some studies that try to explain how China has managed its recently economic opening and there are some hypotheses that show this and changes in the external environment as market forces increasingly underpin Chinese economic life. “Structural change in the economy may be then accompanied by changes in enterprise structures and management practices. People management is a central feature of how economies are run and market-led change may be re-shaping its core norms and values in the direction of HRM rather than the old-style personnel management model associated with the ‘iron rice bowl’ employment system, albeit a new form of HRM ‘with Chinese
characteristics".
MAO ZEDONG
"Mao Zedong (also Mao Tse-Tung) was the world's most prominent Chinese communist during the 20th century. Mao's Red Army overthrew Chiang Kai-Shek in 1949, and the communists seized power of mainland China. Ruthless and ambitious, Mao turned China into a world military power and created a cult of personality, forcing the distribution of his image and his "Little Red Book" (a collection of political maxims) upon the Chinese people. His campaign to export communism made China a threat to the West and led to confrontations in Southeast Asia and Korea. Under Mao's rule China endured a series of economic disasters and political terrorism, but for more than 25 years Mao was China, as far as the rest of the world was concerned. After his death, leaders like Deng Xiaoping steered the country away from pure communism, and the Cult of Mao began to disappear. These days Mao is ranked among the worst of 20th century dictators. Alongside Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler".
Taken from: http://www.answers.com/topic/mao-zedong
The relevance of Guanxi and the existence of Chinese business networks as supporting factors to the internationalization process of Chinese companies.
Guanxi is highly related to the Chinese management style and as a business strategy for HRM. Nowadays is not having the same importance because of globalization and because the companies are acquiring patterns of the western management style. Guanxi refers to commitment and friendship and is a giant linkage between the people, especially when they are doing businesses, its all about trust and reliability. For the Chinese companies Guanxi reflects the spinal core of the business. In order to success it is important to be aware of the Guanxi network connections. They consider customers as the most important in Guanxi basically because of the relationships that they could build. Communication is essential during the activity, especially face to face communication because it is important to see the other and analyze the situation as a whole. Location, networks and links are very important to Guanxi, in the culture management it will provide a better application of it. It is considered for the Chinese the tool to achieve perfection, harmony. Guanxi is still a crucial factor in the internationalization process of the Chinese companies, because is more a cultural issue, and culture doesn’t change easily it takes time.
Migration workers
MIGRANTION WORKERS.
Migration is the movement from people from one place to another, migration is not considered only from one country to another, but that there is also internal migration because of armed and civil conflicts, catastrophes, wars, and others.
In Colombia, for example, I've seen a lot of this, in the armed conflicts type, because of the subversive armed groups like FARC, ELN, AUTODEFENSAS and others that are not so recognized internationally.
These groups are always threaten, killing, kidnapping and many other things that force a lot of people, mostly the peasants, to leave their territory to save their lives, but leaving behind all that they've worked for their entire lives.
But this is not the only type of migration. There is also the migration from one country to another, sometimes legally, some times not. Some times for working opportunities, and others just to escape from any authority.
After the exposition I questioned myself about what was precisely the "Brain Drain Migration", and this was what I found out.
BRAIN DRAIN MIGRATION
“The expression 'brain-drain migration' was popularized in the 1960s with the loss of skilled labor-power from a number of poor countries, notably India. Of particular concern was the emigration of those with scarce professional skills, like doctors and engineers, who had been trained at considerable expense by means of taxpayers' subsidies to higher education.
It is impossible for political reasons to forbid emigration. This was a strategy closely associated with the repressive regimes in the Soviet Union and East Germany and would not be feasible or acceptable in virtually any country today. What, then, are the possible solutions to the brain drain?
1. Emigration can be delayed. Normally, delay strategies involve some element of public service. For example, doctors may be asked to stay on for two years after their training to 'pay back' what they 'owe' to society. A more sophisticated strategy is to incorporate delay within the training period, thus ensuring that certification follows rather than precedes a spell of public service. (This is the position advanced by South Africa's Minister of Health.)
2. Emigration can be inhibited either in the destination or source countries. The main constraints in the destination countries are the labor market and immigration policies, but at high skill levels another important consideration is the portability of qualifications. Increasingly, this inhibition is falling away as educational franchise operations and international certification expand. Emigration can be inhibited in the source countries by developing special privileges for scarce groups through pay incentives, enhanced research budgets and laboratory and hospital subsidies.
3. A relaxed, market-driven solution is to ignore the emigration of skilled workers and let a brain-drain from poorer countries replace lost skills.
4. A more interventionist variation of the market solution is to recruit in target countries while developing immigration incentives. (In Canada, for example, foreign doctors working in rural areas are given accelerated immigration status.)
5. It might be possible to reduce the negative effects of the brain-drain by promoting links with skilled nationals and former nationals abroad (see below).
None of these five solutions is without its attendant problems. "
“If a brain-drain begins seriously to affect the quality and delivery of public and private services there are two obvious solutions
(a) Make it worthwhile for highly-trained professionals to stay
(b) Replace them with competent locals at a rate as fast as or faster than their departure ('brain train').
Another solution is to devise strategies of 'brain gain', like:
- Recruiting abroad in key segments,
- Return of Talent,
-The construction of a brain gain network."
All the information that appeared above was taken from:
http://www.queensu.ca/samp/transform/Cohen1.htm
Do you think the Points System in Canada is meant to protect the country’s sovereignty? Or ¿is it just a deliberated form of discrimination? ¿why?
Alter the boom made by the industrialization and the urbanization of Canada migration began to increase, most migrants were looking to live a better life, the localization plays an important role because it is located between the states and the winter. Most immigrants were british and Americans, and even the government favour them, Mackenzie King’s states that Canada had the right to decide and select the future citizens, he considered it was not a fundamental right it was more a privilege than anything else. The points system emphasizes on the skills, education and training of the independent immigrant, rather than his/her ethnical background. They had a preference on immigrants, it is evident that Canada has a preference for skill immigrants, and in some way it is good for the country and the economy and the development to have skilled workers, somehow the will help to grow the country. But on the other hand it has a little bit of deliberated discrimination, because even though skilled workers are required to the economy, labor workers are the ones that work for the skilled ones, and somehow they are the ones that move companies and the economy, so, both are necessary.
Migration is the movement from people from one place to another, migration is not considered only from one country to another, but that there is also internal migration because of armed and civil conflicts, catastrophes, wars, and others.
In Colombia, for example, I've seen a lot of this, in the armed conflicts type, because of the subversive armed groups like FARC, ELN, AUTODEFENSAS and others that are not so recognized internationally.
These groups are always threaten, killing, kidnapping and many other things that force a lot of people, mostly the peasants, to leave their territory to save their lives, but leaving behind all that they've worked for their entire lives.
But this is not the only type of migration. There is also the migration from one country to another, sometimes legally, some times not. Some times for working opportunities, and others just to escape from any authority.
After the exposition I questioned myself about what was precisely the "Brain Drain Migration", and this was what I found out.
BRAIN DRAIN MIGRATION
“The expression 'brain-drain migration' was popularized in the 1960s with the loss of skilled labor-power from a number of poor countries, notably India. Of particular concern was the emigration of those with scarce professional skills, like doctors and engineers, who had been trained at considerable expense by means of taxpayers' subsidies to higher education.
It is impossible for political reasons to forbid emigration. This was a strategy closely associated with the repressive regimes in the Soviet Union and East Germany and would not be feasible or acceptable in virtually any country today. What, then, are the possible solutions to the brain drain?
1. Emigration can be delayed. Normally, delay strategies involve some element of public service. For example, doctors may be asked to stay on for two years after their training to 'pay back' what they 'owe' to society. A more sophisticated strategy is to incorporate delay within the training period, thus ensuring that certification follows rather than precedes a spell of public service. (This is the position advanced by South Africa's Minister of Health.)
2. Emigration can be inhibited either in the destination or source countries. The main constraints in the destination countries are the labor market and immigration policies, but at high skill levels another important consideration is the portability of qualifications. Increasingly, this inhibition is falling away as educational franchise operations and international certification expand. Emigration can be inhibited in the source countries by developing special privileges for scarce groups through pay incentives, enhanced research budgets and laboratory and hospital subsidies.
3. A relaxed, market-driven solution is to ignore the emigration of skilled workers and let a brain-drain from poorer countries replace lost skills.
4. A more interventionist variation of the market solution is to recruit in target countries while developing immigration incentives. (In Canada, for example, foreign doctors working in rural areas are given accelerated immigration status.)
5. It might be possible to reduce the negative effects of the brain-drain by promoting links with skilled nationals and former nationals abroad (see below).
None of these five solutions is without its attendant problems. "
“If a brain-drain begins seriously to affect the quality and delivery of public and private services there are two obvious solutions
(a) Make it worthwhile for highly-trained professionals to stay
(b) Replace them with competent locals at a rate as fast as or faster than their departure ('brain train').
Another solution is to devise strategies of 'brain gain', like:
- Recruiting abroad in key segments,
- Return of Talent,
-The construction of a brain gain network."
All the information that appeared above was taken from:
http://www.queensu.ca/samp/transform/Cohen1.htm
Do you think the Points System in Canada is meant to protect the country’s sovereignty? Or ¿is it just a deliberated form of discrimination? ¿why?
Alter the boom made by the industrialization and the urbanization of Canada migration began to increase, most migrants were looking to live a better life, the localization plays an important role because it is located between the states and the winter. Most immigrants were british and Americans, and even the government favour them, Mackenzie King’s states that Canada had the right to decide and select the future citizens, he considered it was not a fundamental right it was more a privilege than anything else. The points system emphasizes on the skills, education and training of the independent immigrant, rather than his/her ethnical background. They had a preference on immigrants, it is evident that Canada has a preference for skill immigrants, and in some way it is good for the country and the economy and the development to have skilled workers, somehow the will help to grow the country. But on the other hand it has a little bit of deliberated discrimination, because even though skilled workers are required to the economy, labor workers are the ones that work for the skilled ones, and somehow they are the ones that move companies and the economy, so, both are necessary.
East Asia
EAST ASIA
East Asia is sub region of Asia that compounds The Republic of China (Beijing), Hong Kong (Victoria), Macau, Taiwan, Japan (Tokyo), South Korea (Seoul), North Korea (Pyongyang), Mongolia (Ulan Bator), Siberia and finally Vietnam (Hanoi), and it counts with about 1.555.784.500 people. (They count with a geographical proximity). The most important languages are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian and Vietnamese. And the main religions are Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shinto. In the class presentation the exposition was focused in South Korea and the Chaebols and how the role of culture affects relations within the companies. And we studied a case on Samsung and how they worked with the management styles. The Japanese Management style establish that companies are not alike, they are focus on market share as a growth strategy, they tend to be more aggressive in pricing, they tend to work closely, fast and flexible in order to respond to the market, Japanese value the participation of workers and medium managers in order to create a feeling of loyalty towards the company. Anyway I would like to know more about other regions that are not so recognized like Macau, for example:
MACAU
It is a special administrative region of China.
"Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years".
According to this Macau has no regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of China.
"Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment that have helped transform it into the world's largest gaming center. In 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total government revenue. The expanding casino sector and China's decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, have reenergized Macau's tourism industry, which saw total visitors grow to 27 million in 2007, up 62% in three years. Macau's strong economic growth has put pressure its labor market prompting businesses to look abroad to meet their staffing needs. The resulting influx of non-resident workers, who totaled one-fifth of the workforce in 2006, has fueled tensions among some segments of the population. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline".
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mc.html
List of the main differences between the Japanese management style and the Korean management style
First of all we must know that companies are not alike, and that there is not a universal code or a universal management style, it depends a lot of the company and the current situation of it. Japanese culture (in management and companies) tend to be more focus on the growth strategy of the company and tend to be also very competitive in order to have a maximization of the value, this is why workers are important and they care about them and employ them for lifetime, they are collectivist in order to achieve the goals of the company, and also when they feel part of the company they work with more pleasure. Japanese focus a lot on corporate values; they consider that is the key to adapt to new environments, they care about their relationships with their customers and also with their suppliers they think that is an important factor for success, in order to build a good relation and have an advantage at the time of competing, they also are flexible at the time of manufacturing giving them an strength compared to others because it gives them a huge differentiation factor.
On the other hand Koreans even tough they took the Japanese economic model because they used to be a Japanese colony, Government plays an important role in Korea, companies that are favored by the government tend to grow faster than the others, Koreans are more individualistic, they are more flexible and free to change jobs and all the important decisions are basically made by the top managers, they also tend to be more authoritarian and family members and friends are likely favor when employing.
East Asia is sub region of Asia that compounds The Republic of China (Beijing), Hong Kong (Victoria), Macau, Taiwan, Japan (Tokyo), South Korea (Seoul), North Korea (Pyongyang), Mongolia (Ulan Bator), Siberia and finally Vietnam (Hanoi), and it counts with about 1.555.784.500 people. (They count with a geographical proximity). The most important languages are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian and Vietnamese. And the main religions are Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shinto. In the class presentation the exposition was focused in South Korea and the Chaebols and how the role of culture affects relations within the companies. And we studied a case on Samsung and how they worked with the management styles. The Japanese Management style establish that companies are not alike, they are focus on market share as a growth strategy, they tend to be more aggressive in pricing, they tend to work closely, fast and flexible in order to respond to the market, Japanese value the participation of workers and medium managers in order to create a feeling of loyalty towards the company. Anyway I would like to know more about other regions that are not so recognized like Macau, for example:
MACAU
It is a special administrative region of China.
"Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years".
According to this Macau has no regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of China.
"Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment that have helped transform it into the world's largest gaming center. In 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total government revenue. The expanding casino sector and China's decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, have reenergized Macau's tourism industry, which saw total visitors grow to 27 million in 2007, up 62% in three years. Macau's strong economic growth has put pressure its labor market prompting businesses to look abroad to meet their staffing needs. The resulting influx of non-resident workers, who totaled one-fifth of the workforce in 2006, has fueled tensions among some segments of the population. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline".
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mc.html
List of the main differences between the Japanese management style and the Korean management style
First of all we must know that companies are not alike, and that there is not a universal code or a universal management style, it depends a lot of the company and the current situation of it. Japanese culture (in management and companies) tend to be more focus on the growth strategy of the company and tend to be also very competitive in order to have a maximization of the value, this is why workers are important and they care about them and employ them for lifetime, they are collectivist in order to achieve the goals of the company, and also when they feel part of the company they work with more pleasure. Japanese focus a lot on corporate values; they consider that is the key to adapt to new environments, they care about their relationships with their customers and also with their suppliers they think that is an important factor for success, in order to build a good relation and have an advantage at the time of competing, they also are flexible at the time of manufacturing giving them an strength compared to others because it gives them a huge differentiation factor.
On the other hand Koreans even tough they took the Japanese economic model because they used to be a Japanese colony, Government plays an important role in Korea, companies that are favored by the government tend to grow faster than the others, Koreans are more individualistic, they are more flexible and free to change jobs and all the important decisions are basically made by the top managers, they also tend to be more authoritarian and family members and friends are likely favor when employing.
Managing Diversity
MANAGING DIVERSITY
As a short definition managing diversity is when someone has suffered from discrimination, not only by race, but also because of gender, abilities, physical appearances, and others. Diversity is much more: social, physical, environmental, cultural...
Since we are born, with gender, and ethnicity membership, we acquire identities, other values: religious affiliation, professional affiliation, and others.
In the 1990's there were two theories that tried to explain how diversity could be managed. These were: MELTING POT THEORY, in which many cultures share a common place without forgetting their own culture, and the ASSIMILATION THEORY where is expected that after some time people leave their culture behind and take the other culture as their own.
The managing diversity evolution went from Acculturation (accommodate to the local culture), passing by Acceptance (accept that in a culture there is a wide variety of people with different cultures), Accommodation (accommodate to the different cultures), Appreciation (appreciate differences that could give me certain benefit), and finally Integration...what we are leaving in the present. If we understand the multicultural understanding levels (individual-family-community-culture-global influences) it would represent a higher negotiation power when doing business.
After learning all this, I wonder if there is a specific method to study diversity and try to understand all that comes after. This is what I found...
Based on Renato Ortiz' (professor of the Social Science Department of the Estadual de Campiñas University, Unicamp, Brasil) research about cultural diversity and cosmopolity, there are two disciplines that help in the diversity study.
1. Anthropology: Born in the late XIX century.
It considers that symbolic and geographic borders must be respected to maintain cultural integrity. Thus, dispersed cultural organizations around the world will constitute a series of diversified cultures, each one with its own characteristics.
2. History:
It tells us about the quantity of cultural organizations and civilizations that have appeared with time.
When talking about Civilization it is important to understand that each culture with its beliefs, languages, and others, become attached to a specific place. This means that cultural diversity means diversity of civilizations.
This information was taken from: Diversidad cultural y cosmopolitismo, Renato Ortiz. 1998. http://www.nuso.org/upload/articulos/2680_1.pdf
1. ¿Is diversity management at IBM a source of competitive advantage? ¿why?
Managing diversity is an advantage for everybody, we must be aware that everybody is different, and we must learn to deal with it. IBM and the HR department set a strategy where focused on an each groups blacks, Hispanics, Asians, disable people, women, native Americans, and others, each group has to be studied separately, it gave IBM growth and progress. According to Gerstner managing diversity understands the market which is diverse and multicultural; the goal was to minimize the differences to amplify them in order to seeing business opportunities. Managing diversity is a strategic goal, it would make a huge an impacting impression on customers and employees, women began to play an important role on the company, it can be consider a competitive advantage because the company is acknowledging the diversity of the society, gives the company an advantage because it wont limit the employees or even the customers, as a customer when you see a company with diversity and that takes into account everybody no matter the culture, race, religion, background, it gives you confidence and even you feel identify with it.
2. ¿Do you think the IBM case reflects a strong organizational commitment to diversity? ¿why?
According to the reading managing diversity was a priority for the company, they committed to deal with diversity and even they care and are aware that we live in a world that is multicultural and you must think of that when you have a company specially as big as IBM, diversity and multicultural gives you hints about the market. Managing diversity implies some challenges but IBM overtook them. IBM states that workforce diversity was the bridge; greater diversity in the workplace will help the company to attract more diverse customers. They even develop groups and for each group some strategies and work for them to be successful.
As a short definition managing diversity is when someone has suffered from discrimination, not only by race, but also because of gender, abilities, physical appearances, and others. Diversity is much more: social, physical, environmental, cultural...
Since we are born, with gender, and ethnicity membership, we acquire identities, other values: religious affiliation, professional affiliation, and others.
In the 1990's there were two theories that tried to explain how diversity could be managed. These were: MELTING POT THEORY, in which many cultures share a common place without forgetting their own culture, and the ASSIMILATION THEORY where is expected that after some time people leave their culture behind and take the other culture as their own.
The managing diversity evolution went from Acculturation (accommodate to the local culture), passing by Acceptance (accept that in a culture there is a wide variety of people with different cultures), Accommodation (accommodate to the different cultures), Appreciation (appreciate differences that could give me certain benefit), and finally Integration...what we are leaving in the present. If we understand the multicultural understanding levels (individual-family-community-culture-global influences) it would represent a higher negotiation power when doing business.
After learning all this, I wonder if there is a specific method to study diversity and try to understand all that comes after. This is what I found...
Based on Renato Ortiz' (professor of the Social Science Department of the Estadual de Campiñas University, Unicamp, Brasil) research about cultural diversity and cosmopolity, there are two disciplines that help in the diversity study.
1. Anthropology: Born in the late XIX century.
It considers that symbolic and geographic borders must be respected to maintain cultural integrity. Thus, dispersed cultural organizations around the world will constitute a series of diversified cultures, each one with its own characteristics.
2. History:
It tells us about the quantity of cultural organizations and civilizations that have appeared with time.
When talking about Civilization it is important to understand that each culture with its beliefs, languages, and others, become attached to a specific place. This means that cultural diversity means diversity of civilizations.
This information was taken from: Diversidad cultural y cosmopolitismo, Renato Ortiz. 1998. http://www.nuso.org/upload/articulos/2680_1.pdf
1. ¿Is diversity management at IBM a source of competitive advantage? ¿why?
Managing diversity is an advantage for everybody, we must be aware that everybody is different, and we must learn to deal with it. IBM and the HR department set a strategy where focused on an each groups blacks, Hispanics, Asians, disable people, women, native Americans, and others, each group has to be studied separately, it gave IBM growth and progress. According to Gerstner managing diversity understands the market which is diverse and multicultural; the goal was to minimize the differences to amplify them in order to seeing business opportunities. Managing diversity is a strategic goal, it would make a huge an impacting impression on customers and employees, women began to play an important role on the company, it can be consider a competitive advantage because the company is acknowledging the diversity of the society, gives the company an advantage because it wont limit the employees or even the customers, as a customer when you see a company with diversity and that takes into account everybody no matter the culture, race, religion, background, it gives you confidence and even you feel identify with it.
2. ¿Do you think the IBM case reflects a strong organizational commitment to diversity? ¿why?
According to the reading managing diversity was a priority for the company, they committed to deal with diversity and even they care and are aware that we live in a world that is multicultural and you must think of that when you have a company specially as big as IBM, diversity and multicultural gives you hints about the market. Managing diversity implies some challenges but IBM overtook them. IBM states that workforce diversity was the bridge; greater diversity in the workplace will help the company to attract more diverse customers. They even develop groups and for each group some strategies and work for them to be successful.
martes, 16 de marzo de 2010
The ethnographic Research
The ethnographic research is an approach by which by sampling you observe, analyze and formulate questions. When investigating you must identify 3 essential things; what they use, what they do and what they say. When applying this research you must act as an insider and as an outsider of the situation that is been analyze. Being an insider of the situation gives you the right to be part of the group, gives you the approval to investigate and get deeper into the subject in matter. But at the same time you need to be able to analyze your findings in an objective way, and in order to do this you must isolate your feelings and emotions, because sometimes we tend to attach to different situations.
SUGGESTIONS FOR A PROPER ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
1. You first have to formulate a Research Question, this can be defined as the objective of your research, and the question must be clear and conscious in order to develop a good research. (In other words you must define your problem, your issue to discuss or to investigate).
2. Write specific objectives (use infinitives to do it, use: TO).
3. Select and Sample, this is the step where you have access to all the information possible.
4. You enter to the core of the research
5. Differentiate the different perspectives and the realities of the situation.
6. Your fieldwork must analyze completely and detailed.
7. Use different resources such as interviews and questionnaires.
8. At the end of your research you must write a report based on your findings.
A well elaborated research will lead you a good information (data collected) in order to be able to have successful results on your investigation.
How ethnographic research could be useful for International Business?
According to the Harvard business review, Ethnographic research in business can be considered as an strategic tool when market researching, this is because this research is more anthropological and at the end you may have results based on the people and how they live and react, and how they live (being an outsider), this is why a business can use this approach in order to do a market intelligence to internationalized its company and based on the results the company may decide which possible markets are more appropriate at the time of investing, because when you decide to invest you must analyze different factors not only the economical but also the cultural that may lead you to win or to lose. This tool may help you to plan better your moves in order to have a success on your future entry to an international market (in this example). The research may also help to define which products are more likely to be accepted by a specific segment of people, the can analyze what the consumers are buying and why they are buying it.
The research may help you to identify exactly the needs and the specific offer that you can make to your new consumers (potential consumers); it helps you to define trends and tendencies of the market on a specific group of people. It will lead you to build solid relationships and to fulfill the needs of a segment of the society that may not be covered.
Reference: http://hbr.org/2009/03/ethnographic-research-a-key-to-strategy/ar/1
Image:http://images.google.com.co/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bayyinat.org.uk/ethnog.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.bayyinat.org.uk/brewer2000.htm&usg=__Cfy7uj8FQqx68svCCxg1rkuuXzA=&h=244&w=251&sz=4&hl=es&start=35&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=SbcbeQ4s5vK7EM:&tbnh=108&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dethnographic%2Bmethod%26start%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Des%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Dischyou :1
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)