Should Companies use Marketing Tools on Children Essay

Are Children Acceptable as a Target Audience? Today we can often hear about the immorality of commercial companies that treat children as the target audience of their products. They don’t have right to lure poor little children into†¦ what? Buying something? Spending their money? Wasting their time? To begin with, the definition â€Å"poor little children† is wrong inherently. I don’t know where its authors have seen these poor little ones, but I didn’t; according to my own observations, children don’t know either and use this lenient attitude of grown-ups skillfully and whenever it is possible. Second, children naturally don’t have what is called â€Å"their money†. Most often children (at least of the age that is supposed to be associated with â€Å"poor little† category) receive money from their parents, and thus we stand before a dilemma: does it all mean that companies shouldn’t market to them because this is not really their money and they have no right to decide where to spend it or what? If it is so, why bother about giving money to children at all and not by everything you, as a parent, want the child to have? If it does not mean this, why going mad about the child’s spending what is now his money on what he wants? And if the child earned the money himself, what right do parents have in determining how he can use it? If we guard the child from decision making, even so petty, at this stage, we make him less likely to learn how to make decisions later. Why do we consider it alright to give him money, but feel indignation when somebody tries to sell him something? When the child is given something, he is supposed to be treated like a grown-up person in this respect – why don’t we like him to prepare to be a grown-up?

The Role and Status of Women in Buddhism and Confucianism...

The role and status of women in any religion in the word is known to be controversial. In Buddhism and Confucianism, women are seen as unequal and some of their belief promotes gender inequality. As outsiders of both main Chinese religions, we wonder how women put up with the gender inequalities. Women go through with the inequalities because they respect their faith and believe deeply in the teachings of Buddha for Buddhism, and Confucius for Confucianism. Much research and also thought has been put together to obtain true status of women in these Chinese religions. Women in these religions are seen as vulnerable of the society, making the treatment of women seem much harsher. Women will always be treated differently than†¦show more content†¦The Buddha was probably concerned about what people would think if women have the same respect and status as men. Male body is sacred, higher and more important/superior than the female body, making the teachers and leaders of Buddhism to be only male monks (Khuankaew). It does not matter if the nun has been ordained for hundred years, they are still considered lower than a newly ordained child monk (Chodron). In Thailand and a few other Theravada Buddhist countries, women are not even allowed to sit beside and touch monks because they believe that women are temptations against the monk’s enlightenment. Women are also not allowed to enter some sacred sites (Khuankaew). These teachings have truly affected how women are viewed and treated. Major and minor decisions are controlled by their parents, husbands and in-laws making them vulnerable, and to be treated unfairly. There is little evidence as to the status of women in Japanese history. According to Chinese descriptions of the Japanese during the Common Era, men and women were equal in society. Although, as the history progressed, the status of women declined. The influence of Confucianism had a major effect on women because the influence of Confucianism meant women were subordinate to men (Lee). Women were treated as menials and slaves. When they were young, they were to obey their father; when they get married, they were to show fidelity andShow MoreRelatedGender Socialization and Gender Roles Essay1184 Words   |  5 PagesGender socialization and gender roles have always existed in society. When analyzing gender roles, they are not always equal or consistent when comparing cultures, however, the expectations of females and males are often times clearly defined with a little to no common area. The Japanese culture is an example of the defined gender roles that change over time. 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Role Of Strategic Planning In Organization - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the Role Of Strategic Planning In Organization. Answer: Regarding ethics, social, and environmental sustainability, I will analyze the manner in which Qantas instills a sense of equality and sustainability among its workers (Management, 2017). It has come to my attention that most workers in Qantas are protesting against poor pay and insecurity towards their jobs. It gets difficult to fathom how the management of Qantas view employees when its executive salaries sky-rocket. It is thus evident that equality and employee morale is low. Qantas lack ethical leadership. It is the duty of ethical leaders to ensure that workers are morally uplifted. There are many ways that Qantas can use to ensure that its workers are morally uplifted. Such methods include appreciation and better payment (Management, 2017). Moral leaders also help workers understand how to best manage themselves. Having noted that a lot of employee unrests are conducted in Qantas due to poor payment of employees and reduced levels of morale, I would recommend that the organizat ion find ways through which it can: Regulate the egos, temper, and differences in its workforce to ensure that nobility is restored. Ensure that its leaders are visionary and possess a large amount of influence on the employees so as to influence personal change. Instill a sense of emotional intelligence in the employees through their leaders. That is one of the brilliant ways through which the organization can overcome management huddles. Qantas needs to understand that behind moral as a term is the meaning which dictates what is right and wrong. From my point of view, it is clear that the ability to distinguish the right from wrong is considered elusive by Qantas. Such is true considering how the organization manages its issues to do with competing needs. It is quite elaborate in case of Qantas that employees do not feel valued by the organization. In such a case, trust for the leaders is reduced and workers dont understand the direction of programs allocated for them (Price, 2011). Leadership should be about being effective and setting good examples. For further recommendations, I would wish to use the case of Captain Planet and the Planeteers to draw vivid conclusions and lessons that Qantas Organization needs to learn from. Some of the lessons include: Unity leads to rich diversity The actual animation of captain planet combined a number of Planeteers. These individuals were ring bearers of the five elemental rings. The storyline clearly shows that the five Planeteers were chosen on the basis of their first encounters with natural issues. It is, therefore clear that a dynamic team is composed of individuals who are not mirror images of themselves. A team always brings together individuals with different experiences, skills, and knowledge thereby increasing the chances of problem solving. A group also ensures that members can learn a lot from each others experiences and also accept who they are (Kader, 2017). The collaborative power Collaboration is very important as a tool. Individualism only leads to retarded growth. For instance, when the Planeteers worked alone, they got things done slowly with their own elements. However, whenever they couldnt get things resolved on their own, they summoned Captain Planet by combining forces. Such instances teach us that teamwork is more solid compared to working individually. We can deduce that from the saying, to go fast, go alone; but to go far, go together. By coming together as a team to fight towards the same course, a challenge that looks huge or risky is more bearable (Kaplan, 2017). Building connections that are deep The Planeteers had a sense of understanding and mutual respect towards each other. They treated each other as brothers. This mutual relationship and respect is fundamental. Such is due to the fact that the foundation of a team that is unshakeable is trust built in one another. It is the trust and the respect that glues every member of the group towards the common goal. Everything starts with trust, then respect. Guarding the hearts It is crucial to understand individuals do have differences. However, we are all the same in our hearts. In case the heart didnt exist, all the other elements of earth, wind, fire, and water could be used for evil. The existence of earth instills the sense of care, empathy, and compassion human beings. With such, humans would be in a position to care for the Earth. In as much as opposite may be true, having the most sincere heart and purest intention can always establish connections between people through their hearts (McArthur, 2010). Reflection on Rewarding Values There are many rewarding values in relation to organizational success. However, I have realized that moral leadership is distinct and vital in relation to corporate governance. Organizations with moral leaders operate with a lot of ease. Moral leaders serve other. They also develop the ability to improve skills of leadership and self-esteem of workers subjected to them. Another rewarding of importance is strategic management. Strategic management is about being in a position to define the strategies of an organization. Strategic management also includes outlining choices that are supposed to be made by managers when it comes to setting strategies for their organizations. Policies associated with strategic management are always geared towards enabling organizations achieve better performance. According to personal understanding, I can describe strategic management as a continuous process with the capacity to appraise business organizations (Price, 2011). However, such organizations ne ed to be involved in trade with other organizations. There are elements of strategic management which include: Environmental scanning Strategic formulation Implementation Strategic evaluation. Having talked of strategic management, internal and external strategic analysis would not be as much valuable. Using personal terms, I can describe internal analysis as processes for the identification and evaluation of organizational resources as well as core competencies. In the same, issues regarding an organization's strategic objectives, mission, and strategies are discussed. This type of analysis also helps an organization its weaknesses and strengths (Price, 2011). Reflection on Ethics, environmental and social sustainability issues in relation to Captain Planet article Role of Ethics in Environmental Sustainability The idea of ethics revolves around individual morality. However, ethics doesnt imply propriety. Ethical constructs individual values are highly variable. The variability leads to immoral and moral ethical positions. People always have a choice which is always to be immoral or moral. Such is important in business organizations. Ethical behavior is all about considering what is proper. It is also about understanding the meaning of goodness. Ethics can be categorized by creating the best ethical choices (Ethical Standards, 2017). The article on Captain Planet instills a sense of inevitability of events. Such is because there is an emerging behavior of humans towards the planet. In other words, it is clear that humans are distancing themselves from the innate manifestation of earth. Since earth has long been fragile due to our activities, it requires humans affection and protection. On the other hand, in as much as humans have adopted the act of distancing themselves from human race, they have also thankfully adopted the concept of Botanic Garden. These gardens have slowly become vital links culture and bulwarks of sustainability of life on earth. However, the major concern today is not anything else, but the future being of planet earth. In a redefined term, organizations and governments are concerned with sustainable development that is environmentally sound. This is the only means of evolving development that is sensible for the sake of our planet and for our future. Globally, individuals are concerned with evolving Developmental and Environmental Education. This is the form of education where we are taught to produce more in a faster and better way (Pirtea, Nicolescu and Botoc, 2009). With time, environmental education has become another culture. It is all about understanding the environment, learning to protect the same, preserving natural resource, and using the same resources only when and where necessary. It is within the same framework of environmental soundness that the concepts of equity and ethics are introduced. Regarding the environmental cause of the article in study, it is clear that the ethical dimension of environmental protection is something that has been set aside. Such a trend is dangerous because the concern for humanity should be the fundamental requirement for sustainable life on Earth. By ignoring equity and ethics, we are offending the planet and also ourselves. In other words, we are damaging lives and the wellbeing of our future generations. As humans we need to come back to our instinctive culture which is set aside from being wild (Ethics, 2017). Environmental Sustainability In this case, analysis involves Corporate Environmental Sustainability. From the article about Captain Planet, it is clear that organizations have the capacity to control and manage and control the natural environment effectively. Such can be achieved through production, processes, and models. Such is also known as the manageability of environmental impact of an organization. We can also argue that the concept of organizational sustainability can only be meaningfully discussed if it is understood under three main conditions. Such conditions include the dynamics of market growth, complexity of ecosystems, and the structure of supply chain. Such ecological, economic, and industry-organizational conditions are associated with limiting the manageability of an organization with regards to environmental impacts. Environmental impact manageability and market growth rates are crucial in developing scenarios that would further illustrate the challenges and dynamics of sustainability in the me ntioned setting. With increase in the term sustainable development, corporate environmental sustainability has gained momentum in the business world (Capabilities and Competences, 2017). It is also evident that the aforementioned ecological, economic, and industry-organizational factors hinder the ability of organizations to align itself sustainably with nature. Issues relating to sustainability influence firms: Dynamics and evolution of the markets in which the organization competes. Ability to manage the impacts of its environment as its position in the supply chain and a function of the complexity of its ecological systems. On the contrary, accompanying the mentioned constrains with an organizations limited ability to control its environmental impacts is vital. Such can help in explaining how organizations effectiveness concerning corporate environmental strategies can be undermined. The importance of sustainability variables can be illustrated by: Mapping low and high rates of market growth to low and high levels of managing environmental impacts Looking into the resulting scenarios shows how the development of more systemic green governance approaches is vital. Such approaches would support the alignment of ecosystems dynamics and market evolution to organizational strategies (Saxena, 2014). Social Sustainability By definition, social sustainability is a condition that is life enhancing in a given community. It is also a process within communities that leads to enhancement of life. From the highlighted perspectives, we can term social sustainability as a condition that entails equity of access to primary services. It also entails: Ensuring that generations to come wont be disadvantaged by activities performed today. Protection and valuing of disparate cultures Peoples participation in political activity in local levels. Communication mechanisms for collectively identifying needs and strengths. However, fulfilling such needs can be performed through political advocacy and community actions. According to several studies, the processes involved making steps towards achievement of the aforementioned conditions forms part of social sustainability. Under social sustainability, it is crucial to understand that the vastly growing methods, concepts, and tools in the field of sustainability show that there is need for a coordinating and structuring framework. The framework will help in outlining an operational and unifying definition of sustainability. On the contrary, such a framework began about 25 years ago. The framework is currently known as the Strategic Sustainable Development Framework. On the contrary, since the field of sustainability is large, its social dimensions as a framework are insufficiently based on science and also partially operational. Social dimension is, therefore, need of further development. In this case, we deal with an approach that is systems-based. This will help the basis of argument regarding social sustainability (Worman and McCartney, 2015). Since the dimension of social sustainability was developed, it has been studied alongside sustainable development. The same topic has also been associated with sustainable economic growth, quality of life and environment. However, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability are predominant to social dimensions. However, social dimensions tender for all sustainability agendas. The same dimension would help meet the challenges between social and economic development. Most issues arise from the fact that social sustainability can be identified and defined in many ways (Scott, 2015). Reference Capabilities and Competences (2017). Capabilities and Competences. [online] Ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk. Available at: https://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/research/dstools/capabilities-and-competences/ [Accessed 20 May 2017]. CWMIFG (2012). What are resources and competencies? | Innovation for Growth. [online] Innovation for Growth. Available at: https://www.innovationforgrowth.co.uk/Blog/what-are-resources-and-competences/ [Accessed 20 May 2017]. Ethical Standards. (2017). IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE ETHICS STANDARDS IN GOVERNMENT AND THE CIVIL SERVICE. [online] Available at: https://www.oecd.org/mena/governance/35521740.pdf. [Accessed 20 May 2017]. Ethics. (2017). Importance of Ethics in Accounting Financial Decision Making, . [online] Available at: https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/importance-ethics-accounting-financial-decision-making-4394.html [Accessed 20 May 2017]. Kader, M. (2017). Strategic Management (StratMgt). Open2study.com. Available at https://www.open2study.com/courses/strategic-management [Accessed 20 May 2017]. Kaplan (2017). Critical success factors and core competencies. [online] Kfknowledgebank.kaplan.co.uk. Available at: https://kfknowledgebank.kaplan.co.uk/KFKB/Wiki%20Pages/Critical%20success%20factors%20and%20core%20competences.aspx [Accessed 20 May 2017]. Management, S. (2017). SMS | Strategic Management Society. Strategic management.net., Available at https://www.strategicmanagement.net/ [Accessed 20 May 2017]. McArthur, E. (2010). Diversity in the Workplace - Leading Association for Diversity Conferences and Collaboration. Workforcediversitynetwork.com. Available at https://www.workforcediversitynetwork.com/res_articles_managingdiversity_mcarthur.aspx [Accessed 20 May 2017]. MSG Management (2017). Resources, Competencies and Distinctive Capabilities. [online] Managementstudyguide.com. Available at: https://www.managementstudyguide.com/resources-competencies-distinctive-capabilities.htm [Accessed 20 May 2017]. Pirtea, M., Nicolescu, C., Botoc, C. (2009). THE ROLE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING IN MODERN ORGANIZATIONS. Annales Universitatis Apulensis, Series Oeconomica, 11(2). [Accessed 20 May 2017]. Price, S. (2011). Qantas unions stand up to management. [online] Greenleftweekly. Available at: https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/qantas-unions-stand-management [Accessed 23 January 2018]. Saxena, K. (2014). Capabilities versus Competence: How are they Different?. [online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141123155439-7430899-capabilities-versus-competence-how-are-they-different [Accessed 20 May 2017]. Scott, S. (2015). Gender Differences Within the Workplace. Smallbusiness.chron.com. Available at https://smallbusiness.chron.com/gender-differences-within-workplace-10512.html [Accessed 20 May 2017]. Worman, D., McCartney, C. (2015). Managing Diversity in the Workplace | Reports | CIPD. CIPD. Retrieved 31 March 2017, Available at https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/diversity/age-diversity-insights-report [Accessed 20 May 2017].

Managing The Managers Essays - Management, Administration, Business

Managing The Managers MANAGING THE MANAGERS: JAPANESE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN THE USA The article reviews one of the greatest difficulties that Japanese multinational companies face, that is integration of its subplants in other countries, where not just management is viewed as different, but also the general running of the mother company's, not to mention the cultural changes which may be faced when atempting to integrate into another country. The article reviewed attempts to do two things. Firstly, the authors explore the management self so as to give reasoning into the two different managing styles of the United States of America and that of infamous Japanese management. Secondly, the authors report their research on management self-conception and style in Japanese owned factories or 'transplants' in the United States. The article is a summary of a large Japanese multinational company's intergration into the United States. This multinational opened 3 transplants in the same region of the United States. One of the transplants (Honshu manufacturing, which incidently seems to hold strategic significance as concluded by the massive capital investment of $300M) has a Japanese General Manager. The second, Honshu assembly holds and American born and raised General Manager. The third transplant is of an intereting nature as this is a Hybrid of Japanese and American management. The article begins with the facts involved when a firm of a more than a modest size is doing business in a foreign environment. It outlines the difficulties and failures that could be encountered when integration is involved. The article continues to inform us on how the article will be presented and the goals of the study at hand. The article is divided into 8 separate but relevant sections, these are: Introduction which talks about the methods used in the study and gives a brief rundown of the subject of Japanese and American management. Management in the Japanese transplants which talks a lot about previous surveys already concluded of which the nature is the same as the subject at hand. This subsection of the article also provides us with a history of the subject, as far back as 1976 . This section gives case example of previous studies made within the field of Japanese management and integration by Japanese multinationals. Mediating the selves. This section enables us to see what the Japanese managers thought of the American management style and likewise, what the American managers thought of the Japanese managerial system. Primary conclusion of the interviews enabled us to see that each side was very aware hat they were managing side by side with a foreign management ethos. Furthermore, the meanings each side attributed to various management practises - meetings, plannings, everyday communication, differed dramatically and uncomfortably . From the interviews conducted , four variables were believed to have significant effect on the management style of the managers, and these variables were critical in shaping management styles in the three electronic plants. These four variables are: the initial culture established by the parent company, the level of budgetary control exercised by the home office, the role and influence of the Japanese managerial assigness in the day to day management of the transplan ts, and the country of origin of the transplants general manager. Japanese-Dominant Transplant. Due to the large investment made by the parent company into this transplant, it is not surprise that Honshu manufacturing holds a very strong Japanese managerial presence. Upon start of production, the transplant had seventy-one Japanese assignees. Four years down the track, this number dropped to thirty-one, this by no means meant a weaker Japanese managerial system as of these thirty-one employees, ten of them held key managerial positions including General Manager and director of manufacturing. The reasons for this are considerably understanding as this was the first factory of its kind to be built by Honshu Corporation outside Japan. The authors noted from their interview that the control exerted by the Japanese managers was quite noticeable, as an American manager hired during the facilities building stage noted that the Japanese engineers were doing all the tasks and that he was just left to watching, without ask for opinion or decision. The General manager of Honshu manufacturing was senior vice president of Honshu manufacturing's US operation. He was given a lot

Common Mistakes in English for ESL Learners

Common Mistakes in English for ESL Learners Common mistakes are mistakes that even native speakers make on a regular basis. The most common of these common mistakes include its or its, two, to or too, would of instead of would have, and more. The best way to not make these common mistakes is to become familiar with them through a wide variety of examples.​ You can use each of these pages as a starting point to practice not making these common mistakes in the future. Each page has a clear explanation with example sentences. Each common mistake page is followed by a quiz to help you check your understanding. Here are a few suggestions for how you can use these pages to reduce these common mistakes. Remember that each language has its own common mistakes. Some Common Mistakes Top Five Common Writing Mistakes in EnglishGood vs. WellBring, Take, Fetch, GetDifference Between From and OfEveryone / Every OneEveryday / Every DayWhether / IfEnoughA Little, Little, A Few, FewA Lot, Lots Of, A Lot OfFemale - Feminine / Male - MasculineIts vs. ItsTwo, Too, ToTheyre, Their, ThereYoure vs. YourConfusing WordsSince vs. ForHave vs. Of in ConditionalsHas gone to vs. Has been toThen vs. ThanDouble NegativesSo do I, Neither did ISo ... that, such ... thatBoth ... and, neither ... nor, either ... or Improving Common Mistakes Make sure to completely understand the common mistake. Look at the examples and ask yourself if you have made these common mistakes. Think about reading, writing and speaking and how they influence each other. For example, the common mistake would of rather than would have is often made because of the way would have sounds in connected speech. In other words, when people speak quickly they run the words together and the form would have SOUNDS like would of. When people then go to write this form they think back to what they have heard and make the common mistake of writing would of. NOT CORRECT! - He would of come to the party if he had had time.CORRECT - He would have come to the party if he had had time. Take time to write down the common mistakes on a piece of paper or in a separate document on your computer. Spend the time to write five or more sentences practicing the correct form of the common mistake in question. Take the time to really think about the mistake when practicing. Chances are you will never make the mistake again! Listen to / read other people for these common mistakes. Once you understand the common mistake, start listening to other people or reading their texts. Can you spot the common mistakes they make? How Many Common Mistakes Are There? You might wonder how many common English mistakes exist. Thats a difficult question to answer. There are certain mistakes made in grammar, common mistakes made in pronunciation, and there are many common mistakes made because of confusing words. Are Common Mistakes Bad? Common mistakes are mistakes. However, its (not its!) important to remember that the most important thing about using a language is communication. If you are able to communicate in English you are on the road to success. If you make a few common mistakes, you can certainly correct those mistakes. Will People Understand Me if I Make a Common Mistake? Generally, but not always, people will understand you if you make a common mistake. Context (what is happening around the situation) often makes it clear what you really mean. People fill in the blanks, understand that you mean something else, etc. Have confidence and try to eliminate common English mistakes, but make sure to continue speaking and writing English as much as you can!

How To Take Notes

How To Take Notes It seems that it would be easy to write down stuff in class. That learning how to take notes would be a waste of time. However, the opposite is true. If you learn how to take notes effectively and efficiently, you’ll save yourself hours of study time just by observing a few simple tricks. If you dont like this method, then try out the Cornell System for taking notes! Choose Appropriate PaperThe right paper can mean the difference between complete frustration in class and organized notes. To take notes effectively, choose a sheet of loose, clean, lined paper, preferably college-ruled. There are a couple reasons for this choice:Choosing loose paper to take notes allows you to rearrange your notes in a binder if necessary, lend them easily to a friend, and remove and replace a page if it gets damaged.Using college-ruled paper means that the spaces between the lines are smaller, allowing you to write more per page, which is advantageous when you’re studying a lot of material. It won’t seem as much, and thus, as overwhelming.Use Pencil and Skip LinesNothing will make you more frustrated than taking notes and having to draw arrows from new content to a related idea your teacher was talking about 20 minutes ago. That’s why it’s important to skip lines. If your teacher brings up something new, you’ll have a place to squ eeze it in. And, if you take your notes in pencil, your notes will stay neat if you make a mistake and you won’t have to rewrite everything just to make sense of the lecture. Label Your PageYou don’t have to use a clean sheet of paper for every new note-taking session if you use appropriate labels. Start with the topic of the discussion (for study purposes later), fill in the date, class, chapters associated with the notes and teacher’s name. At the end of your notes for the day, draw a line crossing the page so you’ll have a very clear demarcation of each day’s notes. During the next lecture, use same format so your binder is consistent.Use an Organizational SystemSpeaking of organization, use one in your notes. Many people use an outline (I.II.III. A.B.C. 1.2.3.) but you can use circles or stars or whatever symbols youd like, as long as you stay consistent. If your teacher is scattered and doesn’t really lecture in that format, then just organize new ideas with numbers, so you don’t get one long paragraph of loosely-related content.Listen for ImportanceSome of the stuff your teacher says is irrelevant, but much of it needs remembering. So how do you decipher what to put down in your notes and what to disregard? Listen for importance by picking up dates, new terms or vocabulary, concepts, names, and explanations of ideas. If your teacher writes it down anywhere, he or she wants you to know it. If she talks about it for 15 minutes, she’s gonna quiz you on it. If he repeats it several times in the lecture, you’re responsible. Put Content Into Your Own WordsLearning how to take notes begins with learning how to paraphrase and summarize. You will learn new material better if you put it into your own words. When your teacher waxes wordy about Leningrad for 25 minutes, summarize the main idea into a few sentences you’ll be able to remember. If you try to write everything down word for word, you’ll miss stuff, and confuse yourself. Listen attentively, then write.Write LegiblyIt kind of goes without saying, but I’m gonna say it anyway. If your penmanship has ever been compared to chicken scratch, you better work on it. You’ll thwart your taking notes efforts if you can’t read what you’ve written! Force yourself to write clearly. I guarantee that you will not remember the exact lecture when it comes to exam time, so your notes are often going to be your only lifeline. Note Taking Tips Sit near the front of the class so you dont get distractedBring the appropriate supplies, good college-ruled paper and a pen or pencil that will allow you to write legibly and easily.Keep a folder or binder for every class, so youre more likely to keep your notes organized.

Human Development-Babies Documentary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Development-Babies Documentary - Essay Example . then the prospects for the future are bright†. Yet, the obvious impediment to this actually taking place is the fact that the provision of developmental education and knowledge must be specifically focused on issues pertaining to what components of this development make the opportunity important, what examples of development exist with relation to such opportunities, and how each developmental domain (physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional) inter-relate to this over-arching goal. As a result of this level of research that has been ongoing for the past few decades, scientists have definitively determined that the patterns and strengthening of bonding synapses is primarily influenced and aided by the existence of physical activity within the regime of the child. This should not be understood to mean that a level of sports or competitive games must be engaged in order for this physicality aspect to be positively correlated to brain activity (Balmes, 2010). Rather, almost all of the accident research which is been conducted on this topic has determined that physical activity in the form of play, kinetic learning, and many other forms are equally as beneficial; perhaps more due to the fact that they do not oftentimes behave within rigid norms or regulations. In effect, the inclusion of creativity alongside physical activity seems to be as something of a magic formula with regards to stimulating brain development and maximizing the overall levels of connections th at can be made within the adolescent mind. Perhaps most importantly of all, scientists have determined that there is a â€Å"sweet spot† with regards the timeframe in which this can be affected. As sociologists and psychologists have understood for many years, childhood development cannot be understood in something of a monolithic appreciation. Rather, just as with any

Final reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Final reflection - Essay Example Through the various lessons that we have undertaken in class, especially those focusing on the images and viewer meaning, have all contributed to my ability to visually communicate successfully. Not only have I had the opportunity to improve my visual communication skills, I have also learnt the various factors that lead to poor visual communication, perception and meaning of what we see are the major factors. Visually, I can analyse anything that I see from different perspectives and later make a conclusion. Earlier, I used to make conclusions without going through the analysing process. Subsequently, I made numerous mistakes in most of my decisions. However, being a visually literate person, I make decisions without any fear or worry of making mistakes. Thus, I am more confident, surer and more decisive when am making my decisions from visual communication. Art is emotional and sentimental, as I have come to realize from the various classes that we have taken. The purpose of art is diverse and has a broad meaning. Not only is art a form of entertainment, it is also a form of communication that artists use to convey different messages to the audience. Artists use art to communicate on different social issues and problems generally affecting the society. Art influences our thinking and reasoning about life. Personally, I perceive art as a method in which artists use to educate people on important issues affecting the society. Moreover, I have come to realize that art takes many forms, not just the cultural art or art by a certain group of people. Media is a form of art in the post modernism era. However, there is a rift in the reasoning behind the modern and post modernism forms of art. While postmodern art holds that all stances are unstable and insincere, and therefore irony, parody, and humour, by critique or revision prevails, the modern art thinks otherwise. As such, many events happening around us incorporate the use of art, especially in advertising and explaining consumer behaviour and character. For an advert to be captivating, it should be creative and attractive. Beauty is attractive and captures the attention of the people. Through this understanding, businesses provide beautiful commodities to people especially those that capture their attention for the purpose of ma king a sale. Thus, even in the modern world, the art is still alive, only that this time, its application falls in different categories than in the past. Throughout the class, I came to realize several things that I was not aware about in the past. Although initially they appeared obvious, the reality in them did not occur to me until after taking the class. It was during the topic on â€Å"the experience of looking† that I experienced a break-through moment in my artistic abilities as well as visual communication. The different concepts learned in the class were a form of revelation that I did not have in the past. Positivism as I realized assumes that me aning exists out in the world, independent of our feelings, attitudes, or beliefs about them. Positivism holds that only the scientific knowledge is genuine knowledge, while other views are simply some forms of suspicion. Moreover, the empirical truths of experience of loo

The Relationship Between the Barbarian Nations and China Essay Example for Free

The Relationship Between the Barbarian Nations and China Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the more notable periods in Chinese history was the establishment of the so-called â€Å"Barbarian nations† that happened between 309 to 439 B.C. These ‘Barbarian nations were also known as the â€Å"Sixteen States† or â€Å"Sixteen Kingdoms† though these were never part of nor considered to be dynasties among themselves.   The Barbarian nations mainly comprised of: the   Han Zhao and Latter Zhao (Houzhao), Cheng Han, Former Liang (Qianliang), Latter Liang (Houliang), Northern Liang(Beiliang), Western (Xiliang) and Southern Liang (Nanliang), Former Yian (Qianyan), Latter Yan (Houyan) , Northern Yan (Beiyan) and Southern Yan (Nanyan), Former Qin (Qianqin), Latter Qin (Houqin) and Western Qin (Xiqin) and   finally the Xia nations(â€Å"Sixteen Kingdoms†, 2006). The sixteen barbarians nations are considered as such because most of the people who belong in these states are not Chinese, though some were assimilated and integrated into Chinese culture later on.   These ethnic groups include Turks, Mongolians and Tibetans characterized by their nomadic in nature and small populations (â€Å"History of China†, 2006). Also, although the leaders of the barbarian nations adapted Chinese customs and governance, most of them are not of Chinese descent.   The barbarian leaders were largely considered as unscrupulous warmongers whose only ambition is to conquer China for themselves.   All their political and military strategies were geared towards the short-run, and this proved to be the downfall of their small empires (Theobald, 2000). China’s relationship with the Barbarian Nations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The occupation of the various ethnic groups making up the Sixteen Barbarian nations were practically due to the various military uprisings that happened within the Jin Dynasty such as the so-called â€Å"Rebellion of the Eight Princes† (Theobald, 2000).   The leaders of the sixteen barbarian states then saw this as an opportunity to seize control of China.   In actuality, the Jin dynasty only managed to control the southern part of the Yangtze River, leaving the rest of China vulnerable to occupation.   This weakness lead to the occupation of Northern China by ethnic groups and by the turn of the fifth century almost all of the ethnic groups that managed to control certain territories have already established their own states. Collectively, the fifteen major states that were established in Northern China along with the Kingdom of Chenghan located in the Southwest eventually became the sixteen barbarian nations.   These sixteen states were autonomous from each other and conflict never seems to cease in between them and of course with the Jin dynasty.   These conflicts lead not only to numerous deaths but also to the deterioration of the economy in Northern China as well as inter-racial mixing due to prolonged contact between the ethnic groups. Having been driven out from their territory, the Jin dynasty leaders never ceased their plans to reoccupy Northern China.   Among these warriors sent by the Jin dynasty was Zudi, a gentry-official who regained the entire Yellow River Valley even though it was for a brief period of time.   The noble of the Jin dynasty were able to conduct more attacks against the barbarian nations, but like Zudi’s campaign, they all failed because of the fierce counter-attacks made by the ethnic groups (â€Å"The History of China-The Sixteen States-Political History†, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Due to the conflicts that raged on the Northern China, the nobles of what remains of the Jin Dynasty decided to let the ethnic groups do as they please as they established a new economic order in the South of the Yangtze.   This economic boom was made possible through the migration of peasants from the North who were seeking refuge from the conflict between the Jin Dynasty and the barbarian nations, effectively boosting not only manpower but also the technology base for both agriculture and handicrafts at that time (Theobald, 2000). Due to these developments in agriculture and handicrafts, commerce in the southern part of the Yangtze flourished.   Later on, the city of Jianking was made by the Eastern Jin as their new capital city with the economic center moving from the Yangtze River Valley into the Yellow River Valley   (â€Å"The History of China-The Sixteen States-Political History†, 2006). Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The establishment of the barbarian nations was considered by many as a foolish attempt to revitalize China.   What the barbarian leaders might not have realized is that their plans and schemes were for short-term conquest rather than long-term governance which is necessary for the establishment of a strong nation.   As with all violent uprising, the events that lead to the conflict between the Jin dynasty and the barbarian nations only lead to numerous deaths.   But despite being laden with blood and violence, the relationship between the barbarian nations and China during the Jin dynasty yielded some advantages. For one, the Jianking flourished as one of China’s center for commerce at that time.   Another unforeseen benefit was that it facilitated the transfer of agricultural and other form of livelihood technologies from the Northern part of China into the Southern part of Yangtze which eventually lead to the stability of the Jin Dynasty economy at that time. Also the dynasty was able to realize that the area they have evacuated into have high potentials for agriculture as the Yangtze river provided more than enough water for irrigation.   Without this seemingly serendipitous migration of farmers, the Jin dynasty could never have established their strong economic hold upon the Southern part of the Yangtze which could have spelled their immediate downfall.   This proves that the common folk are the backbone of any great empire and that noble and even barbarians should never ignore their importance. REFERENCES       â€Å"History of China†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www-chaos.umd.edu/history/imperial.html#han. â€Å"Sixteen Kingdoms†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixteen_Kingdoms â€Å"The History of China-The Sixteen State’s Political History† (2006).   TravelChinaGuide.com. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/jin/eastern.htm Theobald, Ulrich (2000).   Chinese History.-Three Kingdoms. CHINAKNOWLEDGE a universal guide for China studies. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from   http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Song/song.html A comparison between life in China during the period of the Three Kingdoms and the Sung Dynasty Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   China is a well-know all over the world as a country with a very fascinating history filled with bloodshed and discovery.   China’s timeline is riddled with civil wars and conquests and it has been known that the country has undergone a multitude of political and regional divisions.   Among the two famous periods in Chinese history are the period of the Three Kingdoms and the Sung Dynasty.   Although separated almost 700 years apart, there have been a number of striking similarities and differences between the two periods.   The period of the Three Kingdoms is actually a part of the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.) in which various scientific and cultural advances were made (â€Å"History of China†, 2006).   It is also at this period of political turmoil that three states (later known as â€Å"kingdoms†) tried to gain prominence and glory as China’s seat of power. This power struggle between the Three Kingdoms ignited a whole new series of wars, thus the period earned the distinction of being the â€Å"bloodiest† period in China.   Though it has been known as such, the Three Kingdoms is immortalized today in many forms o media such as television programs, books and even video games (â€Å"Three Kingdoms†, 2006).   On the other hand, the Sung Dynasty (960 B.C., also known as Song Dynasty) is known as period of unification for China despite being besieged by barbarian raiders from all directions. The Sung Dynasty is further divided into two different periods namely the Northern Sung Period and the Southern Sung Period.   The Northern Sung (960-1127 B.C.) refers to the time when the dynasty was based in Kaifeng where it controlled most of mainland China.   The Southern Sung (1127-1129 B.C.) On the other hand refers to the period when members of the Sung court sought refuge in Hangzhou city located south of the Yangtze River (â€Å"Song Dynasty†, 2006). Life in the Period of the Three Kingdoms   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The period of the Three Kingdoms was characterized as period of great political turmoil in Chinese history.   After the death of the great Chinese warlord Cao Cao (220 B.C.), his son Cao Pi established the first â€Å"kingdom† among the Three Kingdoms, known as â€Å"Wei† thus ending the Han dynasty.   Soon after, the warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan established the â€Å"Shu† and â€Å"Wu† kingdoms respectively.   Each of these warlords tried to control China through bloodshed and conquest but none of them ever prevailed (Theobald, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is widely believed that much Chinese technological and cultural advancement were created at this time despite heavy political turmoil that characterizes the period.   Some of the more notable inventions during the time of the Three Kingdoms were gunpowder and wheelbarrow (Poon, n.d.).   On an economic standpoint, the period of the Three Kingdoms was among the wealthiest periods in Chinese history.   The prosperity of the Han dynasty was also carried over unto this period as leaps and bounds in trade and commerce as well as transportation were evident (â€Å"Three Kingdoms†, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On a socio-cultural standpoint, the period of the Three Kingdoms saw the assimilation of the so-called â€Å"barbarians† in mainstream Chinese culture.   This was also the time when Buddhism was spreading across China. This form of Buddhism was a cross of Indian Buddhism and Taoism (Frankenstein, n.d.) Life during the Sung Dynasty   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Sung Dynasty (960-1127 B.C.) emerged almost 700 years after the affairs of the Three Kingdoms and is widely revered as the â€Å"Chinese Renaissance†.   Much of this period is characterized by political stability and prosperity just like in the period of the Three Kingdoms.   This was the time of what is known as â€Å"civilian rule†, which favors the appointment of commoners (such as civilian scholar-officials) into government office. This centralized the current Emperor’s dominion over China. In terms of economy, the Sung period is known for the emergence of a new caste of wealthy commoners called the mercantile class.   It can be said that in this period, Chinese trade and commerce were at its peak.   This was also the time when printing made publications more available to the common folk, leading to the improvement of the education status of commoners all around China (Poon, n.d.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The socio-cultural impacts of this period is shown by the adaptation of a new form of Confucianism called â€Å"Neo-Confucianism† which took on a more metaphysical view of Confucian teachings, taking Confucianism into greater heights that were never perceived off in the past.   Also, at this time, Buddhism continued to flourish into what is known as the â€Å"Tang age of Buddhism† (Theobald, 2000). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both the Sung dynasty and the period of the Three Kingdoms showed economic growth and prosperity during their existence.   This growth in the economy greatly favored merchants and commoners alike, especially in the Sung Dynasty when â€Å"civilian rule† was in effect.   Though prosperity was also evident in the time of the Three Kingdoms, civilians were the one’s who were near the losing end because of the constant turmoil and death that surrounds them. The time of the Three Kingdoms on the other hand favored men of science and warmongers, as it is to be considered as a time of breakthroughs and innovations particularly in the field of warfare.   For those who are involved in social and political matters, it can be said that the Sung Dynasty was the more favorable among the two time periods as there was at least some political stability at that time.   For Buddhists, both periods are to be considered favorable as Buddhism continued to grow in spite of all the conflict and confusion that surrounded both time periods. REFERENCES Frakenstein,   Pual. (n.d.). Song Dynasty. Condensed China. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://condensedchina.com/china2.html#3Kings â€Å"History of China†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www- chaos.umd.edu/history/imperial.html#han. Poon, Leon (n.d.)   The Imperial Area. History of China Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www-chaos.umd.edu/history/imperial.html#han. â€Å"Song Dynasty†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Dynasty Theobald, Ulrich (2000).   Chinese History.-Three Kingdoms. CHINAKNOWLEDGE a universal guide for China studies. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Song/song.html â€Å"The Three Kingdoms†. (2006). Wikipedia. Retrieved August 11, 2006 from  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Kingdoms#Three_emperors

Techniques of Cloning :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Techniques of Cloning â€Å" It is now possible to make clones, or exact genetic copies, of sheep, cows, goats, mice and, probably, humans. This opens the way towards the production of replacement body parts from adult cells † ( Gurdon and Colman 743 ). Cloning techniques have been in use for centuries. The practice of taking cuttings is universal among gardeners, and large companies now propagate desirable plant strains in their millions. Lower invertebrates can also be cloned. For example, cut an earthworm or flatworm in half, and the missing halves will regenerate to create two genetically identical individuals. Although vertebrates cannot be cloned by these routes, identical twins are naturally occurring genetic clones. Moreover, the method of nuclear transplantation, first developed about forty years ago in frogs, has been successfully used to make clones of sheep, mice, cows and goats, and it could probably be applied to people too. By taking a few non-reproductive cells from adult mammals, identical replicas can be created without damage or even inconvenience to the donors. In vertebrates, fertilization begins with the union of the sperm and the egg. The unfertilized egg is stopped at a certain stage of the cell-division cycle, and the sperm provides an activation stimulus that triggers the resumption and completion of cell division. â€Å" The egg and sperm 'pronuclei' then swell, their chromosomes unravel from the tightly packed, 'condensed' state in which they are stored, and DNA replication can proceed † ( Gurdon and Colman 743 ). The chromosomes then recondense, the nuclear membrane dissolves, and the fertilized egg divides into two identical daughter cells. Nuclear transfer subverts fertilization by replacing the female genetic material of an unfertilized egg with the nucleus from a different cell. â€Å" This was first done successfully on frogs in the 1950s, in the United States and Britain † ( Gurdon and Colman 744 ). A non-reproductive (somatic) cell, such as an intestinal epithelial cell, was ruptured by suction into a glass microneedle. Its nucleus, surrounded by a layer of cytoplasm, was then injected into an unfertilized egg from which the female genetic material had been removed or destroyed by ultraviolet irradiation. Some of

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions 3 Countries

Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture: An overview of Venezuela, Belgium and Japan International Business ADM 3155 Table of Contents Introduction to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture3 Individualism3 Masculinity3 Power Distance4 Uncertainty Avoidance4 Conclusion5 VENEZUELA5 Introduction to Venezuela6 Individualism6 Masculinity7 Power Distance7 Uncertainty Avoidance8 Conclusion8 BELGIUM11 Introduction to Belgium11 Individualism12 Masculinity12 Power Distance13 Uncertainty Avoidance14 Conclusion14 JAPAN16 Introduction to Japan16 Individualism16 Masculinity17 Power Distance18Uncertainty Avoidance18 Conclusion19 Conclusion to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture20 References23 Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture Introduction to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture In 1984, Geert Hofstede published a book called Culture’s Consequences. In this book, he divides cultures into four basic categories. These categories are individualism, masculinity, dower distance and u ncertainty avoidance. Hofstede assigns different cultures a number on a scale between 1 and 100 for each category depending on how their culture corresponds to the description.By analyzing how a country fits into each section a person can get a better understanding of how a culture operates in their daily lives and also in their business. Individualism Individualism refers to how people within a culture interact with one another. Knowing how people work with one another will help you to understand how they will work with you in a business setting. High individualism will display characteristics like importance of employees’ personal life, emotional independence from the company, calculative involvement and more importance attached to freedom and challenge in their jobs (Hofstede).People with high individualism prefer individual decisions as opposed to group decisions. Society encourages individuals to show their own initiative which relates to them finding smaller companies m ore attractive. High individualism can be seen as a more selfish and self-serving way of living (Nasierowski). This is very important when conducting business in a different culture. If you are looking for innovators, new ideas, and self-motivated people, who will contribute more than just labour to your company you should look for a country with high individualism.When conducting business in a high individualism society it is important to recognize individual achievements and reward people on an individual basis. Recognising individual differences and ideas is important as well as giving individual praise and recognition. This will keep employees satisfied and motivated. Individual workers want to chance to excel and they tend to look after themselves and their own needs and advancement and are not concerned with â€Å"stepping on others to get ahead†. Masculinity This dimension is not looking at gender roles specifically, but at the characteristics generally associated with masculinity and femininity.Masculinity is referring to aggressiveness, the desire for power, wealth and achievement. A country with a high masculinity will show traits including admiration for the strong, importance placed on earnings, recognition, advancement and challenge, employees attracted to larger organizations and higher job stress. They also find it acceptable for the company to interfere with their private life. This can be an advantage if you are looking for highly motivated individuals (Hofstede). High masculinity is good for doing business because these employees will be competitive, aggressive and driven for success.They are willing to make sacrifices in their personal lives to achieve success in their business. When working in this type of environment people are more willing to work over-time. You can easily get results from your employees by throwing money and power at them. These employees are not as concerned with ethics or the environment as they are with economi c growth (Nasierowski). Power Distance Inequality is the main issue that power distance addresses. Power distance measures how a culture, group or organization views themselves and each other in terms of authority and value.In a county with a high power distance value is placed on obedience to the person who is seen as in charge. Children obey parents, students obey teachers, employees obey employers, etc. , without question. There is a large amount of fear associated with high power distance and those seen as â€Å"lower† or â€Å"less important† show resentment towards those higher than them and also show distrust to one another. In business, employees do not have input into the company and simply follow orders. Employees are viewed as unmotivated and unhappy with their jobs (Hofstede). Uncertainty AvoidanceUncertainty avoidance is a fear of the unknown. If a culture has high uncertainty avoidance then they are looking to escape any type of difference or change that would occur in their lifestyle, job, culture, government, etc. Characteristics typical of high uncertainty avoidance include a fear of failure, higher job stress, frequent worry about the future and less achievement motivation. Loyalty to ones employer and a tendency to stay with that same employer are also characteristics. This could be viewed as a very positive or negative quality depending on your type of business (Nasierowski).In a business that requires controls and regulations, for example a factory. You would prefer a country with high uncertainty avoidance because you know that they will not try to change any of the products you are producing. They will be more likely to continue following the exact rules, regulations and policy that you have placed in front of them. In business, you will not have to worry about any radical changes or interference. If you want anything new it will have to be introduced slowly and carefully with clear direction. However, you know that once an idea is taken on it will not be tampered with.Conclusion As the world continues to â€Å"shrink†, we begin to experience more globalization and must interact more frequently with other cultures. Through Hofstede’s dimensions we can gain a greater understanding of how to integrate our business with other countries. Being able to understand a country’s culture and how it is different from your own is vital to success in international business. We can decide where would be the best place to do business and how to make it more successful. Before entering a new market the culture and values inside and outside the workplace need to be understood.Almost all businesses are to some degree impacted by globalisation and therefore having knowledge of other countries and other cultures is vital. In this paper we will address three countries from different culture groupings: Japan, from the Independent block, Belgium, from the Latin European block, and Venezuela from the Lat in American block. These blocks are clusters of countries that share common aspects of culture; including geographic location, language, and history. For example, the Latin European block includes not only Belgium but France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Nasierowski). By explaining how these three countries fall into Hofstede’s dimensions we will be able to help you understand some of the advantages and disadvantages of doing business with these cultures (Nasierowski). Advantages include being able to understand what will motivate your employees and business partners and how to communicate properly in different business settings. For example, depending on what country you were in, Hofstede’s dimensions of culture will help you to know the best way to communicate changes to your business partners and employees.VENEZUELA Introduction to Venezuela Venezuela is a Latin country that occupies most of the northern coast of South America on the Caribbean Sea. The rest of Venezue la is surrounded by Brazil, Colombia, and Guyana. Venezuela has a population over 27 million, which could be considered relatively small compared to other countries with thinking in terms of expanding business markets. The capital city is Caracas which has a population of over 3 million. After gaining independence from Spain in 1821, Venezuela continued to go through a period of unstable dictators.In the early 1900’s it became a major exporter of oil. The oil wealth contributed to the large gap between the countries extremely wealthy and extremely poor. Venezuela’s current President is Left wing Socialist Hugo Chavez who promised to even the gap between the rich and the poor. He is dedicated to loosing Venezuela’s dependence on the U. S. for oil exportation and is therefore trying to strengthen his oil shipping business with China. This could be attributed to his close friendship with Dictator Fidel Castro of Cuba. (â€Å"http://www. state. ov†) When revi ewing the country of Venezuela within Hofstede’s dimensions of culture we find that it falls into extremes with both very high scores and one very low score. (Hofstede) Individualism In contrast to the rest of the scores Venezuela has received in Hofstede’s rankings, in this dimension they are only a 12 out of 100. This means a very low individualism in this culture. Low individualism means that they are group oriented people. They are concerned about how decisions will affect everyone in the group. They have in-groups and out-groups and think of people in terms of how they fit into such groups (Hofstede).It is important when doing business to realize that they will be concerned with the training and physical conditions the organization provides. They have a moral involvement with the company and they place a great deal of emphasis on duty, expertness and prestige as life goals. This type of mind set is called collectivism. If you are doing business with a group of peo ple with high collectivism, you must understand that they are looking at the age of a person. Age is an indicator of knowledge and experience. Collectivists want to do business with people who have been around for a while and know them as a group.They do not like outsiders; you must earn your way into their trust and fit into their group the same way they want to fit in to their own group. For doing business with this group of people you must first learn to belong. You as an outsider will not be able to tell them anything or get them to follow you unless you first belong. The same can be considered when marketing or advertising to these countries as they will only want purchase things that will fit into their already preconceived ideas of life and work. Masculinity At 73 out of 100, Venezuela once again has a high ranking.This means that it tends to be a male dominated society and power structure. This can cause the female population to become more competitive and assertive; however , they are still not on the same level as the male population. Masculinity also means that they are looking for earnings, recognition, advancement and challenge (Hofstede). This would be important to keep in mind when doing business with a Venezuelan company or employees because it can help you identify how to appeal to them to get better work or dealings from them.You can recognize that they are looking for larger corporations and organizations and they are attracted to wealth and success. For countries with high masculinity you can easily motivate your employees with money and success. They are looking to own fancy material objects and have the latest technology and accessories. If you want your employees to do something or achieve something all you have to do is entice them with prestige and power. If you are having a business meeting, take them to an expensive restaurant, ear your best designer suit and pick them up in a flashy car. Power Distance This is Venezuela's highest ran king dimension with 81 out of 100. This is an indication of a high level of inequality of power and wealth which is accepted by the culture as a whole. Hofstede states that Venezuela is in the top 5 in the â€Å"employees afraid† category. This means that Venezuelans show a clear distinction between â€Å"boss† and â€Å"employee†. The boss makes all the rules and the employees follow. A Venezuelan employee would not offer their opinion or any ideas to management.They would not ask questions or for clarification of their job either. The large power distance means that people are concerned with getting favour by saying â€Å"yes† to whatever the boss says (Hofstede). This means that when you are doing business with them you must always remember that if they are looking at you as being the one â€Å"in power† they will not contradict you or tell you if they do not understand anything that you are telling them about how your business is going to be co nducted. They will not offer any suggestions.It also means that if they consider themselves to be the ones in power they are not looking for you to disagree with them or ask them any questions. They are also not looking for any suggestions or ideas either. They are only looking for a â€Å"yes sir†. There is also a large wage difference between the top employees and the labourers. Uncertainty Avoidance Venezuela scores 76 out of 100 on the Uncertainty Avoidance Index. This indicates a high level of uncertainty avoidance. As we have discussed earlier, high uncertainty avoidance indicates a resistance to change and new ideas.There are three indicators for uncertainty avoidance, rule orientation, employment stability and stress (Hofstede). Venezuela being a country with a long history of dictatorship and having a large gap between the rich and the poor can easily fit these three indicators and therefore explain the high uncertainty avoidance. People are used to having on leader and being forced to follow their rules. They are very concerned with their employment because there are not a lot of good jobs to be found. Stress can mean many different things and have many different triggers.For a citizen it could be fear of punishment for rebellion and for an employee, a fear of losing one’s job. When thinking about doing business with Venezuela, you would have to take into account that their high uncertainty avoidance would mean that your employees or business partner are looking for rules and regulations to follow. They want stability and are looking for a routine. They do not like change or progression in their jobs. They are not risk takers in business and would need reassurance. ConclusionWhen viewing the country of Venezuela through Hofstede's dimensions of culture, you can get a better understanding of how decisions are made in this culture and how you can create more profitable business dealings within this country or with companies from this coun try. For Venezuelan’s we see that there is a high power distance which means you should appeal to those who are in power if you are looking to create a business deal or if you are looking to make a change. It will also help you to know that you would have to accommodate your employees who would not be willing to contradict you or ask questions.You must also remember that no one appreciates change or is willing to initiate it, which can be very difficult to deal with in today’s ever changing society. Large corporations are more appealing to Venezuelans, as is money, power and appreciation, but Venezuelans live within groups and therefore are concerned about what is best for all those involved in their group. With these things in mind you would be able to create a successful business relationship as long as you are willing to show understanding for the differences in our shrinking world.Other things that need to be taken into account are the political factors. For Venezu ela this is a negative factor as the government has control over everything in this country. The banking process is very complex and so is the purchasing system. You require identification and verification for all purchases. The government is very concerned about citizens investing their money in other countries and would therefore be very involved in any business associations with companies in Venezuela.Your business would have to have some sort of gain for the country as well as your own profits (â€Å"BBC News†). Another indication of the possible difficulties in doing business in Venezuela is that of the ranking given to this country from the World Bank, International Finance Corporation. Each year they show the results from a series of questions they ask of each country for things like getting a permit, property rights, etc. ; all things that would be considered when starting a business in that country. With these results they rank the countries in order.Venezuela is ver y close to the bottom of the list, which means that obtaining permits, business rights, starting a business, paying taxes, and dealing outside of the borders are all more difficult compared to other countries. The official ranking is 177 out of 183 countries (â€Å"Doing Business: Measuring Business Regulations†). This is all an example of Porter’s Diamond which is a theory that helps you look at a country and see certain factors that affect business. Porter discusses how business has several different factors and government is a specific element that can make a difference at any one of the four points in the diamond.The four areas include: firm, strategy and structure; demand conditions; related and supporting industries; factor conditions (Nasierwoski). This country shows an example of how government is heavily involved in the firm, strategy and structure as well as the related and supporting industries. In fact, you could suggest that government is a factor in the e ntire diamond. This is why it is so difficult to do business in Venezuela. Not only is government involved in everything but it is a very strict and controlling government. BELGIUM Introduction to BelgiumBelgium is a small country surrounded by France, Germany, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. Located in one of the world’s most advanced continents and industrialised regions, Belgium is an important international trading partner and a powerful force in the world of international business. Belgium relies heavily on both imports and exports to fuel its growing economy. It was one of the founding countries of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The country also belongs to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.Currently it has the 9th largest GDP in Europe (World Bank) and its per capita GDP ranks among the worlds highest. The country is also home to Europe’s second largest port, importing and exporting goods internationally, in 2010 exports made up 261 billion dollars. The country has a large industrial sector which includes; steel, textiles, refining, chemicals, food processing, pharmaceuticals, automobile, electronics, and machinery fabrication. (â€Å"Belgium Europe†) It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with a population of over 10,400,000. â€Å"Belgium Facts†)Belgium has three official languages; Dutch, French and German although English is widely spoken. The country grants more new citizenships than any other country besides Canada. (â€Å"Eupedia's Belgium Guide†)Belgium is one of the most economically and technologically advanced countries in the world and has very high standards of living. They were one of the first countries to legalise gay marriage and the first county to issue electronic passports. The country is number the one chocolate exporter in the world and ninety percent of raw diamonds are negotiated and distributed in Belgium.The country also has the highest proportion of female ministers in the world and the smallest salary gap between males and females in the EU. (â€Å"Eupedia's Belgium Guide†) This small but powerful country continues to grow and expand its international reach. Individualism Belgium’s second highest dimension is individualism with a score of 80 which means that they put a strong emphasis on the individual rather than the group. There is a large focus on individual achievement, initiative and success. When doing business in Belgium it’s important to treat everyone as an individual who has their own ideas and personality.Individualism is something to be celebrated and standing out is important. Therefore, when working with this type of society, it is important to recognise individual achievements and give rewards and recognition to employees on an individual basis. Recognition and rewards are good ways to motivate employees. In this society personal time and personal freedom are highly valued and therefore it is important to give employees their space and freedom to work. It is important not to monitor employee’s work too closely as this can be interpreted negatively, and employees expect to have the freedom to work independently.Work life and personal life are two different and separate things and privacy in both are respected. High individualism is reflected on the emphasis of ‘I’ as opposed to ‘We’. Individuals look out for themselves and their immediate family and therefore look out for ways to better themselves and advance themselves and their immediate family. It is common to pursue individual goals and self advancement at the expense of others. When making decision people think about how the decision will affect them and do not always think of what is better for others.Employees will often change jobs and job loyalty is not very high. When working in this society it is important not to depend on others or on group s and to work on your own. Promotion and ranking often depend on individual performance and not on seniority. (â€Å"Individualism,†) (Hofstede) Masculinity Belgium’s lowest cultural dimension is Masculinity, at 49 putting it in twenty-second place. Belgium is almost right in the middle so therefore they don’t have any extremes towards masculinity or femininity. The country falls in the middle and value both femininity and masculinity equally.It is important to have both these traits. As a leader it is important to display the traits associate with both a masculine and a feminine work ethic in order to fit in and be accepted. A culture that is more masculine tends to focus more on advancement and earning whereas a culture that is more feminine tends to focus more on a friendly atmosphere and position security. Because Belgium is almost in the middle its important when conducting business to maintain both masculine and feminine characteristic and not bend toward extremes.Realise that although advancement, earnings and money are important it is also important in the Belgium business setting to have cooperation, security and a good work environment. High masculine societies prefer large businesses and high feminine societies prefer small busyness therefore the idea business size for Belgium’s is somewhere in the middle. Big enough to be competitive and aggressive, yet small enough to have a nurturing stable environment for the employees. In the Belgium society there is less of a distinction between genders and gender roles.Therefore when conducting business do not assume that someone has certain responsibilities or has a certain roles due to their gender. Support and friendliness are just as important as brilliance and performance in Belgium. To be successfully in business dealings with Belgium remember to display a mix both feminine and masculine qualities and to treat both genders as equally important. (Hofstede) Power Distance Belgi um’s third highest dimension is power distance. Belgium has a power distance of 60 which means that to some degree it is thought that power is not distributed evenly.Although Belgium has a higher power distance they do not have a really high power distance so people respect authority but are not always afraid to ask questions to superiors. Although there is some two way communication, it tends to be more one way communication. A high power distance means that decision making is more centralised and roles and responsibilities are more clearly defined. Organisations have more bureaucracy and larger pay difference exist between jobs and positions. In Belgian businesses there exists a more vertical organisational structure and more vertical communication.In an organisation with a vertical structure there tends to be more rules and policies and it is important to be aware of these rules and policies when conducting business in the country. Information and communication move upward and downward throughout the ranks. It is important when doing business to give clear and precis directions to insure that everyone understands because they might not be comfortable asking for clarification. The relationship between the member of the top of the hierarchy and the bottom of the hierarchy are limited and very professional.Relationships within organisations are more distant. Therefore in business it is important to know the different levels of jobs and who makes the decisions. Depending on what position you hold you will answer to others who hold higher positions of authority and make most of the rules and decisions. It is important to show respect to those in higher positions. If you are on a lower level you may be restricted to certain information. Problems are usually blamed on the people who work in lower positions. (â€Å"Power Distance Index. â€Å")(Hofstede) Uncertainty AvoidanceThe countries highest dimension is uncertainty avoidance, with a 94 which mean tha t Belgium as a society not mot like taking risks. This high level also indicates the country’s low tolerance for uncertainty. Belgium’s very high level of uncertainty avoidance affects how they do business and must be considered and understood before conducting business with a Belgium company or with someone from Belgium. If you think you can change a Belgian businesses way of thinking or doing something in a short period of time you will not be successful.One of the main aspects is that they like to avoid risk and stay away from uncertain and risky situations, including foreigners and foreign ways of doing business. Having things well planned out and prepared in advanced and having things clearly explained is important. Resistance to change is high and therefore changes must be slowly introduced. Laws of the workplace as well as all other laws tend to be carefully followed so it is very important to understand and abide by Belgium laws when doing business in Belgium. They rely heavily on rules, laws and regulation in order to avoid risky situations.When doing business in Belgium it is important to know your facts and be very organised. Belgians will move towards stable low risk investments and avoid unstable high risk investments. Unstructured and uncertain situations are avoided. Because they fear the unknown, foreigners and new ideas are regarded warily and foreigners who want to conduct business with the country must be careful. Because of the fear of the unknown employees are often stressed and anxious, if it is possible to reduce stress and anxiety you will be a lot more successful.Changing jobs is done less frequently and therefore employee turnover is much smaller and employee loyalty is much higher. (Hofstede) Conclusion When doing business in this country foreigners have to take the cultural dimensions of Belgium into careful consideration of they want to be successful. According to The International Finance Corporation 2011 economy ran kings, Belgium is in 28th place out of 183 countries. The countries are raked on various variables, such as permits and taxes, that look at the ease of doing business in the country.Belgium’s reasonably low score indicated that it is possible to enter the market without too many difficulties. Therefore it is a country that should be given much consideration when looking at foreign markets. Before conducting business with any foreign business it is important to look at the cultural differences and how these differences impact business. In order to understand the culture and values of a society it can be usefully to look at the country’s history and past. Belgium has some similar cultural dimensions to Canada and they are used to working with foreigners and different ways of doing business.Because of this Belgium tends to be fairly open and understanding of other cultural differences. However, in order to be successful and gain the trust and acceptance of local workers a nd businesses it is vital to understand the countries cultural dimensions and how to act inside and outside the boardroom. The biggest disadvantage to working with or in Belgium is their extremely high uncertainty avoidance. The Belgium’s avoid risk and unknown situations in order to protect themselves and their country. If there is anything new or risky it has to be introduced very carefully and slowly, the Belgians would never change overnight.This does not mean however that they are narrow minded or unwilling to change. If you are well prepare, respectful and follow the rules of the country and company you can be very successful in the Belgium market. JAPAN Introduction to Japan Japan is an island surrounded by Russia, China, and Korea. Japan has a population of 127. 08 million, this is a fairly large number considering Japan is only an island, as the population gets bigger the island stays the same size, creating a deficiency of land. The capital city of Japan is Tokyo. ( â€Å"U. S.Department of State†) After the second world war ended Japan started to prosper in their business doings, in 1956 they joined the United Nations, 70 percent of Japan's workforce is in services while the remainder 30 percent are in agricultural and industry. The agricultural good that they produce include rice, vegetables, fruit, milk, meat, and fish, they also export some of these items. The official language of Japan is Japanese, while their business language is English . The Japanese have a parliamentary government and a constitutional monarch. (â€Å"U. S.Department of State†) Japan has a free market economy, it is currently the third largest in the world, its economy is highly competitive and efficient in international trade. Productivity is low in agriculture, distribution, and services. Since Japan has few natural resources trading helps them to earn foreign exchange needed to purchase raw materials for its economy. (â€Å"U. S. Department of Stateâ⠂¬ ) Individualism When doing business with Japan it is important to remember that they have very low individualism and high collectivism. Japan does not believe in individual freedom or rights, it is all about the group and what is best for the group.When doing business with Japan, you must never address a single individual as the company, you must address the entire group. When working in Japan, your work becomes your life and whenever your work needs you must put everything else on hold. Japanese emphasize teamwork and loyalty, groups/colleagues learn to trust and work together at a young age. When entering the Japan market you must first be accepted by the group, once you have the groups support you will be able to trust them to your company good and they will be willing to work long hours for you if provide them with what they need.When working for a company in Japan, the likely-hood of you being promoted is based on your seniority in the company, someone who has been there lo nger than you is more likely to get the promotion, even if you are more qualified for the job. Masculinity During the IBM study for Hofstede's five dimensions Japan ranked number one out of all the countries for the highest masculinity, not only is the country masculine but the citizens are as well. It is unacceptable for a woman to wear pants in a business setting, the men find it extremely offensive. The women must either wear skirts or dresses when in a business environment.Men are the masculine ones of the society, during business discussions when things are not going as planned it is normal for individuals to become aggressive in order to get things completed. The women are the ones to calm the men down and provide comfort for them. Women who are in more qualifying jobs are very assertive, just so that they can be seen as equal to their male co-workers. The management structure of a business is built on rules and order among individuals, there is a hierarchy of power in Japan s ociety and in business'. An employee at the bottom of the ierarchy has no right to talk to someone higher up or even suggest ideas that they feel will benefit their company. It is the employees’ job to do what is told of them and to never question their employer. In Japan, one must sacrifice everything for their work, that includes family and social life, the term â€Å"karoshi† is Japanese for dying because one is overworked. Since the population in Japan is so large, the men and women learn to become competitive and have placed a high importance on achievements, if children were to do poorly in school it would be a disgrace to their family. Power DistanceJapan's power distance is a little higher than average. When doing business with them one must watch out for a few things. When working in Japan, for a Japanese company, it is unacceptable for an employee to talk to their superior with disrespect or talk to someone higher up in the working chain about their current m anager, doing such a thing is considered disgraceful and could cause you to lose your job. In Canada it is common for an employee to comment and try to make their company better, where in Japan if an employee were to make such a comment their employment with said company would be terminated.The employees are dependent on their managers, to tell them what to do and how to do it, it is not their responsibility to think for themselves, that is the job for their superiors. Finding a job in Japan could be difficult for people who are migrating to the country and do not already have a job lined up for them. Japan has a caste system in place, once you are born into a caste it is not very likely that you will move away from it, this being said, the occupation that your father has would be the occupation that you will take over.There is a large income difference in Japan, it is easy to tell what class you belong to. Business cards are very important for the Japanese, when going on business m eetings you should always have about 100 business cards on hand for a one week business trip. Having a double sided business card is very important, make sure that one side of the card is in Japanese and the other side is in English. When giving your business card to others you must hold it in both hands, with the Japanese side facing upwards, also, make sure to bow while passing on your business card.Never forget to pick up the business card and put them in your case, if you forget one of the business cards it is like a slap in the face for the other individual. You will have to bring a small notebook to write notes in and never write on the business cards, it is another sign of disrespect. (â€Å"Venture Japan†) Uncertainty Avoidance Hofstede gave Japan a score 92/100 for uncertainty avoidance, it is Japans most prominent cultural characteristic. Citizens do not like change so they tend to stay with the same company for the rest of their lives, staying loyal to their employ er.Individuals are willing to work if they are provided with job security in return. It is important to remember that Japan does not take well to foreign companies that they do not know, coming into their country and starting a business there. You must first gain the citizens trust and acceptance if you want to do well with your business venture. With uncertainty avoidance comes anxiety. Japanese individuals put up with a lot of anxiety about their work and colleagues. â€Å"In Japan there is the outlet of getting drunk along with colleagues after working hours.During these parties, men release their pent-up aggression, even towards their superiors; but the next day business continues as usual. Such drinking bouts represent one of the major institutionalized places and times for anxiety release† (Hofstede, 118) An important thing to remember is that if you want to work in Japan it is accepted to drink in the office after working hours, during the day it is unacceptable to rel ieve your aggression towards your superiors but it is accepted during â€Å"such drinking bouts†.In Japan it is common for others to ask straight forward questions like â€Å"how much do you make? † and â€Å"how big is your house? † such questions are asked so that they are able to assess what position of the hierarchy you at. Conclusion When viewing Japan through Hofstede's dimensions, you get a better understanding of how they do business based on cultural differences. Japan has a high masculinity, and low individualism, this is beneficial for companies seeking loyalty, and who wish to get tasks done on a timely basis. There are many advantages with doing business with Japan, when you gain heir trust and confidence then they will always be loyal to you and assist with what they can. They will get work done when asked and on time, as long as they are provided with instructions they will do the work to the best of their ability. Only a few disadvantages exist w ith doing business with Japan, a reason why someone would not want to do business with them would be that they consider work to be very important, you would not be able to be sarcastic with them or even try to discuss ways to better the company if you are positioned slightly lower than them on the hierarchical business poll.In the end, if you are doing business with Japan you will always be able to count on them, making Japan an excellent country to do business with. Another factor of doing business in Japan is based on the study that The World Bank does each year that addresses the ease of doing business within a country. Japan has a score of 18/183, they have a relatively low score which indicated that doing business with them would be easy and have benefits in the long run, such as obtaining permits, business rights, starting a business, paying taxes, and dealing outside of the borders is very easy for foreign companies to do in Japan.Japan ranked second as the most technological ly powerful economy in the world, after the U. S.. Technology innovation is very important for a countries development, having a company in Japan helps that company because of all the technology advancements that they make, helping them become first in a market and having an advantage above everyone else. Conclusion to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture As the saying goes â€Å"our world is shrinking†. This means many different opportunities for businesses to grow and expand.It offers more opportunities to people for competition, access to new goods and services, new technology and knowledge. Everyday our world continues to gain new inventions and ideas. However, with this progress also comes a great responsibility. It is the responsibility of each individual to make sure that they have a respect and understanding for this new accessible world. Another saying is â€Å"knowledge is power†, in the world of business this is very true. In the world of globalization th is is even truer.The more knowledge you have about the customs and beliefs of a certain culture, the more successful your dealings with them will be. Geert Hofstede understood this thought and through his research we are able to gain a better understanding of many different cultures and how when we apply them to the business world we can become more successful. In this paper we reviewed three different cultures from three different areas of the world. Although, we did find many differences in the history, background and specifics of the cultures, we also found some similarities in the behaviours of the people who live in these different cultures.Through these observations we are able to understand that when doing business in Venezuela, if you want to be successful you must look and act as though you already are successful because the country has a high masculinity which means they value money, power and success. We also know that to succeed you must be ready to deal with the difficu lties and interference of the government. Venezuelans are collectivists and so they look out for one another inside their perceived groups however this also means that you must appeal to the group when marketing or dealing with them.They also have a high power distance and so they will not disagree with the boss nor will they let you know if they don’t understand. All of these differences are not necessarily bad things but they can make it more difficult to do business with this country. The important thing to remember is that if you know these things about them then you can work around these obstacles to achieve success. Japan is a very masculine country, making them more aggressive which helps to increase efficiency among employees which benefits the company that they work for.Japan also has high uncertainty avoidance, with high uncertainty avoidance employees do not take change very well, Japan has been doing business the same since World War II ended, some would see this as a bad thing but in reality it is very good, this is helpful because it provides a more secure environment and no one is afraid of what they already know. When doing business in Belgium it is important to keep in mind their high cultural dimensions and how this affects doing business.Their highest dimension is uncertainty avoidance flowed by individualism, therefore, it is important to introduce new ideas slowly and celebrate individuality. Although there are differences that must be considered if you do your research Belgium can be a warm and welcoming environment to do business in and to expand your international reach. We have presented in out paper three very different countries from different sides of the world. But which one is best to do business with? Venezuela, although it is the cheapest market to enter, has a very high rating on the WBI and is extremely difficult to enter and presents many obstacles.Also, as we have discussed earlier in this paper Hofstede’s dime nsions of culture outline the differences and difficulties that one would encounter when dealing with the work force in Venezuela. Japan, although the highest ranking on the WBI, has a very different culture and very different language when comparing it to Canada and therefore would present many different challenges also outlined in the paper according to Hofstede’s dimensions. Belgium is therefore our best choice when considering internationalising into a broader market.Its ranking is close to Japan, well above Venezuela however, it is also a lot similar in culture, demographics and attitudes to Canada. One of Belgium’s official languages is French, which is also a benefit to Canadian business people. However, Belgium would be definitely a smaller market expansion according to population size. References About Belgium. â€Å"Eupedia's Belgium Guide. Eupedia, 2010. Web. 21 Oct 2011. ;lt;http://www. eupedia. com/belgium/trivia. shtml;gt;. â€Å"Ease of Doing Business in Venezeula, RB. † Doing Business: Measuring Business Regulations. The World Bank, 2011. 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