Global poverty and education

Global poverty and education In recent years, the transnational agencies launched a number of initiatives aimed at reducing worldwide poverty and improving international security. Criticizing the modernism and development theories which were used previously, the scholars made attempts to explain the major causes underlying the failure of the development efforts of the previous half a century.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Global poverty and education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Refocusing on education development as the dominant discourse helpful for achieving the rest of the development goals is one of the most decisions made by the transnational agencies recently. This paper will discuss the criticisms of the development theories, the historical context of development efforts, the role of international and non-governmental organizations in multilateral education and solutions offered by contemporary scholars to enhance the effectiveness of the launched programs. Current sociocultural perversion marginalizing the poor In modern world, all governments make efforts to not only protect their citizens, but also to ensure their access to the basic services, including those of safe drinking water, health care delivery and education. Regardless of the fact that a wide range of domestic state institutions, international agencies and non-governmental organizations launch projects to benefit the poor, the poor perceive formal services as inaccessible and ineffective. The politics of representation of the Third World has had a significant impact upon the development discourse and formation of culture and subjectivities in developing countries. Escobar (1995, p. 215) noted that the very existence and status of the Third World is currently negotiated. The term of the Third World was created as an opposite of the First World denoting the countries which consider them as developed. The term has a negative connotation and remains an important construct used by those in power. Notwithstanding the chosen definition of modernity, the Third World should not be perceived as a uniform entity, but rather as a fragmented and polarized combination of diverse regions.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Since the 1980s, resistance to development expressed by the grassroots movements was one of the strategies through which the Third World made attempts to construct their unique identities. This struggle against the intervention of international organization aimed at modernization and globalization into the domestic affairs of the Third World was fundamentally cultural (Escobar, 1995, p. 216). Another approach used for negotiating the development of the Third World was a concept of hybridization of local cultures and modernity to receive a new entity. However, this biological interpretation cannot be applied t o discussion of hybrid cultures as a combination of long-standing cultural practices and an incoming element of modernity integrated into the local cultures by transnational forces. With the advent of cyberculture and the global economic restructuring, the technologic gap between rich and poor countries has been dramatically increased. Consequently, rejecting to use some of the innovative technologies, countries of the Third World undergo the risks of becoming irrelevant to the world economy. Even though certain regions are involved into the processes of global economic integration, they remain marginalized from it benefits. As a consequence of the current state of affairs, this phenomenon is referred to as sociocultural perversion. The solution offered by Escobar (1995, p. 222) is a social reform for the Third World regions to reach the goals of technological modernization and competitive participation in the world economy with a special emphasis put upon the educational policies i n these countries. Historical context and trends in multilateralism and education The development theories have a significant impact upon the strategies implemented by transnational agencies and non-governmental organizations in relation to education policies for the developing countries. The combination of state-centric, transnationalist and structuralist theories clearly demonstrates the variety of theoretical approaches to be considered to understand multilateral cooperation and the controversy over the objectives, processes and outcomes of education.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Global poverty and education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The policy setting in UN education is a rather controversial and complicated process. According to Jones (2005, p. 23), the UN education process lacks harmony and consistency because of the multitude and diversity of educational issues around the world. Historically, educat ion concerns were included into the UN charter during a conference in San-Francisco in April – June 1945. The lobbyist delegations from developing countries and the US-based groups were pressing for the education case which was expected to contribute to international peace and security. Whereas the process of integrating the education concerns into the UN charter was rather smooth, the question of whether to establish a specialized agency focusing on education remained doubtful. In the year 1948, education was included into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a part of the UN program aimed at promoting peace and interdependence between the states on the global level. The entry of education as a multilateral concern into the programming of transnational agencies resulted in economic justification of education and consideration of the correlation between poverty of certain regions and the quality and accessibility of education programs there. Political multilateralism and economic multilateralism are the two major lines of thinking which had a significant impact upon the UN education programming. The goals of the global economic integration and governance were central to the multilateralism pathways chosen by the UN for promoting peace and security in the world. The links between material progress, security and modernization strategies have become explicit. Jones (2005, p. 31) stated that the circumstances on the international arena were favorable for this way of thinking. Since the mid 1980s, neo-liberalism theories influenced educational theories and became major concerns in educational policies and practices. Discussing the issues of the complexity and diversity of educational system, Jones (2005, p. 42) used the term of structured anarchy to emphasize the collaboration and competition among the variety of the UN education agencies.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main principles which were prevalent in the organization of the UN education since the year 1945 when education concerns were included into the UN chart included globalization, security and multilateralism. The complex interplay of these principles was responsible for the education for all movement. The international organizations in construction of multilateral education Within the recent decades, the multilateral agencies, including those of the World Bank, UNICEF, UNESCO and UNDP, have been playing an important role in structuring the world education agenda. These agencies played a dominant role in formulating the International Development Targets (IDTs) and following Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which became the basis for the education policymaking. According to Rutkowski (2007, p. 244), the main reason for which the international organizations had impact upon the education agenda on local, national and global levels was softness of the implemented strategies. At the World Conference on Education for All which took place in 1990 in Jomtien (Thailand) invited 155 national delegations from different countries a framework on providing access to basic education for citizens of all countries was shaped. According to King (2007, p. 379), the themes raised during that World Conference focused mainly on basic education associated with primary schooling. Moreover, regardless of the precise goals and time-bound target, the Jomtien Declaration and Framework were not prescriptive and were not shared by all countries. Ten years later after the World Conference in Jomtien, in the year 200, the World Forum on Education for All was held in Dakar. By this moment, it became clear that the target of achieving the universal primary education as it was outlined by Jomtien Framework within ten years was unrealistic. Six Dakar Targets were formulated at this Forum for expanding and improving access to primary education for children belonging to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged categories and ensuring gender equality in education. Just a few months after Dakar Forum, eight Millennium Development Goals were formulated at the global summit in New York. According to King (2005, p. 386), the peculiar feature of the Millennium Declaration was formulation of strict timelines for the targets related to the south and the absence of any time limitations in resolutions related to the north. The Millennium Declaration did not pay proper attention to the financial basis necessary for the realization of the offered targets. With its financing impact and the political force, the World Bank can be regarded as one of the strongest players in the sphere of multilateral education. Regardless of the fact that the World Bank as a UN specialized agency is better understood as a financial institution dedicated to borrowing and lending money, its political influence on the development strategies is obvious. Regardless of the fact that education is only a minor con cern of the World Bank and the annual reimbursements dedicated to this area do not exceed 10 per cent of the overall expenses, it addresses a wide range of education issues and is prominent in multilateral education. A significant contribution made by the World Bank to the global education agenda was the resurrection of interest in higher education which can be seen from the joint initiative of the bank and UNESCO, referred to as the task force on higher education and society (TFHES) (Jones, 2005, p. 135). Notwithstanding the significance of the World Bank and other international agencies, these were only a few players affecting the multilateral education agenda. The role of non-governmental organizations in realization of development projects The Western definition of modernity, according to which certain societies are recognized as more modern and developed than others and obtaining resources and knowledge to assist other les developed nations in achieving modernity, has criticize d as Western universalism. Elu and Banya (1999, p. 183) stated that this definition was used by the north or the so-called First World for inclusion of the southern societies into the north-dominated world. In the context of post-modern critiques, the diversity and complexity of the global development activities has increased resulting in proliferation of external and internal non-governmental organizations. As it has been mentioned earlier, regardless of all the efforts to reach the most disadvantaged groups of population, the formal services are still perceived as inaccessible by the poor (Narayan, 2000, p. 120). It is one of the reasons for which a growing number of aid agencies were turned into non-governmental organizations which can be more effective for launching the development projects and leading the resources to the poor. The other reasons for these changes are the growing interest among agencies in strengthening the developmental roles of institutions outside the public sector and the demonstrated potential of non-governmental organizations to reach the poor more effectively than the public agencies do. Therefore, the popularity of the non-governmental organizations as cost-effective alternatives to public development resources has grown. Elu and Banya (1999, p. 187) stated that Northern non-governmental organizations were frequently used for transferring the cultural awareness, values and patterns from the countries providing technical and financial assistance to the developing countries as recipients of this aid. Applying this perspective to the estimation of the role of non-governmental organizations, it can be stated that these establishments are frequently perceived as products of governments using them as temporary mediators for achieving specific political goals and expanding their influence. However, as it can be seen from example of African voluntary development organizations, southern countries do not remain passive recipients of the aid provided by northern states, but create their local non-governmental organizations as a response to the African needs. Then, the question of theoretical and practical relationships between external donors and the locally-based organizations is posed. According to Elu and Banya (1999, p. 190) a partnership between the northern and southern non-governmental organizations would be the most appropriate approach to enhancing the effectiveness of initiatives launched by both parties. Regardless of the obvious benefits of potential collaboration, the partnership between the rich north and impoverished locally-based organizations is associated with a number of dilemmas. Because of the inequality of resources, expectations and motivations of the actors, the effective partnership between the north and south non-governmental organizations is not achieved even though in theory the organizations agree that mutual relationship would be advantageous for them. Effective solutions for the education agenda The ineffectiveness of the initiatives launched by multilateral organizations can be explained with the lack of attention paid to the specifics of the education sectors in developing countries. A detailed education sector analysis can be an effective tool for empowering reform and development through the vast majority of studies did not address the issues of the sector structure in the context of the aid relationship. The need to simultaneously address multiple high priority goals, including those of improved healthcare and education appeared to be an unresolvable tension for Africa and other developing countries. Insufficient analysis of the specifics of situation in different countries significantly reduces the effectiveness of the programmes and initiatives. According to Samoff (1999, p. 270), the main conclusion made by studies addressing the problems of education in postcolonial Africa is that the educational system is in crisis without specification of the underlying pr ocesses and the most influential factors affecting it. The limited national control over the education sector analysis and insufficient sense of national ownership reduce the credibility and opportunities for the practical application of existing studies. The implementation of development strategies in specific locations can have a number of unexpected and even paradoxical consequences. For example, according to Pigg (1997, p. 259), the development implementation in Nepal was rather complex and had a number of local quirks. Thus, the highly trained Nepalese health care practitioners were unwilling to work in the countryside, whereas by providing training to the village practitioners, the development strategy increased their ambitions and enabled them to move to the urban areas. These unexpected consequences were not predicted before the launch of the initiative and prove the importance of conducting a thorough research of the local setting before the development implementation. Simi lar concerns were raised by Demerath (2003, p. 137) who pointed out at the shifts in the social attachments and ideologies of individuals after their enrollment into the training programs which are a part of development initiatives. In other words, a careful sector analysis can be an effective tool for enhancing the effectiveness of the education agendas and other development programs. Analyzing the main reasons for the failure of the global development efforts over the decades, it can be stated that the enhanced partnership between a wide array of aid organizations and a more serious consideration of the peculiar features of certain settings is important for eliminating the deficits in the programs and enhancing the effectiveness of initiatives. Coxon and Munce (2008, p. 148) stated that external aid donating organizations can threaten the local ideas of what education programs should be. For this reason, indicating global patterns of power and influence, policy makers should consi der the specifics of local cultures and pay more attention to the opportunities of enhanced partnership among the different aid donating organizations. Conclusion Analyzing the criticisms of the main development theories and initiatives, it can be stated that the lack of attention to the specifics of the situation in developing countries and lack of partnership between different agencies are among the main underlying causes of the failure of the development efforts of the previous decades. Therefore, the emphasis on education-development relationship, education sector analysis and enhanced partnership between different agencies are important for improving access to education, reducing the world poverty and enhancing international security. References Coxon, E. and Munce, K. (2008) The global education agenda and the delivery of aid to Pacific education. Comparative Education, 44(2), pp. 147 – 165. Demerath, P. (2003) Negotiating individualist and collectivist futures: Emergin g subjectivities and social forms in Papua New Guinea high schools. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 34 (2), pp. 136 – 157. Elu, J. and Banya K. (1999) Non-governmental organizations as partners in Africa: A cultural analysis of North-South relations. In K. King and L. Buchert (eds) Changing international aid to education: Global patterns and national contexts. Paris: UNESCO Publishing, pp. 182 – 206. Escobar, A. (1995) Conclusion: Imagining a postdevelopment era. In A. Excobar Encountering development. The making and unmaking of the third world. Princeton: Princeton University Press, pp. 212 – 247. Jones, P.W. (2005) Education, multilateralism and the UN. In P.W. Jones The United Nations and education. Multilateralism, development and globalization. London and New York: Routledge Falmer, pp. 94 – 136. King, K. (2007) Multilateral agencies in the construction of the global agenda on education. Comparative Education, 43 (3), pp. 377 – 391. Nara yan, D. (2000) Can anyone hear us? Voices of the poor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 3-126. Pigg, S.L. (1997) Found in most traditional societies: Traditional medical practitioners between culture and development. In F. Cooper and R. Packard (eds) International development and the social sciences. Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 259 – 290. Rutkowski, D. (2007) Converging us softly: How intergovernmental organizations promote neoliberal educational policy. Critical Studies in Education, 48 (2), pp. 229 – 247. Samoff, J. (1999) Education sector analysis in Africa: Limited national control and even less national ownership. International Journal of Educational Development, 19, pp. 249 – 272.

Ethics in Accounting and Corporate Accounting Scandals Research Paper

Ethics in Accounting and Corporate Accounting Scandals - Research Paper Example The suggested course of action by the companies is also recommended in order to prevent unethical practices that lead to corporate scandals and eventual bankruptcy of the organizations. Introduction The accounting practices are based on the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Apart from the rule base practices, the importance of principle based practices have emerged in the field of accounting. This is due to the corporate scandals that have occurred over the years. These corporate scandals establish a link with the unethical practices in accounting. In different countries, the accounting practices are guided by different laws like the tax law in Germany, accounting law in Sweden, company law in USA, etc. The unethical practices in accounting have not only resulted into bankruptcy of the companies but also eroded the wealth of the investors. International Financial Reporting Standards, Sarbanes-Oxley Act have been implemented in order to prevent the unethical accounting practic es and subsequent corporate scandals. ... The accountability is much greater as compared to the compensation received for their role in accounting domain. The most important part of accounting is the code of ethics that is to be followed as a professional in this field. This leads to the concept of ethics in accounting (Duska, Duska and  Ragatz, 2011). Accounting ethics is a part of applied ethics which relates to the moral values and judgments that are applied in the role of accounting. The concept of accounting ethics was first introduced by Luca Pacioli, an Italian mathematician which was later endorsed by the government departments and even the private organizations. The training modules conducted by the companies while training the accountants and auditors include accounting ethics as an integral part. The wide range of accounting services and the news on the fall of big corporate houses like Enron have triggered an importance of following code of ethics in accounting field. Due to fraudulent accounting practices, mal -intention on the part of accountants, auditors and the management, the profession of accountants and the subjects of accounting have been badly criticized. Also the losses incurred by the companies due to unethical practices in accounting field have blown out of proportions (McPhail and  Walters, 2009). In order to avoid the similar devaluation of companies and bankruptcy in future, the institutions irrespective of government and private entities have stressed on the importance of accounting ethics and proper implementation of ethical practices by their accounting departments. The lack of ethical accounting leads to fraudulent accounting practices in the companies which may be due to manipulated or

Do Computers Increase Or Decrease Social Connection Essay

Do Computers Increase Or Decrease Social Connection - Essay Example The information communication technologies have helped in shaping the thoughts and actions in ways that affected the lives of people directly. The discovery of voice over internet protocol has made it possible to make internet calls effectively. The society has learnt to view new machines, not as mere products to be purchased, but facilitators of a larger system. This is determined by how usable the machines are in meeting the expectations of the society. The meaning attached to machines or technological innovations has to make life easier for them to be relevant to the mainstream society. Historians argue that new machines are not necessarily coercive agents that force people into social changes. However, in the recent past, the innovations in the information communication technology have had a coercive effect in the social aspect of communication. A compelling example in the impact of social media in the presidential complains in the United States of America. The social media have played a significant role in the success of the Arab spring. The strength of connectivity that has come from the latest information technologies cannot be underestimated2. Computers are viewed as agents of office efficiency. However, it is argued that computers have been known to cause eye problems, back disorders and time wastage in case of software failure. According to the American manufacturing association, of the organizations that reduced staff due to computerization, 24 per cent suffered losses while 43 per cent raised profits3. Through technology, people can study degree programs and attend classes in a virtual atmosphere. A lecturer can teach a class of people with is in different parts of the globe. However, online learning cannot... This paper approves that technology means different things to different social groups. The owners of the supercomputers are estimated to be in different social levels with the owners of desktop computers. The owners of supercomputers are perceived to be established and engaged in high level technological operations. There are characteristics that determine the likability of technology or computing. The more they are adopted, the more they develop their usefulness. This is mostly manifested in the network technologies. The selling point of technologies must be the ease to adopt and the relevance in the immediate usage. There has been an observation that after people adopts a technology, they develop with it. They upgrade as the technology upgrades, and it becomes hard to switch them to another technology. This report makes a conclusion that media ideologies about one medium affect the media ideologies about the other media. Face book and tweeter have had a substantial effect in the way different groups communicate. The social media users are able to send messages and share information in real time. Recent developments have seen the social media empowered to facilitate video calls. It is not clear whether social media is an official method of communication. However, the weight of the messages passed on social media depends on the groups involved and the intended message. Small changes in technology can end up changing the ways in which people circulate information. Technology is rapidly tilting towards improved connectivity. Smartphone is now a means of communication and internetworking. Most scholars talk about new forms of emerging connection technologies, which have been built upon the existing technologies.

Diversity Management In Coca Cola

Diversity Management In Coca Cola With the globalization of trade and investment, organizations are increasingly faced with diversity in their workforce. Firm gets more internationalized, both with implantation abroad and by trade with companies in different countries. With the rapid progress in the field of communication it is now possible to meet in real time with people of different nationalities around the same project. These changes lead to complex relationship with new clients, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders of cultures. The rebirth of the influence of intercultural in management is in fact quiet recent. Whatever your work, the meeting of different cultures is a daily reality in a growing number of companies. In fact many companies have indeed understood the cultural diversity of their customer, which called diversity in the ranks of their own employees. This diversification strategy of human international resources in company is to better meet the expectations of its customers, to enhance its brand image and its legitimacy, a vital condition if it wants to remain competitive. Moreover diversity allows increasing productivity and innovation making easier the resolution of problems. Diversity leads to ethnicity, and ethnic diversity implies heterogeneity in languages, religions, races and cultures. If years ago we talked about multidisciplinary team which aggregate different professionals skills, the differences are now more prominent in multicultural team. Multicultural teams require close collaboration between individuals belief, value, and opposite behavior. The difficulties for the team increase since the differences are not only about professional dimensions but also about values and individuals standards. It is necessary to precise that kind of intercultural relationship can also be a source of incomprehension, misunderstanding, and can quickly cause tension. In this configuration the role of the manager is not only to perform his own work but also to both prevent damage and ensure harmony in his team in matter to increase the efficiency. Consequently, the effective composition or diversity of teams and the way to manage them has become an interesting topic of research in the last few years. THE MULTICULTURAL TEAM: WHAT IS IT? Multiculturalisms notion As a concept and policy, multiculturalism has been developed in the United States and Canada. It refers to the institutional recognition of multiple cultural identities, ethnic or social within the same society. It recognizes the legitimacy of these identities, their ability to transform, and rejects the assimilation process which is generally called principle of monoculturalism. Multiculturalism is a major social phenomenon, both a source of enrichment and conflict, especially in a world of globalization with high mobility generated including migration, legal or not. Of course, our world is multicultural. Nowadays, almost all countries are multicultural, due to migration and the symbolic presence of other cultures (such as consumerism, individualism and materialism). Many individuals are also multicultural. To have an example, we can take the case of the inhabitants of Eastern Spain which are fully bilingual in Spanish and Catalan, two languages à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹of the Iberian Peninsula. In our business case, multiculturalism refers to a community or a team with members which have different cultures. We talk about cultural diversity. Multiculturalism focuses on two important points which are interactions and communication between the various cultures in order to achieve a common goal and to be efficient (among others) Definition of a multicultural team Before giving a definition of multicultural team we should see what a team is. A team: it may be defined as a collaboration of two or more people who work together to achieve common goals. A team is a set of characters having complementary specific skills united by one or several common objectives among which each feels mutually responsible. According to Mister Schermerhorn (Managing organizational behavior author), a team: Is a natural phenomenon within the organization Has a beneficial effect on the individuals and the organization Stimulates the innovation and the creativity Allows, in different situations, a better decision-making Obtains from members that they make a commitment to apply the decisions which are taken in common. Teams are good for both organizations and their members, helping to accomplish important tasks and to maintain a high-quality workforce. A teamwork: A teamwork is collaboration between internal or external actors to the company to reach a common goal. The conception of these teams can answer different objectives: decision-making, development of activities, coordination à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ With a working team, company can: Problems solving Accomplish tasks faster Healthy competition Developing Relationships Teamwork has many advantages such as the effect of synergy, motivation or support. These effects resulted from good exchanges between colleagues. In a team work, everybody brings its own qualities and skills. It permits to the team to be more efficient in a work. With a team, it is also easier to generate creativity through sharing skills and ideas of each. However, its members must be mindful of the importance of internal communication, time management and especially respect for others. Teamwork requires a lot of patience and take into account the opinions and advice of other members. To define what a multicultural team is, we must first understand the difference between this team and the monocultural team. In a monocultural team, members arise from the same social and cultural context. They share the same values, style of communication and language. Generally, they also have the same management. It is not really the same thing in a multicultural team. Indeed, in this type of team, members come from various cultural contexts, different country. Members have fewer elements in common compare to a monocultural team. Due to their nationality and thus their culture, they dont have the same perception of the teamwork. This difference can have an important impact on the organization. The work with this type of team can be factor of productivity. However, if the team is not well managing, this work can also drive to differences of opinion, tensions and conflicts. These points will be developed a little further in the report. (See section II.1 and II.2) Different type of team. Multicultural team is a general term, but to be more precise we can define different type of multicultural team. Token team : In this case, everybody has the same nationality, the same culture and speaks the same language, except one. This can turn out to be a problem because this one will not have necessarily same interpretation, same solutions as the other teams members. Being in minority, this person is not sure that his opinion has a lot of impact. Bicultural team : Only two cultures are present in this team. This type of team is formed generally following a fusion, an alliance or following a joint-venture. A bicultural team has very often a big potential of synergies but also conflicts because there is always a part which want to be in a strong position. This one is then going to impose more its ideas, strategies, working mode and its language. Feelings of superiority and inferiorities are frequent, as well as a competition between both. It is necessary to be careful to set up clear and accepted rules of functioning by all the team members and to appoint a leader who has a big multicultural sensibility to well manage the team. Multicultural team: It is about the most current shape. The members come from at least three different cultures. Contrary to the bicultural teams, the problem of power and the competition is less important. The members propose a multitude of ideas, strategies and working modes and seem to adapt more easily. We often speak about intercultural courtesy. A common language (generally English) and a leader (often stemming from the culture of the warehouse) are more easily chosen and accepted. Virtual Multicultural Team: Traditionally teamwork is together, at the same time, at the same place. People physically meet. Now with the new technologies of information and communication, in particular Internet, the teams work at a distance on a precise project and can so gather resources, skillsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the whole without moving! Thats why they are called virtual multicultural team. The main benefits to the organization are initially greater efficiency due to economies of transport, reducing office space, or the reduced cost in labor when wages are adjusted to the local market. Another advantage is having access to a pool of human resources who are familiar with the areas in which they operate. On the organizational level, the most important problem is certainly the loss of synergy that usually results by exchanges between colleagues. Performance is not always there: skills and knowledge are more easily scattered. The team development is an additional challenge due to the distance and lack of contact between the members. On the individual level, learning opportunities, often related to sharing experiences with others, are reduced in a virtual operation. It allows also a considerable saving of time. We say that with this social structure the 24 hours of day can be completely used. Indeed, the Japanese manager who will have worked 8 hours on the project can then pass on it to his colleague in Spain. He will spend also 8 hours there and to pass on the whole to the American colleague, which, when he will have finished, will pass on transmit again his work to the Japanese colleague. Thanks to the time difference! How build your team? A multicultural team is more effective than a monocultural one, but you will have to pick different profiles or your team will be inefficient. The planner: he will bring his methods to make the team effective. He will be able (when its needed) to refocus the debates and the goals. The federator: he will unify the team and use every skill at its best. The innovator: he will suggest ideas to the group and propose original solutions. The network member: he will help the team by using his external partners. The impartial member: he will analyze and evaluate ideas, and he will be critical. The facilitator: he will listen to his mates, make the work easier by increasing communication, and keep cohesion when the team is in troubles. The guarantor: he will maintain the team on its goal and prevent from mistakes. The motor: he will be dynamic and focus the attention on the main issues. You dont have the obligation to have one of each in your team, bu you have to be sure that you have varied profile. When you decide to build up a multicultural team, you will have to wonder some questions, and try to answer, taking into account specificities of your colleagues. At the beginning, you will have to define your goal, what is it, how precisely you have to reach it, what are the objectives, how can you measure themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ by taking into account specificities: some person will focus on goals, others on process, some may have more consideration for status other will look at skills,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ You also have to focus on your priority: time, quality, or budget. After that you have to structure the mission and fix the matter of agenda, the importance of deadline (are they fixed? Does it matter if there a lateness? What happens if deadline are not respected?), the role of every member (Should there be a leader? How should he be chosen? Who needs to be at which meeting?). This was for the creation of your team. Then you will have to manage it, you will have to choose the time you will take to social activities and workshops to build the team spirit, which is the language of your group (and how you deal with the gap of knowledge in this language). To perform your group to work effectively you have to promote some means of communication and the computing format you are waiting for. You also have at the deal with conflicts as a manager: why are there conflict? Who are the protagonists? At the end of your mission you will have to evaluate performances of your team. You have to decide when you will do it, how you will take account feedback, how you show them your report (individually, or not) To answer all these questions you have to know how they are usually working: the size of the hierarchy, if they are always working all together or if they are sharing work and then working on their ownà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ You have to understand the way they follow rules, the importance they tend to human contact, if they are more individual collective. THE PROS CONS OF A MULTICULTURAL TEAM Why to set up a multicultural team? The first reason is to answer to the evolution of our world economic. Everybody knows that the internationalization became major for the companies which wish to remain in the competition. Be present on a new market, to merge with other companies, to develop joint venture on unknown territories à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ here is so many reasons which incite the company to master the cultural dimension. Furthermore, we note that the pressure of the environment and the competition encourages companies to turn to the international by hiring employees who come from diverse countries and have different culture. Indeed, many are the companies which have to go out of their national frame to face a strong competition and to develop their activities. Companies so gradually became multicultural groups where express themselves the social and cultural characteristics of the diverse nationalities which compose it. One of the main advantages of the cultural diversity would be the obtaining of synergies due to the creative mix of the various cultural approaches in the resolution of given problems (technical, commercial, human). Studies showed that the multicultural teams often allow a better resolution of problems considered as complexes, thanks to their cultural diversity. The cultural diversity becomes consequently a fundamental axis of the management of companies. Multicultural teams constitute a strategic force. They allow combining and developing synergies with a view to progress, original solutions in terms of strategies and skills. Innovation and anticipating changes are at the heart of the achievements of multicultural teams. In an optical marketing, multicultural teams develop a facility to adapt to the local markets evolution as well as political and legal differences. (By contacting the specific cultural) Theory. At first, there is this equation: Actuel productivity = potential productivity losses due to faulty process When you manage a multicultural team, the potential productivity is higher than a regular team, and the potential productivity is also constant. What the manager can influence is the losses due to faulty process; this one only depends on the manager skills. If he fails to make his team work as one, losses due to faulty process will be higher than the increase of the productivity linked to the multicultural aspect. How do cultural differences improve the competitiveness of a company? Different points of view lead to different opinion First of all, diversity team have different cultures and different ways of mind, thats why they will settle issues faster than usual teams, especially when these problems are complex. When they every member of an multicultural team meet each other, they have to open their mind to accept their differences and to go through to build relationships. Thats why they will also fit faster with new components and new issues: because they are more open to originality. Due to their varied backgrounds members will create more ideas, more inventive alternatives, more arguments. As a manager of a globalized company you should also notice that multicultural team will make product that will fit to all your clients (from China to Europe, and South America) Different point of view avoid groupthink Furthermore, diversity able a team to avoid Groupthink which is a major source of ineffectiveness in a team: Groupthink is the fact that every body in a team think in the same way. This kind of team will have neither creativeness nor originality. They are many symptoms of groupthink: overestimating the teams power and morality, closed mindedness, pressure toward uniformity Compared with monocultural team, multicultural counterparts are less likely to engage in this counterproductive behavior because they will note subconsciously limit their mind, or if they do so, they would not have the same limit since they dont have the same culture. Groupthink leads to many problems. Self censoring: people wont express their ideas if there are too innovative, in order to stay in the majority and in the consensus. An illusion of unanimity: since every member will think that his colleagues are sharing his point of view; they wont be any debate and no exchange of ideas. The team wont be able to take into consideration every detail, every risk, every weakness of a new project and it will lead to a failure. People may also feel more pressure on their shoulder which will create stress and less efficiency. What are the difficulties? At first, when you create your team, you have to build the team to create a spirit between your teammates. Its the most difficult parts and the most important one, if you succeed then your team will be very efficient but if you fail, you will have to deal with mistrust, miscommunication, and stress. How to build up a team spirit? When you build up an multicultural team, you will have to face stereotypes and clichà ©s. If you dont want it to poison your team and make it unable to work united, you will have to do things to make your co-worker trust each other. The first thing is to make your member meet each other, talk to each other, open their mind to other culture and make them accept differences. We are always using more distance communication like phone and email. Some members of your team may see each other only twice a year. But it is really important to make them speech together, because its much harder to build a relationship through electronic devices. Some managers may find it useless to waste time just to chat about our life, but you better have to lose a few hours now than many days later (because you chain of command failed,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). This time of speech may also help the manager (aka you) to understand the habits of work of his colleagues. The relation they have with their boss, the way they take decisions, the way they try to reach their goalsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If you want to be a good manager and to understand their acts, you have to know these things. Otherwise you may get angry at one of your team member for no reaso n (like Gavin in the video who ask his Chinese colleagues to hurry up, but it is his boss that he should have asked). Every culture has a different value of the time and its implication, the influence of authority, different behavior toward riskà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ To build your team you can use several tools: Workshop: to make people speech to each other about value they share, or hobbies they have in common. Its important for them to see that they have similarities. But avoid some conflict themes like religion, politics, and dont talk about work. Serious game: As its a game, people will have less pressure on their shoulders, but they will learn to work as a team, they will solve problems (even if its not real cases). And its also a way (for the manager) to know the role of each member of the team (who naturally try to lead, who is the facilitatorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) and it will be useful for the rest of the mission (to delegate work more efficiently). Outside activities: many companies offer activities their employees (week end of fishing, or trip to a ski stationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). For most of them its even obligatory to do their assertiveness training every year. Advantages of these activities are that they make people meet out of work, with no pressure, just to talk about their life, so they will understand their colleagues more easily and their work will be improved. On the other side these activities are very expensive, but manager should take into consideration benefits due to an increase of productivity after these activities. During these activities, your goal is to create links between your teammates, but you should take care to downward slides: dont take any risk of accidents, incidents arising from alcohol, romantic relations between staff (whether extra-marital or not)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If you dont succeed to build up your team spirit it will lead you to other problems. Problems of mistrust are generally due to a poor knowledge of your team member. If you dont know enough his culture it will lead to misunderstanding. Since he is from a different country with a different background, he also has other habits and you should take it into account and not consider it as if it was the reaction of someone of your own culture (for example, when an Indian is acknowledging authority, he is looking down, what European and American can perceive as a lack of trustworthiness). Risks link to mistrust are a bad communication between member, an inaccuracy of stereotypes, and it will lead to less efficiency in your team. In your team, people from the same country may speak their native language when they are together, but as the manager, you have to be sure about the common language of your team. To avoid problems of miscommunication you have to be sure that every document is in the same language. You also have to be sure that people dont stay with those from the same country. These two worries will make the team less efficient as the team will be split in many pieces. This could slow the information between every member of the team; you will have translation problems and redundancies due to a lack of communication. Finally, as an international manager you have to be sure that all these methods and way to work doesnt stress your partners. Some people, who dont have the habits to work in a multicultural team, may feel a bit overwhelmed. Stress may also be linked to a lack of integration of its members. Then, they might have the feeling to work alone or perceive the other members as competitors. This would imply counterproductive behavior (such as retention of information) or tension between your team mates Hofstedes cultural dimensions theory We will now talk about Geert Hofstede a social psychologist and a Dutch anthropologist who study the interactions between cultures. He has been awarded many times for his research on the interactions between cultures in the world. One of his achievements is the establishment of a theory of cultural dimensions provides a evaluation of the differences between nations and cultures. According to him, there is nothing like a universal management method or management theory, valid throughout the world. The theory was one of the first that could be quantified, and could be used to explain observed differences between cultures. It has inspired a number of other major cross-cultural studies of values, as well as research on other aspects of culture, such as social beliefs. Hofstede has found most of its data on cultural values through global surveys conducted by IBM, an American company specializing in technology and consulting. The theory is based on the idea that the value can be placed on six cultural dimensions: Power distance: Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. This dimension analyses the feelings of people. A low score in power distance indicates a culture expects and accepts that power relations are democratic and that its members are perceived as equal. A high score means that the members of society who have less power accept their condition and realize the existence of a form of hierarchical position. Individualism vs collectivism: The degree to which individuals are integrated into groups. This dimension has no political connotations and makes more reference to the group than the individual. Individualistic cultures give importance to the achievement of personal goals. In collectivist society, the groups goals and well-being have greater value than the individual. Uncertainty avoidance index: a societys tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. This dimension measures how a company handles situations unknown, unexpected events and anxiety about change. Cultures that have a high index are less tolerant in term of change while companies whose index is low are more open to change, have fewer rules and laws, and guidelines are more flexible. Masculinity vs femininity: The distribution of emotional roles between the genders. This dimension measures the level of importance a culture places to male stereotypes values such as confidence, ambition, power and materialism, as well as feminine stereotypes values such as the emphasis on human relations. Long-term orientation vs short term orientation: called Confucian dynamism. In the long term: values oriented towards the future, as to save money and be persistent. Short term: values oriented towards the past and the present, like respect for tradition and fulfilling its social commitments. Pleasure vs moderation: This dimension measures the ability of a culture to meet immediate needs and personal desires of its members. To understand management in a country, you should have the knowledge and empathy with the local society as a whole. However, the point of the unique statistical study that Hofstede conducted should warn everyone that people in other countries may think, feel, and act very differently, even when they are confronted with basic problems. Hofstede emphasizes that cultural dimensions are only a framework for evaluating a given culture, and guide to a better HOW TO MANAGE A MULTICULTURAL TEAM? Multicultural Managements notion The difference between people has always existed even if all of them come from the same country. For example even in a small country like France, you can feel diversity. People from the north can be easily compared with German people, and the ones that live in the south have a whole different mentality that can fit with the Spanish one. And that can also be found in a smaller range, just like a family! Everyone isnt the same, there are male/female and among these two parts, you can also find diversity if you look the characteristic of each individuals, it can be very different. You can take the example of teachers. They are dealing with young people, and they can come from all around the world as easily as if they belonged to the neighborhood. It could be that most of them are too young to have already a strong culture and strong differences, but the teacher can already feel it. After all its a management job too! In fact, multicultural management -that is more global- is the same as in monocultural management -neighborhood student- with even more diversity because difference rate can increase a lot, when we put together people that come from all around the world. As already said before, if you have to deal with people with a high rate of diversity, you will need to prevent all the problems that could come from the origin of stereotypes that comes from every culture. Thats why, if someone ask us what is Multicultural team management is really about. We wont hesitate saying that it is about Management! Once we have agreed with that, we can focus on the diversity/Multicultural side of it. And now we will talk about some key points that need to be correctly filled to work efficiently in multicultural groups. Or in other words, what behavior should have a good Multicultural manager. What vision a good Multicultural Manager should have ? To work efficiently with a multicultural group and having the best productivity, the manager should follow some different rules. His attitude is essential for the best cohesion in the team. Human Resources should never judge the new potential employee according to a physical aspect. It has been proved that judging physically the people in a team wont maximize the effectiveness of the group. This service should not judge the people according to his origin, but only on his abilities. To maximize team effectiveness, members should be selected homogeneous in ability level (thus facilitate accurate communication) and heterogeneous in attitudes (thus ensuring a wide range of solutions to problems) Its called the Task-Related Selection. Indeed you can compare that effect to the effect of Synergy. Synergy in terms of management and in relation to team working refers to the combined effort of individuals as participants of the team. Positive or negative synergy can exist. The condition that exists when the organizations parts interact to produce a joint effect that is greater than the sum of the parts acting alone. (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_Concept_of_synergy) Thus to sum up in an example, according to what is written upper, it would be a great idea to bring people that have nothing in common to work as a team to get the biggest variety of characteristics. Such as a team composed with: Physically Differences: boys, girls, young, old, pretty and ugly Background Differences: Asian, European, American and African. Values/Opinion Differences etc. However, as strange as it can seems in the first hand, people should maximize their cultural difference in the team. Be careful that team should not act as if the team was a monocultural one. Indeed, If diversity is ignored it will lead to a dead-end and the productivity will be lower. The manager has to form all of the people in the group to avoid ignorance of the cultural difference and so lead them

Michael D Nobles

Attention: HR Manager Boeing Re: Aviation Technician Opening Dear Sir/Madam: In response to your recent advertisement for an Aviation Technician, I have enclosed a copy of my resume for your review. As you will note, I have spent the past couple of years in the combined areas of ground Transportation, Towing logistics, Security, Alarm, Safety and Emergency systems installation and maintenance and I am looking to maximize my technical and mechanical skills to further business goals and bottom-line objectives. I am seeking to transition to the aviation field and to support this goal I am currently enrolled at the South Seattle Community College where I am pursuing my Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) degree. In my candidacy, you will find: A perfect safety record as well as an outstanding Technical and Mechanical Aptitude A team oriented professional with a positive work ethic and deep commitment to providing excellent results A track record of excellent performance as an employee at my various places of employment The proven ability to build genuine rapport I would like the opportunity to meet with you personally where we may further discuss your organization's requirements and my qualifications. I can be reached at home on (425) 793-6223 or on my cell phone: (425) 679-2079. I may also be contacted via email at [email  protected] Thank you for taking the time to review my resume and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Michael D Nobles Enclosure

Confident Interval

Fall 2012 Assignment 5 (Total Points Possible: 15) Name: Banner ID: Instructions: Use this page as your cover page, and attach your groupwork behind your work. Your assignment answers should be in complete and grammatically correct sentences. 1. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (2004), 22. 4% of adults are smokers. A random sample of 300 adults is obtained. (a) Describe the sampling distribution of phat, the sample proportion of adults who smoke. (b) In a random sample of 300 adults, what is the probability that at least 50 are smokers? c) Would it be unusual if a random sample of 300 adults results in 18% or less being smokers? Explain your answer.2. A machine at K&A Tube & Manufacturing Company produces a certain copper tubing component in a refrigeration unit. The tubing components produced by the manufacturer have a mean diameter of 0. 75 inch with a standard deviation of 0. 004 inch. The quality-control inspector takes a random sample of 30 components once each week and calculates the mean diameter of these components. If the mean is either less than 0. 748 inch or greater than 0. 752 inch, the inspector concludes that the machine needs an adjustment. a) Describe the sampling distribution of the sample mean diameter for a random sample of 30 such components. (b) What is the probability that, based on a random sample of 30 such components, the inspector will conclude that the machine needs an adjustment when, in fact, the machine is correctly calibrated?3. In a random sample of 678 adult males 20 to 34 years of age, it was determined that 58 of them have hypertension (high blood pressure). Source: The Centers for Disease Control. (a) Obtain a point estimate for the proportion of adult males 20 to 34 years of age who have hypertension. b) Construct a 95% confidence interval for the proportion of adult males 20 to 34 who have hypertension. Interpret the confidence interval. You wish to conduct your own study to determine the proportion o f adult males 20 to 34 years old who have hypertension. (c) What sample size would be needed for the estimate to be within 3 percentage points (interval length is 0. 06) with 95% confidence if you use the point estimate obtained in part (a)? (d) What sample size would be needed for the estimate to be within 3 percentage points with 95% confidence if you don’t have a prior estimate (use phat=. )? 4. A random sample of 60 married couples who have been married 7 years was asked the number of children they have.The results of the survey are as follows: 0 0 0 3 3 3 1 3 2 2 3 1 3 2 4 0 3 3 3 1 0 2 3 3 1 4 2 3 1 3 3 5 0 2 3 0 4 4 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 4 3 2 2 1 4 3 2 4 2 1 2 3 2 The data is also in Excel format on Blackboard: FamilySizeData. xls. (a) Obtain a point estimate for the mean and standard deviation number of children of all couples who have been married 7 years. (b) What is the shape of the distribution of the sample mean? Why? c) Compute a 95% confidence interval for the mean number of children of all couples who have been married 7 years. Interpret this interval. (d) Compute a 99% confidence interval for the mean number of children of all couples who have been married 7 years. Interpret this interval. (e) You wish to conduct your own study to determine the mean number of children of all couples who have been married 7 years. What sample size would be needed for the estimate to be within 0. 25 (interval length is 0. 5) with 99% confidence if you use the point estimates obtained in part (a)?

Story of the Stone Essay - 1393 Words

Cao Xueqin’s Story of the Stone is a classic in Chinese literature, showcasing the life and exploits of the wealthy Jia clan during the feudal era. Through Cao’s depiction, the reader is afforded a glimpse into the customs and lifestyle of the time. Chinese mode of thought is depicted as it occurred in daily life, with the coexisting beliefs of Confucianism and Taoism. While the positive aspects of both ideologies are presented, Cao ultimately depicts Taoism as the paramount, essential system of belief that guides the character Bao-yu to his eventual enlightenment. As was the case in China, Cao depicts the two forms of belief existing alongside one another, and not necessarily practiced exclusively to one another. Confucianism†¦show more content†¦After publishing the work, Vanitas experiences a Taoist transformation. Confucian ideology is presented early in the text as well. In Chapter Six, we see a distant relative coming to the household to seek financi al help. Despite their estrangement and lack of contact in recent years, the family is generous and Xi-feng presents Grannie Liu with silver. Here the Confucian filial obligation to family is highlighted. In the Confucian system, such a system of virtuous relationships provides structure and order to an otherwise chaotic society. Xi-feng’s actions demonstrate the importance to which Confucian values were held in this period. In contrast to Confucian beliefs, which seek understanding through obligation to duty and family, Taoism provides a better platform for personal betterment and spiritual awakening. In the fifth chapter, when Bao-yu is summoned to the Land of Disillusion, his fairy-overseers explain their concern for him, because as they see it, he the last possible chance for redemption of the family. They are concerned that Bao-yu’s sexual curiosity is getting in the way of his studies and the advancement of his Confucian understanding. For this reason, th e Fair of Disenchantment arranges for a sexual rendezvous between Bao-yu and her own sister in hopes that it will snap him out of his earthly desires. â€Å"My motive in arranging this is to help you grasp the fact that, since even in these immortal precincts love is an illusion, the love ofShow MoreRelatedThe Story Of Stone Mother847 Words   |  4 PagesGroup 1, Question B The story of Stone Mother functions both as an origin and etiological story because it provided a sense of values and explained the phenomena of nature’s creation in time. It’s amazing to analyze how certain landmarks in nature were created based upon the stories that were passed down through generations. The story shared the value of family and to appreciate the connection that exists between people and nature. If one does not acknowledge each others’ characteristics and theRead MoreThe Story Of The Rosetta Stone849 Words   |  4 PagesThe Story of the Rosetta stone Language is the human ability to acquire and use complex system of communication. Where people in the same community, nation, or geographical area speak in the same way. Greece official language for communication is Greek. They made their own language from different area they associated with on a daily bases. Egyptian had their own way of talking to people. Their language was Afro-Asiatic language. This type of language use until the 10th century AD. Then, it wasRead MoreThe Rolling Stone Uva Rape Story996 Words   |  4 PagesThere are several factors to consider when examining the situation of publishing the Rolling Stone UVA rape story. The three theories used to examine more closely the ethical decision the editor had when publishing the story are Kantian perspective, virtue ethics and the Utilitarianism approach, as well as the pros and cons of the situation. Had the story she published been a completely true story it could have shown a light on UVA to perhaps help Jackie and many others that have been victims ofRead MoreWhen She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race, written by Judith Stone2241 Words   |  9 PagesIn 2008, the book, When She Was White: the True Story of a Family Divided by Race, written by Judith Stone, was turned into a documentary (Skin). Skin, as it would be called, details the true story of Sandra Laing. Sandra Laing is a South African woman who was born with a genetic disorder called Atavism. Despite being born to white parents, Laing exhibited African physical characteristics. Because of this, Laing was classified as colored during the apartheid era (Skin). Both the book and the filmRead MoreThe Lottery Symbolism Essay908 Words   |  4 PagesAll around the world today thousands of people die from murder and the numbers increase every year. Our world is filled with violence and tragedies that kee p increasing, just like in, Shirley Jacksons story â€Å"The Lottery.† The characters in a small village choose someone to stone to death each year because of tradition. As this tradition continues, more and more people die as time passes. All of the towns folk grow more and more nervous, hoping not to get picked. They gather in the town square toRead MoreStonehenge Essay971 Words   |  4 Pagessmaller stone semicircle, and a larger more define horseshoe surrounding the two smaller areas. The inner part of Stonehenge dates back more than 5000 years ago. The radius of the inner circle spans 320 feet, the depth of the ditch is 7 feet deep by 20 ft wide. The people who built this circle took the chalk like rock that was produced from digging and built up a bank within the bank there were 56 holes dug named after the scholar John Alburey. At the entrance of the circle there were two stone thatRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Lottery 916 Words   |  4 Pages The Foreshadowing in â€Å"The Lottery† On a warm day in late June, villagers gather in the square to participate in a lottery run by Mr. Summers. The children arrive first and begin collecting stones until their parents call them to order. Mr. Summers calls each head of the household forward to a black wooden box, where each selects a slip of paper. Once the men have chosen, Mr. Summers allows everyone to open the paper and see who wins. Bill Hutchinson wins and his wife immediately starts protestingRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1227 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery,† the short story by Shirley Jackson. The plot is not too hard to understand except that you do not realize what is going on until the very end. It talks about the people gather in the village square. Then they seem to be gathering up stones especially the children, and then there is the actual lottery. That means a drawing where somebody is going to â€Å"win.† Now, it turns out that after everybody pulls out their pieces of pa per, and there is this elaborate ritual where family unit goRead More the devil and daniel webster Essay1251 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The story I had read was the Devil and Daniel Webster it was written by Stephen Vincent Ben’et. This story is a lot alike most of his other stories discussing what it means to be an American. Also this story is one of his most famous stories it combines folk-lore and history also it has been made into a play and so to be coming out a movie. Story Summary nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In this story it begins speaking about a character named DanielRead MoreThe Sword in the Stone: Disneys Version vs. T.H. White1399 Words   |  6 PagesThe story of King Arthur is widely known, either his beginnings told in The Sword in the Stone or how he led the Knights of the Round Table. While there are many version of his story T. H. White’s written version and Disney’s animated version of The Sword in the Stone are two of the most recognized versions. Most movies have the ability to embody the original intent of the book they were based upon. Disney’s movie version of T. H. White’s rendition of The Sword in the Stone, however, while portraying