Critical Thinking Has Been Defined Many Ways Throughout

Critical thinking has been defined many ways throughout time. The definition I chose to go with was from Edward Glaser who defines critical thinking as â€Å"The ability to think critically, as conceived in this volume, involves three things: (1) an attitude of being disposed to consider in a thoughtful way the problems and subjects that come within the range of one s experiences, (2) knowledge of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning, and (3) some skill in applying those methods.† (Glaser 1941) Critical thinking is are ability to gather knowledge and put it to use. Critical thinking is used every day for example, problem solving, gathering, and storing information, to comprehend and use language accurately, interpreting data, and to†¦show more content†¦Maybe the activity would have gone up either way and people are making a big deal about the immigrants for no reason. While this is possible I believe it to be untrue. This is one of many examples we have in ou r everyday news stories. We need to remain vigilant and can locate false information to remain informed about what to believe. Another idea in critical thinking is about assuming a single explanation. The main point of this is that your idea of a trait may be true most of the time, but sometimes the behavior could have less obvious causes. You see in this that self enhancement drives overly favorable self-appraisals. For example, to be polite someone may say â€Å"Have you lost weight?† when they know you may have even gained weight. This could overly boost your ego in thinking that you look way better than you do. So, try to look past the obvious ideas and think about different less obvious thoughts. For example, the government is most likely hiding things from us to protect us. They might tell us that a terrorist has been captured when in fact they really aren’t to boost our moral and make us more into a war. The last idea explained today is critical thinking Surveys vs Experiments. This article on page 243 of the book talks about how â€Å"Michael† Deng died during a fraternity event while being hazed. This got researchers thinking why put yourself through this torcher just to join a group. ToShow MoreRelatedThe Coat Of Arms : Critical Thinking, Cultural Competency, Upstream Thinking And Equity1211 Words   |  5 PagesNursing is a profession that has gone through many changes over the centuries. Though it originated as the subservient partner to the medical profession, nurses have slowly gained autonomy and have come into their own as a respected profession. The fluidity of this ever-changing profession is integral to its make-up, but equally integral is its stability. This coat of arms attempts to illustrate these contrasting images of nursing, by using thoughtful analogies. 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The Need to Prevent Supervisory Workplace Bullying Free Essays

string(227) " This will encourage an anti-bully culture to prevail in the workplaces, which should eventually wipe out bullying as a common threat to the emotional wellbeing, the productivity level and the general welfare of organizations\." Much has been said about workplace bullying and its harmful effects to the victims. With a purpose to clear the area of discussion, this paper will talk about several areas of workplace bullying particularly the one which is manifested between bully superiors and subordinate victims. The paper will also present significantly essential components of discussion such as the issue’s characteristics, hypotheses, causes, implications and precautionary measures. We will write a custom essay sample on The Need to Prevent Supervisory Workplace Bullying or any similar topic only for you Order Now The paper focuses on the supervisory workplace bullying, which involves supervisors and managers who use their power and position to intimidate and eventually inflict harm on their subordinates. The paper ultimately aims to make people realize the need to prevent, if not end, supervisory workplace bullying in order to avoid the unhealthy consequences that it brings in. It cites concrete ways to go about protecting the organization from such threat. Introduction Brief Introduction to the Topic The workplace is one setting that provides people with many experiences. As such, employees’ success or failures depend much on the particular situations that the office environment offers. Given a motivating surrounding, employees are expected to perform well and to deliver the things expected of them. Similarly, workers who are subjected to any form of work-related irritations, whether inflicted by their colleagues or superiors, are likely to manifest inefficiency and dissatisfaction at work. One particular kind of job-related nuisance which has significantly gained concern is workplace bullying. The workplace is an area that is least expected to provide employees with harmful or damaging feelings and thoughts. This is because it is in such environment where employees can supposedly have the opportunity to do their tasks and show their potentials hence the need for the workplace and its employees to be free from any manifestation of bullying. Bullying is, at present, alarmingly manifested in various workplaces. To make matters worse, workplace bullying is not limited among employees themselves. Bullying has escalated to a level that has involved no less than supervisors and higher management of companies. Supervisor or manager bullies use their authorities or positions to inflict harm to their subordinates. Purpose of the Project The purpose of this paper is to discuss, in particular, workplace bullying perpetuated by the immediate superiors of employees – or supervisory workplace bullying. In doing so, this paper seeks to present and analyze the essential details surrounding supervisory workplace bullying as an issue: its nature and characteristics, what causes the superiors to engage in it, its effects on the victimized employees, its overall cost to the company, and the things needed for its prevention. Problem Statement Supervisory workplace bullying has turned out to have a damaging impact on the employees and ultimately on the entire organization. It triggers consequences that bring more harm, as compared to the bullying that employees can do amongst themselves. Needless to say, efficient mechanisms for detecting and preventing supervisory workplace bullying have to be determined and put in place. Problem Background It is unfortunate to note that the workplace is the primary setting where employees are intimidated or bullied in today’s modern world. Bullying is no longer a common happening in recreational areas with children as the involved parties. The occurrence of bullying – especially supervisory bullying – in workplaces has become a serious concern that authorities both in the public and private sectors of society ought to address. Otherwise, its casualties would continue to increase day by day and its growing total adverse effects would remain unchecked. Scope of Problem Analysis In order to have a better and clearer understanding of supervisory workplace bullying, it is necessary to present its nature and characteristics. A detailed account of the dire consequences of supervisory workplace bullying and its quantified harm would help emphasize the urgency of preventing it from ever taking place. Then to advocate measures against the prevalence of supervisory workplace bullying, specific ways to deal with it are included in this paper. Description of the Proposed Project There will have to be ways for properly dealing with supervisory workplace bullying. Solving the problems it gives rise to will require adequate information on it – its causes and origin – and on how such problems arise from it. Research Questions †¢ Which supervisors are likely to bully their subordinates? †¢ Which subordinates are likely to fall prey to the bullying of their bosses? †¢ Which organizations are likely to have bullying supervisors? †¢ What can be done to prevent supervisory workplace bullying? Hypotheses Hypotheses have been drawn for confirmation through research on printed reports and materials about workplace bullying as a whole, and through the use of survey results as reliable data to base conclusions on. A set of hypotheses are focused on why supervisory workplace bullying has to happen. One states that supervisors who are likely to bully their subordinates are those who are not equipped with sufficient professional expertise or know-how. Thus, these supervisors try to cover or make up for their incompetence by bullying selected subordinates – in particular, those who are yet in probationary status and at the same time fearful of losing their jobs. Another hypothesis states that organizations with well-oiled and transparent working systems do not provide settings where supervisory workplace bullying will thrive; these organizations, in fact, deplore supervisory workplace bullying of any form and degree. The third hypothesis affirms that active involvement of management in the bid against supervisory workplace bullying and adequate information dissemination about it as something that is not tolerated within organizations would successfully ward it off. This would then form part of compliance to the enacted laws that require employers to see to the health and safety of all their employees. These questions and hypotheses serve as basis for doing a comprehensive research on the subject. This project aims to emphasize the need to undo the damages of workplace bullying and to establish that mechanisms that will address the prevalence of bullying in the workplace are not complicated or difficult to accomplish. This will encourage an anti-bully culture to prevail in the workplaces, which should eventually wipe out bullying as a common threat to the emotional wellbeing, the productivity level and the general welfare of organizations. You read "The Need to Prevent Supervisory Workplace Bullying" in category "Papers" Results Origin of the Concept Workplace bullying phenomenon traces its root from the trauma resulting from continued psychological fear of employees in the work environment. Heinz Leyman, the founder of a three-decade-old international anti-bullying association, has cited in her documentations that Namie (2003) used the term â€Å"mobbing† to describe such harmful act. The term â€Å"workplace bullying† was later used by Andrea Adams in the early part of 1990s to refer to the same form of intimidation when the victims happened to be employees doing their work in their respective workplaces. Thereafter, the concept of workplace bullying was introduced to the United States organizational setting by Namie in 1998 while an associate formally presented to the criminal justice system the legal issues emanating from it. Namie, 2003) Nature and Characteristics of Workplace Bullying Different sorts of threats and intimidation coming from supervisors and managers cannot be ignored. They are bound to cause stress, anxiety, discomfort and disappointment or even to inflict pain on the victimized employees. The workplace, then, becomes a hostile place. T here is no doubt that the presence of the bullying bosses doing their bullying tactics does not create a healthy culture. In general, supervisory workplace bullying damages the organization. Workplace bullying is generally characterized by the fact that it is unwanted, intentional, frequent and intense inappropriate behaviors which are enough to inflict harm and trauma-related manifestation to employees’ physical, psychological and emotional conditions (Namie, 2003). Hence, bullying in a work setting is a manifestation of either the supervisor or co-workers’ terrorizing, insulting, demeaning and embarrassing attitudes committed against employee-victim. The workplace bully wants power over his co-workers; the supervisory workplace bully wants control over his subordinates. Namie further said that workplace bullying is often caused by issues pertaining to gender, race, economic or financial status and positions of employees in an organization (Namie, 2003). Workplace bullying can be accomplished in various ways. The Trades Union Congress, by defining the term, names the factors that can lead to it: Workplace bullying can be defined as offensive, intimidating, malicious, insulting or humiliating behavior, abuse of power or authority which attempts to undermine an individual or group of employees and which may cause them to suffer stress (TUC website). Samples of Bullying Acts of Supervisors The Workplace Bullying Institute has described that supervisory workplace bullies generally inflict verbal or spoken abuse against subordinate employees, create work distractions such as sabotage that hampers workers’ tasks from being completed and manifest insulting behaviors with a purpose to threaten, humiliate and intimidate the victims (Workplace Bullying Institute, 2008). Specifically, supervisor and manager bullies can manifest several intimidating conducts which vary from physical or spoken offenses and from subtle and blatant manners. Some of the evident workplace intimidations done by superiors towards their subordinates include demeaning opinion or regular criticisms; shouting or use of offensive language; belittling or unreasonable statements or jokes about an employee’s physical looks, way of living and background. Additionally, the conducts include insulting acts; segregating employees from regular job interaction and development-related opportunities; excessive workload; unimportant pressure; illogical deadlines; meddling with personal and work belongings; aggressive conducts; intentional withholding of needed details, access, assistance and resources; fabricating the idea of uselessness; uncalled work alterations; unmerited jobs; not providing due recognition; exaggerated performance checking, and illogical disciplinary actions (â€Å"Workplace Bullying and Intimidation,† 2008). Prevalence of Bullying in the Workplace and Its Cost Bullying has become so common an occurrence in the working place. This statement is confirmed by documented surveys. Among them are the following: Date of bullying survey Survey origin Ratio of employees bullied % of workforce Number of employees bullied Bullied over the period†¦ Nov 1996 IPD 1 in 8 12 3. 5m 5 years Oct 1998 TUC 1 in 6 18 4. 5m 1 year Feb 2000 UMIST 1 in 4 25 7m 5 years Oct 2003 CHI 1 in 3 37 10. 4m 1 year Apr 2002 Lyn Quine 1 in 3 37 10. 5m 1 year Jan 1999 Lyn Quine 1 in 3 38 10. 5m 1 year Jun 1994 SUBS in 2 53 14m working life Source: UK National Workplace Bullying Advice Line webpage With the frequency of bullying incidents in workplaces, the total productivity of workforces of various organizations has been greatly affected. Needless to say, lowered productivity is tantamount to wastage of time and a general failure to maximize the resources – especially the human resources – that would have been available for the organizations and their respective pursuits. A noted psychologist, Michael Harrison, Ph. D. , has cited the results of a survey involving 9,000 federal employees. The entire exercise has led to the significant findings: that 42 percent of the female and 15 percent of the male employees all experienced harassment of any form within two years from the conduct of survey in 2002. In monetary terms, such incidents of harassment have accumulated costs pertaining to lost time and productivity amounting to over US$180 million. (Farrell, 2002). Source: Working to Halt Online Abuse, 2000 Also according to surveys, the male gender composes the majority of the harassers while the female gender composes the majority of the harassed parties. Source: Working to Halt Online Abuse, 2000 Causes of Supervisory Workplace Bullying Given the fact that workplace bullying is not only contained among employees themselves but is more apparent between superiors and subordinates in current work settings, it is empirical to determine and analyze the causes of the problem. This leads to the identification of the reasons behind the inappropriate and unreasonable bullying acts committed by supervisors or managers with their subordinates as victims and the motivating factors that make them engage in such untoward acts. Throughout these procedures, theories related to supervisory workplace bullying will be analyzed as to relevance and applicability. In an analysis of 148 organizational ethnographies, Hodson, Roscigno and Lopez (2006) learned that the relative and organizational bases of workplace bullying are established by three main theories. The first supporting hypothesis stated that powerlessness is related with the vulnerability of subordinates against the bullying of their superiors. Subordinates who are not yet secured with their employment such as casual and probationary employees, members of minority groups and workers engaged in low-end services fall prey to workplace bullying by their supervisors and managers. Secondly, the hypothesis about the context or culture of an organization – the bureaucracy therein and involvement of the company management people in general – also fail to stop workplace bullying and to support initiatives that would help the organization to rationally in dealing the issue. This led to the third hypothesis which explained that common path to workplace bullying is organization chaos. This means that workplace bullying is likely to be committed by supervisors and manager against their subordinates when there is chaos in the organizational set-up or where relational powerlessness adds to the lack of transparency, liability and competence of the superiors or within the organization in general (Hodson, Roscigno Lopez, 2006). Effects of Supervisory Workplace Bullying Namie further reported that the prevalence of workplace bullying in the country was based on a ballpark figure derived from a random survey of Michigan workers that was conducted in 2000. The study indicated that the lives of a significant number of employees were severely affected because of existence of workplace bullying in their respective companies (Namie, 2003). The issue of workplace bullying has gained significance because of the apparent implications that it has inflicted on the lives of the victims. In particular, Parker-Pope (2008) has noted that supervisory workplace bullying has taken its toll on the emotions of subordinate employees. In fact, its seriousness and the gravity of its negative effects have surpassed another sensitive work-related offense which is sexual harassment. Parker-Pope added that in the current corporate setting, supervisors and managers tend to be insensitive to its damaging implications and even regard bullying as one of the harsh management styles (Parker-Pope, 2008). Workplace bullying is generally bad for any industry. This is due to the fact that bullied subordinates are inclined not to report for work and this scenario, coupled with increased turnover of employees, eventually affects the organization. Aside from emotional impact, workplace bullying results to serious health concerns where bullied subordinates suffer tension, misery, nervousness and even signs of post-traumatic strain illness (Parker-Pope, 2008). This finding is relevant in order to have an increased awareness on the harmful effects of workplace bullying. Aside from these apparent effects, the harm inflicted to bullied employees such as financial problem, reduced self-respect and phobias as well as other physical problems are alarming signs of the issue that need to be addressed. Prevention of Supervisory Workplace Bullying Citing previous studies which proved the negative implications of workplace bullying to the victims, Namie noted that it has definitely spurred an escalated lack of civility in workplaces. Hence, there is indeed a need to regard it in the same way as the other serious work-related offenses such racial discrimination and sexual harassment. In doing so, there will be a clear identification of the bullies and establishment of guidelines. Additionally, an increased awareness will pave the way for companies to create punishments as well as for the lawmakers to enact laws addressing workplace bullying and for the criminal justice system or law enforcement to implement the penalties (Namie, 2003). Supervisory workplace bullying can be prevented if the victims will have the conviction to work on putting such harmful treatment to a stop and if the company management is committed to address the concern. It is only through the collected efforts, therefore, of both the victims and management that workplace bullying can be totally eliminated from the organization. With this kind of cooperation in place, the problem of workplace bullying would be efficiently dealt with. More importantly, the bullies would hence be restricted from taking in more victims. The initial move to prevent, if not stop, workplace bullying is to accept its existence (Union Safe, 2005). When the problem is recognized as an issue that needs to be addressed, it is essential for the company, through its management, to formulate guidelines that will punish bully supervisors and managers as well as precautionary measures or steps that will protect the subordinate victims and punish. For the part of the company, the employers need to present a clear statement among all employees that such act is inadmissible and not tolerated. Another move to prevent economic losses that can stem from bullying acts within organizations is to arrange for training programs to be cascaded from managerial to staff levels and to impose anti-harassment policies that will brook no exceptions. Such policies should cover any act of bullying as something that will not be tolerated by management. (Farrell, 2002) A four-step process for recognizing and removing the risks of workplace bullying has been outlined to specifically guide management in handing the bullies right. Step 1 involves identifying the bullies as hazards; step 2 begins the assessment of the risks of having such bullies around; step 3 brings in effective measures to control such risks identified and assessed; and, step 4 requires the evaluation and review of how the bullies were accordingly dealt with. (Preventing Workplace Bullying: A Practical Guide for Employers) The following is an illustration of these four steps: Source: Preventing Workplace Bullying: A Practical Guide for Employers Preventing any form of bullying from occurring within an organization is not simply a move that top management would want to make for the sake of avoiding the huge costs and non-quantifiable but equally dire consequences that arise from its prevalence. Instead, such prevention is a specifically required by law – specifically, by the S ection 5a of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This law defines the safe and healthy workplace that all employers ought to provide employees; such workplace should, then, be free of threats and other hazards caused by the presence of an individual bully therein. (Farrell, 2002) Putting in concrete writing the campaign of the organization against workplace bullying and its serious policies against all forms of it should come a long way in discouraging everyone from ever bullying fellow members of the organization. A sample written company rule against workplace bullying is as follows: Source: Safety Health Assessment Research by Prevention Conclusion The support and participation of everyone – the management and the victims themselves – are significant in achieving a good fight against workplace bullying. Subordinates should be able to stop it even at its initial stage by being confident and firm in telling the bully supervisor or manager that the action is a serious offense. The union, in turn, needs to ensure in the first place that the workplace is free from any form of intimidation as well as assist and give essential service to the victim. In doing so, a victim is assured that he or she is not alone in the fight against bullying while the bully superiors are warned as well that resorting to bullying will expose them to moral and legal liabilities. Workplace bullying is a serious and dangerous issue that should not be taken for granted. With heightened consciousness about workplace bullying in general, the bulling supervisors and the bullied subordinates will know their places in the organization and the rights of everyone therein. The management and staff of companies all ought to be properly apprised as to the specifics of workplace bullying – in particular, its characteristics, signs and manifestations, causes, theoretical basis, effects, and precautionary measures against it. Through the collected efforts of the employers, management, employees and the union, the subordinate victims are saved from the ill effects of being bullied while the needed help is provided to the bully supervisors or managers. Indeed, bullying bosses would have to come to terms with issues that they have to face within themselves. They should realize that their bullying actions are manifestations of psychological disorders that would have to be treated for their own good. The significance of supervisory workplace bullying is emphasized by the above discussion on the specific bullies’ actions which threaten the victims. It is important to recognize what causes the bully superiors to intimidate their subordinates in order to identify the appropriate actions to be taken. The extent of the adverse effect of supervisory workplace bullying is more than enough to spur action aimed towards preventing it at all cost. The materials gathered from related literature confirm the hypotheses on which this research has been based. Such materials on workplace bullying indeed confirm that bullying and intimidation are done by the very people who, as supervisors and managers, should have been first to see to the generally healthy working environment that their subordinates are entitled to. The workplace bullies have turned out to be mostly superiors who delight in abusing the authority and power that go with their positions in the company by causing the people at the bottom of the organization chart all sorts of despair and anxiety. They are sick people needing psychological therapy and, unless treated, they ought to never have been designated to occupy supervisory or managerial positions. The alarming increase in the frequency of reported workplace bullying has thankfully triggered higher levels of awareness and resolve on the part of management people to be vigilant in detecting slightest signs of bullying in their respective turfs and to decisively put an end to it all. This should mean that the bullying bosses will cease to make victims of their subordinates and that the non-bullying ones will not anymore hesitate to stop colleagues from engaging in their bullying ways. Increased consciousness should generally limit the opportunities of bullies to do any bullying. It has also been an acknowledged truth, as seen by the rising prevalence of workplace bullying, that management has not been proactively battling it as something that can harm the organization, in terms of both the individual circumstances of its members and the overall effectiveness of the group. Websites of various government welfare agencies and all kinds of published materials have been decrying workplace bullying as a menace to the entire organization, citing specific reasons to substantiate the harm that it is purported to cause. This rising consciousness will equip employees with sufficient ammunition against being victimized by a bullying boss, who is most likely to get away with his bullying when dealing with an intimidated and uninformed subordinate. Thus, bullying now becomes associated with bad bosses who are harboring some insecurities, tendencies toward racial discrimination, imbalanced value systems, or psychological disorders. Gone are the days when victims silently suffer from the ill treatment that they get from bullying bosses. These days, workers now know their rights as provided by enacted laws. Articles have been written to repeatedly emphasize that bullying is a threat against the overall safety and welfare of employees, which are protected by laws as vital to all organizations. In organizations that are inadequately set up, there is bound to be chaos and lack of transparency in different matters that ought to be well-established and systematized. Indeed, bullies would not thrive in an organization where everything is in order. Among the things to be clearly made known to everybody in an organization is how each of them is supposed to epitomize the vision, mission and objectives of their organization. These ideals would encourage virtues and good traits such as honesty, willingness to work hard, treating people right, and concern for other people’s well-being. Needless to say, these ideals go against the motives that lead people to bully other people. Improvement of corporate governance, therefore, is a step toward prevention of bullying in the workplace. Healthy organizations have efficient, skilled, well-trained and confident people, both officers and staff. In such organizations, bullying will not at all be tolerated. In general, competent superiors would never feel the slightest inclination toward bullying as a management tactic or as a way to get their needed confidence-boosting. Good managers deliver what is expected of them and get people to do their own share of work without at all having recourse to bullying. In fact, it is the absence of malpractices like bullying that bolster the integrity and authority of management people. Bullying managers do not at all win the respect and admiration of their subordinates – they get only fear, and even this fear is not known to last simply because bullying either will cease once detected or once the victim has decided to leave the company for good. Workplace bullying brings in unnecessary costs and losses. In totality, it triggers all sorts of dire consequences and not a bit of beneficial result. The development in the area of proactive fight against workplace bullying has undoubtedly improved the lot of the victims thereof. But a lot remains to yet be accomplished in this line of endeavor. How to cite The Need to Prevent Supervisory Workplace Bullying, Papers

Effects of Culture on Organizations-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Effects of Culture on Different Organisations. Answer: Introduction: Globalisation has resulted in the increase of diversity in the workplace. The sensitivity as well as the cultural awareness in the handling of the multi-cultural workforce is one of the most important managing aspects of the business. Cross cultural sensitivity is the acceptance, knowledge and awareness of other cultures. Cultural sensitivity is the acceptance of the cultures as they exist without any sort of judgemental attitude of any form or in any way. The cultures of any country are inherent aspects of that particular country and prove beneficial for the individuals residing in that particular country. Understanding the varied cultures of the workforce as also of the allies or associates is bound to result in the better communication, productivity and the unity in the workplace. The cross cultural sensitivity as also the awareness among the employees is extremely essential for the handling the multicultural business teams. The cross cultural sensitivity is also critical in the strategy for the global expansion of a particular organisation. The accounting and the advertising departments will need to take the diverse cultures and the sensitivities into account in the countries of expansion. The sales, growth of a company as well as its turnover are affected by any particular wrong decision of a company. It is therefore essential to give adequate thought to any decision before coming to a probable conclusion regarding any particular business decision in case of any organisation (Riivari et al 2012). A broad minded outlook needs to be adopted in case of companies to facilitate their growth and prosperity. It is genuinely required for the current generation professionals to familiarize themselves with the business protocol, the decision making process as also the core values of another culture. It is necessary to read into the cultural sensitivities and lead to appropriate communication across cross cultural workplace scenarios. Culture and its effect on organisations: Culture can be thought to be a malleable component of a particular organisation which can evolve as well as adapt through several concepts or influences to create value. Culture is representative of the beliefs, ideologies, practices, policies as well as principles of a particular organisation. The employees get a sense of direction and the way and nature of their behaviour is also influenced by the culture. Organisational culture is basically a system of shared values, beliefs as well as assumptions governing the way in which people behave in different organisations (Alvesson 2012). The nature of the performance of the people as well as their jobs is also essential factors contributing to the overall organisational culture. In case of large organisations, the existent culture might have a great deal of internal momentum, it has a low probability of being modified or changed. The organisational size as well the strength of its culture contributes hugely to the cultural inertia. There is a strong tendency of powerful organisations to continue their movement in their existing directions. It is the duty of the managers and the authorities to understand the culture as well as manage it effectively such that it becomes positive, ethical and efficient (Cameron and Green 2015). Several factors exist, that affect organisational culture. The most important factor is the individual who works for the organisation. Every individual contributes to the culture of the organisation. The culture of the organisation is reflected by the nature of the employees working there. The mentalities, interests, perceptions inherent in the employees affect the culture of an organisation (Mendenhall 2012). The gender of the employees also influences the organisational culture. Usually in cases where the male employees dominate the workforce, the late working hours or late sitting is a common feature. The nature of female candidates is generally kind as well as soft-hearted, whereas males are usually aggressive by nature. The nature of the business of the organisation also affects the business of the organisation. The industries related to stock broking, the financial services, banking industry are dependent on the external factors, which comprise the demand and supply, the market per share, the earning cap and so on. In the event of market crash, the industries and hence the associated organisations are automatically terminated. The fluctuations in the market lead to tensions within the employee circle and are bound to affect the workplace culture. In many occasions, the individuals are also de-motivated. The individuals are bound to reconsider their career choices in the organisation in such severe situations (Eisenbeiss and Brodbeck 2014). The nature of goals of a particular organisation also contributes to the nature of the culture at the workplace. Usually in case of government organisations, the individuals follow a set pattern and conform to the basic guidelines, it does not depend on the instant feedback or the opinions of the clients. However in case of fast paced industries, for example like event management or advertising, the employees are much more active as well as aggressive (Urbancova 2013). The external parties or the clients also affect the organisational culture as also the work culture. Those organisations which cater to foreign clients have to maintain the shift timings to match their requirements. The management style of handling the employees also affects the culture and the ambience at the workplace. In cases where the employees are allowed to take their own decisions as also participate in the strategy making, have certain significant cultures. In case of organisations where employees are given value as well as importance, they desire to hold on to those companies and start seeing future career prospects with them. In such cases the employees do not work for money but for personal satisfaction. In certain cases the culture is also responsible for an organisations objectives. Different cultures correspond to different levels of effectiveness. Several factors contribute to the organisational efficiency. One of the important factors is that of innovation. Active engagement of the employees in reaching certain goals and objectives is bound to benefit the culture. Involved employees tend to be more committed towards the organisations objectives. Employees can also be asked for input on the basis of which the organisation may take future decisions. The best and most innovative suggestions should be rewarded as well. These contribute to the culture focussing on the objectives as a part of everyones commitments (Wiewiora et al. 2013). Consistency is another important aspect of the culture of a company. Different messages should not be given to the teammates on different days. Only if the culture of shared objectives is consistent the company can reach its desired level. In order to achieve a desired level of success and reach the goals set for the company, the consistency should be maintained. The most important impact or connection to the organisational culture is the connection with the employees. In this aspect it can be said that it is the duty of the organisation to promote a culture where the employees are given value, respect as well as importance. It also needs to be understood that the culture of an organisation directly affects the employee performance. In cases where the employees are valued, they align their objectives as well as goals with the best interests of the company. In case where the culture involves rewarding the employees for their level of work or achievements done, this is bound to lead to job satisfaction. Thus it can be said that the organisational culture impacts the overall performance of the employees of the company. The lesser amount of negative factors ensures that the employees work towards a specific goal and also are satisfied in the process. In situations where the authorities or the mentors lack the characteristics of positivity as well as the capabilities of team motivation, the overall performance and hence the output of the organisation is bound to suffer. The turnover of a company as well as the existence of opportunities of an organisation affects the characteristics of its culture and the nature of the benefits it poses for its employees. Thus it is bound to impact the culture and the nature of the organisation (Reason 2016). How Organisations affect culture and cultural convergence: Cultural convergence is when the cultures across different countries become more or less alike. Primarily the concept of communication is one factor that contributes towards the growth of cultural convergence, for example the communication through a common language (Hislop 2013). With the increasing globalization of companies, the training of individuals as well as developing people across cultural boundaries is increasingly important. It is needless to say that the culture of a country is increasingly important for the nature of communication of the people. Organisations that operate in several companies across the world consist of people speaking in different languages and used to different cultures (French 2015). Cultures belonging to different countries and instances of individuals being sensitive to these cultures results in embarrassments as well as misunderstandings and in many cases even a loss of efficiencies. As an example it can be said that, time is an important factor for the difference of cultures. There are different implications for time and punctuality in different countries. The understanding and sensitivity towards times is different in terms of behaviour as also the orientations (Gentry and Sparks 2012). The roots of cultural differences, in case of the business practices are much deeper. The business cultures in different countries are also variable and the personal understanding and sensitivity also vary. Only the social values or the legal frameworks, public systems or public policies are not the influencing factors of the business culture. There are certain factors which influence the cultural variables in different countries. They differ in the way the social institutions function; the nature of operations of their financial system, the government structures which exist as also their inherent operations. The education systems in different countries focus on different aspects and the facts which are elaborated are bound to be incorporated in the work of the individuals of different nationalities. Individualism as well as entrepreneurship is focussed in case of the capitalist system in America. Other countries focus on the different systems which become inherent in the employees. The legal frameworks as well as the government policies reflect the cultural values of the country. The business practices are influenced by the broader framework for doing the business in the country. The management practices within the company are influenced as well as circumscribed. The interpretation as well as implementation of the laws is also affected. One of the most pervasive impacts on the business culture and the values comes from the broads cultural values belonging to the country. The business is influenced at different levels by all these impacts. As an impact of these cultural values different businesses get positively impacted while others are not so much benefited (Park and Shaw 2013). The cultural values also influence the way in which the business is organised and conducted in the different societies. In case of collective societies, the personal contacts play a major role in the conduction of the business. In case of people who are adaptive, the culture of the organisation does not suffer but in case of people who are unable to adjust it might lead to several problems. The concept of time is an important factor for the convergence of cultures as time specialities or preferences are varied for people belonging to different countries. Different shifts are preferable for different people. This might be based on the time zones to which the people belong and they are dependent on the shifts they are used to working in usually. The concept of ethnocentrism focuses on the evaluation of other cultures based on the existing notions which originate in the standards and the customers of a persons individual culture. It is an important concept in the context of organisational culture. It is quite natural that the concepts of ones individual culture is inherent and is also invisible to ones own self. Ethnocentrism is a concept that helps domestic companies improve their sales as it involves the buying of products that are domestic instead of products from other countries. Culturally similar countries may also benefit from the ethnocentric concept as it involves buying products from the similar countries as well (Rasula, Vuksic and Stemberger 2012). Several problems can be encountered when a country wishes to expand its businesses abroad. It can be used to benefit companies which are domestic but can create huge problems when there is the prospect of entering a foreign market. In case of any particular country, the companies which are not perceived as favourable will face problems while entering into another country. It should be the goal of the companies to maximise the benefits of this concept at the same time minimize its drawbacks. In case of domestic sales the company should focus on the advertising and the promotions. On the other hand, while going abroad, it should focus on the operations under a suitable foreign subsidiary with a different marketing campaign in order to benefit the sales of the company (Garca-Morales, Jimnez-Barrionuevo and Gutirrez-Gutirrez, 2012). Subculture is a total of all the cultures and beliefs which separate the groups within the same broad culture. Subculture may vary due to race, religion as well as socioeconomic status. Subculture might also influence the business priorities as well as the buying patterns of individuals. Subculture, in a way, prevents the overgeneralisation of culture. It is a beneficial aspect in case of the final organisational culture. Various cultural models for effective cultural leadership: Several popular models exist for the effective cultural leadership which focuses on the humane orientation, gender differentiation as well as the uncertainty avoidance. It also focuses on the power distance, intellectual collectivism and also the in group collectivism (Bush 2014). Power distance is the degree to which the lower ranking individuals accept that the power is unequally distributed among the individuals in an organisation (Ashby, Palermo and Power, 2012). Collectivism is the concept that the individuals life is not merely his own but is that of the society of which he is an essential part. The group or the society is the most important unit of moral concern. The in-group collectivism is the extent to which the individuals express the loyalty pride as well as the collectiveness in their organisations of which they are a part (Aycan et al. 2012). Edward T. Halls model: Edward T. Halls model focuses on the high as well as low context cultures which are clearly discussed below. As is shown in the figure, communication is less verbally explicit and emphasis is given on long term relationships in case of the model. The listener also is found to have many more ways of understanding in case of the high context culture. In case of the low context culture, the communication is explicit, the listener does not have much knowledge. Most of the European countries are engaged in the low context culture. Figure 1: Edward T. Halls model GeertE Hofstedes Model: The cultural dimensions theory is a framework for the effective cross-cultural communication which was developed by Geerte Hofstede. The effects of a societys culture on the values of its members are discussed and the values relating to the behaviour. It uses the structure that is derived from the concept of factor analysis. According to this theory, different characteristics, including the uncertainty avoidance index, the masculinity versus femininity concept of role distribution, the comparison of the long term and short term orientation, the indulgence versus the restraint are all discussed. The interactions between the different cultures are studied. The discussion of role distribution between the genders is discussed in case of the masculinity versus the femininity. The connection between the past and the present are discussed in case of the long and short term orientation. Figure 2: Hofstedes model Impact of internet on culture: The advent of new technologies significantly impacts the culture of organisations. It is an important factor in determining the cultural prospects of a business in future. (Porter 2013). Almost every individual of the present young generation is media and internet savvy. It definitely is a blessing to use this particular technological development as an advancement to the culture of the organisations and also in case of their operations. Internet as also the social media is extremely powerful and impacts the culture and also shapes the human behaviour (Kiesler 2014). Everyday lives are influenced by the advent of the internet. Hence it can be said that the businesses of powerful and not so powerful organisations all across the world are impacted by the advent of newer technologies and have made the business operations much more efficient (Lee, Trimi and Kim 2013). Conclusion: Despite the various differences in culture which are existent in the organisations, people need to be tolerant of the varieties in the organisations and also in the individuals as well. Being judgemental is not an option in case of the cross cultural diversities. Several characteristics are essential for the leaders of today including the concept of the cultural sensitivity. Non-judgemental attitude is an essential feature for the proper running of the organisations. It can also be said that the organisations can prosper as a whole only if the team members and the leaders work together as a whole. Concentrating on how the company attributes can be improved needs to be focussed on. The employees need to work together as a team along with the heads and to ensure this the employees need to be satisfied and their needs need to be taken care of. In order to assist the managers for the implementation of the cultural sensitivity, the popular models of the leadership for the cultural convergence need to be followed. The managers need to be sensitive to the needs to the employees of the organisation. It is only when the managers and the employees are motivated and work together as a whole, the company can move towards cultural growth and reach a level of dominance in the global market. References: Alvesson, M., 2012.Understanding organizational culture. Sage. Ashby, S., Palermo, T. and Power, M., 2012. Risk culture in financial organisations: an interim report. Aycan, Z., Schyns, B., Sun, J.M., Felfe, J. and Saher, N., 2013. Convergence and divergence of paternalistic leadership: A cross-cultural investigation of prototypes.Journal of International Business Studies,44(9), pp.962-969. Bush, T., 2014. Instructional and transformational leadership: alternative and complementary models?. Cameron, E. and Green, M., 2015.Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers. Eisenbeiss, S.A. and Brodbeck, F., 2014. Ethical and unethical leadership: A cross-cultural and cross-sectoral analysis.Journal of Business Ethics,122(2), pp.343-359. French, R., 2015.Cross-cultural management in work organisations. Kogan Page Publishers. Garca-Morales, V.J., Jimnez-Barrionuevo, M.M. and Gutirrez-Gutirrez, L., 2012. Transformational leadership influence on organizational performance through organizational learning and innovation.Journal of business research,65(7), pp.1040-1050. Gentry, W.A. and Sparks, T.E., 2012. A convergence/divergence perspective of leadership competencies managers believe are most important for success in organizations: A cross-cultural multilevel analysis of 40 countries.Journal of Business and Psychology,27(1), pp.15-30. Hislop, D., 2013.Knowledge management in organizations: A critical introduction. Oxford University Press. Kiesler, S., 2014.Culture of the Internet. Psychology Press. Lee, S.G., Trimi, S. and Kim, C., 2013. The impact of cultural differences on technology adoption.Journal of World Business,48(1), pp.20-29. Mendenhall, M.E. ed., 2012.Global leadership: Research, practice, and development. Routledge. Park, T.Y. and Shaw, J.D., 2013. Turnover rates and organizational performance: a meta-analysis. Porter, D., 2013.Internet culture. Routledge. Rasula, J., Vuksic, V.B. and Stemberger, M.I., 2012. The impact of knowledge management on organisational performance.Economic and Business Review for Central and South-Eastern Europe,14(2), p.147. Reason, J., 2016.Managing the risks of organizational accidents. Routledge. Riivari, E., Lms, A.M., Kujala, J. and Heiskanen, E., 2012. The ethical culture of organisations and organisational innovativeness.European Journal of Innovation Management,15(3), pp.310-331. Urbancova, H., 2013. Competitive advantage achievement through innovation and knowledge.Journal of Competitiveness,5(1). Wiewiora, A., Trigunarsyah, B., Murphy, G. and Coffey, V., 2013. Organizational culture and willingness to share knowledge: A competing values perspective in Australian context.International Journal of Project Management,31(8), pp.1163-1174.

Swot on Mcdonalds Essay Example

Swot on Mcdonalds Paper EXECUTIVE SUMMARY McDonald’s India was incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary – McDonalds India Pvt Ltd (MIPL) in 1993. In April 1995, the wholly owned subsidiary entered into two 50:50 joint ventures. The first with Connaught Plaza Restaurants (Mr Vikram Bakshi) to own and operate the Delhi restaurants, and Hardcastle Restaurants (Mr Amit Jatia) to own and operate the Mumbai outlets. This marked the beginning of an incredible era in the international McDonalds timeline. It was the beginning of remarkable growth, lengthy product adaptations, and the entry into a market that was so culturally diverse many saw the venture as unrealistic and essentially a waste of time. This report entails the lengths at which McDonalds had to adapt and connect with the local populations. A brief history is supplied about the company and the nation in question. An analysis of the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats is provided and an insight into the most important of all external and internal factors. Major cultural issues and distinctive sociological features are presented throughout the report, along with an insight into McDonalds India’s continual growth. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. 0Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4-5 2. 0SWOT analysis 2. 1Strengths†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 2. 2Weaknesses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 2. 3Opportunities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 2. 4Threats†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 2. 5SWOT findings†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦.. 7-8 3. 0Cultural fit†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 4. 0Cultural issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. . 9-10 5. 0Progression and Structure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 6. 0Strategies and Success†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 7. 0References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 1. 0 INTRODUCTION McDonalds for many years has been the leader in global fast food, franchised outlets. It has set the standard, for quick, reliable and consistent food, worldwide. The company has rapidly expanded and continues to do so. Opening more stores than any other fast food chain over the past 40 years. McDonalds had entered the Asian market in 1971, beginning with Japan. We will write a custom essay sample on Swot on Mcdonalds specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Swot on Mcdonalds specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Swot on Mcdonalds specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It had continued to enter various other countries and regions of Asia for the following 35 years. Year of OpeningCountryRestaurants in 1997Restaurants in 2002 1971Japan24373891 1975Hong Kong140216 1979Singapore105130 1980Philippines157236 1981Malaysia110149 1984Taiwan233350 1985Thailand61100 1988South Korea114357 1991Indonesia103105 1992China ( Beijing)184546 1996India946 1998Pakistan020 1998Sri Lanka02 Source: McDonalds Corporation 2002 Annual Report. India was always considered a sleeping giant to many western multinationals. It had continued to expand and slowly open its markets, and doors to trade from western nations. India’s population soared through the 1960’s to 1990’s, yet was still an incredibly difficult market to enter, primarily for cultural reasons. source: BBC News, India’s Population India is possibly the most diversified nation on the face of the planet. It is home to more that 1. 18 billion people, 17. 31% of the worlds population. India is home to more than two thousand ethnic groups, and every major religion is represented. McDonald’s first entered the India market in October 1996, since then it has opened a following 168 stores, however there proved many difficult times and obstacles that impended the smooth run of fast food chain. . 0 SWOT ANLYSIS 2. 1 Strengths McDonalds’ sheer size is it biggest strength that creates so many opportunities for the brands alone. In 2003 it operated more than 31,000 restaurants and served than more than 46 million people daily in 118 countries. That same year McDonalds had attained US$41. 5 billion in sales , another point of strength. McDonalds also managed to show US$2. 1 billion in operating profits, and had US$24 billion worth of assets. These figures indicated the magnitude of strength the company holds, all of which would assist McDonalds venture into the great sub-continent. McDonalds has always maintained a competitive advantage over many competitors due to their ability to adapt to changes in the environment and movement in consumer circumstances. 2. 2 Weaknesses The late entry of McDonalds into India can be attributed to many things, particularly the level of research and time that went into determining the critical success factors for the market. Along the way various weaknesses were encountered in the potential market. A significant percentage of the population was vegetarian, which impacted heavily on the menu that was found in neighboring Asian nations. The limited purchasing power of the nation was enhanced due to the closed nature of the economy. Weaknesses in the current set-up of McDonalds were brought to the surface through the social diversity of the nation. There were more than 20 major spoken languages and over 200 different dialects. The Indian currency had its denomination spelt out not only in English and Hindi (the national language), but also in 13 other languages. Approximately 50% of the population was considered to be illiterate, which had negative impacts on marketing and advertising campaigns, which would soon be lead by McDonalds India. 2. 3 Opportunities What drew so many multinational corporations to India? Incidentally it was the various opportunities that were seen there. It was considered a gold mine for large western organizations. Since the Indian Government began deregulating the economy and opened up its doors to international competition in 1991, a swarm of multinationals had entered. Indian was a vast subcontinent with an area four times smaller than the US and a population four times larger. It was ranked as the fifth largest economy in the world, after adjusting for purchasing power parity, India’s economy exhibited a per capita GDP (2002) of US$2540 and aggregate GDP of US$2. 6 trillion. The â€Å"eating out† market was considered to be huge in India, according to one analyst India’s food expenditure amounted to $77 billion in 2000, out of the total world food spending of $4000 billion. (Business Line, 2000) 2. 4 Threats Along with the tremendous opportunities, came many threats, which affected the i mplementation McDonalds wanted to undertake. The expansive food market that was considered an enormous opportunity was incredibly fragmented, consisting of millions of smaller roadside food stalls and restaurants, known as dhaba, that were located throughout the subcontinent. For launches of new products or stores, eight languages had to be used, which affected the level of reach advertising campaigns would have, also inflating the cost of set up and promotion. India also had incredibly poor infrastructure, which looked and still looks far off from being improved. Delhi and Bangalore, two of India’s established and advanced cities still suffered total power shortages and blackouts on a regular basis. 2. 5 SWOT findings: 3 Issues that McDonalds should Address The three most significant issues that were found in the SWOT analysis were; he sheer size and strength of McDonalds capital resources and assets, the size of the economy and purchasing power adjusted per capita GDP, and finally the cultural influences and diversity of the nation. The capital and human resources McDonalds employees globally ensures an almost infinite amount of research and development can take place, ensuring a smoother operation and implementation of initiatives in order to en ter a new market. The GDP per capita is an excellent indicator of what a potential market can offer. When the Indian economy began to open its doors to foreign investments in 1991, many companies saw this statistic as a great opportunity, also being lured in by the attraction of a growing middle class, currently somewhere in the proximity of 400 million. Both the two points above outline strong reasons for a successful market, however the most important factor to take into account when entering a foreign market is the underlying cultural differences of the host nation. More so, in India particularly is the incredible diversity of cultures that span across the subcontinent. This was most probably the most important issue to consider when factoring in an entry into a new market. Many well known multinational brands had failed with their initial strategies and were forced to either reposition products and brands, drastically reduce prices, and in some cases – close up shop (e. g. Peugeot. ) Kellogg’s attempted to enter the Indian market in 1992, and offered cereals that were several more times expensive than traditional breakfasts, and locals were not particularly attracted to their product. McDonalds had to undergo product adaptation to suit local tastes and cultures in various regions throughout the world, for example, McRice in Indonesia, McPork in Thailand, McSpaghetti with Filipino ham in the Philippines, or McLox Salmon sandwiches in Norway. However, the degree of adaptation was significantly greater in India. McDonald’s core product, the Big Mac, was replaced with the Maharaja Burger, which replaced a beef patty with a mutton patty. In addition, since 40% of the market was considered to be vegetarian, the McAloo burger was introduced with a potato patty. A special spicy salad sandwich was also introduced, and most condiments, were to be made far spicier than those found in other nations. After two years of operation McDonalds conducted a consumer feedback report, this found that consumers wanted a greater variety, and still found the restaurants to be far too expensive. McDonald’s then introduced several new and cheaper products, including the Veg Pizza McPuff, which became a national best seller. After five years of operation, in 2001, the standard Asian McDonalds menu was found to be 75% localized for the Indian subcontinent. To further meet local standards, McDonalds assured all consumers and the greater public that all non vegetarian products were being prepared by different staff, in a different facility, using different utensils from that of meat based products. This was also documented on their menu and was found on many advertisements. 3. 0 Cultural Fit for McDonalds in India The Indian culture can be characterized by the diverse population, which sticks to its strict food tradition. India has more than five thousands ethnic communities; each region and sub region in India has distinct food tradition and preference. It is interesting to note that the Indians used to food prepared at home which is considered healthy and, first of all, cheaper. Due to such distinct dietary habitats and food preference of Indian consumers, until the early 1990’s western food chains had largely ignored Indian market. India’s majority of population is of Hindu religion (80% of India’s population) in which cows are considered to be sacred, and 160 million of Indian Muslim (13. 4 % of India’s population) does not eat pork and beef. Taking this step in mind McDonald’s have developed some vegetarian menu to suits Indian taste and culture. The result was, respecting for local culture, India is the first country in the world where McDonald’s does not offer any beef or pork. Later, to suits the local customer McDonald’s has to introduce mutton based â€Å"Maharaja Mac† in India and they had introduced 14 other items such as McAloo tikki Burger (breaded potato and pea pattie). Approximately 75% of the menu available in India is â€Å"Indianized† and specially design for the Indian customer. McDonalds India is recognized as a family restaurant, there is less demand for take-away food in India. People like to go restaurant and like to finish their meal in restaurant and do not believe in take away. In India there is no drive thru system. Indian McDonald’s are very big compare to other country McDonalds because of recognize as a family restaurant. Festivals also carry a major role in Indian culture, and can often operate in seasons. Indian people typically like to spend more money on eating out and purchasing new products during festival time. To take the advantage on the spending habits of Indian customer, McDonald’s has often sought to launch new product, during Indian festival seasons. Some of the major and popular religious festivals in India during September and November are Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali. When even non-vegetarian Hindu turn into vegetarians. 4. 0 Cultural Issues making India more or less attractive to the McDonalds Corporation. The major culture issues faced by McDonalds India were that the people of India were not eating beef and pork, which is the main ingredient of McDonald’s burger. This was a reason for McDonald’s facing many controversies in India. The controversy of McDonald’s fries is that they are not fully vegetarian. McDonald’s used to put beef extract in fries to make them tastier. This caused Mumbai and Delhi McDonald’s outlets to be targeted by violent protest groups, such as the Hindu militant group, Shiv Sena. Following this protest, the company was sued in America. Later, McDonalds gave a public assurance that it does not contain any animal extract in any vegetarian food in India. Another issue that can be discuss, as a major culture issues is attitude towards foreign food dietary. At world level McDonalds is recognized as junk food. According to Dr. Vandan Shiva the director of Research Foundation For Science, Technology, and Ecology, junk food chain like McDonalds and KFC destroying ecological balance and cause a severe disorders because of their fatty and unhealthy foods. This food chain is also for the wealthier segment of people not for poor. Which promotes more inequality in the country. Looking at the case what happened to McDonald it clearly represents us that cultural do have an impact on business and industry must study it before entering into the country or region. . 0 Progression and Structure. The development of McDonald’s core competencies within India has continued to evolve with the market expanding and continual changes, primarily of the Indian middle class. The progression of McDonalds India is evident throughout the ongoing improvement in performance and satisfied customers. During its first 12 months of operations (1996), McDonalds opened 7 outlets, 4 in Delhi and 3 in Mumbai, between them they served u p 350,000 Maharaja Macs and had 6 million customer visits. By 1998 the number of outlets had reached 14, by 2000 there were 25 outlets nation wide, and by 2001 there were 46 outlets nation wide. McDonalds ongoing success was further highlighted by KFC’s failed attempt to enter the market in the same year. By mid 2000, 50% of McDonalds’ revenue was derived from the sales of vegetarian only products. This was seen to be a major milestone for the corporation whose critics had often claimed that this would be the demise of the fast food chain in India. 6. 0 Strategies and Success In light of their success and domestic acceptance, McDonalds underwent several different strategies, firstly increasing its seating capacity in several of its restaurants by adding birthday party areas and expanding general seating areas. â€Å"A normal kebab with all the trimmings, at a regular restaurant would cost more than Rs 25 and if the new McGrill is giving us a similar satisfaction with its mint chutney, then we’d rather eat in a lively McDonalds outlet than sitting in a cramped car on the road. † Local McDonalds Customer: Helped give reason to the increase in seating capacity. Secondly attempting to open more outlets in less populated cities where there may be demand for McDonalds. These cities generally had lower income per capita levels, and were less densely populated in comparison to Delhi and Mumbai. Therefore they would most likely be less approachable with regards to western food. McDonalds, also underwent a massive movement to open many outlets at all nationwide railway stations, airports, busy highways, petrol stations, malls, multiplexes, cinema halls, and interstate bus terminals. The majority of these investments required lower levels of investment per outlet due to the nature of the surroundings. The continual growth did see many positives for McDonalds India, however the rapid expansion meant that the bottom line would in fact be affected over the following years. There was no doubt the return on investment would be of a significant profit, yet there was an opportunity that arose within the growth of the market and McDonalds had to take advantage. The result was simply a delay in the returns, however McDonalds India has continued to flourish and is now home to 160 restaurants across the country, employing more than 4000 people. (McDonalds India, 2008) . 0 References BBC News, India’s Population, http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/3575994. stm Long way for India to go on the retail front, Business Line, December 6, 2000 McDonalds Corporation 2002 Annual Report, www. mcdonalds. com/investors McDonalds India, 2008: www. mcdonaldsindia. com/McDonaldsinIndia. pdf The Golden Arches in India: A Case of Strategic Adaptation, Dr Amit Rangnekar The Golden Arches in India: A Case of Strategic Adaptation, Dr Saroja Subrahmanyan Various financial reports, facts and findings, http://www. mcdonalds. com

Canadian Senators Salaries 2015-16

Canadian Senators Salaries 2015-16 There are normally 105 senators in the Senate of Canada, the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Canadian senators are not elected. They are appointed by the Governor General of Canada on the advice of the Prime Minister of Canada. Salaries of Canadian Senators 2015-16 Like MPs salaries, the salaries and allowances of Canadian senators are adjusted on April 1 each year. For the 2015-16 fiscal year, Canadian senators received an increase of 2.7 percent. The increase is still based on an index of wage increases from major settlements of private-sector bargaining units which is maintained by the Labour Program in the federal Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), however there is a legal requirement that Senators be paid exactly $25,000 less than MPs, so the percentage increase works out a bit higher. When you look at Senators salaries, dont forget that while Senators do have a lot of traveling, their working hours arent as strenuous as those of MPs. They dont have to campaign to get re-elected, and the Senates schedule is lighter than in the House of Commons. For example, in 2014, the Senate sat on just 83 days. Base Salary of Canadian Senators For the fiscal year 2015-16, all Canadian Senators made a basic salary of $142,400. This was up from $138,700, which was the previous term salary. Extra Compensation for Additional Responsibilities Senators who have extra responsibilities, such as the Speaker of the Senate, the Leader of the Government and the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, government and opposition whips, and chairs of Senate committees, receive additional compensation. (See chart below.) Title Additional Salary Total Salary Senator $142,400 Speaker of the Senate* $ 58,500 $200,900 Leader of the Government in the Senate* $ 80,100 $222,500 Leader of the Opposition in the Senate $ 38,100 $180,500 Government Whip $ 11,600 $154,000 Opposition Whip $ 6,800 $149,200 Government Caucus Chair $ 6,800 $149,200 Opposition Caucus Chair $ 5,800 $148,200 Senate Committee Chair $ 11,600 $154,000 Senate Committee Vice-Chair $ 5,800 $148,200 *The Speaker of the Senate and the Leader of the Government in the Senate also get a car allowance. In addition, the Speaker of the Senate receives a residence allowance. Canadian Senate Administration The Canadian Senate remains in the throes of reorganization as it attempts to cope with the   problems that arose from the initial expenses scandal that centered on Mike Duffy, Patrick Brazeau, and Mac Harb, who are were trial, and Pamela Wallin, who was also under RCMP investigation. Added to that was the impending release of a comprehensive two-year audit by the office of Michael Ferguson, the Auditor General of Canada. That audit covered the expenses of 117 current and former Senators  and recommended that about 10 cases were  referred to the RCMP for criminal investigation. Another 30 or so cases of problematic spending were discovered, primarily having to do with travel or residency expenses. The Senators involved were either required to repay the money or   able to take advantage of a new arbitration system arranged by the Senate. Former Supreme Court Justice Ian Binnie was named as an independent arbitrator to settle disputes the affected Senators had. One thing that became clear from Mike Duffy trial was that Senate procedures have been lax and confusing in the past, and will need a lot of effort for the Senate to handle the public outrage and to get things on an even keel. The Senate is continuing to work on improving its processes. The Senate does publish quarterly expenditure reports for Senators.

Budget-Friendly Beauty Tips For College Students

Budget-Friendly Beauty Tips For College Students Budget-Friendly Beauty Tips For College Students Who says beauty needs to be costly? With a little ingenuity, you can improve your skin tone and add life and shine to your hair without breaking the bank. You just need to have the right materials on hand and use the right techniques. Here are our top tips for staying beautiful that are easy on the budget: DIY face or body scrub with sugar There are many DIY body scrub options. A nice, low-cost one for the face is as follows†¦ stir a tablespoon or two of brown sugar into your everyday facial cleanser; and for the body, make a mixture of 1 part sugar to two parts oil. Wash with soap and water afterwards, and be especially careful after using this on the body as your bathroom floor might become slick from the oil. DIY body scrub with Epsom salt Another great way to remove dead skin cells and smoothen your skin is by using Epsom salt. Combine a cup or two of salt with your usual moisturizer and spread this all over the body. Caring for your feet To make the discoloration fade from your nails, use some lemon juice. Just immerse your feet in a solution of water and lemon juice for several minutes. For dry and rough heels and soles, rub some olive oil on your feet and leave it overnight covered with a pair of socks. Banish foot odor Lightly dust the inside of your shoes with baking soda instead of your usual foot powder to prevent odor. You can also try soaking your feet for several minutes in a solution of water and Epsom salt. Combat pimples Citrus foods like strawberries are good for your body inside and out. Problem skin can be controlled by blending equal parts strawberries and yogurt and rubbing this all over the face. Leave it on for at least 15 minutes then wash your face with soap and water. Remove makeup You don’t need expensive makeup remover to cleanse your skin. Just pour olive oil or even baby oil on a cotton ball and use this to wipe your face clean. Make your hair shiny and soft Get naturally beautiful hair with baking soda and honey. Make a paste with baking soda and water and rub this onto your hair instead of shampoo to rid your hair of dirt and impurities. After washing your hair, use some honey in lieu of conditioner and then rinse well. Moisturize skin Honey contains powerful antioxidants that can restore dry skin. Smear some honey all over your face, leave it for several minutes and then wash it off with soap and water. Alternatively, you can use the pulp of an avocado and ripe banana and use the mixture as a facial mask. Buy quality One of the worst mistakes you can make is buying low-priced, low-quality products. What ends up happening is that they break or become unusable in a short period of time and you end up having to buy a replacement in no time. Take airbrush makeup kits for example. You can get cheap kits for around $98, but paying just $100 extra gets you a kit far more likely to last longer so you end up saving in the medium term. So, by all means watch the budget, but that’s doesn’t mean you need to buy cheap. Whiten teeth The many uses of baking soda are truly astounding, whitening teeth being one of them. You can replace your regular toothbrush with baking soda for cleaner, whiter teeth. If you don’t have baking soda, lemon juice also does a good job of reducing discolorations and there are many other options also. Why pay for expensive teeth whitening when you can do it cheaply from home?! Energize your eyes Potato slices over your eyes can minimize swelling and improve dark under eyes. At a pinch, you can also press the area under your eyes with the back of a cold spoon.

Company E-Business Comparison Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Company E-Business Comparison - Research Paper Example E-procurement refers to the business activities that employ the internet. This process requires the utilization of electronic applications. Effective e-procurement systems link companies with their business partners. The most significant link is to suppliers and hence fosters possible negotiations on costs and takes care of any issues arising from transactions. An effective e-procurement system should be able to evaluate prices and result in an optimum output from the supplier (Chorafas, 2001). Company B will benefit from the application of this procurement process as it ensures organization of data for the company thus data required can be easily retrieved. This simplifies the process of coming up with decisions for the company. In addition, these processes occur as prepared copies that are filled in a similar way hence ensuring uniformity of data collection within the company. In addition, the uniformity plays a crucial role in monitoring and keeping track of business transactions. Effective application of this model will also help to avoid the cost of inventory for company B (Chorafas, 2001).   On the contrary, there are various challenges that Company B will experience. It requires the input of time, manpower and money to implement effectively and hence a deficiency of either of these parameters will lead to a collapse of Company B. Moreover, the results may manifest after a long time and hence patient should be observed by company B so as to realize the input of the resources utilized and this can be frustrating (Chorafas, 2001).  ... In overall, implementation of this process will make company B more competitive as it gives it a cutting edge above company A as it attracts a bigger share of the market (Chorafas, 2001). Though the implementation of this process is of benefit, there are a variety of challenges that it possesses. To begin with, this process requires the input of professionals so as to execute efficiently. Moreover, the development of complex networks may impair the proper functioning of the system since some may be neglected and render the whole system ineffective. Therefore, the functioning of an effective customer relation management system is advantageous. However, it should be operated by skilled personnel for effectiveness (Chorafas, 2001). Sell Chain Management Sell chain management refers to the processes involved in ensuring secure and timely delivery of products to the client. It promotes flexibility in the production process and leads to outsourcing of products and services. This means that there is delegation of managerial responsibilities during service delivery and, hence multiple companies are involved in the process of product delivery to the customer (Zigiaris, 2000). The implementation of effective sell chain management systems within a company is crucial so as to compete effectively with the concept of a diverse market following globalisation. Company B, which employs the sell chain management process will benefit by reaching a larger and diverse market while sharing managerial responsibilities with the other players within the network. This will foster efficiency within each player and hence the overall output from Company B will be better than company A due to the effect of specialisation employed (Zigiaris, 2000).

Public Service Broadcasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Public Service Broadcasting - Essay Example Public service broadcasting is, probably, the only truly public service left which is truly accessible and comprehensible by viewers, but it is clear that even the most effective PSB structure is not secured from the influences of the postmodern age. Given the bright promise of digital television and the profound alterations it brings to the culture and ecology of mass media, public service broadcasting should undergo a series of changes, to make sure it fits in and meets the needs of new audiences. Public service broadcasting: Defining the term Understanding the pros and cons of public service broadcasting in Britain is impossible without trying to delineate what stands behind the very term â€Å"public service broadcasting† (further PSB). The controversy and vagueness surrounding the PSB term cannot be easily dismissed. That there is no single definition of public and public service broadcasting has been abundantly established (Syvertsen 1999). During the past 60 years in th e study of PSB no single definition of public service and its nature was developed and crystallized (Syvertsen 1999). Some definitions had considerable variations, whereas many others are obviously contradictory (Syvertsen 1999). For a long time, the term â€Å"public service broadcasting† was associated with BBC; but today, none of the existing definitions satisfies the changing demands of the media reality. The fact is in that the term â€Å"public service† is no longer limited to the community and those who are interested in this type of services. The terms â€Å"public service† and â€Å"public service broadcasting† have several distinct definitions, and all these definitions may help to explain the changing nature of PSB in the digital world. First, public service broadcasting can be treated as a unique and important type of public utility, namely, one of the many types of services provided by governments (Syvertsen 1999). In this sense, public servi ce broadcasting is similar to postal services, railroads and roads, and other public utilities used by citizens on a daily basis and for no fee. Treating public service broadcasting as a public service utility is the same as underlining its socioeconomic and technical ingredients: from the viewpoint of public utility, PSB must meet the basic criteria of efficiency and quality, which include the quality of signal, the breadth and sophistication of the distribution network, operations efficiency, etc. (Syvertsen 1999). This definition of public service broadcasting emphasizes the â€Å"utility† aspect of the service provision. Second, public service broadcasting can be viewed as something provided in the public sphere (Syvertsen 1999). This definition shifts the emphasis away from â€Å"utility† towards the â€Å"public† character of broadcasting. Here, the meaning and boundaries of the â€Å"public sphere† should also be delineated. Syvertsen (1999) writes that â€Å"the public sphere represents institutions in which members of the public take part as citizens and collectively make decisions for the common good† (p.7). The public character of PSB implies that everyone, irrespective of their status or position, have the right and can access the services provided by public broadcasters. Here, PSB is also depicted as an invisible eye monitoring the progress of society and providing citizens

Gender Differences Essay Example for Free

Gender Differences Essay In the excerpt from the book, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, author John Gray discusses the stark differences between men and women. He states that the personality traits between men and women are so dissimilar, that each sex might as well have originated from the planets, Mars and Venus, respectively. He explains that men value power and achievement, and they choose certain occupations and offer others solutions to their problems based on these values. Comparatively, women believe communication and relationships are more important, and they desire empathy when they interact with others. He details that these different character traits often cause confusion and communication barriers between men and women. Gray’s excerpt explains his unique definition of male and female personalities; however, it is a broad assumption to say that all men and women behave in a certain way solely based on their gender. The stereotypes that Gray specifically utilizes in his excerpt oversimplify the complex interactions between men and women instead of showing their differing emotional responses based on particular situations. The two emotional responses that Gray does not compare are stress and anger. The male and female reactions to these emotions offer the best example of the differences between the sexes. More often than not, men and women respond to stress in different ways. Women tend to externalize their feelings when they deal with stressful situations. They often confide in their significant other, friends, and family as an outlet for the stress in their life. Typically, once a woman has effectively deliberated and discussed her feelings and issues regarding stress, she often feels better about the stressful situation. In her book, You Just Don’t Understand, expert Deborah Tannen similarly explains that women use complaining as a way to feel close to others. She calls this way of conversing â€Å"troubles talk. † She says, â€Å"For women, talking about troubles is the essence of connection. I tell you my troubles, you tell me your troubles, and we’re close. † (61). A perfect example of this can be seen with my interactions with my close friend, Lindsey. She will frequently need to call me and vent about her relationship woes. She uses our conversations to help talk through her stressful situations and will ultimately feel better following our calls. I will tend to use conversations with my mother or sister to vent about my stress, as well. Conversely, men often internalize their emotional responses to stress. Men tend to reserve their emotions internally and use various non-stressful activities as distractions to occupy themselves, such as watching sports or playing video games. A prime example of the male response to stress can be seen when my boyfriend is stressed from work. When he comes home after a stressful day, he will play video games for hours to help relieve his stress. After playing these games, he will feel much better. When I recognize that he is stressed, I usually ask him if he would like to discuss his situations; he usually responds by saying that he is fine and he just needs some time alone. I have also noticed a similar response to stress in other men such as my coworkers, fellow students, and my brothers and father. This unique male response to stress demonstrates the difference from the female stress response. Another emotional situation in which men and women have a tendency to respond differently is anger. Although each person reacts to anger in their own way, men and women will generally react to anger in a different manner. Women, including myself, will often react to anger by isolating themselves from the initial anger trigger and think through their emotional response prior to any actions. Simply put, think first, and act later. For example, my mother’s response to anger follows the aforementioned format. Her initial response involves removing herself from the anger stimulus where she can better collect herself. After assessing the situation which generated my mother’s anger response, she will respond in a more conservative and appropriate manner. Conversely, men have a propensity to react to anger in a much different way. When in an emotional situation that causes anger, men are more inclined to violence and can be quick to react by demonstrating their anger in a more physical manner. They often act this way because they are trying to prove they are â€Å"manly† or â€Å"powerful†. Gray explains that, â€Å"[men] are always doing things to prove themselves and to develop their power and skills† (695). A great example of this common male response can be seen with my brother, Sam. When angered, Sam tends to react like most males when experiencing anger. His initial reaction to anger typically is demonstrated by a violent motion by hitting an object. This is usually followed by a more thoughtful and collected response after the initial outburst. These reactions to anger demonstrate the differing emotional responses between men and women which can be seen throughout society on a frequent basis. Despite the differing reactions to stress and anger mentioned above, men and women can also respond in a similar manner. Since no two individuals are the same, it is important to understand that the aforementioned examples are not the only reactions that men and women can portray. Stress and anger are natural human emotions that are experienced almost daily. It is also important to understand that human emotions and communication are much more complex than the examples that Gray provides. This complexity is due to unique personalities and differing interactive situations. No two responses even with the same individual will ever be the same. However, understanding the different ways men and women may communicate and react to certain emotions will provide a better understanding of the opposite sex. This understanding will help bridge the communication gap between men and women and improve our knowledge of the complexities of human emotion.

Koala Essay -- essays research papers

Marsupials The Koala Among the many different marsupials in the world, there is one that stands out and is recognized, not only for its looks, but also for the hardships that it deals with in being a koala. The koala originated in Australia, and was discovered by trappers around the time of 1798. Many rare and exotic animals have been found in Australia, because of its remoteness and isolation from most of the civilized world. Australia has been described as a huge ark, a giant lifeboat, cut off from contact with the rest of the world and carrying with it a group of unique creatures (Serventy 1975). The creatures that inhabit Australia are made up of many different classifications of animal groups that have found themselves all living together on one continent. The koala is a very unique looking animal, which has a very interesting face and color structure. It has a very large nose, with small eyes, and very ears. The fur of the koala is dense and wooly; it has gray on the upper part and lighter colored below it. The koalas living in the southern regions of Australia, which tend to be colder, are larger and have a shaggier coat then those in the north. The arms of the koala have three fingers on each hand that are separated from the other two, which make it easy for the koala to grasp on to branches. On the koala’s feet there are only two out of the five toes on each foot that are made for climbing. The other toes are used for grasping and combing the hair of the animal. Both the arms and legs of the koala are very powerful. The koala is a nocturnal animal, which begins its feeding process in the late afternoon, when it awakes from its daily sleep. It ventures high up in the treetops to begin feeding on the leaves of gum trees located in the jungles of Australia. It uses its strong feet for climbing up the steep gum trees, and its heavy body, weighing more than thirty pounds, to support it in the tree branches while eating. When eating up in the trees the koala uses its powerful jaw and razor sharp teeth to tear apart the gum leaves. All movements made by the koala are slow and careful, when a fall from the tree would mean sudden death for the creature. It spends mainly all of its life up in the trees. The koala sleeps, eats, and takes care of its young all up in the high gum trees in Australia. The koala can run on land, but in the event of an attack the n... ... In New South Wales there are more than twenty species of gum trees that were found to be used as food for the koalas. One koala was even seen eating the leaves of the introduced weeping willow. There is a huge variety of plant life that the koala will feed on, but it all depends on the location in which the koala lives. There are vary dangerous plant life for the koalas, some leaves in the area have special enzymes which control koala feeding habits (Sarre 1999). These leaves are part of the dangers that koalas face in the wild. Koalas are a threatened species, even though they are so isolated in the Australian jungles. Wildlife surveys show that human interruption has caused a severe decline in koala population. Among the factors that caused this decline are the building of highways and pollutants. As sad as it is poaching of koalas is also a huge problem in Australia. Even though koala population is at an up rise, the ideas of hunting koalas still disturb many people. There are many conservation groups across the country who are starting programs and save the koalas from death (Payne 1995). Hopefully with everyone’s help the koalas will be around for many generations to enjoy.