Hrm Case 3 Essay Example

Hrm Case 3 Essay HRM Incident 3: The Controversial Job David Rhine, compensation manager for Farrington Lingerie Company, was generally relaxed and good-natured. Although he was a no-nonsense, competent executive, David was one of the most popular managers in the company. This Friday morning, however, David was not his usual self. As chairperson of the company’s job evaluation committee, he had called a late morning meeting at which several jobs were to be considered for reevaluation. The jobs had already been rated and assigned to pay grade 3. But the office manager, Ben Butler, was upset that one was not rated higher. To press the issue, Ben had taken his case to two executives who were also members of the job evaluation committee. The two executives (production manager Bill Nelson and general marketing manager Betty Anderson) then requested that the job ratings be reviewed. Bill and Betty supported Ben’s side of the dispute, and David was not looking forward to the confrontation that was almost certain to occur. The controversial job was that of receptionist. Only one receptionist position existed in the company, and Marianne Sanders held it. Marianne had been with the firm 12 years—longer than any of the committee members. We will write a custom essay sample on Hrm Case 3 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Hrm Case 3 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Hrm Case 3 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer She was extremely efficient, and virtually all the executives in the company, including the president, had noticed and commented on her outstanding work. Bill Nelson and Betty Anderson were particularly pleased with Marianne because of the cordial manner in which she greeted and accommodated Farrington’s customers and vendors, who frequently visited the plant. They felt that Marianne projected a positive image of the company. When the meeting began, David said, â€Å"Good morning. I know that you’re busy, so let’s get the show on the road. We have several jobs to evaluate this morning and I suggest we begin Before he could finish his sentence, Bill interrupted, â€Å"I suggest we start with Marianne. † Betty nodded in agreement. When David regained his composure, he quietly but firmly asserted, â€Å"Bill, we are not here today to evaluate Marianne. Her supervisor does that at performance appraisal time. We’re meeting to evaluate jobs based on job content. In order to do this fairly, with regard to other jobs in the company, we must leave personalities out of our evaluation. † David then proceeded to pass out copies of the receptionist job description to Bill and Betty, who were obviously very irritated. See questions below. ob can be reclassified / re-evaluated if the duties or responsibilities of an employee have significantly changed or expanded over time, and the expanded duties have remained in place for at least six months. In these cases, the same review criteria are used as with new positions. Based on the rating system, the employee may be moved to a higher pay band, and may receive retroactive pay. QUESTIONS 1. Do you feel that David was justified in insisting that the job, not the person, be evaluated? Discuss. Job evaluation is a technique used to determine the value of each job in relation to all jobs within the organization. The job evaluation and the employee evaluation are based on two entirely different scales. The job evaluation clearly identifies and describes the task, creates the basis for the job description and relates to the tasks involved with the position itself The basic purpose of job evaluation is to eliminate pay inequities which may exist because of illogical pay structures, such as might develop over time if care is not taken in how compensation is determined. Job evaluation programs are generally administered by the human resource department and are usually conducted by a committee. The jobs people have are major determinants of the amount of financial compensation they will receive, and organizations pay for the value attached to certain duties, responsibilities, and other job-related factors, such as working conditions. The relative worth of jobs is usually determined through a combination of job analysis, job descriptions, and job evaluation. The employee evaluation measures the employees overall performance of their tasks as it relates to the overall success of the company. David was asked to evaluate the job for compensation purposes, which involves the job function, not the person who is performing the job. I do feel that David was justified in insisting that the job, not the person be evaluated. 2. Do you believe that there is a maximum rate of pay for every job in an organization, regardless of how well the job is being performed? Justify your position. Employers use pay scales to calculate salaries. The rate range for a job grade consists of a minimum, midpoint, and maximum rate of pay unrelatedly to how well a job is performed. Many employers use a system job evaluation tool to rank jobs based on skill, education, experience, and duties to assess the job description. There should be a maximum rate of pay, which should be based on the individual’s job performance. The starting rate and maximum rates should be the same for all employees in the same position but, their individual rates may be different depending on their performance. However, once an employee has reached the maximum rate of pay for the position the employee should not receive any more pay raises. A job should have its maximum pay rate depending on many factors. In most cases jobs that do not require high level of education are the jobs that do not lead to a life long career. In this case, there is a limit of value that a receptionist like Beth could bring to the company. It wouldn’t make much financial sense to pay a receptionist equal to an operations manager. Even in this example where the receptionist has elevated value due to her interpersonal skills, ultimately she does not provide attainable financial betterment to the company outside of her job description. Therefore, the employee should be paid based on their quantified value as an asset to the company; and a job should have a maximum rate of pay.

Cosmetic Surgery essay Essays

Cosmetic Surgery essay Essays Cosmetic Surgery essay Paper Cosmetic Surgery essay Paper Cosmetic Surgery Did you know that the number of parents giving their eighteen year old graduate girls breast implants has recently tripled? One out of fifty- seven thousand cases of cosmetic surgeries end in death. Those deaths are either due to blood clots, anesthesia complications, seizures, heart attacks, or high fever. Despite the risks, Cosmetic Surgery is on the rise among men and women. Cosmetic Surgery was once viewed as a taboo subject. Mainly it was only the wealthy that could afford the surgery and it was not discussed or announced they had any work done. Today, Cosmetic Surgery has become one of the most popular trends in America. Surgery has also become more affordable for everyone. There is no question that celebrities have also played a huge role in the trend.   Whether you are watching television or reading a magazine, you are very likely to hear or read something about Cosmetic Surgery. The past few years, there have been several shows about the subject such as â€Å"Extreme Makeover†, and â€Å"Dr. 90210†. MTV has also started targeting young adults with shows such as â€Å"I Want a Famous Face†. Such shows have contributed too much of the popularity, increasing the number of surgeries performed. Cosmetic Surgery first began in the eighth century by physicians in ancient India. They were using skin grafts for reconstructive surgery. It was also common for them to perform rhinoplasty, due to barbaric rituals of cutting off noses and upper lips of one’s enemies. (Wikipedia, 2008). The United States first plastic surgeon was Dr. John Peter Mettauer born in Virginia in 1787. He performed the first cleft palate operation with tools he had designed himself. Dr. Mettauer studied medicine in Philadelphia. He also founded a private medical school, which became the first medical department. (American Society of Plastic Surgeons) During World War II, the severities of the soldier’s injuries gave surgeons the chance to practice their skill. Some of the injuries were shattered jaws, blown off noses and severe head wounds. Soon after, some surgeons were sent to Third World countries to teach other physicians the techniques to help give their citizens a better way of life. In the 1940’s, the American Society of Plastic Surgery was born. This organization was designed to give memberships to surgeons specializing in the Cosmetic Surgery field. To become a member, the surgeons had to pass an exam in order to qualify and earn the right to call themselves Plastic Surgeons. Currently, in order to become a member, a surgeon must earn a Board Certification by earning a degree from an accredited medical school, complete three years of surgical surgery, three years of supervised residency in plastic surgery, have at least two years of professional practice and must pass a written and oral exam. (Becoming Board Certified, www.newimage.com). Modern technology has made it easier to find a Board Certified Surgeon. The internet is a great source in finding a surgeon that fits your needs and criteria. A good rule of thumb when researching a surgeon is to find one that specializes in your type of surgery. It is also a good idea to make sure the anesthesiologist is also certified. (American Board of Anesthesiology, www.newimage.com) Recently, a famous rapper lost his mother due to complications after liposuction. The surgeon who performed the operation was not Board Certified. It is up to the patient to do their research when locating a surgeon. There are many reasons why people seek Cosmetic Surgery. Most of the time vanity contributes an important part. â€Å" A misconception some patients have is that a surgeon can make a specific feature to the exact specifications of the patient.† (McCurdy, 1981) Surgeons use a screening process to ensure the potential patient’s motive is valid and realistic. The cosmetic defect must be obvious to the surgeon. Not all patients are accepted for surgery. Those with potential psychological problems will be recommended an evaluation with a psychologist before the surgeon will accept the patient. People that are physically unhealthy, such as having diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol or malnourished are considered high risk and are not considered good candidates. Also, being overweight puts added stress on your heart during the operation.   A person that smokes and wants to have surgery must quit and be smoke free for two weeks before and after surgery. This is so that the patient can heal properly. Smokers also have a greater chance of having infections and anesthesia complications. It is advised to talk openly with your surgeon about any health conditions or concerns a patient has so that they can better explain the risks and complications that can occur. There are many options when it comes to types of surgical cosmetic procedures a person can have performed. Body Contouring, Breast Surgery and Facial Surgery are to name a few. There are also non surgical cosmetic procedures that are very popular such as Botox, Laser Hair removal and Laser Skin Resurfacing. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Surgeries performed in 2007, were mainly women with a ninety one percentile. Men had the other nine percent. The top surgical procedure performed on women was breast augmentation, coming in a close second was liposuction. The top non surgical procedure was Botox. For men, the top surgical procedure was liposuction with eye lid surgery being second. Their top choice for non surgical procedures was Botox with Laser Hair removal second. (Plastic Surgery Research, www.plasticsurgeryresearch.com) The combined, surgical and non surgical procedures performed in 2007, for men and women in the United States were nearly 11.7 million people. American Society for Aesthetic Cosmetic Surgery has reported an eight percent increase in surgeries performed since January 2000(American Society of Aesthetic Cosmetic Surgery, www.asacs.com) Statistically, there were 347, 524 Breast Surgeries and 301, 882 liposuction procedures performed in The United States in 2007.   Method Participants Apparatus Procedure   Results Discussion References American Board of Anesthesiology. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2008, from aba.com American Society of Aesthetic Cosmetic Surgery. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2008, from asacs.com American Society of Plastic Surgeons. (n.d.). History of Plastic Surgery. Retrieved from asps.com Becoming Board Certified. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2008, from newimage.com McCurdy, j. (1981). The Complete guide to Cosmetic Surgery. New York: Frederick Fell Publisher. Plastic Surgery Research. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2008, from plasticsurgeryresearch.com Wikipedia. {2008}. History of Plastic Surgery.

Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Employment Law - Essay Example 1). The employment issue, which exists, is whether it is right for resumes of unemployed people to be discarded by employers. An operations analyst in the information technology sector is an example of a person who is discriminated by the employment act. According to a recruiter, not working for six months is an obstacle towards finding employment. This ideology seems to have spread to almost all the American employers. Furthermore, the number of Americans who do not have jobs is at 14 million, and finding work is a problem. Some of America’s known Job websites such as Craigslist, CareerBuilder, and Monster.com are not employing the unemployed. This situation has a historical context like that, which took place during the Great Depression. During that time, many workers were left unemployed, and this is due to the crisis. It does not make sense when employers demand that potential recruits be currently employed. There are some people who are fresh out of college and have never worked, yet they have the skills and knowledge. They should be given a chance to prove their capability, and thus, this employment discrimination is problematic (Rampell, 2011. 1). According to a legal view, like race and age there is no protected status in matters related to employment. Experts further believe that there is no discrimination that occurs as a result of this practice. The employment laws, which exist, are not violated in any way. It has emerged that the most vulnerable groups affected by this practice are blacks and elderly people. The latter is according to information provided by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The latter has not yet decided whether the case on the unemployed is illegal in any way. In fact, they have hearings on this matter, which are taking place at the moment. The unemployed are crossing their fingers, in order for a law to be passed concerning this matter (Livingston et al, 20005. 114). Employment discrimination has become a men ace, and a law has been passed by New Jersey concerning this matter. Other states such as Michigan and New York are considering having such a law. The economy is being affected, as there are no people who are employed to earn revenue for the economy. There will no longer be a scenario where unemployed workers are discouraged from applying due to their unemployment status. The plight of workers is being addressed by the National Employment Law Project (Decker, 2002. 42). It advocates for politicians to find ways to outlaw adverts that discriminate against the unemployed workers. Furthermore, it advocates for the unemployed to obtain benefits, as well as engage in the labor market studies. Almost all professions are involved in this discriminative practice, and including even top American companies. It seems that this matter cannot be solved easily as Congress is not that influential. Companies are the ones who have the upper hand in this matter, since they are the ones who hire indiv iduals. They choose the people they want, and congress cannot interfere. If the matter is taken to court, proving that discrimination occurred will be extremely hard. There is enough evidence to prove that workers who have stayed for long without being employed may not be beneficial to the work place. Some of the reasons why they are unemployed is because they lack competence, and are laid off as there is no work. In some

Drug profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Drug profile - Essay Example Indications: - bronchial asthma (RACGP, 2006; Lullman et al., 2000), - bronchitis (RACGP, 2006) - exercise-related dyspnea (RACGP, 2006) - other breathing problems (RACGP, 2006). - pre-term labour (Morgan et al., 1987). According to the Medical Reference Manual by Adult Retrieval Victoria (2011), Salbutamol (5-10 mg or 8 puffs 10-15 minutely) is one of the standard therapies for refractory asthma. Continuous nebulised Salbutamol is also used for maximum pre-intubation therapy. As well, the Queensland Ambulance Service (2011) lists approved emergency indications as bronchospasm and suspected hyperkalaemia with QRS widening and/or AV dissociation (Medical Director’s Office 2011 p. 69) for adult and paediatric administration (p. 70). Contraindications against paramedic use of salbutamol have been reported to include potential synergism with other sympathomimietics. It should also be used with caution in patients with diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and cerebrovascular disease (Albuter ol 1999, p. 1). List of drug-drug interactions with Salbutamol (Albuterol 2011) Medicine name Strength Atomotexine – may cause CVS effects such as tachycardia and hypertension case reports Digitalis – hypokalemia induced by salbutamol may cause cardiac glycoside toxicity Mechanism already elucidated Diuretics – hypokalemia Steroids – hyperglycemia or hypokalemia Sympathomimetics – additive effects Theophylline – additive effects Xanthine derivatives –hypokalemia Bendrofluazide – augments hypokalemia, cardiac effects, arrhythmia Signal Transduction Mechanisms for ?2 Receptors Figure 1.The messenger system starting with the activation of receptor, which stimulates the G-protein to dissociate into its subunits. The ?-subunit then activates the enzyme converting ATP to cAMP. Figure from Guyton, A. C. and Hall, J. E. 2006. Textbook of Medical Physiology. Philadelphia: Elsevier. Salbutamol is an agonist of the beta 2 adrenergic recep tors found on the smooth muscle lining airways of the lungs (Lullman, 2000). The intracellular components of the receptor are associated with G protein. In turn, G protein has three sub units (alpha sub unit, plus tightly associated beta, and gamma sub units). Upon binding of salbutamol to ?2 receptor, the latter activates the G protein, causing GDP (guanosine 5'-diphosphate) associated with the G protein to be phosphorylated to GTP (guanosine 5'- triphosphate), which initiates detachment of alpha subunit. The alpha subunit binds with adenylyl cyclase, which catalyses the conversion of ATP to cAMP (adenosine 5'-triphosphate to adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate) (Guyton and Hall, 2006). cAMP then inhibits myosin light chain kinase which is responsible for the contraction and hence constriction of bronchial smooth muscle (Klabunde, 2008). The inhibition of myosin light chain kinase promotes the physical relaxation and hence dilation of the smooth muscle lining of the affected airways whic h improves the potential for improved respiration which is key to addressing several pulmonary disorders Evidence of Clinical Effectiveness Despite being the most used ?2-agonist, research on the clinical effectiveness of Salbutamol had contradicting results. In a randomized control trial on salbutamol against preterm labor, 100 women, ages 17-32 years old and between 20-37 weeks pregnant, were recruited.

Assessment of recent developments in financial reporting Essay - 1

Assessment of recent developments in financial reporting - Essay Example 84). This essay focuses on the most recent trends in UK financial reporting standards analysed on the example of the Annual Report of BAA plc for 2004/05. The essay argues that the movement towards convergence with international accounting standards is helpful enough to provide shareholders with more transparent information on companies' performance. Yet, changes that are made have their drawbacks, which are also discussed. Standartisation in accounting becomes of greater importance as business relations continue to stretch over national borders converging into an integrated global international environment. A number of companies operating worldwide increases; therefore it is more effective to prepare one universal report for shareholders of different countries rather than make adjustments along with national accounting regulation policies. It is a global trend with the UK finding itself in the middle of it. "The progress toward attaining a global financial reporting framework has accelerated, and many significant steps have been taken The restructuring program, begun in 2000, is the culmination of a series of movements toward the global convergence of accounting standards" (Casabona and Shoaf 2002, p. 16). .. "The drive for international accounting standards seems out of all proportion to the benefits. Most of the issues are so arcane as to be a million miles from those increasingly rare parts of economy where wealth is actually created" (Hilton 2004, p. 35). Nevertheless the industry (and surely, financial reporting is the one) grows larger and requires additional activities to be implemented by companies guaranteeing their reports will be easily understood throughout the world. For instance, BAA has stated in its annual report 2004/05 the following matters that were changed: - Recognition of the annual valuation surplus on investment properties in the income statement - Recognition in the income statement of fair value gains and losses on derivative financial instruments, subject to hedge accounting - Recognition of derivative financial instruments and related hedge accounting entries in the balance sheet - Separation in the balance sheet of the debt and equity elements of BAA's convertible bonds, and a consequential increased finance cost recorded in the income statement - Recognition of a charge for share-based payments in the income statement - Valuation of the majority of operational land assets on transition and use of this as the deemed cost for future periods, in accordance with the first-time adoption rules of IFRS - Recognition of additional deferred tax liabilities, particularly in relation to temporary differences arising on investment property and operational land revaluations - Recognition in the balance sheet of proposed dividends only when approved - Changes to the format of primary statements. To be more illustrative rather than descriptive the essay goes on

Cultural Distance How Is It Measured Commerce Essay

Cultural Distance How Is It Measured Commerce Essay Culture is a wide concept whose definition may vary depending on the discipline it comes from, and many litterateurs have attempted to give it a precise and unique definition, which could be taken as valid in every field, always in vain. This essay will dwell upon the significant role culture plays in the global market, given that it is a vital element not to be neglected for a successful career when doing business abroad. Academics of various subjects, especially anthropologists, have been wondering about the definition of culture for decades, with the result of conveying plenty of explanations about its core and how it is perceived among populations. As already said, while this notion has been quested and analysed throughout the anthropological field, it had been widely disregarded in other fields (Taras Steel, 2009). The first intellectual who moved his analysis of culture to the market sector was Geerte Hofstede (Taras Steel, 2009). Thus, this articles intention is to focus on a different approach to culture, i.e. how cultural difference is able to affect marketing operations around the globe. Firstly, this text will go through Hofstedes method (1980) and elucidate why, despite being a broadly criticised model, it still remains the most relevant reference work for cross-cultural successive analysis. Secondly, it will compare and contrast the famous concepts of Hofstede, Trompenaars and Hampden Turner and Schwartz Value Inventory. Subsequently, the article will try to give empirical evidence of how culture diversity affects the markets of the whole planet by providing the example of various cultural clashes of a famous American fast food company in three different Asian countries. Hofstedes model: Lots of criticism but still the most used in the world Hofstedes model of cultural dimensions (Hofstede, 1980) was a pioneering method elaborated in order to measure cultural distance. It was developed during the late 70s after an attentive examination of work-related values in the IBM employees in 40 countries (Lee Carter, 2012). As the first model ever created, all subsequent studies relate to it, by evaluating, comparing, analysing and obviously criticising e.g. Hofstedes model of national cultural differences and their consequences: A triumph of faith a failure of analysis (MacSweeny, 2002). Among all those aforementioned relations to the study, criticising is the one which most drew the attention of the people who approached Hofstedes research. Nonetheless, there are also some scholars which take Hofstedes side and question MacSweenys fallacious presuppositions, by thoroughly analysing his work and by pointing out his main misunderstandings; MacSweenys critique lacks consistency in terms of clarification about the paradigm he uses to confute Hosftedes cultural research. (Williamson, 2002). Despite being a source subjected to pure criticism, the work of Geert Hofstede, a Dutch organizational anthropologist, is perhaps the most widely used and accepted approach to cross-cultural analysis (Lee Carter, 2012, p. 130). Hofstedes work is still considered to be the most exhaustive and easy-to-understand study of cultural diversity (Holden, 2003). Culture is a broad concept and its definition may vary depending on the context it is related. In fact, it was argued that conceptualising such a wide topic like culture and apply it to every random context could be considered quite presumptuous, surely awry and as a misguided attempt to measure the unmeasurable (MacIntyre, 1961; Smelser, 1992 cited in MacSweeny 2002, p. 90). As a consequence of what just asserted, Hofstedes research was accused of being carried out only in one field and, besides, in a non-market field in which the test persons of IBM were not examined as consumers, negotiators or market intermediaries (Holden, 2003). Afterwards, because its data collection dates back to the late 70s, it was claimed the impossibility of implementation in a plausible current market scenario. Hence, it was judged as out of date, considering that the society had changed (2003). Furthermore, it is bizarre that the most used investigation related to global marketing operations in the worl d has been written by an anthropologist who has nothing to do with being a real marketer (2003). Although these understandable criticisms, Hofstedeans work Cultures Consequences (1980), cited more than 5000 times, still remains the most accepted and utilised method in the cross-cultural analysis. Hofstedes model in comparison and contrast with Trompenaars and Hampden Turner and Schwartz Value Inventory The data, vital for the elaboration of the model, was collected during a certain laps of time and both Hofstede and Trompenaars and Hampden Turner extrapolated their data from questionnaires distributed among workers, with a tiny difference though: Hosftede opted for employees of a specific company, whereas Trompenaars and Hampden Turner for managers of various organisations (Dahl, 2004). Expanding the research into different companies could have been a notable advantage, because it allowed the study to get different perspectives from the respondents. In terms of question typology, Hofstede, as previous stated, decided to ask people about precise work-related value questions, while Trompenaars and Hampden Turner did not only concentrate on the work situation but on the leisure one as well (2004). In any case, they both questioned their actors about preferred state and behaviours. Unlike the other two researches, Shalom Schwartz with his Schwartz Value Survey (1992) took a differen t questioning approach and asked 60,000 people from 63 countries to appraise 57 values as guiding principles of ones life. (Lee Carter, 2012). Schwartzs method (1992), unlike Hofstede (1980) and Trompenaars and Hampden Turner (1998), gives a different vision by evidently separating the individual-level from the cultural-level analysis and by differentiating value types from value dimensions (Dahl, 2004). As a result, Schwartz method allowed to create a category as a value dimension by take into consideration one of the value type identified by the respondent and its opposite value type. The cultural-level and individual-level analysis are separated and their data cannot be evaluated as a whole, i.e. knowing the actors individual values is not necessary to deduce the culture of each individual (Javidan et al). Hofstede used to call this assumption ecological fallacy (Dahl, 2004). According to MacSweeny (2002), Hofstede did not used to make a differentiation between the meaning of culture at large and national culture. He treated it as a nationally discrete part, core, a nucleus (MacSweeny, 2002, p. 92); in other words, he c onceived it as a shared constituent of culture which is made of other different sub-cultures (MacSweeny, 2002). In order to remark Hofstedes idea that a population within a nation, in a certain way, shares the same culture, MacSweeny gives an explicit example by declaring that Hofstede treats the country Great Britain as a single nation with a unique national culture. Regrettably, it is debated that Scotland, even though being inside Great Britain, does not have the equivalent culture of an English citizen. Unlike the aberrant supposition called ecological assumption, both Hosftede and Trompenaars and Hampden Turner accept the so called onion assumption, which has layers to be peeled off (Dahl, 2004), that explains why knowing values in a culture tell us what actually happens in that culture (Javidan et al, p. 899). Yet, a substantial difference lies in the conception of this onion-like model, i.e. Hofstede conceives it as four layers onion, whereas Trompenaars and Hampden Turner fantasise it as a only two layers onion. Still, in spite of the different cognition of the onion, both Hofstedes and Trompenaars and Hampden Turners methods represent the same concept as Cowley and Hanna (2005) assert: The objective of this unit was to learn to exfoliate the perceptible manifestations of culture (artefacts and products), to peel away the layer of norms and values, to discover the core. The most emblematic diversity from these two models is that Hofstedes study investigates through the values of the respondents, while Trompenaars and Hampden Turner is more focused on their behavioural attitudes both in work and recreation moments (Lee Carter 2012). Another comparison can be made in terms of identification of some given value dimensions. Hofstede identified four (with a later fifth in addition) (Hosftede, 2001?), the Schwartz Value Inventory classified ten value types and four main value dimensions and finally Trompenaars and Hampden Turner categorised ten. All these results can be associated and most of them seen as parallel in concept terms, e.g. Hofstedes Power distance bears a resemblance to Trompenaars and Hampden Turners Achievement vs. ascription (Lee Carter, 2012). In addition, another dimension might be considered almost identical: Communitarism vs. individualism of Trompenaars and Hampden Turner with Individualism vs. collectivism of Hofstede (2012). In his work, Hofstede wanted to create a valid framework which was able to classify and distinguish different cultures, and to be aware of potential cultural collisions within a business environment. Thus, Hofstedes interpretation of culture envisages a tight correlation between an invisible level, values and a visible level in which these values manifest, in other words practices (Javidan et al). Empirical evidence of cultural distance impact on global marketing operations Obviously, cultural distance is an issue that affects large companies which are able to broaden the horizons and look for great fortune abroad. Start setting new investments into a foreign market requires a high volume of money and that is why only great organisations can afford such a treacherous move. Why treacherous? A foreign market can absolutely be as profitable as disadvantageous, depending on how much companies take the cultural factors into account. According to Pankaj Ghemawat, (2001) economist and global strategist at the IESE Business School of Barcelona, graduated at Harvard University, many companies are so attracted by foreign markets that sometimes they underestimate the financial threat they are running into. Following, the article is going to present a clear example of how the Asian culture shaped the business of a worldwide company like McDonalds. It will go through all the changes the company had to make in three different countries: Japan, Hong Kong and China. According to what Harris P. (Managing Cultural Difference, 2002) wrote, there is a big gap between the western culture and the eastern one. Through this table (Figure 1), it is quite self-explanatory in what the main principles differ one from another and what the American fast food company McDonalds had to be aware of when moving its brand to Asia: (Figure 1) When people think about McDonalds, the first word crossing their mind might be standardization. Hofstede (1980) would have thought of organizational culture instead. McDonalds is the emblematic example of a company which aims at keeping the same level of quality, cleanliness, customer service, food taste and value. Its main strengths rely on fast service and standard taste of the food, and these have demonstrated to be very profitable in the western market. Unluckily, Asian people were not used to having lunch or dinner in a dozen of minutes, for this reason McDonalds had to cogitate a strategy to get customers and make profit. Referring to Hofstedes classification of power Distance countries worldwide (geert-hofstede.com), Japan has been rated as one of the countries with the lowest score (55), which means it is less inclined to accept a high organizational culture as McDonalds. Nonetheless, the famous fast food company, thanks to some strategies, managed to succeed and survive the Nippon market. First issue of the organisation was that the Japanese society is famous for eating rice during the day as a filling meal. Because of that, McDonalds introduced new products made of rice in the market, like Chinese fried rice, curried rice with chicken and fried egg burger. Thanks to the lanching of these new products the company managed to be taken into consideration from the Japanese society. Secondly, in Japan, such as in other countries like Italy or Spain, there is an elevated sense of commensality, something which is not included in the McDonalds brand. Notwithstanding, the company had to do something to get around this cultural problem and, as a result, it started furnishing its restaurants with tables and chairs where Japanese could eat and spend some time together as being home. Finally, another problem arose when the Japanese society regarded the typical hamburger as snack and not as a whole meal. McDonalds implemented a good strategy by taking this misleadin g perception and converted it into an advantage to create then a place suited for young people who want to get a fast meal and chill out for a while. (McDonalds in Japan, 2009) The situation slightly changed in the state of Hong Kong. According to Hofstedes chart of Power Distance countries, Hong Kong has been rated a little bit more than Japan (68) which, as a consequence, described this country as more open to a centralized organization as the American McDonalds. In fact, People of Hong Kong were already familiar with a market fast food conception, but despite this, McDonalds was doubtful about spreading its companys values onto this Asian market. McDonalds first step was to leave the sign of the company in its original language without any translation, and in addition the founder of the restaurant in Honk Hong, Daniel Ng, opted for a smart solution which consisted of transliterating the name. Transliteration is a good strategy to avoid a cultural translation issue. It renders the English sound of the word into Chinese characters, without running into the problem of translating the meaning of the word. It would be a tough task to avoid. The strength McDon alds used, relied on not imposing the companys values to the locals, but on shaping its organizational culture in order to get approval from them (McDonalds in Hong Kong, 2009). China, in Hofstedes Power Distance chart (1980), has been rated with a very high score (80), therefore McDonalds problems had got nothing to do with the adaptation of a centralized organizational culture. What happened in Beijing was the emblem of cultural difference a big organisation such as McDonalds must take into account: Despite having accessed the Chinese market, McDonalds was not able to clearly convey the values of its work to the locals, and for this reason could not get rid of the competition. Chinese people, even though were familiar with the fast food chain, did not consider it part of their cuisine culture. After years, they kept seeing it as an American brand in Chinese territory. Hence, this was not an advantage at all. Ideological, political and economic differences were an obstacle for an American brand which was operating in the Chinese market. The resolution to this issue lied on the fact that the organisation had to start blending more with the local culture, avo iding to stress firmly its Americanism. Understood so, McDonalds began to introduce Chinese traditional food in its menu in order to show the Chinese population its inclination to respect and use the territorial food culture. In addition, all the restaurants were decorated with Chinese paper-cuts design. This way, customers commenced to trust the brand and see it from a different perspective. This is the same path KFC had to follow to be a very profitable company in the Chinese market nowadays (KFC and McDonalds a model of blended culture, 2004). Conclusion The aim of this article consisted in giving a brief analysis of the models used in cross-cultural distance in order to provide a general understanding. The essay has taken exactly three methods into consideration: Hofstedes, Trompenaars and Hampden Turner and Schwartz Value Inventory. Their investigation is all about identifying cultural differences among people who live in different part of the globe and the usage it has been done with these methods is the most relevant feature this article wants to point out. Big organisations which operate in different countries have to study and analyse the culture of the place they would like to settle in, because culture is the key to be successful, increasing popularity and cash flows. These companies, such as McDonaldss, make use of the cross-cultural distance methods in order to evaluate all the cultural factors they could be running into and be prepared to overcome them easily with an effective strategy implementation. To sum up, these models are vital for a company which sets its investments outside the borders of its country and

the history of the internet :: essays research papers

Where would we find ourselves without the Web today? It provides us with a vast amount of information and communication. The world is accessible to us with a click of a button. Maps, stocks, chat and news can all be found in a matter of seconds. Things have greatly evolved from the home PC of the 1980’s - Commodore 64’s and IBM 8088’s, and a life of direct dialing into BBSs at all hours of the night. Every small town of the USA has Internet access; the world is interconnected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon dialing into your Internet service and launching your browser, you open up a gateway to a variety of information resources. One resource available to you is the portal, Yahoo!. Found at http://www.yahoo.com, this web site includes a plethora of selections, including chat. There are different ways of communicating with this feature. You may download Yahoo! Messenger, an application that works in conjunction with Yahoo! Chat web page. In chat, you can enter rooms of topics of your interest, such as sports, music, or business and speak with people all over the world. You don’t need to download any web browser plug-ins to access chat. You may still converse with people using the Yahoo! Messenger program.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yahoo! Messenger is one of many different instant-messaging programs out there. Similar applications such as ICQ or EGN can be used, but they are independent of any web portal, like Yahoo!. There are advantages and disadvantages to each program. No instant messaging service can communicate with any other. You have to have an account with the same service, as who you want to speak with. But incase you don’t know someone on the service, you can make friends by meeting people in chat rooms or random chat, set up by that particular service. Random chat gives you the ability to meet people, by random, based on what their interests are. Once you have acquired people on your contacts/friends lists, with multiple services (i.e.: friends on AOL/IM and friends on ICQ), you may want to look into downloading Universal Messenger. This program combines your lists of people, from the most popular programs you may have. These include ICQ, AOL/IM, Yahoo!, PowWow, and MSN Me ssenger. This saves on memory (RAM), so you don’t have to run each individual program on your home computer. You must know your logins and passwords for each service, when you first set up Universal Messenger.