About The Groningen Holland Netherlands Architecture Essay

The United States has a really diverse civilization. The lone people that can truly state they are from here, are people that can follow their lineage back to the Native Americans that were here long before the first colonists came to the new universe. Everyone in the United States can follow their lineage back to states all over the universe. Over the last few hundred old ages these civilizations have blended together to go what is now thought of as U.S. civilization. During this assignment I found that my ascendants are from Groningen, Holland or the Netherlands. â€Å" Groningen is the capital metropolis of the state of Groningen in the Netherlands † . The metropolis is the largest metropolis in the North of the Netherlands. In 1594 the metropolis joined the Spanish in the Eighty Years ‘ War, or the Dutch war of Independence, but subsequently switched sides to the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, besides known as the Dutch Republic. Groningen is home to the 2nd oldest university in the Netherlands. Groningen University was founded in 1614. In April of 1945, much of the metropolis was destroyed during World War II. The conflict lasted several yearss and came to be known as the Battle of Groningen. ( Wikipedia ) Recently the Swarthout household celebrated its 350th day of remembrance of its reaching in America. If your family name is Swartwout, Swarthout, Swartout, or Swartwood, you are likely descended from one Tomys Swartwout ( 1607-62 ) who brought his household to New Netherland in 1652. Tomys and his two brothers were born in Groningen, Holland. The three brothers were engaged in the baccy concern in Amsterdam in 1629, importing their merchandise from Virginia and New Netherland, the island of Manhattan, but merely Tomys settled in the New World, the other two staying in Amsterdam. During this period traveling your household all the manner to the New World was a great hazard. The household asked Tomys to travel to assist their concern as times were turning tough. Reluctantly, Tomys came to the New World with his household in hope of assisting his households baccy concern. Today in the Netherlands, the largest subsistence scheme used is industrialism. â€Å" The economic system, which is based on free endeavor, is extremely industrialised and efficient † . Petroleum refinement, machinery, chemicals, and building are merely a few of the taking industries. Agribusiness and gardening are two other important subsistence schemes. â€Å" The Netherlands exports nutrient and big Numberss of cut flowers and bulbs † . More than half of the universes flower exports are grown in the Netherlands. Although agribusiness and gardening employ less than five per centum of the labour force, these activities are important in bring forthing meats, cheeses, and other dairy merchandises that are sold to other states. Information engineering is another subsistence scheme that ca n't be ignored in the Netherlands. Recently a strong economic base has been developed around calculating, telecommunications, and biotechnology. This besides includes touristry and bank ing ( CultureGrams ) . With industrialism being the Netherlands strongest subsistence, many different engineerings are relied upon. Factories for fabrication, and all different types of machinery are used for treating natural stuffs and chemicals, such as crude oil. Technologies used for agribusiness include tractors, ploughs, combines, and many other specialised machines. None of these subsistence schemes would work without transit and communicating. The Netherlands has one of the best transit systems in Europe. â€Å" An efficient web of trains connects major and minor metropoliss † . Although most people own personal vehicles, the states six million autos makes traffic a serious job. Buss, trams, and subway systems are besides utilized in the part ( CultureGrams ) . Division of labour is seen in all subsistence schemes. The division of labour is really much skewed towards gender. â€Å" Women constitute merely 38 per centum of the labour force and frequently merely work portion clip † . One chief ground for this is the late entry of adult females into the work force because of the German business during World War II. Until late adult females needed their hubbies ‘ permission to come in into employments contracts. Within the atomic household, adult females are still seen to play the function of housewife, while the adult male is seen as the supplier and chief beginning of income ( Cultures ) . â€Å" The Netherlands is a unitary province governed by a cardinal organic structure. The political system is a parliamentary democracy every bit good as a constitutional monarchy. The queen has little political influence ; her function is mostly symbolic. Political power lies in the custodies of a cabinet of curates headed by a premier curate. The cabinet is accountable to the parliament, whose members are elected at four-year intervals. The Dutch Parliament consists of the First Chamber and the Second Chamber, which together constitute the legislative organic structure. The 2nd Chamber initiates new statute law. Its members are straight elected by the people. The legal age to vote is 18. The members of the Second Chamber are elected by relative representation, which leads to a great figure of political parties that together vie for 150 seats. The first Chamber either ratifies or rejects the new statute law proposed by the Second Chamber. Its members are elected by the members of the Pro-vinciale Staten. Each of the 12 provinces has a local regulating board ( Provinciale Staten ) whose chair is the commissioner to the queen, World Health Organization is appointed by the authorities for a life term. Its members are elected by the dwellers of the state. Commissioners and city managers are handpicked by the authorities for life footings † ( Culture ) . â€Å" The Dutch pride themselves on holding an advanced free market economic system that runs swimmingly † . In 1999, the labour force consisted of 7,097,000 individuals ; the unemployed numbered 292,000. The one-year gross national merchandise ( GNP ) amounted to 323 billion euros ( $ 373 billion ) in 1997. Two per centum of the Dutch population is employed in the extremely mechanised agricultural sector, 24 per centum are employed in the industrial sector, and 74 per centum work in the service industries. The Netherlands chief trading spouse is Germany. There are five classs that Dutch exports cab be divided into: agricultural merchandises, 15 per centum ; natural or enriched fuels, 6 per centum ; chemical merchandises, 17 per centum ; industrial merchandises, 12 per centum ; and machinery, 24 per centum † . Two-thirdss of Dutch exports go to five states: Germany, Belgium, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Those five merchandising spouses account for 61 per centum of Dutch imports ( Cultures ) . Catholics make up the largest fold in the Netherlands at approximately 30 per centum of the population. Reformed Protestants make up approximately 14 per centum followed by Dutch reformed at 7 per centum. The Muslim faith merely makes up approximately 4 per centum of the population. 40 per centum of the population are non spiritual or connected to a denomination. Small rural communities in the Dutch Bible Belt, which runs along the towns of Zierikzee, Dordrecht, Utrecht, Zwolle, and Assen, still have faith playing a major function in the ordination of people ‘s societal and cultural lives ( Culture ) . Traditionally, the northern and eastern parts of the state have been Protestant, while the South has been Catholic. The royal household belongs to the Dutch Reformed Church ( World Mark ) . Dutch people are free to take their partners and do so to the highest degree frequently out of love. The Dutch people do pattern endogamy though frequently get marrieding within the restraints of category, ethnicity, and faith. Monogamy is the lone signifier of matrimony allowed. â€Å" Same-sex twosomes can get married and hold the same rights as heterosexual twosomes † . The most common family unit is the atomic household. This consists of the male parent, female parent, and kids. It is a turning tendency to hold single-parent households, twosomes without kids, and single-person families. Extended household families are rare. The Dutch make a strong differentiation between relations by matrimony and relations by blood. â€Å" Consanquineal relations are considered more of import than are affine relations † . Financial and emotional support are normally directed to the closest family ( parents, kids, and siblings ) ( Culture ) . Soccer is the most popular athletics in the Netherlands. In 1988 the Dutch won the European association football title. Tennis, field hockey, swimming, seafaring, ice-skating, volleyball, badminton, and other athleticss are besides enjoyed. In old ages when the ice is thick, a day-long ice-skating race takes topographic point. The path encompasses Friesland ‘s 11 chief towns, many lakes, and parts of the sea. Equally many as 80,000 people participate ( CultureGrams ) . Dutch nutrient is wholesome and merely prepared. Seafood is widely eaten, particularly herring, which are traditionally lifted by the tail and dropped caput foremost into one ‘s overturned oral cavity. The Dutch breakfast is by and large a cold repast of chopped staff of life, meat, and cheese. In mundane life, the Dutch wear typical modern Western-style vesture for both formal and insouciant occasions. Traditional costumes including the wooden places can still be seen today near tourer attractive forces. D utch mythology is strongly linked to the sea and characters associated with it, such as mermaids and plagiarists. Many popular Dutch narratives, conundrums, and rites were suppressed over clip but some survived as portion of the state ‘s Christian traditions. The Dutch Father Christmas ( named, like the American Santa Clause, for Saint Nicholas ) is called Sinterklaas and has a dark-faced helper called Black Peter who is said to transport disobedient kids to Spain in a poke. â€Å" Many of the rites of transition that immature people undergo are spiritual rites, such as baptism, first Communion, verification, and matrimony † ( World Mark ) .

“How Jews Became White Folk” by Karen Brodkin Essay

In her book â€Å"How Jews Became White Folk†, Karen Brodkin examines the question of how Jews came to be regarded as White. She does this by first explaining how Jews were racially categorized prior to this time, and how they were considered to be inferior to the white race. Whiteness is and has always relied on continually renegotiated interpretations; that has more to do with ones social class rather than skin color. The argument that Brodkin presents is that the claim of whiteness are extended to certain races or ethnic groups at certain times, and that the past experiences of these groups cannot wipe away such indisputable social facts. Brodkin believes that the only way to successfully assimilate into the United States is by becoming â€Å"white†. What does it mean to be â€Å"white†? The history of the United States clearly â€Å"shows changing notions of whiteness to be part of America’s larger system of institutional racism.† (Brodkin, 1994). Being â€Å"white† has its advantages, just as it has its downfalls; I guess you can say it is a double edge sword. To be accepted into the dominant class one may have to shed part of their identity; yet, the rewards for doing this are not what one expects them to be. Yet, what is interesting is how the shift of Jews from being categorized from racial other, to not-quite-white, to white shows us how race in the United States has been constructed. She then goes on to insist that after WWII Jews had increasingly profited from the assortment of social policies set up to aid the rising middle class, like providing them with financial support to pay for their education and loans for houses from the Federal Housing Administration (Brodkin, 1994). She describes the G.I. Bill as â€Å"†the most massive affirmative action program in American history† (Brodkin, 1994). What we need to take into consideration is that these social policies were not extended in the same proportion to African Americans and Latinos. Both groups were denied loans to buy their houses and when they were approved for a loan, they would be approved for lesser amounts; therefore restricting them from living amongst â€Å"whites†. While Jews have in fact been successful in assimilating into the white America, others have not been successful. One example of this is Latino  immigrants, not because they don’t want to but rather it comes from bad past experiences. They are expected to assimilate, but at the same time they are denied legal status and even worst they face the change of being deported at any time. In addition, what many fail to understand is the Latinos, especially Mexicans and African Americans have a much different and unique role within the United States, quite different than Jews or Italians will ever have. To begin, those of us with Latino blood in us have a history that in one way or another originates from this land, something that no white person can claim. As a conquered people we will always remain a threat to whites. African Americans on the other hand were brought by force from another continent only to become slave labor and although their roots are in Africa; this is the only land they have ever known. How Jews Became White Folk does an excellent job at making the reader reflect these unique roles that we have had to take with our society, I would have wanted for Brodkin to elaborate a little more on the definition of whiteness. We can only make that conclusion on our own. Works Cited: Karen, Brodkin (1994). How Jews Became White Folks & What That Says About Race in America. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.

Arguing The Ethics Of Abortion Philosophy Essay

Arguing The Ethics Of Abortion Philosophy Essay According to Don Marquis, the majority of abortions are seriously immoral and should fall under the same moral category as killing innocent human adults. His central argument revolves around the idea that it is prima facie wrong to kill adult humans because doing so results in the victim’s loss of the value of its future. He concludes that it is therefore prima facie wrong to kill fetuses because it also results in a loss of a valuable â€Å"future life like ours.† However, Judith Thompson and Margaret Little are able to provide more reasonable arguments for what should be considered the most important factor in deciding how to deal with abortion. They may be more open-minded to abortion but do not feel as though abortion should always be permissible. After considering each argument, I have found that a woman’s right to have an abortion is determined by each situation and is simply a choice-which should not be taken lightly-that should be made solely by a pregna nt woman. Marquis simply fails to recognize that a woman has rights that can make abortion morally permissible upon declining to continue the extremely intimate period of gestation. Unlike Marquis, I believe abortion is not impermissible yet not always permissible either. Upon thorough inspection, I have found some flaws in Marquis’ argument. Marquis tries to argue that â€Å"personhood† is not the moral category in question with regards to the moral permissibility of abortion. But he claims that someone (the fetus) has a future like ours and therefore should not be deprived of such future. If personhood is irrelevant, then it is unclear that there actually is someone (a person) who can be deprived of such things. At one point Marquis even says that morally permissible abortions would be rare under his argument-unless they occurred early enough in pregnancy when a fetus is not yet a definite â€Å"individual.† So, is personhood important to him or not? What does he mean by â€Å"individual†? Further complications ensue from his argument. In addition to assuming that a fetus is not a person yet still has a right to life because with their death comes a deprivation of a future like ours, people who use Marquis’ argument could then argue that it is wrong to â€Å"kill† fertilized, but not yet implanted, eggs. Is it then wrong to use contraceptives because possible egg and sperm pairs (zygotes) are prevented from having a future like ours? Marquis says that the immorality of contraception cannot be argued for with his â€Å"future-like-ours† analysis because there is no identifiable subject that can suffer this loss. However, neither the potential person (fetus with a future-like-ours) or the possible person (zygote prevented by contraception) actually exist. Because of this, it becomes difficult to understand how a potential person can be a subject of harm anymore than a possible person can. Therefore, the question of existence is being asked here because it seems as if potential persons (and their futures alike) are only possible things, not actual existing things. If this is so, then is there really a subject of harm?

Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Employment Law - Essay Example Although a decentralized HR model has its advantages, the decentralized model creates loopholes for the abuse of power bestowed upon department heads by the system. According to a new employee in the HR department, the company faces a couple of challenges with regards to its HR practices in various departments.The most distinct of challenges are discrimination, code of conduct with reference to favoritism and employee relations. These challenges can be addressed using the guidelines set out by the Employment Law. This paper seeks to highlight the use of Issue, Rule, Application and Conclusion (IRAC) model of legal analysis. Issue: Ron is a potential candidate for recruitment at ABC Manufacturing Company but the head of the department he might wish to work in is bias against him because he is an amputee. This raises the question whether it is legal to deny such a candidate an employment opportunity due to his incapacitation.Rule: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal government department that is tasked with dealing with employment discrimination claims (Rothstein and Liebman 12). The United States constitution protects the rights of people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is enforced by the EEOC, which prohibits public and private employers from discriminating against people based on disability. The precedent set by the case involving Sutton vs. United Airlines Inc. saw the definition of the disability as ‘a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits an individual’s life activities’ (Rothstein and Liebman 18). According to the guidelines stipulated in the act, denial of a job opportunity should be based on merit, professional ability and competence (Rothstein and Liebman 20). Application: The ABC head of HR should consider the implications of these guidelines and legislation, and find an amicable solution to the problem that protects the interests of the company and is satisfactory to the subject. This is because the law clearly states that discrimination based on discrimination is illegal. Having a person who has a part of their arm missing from amputation in a maintenance department would contribute to the department’s inefficiency. Despite this obvious fact, the law that gives them the right of access to gainful employment without bias brought by their disability protects such an individual. Conclusion: Denying individuals an employment opportunity because they are disabled is illegal which is stipulated under ADA.It is arguably clear that Ron can not hold the same position that he held with his former employer because of the obvious incapacities brought by his condition. To avoid a damaging lawsuit against the company, Jim the maintenance department manager can be advised to decline Ron’s application based on other merits. The alternative is to offer Ron a job position that he can competently handle if he is qualified for that position. This will help pacify Ron and avert problems for the company, which could have long lasting and negative implications. Issue: Do Robb’s actions qualify to be regarded as sexual harassment under employment law? In ABC Manufacturing, the head of the comptroller department, Robb, is upset about Betty the purchasing department’s manager for dumping him in order to have a relationship with another employee. Robb contemplates making a complaint against Betty as a way of getting back at her for the dismissal. This raises the question whether this kind of behavior or sentiments towards other employees should be condoned.Rule: Under the EEOC guidelines, it is forbidden

Childhood Obesity in the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Childhood Obesity in the USA - Essay Example The World Health Organisation explains obesity as the accumulation of excessive or abnormal fat in the body. This excess fat is weakens ones health. The body mass index is pivotal in determining whether one is obese. A child is obese when he has weight above the normal weight estimated for his age and height. The World Health Organisation state that, in order to assess a child’s healthy weight, it is crucial to make a comparison basing on the weight of other children having a similar age and of the same gender. The centre of disease and control provide growth charts utilised by physicians in monitoring the growth of the child. The world health organisation state that children between the age of 2-19 who have a BMI greater or equal to 95thpercentile is obese (Who.int, â€Å"Childhood Obesity†). The American heart association fact sheet indicates that among children aged between 2-19, 1 out of 6 are obese. Statistics estimate that 17.8% of the obese population are boys, whereas, 15.9% of the obese population are girls. The figures quoted by the CDC illustrates that, the proportion of children between the ages 5-17 years considered to be obese has risen in 2008/2009 compared to 1973/1974. In 2009-2010, 16.9% children and adolescents in the states were obese. Statistics show that obesity is prevalent among boys than girls (CDC.gov, â€Å"NCHS data brief.†). There are varied reasons explaining the causes of obesity. The main cause is the unhealthy diet observed by many children coupled with low physical activity. Sedentary lifestyles such as watching TV, spending hours on mobile phone and plating video games are activities common among children of the 21 century. These activities have replaced active exercises such as swimming, playing ball or biking.

Corporate Investment Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Investment Banking - Essay Example The bank boasts of over 48 million customers in over 50 countries worldwide and the total asset portfolio is well over 2 trillion dollars making it the seventh largest bank in the world based on assets (Barclays, 2015). The bank has a rich history with its fundamental origin being traced back to 1690 a factor that makes it one of the leading financial institutions in the world (Barclays, 2015). The company’s mission statement is to help people achieve their ambitions in the right way and measure and reward the company’s employees not only on commercial results but on how they pursue the company’s values in their daily activities. The company looks to be a global power in terms of the financial services and products delivery to all its customers. The company announced a profit before tax of  £2,885m in 2014 that was a 29% increase from 2013 when it recorded  £2,233m (Barclays, 2015). The total income increased by 1% to  £8828M from the previous year. The com pany has been witnessing steady growth and is looking to diversify the different aspects of the company in different parts of the world to increase their level of income and sales. The bank attributes its success and extraordinary growth in the global market to the significant innovative strategies that the company has implemented over the years (Barclays, 2015).The company changed its organizational structure to offer better services and products to its customers in the different parts of the world. The cost of maintaining the previous structure were also considerably high and it adapted to a new structure that the company felt was sustainable and most of all good at service delivery.  

In sociology, why do we think of the work of Karl Marx as 'conflict Essay

In sociology, why do we think of the work of Karl Marx as 'conflict theory' - Essay Example However, this was first presented as an official theory by Karl Marx—who laid the groundwork for a number of social movements that would redefine history. From a sociological standpoint, what is meant when Karl Marx’s theory is referred to as a â€Å"conflict theory†? Usually, when one thinks of Karl Marx, he automatically conjures up thoughts of conflict theory. Why is this so? The reason is that—in some circles—Marx is thought to be â€Å"†¦the founder of conflict theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Henslin, 2007, pp. 28). Social conflict theory, is, in a nutshell, that in society, there are the rich and the poor—and that the rich are the powerful who usurp many of the resources and exploit the poor in order to gain more wealth. Marx’s theory was a wake-up call to the masses. For Marx, capitalism did not mean progress; rather, it was a scourge on the conscience of modern man, a man who was detached from the community and the communal struggl es surrounding him. Marx â€Å"†¦often saw social conflict as rooted in private ownership†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bartos and Wehr, 2002, pp. 40). The difference between the haves and the have-nots has always been a pressing social issue, becoming even more so when capitalism was the governing system. This is the kind of dominance that social theory rails against. Marx’s main idea was that the community should struggle together. The community should suffer together. ... Communist ideology gained popularity throughout the Cold War. Vladimir Lenin adopted the ideology as his own strategy to not only have the people contribute to the estate communally, but also to empower the economy of the Russian state. â€Å"Leninism was presented as the correct theory and practice of Marxism and as the theory of scientific communism, incorporating the dictatorship of the proletariat†¦Marx’s critique[s] were also reformulated as societal laws of development that fed into the study of class relations [and] production†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lowes, 2006, pp. 158). The notion that the working class was the one in control was the main staple of Communism. The people were the ones in control. â€Å"The working class had to ‘conquer’ its freedom under the flag of the Communist party† (Weitz, 1997, pp. 250). People did not own any possessions. No religious expression was allowed, and very strict laws of ethics were followed. Communism was an experim ent that failed—badly. Mann (2002) states, â€Å"Communist governments — many of them led by men trained in Moscow — are in command of nations ruling almost 800 million people† (pp. 115). There are still Communist countries existing today. â€Å"There remain at least some common features among the five remaining Communist states—China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam—although the differences between, for example, China and North Korea are enormous† (Brown, 2009, pp. 3). Many of the people in these countries subsist in squalor and have little economic or collective bargaining power. This is where socialism becomes an alternative option. Even though people may not like the idea of a Communist government, socialism

Environmental Problems, Climate Change and Global Warming Essay

Environmental Problems, Climate Change and Global Warming - Essay Example This essay discusses that there is a need for formulation of environmental ethics that can help us to understand and address the issues holistically. This may include first addressing the issues of systematic and institutional forms of developmentalism since they are the major contributing factors. This will create a sense of integrative approach to these issues thereby creating a good startup point for addressing the environmental problems. It is of crucial significance to give credit to the paradigm shift from Oil to Soil. This is quite beneficial since it leads to a sense of environmental consideration. It is crucial to understand that without the environment, there can be no resources like the oil. Again, with an unconducive environment, the benefits we derive from the environment will not help us that much. Therefore, it is important that when we derive benefits from the environment, including the oils, we should be conscious and considerate about the fate of the soil or the env ironment generally. It is true that many people in the industrialized countries always perceive issues touching on environmental considerations alongside developments as impractical or idealistic. This follows that they always lack a sense of environmental considerations following the majority of their operations. However, in order to deal with this, there should be policies in place that regulate industrial activities with regards to the emissions. In addition, there should be set environmental standards that should be met by those industrialized nations.

Anti-Drinking Campaign in the University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Anti-Drinking Campaign in the University - Essay Example This paper details why a total ban on alcohol cannot work citing developments that occurred during the American Prohibition era as a sample case study. Further, it explains the reasons why Community College Events should be factored in when controlling alcohol use. The next section mirrors on ways or methods which should be adopted to arrest the problem. The last section is conclusion and recommendations. This research proposal aims to achieve to a number of objectives. The overall objective is to demonstrate the importance of reducing and managing alcoholism in the University of Minnesota and how the budget of doing that can be reduced. Casaddy, Flora and Foote observe that community events are sometimes characterized by students and underage youths easily getting drunk because of availability of alcohol. About 50% of alcohol intake at community festivals is done by students or youth. These authors propose alcohol ban or restrictions in colleges or community events by curtailing sal es through policies such as ID checking or reducing the number of servings that are extended to individuals. This is their view ultimately minimizes access of alcohol by students. They further cite studies which shown that in an average event 50% those that are already intoxicated have 80% chance of buying more. Further, this kind of behavior sometimes brings about disruption, vandalism and other anti-social behaviors. In 2004 professional basketball, a number of these behaviors were witnessed with many drunken students throwing beer bottles and cups at players on the court. Thus measures such as stopping alcohol sales at some point are important in mitigating such occurrences.

Global Financial Crisis Essay Example for Free

Global Financial Crisis Essay The global financial crisis started to demonstrate its effects in the mid of 2007 and continued in 2008. Around the world a large number of the financial institutions collapsed, stocks fell and the entire world was under stress. The crisis unraveled in the USA, UK and then spread around the world. This meltdown of the financial systems will affect the lives of almost everyone around the globe. The genesis of the financial crisis was the collapse of the US sub-prime mortgages. Many people defaulted on their repayments of these loans. Basically, a sub-prime mortgage is a type of a loan made to borrowers who do not have a good credit history and are unable to qualify for the high interest rates in the market. It has a diversified product range from mortgages to car loans to credit cards. These loans started out in 2001 when the interest rates were historically lowest in US. At that time, the demand for the real estate was on high because of these low interest rates. The builders kept on investing in the construction of the houses even though the demand for property saw a decline after a while. Due to this huge boom, the property became so over valued that it saw the worse decline in prices in 2006 (University of Iowa, 2008). This made most of the investors and leaders became unwilling to refinance the sub-prime loans and were strict in their policies. This raised the interest payments which some of the investors were unable to afford. Hence more and more people stared defaulting. Around 3. 6 million home owners lost their homes due to the mortgage defaults. There have been around $100 billion worth of Sub-prime mortgage leans defaults from the low-credit worth people. At the same time, the world saw the world stock prices falling in most of the places which made large number hedge funds insignificant. This collapse in demand for the securities which were backing the sub-prime mortgages forced 90 of the firms into declaring bankruptcy (Acharya, 2007). These crises in the sub-prime mortgage and the declining world stock prices led to the global financial crisis in July 2007. Investors had also over indulged themselves in the sophisticated financial instruments such as the derivatives thinking they were reducing the risk associated with the assets. As people started earning money through it, they started taking more risk and hence earning more money. The real problem arose when the market turned towards speculative in nature. This means that with each loss the investor went with more risk to cover up the earlier losses and earn a higher profit. The financial instrument that the bank expected to will reduce its risk created the greatest problems for it. This is how the derivatives became a problem in the current world and one of the causes of the destruction of the banks around the globe (Shah, 2009). This shattered the confidence of the investors. People now did not want to buy the assets or securities but they wanted their money back. Therefore, this created a crisis situation for the investor confidence around the globe. The western economies were also affected by the process of securitization. It is a process by which the financial assets are backed by the real assets through the use of instruments such as the derivatives. The sub-prime mortgages were risky and under rated when compared in isolation but as soon as these loans were gathered together with other debts to diversify risk, they become more attractive and over-rated. Soon when the stocks fell in the international market, most of the securities lost their value. This caused a large deficiency in the capital of the banks and therefore, they were forced to tighten their credit policies around the world. For example: Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy on September 15, 2008. It was the largest bankruptcy filed in the US history because it held a major share of the assets in the US. Its share value had fallen to less than $1. The bank had given out excess amount of the sub-prime mortgage loans which were backed by securities but it had no way to pay back the depositors. It had started facing severe problems when the credit policy was tightened across the world. Sine they were refused to be bailed out, they had filed for bankruptcy with the US government. This had a direct effect on almost all the banks in the US and abroad that were holding the assets of the Lehman Brothers and hence this caused a ripple effect globally. The whole world was affected with the sub-prime mortgage defaults because the world is a global village now and all the businesses in it are inter-related with each other. The credit housing market had indirectly affected all the other markets around the globe. The lenders developed strict policies for the credit facilities and hence decreasing the consumer spending. Demand for the goods and services decreases, profits declines and hence less investment and production. This leads to the layoffs, less household income and therefore less consumer spending. Due to the financial crisis, it is estimated that approximately 80 million people could be forced to live in poverty. The developing economies will be experiencing slow growth rates due to the decline in the export demand. This is due to the diminishing demand of the goods and services globally (Hodgson, 2007). The world GDP is expected to grow at a rate of 0. 5% which is slowest since World War II. The global financial crisis that unraveled in 2007 did expose some serious flaws in the regulations internationally as well as domestically and the global financial system. The major cause of the global financial meltdown is the weak regulatory mechanisms, inadequate transparency, insufficient competition and poorly designed incentive structures. The banking system in the US is the most unregulated sector of the financial institutions. It could create and sell many diversified products making them look secure and attractive. When the loans were being given out, there was very little risk analysis being done and that also with the imprecise and inaccurate data and models. The strict regulation of the sub-prime mortgage and low interest loans would have reduced the chances of the financial meltdown. In the US there is no notion of a central bank that controls the other financial institutions such as the insurance companies, mortgage banks and banks. The US federal government preferred self regulation of the financial institutions under the rule of Chairman Alan Greenspan. This provided for the relaxed and simple environment where different institutions came together to produce and flood the market with sophisticated and diversified products and made them look very attractive and safe. The investors invested in these banks as they did not have the right information about the negative consequences which were never released. This type of policy does result in growth but at the same time it also results in mismanagement and less control. Most of the firms present in the world were resistant to bring any change in themselves which would otherwise have brought strong competition in the market. The people have now called for better regulation and reforms for the financial sector both internationally and domestically. They want the developing nations to have some voice in the formation of these policies and shaping up the global economy. The simple and well designed policies will be easy to implement. They will protect the financial institutions in the short run and bring innovation and diversification in the products in the long run. The most important is that the banking sector in the USA needs to be regulated heavily by a central bank. They should be regulated in a way that they have the minimum required amount of deposits. The Bank of England deputy governor Sir John Gieve suggests that the capital and the liquidity requirements for the bank should be increased and made stricter along with the tough restraints on the building up of the risk. At the same time, the loans should be made difficult to get in good times. These banks need to provide the investors with the adequate information when they are making their decisions. The rating agencies in USA as well as around the world must have stricter reforms and should be heavily regulated so that they properly rate the assets using appropriate models and data. It is also suggestive that there should be a single international rating agency that will rate the assets worldwide. The IMF and the World Bank reforms will play an important role in the future. They need to go about a structural change in their policies because their â€Å"one fit all solution† was a disaster for the developing economies. They had earlier realized that the financial crisis in the developed world will sweep into the developing world and harm it further. Even then they were unable to find a clear solution. Therefore, they need to change their policies and must include the say of the poorer nation while making the new policies. The international bodies and the banks need to be more transparent in their operations and the enforcement of policies so that there no further objections rose to it (Shah, 2009). References Shiller, R. J. (2008) The Sub-prime Solution, Princeton University Press.Fraser, D. , Gup, B. , and J. Kolari (2007) Commercial Banking: The management of risk, John Wiley Sons, Australia. Heffernan, S. (2005) Modern Banking, John Wiley Sons, Chichester, England. Koch, T. and S. Scott MacDonald (2003) Bank Management, Thomson South Western, OH45040, USA. Laeven, L. and F. Valencia (2008) Systemic Banking Crises: A New Database, International Monetary Fund, Washington. Rose, P. (2002) Commercial Bank Management, McGraw Hill Irwin, Boston. Faber, Marc. Gloom Doom economist: credit crunch will spread. CNBC 19 May. 2008. Nazar, Yousuf, â€Å"The fall of US financial capitalism. † Dawn 22 September. 2008. Acharya, M. (2007) Credit crunch – the big picture, The Star, http://www. thestar. com/article/247510 [retrieved on Mar 05, 2009] CNBC, (2007) Gloom Doom Economist: Credit Crunch Will Spread, http://www. cnbc. com/id/24703745 [retrieved on Mar 05, 2009] Credit Crunch, (2007) Crunch Time for Credit? An Inquiry into the State of the Credit System in the United States and Great Britain, http://www. creditcrunch. co. uk/home/article. php? story=20070905083913327 [retrieved on Mar 05, 2009] HM Government, http://www. realhelpnow. gov. uk/credit-crunch-causes-why. php [retrieved on Mar 05, 2009] Hodgson, A. (2007) Global credit crunch: turbulences and outlook, Euro monitor international, http://www. euromonitor. com/Global_credit_crunch_turbulences_and_outlook [retrieved on Mar 05, 2009] Nazar, Y. (2008) The fall of US financial capitalism, Dawn, http://www. dawn. com/2008/09/22/ebr1. htm [retrieved on Mar 05, 2009] Gieve, J (2008) Speech, John Gieve: the credit crunch and the UK economy, http://www. bis. org/review/r080924e. pdf [retrieved on Mar 05, 2009]

Hangzhou Wahaha Food Group Management Essay

Hangzhou Wahaha Food Group Management Essay In the global market today, culture has gradually seeped into our daily lives. People can no longer work within their own comfort zone, but the current business markets requires a need to step out of peoples comfort zone to explore the wonders of cross cultural working culture. Like a coin, Culture has its flip side though it has been considered as one of the main factors in shaping and accounting for successful business attempt. However, culture has always been considered a sensitive topic among people, companies and even the nations. In the recent years, many multi-national companies have not yet grasp the culture of the country which they are operating or selling their products in. By using case studies of Danone Vs Wahaha and Renault Vs Nissan in our research, we attempt to compare the vast differences in national culture between France, China and Japan using Geert Hofstedes 6 dimensions of defining and interpreting culture. In 1996, Chinas Hangzhou Wahaha food group, Frances Danone group and Hong Kongs Bai fu qin corporation decided to form a joint venture named Wahaha. In this joint venture, Danone attempted to enter the china market using Wahaha brand that is well-received by the Chinese. However, problems started to arise when Danone become the biggest shareholder in 1998; thus producing resentment from the Chinas Wahaha group as they felt that Danone has misled them from the very beginning. To worsen the problem, Hangzhou Wahaha food group that is managed by Chairman Zong was accused of breaching the contract by establishing non-joint ventures which have infringed the interest of Danone, claiming that the Hangzhou Wahahas establishment of the nonjoint ventures as well as the illegal use of the Wahaha trademark has violated the clause started in the contract. After which Wahahas Chairman Zong was sued into courts by Danone in California and Italy, he further created a series of small companies produc ing the same products as the joint venture. The Wahaha Vs Danone case has significantly depicted a dispute between ownership rights. If reading were done further in depth, conflicts between Danone and Wahaha may be caused by unawareness of the cross cultural differences between France and China. Nissan Vs Renault Nissan, a Japanese company and Renault, a French company have decided to come together to work on a joint project. Both companies were well known for their distinct corporate cultures and brand identity. The joint project was formed as both companies shares a single joint of strategy for profitable growth and community of interest. However, Nissans management style strongly encouraged group performance while the Renault focuses on individual performance. Communication between the top management and employees were not clear and direct, therefore resulting in misunderstanding within the company. The conflict arises between the 2 partners was due to Nissans employees assumed that Renault was another company similar to them by encouraging group performance. However, Renaults management style belongs to a much more individualistic approach, making the Nissans employees felt uncomfortable of having the feeling of losing their family atmosphere. Communication between the Nissan employees and Renault employees broke down; Nissan did not understood what were Renaults main objectives and their company goals in their partnership with Nissan. Some of the Nissans managers felt frustrated and opposed to the entry of Renault representative on Nissans board. The managers were old employees, and they felt that employees should be promoted according to their seniority instead of individual performance. The breakdown of communication is also caused by the differences in their language. With such a significant difference in their management style, there is a need in cross cultural awareness f or the business joint venture to be a successful one. Geert Hofstedes 6 dimensions According to Geert Hofstedes cultural research studies, he has interpreted that culture can be classified into 6 different dimensions; Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism Vs Collectivism, Masculinity Vs Femininity, Long term orientation Vs Short term orientation. The table below shows the different scores allocated to the different dimensions for France, China and Japan France China Japan Power Distance 68 80 54 Uncertainty Avoidance 86 30 92 Individualism Vs Collectivism 71 20 46 Masculinity Vs Femininity 43 66 95 Long Term Orientation Vs Short term Orientation 39 118 80 ** INSERT THE VALUES MEANING Power Distance Power distance deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal it expresses the attitude of the culture towards inequalities among us. Power distance can be defined as to the extent to which the less powerful expects and accepts that power is distributed unequally. (Geert Hofstede,2001 ) In comparison of France, China and Japan, China belongs to a society where the people believes that inequalities is acceptable where there is a presence of a powerful employer-subordinate relationship which the subordinate will abide by all rules and regulations set by the employer. France on the other hand may be prone towards a more hierarchical organization system where the attitude towards managers are more formal. Japan belongs to a more hierarchical society where the Japanese should be conscious of their hierarchical position in any situations. All decisions made must be confirmed by each level of the management and finally by the top management. Individualism Vs Collectivism In the dimension of Individualism Vs Collectivism, Individualism can be identified as the high degree of independence a society maintains among its members. It relates to peoples self image in terms of I while Collectivism can be identified to be the opposite. In a individualist society, people tends to only look after themselves and their direct family only while a collectivist society consists of people belonging to a group that takes care of them in exchange for their loyalty.(Geert Hofstede,2001) Comparing the 3 countries, there is a significant difference; China belongs to a highly collectivist country where people act at an interest of a group. In this norm, personal relationships prevail over the task and company. However in France, there is a certain degree of independence a society maintains among its members. The French prefers individual and private opinions and work relationships between the employer and employees are contract based where everyones focus is on the task itself. Communication within a individualist company would be direct where everyone can give their opinions freely if they do not agree. Referring back to the Nissan Vs Renault case, it has clearly shown that Renault (France) encouraged a more individualist approach by promoting individual initiatives and hoped that the employees are promoted through individual performance. Direct contacts between the top management and employees were encouraged in their individualistic approach. Japan similar to china belongs to a highly collectivist society, this can be shown through putting their harmony of group above the expression of individual opinions and the Japanese have a strong sense of shame for losing face. In the Nissan Vs Renault case, Nissans employees feel that it is important to have a family atmosphere in their working environment. The managers of Nissan felt frustrated and opposed to the entry of Nissan as they felt that promotions should be done according to seniority, not individual performance. This clearly shows that Nissan (Japan) belongs to a collectivist society. Masculinity Vs Feminity Masculinity Vs Feminity is another dimension where we can infer that a masculine society will be driven by competition, achievement and success. It is a value system that starts in the school and continues throughout organizational behavior. On the contrary, a feminine society will be driven by caring for others and quality of life. It is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. (Geert Hofstede, 2001) In China, Leisure time to the Chinese is not as important compared to the status and better salaries. Such examples can be found in students as they care very much about their exam scores and ranking as the main criteria to achieve success or not. France belongs to a relatively feminine society. It may be due to their famous welfare system, securità © sociale where the French are only required to work 35 working hours per week and entitled to 5 weeks of holidays per year. France cares greatly for their quality of life and focuses more on work in order to live the reverse. Competition in the working environment is usually not encouraged and flashy signs of success should not be shown in the public. In the Renault Vs Nissan case, Nissan is shown to be treated males and females equally. Some of the female employees were offered several managerial positions in the company. Japan, a total opposite from France has a highly masculine culture. It is usually shown through competitive situations between groups, not individuals. Their famous workaholism is also another expression of their highly masculine culture. In Japan, women find it difficult to climb the corporate ladder due to their masculine norm of hard and long working hours. Contrasting Renault in the case study, Nissan belongs to a masculine company which managerial positions are only offered to the male employees, not the female workers. Uncertainty Avoidance Uncertainty avoidance has to do with how the society deals with the fact that their future will not be known. The unknown elements will bring about ambiguity and different cultures will react to the ambiguity in different ways. The uncertainty avoidance can be defined as the extent to which the members of a culture feels threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these. (Geert Hofstede, 2001) The high degree of ambiguity can be seen from the Chinese as their language is often full of ambiguity that can be seen as confusing for the westerners. It is shown that the Chinese are comfortable with ambiguity and seen to be adaptable and entrepreneurial. 70%-80% of Chinese businesses tend to be small to medium sized and family owned. France on the other hand tends to have their teachings and training done in a deductive approach. In the management level, rules and securities are ensured to create a stress free working environment and a certain level of expertise are welcomed. A change of policies can also be seen as a stressful event. Japanese is one of the few countries that have the highest uncertainty avoidance score. It may be due to the fact that Japan is constantly threatened with natural disasters such as earthquake, volcanoes eruptions that most Japanese are always prepared in any kind of situations. In the business environment, a lot of time and effort are put into feasibility studies and all the risk must be worked out before the project can proceed. Long term Vs Short term orientation In the Long term Vs Short term orientation, a long term orientation can be seen closely related to teachings of Confucius and can be separately interpreted as dealing with societys search for virtue. Long term orientation can be defined as the extent to which a society shows a pragmatic future orientated perspective while Short term orientation shows a conventional historical short term point of view. (Geert Hofstede, 2001) China belongs to a long term orientated society whereby persistence and perseverance is seen to be normal. The Chinese are thrifty and tends to invest in long term projects such as real estate. They also recognized that the government is by men rather than being influenced by external factors such as god or the laws. France on a contrary is a short term oriented society; there is a great respect towards traditions, cultures and their language. In business related issues, the French tends to focus on short term results and therefore, companies are usually driven by quarterly results. They do not focus on saving and the management style is based on self-reliance, personal achievement, hard work and managers are judged based on short term results. In Japan, people lives their lives guided by virtues and good examples in life. There is a hint of long term orientation in the constantly high rate of investment in RD, even through difficult times. This is all done for the sake of a steady growth for market share instead of a quarterly profit, thus increasing the durability of the company, serving the stakeholders and the society for many generations to come. From the graph above, it has shown that the cultural differences between France and China is distinctly difference in terms of their power distance, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty avoidance and Long term orientation. With that significant difference, there is furthermore a need to focus on the awareness of cross cultural differences between the 2 country in order for the joint venture between Wahaha and Danone to be a successful one. By relating back to the case study, Danone, the French company may not understand the ambiguity in how the Chinese operates in Wahaha and may misinterpreted their good intentions. Likewise, for Hangzhou Wahaha, it is founded by the Chairman Zong who started the company from a small company which may be very much more family-owned. Chairman Zong may not have a vast understanding of how international joint ventures works and can end up leading to bigger misunderstanding and conflicts which results in the failure of the joint venture or business at tempts. Given an example from the case study; Zhang Cheryl(2001) stated that the interpretation of losing control is different between the western society and china. In the western society, the meaning of losing control may not be treated at a personal level. However, losing control in china is equally be meant as losing face, and losing face in this case study would refers to losing the power to make decisions which puts Chairman Zong of Wahaha in a disrespectful situation among his employees. Wahaha therefore insist to runs normally in their daily operations in order to keep their face. To worsen the situation, Wahaha perceived it was losing face when Danone established other IJVs with their competitors resulting in Wahaha being less motivated to settle their conflicts and disputes between each other. From the case study, we have seen how important cross cultural awareness is important in shaping and cultivating a good business attempt. In comparison of France and Japan, there is still a significant difference in the 6 dimension index from Hofstedes theory. In the Nissan Vs Renault case study, the difference in management style, breakdown of communication, different cultural values and language barrier are factors which may have caused a conflict between the 2 companies. One of the major problems may be the different management style; where Nissan is prone to work in a family like atmosphere. However, Renault focus on individual performance where individual employees only cares about their own results. Nissan can also be seen as a more masculine society which managerial positions are only offered to male employees while Renault treats all employees as it can be shown that several managerial positions were taken up by female employees. In such a different cultural environment, it is important that both companies should have cross cultural awareness for the business venture to be successful. Importance of national culture As discussed above, The analysis and evaluation between Danone Vs Wahaha and Renault Vs Nissan (France, Japan China), we have identified and come to an understanding that both companies have failed to understand and account for each partys culture thus leading to main issues such as communication breakdown, management problems and conflicts. Previously where this essay has analyzed and critically evaluated the two different case studies of Danone Vs Wahaha and Renault Vs Nissan (countries France, China and Japan), what we have identified is that that both companies have failed to understand and account for each others culture because of the failure to do so, main issues like communication breakdown, management problems and conflict happens. It is therefore crucial for large multinational companies to be exposed to the different international cultural differences as in their daily operations they are exposed to multiple national cultures. This suggests that managing across borders introduces substantial complexity because it forces multinationals to attune their practices and approaches to each and every cultural context they operate in. In the previous section, Geert Hofstedes 6 dimensions index were discussed to evaluate the two case studies. It has shown that each country would have its own significant difference from the 6 dimension index from Hofstedes theory. Failure to appreciate and account for them can lead to issues like strain relationships between employees and employers or between stakeholders, communication breakdown between management team and drag down business performance. Each country has a unique cultural perspective and approach to certain situations and hence it is important for companies to strive to understand and support relevant programs or strategies in each region. However, based on Geert Hofstedes research on national culture, he has demonstrated that organizations can no longer ignore the impact of national cultures on organizations cultures particularly for multinational companies. It is also clear that in the current times, the implementation of positive organizational cultures and effectively merging of national cultures into organizational culture is critical for positive business performance and outcomes. Newman Nollen (1996) state that there is no one best way to manage a business. Differences in national cultures call for differences in management practices. One of their conclusions also states the importance of the congruence between management practices and the national culture should be in harmony in order to produce better performance outcomes, therefore pinpointing in another way the importance of cultural differences. Therefore, the management team of a company should pay extra attention to national cultural differences as it may influence the effectiveness of the strategies and decisions that the company makes. In addition, it may also affect the managers management style too. Therefore as a start, multinational companies should understand and be aware of the different types of national culture as well as adopting a fitting organizational culture themselves to account for international culture differences towards their employee, employers and well as their customers. Organizational Culture Greenberg and Baron (1997) define organizational culture as a cognitive framework consisting of attitudes, values, behavioral norms, and expectations. These values stated have a strong influence on employees behaviors, thinking, and behavioral patterns. For example, if a company is in the international business industry, having a culture that encourages diversity and adaptability will support its performance. In turn, the employees behaviors and thinking may be affected overtime and will react positively to diversity within their company and welcome it. In current times, companies operate in an increasingly complex and global environment where they are conducting more and more business in foreign countries. Apart from serving a global diverse marketplace, multinational companies would also consists of a diverse staff. As such, companies are faced with the challenge of managing a culturally diverse workforce. Martin (1992) and Goffee and Jones (1996) also demonstrates that strong cultures exist where employee values are unified and aligned to the values of the organization hence creating a sense of belonging and loyalty toward the company. Organizational culture is also an effective control mechanism for managing employee behavior. Therefore, this is a need for an organizational culture that fits to the needs of the company and its employees. Influence of Organizational culture Organizational culture shapes the way people do business, the way they do things varies across different countries. As such, same organizations of different national origins may have to do things differently and bearing in mind the culture of the nation or origin in which they operate. This certainly impacts on policies, communication strategies, organizational structure, human resources, recruitment and retention. Organizations particularly multinational companies can therefore no longer afford not to consider the national origins of countries where there operate and the degree to which the national cultures of these origins affect organizational culture when doing business. Organizational culture precedes employee behavior. Managers have the ability to influence and manage organizational culture. When this is done effectively, employees will too express those values positively through their behavior. To elaborate, if a typical organization has an extensive range of people who have international differences, the company would then need to foster a cultural diversity culture among its employees to create a mutual respect for the different cultures. This also in turns enables their employees to reach their full potential. The company should also portray the cultural diversity aspect of the organization in their mission statement. Edgard Scheins Three Levels of Culture Apart from Geert Hofstedes 6 dimensions of defining culture, there is another famous culture theorist, Edgard Schein that devotes all his effort into comparing and identifying the organizational cultural differences. According to Edward Schein(1992), Organizational learning, development, and planned change cannot be understood without considering culture as the primary source to change. Schein has categorized culture into 3 different levels: Artifacts, Espoused Values, Basic assumptions and values. Three Levels of Culture (Schein, 2004, Organizational culture and leadership, 27) Schein defined that culture is first seen through artifacts such as visual organizational structures or tangible items. Underlying artifacts is the values such as strategies, goals and philosophies. The core of the 3 levels would be assumptions such as taken for granted beliefs, perceptions, thoughts and feelings through experience. Applying Scheins 3 levels of defining culture into Wahaha Vs Danone and Nissan Vs Renault case studies, a person would first judge a person through tangible and visible elements. In Nissan Vs Renault case study, the Japanese employees from Nissan first perceived Renault as a company from France with elements such as language, or even particular dress codes from the French employees. Underlying that judgment through visible elements would be espoused values such as how the organization represents itself through official statements or philosophies present in the company. In Renault, the common culture within the employees is that the top management focus on individual performance and everyone is equal to vie for the managerial position. Vice versa for Nissan, the common culture within the company would be Family first mantra which promotes the family-like atmosphere in the company. With the diverse differences between the 2 companies, conflicts would arise when the 2 companies espoused values are not aligned with one another. Lastly, the core element would be the shared basic assumptions which are usually deeply integrated into the culture and usually unconscious, thus people find it difficult to identify from within. Edgar Schein argues that the different cultures which people belongs can affect the different assumptions we would make about a particular situations based on our own values. According to the Wahaha Vs Danone case study, the assumption of losing face to Danone was nothing close to personal; however Wahaha views losing face as a disrespect among the employees. Such situations would cause a dispute between both companies who has diverse differences in their national culture. From the previous case studies from Wahaha Vs Danone and Nissan Vs Renault where they are example of companies that have failed to grasp the culture of the country and to adopt a fitting organizational culture. Now, using a case study on Google in our research, we will attempt to evaluate how Google makes use of national culture and their organizational culture to account and shape for international differences using Edgard Scheins Three Levels of Culture theory. Google Google is a worldwide company that has strong practices in diversity. Google culture revolves around their mission: to organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible and useful. (Corporate Information, 2011) Google consists of a diverse staff, and supports a variety of cultural norms. Through this cultural norm, Google encourages and supports the diversity of its contacts and employees. Diversity is an essential component of the culture and business at Google. Google has employees that speak many languages to cater to the diversity of their consumer base. In fact more than half of the results Google provides to its customers are outside of the United States (Corporate Information, 2010). Diversity is distinguishable in all parts of Google such as their employees, offices, products, and customers. Therefore, when employing people from different cultural backgrounds, companies may benefit from generating a unified organizational culture. Googles Culture As Google consist of a diverse staff group, it shows the importance of having a strategically appropriate culture, a culture which will fits the needs of the organization, its employees and the marketplace. At Google, we dont just accept difference we thrive on it, we celebrate it, and we support it for the bene ¬Ã‚ t of our employees, our products, and our community. (Google Annual Report, 2010) Google has embraced diversity and integrated it into their culture and into their core culture statement. The manifestations of Googles culture are analyzed by evaluating the artifacts at Google (Gagliardi, 1992). Through looking at the various aspects of Google, it is shown that Google has an integrated and informal culture (Martin, 1992), which comprises of four key elements. Mission Innovation Fun Reward Using Edgard Scheins Three Levels of Culture, it is first defined and seen through the artifacts such as visual organizational structures or tangible items. Google supports diversity of norms in each office by utilizing local expressions of each location, from a mural in Buenos Aires to ski gondolas in Zurich, showcasing each offices region and personality (Corporate Information, 2010). One of the key aspects of Googles culture is that they promote communication between the employees. Googles office and cafes are designed to encourage interactions between employees within and across teams, and to spark conversation about work as well as play. Social interactions stimulate knowledge and learning breakthroughs. Without communication, there is no way to express thoughts, ideas, manage differences and feelings. Communication plays an important role in keeping and maintaining values and relationships necessary to keep the system of the organisation united. The next level of culture would be the exposed values which are the strategies, goals and philosophies. Daft (2003) stated that managing a global environment requires managers to have the ability to manage change through innovation and creativity. Therefore, the employees in Google are motivated to contribute their suggestions and ideas. Most of Googles work are project based hence employees are required to team up and pursue the project. The team may consist of a diverse group of members. Through the concept of a group project, members would then need to learn to accept one another and work together. This enhances the communication between Googles employees and hence they share a unified common goal and vision. As Google consists of a diversity of staff and most of the work is project based, conflicts are bound to happen between the employees. Therefore, conflict management between employees and respect for cultures must be structured and organized for the many cultures and diversities. This notion requires much research, training, and awareness to be spread throughout the company. One strategy that Google implement is to create awareness of international differences is by organizing national cultural events such as The 6th Sense: Diversity Week in India and Diwali and Google Mela to develop cultural intelligence to the employees and international cultural competence. Cultural intelligence integrates the three interrelated elements of knowledge, mindfulness, and behavioral skills. International cultural competence goes in depth to a complex skill that make use of cognitive, affective, and behavioral learning to effectively engage in successful cross-cultural relationships. The purpose of these cultural events is that the employees would generate a culture-specific understanding of the other and positively regard of the other. Through these events, it will groom and educate the employees on cultural awareness. During such events, Googles employees are able to interact and appreciate each others culture; consequently, an accommodating culture and organizational behavior is then established within the organization. The next level of culture would be the assumptions such as taken for granted beliefs, perceptions, thoughts and feelings through experience. Googles employees are passionate and self-motivated, and the company empowers them to a certain degree to make responsible decisions. Therefore, employees could get the opportunity to innovate and unleash their imagination and ideas. After analyzing all of Google culture characteristic, using Deal and Kennedy model of organizational culture (Deal and Kennedy, 1982), Google most likely falls into the work hard/play hard culture. Characteristics of the culture include high levels of activity and where employee has to take few risks. We have identified that most of the work that Googles employees faced are project based and employee have the freedom of choice to complete their project in any way they would like. Another characteristic of this culture includes ensuring that quality accompanies the high levels of activity. Google integrates the concept of the 70-20-10 Rule where they are encouraged using 70 percent of their working time on central business functions, 20 percent on related business functions, and 10 percent on areas entirely of their own choice (Google Corporate Information, 2012). In addition, due to stiff competition the employees are also passionate and motivated to develop one by continuously contr ibuting ideas, suggestions to potential profit gaining activities though their meetings. Through the concept of organizational culture on how they are establish and

Beta Particles :: essays research papers

Aim: I will investigate how the field strength varies the deflection of Beta Particles. Preliminary Work I started my preliminary work because, when I started my measurements using 2 coils used in experiments to deflect electrons from and electron gun. While testing for the deflection of beta particles, I found that beta radiation was scattered in a very large cone, I can not get any readings with amount of beta radiation scattering. So I would have to construct some type of shielding for this investigation, this is so I can measure the deflection more easily. The angle at which the beta particles are being scattered is 48o. Deciding on the Type of Shielding I will test for the best shielding. The best properties of the shield will be; it can be malleable to form different shapes and can be punctured, can stop radiation at a small thickness. Equipment Strontium 90 beta source GM tube + counter Different thickness of different metals Clamps, bosses and clamp stand to hold the source and the material being tested. Method 1. Set-up equipment as in the diagram 2. Record the thickness and the material being used. 3. Record 5 readings of the radiation count, and record them in a table 4. Replace material being tested with different material or a different sized material. 5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 as required. Results The background radiation reading is 2, 4, 6, 4, 5, 2. The average count is 3.8 (1dp). Conclusion This shows that aluminium stops radiation at 3.5 mm, this would be difficult to use because, this thickness of Aluminium is not malleable and the aluminium is not soft enough to puncture. Lead can stop radiation at very thin thickness', also lead is very malleable and is soft enough to puncture. I will use Lead shield at 0.6mm thick, since it is the most abundant thickness' available and it is the easiest to form to any shape I want. Deciding how the shielding can be used. I want to have a tight beam of beta particles in this investigation, so I will use my knowledge on what would be the best way to shield the source. An unshielded source The source is unshielded and has beta particles spreading out. Angle Theta is the angle which the beta particles are scattered through. The path of the beta particles is not a straight line, but a curve because the beta particle are deflected by the moles in the air. The points A B are the furthest points where beta ration is detected.

Free Candide Essays: Politically Incorrect :: Candide essays

The Politically Incorrect Candide    Candide is a story that should be added to every canon in literature. It is a story that addresses issues about human nature that other stories choose to ignore.   It addresses issues such as human nature, optimism, and religion and state.   These elements give an insight and a perspective that readers do not usually get in every day literature.   These elements are controversial, but from an honest point of view.   Voltaire never tries to be politically correct – he tells it like it is or at least tells it like he sees things.   Not only does Voltaire address the ignorance of mankind, but also he directly challenges the integrity of the church and state.   This, in Voltaire's day and often times in modern days, can prove to be quite dangerous. Through all of this, Voltaire sternly opposes many issues of religion and state.   Because of these dangerous issues, Voltaire was forced to deny his writing of Candide.   By Voltaire's death in 1778, Candide had climbed to fifty editions and became the best seller of the eighteenth century. (pg.11 Weitz)         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of the conflict prevalent in the story of Candide, it makes this story a good topic for discussion in a classroom setting.   There is much debating that can be done over many topics.   The range of offensive topics in Candide is sure to strike a nerve in every one in some way, shape or form.   Or, at least bring up issues valuable enough for discussion. Candide is a story the students, in some parts can relate to, and possibly in other parts be offended by.   It is a novel that by all means should be read by every one to experience a perspective that is none too often revealed in literature especially in the day that Voltaire wrote Candide. Free Candide Essays: Politically Incorrect :: Candide essays The Politically Incorrect Candide    Candide is a story that should be added to every canon in literature. It is a story that addresses issues about human nature that other stories choose to ignore.   It addresses issues such as human nature, optimism, and religion and state.   These elements give an insight and a perspective that readers do not usually get in every day literature.   These elements are controversial, but from an honest point of view.   Voltaire never tries to be politically correct – he tells it like it is or at least tells it like he sees things.   Not only does Voltaire address the ignorance of mankind, but also he directly challenges the integrity of the church and state.   This, in Voltaire's day and often times in modern days, can prove to be quite dangerous. Through all of this, Voltaire sternly opposes many issues of religion and state.   Because of these dangerous issues, Voltaire was forced to deny his writing of Candide.   By Voltaire's death in 1778, Candide had climbed to fifty editions and became the best seller of the eighteenth century. (pg.11 Weitz)         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of the conflict prevalent in the story of Candide, it makes this story a good topic for discussion in a classroom setting.   There is much debating that can be done over many topics.   The range of offensive topics in Candide is sure to strike a nerve in every one in some way, shape or form.   Or, at least bring up issues valuable enough for discussion. Candide is a story the students, in some parts can relate to, and possibly in other parts be offended by.   It is a novel that by all means should be read by every one to experience a perspective that is none too often revealed in literature especially in the day that Voltaire wrote Candide.

Home â€Schooled or Not to Be? Essay -- essays papers

Home –Schooled or Not to Be? Most parents hear the word â€Å"home-school† and conjure up many assumptions that are either false or overlooked at. The technology provided, as well as the teaching quality spent on home-schooled children requires a lot of time and effort from the parents; it is an act of dedication and total commitment. According to the Robinson Curriculum, the parents have â€Å"little personal time or time alone. If care is not taken to set aside time for yourself, it is easy to never have time alone. They are basically with their [children] 24/7† (The Robinson Curriculum). There are many positives as well as the negatives outlooks pertaining to â€Å"sheltering† kids from attending private or public schools. Many adults are supportive of home-schooling because they feel a sense of corruptness in the school’s institution, and therefore want to instill their own morals into their kids. As for the parents who are against home-schooling, they state that the lack o f skills to socialize is a draw-back from letting their children grow as individuals, and feel tat it will conflict with how they mingle in society in their near future. What does home-schooling a child mean? Home-schooling means educating a child with the necessary equipments to knowledge the kid with factual school-related information. These information usually parallels that of which many other public and private schools also teach. The only big difference is that the child is being educated at home in the surroundings of his/her comfort and where a parent plays the role of a teacher. There is no right or wrong way to be home-schooled. Each â€Å"parent will discover his/her teaching style and their children’s learning style† (Perrault) through the proces... ...t/USAtodayTechnology.asp 5.Perrault, M. (2003, December). Advantages for homeschooling. Retrieved September 26, 2004, from http://www.angelfire.com/pa/sergeman.issues/education/find.html 6.Shimshock, K. (2003, February). The impact of Technology on a Home Schooled Education. Retrieved September 26, 2004 7.The Robinson Curriculum (2004). Home-schooling Problems/Needs. 31(56) Retrieved October 3, 2004 from http://www.robinsoncurriculm.com/view/rc/s31p.56.htm 8.The Learning Center (2003) Reading and Learning- The Benefits for Home- schooling. Retrieved October 3, 2004 from, http://www.homeschool.com/articles/computers 9.The Journal of Education (1999). Retrieved October 8, 2004. pp. 350-351 10. Williams, L. (1996-1998). Homeschooling and Computers. Retrieved September 26, 2004, from http://www.oakmeadow.com/resources.articles.HSComputers.htm

Critical Analysis of Frustration Essay

The concept of this story is that war can never be justified through self-righteousness. That is, if a person is trying to start a war because he thinks himself to be better than his target, there is no just reason for him to do it. Most, if not all, wars are primarily begun by one man believing himself to be better than is target. This is proven through the history of Rome and other nations. But what makes war justified? Is there ever a reason to destroy another’s life? The answer is no. Starting a war can never be justified. This story proves that. In â€Å"Frustration† a man is trying to find proof that a justified war is indeed possible. His advanced technology allows him to run through computer simulations which, in theory, would find a series of events that would make this man’s war, right. The main issue that is brought up is that a computer, in itself, lacks self-righteousness, meaning that it places a much higher value on human lives than the average human does. But how does this make any difference? Humans naturally believe that they are in some way better than each other. If a man thinks that he is better than another man than what is to stop him from attempting to subdue and enslave the lesser man? It is this self-righteousness, unchanged by generations, that causes all wars. All through that ages humanity has stayed the same in their behaviors and characteristics. This story implies this even at the very beginning of it. â€Å"The whole meal has been prepared by computer. Untouched by human hands†. With these words we know that this story takes place in the future. Herman Gelb, the main protagonist in the story, is at a meeting ith the computer programmer Peter Jonsbeck. Immediately the conversation is turned upon the activities of old man Hargrove, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Herman is intrigued by the fact that Hargrove is intent on finding a war that is justifiable and efficient. At questioning this, Herman get the response from Peter, â€Å"He wants the world to be the way we are-noble, honest, decent, full of respect for human rights and so on†. Now we know that it is the self-righteousness of Hargrove that is leading him to perform these computer simulations. It shows that, in this author’s view, humanity is likely to stay unchanged in the future; ignorant from their distaste of the other man, self-righteousness driving them to believe that they are the best in the world. And so our characteristic of self-righteousness never changes. Our personal beliefs can never justify war. Self-righteousness makes us blind to the true needs of our fellow man, and in the end brings dissent among people, and war. Peter makes the quote, â€Å"And they’re keeping the pressure on us, too. They don’t think we’re perfect†, this shows that self-righteousness never travels one way, that is, one person may think he is superior to someone else but that someone else will not think that person superior to him. In the story the three men all believe that they need to conquer the world in order to make it like them. They use this to justify their reason for war. When Peter says, â€Å"Hargrove thinks it is possible to find some combination of starting conditions and courses of development that will result in clear victory for us and not too much damage to the world, and he labors in constant frustration. , we know that Hargrove is so consumed by his self-righteousness that he labors furiously in order to find some kind of equation that will make his war just. This relates to human nature in a way that is explicitly obvious. We do not want to be alone in the world and therefore try to make others to be like us. Sadly in this process we begin to believe that we are better than our fellow man. This is not so. â€Å"After all†, says Peter, â€Å"It may be that even the losing nations would benefit from being directed by us, with our stronger economy and stronger moral sense. These men in the story are blind. In believing that they have a stronger moral sense, they have proven their humanity. What kind of people, with a strong moral sense, would attempt to take over nations, in order for those nations to be like them. As a people we desire not to be alone but to be supported. However, through this desire, we get blinded from our true motives. Attempting to assimilate a people is not moral or just. It is simply, wrong. As a race we tend to put a much higher value on ourselves and our desires than the needs of our neighbours. Computers have no sense of self-righteousness, which is one of the key components of humanity’s character. Herman mentions to Peter that there would be casualties. In reply Peter says, â€Å"Yes, of course. But the computer will presumably compare the casualties and other damage-to the economy and ecology, for instance-to the benefits that would derive from our control of the world, and if it decides the benefits outweigh the casualties, then it will give the go-ahead for a ‘just war’†. The computers in the story could not find a good enough excuse for a â€Å"just war† because they had no sense of self-righteousness. They did not believe that they â€Å"needed to be in control of the world and subdue other nations. In response to an accusation from Gelb that Peter is in the computer programming business for the money, Peter defends himself saying, â€Å"There won’t be a war. There’s no realistic combination of events that would make the computer decide on war†. The computers put a much higher value on life than Hargrove and the others. Hargrove believed that the other nations needed to be controlled by them in order that they be â€Å"proper† nations. The computers could not justify war by the human’s need to be in control. Gelb is curious as to why there will not be a war so Peter tells him, â€Å"I don’t know any way of programming a computer to give what is most needed in any war, any persecution, any devilry, while ignoring any harm that may be done in the process. † Sadly this is true. Any war, in order to be begun, needs some sort of devilry in order for it to get a kickoff. Computers have no sense of devilry because they have no self-righteousness, and, therefore, they can find a reason to start a war for just reasons. Those reasons simply do not exist. Human nature never changes. Wars are wrought. Lives are lost. These wars can never be justified by man’s need to be superior to his neighbour. Ever since the dawn of mankind, wars have been fought because one man, or people, believed they were the superior. This characteristic had never changed through our history, and it never will. God gave us the command to love our neighbour as ourselves. However, as this story dictates, people often love themselves way more than their fellow man. Destruction and chaos have been driven by humanities self-righteousness. But as the story dictates, self-righteousness is never focused one way. People will not freely believe that someone else is better than them. We want others to be like us because we do not want to be alone in the world. Unfortunately through this process, we begin to believe that we are better than other people. This desire for attention leads to some of the world’s greatest tragedies and depressions. Computers lack what war needs in order to be begun. They lack any sense of devilry and self-righteousness. They place a higher value on life than the average man. Never will they justify war for the sole reason to assimilate another people or nation. No set of equations or circumstances can lead a computer to giving the â€Å"OK† for a just war. It just will not happen.

Sociology Notes

The childhood anecdote from the beginning of the chapter shows that racial prejudices and differences are not inborn and they are a result of the way that society shaped a persons image of the different races. Based on this assumption, it is safe to believe that a non-white three year old would be likely to bring home a white â€Å"baby sister† because the three year old wouldn’t realize that there is a difference. White people are put at an advantage with an â€Å"invisible knapsack of privileges†.There is a link between real estate value and school segregation. Inequalities in wealth have contributed to the long-term inequality between blacks and whites in the United States. As a general statement, whites are usually more wealthy and blacks are usually less wealthy. This contributed greatly to the inequalities between blacks and whites.As much as the idea of race should not necessarily play a role in the differences between people, statistics show that there de finitely is a correlation between many things in reference to race. So although politically speaking, race shouldn’t play a factor, it still does and therefore sociologists study it because it has to do with the study of people and where they fall into society at large.Science is informed by culture because sociology, which is the science of people, wouldn’t exist unless there were people and cultures to study. Culture is what makes up sociology. Science, in turn, fueled racism because of what was studied. Science came to the conclusion that racism exists and in turned, fueled it.Eugenics and physiognomy contradict the saying, â€Å"You can’t judge a book by its cover† because they explain it in terms of people. They say that the external of a person is not the determining factor and people should not be judged based on that. Today, although in theory it is nice, people still judge based on color, race etc.Racialization is â€Å"the formation of a new ra dical identity, in which ideological boundaries of difference are drawn around a formerly unnoticed  group of people†. Muslims have negative stereotyping in the mainstream media. They are often depicted as being extremely wealthy. They are also shown and uncivilized and barbaric. Many people associate them with terrorists. When the Irish first came to America, although they have physical white skin, they were not treated as such and instead were treated in the same way as African Americans.Race and Ethnicity are two separate things. Race refers the physical appearance of a person, such as the color of his/her skin. Ethnicity on the other hand, is defined by cultural factors such as beliefs and culture. Therefore, stating your ethnicity is more similar to stating you like the Beatles than describing your race because the Beetles give an example of culture.Rwanda- conflict United States- Pluralism Minority groups in America respond to domination in different ways depending on many factors including where they come from. It is difficult to generalize to answer this question thoroughly. Groups in Rwanda responded with mass genocide.  As time goes on, society seems to be more and more tolerant of everything, whether it be race, sexual identity etc. we have already majorly minimized the gap between people and race. I think that it will continue. It might even come to the point of complete integration and acceptance with no prejudices. Society at large is definitely moving towards a more tolerant place.

Benefit of sport

It has a square shape which is the symbol of the land or the earth. People eat â€Å"Chunk cake† to hope for a new year full of luck and happiness. For the Vietnamese, making â€Å"Ban Chunk† is the ideal way to express gratitude to their ancestors and homeland. Nowadays fast food is very popular in my country. There are a lot of fast food restaurant everywhere such as KEF, Lottery or BBC. The young people love eating fast food because the price Is reasonable and It Is not time-consuming. People Just come to the restaurant, order the food and Walt for about 5 minutes to enjoy the food.However, fast food Is not good for your health. It contains a lot of sugar, fat and cholesterol which causes some diseases Like high blood pressure or heart attack. I like eating with my friends because it is a chance for me to talk with them about many things in like such as study, love or future Job. Eating with my friends also helps me to relax and feel comfortable after a hard day stud ying at university. PART 2: Individual long turn I would like to talk about a meal that I can never forget. I had this meal at a hotel in the city. It is a farewell party.All members in my class at the highlights attended the arty to say goodbye to each other to study at the university. We were all so moved and burette Into tear. We thought about the time we had together and felt so sad. We wrote messages to each other and hope to study well In a new environment. PART 3: Discussion Eating at home Going to a restaurant Advantages It is cheap because you can go to the market and buy the food you like. You don't have to pay money for the chef or the servant as in a restaurant. It is more delicious because each person has a private taste.Thus, cooking at home helps you to decide what ingredient should be added into the food. It helps to enhance the relationship inside your family. In my family, we always prepare and cook meals at home and we feel warmer and happier. We can try new and s pecial food in deferent countries such as sushi, pasta, etc. It helps us save time. We don't have to go to the market, prepare meals and clean up after having meals. The decoration In the restaurant Is so beautiful. It Is suitable for the special occasions Like birthday, anniversary, etc Disadvantages market, cook and wash the dishes.It is more expensive than eating at home. Since there are so many people who work at restaurants who all need to be paid, it costs such more than buying the ingredients at the grocery store and making dinner at home. It can be unhealthy. You don't prepare the food yourself, so sometimes it's hard to know which ingredients are going into your meal. At some fast food restaurants they often add fat, sugar or preservatives into the food. We can be frustrated with the quality or service. Actually, in Hanoi, there are many famous restaurants with poor quality of service such as a traditional PhD restaurant on Bat Din street. . Do you think that vegetarians ar e healthier than people who eat a lot of meat? In mineral, vegetarian diets are lower in saturated fats, cholesterol and animal protein, and higher in fiber and foliate than non-vegetarian diets. Consequently, vegetarians tend to have substantially reduced risks for obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and some forms of cancer – particularly lung cancer and colon cancer. In western countries, vegetarians often live longer, on average, than non-vegetarians. However, differences in lifestyle – not Just eating habits – also play a huge role in vegetarian health.People who choose to follow a vegetarian diet are often non- makers, have a lower body weight, and exercise regularly. And, of course, not all vegetarians eat healthily. If a vegetarian replaces meat with high-fat cheeses, Junk food and so on, they're unlikely to reap many health benefits – after all, there's no meat in ice cream, potato chips, or fudge brownies! It's certainly possible to be a vegetarian and still consume large quantities of high-fat, high-sugar empty calories. Replacing meat with poor substitutes can lead to nutrient deficiencies in protein, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin Bal 2.Athletes, children and pregnant females are articulacy at risk as their nutrient needs are especially high. Vegans (who eat no animal products of any type) especially need to supplement their vitamin 812 intake. Poor meal-planning, illness, stress and the excessive use of supplements can also cause problems. It's therefore wise to seek professional advice on your dietary needs before making the switch to vegetarianism. Vegetarian or not, a healthy diet should be low in cholesterol and saturated fat and based around fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Eliminating meat does not automatically make for a healthy diet.

Racism In A Raisin In The Sun Essay

Pride in â€Å"A raisin in the sun† Lorraine Hansberrys’ A raisin in the sun concerns a colored family having to live with different forms of racism throughout their everyday lives. Throughout the story, Hansberry focuses on the theme of pride throughout many characters. Walter, Mama, and Beneatha all show a sense of pride throughout the way that they live. Walter has a high sense of pride throughout the play A raisin in the sun. Walter was originally going to sell his house when he invited over Mr. Linder, a salesman in the white neighborhood. Since his son was next to him he had enough pride for that family that he didn’t sell the house. He even told the salesman â€Å"We come from people who had a lot of pride, I mean that we are very proud people†. (148) That is how Walter shows he is a very proud man. Another example of pride in Lorraine Hansberrys’ A raisin in the sun is shown throughout the character of Mama. Mama was having a conversation with Walter about how money shouldn’t be your life. Then she makes a statement proving she is a person with a high sense of pride when she says â€Å"you aren’t satisfied or proud of anything we’ve done†. This proves she is a person who has pride for her family and what she had done in life, when she made this statement to Walter. That is how Mama has a high sense of pride for her life and her accomplishments. Finally, Beneatha also shows a high sense of pride throughout her character. She makes a few comments proving she is a person with a high sense of pride. Asagai also is quoted for saying â€Å"she prides herself on being independent†. This proves that she has a high sense of pride since she is a very independent person. She is soo independent that she plans to go to Africa with Asagai. This proves that Beneatha is a person that has a high sense of pride. In conclusion, Hansberrys’ A raisin in the sun concerning a colored family having to live with many different forms of racism, shows how the Walter, Mama, and Beneatha all have a high sense of pride for their families and their goals that they have accomplished.