Managing cultures and influencing people

Culture can be defined as the socially transmitted behavior patterns, norms, beliefs and values of a given community (Vance and Yongsun 2010, p.43). Culture influences how individuals interact with one another in society. It shapes the behavior and thinking of people and can be transmitted or even lost. Different aspects of culture can be adopted or rejected by society depending on their impact on society as a whole.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Managing cultures and influencing people specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People tend to be comfortable interacting with individuals with similar cultural backgrounds where there is interaction predictability. This is mainly because they share similar characteristics and traits such as language and traditions. Similarity in culture produces feelings of inclusion while feelings of exclusion are experienced by people who do not share the same culture. Individuals who fi nd themselves in situations where their culture is not similar will stand out and interaction uncertainty will occur. This article will discuss ways of managing culture and ways of influencing people (Deardorff 2009, p. 56). Culture is not confined to national or societal areas but can also be found in organizations. Each organization has its own unique culture in terms of management, rules and even code of conduct. Culture varies and can be influenced by different factors. Globalization has meant that organizations increasingly interact with markets that are culturally different from their countries of origin. This has introduced a new dimension in leadership whereby leaders are tasked with finding innovative ways to manage different markets with different needs influenced mainly by culture. Culture is not static and is constantly changing; sometimes at fast pace and other times it may take a long time. One way culture can be viewed is either tight or loose. Tight culture describes culture where society largely agrees on what is acceptable while in loose culture society is more liberal and tolerant of different views (Vance 2010, p. 49). Organizations have to view culture as an important factor to consider when making decisions. Globalization has caused inter-cultural convergence which in turn means organizations have to understand the culture of the markets they are involved in if they intend to remain profitable. Different cultures demand different management styles.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An example is countries in the East like Japan putting a high value on their employees and seeking to develop their potential while countries in the West such the USA view employees merely as workers, there to deliver on their contractual obligations. The difference in the cultural attitudes of the two regions means that different approaches to managemen t are required. Organizations working in different countries will also encounter a difference in the way business agreements and contracts are arrived at. It is necessary for organizations to familiarize themselves with regional cultures so as to avoid mistakes that may affect their businesses negatively (Vance 2010, p. 49). Culture in organizations has been the focus of different studies by various experts. Different kinds of organizational cultures have been found to exist in different organizations. There are three theories that have been created to describe organization culture. They are theories X, J and Z. These theories were proposed in 1978 by Ouchi and Jaeger. Theory X describes the primarily bureaucratic culture that was found mainly in organizations in the West. Bureaucratic culture focuses on productivity and tends to ignore developing communication between management and workers. In theory J which was mainly found in organizations in Asia the organizations management al low a worker to have a participatory role in decision making and there is greater communication between upper management and employees. The culture in the organizations encourages employees to develop skills for the benefit of the organization. Theory Z combines the best aspects of X and J (Fitzgerald 2002.p. 51). Geert Hofstede through research came up with four dimensions that can be used to evaluate the kind of culture found in an organization. Power distance describes the relationship between superiors and subordinates, the acceptable inequality in terms of power between the two groups. The second dimension was uncertainty avoidance which describes the degree of risk that is acceptable. Individualism and collectivism describe the social structure in the organization, whether it is loose or tight. Lastly masculinity and femininity describe the part gender plays in the cultural dynamics of the organization.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Managing cultures and influencing people specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These elements were then used to create different models that describe the organizational culture found in organizations around the world. Market model are organizations with small power distance and weal uncertainty avoidance, they are decentralized and informal. Family models are centralized and informal with large power distances and weak uncertainty avoidance. Machine models are decentralized with small power distances and strong uncertainty avoidance while pyramid models are both informal and decentralized. They have large power distances and high uncertainty avoidance (Fitzgerald 2002, p.51). Events management is an industry that deals with people of different cultural background on a day to day basis. In this industry organizing and managing people is key for success to be achieved. Events management is a business that requires a strong leader to navigate and drive the bus iness down a successful road. There are very many challenges that arise when managing events and being prepared for any and all eventualities is very important. Events by their nature bring together people with different cultural backgrounds. These businesses require a work force that is highly dynamic and culturally sensitive in order to remain competitive. Events management businesses should be highly organized to deliver on client expectations. Events usually involve various other groups such as security, promoters and caterers; this means that leaders should be able to manage their own groups as well as other teams involved. Events management leaders must be able to delegate duties to various subordinates as the business involves different groups all working to achieve a common goal. The leaders must be tolerant of others but remain in a position of authority to be able to hold successful events (Bowdin 2010, p. 279). In managing organizations, leaders need to factor in differen t cultural influences. Leaders need to understand the cultures of the people they need to influence and proceed to use both formal and informal skills to achieve their goals. To be effective managers, leaders need to understand different cultures and be sensitive to the differences.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Leaders need to have an open-minded approach to be able to embrace the uniqueness of different cultures. Leaders must also be aware of different cultures and seek to understand them which in turn lead to professional development. Being sensitive to culture and cultural differences leads to organizational effectiveness and during interaction with new cultural markets business can navigate easily by avoiding making cultural mistakes that may offend the new markets. In events management there is great interaction with different cultures both in terms of employees and in business. Leaders who are sensitive to culture can communicate with employees and clients effectively leading to successful events (Moran et al 2010, p. 25). Another way to effectively manage cultures is through cross-cultural learning. This may involve educating the employees on cultural practices of the clients they are to interacting with. Cross-cultural learning can be done through training and education. The traini ng of employees promotes cross cultural communication. When employees communicate with clients effectively there is bound to be an increase in business and profits. People tend to respond to the familiar and through cross-cultural learning employees can promote the building of relationships with clients. In the events management industry understanding the culture of clients is important in staging successful events. Cross-cultural learning promotes effective communication which is important to avoid offending any cultural aspects of clients (Moran et al 2010, p. 25). For a business to succeed, it needs to embrace global transformation. As businesses move into new markets they bring on work forces that have different cultures and consumers with different cultures. To be successful in these markets the organizations need to globally transform by going global. This means the businesses need to learn the new markets prevailing cultures and transform into companies and organizations that are acceptable in the new markets. Events management industries are not an exception. Events attract different people with different cultural backgrounds. Holding an event that caters to the cultural needs of the clients is part of the job description for events management companies. The companies must be aware of any cultural aspects that are unique and ensure that the event is in line with the cultural needs (Moran et al 2010, p. 25). The type of leadership plays a central role in managing cultures and influencing people in an organization. Leaders must be well informed on the type of culture that an organization has adopted. The leaders must then take advantage of existing organization cultures and keeping the strong points while doing away with the weak aspects of the organizational cultures. Leaders should then proceed to teach organizational culture through socializing. In this way employees can pass on the knowledge to fellow employees. Socializing may involve the introducti on of new culture into the organization. There are various methods that can be used to pass on culture in an organization. It may involve the use of symbols which is one of the most effective ways of communicating culture. Introduction of new culture might be met with resistance and leaders must be ready to tackle such a situation. A positive, patient and understanding approach is best suited for such an eventuality (Griffin and Moorhead 2011, p. 515). In my work as an events manager, I have found that theory Z works the best. Theory Z describes an organization that is decentralized, formal and practices collectivism. As an events manger I have come to appreciate the advantages that come with having a strong team. I have used theory Z which has meant encouraging my juniors to give in ideas on how to better service delivery to the clients. I have seen the benefit of using tools such as in house training and team building activities to improve the skill level of employees. I have an o pen door policy where anyone of the staff can approach me with ideas or problems. I have developed a culture of accountability in the work place where employees are encouraged to make independent decisions when they can which they are accountable for. This has created a feeling of ownership in the staff and by encouraging employees to be creative and innovative the company has attracted more clients in areas it was not traditionally catering to. I still maintain overall authority but delegating duties has meant that I have more time to concentrate primarily on managerial duties instead of losing time on putting out small fires. Having a culture that allows greater freedom for ideas to flow is the best for any organization. In events management it is best to always be prepared and having a staff that is capable and empowered to handle different situations has been invaluable. Adopting a culture that rewards the effort of staff has also helped to improve the business. Adopting an orga nizational culture that acknowledges the value of employees and allows me to assert my authority has contributed to my professional development as an events manger. Leadership is vital in the management of culture in an organization. The type of leader reflects in the overall culture of an organization. Culture is dynamic and leaders should be prepared to change organizational culture when necessary. Leaders greatly influence the people they interact with, whether they are clients or employees. Leaders should strive to influence employees and even clients in constructive ways that have positive results on the bottom line of an organization. In the events management industry culture plays an important role. Successful events take into consideration the cultural background of the attendants and ensure that cultural biases and norms are respected. In an event the food and entertainment should cater to the cultural demands of the guests. The workforce in events management companies shou ld be trained on handling people with different cultural backgrounds and not discriminate on any cultural aspects of the guests. A leader in an events management company should be always alert and aware of various cultural aspects of different people and work to ensure the events are catered with the highest level of professionalism. Events usually involve other institutions such as the police force leaders must ensure the various groups involved all work in harmony (Moran et al 2010, p. 25). In conclusion leaders are responsible for the culture and the cultural trends in an organization. The leaders should establish a culture that allows harmony is achieved in all aspects of the organization as far as culture is concerned. The culture in the organization should be all inclusive and not seek to discriminate anyone. Leaders are tasked to lead by example and adopt flexible approaches when cultural matters arise. The leaders should seek to learn about the cultures of different potentia l and existing clients. The leaders should establish a culture that allows all employees to interact with one another which allows information to flow easily in the organization. With the change in global trends the organization should adopt new technology. The use of social networking site is an example of new global culture that companies can use to their advantage. Leaders should have the vision and insight to lead organizations and companies into new markets even if they are culturally different. Reference List Bowdin, G., 2010. Events Management. Burlington: Routledge. Deardorff, D. K., 2009. The Sage handbook of intercultural competence.Carlifornia: SAGE. Fitzgerald, S. P., 2002. Organizational Models. Oxford: John Wiley Sons. Griffin, W. R. and Moorhead G., 2011. Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations. Ohio: Cengage Learning. Moran, R. T. et al, 2010. Global Leadership Strategies for Cross Cultural Business Success. London: Routledge Vance, C. M. and Yong sun P., 2010. Managing a global workforce: challenges and opportunities in international human resource management .New York: Sharpe This report on Managing cultures and influencing people was written and submitted by user Mayson Vargas to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

DNA in the Court essays

DNA in the Court essays DNA is somewhat new in the forensic world. Before DNA, people were tried and convicted based on fingerprint analysis, the Greiss test, and lie detectors. However, all of these procedures have proven to be less reliable than DNA. DNA is the genetic make up of a person. In the book article DNA in Court by William Tucker, Tucker pointed out that no two people, except identical twins, have the same genetic makeup (Tucker 577). This is helpful because it means that there will be less people falsely convicted of crimes. Therefore, it is not the DNA evidence that is being debated; it is the procedures that are followed that are being debated. Samples could be accidentally switched or mislabeled- any number of things might happen. As a result of all this an innocent person might be convicted of a crime (Tucker 581). Tucker believes that the only problem with DNA testing is that false positives could send an innocent person to jail. Everyday on the news or in the newspaper, one hears about another person being released due to conclusive DNA evidence that clears this person. Another major problem that arises in forensic DNA typing is contamination, stated Peter J. Neufeld and Neville Coleman in When Science Takes the Witness Stand (Neufeld Coleman 571). That person released may have been cleared of the crime they were originally charged with. However, what if they had committed the crime? Now this person is walking the streets and cant be tried again. Any number of things could have happened to the DNA sample. Bacteria could have affected it. It may have been mislabeled or the chart may have been misread. This is an example of a false negative. This person can now go out and hurt or kill another person. According to Neufeld and Coleman, a company named Lifecodes was declaring DNA matches outside the five percent range of error. In a blind test, ...

Intellectual Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Intellectual Property Law - Essay Example This law provides a framework for protection of legal rights of artists, traders, inventors, and writers among other people and institution that create original works. The main purpose of intellectual property law is to encourage inventions, artistic expressions, and new technologies, which are critical ingredients for economic growth. It is informed by the fact that when people know that their creative works will be protected and there is a great possibility of benefitting from their works, they are more likely to enhance their capacities to produce things that develop new technology, create beauty in the world, make processes more effective and efficient, and create jobs.2 This part of the paper will focus on intellectual property law; in particular, it will focus on a scenario that brings out the aspects of copyright which is covered under the intellectual property law. The paper will seek to advise James on various issues that relate to copyright law. James is faced with legal is sues that need to be focused on and appropriate decisions made regarding the issues to ensure that he gets legal remedy and he is rewarded for his creative work. Similarly, the advice will help to make decisions that will ensure that James is not short-changed in any way by the parties involved. Discussion From the facts, it can be gathered that James, who is an employee of Farnon and Farnon, a large veterinary practice, is a charismatic figure and as a result has been chosen by a television producer to talk about animals’ problems in a weekly series â€Å"James on Pets†, which is a popular series. It can also be gathered that while still employed by Farnon and Farnon, James writes a book titled â€Å"The James Pet Book† which concerns basic pet care. Parts of this book are based on guidelines and instructions that had previously been produced and distributed to new veterinary staff at Farnon and Farnon. However, Siegfried, who is Farnon and Farnon’s seni or partner, is claiming that the Animal Care Guidelines that belong to the veterinary practice. It is clear that this claim is founded on the fundamentals of intellectual property law that seek to protect the legal rights of an original author of a book and to ensure that the person who developed it has benefitted from it.3 On one hand, Siegfried wants Farnon and Farnon to benefit from the copyrights of the book as he believes that the Animal Care Guidelines contained in the book belongs to the veterinary practice. On the other hand, this seems like a protracted claim on the part of the firm to deprive James of his copyrights on the book, probably because he may not be conversant with the intellectual property law. Therefore, it is important to put this issue in the legal perspective in order to advise James accordingly to make sure that he is not short-changed. Firstly, it is important to understand what the intellectual property law says about copyright. The James’ situatio n falls under the copyright; a main area under the intellectual property rights. Copyright applies to works which are recorded in some manner: copyright exists in things or items such as dramatic, literary, musical, and artistic works, as well as typographical arrangements, films, and sound recordings. Copyright gives the author particular rights that relate to the work, and prohibit actions that are unauthorized. Besides, copyright allows the

Research Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research Evaluation - Essay Example ogs can, in fact, be used as remarkably adept tools of knowledge sharing in the context of a knowledge management work environment (Chai and Kim, 2010). The article has pointed out that trust among the individuals making up a knowledge sharing network has been among the most significant issues that can make or break a knowledge management system and in this context, this study specifically deals with the relationship between trust and knowledge sharing habits of people using blogs as a tool for sharing information in the setting of a knowledge management system. The researchers have used deductive reasoning principles in this study and for that purpose, have taken a quantitative research approach for this study. Quantitative research has been described as focusing upon the phenomena that occur in natural settings and has been designed specifically to study those phenomena in all their complexity (Leedy and Ormrod, 2001). According to Peshkin cited in Leedy and Ormrod (2001), these studies have been typically cited to serve one of the following purposes: 2. To allow the researchers to gain knowledge about the nature of a particular phenomenon, to help in the development of new concepts or theoretical perspectives about the phenomenon, and discover the constraints that face that phenomenon. The research in question has specifically been carried out as a qualitative research to understand more about the implications of trust in the knowledge management arena and has been designed to understand more about the impact of trust on the knowledge sharing behavior of bloggers which encourages increased knowledge sharing practices. The research uses the survey method to gather information about the various trust concerns that bloggers have and their impact on the blogger’s knowledge sharing behavior. Surveys have been defined as a reliable and relatively simpler way of gathering information on a large scale with minimum effort (Powell, 1998). However, Powell is also of

Business Context and Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Context and Operations - Essay Example Convenience food business is increasingly growing as this helps the nutrition needs of busy career bodies. HCF’s supply chain has to meet the growing demands of the consuming public. Some suppliers did not meet schedules, so HCF has to apply innovations in supply chain by introducing in-house manufacturing of a special kind of sauce. This paper will talk about operations management and supply chain relations. Introduction Consumption of chilled food is increasing in many parts of the world. One of the main reasons for this is convenience; chilled foods are convenient to prepare. Hadrian’s Country Foods (HCF) started by supplying chilled foods to family and friends. HCF’s founder, Dr. Andrew Smith, saw the need for chilled foods with nutritious ingredients. As the company grew, it started to meet numerous problems and challenges in management and supply chain. HCF must introduce an effective supply chain and operational management. Products have to be consistent w ith new lifestyles and new product innovation (NPD) must meet consumer demands. HCF has to improve its operations in delivery of products and services to improve supply chain relationships. Task 1 HCF’s Operations Management Operations management is transforming inputs into outputs, or the production capability of the firm. In terms of quality, operations management focuses on internal activities of the firm, such as ‘process control, process improvement, product design improvement, and design of experiments’ (Foster et al. 2011, p. 2286). HCF receives ingredients from its suppliers, transforms the inputs into products, and makes the supply chain moving until the product reaches the retailers (the supermarkets) and end users. The company has to introduce innovations and create new menus with ingredients that boast the health of consumers and meet the delicate taste of consumers. Improvement of processing operations must consider how it can enhance operational per formance to satisfy customers. HCF has two kinds of market: B2B and B2C markets. Challenges and Opportunities Product innovation must be continuously introduced because of competition. The company has to stimulate the market with its diverse chilled foods and introduce new delicious menus to meet consumers’ demands and taste. Products have to be consistent with new lifestyles and new product development must provide customer satisfaction. HCF has to conduct regular research and development as a regular activity and a focus for R&D should be how to reduce operational costs. R&D can experiment on new health foods as competition is growing in the food industry. Innovative ways of reducing costs can be discovered. For example, packaging is significant in reducing operating costs. An example of effective packaging for food items is ‘combined transit and point-of-sale packaging’ which saves labour time through faster shelf loading and easy access to product and uses le sser resources. The total distribution cost influences the demand side as this affects price. For some fast-moving commodity like chilled foods, the cost of distribution and retail selling affect the total product cost which represents about 50 percent of the product price (Coles 2003). Reducing costs, especially in distribution, attracts retailers like supermarkets. Information technology (IT) application to shorten workload is another opportunity to improve production and distribution. IT can enhance the â€Å"

Grand Slam Record! :: essays research papers

Grand slam record falls again Click here for more on this story Posted: Sunday May 21, 2000 07:35 PM Jason Giambi crushed a 3-1 pitch over the right-center field wall for his 17th homer of the season and fifth career grand slam. AP NEW YORK (AP) -- Baseball had its grandest day ever. Less than one year after the first five grand-slam day in major league history, there were six hit Sunday. Anaheim's Garrett Anderson hit the record-breaker with two outs in the third inning off Kansas City's Chris Fussell. J.T. Snow of San Francisco, Brian Hunter of Philadelphia, Jason Giambi of Oakland, and Los Angeles' Adrian Beltre and Shawn Green connected with the bases loaded earlier in the day, bettering the record set last Aug. 9. It was the first time the Dodgers had two grand slams in a game since Aug. 23, 1985, when Pedro Guerrero and Mariano Duncan did it against Montreal. The Brooklyn Dodgers also had two slams in a game in 1901 in Cincinnati. "It is exciting to be a part of history," Green said. "Especially with the Dodgers and their illustrious past." Beltre hit his first career slam in the fifth inning off Jesus Sanchez in Los Angeles' 12-3 win over the Florida Marlins. Green capped the Dodgers' grand day with a bases-loaded shot in a seven-run ninth inning off Antonio Alfonseca. Slams were part of an even bigger inning in Milwaukee, when Snow capped an 11-run sixth inning with his shot off Valerio De Los Santos. The Giants beat the Brewers 16-10. Hunter, who entered the game in a 3-for-24 slump, hit his third career grand slam in the third inning off Colorado's Masato Yoshii, accounting for all of Philadelphia's runs in a 4-3 victory. "I've been struggling so any hit was going to be a big one for me," he said. "But a grand slam, that's pretty big at any time.

Doctor & Management Essay

This course applies the tools available to University of Phoenix graduate students and the competencies of successful managers to understand the functions of business. Students develop an increased awareness of their own perceptions and values in order to manage and communicate with others more effectively. Other topics include MBA program goals, argument construction, decision making, collaboration, and academic research. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents (both located on your student website): †¢ Academic Policies †¢ Instructor Policies University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Objectives and Standards Not Available Get Ready for Class †¢ Familiarize yourself with the textbook used in this course. Course Materials All electronic materials are available on your student website. Aug, 21 – Aug, 27 Week1 Introduction to Business Management Tasks †¢ Download the new and improved Phoenix Mobile app. †¢ Review the Knowledge Check Faculty and Student Guide. †¢ Personal Professional Development Plan presentation Objectives/Competencies 1.1 Identify the manager’s role in the functional areas of business. 1.2 Create a personal professional development plan. Required Learning Activities †¢ Management, Ch. 1 †¢ MBA Welcome Video See the student website for additional recommended learning activities that may help you learn this week’s concepts. Participate in the class discussion. MBA Overview Module Complete the MBA Overview Module. Save a screen shot of the completion screen as a Microsoft Word document on your computer once you finish the module. Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment. Personal Professional Development Plan Activity: Part 1 & 2 Individual Aug 27, 2013 05:59 PM By completing the My Career Plan activities in this course, you are taking some of the first steps to creating a career plan that will help you reach your career goals. Navigate to My Career Plan in Phoenix Career Services. Complete the Career Interests Profiler and the Career Plan Building Activity: Competencies in My Career Plan. †¢ You may have already completed the Career Interests Profiler during enrollment. Your results will be saved if this is the case. †¢ You must complete both the Career Interests Profiler and the Career Plan Building Activity: Competencies. You may access your results at any time in My Career Plan. Submit screen shots ofyour Career Interest Profiler and Competencies results. †¢ Press Print Screen on your keyboard to create a screenshot. †¢ Open a new document in Microsoft ® Word. †¢ Press Ctrl + V on your keyboard to paste the screenshot into the document. †¢ Save the document on your computer as Career Competencies. Complete Parts 1 & 2 of the Personal Professional Development Activity: in the Microsoft ® Excel worksheet. Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.