Cultural Diversity in Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cultural Diversity in Organizations - Essay Example He states that the goal of managing diversity is "maximizing the ability of all employees to contribute to organization goals and to achieve their full potential unhindered by group identities, such as gender, race, nationality, age and departmental affiliation" (p 11). Cox also believes that diverse work teams are more creative and innovative and they consider more and better alternatives in decision making. Although Thomas believes that organizations should move beyond race and gender issues when considering diversity, racial/ethnic diversity is an important element of building a diverse organization. Globalization -- through the increased mobility of people, economic liberalization, new communication technologies, and industry consolidation -- is highlighting the importance of cultural diversity within and between states. In 1999, in addition to its ongoing work and building on the foundation of its "Our Creative Diversity" (1995) and Stockholm Action Plan (1998), UNESCO held a number of events to further explore key cultural diversity issues: a symposium on pluralism (January 1999), a conference on cultural diversity and trade (June, 1999), and a Round Table of Ministers of Culture "Culture and Creativity in a Globalised World" in November 2000. The G-7, in their summit declaration on Principles for an Information Society in Brussels in 1995, recognized the importance of preserving linguistic and cultural diversity in new and emerging technologies. Since its inception in 1949, the Council of Europe has developed its cultural activities around defending and extending a plurality of cultural identities. In 1998, the OAS approved the Inter-American Program of Culture, designed to support the efforts being undertaken by member states and foster cooperation between them in the areas of cultural diversity, dissemination and protection of cultural heritage, human resource training, creativity incentives, and promotion of cultural tourism. The U.S. government recognizes that culture and cultural difference have a major impact on foreign policy - from issues ranging from trade to ethnicity to gender. Recent discussions about cultural diversity in the Administration reveal a recognition that the U.S.'s status as an international cultural powerhouse gives it the potential to overpower other national cultures. One of the few exceptions to the generalization of cultural diversity involves the proscription of turbans in a workforce that uses helmets as part of their normal work (Sherwood v. Brown, 1980) unwarranted. In 1992 and 1994 the CEO of the oldest French multinational, Saint-Gobain, emphasized that the strategy of a multinational is deeply influenced by the nationality of its main shareholders. For him, in their relationship to their customers and to their workforce, multinationals can learn from national differences but also can try to transcend them, and the trend is towards more convergence. A good example of this promising path is given by the changes achieved in the early 1990s by Renault's automobile plant in Slovenia, whose workers dramatically increased both productivity and quality. One must judge between those corporations that deliberately tried to build a genuine language and culture (e.g., IBM) and of those that take cultural diversit

Health Disparities Among the Poor Essay Example for Free

Health Disparities Among the Poor Essay On this era, everybody depends on technology when communicating, especially on cell phones. These devices are known all over the world, and they are also used for entertainment, and to be updated with the latest news. Calling and Texting are the main methods that people use to communicate with friends, family, and others when using their cell phones. Calling has been popular since mid-1900s, but has been taken its popularity by texting since the beginning of the 20th century. Factors like the tone, and the fact that the people involved in the conversation can hear each other’s voices make a phone call more personal. Calling, should be used when the objective is to start a full conversation, argument, or a work related discussion. Though, if the objective is to confirm something, tell a quick message, or ask a short question, texting would be the proper choice. Texting is more impersonal than calling; there are no other factors involved on the conversation than what you see on the screen, the text. There is no easy way to feel, or identify the other person’s emotions in a text message clearly. Texting is a misused form of communication if the objective is to spend hours on the phone, give important news, or express a strong emotion. Calling can only take place if the person that makes the call has the other person’s phone number, and if the receiver of the call takes it. On the other hand, texting compares to sending constant e-mails, there are many social medias where you can text or send a private message via internet, or having the other person’s phone number as well. Even though the receiver of the message does not see the text right away, he or she will eventually see it, and hopefully respond. Texting can be a threat to your life. About 6,000 deaths and a half a million injuries are caused by distracted drivers every year. Phone calls are safer while driving; there are Bluetooth devices that allow you to talk while both of the driver’s hands are on the wheel, and eyes are on the road. Most phones also have a speaker option where the sound increases and drivers do not need to hold the phone. Texting and Calling are two effective methods of communicating when used at the right time, place, and situation.

Millard Fillmore :: essays research papers

Fillmore, Millard (1800-1874), 13th president of the United States (1850-1853) and the second vice president to finish the term of a deceased president. He succeeded Zachary Taylor at a critical moment in United States history. The Mexican War (1846-1848) had renewed the conflict between the Northern and Southern states over slavery, since it had added new territories to the United States. The debate over whether these territories should be admitted as free or slave states precipitated a crisis that threatened civil war. Much to the relief of Northern and Southern politicians, Fillmore pursued a moderate and conciliatory policy. He signed into law the Compromise of 1850, which admitted one territory as a free state and allowed slave owners to settle in the others. This compromise did not solve the basic problem of slavery but did preserve peace for nearly eleven years. During that time the North gained the industrial power that enabled it to defeat the South when civil war eventuall y came. Fillmore was born in upstate New York in 1800. He was the second child and eldest son in a family of nine. His parents, Nathaniel and Phoebe Millard Fillmore, had moved from Vermont to New York several years before his birth. Young Fillmore did chores on his father's farm, worked as an apprentice in the clothier's trade, and attended local schools irregularly until he was 17. Although the only books in his home were the Bible, an almanac, and a hymnbook, Fillmore managed to educate himself with the help of a village schoolteacher, Abigail Powers. When he was 19, Fillmore began to study law with Judge Walter Wood of Cayuga County. He supported himself by teaching school. When his family moved to East Aurora, near Buffalo, New York, Fillmore continued his study of law and his teaching. In 1823 he opened a law office in East Aurora. Three years later he married Abigail Powers. The couple had two children, Mary Abigail and Millard Powers. In the early years of their marriage, Mrs. Fillmore continued to teach school and to help her husband with his law studies. In 1826, the year Fillmore was married, an incident in western New York set him on the road to the presidency. When William Morgan, a former member of the Masonic fraternal order who had written a book that claimed to expose the order's secrets, disappeared, the rumor spread that he had been murdered by avenging Masons.

Research on Music Piracy

Research on music piracy A Proposal Submitted to Ms. Rupal Khambhati Faculty (S. R. Luthra Institute Of Management) BY Farhan 14 Divyesh 23 Huzefa 15 Pratik 31 Bhaumik 58 Hardik 05 November 13, 2011 Executive Summary: In today’s technological era, the music industry is in a crisis. Music is being downloaded illegally more than ever . Rising costs for music coupled with a lack of guilt for pirating music has caused music piracy rates to skyrocket. Be it classical, typical , rock and roll or pop. The research is also about that every student has the ability to access free music through music piracy because of the wide variety of sites offering it. The problem: The real problem in the music industry is the fact that music costs more than what people want to pay for it. The problem of piracy has arisen with the rapid advance of technology. There are various sites offering free music to people so why pay for the thing which you are already getting it free of cost. The lack of proper patent laws or more correctly, the enforcement of these laws allow the perpetrators of this crime to get away scott-free. Due to this rampant piracy, the government is deprived of tax revenues, jobs are lost and research and innovation never take place. The maximum amount of illegal downloading is done by youngsters in the age group of 20 -25 years. As long as this group does not take note of the losses suffered by the artists, music companies and the government due to this menace, no concrete step can be taken to counter the loss. Research objective: Our research objective is to collect information from students that why do they prefer downloading music illegally rather than purchasing it or what would induce them to obtain music legally. We believe that most students in questionnaire will say that they have downloaded music illegally and a significant amount of their music is pirated. The interesting part of our research will be the part about guilt and which alternative method they prefer. Another very interesting result will be the final question, which method of distributing music would cause people to be more likely to purchase music legally. .Literature review: One study conducted by Alejandro Zentner found that because of the easy accessibility to free illegal music, the likelihood for someone to legally purchase music decreases between 35-65% (Zentner 2005). Music piracy is relevant to students because it is found in that illegal music pirating is highest in College and High School Students. There is also an almost peer pressure to pirate music because it seems as if everyone else is doing it and there are virtually no consequences. (Ingram 2008) (Mallin 2009). Boorstin (2004) collected data from the Census in three different years from various cities and regresses the CD sales on each city on the number of people with internet access finding that people who are under 24 with internet access tend to decrease their CD consumption. Peitz and Waelbroeck (2004) build their data from 16countries and they try to figure the effects of digital downloading on physical music sales. In their findings they conclude that among the factors that influence sales is the GDP growth, Mp3 downloads and the availability of broadband. Levi, Dato-on and Rhee (2004) try to identify how consumer ethics are connected to music piracy by conducting both qualitative and quantitative research to a sample of college students. Their findings prove that people who download have little ethical concern and they also believe that their action will harm neither the record company nor the artist. Benefits Of Study: ? To increase public education and awareness regarding piracy. ? Finding various alternatives to curb piracy such as creation of separate music websites which will reduce the operating cost for distributing and can make very large profits by putting advertisements on the website. ? To get opinions and ideas from people as what steps they think should be taken to stop piracy and design a suitable system to curb piracy on the basis of that. The items that counterfeiters and pirates produce are often substandard, sometimes endangering the lives of those who purchase them. These illicit activities steal market share from legitimate businesses and undermine innovation, with negative implications for economic growth. ? This research is important because when finally proposing a solution, the approval of the populations that download music at the highest rates, which is college students, should be taken into serious consideration. Also since there is so little research as to the correlation between different demographics besides age done, my research can help to find if there is a correlation and if there is, it can be useful to target certain methods for eradicating piracy within a population. Research design: †¢ Data collection design: ? Type of study Informative study It helps us to find solutions to the problem through various suggestions and answers obtained through questionnaire ? Data type Primary data The data which we are going to obtain is fresh as various students will share their suggestions and answers through questionnaire prepared by us. ? Data collection tool Questionnaire †¢ Sampling design: ? Sampling frame As the survey is related to music piracy, so mainly students from college background are surveyed ? Sample size In sample size we would like to take 50 students Bibliography: Frost, R. L. (2007). Rearchitecting the music business: Mitigating music piracy by cutting out the record companies. First Monday, 12(8). Retrieved from http://firstmonday. org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index. php/fm/article/view/1†¦ Ingram, J. R. & Hinduja, S. (2008). Neutralizing Music Piracy: An Empirical Examination. DevianBehavior,29(4), Kusek, D. , & Leonhard, G. (2005). The future of music: Manifesto for the digital music revolution. Boston: Berklee Press. Malin, J. , & Fowers, B. J. (2009). Adolescent self-control and music and movie piracy. Computers in Human Behavior, 718-722. Retrieved from http://www. sciencedirect. com/science? _ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VDC-4VHXDV8-1†¦

Shaklee Investment Global Business

Shaklee Corporation| A New Idea That Has Old Roots | Corporation Analysis| Sean 10/11/2012 | Contents 1. Introduction to Shaklee 2. S. W. O. T Analysis 3. Leveraging Resources a. Motivating small business owners 4. Foreign Investments a. Japan's Yamanouchi Pharmaceuticals Co. 5. Moral Courage a. Much needed trait b. Current Leader 6. Management Structure a. Corporate b. Local c. Global 7. Future Expansion a. Indonesia b. Cultural differences c. Ethical and moral issues 8. Obstacles in New Country a. Laws and regulations b. Economics d. No currency issues . Conclusion a. Opinion on future The world as we know it is forever changing and now more than ever people on this planet are looking for ways to improve their health and lifestyles. It don’t stop there, at this moment many believe our planet is in trouble and are now looking for green products to protect future generations. There are many different companies that are moving toward this but there is a business that has made i t their goal to be green since its inception in 1956 the Shaklee Corporation. The company was founded by Dr. Forrest C.Shaklee a well-known scientist and nutritionist, who started the company on just one product and a sales plan that relied upon people reaching out to help other people. Since then Shaklee has grown to global proportions and now has over 200 products from cleaning solutions to sports nutrition. They have recently had a change in leadership and he is pushing the company to new heights beginning to move business to larger countries. There are many obstacles when it comes to moving a corporation to another country and the company does well with making sure to have a strong management team.Knowing this there are many strengths that Shaklee enjoys but also may be limiting their potential. Many people do not know that this company exists since they do not participate in the same marketing style as mainstream America. Needless to say the company stands by its way of marketi ng and believes in it for several reasons. A simple way to look at the strengths of a company is S. W. O. T. analysis and this company has many different concepts to take into account: Strengths| Weakness’s| Opportunities| Threats|Market PositionWide array of productsCustomer retentionNo animal testingGrowing businessNo impact on environmentEndorsements from athletesHave kept increasing in revenue through recession| Can't purchase anywhereNot much advertisementMore mainstream athlete endorsementLong term management has stagnated in their operational effectivenessPricey products for average income| Product development is very strong and with owners who believe in productsNew International MarketsSmall business opportunities are becoming more prevalentChanging in values of world going green they are already establishedNo one wants to look old and they have more and more products centered around health a growing marketAlways finding new customers from independent distributors|Bu sinesses are moving in this direction of greenPeople may not want to buy products from internet they tend to just get the things at the storeHard to take over the everyday wasteful products people have been using for decadesSupplement market is already overwhelming and unregulated| Shaklee is a company that has been driven to new heights ever since new ownership was taking over in 2004. This company is the first to make consumer products completely green and use 100% green power. They continue to grow and are really trying to move toward more countries around the world. They also have to beware of the entire green movement and companies may start moving in the same direction quickly because, saving the planet is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society.It is also very tough to create a corner in the industry if people largely do not know the company even exists due to its personnel distribution process. Shaklee has always relied upon direct selling and people who t ruly believe in the product to get the word out. You cannot find their products on a shelf in a store and because of this; they have been able to retain customers for longer periods of time an average of 15 years. This number would actually be higher but they have extended their range of business and have many new consumers now. The people who sell the product truly believe in its benefits and they make sure to keep motivated by having a number of incentives. They offer opportunity to go on trips, win vehicles, and opportunity to move up through the company with dedication.Holding seminars to make sure that employees are properly recognized for their work and making corporate leaders available to speak with any employees is a staple of the company. Also gives employees a flexible schedule so they can enjoy time to themselves and this seems to be one of largest draws of working for them. Also it is simply more powerful to hear about a product from a friend than it is just on a televi sion screen and it gives the product more credibility. But all this would not be possible without having investors from domestic and foreign companies. The company made a leap to a fortune 500 company in 1982, at this point they began sponsoring Olympic athletes and even an accent to Mt.Everest that was the first not to use supplemental oxygen. Instead the climber used only Shaklee powered nutrition. The company was purchased by Yamanouchi Pharmaceuticals Co. in 1989 but failed to expand as quickly as it could have under this new management. Regardless during the period that they were owned by Yamanouchi, Shaklee did manage to be the first company in the entire world to totally offset its carbon emissions, resulting in a net-zero impact on the environment a conquering feet in today’s society of damaging emissions. The company would again be found under new leadership by 2004 and this is when Shaklee begins to grow to its full potential.The company would be purchased by Ripple wood Holdings and Activated Holdings and name a new CEO Roger Barnett. This new CEO is very active in the company and has visions of dominating the industry as they are and have been the number one natural nutrition company in the U. S. He is not afraid to embark on new endeavors and has made it possible for the company to expand into new proportions. Roger has set a very high bar for each and everyone involved in the company and displays leadership qualities that are contagious throughout the company. Under his leadership the company has begun to expand into new countries and most recently a beginning in Indonesia.They also have a strong presence in Canada, China, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Taiwan, and of course the U. S. Roger possesses a much needed trait in today’s business, which is the courage to bring products to people who may not have the income we enjoy here by making it affordable by that particular countries income, while still sticking to all the companies’ guarantees. The company also believes in helping charities of all types and even helped power an African village. Roger has had the company expand its product lines to new proportions and promises to continue to innovate and become even more diverse year after year. It is an effort of many people to make all of this happen and you must have good leadership around you to be successful.Most strong companies have very strong management team and Shaklee is no different, with many different levels of management that are committed to the company and products it makes. Although you are essentially your own boss when working for the company there are leaders that have responsibility. At the corporate level, Shaklee relies upon basically nine people and the CEO to take care of major policies at the company’s headquarters, which is located in Pleasanton, CA. These include a financial officer, marketing coordinators, chairman for global and medical research etc.The local level is compri sed of many different levels and it starts with a branch manager. The company relies on various levels below managers n each individual office so there is always someone to learn from and keep you motivated. All these positions lead the same way in the global structure of the company. Shaklee has been able to keep the same direct selling attributes that it uses in America. When moving into a new country having the right management is crucial, because there are so many differences in culture. Shaklee has set its sights on many places and most recently it is Indonesia. They have just opened business in the country June of 2012. When beginning an endeavor there are many things to take into consideration one includes the cultural differences that they must overcome.Although the country does not live too much differently than Americans do they do eat much differently than us due to economic conditions. Products must have different ingredients in order to be able to use them in other coun tries such as Indonesia. Also the diversity of this country is prevalent they have several different languages and thousands of islands, which all have their own separate beliefs and backgrounds. People in this country are also softer spoken so they do not accept loud speaking and forceful conversation. Also businesses from America must take into account that the average Indonesian does not live the lavish lifestyle. So Shaklee has been able to develop products that are affordable for the average citizen in Indonesia.With a new company new opportunities arise for a country that has few, having a way to enjoy an income in Indonesia is very hard to come by. As Shaklee begins its opportunity in Indonesia the company must consider that the country is not as advanced as the U. S. Labor is much cheaper but skilled workers are much more difficult to come by. The company has to put a lot more money into training of the workforce and making sure products are made properly. The next issue tha t concerns the company is the political and economic turmoil of Indonesia. Shaklee must go to extreme heights to protect all their investments. Business in the country must be aware of the high crime rate there are a number of problems with corrupt legal systems.The company’s assets are always at risk of fraud, laundering, and also theft of property. Shaklee must also know that anything that is to be imported and consumed is subject to analysis from the Food and Drug Administration. The company must also undergo the pain staking process of securing materials, buildings, and a strong workforce to have ideal operation. There are many positives when it comes to business in this country. Shaklee is able to operate under 100 percent control as the government does allow this in Indonesia which is not always the case. The country also is the fifth most populous in the world so the market for the product is enormous.Also the currency is freely exchanged in the country so it is very e asy for the company to convert from Indonesia’s rupiah to U. S. dollars. With this emerging economy the laws and regulations are constantly changing as they learn how to protect the companies in its respective country. The future of Shaklee is undecided but it has enormous potential to dominate the market. Although Shaklee is the number one natural supplement producer in the world I think the company needs to move toward more of the BRIC countries. They do have a base in China, but now they must move into the other 3 countries. There are currently no plans to go into Britain or Russia, but the company has set its sights on India and plan on beginning business there sometime in the next couple years.I also believe the company would benefit from more mainstream advertising to get people familiar with the company and products. But, Shaklee does need to stick to its direct selling methods and keep making progression into new markets. Shaklee’s mission is to â€Å"provide healthier life for everyone and a better life for anyone. † They are a one of kind natural and completely green company and this instills credibility and longevity with their clientele. I expect the corporation to continue to grow immensely as people become more aware of what they put into their bodies and possibly be a household name in nutrition supplies throughout the world.Works Cited Bower, Amanda. â€Å"Putting the Green into Clean. † Time 19 Nov. 2007: n. pag. Web. Peng, Mike W. Global Business. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. â€Å"Shaklee Corporation: Providing a Healthier Life for Everyone and a Better Life for Anyone. Health, Wellness, Nature, Opportunity. † Shaklee Corporation: Providing a Healthier Life for Everyone and a Better Life for Anyone. Health, Wellness, Nature, Opportunity. N. p. , n. d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. <http://www. shaklee. com/index. shtml>. E-mail interview. 09 Sept. 2012. N. p. , n. d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012 . <http://www. doingbusiness. org/law-library/indonesia>.