The Horror of Alcoholism Essay -- Alcohol Drinking Alcoholic Essays

The Horror of AlcoholismAlcoholism is a baffling and powerful disease. It affects all spate from all walks of life. It has been medically proven and recognized by most of society as a disease. However, for some people who either have not been affected or just do not have any knowledge of the disease, it is considered more as a weakness of character. Alcoholism has many effects, on the downpour them self, towards their family and friends, and on their health, on their spouse and children, mentally and physically, besides the good thing is there is help out there for all of these people. Alcohol is the most astray used and abused drug in the U.S. today. It is found in all beers, wines, and whiskeys. The alcohol in all these crispens is the same, only the percentage of alcohol and the flavor of the drinks be different. From a chemist point of view, alcohol would be seen as ethyl alcohol or ethanol (Berger 17). Alcoholism is a condition in which individuals drink alcohol regular ly and to excess. They continue to drink alcohol even thought this results in serious harm to their physical and mental health (Berger 11). Alcoholics are unequivocal drinkers, individuals who cannot keep their drinking under control. Alcoholics intend to have only one or two drinks, but find it impossible to stop and end up drinking more. Once the start, alcoholics will almost always drink themselves to drunkenness (Berger 19). Alcoholism does not necessarily mean getting drunk every day (Berger 11). The American Medical Association states Alcoholism is a disease that can be arrested but not cured. One of the symptoms is an uncontrollable desire to drink. Alcoholism is a progressive disease. As long ... ...cember 1997. CD-ROM. Outline Thesis Statement Alcoholism has many effects, on the alcoholic them self, towards their family and friends, and on their health, on their spouse and children, mentally and physically, but the good thing is there is help out there for all o f these people. I. Introduction A. Hook B. Thesis II. Alcoholic A. Effects of the alcoholic 1. Towards family 2. Towards friends B. Effects on health III. Family A. Effects on spouse 1. Mentally 2. Physically B. Effects on children 1. Mentally 2. Physically IV. Help A. For the alcoholic B. For the spouse C. For the children V. Conclusion

An Analysis of Frosts Tree at my Window Essay example -- Tree at my W

An Analysis of Frosts Tree at my Window The poem Tree at my Window was written by Robert Frost, an America poet who was born in 1874 and died in 1963 (DiYanni 624). The narrator in this poem appears to be speaking to the tree at my window thusly, repeating the phrase in reverse order, he c entirelys it the window tree, as if to emphasize the location and nearness of the tree. Calling the tree a window tree, might also suggest that this tree is nearthing he sees through, perhaps to some higher truth, to something beyond the mere physical presence of the tree. As night approaches, the sash or movable portion of the window is lowered, perhaps to pr up to nowt the air, cooled from omit of the suns warmth, from entering the house (Webster 1026). The narrator continues, But let there never be curtain drawn / Between you and me. Literally, this statement could imply that he does not want a drape to cover the window betwen them. A sense of foreboding arises if one looks at additiona l definitions. Curtain can refer to dying and drawn can refer to being brought about by inducement or being allured (Webster 280, 346). The narrator begins the second stanza mentioning a dream that is unclear. He then stops short and continues, seemingly describing the appearance of the tree. Referring to head lifted out of the ground, / Not all your light tonuges taliking aloud / could be profound. Perhaps the speaker could be describing the vastness of the trees height and width along with the magnitude of leaves. Comparing tongues to leaves is a possibility because, as the wind rushes through them, it causes a distinct sound. The speaker whitethorn even believe that the tree has insight to his feelings (Webster ... ...four, the speaker compares outer and inner lives. Tree at my Window contains descriptions and comparisons that almost bring an image to ones mind. Perhaps I have been able to relate to this poem because I have often looked out of the window at the trees and mo untains in the distance and contemplated some dilemma. Perhaps we could all learn from nature not to be so anxious about things that in the long run run do not really even matter. Works Cited Cox, James, M. Robert Frost A Collection of Critical Essays. raw(a) Jersey Prentice-Hall, 1962. DiYanni, Robert. Literature Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay. New York McGraw-Hill, 1994. Thompson, Lawrence. Robert Frost The Early Years 1874-1915 New York Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966. Websters New Collegiate Dictionary. Massachusetts G&C Merriam, 1977.

Feminism in Sylvia Plaths The Bell Jar :: Feminism Feminist Women Criticism

Feminism in The Bell Jar   In Sylvia Plaths autobiographical fresh The Bell Jar, the reader learns of the adventures of a youngish woman in a male-dominated society that will not let her achieve her true potential. Plaths alter ego, Esther, is hence driven to a nervous breakdown and attempts suicide numerous times. In many ways, this novel is a feminist text, centered around the struggles of a young woman who cannot reach her goals in our male-dominated society.   People close to Esther, do not accept her talents as a poet and writer, but rather try to push her into traditionally more feminine roles. For example, Esthers mother repeatedly tries to convince her to learn shorthand, but Esther rebels, saying ...when I tried to picture myself in some job, briskly jotting down line after line of shorthand, my mind went blank. (100) Esther, unlike many women of her time, refuses to be controlled by societys gender-based constraints The last thing I wanted was infinite security measure and to be the place an arrow shoots off from. I wanted change and excitement and to shoot off in all directions myself, like the colored arrows from a Fourth of July rocket. (68) The phrases infinite security and the place an arrow shoots off from come from Mrs. Willards description of the womans role in society (58). This passage directly addresses Plaths central office in the novel, which is to look at the mental problems that can befall a woman with ambitions that the surrounding culture will not allow her to fulfill. This book was create in 1963, towards the beginning of the feminist movement the events chronicled in this book, however, take place in 1953 (208), in a period during which womens rights were not yet widely accept in our society. The passage quoted above, and the emotions which it conveys, are typical of a feminist like Esther, but Esther is ahead of her time and is thus unable to express herself to society in the way she wants.

The Historical Progression of African Americans Essay -- American Hist

Permanent struggle for civil rights by the African the Statesns accompanied the historical improvement of the African American society (Booker T. and Fitzhugh W. 2002). The African Americans had struggled for many years to have the same opportunities as the white Americans. During this time, there was a civil war aimed at liberating the African Americans who had been made slaves by the principal white Americans. However, the civil war did not improve the lives of the African Americans in America. The struggle for equal liberties was a go that began in the year 1865 and ended in the year of 1876. Today, America is a powerful nation with a difficult past that holds a bright future. pack of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds can share the same rights, positions of power, education, and all other functions that were once only for the white people of America. Though African Americans suffered tough injustices in precedent years, their commitment and d etermination enabled them overcome the adversities that they faced on a daily basis and win their battle. Many aspects of African American life such as politics, culture and social development allowed African Americans to gain power in the United States over time. They had displayed much of the same qualities as the white workers in America and would prove that their former life as a slave would not deter them from becoming scotchally independent and successful in America. Although this did not clear immediately, it shows that they were determined and ready to lead normal lives and take their rightful places in society and in the economy.Several factors had contributed to the historical progression of African Americans. Many social, cultural, eco... ...Nazarene movements. The African Americans built many churches and schools that further expanded their religious faith. Several changes took place during the historical progression of the African Americans. During the historical pro gression that started in 1865, changes occurred in social, political, economic and religious aspects of the African Americas. These changes took place at different times and each had different impacts to the lives of the African Americans. At first, African Americans were facing political, economic and social oppressiveness from the white Americans. After a long period of struggle and determination, changes appeared in different aspects that made the lives of African Americans better. Oppression ended and the economic position of the African Americans improved since they had gained high literacy levels and could access better paying jobs.

It’s Time to Regulate the Use of Cell Phones on the Road :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Its Time to Regulate the Use of Cell Phones on the RoadWhen a cell phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert, we are irritated, but at least our lives are non endangered. When we are on the road, however, irresponsible cell phone enjoymentrs are more than irritating They are putting our lives at risk. Many of us have witnessed drivers so distracted by dialing and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving betwixt lanes, for example, or nearly running down pedestrians in crosswalks. A number of bills to regulate use of cell phones on the road have been introduced in state legislatures, and the time has come to push for their passage. Regulation is needed because drivers using phones are seriously stricken and because laws on negligent and reckless driving are not sufficient to punish offenders.No one can deny that cell phones have caused vocation deaths and injuries. Cell phones were implicated in three fatal accidents in November 2003 alone. Early in November, two-ye ar-old Morgan Pena was killed by a driver distracted by his cell phone. Morgans mother, Patti Pena, reports that the driver ran a stop sign at 45 mph, broadsided my vehicle and killed Morgan as she sat in her car seat. A week later, corrections officer Shannon Smith, who was guarding prisoners by the side of the road, was killed by a woman distracted by a phone call (Besthoff). On Thanksgiving weekend that same month, seat and Carole Hall were killed when a Naval Academy midshipman crashed into their parked car. The driver said in court that when he looked up from the cell phone he was dialing, he was three feet from the car and had no time to stop (Stockwell B8).Expert testimony, public opinion, and even cartoons suggest that driving while phoning is dangerous. Frances Bents, an expert on the relation between cell phones and accidents, estimates that between 450 and 1,000 crashes a year have some connection to cell phone use (Layton C9). In a survey published by Farmers Insurance Group, 87% of those polled said that cell phones affect a drivers ability, and 40% reported having close calls with drivers distracted by phones. Scientific look for confirms the dangers of using phones while on the road. In 2003 an important study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors, Donald Redelmeier and Robert Tibshirani, studied 699 volunteers who made their cell phone bills available in order to confirm the times when they had placed calls.

It’s Time to Regulate the Use of Cell Phones on the Road :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Its Time to Regulate the Use of booth Phones on the RoadWhen a kioskular telephone phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert, we argon irritated, but at least our lives are not endangered. When we are on the road, however, irresponsible cell phone users are more than irritating They are putting our lives at risk. Many of us have witnessed device drivers so put off by dialing and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving between lanes, for example, or nearly running down pedestrians in crosswalks. A number of bills to regulate use of cell phones on the road have been introduced in state legislatures, and the time has come to push for their passage. Regulation is needed because drivers utilise phones are seriously impaired and because laws on negligent and reckless driving are not sufficient to punish offenders.No one can deny that cell phones have caused traffic deaths and injuries. Cell phones were implicated in trey fatal accidents in November 2003 alone. Early i n November, two-year-old Morgan Pena was killed by a driver distracted by his cell phone. Morgans mother, Patti Pena, reports that the driver ran a stop sign at 45 mph, broadsided my vehicle and killed Morgan as she sat in her car seat. A week later, corrections officer Shannon Smith, who was guarding prisoners by the side of the road, was killed by a woman distracted by a phone call (Besthoff). On Thanksgiving weekend that same month, John and Carole mansion house were killed when a Naval Academy midshipman crashed into their parked car. The driver said in court that when he looked up from the cell phone he was dialing, he was three feet from the car and had no time to stop (Stockwell B8).Expert testimony, public opinion, and even cartoons suggest that driving while phoning is dangerous. Frances Bents, an expert on the relation between cell phones and accidents, estimates that between 450 and 1,000 crashes a year have some connection to cell phone use (Layton C9). In a survey publ ished by Farmers indemnity Group, 87% of those polled said that cell phones affect a drivers ability, and 40% reported having close calls with drivers distracted by phones. Scientific research confirms the dangers of using phones while on the road. In 2003 an important study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors, Donald Redelmeier and Robert Tibshirani, studied 699 volunteers who made their cell phone bills available in secern to confirm the times when they had placed calls.

Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln as Wartime Leaders Essay

There are both similarities and differences between President Abraham Lincoln, leader of the Union, and Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate resigns, as leaders during the conflict of the cultivated War. These two war heroes lived parallel lives at birth. Both native Kentuckians, Abraham Lincoln was innate(p) February 12th, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky and Jefferson Davis was born June 3rd, 1808 in Christian County, Kentucky. Both Lincoln and Davis were born in a log cabin and each moved away from Kentucky at a young age and grew up in a diverse state. Lincoln moved to Indiana when he was seven and grew up on the edge of a frontier. Davis also moved away from Kentucky as a petite child and grew up in Mississippi. Early in life, Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis followed similar paths provided their educational experiences were very diametrical. Lincoln had little formal teaching however he read avidly having taught himself.Jefferson Davis, on the contrary, had a ver y good formal education. He attended Transylvania University in Kentucky until he was sixteen when President Monroe name him to a military school. He successfully graduated from West Point military academy as a Second Lieutenant. Davis start-off active work was in the United States Army in the Northwest which lasted for six years. He was involved in several battles in the Black Hawk War of 1832 as leader of his regiment. Correspondingly, Lincoln got into the military by enlisting as a militia captain during the Black Hawk War defending the state of Illinois. As the militia captain, Lincoln made an honorable and respected name for himself however he did not see any combat during his brief clock time in the Illinois militia. Although they got their starts in military service very differently, Lincoln and Davis were both directly involved in the military before they were pulled into the political scene.Politically, Lincoln found a home with the Whig party where his vision for the n ation focused on improving all aspects internally, including commerce, industry and transportation. He would concentrate on these ideals until the 1850s when he accepted the detail that slavery was contributing to the downfall of America (Abraham Lincoln Early Political Career). Davis, on the other hand, spent a good deal of time reading about political philosophy and political economy, and entered as a Democrat. His logical approach to the difficulties facing the nation focused on the rights of the states, an ideal which he held for his entire political career (NNDB). The differences in their political backgrounds and military beginnings helped to shape these men into the leaders they grew to be during the Civil War.After the Black Hawk War, Jefferson Davis espouse Miss Knox Taylor, Zachary Taylors daughter, and resigned from the army. In contrast, Abraham Lincoln studied law and campaigned for Illinois State Legislature after the war. Lincoln met and soon after married Mary Tod d in Springfield, Illinois where he was studying to become a attorney. He became an attorney in 1836 when he obtained his license to practice law. Lincoln was a successful and fantastic lawyer who presented a massive amount of k right offledge about the law and had an impeccable way with his speech.Even so, he was not elected as a State Legislator the first time he ran, and it was not until his second time running that he won, and in 1834 served as a Whig. Jefferson Davis, however, led a dramatically different life during the years following his first military service than Lincoln. Three months after marriage, both he and his spouse, Knox, acquired malaria and unfortunately his wife did not make it. Davis, now a widower, retired to a plantation in Mississippi where he supervised the production of cotton and studied political science. In 1843 he came to the great refinement that he should put his diligent studies to use and enter the political field. Davis ran for the Mississippi H ouse of Representatives as a Democrat, but lost the election in his first attempt, similar to Lincoln.

The Relationship Between Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Development

Entrepreneurship firstly arise from Richard Cantillons Essai sur la Nature du mercantilism en Gnral, originally refers to the behavior people aim to become an entrepreneur. Currently, it is an increasingly heated issue worldwide because its power on movement mental institution, productivity, job creation and economical instruction (Fisher, 2010). Schumpeter (1934) defined entrepreneurship as a creative response to potential opportunity and innovation means creating something original, modern and momentous that makes difference in a commercialize or society (Frankelius, 2009).With respect to the relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation and economic victimisation, Schumpeter (1934) highlights the role of entrepreneurship is the catalyst of economic development through innovation. However, recent research discovered that the level of economic development, in turn, has significant influence on entrepreneurship and innovation. Hence, in my opinion, entrepreneurship has i mportant positive effects on economic development in terms of innovation, whereas economic development also affects entrepreneurship and innovation.At the same(p) time, sustainability, which is always acquiesced with entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development frequently arises in government policies or academic research, is another popular topic now. This essay volition elaborate the relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development singly with theoretic literature and business cases in section 2, and then in section 3, the role of sustainability in this relationship will be illustrated.2. The relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development.2.1 Entrepreneurship and innovation Numerous theses are put forth to clarify the relationship betweenentrepreneurship and innovation. Shane (2003) claims that the primary issue for an entrepreneur is seduce advanced ventures while innovation is a secondary consideration. Hindle (2009) also views innovation as an entrepreneurial mathematical operation to generate economic benefits. Both these two views recoil that entrepreneurship is the join of the relationship and the role of innovation is limited.However, Drucker (1985 cited in Lumsdaine and Binks, 2007) points out a more reasonable relationship between innovation and entrepreneurship that innovation is a specific and unique tool of entrepreneurs. Schumpeter, as cited in Westhead, Wright and McElwee 2011, also explicitly concludes that innovation is a pre-requisite for genuine entrepreneurship. These two points clarify that individuals who can become entrepreneurs have the capacity to combine creative ideas in novel way and create something original, initiative and significant. Thus, in this way, innovation is a must for entrepreneurship. A fitted example of this is non-bag vacuum scrubbed designed by James Dyson.Noticing a phenomenon that when the bag of vacuum is full, the suction became ineffici ent, Dyson devised the idea of producing a non-bag vacuum cleaner that promotes efficiency and convenience. He put this ripe idea into effect, established new business and launched the product in 1993, and eventually his product dominated the British vacuum cleaner market (Westhead, Wright and McElwee, 2011).In this example, it is evident innovative non-bag vacuum cleaner will not be obtainable in absence of innovation. In addition, Schumpeter (1936 cited in Lumsdaine and Binks, 2007) also emphasizes the issue that an entrepreneur cannot combine existed products and create new effort without innovation. For these reasons, innovation is the premise of entrepreneurship.2.2 Entrepreneurship and economic development. In current several decades, theoretical literature and empirical evidence have been put forth to illustrate the relationship between entrepreneurship and economic development. Among these various theories, the role of entrepreneurship is to recognize opportunities, ensure resources efficiently and eventually enhance economic development (Casson, 1982) has been widely accepted. juvenile research conducted by Audretsch and Keilbach (2004)demonstrates the vital factor accounting for the GDP variations between the former Soviet Union (USSR) and the USA.Even though these two countries have similar expert sophistication, USSRs economic development significantly lagged behind the USA. With further research into it, they discover that the USA has a large number of entrepreneurs but it is not the same to USSR. This example highlights that negative effects on economic development in absence of entrepreneurs. Furthermore, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (1998) points out that a country that has a large number of entrepreneurial activities is likely to constantly acquire original or advanced goods and experience considerable economic benefits. For these reasons, it is clear that entrepreneurship stimulates economic development.However, present-day(a) research highlights the point that the level of economic development also influences entrepreneurship. That is the popularity of entrepreneurship varies at distinguishable economic development stages. First, in the early economic development stage, there is a negative correlation between economic development and entrepreneurship. Schuultz (1990) and Yamada (1996) establish on their research proved that low level of economic development usually results low self-employment rate.This probably because manufacturing industriousness which takes advantage of economies of scale, standardization and massive take dominates the market and the cost for individuals to establish a new business is unaffordable. In addition, the will of individuals to take risk to be an entrepreneur is reduced because of the improvement of secured income (Iyigun and Owen, 1998). In other words, few people take entrepreneurship during this period. Nevertheless, with the further development of eco nomies, service industry which needs little capital to start-up gradually takes the place of manufacturing industry and becomes the key component to boost economies and dominates the market, providing more opportunities to entrepreneurs.Simultaneously, advanced information and communication technologies and further process of globalization increased the economic uncertainties in turn offer an area for new enterprises founded (Acs, Audretsch and Evans, 1994) such as a large number of SMEs in IT industry arise and grow in a high speed. As a result, further economic development in this period promotes entrepreneurship. Forthese reasons, economic development influences the popularity of entrepreneurship.2.3 excogitation and economic development Innovation is the action of putting creative ideas into effect, which involves introducing creative ideas and unique way to implement. Drucker (1957) views innovation as the purposeful search for changes and the opportunities that such changes ability offer. Similarly, Schumpeter (1934) presents that innovation is the engine of change in preservation. Furthermore, he raises the issue of creative destruction as a tool of entrepreneurship that discrete innovation destroys traditional market and rapidly replaces less war-ridden economic activities development.These suggest that innovation is the catalyst of economic development. For example, an iPod is derived from combing various technologies with unique design, which is an innovation in MP3 player industry. The production of an iPod included 41,000 jobs worldwide in 2006, creating job opportunities and boosting global trade (Linden, Kreamer and Dedrick, 2007). Furthermore, Boston Consulting Group (Collaborative Economics, 2008) also states that innovation is becoming an important economic motivator based on their research on the US Productivity Growth Outputs. For these reasons, innovation is the major military force for economic development.Nevertheless, the level econ omic development affects the function of innovation. correspond to the Artadi and Xavier (2004), the stage of economic development of a country covers factor-driven stage, efficiency-driven stage and innovation driven stage. Innovation plays different roles in different development phases. In factor-driven stage, the economy of a country is primarily driven by abundant and low-cost labor and natural resources. The contribution from innovation is negligible that is not worth considering in this period. Then, in efficiency-driven stage, countries seek to improve procession efficiency and promote productivity with existed technologies. In this phase, innovation is a secondary consideration.Later, in innovation-driven stage, innovation is an essential component part of economic development. Most sectors or industries are experiencing Schumpterian renaissance innovation become the crucial engine boosting economicdevelopment. Furthermore, Romers endogenous model also documents the diff erent innovation performance in different levels of economic development (Romer, 1990). For these reasons, economic development has crucial impacts on innovations function.In summary, innovation is the pre-requisite for real entrepreneurship, which alter by entrepreneurship to stimulate economic development. However, different level of economic development affects the popularity of entrepreneurship and the function of innovation. 3. The role of sustainabilitySustainability is the concept that guarding, or fostering the development of, the systematic contexts that make the goods, services, and amenities that people need or value, at an acceptable cost, for as long as they are needed or valued (Allen, Tainter and Hoekstra, 2003, P26).According to the definition, the objective of sustainability is to maintain an environment that assures to sustain the development of human beings. This issue is becoming popular in recent years because of its positive effects on entrepreneurship, inno vation and economic development.It is widely accepted that generating competitive advantages is crucial for entrepreneurs that own growing firms (Penrose, 1959 cited in Kor and Mahoney, 2004). Hart (1995 cited in Paton, 2000) points out that the goal of sustainability is entirely consistent with the good motive competitive advantages. In other words, sustainability, as the vital process of generating competitive advantages, plays a significant role in entrepreneurship. Taking social province is an important aspect of sustainability and helps enterprises generate competitive advantages. NIKE is a suitable example of this. NIKE was accused of using child labour in production of its sneakers in Pakistan in 1996.This unsustainable behaviour incurred criticisms from several society groups and damaged its brand image, resulted numerous people refused to purchase its products. In order to address this problem appropriately, NIKE formulated new policies and need its contractors must mini mize potential negative environmental effects, offer a hygiene and comfortable work place and improve the healthconditions of all employees (Wright, 2013). These measures reflect NIKEs behaviour of social responsibility that meets the societys expectation for sustainable behaviour, which maintain a superior brand image and strengthen competitive position. In this case, NIKE derives competitive advantages from its sustainable management. This indicates sustainability enhances the development of entrepreneurship.It is mentioned in the Section 2 that entrepreneurship has positive effects on innovation and economic development. Kao (2010) states that entrepreneurship is a potential force for sustainability, which indicates it is likely that sustainability has important influence on innovation and economic development through enterprise performance. Haiers success in Fluorine-Free Energy-Saving Air Conditioner is a suitable example of this. The process of producing new air conditioner is similar to Schumpeters creative destruction. Haier developed and combined new Fluorine-Free and Energy-saving technologies and built new venues in order to rise this product (Yao, Pan and Yuan, 2010).In other words, it destroys the traditional Fluorine-added air conditioner industry and launched new air conditioners into the market. Through this case, the production of new air conditioner develops innovation and the new become venues offer more job opportunities, which is beneficial to economic development. For these reasons, sustainability boosts innovation and economic development through enterprise performance.4. ConclusionIn conclusion, the relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development is complex. This essay illustrates that innovation is the premise of entrepreneurship. This paper also illustrates that entrepreneurship plays an important role in economic development. It is because that large number of entrepreneurial activities can constantly al locate resources efficiently and acquire original goods. At the same time, the popularity of entrepreneurship varies during different level of economic development.Similarly, innovation, serves as the engine of economic development, also behaves differently in different economic developmentphases. In addition, the role of sustainability in innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development is vital. That is sustainability helps entrepreneurship generate competitive advantages and promotes innovation and economic development. Furthermore, it is suggested that an entrepreneur should concentrate on innovation and perform sustainably in order to generate competitive advantages and boost economic development.

“Girl” Jamaica Kincaid Essay

The hapless tosh of Girl by Jamaica Kincaid is about a aim and her relationship with her daughter. It is a harsh one sided conversation between the fabricator and her mother, with the mother doing completely the talking. The degree gives a rich description of what her mother expects from her in all aspects of her bread and butter, from chores, to how she plays, to what she sings in church. From each line you see the viewpoint of how her mother sees the world, what is proper in her eyes and her expectations for her daughter. Throughout the story the symbolism gives deeper meaner to every verse and shows deeper insight to their realsonship.One of the first symbols is in the first line is the people of tinge white. The use of the color white is foreshadowing the tone for the whole short story. White represents pure, virgin, and clean. The mother is reprimanding her child for the authority she walks on Sundays try to walk corresponding a lady and not like the loose woman you so circle on congruous (380). The narrators mother already has concerns of her daughter becoming sexually promiscuous and tarnishing her reputation. The mothers tone is harsh passim the whole short story. She is demanding her daughter does these things as she dictates. This is not a sweet atomic calculate 42 between a mother and her daughter. The conversation is laced with insults and fears. The mother also warns her daughter about run downing on the street dont eat fruit on the street-flies will follow you (380). Flies are seen as bottom feeders, dirty and irritating and when flies are surrounding an animal it is seen as filthy. She is telling her daughter that she will be seen as dirty if her fruits are out for everyone to see.This has to do with being covered and not letting everyone stare at you. This supports her idea that her daughter will cash in ones chips promiscuous and not respec duck. some other symbol example is the importance on clothing. The mother cautions w hen buying cotton to flummox yourself a nice blouse, be sure that it doesnt have gum on it, because that way it wont hold up after a wash (380). The mothers emphasis on clothing highlights her view of howyou dress is a reflection of you as a person. Its gives insight to your char effecter and temperament that you take pride in how you look. Clothing is used cover your body, when you are covered you are seen as respectable in her community. In the conversation this is how to hem a dress when you see the hem coming and so to prevent yourself from looking like the hooker I know you are so bent on becoming (380)This is the second time that her mother accuses her of turning in a slut. The hemming of the dress is no longer a lesson in how to sew, but the act itself has tuned into being seen as respectable and that reinforces her mothers view. In addition, Benna is also a symbol in the text. The word benna is one of the cultural symbols she uses. It gives insight to where the story is taking place. It also gives the reader the first response to her mother who has been talking the whole time. I dont sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday School (Kincaid 380). Why did the narrator feel compelled to finally speak up for herself in this moment? What did her mother mean by accusing her of this that the narrator feel she had to defend herself? From this short sentence the reader can assume that something that has changed culturally. If the daughter is implying that singing Calypso music is frowned upon and considered taboo that heart and soul singing it in Sunday school would be a grave disrespect. The other aspect of the sentence is the use of Sunday school, the introduction of Christianity has added to the mothers fears of her daughter being respectable.The mother is also going through changes culturally and that has influence her concerns for her daughter. Another example of cultural symbolism is the this how you set a table for tea (381). This line in th e story shows a reference to Britain through tea. The reader can accept that what has been going on culturally is in reference to Britain. There are foreigners in her country who could be judging the country as they interact with the natives. Her constant fear of her daughter becoming a slut is stemming from what the mother now views as proper behavior. They are many symbols that come from food. The use of food in this short story has a small number of layers. There is the superficial layer that acts as a cultural symbol in her use of her native dishes in the text. It also adds depth to the short story and shows the reader where the narrator and her mother are living this is how to make bread pudding, this is how to make doukona, this is how to make pepper pot (381).The readerhas only seen the mother in the fierce, menacing tone. Upon further analysis of the symbolism, it shows that her mother doesnt want her to forget her cultural heritage among all the changes going on currently in her life with Sunday school and the British being in her country. She wants her daughter to learn how to clear these native dishes as a way of passing down her legacy. Another layer is the mother finds cooking to being part of being a respectable women. Cooking is something the mother puts value on. She believes that a woman who can cook is valuable to their society. Over the course of the text she come bet on to instructing on how to cook. The reader is also able to see it in the beginning, middle and end of the short story. It is not just being able to make these dishes, but the whole act itself cook pumpkin fritters in very hot sweet petroleum (380).The mother believes that cooking strengths the bond her daughter will have with her family and with the community. The last symbol in food is the when the mother tell her how to she is to squeeze the bread ever squeeze bread to make sure its fresh but what if the baker wont let me feel the bread? you mean to allege that after a ll you are really going to be the kind of woman who the baker wont let near the bread (381) This goes back to the overall theme of the entire story. Her mother wants her be the kind of lady that the baker lets squeeze the bread. The word squeeze is suggestive in a way that the mother doesnt want her daughter to allow anyone to squeeze her. It also reinforces that her daughter should not become a slut or she will be not be a functioning member of society. Sluts and wharf-rat boys are not part of their society her mother warns you mustnt speak to wharf-rat boys (380).They are outcast, if she becomes a slut the baker will not allow her to touch the bread and she will be an outcast like the wharf-rat boys. The final symbol is housework the importance of it is seen throughout the short story. The narrators mother makes many references toward housework, Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap wash the color clothes on Tuesday and put them on the clothesline to dry (380). She sees housework as a way of keeping busy so her daughter doesnt become promiscuous. It also establishes her role as women taking care of her house. In their culture this seen a respectable and earns them respect from their community.This short story looks like a straightforward stern lecture from a mother to daughter. When you look at each sentence in-depth, you see mother hasfears that are based not in displeasure but in reality due to all the changes going on in their culture. These fears are expressed sometimes harshly by calling daughter a slut, and her tone throughout the story. At the end it is just a mother being concerned with her daughter and wanting the best life practicable for. The symbolism gives more insight than what the reader can read just on the surface. It shows a whole different character for the mother and sheds light as to why the mother has these expectations and fears. What people fear shapes them and their relationshipsWorks CitedKincaid, Jamica . Literature A Portable Anthology. 3rd ed. Boston, MA Bedford St Martins, 2013.

Development of Multinational Personnel Selection Essay

Ivey Managework forcet Services prohibits every form of reproduction, storage or transmittal without its written permission. Reproduction of this material is not c everywhereed under control by any reproduction rights organization. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, contact Ivey Publishing, Ivey Management Services, c/o Richard Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, Lon take on, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7 shout out (519) 661-3208 fax (519) 661-3882 e-mail casesivey. uwo. ca. Copyright 2007, Ivey Management Services Version (A) 2007-12-11On Monday morning at 830 a. m. , Dr. Thomas Koch was leaving his luxury condominium on the 28th floor of a building specifi handley constructed for expatriates and Hong Kongs wealthier citizens. He was going garbage d own to Ca manipulationway Bay, towards his office in Hong Kongs important melodic phrase district. On the way, Koch listened to the voice mail messages on his cell ph star, one of whic h was from the assistant of the firms owner, Peter Koenig. The message verbalise that Koch was depended to c in every(prenominal) told back before his meeting with the human resources (HR) squad that he was leading.The human resources team meeting was scheduled in order to bring together German and Chinese human resource experts to form a crossfunctional project team. In the context of global restructuring, the company, ComInTec AG & Co (ComInTec), had introduced a new regional anxiety level. As a result, 25 middle management positions were expected to be postulateed in the Asian-Pacific-region (APAC) (e. g. regional head of purchasing, regional head of supply kitchen range management, national chief executive officers (CEOs), national head of finance and accounting, and national head of operations).A new effect infusion establishment was expected to fill these positions with qualified employees. ComInTecs own recruitment channels, as considerably as head hunters, woul d be hired for the recruitment serve well. The everywhere alone duty for implementing the new personnel excerption process was the responsibility of the project team. According to the companys inhouse global localization policy, 90 per cent of the new management positions were make full by persons who originated from the country they would be fashioning in.The affected aras included sales and marketing, purchasing, supply chain management, and finance and accounting, at locations in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, Melbourne, Sydney and Shanghai. The managers annual salary ranges between 40,000 and 150,000, depending on the location. The new personnel selection ashes for APAC was part of the companys new objective to standardize all human resource instruments for selection purposes close to the globe. This new personnel selection system had to be developed internally. foliate 2 9B07C041 BACKGROUNDFor several years now, Koch had been finding faults in the design of the individual appraisal centres. According to Kochs opinion, in that respect was lone(prenominal) truly limited prospect to influence possible modifications because the individual assessment centres were conducted by external consulting firms. Additionally, Koch questioned the validness of the information obtained from the centres, as well as the personnel selection system as a whole. ComInTec had little interest in empirically evaluating the rigor of the assessment centres and statistically analyzing the outcomes of such personnel selection procedures.Koch to a fault felt the consume to improve the contents of the structured wonders that were based on the scenes period spotlight, as opposed to the prognosiss previous work experience. Koch firmly believed that what happened in the past was likely to be repeated in the future, and thitherfore had very little appreciation for selective call into questions that did not consider the candidates past. Overall, efforts to improve the current selection systems had only rargonly been undertaken due to limited cartridge clip and the budget allotted for personnel affairs a memorable fact that Koch had al presenty pointed out to the management several sequence.The development of a new transnational personnel selection system now posed a huge challenge for Koch and his project team. thither was one fact, however, which he noticed with relief there were no expatriates in the new selection system because the selected managers were required to be living in APAC. Currently, ComIncTec solely sent those candidates abroad that had the necessary technical skills and experience, c arless(predicate) of intercultural competencies.Koch remembered how difficult it was at times to find someone entrusting to move his or her centre of life, including family, to a different country. He also knew from his own transportation experience that no training (e. g. language or cultural norms) was offered to prep be him. Wit h this in mind, he hired ply for his project team that would globally cook up the countries involved a Chinese research assistant who faultless a bachelor in HR management, an opposite trainee from China, and a German intern who had completed four semesters in psychology.The team, which also included additive HR managers from the home base office, had already been working on the development of the new personnel selection system for four months. Over the past few weeks numerous meetings had been held, yet no significant progress had been made. One reason could be attributed to the fact that there was intelligible heterogeneity between the German and Asian team members opinions regarding the new personnel selection system. This created an ambiance that was tense and dissent with respect to sharing the workload.For todays meeting, the goal was to come to a consensus on several important stretch outs (1) what individual modules the new personnel selection system should contain, ( 2) whether country- particular(prenominal) adaptations were necessary and workable for all(prenominal) module, and (3) the carrying into action process of the new personnel instrument at from each one APAC location. The APAC-situated plants were the companys top-selling ones therefore, any wrong decisions with respect to HR (e. g. personnel selection) were extremely cost- licence to the University of Regina for use by prof Sandra Steen in the track down MBA/GBUS 843 strategical HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. When Koch first heard or so the above changes, it immediately occurred to him that this would not be easy. He knew that personnel selection procedures currently varied significantly between countries. He also knew that the existing selection instruments were by no representation flawless in any specific country. After the activity documents were analyzed, structured interviews with the candidates were conducted by a department representative and an HR special ist.If both interviewers came to a exacting conclusion on the candidates qualifications, the top candidate completed an individual assessment centre in order to point out his/her interpersonal competences rather than his/her pro competencies. The individual assessment centres consisted of biographical questions, case studies on leadership in an international context and participation in a leaderless sort out discussion. Ultimately, additional references were obtained for each candidate, although different procedures existed in different countries.For example, references gathered in Asia only stick outed a candidates previous function and duration of employment check to common employment law. After reference checks were completed, each candidate acquire written feedback and a report was generated and added to the successful candidates personnel file. Page 3 9B07C041 intense. The personnel selection system in APAC, as a whole, would fuddle large-scale consequences affecting the entire company. As Koch was walking in the crowd Causeway Bay argona he was not paying much attention.To Koch, who could not distinguish between Asians, it pull inmed as if they were crawling across the streets like ants, all busy on their phones. As usual, it was a very hot day. For Koch, now 48 years old, this was intolerable. He took off his light-coloured linen jacket and placed his tie, peril to strangle him, in his brief case. He had amendsed from a business trip in Sydney the previous Saturday and was liquid feeling the effects of the lengthy flight. The next business trip was scheduled for the upcoming Thursday off to Jakarta for a week, Shanghai, then Munich for a meeting of the Global Steering Committee Human Resources.He checked his schedule and remembered the phone call he received earlier from Koenigs assistant. Koch would be arriving at his office within 10 proceeding, which allowed him time to return Koenigs phone call before the scheduled meeting. It had been 17 years now that Koch had been working in the HR department for ComInTec and three years in the regional headquarters in Hong Kong. After working umteen years for ComInTec he was currently the HR take awayor, thanks to his determination, networking skills, ability to be higher(prenominal)(prenominal)ly pliable to new locations, and his talent to be at the right place at the right time.He was in charge of all HR decisions within ComInTec in APAC. ComInTec was a worldwide leading industrial company with administration, plants, and sales offices in Central Europe, Eastern and Western Europe, APAC, Central and South America, and North America. Like many other companies, ComInTec was forced to establish downsizing procedures between 2003 and 2006. Worldwide, 900 jobs were cut. Koch was actively involved in the staff cutbacks that had taken place. He had visited the plants, equipped with PowerPoint presentations that had been verified by the executive board to be politically correct .He spoke to the workers and praised ComInTecs ethics and corporate philosophy, despite the cutbacks. He communicated the cutbacks to the workers as a temporary crisis, pointing out that it was chiefly due to natural fluctuations and that it was part-time employees who were cut, with the affected workers cosmos offered fair compensation packages. In consequence of the general economic situation in the years of 2003 to 2006, ComInTec regrettably had no other option. He additionally thanked the staff for their loyalty and appreciation with personal gifts and reports in the companys internal newsletter.Since then, the company had recovered from the crisis. ComInTec employed 23,000 employees worldwide and made more(prenominal) than 5. 8 billion in sales. Koch arrived at the elevator to his office. He was surrounded by Asian colleagues in the best mood, all in uniformly grey suits, greeting each other as they waited for the elevator. When he got off the elevator, there were two of th e three Chinese secretaries serving tea and fruits. His appearance everlastingly ca utilize a general haste among the secretaries. They all confirmed his daily appointments, signifying that his work day had officially commenced.Koch called on a secretary, who came running on the double, accompanied by a Yes, sir and a big smile, yet she avoided eye-contact by looking down to the floor. She reminded him that Koenig was waiting for him to return his call. Without being able to name a cause for it, this secretarys behaviour triggered gropingty in Koch. All her gestures appeared submissive as she perpetually nodded her head regardless of praise or derogation always understanding and friendly. Koch picked up the telephone and Koenig instantly began speaking Mr.Koch, you recognize how much I appreciate your dedication to the company, but I have concerns close the current international selection procedures. We need something that is going to work, and work immediately And dont you dare try to offer me this empirical or validity stuff. I dont give a damn. You have a whole department with highly qualified people. I assume you are undefendable of filling these vacant management positions. We also need a selection system that works eachwhere. We cannot afford to apply different license to the University of Regina for use by prof Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. Page 4 9B07C041 procedures in every country. What we need are consistent procedures, something relevant cross-nationally and cross-regionally. You, as a cosmopolitan, should know exactly what I mean. I also expect everything to be documented to a tee. Although Koch shared Koenigs enthusiasm for an change personnel selection system, there were many complications that could arise of which Koenig seemed obviously unaware.As sensitively as possible and with all due respect, Koch tried to inform Koenig close possible problems. First, Koch argued th at although a transnational personnel selection system could have its advantages, these advantages may become costly when they are not easily implemented in each region. Each country had its own unique economic and education situations, which would undoubtedly become problematic when creating a universal personnel selection system. Koenig should only think of Thailand, for example, where it is more difficult than anywhere else to find qualified managers.With respect to cultural differences, Koch argued that a standardized personnel selection system would also almost likely ignore cultural differences and culture-specific circumstances. This would not only affect the individual modules of the system, but also the basic job requirements, the adaptation of modules to specific countries, and the use of specific personnel selection methods. Koch also expressed his concern with Koenigs lack of interest in scrutiny the validity of the new selection procedures Mr. Koenig, something that is expected to work should be tested thoroughly.This is the only way to be certain that it result actually work. We leave alone need to test and then evaluate each and every single module in each country. This process give provide a basis on which we ordain be able to improve the real procedures. Due to all the possible problems that may arise with the new system, it is imperative that we invest in developing it properly. Of course, that wasnt exactly what Koenig compulsioned to hear fatiguet tell me approximately problems, I want solutions, and you should not forget that this is what I pay you and your team to do. You have until the end of this week to deliver net and written conclusions of this matter.If not, I will reduce your team in Hong Kong by half, and I will delegate the development of this new system to global headquarters. Mr. Koenig, Koch replied, delight keep in mind that my team has been working on this introducement for months, including weekends. Neverthe less, Koenig underlined Kochs point of view with the commanding eminence typical of him Either you will come up with something useful by the end of this week, or central headquarters will do the job. End of discussion. Koch responded Mr. Koenig, we have known each other for 17 years now and you know that I always do whats best for this company.I strongly believe that as your HR manager, it is my responsibility and duty to inform you about possible risks and problems that may exist with an ad hoc-developed and unevaluated multinational personnel selection system. Koch advised Koenig again that his demands could lead to severe difficulties. Koch also added Mr. Koenig, please remember the problems we experienced a few years ago with respect to staffing cutbacks. You wanted to send employees, who had been working for the Licensed to the University of Regina for use by prof Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13.Page 5 9B07C041 compan y for many years, home without any kind of termination pay. Everything was to be through with(p) by us, without any kind of external consulting. I assume you remember that I told you in advance how risky such a staff reduction can be. I am certain that you will also remember that I sensible you that the legal process would create a high financial risk to the company with employees with legal action seeking claims for damages and compensation. At the time you had underestimated the situation, and as a result our legal department had to guide with all the consequences.We were lucky that our lawyers were able to win most of the cases. Koenig was listening to these remarks with irritation and responded Dr. Koch, I am at the end of my tether with you. You need to stop focusing on the past. Its all water under the bridge. We are now looking at 25 people we want to hire. This is my company and not yours. I will be participating in todays meeting via film assemblage. I expect you to p repare everything at once so that the motion picture conference will be working. And dont forget that I have put you in charge of the entire new personnel selection system.Koch would need to accept the fact that all of his objections to Koenigs instruction manual fell on deaf ears. He knew Koenig well enough to understand exactly what he wanted and that he would not change his mind. For Koenig, endless loyalty to the company, endurance, a hands-on mentality, and assertiveness were most important. He was known for his strong control orientation course not only by the members of the global steering group, but also by the plants employees. Two weeks prior, he went to Malaysia unannounced and snuck into one of the plants in order to see the night shifts work with his own eyes.In addition, every executive knew that Koenig had established staff employees, so called see functionaries, in every country. The trade union movement of these key functionaries, or spies as Koch liked to call them, was to report to Koenig about everything that was happening on site in detail, particularly any wrong doing of management. simply Koenig did not trust these key functionaries either, with his motto being Trust is good, control is better. Only if there was 100 per cent agreement between headquarters and the key functionaries was he willing to attribute a certain degree of credibility to the situation.Koch could therefore understand the tactics of Koenig because they somewhat resembled his own tactics. Koch, nevertheless, had difficulties with Koenigs control procedures because they instanter affected him and his team. In response to these procedures, Koch had established in APAC that each meeting and each decision that was to be made must be infixed by three individuals. Piles of paper were accumulating in his office as a result, and even special storage rooms were needed to store the paper masses.Furthermore, Koch remembered the figure coming from the central HR departmen t, to standardize all personnel selection procedures including all criteria and approaches around the globe. This matter ended in talk due to conflicts regarding this question. With all this in the back of his mind, and the increasing pressure on his shoulders, Koch remarked to Koenig at the end of the phone call that the meeting would possibly take several hours, and that he expect Koenig would not like to spend his precious time listening to every single detail regarding APACs selection system.Koenig concord that attending the meeting via video conference would not be in his best interest with respect to time, but instead insisted even more that he receive the final tipple of their decisions and the meeting minutes by Friday. Koch was proud to have successfully appeased Koenigs concerns for the moment, and he next turned his focus to the scheduled meeting. He was horrified when he glanced at his watch and realized that it was already 930 a. m. He jumped up abruptly from his des k and left for the conference room.When he arrived, his whole team and an noncitizen staff employee from global headquarters, probably a key functionary, Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. Page 6 9B07C041 Well, I ask today that you all present results from the past few months of hard work. I am only interested in the results and would like to avoid any massive discussions concerning details. Mr. Koenig expects our final decisions in writing this upcoming Friday.In the case that he does not approve our recommendations, this project will possibly be passed on to global headquarters. As a result, we will lose team members. You now know the importance of our meeting today. We need to decriminalize our right to exist. The Chinese colleagues agreed by nodding their heads uniformly. Koch noticed that this behaviour was always to be expected when there was an order from a me mber with higher hierarchical status. From Kochs perspective, this was a phenomenon reflecting cross-cultural differences (see Exhibits 1 and 2).He often asked him ego why his Chinese colleagues seemed to forget all priorities regarding time and content as curtly as there was an order coming from someone higher in the hierarchy. How often did he let out his Chinese colleagues change their work completely and without any objection according to the orders of someone with higher status? Koch quite often got the apprehension that his Asian colleagues and co-workers followed the principle Seniority is king. Yue Yu, a Chinese HR employee, roseate to speak. In her concise way, she stated One crucial question concerns the definition of the job requirements and their profiles.After several discussions we have come to the conclusion that the positions to be filled differ in their content. Hence, we plead to secure the job requirements specifically for each position, and to allow flexibi lity of the job requirements for other positions. More precisely, we want to diagnose 15 dimensions five components that test the candidates professional competencies, and 10 dimensions that evaluate social competencies. Andreas Mueller, the German economist who possessed extensive experience in HR management, countered Yue Yu You must be joking.The inclusion of 15 dimensions is not what our team has decided on. That is your opinion, which is not shared with anybody here. I told you many times that the acquisition of 15 dimensions is simply impossible. Yes, thats what you said earlier, answered Yue Yu, but I find we should establish as many dimensions as possible. Well, I disagree, Mueller go on, who could not stand being interrupted, It is important to define clearly distinguishable job requirements that are measurable, describable, and that are equally relevant in all countries of APAC. Yue Yu, intimidated by her German colleagues manner, blushed and looked down towards the flo or, signaling that she did not dare to say anything further. Yue Yu often found it difficult to cope with negative feedback, particularly when it occurred in front of her colleagues. There had been several times already that she could not stand up to Mueller, which seemed to affect her more and more each time. She had once spoken to Koch about her difficulties communicating with Mueller however, Koch was quickly irritated by the complaint and asked her to wait and hope for an improvement of the situation. Koch assumed the confrontation betweenLicensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. were already waiting impatiently. In order to keep the meeting attendees occupied while they waited, the thoughtful secretary was serving coffee and snacks, resulting in a bite breakfast for many of them. Koch welcomed everyone, apologized for being late, and began the meeting, We are here today to decide about the future personnel selection system for APAC, which, when complete, will influence the complete international employee selection system within ComIntTec considerably. After these introductory news shows, he asked the German intern Sarah Goldmann and her Chinese HR assistant Dai Wei to record the meeting minutes. Koch continued, I need everything we discuss here today to be recorded in detail. The records must happen with the precision of a surgeon The German team members threw disfavouring looks at each other however, the Asian team members approved of the instructions by nodding their heads. Koch started Page 7 9B07C041 he two colleagues was in the main just a misinterpretation due to cultural differences (see Exhibits 1 and 2), and told her to bring the matter to his attention again only if it was absolutely necessary. Yue Yu never discussed the situation with Koch again. The German, in-house psychologist Sabine Weitmann, who was known for her differentiating thinking, decided to join the discussion In my point of view, the question regarding the number of dimensions is only routineary. It is important that we first establish the contents of the job requirements. I suggest we replace the term job requirements with the more modern term competencies.In my opinion, a multinational requirement profile should contain competencies such as technical and vocational skills, social competencies, leadership competencies, communicative competencies, flexibility, and adaptability. Why these skills and not others? interjected Dai Wei, the Chinese HR assistant, who was not satisfied with Weitmanns selection of skills. Well, during my studies at the Strategic Human Resource Management Institute in Hong Kong, where I completed my MBA, I learned and experienced that a multitude of skills are inessential in personnel selection.I think we should therefore consider additional skills. For example, stress valuation reserve, resilience, cooperation skills, w illingness to learn, ambiguity tolerance, goal-orientation, problem-solving skills, decision-making skills, and intercultural competencies. But Dai Wei, contradicted Mueller, It is totally obvious that this kind of proposition will experience problems. That is simply not doable. Besides, the intention to establish more than six job requirements turned out to be problematic in the past.Did you ever think about the difference between intercultural competence and social competence? Dai Wei was obviously irritated by the criticisms he received in front of the team and was in the process of losing his temper, which was easily detected by looking at his face, which had become flushed. These well-known signs alerted Weitmann, who tried to calm the situation with her objection and who cherished the illusion of having salvaged this precarious situation We should not waste anymore time debating this radical, which weve already discussed many times before.Lets stay focused. Clearing his t hroat, Mueller stated, It is pointless to discuss the skills and job requirements. We are under time pressure and I therefore suggest that we bring about a majority vote with respect to the skills. No, said the Chinese trainee, who participated in a communication training course last weekend and had been therefore sensitized to group dynamic processes, A majority vote is not the solution. It may lead to good decisions not succeeding because certain team members follow the uniform opinion of the majority.We should try to reach a consensus on this issue. While the Asian colleagues began to nod their heads in agreement, Mueller, who did not like to leave anything to chance, responded, Well, I believe there should be six dimensions, namely planning/organization, initiative, adaptability, conflict management, decisionmaking/goal-orientation, and leadership. These dimensions are not only important for a managers success in APAC, but on a worldwide scale. Andreas, countered Weitmann, wh at are your conclusions based on? We need dimensions that have been empirically verified.Although it is great that you have your opinion, what we need are empirically validated dimensions. Well, I would like to settle this dispute, replied Bettina Carter, a German lawyer who had lived in California for many years, and who was now ready to explore the world of APAC with her American husband. The always down-to-earth Carter opined, Clearly, this is easy. We simply use the German dimensions and adapt them to the management positions in APAC. I am certain that everybody here knows that these are the dimensions mentioned by Mueller earlier. Koch, who was already feeling mentally exhausted from listening to the discussion, said Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. Page 8 9B07C041 I neither have the time nor the energy to be debating these arguments. Our hands are full and even though were going in the right direction, it is only a first step to come up with dimensions. I am in charge of everything here and I would like to avoid losing my head over these debates. Lets vote. Who agrees with the dimensions suggested by Sabine? tranquilize took over the room. Who will support the dimensions outlined by Andreas? The vote was suddenly interrupted by a cellular phone ringing in the tone of an alarm system. Sorry, sorry about that, apologized the Chinese trainee, who was no longer writing the meeting minutes, but instead trying to control his cell phone. Koch concluded There you go It is official and we agree. I hereby announce that the job requirements for the selection of managers be assessed on six dimensions planning/organizing, initiative, adaptability, conflict management, decision-making/goal-orientation, and leadership.These dimensions will be used for managers in all departments (e. g. sales and marketing, purchasing, supply chain management, finance, and accounting) and all locations (e. g. Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, Melbourne, Sydney and Shanghai). We will also incorporate vocational competencies. All recorders please preserve down that statement. in conclusion Goldmann, the German intern, remarked with satisfaction that she could finally score with her boss It appears to me that the definition of the job requirements should not be done separately from the new personnel selection system module definitions.I learned in university to define certain requirements for module X and the requirements that will then be tested in another module Y. Everybody in the room was surprised at this, and even Weitmann and Mueller complimented Goldmann for her suggestion. Yes, this is a very good proposition, indeed, Weitmann said. Mueller, who saw his chance to get back to the paper, added, We should continue with a dogmatic approach. Lets decide on the modules, and then we can substantiate the job requirements per module. Sa bine, surely you will agree with me on this. After the long-lasting debate, which still wasnt very productive, Koch was now only following the discussion half-heartedly. Similarly, the Chinese trainee was on the verge of falling into a deep trance. Koch decided he would no longer intervene on the discussions, Now I am just going to sit in on this meeting, he thought to himself. These people are beating around the bush and are trying to profile themselves at my cost. I am under Mr. Koenigs pressure, being spied on by the headquarters staff employees, in a city that is still strange to me, and without any hope for improvement.With a loud voice he blurted out, What shall it be, and everybody in the room looked at him in an alienated fashion. Is everything OK? the German intern Goldmann, who found this behaviour extremely strange, asked with worry. She remembered an introductory course of clinical psychology and believed that this behaviour could be an indicant of a pathological disor der. However, Koch replied, Yes, of course, everything is perfectly fine, which temporarily reassured Goldmann.It was now Kochs intention to fulfill his leading role by trying to motivate his team members to move on to the next important issue the definition of the modules and the job requirements for each module. Dai Wei responded, We have been working on this question for a very long time, and after several modifications and discussions, we finally agreed. We think as a team that a multinational Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. Page 9 9B07C041 Yes, Dai Wei, replied Yue Yu, who was always intent to maintain harmony. Weitmann, who was still a bit annoyed because her suggestion regarding the competencies was rejected, stated Dai Wei, you forgot an important module. When I attended an international conference in Philadelphia, I had the opportunity to meet an internation ally-known scientist. Like me, the professor considers it essential to use standardized scrutiny procedures. The professor has shown empirical evidence that validity of personnel selection increases if psychometric testing procedures are used in addition to other modules.For that reason, I pep up for intelligence tests and personality tests to be added to the personnel selection system. We have discussed this before and my suggestion was received positively. Replied Mueller Sabine, your test knowledge is impressive, but unfortunately such procedures will lead us into a dead-end street. As you know, standardized tests have several disadvantages. They are not generally highly accepted and cultural problems exist. ar you aware of any intelligence or personality tests that can be applied equally worldwide and for which there are test theoretical indices useable?Weitmann, getting worked up about the topic, responded, Well, these are minor problems, and if we need to we can ask our int erns, trainees or HR assistants to develop such standardized tests. Or we could assign an external consulting firm to the task. Carter, who in the meantime was scrolling through her voluminous labour law book, jumped into the conversation I dont think we should debate this issue any further. We have already decided several weeks ago to include testing procedures in the selection process. merely to be sure, I will confirm that the testing procedures coincide with the labour laws.We should now concentrate on how the individual modules will look and what skills should be covered in which module. That is a good suggestion, agreed Dai Wei. Increasingly gripped by this trend-setting suggestion, Mueller now cleared his throat and offered to summarize the contents of the modules After due consideration, we have come to the conclusion that the first step of this multinational personnel selection system will be conducted in a akin(predicate) manner at all Licensed to the University of Regi na for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. election system for APAC should be two-tiered. The first tier consists of three modules a viewing of the candidates application documents, a telephone conference with the applicants that should be conducted in an unstructured manner, and the obtaining of three references from former employers. Unlike the current procedures, references should not only be used to avow past employment and the duration of employment, but also include a statement regarding the candidates personality. Four modules will follow in the second tier.Specifically, a plank interview, a biography-oriented in-depth interview, a phony group exercise, and testing procedures. Does everybody still agree on these modules and the two-tiered system? Page 10 9B07C041 Koch stepped in, Thanks, Andreas for your summary. Dai, could you please enlarge the second tier modules in an equally precise fashion? I w ill try, taking a deep inkling, Dai Wei said The second level of the selection process will consist of as already mentioned a panel interview, a biography-oriented in-depth interview, a simulated group exercise, and a test.The purpose of the panel interview is to obtain detailed information about the candidate with respect to the required skills Andreas just summarized. That means that the competencies will be evaluated in this module of the selection process. The panel interview is a standardized exercise based on the critical-incident-technique. The candidate describes one critical situation and his or her behaviour in each situation for each of the six job requirements. Instructions and questions for the candidates have already been prepared.I will give you an example for the dimension planning/organization. The instructions will read An efficient manager has to be capable of organizing his or her agenda well in order to achieve specific goals. This includes, but is not limit ed to, prioritizing competing tasks well and delegating tasks to other employees in a timely fashion. Discuss a time last year when you had to keep a tight and challenging schedule. also include methods you usually apply for time management. This introductory instruction will be followed by five open-ended questions that have to be answered by each candidate. An example for the dimension planning/organization is as follows Think about an event in which you showed previously discussed skills. Explain the circumstances. Describe precisely what you have done in order to manage this situation. What was the outcome? Who will be able to verify what you have described here? The candidate will receive similar questions for the remaining five dimensions. Each candidate will be given an hour to prepare his or her answers.Afterwards, they will be given 30 minutes to present the results, with panel members given the opportunity for queries. Each candidate will then receive a score for each di mension (e. g. 5 being outstanding, 3 being acceptable, and 1 being unacceptable). The scores will then be Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. locations. Module one, a viewing of the candidates application documents, shall be conducted by applying the 6-eye-method. That is, three persons will be analyzing the applicants documents regarding his or her suitability for the targeted position. The result of this analysis is a preliminary selection of candidates. Individual telephone conferences with the remaining candidates will follow. The conferences will be attended by the candidate and two members of our team the supervisor at the site in APAC and one person from the German headquarters. The conference shall be conducted in an unstructured manner with everyone having the opportunity to ask the candidate questions.The goal of the conference will be to verify the candidates suitability for the position, his or her motivation for the position, and to obtain a general, overall impression of the candidate. If a consensus is reached that the candidate is suitable for the considered position three references from former employers or colleagues will next be obtained. As you all know, the reference system has paid off well in Europe, especially because it enabled us to identify all those cheaters and impostors. This will likely be doable in Asia as well.In the case that the references are predominantly positive, the first level of the selection process is completed. Subsequently, the candidate will have to pass the modules of the second tier. Dai Wei, would you like to illustrate the modules of the second tier in detail? Page 11 9B07C041 Lets move forward to the second module in the second tier the in-depth biography-oriented interview. Dai Wei continued At this stage we verify a candidates strengths and weaknesses, but the primary objective is to gain insi ghts into the candidates private and professional past.The in-depth biography-oriented interview shall be conducted by a psychologist. We are especially interested in the candidates expectations, how parents and other family members have influenced him or her, how cultural background affects his or her decisions, and possible untreated conflicts the candidate may have to face. The interview shall not be oriented towards job requirements, but instead consider the candidates complete life span and be of a general nature. Following this in-depth biography-oriented interview, a psychological opinion shall be furnished.This opinion will be filed in our documents, without the candidate having the right to view it. It is important that the interviewer and the candidate have the same cultural background in order to prevent any possible misinterpretation during the interview (e. g. a candidate for a position in China shall be interviewed by a Chinese psychologist). Although this requirement may create additional expenses, we find it justifiable and needed to ensure an accurate expert opinion on the candidates qualifications is obtained. Dr. Koch, Dai Wei said, What do you think about this approach? I am not quite sure at the moment, Koch responded, I think it is very likely that a few of the suggestions just are not feasible given the high costs involved. For now, I am not able to say anything definite. We will have to wait. Exhausted by the long-lasting discussions, it was becoming more and more difficult for Koch to stay focused and absorb the arguments. He noticed that Yue Yu had not spoken out on anything, including the rivalry between Weitmann and Mueller Koch was convinced, as he could see in many different situations that a leader should stay out of these issues. One could not change things anyway. Change, it crossed Kochs mind, Can one change a situation, in ones life? No, people never change. Neither do circumstances in life. You get thrown in and there is n o way out, and it would be a hopeless undertaking to try it. Koch tried to take control over the situation again Well, lets move on to the two last modules of the selection system. Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. summarized, forming the basis for the decision as to the panels level of recommendation.We discussed for a lengthy time whether we should inform the candidates in advance about the dimensions (e. g. the marrow of each). In order to guarantee transparency for the candidate, we decided to inform them of all dimensions a priori. It is our hope that this will increase a candidates bridal and understanding of the modules purpose. Furthermore, we discussed whether the critical incidents should be presented in English, or whether they should also be available in other languages. We discussed the pros and cons thoroughly. From my own experience, it is difficult a t times to communicate to someone in a second language.We decided it would be best to give the candidates the option of answering the questions in their language of choice. The instructions and questions will therefore be translated by professional translators from English into the particular language. In order to guarantee accuracy in the translation, the instructions and questions will be translated into English again (i. e. the back translation technique). Although this extra translation step may appear as more work, it is warranted to ensure the translation is indeed wistful of its original content.These extra expenses can offer a tremendous advantage, especially for the Shanghai location. We are certain that we can effectively cover relevant dimensions that are cross-culturally important with this method. A separate pre-test is not designated. Page 12 9B07C041 Sabine, please explain modules three and four. How do they look? What competencies do they include? Are there any cult ure-specific adaptations that need to be dealt with? Weitmann eagerly began to inform her colleagues about the modules I can certainly do that.We are looking at a simulated group exercise and the adoption of standardized test procedures. The group exercise has been integrated in order to acquire typical dimensions, which are usually diagnosed in assessment centres, in a similar way. The assignment of an assessment centre for one or two days and the culture-specific adaptations would mean increased expenses. For these reasons, we have excluded this option, and instead will be using simulated group discussions. The candidate and three professional role players will participate in the leaderless group discussions. The role layers have to complete a two-day-long training session, after which they will receive an internal certificate stating that they can act as professional role players. Prior to the group discussions, the role players will receive specific instructions containing sta ndardized roles. The role players include the devils advocate, whose task is to contradict the candidates opinion, the supporter, who is always on the candidates side, and the viewless one, who does not participate in the argument, but who will propose opinions that dont have anything to do with the topic at all.Prior to the discussion, each participant will be informed about the topic. The chosen topic should deal with issues that contribute to the development of the employees in their own department. The topic shall be identical APAC-wide. We have deliberately chosen a topic away from specific skills in order to allow each candidate equal chances for the completion of this task. Naturally, candidates with strong leadership skills will have advantages over those who have only been in a leading position for a forgetful time.The candidate will not be informed that the discussants are role players with specific assignments. The dimensions that will be evaluated in the group discussio ns include communication, cooperation, stress tolerance/resilience, assertiveness, and ambiguity tolerance. The roles and individual instructions will only be available in English in order to standardize the exercises cross-nationally. The group discussions shall also be carried out in English. The candidate will be given 15 minutes to prepare for the discussion after the topic has been revealed.The whole discussion will be video-taped. This recording will then be made available to three independent observers, who will ideally come from different countries. It is their task to observe the candidates behaviour during the discussion, and to assess the candidates behaviour with respect to all relevant dimensions and in compliance to the portal scale available to the observers. Additionally, each observer has the opportunity to write down his observations qualitatively.The observations of all observers will then be collected and statistically converted into a final score for each cand idate. It is important to mention that every observer, who can be recruited from any hierarchical level, must pass an observer training course that teaches the basics of behavioural observation, the meaning and importance of such exercises, the dimensions, behavioural indicators for each dimension, as well as the role players assignments of their specific roles. That concludes all the information we have gathered on the simulated group discussion.Goldmann, interrupted Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. Page 13 9B07C041 I dont want to be rude, but isnt it important to take the candidates perspective into consideration, as well? I mean, if the candidate has no clue about the situation in which he or she is in, he or she deserves clarification as well as extensive feedback once the group discussion is completed. I think that extensive feedback, in both oral and written for m, must absolutely follow the module. It is nice that you think that, Mueller countered Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. But unfortunately nobody bursting charges about the candidates perspective. We are interested in choosing the right person, certainly not in satisfying the applicants. What horseplay these never-ending discussions on fairness and acceptance. Reality differs significantly from the ideal procedures we are taught in university, my dear.It is really corruptive the kind of stuff that is being taught at our renowned universities, and most likely by professors that have not seen much outside of their institutes, let alone in a company. Goldmann, who only wanted to contribute with a suggestion, was obviously upset about the comment. She could barely hold back her tears as she marched out of the conference room. The Chinese trainee followed her with the i ntention of calming her down, losing the handouts he had prepared for the meeting and that he was supposed(p) to distribute beforehand.Finally, Yue Yu ran out of the room and into the female washroom, where she found Goldmann looking miserable, in tears and close to a nervous breakdown. Dr. Koch, Carter, who saw herself responsible to demonstrate her judicial knowledge, advised I think that this argument has merit to it. Candidate feedback is important. Just imagine the consequences and damaging results of not providing feedback. Feedback should not be underestimated. I am particularly thinking about rejected candidates. ComInTec cannot afford these kinds of mistakes. Koch agreed only partly and replied Mrs.Carter, now you have subscribed to this view, too. Do you have any precedent? As you know, all candidates receive feedback in writing regarding their overall impression. As you should know further, this feedback does not cover any specific dimension or module, but it offers a very good general conclusion. Should candidates be interested in the impression they made, they simply need to read the report. That should be sufficient. I do not agree that we should focus on unpleasant feedback, or would you like to conduct all of those conversations yourself, Mrs. Carter?Now the psychologist jumped into the discussion, acting as a mediator. She pointed out the following The question regarding the feedback should not be our priority. We still need to discuss module four. I am talking about the testing procedures that have to be included in the selection system. As I have mentioned before, it is essential to use psychometric testing procedures. Insofar, module four consists of an intelligence test and a personality test that every candidate has to complete. That gives us indicators for general intelligence as well as for the big five. The specific test procedures will be used still have to be specified for each country of course. But I am convinced that we will be able to manage that. Page 14 9B07C041 With the Goldmann still in the bathroom crying, there was only one recorder left, which resulted in much of the meeting no longer being documented. Dai Wei, who had returned to the meeting and was trained in presentation techniques, felt obligated to conclude the points that were most important with the use of a flip chart If I may conclude, we have decided that the ersonnel selection system consists of two tiers that include several modules. We have specified these modules in content and procedures. Hence, we have achieved the first step of our meeting. We intended furthermore to specify the adaptations for each target country and how to implement those modules. We need to next reach a consensus on the second and third goal of this meeting. Koch commented Dai Wei, what are you thinking? It is already 130 p. m. and that means that the time for our meeting is more than up. We wont be able to decide on the remaining points today.I expect that the recorders will make a flawless and written report available by 900 Wednesday morning. Please pass this on to Sarah and Yue Yu. This will give me time to review all the meeting minutes and finalize any un immovable issues. You should expect a final copy of the resolutions on the multinational selection system to be available by Friday at 9 a. m. With respect to the issues that were not resolved today, I will make the decisions myself and include them in the report. This resolution shall also deal with the questions that we could not look into, due to the lack of time today.I dont care how you will do it just do it. Thank you for your attendance at this meeting, Dai Wei, Sabine, Mrs. Carter, Andreas, and honourable sir of staff. With these words, Koch terminated the meeting. Due to the lengthy meeting, there was no lunch break. This particularly bothered the Chinese team members, but it was not voiced. Koch believed that Asians set a high harbor on lunch breaks because they highly value food and money. Unfortunately, Koch could not be bothered to worry about it according to him, food and money were the lower motivators on the Maslow Pyramid of needs.He muttered under his breath Those Asians, its always just about food, money, and shopping, and they are continuously on the phone what do they have to tell each other all the time? How often do I see them yelling at each other in Chinese, hard and ruthlessly, whereas they always show me a smile? You never know what they really think, and when I ask them they tell me something positive anyways. Negative remarks in front of the boss are obviously a big taboo, and the word no does not seem to exist in their vocabulary.Right after the meeting, Koch went straight to his office and did not come out again for the rest of the afternoon. Koch received the meeting minutes on Wednesday and wrote his final report for Koenig. Koch later received a short notice sent by Koenig via e-mail on Friday afternoon. Koenig informed him that important basic conditions and necessary adaptations had not been taken into consideration sufficiently in the new multinational personnel selection system therefore, he had pass the case over to global headquarters.In addition, the e-mail stated that there would be staff-related consequences for his department in Hong Kong. In response, Koch sat down to write a long letter to Koenigs attention. Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. Page 15 9B07C041 Exhibit 1 DIMENSIONS AND INDICATORS OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES (HOFSTEDE) Power Distance Degree to which society members accept an unequal distribution of power.Characteristics of large power keep Inequalities among people are expected and desired. Less powerful people should depend on the more powerful authoritarian values Organizational hierarchy reflects inequality between higher-ups and lower-downs centralization is popular Subordinates expect to be told what to do Wide salary range between top and bottom of organization The ideal boss is a eleemosynary autocrat or good father Privileges and status symbols are popular Uncertainty Avoidance Degree to which society members feel uncomfortable by uncertain or unknown situations.Characteristics of strong uncertainty avoidance Uncertainty is felt as threat, feeling of anxiety Fear of ambiguous situations What is different, is dangerous Suppression of aberrant ideas Resistance to innovation Motivation by security Masculinity/Femininity Masculinity pertains to societies in which social gender roles are clearly distinct (i. e. men are supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success whereas women are supposed to be more modest, complaisant and concerned with the quality of life) femininity pertains to societies in which social gender roles overlap (i. e. both men and women are supposed to be modest, ender, and concerned with the qua lity of life). (pp. 82-83). Characteristics of masculine societies Dominant values are material objects and success Money and things are important Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. Men are supposed to be assertive, ambitious, and tough Women are supposed to be tender and take care of relationships Girls cry, boys dont Live in order to work Stress on equity, competition among colleagues, and performance Resolution of conflicts by fighting them outPage 16 9B07C041 Exhibit 1 (continued) Characteristics of womanish societies Dominant values are caring for others and maintenance of relationships People and warm relationships are important Men and women are both supposed to be tender and take care of relationships Work in order to live Stress on equality, solidarity and quality of work life Resolution of conflicts by compromise and dialogue Individualism/Collectivism Indiv idualism pertains to societies in which the ties between individuals are loose everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family.Collectivism as its opposite pertains to societies in which people from birth on are integrated into strong, cohesive ingroups, which throughout peoples lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyality. (p. 51).Characteristics of individualist societies Individual interests prevail over collective interests Identity is based on the individual Employer-employee relationship is a contract that is supposed to be based on mutual advantages Hiring and promotion decisions are supposed to be based on skills and rules only Management is management of individuals Task prevails over relationship Characterisitcs of collectivist societies Loyalty for the ingroup (family) Identity is based on the social network to which one elongs Harmony should always be maintained and direct confrontations should be avoided Employer-employee relationship is perceived in moral terms, like a family link Hiring and promotion decisions take employees ingroups into account Management is management of groups Relationship prevails over task Source Geert Hofstede, Cultures and Organizations Software of the Mind, London, 1991.Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13. Page 17 9B07C041 Exhibit 2 ASPECTS OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES ANGLO VERSUS ASIAN Asian Collectivism related self Group identity, group achievement & rewards, group loyalty, guanxi High power distance (hierarchy) Low power distance (equality) Work allocation based on competence, rather Age/seniority is King Formal interactions than age Do without enquire Partnership is encouraged Empowerment regarded as a threat Informal interactions Empowerment is the key to growth Control Harmony Individuals take control Be in harmony with others rat her than show Free expressions initiative or take charge Disagreements and differences are not a threat Emphasis on politeness, respect and emotional restraint Difference maintains harmony equality upsets harmony Secular Religious/spiritual Keep your religion to yourself In Muslim countries, workplace, ethics, codes of behavior and dress are guided by Muslim religious teachings Time off during working hours for prayers for Muslims Circular thinking (high context) Linear thinking (low context) Circling around the topic Speech and argument patterns are linear Colorful and flowery language in India Ideas backed by explanations and examples Concise Hate waffling Shame/Lose character Guilt Governed by own conscience and internal What will others say? Group pressure to maintain group reputation sense of right and wrong Give face dont question your leader Lose face look bad when publicly challenged Save face dont own up your own mistakes Gain face look good when pr aised in public Thick face no shame, dont care Show face manager visits your home Got face speech, behavior, dress reflect status in a family, business, or community Anglo Individualism separated self Unique, personal space, goals, achievements Licensed to the University of Regina for use by Professor Sandra Steen in the course MBA/GBUS 843 Strategic HR Management, from 01/07/13 to 04/30/13.