RMIT International University Vietnam Essays - Linguistics, Culture

RMIT International University Vietnam Master of Business Administration Assignment Cover Page Subject Code BUSM4450 Subject Name: Business Research Design Location Campus (SGS or HN) where you study: RMIT Hanoi Campus Title of Assignment: (In the form of a question) Assessment 3 - Reflection Journal File(s) Submitted: Assessment 3 - Reflection Journal Student name: Le Thanh Thuy Student Number: S3360505 Lecturer and Group number: Dr Matthew McDonald Assignment due date : 10/9/2017 Date of Submission: 10/9/2017 Number of pages including this one: Word Count: (Main Content - excluding appendices reference lists) Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u 1.Introduction PAGEREF _Toc492507382 \h 3 2.Reflective Journal PAGEREF _Toc492507383 \h 3 2.1.Initial Problem Identification : PAGEREF _Toc492507384 \h 3 2.2.The Concepts and Theory of Research Design Application PAGEREF _Toc492507385 \h 4 2.3.Forward Movement PAGEREF _Toc492507386 \h 4 2.4.Project Team Performance PAGEREF _Toc492507387 \h 5 2.5.Positive and Negative Experiences PAGEREF _Toc492507388 \h 6 2.6.Future Career Application PAGEREF _Toc492507389 \h 6 3.Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc492507390 \h 7 Reference Lists : PAGEREF _Toc492507391 \h 8 Introduction After completing two assessments for the Business Research Design course, the coordinator gave us the formula how to write a Reflective Journal in assessment 3. The reflective writing require us to obtain the deeper thinking of personal experiences and what about the observation during the process in order to make the research proposal. Our research question is : "Why do Vietnamese workers prefer working for a foreign company to a local one?". In the journal, I will report what I have learnt from nine sessions of the course and the process that my team project have been through, what we did well and did not do well. Beside this, I will discuss more about the knowledge what I have gained and evaluate my performance in both myself and team members, clarify clearer about my thoughts and spot the patterns and links of the course, thus, I would be able to purify why things happen the way my project team did and how much successful we achieved after completing the research proposal. Furthe rmore, the reflective journal will also identify the positive experience when working in a team and evaluate the effectiveness of the course which can assist for my lifelong learning, especially for the business research career. Reflective Journal Train J Athl ( 2006 ) identifies the benefits of writing a reflective journal are strengthening personal reflection, making the critical thought become easier and enhancing the feeling expression. Additionally, Walraven V C (2017) emphasizes that the reflective journal is a helpful learning evaluation for many wide range of subjects and this writing is not much requirements for students and do not need e effort for coordinator for any helps. Instantly, reflective journal permits students to reflect on their understanding they have learnt in class by writing on the reflection, students can demonstrate their knowledge and personal experiences after each lesson based on reflective journal and propose their new plan for the next lecture. A journal writing educate students to create new perspectives and allow them to blow their mind, brainstorm many kinds of new ideas, strengthen the skillfulness and optimize their critical thinkings. Thus, for each journal writing regularly after class, students would improve certainly in terms of their writing skills, sentences consistency and their creativity and innovative thinking as well. In the next sections, my reflective journal will emphasize our Sky Team s performance and demonstrate the quality of research proposal throughout four days of intensive class. Also, I will illustrate my critical thinking and personal experiences I have gained when I taking part in my project team during attending the Business Research Design course. Additionally, based on the process of writing a reflective journal in the online RMIT Learning Lab, I will discuss three key points that how to write an effective journal writing are describing the positivity and negativity what things happened, examine and assess the learning experience throughout intensive course and further personal knowledge what I have learnt from this experiences. Initial Problem Identification : The problem our Skyteam focus on is about the high turnover rate of Vietnamese companies compare to foreign ones. Vietnam now is a developing country which high potential for foreign investments, however, there is a large amount of Vietnamese young talents tend to

Free Essays on Theresa

, prints the letter in her column. The response from the article is overwhelmingly positive, including letters from others who have found similar letters written by Garrett. Theresa, unlucky in love since divorcing her unfaithful husband, decides that she must meet the man who has written the letters. She finds him in Wrightsville, North Carolina, still struggling with his wife's death. Theresa and Garrett meet and fall in love, he unaware of her knowledge of the letters. "Message" lacks any real emotional conflict; everyone gets along swimmingly. Before you know it, Theresa and Garrett have proclaimed their undying love to one another, despite the fact that they don't appear to have anything more in common than physical attraction. Does Theresa's 12-year-old son, Kevin, resent Mom's new boyfriend? Nope, he thinks he's "cool". The only suspenseful part concerns Garrett finding out Theresa knew about the letters all along. When the truth comes out, Garrett confronts her with this cliched clunker "I don't even know who you are anymore." When Garrett visits Boston, he is depicted as the stereotypical out-of-water Southerner in the big city who feels suffocated. Meanwhile, Theresa can't leave behind her job in Boston. Can't a syndicated columnist write from anywhere in the country in this day of e-mail and fax machines? The fact that Garrett is not completely over his late wife is evident throughout the book. It's the most genuine and heartfelt element in "Message". Unfortunately, Sparks drives the point into the ground through the use of flashbacks, nightmares, and the actual messages in the bottles. What the story needs is a character to inject some comic relief. A few sarcastic, irreverent remarks would be a refreshing break from the sugary sweet dialogue. Garrett's father would be the perfect candidate, but he is relegated to "Don't make the same mistakes I made" talks with his ... Free Essays on Theresa Free Essays on Theresa Theresa, so moved by Garrett's words, prints the letter in her column. The response from the article is overwhelmingly positive, including letters from others who have found similar letters written by Garrett. Theresa, unlucky in love since divorcing her unfaithful husband, decides that she must meet the man who has written the letters. She finds him in Wrightsville, North Carolina, still struggling with his wife's death. Theresa and Garrett meet and fall in love, he unaware of her knowledge of the letters. "Message" lacks any real emotional conflict; everyone gets along swimmingly. Before you know it, Theresa and Garrett have proclaimed their undying love to one another, despite the fact that they don't appear to have anything more in common than physical attraction. Does Theresa's 12-year-old son, Kevin, resent Mom's new boyfriend? Nope, he thinks he's "cool". The only suspenseful part concerns Garrett finding out Theresa knew about the letters all along. When the truth comes out, Garrett confronts her with this cliched clunker "I don't even know who you are anymore." When Garrett visits Boston, he is depicted as the stereotypical out-of-water Southerner in the big city who feels suffocated. Meanwhile, Theresa can't leave behind her job in Boston. Can't a syndicated columnist write from anywhere in the country in this day of e-mail and fax machines? The fact that Garrett is not completely over his late wife is evident throughout the book. It's the most genuine and heartfelt element in "Message". Unfortunately, Sparks drives the point into the ground through the use of flashbacks, nightmares, and the actual messages in the bottles. What the story needs is a character to inject some comic relief. A few sarcastic, irreverent remarks would be a refreshing break from the sugary sweet dialogue. Garrett's father would be the perfect candidate, but he is relegated to "Don't make the same mistakes I made" talks with his ...

How to Correctly Use German Adverb Auch

How to Correctly Use German Adverb Auch Sometimes the littlest words can have a big meaning. Take the German adverb auch. In its simplest form, this word means also. But it also (get it?) holds greater significance.   Auch can mean even. It can also be a modal particle and imply anything from I hope to Youre sure. Heres a closer look at the power behind this common, little adverb.   When Auch Is Accentuated This type of auch relates to the subject of the sentence and will usually be in front of a verbal group. Its meaning is also. For example:   Mein Sohn will jetzt auch Klavier studieren. My son now also wants to study piano. Meine Oma isst gerne Bockwurst und auch Bratwurst.My grandmother likes to eat Bockwurst and Bratwurst, as well. When Auch Is Not Accentuated This type of  auch bears directly upon the elements of phrase that follow it. It usually means even. For example:   Auch fà ¼r einen fleißigen Schà ¼ler, war dies eine große Hausaufgabe.Even for a hard working student, this was a lot of homework. ï » ¿Ihr kann auch kein Arzt helfen.Not even a doctor can help her. Take note that in the above sentences, the unaccented auch draws attention toward an accented word: fleißigen or Arzt, respectively. Auch Can Express Mood An unaccented auch can also be used to indicate the mood of the speaker. In such cases, you will find  auch to help underline the speaker’s irritation or reassurance. For example:   Du kannst auch nie still sein!You can never be still, can you? Hast du deine Brieftasche auch nicht vergessen?I hope you didn’t forget your wallet. Context Is Everything Consider the following two dialogues and the meaning implied by the context. Sprecher 1: Die Freunde deines Sohnes kà ¶nnen gut schwimmen.  / Your son’s friends can swim really well. Sprecher 2: Mein Sohn ist auch ein guter Schwimmer.  / My son is also a good swimmer.Sprecher 1: Mein Sohn treibt gerne Basketball und Fußball. Er ist auch ein guter Schwimmer.  / My son loves playing basketball and soccer. He is also a good swimmer. Sprecher 2: Ihr Sohn ist sehr sportlich. / Your son is very athletic. As you can see, in both dialogues, the phrases with auch are practically the same, yet a different meaning is implied. Tone and context mean everything. In the first case, auch is accented and serves the subject of the sentence:  Sohn. In the second case, auch is unaccented and the emphasis is in on guter Schwimmer, implying that the son is, among other things, also good at swimming.

Groups and Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Groups and Teams - Essay Example The study of groups and group dynamics plays a very important part in the study of organizational behavior. Groups are a common feature in most organizational settings. (Group Dynamics, n.d.) It has been observed that groups are most productive when an assignment entails the requirement of multiple skills, experiences and decision making abilities. They are able to assemble quickly, take decisions and if the need arises then they can disperse and move on to another task. As compared to individuals, groups have a lot of enthusiasm to complete the job. Groups are responsible for completing most of the work in an organization. Thus it would not be incorrect to say that the success of an organization depends largely on the effectiveness of its groups. (Group Dynamics, n.d.) Group work helps to explore and express varied ideas and suggestions of the group members in a cooperative way. Working in groups involves mutual support. A group can be successful only if all the members believe in the culture of shared commitment. Group work is not about competing with the peers. It involves using the range of resources available in the group to deepen their understanding and extending their knowledge to their collective advantage. (Working in groups,n.d.) Groups are generally classified as formal or informal groups. ... Anybody can become a part of the informal group. Friendship groups, reference groups and interest groups are all informal groups. Even though the informal groups are not formed to achieve organizational goals they can have a strong positive or negative influence on the working of an organization. For example, they can either talk about how to develop a production method or how to create shortcuts that would eventually endanger quality. (Group Dynamics, n.d.) Good team behavior requires development and supervising. It is imperative to ascertain the appropriate role of each member within a group. Meredith Belbin from the Industrial Training Research Unit at Cambridge developed a model of how teams work. Beblin identified a number of roles for each member of a group. The chart below displays all the team roles and the corresponding behaviors. In order to use the chart effectively one has to identify his/her current role and use this awareness to make his/her behavior efficient and effective. (Working in groups,n.d.) The Role Description Behaviour PLANT A source of good ideas for the group. Intellectually dominant & imaginative but introverted. Contributing ideas RESOURCE INVESTIGATOR Popular, sociable, extrovert & relaxed. A source of new contacts but not an originator Introduces ideas from outside. Negotiator SHAPER Extrovert & passionate about the task. Highly strung & dominant Shaping roles/ objectives. Pushing group towards agreement. MONITOR EVALUATOR Analytically intelligent. Dissects ideas/ spots flaws. Possibly aloof Analyses situations & contributions of others COORDINATOR Balanced, disciplined& good at working through others. Presides/ coordinates States objectives, establishes roles, sums up achievements IMPLEMENTER Practical organizer, schedules/ plans

A critical evaluation of the role of leadership in managing people in Essay

A critical evaluation of the role of leadership in managing people in sport and leisure organisations - Essay Example To expand the competitive market it is needed to apply the effective management principles for the management of people. The reasons behind the success of football clubs in India are the worldwide fans and the advance technology in broadcasting the football game all over India. To increase the awareness among the customers and meeting their expectations, funds should be available to run the industry and attract the commercial sector investors. Human resource managers are facing the challenges to meet the rising expectation of the customers and providing them services in order to exist in the competitive market. The sport and leisure industry will enjoy the competitive advantage only when it is the only one, which can meet the customer expectations, improving the quality, and creating awareness on consumer rights (Robinson, 2005, p.1-2). As the trends are changing, Human Resource Management processes the changes in the organisation structure, systems and cost reduction programs. Manag ing the people in the sport organisation helps the manager to acquire the skills and to be a good leader to help the new talents face the challenges in sport and leisure sectors. The sport and leisure industry will enjoy the competitive advantage only when it is the only one, which can meet the customer expectations, improving the quality, and creating awareness on consumer rights (Wolsey, Minten & Abrams, 2011). The leaders in the sports industry have to face lot of challenges in leading his team to reach the goal. A good leader is needed, who is confident enough to lead his team and encourage them to achieve the goal. In sports industry, a leader will be the one who is providing direction, encouragement and authority to evoke desired behaviours. For example, in the Minnesota Timberwolves organisation, like many sports organisations, the leader will play his role in catalysing the learning process among the followers, as well as creating environment

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay Example for Free

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay This is the story of Okonkwo, a renowned warrior and wrestler, who lives in the Ibo village of Umuofia in Nigeria, Africa. Respected by the elders of his clan, he hopes to become an elder himself someday. Due to his relationship with his father, Okonkwo has a hardened heart and thus, his actions throughout the novel are governed by anger and fear. Okonkwo, (per African tradition), has three wives and many children. He is prosperous and successful at the beginning of the story, but his heart does not soften. As a result, he makes many mistakes and is eventually exiled from his clan for seven years. While Okonkwo is away from Umuofia, white missionaries settle in his clan’s village and begin to preach Christianity. The tribe begins to change, especially its younger members, and when Okonkwo returns from exile, he sees the changes and attempts to reverse them. He struggles against the new laws of the white man and relations between the clan and the whites deteriorate until things finally reach a crescendo. Okonkwo’s fear Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, is a story of a man whose life is dominated by his fears. There are many subtle themes throughout this book. One theme that cries out over the rest is Okonkwo’s, the main character, fear of weakness as seen through his childhood, his oldest son, and eventually his death. Since his childhood, Okonkwo was ashamed of his father, â€Å"In his day he (Unoka) was lazy and improvident and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow†(p.4). By the standard of his clan, Unoka was a coward and squanderer. When he was a child, a boy called Okonkwo’s father an agbala. This word means â€Å"woman† as well as a man who has no title. His carelessness left numerous debts unpaid at his death. Ashamed of his father, Okonkwo worked hard and fought well to gain a reputation of high status and influence in his clan. He acquired three wives, one whom gave him his first son. Okonkwo’s first wife, whose name is never mentioned, gave birth to his first son, Nwoye. Okonkwo saw Nwoye weak and lazy from an early age. For this, Nwoye was beaten constantly. Okonkwo was highly demanding of his family because of his obsession not to be like his father. He mistook this behavior as masculinity. He wished his son were a promising, manly son like his friend Obierika’s son, Maduka, who was also a great fighter. One night the town of Umuofia was told that someone in Mbaino had killed one of their â€Å"daughters†. The woman was Ugbeufi Udo’s wife. The blood price for the murder was a virgin and young man to Umuofia. The virgin was given to Ugbeufi Udo as his wife. They did not know what to do with the young boy, Ikemefuna. Okonkwo was asked on behalf of the clan to take care of the boy. Secretly, Okonkwo grew fond of Ikemefuna, â€Å"Even Okonkwo himself became very fond of the boy-inwardly of course. Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger†(p.28). Ikemefuna lived with Okonkwo and his family for three years until the time came when the Oracle said that Ikemefuna had to be killed. Okonkwo was warned not to have any part in killing the boy who called him father. He ignored this and upon returning sank into a deep depression which kindled the affliction inside of him. Not only the death of Ikemefuna, but also the accidental killing of Ogbeufi Ezeudu’s son, which gets Okonkwo and his family exiled for seven years, aides in his depression. To atone for the killing of his clansmen’s son, Okonkwo and his family were cast out of Umuofia and were forced to go live with his mother’s clan in Mbanta. In their second year a group of six missionaries traveled to Mbanta and tried to persuade the people from their false gods of wood and stone to the one true God. They captured Nwoye and he later joined their congregation. When Okonkwo was informed of the news he strangled Nwoye in anger. He questioned how he could have fathered such a weak son. At the end of the seven-year exile, Okonkwo was able to return home. However, the church had taken over Umuofia also. Nothing was the same. Okonkwo refused to integrate with the new visitors. He thought that the clan’s failure to remove them was â€Å"womanly†. Almost happy again, Okonkwo began to accept the new Umuofia. Then the leaders of the clan, including Okonkwo, were taken for ransom by the church. Deeply angered by what was happening, Okonkwo killed one of the leaders at a meeting. The pacification of Okonkwo’s clan is what depressed him. He knew his clan would not go to war. This desire to act violently all goes back to his father’s lack of desire. In the end the violence settled on Okonkwo, when he hung himself. In conclusion, all these aspects: his childhood, his first son and Ikemefuna, and his death contribute in explaining Okonkwo’s fear of weakness. Okonkwo’s life was controlled by his fears. He valued the success of his family and the community with his own success. If Nwoye was weak it was because he had failed as a father. The pacification of the town was a reflection of Okonkwo’s failures, he thought. Not being able to control those events, Okonkwo, out of desperation or either out of the pride in his manhood or perhaps both, killed himself. In spite of Okonkwo’s beginnings in poverty and misfortune, he has risen as one of the most respected elders of the clan. Yet others remark on how harshly he deals with men less successful than himself. For example, at a meeting to discuss the next ancestral feast, Osugo—a man without titles—contradicts Okonkwo, who in turn insults Osugo by declaring the meeting are â€Å"for men.† When others at the meeting side with Osugo, Okonkwo apologizes. Okonkwo’s hard-earned success is evident because the clan chooses Okonkwo to carry the war ultimatum to their enemy, the enemy treats him with great respect in the negotiations, and the elders select Okonkwo to care for Ikemefuna until they decide what to do with him. Once the young man is entrusted to Okonkwo’s care, the rest of the clan forgets him for three years. At first, Ikemefuna is very unhappy—he misses his mother and sister, he tries to run away, and he won’t eat. After Okonkwo threatens to beat him, Ikemefuna finally eats, but then vomits and becomes ill for twelve days. As he recovers, he seems to lose his fear and sadness. Ikemefuna has become very popular in Okonkwo’s house, especially with Nwoye and the other children. To them, he seems to know everything and can make useful things like flutes, rodent traps, and bows. Even Okonkwo has inwardly become fond of Ikemefuna, but he does not show affection—a womanly sign of weakness. He treats Ikemefuna with a heavy hand, as he does other members of his family, although he allows Ikemefuna to accompany him like a son to meetings and feasts, carrying his stool and his bag. Ikemefuna calls Okonkwo â€Å"father.† During the annual Week of Peace just before planting time, tradition permits no one in the village to speak a harsh word to another person. One day during this week, Okonkwo’s youngest wife, Ojiugo, goes to a friend’s house to braid her hair, and she forgets to prepare Okonkwo’s afternoon meal and feed her children. When Ojiugo returns, Okonkwo beats her severely. Even when he is reminded of the ban on violence, he doesn’t stop the beating. Because Okonkwo’s violation of peace can jeopardize the whole village’s crops, the priest of the earth goddess orders Okonkwo to make offerings at his shrine. Although Okonkwo inwardly regrets his â€Å"great evil,† he never admits to an error. His offensive breaking of the peace and the priest’s mild punishment are talked about in the village. After the sacred week, the farmers of the village begin to plant their harvest. Okonkwo allows Ikemefuna and Nwoye to help him collect, count, and prepare the seed-yams for planting, though he continually finds fault with their efforts. He believes that he is simply helping them learn the difficult and manly art of seed-yam preparation. Soon, the rainy season begins and the planting takes place, followed by the intense period of care for the young plants. During the resting time between planting and harvest, the friendship between Ikemefuna and Nwoye grows even stronger. Reference * Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

The Truth To A Ballad :: essays research papers

The Truth to a Ballad   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"At her Redeemer’s throne she’ll stand, And she’ll be cured of woe, And He her bloodied hands will wash, And she’ll be white as snow† (15). This quote concludes the beautifully written ballad located in the first chapter of Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace. By summarizing the events leading up to the murders, the murders themselves, and the ensuing trial, the poem presents the reader with what appears to be a foreshadowing of things to come. However, though the ballad reflects many of the novel’s events, there are several differences which contradict Grace’s narration.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poetic verse and the story told by Grace contain numerous similarities. As the ballad states at the beginning, Grace says she was sixteen years old when the murders at the house of Thomas Kinnear occurred; James McDermott worked as a stable hand, and Grace was the serving maid. Also alike is the poem’s description of Nancy as a â€Å"no well-born lady†¦.who goes in satin and silk, The finest ever seen† (11). When first meeting Nancy, Grace wonders why â€Å"a housekeeper would be wanting a dress like that,† (200) immediately noticing Nancy is dressed rather well considering her occupation. When the murders take place in the novel, James strikes Nancy on the head with an axe and throws her into the cellar where she eventually died with an unborn baby in her womb. This event was depicted in the poem, as was the scene where James and Grace steal valuables from Mr. Kinnear’s house and fled across the lake to the Lewiston Hotel in t he United States. As the ballad progresses, the two are later arrested at which point Grace states she does not remember seeing the murders take place. Also similar, is James’ declaration of Grace being the one who lead him on, and if not for her the murders would have never happened. When the poem explains how Jamie Walsh marked Grace a murderer at the trial, yet she was given a life sentence while James was hung and dissected at the University, Grace’s tale is reflected perfectly. The ballad concludes with Grace receiving forgiveness and entering a life of paradise. This appears apparent at the end of the novel as Grace is pardoned, and then fulfills her â€Å"apple skin prophecy† of marrying a man with a first name beginning with ‘J.’ Though the above events are comparable to the story Grace tells, the ballad contains several discrepancies as well.

From Poland to USA Essay

Life, for me, has always been about taking risks in order to fulfill our dreams. Sometimes, we are required to face the difficult challenges in order to succeed in life. Originally, I am from Poland, and five years ago, I decided to move to the United States to fulfill my dreams. Moving to the United States was a very big leap from my end. My determination to succeed in life has been my driving force for survival in a country away from mine. My dream of acquiring a degree from an American college was now within reach. All I needed was a little bit of luck, and a handful of determination. The first few years I spent in the United States was a struggle. I had to learn a new language and adapt a new culture. I found myself adjusting to a new environment, where I was able to appreciate the new things that surrounded me. Living a life in New York was something out of the extraordinary. To fend for myself, I took on odd jobs, from being a waitress, to a cashier, and a paralegal for different employers. Although I was living a comfortable life, I was not contented with what I had. I wanted to enhance myself by continuing my education. I wanted so much to be a successful career woman. Although I had acquired a Masters degree in Sociology, I still wanted to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Administration. I have always been ambitious and determined to achieve my goals. A new degree will help me enhance my knowledge about things, and eventually help me to be of service to the United States. New York City faces many issues that require the implementation of new policies. With the education provided to me, I may be able to face such and do the necessary changes for the betterment of society. The knowledge I have acquired from studying Sociology has given me a well rounded education in liberal arts, that may be used to my advantage in my future careers. Having a fulfilling career definitely means a lot to me. The education that this university will give me will help me become a more diverse individual. In addition to this, I may be able to integrate my Polish culture with that of the Americans, that may be used to my advantage in further job opportunities.

Relationship between organizational culture and performance Essay

The topic of the link between organizational culture and performance have drawn considerable interest from both academics and practitioners because this theme can help managers design suitable strategies and goals to increase level of performance as well as providing competitive advantage to firms. Among numerous studies discussing about this subject, I found two journals that contains valuable data for interpreting the close relationship between them: â€Å"Impact of Organizational Culture on Employee Performance† of Awadh and Saad (2013) and Rose et al. (2008)’s â€Å"Organizational Culture as a Root of Performance Improvement†. Both journals stated a hypothesis that there is a transparent link between them and a good organizational culture may positively influence its performance. While the former journal focused on indentifying and measuring strong relationship between performance and organizational culture in general, the latter examined this relation in spe cific case among American, Japanese, European and Malaysian multinational companies operating in Malaysia by obtaining necessary data from self-administered questionnaires designed for respondents of high technology industry. Sixteen items adapted from Rajendar and Jun Ma’s (2005) work were used to assess the organizational culture on seven-point scale which represents the agreement of respondents. This secondary research paper which is used as a report of my understanding after reading these two journals will focus on general useful information about organizational culture, performance and their mutual influences. Discussion of findings Organizational culture Since culture plays a significant role in how the employees and managers work in the firm, the organizational culture is one of the most popular and controversial concepts in the fields of management and organizational theory (Ogbonna and Harris, 2000). Awadh and Saad (2013) defined organizational culture as a combination of shared complex social phenomena such as values, beliefs, communications and explanations guiding employees’ behaviors. This definition is widely agreed by many other researchers such as Ehtesham et al. (2011) who stated that each organization has a unique culture. valuable source of competitive advantage and Lunenburg (2011) who explained more clearly about four major functions of organizational culture: â€Å"gives members a sense of identity, increases their commitment, reinforces organizational values, and serves as a control mechanism for shaping behavior†. The culture of an organization can do its functions and transfer its messages to employees by four common ways: stories, rituals, material symbols and language (Robbins and Coulter, 2009). Rose et al. (2008) not only supported Awadh and Saad for their basic understanding about the culture of an organization but also chose the same three perspectives about organizational culture’s dimensions to include in their research: Hofstede’s (1980), Schwartz’s (1994) and Trompanaars’s (1993). Hofstede’s four dimensions including individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance and masculinity are considered to be the initial idea for all other’s theory. These dimensions were identified through the value’s comparison among 53 national subsidiaries’ employees and managers of IBM Corporation. In 1998, he worked together with Bond to detect the fifth dimension called â€Å"long-term versus short-term orientation†. Schwartz based on Hofstede’s study to build a model containing only two kinds of dimension: conservatism versus autonomy (affective and intellectual) and self-enhancement (hierarchy and mastery) in 19 94. Similarly, in 1993, Trompanaars brought a model of seven dimensions which can be a good supported for Hofstede’s model: five under the broad heading of relationship  with  people  communitarians, neutral versus emotional, specific versus diffuse and achievement versus ascription), attitudes to time and attitudes to the environment. These three perspectives of culture dimensions seem to be quite different from seven dimensions of nature culture I have learnt at my university: innovation and risk taking, attention to detail, outcome orientation, people orientation, team orientation, aggressive and stability (Robbins and Coulter, 2009). However, all of these views to look into culture dimensions are helpful for presenting effective relationship between distinctive sets of norms and values in different ways. Moreover, the authors of the two journals also share the same understanding about a strong culture. They both agreed that a strong culture should include integrated and effective set of values and beliefs from policies, procedures and objectives designed by top manager which can influence upon employees’ behaviors, may bring about a high degree of organization performance and sustainability, and cannot be imitated because of its unique quality. In addition, Awadh and Saad (2013) also mentioned two more levels of culture: sub culture 2 (organization segments with different culture on the basis of geographical areas, job requirements and department goals) and weak culture (the loosely knit organization culture that seems to be more innovative and can help the organization remain its superior performance since it is able to adapt the changes in environmental conditions). 2. Performance and its closely knit relationship with organizational culture Awadh and Saad (2013) defined performance as the degree of an achievement after fulfilling the organizational mission at workplace which may become the measurement of transactional, efficiency and effectiveness towards organization goals. Rose et al. (2008) thought that performance is a broader indicator that may contain productivity, quality and consistency. According to Rose et al. (2008), performance measures can be comprised of results, behaviors (criterion-based) and relative (normative) measures, education and training concepts and instruments, including management development and leadership training for building necessary skills and attitude of performance management. Both journals mentioned about the traditional performance measurement basing on strategic performance system which includes both financial and non-financial measures and means that we should also consider about intangible asset. Using this method leads to competitiveness which can help in enhancing competitive advantage based upon effective pressures (Rose et al., 2008). Awadh and Saad (2013) mentioned about four casual relationships between performance management and culture: growth, customers, internal business process and financial reward management system. They said that learning about these four relations can help focusing on cooperative tools of an organization to improve communication and receive feedback which may enhance the performance management. Awadh and Saad (2013) also defined three contributions of culture to performance: forceful management, nature and scope of culture based upon theoretical point of view and competitive advantage attained through strong association and establishment of culture. These findings showed two main inferences: culture and performance are interrelated, and superior and imitable relationship with competitors may result in a sustainable competitive advantage. Awadh ad Saad (2013) explained the process that culture may influence performance in six main facets: the strong culture enable efficient management of work force employees, the net profit enhances performance of employees, the common path of making perfect use of resources helps organization positively develop, the culture provides competitive edge, employee commitment and group efficiency improve performance upon organization sustainability and the nature and power of organization culture influence upon sustainability and effective of  organization. All of these findings might help practitioners and academics to manage the value of culture based upon degree of performance. The survey carried out by Rose et al. (2008) revealed that American and European multinational companies, those have higher mean scores in organizational performance, were performing well in all four dimensions compared to Japanese and Malaysian multinational companies: high scores in individualism, low power distance, low uncertainty avoidance and femininity. The findings of their study were reported that the organizations which pay attention to the cultures are more successful. They explained that focusing on cultures provides better financial returns which are significantly correlated to the cultural strength and healthier employee attitudes, the prerequisites to financial and market performance advancement. They also reported that industry moderates the link between corporate culture and performance. These results have advanced understanding of the determi nants and performance effects of corporate culture. Although the two journals seem to have a limitation of a small sample since researching in a wider population is impossible which makes it hard to draw any certain conclusion, Rose et al. (2008)’s research still had a certain strength since they could be able to approach managers and executives from 240 different multinational companies to collect the necessary data. The results of two studies brought about valuable recommendations for employees to try their best in perceiving the organizational culture and top managers to motivate their workers in achieving the company’s objectives by providing a precise guideline and direction. Moreover, the most important thing is that both journals greatly contributed closely knit arguments to prove that there exists a clear link between a strong culture and good organizational performance. REFERENCES Awadh, A.M. Sadd, A.M. 2013. Impact of Organizational Culture on Employee Performance. International Review of Management and Business Research, 2. Ehtesham, U.M. Muhammad , T. M. Muhammad, S.A. 2011. Relationship between Organizational Culture and Performance Management Practices: A Case of University in Pakistan. Journal of Competitiveness. Hofstede, G. 1980. Culture’s Consequences: International Difference in Work Related Value, London, Sage Publication. Hofstede, G. Bond, M. H. 1998. The Confucius Connection: from Cultural Roots to Economic Growth, Organ Dyn, 5-21. Lunenburg, F. C. 2011. Organizational Culture-Performance Relationships: Views of Excellence and Theory Z. National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, 29. Ogbonna, H. Harris, L.C. 2000. Leadership style, organizational culture and performance: empirical evidence from UK companies. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 766-788. Rose, R.C. Kumar, N. Abdullah, H. Ling, G.E. 2008. Organizational Culture as a Root of Performance Improvement: Research and Recommendations. Contemporary Management Research, 4, 43-56. Robbins, S.P. Coulter, M. 2009. Organizational culture and environment. Management. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Schwartz, S.H. 1994. Beyond Individualism/ Collectivism: New Cultural Dimensions of Values. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication. Trompanaar, F. 1993. Riding the Waves of Culture. London: Economist Books.

Globalization Threat to the Environment essays

Globalization Threat to the Environment essays Global change has become a popular word in scientific debates on long-range structural change in the earths ecology. Globalization has in the past played a major role in the controversial environmental debates. Many problems resulted in this area of discussion, in regard to the intricate linkages between globalization, government, trade and transport, and environmental decay. The current debate on the environmental effects of globalization is particularly concerned with the question whether a worldwide liberalization of trade may provoke environmental collapse. Three major environmental concerns related to trade are the domestic environmental effects caused by the use of imported products, the foreign environmental effects caused by the production of exported goods, and the environmental effects caused by transport movements needed for international trade. In a democratic society, the citizens presume the right to make laws that reflect their deepest values, yet this is no longer the case. With the emergence of the World Trade Organization (WTO), democracy has been abandoned. It no longer matters what the democratic societies want, but what the global corporations want. Created in 1994, the WTO is already among the most powerful, reserved, undemocratic bodies on earth. It has been granted with vast powers, which include the right to judge whether laws of nations are impairments to trade, by WTO standards. They rule laws concerning public health, food safety, small business, labor standards, culture, human rights, and other social and economic procedures (Krugman and Obstfeld 23). If any of these laws proved to be harming to trade, the WTO can demand their nullification, or enforce very harsh sanctions. Trade should be a tool to achieve shared human aspirations, to improve standards living and to enhance the quality of life. Trade rules should not provide a license to degrade the world or force it to trade away...

20 Terms Every Content Writer Needs to Know

20 Terms Every Content Writer Needs to Know Crafting content for businesses and their marketing agencies can be a decent earner for aspiring writers. But if you want to be taken seriously, you need to get the lingo right. Dan Brotzel of UK agency Sticky Content walks us through some of the essential terminology So, youve got your first content commission – a series of blog posts perhaps, or some new web copy. What usually comes next is a briefing form. The brief may be a detailed document of several pages, or it may be a couple of pages in an email. It may have been written just for you, or – more likely – for lots of other people working on the project as well, from marketers to web developers. ​​​​​​​ Your first job is to go through the brief, understand whats required, and come back with any questions. Heres a handy guide to some of the phrases you may come across Amends. Content work always goes through several rounds of amends on its way to approval. Your agreement may cite a certain number of rounds of amends that you will carry out; if not, its worth asking about this up front. While you shouldnt worry that there will be things to tweak, you should make sure that the amount of amends isnt getting unreasonable or turning into a rebrief. Brand voice. This is the verbal personality that your copy should convey. Guidance may come in a tone of voice document or in a brief description, e.g. friendly, straightforward, positive. If in doubt, ask for examples of voice they like. Call to action (CTA). All content should lead to a next step you want your reader to take, such as Call us now or Get a quote. Knowing the CTA will help you focus your writing. Compliance. In heavily regulated industries such as finance, a Compliance team will review the copy for potential issues such as making claims (the cheapest cover ever!) that cant be backed up. Its worth asking up front what sorts of things they normally look for. Conversion. The action that you want people reading a piece of content to take, such as downloading a report or making a purchase. Copydeck. Simply the document that contains your copy. This may take the form of a templated doc that you are asked to write content into. Distribution. How your content will reach people, for example via email, social channels or search results. Engagement. A slippery word that really just means people acting on your content in some way, e.g. Evergreen content. Content thats designed to have a very long shelf-life so needs to be written in a way that wont quickly date. Hygiene content. Essential content that keeps a website working, such as FAQs, Help content and About us content. This is distinct from Hub content (regular editorial-style content such as posts and articles) and Hero content (big campaign material). Key phrases. Words you may be asked to work into your copy, to help it appear in relevant search results pages. Landing page. The page that people arrive at after clicking on a search result, especially a paid-for one. There is a whole best practice for writing and designing these to drive conversions. Listicle. An article written in list form, usually beginning with a number. Localization. Translation. Sometimes you will be asked to write copy thats easy to localize, meaning it should steer clear of idioms and very specific cultural references that could get lost in translation. Newsjacking. The practice of creating some content triggered Optimization. Basically, improving things through an ongoing process of testing and learning. A page thats been optimized for search, for example, is one that has been written and designed to have the best chance of driving search traffic. Personas. Many bigger companies will have developed character sketches that stand in for key segments of their target audience. Often theyll have a nickname such as Sally, the savvy shopper or Dave, the silver surfer. These profiles can be very useful to help you pitch your copy correctly. Pay Per Click. The paid-for ads that appear among your search results when you look for something via a search engine. Pay per click is abbreviated PPC. The search engine gets a small fee whenever anyone clicks on an ad. Stakeholders. People with a governance interest in your content, such as Compliance, Product, and Brand. All review the content, and some may have an input into its creation. Stakeholder reviews inevitably lead to amends. Traction. A fancy word for response. As in: We want to see how much traction this first ebook gets, then well decide whether to do another one. Wash-up. A meeting where the work is reviewed after its gone live. You may not be asked to attend this, but you may hear feedback from it thats useful for your next commission. When interrogating a brief (as marketers like to say) you can inspire confidence

Topic and Research Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Topic and Research Questions - Essay Example her has to study things in their natural settings, attempt to look further into them and make sense of them, and interpret them in terms of the meanings people bring to them (Yin 7). In this question the research will aim to find out what the health care providers think about the use of the electronic record keeping in medical practice. It attempts to find out the feelings that they have on whether electronic record keeping has led to improvements in their service delivery, if it has affected their delivery of care to their patients and generally what they think of electronic record keeping in relation to other methods of record keeping available for use by them. This is a quantitative research question. Quantitative research tends to focus on measurement and proof of phenomena. This type of research adopts a scientific approach to research that goes through a specific process. The scientific process is based on the premise that a phenomenon is only meaningful or of value if it can be observed and counted. Qualitative research is characterized by numerical data which allows for a variety of statistical analysis (Gravetter and Forzano). Many researches have employed this method because of the fact that it is objective and easier to interpret figures than interpreting feelings and emotions or perceptions of people or phenomena. This type of research basically employs questionnaires and surveys in data collection before analysis. Usually a large portion of the population is surveyed so that the results portray a representative sample of the whole population (Gravetter and Forzano 157-158). This question therefore aims to conduct a survey on the US hospitals by counting how many hospitals have adopted and are using the electronic record keeping. Actually a variety of hospitals may be surveyed in this research to identify how many of them use the electronic health records. The rate of adoption can be arrived at by finding out the number of hospitals that are using