The American Revolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The American Revolution - Research Paper Example However, in 1783 the Treaty of Paris brought to an end the war with Great Britain getting forced to acknowledge the independence of United State’s 13 colonies. Whereas no particular event gets credit for the actual origin of the revolution, the war started as a disagreement concerning the treatment of the colonies by the Great Britain versus the manner in which the colonies perceived they needed to be treated. Although Americans believed they had permission to all the rights of Englishmen, on the other hand, the British believed that the aim of establishing the colonies was for them to be used in the manner in which that was best suitable to the crown, as well as the parliament. There is an exemplification of this dispute was evident in the rallying whimpers of the American Revolution, along with the motto: No Taxation Without Representation. Based on America’s way of thinking, the distance between the colonies from Great Britain led to independence, which happened to be hard in overcoming. Those eager to colonize the modern world in general had a strong, independent trait desiring modern opportunities, as well as enhanced freedom. Apart from that, the being of colonial legislatures denoted that the colonies were literary independent of the crown since the legislatures had the authority of levying taxes, mustering troops and passing laws. Eventually, these powers turned into rights according to many colonists. As a result, when curtailed by the British, there was the development of conflict; therefore, the United States’ future leaders found into these legislatures. Although the British trusted in mercantilism, Robert Walpole who was the Prime Minister espoused a viewpoint of salutary neglect. Salutary neglect was a system in that the actual imposition of external trade relations was sloppy. His perception w as that this enhanced freedom would end up stimulating commerce. A number of the revolutionary leaders had studied key writings concerning the Enlightenment comprising of those of Thomas Hobbes, the Baron de Montesquieu, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. As a result, the founders garnered the ideas of the social contract, separation of powers, limited government and consent of the governed.2 For almost a decade, there was mounting between Great Britain, as well as the American Colonies since the British government had bypassed a sequence of laws in trying to elevate their control over the colonies. However, Americans had grown fond of having authority concerning their local government; therefore they objected to these latest laws, while at the same time, protesting getting taxed devoid of their approval. In 1775, Britain’s Parliament affirmed Massachusetts, the core of the majority of the protests, as being rebellious thereby placing the British troops in Boston to undert ake swift action on the rebels; war broke out shortly afterwards. The Colonies were fundamentally unprepared for war since they did not have a central government, while, at the same time, they lacked a controlled army or navy. Representatives from the colonies organized the first Continental Congress undertaking the national government’s duties. Apart from that, Congress was in charge of the war effort thereby voting to coordinate an army, as well as a navy. This led to George Washington, who was not only a wealthy Virginia landowner, but also a former military officer, getting selected as the Continental Army’s chief commander. This led to the Congress embracing the Declaration of Independence whereby the colonies affirmed their liberty from British statute on July 4, 1776. Tension had been elevating between Great

Lee Valley Segmentation Essay Example for Free

Lee Valley Segmentation Essay Background Lee Valley——a family-owned business which has been providing customers of woodworking and gardening tools since 1978.Their reputation is based on three principles: 1. Customer satisfaction: Any product may be returned within 3 months and no cost to the customer (for shipments within North America, they will refund your return parcel post costs). 2. Integrity: Product descriptions are matched with the product——even if the product is roughly made, they will give you accurate descriptions. 3. Treat the customer like a friend. â€Å"About one third of their total sales volume is in products of their own design. The vast majority of these are Veritas ® brand products made by Veritas Tools Inc., their manufacturing arm. They have a research and development team of 11 people and 130 more in manufacturing. And, to reinforce the part about listening to customers, they have a number of customers earning royalties on products that they manufacture based on designs received from them† (Lee Valley). Objective Both woodworking and gardening must have a 2.5% increase in total sales in the next fiscal year. To achieve this goal, management has allocated a budget of $500,000—exclusive of the cost of printing and mailing the catalogues. This budget is intended to fund the prospecting activities of both product lines. Current Situation Analysis Since Lee Valley launched its e-Commerce site in 2000, internet sales have been an increasing percentage of total sales. When launched, the sitegenerated about 20% of total sales, with phone sales being 70% and sales from mail at 10%.By 2010, Internet sales have reached 70% of total sales, which phone sales at 25% and mail at 5%. [pic]Fig. 1. Percentage of total orders generated by e-commerce from Lee Valley Tools Ltd. [pic] Fig. 2. Percentage of total orders generated by e-commerce from Lee Valley Tools Ltd. According to the pie charts illustrate above, Internet sales have already dominated the total sales of Lee Valley since its e-Commerce site launched in 2000.About 70% of the total customers obtain their products online in 2010 which means that new market segmentation and promotion which focus on online shopping must be generated to accommodate the needs of existing customers as well as new customers. Customer Segmentation——who the firm will serve Geographic Variables In views of the database surveyed by Euromonitor International in 2012, Home and Garden reveals emerging markets and are growing in popularity, developed countries remain, by far, the highest spenders on gardening products. Higher levels of urbanization and incomes, combined with greater access to a wider range of goods and services in cities, are key factors underpinning demand. -All countries with per household expenditure higher than US$1,000 have more than three quarters of their population. -Economic growth and urbanization are the main forces behind the growth in home and garden in developing countries. Demographic Variables According to the Gardening Market Research, the most popular lawn and garden activities included lawn care (48% of households), growing indoor houseplants (31% of households), flower gardening (30% of households), and landscaping (27% of households). The customer profile indicated from Lee Valley shows that the average gardening buyer characteristics are as follows: -Age: average 47 -Gender: 65% female -Income: average household income $72,017 -Education: 60% have a college education -68% are married -82% are homeowners Psychographic Variables In general, gardening enthusiasts also have their distinguishing lifestyles and personality traits, such as: -Environmental friendly -Family-oriented -Seeking freedom and relaxation -Living a simple and peaceful life -Retired, enjoy DIY and private time -Focus on landscaping Behavioral Variables 1. User status Regular users are those who have their regular schedule for purchase in gardening, most of whom have their own projects. Potential users are people who are intending to access to the market but still with different reasons of hesitation or lacking of stimulation. Ex-users are those who used to purchase gardening tools in the past or 2. Intensity of use In the â€Å"Pareto’s Law†, 20% of the customers are heavy users but the remaining 80% are only light users. That indicates companies should emphasis on the most valuable group of customers who are come from the 20%.It dosen’t mean the rest parts are non-essential. Frenquency of order in terms of the climate where the customers live as well as the purpose of purchase. 3. Innovativeness Since 2000, there has been a double-digit growth in the e-commerce sector; statistics have shown that more than 80% of regular online shoppers have used Internet to purchase products or services, while 50% of the online population recorded to have shopped online more than once. According to statistics from Invesp Blog, shoppers by age group is as follows: 18-30 years (54%), 31-44 years (68%), 45-54 years (64%), 55-65 years (68%), 66 years and up (48%). Teens and the young generation find entertainment and social networks online, whereas older generations use the internet as a tool for research, shopping and banking. According to statistics researched in 2009, Generation X (internet users ages 33-44) continues to lead in online shopping. Fully 80% of Generation X internet users buy products online, compared to teenage online users between ages of 18-32, the next runner-up, which constitute 71% of online shopping total. However, there is a decline of internet shopping between the ages 64-72, accounting to 56%, and 47% of online users between the age 73 and older. Global E-commerce sales are growing by more than 19% a year and will be of almost $1.4 trillion by 2015. Lee Valley has a large numbers of customers (70%) ordering online, which illustrates that customers with these certain characteristics are the key part of gardening market. Most people between 35 and 55 years have their own house and garden, 68% of them are married and they are more willing to live a high quality of life with their families. They prefer to online shopping because it is more convenient and can save most of their time as well as money. As far as I am concerned, I suggest Lee Valley to build up collaborative relationships with multinational internet corporations like eBay to extend their market size. At the same time, cut the budget on printing the catalogues and put it to social media so as to attract more new customers. Meanwhile, loyalty program to exiting customers is also indispensable. For instance, gathering different suggestions from loyalty customers and meet their special demands will not only increase the order frequency but also improve the customer satisfaction. Works Cited Datagraphics, Home and Garden. â€Å"Urban Countries Spend the Most in Home and Garden.† Euromonitor International. N.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. Khalid. â€Å"How Big is E-commerce Industry.† invesp Blog. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. Lee Valley. â€Å"About Us.† Lee Valley Veritas. N.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. National Gardening Association. â€Å"Garden Market Research.† National Gardening Association. N.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. Pew Research Center. â€Å"Generations Online in 2009.† PewResearchCenter Publications. Pew Research Center, 2009. Web. 21 Sept. 2012.

Business Culture And Communication Of Australia Management Essay

Business Culture And Communication Of Australia Management Essay The Report is an endeavour to demonstrate the feasibility of an Australian based University to open their new campuses in Taiwan and Japan. It presents a detailed informative study about the cross cultural means of communication, business culture and practices as well as business strategies in different regions of Asia-Pacific. There are significant issues presented in this report that will provide the readers an in-depth understanding of the topic presented. Moreover, the report is an ongoing attempt to focus on the social and cultural differences and how they play an important role in doing business across the world, important cultural aspects that influence business such as verbal communication in business, dress code, scheduling and appointment and other factors are discussed in this research, which provides guidelines for University staff. It is recommended that: Introduction Culture and communication require people to communicate across different cultures and geographical locations. In a lecture, Informatics, Culture and Communication (COMM 20036), Mr. Alexander Hoetzer described culture as involves work habits, life style, communication style, religious instruction, human behaviour and business activities. To do business successfully around the globe, all organizations need to overcome cultural barriers. background: Australian University intends to open new campuses in Tokyo and Taipei. The guidelines will be provided on cross cultural communication for Australian staff who will be liaising with the university staff in Japan and Taiwan. The guidelines must incorporate computer mediated communication channels such as videoconferencing, teleconferencing, memos, email, staff meetings and discussion forums with procedures and protocols which take into account the different cultures involved and promote effective cross cultural communication. Aim: The most aim for this report is provide guidelines on Cross-Cultural Communication for the Australian University, which intends to open their University campus Tokyo and Taiwan. 1.3 Scope: In this report, our Group presents guidance for Australian staff of a University who will be liaising with university staff in Taiwan and Japan in order to open a new university campus there. Present Report analyses the Cross-cultural issues and emphasizes the main streaming of the cultural values of Taiwan, Japan and Australia. This report examines the issues related to Australia University which intend to open campuses in Taiwan and Japan that considers not only the establishment of effective communication can be achievement. Moreover, the report illustrates the pros and cons of an organization that must have adequate knowledge of the cultural backgrounds of its members and the management must educate its employees in the aspects of cross-cultural communication. Besides, this report recommends the commitment of the strategic management to consider the culture and business issues of a country. The ability to learn within this multifaceted context to translate learning into effective decisions will add to the Australian university success. Methodology: A wide range of majority of the information formed for this proposed report will consist of research primarily from a number of online articles, case studies, journals and different resources from various websites were used to gather relevant information for this research and more over available market research reports. The literature where there is extensive contributing to be competently searched those methods currently in used. Gathering information with respected to improvements and innovations. Discussion Business Culture and Communication of Australia: Australia is great multi cultural society .Australians are friendly, outgoing, informal people who move to a first name basis quickly. Business Ethics, Culture and Meetings of Australia: Australia has a tradition of consensus that can make it an easy place to do business. Australians are generally wary of appearing boastful or arrogant. They usually dont praise any one for doing good job, because they think everyone doing their best in their jobs .This extends to their own accomplishment, successes and expertise, often point withholding information about themselves (Maria J.C.P, Ik-Whan G. K, Philipp A. S, Raymond.B, 2003).Generally Australians way of contacting will be on the basis of the first name of the person ,preceded by Mr, they greet both men and women by smiling, eye contact and shaking hands. Australians values friendship, they believe being good mates which is as important as doing business together and consider mutual respectful and beneficial relationship and is termed to be more important. Australians are generally result oriented and they prefer to make quick decisions, they are conservative and move fast to put their decisions into action. In smaller businesses, one person could be the sole decision maker for the entire company and makes decision immediately. Though, they generally take time to committing to a deal. Negotiating is not generally part of Australian business culture. They offer what they believe is a fair deal and expect you to do the same. In the business world traditional business suits are standard for men. Skirted suit or suit with pant for women. Avoid excessive jewellery or accessories. All business dealings will be in English. Australians dislike the negotiating and aggressive sale techniques because they value directness; presentation of any kind should be straight forward with both positive and negative outcomes. Meetings start on time .Appointments is mandatory to meet someone and they believe it is easy to schedule meetings and meetings should start on time if someone is running late, let your associate know in advance. Australians will not exchange business card in social meetings, because they operate more than one relationship with a contact and they never discuss about the business in social meetings. 3.1.1 Business culture and communication of Tokyo: Overview: Japan is a country of peace and harmony that continues to develop in a positive construction of tradition and modernization. Japan has been extended and colourful history and culture, a separate model hierarchy, the EEA and the etiquette that still makes social and business practices today. Due to the influence of Confucianism, it is important to have more respect for the oldest members appear in Japanese business culture. Age and rank are strongly linked. A change in the current business environment requires educational background and power often about age appropriate. Culture: Wa The most valuable principle alive in the Japanese society today is the concept of WA or harmony. The preservation of the first Constitution in 604 AD and teamwork is required when who live and work in collective farms, which dates back to social harmony. In the operating conditions, WA is reflected in the avoidance of self-assertion and individualism and the maintenance of good relations despite differences of opinion. Kao One of the fundamental elements of the Japanese social system is the concept of face. Glance is a trademark of personal pride and is the basis of an individual reputation and social status. Preservation of sight is delivered via the confrontations and direct criticism to avoid when possible. Omoiyari Closely linked to the concepts of wa and kao, omoiyari refers to the sense of empathy and loyalty in Japanese society, encouraged and authorised in Japanese business culture. Business Culture in Tokyo: In terms of business culture, Japan remains the second largest economic position in the world and its economic environment is forcing the local population to the so-called Japan style of the corporate culture and rules by which they have lived for a long time to make drastic changes. Japan has with its elaborate culture, a separate model hierarchy, the EEA and the etiquette that still reflected in many social and business practices today. A significant part of the former Japanese business protocol was a gift. In the modern contemporary Japanese business culture, it is not expected that the gesture is still practiced and accepted with gratitude. However, be careful not to take great gift as it can be thought of as a buy. It is good business practice in small talk before negotiations. The Japanese counterpart questions relating to education, family and social life. More private questions are not acceptable. Greet Hofstede Cultural Dimensions for Japan: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/graphs/hofstede_japan.gif Image courtesy: Hofstede (2009) According Hofstede (2009), above diagram terms are: Power Distance Index (PDI). Individualism (IDV). Masculinity (MAS).   Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI). Long-Term Orientation (LTO) (Hofstede 2009).  Ã‚   Business Culture, Meetings and Workings Practises in Japan: In the Japanese, companies will be reflected in the negotiating process. They begin at the executive level and continue at the middle level. Decisions will be made, however, often within the group. It is important to realise that in todays Japan, even a low-ranking individuals allows a Manager to receive his or her performance as well. Because of the great contemporary business competition in Asia, the old concept of the unhurried Japanese negotiation process no longer applies the decisions quickly and efficiently. When a business appointment, will arrange a personal call more effective than sending a letter and seen as good ways Late is as a sign of violation punctuality is essential in Japan .Due to the influence of Confucianism, it is important to have more respect for the oldest members appear in Japanese business culture. Age and rank highly connected, but a change in the current business environment means that educational background and power often about age appropriate. Physical contact, other than a handshake is never displayed in public. It is good business practice in small talk before negotiations. In General, Japanese business meetings will be aligned in order of seniority, with the leading person on the front and at the very least, a senior person closest to the door. In addition to this rule, however, it can happen that the highest person where choose. Physical contact, other than a handshake is never displayed in public. The Japanese counterpart questions relating to education, family and social life. More private questions are not acceptable. Japanese Business Etiquette: DO use apologies where the intention is serious and express gratitude frequently as it is considered polite in Japan. DO avoid confrontation or showing negative emotions during business negations. Express opinions openly but evade direct or aggressive refusals. DO greet your counterparts with the proper respect and politeness. If your counterpart bows make sure you return the gesture, which is usually performed shortly and shallowly. More often than not, a handshake is sufficient. Business Culture and Communication of Taipei: Overview Taiwan is located east of the Taiwan Strait, off the south-eastern coast of mainland China, is the largest island in the Republic of China. Taiwans population is mostly Han Chinese, who were born on the mainland and divided into three groups based on the dialect of Chinese they speak (Taiwans Country information 2007). Taiwanese value a well crafted message. They appreciate sharing a deep and broad contextual understanding in order for the core message to be delivered and understood. That context comes in the form of words, gestures and facial expressions. 3.1.2 Taiwanese Communication and culture: Communication in Taiwan can be difficult, if someone does not speak official languages such as Mandarin Chinese or Taiwanese, a southern Fujian dialect, which are broadly spoken. Levels of English will be irregular even within Taiwanese multi-nationals and major large companies based in the country. Within small to large-sized businesses, little or no English at all will be spoken. It may, therefore, be necessary to employ the use of a translator, which will further slow down an already slow process. Be prepared for the inevitable delays and confusions (Taiwanese Communication Styles n.d.). As in several Asian cultures, language is infrequently used in a completely literal fashion. Much of what is actually meant can be hidden behind a smoke screen of vagueness and coded language. It is not polite and disrespectful to disagree openly and therefore anything other than a clear yes (Taiwanese Communication Styles n.d.) should be viewed with some wariness. Search for further information; go back to the subject later in the meeting and apply diagrams, charts etc. to support to mutual comprehension. Unlike Japan, it is not unknown for meeting to become emotions, with heated, erupting and then subsiding quickly. Its better to try to ignore this lack of reserve and avoid referring back to it in an attempt to score points. This could result in loss of face and a fracture in the relationship (Taiwanese Communication Styles n.d.). Hofstede (2009) analysis for Taiwan is almost all identical models for Republic of China. Like other Asia countries relationships are in Taiwan, a primary part of the culture. Individualism is the lowest ranking factor, Long-term Orientation (LTO) is the peak factor and the Taiwanese are a collectivist society. Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions for Taiwan: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/graphs/hofstede_taiwan.gif Image courtesy: Hofstede (2009) According Hofstede (2009), above diagram terms are: Power Distance Index (PDI). Individualism (IDV). Masculinity (MAS).   Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI). Long-Term Orientation (LTO) (Hofstede 2009).  Ã‚   Taiwanese Business Culture ,Meetings and Business Practices: In general in Taiwanese society, the business culture is Confucian with strong hierarchical and family influences, particularly in the important small to large size business sector. Decision-making tends to be concentrated in the hands of organization or company owners. They are proud of their achievements and history and continue to be energetic, in the main economical. They have a natural commercial style and are welcoming to foreigners. Relationships are the key issues to success in Taiwan, its take time be familiar with your business partners (Taiwan economy brief 2008). The best relationships usually meet testing times before belief and trust develop. Taiwanese are generally tough negotiators, while they are enjoying negotiating. But Taiwanese are not formal as Japanese, it is good to continue formalities until they invited to do otherwise, self addressing like Dr Alex, Chairman Alex, Mr Alex etc (Taiwan economy brief 2008). Business visiting cards are compulsory and business cards are should be presented and received with both hands, starting with the top manager present. Instead of place the card in a pocket, treat the card with respect at the meeting. If possible print names at back of business card in Chinese and it is advisable to carry a passport for identification when dealing with government agencies (Taiwan economy brief 2008). A thoughtful gift is a suitable gesture for introduction and indicates of person desire to explore and build a good relationship. Taiwan economy brief (2008) suggested that do not give clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, handkerchiefs and sharp objectives, those are indicating that cutting or breaking a relationship. Time is money (Taiwan economy brief 2008) normally Taiwanese are comfortable to quick response and they expect quick action and decision-making. Face feeling are important in great business dealings, it is polite to speak of others in glowing expressions and be modest and deprecating about the negotiator. Never let others lose face, even in worry situation. Meeting schedules are not highly structured in Taiwan. There may be an agenda, but it serves as a guideline for the discussion and may act as a springboard to other related business ideas. As relationships are valued, there may be some time in the meeting devoted to non-business discussions. Time is not considered more important than completing a meeting satisfactorily, therefore, meetings will continue until the discussion is completed and may extend well past a scheduled end time (YVONNE .S, JEANNE H. Y STEVEN CHIH-CHIEN L, 2008). For formal meetings it is best wear a suit and tie, after relationships are made strong, it is appropriate to dress according to the occasions and season (Taiwan economy brief 2008). Asians and Taiwanese in particular, have high regard for those older than themselves. Between 9.30 am and 11.30am, and between 2.30pm and 4.30pm are the best times to seek appointments. However eating is a serious business in Taiwan, offers of lunch and dinner are accepted a nd when suitable, reciprocated. When dinning out it is common for Taiwanese to rise from the dining table promptly at the end of the meal (Taiwan economy brief 2008). Business practices: Men should wait for a woman to extend her hand. If you are in a group, try to assemble in rank order, with the most senior person first. Greet or introduce the most important person first. A handshake is the common greeting. Handshakes are not as firm as in many other countries. Many Taiwanese lower their eyes during the greeting as a sign of respect. People are usually addressed by their title and surname (Yvonne et al., 2008) 3.2 Effective Cross-Culture Communications: Globalisation makes every country interdependent with each other. As more companies join the globalisation role, diversity in the corporate world will become renowned. This diversity is the inclusion of all groups at all level regardless of locations, competition, background and position. Besides, there is some pattern in cross-cultural communication that has to be considered to achieve successfully (Cross Cultural Communication n.d). One of the significant changes this has triggered is the required to communicate effectively with different people in different languages and from different cultures. It is now recognised that linguistic and cultural knowledge are both, most essential areas of knowledge that organizations must come to obtain if they are to join together, progress and succeed in the marketplace. Cross cultural communication is a must (Cross Cultural Communication n.d). 3.2.1 Computer mediated channels In this Globalization age, computer mediated communication channels are the most important elements to conduct the business in cross-cultural environment (Anderson et al. 1995). This section explains how the intercultural communication, mediated by cultural artefacts such as internet communication tools, E-mail, Videoconferencing, staff meetings. Nowadays computer-mediated communication is playing the key role in everyones life, it is the most effective way to communicate with the people no matter how far away they are. People using communication technologies to develop new contacts, save existing relationships, and maintain relationships with others. Most popular means of communications are videoconferencing, teleconferencing, and email, internet. Knowing the relationship of ideas between the technologies and the cultural differences is vital for two reasons. One is with the worldwide rapidly increased use of technology and interactions between different people are more often mediated through individual extensions. Rapidly, personal use communication technologies to, find, learn about and communicate with each other. Secondly the communication between people, especially between the cross culture people are developed and maintained through these technologies. So selecting the proper technology for communicating with personals across a cross culture requires an understanding of how people use these technologies in their culture. ( Arun V, Hao C,2008) 3.2.1. a Digital telecommunication channel: Videoconferencing. Video conferencing is tool in communication channels which enables people to meet and work together through the sight and sound medium no matter where there are located throughout the world. Video conferencing allows two or more location to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously. Participants should join meeting at least 10 minutes before the start. Make sure all the equipment is working properly if not consult the technician. Video conference goes out of control unless someone take the job of traffic cop. Dressing up appropriately is important avoid very bright colours. Do not zoom cameras extremely close up on the participant. It is imposing. Be loud and clear always if audio is not clear on the other side try adjusting settings and avoid screaming. Avoid double talk wait for other side to finish before replying. Look straight imagine that you are making eye contact with the person other side. Do not move adjust your settings to ensure you are visible to the person on the other side. Make spot where the camera can view you best. Do not mute microphone when starting the connection, mute the microphone after the connection is established if you want. Make sure the presentation slides should be in the large format. Mute the microphone because even murmur can be heard out loud. 3.2.1. b Digital telecommunication channel: email. E-mail is used to maintain the relationships with people, and it used to expand and strengthen people, and it can be used to notify issues to the group to resolve problems more effectively, it can be also used to communicate with different people though there are not at their desks, used to communicate with different people irrespective of location. (Laurie M, 2007) The use of e-mail is one of the primary features of the internet and is still the most popular function. In this all the parties need not be considerate all the time as in face-to-face situation but can still participate fully in the conversation via e-mail without losing track of the argument (Anderson et al. 1995). They can read messages and respond to proposals in their own time, as their own tempo. But as the Taiwanese and Japanese have a non-verbal communications and high context culture and use indirect language to correspond, they prefer to communicate by telephone or personally rather than by impersonal means such as E-mail. However the Australians have low context culture, so they tend to use overt, plainly and explicit coded messages to make everything else, and convey plain and literal meaning. Therefore E-mail will be a superior way of communication for Australians (Anderson et al. 1995). 3.2.1. c Digital telecommunication channel: Teleconferencing Teleconferencing systems are ideally for meetings, new program introductions, seminars and all forms of personnel and management training. In effect, teleconferencing is the most powerful communications technology developed to date; it is the most effective way of communication which saves time and money. (Laurie M, 2007) 3.2.1. d Digital telecommunication channel: 3.2.1. e Digital telecommunication channel: 3.3 Effective written communications: Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium by means of a series of characters or symbols. Writing is an extension of human language in time and space. Write probably began as a result of political expansion into the old cultures, which reliable resources needed for the transmission of information, maintaining financial accounts, historical records, and similar activities. Around the 4th millennium v. Chr. the complexity of the trade and the Administration outgrew the power of memory and writing was a more reliable method of recording and transactions in a final form to present 3.4 Effective verbal communications: The basis of communication is the interaction between people.   Verbal communication is one way for people to communicate face-to-face.   Some of the key components of verbal communication are sound, words, speaking, and language.   Aside from written communications, Australian Universities staffs are supporting the communication through conferences, negotiations and videoconferencing. Asian culture value silence when talking and are patient and understanding. The formality of Asians, while speaking in English is high and will avoid slang, jargon and also avoid confrontations as much as possible. Asians often prefer to speak what is implicitly rather than explicitly, in order to prevent conflicts, and to a more ambiguous interpretation of meaning open .In Discussions, Asians like harmony and piece. Most of the time non-native English speakers prefer to know what one is saying as face is important to them. They use words that are common and understandable as they mostly prefer facial expressions are important to them. Avoid of casual, and they appreciated politeness and formal way of communication. Asian values personal relationships; they prefer actual meeting rather than phone conversations or video conferences. In conducting a video conference where they mind gesture, eye contacts, body movements, and facial expressions as these are given more attention by the As ians rather than the messages. Therefore, opinions are often better proposed discretion; instead of directly expressed (Seltman 1991).This is reinforced by the fact that the Asians instructors are generally a direct translation methodology. If resources permit install translation software, which is termed to be particularly helpful. In negotiations, an agreement may need to be amended from time to time. So, remember that the deal is not final even if the signature has been affixed. People in general are not hard to talk, touching, unless forced by overcrowding or other disturbance in places that are traditionally considered to be public. People keep to themselves and between strangers In contrast, Australian English speakers value clear and concise conversations and they speak words carefully, they understand and prefer written formats rather than the verbal massage, on the other hand, their way of communication is more direct and constant .Silence is regarded as confusion in the case of Australians. In negotiations a deal is finalized and binding up on the signing for approval only. high and low contexts culture High context refers to groups or societies where people have close relationship over a long period of time. Several aspects of cultural behaviour are not made explicit because the majority members know what to do and what to think from years of interaction with each other. Hall (1976) states that most Asian countries include Japan and Taiwan are classified as high Context cultures. Low context refers to groups where people tend to have many connections but of shorter period or for some specific reason. In these groups, cultural behaviour and beliefs might need to be spelled out explicitly so that those coming into the cultural environment know how to behave. Australians are classified as low context cultures (Hall 1976). Conclusion: This report concludes with the reflections of cross cultural business communications of different places like Australia, Tokyo and Taipei. The results of this studies about the awareness and understanding of the cross cultural and communicational characteristics of the country and are termed to be crucial for the successful business interactions between members of different countries. More precisely, too effectively and ethical business in countries like Australia, Japan and Taiwan requires an understanding and acceptance of collectivism, saving face particularise and the maintenance of the harmony. With the advent of globalisation means of doing business have changed dramatically. Most organizations open at store to working with different people across the globe. For this reason it is essential to understand how cultural adversity effects and how business is being conducted in various countries Asians and Australian culture vary greatly in terms of their believes, life style and business practices, Asians have high context culture which gives much importance to inter personal relationship ,whilst Australians belong to low context culture where individualism is highly regarded , in order for these two countries to collaborate in business venture. It is important to understand these differences. Communication strategies are affected by cultural differences in a number of ways. For this reason, respect on each others culture should be regarded to avoid any conflicts that arise. In nut shell cultural differences should not be a hindrance to a successful business venture .Rather, understanding an embracing these differences will help improve the relationships of countries across the globe. 6.0 Recommendations:

Poetry Intertextual :: English Literature Essays

Poetry Intertextual The anthology â€Å"Lines to Time† includes a wide range of poems written by a selection of poets. What makes â€Å"Line to Time† interesting and enjoyable to read is the variety of topic and treatment the poets use to make their poetry effective. The range of poets featured in â€Å"Lines to Time† use a variety of poetic devices and writer’s techniques such as symbolism, imagery, alliteration, onomatopoeia, tone, metaphors and humour, to effectively construct an evocative poem. Symbolism and imagery plays a large role in Gwen Harwood’s poems â€Å"Suburban Sonnet†, â€Å" Suburban Sonnet: Boxing Day† and â€Å"Father and Child†. â€Å"Suburban Sonnet† tackles the issue of the harshness of motherhood. Harwood creates the image that the woman in the poem has sacrificed her dreams and aspirations, to become a mother figure for her children. This image is portrayed through Harwood’s contrasting ideas that the way she moves around the kitchen is similar to the complex composition of a fugue. â€Å"She practices a fugue, though it can matter to no one now if she lays well or not.† Symbolism and imagery help Harwood to achieve the poem’s purpose in creating a sympathetic tone towards the woman’s struggle. The use of rhyming couplets and irregular short sentences create a hectic and disorganised structure and rhythm to the poem, which symbolises the mother’s life. Harwood uses emotive description and olfactory imagery to allow the audience to experience exactly what the woman is feeling. â€Å"A pot boils over. As she rushes to the stove too late, a wave of nausea overpowers† Harwood creates the image of a pot of milk boiling over and a horrible odour dispersing from it. The use of olfactory imagery presents the audience with a common smell recognised as a disgusting stench, forcing the audience to feel empathy towards the poor woman. The mouse caught in the trap is symbolic of her dreams and hopes that are crushed and demolished when she made a sacrifice for the sake of her family. The mouse is symbolic of the mother, who is stuck in a trap and is unable to break free. Harwood uses this symbolism to express the major thematic concern, that she has become a slave to her family. â€Å"Suburban Sonnet† is a very bitter and melancholic poem, and is told from the author’s point of view, creating the sense that maybe the woman in the sonnet could be the poet herself. Poetry Intertextual :: English Literature Essays Poetry Intertextual The anthology â€Å"Lines to Time† includes a wide range of poems written by a selection of poets. What makes â€Å"Line to Time† interesting and enjoyable to read is the variety of topic and treatment the poets use to make their poetry effective. The range of poets featured in â€Å"Lines to Time† use a variety of poetic devices and writer’s techniques such as symbolism, imagery, alliteration, onomatopoeia, tone, metaphors and humour, to effectively construct an evocative poem. Symbolism and imagery plays a large role in Gwen Harwood’s poems â€Å"Suburban Sonnet†, â€Å" Suburban Sonnet: Boxing Day† and â€Å"Father and Child†. â€Å"Suburban Sonnet† tackles the issue of the harshness of motherhood. Harwood creates the image that the woman in the poem has sacrificed her dreams and aspirations, to become a mother figure for her children. This image is portrayed through Harwood’s contrasting ideas that the way she moves around the kitchen is similar to the complex composition of a fugue. â€Å"She practices a fugue, though it can matter to no one now if she lays well or not.† Symbolism and imagery help Harwood to achieve the poem’s purpose in creating a sympathetic tone towards the woman’s struggle. The use of rhyming couplets and irregular short sentences create a hectic and disorganised structure and rhythm to the poem, which symbolises the mother’s life. Harwood uses emotive description and olfactory imagery to allow the audience to experience exactly what the woman is feeling. â€Å"A pot boils over. As she rushes to the stove too late, a wave of nausea overpowers† Harwood creates the image of a pot of milk boiling over and a horrible odour dispersing from it. The use of olfactory imagery presents the audience with a common smell recognised as a disgusting stench, forcing the audience to feel empathy towards the poor woman. The mouse caught in the trap is symbolic of her dreams and hopes that are crushed and demolished when she made a sacrifice for the sake of her family. The mouse is symbolic of the mother, who is stuck in a trap and is unable to break free. Harwood uses this symbolism to express the major thematic concern, that she has become a slave to her family. â€Å"Suburban Sonnet† is a very bitter and melancholic poem, and is told from the author’s point of view, creating the sense that maybe the woman in the sonnet could be the poet herself.

Prologue Of History :: essays research papers

Prologue of History Until statehood, Hawaii was ruled economically by a consortium of corporations known as the "Big Five": C. Brewer and Co., sugar, ranching, and chemicals, founded in 1826; Theo. H. Davies & Co., sugar, investments, insurance, and transportation, founded in 1845; Amfac Inc. (originally H. Hackfield Inc.-a German firm that changed its name and ownership during the anti-German sentiment of WW I to American Factors), sugar, insurance, and land development, founded in 1849; Castle and Cooke Inc., (Dole) pineapple, food packing, and land development, founded 1851; and Alexander and Baldwin Inc., shipping, sugar, and pineapple, founded in 1895. This economic oligarchy ruled Hawaii with a velvet glove and a steel grip. With members on all important corporate boards, they controlled all major commerce, including banking, shipping, insurance, hotel development, agriculture, utilities, and wholesale and retail merchandising. Anyone trying to buck the system was ground to dust, finding it suddenly impossible to do business in the islands. The Big Five were made up of the islands' oldest and most well-established haole families; all included bloodlines from Hawaii's own nobility and ali'i. They looked among themselves for suitable husbands and wives, so breaking in from the outside even through marriage was hardly possible. The only time they were successfully challenged prior to statehood was when Sears, Roebuck and Co. opened a store on Oahu. Closing ranks, the Big Five decreed that their steamships would not carry Sears's freight. When Sears threatened to buy its own steamship line, the Big Five relented. In the end, statehood, and more to the point, tourism, broke their oligarchy. After 1960 too much money was at stake for Mainland-based corporations to ignore. Eventually the grip of the Big Five was loosened, but they are still enormously powerful and richer than ever, though these days they don't control everything. Now their power is land. With only five other major landholders, the Big Five control 65 percent of all the privately held land in Hawaii. Why was the 1946 Strike so important? Before 1946, Hawaii's economy, politics and social structures were completely dominated by a corporate elite known as the Big Five (Alexander & Baldwin, American Factors, Castle & Cooke, C. Brewer, & Theo. Davies). The leaders of these factor companies exercised absolute control over Hawaii's plantation workers and the majority of the islands multi-ethnic workforce. The 1946 strike forever changed the balance of power between workers and the plantations. No longer would living and working conditions be set unilaterally by the plantation owners or their parent corporations. Nor was the lesson lost on the workers outside the plantation either. As sugar workers were now successful in

Christian Ethics Are Too Rigid for Moral Decision Making

It can be argued, that when referring to the Bible, teachings within it are too rigid for moral decision making. There are many reasons for this, some which are very evident, particularly when looking at certain teachings. On the other hand, some argue that most religious ethics are the right way to approach moral decision making as these contain the teachings and word of God so must be correct. Some of St. Paul’s teachings are heavily criticised for being too rigid.For example if a Christian were to be offered a promotion in a career, but it meant that they were to take someone else’s job and leave them without one, such teachings as, â€Å"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you. ‘† (Heb. 13:5). See also: 1 Tim. 6:9-11, would not help in this situation. This is discouraging an individual for taking that particular thing away from another even if it were to mean that they were happier as a result.Therefore there is no flexibility about this, and the decision would be made to reject the offer of the career as one should not be jealous or want what another has. On the other hand, many argue that St. Paul’s teachings are rigid and can be seen from many different angles. For example the teaching, â€Å"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased† (Heb. 13:16) can be applied to many situations when making moral decisions, as it is very broad and not specific. Therefore the teaching is flexible enough to be applied to almost every situation.However it could be argued that teachings such as this are not specific enough to give strong guidance in a moral decision, particularly those which are life changing. Fundamentalist Christians would agree that St. Paul’s teachings are not too rigid as they believe that we should abide by the exact word of the Bible, as this is God’s word and not try to attempt to alter them in any way. When studying the Ten Commandments, many believe that these cannot be applied literally to every situation as there are different approaches that can be taken.For example commandment number four, ‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy’ cannot be applied to the modern day as many people now work on a Sunday but still worship the Lord. Even Jesus Christ worked on a Sunday and was told not to when he was healing others. Even though he was acting out of love, this was still seen as work and was therefore against the word of God. Liberal Christians would agree that the Ten Commandments are too rigid to be used for moral decision making as different situations. For instance commandment six, ‘You shall not murder’ could be arguable.This is because if a girl was being raped and in self-defence killed the rapist, could it not be argued that this is justifying right? Due the fact that the murder was only a result of the sin that the rapist committed to begin with. Fundamentalist Christians would not agree with this, as they believe that the Ten Commandments are rules to be abided by, from God. However it can then be argued that if a person is only being obedient to the rules of God and doing what they are told, are they actually making a moral decision?This then also questions whether that person also then has any moral autonomy if they are just obeying the word of God. This is a strong criticism against religious ethics when used for moral decision making. Another criticism is that many religious ethics are very hard to be applied to modern day situations. This is because the teachings within the Bible were written thousands of years ago, and with advances with technology and society generally, situations occur today which would not have back then.Therefore these ethics can be seen as too rigid to apply to modern day moral decisions. In particular many of St. Paul’s teachings are arguably sexist. For instance St. Paul preached that women should not be able to work, and yet today work between men and women is very equal with certain acts making this possible. Therefore as previously mentioned, it can be argued that St. Paul’s teachings are too rigid for moral decisions, as they do not take account for the modern day. Despite this, many argue that some Christian ethics are not too rigid for moral decision making e. . situation ethics. It is seen that situation ethics offers moral maturity and particularly conscience and prayer allows the Christian to have autonomy. Many Christians today take a liberal approach to moral decision making, as they are able to adapt the scripture for the particular situation that they are in and believe that this will achieve the best outcome. However Fundamentalist Christians will argue that if Christian ethics are too flexible then this could result with no ethics or guidance in what to do, and Christians wi ll make the wrong moral decisions.In conclusion, Fundamentalist and Liberal Christians take different approaches to moral decision making using religious ethics. Fundamentalist Christians will take a strict legalism approach and abide by rules from God such as the Ten Commandments, and only act by the teachings within the Bible, and how they believe that God would have wanted them to. On the other hand, Liberal Christians take a more copious approach and use Christian teachings such as situation ethics to help them make moral decisions.This is because they allow them to be flexible and are able to apply the rule of ‘love’ to every situation. I would agree with Liberal Christians, as I believe that this approach allows us to adapt Christian ethics for the modern day situation and I believe that this will achieve the best outcome whilst still following the word of God and acting lovingly. Therefore I believe that Christian ethics such as religious ethics saves Christianit y from being too rigid.

Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom Essay

The Board of Education and Administration of Holland Elementary School have agreed on a decision that will come into effect at the beginning of the Fall 2013 school year. As well as introducing many of our newly acquired teachers to the classrooms, we will also introduce a new artificial intelligence that our students have never experienced before. This will come in the form of robotic instructors who will assist our current teachers with their work and teach other lessons on their own. This may come as a shock to some, but I am extremely confident in this decision. Artificial intelligence coming to the classroom this year will have a positive impact on our school system with increased teaching strategy to achieve a higher level of learning. Robots with artificial intelligence teaching students in the classroom is something that may seem to some like a science fiction fantasy, but the reality of the matter is that robotic helpers, teachers, and playmates are part of a booming technology that has already started flourishing in other countries. Articles from the New York Times have informed us on the hundreds of robots South Korea has already hired to assist teachers, and teach certain subjects on their own (Benedict Carey and John Markoff Students, Meet Your New Teacher, Mr. Robot Para 10). The robots they use are usually computer screened faces with bodies that have arms and legs, allowing them to be entirely mobile on their own. The robots use motion tracking and speech recognition to act human like. This makes them able to engage people in conversation, play games, complete simple tasks, and teach simple skills to others (Carey and Markoff Para 8). Adam Sneed, a researcher for The Future Tense Program explains in his article Coming Soon to a Kindergarten Classroom: Robot Teachers how robots give realistic human-like responses to social cues given by people in their surroundings (Para 6). They also understand the concept of personal space, and when approaching people, they know to stop before anyone’s personal space is invaded (Carey and Markoff, Para 19). The robots are programmed to act as if they have feelings similar to those of children. If the robot is damaged purposely by the students, it will begin to cry. Children react to this by feeling very sorry and backing off right away. If the robot continues to cry, the students offer it peace as they would with another child. Experiments that have shown this in the past are a display of the strong bond students can make with the robots (Carey and Markoff Para 25). Robots with artificial intelligence can engage children through many ways that are subconscious to humans. They hold eye contact with the children and use physical rhythm to stay involved with them. For example, if a child is swaying from side to side, the robot will start to sway as well. The robots mirror the children as a game to connect with them, gain their friendship, and build a sense of trust. If a student lifts his or her arm, the robot will lift their arm as well. The robots will also play vise-versa, letting the children mimic their moves (Carey and Markoff Para 4). Robots also show a large understanding of tasks that are explained to them. In a study done at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a robot was told where certain objects belong in a classroom and then was instructed to put them all away. When the robot came across a toy that it was unsure about, it stared at the toy in hesitation to pick it up. The robot’s instructor asked if it had any questions, and the robot replied by asking where the toy belongs. When it was explained that the green toy belongs in the g reen bin, the robot nodded its head, put the toy in the bin, and said â€Å"makes sense† (Carey and Markoff Para 45-47). This is an example of how the robots that will be incorporated into our classrooms can expand their knowledge and learn from the students to help them improve their teaching. Artificial intelligence is such a large benefit to our students because of all the good teaching qualities the robots have been programmed with that not all human teachers possess. These qualities include encouraging, non-judgmental, infinitely patient, and comforting. Our robots would never get mad at a student for something, and they will never yell at a student or make his or her feel bad for thinking incorrectly. James Marshall Crotty, co-founder/peripatetic publisher of Monk Magazine has recorded in his article Why Kids Prefer Robots to Teachers and Parents that students feel more welcomed and accepted because of this, allowing them to feel more room for guilt-free error. This will eliminate the social boundaries that often keep students from being creative so they will be able to be themselves with much mo re confidence and learn in a more proficient mind set (Forbes Para 7). Robots are able to detect when children are not engaged in the learning, and they are also able to understand signals that children subconsciously put out when they are confused or have a question they are waiting to ask, in which case the robot would offer them the chance to ask their question (Carey and Markoff Para 52). These are all very important skills that are necessary for an instructor to have. The new robots will be an extraordinary help to our special education program which includes mostly students with Attention Deficit Disorder and Autism. Sneed explains how robots will help our students learn social and cognitive skills in a way that is less intimidating to them than through human contact. At times when children with Autism are shy and will not communicate with other people, the robots are able to bring them out of their shell and teach them social skills (Para 5). The robots also provide the students with certain therapies that help their disabilities such as repetitive tasks and imitation. The robots are able to keep any student on task just as efficiently, if not more than human teachers, which is something that will benefit everyone (Carey and Markoff Para 20). Robots are especially good at teaching subjects such as foreign language. In a study performed at the University of Southern California, a robot was used to teach the Finnish language to a group of preschool students. It would pick up objects and say what they were in Finnish, and use productive teaching strategies such as games and repetition to help the children retain the information. When the study was finished, all of the words taught by the robot were significantly imbedded into the children’s memories, while the words they learned from multimedia tapes or other sources were not embedded well at all. This is due to the cognitive engagement, patience, and encouragement the robots provide for the preschoolers. Many different experiments such as this one show that robots’ teaching strategies impact students at about the same level as human teaching strategies (Carey and Markoff Para 21-24). Experiments are performed all over the world by many different specialists who study robotics, and anyone can see, their data concludes that artificial intelligence has a positive influence on the learning levels in a classroom. Specialists have also taken into account the feelings of children who have had the opportunity for artificial intelligence to become a part of their lives. Studies reported by Crotty show that a majority of students are pleased to have a robot to study and play with (Para 2). Robots are able to make games out of children’s homework, and the knowledge they gain from their assignments is portrayed as fun, giving them incentive to get their work done as well as possible. This is very helpful, especially for children who are discouraged in school and have low self-efficacy (Crotty Para 4). The robots are viewed by the children as friends and as very helpful companions. A quote from an article by Rendeiro Fonesca in United Academics Magazine brings us into the life of a boy who had artificial intelligence assisting him at home as well as in school: When I get home, my robot helps me with my homework. My mother and father came in and said no video games now, homework first, but when they saw that I was already finished and had done everything correctly, they were glad that I had made friends with the robot. It could do everything—play soccer, build Legos, read, do math, write, and all the movements a person can make. Since my parents really are always at work a lot, they can’t always help me or play with me or cook something. Now the robot helps them with that.† —Boy, 9, Germany. (Fonseca Robots in the Classroom Para 4) According to this article, children see their robots as reassuring, helpful, encouraging, and as a very big influence to help them with their learning. They often feel more comfortable being their true selves around the robots than they do with a teacher they are unfamiliar with, which helps to be creative in their work when the robots are around (Fonseca Para 10). They also encourage children to be proud of themselves, which gives them incentive to show their parents and human teachers how well they are doing with the instruction given by the robots (Crotty Para 6). While we understand that robots teaching children in the classroom is viewed as unnatural by many, we ask for your cooperation to please understand the significant advancement in technology that has occurred in the past ten years. In Crotty’s article, he also explains how technology is viewed through the eyes of children as something very human. It is a major part of our culture, and young students don’t know of any life deprived of the conveniences technology has given us (Para 4). Robots seem strange and unfamiliar to us, but every new technology appears this way when it is first introduced. The introduction of artificial intelligence to the Frenchtown Elementary School District will lower our budget by decreasing the amount we will be paying in teacher salary. It will bring new learning opportunities to our children, open up a new kind of culture into our lives, and provide excellent assistance to our special education teachers, as well as general classroom lessons. With this addition to our curriculum, the administration hopes to achieve higher state testing scores, and higher overall levels of learning and motivation. Works Cited Carey, Benedict, and John Markoff. â€Å"Students, Meet Your New Teacher, Mr. Robot.† The New York Times. The New York Times, 11 July 2010. Web. 26 Oct. 2012 Crotty, James Marshall. â€Å"Why Kids Prefer Robots To Teachers And Parents.† Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 03 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. Fonseca Rendeiro, Mark. â€Å"Robots in the Classroom.† United Academics: Connect Science and Society. UA Magazine, 22 Jan. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. Sneed, Adam. â€Å"Coming Soon to a Kindergarten Classroom: Robot Teachers.† Slate. The Slate Group, 6 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012.