Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Analyzing and Interpreting Data Essay

BIMS management team has been facing a major dilemma of high turnover and extremely low employee morale. BIMS management team has asked Team B to help identify the main cause of the high turnover and low morale and propose an acceptable solution that will result in a decrease of both. Data Collection Conclusion In the past few months we at BIMS have learned, thru the drop in employees that the company’s employee morale was dwindling. So, to help the company boosts the employees’ morale and company image, we decided as a whole in management by collecting data from those that are directly responsible for or affected by the issues, the research should lead them to some resolution to fix the problems we are facing with the turnover in employees. We gave surveys to 449 staff members. The survey collected information on attitudes, opinions, and levels of satisfaction from the staff. We used the levels used nominal, ordinal, and interval levels of measurement for the questions. 449 employees were given surveys, and only 78 turned in the survey, which was less than 18% of the employees. The surveys had flaws and they were biased, causing them to not contain enough input to implement any changes. Summarizing and presenting conclusion Based on the conclusions represented in the collected data of the survey used by management, the findings conclude the overwhelming dissatisfaction of a majority of the employees surveyed. This survey is based on a smaller sample of the entire employee base and represents only those that took part in the process and cannot conclude the entire impact of how all employees feel regarding their employer and how they are ultimately treated in their own minds of fairness. The data gives the management team a look into how their employees feel, what is causing them to consider leaving the company and offers an insight into what the management team can do in order to help  change the perceptions of those that feel negative about any portion of the company. Most employee satisfaction surveys lend the company a well-constructed look into the pulse of their workplace and record proof of dissatisfaction throughout the company, allowing the owners or managers to fix the problems and institute p roductive changes in the area of concern (T. Englander, Employee Surveys, Sept. 1988). Another survey with questions as to why employees are leaving is suggested. Hypothesis Statement Upon the reviews the company has submitted another test asking employees why they are leaving. This survey allows the company to come up with a hypothesis statement and testing. A hypothesis is a statement about a population (Lind, & Marchal, 2011). The company wants to decrease turnover and improve morale. This makes our hypothesis statement if the employee turnover is decreased than the employee morale will increase. Data from the company is then used to check the reasonableness of this statement (Lind, & Marchal, 2011). The survey can identify the areas of greatest concern to the resigning employees. If we look at question 11 that asks employees the primary reason that led them to decide to quit, this could create a hypothesis statement of employees who resigned, did so because they did not like their supervisor. Five Step Hypothesis test The hypothesis test was performed on question 11. Question 11 asks what the primary reason for leaving the organization is. After all the responses were collected 78 out of 78 responses were gathered. Of the 78 responses the two reasons that scored the highest explaining why BIMS employees were leaving the organization was 45% answered their supervisor while 24% were not satisfied with their pay. The null hypothesis would be Ho: = 45 and the alternate would be HÃŽ ±: ≠  45. Testing mean with known variance sample size 78 population variance 0.932281 Mean 2.205128 Null Hypothesis: 45 Type I error 0.05 Z value -391.92 P value (1tail) 1 P value (2tail) 2 Testing The decision was to perform a hypothesis test on question 11 because this gave us the best insight as to why BIMS employees were choosing to leave the organization or had low morale. We decided to use a percentage test to calculate the responses given by BIMS employees for leaving the organization. Below you can see that each question was broken down by percentage of how each employee responded. We took the responses from each question totaled them and then divided them by the number of employees that responded which was 78. The percentages can then be put into a pie chart to create a visual impact. With the attached pie chart it gives BIMS management a clear picture of their employees feelings towards the specific questions asked. For example, most of the employees who answered the survey did not like their supervisor. Interpret Results The results show patterns of dislike toward the management in place and  financial incentive paid to employees. With 45% of all employees surveyed stating their immediate supervisor is not liked, Team B believes it best to introduce management training in an effort to ease the unfavorable tension from the almost half surveyed employees. With limited participation from the employee population, the group cannot strongly encourage change, because of an inconclusive response and varying degrees of discrepancies. Decision Team B used the statistical data obtained from the employee survey results to rule out certain attributes as to why the employees are leaving the company at a faster rate recently. The data points to dissatisfaction in pay and leadership quality. The group believes the decisions made by management have led to a higher quitting rate than ever before, while shift times were ranked very low as a reason for leaving. The survey supports evidence that suggests changes do need to be made in management, and employee departure is relevant to the decisions that have been being made over the past few months. The results also report pay structures need to be addressed, and the company must recognize and be willing to conform to industry standards as far as pay is concerned. Conclusion After processing the small amount of returned surveys completed, the analysis team concludes the returns are far too small to positively make concrete adjustments to many of the possible problems that may be causing employees to quit the company. The team recommends management training with a focus on supervisor’s morale boasting methods in order to help identify those that are not happy with the current management process that takes place. The analyst also reports a need to look into pay increases at the entry levels of the company and make adjustments in an effort to increase productivity and company morale. The team encourages the company to insert a new independent anonymous survey into every employee’s paycheck in hopes of a greater return of data needed to positively make the right changes and implement the changes to keep a happier and healthier work environment. Reference Lind, D., & Marchal, W. (2011). Basic statistics for business & economics (Revised/Expanded ed.). Boston. McGraw-Hill. Englander, Todd, Employee Surveys, Incentive 1988, Sept. pg. 150

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Royal Mail Group

The crisis created for the Labor Government by the proposed sale and part privatization of the post office- Royal Mail Introduction: Recently, Royal Mail Group will be sold at least 1/3 of the whole business to private companies or foreign postal companies in the United Kingdom. One of 71 post centres, half of them will be cut down, and 50,000 employees will possible lose their jobs. One hand, this essay will demonstrate the crisis issue from public; on the other hand, how the issues have been handled by the Government and analyze these strategies and tactics.Main body: Royal Mail Group is one of the large-scale national enterprises in the United Kingdom, employees as many as 150,000 people. It is reported by British media, with the global financial crisis deepening Royal Mail Group of dismal business is facing a bad situation, which will be split sale possiblely, and the United Kingdom Ministry of Commerce and Postal Department are discussing a plan on postal privatization. Beginnin g in 1635, Royal Mail's operation has been the oldest postal system in the world.Currently, Royal Mail maintains the monopoly on postal services of the civilian use, but it is squeezed and rarely shares in the field of business by foreign mail delivery companies. In the civilian use areas, the number of mail delivery decline year after year. Both of Royal Mail’s huge pension deficit and the increasing e-mails mean the service will never be profitable in this current form. Dutch firm TNT, one of the mojor rivals with Royal Mail in the British postal market, TNT is thought to be the front runner to achieve the stake, which might be between 25% and 30%.Part-privatisation of Royal Mail is opposed by unions and many Labour MPs, who think that it will undermine the universal delivery service and threaten thousands of jobs, and urge the government to rethink this plan. The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats support part-privatisation as a way of helping to modernise the service in principle. But at the same time, they are worried about Royal Mail's profitability and government support for its pension scheme in the future. In brief, at present, the government has faced the following issues:At first, lots of MPs disagree this plan, the BBC news says â€Å"about 140 Labor MPs have signed a motion opposing the part-privatization†; One of the rebels, Geraldine Smith, said â€Å"Royal Mail's status as one of the UK's ‘most respected’ public organizations must be safeguarded. Part-privatization is not the answer†. Secondly, some of people worry the pension scheme; the postal worker Sean Tail said â€Å"Potentially to get the same pension, I might even have to work past 65†. Thirdly, Communication Worker Unions put forward to have a big redundancy after part-privatization.Thereby, numbers of workers will lose their jobs. Faced above problems, the government adapts some strategies and tactics to solve these issues. The first one i s the press release, which is a key communications tool in a crisis situation. It will tell the public their thought via the media (such as a backgrounder or fact sheet). It provides officials explanation of what is happening. They must have an honest answer Respond the media quickly and fairly. News releases should keep the government correct reputation and identity throughout the crisis period.Add any other available information, such as endorsements and statement from respected professionals who tell the public commercial partnership go in the market and strengthen Royal Mail financially, meanwhile, it will have a fair competition with Royal Mail, and enable it to offer new services. It can help government obtain the support to sell off 30% of Royal Mail. In the same way, the internet has been used by activists as a highly effective global mechanism for gathering opinion from public, at the same time, publish the government's plan,which selling off 30% of Royal Mail is the only w ay to safeguard the service.Everybody wants to see a modern Royal Mail. Keeping Royal Mail in the public sector, but without some private investment would be â€Å"continued long-term decline† and even full privatization by a future government. The Labor Party releases â€Å"Royal Mail would continue to belong to the English people, its most respected image never changes†. The government websites or online news can provide a fast and effective means of communicating directly to government without the risk of â€Å"interpretation† by the media.Aiming a lot of the workers of the Royal Mail would not think of the politics, but about their pension and their job security. So, the next strategy and tactics about government, in the keynote speech, the prime minister said it is necessary that Royal Mail can achieve an investment, which guarantees a ? 25bn pension fund, spends ? 1. 5bn on the Post Office network, and maintains a universal service obligation. The received cash will be offset the cost of taking over Royal Mail pension liabilities.Money through part-privatization is ploughed back into post offices and the unemployed will gain the postal job before long, perhaps they will earn more money than before. Sometimes, they should not be sacked if they are all perfect, so they have a competition each other, and a hardworking labor. Conclusion: Because a crisis catches unprepared people, every organization must have appropriate crisis communication strategies and tactics to firmly guide those organizations that pass the bad and difficult situation.In this case study, the national English post office- Royal Mail has faced a problem from among the Labor Government, the MPs and the other public. The government must solve this problem correctly and betimes by the suitable strategies and tactics, especially dispose the relationships among them while keeping its good reputation and great image in the public. Like this, it will has a lot of public to support its decision.Reference: (2009), Sell-off ‘to save postal service' . Available from: http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7911526. tm [Accessed: March 16, 2009]. (2009), Royal Mail plans to be unveiled . Available from: http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7906418. stm [Accessed: March 22, 2009]. (2009), Labour postal rebellion growing . Available from: http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7827497. stm [Accessed: March 22, 2009]. (2009), PM: Royal Mail needs private cash . Available from: http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7916478. stm [Accessed: March 20, 2009]. Regester, M. & Larkin, J. (2005), Risk Issues and Crisis Management, 3rd ed, CIPR, London.

Final Year Project: Project Report

Final Year Project Review Tutorials 5. Project Profile Document Part 2 Preparation This tutorial will take place in the week beginning 25th February 2013. Check your on-line timetable for details. Before the tutorial, you should prepare and print out a draft copy of Part 2 of your Project Profile Document. This part of the document is all about the context of your project. Think of it as the sort of thing you might use to help you prepare for a job interview to show that you have an awareness of the industries closely related to your project and the professional requirements made on engineers working in them.It should include: †¢ †¢ For your project: o Environmental and sustainability limitations o Customer and user needs and aesthetics o Cost drivers o Fitness for purpose in terms of production, operation, maintenance and disposal For companies and organisations working in fields relating to your project, (you may choose a single company or organisation, or describe activi ty in the sector as a whole): o Opportunities and threats faced by the company/sector o The general management techniques used to control quality and ensure that engineering objectives are met The ways in which sustainable development is promoted in the sector o Legal requirements governing engineering activities in the sector o Particular requirements for professional and ethical conduct Peer Review & Feedback 1. 2. 3. Swap your draft section with another member of the class. Using the form provided, prepare a review of the document you have been given to read including some suggestions for changes/improvements. Go through your review with the report’s author and then get feedback on your own report from your reviewer.Write an action plan to update your Project Profile Document Final Year Project Review Tutorials Progress Report 1. 2. Using the form provided, write and hand in a summary of your progress to date. Hand your review and progress report to the tutor, to be scanne d and then returned to you. Copies of all documents will be made available to all academic staff. 5. Project Profile Document Part 2 1 Final Year Project Review Tutorials Review – Project Profile Document Part 2 Student ID Student Name Author ReviewerThe following sections should be completed by the reviewer and discussed with the author. Comment on how well you think the student has presented broader design Project context considerations of the project Industry context As a reader, comment on how you think that the author has helped you to understand the economic, social and environmental context of the industries that work in the project’s field Following discussion with the reviewer, the author should write a summary of the changes that will be made in the next draft of this section 5. Project Profile Document Part 2 2

Monday, July 29, 2019

BLE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

BLE - Essay Example †¦7 Superior financial performance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 CSR leads to competitive advantage and sustainable development†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦..8 Stakeholder management and CSR: a critical review with respect to TBS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8 CSR facing internal pressures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 CSR facing external pressures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 Governmental and regulatory pressures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 Pressure from NGOs and other alliances†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 Applying Power-Interest matrix on TBS to assess its stakeholder management success†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦12 Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦16 Introduction Ethics and social responsibility is one emerging topic which has caught the attention of both the academics and the practitioners. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in particular has gained immense prevalence and significance amidst globalization and blurred cross boundary activities. CSR in its essence is about promoting and building sustainable businesses through a three-pronged approach of environmental, social and economic welfare and contributions to the overall betterment of the society and the planet we live on (ASOCIO Policy Paper 2004). Scholars are of the opinion that CSR counts a lot in exercising effective leadership and promoting healthy business practices at work. It also involves the element of transparency in business-society communication and adhering to the relati onship marketing approach (What’s Relationship marketing? n.d) for the involved stakeholders like investors, consumers, government, communities and partners (Appendix 1). Nowadays, CSR is being acknowledged as a valuable tool in gaining competitive and sustained advantage over rivals and also a promoter of sound financial performance for companies that operate globally. This is so because CSR adds value to business propositions by bridging the communication gaps between company and its stakeholders and also anchors the vested interests of business towards society and development in the long run (McKinsey Global Survey Results n.d). To illustrate the concept of CSR and to prove the practical significance of CSR importance, the Body Shop is taken as the organization where CSR concepts have been applied and

Sunday, July 28, 2019

A New HR Strategy for CCD Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A New HR Strategy for CCD Construction - Essay Example CCDC is a construction company that was formed in 2007 after the merger of two construction companies. After the merger the company made many changes in the human resource policy. Around 3,000 employees were laid off in 4 years and the company tried to flatten its organizational structure. CCDC was formed by the merger of two firms. One of those firms catered to small clients and other catered to large clients. This main difference had repercussions on the human resource management policies of the company. The current HR policy of the company focuses on flattening of structures and constant feedbacks from employees. The policy is also aiming for employee training and coaching style management. All these strategies cannot go well for the company because they contradict the organization and business strategy. In this report a new HR policy is suggested to the top management of the company. The HR strategy will include the organizational structure and culture, reward management system, job design and employee relation. The new HR strategy will be discussed keeping in mind the aims and objectives of the business of CCDC. Human Resource Strategy for CCDC When devising a human resource strategy it is important to keep in mind the dynamics of the company. Employees of CCDC were previously working for a different company and therefore they had a different understanding of company’s policy. The new HR strategy should be focused on giving the employees a proper direction. The organizational culture of the two companies (which were merged to form CCDC) was also not similar. This must be tackled in the new HR strategy for the company. The structure of the company should also fit the business operations of the company and the same is true for organizational culture. It is also important to motivate employees through different types of rewards. Employee relation is also essential in operating a construction company as big as CCDC. Organizational Structure and Culture Organizational structure of CCDC should be vertical so that employees can report to their superiors in a proper and orderly fashion. The current HR policy of the company i s aiming for a flatter organizational structure. This is not good for a company like CCDC because it is a huge organization. Flatter structures are also appropriate for small organization or they are applicable in innovation oriented businesses. Construction business is all about controlling employees so that they can complete the work that is assigned to them. For this purpose a tall organizational structure should be used. The company should also form a team based structure at the project level. Evidence suggests that team based struct

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Ways In Which Forces Within The Macro Marketing Environment Affect The Essay

Ways In Which Forces Within The Macro Marketing Environment Affect The Companys Ability To Market Its Products Successfully. Royal Bank of Scotland - Essay Example Marketing includes all the activities of the organization which are geared at identifying market opportunities, satisfying the customer needs and gaining competitive edge in the industry while at the same time maintaining an acceptable level of profitability (Kotler 2003). Financial services include the satisfactions and benefits which are connected to the functions of money which customers receive from the financial institutions. They include bank accounts, debit cards, loans, and mortgage facilities and other financial related value like interest payable and capital appreciation of the bank deposits (Kotler 2003). The development of financial services marketing has been slow due to the unique nature of the services. Financial services are perishable, inseparable and lack standardization in the service performance. This paper shall discuss the strategies which Royal Bank of Scotland in overcoming the challenges of financial services marketing. The paper shall also address the macro marketing environment forces which affect the banks ability to market the financial services (Kotler 2003). The paper shall also review the market segmentation approaches which the bank has implemented. In the final part, the paper shall discuss some components of the banks marketing mix and how the bank has incorporated them in the marketing mix. Question 1: Strategies used by Royal Bank of Scotland in financial services marketing Financial services have certain unique features which presents challenges to the marketing team. Financial services are characterized by intangibility, heterogeneity, fiduciary responsibility, and contingent consumption, duration of consumption, perishability and inseparability of the services from the consumer. Financial services are intangible since they cannot be seen or touched by the consumer. In dealing with intangibility challenge, the Royal Bank of Scotland provides physical evidence to the consumer by providing debit and credit cards to the consu mers (Kotler 2003). The bank also gives cheque books to the consumers and ensures the staffs are properly dressed and present themselves professionally while dealing with the customers. The bank also emphasis on the benefits of its services like low interest rates in order to reduce the customer perceived risk (Kotler 2003). The bank has overcome the intangibility challenge by building good working relationships with al customers hence this helps in attaining customer loyalty. Financial services marketing experiences the problem of inseparability since they are produced and consumed at the same time in presence of the consumer and the service provider (Kotler 2003). Royal Bank of Scotland has implemented s

Friday, July 26, 2019

REFLECTION ON INTERNATIONAL MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

REFLECTION ON INTERNATIONAL MARKETING - Essay Example Additionally, international markets are characterised by a wide range of market forces that may limit the success of particular products that do not conform to the market forces. Some of the pertinent issues that may affect the success of a product in the market includes the skin colour of the people, their cultural aspects, and even their general attitude towards specific products. For instance, in Asia, the idea of a bright skin colour is a sensitive issue that influences the sale of beauty products. As such, organizations that consider entering the international market should be prepared to conform to these market forces to avoid the risk of opposition from their potential customers. Unilever is one of the organizations that have faced a market resistance from their sale of skin whitening products in Asia. International marketing strategy demands that an organization conforms to the ethical aspects of the new market to avoid igniting moods and emotions that may affect their operat ions. In the Asian market, there has been an upsurge of the demand of beauty products, a trend that has attracted many beauty product organizations to venture into this market. McDougall (2013, Para. 2) pointed out that Asia contributes to a large extent to the expanding beauty market that is expected to hit $19.8 billion by the year 2013. In Asia particularly, the market for beauty products has expanded due to the great desire of citizens to lighten their skin as a way of conforming to the notion that dominates in this environment that the bright skin is a symbol for superiority while darker skin symbolizes a suppressed person in the society. In China, India, Japan and Thailand, the people have learnt to associate light skin with beauty, youthfulness and success. Additionally, the demand has heightened due to the change of use of these skin lightening chemicals. Traditionally, these products were used for facial care yet currently the products are used for whole body care. Resultan tly, the market is expected to grow rapidly for at least five years in the near future. Consequently, multinational organizations, such as Unilever, have identified this as a potential market for sale of beauty products. However, the organizations seem to have undermined the concept of consumer behaviour that Samli (2013, P. 2) regards as a giant market force in the 12st century business environment. Skin colour has been a controversial issue in the Asian society that has sparked a great debate on the definition of beauty in this market. The nortion that bright people are superior to the white people has lead to a vicious discussion as most activists regard this kind of attitude as an act of discrimination that must be eliminated once and for all in the society. One of the activists against colour discrimination, Nandita, has launched a campaign to declare that â€Å"Dark is beautiful† as a way of fighting this issue that has generated mixed emotions in this country (Daily Ne ws, 2013, Para. 1). Being a popular actress, Nandita has garnered a lot of public interest among the black people who have shown their support of the campaign to fight against colour and racial discrimination. This campaign is similar to the campaign in Senegal that declares that â€Å"Don’t Bleach, black is beautiful† to assert the public that beauty is beyond the skin colour. From this point of view, skin colour is a matter that is likely to influence the consumer behaviour in the Asian market and taking precaution is the only way to

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Political Economy of the European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Political Economy of the European Union - Essay Example It has build up a role inforeign policy, and represents its members in theWorld Trade Organization, atG8summits and at theUnited Nations. Twenty-one EU nations are part ofNATO. It has also taken up a responsibility in justice and home affairs, which includes the elimination of passport control between many member nations under theSchengen Agreement. (Alan, 2007) The EU functions through a hybrid mechanism ofintergovernmentalismandsupranationalism. In particular areas it relies on agreement among the member states. However, it also possesses supranational bodies, thus is competent to make judgments without agreement between each and every national governments. Among the prominent institutions and bodies of the EU are theEuropean Commission, theEuropean Parliament, theCouncil of the European Union, theEuropean Council, theEuropean Court of Justice,and theEuropean Central Bank. In every five years, the Parliament is elected by the EU citizens. Origins of the EU go back to the formation of theEuropean Coal and Steel Community,formed among six countries in 1951 and theTreaty of Romein 1957. Thereafter the EU has expanded in size via accession of new associate states, and in authority by adding new policy areas to its remit. (Richard, 2006) Subsequent to theSecond World War, efforts made towards European integration were viewed as a get away approach from the intense forms of nationalism, which had ravaged the continent.Theformation of the European Coal and Steel Community was among one such attempt to bring together Europeans. While having the unassuming aim of federal control of the formerly national coal and steel industries of its member nations, it was stated to be "a first step in the federation of Europe".The founding members of the Community wereBelgium,France,Italy,Luxembourg, theNetherlandsandWest Germany. Thereafter the history of Europe saw the establishment of European Economic Community(EEC) ascertaining acustoms unionand theEuropean Atomic Energy Community(Euratom) for cooperation in developingnuclear energy. In 1967, the Merger Treaty provided for the amalgamation of these communities collectively referred to as European Communities, which popularly were termed as European Community. (Ben, 2000) In 1973 incorporation of Denmark,Irelandand theUnited Kingdom enlarged the communities. In 1979, thefirst autonomous electionsto the European Parliament were held. The 80s saw the incorporation of Greece,SpainandPortugal. In 1990, the previousEast Germanyembodied the Community under newly united Germany. The European Union was officially instituted when theMaastricht Treatywas enacted upon on 1 November 1993. Presently, the European Union comprises 27independentsovereignnationsknown as member states: Austria,Belgium,Bulgaria,Cyprus, theCzech Republic,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Greece, Hungary,Ireland,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,Luxembourg,Malta, theNetherlands,Poland,Portugal,Romania, Slovakia,Slovenia,Spain,Sweden, and theUnited Kingdom. (Alan, 2007) The EU is habitually portrayed as being separated into three divisions of responsibility, calledpillars. The original European Community principles form the first pillar, while the second beingCommon

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Video project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Video project - Assignment Example In this context, spectrum health involves itself with the community by creating direct contact and addresses their concerns in the manner that is best suited for them. The company involvement with the affairs of the community enables the community to appreciate its existence while the company can know the needs of the community health wise and address them in future community focused programs. The video illustrates the assigned course very well as it clearly shows the innovative manner a company or organisation can be involved in the community around it especially making the programs community friendly through participation. In this case, it is initially all about the social parties rather than what the organisation derives from it. The company does not engage mainly to rip benefits but it stands to ultimately benefit from its involvements through several avenues. The proceedings in the video provided bear a relation with what was discussed in class. One notable element relates to how corporate social responsibility in modern days functions. It is notable that the organisation Spectrum health stands to gain from its involvement with the community. Through corporate social responsibility, it is building reputation which in line translates to a better image. Demand for its health insurance services are likely to go up because it identifies with people surrounding its basic operations. According to the iron law of responsibility, those organisations that do no appeal to the society through usage of their power loses it. From the video, it is evident that Spectrum Health’s goal is to use their influence and contribute positively to the society. Essentially, their goal with coming up with the project is to make a positive impact which they achieve. The actions of the organisations contain some present forms of corporate social responsibilit y. There is the citizen ship approach- they do it out of obligation and accountability, they are also focused on the

Metrics Estimation Analysis and Teams Assignment

Metrics Estimation Analysis and Teams - Assignment Example It’s essential noting that with this criteria the production process will tend to be more accurate and the management will be in a position of maintaining the quality details of the firm help in improving the competitive advantage (Lincke, Lundberg & Lowe, 2008). When using the rating system the products needs to be picked at random and checked thoroughly to ensure they are accurate. In case a default is detected the production process should be vouched to ensure they are compliant with the targets set for their operations. The process should be in a state where they can link all parties involved. Table 1 defines the information that RSL has captured on previous projects. Table 2 shows the estimates for the equivalent parameters for the components of a new project. Using whichever techniques you wish, generate estimates for the effort required to develop the components of the new project. What reservations would you have in using such data? Looking at the graph above its evident as the time passes the company is increasing their efforts to ensure they meet their shareholders targets. This is crucial and it helps the firm to avoid misusing their efforts before they can identify their marking opportunities. Therefore, it’s necessary to note that efforts are varied according to the needs surrounding that process and the weight the issue caries (Lincke, Lundberg & Lowe, 2008). On the other hand, its essential noting that no matter what effort is exacted the estimation curve will never be at its maximum accuracy. Still the estimates will never change from estimates to factual. There is no amount of efforts can be added to make the estimates accurate. The following page contains data collected from a project at RSL. Provide an analysis report to indicate which components would be of concern going forward. You must provide the details of the graphs and analyses you have used

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Inaugural addresses by U. S. Presidents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Inaugural addresses by U. S. Presidents - Essay Example Kennedy was worried over the present status of affairs where nations are overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, including the deadly nuclear weapons. It makes Kennedy insisting that â€Å"Let both sides [America and its allegories]...formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations† (Kennedy, 1961). Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, former American presidents like Kennedy, agrees with disarmament saying that America’s ultimate aim is to eliminate all nuclear weapons from the world. Regarding the handling of the these weapons, Kennedy recommend that it would be better for the nations to use these weapons ‘to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors’ (Kennedy, 1961). Kennedy’s remarks on disarmament bring to us the historical importance of the 1960s which marked its indelible mark with America’s exploration in Vietnam that tolled the lives of thousands of people. Balance of Power is â€Å"a distribution of military and economic power among nations that is sufficiently even to keep any one of them from being too strong or dangerous† (yourdictionary.com, 2010). Most of the world nations shore up balance of power as a means to regulate the arm race. It is quite evident from the inaugural addresses of majority of the American presidents indicating the real requisite of balance of power. The former president Ronald Regan reveals America’s plan to reduce the number of nuclear weapons concurrently with Soviet Union (Regan, 1985). Bush and Clinton also were of the same opinion concerning the regulation of nuclear weapons and maintaining balance of power. The words of former president, George W. Bush (2001) unveil America’s policy with regard to balance of power when he says, â€Å"American remains engaged in the world by history and by choice, shaping a balance of

Monday, July 22, 2019

Gender Stereotypes in Gary Winick’s Bride Wars Essay Example for Free

Gender Stereotypes in Gary Winick’s Bride Wars Essay 2009 has not exactly been a fruitful year—so far—for the American filmmaking industry, at least in terms of quality and originality. If the latter part of 2008, as in most years, was marked by the release of some of the most memorable films in history, the first four months of 2009 have mostly made-for-children movies, romantic comedies, and guy-bonding flicks. Bride Wars is a relatively superficial take on women’s obsession with weddings, and is currently ranked at number nine in the list of top-grossing films worldwide. Directed by Gary Winick and starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, Bride Wars narrates the lifelong friendship of Emma and Liv—women in their mid-20s who, as young girls, made plans for almost identical weddings. When they hire the same wedding planner who schedules them both on the same time, day, and venue, the conflict begins and the ‘wars’ take place. A series of impossible schemes hatched by each to hinder the other’s plans ensues, yet ultimately end in happy endings for both. Despite its arguable shallowness and lack of believability, Bride Wars may still be evaluated according to specific themes inherent in the discussion of the female psyche: conforming to cultural and social traditions, particularly in terms of gender roles and expectations. The pivotal scene is revealed at the very beginning of the film, as the young Emma and Liv are shown with their respective mothers at The Plaza Hotel, an upscale location for weddings. They both witness a newly-married couple—the groom looking dashing in a suit and the bride in an exquisite gown—in a moment of utter romance and love; this singular image drives both girls to make a pact to have their own weddings in the same place. But more than the desire to be wed at The Plaza, the most notable element in this scene is the accepted—even expected—notion of marriage, without essentially considering the function of the process as a partnership. By being presented with an image that fully conforms to the traditional concept of women and their social roles, the young girls immediately associate this with their own goals and ambitions. Though later scenes show how they both pursued their individual interests—public relations for Liv and teaching for Emma—it is apparent how getting married is still their priority. The concept of marriage in this film is limited to the actual wedding, with a few flimsy forays into the discussion of sharing a life with another person. That first image set the boundaries of the ideology chosen by the filmmaker, as evidenced by the dreamlike treatment accorded to it; it sends the message of perfection and idealism as befitting women by being a bride. After all the events that had taken place, Emma and Liv kept their friendship and even resulted in Emma marrying Liz’ brother Nate. Unsurprisingly, the last scene proved to be the answer to the first—with the two women meeting after their honeymoons, and revealing that they were both pregnant. It is evident how this scene was meant to provide the punchline to the film, leaving its audience assuming that the same ‘war’ would take place later. However, it also reinforces the established parameters set by weddings, since pregnancy and giving birth is the traditional next step after the union. The happy occasion of revelation and reconnection exhibits the place of childbirth in the context of the female role, yet it fails again to make any argument regarding the personal significance of bearing children. Bride Wars, though peppered with pup culture references and modern concepts, is centuries behind in terms of gender issues and breaking free from stereotypes. Light romances and comedies are not strictly confined to such superficial subjects, which shows why Bride Wars is a film only meant for commercial objectives. How We Think, Speak, and Feel: An Understanding of Human Behavior in Three Films Visitors from another planet are perhaps the best test subjects for the assessment of texts, particularly films. Since cinema is a depiction of human behavior and portrays concepts gleaned from human experience, having extraterrestrials view films—given that they understand the language—will allow them to achieve a sense of what and how humans are. Rather than take them through a historical representation of human life through films, it would be best to introduce them to the inherent traits found in most cultures—through intelligence, language, and psychology. The three films that may be able to communicate these are A Beautiful Mind for intelligence, When Harry Met Sally for language, and Doubt for psychology and its permutations. Ron Howard’s 2001 film A Beautiful Mind is based on the life of gifted scientist and mathematician John Forbes Nash, and narrates his journey into schizophrenia and depression. But the film is also a real-life account of a man given an extraordinary amount of talent, which shows the extent to which the human mind can progress. This information would be essential to the extraterrestrial visitors, for it will let them know how humans think; whether it reveals similarities or not is the ultimate goal of the exercise. Since Nash’s expertise is in numbers and formulas, logic is the knowledge represented in the film, which may be more ‘universal’ compared to politics, economics, or other contextual topics. In the film, Nash is shown as having his own world apart from the people around him, only surrounding himself with equations and other methods pertaining to scientific and explainable phenomena. This is clearly presented in the scene where he writes his formulas on a glass window, consumed by the process and unaffected by his environment. Seeing a human engage in such intellectual activity may inform extraterrestrials of the workings of the human mind, specifically this advanced depiction of thinking processes. On top of that, Nash’s account of seeing UFOs and aliens may appear to be a point of connection with this particular audience, as it shows how human validate their existence. The 2008 film Doubt, directed by John Patrick Shanley, is set in a Catholic Church in New York in 1964. During this time, the notions of faith and religion were primarily dictated by priests—portrayed as almost immortal beings who could do no wrong. However, assumptions about the unusual behavior of Father Flynn, the parish priest, were made by the nuns tasked to care for and educate the children in the school run by the church. The result was doubt in authority and in the general power of organized religion, and eventually in the faith of the nuns in their chosen vocation. Introducing the alien guests to these concepts will acquaint them with the complex values and traditions of humans, which are directly associated with the idea of faith in a Higher Being. The image of Father Flynn is meant to symbolize faith itself, and accusing him of improper behavior—in this case, an illicit relationship with a young boy—shows how humans are capable of acting against established rules. What the aliens may glean from this could be the debate between the human need for something to believe in, whether seen or unseen, and the alternative human quality of logical analysis based on observable phenomena. When Harry Met Sally, released in 1989 and directed by Nora Ephron, is one of the most effective portrayals of the differences between men and women. Language is one of the issues illustrated by the film, and it would benefit the extraterrestrials to see how men and women think and express themselves differently. The film narrates the friendship of Harry and Sally, which eventually ended in romance after years of struggling to keep it platonic. The iconic scene where Harry and Sally are in a restaurant arguing over sexual attitudes of men and women reveals both mindset and language, as their discussion is progressed by their opposing views and the final act of Sally faking an orgasm. Aliens and non-humans will find this portrayal extremely significant, for it almost shows how men and women are of different life forms as well. It also illustrates the mating habits of both men and women, which may be similar to their own. These three films will definitely equip the extraterrestrials with enough information and knowledge to guide them toward a better understanding of human behavior. But while these films tackle some of the basic realities present in most societies all over the world, more complicated concepts—such as war and poverty—can only be understood after fully comprehending the abilities and capacities of humans, since these are effects of a misguided use of innate human traits. References Ephron, N. (Dir. ) (1989). When Harry Met Sally. Columbia Pictures. Howard, R. (Dir. ) (2001). A Beautiful Mind. Universal Pictures. Shanley, J. P. (Dir. ) (2008). Doubt. Miramax Films. Winick, G. (Dir. ) (2009). Bride Wars. 20th Century Fox.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

A Revolutionary Road | Analysis

A Revolutionary Road | Analysis In a society that promotes conformity it is hard enough to come to find oneself as an individual and to find your own identity. In a society that sucks the best out of our personality. Maintaining your own identity has little chance when being around a false image of affluence. This place is known as the suburbs. The ideas of deception pulled in a lot of people that were raised around nice families that only had the American Dream in their mind. In Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates, Frank and April Wheeler are sucked into suburbia with the dream of raising their two kids in a safe and comfortable area. But, as the two quickly find out, suburbia is not all its cracked up to be. Soon, suburbia and the complimentary standard gender role poses a problem for the couple as their relationship begins to deteriorate over time. But, in order to understand the situation, you must first understand the times. The suburbs were created as an escape from the hectic and, sometimes, dangerous life in the city. As time went on, the suburbs became known as a middles class paradise with ties to a nearby big city. Along with the suburbs came the stereotypical suburban family. The father was the head of the family while his wife was completely under his rule. Her main job was to take care of the kids and cook for the tired man when he got home. This family was supposed to have everything together and be the picture perfect example of the achievement of the American Dream. This stereotypical view of the suburbs created a strong misconception that attracted many families to the area and created a place void of individualism. The fantasy of the American Dream in the 1950s formed a naive view of suburban life and its equivalent standard gender roles and rigid view of the ideal family structure. The American Dream in the 1950s produced an idealistic view of life in the suburbs. In Dwight D. Eisenhowers State of the Union address in 1954, he describes what is the beginning of suburbia when he says, The details of a program to enlarge and improve the opportunities for our people to acquire good homes will be presented to the Congress by special message on January 25. This program will include: Modernization of the home mortgage insurance program of the Federal Government (Eisenhower). This place, as endorsed by one of the most popular presidents of all time, was sugar-coated from its inception. When Eisenhower spoke, people listened. When he endorses a housing development that will improve the opportunities for anyone living there that can help them achieve the American Dream, the public was willing to jump on the bandwagon in a moments notice. So began the false advertisement of the suburbs that ensnared so many families with good intentions of bringing up a beautiful family in a place that was supposed to ease them along the way. In an article about the history of American families, the author describes how people derived their beliefs on the typical suburban family by saying, The Leave It to Beaver ideal of breadwinner father, full-time homemaker mother and dependent children was a fiction of the 1950s, she shows. Real families of that period were rife with conflict, repression and anxiety, frequently poor and much less idyllic than many assume; teen pregnancy rates in the 50s were higher than today (The Way). The false impression that a popular television show had on 1950s society contributed to the even greater fallacy that all suburban families had everything together. The reality is that the suburbs was a place stricken with the same basic problems that everyone else had and maybe even more. Many families were under the impression that everything was going fine because they had all the elements of a traditional suburban family: a breadwinning dad, a stay-at-home mom, and servile children. But, simply being able to claim these things does not make a family tantamount to the perfect family that they are perceived to be as evidenced by the conflict, repression, and anxiety. In Richard Portons article on the American Dream and the suburban nightmare, he describes the delusion that many families drowned in when he argues, Lewis Mumford maintained that the suburb served as an asylum for the preservation of illusion. He fumed that suburbia was not merely a child-centered environment; it was based on a childish view of the world' (Porton). Since the suburbs were associated with prosperity and happiness, they also became linked to the American Dream. When families entered this suburban paradise they immediately became seduced by the lore and awe of finally achieving that dream. Unfortunately, many never came out of that dream and continued to be deceived by this fantasy land that was almost juvenile at times. It is easy, now, to be o n the outside looking in and wonder how they fail to see that things crashing down around them. But since they were so deeply rooted in their dream world, it seemed that everything was going perfectly when, in reality, their personal life was a disaster. The American Dream provided the fuel that led to the conflagration that was the impractical view of suburbia. The American Dream in the suburbs formed absurd family roles that were usually stereotypical. In an article about the role of women in the 1950s, the author explains, Women who spent too much time outside the home, social commentators were quick to warn, were endangering their families, neglecting their husbands and especially their children. Life magazine, in a special issue devoted to the American woman, deplored the changing roles of married couples and placed most of the blame on the increasingly aggressive wife (Womens Roles). The fact that women had to be regulated shows how they were mistreated and forced to fit into a role that no one could be completely happy with. A woman who wanted pursue a career was viewed as overaggressive and held responsible for the breakdown of the family. Women were expected to sacrifice themselves for the family and become stay-at-home mothers all because that is what American society says a perfect mother should do. In the same article, the author says, The belief in a womans destined social role was reinforced by the popular media of the dayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The magazines of the time were filled with images of dedicated housewives whose only pleasures were that their families were satisfied and their chores made easier (Womens Roles). From the start, women never really had a chance to become what they wanted or pursue a career. From an early age, it was drilled into them that they would become a mother and that they would look to their husband to bring home the bread and make important decisions. The American Dream stripped women of their ability to overcome the status quo by sending a relentless message that their purpose in life was to become a housewife and nothing more or less. In another article about the plight of the 1950s woman, the author says, When women started complaining of boredom, society invented the sowing and quilt making clubs. They would do anything to please their men because their life depended on them s o much. To disagree with her husband would have been the gravest of all errors. The men had almost total control over their wives (A Womans Role). Women who tried to establish themselves as an individual and stand up against societys twisted view of what a suburban family should look like were repeatedly shoved back into their rightful place. When women started getting out of line, men were quick to invent something to occupy their time and get their minds back on their tasks. Disagreeing with the man was an unforgiveable mistake that could have negative consequences in the future. In spite of their will to change, efforts to change the system were kept at bay by the scheming man who did not want to see his power diminished by a lowly, rebellious wife. Overall, the American Dream shaped an unjust role for women in suburban society. In Revolutionary Road, the foolish quest for the American Dream creates an unbalanced family with identity problems and, quite often, complete subjugation. As Frank finally convinces April that having an abortion would be a terrible mistake, she cries in his arms as he proudly thinks, And it seemed to him now that no single moment of his life had ever contained a better proof of manhood than that, if any proof were needed: holding that tamed, submissive girl and saying, Oh, my lovely; oh, my lovely, while she promised she would bear his child (Yates 52). The head of the family in the ideal suburban household was the father. This father was supposed to have everything in complete control and solve every problem that crossed his family. By conquering his wifes emotions and desires, Frank establishes himself as the rightful head of the family because that is what he thinks he is supposed to do. His actions were influenced by the ridiculous thinking of that time period and not because he truly believes that was how he should have handled the situation. When Frank tries to diagnose Aprils problems, he rants on and on about a story of a girl who wished to be a boy and says, I think we can assume, though, he said, just on the basis of common sense, that if the most little girls do have this thing about wanting to be boys, they probably get over it in time by observing and admiring and wanting to emulate their mothers- I mean you know, attract a man, establish a home, have children and so on' (Yates 245). Franks ignorant comments show the fallacy in the thinking of the 1950s. He says that their goal in life was to attract men and bear their children. Franks comments show the misunderstanding of suburban families because it is hard to believe that someones lifelong goals would be that shallow and without any other ambitions. Women probably wanted more than that but were sucked into believing that that was all they should want which eliminated them as an individual and l ed them to be controlled by men. After a fight with April, Frank leaves to go do yard work and thinks to himself, Even so, once the first puffing and dizziness was over, he began to like the muscular pull and the sweat of it, and the smell of the earth. At least it was a mans work. At least, squatting to rest on the wooded slope, he could look down and see his house the way a house ought to look on a fine spring day, safe on its carpet of green, the frail white sanctuary of a mans love, a mans wife and children (Yates 47). Under the influence of suburban folklore, Frank feels that he needs to establish his identity as a man by physically exerting himself and doing something that no woman could do. The sweat on his brow and the strain of a good days work are what make Frank feel like a man all because someone said that was how a man should act and how a man should feel. The immense workload gives Frank a feeling of masculinity that no woman can give him. Instead of solving his proble ms with April, he decides to do what a man was supposed to do in that situation instead of the right thinking to do. By and large, the ideal suburban family was so heavily influenced by the American Dream that they failed to find themselves and, instead, fell into a general role that they did not belong nor function well in. In Revolutionary Road, the American Dream has also created a warped and impractical view in the minds of suburban families. When April tries to convince Frank to move to Paris, she tries to pry him from his suburban way of thinking by arguing, Because you see I happen to think this is unrealistic. I think its unrealistic for a man with a fine mind to go on working like a dog year after year at a job he cant stand, coming home to a house he cant stand in a place he cant stand either, to a wife whos equally unable to stand the same things, living among a bunch of frightened little my God, Frank, I dont have to tell you whats wrong with this environment Im practically quoting you. Just last night when the Campbells were here, remember what you said about the whole idea of suburbia being to keep reality at bay? You said everybody wanted to bring up their children in a bath of sentimentality. You said - (Yates 115). At this point, April finally sees the lies that they were sucked into when they first bought a home in the suburbs. She is trying to convince Frank who, although he has realized the same lies, is still having trouble letting go of a doctrine that he has held fast to for so long. She realizes that what she and Frank have been experiencing in the past few years is not reality and that they need to find a way to break free and Paris would be a great place to do so. In the same instance, April goes further to say, Thats how we both got committed to this enormous delusion- because thats what it is, an enormous, obscene delusion- this idea that people have to resign from real life and settle down when they have families. Its the great sentimental lie of the suburbs, and Ive been making you subscribe to it all this time (Yates 117). April continues to elaborate on the lies that were told to the couple when they entered the fabled suburbia. When they first got there, they were led to believe that starting a family was the end to real life. The whole time they had been living a lie that neither of them was willing to admit which caused a loss in crucial years of their lives that could have been spent establishing their family as a unique tight-knit group that was not influenced by the ignorance of the time period. When Frank and April go on a walk with John Givings, he fumes on and on about the self-deception of suburbia and the failures of society by stating, Its as if everybodyd made this tacit agreement to live in a state of total self-deception. The hell with reality! Lets have a whole bunch of cute little winding roads and cute little houses painted white and pink and baby blue; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and if old reality ever does pop out and say Boo well all get busy and pretend it never happened (Yates 68-69). John hits the nail on the head when he describes the fantasy that the people of the 1950s live in. He describes suburbia as a flowery place where everything looks t he same and everyone lives far away from reality. When confronted with reality, they act as if it never occurred and go back to the dream that they never want to wake up from never mind the fact that it is destroying them as a person. The American Dream in their lives has distorted their take on reality and led to them to believe that their way of life is real. By listening to the lies of the American Dream, suburban families were deceived into creating a dream world away from bona fide life that the rest of the world had to face every day. The desire for the American Dream in the mid-1900s created an immature outlook on suburban life and its corresponding gender roles and unyielding doctrine of the perfect family. Ever since its creation, suburbia has been sugarcoated to please potential home buyers and consequentially ensnared many families during the 1950s through its bold but enticing lies and the twisted view on what a real American family should look like. It produced absurd roles for a family that made it hard to function properly and took advantage of the wife by forcing her to subject to her husband. Furthermore, the suburbs distracted its residents from real life by giving them a false euphoria that rarely lasted long. Finally, it made many people give up their dreams and sacrifice their individuality in order to conform to its views. Its never beneficial to give up your identity which is why so many families have suffered and continue to suffer even today. Rather, it is always best to preserve the individual inside rather than change your beliefs and morals to fit society. Posttramatic Stress Disorder: Causes and Effects Posttramatic Stress Disorder: Causes and Effects A War Without End:  The Struggle of Posttramatic Stress Disorder Abstract This analysis is divided into two major parts. The first portion is dedicated to describing  posttramatic stress disorder, as well as the stress response and its contribution to developing PTSD. Along with describing PTSD is a reaction to a Frontline Documentary on veterans struggling with the  disorder. The second portion is an analysis of a personal friend that is currently undergoing treatment  for PTSD. Though the information of his treatment is true, information about his identity or personal  life will be altered. Part I. The issue of PTSD has gained a lot of attention with the United States fourteen year endeavor in  the middle east. The number of veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD is quite  staggering. To better understand PTSD it is important to look at stress and trauma, and how these two  mechanisms manifest. Their manifestation is crucial to our understanding of PTSD. Stress Stress can best be exemplified as our natural physiological response to a treat. To say that stress  itself is a bad thing would imply that our survival is bad. The stress response is what has allowed our  species to adapt and reach our current status. So what is the stress response? It all starts at the hypothalamus which sits dorsal to the limbic system, the system that is  responsible for our stress response. The hypothalamus than triggers our endocrine system by relaying  electrical signals to the pituitary gland, also know as the master gland of the endocrine system. When  the stimulation of the pituitary is that of a perceived threat, adrenocorticotropic hormone is released  stimulating the adrenal glands (Cohen, 2013). The adrenal cortex responds by releasing cortisol, and  the adrenal medulla releases epinephrine. Cortisol is responsible for raising glucose levels by  stimulating the release of stored glycogen in the liver. Epinephrines response is what raises heart rate,  dilates blood vessels, and prepares us for the situation that of which caused the initial reaction. All of  what falls under this description of stress results from the sympathetic nervous system, and its effect on  what is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal ( HPA) axes (Siegel, et al. 2005). Trauma When people experience a traumatic event, in more cases than not, they attach an emotional  response to said event. Looking at traumas long term effects, we see that these responses can be acted  out through unpredictable behavior/emotion, flashbacks, unstable relationships, and even physical  pains (APA, 2013). Trauma can affect anyone at any age, and can result from events such as rape,  abuse, and as it is most prevalent to this topic, combat. When someone suffers from trauma, a nonthreatening  event can set off a stress response if triggered in some way (Comer, 2014). PTSD In a simplified explanation of posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD could be seen as an over  active stress response that follows a traumatic, or series of traumatic events. As is common with those  who see combat or the gruesome consequences of combat, PTSD has left psychological scars on the  veterans who return home after serving. A 2005 Frontline documentary depicted PTSD in a way that was both informative and  emotional. One point that stood out about the documentary was the culture of military life, especially in  the army and marines. The culture is basically this; Being violent and reactive is very much  encouraged, showing empathy is weakness, disobeying an order is cowardice, and showing signs of  psychological issues is as cowardice as it is weak. Because of this disturbing belief system it is really  not a topic to stay politically correct on. Let us start with the fact that violence and reactivity are  considered virtues of a soldier. Finding a peaceful resolution has never resulted from fighting fire with  fire. Attempts to find peace are crushed by the surge of reaction (Martin Luther King Jr., 1965), and for  a very obvious reason. When someone is reactive in a situation that does not readily call for it, more  times than not mistakes are made. In the case of Rob, this issue came center stage when he opened fire  on a civilian women after hearing reports of suicide bombers. She fell with a white flag in her hand  (Frontline, 2005). It is not Robs fault that this civilian died, but rather a consequence of war. He felt  that the threat of a suicide bombing was approaching, and instinctively tried to preserve his life, and the  men he fought along side. When he began to struggle with the event, the men around him labeled him a  coward. Robs story is not uncommon for those who have fought in this war. Turning to a soldier by the  name of Jeff, we see the consequences of not seeking help after a traumatic event. According to the  Frontline documentary, Jeff told his family of a haunting memory which seems to depict the  consequece of blindly following orders. Jeff was commanded to execute two unarmed prisoners of  war, and his obedience cost him his sanity. Jeffs mental decline was shown through his abuse and  excessive use of alcohol (Frontline, 2005). Jeff committed suicide roughly about a year after serving,  which alcohol could be seen as a contributing factor. The experiences of those interviewed in the Frontline Documentary provided great insight in  terms of PTSD, and with this insight the signs and symptoms can easily be spotted. With this  information a brief diagnostic assessment will be attempted, and as stated earlier, some of the  information about this particular individual has been altered. Part II. Background John is a white male in his mid-twenties. He was released from active duty in the Army July,  2013. John has been receiving psychiatric care for PTSD for a year and a half, and he claims that he has  been improving. His psychiatrist has him undergoing drug treatment to help with the symptoms. As is  common with those suffering from PTSD, John takes Lithium to help with his anxiety and feelings of  depression attributed to stress. As an adolescent John was diagnosed with ADHD, and had been  prescribed Adderall up until 10th grade. He has been back on Adderall for the past six month to help  with concentration, and also for the anti-anxiety benefits of taking a low dose stimulant. Behavior John is rather evasive when talking about his time in Afghanistan. When asked about his  experience, John seems to steer the conversation towards boot camp, seemingly as an attempt to keep  his mind off of his duty served in Afghanistan. The only thing that could be confirmed is that John had  seen combat on a number of occasions. At times his speech seems disorganized and forced. He looses  attention during conversation quite often, and has trouble holding eye contact. When John initially  returned to civilian status he began using methamphetamines for a short duration before seeking help.   John has also been trying to limit his consumption of alcohol since being releaved of duty, and though  he has stopped drinking every night, his troubles with alcohol have persisted. Summary Johns behaviors that of which can be observed fall in line with most of the behaviors of those  mentioned earlier in the Frontline Documentary. Drug abuse has been the most prevalent issue in Johns  life after serving, but he has shown signs of progress with his current treatment plan. References Comer, R. J. (2014). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers.  Revised July 2014 Fulton, Germer, Siegel. (2005). Mindfulness and psychotherapy. New York: The Guilford Press. Cohen, B. J. (2013). The human body in health and disease. 12th Edition. Baltimore, MD:  Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Aronson, Raney (2014) A Soldier’s Heart [Video]. Retrieved February 2015 from  http://www/pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heart/view King, M. L. (1965). The three evils of society. (Speech). Retrieved from  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8d-IYSM-08

The Pros And Cons Of Hiring An Expatriate Management Essay

The Pros And Cons Of Hiring An Expatriate Management Essay In this assignment, the importance of cultural factors over past knowledge experience is highlighted with the help of surveys, case studys organizational examples. The meaning definition is explained followed by the reason that make cultural factors so important for the success of an international assignment. There is a comparison made in between cultural factors past knowledge experience with the help of some real organizational experiences which include a survey case study as well. Towards the end the advantages disadvantages of hiring an expatriate based on each factor is discussed followed by a conclusion. What is Culture? Culture is a term used to define a shaping process in which members of a group or society share a distinct way of life which has common values, attitudes certain behaviours that are transmitted over time. As per Phatak(1995) A person is not born with a given culture: rather she or he acquires it through the socialization process that begins from birth: An American is not born with an inclination towards hot dogs, or a German with a preference for beer: these behavioural attributes are culturally transmitted (Dowling, Welch, Schuler,1998). International Human Resource Management: Managing People in a Multinational Context, 3rd ed. Peter J. Dowling, Denice E. Welch, Randall S. Schuler REASON FOR CULTURE AWARENESS IN INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS: It has been a long time that most of the multinationals are not just confined to commercial and economical enterprises but they involve political, social, scientific, athletic, religious and cultural entities. This has caused cultural differences in MNEs among both their manpower and their customers. Diversity is a fact in todays life and no organization can ignore it. Organizations are working with employees and clients who have different functional, cultural backgrounds and assumptions about the ways of decision making and communication (Zahedi, 2000). Cultural factors play a major role in international assignments because every country has a different culture and if the business people lack knowledge or sensitivity for other cultures there can be mistakes in both personal professional interactions because of which there can be clashes. People going on international assignments always think that their own country provides the best way of doing business, they behave in ways and mak e decisions that alianate their foreign counterparts leading to business and/or personal failure. Simple things such as gift giving or introductions can also create problems in international business if importance of culture is ignored. Peoples varying beliefs, values and behaviour patterns are very important for the success of an international business, including activities such as cross national negotiations, sales interactions in between people from various countries, management of the performance of employees from different countries, the treatment understanding of contracts between firms from various countries. All these activities require a good cultural knowledge of the host country (Briscoe Schuler, 2004).International Human Resource Management, 2nd ed. Dennis R. Briscoe Randall S. Schuler. In the international assignments, individuals receive poor job performance evaluation from their superiors if they have a different cultural background they do not understand cultural differences in role expectations, and do not conform to the role expectations (Stone-Romero, Stone Salas, 2003). An expatriate going abroad experiences situations that show differences in language, dress, hygiene, food attitude towards time and such situations can be difficult which can even lead to expatriate getting a cultural shock- a phenomenon which is experienced by people who move across cultures. When an expatriate goes on an international assignment, the new environment requires many adjustments to be done in a relatively short span of time which can challenge an expatriates frame of reference to such an extent that their sense of self, especially in terms of their nationality culture comes into question. Cultural shock can also cause Psychological disorientation if they do not understand or misunderstand certain cues which can further lead to negative feelings about the host country its people and a longing to return back to the home country or in severe cases failure of the international assignment. For an international assignments success activities such as hiring, promoting, rewarding, dismissal must be determined as per the practices of the host country and should be based on a value system peculiar to that countrys culture. .(Dowling, Festing Engle,2008) International Human Resource Management, 5th ed. Peter J Dowling, Marion Festing, Allen D. Engle, Sr Past Knowledge Experience versus Culture Business people with international knowledge experience operate with the expectation that the business models methods they are used to will work well in business interactions in other countries, however companies with long experience in the international field suggest that there is hardly any such positive overlap. MNEs should understand that the core of success in international assignments is cultural awareness and understanding of effects of culture on day to day business operations. As per a survey done on executives from around the world, the importance of intercultural understanding was highlighted and it was shown that countries in which people have greater cultural understanding are the ones that have an advantage in international business. Survey: A survey of more than 3,932 executives from around the world, rated countries in between 1 to 10 based on how well developed intercultural understanding is there in their business. The higher the intercultural understanding the greater is the competency success. Intercultural Understanding: Switzerland: 8.02 Egypt:6.48 Hungary: 5.18 Denmark: 6.94 China: 3.10 Israel: 5.89 Russia: 3.10 France: 5.08 Singapore: 8.02 India: 6.23 Poland: 4.57 Spain:5.42 Australia: 6.15 Malaysia: 7.30 Mexico:4.65 Korea: 5.35 Germany: 5.95 Hong Kong: 7.37 Turkey: 5.89 Italy: 5.04 Ireland: 5.30 US: 5.22 Taiwan:6.44 brazil: 5.71 If a firm enters a new country and performs its activities based on prior knowledge experience, it can cause a significant lack of trust alienation in the host country, this can have further ramifications, like attaining a quality workforce (Dowling, Welch, Schuler,1998). Example to prove importance of Cultural factors over Past knowledge Experience: For international assignments, if a MNE decides to take the enterprise culture forward it can create certain problems for e.g., MNEs originating from US UK feel that women should be assigned senior management positions but they cannot carry this culture for an enterprise in a country that is against women empowerment for e.g., Saudi Arab. Similarly a MNE originating from Asia may give importance to group loyalty discussion, with deference to senior employees in their operation however same practice cannot be carried forward while starting an international assignment in countries where individual decisions are more important (Dowling, Welch, Schuler,1998). Case Study: Experience past knowledge that works at home does not necessarily work abroad In a South Korean textile firm a Vietnamese worker was once kicked and slapped by his South Korean boss because the worker did not respond as he could not understand when his boss told him that he was in the wrong place in the factory. In South Korea it is common for employers to scold beat employees if they make mistakes. But this home practice led to a mass retaliation in kind by ten workers and the manager was hospitalised. It further led to a four day strike pay rises of ten to fifteen percent for workers. So the textile firm had to pay a lot for not considering cultural factors in Vietnam.(Dowling, Welch, Schuler,1998). International Human Resource Management: Managing People in a Multinational Context, 3rd ed. Peter J. Dowling, Denice E. Welch, Randall S. Schuler As per a study done to determine the affects of cultural factors on job performance it was indicated that after accounting for control variables, gender, prior overseas experience, length of stay in host country and language fluency, Cultural factors significantly related to job performance ( Ang et al.,2004) Pros Cons of Hiring an Expatriate based on Culture over Past Knowledge Experience: Experience in home country If a MNE hires expatriates based on past knowledge and experience in the home country, it can be beneficial for the control maintenance of the policies culture of the parent firm however it can lead to high expenditure in foreign assignments, difficulty in providing adequate training for foreign assignments, problems with adjustment for the expatriate and his family, problem in dealing with repatriates(when expatriates return). Experience in some other country As per Searle Ward(1990) having host country experience or friendships with host nationals greatly improves the expatriates ability to learn social skills and behaviours. Greater experience with the host culture produces greater cross-cultural adjustment. The theorists state that prior foreign experience with the host culture is positively related to adjustment provided that the experience does not serve to foster negative, unrealistic expectations of the foreign culture. There is a direct relationship between prior experience and cross-cultural adjustment , it provides an accurate and realistic representation of the host Countries policies, customs, values, etc. There is very little evidence that previous experience abroad does not always facilitate adjustment to a new expatriate environment (e.g., Black Gregersen, 1991; Cui Awa, 1992; Dunbar, 1992; Selmer, 2002). The major advantages disadvantages of hiring expatriates with past experience (both domestic and/or international) are Advantages: It leads to organizational Co-ordination Control is better facilitated maintained. It also helps promising managers with past knowledge experience in home country get international experience. People with past knowledge prove to be the best people for the job because of special skills experience. It provides an assurance that during international assignment, subsidiary will comply with companys policies, objectives etc. It has been found that researchers generally consider previous international experience to be of advantage because such experience teaches an individual the ability to generate strategies for adaptation in new situations, so the chances of assignment failure are minimized(Tye and Chen, 2005 cited in Avril Magnini,2007) Disadvantages: The Promotional opportunities of host country nationals get restricted limited. Adaptation to host country may take a really long time. Parent company nationals may impose an inappropriate headquarter style. Compensation benefits for Parent company nationals Host country nationals may differ, causing conflicts. As per Gregerson Black (1990) One of the most important reason for the expatriates failure international assignments has been the use of technical skills, rather than intercultural skills, as the most important factor in US selection for overseas assignments (Stephan, Helms Haynes,1995) Hiring on the basis of Cultural skills: However, if cultural factors are given importance and for international assignments expatriates are chosen on the basis of their understanding of the host countrys culture it can result great success for the assignment. Hofstede (1980,p. 398) suggests that the key cross-cultural skills are the ability to communicate; The ability to be non-judgemental; The ability to accept the relativity of ones own knowledge and perceptions; The ability to display empathy; The ability to be flexible; The capacity for turn-taking (letting everyone take turns in discussions); Tolerance for ambiguity. As per Fishmayr (2004), all the attributes must be viewed in the context of the host countrys culture. Each culture has its own criteria of the importance of Characteristics required for success. The major advantages disadvantages of hiring expatriate with cultural understanding are Advantages: Language other barriers of traditions are eliminated. Hiring cost is tremendously reduced, no work permit required. Continuity of management improves as HCNs stay longer in position. No government interference as the host country gets employment opportunities. Morale dedication of expatriate increases as they see career potential. (Briscoe Schuler, 2004) The expatriates who understand the social cultural environment of the host country, will be more efficient in understanding the culture of the host company. For example in individualistic cultures the organizations give importance on rewarding individual contributions, whereas in collectivists cultures the shared objectives, common interests, interdependence and communication is given more importance(Chatman et al; 1998). Such demographic compositions affect expatriate performance, creativity, motivation turnover intentions and any other job related outcomes. Among these creativity is more tangible and employee specific resource of MNEs, lack of which, may retain multinationals from keeping in touch with technological changes and development in related industries. (Avril Magnini,2007) Disadvantages: Control co-ordination of headquarters may be spoilt. HCNs will have limited growth opportunities outside the subsidiary.Hiring HCNs may limit the opportunity for PCNs to gain foreign exchange. It can lead to a federation of national rather than global units. (Briscoe Schuler, 2004).International Human Resource Management, 2nd ed. Dennis R. Briscoe Randall S. Schuler CONCLUSION Thus it can be said that the role of culture is very important in the success or failure of an international assignment. If a MNE ignores this factor it has to face serious consequences, like failure of the assignment, bad reputation, financial losses so on. However, this fact cannot be overlooked that other factors like past knowledge experience are also important and they should also be considered while choosing an expatriate. The only way to ensure that an assignment gets successful is to make sure that the expatriate chosen has good knowledge about the host country, its culture, tradition, values along with some past knowledge experience. Q: In what way is repatriation proving to be a major problem for MNEs? Critically discuss what should be the essential features of an expatriate training programme designed to assist the western expatriates adjusting to life and work in another continent. A: PREAMBLE : In this assignment, the repatriation issue is dealt with in detail. The major problem faced by the MNEs is discussed followed by the problems faced by expatriates in detail, as the problems that expatriates face have a severe impact on the MNEs in terms of productivity and staff turnover. A literature review has been used to study the past practices of MNEs that made repatriation a problem. Later on, the essential features of an expatriate training program designed for western expatriates are discussed in detail like cultural training, language training, technical management training, the importance of including preliminary visits to the host country as a part of training programme has also been stated. In the end the critical review/conclusion is given reflecting the total understanding of the topic. Definition: Repatriation is a process of returning back home at the completion of an international assignment. (Rugman Collinson,2006) The major reason that repatriation becomes a problem for MNEs is the organizations belief that returning home of expatriates should not be difficult, but many researchers have found repatriation to be a really challenging and complicated process(Cox, 2004). The main source of concern for the multinational enterprises is the repatriation turnover i.e. number of repatriates leaving the job on return (Lazarova and Cerdin, 2007). The major concern for the MNEs is the attrition rate of their repatriated employees (Gregersen, H.B., J.S. Black ,1996) .Managers returning from an international assignment are more likely to resign and look for other employment opportunities as compared to other eecutives with same domestic experience ( Stroh et al, 1998) As per the Global Relocation Trends 2003/2004 Survey (GMAC, 2004) 13 percent of the US repatriates leave the company in one year after returning from an international assignment, another 10 percent leave the following year. Baruch and Altman (2002) found in their research that 50 percent of people left the company within a few years of their return from an international assignment. Bossard and Peterson (2005) argue that, if the repatriates get frustrated due to unfulfilled expectations and lack of appreciation, they will leave the MNE. The costs of pre mature repatriation also includes losses like damaged corporate reputation and lost business opportunities. If a repatriate leaves the home organization soon after coming back from an international assignment it causes a financial setback also forces the company to lose the repatriates recently developed international experience and competence (Hyder and Lo ¨vblad, 2007). LITERATURE REVIEW: International human resource development (HRD) researchers have recognized that organizational support and training are necessary for expatriates to do a good job in overseas assignments (Hurn, 2007; Osman-Gani and Tan, 2005; Selmar, 2005; Osman-Gani, 2000; Brewster, 1993; Harvey, 1989). However, the literature concentrated on the role of training and development for successful performance in foreign assignments, but little attention has been given to the repatriation aspect. Repatriation, which is the last step of the expatriation cycle, is an under-researched dimension of international assignments (Harvey, 1989; Black, 1992; Suutari and Brewster, 2003), although its importance has been repeatedly mentioned in international business and international HR literature (Allen and Alvarez, 1998; Caligiuri and Lazarova, 2001). (Ahad Hyder,2008, pp457) As per Black Gregersen, a multinational spends a huge amount of money on each expatriate over the duration of international assignment and if the employees exit the MNE within a short duration of time, it can result in huge financial human capital losses as the knowledge, skills experience gained by expatriate are scarce in the external internal labour markets. (Dowling, Welch Schuler,1999) International Human Resource Management: Managing People in a Multinational Context, pp 221 Repatriation is proving to be a major problem for MNEs because they do not have any plans or training programs to handle returning expatriates the expatriates face many challanges when they come back, some of them being: 1. Readjustment Problem: There can be a readjustment problem for expatriates as when they come back they might feel that the home office job lacks the high degree of responsibility authority that they had in the overseas assignment. 2. Delay in Career Progression: They can also start feeling that the MNE does not value their international experience and their time was wasted when they were on an overseas assignment in terms of their career progression. 3. Standard of Living: The repatriates when overseas enjoy generous living allowances benefits that cannot be matched when they come back home. 4. Reverse Culture Shock: Expatriates can get a reverse culture shock because of the change in cultural lifestyle back home. 5. Increased Prices of fixed assests: Expatriates who sell their houses when going on a long international assignment for two or three years find it very difficult to purchase a new house because of increased rate of property. 6. Technological Advances: When the expatriates are abroad numerous technological advancements keep happening in the head quarter which might make the knowledge skills of expatriates obsolete. (Rugman Collinson,2006) International Business, 4th ed., Alan M. Rugman Simon Collinson, pp345 7. Conflicts: Conflicts may occur because after gaining international experience, an expatriates way of working gets influenced by foreign culture and when he comes back home, conflicts can arise if he tries to work as per the culture of the foreign country to which he was sent. For example, an American expatriate who went to Indonesia, alters his participative managerial style to one that is authoritarian because of the subsidiarys requirement, however when the expatriate returns to America tries to be authoritarian in managing style, conflicts are bound to happen. 8. Role clarity Role discretion: Role discretion means the freedom to adjust the work role to fit the individual (repatriate), making it easy for him to utilise the past international experience familiar behaviour. For most of the North American companies, role clarity role discretion remains a major repatriation issue as they do not provide role clarity discretion to returning expatriates. 9. Social Factors: On return, life may seem unexciting or dull because the social ties that the expatriate made on the foreign assignment were broken when he came back home. Families who return to their previous domestic locations often find that their relatives friends have moved away even children find it difficult to adjust to new school friends. 10. Effect on Partners career: If the repatriates partner had never worked before in the home country but got some job when he/she was abroad with his partner on international assignment, it becomes really difficult to start the career from the scratch once again when the partner returns back to the home country. As a result of all these problems MNEs have started taking repatriation much more seriously. In 1989 Harvey did a survey of the members of the Institute for International HRM of the U.S society for HRM to determine U.S firms approach towards repatriation. It was found that 31 percent of U.S firms offer repatriation program to help the repatriates in dealing with numerous problems they face on return. (Dowling, Welch Schuler,1999) Peter J. Dowling, Denice E. Welch, Randall S. Schuler International Human Resource Management: Managing People in a Multinational Context pp211- 225 Essential features of an expatriate training programme As organisations are becoming globalised, there is an increasing challenge to send expatriates on international assignments to complete critical tasks (Gregersen Black 1996, Brewster 1998, Downes Thomas 1999). Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) use expatriates for corporate control and expertise reasons in major global markets also to facilitate entry into new markets or to develop international management competencies (Bird Dunbar 1991, Boyacigiller 1991, Rosenzweig 1994, Shaffer, Harrison Gilley 1999, Forster 2000). (Chew,2004) Janet chew,2004, Managing MNC expatriates through crises: A challenge for International Human Resource Management A western expatriate going to another continent finds it really difficult to adjust because of several reasons like climate, culture, eating habits of people from other continents so on. To cope up with all these problems it is very essential that the expatriate gets proper training before he leaves on the assignment. The different types of training programs required by a Western expatriate can be broadly classified as: 1. Technical Training: The technology used by western countries is not same as that used in other continents so the expatriate should be made familiar with the technologies used by that foreign organization to which he is going. He should also be briefed on the local attitudes of people over there towards technology innovation transfer. 2. Management Training: An expatriate sent to other countries on a specific project holds a particular designation so it is very important that the western expatriate is made aware of the administrative responsibilities for the post. a)He should also be made aware of policies regarding ethical issues. b)He should be told about the companys organizational structure, strategies opportunities for change, organizational climate, informal structures. c)He should also be trained on conflict management. d)The western expatriate should be trained on the business environment of the host country, a description of local international markets should be given along with information about competitors, distributors, tariff other barriers e) He should be well trained in marketing issues strategies, pricing strategies, advertising promotional strategies that work in other continents. f)The expatriate needs to have knowledge about human resource issues, labour relations policies, salary reward structures other policies followed in the host country.(Mead,1994) 3. Cross-cultural training : Such training aims at achieving three major outcomes (Black Mendenhall,1990) For western expatriates it is the most important part of the training as: a) It teaches them about the other culture, values practices within that culture. It also helps the expatriate his spouse in learning about different situations that they might encounter. It also gives them a knowledge as to how the culture is reflected in political, historical economic data. b) It also helps them to develop non-evaluative attitudes towards other culture, teaches them how to express cultural values in their behavior, this also helps them to predict when culture will be a factor in determining behavior. c) Cross-cultural training teaches expatriates how culture affects attitude towards work; motivation, organizational climate, degree of personal involvement etc. It teaches them how culture influences relations between organizations how it influences formal interactions.(Mead,1994) As per Treven (2003) the most important part of expatriate training is cross-cultural training. It helps to prepare expatriate managers to live, work survive in a different cultural environment. It is important as dealing with new culture surroundings appears to be even more difficult than the assignment itself. Treven (2003) also underlines that it is important to train managers their families both before leaving for the other country and during the assignments. Tsang (1994) identified six types of cross-cultural trainings, which are used by the US, European and other western countries. (1) Environmental briefings in order to provide information about climate, geography, housing and schools. (2) Orientation on culture in order to familiarize the expatriate with cultural institutions and value systems of host country. (3)Cultural assimilators using approaches aiming at exposing members of one culture to some basic ideas, approaches, role perception and habits of the other culture. (4) Sensitivity training to increase attitudinal flexibility. (5) Field experience, which sends the person to the country of assignment in order to help him deal with emotional stress of living and working with people who differ culturally. 6) Language training . 4. Language training: An important issue that Treven (2003) underlines is the language training for the expatriate family, as it provides the recognition of a new culture, including such a cultural elements as history, economy, politics, religion, social atmosphere and business practices. Without language training survival becomes difficult. (Karcz, Liu Adamska,2006) How to survive as an expatriate in china-A case study based on three companies IKEA, NCR Texol, 2006, Kamila Karcz, Rongzhi Liu, Joanna Adamska 5. Preliminary visits family considerations: One of the most important technique that is useful for western expatriates is preliminary visit to the host country. It serves to introduce the expatriate to the business context in the host country also helps in pre departure preparation and initial adjustment. As per Price waterhouse survey in 1997-1998, 53 percent of the MNEs always provide preliminary visits to its expatriates and around 38 percent use it in certain circumstances. This practice can become a bit problematic for expatriates as they find it difficult to reject the assignment in spite of not liking the host country because a huge amount of MNEs capital gets invested in the visit. (Dowling, Welch Schuler,1999). Family members must be involved in relocation decisions and preparation (Hogan and Goodson, 1990). Stress and culture shock can effect the family and if not addressed in time can become a negative force in an overseas assignment. Black and Stephens (1989) found spouse adjustment to interaction with the host-country was correlated with the expatriates intentions to complete the assignment. Researchers including Gregersen and Black (1990) stress the importance of developing the intercultural skills of both expatriates and their families. (Stephan, Helms Haynes,1995) CRITICAL REVIEW (CONCLUSION) As per research done by Gregerson Black(1996) there were significant differences in the motivation expectations of the expatriate those of the MNE. The expatriates accepted international assignments for career progression, compensation adventure however the MNE sought it as a means of transferring home corporate culture and expanding business in global markets. Most of the MNEs during the 1970 and 1980s were experiencing difficulty agreeing on the appropriate skills and competencies training that were required by western expatriates to be successful on an international assignment. The main points of disagreement were: Corporate leaders could not agree on the importance of prior international experience and expertise the expatriate should have before taking an international assignment. Some of them believed prior international experience was necessary, others felt that an employees success at the domestic level, rather than international experience, was the key predictor to being a successful expatriate. MNEs were struggling to discover an effective training and development model to help them in preparing expatriates to be successful in their overseas assignment. In 1970s and 1980s less than 30% of employees who were sent on 1 to 5 years assignments received some type of training before undertaking international responsibilities. Top management generally did not consider trainings importance in contributing to an expatriates successful performance. MNEs did not encourage the need of customized training programs for expatriates within the host country. Training received was generic in nature and mainly offered within the western countrys borders. MNEs, in mos