Creating a Quality Application Essay

Creating a Quality Application Essay There is no question that the application essay process can be a bit intimidating. As someone who has written several admissions essays, I know exactly how exasperating a process it can be! And that is why I have created this website. After years of school and dozens of compositions, I believe that I have come up with an effective formula for writing application essays from which anyone can benefit. If you wish to write a quality application essay, the first thing to which you must commit is the simple fact that it is going to take a while. So, do yourself a favor and get any ideas you might have of completing your admissions essay in a few hours out of your head. In fact, I would recommend that you give yourself at least a month to work on your admissions essay so that you dont feel rushed or anxious (as this could have a negative effect on your writing). The more time you allow for your work, the more fully you will be able to experience the creative process. This is why I believe that every student should start working on his or her application composition several weeks and/or months in advance. If you are planning to apply to college next year, I recommend that you get a calendar and map out a specific schedule for your work. Although this might seem unnecessary, I promise you that making this schedule will aid tremendously in the overall process. Designing a personalized schedule for your work is the first step toward an excellent application essay. Once you have created this schedule, feel free to read on to the next page. In the meanwhile, if you have any questions about admissions essays and/or graduate school essays, please dont hesitate to contact me.

The Carrot Seed Is a Delightful Classic Picture Book

The Carrot Seed Is a Delightful Classic Picture Book The Carrot Seed, first published in 1945, is a classic children’s picture book. A little boy plants a carrot seed and takes care of it diligently even though each member of his family gives him no hope that it will grow. The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, with illustrations by Crockett Johnson, is a story with a simple text and simple illustrations but with an encouraging message to be shared with preschoolers through first graders. Summary of the Story In 1945 most children’s books had a lengthy text, but The Carrot Seed, with a very simple story, has just 101 words. The little boy, without a name, plants a carrot seed and every day he pulls the weeds and waters his seed. The story is set in the garden with his mother, father, and even his big brother telling him, â€Å"it won’t come up.† Young readers will wonder, could they be right? His determined efforts and hard work are rewarded when the tiny seed sprouts leaves above the ground. The final page shows the real prize as the little boy carries his carrot off in a wheelbarrow. Story Illustrations The illustrations by Crockett Johnson are two-dimensional and just as simple as the text, with emphasis on the boy and the carrot seed. The features of the little boy and his family are sketched with single lines: eyes are circles with a dot; ears are two lines, and his  nose is in profile. The text is always placed on the left side of the double-page spread with a white background. The illustrations found on the right side are yellow, brown, and white until the carrot appears with tall green leaves and a bright orange color highlighting the prize of perseverance. About the Author, Ruth Krauss The author, Ruth Krauss was born in 1901 in Baltimore, Maryland, where she attended the Peabody Institute of Music. She received a bachelor’s degree from the Parsons School of Fine and Applied Art in New York City. Her first book, A Good Man and His Good Wife, was published in 1944, with illustrations by the abstract painter Ad Reinhardt. Eight of the author’s books were illustrated by Maurice Sendak, beginning in 1952 with A Hole Is to Dig. Maurice Sendak felt fortunate to work with Krauss and considered her to be his mentor and friend. Her book, A Very Special House, which Sendak illustrated, was recognized as a Caldecott Honor Book for its illustrations. In addition to her children’s books, Krauss also wrote verse plays and poetry for adults. Ruth Krauss wrote 34 more books for children, many of them illustrated by her husband, David Johnson Leisk, including The Carrot Seed. Illustrator Crockett Johnson David Johnson Leisk borrowed the name â€Å"Crockett† from Davy Crockett to distinguish himself from all the other Daves in the neighborhood. He later adopted the name â€Å"Crockett Johnson† as a pen name because Leisk was too hard to pronounce. He is perhaps best known for the comic strip Barnaby (1942–1952) and the Harold series of books, beginning with Harold and the Purple Crayon. The Carrot Seed and Children The Carrot Seed is a sweet delightful story that after all these years has remained in print. Award-winning author and illustrator Kevin Henkes  names The Carrot Seed as one of his favorite childhood books. This book pioneers the use of minimal text reflecting the here-and-now of a child’s world. The story can be shared with toddlers who will enjoy the simple illustrations and understand planting a seed and waiting seemingly endlessly for it to grow. On a deeper level, early readers can learn lessons of perseverance, hard work, determination, and belief in yourself. There are numerous extension activities that can be developed with this book, such as: telling the story with picture cards placed in a timeline; acting out the story in mime; learning about other vegetables that grow underground. Of course, the most obvious activity is the planting of a seed. If you’re lucky, your little one will not be content to plant a seed in a paper cup  but will want to use a shovel, sprinkling can...and don’t forget the wheelbarrow (HarperCollins, 1945. ISBN: 9780060233501). Recommended Picture Books for Small Children Other books young children enjoy include Maurice Sendaks best-known classic picture book, Where the Wild Things Are, as well as more recent picture books like by Katie Cleminson and Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean and Eric Litwin. Wordless picture books, such as The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney, are fun as you and your child can read the pictures and tell the story together. The picture book  And Then Its Spring  is perfect for young children eager to plant their own gardens. Sources Ruth Krauss Papers, Harold, Barnaby, and Dave: A Biography of Crockett Johnson by Phillip Nel, Crockett Johnson, and the Purple Crayon: A Life in Art by Philip Nel, Comic Art 5, Winter 2004

Nuclear Plant Safety Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nuclear Plant Safety - Research Paper Example There are different reasons for the use of nuclear power as energy sources but there are more reasons to stop their operation, if not, reduce their use. This paper will provide a background on the history of the use of nuclear power in the United States. Some incidents that display the disadvantages of nuclear power plants will also be presented. In the end, a conclusion will be provided. The History of Nuclear Power in the United States Oil, natural gas and coal were traditionally used as sources of electricity but the scarcity of these resources has led people to search for other sources. One of the main concerns of the government then was that these scarce resources have become expensive. Furthermore, the use of coal, fossil fuel and oil were reported to emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide, which is a substantial greenhouse gas. Nuclear power was primarily used for weapon production. The atomic bomb was the prime weapon, which makes use of nuclear power. The atomic bomb is integrated in a hydrogen bomb. The hydrogen bomb functions in three distinct stages: first, the atomic bomb explodes through a fission reaction; a second bomb, which is composed of lithium and deuterium undergoes a fusion reaction; then, a third explosion occurs when the uranium component undergoes a fission reaction (Caldicott, 2006). The first casualties of hydrogen bombs were the Japanese. In the Second World War, the United Stated deployed two atomic bombs – one in Hiroshima and the other in Nagasaki. The bombs were reported to have caused the death of more than 200,000 Japanese people (Caldicott, 2006). After the Second World War, other countries were able to produce nuclear bombs. In the end however, countries signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in the hope of disarming all nuclear weapons; whereas nations without nuclear weapons would not be able to develop such weapons (Caldicott, 2006). The treaty is an important agreement to hinder the detrimental and destructive effects of nuclear bombs. Due to the treaty, the use of nuclear power went into a limbo until it was used as a source of electricity. This energy source was believed to be cheaper than other sources such as coal and fossil fuel as it produces higher wattages of electricity. From then on, constructions of reactors continued until 1978. To this day, there are about 112 nuclear plants built within the United States (Greenwald, 1991). Some of these plants have already encountered certain malfunctions. Disadvantages of Nuclear Power Plants In March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear plant in Pennsylvania experienced a near meltdown. This was the worst nuclear accident experienced by the United States. â€Å"Scientists determined that a jammed valve had caused cooling water to drain from the reactor core† (Presutti, 2011). As a result, the fuel core became uncovered and then it overheated, causing a partial meltdown. About 120,000 people were evacuated. Fortu nately, only a small amount of radiation was able to escape from the facility. The Reactor that almost resulted to a meltdown was permanently shutdown though a part of TMI nuclear plant is still operating. This incident allowed for a more serious review of the nuclear policies in the United States and also halted the approval of establishments of more nuclear plants (Presutti, 2011). The TMI incident was attributed to lack of training of staff,

Are court and tribunals in the English legal system now Essay

Are court and tribunals in the English legal system now indistinguishable in all important respects - Essay Example The content of the law here include things like criminal offences and civil wrongs. Here the distinction between a crime and civil wrong cannot be stated as depending upon what is done because what is done may be the same in each case. The true distinction lies therefore not in the nature of the wrongful act but in the legal consequences that follow it. The instances above thus are addressed, heard and determined at very different places which bring us to the court system of the English legal system. This court system is divided or subdivided into either the criminal court system which includes the Supreme Court, the court of appeal, crown court, magistrates, high court and Privy Council. The other division is the civil court system which also includes the Supreme Court, the court of appeal, the county court, the magistrates, the high court and the tribunals (Baker, 2009, p. 29). This brings us to our main subject of the courts and tribunals. From the oxford learners dictionary the m eaning of a court is basically a person or body having judicial authority to hear and resolve disputes in civil, criminal, ecclesiastical or military cases. On the other hand a tribunal is a sitting or a group of proceedings how end goal is to establish and deliver a judgment on a specific issue such as a tribunal to resolve an election dispute which in itself is under the guidance and rules of the court system. The Court and the Tribunal In origin, these tribunals are designed as alternatives to what is believed to be the artificial formality of courts of law, and the supposed ignorance of the ordinary judiciary of specialized information regarding particular economic and social relationships. The ordinary man or woman is expected to be able to operate the process without benefit of counsel or solicitors (Blackstone, 2003). It soon begins to appear, however, that the total absence of formality can be a straightforward passport to injustice. Moreover, in rent cases, and cases of unf air dismissal, the landlord or employer could hardly be expected to spend long days in court instead of managing his own business, and therefore might reasonably be expected to employ a professional advocate. The first characteristic led to a widespread extension of the role of the ordinary courts in their supervisory role of subordinate tribunals, the second to an equally widespread demand for the extension (Bailey, et al. 2007, p. 68). The second to an equally widespread demand for the extension of legal aid to tribunals originally instituted with the intention of keeping the lawyers out. One thing, however, has emerged from the development of the tribunal system since the war, and this is the marked preference shown by Parliament and the public for a tribunal consisting of a lawyer in the chair sitting with two seasoned and experienced lay members over trial by judge alone, or trial before a judge and civil jury (Elliott & Quinn, 2011, p. 38). First and foremost, in a court the p urpose of the case is usually to get the culprit of the offence i.e. the wrongdoer and the appropriate punishment to be administered like in instances where a robbery has occurred and the person responsible has been arrested by the persons concerned which in this case might be the police or even the public. This is somehow different from a tribunal whose real and intended purpose is to

Arthur Miller Essay Example for Free

Arthur Miller Essay We then created a scene based on knowledge gained through the play text and the discussions and showed it to the class, and received in return their comments. However our teacher did not believe any one in our group had the characters as believable as they could, and thought they needed improving. She decided upon giving us an extremely beneficial exercise into do as a class, which would make us look deeper into our characters, as so there fore convey a better example of that character in our scenes. We all had to stand up, facing our teacher, in a way we believed our character would stand, also incorporating facial and bodily stance. At that time, the character I was playing was Eddie, a respectable legal Italian immigrant living and working amongst the Italian community in New York. I had from previous exploration into the character a visualisation of the type of character Eddie was. The type of man who was tight fisted and bolshy, yet thoughtful of those important to him. This exercise backed up my thoughts on Eddie, and allowed me to make an accurate physical and tonal picture of how Eddie should be acted; tight fisted, yet in no way a mad man, but with a cold expression on his face. We also used freeze frames in many of our scenes, whether it was to change, open, or close scenes, they were useful to us so we knew when to stop or pause. And they were also useful to the audience so they could see a clear distinction between different parts of scenes, or changes of scenes. In one scene we used a large amount of stage to allow the use of levels in a creative way around the stage. We were all in a group of four, and had only one speech from one character to create a scene out of. We devised amongst the group, which would be the most effective way of delivering the characters speech to the class. We decided upon cutting the paragraph in certain areas, into sentences, which could then be allocated to individuals. We then composed ourselves to being character involved, who happened to be Alfieri, and mapped out where each of us was to stand. We decided to start the scene in a freeze frame, but to let the end flow, with repetition of the final line, the voice dynamics getting quieter as the words trailed out. We thought this effect would be good in conveying an inner voice speaking, and would also allow for the next group to add their scene, the following in the play, onto it. The use of mime was also rather important in this scene as well. With hand gestures and facial expressions the climax could be reached, the true expression of the person could come out, making a more believable performance. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

Dysfunctional Families in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, by Tennessee Williams

Dysfunctional Families in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, by Tennessee Williams Dysfunction and volatility is common amongst families. These families dislike their kin and often resent them. In the play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, by Tennessee Williams, the Politt family does not function as a normal family. Brick, Maggie, and Big Daddy are three members of the family that have the most problems that affect the whole family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brick, Maggie’s alcoholic husband, is an uncaring man who has no good feelings toward his wife. For example, when Maggie buys a gift for Brick to give to Big Daddy on his birthday and Maggie wants Brick to sign the card, he says â€Å"No†¦ I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do†(28). Even on Big Daddy’s last birthday, Brick refuses to make Big Daddy happy. He is very selfish in his decision. In addition, when Maggie wants to have a little privacy with Brick and he refuses, Maggie responds by saying she can’t live under those circumstances, Brick then states â€Å"You agreed to†¦ Accept that condition†(32). Maggie wants to love Brick but is shunned because of his insensitivity. Brick’s alcohol seems to float his boat more than being with his spouse. Brick has no compassion and feelings for his family and for anyone else.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Margaret (Maggie), a young, beautiful woman has a marriage on the rocks and a strong dislike towards Mae and her children. For instance, when Maggie starts talking about Skipper during her con...

International Business- Failure of Joint Venture as a Result of Culture Essay

1. Joint venture between TCL and Alcatel In 2004, TCL Technology Holdings Limited, a multinational electronics conglomerate from Huizhou, China entered into a mobile phone manufacturing Joint Venture with Alcatel, a global corporation in telecommunication equipments, services and applications from Paris, France, in a bid to foray into the global market. The joint venture company – TCL and Alcatel Mobile Phones Ltd (TAMP) – managed research and development (R&D), sales and distribution of mobile handsets and related products and services (TCL 2011). TCL invested 55 million euros to garner a fifty five percent stake while Alcatel put in 45 million euros along with its mobile handset business for the remaining forty five percent share (China Daily 2004). The two corporations each possessed individual strengths that they believed, when joined in partnership, would establish their stronghold in the competitive mobile phone industry and further their geographical reach in sales. TCL is a distinguished brand that fronts the China market and has a vantage point as a low cost manufacturing base in Asia. Alcatel is a leading player in Europe and Latin America and has operations in more than 130 countries. It could contribute an extensive sales network as well as its high aptitude in R&D (TCL 2011). Alcatel also provided patents to TCL, who did not own its own technology, to enable its entry into markets that have intellectual property (IP) rights requirements (Zhu 2005). TCL at that time had faced a waning domestic market and needed Alcatel to help it expand into newer international markets while Alcatel believed that TCL’s lead in manufacturing would improve its product offering that would better meet the varying needs of its customers worldwide. According to Morgan Stanley, a multinational financial services provider, the joint venture (TAMP) had enormous potential to place seventh to become one of the global leaders in the industry (TCL 2011). TAMP began operations in September 2004. However, only 8 months into the joint venture, by the end of the first quarter of 2005, TAMP had reported a loss of 36 million euro (Li 2011). As a result, TCL bought out Alcatel’s 45 percent share in TAMP to solely take over the venture. The TCL-Alcatel (T&A) collaboration had failed. The transaction took place in the form of an exchange of stocks where Alcatel transferred its TAMP shares to TCL in return for a 5 percent share in the latter’s firm. Because the venture had ended prematurely, Alcatel also paid 20 million  euros in compensation to TCL for the withdrawal of IP rights it had rendered to TAMP (Zhu 2005). After the termination of the joint venture, TCL began to draw profits again in the following year (Li 2011). 2. Problems of the joint venture The failure was attributed to high inherent production costs of managing an international corporation and the underlying financial problems of Alcatel that existed prior to the joint venture that impeded TAMP’s profit goals (Zhu 2005) therefore made it hard to revive the business. Ernst & Young’s (2011) financial reports revealed that Alcatel suffered net operation losses of 400 million euro in 2001 and is a plausible reason why it had been eager to sell its shares to TCL in the first place – to rid the loss making assets (Zhu 2005). But to a large extent, stark cultural differences in working styles between the Chinese and French had a role to play in the lead to its eventual failure. Despite their industrious attempt at internationalizing the business, the Chinese had a perennial lack of understanding of the European culture and were inexperienced in managing international human resource (Monks 2012). This caused friction amongst the employees, who are the building blocks of a company, thus eventually eroded the viability of the collaboration. 3. Culture in IB Culture is an integral part of international business. Every country exhibits a unique set of culture that is distinct from another and has a considerable effect on the way people work and function in their workplace. It is a basis upon which organizations strategize and shape their operations and decisions (Reis, Ferreira and Santos 2011) as well as influence the way they negotiate (Graham, Mintu and Rodgers 1994). Therefore it is critical to learn and understand the cultures of the countries in which you are interested to do business because differences in culture potentially give rise to misunderstandings in the workplace where people have inaccurate perceptions  of each other (Wursten,Lanzer and Fadrhonc 2012), so when managers have awareness of differences, they can alter the way they manage their foreign employees. This is supported by Luo (1999), who found that an understanding of host country culture improved overall business performance. Entering into joint ventures with local firms is an advantageous mode of entry that allows foreign MNCs to acquire local knowledge (Makino and Delios 1996) and this was the strategy taken by TCL in its entrance into France. However, the Chinese firm still faced huge problems of ‘culture conflict’ (Yao and He 2005, p.34). 4. Why it faced difficulties Over the past decade, China had been aggressive in reaching out to the world through its outward foreign direct investment (FDI) policies. Figures from the 2006 Statistical Bulletin of China’s Outward Foreign Direct Investment show that outward FDI of China increased 18.5 billion from 2002 to 2006 (Ministry of Commerce of China 2007). Declining domestic demand and ailing revenues had been a motivation and the confidence from having many years of international experience from foreign MNCS operating in its country had primed China for its own global advance (Lyles and He 2008). Yet there lay fundamental problems in the execution. 4.1 Cultural Differences between TCL and Alcatel There are distinct differences in working styles of employees in Alcatel and TCL due to the intrinsic cultural differences between these two countries. How will management adapt to it is specific to culture as managers are products of their own culture with its own set of beliefs and values and manners of expression and will go on to organize its people effectively according to this very culture so it follows that what works for a particular culture might not necessarily work for another (Wursten 2008). Some friction was observed in the interaction between TCL and Alcatel employees and cooperation between the two managements due to personal perceptions of each other. In an interview conducted by Li Jing (2011), associate professor at Simon Fraser University, for the vice presidents of TCL – Well Lu (TCL) and Laurent Labbe (Alcatel) -, the issue of cultural differences between the two firms was discussed. 4.1.1 Conservatives v Risk Takers The French adopts a more conservative approach when it comes to decision-making. Conservatism is associated with the uncertainty-avoidance (UAI) dimension ( Doupnik and Riccio 2006) and France has one of the highest UAI index at 86 indicating that they are not comfortable with ambiguous situations and will take measures to avoid them (Hofstede 2001). They ‘think a lot before doing something’ (Li 2011, p.3), because in their country, mistakes are unacceptable (Bowie 2008). As a result, Frenchmen are averse to risk (Bowie 2008). Out of 500 employees from Alcatel, only 70 remained in the joint venture company because the perception is that there will be no job security and they cannot afford taking this risk (Li 2011). High turnover rates lower the productivity of a business (BizFilings 2012). Conversely the Chinese are more willing to take risks. This is reflected in their low UAI score of 30. They accept ambiguity, are adaptive to change and make decisions based on a pragmatic approach (Hofstede 2001). However a point to note is that, although China is generally open to risk taking, it tends to embark on lengthy considerations that can notably delay decision-making (RSM International 2010). This would test the patience of its French counterpart and frustrate the relationship. This divergence in attitude and multi-faceted culture causes a struggle in reaching decisions when both parties are set in their own ways about an approach. 4.1.2 Individualists v Collectivists Alcatel’s is a predominantly individualist culture where work relationship is upon the basis of a contract, which underlines the concept of professionalism and have marked definition of an employee’s job responsibilities (Li 2011). TCL, in contrast, is primarily a collectivist culture where people work in the interests of the group (Hofstede 2001). This is reflected in its corporate culture where it wants its employees to feel belonging to the company, to treat it like home (Li 2011). But during the joint venture, as the company grows at an accelerated pace, the nature of the jobs became vague and necessitated a TCL working style. The French are a high-minded group so competition typically prevail teamwork (Kenna and Lacy 1994) at the work place which meant many Alcatel employees were removed from their comfort zone. 4.1.3 Varying degree of acceptance of power Moreover, as France is also an uncertainty avoidance society, there was further disorientation when there was no clear example from top management how they were supposed to work (Li 2011). France and China are both large power distance societies but employ different types of power (Zheng 2010). The French are more accustomed to legitimate power, which is the power that imposes a sense of responsibility or obligation on them (Zheng 2010) and value strong leadership and tight controls (Bowie 2008). But this was not the approach used by the TCL as it tended to be more abrasive and did not agree with a very important aspect of Chinese culture – Harmony. Chinese people manage work relationships with harmony in mind and also the concept of giving everyone ‘face’ (Zheng 2010) so the difference in styles puts the French in discomfiture, and the Chinese in confusion as to why the French was being less than efficient therefore affecting the company’s productivity that would affect the bottom line of the business. 4.1.4 ‘Lazy’ v Driven Individuals Lu admits that he ‘used to subscribe to the stereotype that Frenchmen are lazy’ and ‘are more relaxed’ when it comes to work attitudes (Li 2011, p.3). Laziness is perceived as a negative characteristic and might draw disapproval from other co-workers. However it must be understood that the  French are not really ‘lazy’ but are Polychronic people (Hall 2000). Polychronic people are described in Hall’s cultural theory to have a tendency not to keep a tight structure on their time and work at their own pace, also preferring not to make elaborate plans so (Suntsova 2009) therefore giving the impression of being lazy. The Chinese are, like the French, Polychronic (Hall 2000). But to a large degree they are also a masculine society, according to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (2001), with a high score of 66. In masculine societies, people are motivated to be the best they can be, where great emphasis is placed on achievement and success. Labbe (Li 2011) had described the Chinese as workers with tremendous drive and ambition. On the other hand France is a more feminine society scoring 43, which implies that they are more concerned about the quality of life. For example, France has a liberal welfare system in place that entails short 35 hour work weeks. Labbe (Li 2011, p.3) agrees that the Frenchmen are ‘satisfied with just working for a base salary’. Thus TCL (Chinese) employees who are more masculine, will be disposed to think that their Alcatel colleagues (French), who are feminine and polychronic, are lazy and unmotivated workers, which is a careless observation, because eventually the work is accomplished, only the work is done in a different manner. This misconception leads to resentment amongst employees. 4.2 Lack of international management experience To add to the problem, TCL, like many Chinese firms lack real experience in managing an international business. MNCs’ operating in external markets face liability of foreignness (LOF) where they are at a disadvantage to local firms due to unfamiliarity of host country conditions (Hymer 1976). They have to overcome the liabilities by forging competitive advantages against local firms or fine-tune managerial learning about host markets to reduce LOF while local firms do not have to make as much adjustments in comparison (Petersen and Pedersen 2002). Therefore while many years of having foreign MNCs in China allowed these MNCS to accrue experience from their overseas ventures, the Chinese firms, who although to a large measure were part of the internationalization process, were only at the receiving  end and had not really garnered real managerial experience in operating internationally. When it was down to the actual initiation into international markets such as the US and in this case Europe France, China was confronted by its own set of LOF and was unable to reconcile the divergent national and corporate cultures (Thomsen and Nicolas 2008) between the two countries so it faced difficulties in managing its French employees in TAMP. 5. Solution The general idea one gets from reading related literature about culture in international business is that, differences in culture is a source of misunderstandings and miscommunication that will invariably present itself as a threat to the productivity of business. And the solution would be to understand these differences in culture, to have knowledge of them, so that we can reduce some of these problems (Pilhofer 2011). While it is very useful for us to gain cultural understanding, conventional literature conveys a negative notion in relation to it. It seems to be implying an obligation and necessity to learn about culture to avoid failing the business. Essentially there is nothing fundamentally wrong with this notion but this would only lead to people withdrawing from interaction with other cultures altogether if they fear failure and negative situations (Pilhofer 2011). If I were in charge of the joint venture, I would ensure that the employees gain an appreciation and respect for culture. They need to view cultural learning positively, see it as learning how different others’ cultures are from theirs and use it to adapt accordingly so as to achieve the business objectives (Ferraro 2009). Learn that negative situations such as misunderstandings are inevitable, but even those can be regarded positively in terms of a new experience (Pilhofer 2011). It is not as much the knowledge than what you do with it. To achieve this, management must first introduce this idea of openness to its employees to gradually overcome their innate ethnocentrism (Ferraro 2009). With inculcation and education, over time I believe it will form part of the company’s corporate culture. When work is done in a more positive and respectful atmosphere, performance can be more productive (Ferraro 2009), than in a stressful environment. Going forward, TCL needs to gain more experience in managing people internationally by undertaking more international endeavors. However they cannot enter heedlessly and will need to study the new markets and their cultures and create a plan. Some difficulties would still be faced but they could learn from it. 6. Conclusion The joint venture between Alcatel and TCL failed chiefly due to its existing financial situation. However for the most part, the friction experienced by employees from both companies because of 1. lack of understanding of cultural disparities in work styles and 2. inadequate international experience of TCL’s management had undermined the potential effectiveness of the joint venture, inevitably leading to its failure. Culture is a very elemental factor in International Business today. Business partners face challenges in working with people from other cultures. If there is no knowledge and understanding, firms would not be able to make adjustments accordingly to best achieve their business goals. But cultural knowledge should be learned with a positive motivation rather than attaching negative consequences to it. People need to gain an appreciation and respect for other cultures to be able to work in them effectively. Word count: 2640

Motivation and Organizational Culture Essay

What makes a good manager? What makes an employee motivated? There are different types of leaders and everyone has a place in workplace psychology. What is the role of the managers and employees? In workplace psychology management’s role should be to motivate employees and get the tasks completed. Managers are a key in the workplace; they are role models for the employees. Managers should keep a professional relationship with employees but not be so strict that their employees are scared to ask for help or talk about what they need. The key to being able to talk to managers is a positive for managers and employees. It tells the manager what the employee needs to be motivated and always the manager to know where the employee is. Managers keep some of the pressure of the upper level managers and owners. Motivating employees is a key part of management because it helps get the job done and keep the employees happy. If an employee is not motivated and unhappy with their job then they will not do a good job and their work becomes sloppy, eventually they will quit. In workplace psychology employees have the role of carrying out tasks and helping the company become successful. Employees need a clearly defined task, adequate working environment, motivation, and feedback. I the case of Ayame Nakamura, managers need to talk with her to understand her work style and how she can be motivated to do her best. Each person is different and coming from a non-confrontational culture Ayame needs to work in a non-confrontational environment. Her managers need to give her positive feedback so she knows what she is doing right. Being told what she is doing right and wrong in a positive, non-confrontational way may boost Ayame’s motivation, and she may enjoy work again (Robbins, DeCenzo, & Coulter, 2011). Ayame was brought up to avoid being confrontational and always be polite. Japanese are very strict in their business and are very straight forward. If Ayame’s work environment is hostile then she is more likely to think she is doing a bad job. In most cultures, if someone feels they are doing bad then they will try harder, if they never receive the feedback for doing a good job they lose motivation and eventually just stop trying. Ayame comes from a very straight forward culture and does not understand when someone is not straight forward with her. Ayame’s employer needs to change his approach with Ayame to give her more motivation and understand feedback clearly (Robbins, DeCenzo, & Coulter, 2011). Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard have a model called situational leadership theory. In Hersey-Blanchard theory there are different types of managers; telling managers tell employees when, where, and how to complete tasks. They also have low relationships with their employees. Selling managers provide detailed tasks and have a high relationship with employees. Participating managers give low detail on tasks and have high level of communication with employees. Delegating managers give little direction and have low level relationships with employees. Ayame’s managers could help make her more motivated by taking time to get to know the way she works. If they talk to her and understand where she is at in her hierarchy of needs then they can come up with a reward system to motivate Ayame. Also, understanding that Ayame needs to have a non-confrontational environment this is another thing that can motivate her. It seems that Ayame has telling manager and she needs a selling or participating manager. Giving Ayame a good relationship and communication will help her know what she needs to do. Ayame relies on feedback from her employer and is not getting it in her current situation (Robbins, DeCenzo, & Coulter, 2011). Giving employees what they need and keeping them motivated is the job of the manager. There are many different types of managers and some do not give employees what they need. Managers have responsibility to the company to make it as efficient as possible. Some key things managers should remember is that employees need tasks that are clearly defined, some employees may need more direction then others, and all employees need high level of support. Feedback lets employees know what they are doing well and what they can work on. Having something to work toward keeps an employee motivated. A motivated employee is more likely to be happy on the job and complete tasks efficiently; while, an unhappy employee is more likely to be slower, sloppier, and more likely to quit.

How to Get Job Offers †Not Just Interviews †With Your LinkedIn Profile

How to Get Job Offers – Not Just Interviews – With Your LinkedIn Profile Is Your LinkedIn Profile Getting You Job OFFERS? Last week, I spoke with a technology executive about working with us on his LinkedIn profile and resume. Upon investigation, I discovered that he was getting interviews for positions that interested him- but not job offers. At first glance, it might seem like the problem was his interviewing skills. After all, isn’t the job of the LinkedIn profile and resume to get an interview, and after that it’s up to you? Well, that’s partially true, and it’s certainly possible that this client could use some interview coaching. But a freaky fact of human nature suggests that something else could be at play. It’s called â€Å"impression formation† or â€Å"priming,† and it’s not to be overlooked or taken lightly. Do you think that if you’re getting interviews with your LinkedIn profile and resume you don’t have to worry about whether you need to change them? You might be wrong. A study of students’ perceptions of their professors, and how these perceptions can be formed, is a case in point. Consider these excerpts that illustrate how much our preconceived notions affect our experience of another person: †¦[I]n one of the earliest studies on impression formation, Kelley (1950) found that when students were told a guest lecturer was â€Å"very warm†, the central trait produced more favorable evaluations of the instructor than when students were told the guest lecturer was â€Å"rather cold†. In a more recent replication and extension of Kelley’s experiment, Widmeyer and Loy (1988) had students evaluate a lecture presented by a visiting professor. Prior to the lecture, students received background information about the instructor; some received information suggesting that the visiting professor was warm while others were presented with information that suggested the professor was cold. Analyses revealed that students perceived the visiting professor as a more effective teacher and more pleasant to have for class when he was described as a warm rather than a cold person. †¦Those who read the syllabus written in an unfriendly tone rated the hypothetical adjunct candidate as being colder than those who read the syllabus written in a friendly tone. †¦Those who received the syllabus written in a friendly tone rated the target as being warmer than those who read the syllabus that was written in an unfriendly tone. †¦Those who read the syllabus written in a friendly tone rated the instructor as being more motivated to teach the course. Harnish, Richard J. and K. Robert Bridges, Effect of syllabus tone: students’ perceptions of instructor and course Did you read that?!! Wow. Extrapolating to interviews, if the interviewer has a preconceived notion of the candidate as warm or friendly, it’s more likely he or she will experience the candidate as warm, and even as more motivated, in the interview! Conversely, if the interviewer thinks ahead of time that the candidate will be cold, it’s unlikely that the interview itself will change this impression. Interviewers Make Unconscious Conclusions You might be thinking, â€Å"But these were students being studied. They are young and impressionable! Surely an interviewer, who has more maturity and experience, would not be swayed as much by past judgments.† I’m afraid that’s not the case. In 2008 study, Williams and Bargh staged job interviews with study participants and found that if interviewers drank hot coffee before the interview, they would perceive the candidate as warm. Iced coffee? You guessed it. Cold candidate. Interviewers’ perceptions were also influenced, disturbingly, by the comfort of their seats and the weight of their notetaking folders. There are many conclusions that can be drawn from these studies, from â€Å"Make sure you have a warm hand when you shake hands with your interviewer† to â€Å"Don’t hire candidates based on interviews since your unconscious mind is ruling the decision. Use psychological testing instead.† The conclusion I want to draw, however, is about your LinkedIn profile. And maybe your resume too. Conveying Warmth with Your LinkedIn Profile and Resume You have a huge opportunity in your LinkedIn profile and resume to prime the pump for your job interview. People respond to warmth. So look for ways to appear warm! Show some of your personality in addition to showcasing your accomplishments. Even if you’re not as warm in person as you are in your job marketing collateral, chances are you’ll be seen as warmer than someone who doesn’t communicate warmth in their LinkedIn profile and resume. Here are some examples from profiles written by The Essay Expert. Note that while we generally encourage first person for LinkedIn summaries, warmth can come through in the third person as well. Also note that your photo is a huge way to convey warmth! LeeAnn Dance: My journalism background gave me the ability to distill a large amount of material and hone in on what’s true and important. I can pinpoint the real message that needs to be conveyed, creating a human story that moves and inspires an audience. Ted Schoonmaker: Ted knows that people hire people, not resumes. Companies are not just looking for a set of qualifications that match a job description. To ensure a complete match, Ted extensively interviews both companies and candidates to find out who they are and what they are looking for – as companies and as people. Ted is most fulfilled when helping people to grow professionally. His vision and ability to nurture relationships lead to long-term solutions and success. How warm are you in your LinkedIn profile and resume? Are you priming readers to perceive you the way you want to be seen? If not, consider a rewrite. If you want assistance, please consider our LinkedIn Profile Writing Services and Resume Writing Services. We’ll make sure you look great- and warm- online and on paper. Want to do it yourself? Don’t miss the latest version of How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile. The e-book is fully updated for 2018 and available now!

The Bookstore v. Amazon

The Bookstore v. Amazon There are readers who like bookstores and readers who prefer Amazon. Pitting them against each other is like telling people they ought to like Coca Cola over Pepsi. They have their reasons, and you wont change them. Most of the time. â€Å"If the bookshops are good enough, if the relationship with your customers is truly there, if your booksellers are enjoying themselves and you’ve trained them and you’ve respected them and you’ve allowed them to develop their skills†¦ then our customers truly will remain loyal to us.† ~James Daunt, managing director of Waterstones, at the 2017 Australian Booksellers Association’s annual conference in Melbourne But sometimes bookstore employees forget. Sometimes they let their personal feelings float to the surface, and therein lies a key reason people go to Amazon versus a bookstore . . . to purchase a book of choice in a nonjudgmental atmosphere. They want to  feel the store is benign, much like a doctor who treats anyone, regardless of who they are or what disease they have. Take away that safe feeling , and both a bookstore and a doctor loses credibility . . . and business. I love the blog, The Passive Voice. Recently, PG (the blogger) wrote about a bookstore worker who struggled with store visitors when they asked about or purchased books that the worker did not believe in. PG mentioned in the end that readers prefer a judgment-free zone like Amazon over a meatspace retail with a side of attitude.  thepassivevoice.com/2017/07/a-booksellers-elegy/ I would like to take bookstore consideration one step further. How does a bookstore treat an author? Whether a fledgling indie author or a New York Times best selling author ten times over, the human is still there. And any writer is a rabid reader, with word-of-mouth power. And a small-time local author will tout that small-town indie bookstore much louder than that big-town author who flew in and out. Without a doubt, bookstores prefer best-selling authors for sales. But there are ways of delivering the message when a bookstore can only purchase so many books or house so many signings, and a smart bookstore owner would benefit A lot of this attitude concerning bookstores explains a lot. At a bookstore, we find atmosphere and personality . . . but is it the personality you want? At Amazon, we find the widest selection of books and a market that doesnt judge. Bookstore ownerlove  everyone who comes in the door and respect  their choices. Let them know they are cherished individuals, and youll do anything to make them happy. Theyll love you back, I promise.

Qualitative Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Qualitative Research Proposal - Essay Example This cost doesn’t account the high cost of  £27 billion due to medical expense increased during same time (4). The alarmingly current situation and it’s accelerated pace of growth has gathered massive attention to cure the menace before it gets beyond the control. There has been increased attention toward finding the reasoning behind constantly rising obesity. Exploring this would help in adjusting life style towards healthy lifestyle habits and saving country from menace before it becomes national curse. It would also be helpful, mainly, for mothers to develop healthy dietary habits in children since early age. Obesity is a measure of an excessive or abnormal fat buildup in a human body that may perhaps harm health. Obesity, measured through BMI (Body Mass Index) is a weight equal to or greater than 30; it is 5 BMI level higher than excessive weight level defined as overweight; as World Health Organization (WHO) defines (5). Citing reason of obesity, WHO states that it is an energy imbalance of calories consumed and expended by the body. It further states this imbalance is created for the reason of either excessive intake of high calorie food or less physical activity that leads to less calorie consumption (5). This research will maintain focus on first section of reason cited by WHO and would explore the impact of behavioral, socio-environmental and genetic aspects of an individual that lead to less consumed calorie than expended. Among large number of behavioral factors studied to date, this study will focus on behavioral factors that are specifically related to dietary habits. Behavioral Factors that lead to obesity has been broadly categorized into three domains in the study of 6; that are: first, excessive food taking; second, less physical activity that that leads to less calorie consumption in caparison with intake; third being excessive diet control