Channels of communication in Multi national organisations

Channels of communication in Multi national organisations Communication plays a major role in the development of any multinational organization. The communication flow is controlled by a hierarchical system of managers making the decisions from higher to lower levels in the hierarchical In this process the generated responses and reports communicate from lower to higher level in the organization. Managers also spend time communicating with their peers. Therefore, the upward and downward of the communication indicates its effective functionality in a lateral direction. Mead (1998) describes a multinational corporation (MNC) as services produced in the one or more countries but established as a head office in one country. Here, the functionality of Communication plays a vital role in any organization, in the multinational corporation, MNC, when compared to any localized company. The communication among these channels plays a unique and major role in a MNC at the same time for any complexity in communication of the MNC requires an effective communication which is a challenging task to accomplish. TESCO Jack Cohen who was a stallholder for selling groceries in London market founded Tesco in 1919. In fact TESCO was formed out of a merger with T.E. The first store was opened in 1929 in Burnt Oak, Edgware in North West London where he bought the tea to sell in the stall. From there Tesco was expanded up to 2,200 stores which include hyper markets and Tesco express outlets across the world to satisfy the needs for every customer. Not only being as a company Tesco also provides different kinds of goods and services such as banking, online shopping and insurance to meet the customer satisfactory results becoming the Britains largest retail industry including in the other three continents and also making a profit margin of up to  £3.4 billion with a 468,000 employee force. Tesco is now planning to make a move into market of non-foods with a goal to take a lead position in Asia and even in Central Europe. The Research Problem A in the fields of organizational strategies and internal communication has been conducted and it seems to be a threat regarding the communication and in theories of MNCs. This research will therefore investigate the channels of communication and communication process of TESCO. In the scenario of practical environment this research will analyse the process of internal and external way of communication and the build the gap between the advantages and disadvantages of Tesco. Aims and Objectives The aim of this research is to investigate and expel the internal and external methods of communication there by focussing on the advantages and disadvantages (barriers), of TESCO.   Objectives To study of the communication process in sTESCO To study of the channels of communication in TESCO To study of the internal and external communications of TESCO To find out the communication barriers in TESCO Literature review In any kind of business environment Communication can be described as an exchange of messages from one person to the other person and giving an acknowledgement of the particular message received is understood and expecting some kind of action as a result. According to Wilbur Schramm (1955), communication is the process of establishing a commonness or oneness of thought between a sender and a receiver. In other words, it helps employees to work towards the same goals, by giving them a similar direction through which effectiveness in communication is achieved and helps to create a base and direction for every activity. Communication process in TESCO The purpose of communication within an organisation such as Tesco would be  to give information to its  public  and employees e.g. to perhaps inform staff of a  future  meeting, or to provide customers with details of a promotion. Also Tesco need to collect information e.g. such as personal details of employees, which would be needed for personnel records, or market research data on sales of products. Communication is needed to keep Tesco running smoothly, Tesco employees need to know what he/she has to do, and do it to the best of their abilitys. For Tesco to have a good reputation to the public they need to have good communication to eliminate errors, manage problems and deal efficiently with customers complaints/queries. Communication can take place internally (through bosses and employees, subordinates, colleagues) or it can take place externally (Customers, Suppliers, Media, Shareholders) In businesses, you will find that the point of communication is to influence something in the business. The message is often an instruction and the response should be that the job is done. Communication process Communication involves four elements: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A Sender à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A Message à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A Receiver à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A Feedback These four elements are the principals to getting a message across in resulting in effective communication; you will also find that communication goes in all directions Tesco need to communicate with a range of individuals and organisations. Including their customers, their competitors and their suppliers. Good communication in Tesco is essential if it is going to achieve its objectives and to operate effectively. Tesco have a lot of channels of communication internally/externally between their functional areas. Channels of communication in TESCO Tesco being a large company with 729 stores in the U.K, 979 stores nationally, and employing 280 million nationally, means they have to use reliable sources of communication in order to run an efficient business. Channels of communication played a key role in TESCO. It has established various channels, formal, informal verbal, non-verbal oral, written, technological different electronically means to facilitate the transmission of information throughout the organization. Formal Informal Communication Formal communication is when employees communicate through the official channels that have been set by the business, e.g. weekly staff meetings, reports, forms, memos. TESCO would definitely resort to this type f communication a lot, as Tesco is a big company, there would usually be board meetings for the board of directors etc. Formal communication is much more associated with vertical communication; it usually involves a good organised system, which has to work efficiently and quickly. Informal communication is when people within an organisation communicate but not by using the chain of command or the official channels. You will find this type of communication between employees of the same level, and is very much associated with horizontal and diagonal communication. This type of communication is usually voluntary, and helps to build cooperation between staff. This communication would take place a lot between employees in Tesco. Internal and External Communication Internal communication is communication that is shared by people at all levels within a company.  External communication  occurs between parties inside a company and parties outside the company, such as suppliers, customers, and investors. Both internal and external forms of communication include everything from formal e-mail and official reports to face-to-face conversations and casual phone calls. External communication also takes such forms as customer and supplier Web sites, news releases, and advertising Internal communication Channels are used by Tesco Phone/mobile, fax, email, memo, club cards, letters, notices, meetings, reports. External communication channels are used by Tesco Websites, Tesco cards, Vouchers  Telivision advertisements,   Tesco  online  (internet), video conferencing,   forms. Communication is vital to Tesco because then everyone is clear about objectives, there is smooth and accurate communication both within the organisation (internal) and between the organisation and other individuals (external), ideas and views are clearly heard and everyone in the organisation is kept informed of developments and changes. Tesco uses internal and external communication channels effectively. These channels are influence to the company. By using these channels customers satisfaction is good. Advantages and disadvantages (barriers) of communication in Tesco Communication is an extremely important factor in motivating employees. This may be through 1-to-1 discussions with managers, through the company intranet or newsletters or through more formal structures such as appraisals. Line managers hold a daily Team Meeting to update staff on what is happening for the day and to give out Value Awards. These awards can be given from any member of staff to another as a way of saying thank you and celebrating achievements. .The employees would feel good that the have a say in the work thus motivating them to work hard. Good communication would clear up any misunderstandings and jobs would get done well, and on time. Communication would provide the manager with feedback on previous decisions, and because the company would be consistent and organised less problems would transpire and would brighten the image of the organisation.  Ã‚   Advantages Business dealings are made more effective, fast and reliable Information on customers provides information on customer satisfaction. Tesco is made more accessible to customers, with better quality services, and better communication between the customers and Tesco. Communication internally and externally is made more effective. In Tesco greater communication is there between employees, customers and stake holders. there are many advantages using channels of communication in Tesco. Memo is a perfect channel of communication for employees working in the same branch who want to write quick informal messages. Club-cards are advantage of communication because Tesco stores every item that you have bought when your card is swiped; this means that they know whats been selling the most and the least in that certain Tesco. This information is stored in a database and used for many things such as knowing what items to stock extra of, finding ways of promoting the least selling items   Tesco employees would use word of mouth to communicate in their own branch. Its good for passing brief messages and gets straight to the point without any confusion and misunderstanding. Tescos hold a staff meeting every month. Its to discuss problems, new arrangements, new ideas, promotion ideas etc its a very good form of communication because all staff members are together to all give their input   Websites are used to store lots of information for customers, e.g. latest CDs sold in Tescos, wine, store locaters, careers at Tesco, information on a baby and toddler club etc.     Disadvantages/Barriers of the use of channels of communication in Tesco Barriers can get in the way of effective communication. List different barriers to communication Wrong format, Technical breakdown, Receiver unable to understand message, Attitudes towards sender, Wrong channel, No feedback, Poor timing, Use of jargon, Unclear message, Wrong targets. When determining what barriers might exist to channels of communication in a company, there are various potential barriers to the channels of communication in Tesco. Many problems in an organization occur due to inadequate and imperfect communication. Brooke (1996) states that encoding and decoding processes are the main barriers for communication both between individuals and groups, as well as between different levels in the organization. Poor choice of communication channels can also present a barrier to communication. Finally, cultural differences can be a barrier in that they effect the communication between people from different departments in the organization; for example, the RD department has a long time horizon whereas the production department is concerned with achieving daily targets. Communication barriers Tesco is one of the world largest company. It has good communication channels in company because of that they have less disadvantages/barriers is there. Phoning allows Tesco to contact local Tesco branches, which is ideal  for brief messages but could be a problem for Tesco to phone foreign Tescos due to bad frequency, expensive phone bills misunderstood  messages. Texting from mobiles would only be appropriate for your branch or local branches. Fax is ideal for Tesco to send urgent documents and contracts. The  problems of sending a fax is that you would not be sure who would be  reading your fax, you cant send thick booklets and physical barriers such as lack of paper may occur. Tesco use email because its good for them to communicate with local(LAN) and national (WAN)branches because they can send quick messages. But it is disadvantage sometimes the problems are that you cant be sure that your message will be read. TV advertisements are good because of the large amount of viewers. Its a chance for viewers to see new items and promotions. Some times it is a communicating barrier because of the people who might not pay attention to adverts.   Overcoming the barriers Tesco has a one of the largest company in the world. It has good communication channels. But some barriers is there. If communication is bad then managers may not keep in touch with  employees views this could result in frustration which could lead to a strike. Also the outcome of poor communication is bad decisions being made from bad communication and could result in loss of business opportunities, which could lead to lost money and jobs, this could give the company a bad reputation. Because of this Tesco should reduce these barriers. The company should take some actions to overcome communication barriers. The company will reduce the existing barriers and their consequences will facilitate a more effective communication among the employees.. Company should give good frequency to phone calls to contact the local branches. Every fax message must read because of this company will not miss any urgent documents and contracts. Company use the communication channels to their full capacity. Company has come up with diverse ways of communicating by carefully targeting its messages to individuals rather than groups. Company able to sort out issues and control campaigns on key issues that affect its members as well as the public at large. Methodology Research design This report has involved various sources and information which is important for any researcher investigates a multinational organisation. This research explains the communication process and the data necessary for this study. Channels of communication in multi national organisation states a case study approach is particularly appropriate for individual researchers because covers a wide arrange of sources, including facts, figures, news, opinions and theories, and obtaining the highest quality of information. The standards of a good research therefore will include exploring, describing, explaining, and finally evaluating the information (Ruane, 2005). The case study approach plays an important role in research which deals with the communication process, internal and external communication in the research investigation. Whereas a survey is a systematic collection of information from large study groups usually by means of questionnaires administered to samples of units of population The researcher suggests case study method to conduct this research along with an employee survey because case study method is a qualitative method (Gerring, 2007). The researcher would study the particular problem in depth only in a particular multinational organisation and there is no mean to generalise the findings to other organisations or industries. In this research the evaluations are based on qualitative data which may be defined as the research is that involves analysing and interpreting texts and interviews in order to discover meaningful patterns descriptive of a particular phenomenon (Auerbach Silverstein, 2003, p.3) As the research is qualitative the researcher decided that inductive analysis would be constructive because the inductive method allows theory to be constructed from the outline emerging from research data (Henn et al. 2006 cited in Brown 2008, p 191). However, Saunders et al. (2007, p.120) further points out that unlike the deductive method, inductive method is more flexible and uses qualitative data. For this reason the researcher would be using the inductive method. Data collection method It is planned data to collect primary data by web based approach. Researcher used chosen organisation website to find the data. It generally results in a higher response rate and faster than other methods. The official website of TESCO had distributed via email both internally and externally. de Vaus (2002, cited in Saunders et al., 2007) defined questionnaire as a general term that includes all techniques of data collection in which each person is asked to respond to the same set of questions in a predetermined order. The aim of questionnaires are to gather information and views on channels of communication in multinational organisation, therefore the researcher made certain that each question encompassed this area. Each question was to achieve the aim and objectives of this research, and information was to achieve reaching this goals. At the planning stage the researcher made sure that each question revealed information which are needed and not merely wanted. To maximise the success of the questionnaire, the researcher applied various techniques such as giving the questionnaire a meaningful title, keeping questions short and succinct as possible, offering incentives for the return of questionnaire, and providing the prepaid self reply envelopes with each questionnaire. Sampling The selection of the case company was discussed in the introduction of the thesis and, therefore, the focus here is to describe the sample selection within the chosen organization, TESCO. Within a specific case study there are numerous sites to be visited, events or activities to be observed, and documents to be read (Merriam 1998). In our embedded single case study we visited the web sites of organization however; we had to choose the relevant times for visiting websites. Our method for sampling was non-probability Methodology sampling, meaning that we choose specifically which people would be most relevant and interesting for us to interview with regards to the d problems. Within the frames of this non-probability sampling, we conducted a purposeful sampling. Data analysis During the collection of the primary data, we were very systematic in organizing it in order to have a well-structured database, from which we would later conduct an analysis. We also added our own thoughts and observations in the different documents. The way of getting information is that contact to tesco employees and visit the company websites. From the analysis of the empirical data, we were able to present a number of recommendations to the case company. Further, the data analysis provided us with a proper foundation from which we were able to draw conclusions as well as to discover various theoretical implications. Limitations, validity and reliability The proposed research has some limitations which hampered the validity and realiability of the research. In order to carry out this investigation the researcher has contact Tesco employees, read business communicatio books and search information on tesco website. The results of this research are applicable only selected categeory.it is suggested to carry out a different categories if applicable.The other limitation is that the findings and conclusions totally depends on Questionnaire. Respondents are answering the given questions and if the questions are not designed properly to get the required data from employees the researcher will not perform the objectives of the research. Ethical issues of the research report Ethical issues are always a part parcel of a research project. As Best (2001) points out that the data or information collected should remain unbiased and relevant to the research. There are some ethical issues in this particular research. The researcher will attend these issues and give due importance to this aspect of research. The respondents of the questionnaires will be briefed about the purpose of the project and it will help to build the confidence and participation. Also their participation will be voluntary in nature and they will have the right to withdraw from the process at any time. Also the details of respondents and data collected can be against the right of employees. Reliability of data and intellectual property rights when reviewing the literature. Conclusion I therefore conclude that from my research I have gathered that  emailing is the best form of communicating internally and externally of Tescos simply because all Tescos have the internet so all branches can communicate and also compared to other forms of communication email is the most reliable because physical barriers wouldnt occur as  frequently as faxing or texting. Also from an environmental point of view emailing is very friendly because no paper is being used which would prevent deforestation unlike faxing, letters and leaflets. Computers are rapidly evolving and you can easily say that majority of the public have a computer which is a great from a business point of view for Tesco because the public would be receiving plenty of information through their computer such as vouchers which would entice them to shop there.   Like all big companies, Tesco relies on different departments to help it run, which need communication between them all the time, meaning that if one didnt exist, Tesco would not do so well. Tesco has a tall organisational Structure, due to the number of departments within the business. In order to make sure that these departments work perfectly with each other, Tesco relies heavily on Communication as well, from Written to Verbal, Horizontal to Diagonal, and Formal to Informal. TIME AND RESOURCE PLAN FOR THE RESERCH PROJECT steps List of deliverables Resources Duration SEP/DEC 2010 JAN2011 1 Literature review Books, journals, Internet, computer 2 Design the research Computer, internet and books 3 Preparation of Questionnaire Computer books and internet 4 Collecting e-mail addresses and sending the questionnaire Internet, computer 5 Receiving the Answered questionnaire 6 Data analysis Computer 7 Final report preparation Computer 8 Submission

The appointment of Silvio Napoli at Schindler India

The appointment of Silvio Napoli at Schindler India The decision to choose Silvio Napoli as the general manager for Schindler India was not right. For status, his character and way of doing business was such that he used to dictate what to be done. The worrier character was not good for India where people are open minded. He did not have any international experience. Napoli ought to have been taken through some training before being assigned the job in India. Schindler also had very high expectation because Napoli believed that the company was to grow at a very fast rate in the first five years. Unfortunately this did not happen. Schinders target was to sell 50 units in the first year and occupy 20% of the market share after five years. There are however instances when Napoli made reasonable decisions in his role as general manager. Selecting a team of experienced members was one such instance. Adding buy-ins onto the companys business model was also a wise step. It was however very unwise of him to relocate his family at the same time when he was to begin his work as a general manager. So much time was wasted dealing with personal issues making him lack the much needed concentration. Rejecting to make alterations in the business plan when need arose was also a negative decision. The increase in transfer rates and imports rates from 22% to 56% was a big blow to the company but it was a good idea to turn to outsourcing strategy. The lack of urgency by the Europe plant to the needs of the India plant was also discouraging. Napoli should therefore have reported the matter to Mr. Schindler so that he could use his power to make the plans work out faster. Did Schindler make the right choice in selecting Silvio Napoli as general manager for India? Schindler must have made the worst choice in selecting Silvio Napoli to be their general manager in India. As much as he might have had success in Switzerland, India was a new world that had its own way of doing business. Its no doubt that Napoli was an MBA graduate from Harvard Business School but in business there is more to offer than the mere knowledge. Besides heading such a huge firm, the company ought to have selected an individual with international experience in the real world. Its a nice thing that he was successful in Switzerland but there were still many aspects that Schindler had to consider. To begin with, Napolis management style was not applicable in India. He is one person who believes that people have to follow what he says and he calls all the shots. He must have developed this form of leadership from the culture in Swtizerland where hierarchy was very clear. For instance Napoli recalls that when he began his first job in Sweden, the employees were very responsive to anything he requested. This is just a confirmation that the leaders were very much feared in Switzerland. One of the employees even says He was the assistant to Mr. Schindler, so I knew Id better be nice to him. It must have been the culture in Switzerland to tread carefully with those in leadership. Unfortunately Napoli transferred this culture to India without really understanding that this was a different country with different traditions. It is common for a businessman to confront a new culture by thinking that his way was the best way. This is exactly what Napoli did. From the study, he says he had to adapt his way of management which did not succeed. Schindler ought to have taken Napoli through some management training before giving him a job in a different country. The most important area that needed training was the issue of building relationships. Indians have a very different way of doing business since they value good relationships before anything else. For one to succeed in doing business in India, he has to understand that trust is a very important virtue for them. This is an area where Napoli definitely failed since be imposed his own way of management. Moreover, in India everybody is very respective of his position and duties. For instance moving a desk in the office can not be done by anyone else other than the peon. The best general manager had to be an individual who could change his behavior under different circumstances depending on the situation. It would therefore been a good idea for the company to take some of its managers through some kind of mentality test so as to determine the best man for the position. The general manager makes very important decisions for the company and therefore should understand his employees. A good organizational culture is also very important for any company. The general manager should therefore be capable of creating good relationship between employees and the leadership as well as amongst the employees. This is where Napoli went totally wrong. His colleagues describe him as impatient, impulsive and over-communicative on some occasions. If fellow workmates can say this about their general manager then there must be a very big problem. The expectations of Schindler were very high since it needed to grow very fast within a short period of time. With Napolis character: impulsive, impatient and so on, it would most probably take a very long time before the Indian branch stabilized and began making the required profits. Schindlers expectations were to make sales of about 50 units during the first year of business and acquire 20% market share in the first five years. These are definitely high expectations for an individual who had very little experience in international business. The company should have chosen a general manager who had worked for the company for a longer time and had the experience of working in various countries or various cultures. Just like in Switzerland where Napoli was answerable to the CEO, it would have been better if the company had done the same in India. It even appears that it was obvious that Napoli was not fit for the job in India. In the case study, one of his colleagues says He wants eve rything done yesterday and in India things dont get done yesterday. This is a clear indication that Napolis character was not compatible with the culture in India. Looking at the whole study, the main problem seemed to be on poor leadership. This is enough proof that Napoli was not fit for the job. On several occasions he was seen to underestimate the potential of his management team and yet he had hired them for the same job of providing advice. For instance when he realized that the team had taken an order for custom glass pod elevators, he rejected the order because he claimed that it was a violation of the companys strategy. Remember this was a decision from a team he had picked because he needed assistance from the members. On another occasion he rejected another offer to equip a government building in Mumbai with glass walled elevators. Team members insisted that it was only a minor modification of their S001 model but Napoli insisted that it would be difficult for a new team to install the elevators. A good general manager should be one who can accept challenges and be ready to take up the job as long as it is for the good of the company . Similarly he should be able to accept the views of his management team because this is what they are paid for. There is no need in having a team whose views do not count on any occasion. He dictated all that was to be done. As Luc Bonnard, how would you evaluate Silvios first seven months as general manager of the Indian company? What advice would you offer? Even though there were negative attributes with Silvios performance, it is worth saying that he also showed very positive performance on some occasions. For instance he was very logical in selecting his management team. His plan was well thought since he understood the kind of environment he was working in. It was therefore wise for him to select his team from a pool of experienced candidates identified by Egon Zehnder. Starting with 42 year old Kara Signh as the managing director, to 33 year old Jujudan Jena who was recruited for the position of chief financial officer, it was wise of him to pick a team of experienced individuals to help him since he lacked the experience. This team would help show the right way by which the company was to follow. Considering the fact that the selected team was from India, they had a clue on what to expect and would therefore provide the best advice. Most importantly, he had a reason for the selection of every member of the team. For instance when picking the chief financial officer, he said You try to see whether the character of the person is compatible with yoursà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Fagan, Yoshino Bartlett 6). This is an indication that he did not just choose blindly but was looking at very important characteristics. He is justified to do so because if you choose someone that you are not compatible with, it might be difficult to make decisions. A compatible team ensures that there is trust amongst the members and most importantly good relationship or cohesion. Without trust, members will all be in differences and poor working relationships is the last thing one would need for such a company with high expectations. It was also a positive initiative for Silvio to hold a meeting with his teammates to introduce them to one another so that they could know who they were working with. Meeting also helps bring about one on one communication among team members and thereby developing trust among the members. It is through this meeting that members could also share views on how to run the business. Silvio also had the desire to get views from the management team rather than solely relying on his own ideas. Considering that these were people who were to help run the company, it was important that buy-ins from the team were added to Silvios business model right from the word go. On a negative point of view, it was wrong for him to relocate his family when he was supposed to start his work in India. The best option would be for him to either move the family after he had established the company and it had started running or he would have moved the family prior to his commencement of work. There was so much time lost dealing with family issues like the accidents his children had gone through leave alone spending so much time looking for a good place to live. This time could be dedicated to working at the company. Because of his family problems: his child getting cut on the forehead, his wife suffering from food poison and his son breaking his leg made him unsettled and therefore he could not concentrate on his work. There was no single goal that was well executed because her was not settled. He also ought to have accepted to make alterations when the market required that the business plan needed to be altered. The problem with Silvio was that he was so determined to go by his business plan even when it was so obvious that it wont work. For instance his plan suggested that there would be no customization of products. On the other hand, customers reveled that there was no way the standard product line was going to be accepted for the initial orders received by Schindler India. The best advice I would give the company is for its management to reevaluate Schindler Indias business plan. From there, Silvio will have to gain the teams respect and support for the business to run smoothly. The culture back in Switzerland was that you had to respect your leader. This is the reason as to why Silvio earned respect from the companys employees regardless of how tough he was. The situation in India is however different; Silvio has to make sure that he is respected by the management team. His worrier style of management was not doing him any good in India. Perhaps it was time that he learned the monk attributes for him to earn the respect of team members. What advice would you give to Silvio regarding his decision on the non-standard glass wall elevator that has been ordered? Despite the fact that the company was going to make a loss if it accepted the order, Silvio should just go ahead and accept it. The most important thing at this point is for the company to penetrate into the market. Unfortunately, sometimes a business just has to make some loss to benefit from it in another way. The market is dominated by strong competitors and this is the chance to show customers the difference between the Schindler and other competitors. If Silvio can accept the order, the company will most likely be accepted in the market because it provides what the customers need. The company could still end up making profits if Silvio demonstrate reliability, pulls off installation and most importantly provide the customers with superior services than its competitors. Even though its always good for the management to commit itself to the companys business plan, sometimes it calls for adjustments in one way or the other to benefit from market share. At this point the company had not received much entry into the market. By accepting the order to supply a government building with elevators that had glass walls, it will give the company entry into a very important part of the market. The government as an institution adds new buildings every now and then. Supplying the government building with the best elevators, might earn the company more orders when need arise. Customer loyalty is very important in business because it keeps the customers coming back. It also opens for more ways because a good job to a customer will make him inform his friends about the good job you did and this might help the company own a bigger market share. Besides the teams members some of who are experts in the elevator industry understand that the glass-walled elevators was only a modification of the standard product the company had. There is no doubt that it might cost the company a little more but the most important issue is it will still give the company a very good opportunity to penetrate into the market. Silvio should also take up the initiative to inform Mr. Schindler about European plans which are definitely not giving him the support he needs. It was very important for the company to outsource the S001 model to local suppliers immediately. Any details will definitely be disadvantageous to the company. Mr. Schindler needs to be informed about the situation so that he might use his power and position to talk to the Europe plant to quickly respond to the needs of the Indian plant. The increase of rates of import duty from 22% to 56% has a very devastating effect to the companys objective of breaking even. It was very wise for the company to take the alternative idea of outsourcing elevators to local suppliers. This is the spirit of a successful company at this point in time when competition is high. Plans to accelerate the supply of S001 could not be delayed any longer because this was the only available chance for the success of the company. 50 units are enough to make good money fo r the company. Informing the CEO about the delays might see things change. How should he deal with the challenge he is facing over transfer prices and limited technical cooperation from the Europe plants? Both the transfer prices and limited technical cooperation from the Europe plants are serious issues that need immediate attention since they are crippling the company pursue for success. According to the companys business plan, the company was to outsource key logistic and manufacturing function in order to gain the much needed competitive advantage. This is the best way for the company to evade the high import duties charged by India and high transfer prices and most importantly to keep the overhead cost low. The first option he has would be to stick to the plans because this will cut the cost. By doing so, there will be no need to import items from abroad because the company will deal with what is locally available. He should therefore stick to the outsourcing concept because this is the best way to avoid the transfer rates and high import rates. However, since the European plant seems to be slow in responding to Schindler Indias needs, it would be better for Silvio to inform Mr. Schindler about the issue. With his position and power, he is most likely to make the European companies to harry up. On the other hand if he kept quite, all the blame will be upon him, and the compny will lose out on its desire to own 20 % of the market share. One of the responsibilities of a general manager is to discuss the companys policies and strategies with the top management. The final approval comes from top management. In this situation, Mr. Schindler should be informed about the delays because he is in a better position to deal with the European plants. Time is of the essence for the company and it cannot afford to waste any single minute if it is to remain competitive in the market. All its competitors must be looking for ways to cut down on their overall costs. The best company will therefore be that which acts quickly and respond to the needs of the customers. Unfortunately, issues to do with increase in transfer rates or import duties do not concern the customers. For them, the most important thing is getting the best products at reasonable prices. It is however, still important that Schindler India maintains good relationship with the companys plant in Europe because these are parts of one family. There is no need Silvio to make the managers of the plant in Europe to look incompetent. It is important that he reports the matter to the CEO in a manner that would not make the management of the Europe plant look incompetent. There might be some miscommunication or some technical problem that was beyond the control of the management team of the plant. In business sometimes things happen beyond the control of the management team but the most important thing is how the team deals with it. Its good that Alfred Schindler understands that the business experience in India was similar to that of a battlefield. He also understands that the environment in India was very hostile and calls for the management team to be tough. The sudden increase in transfer rates is an example of the hostile environment. It calls for Silvio to remain calm and deal with the issue in the right way. A direct communication with the general manager of the Europe plant could also have been of importance. The best mode of communication would be to call him directly other than using mails or talking to other members of the management team. Alternatively he would have taken a fight to the Europe plant to find out what the issue really was. A good general manager should act fast to make corrections whenever necessary. It is of no help for him to remain in India and keep waiting for response from Europe. Urgent issues need urgent response and this was an urgent issue that ought to be solved immediately. What action should Luc Bonnard take with Napoli moving forward? Looking at Napolis profile, he seems to posses the much needed knowledge to run a business. He needs to understand that every environment has its own way of doing business. To begin with Napoli needs to be taken for some serious training on how to conduct business in different countries or cultures. It is not just enough to base the success of an individual on his educational background, his character or his performance in one project. There is no doubt that Napoli was successful in Switzerland. But this is India and not Switzerland. Moreover, in Switzerland he used to report to the CEO and the Swiss culture was such that employees were very cautious when dealing with people in top management positions. However, the culture was totally different. For instance unlike in Switzerland where a young veteran said He was the assistant to Mr. Schindler, so I knew Id better be nice to him, the situation totally different in Indi(Fagan, Yoshino Bartlett 3). The first question he was asked by M.K was who are your friends inside the company? Who doesnt like you?Fagan, Yoshino Bartlett 5) This implies that Indians are much brave and would speak their minds out. Other than training he also needs to shade his worrier character and pick up the monk character. Luc Bonnard should therefore make sure that Napoli looks at his business plan afresh. Together with his management team, Napoli should re-evaluate the companys aspirations since the business model seemed to be over ambitious. For instance it stated that the company was to make a high level growth by the end of its first five years in the market. What he did not understand was that the market environment in India was unpredictable and you have to use the first year to learn before making conclusive plans. Similarly, the business model the company went for had never been attempted in India. Even though its wise to come up with new ideas in business, a research has to be done before putting the idea to practice. Focusing on the standardized elevators was not a wise move because it had never been done before. There is a need for a business model to be flexible if a company is to succeed in any competitive market. This is also an area that Bonnard should ensure that Napoli readjusts in hi s business model. The biggest obstacle to Schindler India success has to be Napolis business model. If he has to continue as at general manager, Bonnard should also ensure that this obstacle is conquered for the company to register any growth. Bonnard should also ask Napoli to reevaluate his management team. To be specific, the chief financial officer needs to pull up his socks. It is the responsibility of the chief financial officer to evaluate the market situations and predict any possible changes to come in future. He seems to have failed on this part because it was his responsibility to inform the company in advance about the changes in transfer prices and export. The idea of using outsourcing as a strategy to go past the problem of increased transfer and import rates seemed to have backfired. Advice on money matters should be addressed by the chief financial officer and therefore he must have been the source of this strategy. Apart from Jena Jujudhan, he does not seem to have enough experience to control financial matters of an international company under pressure of establishing itself in a new market. Although it might not be wise to suck a general manager after such a short time, this might also be a good solution for the company. Another experienced member could be given the mandate to run the plant in India while Napoli could be returned to Switzerland where he seems to be successful. As the Vice President, Bonnard should also consider teaming up with a local elevator company because it might have an understanding of how the market in India works. By going into the new market without merging with any other company, it proved to be a little bit difficult. Even though the management team was made up of experienced members who had worked in India, this was not enough. All of them were from different companies and therefore had different strategies. Bonnard should therefore consider merging with a local company in order to benefit from some of its customers.

Neil Simon :: essays research papers

As one of North America’s leading playwrights, Neil Simon has definitely been instrumental to the world of theater. He has experienced a somewhat shaky personal life, but he has found that this only adds to the texture of his work. He began his career working on radio and television, and found that writing for stage was significantly different than his previous experiences writing. His first attempts at theater were rough, but it didn’t take him long to achieve excellence. He has also achieved great success with his work in the film industry. He is very fastidious when writing his work, and also quite critical of both the final written product, as well as its resulting production. However, no matter how uncertain he is of his work, it is apparent that audiences worldwide appreciate his writings, and he has been awarded numerous times to prove it. It is quite clear Neil Simon holds a place of importance in the world of dramatic arts. Born and raised in the Bronx NYC, Marvin Neil Simon was the second son of a traveling salesman. His mother Mamie, was largely responsible for the upbringing of the children due to this circumstance. His childhood household was quite unstable due to the absence of his father, and he has not truly escaped from this lifestyle. At age 28, he married Joan Baim, a professional dancer, and the first of three wives. The two had a daughter, Ellen, together. Seemingly happy for 20 years in marriage, Joan died unexpectedly. Shockingly, just over one month after Joan’s death, Neil remarried, causing doubt about the healthiness of the relationship before Joan’s demise. He wed actress Marsha Mason, who later appeared in a number of his works, including film versions of Only When I Laugh and The Goodbye Girl. The marriage lasted 9 years, and ended bitterly due to "undisclosed reasons". Five years after his divorce from Ms Mason, he coupled with Diane Landers, also an actress . He had a second daughter, Nancy, with the actress, as well as adopting a third daughter, Bryn. The two divorced just 2 years after the wedding. However, shortly after that, the couple remarried, and are living together currently as man and wife. His other relationships have been touchy as well. A bond with his brother was broken upon Neil’s sudden decision to end his television writing career and move on to script writing.

National Debt Growth :: Argumentative Economy Economics Papers

National Debt Growth I believe that the growth of the national debt creates a problem that is great to be of little concern. I believe that todays social programs are in big trouble, and just are not going to work in the future. For example, it seems to me the social security is a dream program especially for the baby boomers who can not expect a small population of younger people to pay the bills. I also believe that that a lot of government services waste money in obvious and obsurd ways. For example, the F-117 stealth fighters that cost five hundred million dollars and don't live up to the performance capabilities that were oringinally proposed. The government should reduce spending and do what everyone else does on a slim budget and spend only what is neccesary to survive and grow. I also think that we can no longer roll over debt since the national debt is growing faster than the economy. As a country I think that we need to look at the possible and impossible commitments that we can make, and take a look at where we are going to get the money. The Treasury is all ready considering borrowing money from social programs like the G-Fund and the Civil Service Retirement and Disablility Fund so the federal government won't default on its loan obligations. Although I don't think that it is good to cut from social programs, I do think that we need to decide if we want a national debt that can't be sustained and is bad for investment or a social security system that might not be around anyway. I also think that social programs in the government needs to be simplified, and operate in a more efficient manner. It seems to me that collecting taxes, and handing out expenditures to many different programs, a lot of which I probably don't know what they are. It takes a lot of clerical work to run these programs though, and the money seems to get filtered

Italian Women of the Renaissance Essays -- Arts, Gentileschi, Anguisso

Across Europe, between 1400 and 1650, there were women present in all major styles of time. They worked along side of great artists and were developing new techniques and styles. Women also played a very important role in the Renaissance. Although not as well documented as their male counterparts, women worked along with the other great masters, were just as innovating, and were key in developing new techniques. Artemisia Gentileschi (1593 – 1652), daughter of a well-known Roman artist, was one of the first women to become recognized in her time for her work.. She was noted for being a genius in the world of art. But because she was displaying a talent thought to be exclusively for men, she was frowned upon. However by the time she turned seventeen she had created one of her best works. One of her more famous paintings was her stunning interpretation of Susanna and the Elders. This was all because of her father. He was an artist himself and he had trained her and introduced her to working artists of Rome, including Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. 1. In an era when women artists were limited to painting portraits, she was the first to paint major historical and religious scenes. After her death, people seemed to forget about her. Her works of art were often mistaken for those of her fathers. An art historian on Artemisia, Mary D. Garrard notes that Artemisia â€Å"has suffered a s cholarly neglect that is unthinkable for an artist of her caliber.† Renewed and long overdue interest in Artemisia recently has helped to recognize her as a talented renaissance painter and one of the world’s greatest female artists. She played a very important role in the renaissance. (http://www.artemisia-gentileschi.com/index.shtml) Another... ...n for her spontaneity which came from her passionate and stubborn temperament. In her Rime, she writes poems relating to her love of a man named Collaltino. Her poems are filled with ecstasy and sorrow, with the remembering of happy moments but also with jealousy and anxiety between the two. In 1553, her health took a turn for the worse. She caught a high fever which killed her in a few days. The same year, her sister had her Rime published. It was not very successful in her century. It had to wait two centuries before being published again. She is now hailed as one of the greatest Italian poets. Stampa’s Rime is one of the largest collection of Canzonieri in the Italian literature. There are 311 poems in all, arranged in chronological order. Gaspara freed herself from her obsessive love by transferring her pain into some of the greatest poetry in Italian history.

A Different History- Analysis

A Different History By- Suajata Bhatt The poem ‘A Different History’ is set in India. In the first paragraph the poet describes how the world is developing at a fast pace and leaving behind culture, morals, value, spirituality etc. But India on the other hand has managed to sustain its tradition and modernity. â€Å"Great Pan is not dead; he simply emigrated to India Here, the gods roam freely Disguised as snakes or monkeys; every tree is sacred† Pan is the Greek god of nature. This reference to Greece and Pan could refer to two things.One of the possible interpretations is that- Rome, Greece and India are considered the hubs of spirituality and they have their own set of gods and goddesses. But over the years Greece has developed and consequently its people have lost faith in god. On the contrary, India continues to be highly spiritual and god fearing and the ‘Great Pan’ emigrating to India could connote how India continues to have faith and believe in god. Another explanation could be the love for nature and respect for the natural environment in India. Legend has it that Pan died due to the depletion of nature and animals in Greece.At the time this poem was written India was not a shade of what it is now and was known for its natural beauty and its peoples dependence and respect for nature. The next three lines seem to be mocking the Indian psyche of turning everything and everyone to god and creating a god for everything. The stereotypical Indian has a habit of using god’s name to get things done; associating every minute detail in his life to god and this is what I feel the poet is mocking. â€Å"And it is a sin to be rude to a book It is a sin to shove a book aside with your foot, sin to slam books down hard on a table, a sin to toss one carelessly across a room. † â€Å"You must learn how to turn the pages gently without disturbing Sarasvati, without offending the tree from whose wood the paper was made. â €  These lines describe the Indian culture, traditions and the values that are inculcated into kids at a young age. Sarasvati, who is considered the goddess of arts and knowledge, is, according to Hindu beliefs, resides in books. So books are respected (reference to mockery of Indian psyche) but in this case she is admiring this aspect of Indian culture.Books are considered an equivalent of god and touching god with your feet, slamming him et cetera is profanity. What the poet is trying to say in the first paragraph is that India is probably the only country in the world that have maintained its values, morals, culture and tradition and these have gone hand in hand with development. She also talks about the element of god being added to an array of things. Some of which, she thinks, are completely bizarre and others that she truly respects. â€Å"Which language has not been the oppressor’s tongue? Which language truly meant to murder someone? And how does it happen hat af ter the torture, after the soul has been cropped with a long scythe swooping out of the conqueror’s face- the unborn grandchildren grow to love that strange language. † I feel that the transition from the first paragraph to the second is not very good as the connection between the two themes is not evident. In my opinion the connection is that she is drawing a parallel between the pre- British India and the colonised India. She is using the English language as a representation of the colonised India and how it forgot or was made to forget its culture in the name of a ‘better future’ and ‘development’.Here, she refers to them as ‘oppressors’, ‘murderers’, but murderers of what? In my opinion murder in this context refers not just to taking lives but also the murder of spirits, souls and more relevantly cultures and customs. She seems to be blaming the British for the loss of the culture, customs, values, morals and in t his case language as well. She questions how despite all the damage done by the British we continue to speak the English language and have stopped speaking our mother tongue. This is the same language that was spoken by the people who destroyed out heritage and culture used .This is not only in reference to language but our love for anything ‘foreign’ and our disdain at our very own country and shame at our deep, brilliant and fascinating culture. But a poem is open to interpretation and the tone and the way it is said can change the meaning completely. While reading a poem it is important to analyse what background the poem has, the life of the poet how it is connected to her life. Sujata Bhatt, it was the first time I heard her name. She was born in Ahmedabad to a Gujarati family.She was brought up in Pune and then in 1968 at the age of twelve she shifted to the US. Currently she lives in Germany. Suajata Bhatt’s life is a complete contrast to the poem. In the poem she keeps talking about how we are forgetting our culture how we have been influenced by the ‘Conquerors’ et cetera. My first reaction to this was that she was a hypocrite. But then I realised that many times in life there are things that bother you, things that eat your insides but it is completely different and much harder to change or work against these things.I got to thinking that maybe Sujata Bhatt considers herself an example of the ‘unborn grandchildren’, maybe while writing this poem she had herself and her whole life in mind. Maybe she realised how she was losing contact with her motherland how she was losing the Indian in her. This poem could be a poem to reach out to the masses and try to make them understand the value of being in touch with your motherland and not commit the same mistake she had committed. This poem was written in the post colonial period.At a time when India was finding its bearings in the world. It was a time when India was still hung over from the British rule but at the same time it played the rebellious teen and tried to fight the natural course of things. When your country has been ruled by foreigners, colonisers for as many as three hundred years there are bound to be an influence on the country. The British ruled over many many generations of Indians and after a point of time the British way of living and approach in general started seeming normal to the Indians and they began to follow it.When the British left India in 1947 the youth were in an awkward predicament while they wanted to revive their culture and their lifestyle they continued to be westernised. Sujata Bhatt continuously emphasises the importance of a national identity not only in this poem but throughout. A national identity is what defines you globally. On the world map it is not the people who are visible it is the countries. Outside your territory your country plays a major part in your identity. The poet says that if you lo se your native habits, morals, values and culture your identity is depleted. * Arjun Nayar 9C

Organization and Culture Essay

Provide a brief (one 1 paragraph) description of the organization you chose to research. The company that I chose to research is the company Google. Everyone is aware of Google. It is the most widely used search engine in the world. Google is considered to be one of the best, if not the best search engine of all time. The company Google is considered to be a technological giant and a threat to other tech giants, for example Microsoft. Google’s creators Larry Page and Sergey Binn, started this company in 1995. Google was first developed to be a search engine, but it has crown to the point where it can be used as an internet browser also. Unlike its competitor Microsoft Internet Explorer, it has to be compatible with certain browsers in order to function at its fullest potential. Examine the culture of the selected organization. Google’s corporate culture began with its founder’s philosophy, the famous 10 tenets. (Lisa Jackson 2013). And since Google is still controlled by its founders, that means that the culture in part of the company’s mantra. Google’s founders Larry Page and Sergey Binn believe that trust is one of the most important aspects for the culture at Google. Google mission is a culture of choice. That is they are not a conventional company in the sense that they are not a slave to Wall Street, and that allows them to build a culture that will deliver on this mission and that is principally organized to drive innovation. (Jeff Jarvis, 2013). Because of this trust that Google foster’s to their employees, they are allowed to take risk, while being innovative. And with innovation comes feedback and collaboration. With this type of corporate culture at Google, their employees are much more enthusiastic about the ideas that they present to the founders. There is not right or wrong way at Google, they are visionaries and as such can implement and idea, and if it works, that fantastic, if the idea does not work, then  back to the drawing board. Again, it all stems from the trust ideas from the founders. Google’s culture is very unique. At Google, they believe that if you focus on the user, all else will follow. They also believe that democracy on the web works and also that there is always more information out there. These are three out of the ten tenets that the founders of Google stand by. With these types of statements from one of the largest technological companies, it is no wonder that Google is considered the number 1 place to work in the United States. It’s because the founders allow the staff to develop ideas, make mistakes and they celebrate the failure instead of reprimanding or terminating the staff. This seemingly laid back culture fuels the imagination of the staff and gets them always looking for ways to improve not just the company, but themselves as well. Explain how you determined that the selected organization showed the signs of the culture that you have identified. When I decided to do rese arch on Google, and their culture, I decided to look at why this company is considered one of the best places to work in the United States. I asked myself, why is this company so popular? Why are their employees always happy? First you look at the culture. The founders believe in letting their employees be free to be innovative. They have a t-shirt and jeans work atmosphere, freedom to make mistakes and start over again, etc. This is only part of the culture. Another aspect of the Google environment is ensuring that their employees are adequately compensated. Their benefits are also excellent. Google’s employees enjoy free health and dental, free breakfast lunch and dinner. They also have an organic chef that caters to the needs of the employees. Google found that women were leaving the company at twice the rate of everyone else. In particular, this occurred with new mothers. Google’s maternity leave plan was 12 weeks paid time off. Human Resources changed the plan so new mothers could get 5 months paid time off with full pay and benefits. They were allowed to split this time up however they want. The result after the change in policy? A 50% reduction in attrition for new mothers. Google tries to hire and retain the best employees. They do this based on data. When this data is collected, they u se this information to gauge employees and improve their productivity.   Determine the factors that caused the organization to embody this particular culture. For Google, it seems as if the corporate culture that they have right now is doing just  fine. Google was name the top place to work in 2012. But if for some reason, they did decide to change their corporate culture, I think it would be to continue to enhance on the 10 tenets that was there from conception. Of course as time, and concepts changes over time, innovators such as Larry Page and Sergey Brinn will have to change as well.But, with a new CEO, Larry Page who is excited about leading the team into product development and technology strategy, but also keeping the core of the company for what it was when they first started. Google is efficient and effective. Fortune magazine reported that Google does more business than their entire competitor combined, plus they do it at a lower cost. Because Google has a casual and democratic atmosphere, resulting in its distinction as a â€Å"Flat† company. The company does not boast a large middle management, and upper management is so hands on, it’s hard to qualify them in a separate category. Teams are made up of members with equal authority and a certain level of autonomy is maintained.   Determine what type of leader would be best suited for this organization. Support your position. The type of leader that would be best suited for Google is a Transformational Leader. Transformational leadership is a type of leadership style that can inspire positive changes in those who follow. Transformational leaders are generally energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate. Not only are these leaders concerned and involved in the process; they are also focused on helping every member of the group succeed as well. Through the strength of their vision and personality, transformational leaders are able to inspire followers to change expectations, perceptions, and motivations to work towards common goals. They have the ability to garner trust, respect and admiration from their followers.   Imagine that there is a decline in the demand of products or services supplied by the selected organization. Determine what the change in culture would need to be in response to this situation. If for some reason there is a decline for the products and services supplied by Google, I think that the founders will continue to have the same culture that they originally started the company with. And I say that because, so far that culture seems to be what has Google as one of the top tech giants in the world. Of course, the founders Larry Page and Sergey Binn, being the visionaries that they are, as times and concepts changes over time, they will have to change as well. They will always have to be one  step ahead of the competition, if intend to last in the technological game. References The Real Secret of Google’s Corporate Culture: by Lisa Jackson, July 2013. https://www.web-ebschohost-com.libdata.strayer.edu/ehost/deliveryArticle: Refreshing Google. By: Saporito, Bill. (2011) Vol. 177 Issue 5, p48-49. https://www.web-ebschohost-com.libdata.strayer.edu/ehost/deliverySearch and Destroy. (Cover Story) Authors: Vogelstein, Fred. Source Fortune 5/2005 Vol. 151 Issue 9, p72-82. (Article) https://www.web-ebschohost-com.libdata.strayer.edu/ehost/deliveryThe Real Difference between Microsoft and Google by: Dana Blankenhor (February 2008) http://www.corporateculturepros.com