Evaluating Capital Investment projects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evaluating Capital Investment projects - Essay Example On the contrary, non-discounted matrices applies accounting rate of return. The metrics measure project performance/progress over a given period. Therefore, it is advisable for Arizona Hospital to select a combination of metrics due to the prones and cones associated with each metrics. Some of the prones of discounted matrices include; they give the intrinsic value of an investment, they are easier to apply and are reliable to use than non-discounted cash flow metrics methods. Some of the disadvantages of discounted metrics over non-discounted metrics include; they are based on assumptions and can only be reliable when there is certainty of cash flows (Baker & English, 2011). On the other hand, sensitivity analysis entails a mathematical technique used to determine the impact of independent variable over the dependent variable. The sensitivity may tell the senior managers of Arizona hospital whether the project will be optimal and the level of risk associated with a particular project so that necessary changes can be applied accordingly (Saltelli, Tarantola & Campolongo, 2004). This means that sensitivity analysis act as a useful tool for assessing capital projects risk and returns. This is because sensitivity analysis helps to identify the potential investments risk in the market, these help managers to prepare on how they can deal with that risk (Saltelli & Wiley InterScience,

Logistics business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Logistics business - Essay Example In my business, I opted in the import of vehicles business. The business is planned according to the requirements of the federal government. The first step that I looked is the partnership between local traders who are essential to the business survival. They are the main consumer of the imported goods hence the important to partner with them. Import business is essential to any nation around the world since no country can survive on its own. In my business, we use clearance services and shipping services that make importing the vehicles easy and flawless. Complete customs clearance is offered to my client’s special requirements. On the on other hand, after buying the vehicle the entire process is handled by team of professionals within the company. The services have enables the company to beat other competitors in terms of market competence. In details concerning the services offered, it is a requirement that the vehicle must be admissible to the US and customers always check to comply. After that the notice is submitted to the customs department before the transaction is affected (http://worldtraderef.com) . There are also charges that are required from the customers, for example 5% GST among other charges. The business also require different documents from the clients such as bill of sale, certificate of title or producer’s certificate of source, and recall clearance letter. In any business, customer care service is a key factor to help the business in maintains good relationship with customers and other stakeholders. Handling the whole process of car import to the customer is an important strategy to help the business gain more clients hence more income profit for the business. It also encourages customer loyalty to the business. Staying in touch with the customer is an important strategy that helps the business understands the needs of the customer and where to improve for the benefit of

Post Bureaucracy And Decentralisation In Intensive Competition Management Essay

Post Bureaucracy And Decentralisation In Intensive Competition Management Essay Organisational structure is critical to a companys effectiveness of performance, and organisational structure varies according to companies unique contexts. Since 1980s, a growing literature has argued that the age of bureaucracy has ended or is ending, and there is a fundamental move beyond bureaucracy (Heckscher, 1998, p.2). We are moving from bureaucracy to post-bureaucracy. Generally speaking, post-bureaucracy includes subcontracting, decentralisation, flexible organisational boundaries, the boundaryless corporation and networking (Ackroyd, 1991). Since decentralisation is a very important part of post-bureaucracy, I will explain it separately. There are many factors that drive organisational structure from bureaucracy to post-bureaucracy, such as fast technological change, intensive competition, rapidly changing product markets and customer demands, and the requirement of flexibility. Cost reduction is also an important factor to trigger this trend. However, this trend also generates some concerns and criticism. For subcontracting, there may be insufficient supply of suitable workers; inconsistency of workflow may lead to inflexible which is against the flexible feature of post-bureaucracy; it will also enlarge the pay difference between core workers and periphery workers; there may be also lower level of products or services provided; and it can resul t in inefficiency of teamwork. Temporary workers tend to move between companies according to the pay and benefit levels. Because of this high flow of workforce, companies may resist to train employees. It will also be more difficult for unions and government to regulate such decentralised forms. In this paper, I will first talk about the definition of post-bureaucracy and decentralisation; then I will explain the reasons why companies are fascinated about post-bureaucracy and decentralisation; and finally, I will discuss and evaluate concerns and criticism of such trend and their validity. Main Body What is Post-Bureaucracy and Decentralisation? Generally speaking, post-bureaucratic organisational structure is about moving away from bureaucratic organisational structure and it is about decentralisation, corporation and networking. Post-bureaucracy blurs the boundaries between companies and countries, and post-bureaucracy encourage interorganisational relationships which include strategic alliance, joint venture, outsourcing/ subcontracting, unilateral agreement and network organisation (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004, p. 557-560). Post-bureaucratic organisational structure stresses spontaneity, empowerment, participation, decentralisation, flexibility, downsized and delayered, and team work between the organisation and its environment (Ackroyd, 2002; Maravelias, 2003). The autonomy existing in post-bureaucratic structure is much more than it is in bureaucratic structure. According to Heckscher and Donnellon (1994), in order to successfully build post-bureaucratic structure, there must be some trust because through this structu re, there will be many knowledge and information sharing, interaction and corporation. Unlike bureaucratic model which is about directing participants, post-bureaucratic structure requires persuading participants (Heckscher and Donnellon, 1994). One of the most obvious features of post-bureaucracy is subcontracting which means using agent temporary workers to complete specific tasks that used to be conducted by companies direct workers (Rees and Fielder, 1992). Post-bureaucracy means decentralised on many aspects of organisation; however, it does not mean that there is no domination at all (Josserand et al, 2006). No matter how decentralised an organisation is, it still requires some degree of control and hierarchies to make sure the company is on the right direction. Decentralisation means that companies give the power of decision-making to lower levels of groups (Schermerhorn et al, 1994). The lower levels of groups do not necessarily mean management groups; it can be any sub-units within the company. With the delegation, such groups can enjoy a degree of autonomy or independence (Mullins, 2005, p.1053). Decentralisation usually associated with fewer hierarchies, wider span of control and free flow of ideas (Mullins, 2005). Mullins also mentioned that there are many advantages of decentralisation, such as increased employees motivation, quick responsiveness to local changes and improved support services. Why are Post-Bureaucracy and Decentralisation fascinated? Companies are fascinated and apply more about post-bureaucracy and decentralisation because they have many advantages which contribute to the effectiveness of companies performance. There are many factors encourage companies to move from bureaucracy to post-bureaucracy. First, the fast change of technology requires companies to corporate and works together (Mayle, 2006). This is especially important for high-technology, innovation industries and telecommunication companies because technological change is more obvious in those industries. No matter how many highly skilled expertises a company has, there are always some technologies it cannot develop by itself or get access to. However, through corporation and networking, companies can share the latest information and technology-based knowledge. The wide variety of information allows people to conduct their jobs more effectively (Guetzkow, 1965). This is similar with DeGeuss idea of organizational learning which means organizations learn from each other and improve during the process of corporation (see Schneier, 1994). DeGeus argued that through organizational learning, it helps companies to better adopt and facilitate to dynamic change and then make improvement. Corporation and networking can also h elp companies to gain competitive advantages (Porter, 1996). This is true because each company has its own technological strength. If companies can share their own strength with others, there will be mutual benefits. If companies cannot follow the new technological change, they may either produce with higher cost or have lower productivity. Second, global and intensive competition requires companies to move towards post-bureaucracy, such as subcontracting and outsourcing. Because of the intensive competition, companies need to reduce production costs or improve productivity in order to stay in business and gain competitive advantages. The main reason that companies are using agencies is the requirement of reducing labour cost (Ward et al, 2001). There are a wide variety of outsourcing, such as technology services outsourcing (software, telecommunications et al) and business process outsourcing (accounting, logistics et al) (Offshoring Times, 2009). Companies can also outsource HR functions to reduce labour cost. For example, BP Amoco outsourced its human resource function to a US-based company-Exult; and Exult helped BP with almost all HR functions, such as training, employee relations and recruitment; and for the first year of their contracting, BP successfully cut its cost from US$350 million to $250 million (Pickard, 2000). The third reason is the rapidly changing product market and customer demands force companies to corporate with each other. Because of the rapid changing environment, companies need to adjust their production quickly and effectively. For example, Apple shares some internal information with its partners, such as software developers, sub-system supplies and dealers, and they work together to help Apple predict sales and adjust its production according to the prediction (Bahrami, 1992). Because of globalisation, business can be operated all over the world instead of limiting within a single country or a local area. It is costly and hard to start a new business in another area because regulation may be not the same as it is in home country, and customer preference may be different as well. However, if companies can adopt the strategy of joint venture, boundaries will not be a problem. Companies can also make good use of each others resources. For example, there was a joint venture between West European companies and companies in the ex-Soviet block. One party provided investment and experts, and the other provided labour and entry to the markets (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004, p558). In this way, they shared their production factors as well as getting access to markets. For network and partnerships, such as strategic alliance, there are many advantages, such as more access to resources and diversity of perspectives (Sturtevant and Lange, 1996). Strategic alliance can help companies to share resources and work efficiently. For example, in 1991, IBM, Apple and Motorola conducted a project (PowerPC) together; during the project, IBM provided their RISC microprocessor technology to Motorola; and then Motorola produced high-speed PowerPC chips for both Apple and IBM (Bertrand, 1992 as cited in Sengupta et al, 1998, p27). Greater flexibility, risks-sharing and options-generating can be achieved through partnerships (Evans, 1982). Partnerships can also help companies to respond quickly to unexpected change and adjust to it more efficiently (Hart, 1937). Some argued that companies use subcontracting and outsourcing in order to weaken trade unions bargaining power (as cited in Wallis, 2000, p730). Trade unions generally focus their attention on a unionised direct workforce. Therefore, companies can take advantage of this feature and undermine trade unions bargaining power. According to Prowse and Turner (1996), during the 1984-5 strike on coal industry, NCB introduced subcontracting on some coal-site tasks in order to fragment workforce and undermine organised labour force power in coal industry. Through subcontracting and outsourcing, pressure from hard, dangerous or boring tasks can be decreased. For some highly repeated low-skilled tasks, such as switching buttons, the turnover rate is high; because this kind of tasks requires almost no knowledge about the company, so it is a good idea to use agency workers to reduce employees pressure. This is also the case for some dangerous and unhealthy jobs. For example, for some strong-noisy jobs, no matter how good the protection device is, it is still bad for workers hearing if it lasts for a long time. It is humanity to use different people for short times. This is even the case in hospitals. In the accident and emergency department, staffs pressure is high because working in this department requires speed, efficiency and it often associated with some bloody occasion (Purcell et al, 2004). If hospitals can outsource some jobs to professional agencies, jobs can be completed as well as reducing employees pressure. There are other reasons that attract companies to use subcontracting and outsourcing. Subcontracting give employers chances to get access to specialist skills unavailable within the company (Holmes, 1986). For example, according to RJB Mining representatives, through subcontractors, they can get workers with specialist skills to undertake discontinuous tasks (Wallis et al, 2000, p.729). For hi-tech industries, it is sometimes hard to find highly-skilled workers within local areas. For example, ICTUK, a company which provided computer service to client companies, found that it was hard to find employees with skills they needed; so, ICTUK used Indian agency that provided required employees from India to UK (Purcell et al, 2004, p712). Because tasks are different at different time, if the company keeps all skilled workers as direct workers, it will be costly. By using subcontractors, company can get needed workers as well as saving money. Another reason companies prefer to subcontractor s is that it will be cheaper through outsourcing. Since they are temporary workers, the rate of pay is usually lower than direct workers; and companies do not need to provide some benefits to workers from contracting companies, such as holiday pay (Rees and Fielder, 1992). By using subcontracting, companies can also avoid investment in the latest machines and tools, which can save companies lot money (Lorenz, 1998). In addition to that, workers from contracting companies can conduct tasks more quickly than companies direct workers because they tend to focus on specific areas and require little or no training on needed skills (Wallis et al, 2000). It is also believed that using subcontracting can help companies to avoid morale problems on laying off regular employees (Kalleberg, 2003). Problems and Concerns about Decentralisation and Post-Bureaucracy Although there are many advantages of post-bureaucracy and decentralisation, there are still concerns and problems; they are inefficiency of the supply of skilled workers, hard for contractors to recruit and keep employees, imbalanced treatment between core workers and periphery workers, less control of temporary workers and their work, hard for government and unions to regulate, not good for teamwork within companies, and training programs constraint. Criticism of post-bureaucracy happened mostly in subcontracting. For subcontracting, concerns and problems mainly come from three aspects-the supply of labour (contractors), the demand of labour (client companies) and the government and unions. It is argued that the contractor sometimes experience insufficient supply of skilled/suitable labour which can cause problems (MacKenzie, 2000). Mackenzie mentioned that the insufficient supply of skilled/suitable labour cause problems to both contractors and client companies. For contractors, if they do not have the skilled workers to satisfy other companies need, they will have bad reputation, and their business will endanger and encounter close down. For companies which want to use agencies, if they cannot find the suitable workers they want, and hard to recruit direct workers, they will either complete these tasks with bad quality or not complete these tasks at all. The other problem faced by contractors is that it is hard for them to retain employees from different levels. Temporary workers are quite fluid, and sometimes contractors are not able to provide people required by client companies; people who work as temporary workers tend to move to contractors who provide the best p ay rates (MacKenzie, 2000, p.715). It is not possible for contractors to offer the highest pay rate all the time, so it is difficult for them to keep skilled workers at different times. This is especially true when the product market is competitive. Purcell argued that within competitive market, specialist skilled workers are usually in high demand; and they often chose to work for contractors who offer the highest bidder or achieve employment flexibility that fits in with their preferences rather than the employers (Purcell, et al, 2004, p.713). Because of the feature of highly fluid labour force, contractors tend to restraint and avoid training programs (MacKenzie, 2000, p.718). Through BTs case, he argued that BTs loss of qualified workers discourage BT to train its employees because BT was afraid that workers might leave the company after training. BTs reaction is reasonable. Just imagine, if BT keeps training all its employees with whatever the latest market requires, BT will o f course get qualified skilled workers. But, because workers tend to move towards best pay and benefits provision, finally, BT may end up with loss of qualified workers, and at the same time, it may increase its competitors competitive advantage because competitors get the qualified workers that BT have trained. It is believed that the client companies also take risks during subcontracting. The most obvious one is that they cannot always get the employees they want. If companies rely on subcontractors as traditions, once there is insufficient supply of skilled workers, companies may feel hard to recruit qualified workers (MacKenzie, 2000, p.716). For employees who get the required skills do not mean that they will complete the tasks correctly and effectively. Therefore, even if companies get skilled workers, there is also the possibility that they may interrupt the workflow or project (Roque, 2009). Based on Roques own experience, subcontract workers sometimes make decisions without asking client companies which may cause problems because they do not know the companies very well; subcontractors may also miss their deadlines or break their contracts. If the outsourced tasks are part of the whole project, ineffectively completing of those tasks can affect the project as a whole. Whats more, if managers in client companies do not know how to effectively use subcontract workers, there will be also risks of completing tasks ineffectively (Lyytinen and Ropponen, 2000). It is also complained that using temporary workers can lead to less effective teamwork (Purcell et al, 2004, p.715). They argued that since temporary workers are from outside of the company, they know little about the companys culture and doing things differently from direct workers. Because there is no direct control or less control from client companies, the quality of products and services provided by subcontract workers is not guaranteed. During research conducted in hospitals, Purcell et al found that temporary agency staff can cause problems on quality control and continuity of patient care which add more pressure on regular staff in hospitals (2004, p. 718). If a company does not have any experience on decentralisation, decentralisation may not be helpful. For example, after applying decentralisation, t here will be small groups of workers; and those small groups may feel aimless or they may work towards wrong directions (Bahrami, 1992, p. 37). For government and unions, it is hard to regulate and intervene. According to Lorenz (1998), the agreements between contractors and client companies are never in written form except for the order form. Lorenz also argued that because of these incomplete contracts, they cannot use courts to resolve disputes; they can only solve disputes, misunderstandings and ambiguities through discussion until they agree with each other. Then, it will be harder for government to intervene in disputes happened between those two parties. The triangular relationships in employment are especially hard to handle (Deakin, 2001). Governments are trying to regulate subcontracts, and there is extra subcontract administration cost added to governments ordinary costs (Howell, n.d.). In addition, it is argued that through decentralization, some macroeconomic policies are harder to implement and finally decrease stability (Prudhomme, 1994). For unions, it is easier for them to organise stable direct workers; and the emergence of temporary work agencies give unions new challenges to organise and regulate this kind of labour force because most of those temporary worker are not stable, and they move between companies, even between industries (Heery, 2004). In addition to that, many skilled workers have left unions and become self-employed open shop workers or employees of specialty subcontractors (as cited in Perng et al, 2005, p.1). In this way, union membership will decline, and unions bargaining powers will be weakened. It is possible that decentralisation costs companies more. Because of the centralised structure, companies can allocate and distribute resources more centralised and effectively. According to Lyons and Bailey (1993), through decentralisation, cost advantages, such as economies of scale, may be diminished. One advantage of subcontracting is that it can foster work flexibility. However, this is not always the case. Based on MacKenzies study about telecommunication industry, because workloads were different at different times, number of temporary workers required was different as well (2000). Using subcontractors supposed to be flexible, but contractors were not satisfied by the inconsistency of workflows. Therefore, in order to achieve agreements, client companies tried to make forecasts about workloads and tried to stay with that. According to Atkinson and Meager (as cited in MacKenzie, 2000), the effort of trying to manipulate workloads was contravene the flexible feature of contracting. It is argued that pay and benefits for core workers within companies and periphery workers in contractor firms are not equal. According to Atkinson and Gregory (as cited in Wallis et al, 2000), Workers who stay in the company permanently are core workers, and they enjoy great pay and benefit packages, and they usually do not need to worry about unemployment; however, for the periphery workers (subcontracting workers, temporary workers, part-time workers and self-employed workers), their jobs are insecure. It is also argued that the pay rate on the same kind of job is different for core workers and periphery workers (Mangum et al, 1985; Kalleberg, 2003). It is unfair treatment. According to Callaghan and Hartmann, because of subcontracting, there is a two-tiered system of employment, which means that core workers have good pay, benefits, opportunities for training and job security; while peripheral workers have lower wages, no benefits, worked in low-skilled jobs with few training opp ortunities, and face significant job instability and insecurity (see Smith, 1997, p. 328). However, temporary workers are not always in worse conditions compare with core workers. Purcell et al (2004) stated that for some professional agencies, such as nurses, the hourly pay rate for temporary nurses was even higher than the NHS-employed average nurses. No matter whose pay rate is higher, generally speaking, there are imbalanced treatment on pay and benefits between core workers and peripheral workers. Conclusion Post-bureaucracy encourages subcontracting, decentralisation, corporation and network. Companies with post-bureaucratic structure usually have loose management style, wider span of control and fewer hierarchies. Therefore, there will be greater autonomy within company which motivate employees to take responsibilities and contribute more to the company. Decentralisation is part of post-bureaucracy, and it is about giving more power to lower levels of work units. Small units can thus respond quickly to instant changes. Post-bureaucracy and decentralisation attract organisations because of both outside and inside incentives. It is generally about either reducing production costs, improving productivity or get resources, knowledge, information and technologies that are not available within one company. Through subcontracting, companies can get different levels of skilled employees that are not available within companies. In this way, companies can adjust number of workers used according to market change and periodical workload. Companies can also avoid bad reputation of dismissing employees all the time. Through subcontracting, labour cost can also be decreased because temporary workers pay rate tends to be lower than direct workers. Contract workers usually complete tasks quickly because they are focus on specific areas and require little or no training. Through network and partnership, companies can get wider range of resources and information. Companies can also contribute its own strength to the same project in order to get the best result. Through partnership, companies can share risks on unknown or new areas and get a wide range of perspectives from experts. By learning from each other, companies can always follow the fast changing technology, product market and customer demand. Although there are so many fantastic advantages that attract organisations to move to post-bureaucracy, there are also concerns and problem associated with it, and most of the problems focus on subcontracting. The insufficient supply of skilled/suitable workers from contractors is a big problem for both contractors and client companies. Because of the insufficient supply, contractors may lose clients and get bad reputation; while for client companies, without these required workers, tasks cannot be completed. This insufficient supply mainly due to that temporary workers tend to move towards best pay and benefit provision. This phenomenon may also lead to companies restrain training programs. Through subcontracting, there is a danger that products/services may be provided in poor quality because of the limited control by client companies. In addition, many people complained about the imbalanced treatment between core workers and periphery workers. Generally speaking, on the aspects of pay rate, benefit package, training provision and job security, periphery workers are in worse condition compared with situation for core workers. Whats more, segmentation of workforce is also hard for government and unions to organise and regulate. According to the concerns and problems mentioned above, post-bureaucracy still has a long way to improve. Solutions can be provided based on the problems. Government and unions can make special rules for those labour; companies can keep several contractors instead of one in order to get needed workers all the time; client companies and contractors can try to balance core workers and temporary workers pay and benefit package together; and client companies can assign certain people from own companies to supervise subcontracting workers work, and make sure they are in good quality.

Dreams of Millennium :: essays research papers fc

In his 1996 report, Dreams of millennium: a report from a culture on the brink, Mark Kingwell discusses a spectrum of topics some of which touch on the then imminent millennium and some which seem to have very little to do with the subject. He switches from topic to topic seemingly without organization or connection. The book, although relatively lengthy, does not seem to come to any conclusions. Kingwell discusses several issues that he believes will become more problematic in the future and he discusses the millennium, as these problems will shape it. He talks about the fates that different religious group’s fear, and how maybe those without faith will be further mistrustful and disbelieving. Kingwells discussions of Armageddon reveal his own lack of fear; he does not seem to fear the future as a millennium, but as something else. Kingwell seems to reject all the predictions of others that he talks about and concentrates on his own view that essentially nothing will really change because of the millennium. He talks about all kinds of people in groups and how they will react as the new age approaches. He cannot predict their fate, but he does a good job of clarifying how they have prepared. Mr. Kingwell talks of how in hundreds of years past, people believed in superstition, spirits, and psychic abilities. The author new watches as society turns back down that road. Unfortunately, Kingwell seems to talk at length about everything for an end result of nothing. His arguments and facts are well thought out and researched, but they do not clarify any explanations about the preparation for the millennium.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To capture Kingwells work in a small space is difficult. With his long and drawn out explanations of why millennium is, for many, the beginning of the end, Kingw3ell states that â€Å"almost every century since the 1100’s has†¦ brought increased anxiety†¦at its close.† Shortly after stating this, he goes on to describe many events in the past that support this statement. He talks of calendars and their significance in the past and relates them to those of today. For example Kingwell tells us that, â€Å"it wasn’t until the 1290’s†¦that the centuries began to take on the shape they have now for us.† He then adds that, â€Å"not until the 1690’s †¦people began to see themselves as products of a given century.† From these facts we could conclude that the millennium issue didn’t even occur to people until less than 500 years before it.

Spanish Culture

Spain is a very geographic diverse country, ranging from deserts, beaches, and mountains. Spain is deeply rooted in tradition due to the many outside influences throughout time. Spain is the third largest country in Europe. Spain became part of NATO, and then joined the European Union in 1986. After this the economy of Spain increased significantly, placing Spain firmly on the Western economy map and gained major trading partners. The country is a highly developed and stable democracy. Spanish Family Values   The family is the basis of the social structure and includes both the nuclear and the extended family, which sometimes provides both a social and a financial support network. .Today, it is less common than previously for family members to work in a family business, as personal preferences are important and university education is general . The structure and the size of the family vary, but generally, people live until longer lives, have fewer children than before, and fewer pe ople live in their homes with extended family.   Familial networks have become less tight. The greatest changes have occurred inside families, between men and woman, and the parents and children because the values that inspire these relations have changed. Religion in Spain The majority of Spaniards are formally Roman Catholic, although different religious beliefs are accepted. During the history of Spain, there have been long periods of where different religious groups have coexisted, including Muslims, Jews and Christians.Still some traditions manifest more like a cultural event than a religious one. During Holy Week, many participants of the processions wear peaked, black hats as the sign of a penitent and walk barefoot, carrying a burden of some kind. Religious history is apparent in every small town, where the most grandiose building is typically the church. In the large cities the Cathedrals are almost museums. Bussines – Key concepts and values Face – Spanish culture places a large emphasis on personal pride.Therefore, causing loss of face through criticism or embarrassment should be avoided at all costs. During business meetings, for example, it is essential that your presentations are comprehensible in order to avoid any embarrassment that may occur from possible misunderstandings. In addition, when dealing with your Spanish counterparts you may also find that competence and control are important elements of their work ethos and crucial for saving face.This may result in your Spanish colleagues insisting that everything is in order, even if it is not. Individualism – In terms of personal attributes, individualism is highly valued in Spain, along with an emphasis on character and social status. Spanish culture highlights the importance of self and one’s family. However, influenced by its collectivist past, family values, a sense of identity and belonging to a group, are also integral parts of society in Spain.Consequently personal qualities, appearance, image and personal relationships are extremely significant components in contemporary Spanish culture. In a business context, personal attributes and character are frequently valued as much as technical ability, experience or professional competence. When doing business in Spain, you will find that individualism is particularly predominant in management, where Spanish managers are less inclined to favour group decision making and team orientation.Uncertainty Avoidance – This is a vital element of Spanish culture that refers to the cautious approach the Spanish take towards new ideas. In Spain, individuals tend to avoid ambiguity, but often accept a familiar risk situation. Spain's attitudes to rules, regulations and structure are important for maintaining a sense of control in a typically uncertain situation. In business, managers in Spain generally prefer to have precise answers to questions and give precise instructions in order to reduce con flict.In addition, you may find that the Spanish amenable nature to initial business suggestions is often hindered by a considered and tentative approach to final decisions. Masculinity Vs Feminity — Machismo is the word for male dominance, and the culture of old men who created it has changed dramatically. Spain is a very equalitarian society, the birth rate is the one of the lowest in Europe, and women are present at university and work. High Context vs. Low Context –Take a look how members of high and low contextual cultures see themselves and their opposites: High Context Communication |Low Context Communication | |polite |open | |respectful |true | |integrates by similarities/harmony |integrates by authenticity | |not direct |direct | |High Context claims Low Context |Low Context claims High Context | |impolite |hiding information | |â€Å"cannot read between the lines† |not trustable | |naive |arrogant | |no self discipline |too formal | |too fast |too slo w | In high context communication information can have different meanings according.It needs additional information to encode (understand). In low context communication information has only one single meaning. Spain is between High and low context communication but it is more oriented to high context. DOING BUSSINES IN SPAIN †¢ Working practices o Working hours can vary across Spain. Generally speaking, offices open at approximately 09. 00 and close mid-evening, with a two-hour break around 14. 00. However, Spanish working hours have become more â€Å"Europeanised† in recent years, particularly in the northern cities. o Business appointments should always be made well in advance in Spain and confirmation via letter or fax beforehand is advised.It is best to arrange initial business meetings for mid-morning due to the relatively unusual structure of the Spanish working day. o Punctuality is expected of foreign visitors; however, you may sometimes find your Spanish counter parts arrive up to 30 minutes late. †¢ Structure and hierarchy o Hierarchy and position are extremely significant in Spanish business culture. For this reason it is advised to work with those of equal rank rather than with someone of a lower business status. o The distinct hierarchical structure of Spanish businesses means the authority to make decisions rests with the individual in highest authority. o Subordinates are respectful of authority and are generally far removed from their superiors.Spanish business culture advocates subordinate initiative where problems are dealt with at lower levels first before approaching superiors for assistance. †¢ Working relationships o An essential part of conducting business in Spain is establishing personal contacts. Generally speaking, the Spanish prefer to do business with those they are familiar with, therefore obtaining personal contacts enables the negotiation process to advance more swiftly and successfully. o Establishing solid business relationships and building colleague rapport is a vital concept in Spanish business culture. Effective business negotiations and decisions are frequently based on trust and personal feelings, as well as concrete evidence. The Spanish close sense of personal space and animated means of expression and communication can be seen as part of this emotion directed culture.†¢ Business practices o The decision-making process in Spain is usually unhurried and can be a gradual, detailed procedure that involves consideration from various levels within the company. In this respect, maintaining good relationships with your Spanish counterparts from all positions are vital for success. o When arriving at an appointment it is advised to present your business card to the receptionist. Wherever possible, business cards should be printed in English on one side and in Spanish on the other. You should present your card with the Spanish side facing the recipient. An initial introduction at both business and social meetings generally include a formal handshake with everyone present, male and female, whilst making direct eye contact. Business etiquette (Do's and Don'ts) †¢ DO remain patient in all dealings with your Spanish counterparts.The Spanish are sometimes noted for their relaxed approach to business and Spanish bureaucracy can be frustrating. However, be wary of the ‘manana' stereotype as you will find that certainly in the northern regions such as Catalonia and the Basque Country that deadlines and punctuality are much more closely adhered to. †¢ DO try to maintain a friendly and personal atmosphere during negotiations. In order to be effective in Spain, Spanish business culture also requires a sense of self-dignity, consideration and diplomacy. DO use basic titles of courtesy, Mr, Mrs, or Miss, followed by the surname, and professional titles, such as Dr, where known. Particularly with older counterparts or those in the south of Spain. Care sho uld also be taken in using the correct surname as Spaniards have two, their father's first surname and their mother's first surname.Normally the father's surname is used on its own. †¢ DON'T expect to enter into business discussions at the start of a meeting. Your Spanish colleagues will want to establish a familiar environment on which to build new business relationships. This may include asking personal questions regarding your family life and background. DON'T presume that business can be explicitly discussed over meals, it is generally considered a sociable activity and therefore you should wait until your Spanish colleagues initiate such conversation. Despite this, business lunches and dinners are a vital part of business life in Spain as a means through which to establish trust and future business relationships. †¢ DON'T display signs of over assertiveness or superiority. Your Spanish counterparts will appreciate a more modest approach to business negotiations.http:/ /www. communicaid. com/cross-cultural-training/culture-for-business-and-management/doing-business-in/Spanish-business-and-social-culture. php

Legalizing gambling Essay

Gambling is legal in many places, it’s not either a criminal or dangerous activity provided it is done responsibly, and in accordance with the law. Have you ever wagered on a game? If so you were gambling and should have been fined. Lawmakers have decided that it is evil to gamble, they have justified it as a means to scam billions from citizens in order to compensate for their mismanagement of tax revenue. They pass laws that could put a taxpayer in jail for placing a single dollar wager on a pool game. Legalizing gambling nationally could potentially benefit our economic situation. All gambling was once legal. Looking back only 75-100 years ago most of our states had lotteries in place. Over the past century, as a result of abuse and moral fervor the majority forms of gambling have been prohibited. The history of gambling in the United States evolved from Europe. The Puritans and Quakers took little time to create first laws against gambling in 1638. Casino gambling is becoming increasingly popular especially in southern states. Native Americans are allowed to establish bingo parlors and casinos on their reservations, although Las Vegas and Atlantic City remain gambling tourist top destination choice. Many states allow horse and dog racing tracks and then there’s the people who bet on sporting events, card games, and almost anything you can imagine in the privacy of their own home. The first thing to do is to regulate gambling, both land-based and online. After the legislative base is created and regulation covers every aspect of the gambling industry, it’s half way to being legalized. I don’t see why we should lose a couple dollars to a pool hustler, when we could be hustled legally by the state. Gambling offers individuals the adrenaline rush that greater opportunity lies within their own hands. People should not be denied an activity that they enjoy partaking in. Government can earn revenues from legalized gambling which can be diverted towards bettering our society. Legalizing gambling would increase employment opportunities in society which could help to reduce the amount of working capable people out of a job. Gambling establishments have shown to increase employment opportunities as well as improve tourism in the right areas. The presence of gambling establishments is also beneficial to society because they can contribute the revenues to local governments which then could use the profits for social programs that would benefit both gamblers and non gamblers. Legalized commercial gambling is becoming an increasing controversy within our state governments. There is no doubt that many different forms of legalized gambling has exploded in the region and around the country, if the government gives full support of legalization they will be doing all US citizens a favor. Some argue that gambling is an addiction, one that can become dangerous and harmful to the general public. The truth is that like all other influenced jobs it can be a way of making a living for yourself and your family. Though there are a lot of people that struggle with an addiction to gambling, there are probably just as many people who are responsible gamblers and have enough self control to moderate there wagering hobbies. Legalizing gambling nationally will help stimulate our struggling economy in many ways. If our government would be willing to try to implement new laws to legalize and regulate it theres no way a short time period of testing these ideas would leave any permanent damage on our nation.