The organization of the police department Essay Example for Free

The organization of the police department Essay An organization is said to be a group of people that is established to achieve a common set of goals through general approaches. (McNamara, 2007). Among the organizations rarely subjected to scrutiny is the police department. Although there are some investigations that study police organizations, many of those are focused on the study of the people within the organization and not the organization itself. Before a person can fully understand the people and the task within an organization, it is imperative for one to know their organizational context. (Cited in Wilson, 1989). The organization of the police department is said to be bureaucratic in structure and applies paramilitary style of operation. The practice of bureaucratic organization is considered to be the most efficient of all organizational forms (Cited in Gerth Mills, 1946) and is also a formal social organization which is characterized by its complex organizational structure, specialized sections, policies and procedures, a define hierarchical structure and career movement (Cited in Blau Marshall, 1982; Dantzker, 1999; Gerth Mills, 1946; March Simon, 1978; Wilson McLaren, 1977). The police department is said to practice the bureaucratic way of administration because it maximizes efficiency, it is also considered to have a paramilitary style of operation because it incorporates the military-style of operation. Furthermore the police organization is also classified as tall and hierarchal meaning the organization follows chains of commands and the power is only applicable for the few who are on top especially those who are in the position of the command level. â€Å"Police organizations†). The aim of this paper is to answer the following question: Why is an organization is important to the effectiveness of the police department? Like any other people-oriented institutions the efficiency of a police department is accounted to its organization. In order for an organization to function well several important aspects are needed to be considered like the purpose. An organization is binded by common purpose and according to Kenney (1972): The police are the primary civil agency of government responsible for criminal law enforcement, regulation of conduct and the protection of life and property. In a general sense they are responsible for assuring that orderly processes of government, business, industry and society as a whole may proceed with a minimum disruption. They also share responsibility for creation of an orderly environment in which social and economic change may take place with a minimum disorder and disruption. Since the required tasks of the police are increasing nowadays, specialization is implemented in order to divide the labor. Based from a study, specialization reflects the principles and traditions of an organization and it is considered to be the basic feature of an organization. These specializations allows the organization to increase its complexity and as for the people working in the organization it allows them to develop their expertise, increase the comradeship among the members and upsurge their effectivity and efficiency. (â€Å"Police agencies are organizations†). Although the police department may have a certain goal, the organization within the department is responsible for creating a diversified pool of members for the agency by determining and marking the capabilities of each person, the responsibility that they are assigned is properly placed to avoid the neglect of a mission. (Cited in Wilson and McLaren, 1977). Furthermore, the organizations establishment of specializations creates a ground for cooperation and open communication among the members as well as diversity and yet it is still able to maintain the overall picture of the organizational goal. The organization of the police department plays a big role in giving directives to line officers in the area of its responsibility and to dispatch police officers to respond to the problems encountered by a certain area in the earliest time possible. In a study done by Dantzker (1998), he said that an organization is organized by a given time of the day or area. This is common in the organization of the police departments. One example that Dantzker gave is the patrol services. Generally the service is a 24- hour-a-day function thus most of the police departments uses 3 shifts. The shifts are often coordinated by the areas like beat, zone, district, division and other geographical locations. It was suggested that it is imperative to know the needs of the environment where the organization will function so that fulfilling the goals and objectives will be much easier. Also, most of the actions taken by the line officers during their duties are accounted to the directives given to them by the directing officers and it was suggested that when officers are directed to high-crime areas and hot spots of crime makes patrol officers more proactive (Cited in Sherman et. l, 1997). However, not all the activities are directed to the officers in duty, some of the shifts are unassigned allowing officers to have self-initiated routines (Famega et al, 2005) and making them learn the value of accountability. In summary, the organization of the police department is imperative in the effectivity and efficiency not only of the whole agency but also the people within the circle . The organization of the police department creates a common ground for the officers to know and give emphasis on the goals of the organizations and generally take part in doing their assigned roles. Needless to say the organization allows the department to work in accordance to what is directed and yet still be able take initiative on some of the assignments assigned to them so as to learn the value of accountability. Furthermore the organization of the department reflects the people who are moving within the agency and the whole operational process of the whole department.

Reviewing Who Killed Change

Reviewing Who Killed Change The book Who Killed Change is about change management. Through its interesting fable style, it teaches the managers of organizations how to cope with change successfully. The author, after analyzing all the change agents, concludes very appropriately that the same factors that lead to the death of organizations, if exercise their power rightfully, can help change thrive in the organizations. The story starts by describing a murder scene of yet another change. Agent Mike McNally, a Columbo-style detective, investigates the crime scene and makes a list of thirteen suspects that he thinks are the most commonly involved culprits in the murder of anyone with the last name Change. He interviews all the thirteen suspects in detail in order to resolve the case. The manner in which the author describes the suspects, personifies them and relates them to the cause of Changes death is quite engrossing. Their description clearly shows an irony between what they are and what they should have been as far as change implementation is concerned. Another important insight provided by the author while these suspects are being interviewed, is that most of them have to work in synchronization with each other, otherwise failure is inevitable. These murder suspects are described as follows and in all similar cases, they are always the same. Culture. Culture is the set of predominant values, beliefs and norms that define an organization. Culture plays a critical role in the entire change process. If change is to be implemented successfully, then managers should make sure that the existing culture in their organizations supports and sustains change, meanwhile detecting loopholes where existing culture is not aligned with the proposed change and taking corrective actions. Commitment.Commitment refers to the peoples motivation and willingness to change their behaviors as a result of a change initiative. This can be achieved only if people working in the organizations are informed about the change alongwith the knowledge as to how it will impact them. Any concerns regarding change should also be addressed and this is the responsibility of the leadership team. To make people see how change will affect their lives and how important it is for them to be committed, can only be achieved through a clear vision, and through proper planning that will integrate change in their daily routines. Sponsorship. Sponsorship is a senior leader who is responsible and authorized for using necessary resources like time, money and people, to ensure the timely implementation and eventual sustainability of change. The role of sponsorship is very important to the success of change in any organization and this role is not restricted to mere introduction of change, rather it involves the continuous support of the change sponsor and commitment of the leadership through reinforcement of change via accountability and incentives. Change leadership team. The change leadership team comprises of leaders who are close to the action and are responsible for managing and executing various change strategies on a day-to-day basis. After sponsorship, it is these leaders who can play a vital role in leading people through change. The author believes that it is important for this team to comprise of people who have successfully implemented some change, who are respected by their peers, who can communicate effectively, who have the right skill set to lead and who respect diverse viewpoints because they have worked at all levels both in formal and informal roles. Communication. The role of communication is to create a dialogue between those who want to bring about a change and those who will be asked to change. This dialogue should be consistent in its delivery irrespective of who is communicating, delivered through different media for effectiveness, and delivered by people who are known and well-respected. If communication regarding change is not effective, change will never survive. Urgency. Urgency is the need for people to understand the importance to change while accepting change. If they do not feel this urgency, they will accept the status quo and will make no considerable effort to change. The author believes that a sense of urgency is created only if leaders and leadership teams communicate with the people the gaps between what is what should be, provide them with credible reasons to change and more importantly motivate them to change by translating the sense of urgency into a cause. Vision. A vision is a clear and compelling picture that allows people to see how they will succeed after integrating change. A vision cannot be created successfully by the leaders alone. Just as people expect to be part of the change process, similarly everyone in the organization needs to share a vision as far as change and its positive impact is concerned. A sense of urgency should be created to break the monotony of routines and allow change to set in. Plan. Leading people effectively through change is only possible if the change is not only planned strategically and tactfully, but also steps are taken to implement the change. Looking at the bigger picture for too long reflects that change implementation is not on the priority list of the managers. Therefore effective planning for change should involve all the people who are likely to be affected; the resistors and the early adopters both; and should outline all necessary details required to implement the plan. Once outlined, the right infrastructure should be developed to support the change. Budget. Budget refers to the amount of money spent on change initiation. Unless the return on investment (ROI) is proportionate to the limited resources allocated for implementing change, financing change will always be difficult.For budgeting to be effective, it is important that the sponsors see the need and feel the urgency to bring about change and then allocate resources in the best possible way. Any necessary investments on infrastructure should not be withheld and managers should try to make the budget in the most cost-effective manner. Trainer. The role of a change trainer is very important as he is the one responsible for assessing people on whether they have the required skills to execute change and succeed. A trainer should be able to evaluate and address the concerns of the people expected to change by using a variety of change leadership strategies. He should possess the necessary expertise to mold with the situation and partner with the people of the organization in order to influence and increase their commitment to change. Incentive. Incentives are the reward and recognition people get when they bring about the desired change through their actions and behavior. Incentives do not necessarily mean monetary rewards. A lot many times, well-deserved recognition proves to be much more useful than mere money. The most important thing that the author has described as far as incentives are concerned is that different people need different incentives. Unless this is realized, employees will never embrace change willingly and effectively as their minds and hearts can only be tapped if it is known that what motivates them. Performance management.Performance management is the process through which goals and expectations are set regarding peoples behavior towards change by tracking their progress and providing feedback and guiding them on how to implement change. Accountability.Once goals and expectations are set, it is then through the process of accountability that followup is done as to whether peoples behaviors and results are in line with the goals. The act of accountability should ensure that managers walk the talk especially when behaviors and results do not match with the change initiatives. The role of accountability is very critical to the survival of change in any organization. Anyone, irrespective of their status and level in the hierarchy, should be held accountable for successful change implementation and managers should ensure two-way accountability where leaders and team members are partnered for performance. In addition to all the above-mentioned suspects, the author talks about four more characters, the stakeholders, and how they view the death of change. According to the stakeholders there are a number of barriers that are mostly ignored by the middle and senior level managers and only the front-line employees and supervisors are able to see them. For example, managers and leaders show resistance to new ideas even if employees see the need to implement them. Accountability occurs in the form of reprimanding workers for a job done bad rather than incentivizing them not to make errors. This also acts as a barrier to successful change implementation. When leaders do not walk the talk, employees are unable to feel the urgency to embrace change. Having described at length all factors that contribute towards the failure of change, the author solves the mystery in a very captivating way by making all the aforementioned characters responsible for the death of change. In the end he puts forth a series of questions that managers need to ask while undertaking change in their organization meanwhile applying the lessons of the story to real life situation. These questions will help the managers realize when a given change will be successful and when it might be at risk thereby helping them to design an action plan to address the risks to change. Critical Assessment of the Book Change can be successful only when the usual characters in an organization combine their unique talents and consistently involve others in initiating, implementing and sustaining change Ken Blanchard is a management guru who with his insightful, powerful and compassionate qualities has impacted the day-to-day management of people and companies more than anyone else. He is one of the most influential leadership experts in the world and has done some groundbreaking work in the fields of management and leadership. Ken is an expert storyteller who has an amazing knack for making seemingly complex matters easy to understand. Although there have been numerous books written on change management, yet it is the unorthodox style of presentation of Who Killed Change that makes it stand out. The authors, in a very fun and clever way, have highlighted the intricacies involved in organizational change and in the process have given some very important practical tips for managers of all types in organizations, both big and small. The study guide given at the end enables people to ask themselves some practical questions that will help them examine the change efforts that they are leading in their organizations. This study guide espouses the concepts of leading people through change, Blanchards hallmark program on Change Leadership, with the characters who conspired to kill change. The characters identified as suspects are unique in their names and descriptions, yet at the same time we can easily relate to them and spot them in any organization we work in. The most enthralling aspect of these characters, however, is that each one of their physical descriptions reflects flaws that became a cause of sabotaging change. For example, Clair Communication is suffering from Laryngitis. Change, unfortunately, cannot survive when communication in the organization is faulty and people who are advocates of change are not communicating with those who are resisting it. Another suspect, Victoria Vision, is myopic. If vision cannot see properly, how will it perform her role effectively? And this is what happens in organizations where change efforts do not succeed. The vision is so poor and weak that it is not transmitted to the concerned people and as a result, the desired outcome is not produced. Similarly, Carolina Culture is a small and unassuming character, whereas,for leading people through change, the culture of change needs to be so strong and distinguished that anybody, working at any level in the organization, is able to see and feel it. The role of Earnest Urgency is very critical in integrating change as a prioritymatter, however, it is always late and fails to instill in people the dire need to change. The plot of the story has been developed by John Britt, the senior co-author of Who Killed Change. John has been studying change for a long time and Ken Blanchard, alongwith his team of change experts, acquaints the readers with all the thirteen characters with reference to their organizational role, relationships and expectations and fits them together as pieces of a puzzle in the context of managing or murdering change.While doing so, however, the authors do tend to become a little too intense and forced. The notes shared by Agent McNally at the end of every chapter seem to stretch the description of the characters too far and one tends to lose interest in the story at this point. Although they help us see the picture of the murder from a neutral perspective, yet after having said so much in the chapters, they over-emphasize the details. Apart from this, I found the story very engrossing and the best part is the lessons it teaches about change on a subliminal level while making the reader enjoy the plot. Through the description and interrogation of each character, the author supports the fact that roughly 70% of change efforts in organizations fail as change is never easy. The practical questions given at the end of the book teaches all those people, who are even slightly authorized to initiate a change, how to identify and address the typical concerns that employees have regarding change as well as how to select an appropriate strategy to resolve these concerns. While writing the autopsy report of Changes death, the author has very pertinently highlighted three key assumptions regarding this murder. People leading the Change think that announcing it is the same as integrating it. Peoples concerns with Change are not surfaced or addressed. Those being asked to implement Change are not involved in the planning. These assumptions are true for all sorts of organizations and the lesson learnt is that anybody responsible for bringing about a change in the correct manner, should do so by consulting everyone and support and finance change with integrity and care. Only then will change thrive and sustain. Analysis and Evaluation of the Book Who Killed Change is a unique book on change management as it has lessons for leaders who are not just CEOs or regular managers but for everyone, be it supervisors, teachers, parents or even for anyone sitting at home. The common lesson for each of these people is how to take a concept or an idea and get it implemented in a way that people get committed and excited about it. This is what is ca-lled managing change and in todays world, each one of us has to be a manager of change. If we look carefully in the mirror around change efforts, we might find ourselves to be a suspect. In organizational settings, this book will help all the members of the organization to get familiar with change and eventually influence it. The lessons of the story are not restricted to any particular role in the organization. The way many organizations view change is that it is the responsibility of the leaders at the top to drive that change and while they certainly do have a role to play, the author and his team of change experts want leaders at all levels to be playing a role in bringing about change. Through this fun and clever murder mystery, the book teaches the managers to understand the dynamics operating in a company that kill change and assess whether it is a particular character like culture or vision, or is it some sort of leadership that has killed change. The managers need to realize that each of the dynamics in the organization has to work together for change to succeed. They just cant launch change through a marketing campaign and expect it to take root for people to embrace it. All the thirteen suspects are commonly found in any organization, and people can easily resonate with these characters, thereby making them even more real. Through their vivid descriptions, readers, whoever they are, can start thinking of the change they are involved in, the projects they are working on, and then develop a quick sense of how well the project is working and what are the areas for improvement. Who Killed Change is a useful book for small as well as large businesses as it introduces change in a fun way to all members of an organization while providing them with very practical tips on leading people through change. People do not resist so much to change as they resist to being controlled. Conclusion I would conclude this book review by applying the lessons of Who Killed Change to the educational institutions in our country. As mentioned above, each member of the organization is responsible for managing change. No doubt Principals and Head Teachers have a more important role to play in implementing and sustaining change, but teachers as classroom leaders are no less important. If a certain change is necessary for the very survival of the institution, then teachers should create the sense of urgency in a manner that leaders feel the need to implement it and then provide all necessary financial and moral support. This will show their commitment towards change. However, even if any one of the team members in the learning community fails to play its role, then it is eventually going to lead to the failure and death of change in the institution. Members of the staff will accept the status quo, and like Haw, a character in the well-known fable on organizational change, Who Moved My Che ese, they will never look for new opportunities and make no effort to change themselves as well as the institution as a whole. Hence the more united the vision of change is, the more successful the school will be in adopting the change.

Hair Dying Essay -- Dying Hair Color Essays

Hair Dying As people look around the different cities of our fair country, one might notice that many people nowadays are coloring their hair to cover grey or just for the fun of it. One difference among the younger generation and the older generation is the colors that are chosen for their hair. The younger generation of this day and age seem to prefer wild colors such as Infra Red, Mystic Heather, Deadly Nightshade, Tiger Lily, etc, as self-expression compared to the older generation choosing natural shades to cover the signs of aging. This can be seen in the rising number of young people that are seen around with these types of wild colors. Not all young people choose the wild colors over natural shades because some choose the natural shades as self-expression. Not sticking to the ways of their parents, teens are showing they can be more independent. Many of us do not want to grow up to be like our parents so coloring our hair is one way to be different. In the past our parents were u sually prohibited to color their hair unless it was a natural shade suck as black or brown. Today, we are allowed to dye our hair colors such as Infra Red, AfterMidnight Blue, Pillarbox Red or even Electric Lizard Green. A website by the name of Manic Panic.com caters specifically to the needs of those who color their hair wild shades of reds, blues, purples, pinks, etc. This company was one of the world’s first creators of such colors. The site offers many colors from the spectrum of all colors. There are such colors as Green Envy, Pillarbox Red, Cotton Candy Pink, and Virgin Snow, just to name a few. The founders of the site created the hair products for others and also for their use so anyone can enjoy transforming dull or natu... ...means you are going to be a crook or anything like that. The positive evidence is that many people are making their children work hard in school before they can color their hair. By doing this parents are making their children better because they are getting the education they need in order to succeed in today’s society. References D'Angelo, J. (2002, June 27). Real Men Color Their Hair. Retrieved March 17, 2004 from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,56219,00.html Gooby. (n d.). Tish and Snooky’s Manic Panic N.Y.C. Retrieved March 17, 2004 from www.manicpanic.com Klensch, E. (1996, December 26). Hair in many hues -- trend will continue into '97. Retrieved March 17, 2004 from http://www.cnn.com/STYLE/9612/26/hair/index.html Raguet, H., Nissen L, & Matteuci, C. (2000). L ´Orà ©al. Retrieved March 17, 2004 from http://www.loreal.com/us/

Global Imperialism :: essays research papers

Global imperialism began to take its toll on the world; a policy in which stronger nations extended their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories. As the United States began to plunge into the trend of overseas expansion, many wondered if the nation could justify its reasons for imperialism. The answer, my friend, is yes. It all began with European imperialism as Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Spain competed for African raw materials and markets. Soon after, Japan joined along with the European nations. There was much competition going around and surely the United States of America would not want to miss out on this opportunity to improve economy as its nation was producing more than it could consume. American businesses looked toward the rest of the world as a pillar of support for their growing industries. Senator Alfred Beveridge believed that imperialism was justified by the demands and economic competitions among the industrial nations. Today we are raising more than we can consume. Today we are making more than we can use... Therefore we must find new markets for our produce, new occupation for our capital, new work for our labor... Ah! As our commerce spreads, the flag of liberty will circle the globe and the highway of the ocean - carrying trade to all mankind - will be guarded by the guns of the republic. And as their thunders salute the flag, benighted (ignorant) peoples will know that the voice of liberty is speaking, at last, for them... that civilization is dawning at last, for them. --Senator Alfred Beveridge, 1898   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another reason that fueled America into imperialism was its belief in the creation of a strong naval force to contend in the growing political and military competition. Admiral Alfred T. Mahan desired military strength and argued that the U.S. Navy defend peace time shipping lanes. He suggested that the nation strategically locate bases in the Caribbean where fleets could refuel, as well as construct a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, and acquire Hawaii and other Pacific Islands.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americans and Europeans alike held a strong, superior Anglo-Saxon belief, claiming responsibility to civilize and Christianize the world’s â€Å"inferior† peoples. This idea based on social Darwinism gave many Americans the concept of making it their duty to civilize the natives. Not only did they feel it as their responsibility to do so, many claimed it was God’s Will.

Capital Punishment Essays †An Eye for an Eye -- Argumentative Persuas

Capital Punishment Essays – An Eye for an Eye Life is a precious gift from God. Even when a person has no material possessions, life is still possessed. In light of these observations it is logical to assume that murder, the taking of another's life, is the most heinous of crimes. Undeniably, penalties imposed upon criminals should match the crimes committed. Therefore, the worst crime possible, murder, should receive the worst penalty possible, death. One argument against the death penalty is the Bible tells us not to murder. Murder is the unlawful killing of one human being by another. The death penalty is the lawful killing of a human being after a trial by peers. So by definition the death penalty is not murder, but justice. Furthermore, as stated by Ed Koch, a former US Government official, "the execution of a lawfully condemned killer is no more an act of murder than is legal imprisonment an act of kidnaping". Finally, the sam...

International marketing management Essay

‘Self- Reference Criterion’ 1. Define problem or goals in terms of home-country cultural traits, habits and norms 2. Define problem or goals in terms of foreign cultural traits, habits and norms 3. Isolate the SRC influence in the problem and examine it carefully to see how complicates the problem 4. Redefine the problem without the SRC influence and solve for the foreign market Self-reference criterion (SRC) as an unconscious reference to ones own cultural values, experiences and knowledge as a basis for decisions. The SRC impedes the ability to assess a foreign market in its true light. For example, Americans may perceive more traditional societies to be â€Å"backward† and â€Å"unmotivated† because they fail to adopt new technologies or social customs, seeking instead to preserve traditional values. In the 1960s, a supposedly well read American psychology professor referred to India’s culture of â€Å"sick† because, despite severe food shortages, the Hindu religion did not allow the eating of cows. The psychologist expressed disgust that the cows were allowed to roam free in villages, although it turns out that they provided valuable functions by offering milk and fertilizing fields. Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one’s culture to be superior to others. The important thing here is to consider how these biases may come in the way in dealing with members of other cultures. Self-reference criterion importance to a marketing firm planning to enter international markets for the first time. Importance of Self-reference criterion as a topic of research Self-reference is a topic whose theoretical foundations have so far primarily been studied in the context of logic, the philosophy of language, systems theory, and post-modern culture. In computer science it has been a topic in the context of the recursively of Turing machines. In semiotics, there have been only few studies which have dealt explicitly with this topic, although marginal reflections on self reference can occasionally be found in the context of the theory of reference. Levels and degrees of self-reference criterion: Examples from advertising Just as signs may self-referentially refer to the world of signs, the media may refer to the world of the media in a self-referential manner. Citations, intertextuality, intermediality, met textual references, repetitions, recursions, and references to the communicative situation are some of the symptoms of self-reference in the media. Various degrees of self-reference must be distinguished, from the sign that refers to nothing but itself to the sign that refers only partially to itself and partially still to something else. Furthermore, self reference occurs at different levels of the message in which it occurs. Beginning with the smallest elements of the message, the first three levels of self-reference are derived from Peirce’s trichotomy of the interpret ant: 34 rheumatic (equivalent to the unit of a word), dicentic (equivalent to a proposition), and argumentative self-reference. In extension of this Peircean triad, textual, intertextual, intermedial and communicative self-reference will be distinguished. Communicative self-reference criterion Communicative self-reference pertains to pragmatics, the situation of text production and reception. The roles of the readers or the spectators and the enunciative roles of the authors, the producers, the actors or the players become the topic of the message. Instead of presenting or representing ideas or events in the world beyond the message, the text deals with its own communicative context, its communicative function, and its presuppositions. The text has thus its own pragmatic dimension as its topic. For example, the audience of a film is reminded of the fact that it is participating in the film while sitting in the film theatre. 38 Peter Greeanway’s actors that step out of their role as actors and mingle with the audience, or Alfred Hitchcock, who steps out of the role of a film producer to become an actor are further examples of communicative self-reference. B) International marketer must have knowledge of sub cultural groups Introduction Culture is concerned with social behaviour and attitudes, and this paper aims to highlight its significance for entry into foreign markets. Culture has been defined as â€Å"the integrated sum total of learned behaviour traits that are manifest and shared by members of a society†. Cultural factors have been itemized in the existing literature, but clearly among the most important are: customer beliefs and attitudes; morality, ethics and religion; social and consumption values; language and literature; social systems and social behaviour (especially the family); historical background; arts and aesthetics. Two authoritative studies have identified concepts of culture both as barriers to entry and as dynamic movers (Herkovits, 1970, Clutterbuck 1980). Furthermore, insufficient research attention has focused on defining more conceptual approaches to the internationalization of retailing and there is an even greater paucity of research into strategies for retailer entry modes; this is the main justification for this paper. In researching their approach to overseas markets, retailers must consider that culture can have an impact on their merchandising and promotion. The culture in which a person lives affects his/her consumption patterns and also the meaning that is attached to specific products. When promoting merchandise in a new culture, it is easier initially to appeal to existing culture requirements or expectations than to try to change them. Merchandising and promotion must be sensitive to the basic values of the country and the differences in patterns of consumption. Case Example (1) Entry into the Swiss Market In Switzerland, foreign dishwasher manufacturers and retailers expected the same rapid sales they had first obtained in other West European markets; but sales in Switzerland were so slow that research had to be done to find out why (this research should, of course, should have been done before, not after, market entry). The research showed that the Swiss housewife had a different set of values to, for example, her French and English counterparts; she was very conscious of her role as strict and hardworking, and her responsibility for the health of her family. To the Swiss housewife dishwashers simply made life easy, and this conflicted with her Calvinistic work ethic. As a result of this research, dishwasher manufacturers had to change their advertising – promoting, instead of ease-and convenience, hygiene-and-health. They did this by emphasizing that because dishwashers used temperatures higher than hand hot the process was more hygienic than washing up by hand. Thereafter retailers had no problem selling automatic dishwashers in Switzerland. Source: Author Cultures across countries High context culture – the meaning of individual behaviour and speech changes depending on the situation – nonverbal messages are full of important meaning (Read between the lines) – e. g. Saudi Arabia and Japan, written contracts are not always enforceable as new people move into executive positions (Chile, Mexico) Low context culture – intentions are expressed verbally – the situation does not change the meaning of words – e. g. India, China, Australia, New Zealand Cultural Assessment International retailers need to communicate meaning through the transmission of messages to people of different cultures if they are to succeed in the promotion of their products to enter foreign markets. Misunderstandings caused by cultural differences can seriously damage the image of a firm or product; therefore, in order to ensure the message transmitted is received in its correct form, the retailer needs to be completely aware of the implications of all the elements of the message in the foreign culture. Failure on behalf of the retailer to adapt to the intricacies of national customs and develop a rapport will lead to inadequate market entry strategies. Accurate communications are so vital that any risk of cultural misunderstanding needs to be eliminated. Firms must identify key management positions and insist that they are held, whenever possible, by someone of the same culture. Many firms make the mistake of putting nationals from the parent companies in charge of key positions within their foreign subsidiaries, often on the basis that fluency in the language is sufficient. In attempting to understand the most significant elements of the foreign culture, companies have to be vigilant and ensure a balance is maintained. There is no one method to adopt in the evaluation of other cultures for retailing purposes as the nature of the goods being offered should govern the method of assessment. The retailer must be sufficiently perceptive and guard against the over-exaggeration of the differences or the similarities between the foreign culture and its own. For example, in analyzing the United States market, a UK retailer may overemphasize a perceived common culture stemming from the common language and close political and economic relations. â€Å"A common language cannot indefinitely set the seal on a common culture when the geographical, political and economic determinants of the culture are no longer the same throughout its area. † The withdrawal of Marks and Spencer from the Canadian market in 1999 is a case in point; their precept was that the aforementioned â€Å"perceived† cultural affinity would facilitate acceptance of the St Michael brand name; in short the common language or heritage does not guarantee a common culture. A further complication in determining the important facets of a country’s culture is the existence of more than one culture or sub-culture within many nations world-wide. Table 1 lists a few states with cultural differences based along linguistic groupings and the problems these present to the international retailer. A cultural assessment will reveal a modal pattern, but a truly useful evaluation will also expose considerable variations within a group or a subset group. In fact, for some cultural characteristics, there may be a wider range within a given society than between societies. For example, young professional 25-30 year olds in Spain, France and Italy may have more in common, in terms of values, tastes and aspirations, than with their non-professional compatriots of the same age group. A cultural evaluation can be either static or dynamic. A static assessment serves only to identify the differences in variables between cultures, whereas a dynamic appraisal seeks to indicate which variables will change in the future, in what order and with what speed. For the international retailer, the identification of which changes would be readily accepted or rejected can mean the difference between success or failure. The analysis of a culture to ascertain the peculiarities of the population can be extremely expensive, time-consuming and unwieldy. Therefore, having conducted a rapid survey of key cultural elements of a nation, the international retailer with limited resources may choose to carry out a Partial Cultural Assessment which focuses on key elements fundamental to the success of its operations in any country. Table 2 shows several cultural factors, which could frustrate the progress of the operations in the event of a retailer failing to obtain accurate data from the assessment of the foreign markets; if a single element is incorrectly assessed, the effectiveness of the strategies will be diminished.

English Crucible Coursework Essay

In the established society of a small, Puritan town in the late 17th century, a lie by a minister’s niece sparks utter hysteria throughout the town of Salem. This quite minor fabrication causes a wildfire of deceit to burn throughout the town destroying homes, families and friendships. In the centre of this saga the marriage of John and Elizabeth Proctor has been diminished to a marriage of awkward silences and great mistrust by John Proctor adulterous relationship with Abigail Williams. As the town is in havoc, the Proctor’s marriage is also tested. The play portrays heir struggle to prevail I a world of treachery. In this essay of ‘The Crucible’, I am going to be examining the Proctor’s marriage in relevance to the theme of witchcraft and study why Miler put the marriage at the centre of the play.  When we first see the Proctor’s in Act Two, a conventional view of home life at that period time is portrayed the husband has been working hard on the land, while his wife cared for the children and tended to her family’s needs, but this scene also shows many things. I t shows the need for gratitude from each over, as if they need to please one another vastly. This is depicted many times when John begins to eat. Early on in the scene as Proctor comments on his wife’s food saying ‘It is well seasoned’ which we are aware is false as previously in entering the house he sampled the food and added more seasoning to it, the way this sentence is implied suggests that he is just trying to keep the peace between them. She is content with his praise and eve thrives on his delight in her and feels if she carries on pleasing him he will not go elsewhere for this gratitude, as to his previous mistress Abigail This is not one-sided as John states to Elizabeth after consulting her if she would like a cow he says, ‘I mean to please you’ with her reply being, ‘John I know’. This shows he is attempting to redeem his infidelity and prove to her al he wants is to make her happy and she is aware of his numerous efforts but cannot allow herself to forget the past months.  Elizabeth is still very apprehensive of John and questions him as soon as she is aware of his presence she begins to enquire into his delay home asking him, ‘what keeps you so late?’. Elizabeth shows great suspicion towards John; this is depicted through her eagerness to know what is keeping her husband. He justifies himself by declaring in his defence he was out farming. The premature view of the scene in Act Two reveals great suspicion in this marriage, as Elizabeth is fearful that he has been visiting Elizabeth. This parallels to the witchcraft trials of Salem and the scepticism of the inhabitants as to if someone may blindly accuse them next for minor things such as an argument in the past or over land restrictions. The weariness by the community is shown later in the Act when Reverend Hale is told of the arrest of Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse to this he declares, ‘†¦ Then nothing left to stop the whole green world from burning’. This statement refers to the suspicion in the town as when one lie has started it is difficult to stop it from causing more lies to arise, this declaration can also be interpreted as the ‘whole green world’ being the forest and when a forest fire is started it is almost impossible to stop the fire in comparison to the wildfire of lies spreading through the region. This leads to the lack of trust in the district of Salem and in the Proctor’s marriage .As we return to the early stages of Act Two we see the Proctor’s involved in a minor dispute as he tells Elizabeth of his moment alone with Abigail, this is where the mistrust in their marriage is exposed and laid bare Elizabeth in disbelief of what she was just confronted with, questions him and asks â€Å"you were alone with her†, and he discards her and tells her, ‘only for a moment, she reads into this as a lie and suspects their liaison has been reunited and is upset he has not informed her of this ‘moment’.  Elizabeth still detects that John is concealing something from her and because of her suspicions continuously questions him as we saw at the beginning of Act Two, her frustrations at him is shown when she says, ‘John you are not open with me’ which explains her distrust in John this is because she feels he is disguising a  Fabricat ion from her.