Managing across culture Essays - Cross-cultural Psychology

Managing across culture Essays - Cross-cultural Psychology Managing across culture Final choice of location Group members: Introduction A place to start a new operation has been looking by a multinational Corporation (MNC) from the food & beverages industry. This MNC already has main operations in France, USA, India and New Zealand. To select the location of new operation, national cultural values, optimization of productivity, efficiency, market penetration and cultural value-added should be taking into account. Hofstedes model was used to analyze the cultural differences between the potential new locations (Brazil and South Africa) and the existing locations. 1.Hofstedes model analysis As seen from the bar chart (Appendix1.1) Brazil, South Africa, France, USA, India and New Zealand show many differences on each dimensions of Hofstedes model. 1.1 Power Distance Power distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. It has to do with the fact that a societys inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. In corporations, power distance can indicate the social distance between employees and employer. India achieved the highest score compared with 5 other countries which is 77. This was followed by Brazil and then France at 69 and 68 respectively. In contrast, New Zealand, USA, and South Africa scored 22, 40, and 49 which are quite low. Consequently, power distance is far in India, Brazil, and France, which reflect that inequalities amongst people are acceptable in these societies. In that countries, the privilege of supervisors to be considered as a problem of course which significantly contribute to the implementation of authority and those features clearly not helpful to build harmonious relations between employees and managers. (Laura M. Milner, Dale Fodness, 1993). 1.2 Individualism- collectivism The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. It has to do with whether peoples self-image is defined in terms of I or We. In Individualist societies people are only supposed to look after themselves and their direct family. In Collectivist societies, people belong to in groups that take care of them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. Brazil and India gained low points in individualism dimension indicate that these societies are more collectivism, in which countries employee depend more on psychological contracts with the group. However, individual freedom and individual achievement are greatly important in the countries with high score on this dimension such as USA, New Zealand, France, and South Africa. The countries often consider encouragement and awareness of individual competitions. 1.3 Masculinity- femininity The masculinity societies will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner or best-in-the-field while in femininity countries, dominant values are caring for others and quality of life that is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. South Africa got highest mark on this dimension at 63, followed closely by USA with one lower, and then New Zealand and India (58, 56 respectively) . In these countries, behavior in work is based on the shared values that people should strive to be the best they can be and that the winner takes all. Also, people live in order to work, managers are expected to be decisive and assertive, the emphasis is on equity, competition and performance and conflicts are resolved by fighting them out. By contract, with a score of 43, France has a somewhat Feminine culture. At face value this may be indicated by its famous welfare system, the 35-hour working week, five weeks of holidays per ye ar and its focus on the quality of life. 1.4 Uncertainty avoidance This dimension is the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have beliefs and institutions to try to avoid these. France and Brazil got high score on this dimension, which is 86 and 76 respectively, in those people are hard- working and supervisors tend to control employees strictly. However, in countries with low uncertainty avoidance, such as New Zealand (49), South Africa (49), USA (46),India (40), uncertainty in life can be accepted easier and people can accept more suggestion and critics. Furthermore, employees in the low uncertainty avoidance countries

Toltec Art, Sculpture and Architecture

Toltec Art, Sculpture and Architecture The Toltec civilization dominated Central Mexico from its capital city of Tula from about 900 to 1150 A.D.. The Toltecs were a warrior culture, who dominated their neighbors militarily and demanded tribute. Their gods included Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Tlaloc. Toltec artisans were skilled builders, potters, and stonemasons and they left behind an impressive artistic legacy.    Motifs in Toltec Art The Toltecs were a warrior culture with dark, ruthless gods who demanded conquest and sacrifice. Their art reflected this: there are many depictions of gods, warriors, and priests in Toltec art. A partially destroyed relief at Building 4 depicts a procession leading towards a man dressed as a feathered serpent, most likely a priest of Quetzalcoatl. The most iconic piece of surviving Toltec art, the four massive Atalante statues at Tula, depict fully-armored warriors with traditional weapons and armor, including the atltl dart-thrower. The Looting of the Toltec Unfortunately, much Toltec art has been lost. Comparatively, much art from the Maya and Aztec cultures survives to this day, and even the monumental heads and other sculptures of the ancient Olmec can still be appreciated. Any Toltec written records, similar to the Aztec, Mixtec and Maya codices, have been lost to time or burned by zealous Spanish priests. In about 1150 A.D., the mighty Toltec city of Tula was destroyed by invaders of unknown origin, and many murals and finer pieces of art were destroyed. The Aztecs held the Toltecs in high regard, and periodically raided the ruins of Tula to carry off stone carvings and other pieces to be used elsewhere. Finally, looters from the colonial period to the modern day have stolen priceless works for sale on the black market. In spite of this persistent cultural destruction, enough examples of Toltec art remain to attest to their artistic mastery. Toltec Architecture The great culture that immediately preceded the Toltec in Central Mexico was that of the mighty city of Teotihuacn. After the fall of the great city in about 750 A.D., many of the descendants of the Teotihuacanos participated in the founding of Tula and the Toltec civilization. Therefore, it is no surprise that the Toltecs borrowed heavily from Teotihuacan architecturally. The main square is laid out in a similar pattern, and Pyramid C at Tula, the most important one, has the same orientation as the ones at Teotihuacn, which is to say a 17 ° deviation towards the east. Toltec pyramids and palaces were impressive buildings, with colorfully painted relief sculptures adorning the fringes and mighty statues holding up the roofs. Toltec Pottery Thousands of pieces of pottery, some intact but mostly broken, have been found at Tula. Some of these pieces were made in far distant lands and brought there through trade or tribute, but there is evidence that Tula had its own pottery industry. The later Aztecs thought highly of their skills, claiming that Toltec artisans taught the clay to lie. The Toltecs produced Mazapan-type pottery for internal use and export: other types discovered at Tula, including Plumbate and Papagayo Polychrome, were produced elsewhere and arrived at Tula through trade or tribute. The Toltec potters produced a variety of items, including pieces with remarkable faces. Toltec Sculpture Of all of the surviving pieces of Toltec art, the sculptures and stone carvings have best survived the test of time. In spite of repeated looting, Tula is rich in statues and art preserved in stone. Atalantes: perhaps the best-known surviving piece of Toltec art are the four Atalantes, or stone statues, which grace the top of Pyramid B at Tula. These tall human statues represent high-ranking Toltec warriors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Chac Mool: Seven complete or partial Chac Mool style statues were found at Tula. These sculptures, depicting a reclining man holding a receptacle, were used for sacrifices, including human sacrifices. Chac Mools are associated with the cult of Tlaloc.Relief and Friezes: The Toltec were great artists when it came to reliefs and friezes. One excellent surviving example is the Coatepantli, or Wall of Serpents of Tula. The elaborate wall, which delineated the sacred precinct of the city, is richly decorated with geometric designs and carved images of snakes devouring human skeletons. Other reliefs and friezes include the partial frieze from building 4 at Tula, which once depicted a procession towards a man dressed as a plumed serpent, probably a priest of Quetzalcoat l. Sources Charles River Editors. The History and Culture of the Toltec. Lexington: Charles River Editors, 2014.Cobean, Robert H., Elizabeth Jimà ©nez Garcà ­a and Alba Guadalupe Mastache. Tula. Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Economica, 2012.Coe, Michael D and Rex Koontz. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008Davies, Nigel. The Toltecs: Until the Fall of Tula. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1987.Gamboa Cabezas, Luis Manuel. El Palacio Quemado, Tula: Seis Decadas de Investigaciones. Arqueologia Mexicana XV-85 (May-June 2007). 43-47

Interactive and E-Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Interactive and E-Marketing - Essay Example The researcher of this essay focuses on the creation of a proposal that is aimed to launch an online company selling high quality headphones delivering all around the world. The company needs to provide the product through the websites that is interactive. E-business, which is discussed in the essay, is a business which allows the customers to sell trade and barter over the Web. The researcher also duggests the company’s policy, operations, technology and ideology that defines it's business model. B2C is a company based in Dubai. The products that are sold by this firm include headphones, woofers and speakers. Despite the fact that the company has been operating well, the researcher suggests that the trends and changes in the market of B2C company has called for changes. The fundamentals to the proposals success is the development of Four issues that the researcher describe and aims to achieve: attracting 200000 customers per month, converting 2000 of the 200000 of monthly vis itors into paying customers, ensure high levels of satisfaction and loyalty and securing financial funding enough to endorse a celebrity advertising as it is aimed at young people. These key proposals mentioned are highly dependent on securing a substantial budget justifying the proposal in commercial terms. The researcher then presents the establishment of the marketing plan of the B2C company, creates models for it's website and provides the detailed analysis of problems that may occure and compares the strengths and weaknesses of the suggested plan. Site design brief The design of the website will be done using the latest technologies that will enable it to advertise the services that are involved. Site architecture The site is organized in a way that there is a common entry point which is the home page. This makes it easy for the clients to identify the location they are in immediately they visit the web site. The three branches thatare the web services, online marketing and complain are the major services that the company offers. From the home page, the client can easily navigate to these sites with ease. In any of the said pages, one can encounter problems or may need to pay for that particular service; the third level therefore allows this ability of the web site (Baker, 1990). KEY COMPETITORS There two companies that sells the same product online and are our key competitors. These are Drebeats and Dennheiser. BUSINESS MODEL (STRATEGY) The company will adopt various strategies/models so that they are competitive in the marke t. This section will look at the various models that can be used. A business model is a method that is adopted by a business in order to sustain its activities. This is a model that will enable a business to get revenue. The Internet commerce is the most complex business that is hard to know the way money/revenue is made. 1 Merchant model / e-tailor model The site will provide visitors with arrange of headphones. Such a model is underpinned by generating a high level of traffic to the site and a high level of conversions. The types of merchant model can be in form of e-tailer which is an independent entity operating online or click and mortar which present a replica of traditional brick and mortar storefront (ler, & Swanson, 2004). 2 advertising model Revenue will be generated by selling space on site pages. Such space will be in demand by advertiser based on the content of the page which will be relevant information and article’s for the target market http://insight.think-tr ain.com/?p=22 Informediary The information concerning customers and their way of consumption are gathered and analysed to formulate market target. The BCB business will enter into an agreement with firms that act as infomediaries so that the buyers of the headphones will be assisted by the firm to know more about the product. Such firms can be offering other services. For example emails or social site gives space where the business premises who want to advertise will put their advert banner. This ad network always gathers information about the customers that can be used by the sellers to maximize market strategy. Another strategy is incentive marketing where a system is put in place to track the customer loyalty and reward them for example giving them gift of point that can be redeemed after some time (Sullivan & Liu 2011). AFFILIATES The model filters the content of the web page and gives the customer information on specific task for example the buying

Inference paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Inference paper - Essay Example ormal intuition is the essential property of our sensibility by means of which alone objects are given to us, and if this sensibility represents not things in themselves but their appearances, then we shall easily comprehend†¦ that all external objects of our world of sense must necessarily coincide in the most rigorous way with the propositions of geometry.† Kant further claims that this epistemological conclusion implies that objects in space are only representations of human sensuous intuition, as well as that â€Å"Pure space is not at all a quality of things in themselves†. This paper will seek to expound on the meaning of Kant’s claim, as well as to offer rejection of this claim. Kant’s arguments are mainly aimed at encouraging an appreciation for the limitations of human knowledge. He argues that it is impossible to have any knowledge beyond the empirical, which means that for human minds, transcendental knowledge is not real but ideal. These constraints to transcendental knowledge, in turn, have two a priori sources, in which the mind possesses sensibility or receptive capacity and understanding or conceptual capacity. Kant notes that sensibility refers to the means through which human understanding accesses objects. He further argues that synthetic a priori judgment in mathematics and geometry is possible because space can be considered as an a priori type of sensibility, which means that the claims of mathematics can be known with a priori certainty only where this experience of objects is our experience’s necessary mode. In addition, Kant also argues that without the ability to represent objects spatially, it is not possible to experience them. In this case, without delineating the space that an object occupies, it is not possible to grasp it. Without spatial representation, human sensations would remain undifferentiated, which would make it impossible to ascribe specific objects with properties. Kant also argues that time is a necessary

Self Managed Teams Essay Example for Free

Self Managed Teams Essay Self Managed Teams Introduction Self-managed teams (SMTs) are relatively small groups of employees given substantial responsibility for planning organizing, scheduling and production of work products or service. SMTs however are more than just another way of directing groups. The concept, according to John Simmons, involves nothing less than, the complete restructuring of the jobs that people does. Thus, Self-managed work teams are groups of employees tasked with monitoring and reviewing a product or process in a firm and coming up with solutions to problems they encounter. Self-organized semi-autonomous small group whose members determine, plan, and manage their day-to-day activities and duties (in addition to providing other supportive functions such as production scheduling, quality assurance, and performance appraisal) under reduced or no supervision. Also called self directed team, self-managed natural work team, or self managed team. Self managed teams are workers who have been organized into teams on the basis of relatively complete task functions. They make decisions on a wide range of issues, often including such traditional management prerogatives as: * Who will work on which machines or work operations * How to address inter-personal difficulties within the group * How to resolve quality problems, and so forth. Also, these teams usually consist of five to fifteen employees, who: * Produce an entire product instead of sub-units * Learn all tasks and rotate from job to job * Take over vacation scheduling, order materials etc. Such groups are self-regulating and work without direct supervision. Normally, a manager acts as the team leader and is responsible for defining the goals, methods, and functioning of the team. However, interdependencies and conflicts between different parts of an organization may not be best addressed by hierarchical models of control. Self-managed teams use clear boundaries to create the freedom and responsibility to accomplish tasks in an efficient manner. The main idea of the self-managed team is that the leader does not operate with positional authority. In a traditional management role, the manager is responsible for providing instruction, onducting communication, developing plans, giving orders, and disciplining and rewarding employees, and making decisions by virtue of his or her position. In this organizational model, the manager delegates specific responsibility and decision-making authority to the team itself, in the hope that the group will make better decisions than any individual. Neither a manager nor the team leaders make independent d ecisions in the delegated responsibility area. Decisions are typically made by consensus in successful self-managed teams, by voting in very large or formal teams, and by hectoring and bullying in unsuccessful teams. The team as a whole is accountable for the outcome of its decisions and actions. Self-managed teams operate in many organizations to manage complex projects involving research, design, process improvement, and even systemic issue resolution, particularly for cross-department projects involving people of similar seniority levels. While the internal leadership style in a self-managed team is distinct from traditional leadership and operates to neutralize the issues often associated with traditional leadership models, a self-managed team still needs support from senior management to operate well. Self-managed teams may be interdependent or independent. Of course, merely calling a group of people a self-managed team does not make them either a team or self-managed. As a self-managed team develops successfully, more and more areas of responsibility can be delegated, and the team members can come to rely on each other in a meaningful way Objective: The objectives of using SMTs are to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of specific tasks. This approach achieves these objectives by having SMT team members look beyond their individual task concerns, to the needs of specific groups and the entire organization. Benefits and uses of SMTs: †¢ Reduced absenteeism †¢ Increased productivity †¢ Increased employee satisfaction, morale cohesiveness †¢ Multi-skilled workforce benefit †¢ Greater level of personal responsibility to the companys targets †¢ Unique flexibility in job functions †¢ 100% of team members all pulling to a common goal †¢ A significant reduction in day-to-day problems †¢ Awards for achievement are shared equally The most beneficial aspects of self-managed teams are that they are management innovations that are based on an accurate understanding of human nature and motivation. They eliminate bureaucratic/pyramidal values and replace them with humanistic/democratic value systems. They provide a work climate in which everyone has a chance to grow and mature as individuals, as members of a team by satisfying their own needs, while working for the success of the organization. â€Å"Self managed teams are closely associated with the concept of employee empowerment which entails the employee to have the requisite authority and resources required by him to carry out his responsibilities. Roadblocks and risks of SMTs Three major SMT roadblocks and risks are listed: 1. The difficulty of rescinding the system, once it is established and experienced by the worker. 2. Varying levels and degrees of resistance by various elements in the organization. 3. Undue peer pressure and its consequences. How Self managed teams differ from Normal Work Team or group A self managed team differs from a normal work team or group in one essential way that the processes or the means to achieve the team goal are designed and decided by the team itself. Given the stiff competition at the global level, all organizations have been forced to focus on developing their human capital. Difference between Self directed team and Self managed teams Work Group A group of people working together Team A group of people working together toward a common goal Self-Managed Team A group of people working together in their own ways toward a common goal which is defined outside the team (Example James River Corporation’s Kendallville Plant ALPHA team. They manufacture cardboard b oxes as defined by executive leadership. Team does their own work scheduling, training, rewards and recognition, etc. Self-Directed Team A group of people working together in their own ways toward a common goal which the team defines (as above, but team also handles compensation, discipline, and acts as a profit center by defining its own future) Before anyone would try to implement something as aggressive as a self-managed (and subsequently self-directed) team, they should know and be able to articulate the expected benefits. A mature self-managed team, when compared to typical hierarchical management, would have measured results showing: How to Manage a Self-Directed Team Self-directed teams are quietly but effectively altering the landscape of corporate business management. Top level managers are finding that self-directed teams are 30 to 50 percent more productive than traditionally structured teams. Step 1 Keep the focus on the whole process. To manage a self-directed team its important to redirect focus on the series of individual steps, as in the Taylor model, to the entirety of the process. By focusing on the entire process, each member of the team is constantly aware of how they and the other members are contributing on a daily basis to accomplish the overall task. Step 2 Gradually transfer management skills and roles. Part of your job as a manager of a self-directed team is to transfer your skills and roles as a manager to the team. The team as a whole needs to receive managerial training. As they do so, the team must decide as a group on how to delegate and divide different roles. You need to manage this process to make sure that it runs smoothly. Step 3 Meet regularly. As a manager of self-directed team you need to reconsider your own role. Its important for you to think of yourself more as a floating member of that team, or as a team consultant, rather than as a supervisor or a manager. If there is anything that you are still supervising it is the implementation of the teams goals in terms of the companys overall mission and vision. Step 4 Give the team an opportunity to correct itself. In cases where a team is under-performing or making errors, you need to manage the situation by bringing the problem to the teams attention and soliciting possible action plans from the team to correct the problem. If the problems persist you should try to re-frame the teams focus or mission. Only as a last resort should you change the membership of the self-directed team. My Learning: Not all groups are teams Some people also use the word team when they mean employees. A sales team is a common example of this loose or perhaps euphemistic usage, though interdependencies exist in organization, and a sales team can be let down by poor performance on other parts of the organization upon which sales depend, like delivery, after-sales service, etc.. However sales staff is a more precise description of the typical arrangement. From Groups to Teams Groups develop into teams in four stages. The four stages are: dependency and inclusion, counter dependency and fighting, trust and structure, and work. In the first stage, group development is characterized by members dependency on the designated leader. In the second stage, the group seeks to free itself from its dependence on the leader and groups have conflicts about goals and procedures. In the third stage, the group manages to work through the conflicts. And in the last stage, groups focus on team productivity Recommendations and Suggestions: 1. To create a team, a demand for performance is more important than team-building exercises. You can get a group together and train them in teamwork for weeks but they won’t be a team until they have a common understanding of the need to perform. First comes the strategic plan, then the tasks needed to carry out the plan, finally, teams are formed to do the tasks. 2. Team basics are often overlooked. Team basics are: size, purpose, goals, skills, approach, and accountability. 3. Teams at the top are the most difficult. Executives have complex, long-term challenges, heavy demands on their time. 4. There’s no need to throw out the hierarchy. Teams are the best way to integrate across structural boundaries. They are the best way to design and energize core processes. 5. Teams permit performance and learning at the same time.

ANALYSE THE WHOLE I T CONFIGURATION OF A BIG COMPANY Essay -- essays r

ANALYSE THE WHOLE I T CONFIGURATION OF A BIG COMPANY 1. Introduction In today’s competitive market the firms are bound to reduce their costs and also maximize their profits. The only solution to achieve this objective is the usage of the Computer Systems, which are far more than computational and text processing tools. With their rapid expansion, and certainly via the Networks people can exchange and also sharing a variety of information, regardless of how far they are each other. The introduction of a new technology into a work environment has effectively increased the firm’s investment and also its productivity. Computers are not truly capable of intelligence and independent problem solving, but they become, as they are programmable from the human workers. Nevertheless, the new technology does not necessarily need to replace the workers in a workplace, but to help them to increase their productivity. Despite of these technological advantages, the Information Technology creates a gap between the rich people and poor, as the habitation of a computer system in our days, requires certain skills and money to spent. The company that it was selected for further analysis, as it concerns the current Information Technology configuration, is the P.P.C of Greece. 2. Description of the current configuration of P.P.C 2.1 The Mainframe In the early 1950s , the mid size and large companies were using the mainframes, which they occupy entire rooms for their existence. They are large and powerful computers and also very expensive. A professional staff is needed for the operation of those systems and also some special environmental conditions must be carefully set, such temperature and humidity in order that such a machine will functioning properly. Since 1990, the P.P.C’s Computer Center has one IBM’s mainframe R42 – 9672, with 512MB Real Memory and it is consisted of four processors with total speed 72,8Mips each. All these processors are connected, via 20 Escon technology parallel channels. There are also three large ranges RAMAC –RAID5, with 152 (DASDY) volumes in total, where each of them has a 1,89GB capacity. So the total capacity is 287.28GB. The current protocol that it is used is the Standard Network Architecture, with local controllers IBM-3174 and its duty is to set up certain rules for formatting and regulating the speed of the data, that they are t... ...an integrated database management system, which can distribute information, via a network and satisfies the needs of the top-level management within a company. The scope of such a system is to deliver to the managers the timely and relevant information, for the needs of the whole organization. The managers have access to the whole database anytime from their usual PC’s and there is also available information, which may be helpful for some important decisions to be taken very fast. The development of this system requires, very good analysis of the specific needs of the company, and also very professed and skilled programmers to develop it. 4. Conclusion By a large it seems that P.P.C is a well organized, as it concerns the Information Technology systems, but there is always some space for changes and ideas. Especially when we have to deal with the modern technologies, where every day something new is happened or new software is developed, or a new hardware is come up in the market. So, every big firm or organization, just like P.P.C in our case, must always beware of the technological improvements and upgrade the sooner its current Information Technology systems with new ones.

Preschool Observation Essay

My observation was October 18, 2011. It was about 8:00 in the morning when I began my observation. I went to Baptist Health Preschool. The observation enjoyable than the last. Just to see how active the children are at this age. The children had great imaginations when they were playing. The preschooler that I observed was three years old, had blonde hair, blue eyes she had on a red shirt, black pants, pink shoes and was female. She had no limitations or physical and made her a ghost for Halloween in the art area. When the caregiver asked about the colors she knew all the colors that the caregiver asked her. The setting was a very warm and welcoming environment. This classroom environment prepared the children for kindergarten with charts of numbers, days of the week, colors and shapes the children’s names were placed in an individual section of on the cubby shelf for their blankets. The room had a variety of bright colors which display a parent information board, daily schedule, labeled learning centers. They had the learning center in the right middle by the wall. The music area on the left on by the wall in the corner. The science area was in the middle of the room. The art area was in the right corner by the wall and supplies and also the walls had many pictures of the children creative art work. The play area was in the other left corner by the wall this area includes a play stove and refrigerator with plastic food. On the wall were different pieces of clothing that represented various professions and cultures. The supplies and also the walls had many pictures of the children creative art work. The floor was half different color carpet and half wooden.

Investment in the Indian Education Sector Essay

Education is the key to unlocking and building lasting value in a robust economy. For any country to grow and prosper, a well-positioned educated young population is the fundamental requirement to meet the demands of an increasingly global economy and productive value creation. India has amongst the largest student population in the world and a low literacy level of 74. 04% (2011)1. According to census 2011 figures, over 35. 3% of the 1. 21 billion people are between the age group 0-14 years. Additionally, there is shortage of employable manpower in various industry segments. In order to meet this existing and emergent demand, there is huge need of investments in the Indian education sector. Currently, education is primarily handled by the government through its infrastructure and budget outlays. But given the small budget outlays and complex regulatory structure, supply is lagging far behind the demand of education. Expenditure on Education as %age of GDP 6000 GDP in thousnad Crores 5000 3. 64 4000 3000 3. 36 2000 1000 0 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2,098 2,261 2,538 2,878 3,282 3,779 3. 51 3. 45 4,321 4,933 3. 81 3. 74 3. 80 3. 70 3. 60 3. 50 3. 40 % expendutire on education 3. 78 3. 78 3. 90 3. 30 3. 20 3. 10 Source: Ministry of Human resource and Development (MHRD), Government of India REGULATION India’s tightly controlled regulatory structure is the primary reason for shortage of quality education institutions. Being in â€Å"Concurrent list†, education is being governed by both Central and State government with huge variations amongst the state regulations. Currently, the government regulates who you can teach, what you can teach them and what you can charge them. Some of the key bodies regulating education in India are:? Schooling o Department of School Education and Literacy – MHRD o Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) o Various State Boards o National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) 1 Census of India, 2011 Page 3 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector ? Higher Education o Department of Higher Education – MHRD o University Grants Commission( UGC) o All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) o Statutory Councils ? Medical Council of India (MCI) ? Bar Council of India (BCI) ? National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) Voluntary Education and Skill Development o National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) o National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) ? In order to overcome this overlapping nature of various governing bodies especially in higher education, government is planning to come up with National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER). This commission would work as a single regulatory body which would determine, co-ordinate and maintain standards in promotion of higher education and research. It will subsume regulatory bodies such as UGC, NCTE and AICTE, thus making the process more streamlined. KEY POLICY/ACT ? Foreign Educational Institutions(FEIs) o Allows FEIs to setup multi-disciplinary campuses and award degrees o Mandates FEIs to reinvest surplus from Indian operations o Mandates FEIs to invest at least 51% of capital expenditure required o Regulates the admission process, fee structure, period of operation of FEIs Right to Education o Makes access to primary education a fundamental right o Mandates 25% reservation for underprivileged students in schools? BUDGET 2011 HIGHLIGHTS ? ? ? ? ? Allocated an amount of Rs 52,057 Crores for universalizing access to secondary education Allocated an amount of Rs 21,000 Crores for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Increased the total allocation by 24% over the previous year Lack in allocation of funds for Teacher improvement and training Lacked emphasis on the K-12 sector in terms of school improvement, quality control etc. EDUCATION IN INDIA Indian education sector has witnessed a series of changes in the last few years, which resulted in a significant increase in market size of the education industry. With economic growth and enhanced technology it has become necessary to develop the Indian education sector. Funds are a major concern in the market to meet this demand. The government has taken many initiatives for the development of education infrastructure which needs to be supplemented led by private players. The government has also opened the doors for foreign universities by passing Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010, which will help in shaping the education industry structure specially pertaining of higher education in India. A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector About 185,000 Indians study overseas and spend USD 4 billion annually. This is almost 10% of the private spend on education, coming from a very small 0. 001% segment of the student population. A number of these students are now returning to India after completing their studies, as job markets in India are more attractive, especially in contrast to weak macro scenarios in the western markets. Entry of leading foreign institutions will enable some of this USD 4 billion spend to stay in India, and also provide a much needed boost to quality. STRUCTURE Indian education system can be divided into formal and informal segments which are further divided into sub-segments. Formal education segment broadly comprises schools and higher education institutes. Schools often classified as K-12(Kindergarten to 12th) caters to ‘3-17 years’ age group. While higher education includes graduate, diploma, professional and post-graduation courses caters to ’18-22 years’ and above age group. On the other hand, informal education segment comprises of preschools, multimedia, ICT, vocational training, books and coaching classes. This segment is free from regulation as opposed to highly regulated formal education segment. Schools (K-12) Formal Higher Education Preschools Indian Education System Multimedia ICT Non-formal Vocational training Books Coaching classes Page 5 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS India is home to several well acclaimed International Schools and is increasing rapidly. This demand has been fuelled by parents looking for a new system of education which is more interesting and less stressful. Also, large number of NRIs resettling in India is also contributing to this demand. Being in India these schools have to adhere to certain requirements of the Indian national system irrespective of the examination system adopted by them. Most of the international schools opt for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Board. However, there are other examination systems like the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination systems which are also present. The IB is a recognized leader in the field of international education. It is a non-profit, mission-driven foundation that offers three programs for students aged 3 to 19. ? ? ? Primary Years Programme (PYP) Middle Years Programme (MYP) Diploma Programme -For students aged 3 to 12 -For students aged 11 to 16 -For students aged 16 to 19 In India, most international schools offer IB Diploma Programme. In this students study six courses at higher level or standard level. Students must choose one subject from each of groups 1 to 5, thus ensuring breadth of experience in languages, social studies, experimental sciences and mathematics. The sixth subject may be an arts subject chosen from group 6, or the student may choose another subject from groups 1 to 5. Additionally, the programme has three core requirements that are included to broaden the educational experience and challenge students to apply their knowledge and understanding. The â€Å"extended essay† is a requirement for students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the subjects they are studying. â€Å"Theory of knowledge† is a course designed to encourage each student to reflect on the nature of knowledge by critically examining different ways of knowing (perception, emotion, language and reason) and different kinds of knowledge (scientific, artistic, mathematical and historical). â€Å"Creativity, action, service† requires that students actively learn from the experience of doing real tasks beyond the classroom. Students can combine all three components or do activities related to each one of them separately. Some of the International Schools in India:? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Aditya Birla World Academy-Mumbai American Embassy School- New Delhi Amity Global School-New Delhi D Y Patil International School-Mumbai and Nagpur Dhirubhai Ambani International SchoolMumbai GD Goenka World School-Gurgoan Indus International School-Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune KiiT International School-Bhubaneswar Pathways School-Gurgoan, Noida and NewDelhi Stonehill International School-Bangalore Sharad Pawar International School-Pune Doon School -Dehradun Page 6 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS SEGMENTS BASED ON KEY PARAMETERS. Growth Prospect Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Regulated No Yes Yes No No No No No Scalable Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Possibility to Create Value Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No Preschool Schools(K-12) Higher Education Multimedia ICT Coaching Classes Vocational Training Books GROWTH DRIVERS ? ? Demographic advantage o As per Census 2011 ,35. 3% of the Indian population is under the age of 14 Increasing awareness o Increase in awareness towards education as a priority and essential tool for career growth o Increase in job opportunities and salaries offered making investment in education prudent Human Resource driven economy o Increase in  the demand for an educated skilled workforce by services sector o Share of service sector in GDP increased from 30% in 1950 to 55% in 2007. Technology aided delivery o Increase in penetration of technology resulting in virtual learning and education delivery New employment avenues o Newer employment avenues such as KPO, LPO, retail, aviation, animation etc. demanding highly skilled manpower ? ? ? INDUSTRY FORECAST SCHOOLING. Segment Pre-School K-12 Tutorial Books Stationery Education CD-ROMs Multimedia in School Total 2008 1,200 21,000 5,000 1,700 1,380 120 25 30,425 CAGR 20%-25% 5%-10% 8%-13% 5%-10% 5%-10% 25%-30% 60%-70% 2013 3,500 30,800 8,000 2,400 2,000 390 320 47,410 CAGR 10%-15% 5%-10% 5%-10% 3%-8% 3%-8% 20%-25% 50%-60% 2018 5,800 43,200 11,800 3,000 2,600 1,100 3,300 70,800 (Figures in USD million) Page 7 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector HIGHER EDUCATION. Segment Higher Education Preparatory Total 2008 6,700 1,600 30,425 CAGR 8%-13% 13%-18% 2013 11,200 3,200 47,410 CAGR 7%-12% 10%-15% 2018 18,100 5,900 70,800 (Figures in USD million) VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT Segment Child skill enhancement IT training E-learning Finishing school Vocational Teacher training Total 2008 740 195 45 25 1,500 15 2,520 CAGR 20%-25% 35%-45% 35%-45% 50%-60% 15%-20% 50%-60% 2013 2,200 1,050 240 235 3,100 140 6,965 CAGR 17%-22% 33%-38% 33%-38% 45%-55% 10%-15% 45%-55% 2018 5,600 4,700 1,100 1,800 6,200 1,100 20,500 (Figures in USD million) Source: Technopak report on India Education Sector INVESTMENT SCENARIO With an education network of more than one million schools and 20,000 higher-education institutes, the market size of the Indian education system is estimated at more than US$40 billion2 (2009). However, inadequate infrastructure has placed pressure on the sector’s overall development. Education sector is unable to cope with growing market demand and global competition due to constrained investments. Increased private investment is imperative to expand infrastructure and provide greater access to quality education. Also, Government is planning to set up an education ? nance corporation with an investment of around US$4–5 billion, which aims to provide the education sector with long-term, low-cost ? nancing. PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (PPP) PPP can provide the much needed finance to the education sector while serving as an efficient operating model. Establishing strong partnerships between private and public sector can achieve the growth. POSSIBLE PPP STRUCTURE The educational institute (special purpose vehicle) is set up as a Society or Trust, as per applicable guidelines. The UGC, AICTE or some other central regulatory body approves norms and standards of the institute. The state provides applicable administrative and financial support to the institute. Capital outlays are met by an educational services entity which 2 E&Y’s Private Equity Round Up April-June 2010 Page 8 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector provides infrastructure. The educational services entity charges a fee for use of facilities by the Society or Trust. Finally, the infrastructure facilities are transferred to the institute after a particular time period. Central Government State Government AICTE, UGC approvals Provision of grants Local approvals Land and utilities Trust/Society Service fees Infrastructure Service Provider Transfer of Infrastructure after prescribed time period Source:-2009 E & Y – EDGE 2009 report on Private Enterprise in Indian Higher Education KEY PLAYERS GLOBAL ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Apollo Group (USA) Mcgraw-Hill (USA) Pearson Plc (England) Benesse Corp (Japan) Devry Inc (USA) ITT Educational (USA) Strayer Education (USA) New Oriental (China) Career Education (USA) Corinthian College (USA) Capella Education (USA) Raffles Education ( Singapore) Mega Study ( South Korea) SkillSoft ( USA) Page 9 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector INDIA FORMAL ? ? Preschool o Kidzee o Euro Kids Multimedia in private schools o Educomp o Everonn o NIIT Vocational Training o NIIT o Aptech o Frank Finn Coaching Classes o FIIT-JEE o TIME o Career Launcher Books o Tata Mcgraw Hill o John Wiley o Navneet Publications ? INFORMAL K -12 (School) o Millennium Schools (Part of EduComp) o Kids Zee High o Billabong High (Part of Kangaroo Kids) o GEMS ( Dubai based) Higher Education o Manipal Education o Amity o IIPM o ICFAI ? ? ? ? MAJOR DEALS INVESTMENTS ? ? ? ? Rs10 billion investment plan from educational institutes in Haryana’s Rajiv Gandhi Educational City ( January’11) RS 28. 08 billion investment for setting up 20 IIITs under PPP route ( January’11) Everonn Rs 36 billion investment plan to setup 300 K-12 schools by 2015 (July’10) Educomp Rs 510 million contract to provide computer education in Bihar’s schools (May’10). PRIVATE EQUITY DEALS Education sector has witnessed 29 PE deals (refer Exhibit 1), cumulatively worth US$381 million, between January 2006 and June 2010 (as per Private equity roundup April-June 2010 by Ernst and Young). The majority of these investments have been in for-pro? t corporate entities that are not subjected to any government regulations. In future, with increased government spending and expansion plans of private players, the potential for PE investments in the Indian education sector is significant. Additionally, sector’s less correlation with the broad economic growth makes it more attractive. Page 10 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector SEGEMENT WISE BREAKUP OF PE INVESTMENTS IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF DEALS 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 3 3 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 Vocational Preschool K12 Education technology 4 College/University 3 Coaching 2006 2007 2008 Number of Deals 2009 2010 SEGMENT WISE BREAKUP OF PE INVESTMENTS IN TERMS OF DEAL VALUE 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2006 2007 83 30 74 1 2008 43 2009 2010 12 13 10 37 5 9 23 Vocational 39 Preschool K12 Education technology College/University Coaching 67. Deal Value ( US$ million) Sources: Asian Venture Capital Journal; Dow Jones Factiva; ISI Emerging Market MAJOR ISSUES ? ? ? ? ? Overregulated and under- governed Not for profit structure and all surplus needs to be reinvested High involvement of politicians in higher education industry with no willingness to change the existing structure High land prices and hoarding of land reserved for educational purposes for resale Fragmentation in the sector due to difficulties in achieving scale Page 11 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector.

22 Signs Your Boss Hates You

22 Signs Your Boss Hates You We all think from time to time that our bosses hate us.   Rest assured, 9  times out of 10, the problem is entirely in our heads. But just in case you’re in one of those rare situations, it’s best to know the truth. At least that way you stand a chance of changing his or her view of you. Here are 22 possible signs that your boss  probably hates you, a lot.1. Your gut tells you soYou’ve just got a bad feeling about it. Are you usually spot on with your gut feelings? If you are, you might consider taking this as a preliminary clue, rather than as a sign that you are crazy or overly anxious.2. You’re out of the loopYour boss doesn’t come to you with tasks or questions or involve you in big decisions and discussions. In general, you’re not asked for input on anything of import, which may mean you aren’t valued.3. He doesn’t look you in the eyeThis could be a sign that your boss  is harboring a bit of hostility and would rath er that go undetected. Also eye contact in general signals a certain degree of attention and trust, which you aren’t getting.4. She never smiles at youOr even around you. If this can’t simply be explained by a mood swing or a bad week, then you might start asking yourself questions.5. You’re the only one getting micromanagedMicromanagers are the absolute worst. But if you notice that no one else in your office is being subject to the same treatment, that’s a surefire sign you’re on the naughty list.6.They avoid youIf your boss is always nipping out of the room when you enter, waiting for another elevator, swerving around a cubicle to avoid your eye, and never overlapping during your main work hours†¦something is up.7. You barely existYour boss doesn’t acknowledge your presence or arrival with a simple nod or hello or â€Å"have a good night.† Seriously, how hard is that? There has to be a reason.8. You’re getting monosylla blesAll your questions, even â€Å"How are you?†s are met with one word answers. And emails are perfunctory with no nice greetings or signatures. Basically, if you feel you’re getting the silent treatment from a teenage girl.9. Bad body languageCrossed arms, impatience, not looking up when you enter their office†¦ and generally projecting an air of standoffishness.10. You’re in email jailWhereas your boss routinely has small meetings or conversations with your coworkers, she communicates with you solely over email, as if avoiding face time.11. You’re not on the insideAnytime there is a special project or important meeting, you’re not involved.12. She keeps her door closedThough, that might be a sign that your boss hates everyone, not just you.13. The wall of â€Å"no†You can’t get anything right. Every suggestion you make is put down. Every answer you give is corrected. You ask for something and you get a big fat â€Å"no.† It’s even more telling if your boss is not like this with your other coworkers.14. He  doesn’t ever get personalEven in a particularly all-business office, personal conversations crop up now and again. If your boss is asking your coworkers about their kids and weekends and hobbies, but never you? Bad sign.15. You get all the grunt jobsYou keep getting assigned all the jobs that no one else would touch with a 10-foot pole, well below your pay grade and experience.16. She’s stingy with the feedbackEven when you ask for it. She doesn’t seem to care whether you progress or your work improves. This sort of indifference is not good for your relationship or your career.17. She gives you plenty of feedback (negative, and publicly)You’re voted Most Likely To Get Dressed Down at the Meeting. If your boss is going out of her way to embarrass or humiliate you, you’re in big trouble. That disrespect is highly unprofessional, so it’s probably c oming from somewhere deep.18. You’re not in on the jokesIt’s like middle school all over again and you’re on the outside of all the inside jokes. If there’s a lot of banter in your office and you never have to take a turn getting roasted, that could also be a bad sign.19. He takes the creditEvery good thing you manage to accomplish, and every good idea you have, seems to be presented in the end as his.20. Your good projects get reassignedThe one thing that kept you getting jazzed about coming into work? Gone next Monday. Given to someone else with little explanation. It’s like someone took your toy away.21. You hear the phrase â€Å"personality clash†If your boss says something like this out loud to describe your relationship, then chances are she doesn’t like you very much. This is polite speak for I HATE YOUR GUTS GET OUT OF MY FACE.22. You seem to make her  horribly impatientYour boss has all the time in the world for the office dunce, for other people’s mistakes, but zero for you. She’s always short and curt and jiggling her foot.If any of these 22 warning signs ring true for you, it might be worth a conversation, a strategy on how to change the situation, or even a search for another job. But, like we said, better to know!

Adverse vs. Averse

Adverse vs. Averse Adverse vs. Averse Adverse vs. Averse By Mark Nichol Adverse and averse share the root verse, which stems from the Latin term vertere, meaning â€Å"to turn.† But their meanings are distinct and, taken literally, antonymic: Adverse, from the Latin word adversus (â€Å"turned toward, facing†), means â€Å"antagonistic†; the original term conjures of image of confrontation. Averse, meanwhile, comes from aversus (â€Å"turned away†) and means â€Å"strongly disinclined† or â€Å"strongly unfavorable to.† Other forms of adverse are adversary, meaning â€Å"opponent,† and adversity, referring to the quality of opposition. Adversary is also an adjective, but, perhaps because of confusion with the noun form of that word, adversarial came to prevail in that usage. Avert, meanwhile, is related to averse and means â€Å"to turn away, to avoid.† (Veer, though it has the same meaning, is unrelated; it’s from a Germanic word meaning â€Å"to slacken.†) A whole family of other words with the verse root exist: Converse means â€Å"the exact opposite† and has the noun and verb form convert, meaning â€Å"someone who turns† and â€Å"to turn,† respectively, and the noun form conversion, referring to the act of converting. Converse also means â€Å"to speak with someone† (to â€Å"turn† speech) and leads to the adjective conversant and the noun conversation. (The latter used to also mean â€Å"living together† or â€Å"having sexual relations.†) Diverse, originally divers, means â€Å"distinct† and is the parent of diversity, divergent, divert, and diversion. Extrovert, which means â€Å"turned outward,† is mirrored by the antonym introvert. (These also serve as noun forms.) Inverse means â€Å"turn about† or â€Å"turn over† and has the verb form invert and the noun form inversion. Obverse, meaning â€Å"turned toward,† is the opposite of reverse, â€Å"turned away,† which, unlike the more rarely used obverse, has a noun form, too: reversal. Perverse, which means â€Å"turned away (from what is correct),† has the noun forms pervert, for a person, and perversion, for the quality. Transverse means â€Å"turned across† (the rare noun form is transversal), and traverse means â€Å"to pass across.† Versus also ultimately derives from vertere by way of, well, versus. (The Old English suffix -weard, from which we derive -ward seen in toward, forward, and so on is akin to versus.) Other related words include verse (from the idea of â€Å"turning† from one line of verse to another), versed (â€Å"knowledgeable† literally, â€Å"one who knows verses,† with the connotation of one who â€Å"turns over† a subject of study), and versify, or â€Å"write verse.† Anniversary, meanwhile, literally means â€Å"year turning,† and universe, originally meaning â€Å"all together,† is derived from the words for â€Å"one† and â€Å"turn.† University, referring to a place of learning, stems from the idea of â€Å"whole,† with the connotation of â€Å"community.† (Varsity, an alteration of a shortening of university, denotes the primary group of athletes in any sport who represent a university or other school.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with225 Foreign Phrases to Inspire YouAffect vs. Effect

Management- Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management- - Case Study Example In 1983 Benetton had sales of $351 million, from 2600 stores in Europe. The supply chain can be described as the network, covering the various stages in the provision of products or services to customers (Monks, 1996). It includes not only manufacturers and suppliers, but also transporters, warehouses, distributors, retailers, etc. The number of stages in the supply chain depends on the customers' needs, and the role each stage plays in fulfilling their needs. Supply Chain Management (SCM) integrates procurement, operations and logistics to provide value added products or services to customers. Effective management of the supply chain helps organizations meet customer requirements on time, with the desired quality specifications, in a cost-effective manner, through the coordination of different activities which transform raw materials into final products or services ((ICMR), Operations Management, 2003). Supply Chain Management can provide both tangible and intangible benefits to an organization. Tangible benefits include revenue growth, improved facility utilization, optimized inventory management, etc. Intangible benefits include improvement in quality, improvement in customer satisfaction, and enhanced customer and supplier techniques (Dilworth, 1992). Supply Chain Management has become on of the key areas that organizations are focusing on to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of the production process (Chopra, 1992). Four key drivers of supply chain performance are inventory, transportation, facilities and information. They help determine not only the responsiveness and effectiveness, but also the strategic fit of the supply chain. Inventory - Inventory includes raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods in the supply chain. Inventory exists in organizations due to a mismatch between demand and supply. Inventory is also maintained to increase the responsiveness of organizations to sudden increases in customer demand. Transportation - Organizations use transportation to move components and products between the different stages of the supply chain. Transportation decisions are made on the mode of transportation and route to use in the transfer of products from one point to another. Facilities - Facilities are the locations in the supply chain where the raw materials and finished goods are stored, and where work-in-progress materials are assembled or fabricated, and from which finished goods are distributed. Facility's capacity and location has significant affect on the performance of the supply chain. Information - Sometimes, the value of information as a supply chain driver is undermined due to its abstract quality. However, in reality, it is one of the key drivers affecting the performance of the supply chain. As the supply chain is made up of various entities, proper coordination is the key to improving the efficiency of the supply chain system. The flow of information also affects the performance of other drivers. With proper information, organizations can predict the quantity to produce, when it is needed and where it is needed. This makes the supply chain more effective and responsive to market demand. In order to service the needs of customers and fulfil their expectations and to meet the organizations'