Chocolate Confectionery Industry Essay

This report will help you to uncover opportunities and understand the key issues affecting your market. How? By giving you instant access to analysis and critical recommendations. It will also challenge routine thinking by providing fresh, new perspectives that energizes your thought processes. Table of Content Introduction Definition Abbreviations Executive Summary The market Figure 1: Value sales and forecast in the UK chocolate market, by segment, 2008-13 Forecast Figure 2: Value sales and forecast in the UK chocolate market, 2008-18 Market factors Improving real spending should facilitate trading up Industry responds to health considerations Demographic changes pose challenges to chocolate Companies, brands and innovation Cadbury Dairy Milk extends its lead Figure 3: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK chocolate confectionery market, by value and volume, 2012/13 and 2013/14 Adspend falls in 2013 NPD looks to playfulness The consumer The consumer – Usage Figure 4: Frequency of eating chocolate, December 2013 The consumer – Reasons for eating chocolate confectionery Figure 5: Reasons for buying chocolate confectionery, December 2013 The consumer – Attitudes towards chocolate confectionery Figure 6: Attitudes towards chocolate confectionery, December 2013 The consumer – Factors influencing choice of chocolate as a gift Figure 7: Factors influencing choice when buying chocolate as a gift, December 2013 What we think Issues and Insights Faced with health concerns, chocolate can look to small formats and play off its image as a source of energy The facts The implications Innovation in tablets has hit chocolate assortments The facts The implications Hot drinks occasion and baking offer growth potential The facts The implications Browse Full Report With TOC: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/196225 Trend Application Trend: Extend My Brand Trend: Make it Mine Mintel Futures Trend: Brand Intervention Market Drivers Key points Expected growth in consumer spending could fuel trading up Figure 8: Consumer expenditure, at current and constant 2013 prices, 2008-18 Government’s Responsibility Deal invites industry to cut calories Removing confectionery from checkouts recommended to curb impulse purchase Chocolate manufacturers plan for sustainable future supply Demographic changes pose opportunities and threats Under-35s are core users of chocolate Figure 9: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2008-13 and 2013-18 Rise in older cohorts will potentially dampen growth The E demographic is expected to see rapid growth Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses Who’s Innovating? Key points Tablets surpass seasonal launches in category share Figure 10: Share of new product launches within the UK chocolate confectionery market, by product category, 2010-13 Brands come out to play Plain flavour loses share in new launches Figure 11: Share of new product launches within the UK chocolate confectionery market, by flavour (incl. blend), 2010-13 For More Latest Reports Under the Same Category: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/category/135 Market Size, Segmentation and Forecast Key points Market size and forecast Figure 14: UK value and volume retail sales of chocolate, 2008-18 Figure 15: Value sales and forecast in the UK chocolate confectionery market, 2008-18 Chocolate market sees sustained value growth through recession Market Share Key points Own-brand loses share despite pressures on budgets Figure 20: Leading brands’ sales and shares in the UK chocolate confectionery market, by value and volume, 2012/13 and 2013/14 Mondelēz powers up its CDM portfolio with stunning results Mars’ portfolio sees mixed results as Galaxy takes a knock but Maltesers powers ahea About Us Marketresearchreports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. Marketresearchreports.biz services are especially designed to save time and money of our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries. Contact M/s Sheela 90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA – Canada Toll Free: +1-866-997-4948 Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Site: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

Community Health in the Event of a Sars Outbreak Essay

SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) is a respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus, originally reported in Asia in February 2003 and spread to over two dozen countries before being contained (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2005). Once infected, individuals with SARS initially develop a high fever and other flu-like symptoms including headache, body aches and â€Å"overall feeling of discomfort† before, in most cases, progressing to pneumonia (CDC, 2005). The disease was first diagnosed in a middle-aged man who had flown from China to Hong Kong. A few days after the announcement of the disease, rumors and panic began to spread, causing people to buy out food and supplies, as the Chinese government insisted the disease was under control and insisted on calm (â€Å"Timeline,† 2003). As the disease killed the man and the physician diagnosing the disease, it continued to spread through multiple countries, infecting thousands of people and killing hundreds (â€Å"SARS,† 2011). By the end of the month, Hong Kong and Vietnam were reporting cases of severe and â€Å"atypical† pneumonia (â€Å"Timeline,† 2003). In March 2003, the WHO issued a global health alert and an emergency travel advisory, and United States officials encouraged all citizens to suspend non-essential travel to the affected countries and Singapore, Ontario and Hong Kong initiated home quarantine (â€Å"Timeline,† 2003). Schools in Southeast Asia closed and there were significant economic effects as well as air travel stalled and business worldwide was affected. In April, countries threatened to quarantine entire planeloads of people if anyone on board showed symptoms, and others threatened jail time for those who obstruct the attempts to control the disease (â€Å"Timeline,† 2003). On April 3, 2003, SARS became a communicable disease for which a healthy person suspected of being infected in the United States could be quarantined against their will (â€Å"Executive Order,† 2003). By June 2003, the number of new cases had slowed down enough to end the daily WHO updates and travel advisories were slowly being lifted (â€Å"SARS,† 2011). On July 5, the WHO declared SARS had been contained (â€Å"WHO,† 2003). As of 2005, no new cases of person-to-person transmission have been reported (â€Å"Surveillance,† 2005). Indicators and Data The main epidemiological indicators for SARS identified by leading healthcare organizations such as the WHO and EpiNorth are the incubation period, infectious period, and case-fatality ratios (World Health Organization: Department of Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response [WHO/DCDSR], 2003; Kutsar, 2004). According to the WHO, the median incubation period reported was 4-5 days, with a minimum reported incubation period of 1 day in 4 cases and a maximum of 14 days reported in China. After further analysis of 1425 cases it was determined that 95% of patients would begin to experience symptoms within 14. 22 days on infection (WHO/DCDSR, 2003). The infectious period, or the period of communicability, was determined to be within the second week of illness, when patients are more severely ill and experiencing rapid deterioration (Kutsar, 2004). During the SARS outbreak of 2003, 8,093 people were infected and 774 of these people died as a result of their infection, with a case-fatality rate of 9. 6% (CDC, 2005; â€Å"Revised U. S. Surveillance,† 2003). The cases were reported from 29 countries on 4 continents, with 29 cases from the United States (â€Å"Revised U. S. Surveillance,† 2003). Other epidemiologic factors affecting the spread of SARS were found, as well. Twenty-one percent of all cases were healthcare workers involved in procedures that generated aerosols, with 3% of the United States cases and 43% of the Canadian cases being people in this group (Kutsar, 2004). Other risk factors found included â€Å"household contact with a probable case of SARS, increasing age, male sex and the presence of co-morbidities† and, in China the slaughter of wildlife for human consumption (WHO/DCDSR, 2003, p. 14). Routes of Transmission In the laboratory setting, the virus was found in respiratory droplets, feces, saliva, tears and urine (WHO/DCDSR, 2003). SARS is primarily spread through close, personal contact, such as kissing, hugging, eating or drinking, as well as being within 3 feet of a person who coughs or sneezes while infected and shedding the virus. These activities allow the respiratory droplets shed during these activities to come in contact with mucous membranes found in the eyes, nose and mouth (Kutsar, 2004). Other modes of transmission include aerosolizing procedures in hospital settings and contamination of surfaces in â€Å"healthcare facilities, households and other closed environments† (Kutsar, 2004, para. 12). There has been no confirmation of fecal-oral transmission or of transmission via water or food; however, over one-third of the earliest cases in China were among food handlers (Kutsar, 2004). Finally, there is a possibility of animal vector transmission, as discussed in regards to the Hong Kong’s Amoy Gardens (WHO/DCDSR, 2003). Effect of Outbreak on Community The SARS outbreak caused major effects on the communities affected. Based on the 2003 outbreak, one can assume similar issues would develop should the disease recur. The biggest impact to communities affected would be the strain on the healthcare system. Since SARS is a largely respiratory disease, it can cause very serious problems in the patients infected, requiring hospitalization in many cases. In the 2003 outbreak, population most likely to develop SARS was healthcare workers. As such, an increase in hospitalizations within a community with a decreased amount of healthcare workers worsens the strain on the community’s healthcare system. Further effects on the community in the event of a SARS outbreak would be seen in the closing of public buildings, such as schools. If the schools closed, as they did in Southeast Asia during the 2003 outbreak, families with two working parents would have to find alternatives for their children. With employment rates in the United States being low at this time, many people may be hesitant to ask for time off work, fearing that someone else would easily replace them in their position. These concerns could also increase the possibility of mass transmission, as many people may try to continue working while sick, not realizing they were carrying the deadly disease. Additionally, many people may procrastinate seeking medical advice on their symptoms, fearing they would be instructed to stay home from work, hospitalized or even quarantined. As evidenced in laboratory studies of the virus, virus secretion increases as the disease lingers (Kutsar, 2004). Simply, the longer a person is infected, the more easily they transmit the infection to others. As more and more of the community becomes infected, and possibly quarantined, other services in the community will suffer. Grocery store shelves may remain empty longer, as healthy staff struggle to keep up with the demand. Mail delivery may lengthen due to more postal carriers becoming ill and staying home. Businesses in general may be forced to shorten their hours due to an inability to schedule staff, resulting in problems with banking, supplies, and even medication disbursement. Further, the community health system would be greatly stressed, as the number of people needing care would grow, potentially covering a larger area than normally served and straining the resources of the public health system. This strain would impact all of the programs served out of the local offices, impacting even more people. Protocol In the State of Illinois, SARS is listed with the Class I(a) conditions that have been declared to be â€Å"contagious, infectious, or communicable and may be dangerous to the public health,† and, needs to be reported to the local health department within three hours of initial clinical suspicion (Control of Communicable Diseases Code, 2008). This can be done electronically through mail, phone, fax or the web-based system, I-NEDSS (Illinois National Electronic Disease Surveillance System) and will include case name and contact information as well that of the physician. After the local public health office has been notified, they will contact the Illinois Department of Public Health, also within three hours using the same techniques. This report shall include race, gender, and ethnicity as well (Control of Communicable Diseases Code, 2008). These reports are sent via the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS), which is operated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in collaboration with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and allows the CDC to monitor new cases and disease trends as well as evaluate the efficiency of prevention and control activities, program planning and evaluation, and policy development (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011). Modification of Care As a community health nurse, one must be constantly aware of changes in the environment served. If a report of poor air quality is issued while the community health nurse is caring for patients suffering from asthma and other respiratory disorders, immediate action must be taken as the poor air quality can cause exacerbations. First, the nurse will need to prioritize the patient load—which patient is the most susceptible to this change in air quality and should be seen first? Then, the nurse will begin calling or, if time allows, visiting the patients to check in and provide further direction. Some of the interventions the nurse may suggest are to stay indoors closing all windows and doors to prevent the poor air from entering the home and interfering with the patient’s breathing. Additional suggestions would be to limit activity which would increase the oxygen demand in the patient’s body, resulting in faster, less efficient respirations. Patients should be reminded to keep their rescue inhalers with them at all times, as well as to be sure and take all their preventative medications as prescribed. If the nurse is making home visits, s/he will be checking the medication bottles to see if the patient has been compliant. While in the home, she will auscultate the patient’s lungs to assess for worsened wheezing from baseline and recommend a visit to the patient’s physician if necessary. As the air quality reports improve in the next few days, the nurse will continue to monitor those patients most susceptible to ensure they have no residual effects from the previous days.

Milestone 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Milestone 2 - Essay Example However, even the best individual encounters circumstances where his/her ethical and moral standards are tested (Bowen, 2009). The Annie Dookhan lab scandal is at the peak of legal, moral and ethical misconduct necessitating an overhaul of the American criminal justice system to avert future injustices. Forensic science can reveal information regarding whether or not a crime was committed, who committed the crime, and what transpired during the crime (James et al., 2009). Mishandling, manipulating, or misinterpreting even one piece of evidence could destroy a person’s life or pervert justice. It is vital that forensic personnel allow evidence to speak for itself without manipulations or errors (Bowen, 2009). Most people trust that scientific analyses provide trustworthy proof regarding the interpretation of evidence, failing to consider that humans handle the evidence, a situation that puts the evidence at risk of contamination (Bowen, 2009). From the scene of the crime to the lab and all the way into the courtroom, forensic personnel should always display good ethical and moral character, while providing trustworthy, first class forensic service (Bowen, 2009). Dookhan is just a drop of water in the ocean of a corrupt criminal justice system whose sole selfish ambition is to reap huge out of crimes committed. In the process, guilty individuals are set free while the innocent are convicted. When someone falsifies reports, interferes with evidence, misguides investigators, and fabricates credentials as Dookhan did (Jacobs, 2013), it shows that the whole system tolerates unethical and immoral conduct. Moreover, the legal backgrounds are so weak that these blatant misconducts go unnoticed and not remedied. Dookhan is just but a sacrificial lamb. The real issue should be the identification of the legal loopholes that lead to such gross unethical and immoral behaviors in the criminal justice system. Prosecuting Dookhan will not

Collaborative Health- LIfelong Learning Coursework

Collaborative Health- LIfelong Learning - Coursework Example They include conferences, meetings, courses, in-service training and rounds. These education methods use didactic methods which are effective at imparting new knowledge. Continuous lifelong learning is important for a number of reasons. First, it contributes towards a great conversation. It is great to have a conversation with someone who is informed on events. Lifelong learners are better at holding their own conversations. They usually have more interesting topics and things to talk about (Alson, 2013). Secondly, the world is dynamic and keeps changing. Lifelong learning is important to keep up with the changing demands of the world. Moreover, lifelong learning is essential to enable one develop their abilities (Alson, 2013). Every individual is born with natural abilities and talents but it does not mean that they master these talents the first time they try them. Lifelong learning helps develop these skills thus serving as a role in promoting personal development. Finally, lifelong learning helps in opening one’s mind. One can see an issue in a broader perspective due to his or her education. Watching television, reading, as well as holding conversations helps educate people about other points of view. It may change one’s mind or may not but helps understand that there is more than one side to every issue (Alson, 2013). In conclusion, the importance of lifelong learning should be an aim for all health professionals. It can help them in various ways including personal development, enhancing their inclusion in the society and enabling them to adapt to the changing demands of the world. Continuing education stakeholders need to understand, value, and support contemporary principles of lifelong

Infomation system management exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Infomation system management exam - Essay Example Overall, companies need to use data mining in order to enhance their customer relationship management (CRM) skills. Analysis needs to focus for the company, upon any problems that its customers may be having. This is one of the basic marketing rules of customer service in action. The present analysis therefore advocates the position that not only should these standards become lucrative trade-offs. â€Å"Current emphasis on customer relationship management makes the marketing function an ideal application area to greatly benefit from the use of data mining tools for decision support. A systematic methodology that uses data mining and knowledge management techniques is proposed to manage the marketing knowledge and support marketing decisions† (Data, 2010). Another solution is to use Customer Relationship Management to market more effectively and reach the client better. â€Å"When customer relationship management CRM) came on the health scene approximately six years ago, some viewed it with skepticism and primarily saw it as a way to refine rather than reinvent marketing. More progressive marketers adopted the CRM techniques of compiling all consumer and market data into a centralized database and used data mining to more narrowly define target audiences based on characteristics rather than general demographics† (Paddison, 2004). Yet another solution could focus more on the management of the company than the client, and highlight management having a working knowledge of marketing and being able to work with marketers and consultants in a proactive manner that reflects the abovementioned external dynamism of the IT market. Data mining is advocated by companies. In terms of environment that are narrowly defined by marketing parameters, the local market offers expanded opportunities that should be taken advantage of by the

Web design proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Web design proposal - Essay Example This should also make the website easier to navigate. As Phebra were previously known as PharmaLab, it could also be considered as a â€Å"rebranding† promotion. The look and feel of new website is important, from the perspective of customer branding and effective marketing. Another reason for Phebra to renew their website is that they are considering putting more section and more content into the WebPages. Phebra want to add ‘Manufacturing’, ‘Medical Information’, and ‘People’ section, together with the four main sections on the current website. This will help Phebra to provide much more details to its clients that will be an advantage, as it will create believe and trust for Phebra from its clients. Another feature for Phebra new website will be the intranet search engine. Phebra clients will simply use keywords to find out the product they are looking for and will gather related information about product. Additionally, adding Content Management System (CMS) to the website will be important as it will facilitate Phebra to update there company information and upload new product or take out the old product. CMS will help Phebra to maintain their website and provide latest information more efficiently. Furthermore, Phebra wants to provide online account to clients so that they can order and view their purchase history. This will also help Phebra to study their clients need and come out with new solutions. The current design is based on blue and white colour scheme. The main focus of the front page is the pull down menu which list out the details of the products of the company. The website is simplistic on the front page; in the main sections include the business, products, ordering information and a contacts page. The main theme on the index page is titled â€Å"life-enhancing medicines† which is quite effective. The news section on the

American history in 1800s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American history in 1800s - Essay Example That social reform movement includes education reforms, religious reforms, alcohol reforms, women reforms and literary reforms (Cobble, 2004). The person/event/ concepts discussed above are related to one another. Harriet was a person who was against slavery, newspaper was a strong platform to project the ideas of Harriet while social reforms educated the people of USA that all men and women are equal and there should be no discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex or religion. The triad is quite helpful in projecting the efforts which were taken in the past to bridge the gap among different ethnic groups living in the country like USA (Murphy, 2003). Fredrick Douglass was an American social reformer and a writer. He was against slavery and also escaped through it. He also served as a leader of abolitionist movement. He was well known for his antislavery writing (Harris, 2004). Jim Crow is a term which is used for the laws which were made after the congressional reconstruction. These laws were quite discriminatory for the Afro-American minority of the country. The law took away many rights which were granted to Afro-Americans during 13th, 14th and 15th century. Congressional reconstruction gave complete rights to the Afro-Americans. Their right to cast vote was also recognized in that reconstruction era (Chused, 1994). There is one thing in common all the three concepts which are discussed above. All three are associated with the major minority group of USA that is Afro-American. These events/concepts/persons reflect that Afro-American had fought hard for their rights through the history. The significance of triad is that reflect s the chronological sequence about the struggle of minorities in USA (Dougherty,

Reflaction paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflaction paper - Essay Example The thesis is persuasive and makes me inspired about the need to monitor multinational businesses. The new idea is that local irrespective of the social class has a voice that needs to be listened to when making critical decisions in the organization. I got sick by inhaling poisonous gasses that were being emitted by a certain manufacturing company. This experience makes me understand the article. Environmental policies have a direct impact on our lives. The main point is that the environments that people are living in have a direct impact on their health and their sustainable future. For instance people who are not educated and living in poor areas are likely to be affected by diseases. I think the thesis has expounded effectively on the need to live in a healthy environment and seek more education in order to live a sustainable life. The thesis is persuasive because it highlights the major aspects that affect the current population. The new idea to me in this article is that women’s education has an impact on the number of children they conceive. Having dealt with children from lower social class makes me understand the article better. Physical environment has a major impact on women lives. Women living in better environment have access to information, an aspect that makes them live a better and healthy life. I think the success of women in the society depends largely on their place of residence. The main point is persuasive and provides information on the current disparity among women in the society. This is not a new idea because women who are brought in well up families have access to basic education, health care, and exposure, an aspect that makes their future to be brighter. Having friends from higher and lower social class makes me understand the article better. The identity of a mother defines that of a child. The main point is that the character of the children is nurtured by their mothers. This thesis is not persuasive.

Discussion Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Discussion Questions - Essay Example According to Maslow, â€Å"each level of need must be satisfied before an individual is ready to strive for satisfaction of the next higher level of need.†(Milliken, 1998) The drive for achievement has often overridden the drive for basic needs. Sometimes in a neglectful manner, as with Picasso’s need to create making him forget all other needs, or sometimes it is done with purpose in order to achieve a goal that satisfies one of the other needs. The artistic mind will focus so intently on its creation that all other needs are forgotten in the pursuit of the expression that is hoped to be expressed. The question then becomes, is the focus of the artist able to classify him or her as mentally healthy, or by virtue of the all consuming focus is mental illness present? Achievement does not always indicate good mental health. With the presumption that Maslow’s hierarchy is an example of a healthy mind, then ignoring basic physical and social needs that should come before the priority of creativity would indicate mental disability. However, not only an artist might forget to eat or sleep. Many professions might preclude the needs of the body for the need to accomplish a goal. A scientist on the verge of discovery could easily forget to eat or sleep while focusing on that goal. Any goal that has priority in the mind of the one who is hoping to achieve that goal might interfere with the basic needs. To ignore the D-needs, or deficiency needs in favor of the needs at the self-actualization level is a situation that comes from a the concept of drive. That drive that compels those of great talent or intellect to pursue the focus of that gift is not included in the conceptual idea of Maslow’s theory. The concept of higher purpose is also not taken into consideration in Maslow’s theory. Sacrifice for a greater need often will be taken by an individual who believes that the purpose of their actions out way the

Alcohol and Advertising Essay Example for Free

Alcohol and Advertising Essay â€Å"Alcohol is not often thought of as a drug largely because its use is common for both religious and social purposes in most parts of the world. It is a drug, however, and compulsive drinking in excess has become one of modern society’s most serious problems† (ARF). This is so true because many people don’t consider alcohol a drug but the effects it has on you are so serious that it should be. â€Å"The effects of drinking do not depend on the type of alcoholic beverage but rather on the amount of alcohol consumed on a specific occasion† (ARF). To give you a background on alcohol, here is a quick refresher on how it works and the effects it has on your body. â€Å"Alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine, and less rapidly from the stomach and colon. The drinker’s blood alcohol concentration depends on the amount consumed in a given time, the drinker’s size, sex, body build, and metabolism, and the type and amount of food in the stomach† (ARF). The effects of alcohol are very frightening to even consider. They depend on â€Å"the amount taken at one time, the user’s past drug experience, the manner in which the drug is taken and the circumstances under which the drug is taken† (ARF). At 50mg you experience mild intoxication which includes a â€Å"feeling of warmth, skin flushed; impaired judgment and decreased inhibitions† (ARF). From there you can go all the way down to 500mg which will more than likely cause death. It is an extremely scary thought to know that a substance that can cause death is freely advertised on television so that even our children can see it. In fact, they are the targets of some manufacturers marketing. In this paper we will show you both sides of whether alcohol companies should be allowed to advertise on television or not and then give you our conclusion. No Alcohol Advertising Should Not Be Allowed On Television Alcohol companies should not be allowed to advertise on television. In today’s society, more and more children are spending all of their free time in front of a television. They don’t go outside and play anymore, they just come home from school and flip on Jerry Springer or a soap opera. Adults need to take the responsibility to protect children from undue influences as much as they can. Banning alcohol advertisements would be a simple way to help this process. In a recent study done by the Center for Media Education (CME), they found that many alcohol companies actually target youth even though it is illegal for them to drink. Companies use such things as â€Å"cartoons, personalities, language, music, or branded merchandise popular in youth culture or which would be particularly attractive to college or high-school-aged students† (CME). This shows a blatant attempt on their part to recruit new consumers who are underage. There have been previous attempts to stop alcohol companies from targeting youth such as the Voluntary Alcohol Advertising Standards for Children Act, but that is just the thing, it is voluntary. This is a try at making themselves look responsible but they still really aren’t. This Act pressures broadcasters to simply not run alcohol advertisements. It shouldn’t be the responsibility of the broadcasters to filter what goes on the air. Alcohol companies should not waste their money making these ads to begin with. Instead, they need to target a more mature audience who have the right to consume their products. The beer and liquor companies claim they don’t target youth but how can that be when you see the â€Å"Budweiser frogs or the Coors’ â€Å"Tap the Rockies† campaigns or Seagram’s dogs and Hiram Walker’s Kahlua Mudslide† (Hacker). Many of these companies have, in the past, even advertised on the youth-oriented MTV. Anheuser-Busch just recently pulled their ads off MTV. â€Å"Why did it take 10 years since â€Å"age-21† became the law of the land for the world’s largest brewer to stop competing for attention on MTV with ads for pimple control products and sports equipment† (Hacker)? â€Å"Indeed the evidence is that even young children are aware of alcohol advertisements and tend to remember them. Manufacturers further reduce the chances of young people failing to get the message by sponsorship of sports teams and events and music concerts having particular appeal to the young† (IAS). â€Å"Today, kids are bombarded by more than $700 million in beer, wine, and liquor ads on radio and television. Those ads encourage them to drink, and they bolster unacceptable levels of alcohol consumption among young people and the problems that go with it† (Hacker). When considering the Budweiser frogs, â€Å"a recent study by the San Francisco-based Center on Alcohol Advertising tested commercial and character recall among 9-11 year olds. The results: the children demonstrated higher recall (73%) of the Budweiser frogs’ slogan than of the slogans associated with other television animal characters, including Tony the Tiger (57%), Smokey the Bear (43%), and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (39%). Only Bugs Bunny did slightly better, at 80% recall of â€Å"Eh, what’s up doc? † Overall, 81% of the children surveyed identified beer as the product promoted by the frogs† (Hacker). This is a scary revelation, that our children know more about beer ads than the cartoon characters who promote good products. There are too many people who are hurting themselves and others as a result of alcohol abuse. In the past, there have been studies done that find there is nothing wrong with alcohol companies advertising on TV, but a study done by the Marin Institute found differently. â€Å"’Until now, most of the studies done on the subject conclude that alcohol advertising doesn’t affect drinking behavior,’ says Henry Saffer, research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, ‘The alcohol industry uses these studies to bolster its argument that advertising only induces people to switch brands. These studies keep coming and find nothing because they set themselves up to find nothing’† (Abramson). â€Å"The NIAAA estimates that 14 million Americans meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence and about 100,000 Americans die each year from alcohol-related injuries, one-fourth of them on the highways† (Abramson). Granted that these are not just children but they had to start somewhere too and more than likely they began drinking at a young age. One way to help reduce these injuries and deaths is to create counter-ads. â€Å"Consumption decreases as the level of counter-advertising rises. Counter-advertising could be funded by taxing alcohol advertising† (Abramson). The study done by Saffer at the Marin Institute was a long one, it took three years to complete. â€Å"’Most researchers have little money and use inexpensive or free data on alcohol advertising expenditures that measure advertising at the national level with little annual change’, says Saffer. ‘I was able to obtain quarterly data that cost more than $25,000 from 75 cities, and that made all the difference’† (Abramson). With all of his resources he was able to come to some concrete results using a proven theory. â€Å"Saffer used a theory known as the advertising response function, which says that consumption rises as advertising increases, bus as advertising reaches the point of saturation, consumption tapers off. To measure consumption, he used highway fatalities, more than 40 percent of which involve alcohol consumption† (Abramson). â€Å"Saffer’s statistical analyses of advertising expenditures showed that decreasing alcohol advertising reduces highway fatalities† (Abramson). Another survey done by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gave remarkable results. â€Å"An overwhelming majority of Americans say they are worried about teen drinking and would support tough measures to help curb the problem† (New and Views). One particular finding was very interesting in that it said sixty-seven percent of Americans would support a ban on television advertising on liquor. If so many people want it, why isn’t on its way to becoming a law? â€Å"There are about 9 million drinkers under age 21 in the United States and half of them are binge drinkers. When they drink, teens increase their risk of violence, date rape, sexually transmitted diseases and injury or death in traffic accidents† (Health You). These kids had to learn it somewhere. Television is becoming a way of life for many teenagers and they take what is on it as the truth. For many of them, discerning between what is the truth and what is just great advertising becomes near impossible. They need help and it is our responsibility as adults to help them. There is legislation now from Representative Kennedy called the â€Å"Children’s Protection from Alcohol Advertising Act†. This â€Å"would eliminate advertising and marketing practices that have the most impact on young people. Remaining ads would, for the first time, honestly reflect that alcohol is the number-three killer in America today, taking a toll of 100,000 lives yearly. Those ads would bear a rotating series of health and safety messages, reminding all viewers and listeners of some of the major risks related to drinking. In addition, alcoholic-beverage product labels, for the first time, would be required to reveal comprehensive, useful consumer information, such as ingredients, calories, and alcohol content, expressed in unit serving terms† (Hacker). The bill would answer the concerns of many parents and adults who feel the alcohol companies go too far in targeting youths. Alcohol companies need to be more responsible for who they target and they should also be prepared to handle the consequences of their actions as more and more people die as a result of their products. They are the ones that should be held accountable for the deaths of so many innocent people. They also should include in their advertisements the real facts. Doing this may deter people from becoming alcohol abusers. The companies do not do this though, â€Å"By definition, alcohol advertising is one-sided, avoiding any reference to the negative aspects of alcohol consumption† (IAS). They need to tell the truth and the truth is that alcohol does no good for anyone, it only hurts and destroys people and the people around them. Yes Alcohol Advertising Should Be Allowed On Television â€Å"Advertising increases alcohol consumption, which increases alcohol abuse†¦right? WRONG. There is no solid evidence from either scientific research or practical experience that this theory of advertising is correct† (Advertising Impact). Alcohol is a legal substance so why wouldn’t it be allowed to be advertised on television? The First Amendment to the Constitution gives us the right to free speech. The American Advertising Federation opposes any effort to restrict truthful advertising about any product or service. â€Å"The U. S. Supreme Court has affirmed that truthful commercial speech enjoys the free speech protections of the First Amendment – including speech about so-called sin products. The government’s right to ban a product does not give it the right to ban speech about the product† (AAF). The AAF does not want restrictions to even begin, â€Å"bans on advertising for one product or service inevitably will lead to bans on advertising for others. Censorship is contagious† (AAF). There are some that believe that the advertising would be okay if they would agree to put warnings on the advertisements. â€Å"The alcohol industry believes that the proposed requirement of warnings in alcohol advertisements is an infringement of their First Amendment rights† (Kelly). The advertising the alcohol industry does do is simply to keep the customers they already have. â€Å"The focus of alcohol advertising is to encourage existing drinkers to maintain their brand preference, or to switch brands, and that it is not intended to attract new customers† (Kelly). â€Å"Much of the debate concerns the possible effects on children and young people. The Advertising Codes prohibit the specific targeting of minors† (IAS). Most children who watch television may like the cartoon characters but that isn’t going to make them go out and demand alcohol. They shouldn’t be allowed or able to obtain it so it shouldn’t really even matter if they see the advertisements for it. â€Å"The evidence also suggests that advertising is of less importance than other influences such as parental attitudes and example and peer group pressure† (IAS). Final Conclusions As you can see from our research, there is solid evidence that advertising alcohol on television needs to stop the way it is being done right now. There are entirely too many targets put onto young viewers. The industry may claim that it is not targeting them but there is really no explanation otherwise. Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has come up with an exceptional set of rules for advertising alcohol on television. 1. Beverage alcohol advertising should not: a. portray or encourage drinking by individuals under the age of 21; b. use celebrities, music stars, athletes, animals, cartoon characters or other language or images that have special appeal to youth; c. depict sports, rock concerts, or other events with strong appeal to youth; or d. target spring break activities or cultural, sporting, or marketing events where it can be anticipated that a majority of the audience will be made up of people under age 21. 2. Beverage alcohol advertising should not include the licensing of youth-oriented clothing or toys that feature alcohol brand names, logos, or trade characters. 2. Beverage alcohol advertising should not portray or encourage drinking by pregnant women or women who are seeking to become pregnant. 3. Beverage alcohol advertising should not model, suggest, or otherwise encourage heavy consumption. 4. Beverage alcohol advertising should not portray or encourage drinking by alcoholics or other groups particularly vulnerable to alcohol abuse. 5. Beverage alcohol advertising should not state or imply that any level of alcohol consumption is risk-free or safe. 6. Beverage alcohol advertising should not associate alcohol consumption with high-risk activities or with situations that require alertness. 7. Beverage alcohol advertising should not depict revelry or hint at the possibility of inebriation. 8. Beverage alcohol advertising should not portray drinking as a means to achieve popularity or social acceptance, sexual appeal, or social or financial status. 9. Beverage alcohol advertising should not portray drinking in association with sexual passion, promiscuity, or any other amorous activity as a consequence of or in association with alcohol consumption. These rules would be wonderful if the alcohol companies would follow them. But, with the First Amendment backing them up, they are not going to change the way they market without a fight. The cartoons are working for them, so why should they change? There is a growing problem in this country with underage and binge drinking and these advertisements are only adding to the problem. We need to stop the problem at its root, which would mean taking the Budweiser frogs off the air. This is a great step toward reducing alcohol related deaths and injuries and it isn’t like the industry would be losing any money. They may even retain more profit because their advertising expense would be dramatically cut. We need to regulate these advertisements now! Bibliography American Advertising Federation (AAF). â€Å"AAF Position Statement: Alcohol Advertising Bans†. Available: http://www. aaf. org/bans. html Abramson, Hillary. The Marin Institute. â€Å"Alcohol Ads Increase Drinking†. Available: http://www. marininstitute. org/saffer. html Addiction Research Foundation (ARF). â€Å"Facts about Alcohol†. Available: http://www. arf. org/isd/pim/alcohol. html â€Å"Advertising Impact on Alcohol Abuse†. Available: wysiwig://9/http://www2. potsdam. ed†¦-info/Advertising/Advertising. html Center for Media Education (CME). â€Å"Alcohol Advertising Targeted at Youth on the Internet: An Update†. Available: http://tap. epn. org/cme/981218/alcrep. html Hacker, George. Center for Science in the Public Interest. Available: http://www. cspinet. org/booze/hacker. html Hacker, George. Press Conference on Alcohol Advertising Reforms. May 16, 1997. Available: http://www. cspinet. org/booze/516state. html Health You. May/June 1998. â€Å"Proms, Parents and Alcohol†. Available: http://www. lvhhn. org/healthy_you/magazine/proms_alcohol/ IAS. Available: http://www. ias. org. uk/factsheets/advertising. htm Kelly, Kathleen and Ruth Edwards. â€Å"Image Advertisements for Alcohol Products: Is There Appeal Associated with Adolescents’ Intention to Consume Alcohol? † Adolescence. Spring 1998. V33 n129 p47(13).

Freedom Writers Diary Analysis Diary 34 English Literature Essay

Freedom Writers Diary Analysis Diary 34 English Literature Essay The Freedom Writers Diary was one of my favorites books I have read so far. I could really relate to a lot of these stories and I felt like I knew them on a personal level. The diary entry I related the most with was Diary number thirty-four Teenage Alcoholism. I once had to deal with an addiction similar to what the writer did, the writer really opened up my eyes to what is really going on in high school and that I am not the only one who deals with situations like this, I noticed that I was thinking and feeling the same things she felt. This diary entry really made me feel like my life is on the right path, and reminded me of how far I have come to get here. Now granted that alcohol addiction and painkiller addiction are two different things physically, there are uncanny and many similarities emotionally. In The Freedom Writers Diary, diary number thirty-four has a feeling of hopelessness, I have been doing it for so long, its just a daily routine like getting up in the morning, going to the bathroom, and brushing your teeth (Freedom Writers Diary, by: Erin Gruwell, p. 67) I felt like this also sometimes, like this is my life it is never going to change, just deal with it. She also had an image to up hold and the fact that she knew that image was false made her feel bad about herself Im more disappointed in myself for the way Im tricking people into believing that Im something Im not . Since Ive been in Ms. Gruwells class, everyone thinks I am Little Miss Goodie Goodieà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. If they only knew that on the inside I am just barely keeping it together. (p. 67). She and I both felt like we were living a life that was meant for some one else, like there is no way I could have let my life spiral this far out of control, what have I done to myself. I also like her felt like no one would like the real, the sober, me I am living a lie. I am struggling with a deep secret-being a closet drinker.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. I fear that people will not like the sober me. (p. 67). So we continued with our lives as they were, until one day enough was enough I wanted my life back I and was going to take it back no matter what or who stood in my way. I have come so far to get where I am today and I have worked so hard but that only makes me appreciate all I have accomplished that much more. I can only hope that Diary number 34 felt the same way and got her life back too. Addiction is a nasty, horrible, disgusting monster. It will build and build inside you until one day it explodes and comes out to play, but you do not believe in monsters, such things are for childrens fairy tale books, until that is, this monster knock you in the face and on to your butt. And when you get back up on your feet you realize that it was not a monster it was you standing in your own way.

Essay --

The conservative party is typically viewed as being very traditional, as well as allowing citizens to become empowered in their own life decisions. Some of the things they stand for include hoping for a long-term improvement of reducing the deficit and allowing mortgage rates to become lower than current levels (Mabbutt). They also believe in lowering income taxes to help people keep the money they worked hard to attain (Mabbutt). Some more views carried by the Conservative party include creating more jobs, more restrictions regarding welfare, and improving the school systems for the youth (Mabbutt). The views of the United Kingdoms conservative party follow the same political perspectives as many other countries around the world. When considering the Conservatives standpoint on the policy of over time, requiring businesses to pay 1.5 times a worker’s wage above 44 hours per week allows them to stay within their views. With this decision it will allow those that put the time into their work to receive the compensation they deserve. In Britain there is â€Å"no legal right to pay for w...

Wedding Toasts - Best Man, Brother of the Groom Essay -- Wedding Toast

Wedding Toasts - Best Man, Brother of the Groom Good Evening! I’m standing up here tonight, pretty boastful I have to admit, of my brother, Bobo, and his bride Twiggy. I have come to sing their praises, and if I happen to embarrass either one of them in the process, I apologize right now! On behalf of our family, we want to welcome each of you to the wedding today. It is a true testament to Bobo and Twiggy that you have taken time from your busy schedule to come and witness their marriage. I have never seen a more beautiful bride than Twiggy, and my brother looks just plain button busting proud, doesn’t he? Bobo and Twiggy do not come lightly into this marriage. They have each led successful lives up to this point, and each is a wonderful individual alone. However, as wonderful and unique each of them is, together they make the perfect couple! Bobo, a man of patience,...

Workplace Violence Essay -- Essays Papers

Workplace Violence â€Å"And who has not thought that the impersonal world deserves no better than to be destroyed by one fabulous sign of his displeasure?† (J. Bronowski, The Face of Violence) Workplace violence has become a concern for both public and private companies, and has prompted these companies to implement anti-violence programs. As well they should, for the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows in their Special Report on Workplace Violence, researched by Dr. Greg Warchol , that in each year for the period of 1992 – 96 more than 2.2 million residents were victims of violent acts while they were working or on duty. (BJS Special Report, July 1998, NCJ 168634) The most common violent act committed was simple assault with an estimated 1.5 million victimizations each year and then followed by an estimated yearly average of 395,000 aggravated assaults, 51,000 rapes and sexual assaults, 84,000 robberies and 1,000 homicides. A stranger to the victim committed the majority of workplace crime while less than 1% were intimates. Men were more likely to be the perpetrator and or the victim of violence. In the public arena retail workers had the highest rate of robbery and aggravated assault victimization while police and teachers were the most often victimized in the public arena. 20 % of violent incidents in the workplace involved an armed offender of which a firearm was used fewer than 10% of the time. This is that data that faces all employers in every sector and by which they must base their approach to formulate programs that will help create a safe and comfortable atmosphere for both their employees and their clients. Many of the conditions that prevail in today’s workplace seem to breed critical incidents. Among them are: 1.) Competitive pressures. Relentless global market forces demand constant changes in methods of production and workplace organization. Employees find themselves having to perform in new ways and more efficiently. In addition, privacy has been eroded by electronic surveillance on the job, drug testing and computerized performance monitoring. Abrasive co-workers or autocratic supervisors create additional stresses. The long-term consequences may be overwhelming psychological stress leading to hostility and outbursts of violent or bizarre behavior. 2.) Domestic dysfunction overspill. Family discord, domestic violence, ... ... Workplace violence as you can see, is a problem that plagues us all. With the pressure on everyone to perform, from the man in the ditch to the CEO, its know wonder were having a problem. And both the public and private sectors of business are in a mad dash to stop the violence that is happening. With all the major corporations having either an anti violence program or rules about such behavior, what is the cost to the individual? Will they have to work harder and more efficiently? Will there be more threats and intimidation to perform, to cover the cost of these programs? Or will business see an improvement in the working relations of its employees? With the right people in charge of these programs, there is hope for improvement, but only if business is serious about the problem! You see very little TV coverage of work place violence, unless it extremely violent. Even then there must be a death, or deaths to bring on the sensationalizing that TV needs. Because of this, will business wait for the coverage to demand a solution or will they head it off. When you’re at work, there’s no reason â€Å"†¦ to be destroyed by one fabulous sign of his displeasure†. Only time will tell.

New Zealand Families Today

RESEARCH PROJECT Women in later life who have chosen to remain voluntarily childfree what are the implications if any? 1. AIM The aim of the research is to explore the implications of remaining voluntarily childfree for women in later life within the New Plymouth district of New Zealand. 1. a. INTRODUCTION Within many Western industrialised societies there are notions that children provide fulfillment, give purpose and offset loneliness in later life. There are tales like the ‘Three Spinsters’ from the writers The Brothers Grimm which have contributed to the stereotypes of childless women as lonely, bitter and unfulfilled for decades. If children are necessary at preventing loneliness in older age there is concern in regards to the New Zealand population trend. The 2006 New Zealand census released reports that by 2016 one in four women will remain childless. The implications of the assumption that children are necessary for elderly wellbeing could mean that our ageing generations may be prone to loneliness. The changing demographics of our society combined with the findings that there is no research to date on voluntary childfree women in later life within New Zealand has amplified my interest in this research topic. My interest in this research proposal stems from my own position in life. I am a 35 year old Pakeha woman who has chosen to remain childfree. I have had many assumptions put forward to me in regards to my personal choice to remain voluntarily childfree. These are mainly aimed around the notion that I am destined for loneliness in later life and that I will be unfulfilled. Therefore I have made my position within this research proposal transparent as I acknowledge it is influential to my perspective when I undertake the research. Delwyn Field Page 2 The research proposal will outline the research methodology to be carried out. The research will be qualitative based on a feminist’s perspective, to provide knowledge of women issues, for women from women. The research will be guided by feminist ideology and explore the socially constructed norms of womanhood without motherhood. The data collection will be the use of storytelling which is fitting with qualitative research. The story telling process will enlighten the researcher on how the participants came to their chosen life path. This will be informative as the participants came from the eras of where motherhood and childbirth was predominately something that happened to women not chosen by women (Held, 1989, as cited in Riley, 2008). The participants for the research will be women who have chosen to remain childfree and they will be over the age of 65. The age range of 65 plus is described as late adulthood in human development lifespan theories (Berk, 2007). I have chosen this age criteria because critical social, emotional and developmental stages occur in this period of life which are broadly universal to most elderly (Berk, 2007). The research proposal will also be based on the New Plymouth district of New Zealand. The New Plymouth district consists of â€Å"New Plymouth and the towns of Waitara, Inglewood, Urenui, Okato, Bell Block, Oakura and many other smaller rural communities† (New Plymouth District Council, n. d. ). Within New Zealand there is no empirical research done on New Zealand voluntary childless women in smaller urban areas in later life, hence why the research will be conducted here. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW This literature review has minimal reference to New Zealand literature as there is a limited study on voluntary childfree persons within New Zealand. Therefore the majority of the literature relied on is sourced from Western industrialised countries. In 1997, Cameron investigated voluntary childless within New Zealand in her book Without Issue; New Zealanders who choose not to have children. The participants within Delwyn Field Page 3 the research were numerous and involved mostly the qualitative approach of telling their story (Cameron, 1997). One of the themes that was highlighted in Cameron’s (1997) study was the social perceptions of voluntary childfree persons; the assumption that they were unhappy, selfish, emotionally unstable, immature and LONELY. This assumption of lonely old women has fueled the myth that those who choose not to have children are going to be miserable in their later years (Cameron, 1997). This was a common theme uncovered in further literature. This stereotyped image of voluntary childfree as lonely and unfulfilled is still predominating in our society in the twenty first century. Riley in her 2008 Masters of Social Science in Psychology researched stereotyping of voluntary childfree couples within New Zealand. This qualitative study interviewed and held focus groups of ten couples, to delve into stereotypes, pressures and harassments of their chosen life path. One of the stereotypes that were identified was that they were â€Å"destined for loneliness in later life† (Riley, 2008, p. ii). Throughout Riley’s 2008 thesis the belief by those who have/want children is that for individuals in society, and especially women children were fundamental in providing fulfillment and companionship. Jamison, Franzini and Kaplan (1979, cited in Riley, 2008) investigation of American university students supported Riley (2008) view that there are negative implications for women in later life who were remaining childfree. The students perceived these women to be â€Å"less likely to be happy and satisfied in old age† (Jamison, Franzini & Kaplan, 1979 cited in Riley, 2008, p. 21). The participants in Riley’s (2008) research noted that there was harassment and pressure in regards to the implications and risks they were taking in remaining childfree. These were messages that in later life they would be alone, they would not have children to support or give them fulfillment this would be internalised and their wellbeing would be effected (Riley, 2008). Delwyn Field Page 4 Regret is a message that childfree persons seem to hear continually in regards to their decision (Cameron, 1997). But there is to date research that has actually provided the opposite outcome. In Jeffries and Konnett (2002) research found that 22 out of 23 participants of the Canadian voluntary childfree women did not regret their decision nor felt that their wellbeing was affected by their decision. When analyzing Zhang and Hayward’s (2001) quantitative research of Americans in the 1993 Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) to conclude the Psychological wellbeing of childless older persons stereotypes are actually unfounded. The result of their research concluded that childlessness when voluntary did not support the hypothesis that â€Å"childlessness increases loneliness and depression for divorced, widowed and never married elderly persons† (Zhang & Hayward, 2001, p. 311). Therefore children make little difference in how women fare in later life in regards to loneliness. This was again confirmed by Rempel’s (1985) research article into the childless elderly. Rempel used the 1979 Social Change in Canada’s data base to compare childless and parent elderly. The results from the research showed that statistically there were minimal disparities of what they were missing in life. The article stated there were benefits to both choices in life. When reviewing the article Rempel (1985) highlighted the ability of those who were childfree to have a parallel quality of life of those who were parents in later life. This refutes the concern that childfree elderly are isolated and lonely. What points to the parallel quality of life is that thou adult children provide support networks to elderly parents. The childfree elderly also have an established network of friends and family e. g. siblings who contribute to their support networks (Rempel, 1985). Rempel (1985) suggest this is due to childfree persons knowing that in later life children are not going to be available. So in turn they produce a life that ensures they are â€Å"capable self reliant elderly† with an established support network they nurture (Rempel, 1985, p. 347). Delwyn Field Page 5 Zhang and Hayward (2001) confirmed that the social support network was crucial in childfree elderly maintaining wellbeing. Their research linked older childless persons being integrated into close friend networks instead of the close family networks older parents had established this was on par or to a greater level at providing support (Zhang and Hayward, 2001). The research also underpinned the role of siblings, nieces and nephews played in elderly childfree lives as being important compared to that of elderly parents lives (Zhang and Hayward, 2001). Connidis and Davis (1990) qualitative survey of over 400 older person to conclude the place of family and friends in later life also states the use of differing support networks of elderly people is beneficial. In depth individual one hour interviews in America discovered that among elderly persons a diversified social network provides the best support in later life (Connidis and Davis, 1990). This is most favorable to childfree women as they tend to develop the strongest ties with friends and siblings as both companions and confidents (Connidis & Davis, 1990). This may be again due to ensuring their self reliance in later life due to no children to depend upon. One of the key findings in loneliness, social isolation and living alone in later life was the size of the individual’s social network in offsetting negative effects of loneliness (Victor, Bowling, Bond & Scambler, n. d). Though a large amount of this literature review has shown loneliness is not the destiny of elderly childfree persons, it unfortunately has not included New Zealand childfree women. Therefore when analyzing Riley’s (2008) childfree participants in her New Zealand study was there any key theme that was established in regards to social networks and loneliness pertaining to the participants? All participants raised the concern of their status ‘childfree’ as making them more socially excluded. The difficulty of remaining friends with people when they became parents was expressed due to the â€Å"nature of the relationship† would change (Riley, 2008, p. 57). Maintaining friendships with parents was an issue and affected social networks. Cameron (1997) also discovered this in her Delwyn Field Page 6 study that childfree people believe that if they were parents they would have access to larger social networks (Cameron, 1997). This is because parents have more in common with other parent’s children provide a connection that is not available to childfree (Riley, 2008). Although to date no data could be found within the literature research to confirm that parenting is a guarantee to social inclusion. Unfortunately no participants were elderly to conclude loneliness in later life. More research needs to be conducted in regards to New Zealand Childfree persons to conclude social network supports and loneliness in elderly here. An article released by New Zealand Statistics in 2008 concluded that if trends continue one in four elderly women in New Zealand will be childless. New Zealand statistics also stated that childless is more common among women living in main urban areas (Boddington & Didham, 2008). Boddington and Didham (2008) who collated this information from the 2006 census state this is due to the larger social networks available in main urban areas. So will women who remain voluntary childfree and reside in smaller urban areas, be subjected to more negative impacts from their decision due to more smaller social networks? 3. METHOD The research proposed is from a qualitative approach using storytelling as a means of data collection. This method is applied because of the argument presented in favor of qualitative research that it â€Å"†¦views the social world as a complex, dynamic reality†¦ of multiple layers of meaning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Connolly, 2002, p. 27). Therefore qualitative data enables a more comprehensive insight into the complexity of people. Qualitative research also supports feminist principles of where women are collaborative and equal in the research (Smith & Noble-Spreull, 1986). Where-as if a quantitative method was applied in this research, it would focus on controlled data where the researcher has a hierarchical relationship with the researched, thus not equal and consistent with feminist values. Also through telling their stories women are given a voice to speak out within the public arena Delwyn Field Page 7 on pronatalism attitudes (promoting childbearing) which have been linked with patriarchal values and subordination of women (Riley, 2008). In turn this research will empower women to explore the complexity of childfree women which is important for feminism. Hence the qualitative approach when researching women who choose to remain voluntary childfree embraces the feminist perspective and enables us to seek understanding and information from the participant’s point of view (Bryman, 2001). 3. 1 DATA COLLECTION The data collection for the research is through one on one interview through storytelling. Davidson & Tolich state â€Å"storytelling aims to explore an individual’s identity†¦through personal accounts† (Alice, 2003, p. 6). It is a method that reveals rich data because when individuals talk of their understanding of events they may retell it giving greater insight to the complexity of their experiences and themselves (Webster & Mertova, 2007). This would be favorable in this research because the participants may have quite unique and complex accounts of their chosen life path where their po int of view is vital for data collection. Feminists also believe that storytelling is unique at capturing the â€Å"diversity of experiences between women† (Alice, 2003, p. 67). The interviews will be conducted within the participants home, at times which are most convenient for them. There is no structured time set due to the nature of the data collection method, but the research is based on one or two in depth interviews. The life stories will provide the interview format, my role as the researcher will be to provide prompts to encourage the flow of the interview process. Being an insider within the research proposal, and having my position transparent through contributing and sharing in the interview, will enhance the process of sharing stories. Through the storytelling collection method the research will seek to cover several aspects of the participant’s life story. These will be consistent with revealing data that will help to conclude what it is like to be voluntary childfree in later life. See appendix one for subject matter the interviews will be seeking to cover from each participant. If a more formal structured Delwyn Field Page 8 interview was to take place assumptions about the participant may taint their viewpoint and limit the data collected (Bryman 2001). The interviews will be recorded by audiotape, once consent is gained from the participants (Appendix two). This will enable me, the interviewer, to remain focused on the participants and enable the flow of the interview. Note taking will not be included as it may distort respondent’s answers and may be interruptive in the flow of the interview (Bryman 2001). The audiotapes will be transcribed by the interviewer and transferred to a hard copy. The participants will be invited to be supplied with a full copy of the audio interview and hard copy. This will in turn encourage reciprocity i. e. equal bi directional relationships within the research process, which is in line with feminism ideology (Smith & Noble-Spreull, 1986). It will also allow for the participants to confirm and have the opportunity to comment and make changes to their stories. This empowers the participant and encourages an egalitarian relationship which is congruent with qualitative research (Smith & Noble Spreull, 1986). The data through out the research project will be kept in a locked filing cabinet within my home in Taranaki. All information that is stored on computer will be contained in a secure file. At the end of the research project all data will be destroyed that is held on the computer, and within the filing cabinet. The participant’s audio tapes and hard copy transcripts will be returned to them or destroyed at the end of the research depending on their personal preference. The qualitative research will be analysed using coding where data retrieved from the story telling is broken down to key findings using the themes from the interview guide and other categories (appendix one). The other categories may be quite broad due to the in-depth nature of the data collection, thus sub categories may evolve through the data analysis (Bryman, 2001). The use of coding within the research enables the researcher to review transcripts and decipher significant common themes of the participants interviews Delwyn Field Page 9 (Bryman, 2001). The coding process will categorize the participant’s life stories showing common patterns in the social world of those who remain voluntary childfree and allow for analysis of the data (Bryman, 2001). Within the data collection coding should be done as soon as possible to â€Å"†¦sharpen your understanding of the data†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and help with providing other emerging patterns (Bryman, 2001, p. 398). These patterns above the interview themes will contribute to the findings and the development of a theory to conclude the implications of remaining voluntarily childfree in later life. Once the coding is complete the data can be statistically analysed. 3. 2 SAMPLE GROUP/ PARTICIPANTS The sample group will consist of seven voluntary participants. The criteria for the sample group will be female, aged 65 years plus, voluntary childfree, living independent within the New Plymouth district community and have no cognitive impairment e. g. Alzheimer’s and dementia. The participants will be recruited through volunteer means. An advertisement will be placed within the local New Plymouth Midweek paper, over a period of two months recruiting volunteer participants (appendix four). The advertisement will also target local agency Age Concern to advertise in their newsletter magazine (Appendix four). Recruitment will also depend on invitations been extended through snowballing where the researcher depends on the social network groups of childfree women to enable invitation. Bryman (2001) describes snowballing as the opportunity to use a small group to recruit other participants who are relevant for the research. This method of recruitment is chosen because there is no data base to seek women who have chosen to remain voluntary childfree available in New Zealand. The researcher will select the first seven participants who meet the chosen criteria. The number of participants allows the researcher to acquire a large enough sample base for data to be consequential in providing an analysis of voluntary childfree women. The Delwyn Field Page 10 group number is also conducive in enabling the type of data collection method to be effectively conducted. This is due the in depth nature of story telling collection methods in conjunction with the time restraints of the research proposal. The selected seven participants will be sent a letter introducing the researcher stating what is required as participants (appendix three), and a consent form (appendix two). The consent form will tell the participants of their rights, where the information will be used and ensure them that they can withdraw from the research at any time (appendix two). 4. ETHICAL ISSUES Through my study as a social work student I will be guided by the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) Code of Ethics (2008) ethical responsibilities in research. The research carried out will be in line with social work practice and be sensitive to the â€Å"†¦wellbeing and dignity of participants† by integrating the following into the research proposed (ANZASW, 2008, p. 4). Before undertaking any recruitment the research proposed will be taken to the Western Institute of Technology (WITT) Ethics Committee to seek guidance and advice in regards to what research ethics committee I may need to gain approval from. This will ensure that the research meets the appropriate standards of being ethically sound. Within the voluntary recruitment process no partici pants will be â€Å"†¦obtained by coercion nor by force†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and at all times through out the research the participants have the right to withdraw without explanation to the researcher (Wilkinson, 2001, p. 6). The introduction letter (Appendix three) will be to ensure that participants are fully informed of all relevant information in regards to the nature, purpose and process of the research that is to be carried out. This information will be fully disclosed whether the participant has asked for it or not and will ensure that the participant gains full knowledge of what they are getting into (Wilkinson, 2001). This will all be disclosed before obtaining written consent (Appendix two) from the participants so that no deception occurs. Delwyn Field Page 11 All data collection methods will be conducted in a manner that upholds the principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi; partnership, participation and protection. The research will be conducted so that self determination is sustained. This will be through participants obtaining a full copy of the audio interview and written copy of the transcript for clarification. This will also provide the opportunity for them to change and omit any information that they do not wish to be disclosed. Confidentiality will be upheld, names of participants will be deleted. Participants will be informed though that some information given may enable them to be identified due to the size of the demographic area; so complete confidentiality can not be fully guaranteed. All information obtained will be destroyed on completion of the research project, with the option that participants may have information returned to them if they wish. The concern for harm within the research would be that the research topic may generate negative memories and emotions for the participants. Under the clause 8. 1 of the ANZASW Code of Ethics (2008) the researcher must â€Å"†¦take all possible steps to protect participants†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , if distress does occur a referral to a counselor will be provided (ANZASW, 2008, p. 14). This service will be available during and up to the completion of the research. Potential problems that may occur in trying to carry out the research may be the perception that I the researcher are too young, thus discrediting my ability causing the participants to not talk to me. Also the ability to gain participants who wish to share their stories of their chosen life path of voluntarily remaining childfree may be considered too personal to share. If not enough participants are found the sample may not be large enough to give a significant and fair analysis of the implications of remaining childfree in later life within the New Plymouth district. Delwyn Field Page 12 At all times I will seek supervision due to my own personal position within the research topic. This will be to ensure information obtained from the research will not spark off any negative mental discomfort in my own personal life. . CONCLUSION This research proposal is an opportunity for women to tell their stories and enlighten society that womanhood in later life is not just valued on motherhood, thus disputing pronaltist ideology (Riley, 2008). These stories will hopefully support existing literature and remove assumptions, allowing voluntarily childfree women to be more valued in our socie ty and not stereotyped for later life implications. One of the greatest benefits of this research is that undertaking research on women in later life who are voluntary childfree may assist future elderly generations. This is through providing rich data from their life stories which may conclude coping techniques to ensure well being an offset loneliness in later life. With using a feminist perspective in the qualitative research methodology the research will work for women and give a voice to empower them in their choices. The weakness of the research is that there is no quantitative data for triangulation which may have provided the research with more validity and reliability. Future studies within New Zealand will be beneficial due to the limitations of this proposed research. Delwyn Field Page 13 6. Bibliography Alice, L. (2003). Power, experience, and process in femininst research. In C. Davidson & M. Tolich (Eds. ). Social Science Research In New Zealand: Many Paths to Understanding. (2nd ed. ). (pp 62- 68), Auckland: Pearson Education New Zealand Ltd. Alzheimer’s Society (2007, February). The relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and loneliness. Alzheimer’s Research News. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://alzheimers. org. uk/site/script/news_article Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (Inc). (2008). Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers: Code of Ethics. (2nd revision). New Zealand: Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (Inc). Ashcroft, C. DR (2009, April). Ageing in New Plymouth Planning for Tomorrow. New Zealand: Ministry of Social Development, New Zealand Government. Berk, L. (2007). Development Through the Lifespan (4th ed. ). United States of America: Person Education; Allyn and Bacon. Boddington, B. , & Didham, R. (2008). Busy making other plans: Increases in childlessness in New Zealand. Statistics New Zealand; Demographic Trends. Retrieved May 28, 2009 from http://www. population. govt. nz/NR/rdonlyres Bryman, A. (2001). Social Research Methods. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press Cameron, J. (1997). Without Issue: New Zealanders who choose not to have children. Christchurch, New Zealand: Canterbury University Press. Cahill, T. (2003, October). You Assumed Wrong. Macleans. 116 (40) 52. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb Connolly, M. (2002, Spring). Routes of Knowledge Toward Informed Practice: Differing Paradigms in Social Work Research. Social Work Review, 14 (3) 27-29 Connidis, I. A. , & Davies, L. (1990). Confidents and Companions in Later Life: The Place of Family and Friends. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences. 5 (4) S141-149. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://socialsciences. gerontologyjournals. org/cgi/content/full//45/4/S141 Delwyn Field Page 14 Davey, B. (1999). Sketch of a Theory of loneliness. Perspective: Mental Help. net. 4 (4) 1-3. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://www. mentalhelp. net/poc_doc. php. Dyson, S. (1993). The Option of Parenthood. Great Britain: Sheldon Press, Lond on Jeffries, S. , & Konnert, C. (2002). Regret and Psychological well being among voluntary and involuntarily childless women and mothers. International Journal of Ageing and Human Development, 54, 89-106. Retrieved May 29, 2009 from http://jfi. sagepub. com/cgi/reprint/30/5/670 New Plymouth District Council, (n. d. ). Living in New Plymouth: About New Plymouth. Retrieved June 16, 2009 fromhttp://www. newplymouthnz. com/livingNewPlymouth/AboutNewPlymouth/ Pitt, L. (1989). Patriarchs, Paddocks And The Personal: Five Women From The Wharehuia/ Te Popo District Talk About Their Lives. Unpublished Masters of Social Work Thesis, Massey University, Palmerston North. Pittaway, K. (2001, November). Your Kids, Your Problem. Chatelaine. 74 (11) 44. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://proquest. umi. om/pqdweb Rempel, J. (1985, May). Childless Elderly: What are they Missing? Journal of Marriage and the Family. 47 (2) 343-348. Retrieved May 26, 2009 from http://www. jstor. org/stable/352134 Riley, T. M. (2008). Childfree couples experiences of stereotyping, harassment, and Pressure. Unpublished thesis of Masters of Social Science in Psychology, The University of Waikato, Hamilton. Rowland, R. (1982, M arch). An Exploratory Study of the Childfree Lifestyle1. Journal of Sociology. 18 (1) 17-30. Retrieved May 25, 2009 from http://jos. sagepub. com At Massey University Library. Smith, B. Noble-Spreull, C. (1986). An Overview of Feminist Research Perspectives in H. Marchant, & B. Wearing. (Eds. ) Gender Reclaimed: Women In Social Work. Sydney: Hall & Iremonger. Victor, C. , Bowling, A. , Bond, J. , & Scambler, S. , (n. d) Loneliness, Social Isolation and Living Alone in Later Life. ESRC Society Today. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://www. esrcsocietytoday. ac. uk/ESRCInfoCentre/Plain_English Wane, J. (2008, May). Only the Lonely. North and South Magazine. 68-75 Delwyn Field Page 15 Webster, L. , & Mertova, P. (2007). Using Narrative Inquiry as a Research Method: An Introduction to Using Critical Event Narrative Analysis in Research on Learning And Teaching. USA: Routledge Wilkinson, T. (2001). The Core Ideas in Research Ethics in M. Tolich (Ed. ). Research Ethics in Aotearoa New Zealand: Concepts, practice, Critique. (pp. 13-24). Auckland: Pearson Education New Zealand. Zhang, Z. , & Hayward, M. (2001). Childlessness and the Psychological Well-Being of Older Persons. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 56:S311-S320. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://psychsoc. gerontologyjournals. org/cgi/content/full/56/5/S311

Bora Bora Hotel Pestle Economics

Economic factors Tourism and service industries are two biggest sectors in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, about 40 percent of employees work in the Service sector. In 1997, almost eighty percent of the whole GDP in this country was from service sector. During the end of the last millennium, there has been a huge economic decline in the whole French Polynesia, mainly in Tahiti and Bora Bora. But with the economic help of France and clearing the rumors of nuclear experiences the country’s economy started to grow.This country’s climate is very beneficial for hotels, because almost all year it’s warm and the exotic nature always attracts people. Lately, there has been a huge increase of tourists that travel to Bora Bora, because of the newly built hotels and airports. This is a huge factor for our chosen hotel, Hilton, because if more people will want to go to this area, there has to be more hotels for their accommodation.But other hotel chains are also interested in b uilding new hotels in Bora Bora, because of its newly found Brand recognition as a holiday resort and growing economy. Bora Bora does not produce a lot of goods, so they have to be imported. Which is mainly the Hotels problem, because the Levies  and excises on imported goods and licensing fees in the whole French Polynesia are the highest ones. The main objects that Bora Bora imports include food, fuel, building materials,  consumer goods  and automobiles.Because they are imported, these goods cost more for the hotel than the natively made ones. Their main importers are United States and France. In the world chart, French Polynesia is in the two hundred twelfth place, with the inflation rate of 1. 1, while for example, Denmark’s inflation rate is 2. 8, United States inflation rate is 3. 1. In 2008, the currency exchange was 16. 5 French Polynesian francs for one US dollar.

International Management Essay

Evaluate the selection of negotiators from Canada Timber. Were any mistakes made in the selection? Answer 1: The success of international business relationships depends on effective business negotiations. Negotiators need to be well prepared. Understanding how to achieve international business negotiation outcomes and the factors relevant to the process will allow negotiators to be more successful. Negotiation is an inherent part of being in business. Negotiating is an acquired skill, but is very important part of your role as an entrepreneur. 4 Negotiators from Canada Timber went to Japan for Business negotiation,Tim Wilder-CEO of Canada Timber,John Sharkey-an attorney,Bill Hudak-production supervisor and Kevin Peterson-a regional salesperson. The first negotiator,Tim Wilder-CEO of Canada Timber, As a business owner, negotiations with other businessmen are inevitable. He wanted to establish a corporate partnership with another business. One of the most exciting times in the life of a business owner is when an opportunity arises to enter into an agreement that will take the business to another level. (http://www.startupbizhub.com/how-can-you-become-a-good-negotiator.htm) CEO are the highest ranking executive in a company whose main responsibilities include developing and implementing high-level strategies, making major corporate decisions, managing the overall operations and resources of a company, and acting as the main point of communication between the board of directors and the corporate operations. The CEO will often have a position on the board, and in some cases is even the chair.So the selection of Tim Wilder,CEO from Canada Timber as a negotiator was a correct decision. Second negotiator Mr John Sharkey-An Attorney works with business owners to make sure that there are no unresolved or, as is usually the case, unrecognized deal points that might be overlooked in the excitement of reaching an agreement.The deal negotiation attorney also helps to ensure that the deal is properly structured to suit both parties’ needs. A clearly written agreement that is satisfactory to both companies is the best foundation for a good business relationship which will be an asset to your company. A major deal is a break-through moment for any growing company. By having a negotiation attorney on your side, you can be sure that the agreement is one that will help propel your business to new heights of success. (http://www.davidmwalkeresq.com/pages/deal-negotiation.php)An Attorney manages all legal transactions and litigation on behalf of entrepreneurs, offering precisely targeted solutions for a full range of problems and who understand the value of maintaining an on-going relationship with counsel. They help draft, review, and negotiate contracts, advise you on legal problems and questions, and if you become involved in a dispute, handle negotiations and/or litigation. If your new venture requires more specialized services, we bring in and manage other professionals on your behalf.They provide an efficient and cost-effective service to manage all of the legal needs while the company CEO focus on the business venture. So the selection of Mr John Sharkey-An Attorney as a negotiator was a correct decision. Third Negotiator,Mr Bill Hudak a production supervisor,his knowledge of hardwoods and the production procedures of Canada Timber made him an obvious choice for inclusion on the negotiating team. He direct and supervise day to day production,job assignment,and workstation set-up.working in a co-operative effort with Canada Timber team.He participates in the development of new production processes,developing strategies for meeting production demands.Monitor production practices for the most efficient use of material to assure that we are producing a product that meets customer needs and as well is profitable for the organization.He has extensive knowledge of the methods,principles,techniques,and tools of industrial wood production.So the selection of Mr John Sharkey-An Attorney as a negotiator was a correct decision. (http://www.helenaindustries.org/images/WoodShopSupervisor.pdf) 4th Negotiator,Kevin Peterson,a regional salesperson.Not every salesperson will be a natural at negotiation. Salespeople are there to close business. This doesn’t mean they should use strong-arm tactics to close deals. For the salesperson that doesn’t have the necessary negotiation skills, there’s always the price to fall back on. It’s a crutch and an excuse, but one that’s easily accepted by businesses and managers alike. For salesperson, negotiation is second nature. Even Kevin is married to a woman of Japanese descent ,knowa a few words in Japanese and somewhat familiar with Japanese culture,selection of Kevin Peterson as a negotiator was not a correct decision. (http://www.driveyoursuccess.com/2010/07/secret-of-successful-b2b-sales-having-strong-negotiation-skills-.html) After evaluating the negotiators from Canada Timber,we felt that chosing Mr Kevin Peterson,A regional salesperson was a wrong decision made by Tim Wilder. Question 2: What differences in culture between the Japanese and Canadians can be found in this case? Answer 2: 1.Directness. Canadians tend to be more direct than Japanese. They are more likely to say â€Å"No† to things openly and are more forward about their opinions, even when they differ from or contradict another person’s opinions. This may come across as offensively blunt to many Japanese people. In most cases, they don’t mean any offense, so try not to take it personally. Understand that the Japanese prefer not to use the word no. If you ask a question they may simply respond with a yes but clearly mean no. Understanding this is critical in the negotiation process. In Japan it may be considered rude to say no or turn someone down. (http://2vancouver.com/en/articles/cultural-differences-between-canada-japan) 2. Body Language. When indicating â€Å"me† in conversation, Canadians point to their chest rather than their nose. When indicating for you to come to them, Canadians will wave you toward them with their hand palm up rather than palm down. If you wave someone over with your palm down, they may confuse this to mean that you’re trying to wave them away. (http://2vancouver.com/en/articles/cultural-differences-between-canada-japan) 3. Silence. Japanese people tend to be silent when thinking in conversation. Canadians, on the other hand, hedging sounds like â€Å"Hmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or start a sentence without finishing it (i.e. â€Å"Let me think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"Let’s see†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). If you don’t use any hedging language like this, you may find that Canadians will rush to fill what they see as an awkward silence, not knowing that you’re actually thinking and have something to say. 4.Business cards. In Japan, business cards are called meishi. Japanese give and receive meishi with both hands. It should be printed in your home language on one side and Japanese on the other. Present the card with the Japanese language side up. Take special care in handling cards that are given to you. Do not write on the card. Do not put the card in you pocket or wallet, as either of these actions will be viewed as defacing or disrespecting the business card. Upon receipt of the card, it is important to make a photocopy of the name and title of the individual in your mind. Examine the card carefully as a show of respect. (http://www.indianchild.com/languages/japanese_business_phrases.htm) 5.Touching in public.The Japanese frown on open displays of affection. They do not touch in public. It is highly inappropriate to touch someone of the opposite sex in public.(http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/japan.htm) 6.Respect culture.Just try to be over polite and dont do anything stupid because they are a culture based on honor and respect. As long as you’re making an effort to be polite (as it seems you are) people will notice that and give you the benefit of the doubt in most cases. If you’re acting like a pompous *** and being disrespectful, that’s another story. (http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/japan.htm) 7.Business Meeting Etiquette Don’t be surprised if your hosts give you something from their country too. If the gift is wrapped, don’t open it until you leave. If the gift is not wrapped, make sure to express copious appreciation (whether you like it or not). Ask some questions about the gift to show interest. (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2195.html) 8.Social Interaction If you do go out for dinner, keep in mind that â€Å"going Dutch† is not normal in Japan. If you’re the buyer, you’ll likely be in for a free evening of entertainment. If you’re the seller†¦ well, if you were a local, you’d probably be picking up the tab. However, it’s not quite this simple since your hosts may still insist on paying because you are a visitor in their country. Also, it is normal for the inviting party to pay. (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2195.html) 9.Gifts. Don’t be surprised if your hosts give you something from their country .If the gift is wrapped, don’t open it until you leave. If the gift is not wrapped, make sure to express copious appreciation (whether you like it or not). Ask some questions about the gift to show interest. (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2195.html) Question 3: What could have been done differently in order to produce a more desirable outcome? Answer 3: 1.Understand the Cultural Value Differences between Canadian and Japanese. Cultural distance or dissimilarity affects the ability of managers to be effective in foreign markets. Cultural distance is the difference between culture, language and social structure (Root 1987) that affects managers’ perceptions of what should constitute culturally appropriate behavior in a foreign market (Adler, Doktor, and Redding 1986).To achieve project goals and avoid potential risks, project managers should be culturally sensitive. However, cultural differences can interfere with the successful completion of projects in today’s multicultural global business community.Table below shows the impact of differences in cultural values to the Project results. Table Adapted from Kohls (1981); Marquardt and Kearsley (1999) Figure 1: Value Differences between Canadian and Japanese Cultures Canadian Cultural Values Japanese Cultural Values Impact on Project Management. Individualism Collectivism/Group + Achievement Modesty X Winning Collaboration/Harmony + Guilt (internal self-control) Shame (external control) X Pride Saving face X Respect for results Respect for status/Ascription + Respect for competence Respect for elders – Time is money Time is life – Action/Doing Being/Acceptance – Tasks Relationship/Loyalty – Informal Formal – Directness/Assertiveness Indirectness – Verbal Non-verbal + (+) = Positive impact of combining both values on outcomes (-) = Negative impact of combining both values on outcomes (culture clash) (X) = No direct impact on outcomes Adapted from Kohls (1981); Marquardt and Kearsley (1999) 1.1 Cultural Values on International Business Negotiation Process International Business Negotiation Process Impact of Cultures Goal Japanese negotiators value long-term relationships. Canadian negotiators aim at signing a contract. Protocol The degree of formality in a negotiation can vary from culture to culture. Japanese value etiquette and respectful manners. Canadian negotiators are very formal and highly concerned with proper protocol. Communication Japanese tend to speak softly and use almost no gestures, and prefer indirect language. Canadian are direct and prefer a straightforward presentation with a minimum of game playing. Time Canadian are sensitive to time. They view it as a limited resource that must not be wasted. Japanese regard time as long duration, spending time to learn counterparts. Groups versus individuals In decision making, a more collective culture places emphasis on group priority. An individual-oriented culture is more independent and assertive. Japanese negotiators rely on consensus 2. Provide Training to the negotiators and Characteristics of a good sales negotiator. Train your Negotiator team to be expert negotiators, says Kelley Robertson, a sales training expert and CEO of Robertson Training Group in Burlington, Ontario. Here are nine characteristics of a good sales negotiator, according to Robertson: 1. Exhibits Creativity. A good negotiator looks for creative solutions to help close the deal. Depending on your industry, you could barter with a potential customer or create a partnership. â€Å"For example, I will waive part of my speaking fee at a conference in return for the attendee list,† says Robertson. In that situation, both parties achieve something. 2. Has a win-win attitude. The best way to achieve this is to look at the sale from the other party’s perspective. What are their risks, hesitations, concerns? By determining those before you reach the negotiating table, you can better create win-win solutions for both sides. 3. Has keen listening skills. Customers will often give you clues about what they need. Say you’ve e-mailed a sales presentation to a potential client, but they keep claiming they haven’t had time to read it. What they’re really telling you is they doesn’t want to—so instead, tell them your sales pitch over the phone. Missing a clue like that can cost you a sale. 4. Exhibits patience. Without patience, you may make early concessions just to get the process moving—especially if you’re negotiating with a larger company. â€Å"Their sales process takes a lot longer than other small businesses or consumers,† says Robertson. But making the right deal, rather than a swift one, will be better for your company. 5. Understands the negotiating process. Salespeople must understand that there’s a beginning, middle and end to the sales process, and that once the relationship begins, everything you do afterward either adds value or takes away value. So remain positive, continue to be responsive, and don’t let the customer fall off your radar. 6. Clarifies ambiguity. A good negotiator takes time to get clarification. Let’s say a customer at a restaurant doesn’t like their food. The waiter shouldn’t assume they didn’t like their entire meal, and should ask specifically what went wrong. Perhaps he’ll find out it was undercooked, or just a portion of the meal was wrong. The lesson: A negotiator doesn’t take what they hear at face value and takes the time to get clarification on the other party’s qualms. 7. Shows curiosity. Being able to ask insightful questions, and having the courage to ask those questions, is another critical characteristic. â€Å"I knew a prospective customer had met with my competitor, and since I was curious I asked how my presentation stacked up against his,† says Robertson. â€Å"So I then had a leg up in the negotiating process, because I knew what I was up against.† 8. Has the ability to walk away. Most small business owners put themselve s in a position where they’re unwilling to walk away from a sale because they feel they desperately need it. This is a mistake. When you hold that mindset, a customer has a better chance of taking advantage of you. â€Å"Every deal has to make good business sense,† says Robertson. 3.Harmony. Harmony is the key value in Japanese society. Harmony is the guiding philosophy for the Japanese in family and business settings and in society as a whole. They place great emphasis on politeness, personal responsibility and working together for the universal, rather than the individual, good. They see working in harmony as the crucial ingredient for working productively. 4.Japanese Non-Verbal Communication Since the Japanese strive for harmony and are group dependent, they rely on facial expression, tone of voice and posture to tell them what someone feels. They often trust non-verbal messages more than the spoken word as words can have several meanings. Frowning while someone is speaking is interpreted as a sign of disagreement. Most Japanese maintain an impassive expression when speaking. Expressions to watch out for include inhaling through clenched teeth, tilting the head, scratching the back of the head, and scratching the eyebrow. It is considered disrespectful to stare into another person’s eyes, particularly those of a person who is senior to you because of age or status. In crowded situations the Japanese avoid eye contact to give themselves privacy. 5.Meet Meeting Etiquette & Customs in Japan Greetings in Japan are very formal and ritualized.It is important to show the correct amount of respect and deference to someone based upon their status relative to your own.If at all possible, wait to be introduced.It can be seen as impolite to introduce yourself, even in a large gathering.While foreigners are expected to shake hands, the traditional form of greeting is the bow. How far you bow depends upon your relationship to the other person as well as the situation. The deeper you bow, the more respect you show.A foreign visitor (‘gaijin’) may bow the head slightly, since no one expects foreigners to generally understand the subtle nuances of bowing. 6.Gift Giving Etiquette Gift-giving is highly ritualistic and meaningful.The ceremony of presenting the gift and the way it is wrapped is as important–sometimes more important–than the gift itself.Gifts are given for many occasions.The gift need not be expensive, but take great care to ask someone who understands the culture to help you decide what type of gift to give. Good quality chocolates or small cakes are good ideas.Do not give lilies, camellias or lotus blossoms as they are associated with funerals.Do not give white flowers of any kind as they are associated with funerals. Do not give potted plants as they encourage sickness, although a bonsai tree is always acceptable.Give items in odd numbers, but not 9.If you buy the gift in Japan, have it wrapped.Pastel colours are the best choices for wrapping paper.Gifts are not opened when received. 7.Relationships & Communication The Japanese prefer to do business on the basis of personal relationships.In general, being introduced or recommended by someone who already has a good relationship with the company is extremely helpful as it allows the Japanese to know how to place you in a hierarchy relative to themselves.One way to build and maintain relationships is with greetings / seasonal cards.It is important to be a good correspondent as the Japanese hold this in high esteem. 8.Business Meeting Etiquette Appointments are required and, whenever possible, should be made several weeks in advance.It is best to telephone for an appointment rather than send a letter, fax or email. Punctuality is important. Arrive on time for meetings and expect your Japanese colleagues will do the same.Since this is a group society, even if you think you will be meeting one person, be prepared for a group meeting. It may take several meetings for your Japanese counterparts to become comfortable with you and be able to conduct business with you. This initial getting to know you time is crucial to laying the foundation for a successful relationship.You may be awarded a small amount of business as a trial to see if you meet your commitments.If you respond quickly and with excellent service, you prove your ability and trustworthiness. Never refuse a request, no matter how difficult or non- profitable it may appear. The Japanese are looking for a long-term relationship.Always provide a package of literature about your company including articles and client testimonials.Always give a small gift, as a token of your esteem, and present it to the most senior person at the end of the meeting. Your Japanese contact can advise you on where to find something appropriate. 9.Business Negotiation The Japanese are non-confrontational.They have a difficult time saying ‘no’, so you must be vigilant at observing their non-verbal communication.It is best to phrase questions so that they can answer yes. For example, do you disagree with this?Group decision-making and consensus are important.Written contracts are required. The Japanese often remain silent for long periods of time. Be patient and try to work out if your Japanese colleagues have understood what was said.Japanese prefer broad agreements and mutual understanding so that when problems arise they can be handled flexibly.Using a Japanese lawyer is seen as a gesture of goodwill. Note that Japanese lawyers are quite different from Western lawyers as they are much more functionary. Never lose your temper or raise your voice during negotiations.Some Japanese close their eyes when they want to listen intently.The Japanese seldom grant concession. They expect both parties to come to the table with their best offer.The Japanese do not see contracts as final agreements so they can be renegotiated 10.Business Cards Business cards are exchanged constantly and with great ceremony.Invest in quality cards.Always keep your business cards in pristine condition.Treat the business card you receive as you would the person.You may be given a business card that is only in Japanese. It is wise to have one side of your business card translated into Japanese.Give your business card with the Japanese side facing the recipient. Make sure your business card includes your title, so your Japanese colleagues know your status within your organization.Business cards are given and received with two hands and a slight bow.Examine any business card you receive very carefully.During a meeting, place the business cards on the table in front of you in the order people are seated.When the meeting is over, put the business cards in a business card case or a portfolio 11.Business ethics Japanese believe in business ethics. They provide products and services to the customers and never ready to cheat them. Thus they provide service to the community and fulfill social responsibility. They do business fairly. They earn profit but not at the cost of quality. Question 4: What is Hofstede’s dimension of culture? Which category does Malaysia falls into? Answer 4: We know we are living in a global age. Technology has brought the world much closer together. This means that people of different cultures find themselves working together and communicating more and more. (http://www.ctp.bilkent.edu.tr/~aydogmus/Hofstede_Hall.pdf) This is exciting and interesting, but it can also be frustrating and fraught with uncertainty. How do you relate to someone of another culture? What do you say, or not say, to start a conversation off right? Are there cultural taboos you need to be aware of? Building connections with people from around the world is just one dimension of cultural diversity. You also have issues like motivating people, structuring projects, and developing strategy. What works in one location may or may not work somewhere else. The question is, â€Å"How can I come to understand these cultural differences?† Are we relegated to learning from our mistakes or are there generalized guidelines to follow? Fortunately, a psychologist named Dr Geert Hofstede asked himself this question in the 1970s. What emerged after a decade of research and thousands of interviews is a model of cultural dimensions that has become an internationally recognized standard. With access to people working for the same organization in over 40 countries of the world, Hofstede collected cultural data and analyzed his findings. He initially identified four distinct cultural dimensions that served to distinguish one culture from another. Later he added a fifth dimension and that is how the model stands today. He scored each country using a scale of roughly 0 to 100 for each dimension. The higher the score, the more that dimension is exhibited in society. The Five Dimensions of Culture Armed with a large database of cultural statistics, Hofstede analyzed the results and found clear patterns of similarity and difference amid the responses along these five dimensions. Interestingly, his research was done on employees of IBM only, which allowed him to attribute the patterns to national differences in culture, largely eliminating the problem of differences in company culture.(http:/www.mindtools.com) The five dimensions are: 1. Power/Distance (PD) – This refers to the degree of inequality that exists – and is accepted – among people with and without power. A high PD score indicates that society accepts an unequal distribution of power and people understand â€Å"their place† in the system. Low PD means that power is shared and well dispersed. It also means that society members view themselves as equals. Application: According to Hofstede’s model, in a high PD country like Malaysia (104), you would probably send reports only to top management and have closed door meetings where only a select few, powerful leaders were in attendance. Characteristics Tips High PD Centralized companies. Strong hierarchies. Large gaps in compensation, authority, and respect. Acknowledge a leader’s power. Be aware that you may need to go to the top for answers Low PD Flatter organizations. Supervisors and employees are considered almost as equals. Use teamwork Involve as many people as possible in decision making. 2. Individualism (IDV) – This refers to the strength of the ties people have to others within the community. A high IDV score indicates a loose connection with people. In countries with a high IDV score there is a lack of interpersonal connection and little sharing of responsibility, beyond family and perhaps a few close friends. A society with a low IDV score would have strong group cohesion, and there would be a large amount of loyalty and respect for members of the group. The group itself is also larger and people take more responsibility for each other’s well being. Application: Hofstede’s analysis suggests that in the Central American countries of Panama and Guatemala where the IDV scores are very low (11 and 6, respectively), a marketing campaign that emphasized benefits to the community or that tied into a popular political movement would likely be understood and well-received. Characteristics Tips High IDV High valuation on people’s time and their need for freedom. An enjoyment of challenges, and an expectation of rewards for hard work. Respect for privacy. Acknowledge accomplishments. Don’t ask for too much personal information. Encourage debate and expression of own ideas. Low IDV Emphasis on building skills and becoming masters of something. Work for intrinsic rewards. Harmony more important than honesty. Show respect for age and wisdom. Suppress feelings and emotions to work in harmony. Respect traditions and introduce change slowly. 3. Masculinity (MAS) – This refers to how much a society sticks with, and values, traditional male and female roles. High MAS scores are found in countries where men are expected to be tough, to be the provider, to be assertive and to be strong. If women work outside the home, they have separate professions from men. Low MAS scores do not reverse the gender roles. In a low MAS society, the roles are simply blurred. You see women and men working together equally across many professions. Men are allowed to be sensitive and women can work hard for professional success. Application: Japan is highly masculine with a score of 95 whereas Sweden has the lowest measured value (5). According to Hofstede’s analysis, if you were to open an office in Japan, you might have greater success if you appointed a male employee to lead the team and had a strong male contingent on the team. In Sweden, on the other hand, you would aim for a team that was balanced in terms of skill rather than gender. Characteristics Tips High MAS Men are masculine and women are feminine. There is a well defined distinction between men’s work and women’s work. Be aware that people may expect male and female roles to be distinct. Advise men to avoid discussing emotions or making emotionally-based decisions or arguments. Low MAS A woman can do anything a man can do. Powerful and successful women are admired and respected. Avoid an â€Å"old boys’ club† mentality. Ensure job design and practices are not discriminatory to either gender. Treat men and women equally. 4. Uncertainty/Avoidance Index (UAI) – This relates to the degree of anxiety society members feel when in uncertain or unknown situations. High UAI-scoring nations try to avoid ambiguous situations whenever possible. They are governed by rules and order and they seek a collective â€Å"truth†. Low UAI scores indicate the society enjoys novel events and values differences. There are very few rules and people are encouraged to discover their own truth. Application: Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions imply that when discussing a project with people in Belgium, whose country scored a 94 on the UAI scale, you should investigate the various options and then present a limited number of choices, but have very detailed information available on your contingency and risk plans. (Note that there will be cultural differences between French and Dutch speakers in Belgium!) Characteristics Tips High UAI Very formal business conduct with lots of rules and policies. Need and expect structure. Sense of nervousness spurns high levels of emotion and expression. Differences are avoided. Be clear and concise about your expectations and parameters. Plan and prepare, communicate often and early, provide detailed plans and focus on the tactical aspects of a job or project. Express your emotions through hands gestures and raised voices. Low UAI Informal business attitude. More concern with long term strategy than what is happening on a daily basis. Accepting of change and risk. Do not impose rules or structure unnecessarily. Minimize your emotional response by being calm and contemplating situations before speaking. Express curiosity when you discover differences. 5. Long Term Orientation (LTO) – This refers to how much society values long-standing – as opposed to short term – traditions and values. This is the fifth dimension that Hofstede added in the 1990s after finding that Asian countries with a strong link to Confucian philosophy acted differently from western cultures. In countries with a high LTO score, delivering on social obligations and avoiding â€Å"loss of face† are considered very important. Application: According to Hofstede’s analysis, people in the United States and United Kingdom have low LTO scores. This suggests that you can pretty much expect anything in this culture in terms of creative expression and novel ideas. The model implies that people in the US and UK don’t value tradition as much as many others, and are therefore likely to be willing to help you execute the most innovative plans as long as they get to participate fully. (This may be surprising to people in the UK, with its associations of tradition!) Characteristics Tips High LTO Family is the basis of society. Parents and men have more authority than young people and women. Strong work ethic. High value placed on education and training. Show respect for traditions. Do not display extravagance or act frivolously. Reward perseverance, loyalty, and commitment. Avoid doing anything that would cause another to â€Å"lose face†. Low LTO Promotion of equality. High creativity, individualism. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Self-actualization is sought. Expect to live by the same standards and rules you create. Be respectful of others. Do not hesitate to introduce necessary changes. For a list of scores by dimension per country and more detailed information about Hofstede’s research, visit his http://geert-hofstede.com/. You can also find out more about his research in the books http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_66.htm Note: Hofstede’s analysis is done by country. While this is valid for many countries, it does not hold in the countries where there are strong subcultures that are based on ethnicity of origin or geography. In Canada, for instance, there is a distinct French Canadian culture that has quite a different set of norms compared to English-speaking Canada. And in Italy, masculinity scores would differ between North and South. Key Points:Cultural norms play a large part in the mechanics and interpersonal relationships at work. When you grow up in a culture you take your norms of behavior for granted. You don’t have to think about your reactions, preferences, and feelings. When you step into a foreign culture, suddenly things seem different. You don’t know what to do or say. Using Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions as a starting point, you can evaluate your approach, your decisions, and actions based on a general sense of how the society might think and react to you. Of course, no society is homogenous and there will be deviations from the norms Hofstede found, however, with this as your guide you won’t be going in blind. The unknown will be a little less intimidating and you’ll get a much-needed boost of confidence and security from studying this cultural model. Apply This to Your Life: Take some time to review the for the various cultural dimensions Hofstede identified. Pay particular attention to the countries from which the people you deal with on a day-by-day basis come. In light of these scores, think about some interactions you’ve had with people in other countries. Does your conversation or association make more sense given this newly found insight? Challenge yourself to learn more about one culture in particular. If your work brings you in contact with people from another country, use that country as your point of reference. Apply Hofstede’s scores to what you discover and determine the accuracy and relevance for you. The next time you are required to work with a person from a different culture, use Hofstede’s scores and make notes about your approach, what you should be prepared to discuss, and why you feel the way you do. Afterward, evaluate your performance and do further research and preparation for the next time. Above all, make cultural sensitivity a daily part of your life. Learn to value the differences between people and vow to honor and respect the things that make each nation of people unique. Question 4: Which category does Malaysia falls into? Answer 4: What about Malaysia? If we explore the Malaysian culture through the lens of the 5-D Model, we can get a good overview of the deep drivers of Malaysian culture relative to other world cultures. (http://predicate.wordpress.com) Power distance This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal – it expresses the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities amongst us. Power distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. Malaysia scores very high on this dimension (score of 104) which means that people accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification. Hierarchy in an organisation is seen as reflecting inherent inequalities, centralization is popular, subordinates expect to be told what to do and the ideal boss is a benevolent autocrat. Challenges to the leadership are not well-received. Individualism The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. It has to do with whether people ´s self-image is defined in terms of â€Å"I† or â€Å"We†. In Individualist societies people are supposed to look after themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies people belong to ‘in groups’ that take care of them in exchange for loyalty. Malaysia, with a score of 26 is a collectivistic society. This is manifest in a close long-term commitment to the â€Å"member† group, be that a family, extended family or extended relationships. Loyalty in a collectivist culture is paramount and overrides most other societal rules and regulations. Such a society fosters strong relationships, where everyone takes responsibility for fellow members of their group. In collectivistic societies, offence leads to shame and loss of face. Employer/employee relationships are perceived in moral terms (like a family link), hiring and promotion take account of the employee’s in-group. Management is the management of groups. Masculinity / Femininity A high score (masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner / best in field – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational behaviour. A low score (feminine) on the dimension means that the dominant values in society are caring for others and quality of life. A feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue here is what motivates people, wanting to be the best (masculine) or liking what you do (feminine). At 50, Malaysia can be considered a masculine society – highly success oriented and driven. In masculine countries, people â€Å"live in order to work†, managers are expected to be decisive, and the emphasis is on equity, competition and performance. Conflicts are resolved by fighting them out. A clear example of this dimension is seen around election time, with ferocious, no-holds barred battles between candidates. Uncertainty avoidance The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? This ambiguity brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with this anxiety in different ways. The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these is reflected in the UAI score. Malaysia scores 36 on this dimension and thus has a low preference for avoiding uncertainty. Low UAI societies maintain a more relaxed attitude in which practice counts more than principles and deviance from the norm is more easily tolerated. In societies exhibiting low UAI, people believe there should be no more rules than are necessary and if they are ambiguous or do not work, they should be abolished or changed. Schedules are flexible, hard work is undertaken when necessary but not for its own sake. Precision and punctuality do not come naturally, innovation is not seen as threatening. Long term orientation The long term orientation dimension is closely related to the teachings of Confucius and can be interpreted as dealing with society’s search for virtue, the extent to which a society shows a pragmatic future-oriented perspective rather than a conventional historical short-term point of view. (http://predicate.wordpress.com, http://predicate.wordpress.com/about, http://predicate.wordpress.com/writers-notebook) No score available for Malaysia on this dimension. Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions on Malaysia Malaysia Fact File Official name – Malaysia Population – 23,522,482* (July 2004 est.) Official Language – Bahasa Malaysia (also known as Bahasa Melayu and the Malay language). English, Chinese dialects, and Tamil are also widely spoken. Currency – Ringgit (MYR) Capital city – Kuala Lumpur GDP – purchasing power parity $207.8 billion* (2004 est.) GDP Per Capita – purchasing power parity $9,000* (2004 est.) Overview Since the beginning of its history, Malaysia has been a meeting place for a diverse range of external cultures and religions. As a result of these external influences, a new unified but distinguished Malay culture has emerged. Contemporary Malaysia represents a unique fusion of Malay, Chinese, and Indian traditions, creating a pluralistic and multicultural nation that has its character strongly rooted in social harmony, religion and pride in its ancestral background. With such a rich cultural heritage, acquiring the relevant skills and cultural knowledge in order to conduct business in Malaysia is crucial to your success. Following years of confrontation in search of independence, Malaysia was established in September 1963 through the union of the Independent Federation of Malay, the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian States of Sabah and Sarawak. Over the last few decades the country has evolved from a successful producer of raw materials to a multisector economy. Today, Malaysia offers a unique blend of old traditional culture and new technological innovations. As the Malaysian market continues to develop and prosper, it is becoming increasingly valuable for those entering into business in Malaysia to be aware of the cultural dimensions that shape the fabric of this country Culture Face – A vital element of Malaysian culture, as with most Asian cultures, is the concept of face. In Malaysian society to â€Å"lose face†, that is to lose control of one’s emotions or to show embarrassment in public, is perceived as a negative display of behavior. Malaysians will use a number of methods in order to â€Å"save face†. Laughter, for instance, is often used to mask one’s true feelings and can reveal numerous emotions including nervousness, shyness or disapproval. Saving face is particularly crucial in business contexts as causing your Malaysian counterpart to lose face may influence the outcome of your future business dealings. High context culture – In high context cultures such as Malaysia meaning is often more explicit and less direct than in many Western cultures. This means that words are less important and greater attention must be given to additional forms of communication such as voice tone, body language, eye-contact and facial expressions. In Malaysia, because business is personal and based on trust, developing relationships rather than exchanging facts and information is the main objective of communication. This also relates to the Malay cultural values of courtesy, tolerance, harmony and face. Direct answers, particularly negative ones, are avoided in order to prevent disagreement and preserve harmony; two very important aspects of Malaysian culture. Fatalism – Malaysian culture is centered on the diverse religious values of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam and as such relies heavily on the concept of fatalism. Fatalism is the belief that success, failures, opportunities and misfortunes result from fate or the will of God. In a business context, when formulating ideas and making decisions Malays, who are predominantly Muslim, will tend not to rely on empirical evidence or hard facts, but prefer to be guided by subjective feelings combined with the Islamic faith. Your Chinese and Indian colleagues will also take a similar approach since feelings and emotions play a significant part in their business culture. Consequently, negotiations may take longer than expected and your Malaysian counterparts will view decision making in a more personal light. Economy The Malaysian economy slowed sharply in the first half of 2005, but the outlook for the year as a whole and over the medium-term remains broadly favorable. The slowdown in the pace of economic activity, which began in the third quarter of 2004, continued in 2005.1 Year-on-year growth was sustained at 5.8 percent in Q1 2005, (Q4 2004 5.8 percent) and declined to 4.1 percent in Q2 2005, below market expectations. As a result, real GDP growth declined to 4.9 percent in the first half of 2005. On a year-on-year basis, the decline in economic activity was affected by negative contributions from mining (-1.6 percent) and construction (-2 percent), and a sharply lower positive contribution from manufacturing output (3.2 percent), and growth was driven mostly by the services sector (5.4 percent). On the expenditure side, the lower contribution to overall growth from external demand was partially offset by buoyant domestic demand, which expanded by 5.8 percent, underpinned by continued strong growth in private consumption (8.7 percent) and gross fixed capital formation (4.5 percent). A recovery in external demand for electronic and electrical (E&E) products is expected in the second half of 2005, and domestic demand will receive a further boost from the mild stimulus measures announced in the 2006 Budget.2 Thus, medium-term prospects remain broadly positive, with the economy expected to grow by 5 percent in 2005, 5_-.5_ percent in 2006, and 5_-6 percent through 2008. Political System The different states of the Federation of Malaysia became independent from the United Kingdom and Singapore at different times; the 11 Malay peninsular states in 1957 and the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak in 1963. The predominantly Chinese island-city of Singapore split off from Malaysia in 1965. Malaysia is an independent member of the Commonwealth. The supreme head of state or king, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is elected every five years by the nine hereditary Malay rulers of Western Malaysia. At election time, each state ruler is asked whether or not he wishes to run for the kingship. If there is only one candidate, he becomes king if he receives at least five affirmative votes from the other rulers; otherwise, a new candidate is sought. When there is more than one candidate, the ballots are taken in the order of a rotation system. The ruler of the last of the nine states to be represented in the kingship since independence, Sultan Azlan Shah, was elected in March 1989. As in most parliamentary systems, political power resides in the cabinet, headed by the prime minister. The king appoints the cabinet from the 177-member House of Representatives, or Dewan Rakyat, whose representatives are elected by universal adult suffrage every five years. The other half of the Malaysian bicameral legislature is the 69-member Senate, or Dewan Negara, comprising two members elected by the legislatures of each of the states, and the remaining 43 senators appointed by the king, all for six-year terms. Political parties have mainly been formed along ethnic and religious divisions. Since independence, the Malaysian government has been controlled by a multiracial coalition of political parties called the National Front, or Barisan Nasional, of which Prime Minister Mahathir’s party, the United Malays National Organization (UNMO), is the largest partner. Trade System Malaysia experiences a rapid growth and its remarkably quick and strong recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Members of the trade policy review body attributed this impressive economic performance to sound macroeconomic policies, structural reforms, especially in the corporate and financial sectors, and fast growth in exports. Some Members wondered about the timing and effectiveness of Malaysia’s capital and exchange control measures implemented in the wake of the Asian crisis and the pegging of the ringitt to the U.S. dollar, measures that Malaysia saw as appropriate for stabilizing markets and building confidence. Members expressed the hope that â€Å"temporary† liberalization measures introduced during the review period would be made â€Å"permanent†. Members also sought Malaysia’s views on the need to diversify its exports, nearly half of which involve electronics. Members commended Malaysia for its strong support for and commitment to the multilateral trading system, and expressed their hope that it would actively participate in the Doha Development Agenda. As regards Malaysia’s pursuit of trade liberalization in regional fora, particularly ASEAN, some Members noted that the gap between MFN and preferential tariff rates applied to imports from ASEAN countries constituted a potential source of trade diversion, although Malaysia did not believe that this has actually happened. Members expressed their appreciation of Malaysia’s relative openness to trade and foreign direct investment and its continued liberalization efforts in these areas. In particular, Members commended Malaysia for its efforts to reduce tariffs, simplify the tariff structure, and abolish all local-content requirements (except those for the automotive sector). At the same time, concerns were raised over the fact that about one-third of Malaysia’s tariff lines were unbound and the widening gap between bound rates and applied MFN rates, which had permitted Malaysia to increase tariff protection for certain products, thereby raising the simple average of MFN tariffs during the review period. Malaysia noted that this widening gap between bound and applied MFN tariff rates was the consequence of unilateral tariff reductions and that the import-weighted tariff average had declined; some other Members felt that such a gap provided developing nations with a degree of flexibility in undertaking trade liberalization and other economic reforms. Members also urged Malaysia to reduce the scope of its non-automatic licensing system. It was noted that state-owned enterprises continued to play an important role in Malaysia’s economy and that the authorities might need measures to assure a pro-competitive climate in the sectors where such ent erprises were prevalent. Some Members encouraged Malaysia to accede to the Agreement on Government Procurement. On sectoral issues, Members noted the contrast between the openness and economic performance of the electronics and automotive industries; the much more open electronics industry had performed much better than the automotive industry, which was protected by high tariffs and non-tariff measures, including import licensing. Members urged Malaysia to bring forward the abolition of local-content requirements for motor vehicles. Moreover, Members encouraged Malaysia to continue its liberalization of the services sector, particularly financial services and telecommunications. In addition, Members also sought further clarification on, inter alia: the possibility of an ASEAN — China free trade agreement; effectiveness of investment guarantee agreements; greater use of ad valorem import duties; measures affecting exports; further progress in competition policy; transparency in government procurement; enforcement of intellectual property rights; standards and licensing concerning various agricultural products; and recognition of qualifications in education and legal services. Members expressed their appreciation of the responses provided by the delegation of Malaysia during the meeting, and looked forward to later replies to some questions. In conclusion, this Review has provided Members with a much better understanding of Malaysia’s trade and trade-related policies and of their role in fostering Malaysia’s economic development and helping it to cope with shocks, such as the Asian financial crisis. Malaysia’s recovery has apparently been greatly facilitated by Members’ adherence to the principles of the multilateral trading system and thus their willingness to keep their economies open to Malaysia’s exports. Members encouraged Malaysia to further liberalize and diversify its economy. In this context, I, along with Members, look forward to Malaysia’s continued support for future efforts to liberalize the multilateral trading system. Legal System The legal system of Malaysia was modeled after the English legal system which practices parliamentary democracy and is ruled by a Constitutional Monarchy, with His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King) ceremonially as the Head of the country. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected by the Conference of Rulers for a five-year term from amongst the hereditary Rulers of the nine states in the Federation which are ruled by Sultans. The states are Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan. In the other states, namely Melaka, Pulau Pinang, Sabah and Sarawak, the Head of State is the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or Governor of the State. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a four-year term. The Federal Constitution of Malaysia clearly divides the law-making authority of the Federation into its legislative authority, judicial authority and executive authority. The separation of power also occurs both at federal and state levels. The federal laws enacted by the federal assembly or better known as the Parliament of Malaysia applies throughout the country. There are also state laws governing local governments and Islamic law enacted by the state legislative assembly which applies in the particular state. Malaysian Business Culture Working practices in Malaysia When scheduling business meetings in Malaysia one must take into consideration the importance of prayer times in this predominantly Muslim country. Fridays are a particularly religious day of the week and if possible meetings should not be scheduled for this time. Attitude to punctuality varies according to which nationality you are doing business with. The Chinese for example expect punctuality, whereas both ethnic Malays and Indian business people have a more relaxed attitude towards time. As a general rule, you will be expected to be punctual; therefore it is advised to arrive to business appointments on time. If your business in Malaysia requires interaction with Malaysian government officials, ensure that all communication takes place in the language of Bahasa Malaysia. The majority of transactions and correspondence with Malaysian companies however, will generally be conducted in English. Structure and Hierarchy in Malaysian Companies. Regardless of the size or nature of the company, hierarchy is an integral part of Malaysian business culture. Malaysian companies generally follow a vertical hierarchical structure where authority is directed from the top. In keeping with Malaysian culture, titles and job descriptions play a significant part in many Malaysian companies. They are important for employees in order to emphasize the line of authority within the business. Working Relationships in Malaysia Malaysians’ respect for authority is evident in most business dealings. The relationship between subordinates and their superiors for example is distinct and highly official. Malaysians do not address their bosses by their first name, but use titles such as â€Å"Mr† and â€Å"Madam† followed by their honorific form of address. Relationships between Malaysian business colleagues are based on mutual respect and, as such, the same procedure used when addressing their superiors is also applied with their Malaysian business colleagues. Malaysia Business Part 2 – Doing Business in Malaysia Business Practices in Malaysia When meeting your Malaysian counterparts for the first time, a firm handshake is the standard form of greeting. However, you should only shake hands with a Malaysian businesswoman if she initiates the gesture. Otherwise a nod or a single bow is appropriate. With such an array of cultures in Malaysia addressing Malaysians properly can be difficult. It is advised to find out in advance how you should address the person you are to meet. Generally speaking, a Malay’s first name is individually given, while the second and third name indicate those of the father and the grandfather. In some cases the words â€Å"bin† (son) or â€Å"binti† (daughter) can be added after the given name. Gifts are not usually exchanged as they may be perceived as a bribe. However, in the event that you are presented with a gift, it is customary to accept it with both hands and wait until you have left your Malaysian colleagues before opening it. Be sure to reciprocate with a gift of equal value in order to avoid loss of face. Business cards are customarily exchanged after an initial introduction in Malaysia. Since a large proportion of Malaysian business people are Chinese, it will be useful if your card is printed in both English and Chinese and that details of your education, professional qualifications, and business title are included. Cards should be presented and received with both hands, and time should always be spent examining the information before placing it on the table or in a briefcase. Malaysian Business Etiquette (Do’s and Don’ts) _ DO be patient with your Malaysian counterparts during business negotiations. The process is often a long and detailed one that should not be hastened. _ DO remain polite and demonstrate good etiquette at all times. Elderly Malaysian business people for example should be treated with respect and always acknowledged before younger members of the organization. This is an essential part of achieving successful business dealings in Malaysia. _ DO take time to establish productive business relationships with your Malaysian colleagues. Initial meetings are generally orientated towards developing such relationships and will be maintained throughout and beyond the negotiations. Without them, your business plans may be fruitless. X DON’T assume that a signed contract signifies a final agreement. It is common for negotiations to continue after a contract has been signed. X DON’T be surprised if your Malaysian counterparts ask what you may consider to be personal questions. In Malaysia, asking people about their weight, income and marital status for example, is not uncommon and is viewed as an acceptable approach to initial conversations. X DON’T enter into business with a Malaysian company without a letter of introduction from a bank or mutual acquaintance. This will help your request for a future meeting, as Malaysians prefer to conduct business with those they are familiar with. Geert Hofstedeâ„ ¢ Cultural Dimensions There is a high correlation between the Muslim religion and the Hofstede Dimensions of Power Distance (PDI) and Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) scores. The combination of these two high scores (UAI) and (PDI) create societies that are highly rule-oriented with laws, rules, regulations, and controls in order to reduce the amount of uncertainty, while inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow within the society. These cultures are more likely to follow a caste system that does not allow significant upward mobility of its citizens. When these two Dimensions are combined, it creates a situation where leaders have virtually ultimate power and authority, and the rules, laws and regulations developed by those in power, reinforce their own leadership and control. It is not unusual for new leadership to arise from armed insurrection – the ultimate power, rather than from diplomatic or democratic change. Analysis Using Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Power Distance Index (PDI), High – Suggests that the degree to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unevenly. This represents high inequality. It implies that a society’s level of inequality is allowed by the followers as much as by the leaders. Individualism (IDV), Low – Collectivism, that is the degree to which individuals are inte-grated into groups. Given that the IDV index of Malaysia is low, it is implied that collectivism is more manifested than individualism in its culture. On the individualist side we find societies in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after him/herself and his/her immediate family. On the collectivist side, we find societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, often extended families (with uncles, aunts and grandparents) which continue protecting them in exchan ge for unquestioning loyalty. The word ‘collectivism’ in this sense has no political meaning: it refers to the group, not to the state. Masculinity (MAS), Average – There is no eminent distinction of how roles are distributed in Malaysia as according to gender. The index shows moderately-low to average in terms of masculinity. The gap between the two gender roles is not that great which may signify equality between the roles. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI), Moderately-Low – Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to reduce the chance of such situations by strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in absolute Truth. Malaysia exhibits a moderately-low index, which suggests that the society has a tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. The society might be relatively comfortable in unstructured situations which are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual. 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