LATIN AMERICA

SUMMARY:


Latin America is a continent full of colors and live thanks to the environment it has and the richness in food and plants. It is full of diversity, starting by the cities and ending with its forests and jungles. There is multiples types of food, each city has its specialty in food and each follows tradition. Most Latin American countries are very familiar, they have a great sense of touch and care for others. These countries are seen as more cosy, because families follow several traditions.Its people are very happy and social, they tend to have carnavals and parties to celebrate, besides the best type of climates are found in this continent. There is a very tropical weather, where most people can enjoy of the sorrounings and travel in car while visiting different type of turistic attractions.


The main idea here is to show how wonderful and social are the latins. These are people who like being active and have facility to treat people, latins have lots of carism. Are people who like to feel new experiences so adapt well to changes and they also enjoy talking to others, this is a way of seeing the facility to of communicating with others. Finally, last but not least are the women who have a big popularity all around the world. Latin women are known for their beauty and their sweetness.


Latin American countries have been growing and developing, and the tourism has changed significantly. Latin America is starting to be an attractive continent to invest and to travel thanks to all the fears that have been left behind. People all around the world are really getting to know how the continent is, but the good part is that it is still seen as a whole adventure to visit!!!
REFERENCES:
Image taken from:http://http//www.chinadaily.com.cn/cityguide/attachement/jpg/site1/20080728/000802ab801809f7b3570b.jpg

• http://http//www.geert-hofstede.com/

NORTH AMERICA

SUMMARY:
In this new chapter we will see some of the reasons why america has been a world power and why is disney also compared to their lifestyle. Americans have always been determined and effective persons, their culture has always worked towards perfection. In this same way is how disney applies its working style. Their priority is giving good service mora than quality. The disney workers are alway aggressively friendly, altough they are an individualistic culture they have meetings where they all give important suggestions in order to work better by themselfves. In America money has always been an important matter but more than that is work, you are depending on what you do. Self motivation during work is very important due to the acknowledgement by others and good results.


Video:

• http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou3XZacOSe4

Another important characteristic of americans and disneys workers is the constant improvement that they practice day after day. For them is really important to learn from mistakes and as it was mentioned before the goal is reaching perfection. This perfection is what motivates them to be every day better, and by this what they want is to jump to higher working positions. Their dream is to make new challenges everyday and gain recognition.

QUESTIONS:
1)List and explain 3 strategies used by HP in order to develop and sustain a strong organizational culture:
The first strategy is to make a close link to employees and the company this can be done by telling stories that motivate them and make them feel closer with it. Also by taking role models so they can relate easier. The second is made to help feel the employees good, and for them to feel comfortable. And the third but not least is making an environment easy to addapt, for workers to be familarized with the company.
2)By 2001, Karly Fiorina was facing a huge dilemma in terms of organizational culture. Should Fiorina try to revitalize the HP way or attempt to replace it with a better culture than the one stablished by Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett in the 1940s?Explain your answer.
An easy way to solve it would be through a revision of the organizational culture, the way it functioned didnt seem to have anything wrong but as you know everything is in constant change, so as this happens the organizational culture should make a reflection on how to catch up. Its about taking all the positive aspects and turning them into strong points of models. This way everything leads to efficiency and this way an organization can work better.

REFERENCES:

• file://forster,%20nick.%202002.%20“managing%20excellence%20through%20corporate%20culture:%20the%20hp%20way”%20the%20management%20case%20study%20journal%202(1):%2013-25./
image taken from: http://http://www.miamigratis.com.ar/miamigratis/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/disney-gratis.jpg

• file://-%20rapaille,%20clotaire.%202006.%20“working%20for%20a%20living:%20the%20codes%20of%20work%20and%20money”.%20in:%20the%20culture%20code%20new%20york:%20broadway./


• class notes.

AUSTRALIA

SUMMARY:
Australia is a country of openness and equity, these are important factors at the time of socializaing at any type of activity, and also in organizations were people are respected and taken into account. The principal attribute of this continent is the egalitarism, which leads to diversity and respect aqually among all. In terms of a company this is a positive characteristic because people enjoy working in groups and easily addapt to changes. They are not the type of persons who are ready for issues but as they dont have uncertainty avoidance they move freely through problems. As problems appear they como along with the solutions. By this way of working it is easy for them to be more attached to every situation because of the companies great humanity and sensibility. Due to this great importance of respect for every persons rights australians created RAP, which stands for reconciliation action plan. This was created to end with all discrimination which is no longer taking place thanks to the strong need of equall rights. Adding this priorities to a company brings great results because of the facility of partnership which contributes to work with others in harmony and in a more efficient way.

video:
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQAXIqT4zgM

QUESTIONS:
1)When removed from their families, the children were prepared for a better life, how is that true or false considering the different perspectives?
As the question recalls, we are talking about perspectives which fall on opinions, the good or bad depends from the point of view that you see it. For example, aborigines could have more opportunities like, being well educated, well dressed, the chance to get to know more things and have more enriched experinces. But on the other side from the point of view of their families, it was seen as a traumatic scene. The children were taken away from their families and suffered very much even though they were receiving help. This was seen as an abuse to human rights because they had a different culture where others couldnt just come to interfere. According to the human rights these would be violation to ones cultures beliefs, and for them it was really uncomfortable because they were used to different things and a change implyes many things.

REFERENCES:

• file://kevin%20baird*%20graeme%20harrison†%20robert%20reeve‡%20(2007),%20the%20culture%20of%20australian%20organizations%20and%20its%20relation%20with%20strategy,%20international%20journal%20of%20business%20studies,%20vol%2015,%20no1,%20june%202007:%20pages%2015%20of%2041./

• class presentation
• image from: http://http://www.google.com.co/imgres?imgurl=http://absolutaustralia.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/australia-perth.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.absolutaustralia.com/perth-la-ciudad-de-mas-de-un-millon-de-habitantes-mas-aislada-del-mundo/&usg=__3uZEKWst9DjZUQN93BzKvWiPwHE=&h=332&w=415&sz=35&hl=es&start=8&itbs=1&tbnid=p_kjc45JwEzLjM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3Daustralia%26hl%3Des%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1

EUROPE

SUMMARY:

The European Union has 27 member states, and each state has its own culture which makes this continent pretty diverse. The European Union started after the second world war, and this union was created exactly for this mean to create unity, partnershi and hace solidarity between them. The European Union was created on the basis of liberty, democracy and the respect for laws and human rights. There is a majority that beliefs that Turkey shouldnt be a part of this group due to its enormous differencess but but the other side the EU was created specialle for diversity terms. There are several web pages that confirm how the EU supports diversity.

On the other hand we have a clear example of how a well known company as wal-mart failed in Germany and not in the other countries. The reason that explains this is that cultures have bug differences and one og these was costumer service, in Germany people dont like others to do things for them. Germans prefer to do things alone and do them their way. Here are some examples on how diversity can affect some economies and how in marketing they are shown clearly, because due to this differences marketing styles are defined but for this exact reason is why they fail.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk84eQbuwgk&feature=PlayList&p=D9BC79EDAD00A736&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=8






QUESTION:



Co-determinism in Germany, mention 3 arguments in favor and 3 against.



This principle describes two different levels of employee participation. Another name is employer-employee partnership,this holds that employees are really important for the organization. This relation can have really positive aspects due to the participation of employees in decision making, all these to facilitate the environment.







In favor:

• Integration within the company, as it was mentioned above employees can participate, and thanks to this participation they can asume the role of caring for the company.



• Quality in decision making, the best optioned to know about the company are the workers who spen most part of their time in it, so for this reason they can give a better judgement of what its neccessary to do.



• Innovation and creativity, this is due to the workers participation because as being treatted with respect and taken into account they would feel more important and make good suggestions from a different point of view.

Against:

• Not competitive, it is seen as an old model.



• Different interests, workers worry more about benefits for groupism and owners worry more about numbers; money.



• The model doesnt match with the Germans culture, because they are seen as a more agressive country.

REFERENCES:

• http://europa.eu/about-eu/27-member-countries/index_en.htm



• http://http//www.eurofound.europa.eu/emire/GERMANY/CODETERMINATION-DE.htm



• notes taken in class.
• image taken from: http://http//www.venceremos.cu/pags/varias/el_mundo_hoy/imagenes/union_europea_3024288.jpg

MIDDLE EAST

QUESTIONS:

1) What is Islamic Banking and its backround.

Islamic bankink was born from the religion, religion has beeen always been the most important in the Middle East. It was norn after taking into consideration that normal banks win excess in interests and this religion doesnt support excess. This was how free interest banks were created, thanks to muslim countries. These banks base their accomplishment on the principles opf the Shariah and the aplications on the Islamic economics.

2) What are the key principles of Islamic Banking?

• lending money but without any interest or additional profit.



• lender must share profits and losses, in order to promote high risk negotiations.



• negotiations shoulbe free from uncertainty or risk, both parts should know correctly every detail.



• stop from helping any business which participates agaisnt the religion, like pork and alcohol.

3) How do these type of banks make profit if they dont ask for interests or profit?

These type of banks make money by buying and selling certain products that are permitted by the religion. The principal part of the negotiation is trade, and all types of trade include risk which is covered by the bank and shared with the costumer. The thing is all about sharing the risks between the bank and the costumer. They are qualifyed to capture a differentiated status with the stakeholders, capital and clients in order to share profits in a good way.

4)Explain the concept of ethical investment under Islamic law, who determines weather an activity is allowed or not?

This ethical concept sustains that all activities are done to help the environment and respecting the code of equity and fairness of profit. This banks benefit socially, because they give people opportunities they didnt had. They give incentives to companies that show social responsability. The Shariah is what allows or prohibits their activities because they are formed by it.

5)How does Islamic banking influence the economy in the middle east?

This banking method stimulates the culture because it creates bonds of partnership. Also because the idea of sharing profits and risks seems pretty attractive. The interesting social part is that they give opportunity to people who cant afford it thanks to its easy access.

6)Based on the resaearch and knowledge of this topic, what is the future of Islamic banking in terms of global expansion and growth?

This seems like a positive future for Islamic banking due to the opportunity it represents and its principal rules of equity and fairness. Due to this type of activities it would be good for other non-Islamic countries to addopt the idea because it would bring growth and development that to the big economic participation of the most needed.

REFERENCES:

• Image taken from: http://http://yahyasheikho786.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/2004-12-18-2004-12-18-islamic_bank.jpg
• http://http://www.islamic-banking.com/what_is_ibanking.aspx
• http://http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/economics/principles_of_islamic_banking.htm
• http://http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2006/jun/13/accounts.islamicfinance
• http://4) http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/economics/role_of_government_in_islamic_economy.htm

AFRICA

SUMMARY:
For this nex case study we have Africa a huge continent full adventures that come from its exotic environment. The continent is arranged in 53 countries, conforming the African Union, taking out Morocco. It carries certain mistery because it is believed that form this diverse continent started human race, that from here the human being developed. The majority of the peole are black, this is considered the black continent. This is the main reason why slaves were taken from Africa, but now Africa is free and it has multiple opportunities to remain free. It is sad but true that Africa still suffers from a great level of poverty and corruption. The good part is that this situation can change, Africa is full of natural resources like: land, plants, animals, climate, etc. And all of these characteristics can be used to take it up, to develop and receive recognition globally as other continents have achieved it. A s its people have not been very well known its hard to judge the type of workers they can be, what Ia mean is in terms of organizational skills. Its a relief to know that these skills can be taught and learned by them in order to have countries with a high potential to invest in. To have a good development of human resources and costumer service, adquiring missions and visions as complete values for each work contract. This is how a poor country can change and solve its domestic problems and as a whole solve all the continents disadvantages.

Video:
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwY47CF8nrM


QUESTIONS:
1) What is Ubuntu?How was it applied to support the merging process of the 2 companies? (3 examples)
The reference article is: Building competitive advantage from Ubuntu, Management lessons from South Africa. Ubuntu is a philosophy which means all positive aspects like humanness, caring for others, harmony and hospitality work to form a solid group of people decided to work together. Besides it means respect and responsiveness with each other. African have in their majority the ruling of the self by Ubuntu philosophy, which beliefs that one can only become a person through the relation and recognition of others. This can tell us very much about their integrity as humans because for them is always first the work group and the solidarity. The Ubuntu practice makes africans more attractive for companies to invest in their countries due to their good work and values. It is commonly used to solve problems because it helps take positions about what is fair and what is not.
An example to quote this could be the deal between the African Bank Miner credit and The National Union of Mineworkers, they were having communication problems and their business depended on workers. For this reason they decided to implement the Ubuntu philosophy in order to be able to create bonds and values between workers and end with the problems. They were able to get to their workers by clear Ubuntu examples like the stories of the elephant and the bird which mean equality and social responsability. All of these was necessary in order to create a good workplace in order to have a successful business.

REFERENCES:

• Image taken from: http://http://www.juegaenred.com/imagenes/foto_africa.jpg
• file://Mangaliso, Mzamo. 2003. Building competitive advantage from Ubuntu. In Thomas, David Clinton, editor, Readings and cases in International Management: A cross-cultural perspective.
• file://African Bank Miners Credit – Case

SOUTH ASIA

SUMMARY:




Our new topic is South Asia, it is very diverse due to the numerous countries that cover it. Between these we have: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Buthan, Maldives, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. As it has a huge population, it holds a dramatic share of poverty. The most common problems that this region faces are big portions of corruption, unjust distribution of wealth and political instability due to Pakistan and India.

To contrast these negative aspects i will mention some of their positive gains, as in the fields of education, industry,information and technology, health care, pharmaceutical industry, outsourcing and human resources. Thanks to these achievements South Asia has earned a great aspects in terms of globalization and how it is seen from a international perspective.

Some specific considerations are: the most common language is Hindi, altough english has gained a particular force in education, and the most practiced religions are Hinduism and Buddhism.

In terms of organizational culture, an environment that stimulates creativity and motivation can lead to a better level of productivity and quality. Employees are important, this is why they are a matter of concern for their welfare in order to achieve productivity which is one the most important goals for companies. India is the most concerned country in terms of productivity this is why their essential elements are: clarity, integration of the elements of work and adaptability to change. A usefull tool that other countries perceive as attractive is that the india population can speack english, and these facilitates the communication taking a shortcut trough cultural dimensions and boundaries.

Video:
http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnhTQFHkgmw


QUESTIONS:




1) What do you think are the reasons behind the fast- growth outsourcing industry in India?
Due to its huge population and well educated people India is a good opportunity for bussines in terms of investment and outsourcing. Besides India manages low costs and guaranteed quality, another attractive quality is the time zone because in India they can work while in America they are sleeping. India created basic compromises with work orientation, as in integrity values, costumer service, setting goals and good team work.

• According to the case : HR challenges at computer age managent services ltd. , the author mentions that India is very powerful in the outsourcing industry. India has been observed as a fast growing economy, and their employees have been capacitated to develop from the simplest tasks all over to the most difficult and advanced ones. These are well trained persons which have been educated to deal internationally, the good part is that they are young and start working with interesting opportunities and salaries. Altough they are not to stay during a long period in each task or work, they from one to another. This is the important part becuase it is where they get all their experience from, working in different things gives you more knowledge and more property to do do things correctly and in a more efficient way.

REFERENCES:

• image from: http://http//digicoll.library.wisc.edu/SouthAsiaIndex/graphics/SouthAsiaIndexHome.jpg
  
• file://compulsory%20readings:agarwal,%20sanjeev,%20thomas%20e%20decarlo,%20shyam%20b.%20vyas,%20&%20source:.%201999.%20leadership%20behavior%20and%20organizational%20commitment:%20a%20comparative%20study%20of%20american%20and%20indian%20salespersons.%20journal%20of%20international%20business%20studies,%2030(4):%20727-43./
• class notes.