Monday, January 27, 2020

The goal of the critically reflective teacher

The goal of the critically reflective teacher Ben Miller, writing about Stephen Brookfield, said that for Brookfield, the goal of the critically reflective teacher is to garner an increased awareness of his or her teaching from as many different vantage points as possible ((Miller 2010). I have chosen Brookfield as a model for self evaluation, as I believe, like Brookfield, in the value of the many different vantage points. That is not to devalue other models which encourage self reflection, and particularly where self reflection leads to action, but I believe using Brookfields four lenses, the autobiographical or self lens, the student lens, the peer lens, and the theoretical lens, can provide teachers with a more balanced view of themselves and their role. This is apparent in the DTLLS course that I am following (University of Warwick 2009). I can see Brookfield in the way in which tutors are encouraged to use different lenses through which to view their teaching, reflect and act on reflection. When this is a continuous process, it provides a good model for continuing professional development. For example, being alert for trigger incidents, and reflecting on how these affect teaching uses the autobiographical lens, as does reflection on observed sessions, before and after feedback; engaging with student feedback to gain insight into their viewpoint uses the student lens; carrying out and reflecting on peer observations and discussions with a mentor relates to the peer lens; and reference throughout to underpinning theories provides a theoretical lens. Brookfield also states (Brookfield 1995), that we become critically reflective by hunting assumptions. Assumptions are the taken for granted beliefs about the world, and our place within it. Reflecting on trigger incidents can often provide a starting point for hunting assumptions (Brookfield 1995). One of my trigger incidents led me to question my assumption that all ESOL learners aspire to speaking English like native speakers. After spending time helping a learner with some writing, I began to appreciate that for some learners, it was important to know how native speakers use the language, but then to be able to make an informed choice, which might be a wish to keep a sense of cultural identity or individuality through use of accent, words or phrases which might not be what we would expect from a native English speaker. Brookfield distinguishes between three categories of assumptions paradigmatic, prescriptive, and causal. Paradigmatic are the structuring assumptions, the conceptual framework one uses to order the world into fundamental categories à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The facts as we know them to be true. He goes on to say that paradigmatic assumptions are examined critically only after a great deal of resistance to doing this. (Brookfield 1995) Prescriptive assumptions are about what we think ought to happen in certain situations, how teachers should act, and what good teaching practice is. Causal assumptions include our understanding of causal relationships. An example of a paradigmatic assumption given by Brookfield is to assume that all adults are self-directed learners but as Brookfield says, students can only make informed choices about what they need to know, how they can know it, and how they can know that they know it, on the basis of as full as possible an understanding of the learning terrain they are being asked to explore (Brookfield 1995). In an ESOL classroom where learners may not have the language to express what they want, or even the concept of what they need, or as one learner put it everybody has different ideas, which are difficult to accommodate within a group teaching session, one might want to question this assumption, as Brookfield did. Following this train of thought, current practice places much emphasis on negotiated learning plans and measurable learning goals, which implies the same assumption. But how can it be assumed that this is the right approach for all learners in all situations unless, using an institutional lens, it is seen in the light of providing organizations with a tool with which to measure achievement, which can be passed on to funders and stakeholders. Reflection on this was one reason I chose to look further into meaningful individual learning goals for my Action Research project. The very different assumption that all learning should be learner centred I find more difficult to question. For example, many students are in the situation of having limited funding and therefore limited time to study ESOL because of the need to find work, and therefore learning strategies for learning which can help them to continue to learn once they have left the class might be important for them, but they might not be able to express that need. Meeting such a need would be learner centred, but would not assume that learners were self directed, and achievement of such a need would be difficult to measure. Again using Brookfields example, a prescriptive assumption might be that good teachers are those who encourage self directed learning, and a causal assumption that if learners have negotiated individual learning plans and learning goals they will become more self directed. This might, in light of the above, lead one to think about what Brookfield refers to as hegemonic assumptions or erroneous assumptions the assumptions that seem to make our teaching lives easier, but are counterproductive in the long run (Brookfield 1995). From my own experience in the classroom, I have made erroneous assumptions regarding the abilities of pre literate learners in areas other than literacy, such as numeracy, which have sent me searching for information as to how being pre literate affects all areas of life, and also to use the peer lens by observing a tutor who is very experienced in teaching pre entry, pre literate learners, in addition to the theoretical lens. To try to step into the shoes of pre literate learners I find extremely difficulty, and full of surprises. I observed one learner who is not literate in her first language in an informal knit and natter group, where learners of all levels meet, knit and talk together. This learner wanted to knit a babys jacket, and learned to do so by shadowing another person while she knitted. On completion of the jacket, she immediately pulled it out and started again while it was fresh in her mind so that she would remember how to do it. On reflection, this is how I learned to bake as a child, and how many people arrive in this country, skilled in trades but without qualifications to match their skills, or hope of achieving these in the short term, as qualifications demand a high level of literacy. I have also observed this same student, trying to understand what someone is saying to her in English. She unconsciously repeats key words out loud, which appears to help her understanding, shadowing with words as she does with knitting. If shadowing is a learning strategy used by pre literate learners, I should be thinking about how to nurture it in the ESOL classroom. It would perhaps provide a rationale for using methods such as language experience as well as phonetics for teaching basic literacy. I find this an interesting area, and as part of my action plan, would like to look at research on this subject, to learn more and also whether and how my observations fit in with the research. Once hunting assumptions becomes part of reflective practice, the questioning of these will lead teachers to see the need to provide themselves with a rationale for all aspects of their teaching, from setting goals, to learning objectives to decisions about methods and activities. Again this relates to our DTLLS course, which asks for a rationale to be provided for observed sessions. As this thinking becomes part of a teachers day to day practice, it forces the questioning of assumptions. To enable teachers to provide a rationale behind their practice and to increase the probability that teachers will take informed action are among Brookfields reasons for critical reflection, as is To enliven the classroom by making it challenging, interesting and stimulating for students(King and Hibbison 2000) The latter seems to imply that teachers must be responsive. Brookfield also uses the phrase democratic learning environment (King and Hibbison 2000) to refer to a classroom in which all learners have a voice. If responsiveness and democracy are looked at in the light of Donald Schons notion of reflection in action or thinking on your feet (Smith 2001, updated 2009), Schon and Brookfield are not unrelated. I gave an example in one of my trigger incidents of a session in a pre entry class where two learners had been very upset about circumstances outside the classroom, and their problems had been met with interest and empathy from the rest of the class, which led to a session on language to express feelings e.g. worried/worried about etc. This was reflection in action, relating to what was important for those learners at that time, but also looking through Brookfields student lens and helping them to express what they wanted to say. Further, it took account of the holistic nature of teaching, and I was able afterwards to relate my response to findings of NRDC research into effective teaching and learning (Baynham et al 2007) which cites examples of where learners have brought the outside in to learning and this has been used effectively. Thus using Brookfields theoretical lens to support my actions, but also relating back to Schons notion of reflection in action. However, I have also experienced a less successful example of bringing the outside in when I felt that a lesson was becoming unfocused because the topic that came up, planning a trip, needed more thought and some resources. I decided to abandon the outside in and bring the learners back to the original lesson plan. My reflection on action involved a recognition that I had not been able, at the time, to produce a clear way forward, and that in such a situation, a potentially interesting topic might be better postponed for another session to allow for more careful thought and planning in order to optimise learning opportunities. Donald Schon refers to reflection in action as what happens when faced with an uncertain or unique situation, and reflection on action as what happens afterwards, reflecting on why we did what we did. Reflection in action depends upon building up experiences and ideas that can be drawn upon. In the case of the two incidents mentioned above, in which one worked as a spontaneous change of direction, and one did not, this lead to reflection on action which in turn added to my repertoire of experience and will hopefully enable me to react more appropriately next time. The unfamiliar becomes familiar and can act as a precedent when reflection in action is linked to reflection on action (Smith 2001, updated 2009). Schons reflection on action would allow for the inclusion of different vantage points, for example, discussions with supervisors or peers, but does not explicitly state this, as I think Brookfield is helpful in doing. Also, Brookfields notion of questioning assumptions, which forces teachers not only to provide a rationale for their teaching, but also question the rationale behind institutional processes and decision making, does not come into Schons model. While acknowledging the value of Schons model of reflective practice, I found I preferred that of Stephen Brookfield, and I chose to carry out my self evaluation with reference to Brookfields four critical lenses, using this to develop my action plan (appendix 1). Using Brookfields autobiographical, or self, lens to reflect on the two incidents described above which relate to my own teaching, I have put in my action plan to be sensitive to opportunities for bringing the outside in, but also to recognise when this is better postponed to allow for more careful thought and planning Being sensitive to opportunities for bringing the outside into the classroom also involves the student lens and will allow for a more holistic approach, connecting learners lives with their learning, and providing meaningful contexts, as well as a supportive learning atmosphere. My observation feedback enabled me to use the self lens to reflect on some strengths, and also on areas for improvement. I had recognized a need to embed numeracy into ESOL, particularly for pre literate, pre numerate learners, but my inexperience in this area had led me to pitch the numeracy element too high. Reflection on what pre numeracy really meant for pre literate learners allowed me to take a step back and look at activities relating to language, which could also help numeracy skills. This would go into my action plan as introducing activities which involve skills which are transferable between language and numeracy such as sequencing, handling money, measuring, singular and plural etc. and a search for literature around the effects of no first language literacy and no previous formal education on all areas of life and learning. My observation feedback also picked up on the lack of a plenary at the end of my observed session, which led to reflection on how this could also be used as a way of developing organizational skills in students and highlighting organizing learning as a learning strategy. My action plan will include encouraging learners to keep a diary of what they have learnt, to complete at the end of each session and to observe the effect on learners of organization as a learning strategy. This diary will also form part of my Action Research as it will be linked to learning goals. Using Brookfields student lens, I have incorporated into the plenary diary a space for learners comments. Part of my action plan will be to reflect on, and if necessary, act on this feedback. Peer observations and discussions with peers brought in Brookfields peer lens. I carried out three peer observations during which I focussed on activities for pre literate learners, family learning numeracy fun with numbers, and, following a discussion with a tutor who I know to be very organized, organizational skills and the effect of these on learners. Following my observation and reflection I have included in my action plan a need to build up a bank of good quality resources for pre entry learners that can be used in different ways and in more than one session, for example, the tutor I observed had cards with pictures of symptoms and cards with matching words. She used these to play a team game of pelmanism using blu tack and the whiteboard. These same cards could be used as flashcards to introduce vocabulary, in games such as pelmanism to aid memory and word recognition, to practice alphabetical order, to stimulate role play, as a card game to practice Ive got.. and Have you go tà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ etc. From the family learning numeracy session I took away ideas to use with pre entry learners to help them both in class by creating activities, and outside class using these activities to play with their children. Extending this idea of taking the inside out, I have also organized a separate reading group session in the central library in collaboration with the librarian who, every three weeks, provides space, tea and coffee. This is for all levels, but for pre entry, encourages them to use the library, and look at picture books, which they can take home and read with their children. Also in my action plan will be to continue with peer observation after the course has finished as a useful way of continuing my own professional development both by learning from others and by getting feedback on my teaching. Finally, using Brookfields theoretical lens. I refer earlier in this assignment to NRDC Effective Teaching and Learning ESOL which reports on the findings of researchers working with ESOL tutors. These findings are very much about the effectiveness of using meaningful contexts for teaching, and also about a project involving learners bringing the outside into the classroom, which the tutor used as a context for further sessions. I find this piece of research has changed the way I teach in that I now enjoy using what learners bring into the classroom when it is of interest to others in the class. Sometimes this can change the direction of a whole session, as mentioned earlier, sometimes it can be just a few minutes of someone telling a story and others asking questions, sometimes it provides material for another session. Referring to this research has given me confidence to move away from a planned session if it seems appropriate and interesting. Another piece of writing I have found useful is Scott Thornburys book Uncovering Grammar (Thornbury 2005), particularly dealing with interlanguage, and referring to the idea that language is not learnt in a straight line, which has caused me again to question the value of setting measurable goals for ESOL learners. The activities in Scott Thornburys book for noticing grammar and making learners aware of the gaps between where they are and where they want, or need, to be, fit in well with the NRDC research findings on the effectiveness of providing a meaningful context (Baynham et al 2007). Using learners experience as a context is a good starting point for this awareness raising. I would like to continue to look for interesting ideas to try out in my teaching, and theories, which might support what I am doing, as I believe this will give me increased confidence in the classroom. In my action plan I have written that I will subscribe to a journal, which I find has useful articles and book reviews. I would also like to use the internet to look for articles on pre literate ESOL learners, and what effect this has on other areas such as numeracy, memory, interpreting pictures, learning strategies etc. to gain a better understanding which will help me in my teaching at this level. Before concluding this assignment, I would like to mention one more critical incident which I witnessed recently. The incident happened in a mixed class when a muslim woman, allowed her scarf to slip off her head as she was absorbed in her work. A young man from Afghanistan who had very recently arrived in the UK shouted at the woman in a language they both understood, and she reacted by tightening the scarf round her head to cover her hair. This made me think back to Brookfields idea of a democratic environment and to reflect on the difficulty of maintaining this when there are such culturally strong power relationships. I concluded that to Brookfields lenses, I would need to add a cultural lens in order to see the incident both through the eyes of the young man, and the women, and in order to reflect on my own reaction to the incident, and my own assumptions about gender relationships. I later had an interesting discussion with a higher level group who are mostly muslim on this inc ident. Culture comes into the ESOL classroom in many different ways, and used sensitively, can be a valuable resource. For this assignment I chose to use Stephen Brookfield as a model of reflective practice and self assessed using his four critically reflective lenses. However I also referred to Donald Schon and his idea of reflection in action and reflection on action. I found that, although there are differences between the two models, such as Brookfields use of four lenses which play an almost equally important role, while Schon uses the self first and foremost; and also Brookfields questioning of assumptions which do not come into Schons model, I found it useful to be aware of both. While Stephen Brookfields model of reflective practice is my preferred one, I can see that there are times when I will use Donald Schons model. Schon also includes the idea of a spiral of reflection, where reflection in action and reflection on action lead to change, and reflection on that change. As with teaching where the teacher will not use just one method, but pick and choose from many, so with reflective practice, there will be times when one model appeals more than another, or enhances another. As teachers are involved in continuous professional development, there will be opportunities to be eclectic. Wordcount 3,372

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Manage Your Cash Flow after You Buy a Website :: Sell Websites Buy Web Sites

Manage Your Cash Flow after You Buy a Website Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com There is no magic formula to determine the necessary working capital for a website. Sure, every accounting-textbook provides a definition of working capital, but how does this translate into the virtual world? The bottom line is, working capital is the cash that you need to continue operating your website when your current expenses exceed the cash flowing in from Paypal or the credit card companies. Working capital is critical to the survival of your website. Sadly, for most website entrepreneurs, it tends to take a back burner until it begins to cripple their website. Website owners contact me weekly requesting a simple formula to determine working capital. Unfortunately, working-capital requirements are different for every website. In an attempt to provide some help to website owners, I offer the following observations. Websites with a fast inventory turnover don't have huge working-capital requirements because the cash flows in from Paypal or other sources 24/7. This type of website might require 10% to 15% of its annual sales as working capital, as a rule of thumb. Websites that sell a large variety of items require a larger working-capital cushion. A website that must maintain a large inventory, for instance, incurs high costs upfront for materials, but has to have the means to keep the servers up and running until it receives payment form the customers. It might be reasonable for a website such as this to keep at least 25% of annual sales as working capital, speaking generally. The better a website owner manages working capital, the less he needs to borrow and depend upon lenders. There are many examples of websites that did not manage their working capital. I know of one website that was booming and the owner had money in the bank. But it wasn't enough. The owner had decided to dramatically expand the services he offered through his website. The development of the much larger website was substantial. Meanwhile, there was the weekly payroll to cover, the monthly rent for the servers and other expenses. Moreover, as is typical with any website expansion, it takes some time for customers to learn that you are offering additional services. This means that there is some delay between spending the money for the expansion and receiving the money from the increased sales activities. On theory, the website was doing great.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

International Hr P

International HR Project: Procter & Gamble Co. Rachel Angelina Walker Morrisville State College BSAD 415 International Human Resource Management Dr. Linda F. Turner February 10, 2013 Organizational Background P&G is a global manufacturer and marketer of branded consumer products. The company markets its products in over 180 countries spanning Americas, Europe, EMEA and Asian region. In the company profile (The Proctor and Gamble Company), P&G’s organizational structure is explained as being comprised of global business units, global operations; global business services and corporate functions.The company is organized into two global business units: beauty and grooming, and household care. The main focus of this business unit is new product upgrades, innovations and marketing plans. The company profile (The Proctor and Gamble Company) also states that P&G is one of the world's largest consumer goods companies. â€Å"Its products reach 4. 4 billion people worldwide. P has the s trongest portfolio of brands in the industry, with 50 leadership brands that generate 90% of the company’s sales and profits† (p. 123).P has a leading market position and strong brand portfolio which provides them with a competitive advantage. The 2012 company profile (The Proctor and Gamble Company) recorded revenues of $83,680 million, an increase of 3. 2% over 2011. P listed North America as the company's largest geographic market, this accounts for 39% of their total revenues. â€Å"P&G generates revenues through five reportable segments: fabric care and home care (32. 1%* of the total revenues in 2012), beauty (24%), baby care and family care (19. 4%), health care (14. 6%) and grooming (9. %)†(p. 103). The current global operations that comprise P&G's Market Development Organization involve â€Å"go-to-market† plans at the local level with dedicated retail customer, trade channel and country-specific teams. It is organized into five geographic units: North America, Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe/Middle East/Africa, Latin America and Asia which comprises Japan, Greater China and ASEAN/Australia/India/ Korea. For 2013, the company will be forming a joint venture in the Asian geographic unit. Intricacies of Global OrganizationsAs we prepare to expand our operations to China, we will begin by creating an international design and structure. There will be several stages that our company undergoes in an attempt to break into the Chinese market successfully. First, we plan to engage in portfolio investment in order to purchase stock from the local firms in China. Procter & Gamble Co. is a worldwide recognized company established in many markets across the globe. Therefore, although we will be emphasizing the exportation and sales of our products in the Chinese market, this stage will not be a very big operation due to our already existing global familiarity.At this time, our company will take on light training to ensure that our employees have the capabilities to do business across borders. As stated previously, we already operate across several boarders so the training will just ensure some skill sharpening among existing employees who will be affected by our expansion to China. The second stage in creating our international structure will be sales. In this stage we will be focusing on hiring managers, or training existing managers, who will specialize in purchasing and sales in China.The next stage deals with our method of entering the Chinese market, we have chosen to gradually expand into China by beginning with licensing. By doing this we have located firms that already exist in China that are capable and experienced with manufacturing our products. By licensing, we are able to cut costs and be more integral in the local community allowing for a more seamless expansion into Chinese market. The only person that will be involved in these operations from Procter & Gamble Co. will be the Sales Negotia tor that we have hired and trained.Technology will be an important tool in the vital relationship between our negotiating manager and our licensing operations. Our final and most exciting stage will be the joint venture that Procter & Gamble Co. has set up in China. We will be partnering with a local company who we will do business with for the contracted time of three years which we decided was ample time to get started in the market. A joint venture is defined as the corporation of two or more businesses in which they share assets, profits, loss and even gave a control in the organization.Both parties bear the risk of loss, as well as, a share in the assets in a joint venture. Advantages: 1. Sharing the economic risk. 2. Using larger funds 3. As a joint venture, companies will access larger funds for the production and products. Therefore, there will be greater chances of company’s growth. Disadvantages: 1. Shared profit: Both the parties have to share the profit and that m ay be the written agreement. 2. Importance of Joint Venture agreement. It is better for both the parties if everything gets clarified on the paper before signing in to the joint venture agreement. . Undesired outcome: As there will not be one party who will be liable to supervise the departments so there can be disputes and lawsuits. Employees from each company will be assigned to the new China based entity. An equal share of managers and workers from each company will be hired and re-trained to align culture and company goals among employees. P will incorporate best policies and practices from both entities in order to create equality among the IJV for employees from each entity. As we expand our operations to China, Procter & Gamble Co. ill utilize a ‘transnational’ business strategy. As a company we want to localize our company as much as possible to the Chinese community while remaining somewhat familiar to our domestic employees who will be moving with our operatio ns to China. The transnational approach allows us to attempt to maximize both global and domestic responsiveness and integration. The goal is for us to appear as a local firm in the communities we are locating to. Other attempts to localize will include various charities and fundraising for culturally important issues in the community.The company will maintain a functional structure in order to simplify communication across our many global expansions. (Dibadj, Powers & O'Connor, 2012, p. 12). Another issue that must be addressed is the role the Chinese government plays in our economic activities. There are obviously many differences between doing business in a democratic government and doing business in China which is a communist country. â€Å"As the most populous nation in the world, China offers awesome potential markets for multinationals.Currently, multinationals dominate FDI in China, but they are faced with very different risks and characteristics from the local Chinese ente rprises that have traditionally served as China’s major investors† (Chitakornkijsil, 2011, p. 1). Some of the downfalls the Chinese economy were illustrated in a study by Chitakornkijsil (2011) which concluded, â€Å"†¦the accumulating information gained from these investments shows very mixed results. Telephones cannot be connected to each other. Many Chinese are reluctant to talk to strangers. Others are bankrupt† (p. ). The government’s activity will affect our global operations in China because the lack of technology, like lack of telephones, causes a communication problem for both marketing and internal communication. Also, the social differences like not communicating with strangers may make it hard for HR to integrate the domestic and Chinese cultures in the workplace. Another risk associated with entering China is as, â€Å"†¦for intellectual-property violations, many regard China as being in a league of its own. The nation is a major wo rld center of counterfeiting.Copyright violations are conducted by unscrupulous business people and abetted by the employees of the multinationals being ripped off. Some mainland-based Western pharmaceutical manufacturers put the counterfeit rate at 10 percent or more. Increasingly, as multinationals suffer losses, decisions about whether to make further investments in China may be dropped altogether or put on hold. The counterfeiting issue influences P&G's ability to raise the prices of products because counterfeiters can undercut on price.In addition, when counterfeiters sell unsafe or inferior products, they undermine and harm its owner’s reputation and undermine loyalty to the brand with customers† (Chitakornkijsil, 2011, p. 4). Despite the various detrimental characteristics of doing business in China, there are many encouraging qualities as well. One of the benefits was mentioned by Chitakornkijsil (2011) is, â€Å"The opportunity to have access to the most popul ous nation in the world, China offers awesome potential markets for multinationals† (p. 1).Also, there are various ways to avoid the implications described previously like copyright fraud. â€Å"Various foreign multinationals depend on joint ventures with local partners to decipher the local terrain. The local partners ideally would provide knowledge of local conditions and business environments†¦However, for now, China remains a high-risk but high-potential market. † (Chitakornkijsil, 2011, p. 11). I feel confident in the joint venture we have contracted and the extensive research we’ve done about the Chinese economy.As Chitakornkijsil (2011) stated, the joint venture will ideally provide knowledge of local conditions and ultimately prevention of local issues. Although there are risks that Procter & Gamble Co. will be taking by expanding to China, it is a high-potential market and as the Senior Executive for HR, I feel the potentials outweigh the risks. Cul tural Implications and Differences The following table demonstrates some of the many cultural differences P employees will face when integrating with our Chinese counterpart. We will prepare our employees as well as the employees joining the IJV with proper cultural training.This training will be mandatory for all positions affected by the joint venture; all employees will be compensated and rewarded for completed training. At the end of training, employees will be tested for competency as it relates to their individual position in the IJV. |   |Chinese |Americans | |Conception Of the Self |Collectivist: Higher value placed on group cooperation |Individualist:   Higher value placed on self-reliance.Self-promotion| | |and individual modesty. |is more accepted. High value placed on â€Å"freedom† from externally | | | |imposed constraints. | |Social Relationships |Formal, hierarchical. People most comfortable in the |Informal, egalitarian. People most comfortable with thei r social | | |presence of a hierarchy in which they know their |equals; importance of social rankings minimized. | |position and the customs/rules for behavior in the | | | |situation. | | |Friendship |Small number of close, lifelong friends who feel deeply |Large collection of â€Å"friends† and acquaintances which changes over | | |obligated to give each other whatever help might seem |time and involves only limited mutual obligations. | |required. | | |Obligation |Relationships with other people involve reciprocal |People avoid interdependent relationships and situations that might | | |obligations. |entail long-term | |Task vs. Relationship Orientation |Relationship-oriented:   Maintaining a harmonious |Task-oriented.Relationships are less important than getting the | | |relationship has priority over accomplishing tasks. |work done. | |Harmony vs. |Avoid direct confrontation, open criticism, and |Willing to confront directly, criticize, discuss controversial | |†Truth† |controversial topics. Concern maintaining harmony and |topics, press personal opinions about what they consider â€Å"the truth. | | |with â€Å"face. |Little concern with â€Å"face. † | |Role of laws, rules, and regulations |More faith in personal relationships than in written |Written rules presumably apply to everyone and are assumed to produce| | |rules and procedures for structuring interactions. |fair, reasonable procedures and decisions. | |Time Consciousness |Relatively more attention to the past and to the |Less interested in the past; eye on near-term future. | |longer-term future. | | |Ascribed vs. Achieved Status |Traditionally, a person's status in the society was |People's status is based mainly on their own achievements, including | | |based importantly on inherited characteristics such as |education obtained and level of success realized in their line of | | |age, gender, and family.This is changing. |work. | (Selmer, 2008, p. 208). The cultu ral differences mentioned in the chart will be at the core of our training seminars. We will strive to provide employees with better understanding so that employees from both entities can integrate and feel equally understood by the company. Various Facets of the IHRM function As we globalize, Procter & Gamble will explore the locations within China that we find desirable for our company’s expansion and identify the HR challenges that will arise as we re-locate to these areas.The nature of Chinese markets is different than the United States which means that our company has to think carefully about what the given geographical locations have to offer. After careful research and deliberation we have decided to focus on China’s Tier 1 cities (Shanghai and Beijing). These areas are highly populated areas with a large, middle-class representation and income levels well above the national average. Tier 1 cities are China's most mature markets in terms of consumer behavior, an d are typically the most suitable testing ground for foreign companies with limited experience in China.As mentioned previously, we will be staffing our international joint ventures with employees from both our company and the firm we are joining in China. Although we will be using employees who are already with the companies, there will still be a selection and training process in place to ensure that the best fit employees are selected for this opportunity. Recruiting We will be utilizing and internal recruitment strategy within our firms here and also within our partner’s firm abroad to recruit employees. We will use company resources such as; bulletin boards, company intranet, email, and referrals.It may be difficult finding people who are willing to move overseas so recruiting sources should find candidates who have high receptivity to international careers which reflects their attitude toward working internationally. These include their personality, prior international experience, age, gender, marital status, and education. Each firm will hold a recruitment session on the first of the month to educate employees about the opportunity and encourage them to apply. There will be an application for this position where employees will be entered to bid for the job openings along with employees from our international partner’s firm.This will ensure that employees from both firms are equally considered for all positions. Selection After all applications are received, hiring managers from both firms will collaborate to consider the qualifications of each candidate for the positions applied for. The maturity of the candidate and their ability to integrate with new and foreign culture and policies will be strongly considered. It is also important that P&G screens candidates for most suitable personal characteristics, such as adaptability and desire to learn and experience new things and new people.During this selection of individuals, our hiring manage rs will collaborate with the partner firm’s hiring managers through a series of selection including; phone interviews, skill testing, and a final panel interview. Also, by collaborating with the managers from our joint venture we can ensure that employees from both firms are being represented equally and fairly. Management Another key decision to be made is whether to employ expatriates in senior management positions or whether to localize these roles.Employing expatriates tends to be seen to offer greater operational control, although is also more costly in terms of salary packages, relocation costs, insurance and other expenses. Also, most expatriate managers have a very limited local knowledge of Chinese cultural and business practices, and very seldom have the Chinese language skills necessary for dealing with Chinese companies on a day-to-day basis. â€Å"A key benefit of hiring a Chinese manager is the local market knowledge and deeper understanding of Chinese business they bring to the role.Not only are salary and insurance costs lower for local employees, but Chinese employees very often have existing contacts with suppliers, customers and local government authorities that can be fully utilized† (Shen & Edwards, 2008, p. 45). Unfortunately, in many industries the supply of highly skilled local managers with industry experience is extremely limited, and employers may still be forced to pay a premium to attract the right caliber of employees. Equally, staff turnover rates are extremely high in China and retaining quality managers over the long term is challenging.Losing local managers will also risk losing access to their networks and local market knowledge. Due Diligence Due diligence is an important action when setting up in China for the first time. P&G’s objective of due diligence as we globalize is ultimately to verify the trustworthiness of partners and employees, and to identify any red flags before proceeding with any sizeabl e investment. Although some basic due diligence can be carried out in-house, nowadays there are also numerous legal and risk assessment consultants with offices in China that provide business intelligence, individual background checks, and risk analysis consultancy.Compensation There are a number of different options for establishing a worldwide compensation system. P&G has chosen what we feel is the most fair and uniform system of compensation which is referred to as the HQ scale. In this approach, worldwide salary levels are established at headquarters with differentials for each affiliate subsidiary according to their differing costs of living and local geography. This way every employee will be paid uniformly and there will be no ambiguity between the pay of expatriates and local employees.Also, in efforts to support integration of cultures, there will be raises based on the completion of diversity training. P&G will also offer bonuses for those employees who achieve specific bu siness goals as well. Benefits Companies in China provide their employees and workers with a variety of benefits. Benefits are an important component of a company's compensation package for attracting and retaining its employees. The benefits, in addition to base salary, serve as incentives to the employees and encourage them to enjoy working for P.Benefits at P will include health coverage, income protection, reimbursement accounts and other programs such as Tuition Reimbursement, Employee Assistance Program, Commuter Benefit Program and Adoption Assistance. Eligibility for benefits will depend on partners paid hours which must be a minimum of 240 hours in each calendar quarter. This is uniform with the requirements of local employees which will ensure that compensation is fair across both local and global operations. Taxes Another common concern is tax liability.As the employer, P is liable to pay income tax – in the form of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) – and every three m onths give the tax certificate to the employee. As far as employee income taxes, we will adhere to the current laws in China which are as follows: China Tax Rates 2012 †¢ The tax on an individual's income is progressive. As at 2013, an individual's income is taxed progressively at 3% – 45%. †¢ The 2013 corporate tax rate for domestic and foreign companies is 25%. †¢ Small companies pay 20% corporate tax in certain cases.Overseas Income †¢ An individual and company who are Chinese residents are also taxed on their income outside China and receive a credit for overseas taxes. †¢ Qualification for residence for an individual: Permanent residence in China while an individual who has no permanent residence in China but has lived in China for less than 5 years is taxed on his income in China, or overseas income that has its origins in China. †¢ Individuals staying in China more than five tax years are taxed on their worldwide income too.Table of Income Tax Rates in China for an Individual in 2013 |Tax % |Monthly Income (CNY) | |3% |1 – 1,500 | |10% |1,501-4,500 | |20% |4,501-9,000 | |25% |9,001-35,000 | |30% |35,001-55,000 | |35% |55,001 – 80,000 | |45% |80,001 and above | (New income tax rates for China employees, 2009, p. 4). Performance Management P has a systematic process by which we involve both local and international employees, as individuals and members of a group, in improving organizational effectiveness in the accomplishment of agency mission and goals. Our employee performance management includes: †¢ planning work and setting expectations, †¢ continually monitoring performance, †¢ developing the capacity to perform, †¢ periodically rating performance in a summary fashion †¢ rewarding good performanceWell-Being of the International Workforce The employee health, safety, and well-being are very important topics for P and will require extra attention by the firm in many ways. We will have to increase our attention to employee’s well-being around the world. Since we have more employees at risk because of increased global trade we will establish a more detailed health and safety policy on a global basis for all employees involved in the IJV to China. We will also have to deal with specific health and safety concerns in China such as the higher air pollution and the risk of kidnapping and/or terrorist attacks. Legal and Regulatory Environment in ChinaAlthough China's entry to the WTO in 2001 helped to liberalize China's trade environment to some extent, many industries remain heavily regulated. There are still a lot of industries that remain off-limits to foreign companies and many industries where severe limitations remain in place. â€Å"As China's economy develops, it is also accumulating a growing number of industry-specific regulations and standards, which both domestic and foreign companies should conform to. China has a host of different minist ries and regulatory organizations that are responsible for industry regulations and laws. This makes it very difficult for foreign businesses to comply† (Shunfeng, Chengsi, & Jianghuai, 2012, p. 24).In attempt to organize and comply with these regulations, P&G has done large amounts of research in attempt to unravel the web of complex laws and regulations, and try to understand which authorities have primary responsibility for implementing them. References Chitakornkijsil, P. (2011). Risks and Opportunities for Foreign Multinational Companies in China. International Journal of Organizational Innovation, 4(2), 15-24. Dibadj, A. , Powers, S. , & O'Connor, M. (2012). Procter & Gamble: Time for Action — Enabling Growth Through Lower Costs and Increased Investments. Bernstein Black Book – Proctor & Gamble: Time For Action – Enabling Growth Through Lower Costs & Increased Investment, 1-213. New income tax rates for China employees. (2009).China Business Review, 21(2), 4. Selmer, J. (2002). The Chinese connection? Adjustment of Western vs. overseas Chinese expatriate managers in China. Journal Of Business Research, 55(1), 41-50. Shen, J. , & Edwards, V. (2008). Recruitment and selection in Chinese MNEs. International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 15(4/5), 814-835. doi:DOI: 10. 1080/0958519042000192960 Shunfeng, S. , Chengsi, W. , & Jianghuai, Z. (2012). INDUSTRIAL UPGRADE, EMPLOYMENT SHOCK, AND LAND CENTRALIZATION IN CHINA. Contemporary Economic Policy, 30(4), 523-532. doi:10. 1111/j. 1465-7287. 2011. 00266. x The Procter & Gamble Company. (n. d). Company Profile Retrieved from Marketline.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Catcher in The Rye Analysis Book - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 987 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/05/28 Category Literature Essay Level High school Topics: Catcher in The Rye Essay Did you like this example? In the book The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, a young boy named Holden Caulfield is trying to find who he really is on the streets of New York City. Holden is a self-inflicted loneliness, judgmental, and obsessive 16-year-old who was kicked out of Prency Prep due to him not caring about anything. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Catcher in The Rye Analysis Book" essay for you Create order That was the case for the four other schools as well. He goes through a growing period throughout the book. He tries to force himself into adulthood. Holden constantly tries to do what he thinks an adult does (smoking cigarettes, drinking, and cussing). Holden tries to go to the club or bar and pick up older women. Due to Holden losing so much at a young age and the fact he never reached out for help he is mentally and physically damaged. Holden is going through the awkward period in which he is leaving childhood and entering adulthood. As I stated Holdenrs three main flaws they lead to him going on a downfall. He had to be psycho-analyzed. This is all directly contributed to his brotherrs death. The trauma is in which he got from that event causes his weaknesses to overpower his strengths. Holden is a judgmental character. Specifically, Holden is almost always criticizing someone. He generally targets adults who he believes are phonies and criticizes, and philosophizes about people who are boring, people who are insecure, and, above all, people who are phony.. Holden believes phonies are those who are too conventional or too typical†for instance, teachers who act like teachers by assuming a different demeanor in class than they do in conversation, or people who dress and act like the other members of their social class. While Holden uses the label phony to imply that such people are superficial, his use of the term indicates that his own perceptions of other people are superficial. For example, Holden says the following about ministers If you want to know the truth, I cant even stand ministers. The ones they have had at every school I have gone to, they all have these Holy Joe voices when they start giving their sermons. God, I hate that. I do not see why the hell they cant talk in their natural voice. They sound so phony when they talk. (Salinger #131) This proves how Holden see is the world. In this quote he is willing to criticizes a religious leader. Who else is he willing to criticize? In almost every case, he rejects more complex judgments in favor of simple categorical ones. Holden also is an obsessive kid. He primarily obsesses over sex. Holden is a virgin, but he is very fascinated by sex, and, in fact, he spends much of the novel trying to lose his virginity. At the same time, he feels greatly that sex should happen between people who genuinely care about and respect one another, and he is upset by the recognition that sex can be casual. This is demonstrated by the disgust that Holden shows when he says that personality didnt interest Stradlater, though. Only very sexy stuff interested him (Salinger #41). Stradlaterrs date with Jane doesnt just make him jealous; it angers him to think of a girl he knows well having sex with a boy she doesnt know well. Furthermore, he is disturbed by the fact that he is aroused by women whom he does not respect or care for, like the blonde tourist he dances with in the Lavender Room, or like Sally Hayes, whom he refers to as stupid even as he organizes a date with her. Lastly, he is agitated by the fact that he is aro used by peculiar sexual behavior†particularly behavior that is not respectful of the women he is doing it with, such as spitting in oners partnerrs face. Although Holden refers to such behavior as crumby, he admits that it is pretty fun, although he doesnt think that it should be. Besides being obsessive and judgmental, Holden has a special type of self-in? ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡icted loneliness. Most lonely people choose to hide away by themselves and are too shy to have a lot of human-interactions. Holden is the complete opposite. He makes it clear that he is lonely by blatantly making plans with other people every chance that he can get. He always ? ¬nds a ? ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡aw about them that he dislikes which leads to him being let down and wishing he never would have asked them in the ? ¬rst place. For example, Holden says this statement; almost every time somebody gives me a present, it ends up making me sad (Salinger #67). This reversal of a stereotype is much like a depressed person always acting happy to avoid being noticed. Holden states that he is lonely too many times to count in the book. He desperately interacts with other people to ful? ¬ll his longing for a person he enjoys being with. He seems to be lonely because he isolates himself from the world of pho nies which is basically everyone he meets. Overall, Holden Caul? ¬eld remains lost the entire novel and never ? ¬nds his true path in life. He does not have much of a future in store for him at this point in his young life. When Holden goes home and talks to his younger sister, Phoebe, he ? ¬nds a shining sliver of hope in life. He finally has something go his way. He makes a large stride into adulthood when he allows Phoebe to stay a child. When he lets Phoebe go on to the carousel. This exempli? ¬es a strong point in his character which is the never-dying urge to keep trying to ? ¬nd happiness. Though Holden has gone through many traumatic events he finds a way to fight out of it. One that sticks out the most his Alliers death. Unfortunately, his weaknesses overpower his strengths in the end, causing his life to spiral out of control.