Research and recommend environmentally friendly elements to be used in Essay - 1

Research and recommend environmentally friendly elements to be used in the construction of a multi storey commercial building - Essay Example These ensure that client satisfaction and deign excellence. The chief task of this paper is to recommend environmentally friendly elements to be employed in the use of the construction of a multi-storey building. Green building is both cost effective and environmentally friendly. Wood is among the core materials used in the construction of buildings. In context to multi-storey buildings, the ratio of steel, glass and concrete, is significantly more. However, this ratio must change while building green. In this endeavor, timber-concrete composite is favorable for this building. It comprises of timber beams being interconnected to slabs of concrete that are then cast on timber members. This introduces cost saving measures and efficient control of building materials.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In context to the roof, clay roofing tiles are the best environmentally friendly option to pursue. Clay is a hundred percent recyclable as such the core rationale for its inclusion as a preferred building material. Owing to their durability, significant saving will be expected. This will be in terms of cost of repair. An additional factor for clay is that an increasing number of clay manufacturing companies are offering post consumer recycled clay tiles. Thus, the roofing system will always be up to date. Painting has been discovered to be among the most toxic chemicals in buildings (RIDER et al., 2011). Therefore, environmentally friendly paint must be used. The paint to be used on the building should be of low or no VOC paint. Natural pigmented paints should be the only paint to be used. As such, Ecosure Matt by Deluxe Trade is the best alternative. A case study conducted on Rimrose Hope CE Primary School explicates on both the sustainability and performance of this natural paint. The normal insulation systems are a product of toxic materials. An environmentally friendly insulation system comprises of blue jean denim. It entirely uses

The tactics used by the U.S and the N.L.F in the Vietnam War Essay Example for Free

The tactics used by the U.S and the N.L.F in the Vietnam War Essay How effective do you think these tactics were? During the Vietnam War, the United States took a completely different approach than the National Liberation Front (NLF) when it came to tactics. America was more modern in their attacks, using their air force and heavily armed ground troops. Whereas the NLF only had guerrilla fighters, who stayed on the ground and attacked quickly. The first tactic involved the US air force strategically bombing North Vietnamese targets. This included bombing army bases, bridges, railways and factories, even though North Vietnam didnt have many factories to bomb. US panes were flying 164 flying missions a day on average in early 1966. Bombs often missed their target. Hospital patients and school children were among those killed. This bombing campaign had limited success. Part of this massive bombing campaign was called Operation Rolling Thunder which also took place over North Vietnam. It was only meant to last for eight weeks, but finally ended after three years. This is a symbol of how much America struggled to pick out the communists, and this statistic alone implies how the U.S was finding this War harder than it first appeared. The Americans knew that they had to try and destroy the Vietcongs supply routes. They were receiving weapons from the North, along the 17th parallel, but in particular along the Ho Chi Rail. This road linked the South and the North, and was also densely covered by forest. This meant that it was easy for the South to be supplied, and made it even harder for the Americans to spot the transactions. Due to this, America decided that the only way that they would be able to stop weapon supplies along this road and through the forests would be to use bombs. They did this by dropping chemical bombs that defoliated the vast amount of trees. This chemical became known as Agent Orange. This now meant that American helicopters were able to spot the enemy more easily. Although Agent Orange worked, it did effect the Vietnamese people. One effect of this chemical was that it caused cancer amongst those who used it or were affected it. It also had an effect on pregnant woman who ended up giving birth to seriously deformed children or stillborns. The war also had many psychological effects. The North Vietnamese used this as propaganda against the Americans, suggesting that they had done it deliberately to harm innocent people. But aside from this, the Americans were still struggling to have a clear view of the enemy. Because of this, they introduced another chemical bomb Napalm. Napalm is a thick liquid, which usually contains petrol and is used in firebombs and flame-throwers. It cleared the undergrowth, which gave the US more chance of being able to spot the Vietcong from the air. Although, there was one major problem. Napalm also sticks to human skin, and gradually burns away the flesh. The Americans simply dropped it on forest, possibly forgetting that innocent peoples lives were at risk. Unsurprisingly, people were hurt- killed. In December 1966, the North Vietnamese finally permitted an American journalist to visit North Vietnam. They had let American news reporters into the country deliberately. They did this, as they knew that any problems that may arise in Vietnam would instantly be broadcasted back in America. This was proved correct as, during the Napalm attacks, graphic images and videos were sent back home to the U.S showing how America had killed innocent civilians and destroyed thousands of homes. An example of this is a video, which shows a set of children running from a Napalm attack with Napalm itself attacking their bodies. The children are crying and are obviously in extreme pain. The American reporters, as well as the communists in Vietnam, knew that these stories would most definitely touch the American peoples hearts. It would also inevitably anger them. This sort of footage would also make the Americans question why children were being hurt and whether this war was really worth fighting. From the communists point of view, this had the desired effect. Morale in America was beginning to crumble. Another tactic used by the U.S was strategic hamlets. The Americans were aware that the peasants from the South predominately supported the NLF. Due to this, they knew that they had to restrict the influence that the NLF had on these peasants. They decided to introduce strategic hamlets, where they moved thousands of peasants out of their homes. These were areas controlled by the Americans and surrounded by barbed wire. Around 40% of the Vietnamese were moved in this way, but all this scheme achieved was making the Vietnamese detest the Americans even more. Ground troops were also sent into South Vietnam. These troops were under orders to defend only their air bases. They also protected the ports where supplies and troops arrived. These troops were allowed to patrol up to a maximum of 80 km around the bases to make sure that there were no Vietcong in the area. Johnson believed at this time that if he adopted a basically defensive strategy, that this would convince the American people that the U.S were indeed only there to try and protect South Vietnam. Although just a few months later, Johnson told commander of the American Forces in Vietnam, General Westmoreland, that his troops could now follow more aggressive tactics. The U.S used another tactic. They were only interested at this time in searching out and destroying the big enemy forces at this time. In other words, they were trying to eliminate regular or professional troops of the North Vietnamese Army (also known as the NVA). If they were able to do this then they would have to deal with the less well-trained guerrilla forces or Vietcong. Westmoreland was confident that America would defeat the enemy as they were better equipped and more trained. During this period the war seemed to be going well for the U.S. Troops would track down Vietcong members before inflicting heavy casualties on them. Air strikes were also proving particularly effective. Propaganda in the United States was becoming more positive. For every American that died at this time, another seven communists would also suffer the same fate. The American leaders now believed that the North Vietnamese wouldnt be able to suffer casualties like this for long. But he was very wrong. The US believed the troops could defeat the NLF because they had modern and superior fighting equipment. Whereas the NLF had no tanks, no aircraft and no artillery. But they did have experience in fighting guerrilla wars. They had had to do so against the French from 1946 to 1954. The same tactics were carried out against the Americans. This was a major handicap against the U.S, as they had had no experience in guerrilla warfare and did not know the country very well at all. The NLF avoided fighting in open battle with the US troops, because the Americans were better armed. Instead, they mingled with peasants in the rice-fields or hid in the jungle. This made it impossible for American troops to distinguish between the peasants and the guerrilla fighters. The NLF wore no uniform and simply dressed in normal clothes so they looked just like the peasants. They also spoke the same language as the peasants, so they sounded just like the them and could act normally around them. On top of this, many knew every detail of the jungle, and were very aware of their surroundings. The NLF knew that they were unlikely to survive above ground with the huge amounts of bombs that were being dropped. Because of this, they built 200 miles of underground tunnels underneath South Vietnam itself. This meant that they could take cover whenever a bombing raid was in process, as well as being able to jump out of the ground and surprise the Americans. They were able to deceive the Americans. This also meant that that even if the NLF soldiers were spotted, they could quickly jump back into the ground and make their escape. Due to all of this, the Americans found it very hard to pick out, find and stop the mobile enemy. The NLF also had an underground hospital system as a defence against bombing campaigns and chemical warfare by the US. NLF guerrillas also set up thousands of booby-traps all around the jungles. The U.S soldiers did not notice these traps until it was too late. All of the tactics used by the NLF were to avoid direct confrontation with the U.S soldiers. They knew that if they did do this then they were certain to lose. So instead they cleverly mingled with the peasants and hid themselves away from the limelight. They then struck in groups in the jungle, which they knew best. This meant that the chances of them winning their small individual battles was much higher, and so doing this meant that they could gradually pick off parts of the American soldiers. This, in my opinion, is the reason that they won. As well as this, the NLF knew when it was right to strike out at the Americans. They were also winning the propaganda war, and managed to make the American people aware that the U.S government had lied about what was going on in Vietnam. They knew that if they were able to attack American morale then it was almost as good as winning the war. The NLF decided to go for one final surge, just to make the Americans clearly aware that they had no chance of winning this war. American taxes had just been raised due to the huge strain on the economy of the war, and morale was already quite low. So the NLF launched the Tet Offensive, where in January 1968 they captured 75% of the main towns in South Vietnam. This was the first time during the War that they had been involved in full on fighting with the U.S. But yet again, the surprise element had worked in the NLFs favour and they quickly managed to capture town after town. Pictures and video clips were soon sent back to the U.S.A and propaganda was again damaged. President Johnson now realised that it was his prerogative to end the war, other it would result in a loss for the U.S. Peace talks were then held. The communists in Vietnam had not only survived, but had defeated arguably the strongest nation in the world.

Disney Corporation Losses EuroDisney Paris

Disney Corporation Losses EuroDisney Paris Cultural Euro Disney The word ‘management originated in America and ever since assumptions have been made about the universal acceptability and success of their business practices. There are a number of international ventures which have failed miserably due to Americans not considering the cultural aspects when entering into business in a new country. Euro Disney is a perfect example of the failure of American business processes in another country. The primary aim of this article is to explain how Euro Disney suffered the costs of cultural miscalculations. Geert Hofstedes work on culture has served as the theoretical basis of this article. His dimensions of culture have been used to explain differences in American and French cultures the problems that occurred at Euro Disney. American businesses make assumptions about the transferability of their business, management, marketing, economic and structural models of organizing which frequently fail to take into consideration cultural differences. An example of the consequences of such an approach to intercultural business practice can be found in the Disney Corporations recent European venture, now called Disneyland, Paris. Lack of cultural sensitivity and the negative infiltration strategy used by the Disney Corporation resulted in a great loss of time, money and reputation for which the corporation has only recently begun to compensate. It is the primary thesis of this article that the initial losses experienced by the Disney Corporation may have been prevented if only its representatives had known then what they know now: simply put, that organizations are not distinct, separate entities capable of functioning outside their physical, social and cultural environments. That insight, of course, calls for a different approach to international business, one which begins with the most basic aspect of human organizations, namely effective, meaningful, communicative interactions between people. As international business is becoming critically important in this world of globalization, so is the need to understand cultures, cross cultural psychology and people across nations. There is a lot of focus on cultural studies and plenty of research is done in this area. Yet, there is a lot of scope for further studies due to the gaps in the research. Today there are several models which help understand how people from different nations are expected to act; the one by Geert Hofstede has become the most influential (Hong, Zhang Stump 2007, p. 60) The cultural dimensions by Geert Hofstede have served as the specific theoretical framework for this study. Although there are many criticisms to the Hofsteds model and his dimensions yet there is no other study that compares so many other national cultures in so much detail. Simply this is the best there is. (Mead chapter 2: pg 51) With the advancements in communication and technology, the physical distance between countries is diminishing (Angur et al. , 1994; Jandt, 1995; Samovar and Potter, 1995). This physical distance is not the only thing that needs to be bridged in order to when practicing international commerce. Hofstedes dimensions reflect a nations value system. From further reading into this dissertation have tried to show how American business management tends to assume that they have the best business people that lead to them having the best business practices. While they may work very successfully in their or cultural setting, they do not work across borders. Importance of the study: Scope of the study: Why did you choose this topic? There are many studies that have been conducted in the area of cross cultural psychology, but none that have tried to connect the problems faced at Euro-Disney to Hofstedes dimensions. These dimensions have served as the specific theoretical framework for this study. Purpose, what are we trying to do These dimensions reflect a nations value system. Power distance and Uncertainty Avoidance affects how an organization is structured and how it functions. The two main problems that an organization can face are How to distribute power, and How to avoid uncertainty. Through this research, have tried to show how these two factors were taken for granted at Euro Disney. Furthermore, this research aims at studying the implications of the four dimensions on the working of MNCs and How will it help others and how can they use it for further research My work is a sincere effort to contribute to cultural literature. I hope it proves to be beneficial for further research studies. Overview of the study: Chapter 3 (Case of Euro Disney): This chapter describes all the stages of the research process in carrying out the present study. In particular this chapter gives a clear definition of the research method employed including sampling and data analysis. Chapter 2 (Literature review): This chapter will begin by outlining the existing literature on the concepts of brands, brand image, private brands and consumers perceptions toward private brands. Also in an attempt to meet the main research objective, the other areas (sub-objectives of this research study) such as  consumers attitudes preferences, brand loyalty, brand awareness toward private brands and positioning strategies of private brands have been rigorously discussed, which will provide full support to this research study. Chapter 4 (Discussion): This chapter discusses the results of the research, in particular, presenting statements made by informants with regards to themes that emerged from the transcripts. The chapter ends with a summary taking into account the exploratory nature of the research, and the importance of insight. Chapter 5 (Conclusion Recommendations): This chapter deals the conclusion of the present research study. It will be presented in light of research findings from Chapter 4. By referring to existing literature the discussion will highlight major findings in conjunction to identity development. At the end of the chapter, recommendations for further research will be given. Literature Review As Americans, the word â€Å"Euro† is believed to mean glamorous or exciting. For  Europeans it turned out to be a term they associated with business, currency, and  commerce. Renaming the park â€Å"Disneyland Paris† was a way of identifying it with one of the most romantic and exciting cities in the world (Eisner). Culture 500-700 Layers of culture 200 Cultural studies Cross cultural management 500-600 Importance of hrm in a cross cultural context International Business and importance of CCM Importance of culture in a international context 500 Theoretical background : Hofstedes diemsions of culture 1300 Case 1100 Reasons 1000 Discussion :using hotsedes dimensions explaining differences cross continents and cultures 2000 Conclusion 600-700 limitations of the study, limitations of hofsteds model American business leaders often assume that physical distance is the only gulf that needs to be bridged in international commerce. (473 pg1. last line) As a matter of fact bridging this gap is just one of the steps in international business. It is much more complicated and a number of factors need to be kept in mind. According to Adler (1986:13)in 473 it is the lack of academic interrogations by cultural scholars that has lead to ‘American parochialism Culture Culture is an umbrella word that encompasses a whole set of implicit, widely shared beliefs, traditions, values and expectations that characterize a particular group of people(Consumer behaviour in travel and tourism By Abraham Pizam, Yoel Mansfeld, p393). There are as many definitions of culture as there are people who have tried to define it. While some phrase it in terms of ‘metal programs others define it as the characteristics a person possesses. Hofstede (1994) defines culture as the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another (p. 180). While according to Kroeber and Parsons, culture is transmitted and created content and patterns of values, ideas and other symbolically meaningful systems as factor in the shaping of human behaviour and the artifacts produced through behaviour(pdf 473 page 2) According to Schein culture is ‘A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way you perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems. Organizational Culture Leadership by Edgar H Schein October 1996. According to Schein Culture exists at three levels, artifacts, exposed values and basic assumptions. Pizam (1993) also believes that there are levels of culture in the society. Firms and organizations are a part of the society/system and thus culture has an impact on them. Pizam argues that organizations are culture-bound, rather than being culture-free (Pizam, 1993: p. 219)-MMp2 Today there is growing importance of culture in cross border interactions. The role of human resources is very crucial as well. Effective human resource decisions and cultural sensitivity form two pillars for the success of an international business venture. The phrase ‘Cross cultural management was first coined by †¦in the year†¦. There are examples of companies who failed due to HRs ignorance and cultural miscalculations. Theoretical background:- Hofstedes Dimensions Cultural dimensions by halls,trompenars, hofstedes, globe study. Although there are many criticisms to the Hofsteds model and his dimensions yet there is no other study that compares so many other national cultures in so much detail . Simply this is the best there is. ( Mead chapter 2: pg 51) As international business is becoming critically important in this world of globalization, so is the need to understand cultures and people across nations. There is a lot of focus on cultural studies and plenty of research is done in this area still there is a lot of scope for further studies due to gaps in research. Today there are several models which help understand how people from different nations are expected to act, the one by Geert Hofstede has become the most influential (Hong, Zhang Stump 2007, p. 60) Hofstedes Dimensions of national culture- Power Distance Index (PDI): Large versus Small power distance The basis for this dimension is the fact that inequality exists at all levels and areas of the society. Inequality exists in areas such as wealth, social status, power and prestige. The word ‘power distance is taken from the work of Mulder (Reference hofstede p71). According to Mulders Power Distance Reduction theory, subordinated try to reduce the gap in power between them and their superiors. On the other hand the superiors try to maintain or increase the power distance. The PDI norm deals with the desirability or undesirability of dependence versus independence in society (Hofstede p. 93). Power distance is described as the degree to which there is unequal distribution of power in a society. This is accepted by the members of a society, organizations and nations which are less or more powerful. Behaviour of members of such institution is affected by the degree of power they posses. A high power distance index is characterized by hierarchical orders, close supervision, autocratic decision making and unequal distribution of power. Everybody has a place in the system which needs no clarification or justification. According to Hofstedes dimensions, Malaysia has the highest score on power distance (104) thus implying that the management would use a top-down information flow and there would be autocratic and paternalistic decision making. In a low PDI society, subordinates with the senior management together make decisions and have strong work ethics. It is characterised by equal distribution of power. Sweden is low on PDI (31)Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV) It deals with how members of a society view themselves compared to the rest of the society and is measured from completely collective (0) to completely individualistic (100). Individualism stands for a preference for a loosely knit social framework in society wherein individuals are supposed to take care of themselves and their immediate families only. Collectivism, on the other hand, stands for a preference for a tightly knit social framework in which individuals can expect their relatives, clan, or other in-group to look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty (it will be clear that the word collectivism is not used here to describe any particular political system). Hofstedes own definition is:Individualism pertains to societies in which the ties between the individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family. Collectivism as its opposite pertains to societies in which people from birth onward are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, which throughout peoples lifetimes continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. † Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, p. 76 The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among individuals: an extremely fundamental issue, regarding all societies in the world. It relates to peoples self-concept: T or we Thus, typical traits of countries scoring high on individualism is a frequent use of the word I (in comparison to emitting it, like in Spanish), tendency to live in small households and the expectation on people to have personal opinions on most matters. The three highest scoring countries in the original study were USA (91), Australia (90) and Great Britain (89) whereas the lowest scoring countries were Guatemala (6), Ecuador (8) and Panama (11) (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, pp. 78-79). Masculinity (MAS) versus Femininity Masculinity stands for a preference in society for achievement, heroism,assertiveness, and material success. Its opposite, Femininity, stands for a preference for relationships, modesty, caring for the weak, and the quality of life. Hofstedes definition goes as follows; â€Å"A society is called masculine when emotional gender roles are clearly distinct: men are supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success, whereas women are supposed to be more modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life. A society is called feminine when emotional gender roles overlap; both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life. †Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, p. 120 Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS) is somewhat unluckily named, since the name tends to give people associations with highly political matters although the dimension doesnt deal with those. A better name might have been Gender role stability, since this is what the dimension actually deals with. This fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the way in which a society allocates social (as opposed to biological) roles to the sexes. Some societies strive for maximum social differentiation between the sexes. The norm is then that men are given the more outgoing, assertive roles and women the caring, nurturing roles. As in all societies most institutions are populated by men. Such maximum-social-differentiation societies will permeate their institutions with an assertive mentality. Such societies become performance societies evident even from the values of their women. these societies are referred to as masculine. (In the English language, male and female are used for the biological distinctions between the sexes; masculine and feminine for the social distinction. A man can be feminine, but he cannot be female. ) Other societies strive for minimal social differentiation between the sexes. This means that some women can take assertive roles if they want to but especially that some men can take relationship-oriented, modest, caring roles if they want to. Even in these societies, most institutions are populated by men (maybe slightly less than in masculine societies). The minimum-social-differentiation societies in comparison with their opposite, the maximum-social-differentiation societies, will permeate their institutions with a caring, quality-of-life orientated mentality. Such societies become welfare societies in which caring for all members, even the weakest, is an important goat for men as well as women. such societies are referred to as feminine. Masculine and feminine are relative qualifications: they express the relative frequency of values which in principle are present in both types of societies. The fact that even modern societies can be differentiated on the basis of the way they allocate their social sex role is not surprising in the light of anthropological research on non-literate, traditional societies in which the social sex role allocation is always one of the essential variables. Like the Individualism-Collectivism dimension, the Masculinity-Femininity dimension relates to peoples self-concept: who am l and what is my task in life? MAS is the only dimension where there are systematic differences between the biological genders in how they answer. The difference is correlated with two factors; age (older people tend to score more on the feminine side) and how masculine the country is overall (in feminine cultures both genders tend to score equally, whereas men score much higher than women in masculine cultures) (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005). Masculinity is represented by the high end of the scale. The three highest scoring countries in the original study were Japan (95), Austria (79) and Venezuela (73) whereas the lowest scoring countries were Sweden (5), Norway (8) and the Netherlands (14). (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, pp. 120-121). Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) Uncertainty Avoidance is the degree to which the members of a society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity. This feeling leads them to beliefs promising certainty and to maintaining institutions protecting conformity. Strong Uncertainty Avoidance societies maintain rigid codes of belief and behaviour and are intolerant towards deviant persons and ideas. They try to minimize the possibility of unstructured situations (situations that are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual) by strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in absolute Truth; there can only be one Truth and we have it. People in uncertainty avoiding countries are also more emotional, and motivated by inner nervous energy. Weak Uncertainty Avoidance societies maintain a more relaxed atmosphere in which practice counts more than principles and deviance is more easily tolerated. They are more tolerant of opinions different from what they are used to; they try to have as few rules as possible, and on the philosophical and religious level they are relativist and allow many currents to flow side by side. People within these cultures are more phlegmatic and contemplative, and not expected by their environment to express emotions The UAI deals with how people within a given culture handle anxiety. It needs to be stressed that UAI is not the same as risk avoidance risk is focused on something specific whereas UAI deals with the unspecific general. The definition of UAI is â€Å"the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations† (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, p. 167). The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is how a society reacts on the fact that time only runs one way and that the future is unknown: whether it tries to control the future or to let it happen. Like Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance has consequences for the way people build their institutions and organizations. Typical of countries with high UAI is a need for written and unwritten rules. The three highest scoring countries in the original study were Greece (112), Portugal (104) and Guatemala (101) whereas the lowest scoring countries were Singapore (8), Jamaica (13) and Denmark (23) (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005). Long-Term Orientation (LTO) versus Short-Term Orientation This fifth dimension was found in a study among students in 23 countries around the world, using a questionnaire designed by Chinese scholars. It can be said to deal with Virtue regardless of Truth. Values associated with Long Term Orientation are thrift and perseverance; values associated with Short Term Orientation are respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and protecting ones face. Both the positively and the negatively rated values of this dimension are found in the teachings of Confucius, the most influential Chinese philosopher who lived around 500 B. C. ; however, the dimension also applies to countries without a Confucian heritage. The dimension was defined by Hofstede as:â€Å" Long-term orientation (LTO) stands for the fostering of virtues oriented toward future rewards in particular, perseverance and thrift. Its opposite pole, short-term orientation, stands for, the fostering of virtues related to the past and present in particular, respect for tradition, preservation of â€Å"face†, and fulfilling social obligations. † Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, p. 210 Cultures that score high on LTO tend to have so called Confucian values and not surprisingly the three highest scoring countries in the Bond-Hofstede study were China (118), Hong Kong (96) and Taiwan (87). The lowest scoring countries were Pakistan (0), Nigeria (16) and the Philippines (19) (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005). The case of Euro Disney Its first of Walt Disneys theme park, Disneyland, opened in Anaheim, California, in 1955. The Anaheim Park was an instantaneous success. The success story repeated itself with the opening of the theme park in Florida in 1970s, and with Tokyo Disneyland in Japan in 1983. Japans success made the corporates believe that they knew everything about opening a theme park in another country and making it a success. So, in 1992, they turned to Paris, the self-proclaimed capital of European high culture and style. Paris was chosen out of 200 locations around the world because of its demographics and the subsidies Walt Disney was offered by the French government. The Greater Paris area  was a high-density population zone (over 10 million) with people who had a relatively high level of disposable income. It also has the ability to attract substantial number of tourists. There was sufficient land available to meet the demand of the park and necessary supply of water and electricity was economical. The French government was very enthusiastic about getting Disney to Paris because they believed that the project would create 30,000 French jobs. They also gave the company more than $1 billion in various incentives. The Walt Disney had tasted nothing but success until 1992. From its very inception, Euro-Disney faced a number of problems. First was the allegation that Euro-Disney was an assault on the French culture. The cause: lack of cultural sensitivity. People looked at it as a symbol of American clichà ©s. The French framers even blocked the entrance with their tractors on the day of its opening. It was evident that the human resource department had done everything possible to ignore the aspects of cultural awareness and had misunderstood the French laws. They overlooked the traditions and habits of the French people when strategizing the park and how it would operate. The ethnocentric recruiting practice was one of their biggest mistakes. If a company follows ethnocentric hiring practices, the employees of a multinational company who are from the home country will be given preference. Following this, Euro-Disney filled all important positions with employees from the home America. The chairman of Euro Disney was an American who was said to have strong ties with France. What they did not realize was the fact that because he had strong ties with France did not mean he thought like the French. Because of this, they went on to implement Euro-Disney without much consideration to local culture. They filed to credit the local employees for their contribution to the initial planning process. Recognizing performance is the basis for building an affinity to the workplace and a sense of belonging. When operating in a culturally different environment, it is important that a company ‘act globally, but think locally. This was Disneys biggest mistake. They refused to acknowledge the fact that Europe and USA were both ‘Western cultures, but starkly different in their cultures. The theme parks in America did not serve any alcohol, but for the French, serving a glass of wine with lunch was a given. While the French culture is feminine in nature, the American is Masculine. Disney assumed that Europeans would not take breakfast and so they downsized the operation, but surprisingly Europeans did want breakfast. More surprising was the fact that did not want the typical French breakfast. They wanted bacon and eggs! Another big problem was the while Disney was successful in hitting the planned 9 million visitors a year mark, the visitors didnt stay for as long as expected. Most stayed for a day or two as opposed to the four to five days that Disney had hoped for. Europeans thought of theme parks as a full day excursion and not as a weekend destination. The company had spent billions of dollars building the luxurious hotels but because people opted for day excursions, the occupancy levels at the hotels were always low. Because of this, Euro-Disneyland had cumulative losses of $2 billion at the end of 1994[1]. Almost everything that Walt Disney had projected for Euro-Disney was the complete opposite of the reality in Europe. A puzzle of errors: miscalculating everything! Here are the factors that led to the downfall of Euro-Disney from the very start. I have discussed these in detail as we move further into the dissertation. Still beset by high costs and low attendances, Euro Disney will find it hard to hit its target of breakeven by the end of September 1996. Costs in the year were reduced by FF 500m by introducing more flexible labour agreements (more part-timers, increased job sharing and the use of more students in the peak season) as well as outsourcing contracts in the hotel operation. But the company admits that the lions share of cost reductions has now been realized. Now it hopes attendances are rising. . . Getting people to spend more once they are at the park might be more difficult. Euro Disney is pinning its hopes on economic recovery in Europe. Itll have to start paying interest, management fees and royalties again in five years time. Management will not say whether itll be able to cope then. 1 â€Å"Euro Disney,† Financial Times Lex column, 30 October 1996(14ED) 1. Miscalculation of drinking habits. Misunderstanding French drinking habits was a serious problem faced by Euro Disney. The management decided to continue with their policy of not serving alcohol in their theme park. Though it worked well in other places but the same did not hold true for Euro Disney. It rather proved to be disastrous because a French meal is incomplete without a wine. Wine is an essential part of the French Culture and is famous all over the world. This miscalculation became a cause of astonishment and consequently the company had to change its policy and serve alcohol. 2. Misunderstanding of breakfast and food norms. Disneys fault of ignoring the cultural differences in food made them commit another blunder. Disney believed that like Americans French would also prefer snacks and hence they downsized their restaurants. This proved to be a wrong decision because French preferred to sit down and eat complete meals rather than carrying away snacks in their hand like Americans. In fact, the data shows that they were trying to serve 2,500 breakfasts in a 350-seat restaurant at some of the hotels. Further, guests wanted bacon and eggs rather than just coffee and croissants (Burgoyne, 1995). This difference between the companys thinking and the actual French culture lead to long lines in front of the restaurants and on top of it when French were denied wine it complicated the matter even further and on the whole French did not have a pleasant â€Å"Disney experience†. 3. Misunderstanding of vacation habits. The Walt Disneys thinking of Americanize European habits put them into another trouble. The company miscalculated the vacation time because the Europeans preferred few longer holidays in comparison with the Americans who took several short breaks. So the companys theory of Americanizing brought loss to them. 4. Miscalculation of per-capita spending. Insufficient market research lead to miscalculation of the per capita spending by the visitors at the park. While the Americans and Japanese who never left the park empty handed, the Europeans did. The European visitors wanted to spend more time on the rides rather than shopping for food and souvenirs which resulted in lower expected revenue. As a matter of Fact spending was about 12% less than predicted. [ ] 5. Miscalculation of transportation preferences. There was a big miscalculation in the transport preferences which was again due to the non- understanding of the differences in the American and the European culture. While availability of boats, trams and trains proved to be beneficial  to carry visitors in America from their hotels to the park but with the Europeans this was not the case. Most of the Europeans preferred to walk . Also, as per the calculation it was assumed that most of the Europeans would travel by their own vehicles and hence a lot of parking space was allotted for the cars. Whereas most of the Europeans came by buses and bicycles and the facilities for the bus drivers to park their buses and the rest came out be inadequate and as a result the company was forced to reduce the space for parking lots and provide more space for the buses and the bicycles. 6. Misunderstanding of French labor laws. 7. Violation of French labor law. 8. Miscalculation of risk factor 9. Incorrect global staffing policies and hr orientations :Ethnocentric and polycentric 2. Misunderstanding French traditions and habits: celebrating Halloween instead of French festivals. 3. Nationalistic sentiments of  French people: Change in name from Euro Disney to Disneyland Paris 4. Staffing and training problems 5. Rigid Disney dress code 6. Operational errors 7. Labour costs 8. Labour disputes 9. communication problems 10. cultural operational issues Power distance  · Incorrect global staffing policies and hr orientations: Ethnocentric and polycentric The French were confused when Disney appointed mostly American-born managers into the front-line supervisory positions at Euro Disneyland many of whom were not fluent in the French language. Individualism  · Rigid Disney dress code  · threatening highly individualistic French cultural traditions Individualism is the cultural dimension that measures to what extent people to look after themselves and their immediate family members only Americas individualism score of 91 is the highest in the world. Frances score of 71 is also high, 65% more than t Disney Corporation Losses EuroDisney Paris Disney Corporation Losses EuroDisney Paris Cultural Euro Disney The word ‘management originated in America and ever since assumptions have been made about the universal acceptability and success of their business practices. There are a number of international ventures which have failed miserably due to Americans not considering the cultural aspects when entering into business in a new country. Euro Disney is a perfect example of the failure of American business processes in another country. The primary aim of this article is to explain how Euro Disney suffered the costs of cultural miscalculations. Geert Hofstedes work on culture has served as the theoretical basis of this article. His dimensions of culture have been used to explain differences in American and French cultures the problems that occurred at Euro Disney. American businesses make assumptions about the transferability of their business, management, marketing, economic and structural models of organizing which frequently fail to take into consideration cultural differences. An example of the consequences of such an approach to intercultural business practice can be found in the Disney Corporations recent European venture, now called Disneyland, Paris. Lack of cultural sensitivity and the negative infiltration strategy used by the Disney Corporation resulted in a great loss of time, money and reputation for which the corporation has only recently begun to compensate. It is the primary thesis of this article that the initial losses experienced by the Disney Corporation may have been prevented if only its representatives had known then what they know now: simply put, that organizations are not distinct, separate entities capable of functioning outside their physical, social and cultural environments. That insight, of course, calls for a different approach to international business, one which begins with the most basic aspect of human organizations, namely effective, meaningful, communicative interactions between people. As international business is becoming critically important in this world of globalization, so is the need to understand cultures, cross cultural psychology and people across nations. There is a lot of focus on cultural studies and plenty of research is done in this area. Yet, there is a lot of scope for further studies due to the gaps in the research. Today there are several models which help understand how people from different nations are expected to act; the one by Geert Hofstede has become the most influential (Hong, Zhang Stump 2007, p. 60) The cultural dimensions by Geert Hofstede have served as the specific theoretical framework for this study. Although there are many criticisms to the Hofsteds model and his dimensions yet there is no other study that compares so many other national cultures in so much detail. Simply this is the best there is. (Mead chapter 2: pg 51) With the advancements in communication and technology, the physical distance between countries is diminishing (Angur et al. , 1994; Jandt, 1995; Samovar and Potter, 1995). This physical distance is not the only thing that needs to be bridged in order to when practicing international commerce. Hofstedes dimensions reflect a nations value system. From further reading into this dissertation have tried to show how American business management tends to assume that they have the best business people that lead to them having the best business practices. While they may work very successfully in their or cultural setting, they do not work across borders. Importance of the study: Scope of the study: Why did you choose this topic? There are many studies that have been conducted in the area of cross cultural psychology, but none that have tried to connect the problems faced at Euro-Disney to Hofstedes dimensions. These dimensions have served as the specific theoretical framework for this study. Purpose, what are we trying to do These dimensions reflect a nations value system. Power distance and Uncertainty Avoidance affects how an organization is structured and how it functions. The two main problems that an organization can face are How to distribute power, and How to avoid uncertainty. Through this research, have tried to show how these two factors were taken for granted at Euro Disney. Furthermore, this research aims at studying the implications of the four dimensions on the working of MNCs and How will it help others and how can they use it for further research My work is a sincere effort to contribute to cultural literature. I hope it proves to be beneficial for further research studies. Overview of the study: Chapter 3 (Case of Euro Disney): This chapter describes all the stages of the research process in carrying out the present study. In particular this chapter gives a clear definition of the research method employed including sampling and data analysis. Chapter 2 (Literature review): This chapter will begin by outlining the existing literature on the concepts of brands, brand image, private brands and consumers perceptions toward private brands. Also in an attempt to meet the main research objective, the other areas (sub-objectives of this research study) such as  consumers attitudes preferences, brand loyalty, brand awareness toward private brands and positioning strategies of private brands have been rigorously discussed, which will provide full support to this research study. Chapter 4 (Discussion): This chapter discusses the results of the research, in particular, presenting statements made by informants with regards to themes that emerged from the transcripts. The chapter ends with a summary taking into account the exploratory nature of the research, and the importance of insight. Chapter 5 (Conclusion Recommendations): This chapter deals the conclusion of the present research study. It will be presented in light of research findings from Chapter 4. By referring to existing literature the discussion will highlight major findings in conjunction to identity development. At the end of the chapter, recommendations for further research will be given. Literature Review As Americans, the word â€Å"Euro† is believed to mean glamorous or exciting. For  Europeans it turned out to be a term they associated with business, currency, and  commerce. Renaming the park â€Å"Disneyland Paris† was a way of identifying it with one of the most romantic and exciting cities in the world (Eisner). Culture 500-700 Layers of culture 200 Cultural studies Cross cultural management 500-600 Importance of hrm in a cross cultural context International Business and importance of CCM Importance of culture in a international context 500 Theoretical background : Hofstedes diemsions of culture 1300 Case 1100 Reasons 1000 Discussion :using hotsedes dimensions explaining differences cross continents and cultures 2000 Conclusion 600-700 limitations of the study, limitations of hofsteds model American business leaders often assume that physical distance is the only gulf that needs to be bridged in international commerce. (473 pg1. last line) As a matter of fact bridging this gap is just one of the steps in international business. It is much more complicated and a number of factors need to be kept in mind. According to Adler (1986:13)in 473 it is the lack of academic interrogations by cultural scholars that has lead to ‘American parochialism Culture Culture is an umbrella word that encompasses a whole set of implicit, widely shared beliefs, traditions, values and expectations that characterize a particular group of people(Consumer behaviour in travel and tourism By Abraham Pizam, Yoel Mansfeld, p393). There are as many definitions of culture as there are people who have tried to define it. While some phrase it in terms of ‘metal programs others define it as the characteristics a person possesses. Hofstede (1994) defines culture as the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another (p. 180). While according to Kroeber and Parsons, culture is transmitted and created content and patterns of values, ideas and other symbolically meaningful systems as factor in the shaping of human behaviour and the artifacts produced through behaviour(pdf 473 page 2) According to Schein culture is ‘A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way you perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems. Organizational Culture Leadership by Edgar H Schein October 1996. According to Schein Culture exists at three levels, artifacts, exposed values and basic assumptions. Pizam (1993) also believes that there are levels of culture in the society. Firms and organizations are a part of the society/system and thus culture has an impact on them. Pizam argues that organizations are culture-bound, rather than being culture-free (Pizam, 1993: p. 219)-MMp2 Today there is growing importance of culture in cross border interactions. The role of human resources is very crucial as well. Effective human resource decisions and cultural sensitivity form two pillars for the success of an international business venture. The phrase ‘Cross cultural management was first coined by †¦in the year†¦. There are examples of companies who failed due to HRs ignorance and cultural miscalculations. Theoretical background:- Hofstedes Dimensions Cultural dimensions by halls,trompenars, hofstedes, globe study. Although there are many criticisms to the Hofsteds model and his dimensions yet there is no other study that compares so many other national cultures in so much detail . Simply this is the best there is. ( Mead chapter 2: pg 51) As international business is becoming critically important in this world of globalization, so is the need to understand cultures and people across nations. There is a lot of focus on cultural studies and plenty of research is done in this area still there is a lot of scope for further studies due to gaps in research. Today there are several models which help understand how people from different nations are expected to act, the one by Geert Hofstede has become the most influential (Hong, Zhang Stump 2007, p. 60) Hofstedes Dimensions of national culture- Power Distance Index (PDI): Large versus Small power distance The basis for this dimension is the fact that inequality exists at all levels and areas of the society. Inequality exists in areas such as wealth, social status, power and prestige. The word ‘power distance is taken from the work of Mulder (Reference hofstede p71). According to Mulders Power Distance Reduction theory, subordinated try to reduce the gap in power between them and their superiors. On the other hand the superiors try to maintain or increase the power distance. The PDI norm deals with the desirability or undesirability of dependence versus independence in society (Hofstede p. 93). Power distance is described as the degree to which there is unequal distribution of power in a society. This is accepted by the members of a society, organizations and nations which are less or more powerful. Behaviour of members of such institution is affected by the degree of power they posses. A high power distance index is characterized by hierarchical orders, close supervision, autocratic decision making and unequal distribution of power. Everybody has a place in the system which needs no clarification or justification. According to Hofstedes dimensions, Malaysia has the highest score on power distance (104) thus implying that the management would use a top-down information flow and there would be autocratic and paternalistic decision making. In a low PDI society, subordinates with the senior management together make decisions and have strong work ethics. It is characterised by equal distribution of power. Sweden is low on PDI (31)Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV) It deals with how members of a society view themselves compared to the rest of the society and is measured from completely collective (0) to completely individualistic (100). Individualism stands for a preference for a loosely knit social framework in society wherein individuals are supposed to take care of themselves and their immediate families only. Collectivism, on the other hand, stands for a preference for a tightly knit social framework in which individuals can expect their relatives, clan, or other in-group to look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty (it will be clear that the word collectivism is not used here to describe any particular political system). Hofstedes own definition is:Individualism pertains to societies in which the ties between the individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family. Collectivism as its opposite pertains to societies in which people from birth onward are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, which throughout peoples lifetimes continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. † Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, p. 76 The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among individuals: an extremely fundamental issue, regarding all societies in the world. It relates to peoples self-concept: T or we Thus, typical traits of countries scoring high on individualism is a frequent use of the word I (in comparison to emitting it, like in Spanish), tendency to live in small households and the expectation on people to have personal opinions on most matters. The three highest scoring countries in the original study were USA (91), Australia (90) and Great Britain (89) whereas the lowest scoring countries were Guatemala (6), Ecuador (8) and Panama (11) (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, pp. 78-79). Masculinity (MAS) versus Femininity Masculinity stands for a preference in society for achievement, heroism,assertiveness, and material success. Its opposite, Femininity, stands for a preference for relationships, modesty, caring for the weak, and the quality of life. Hofstedes definition goes as follows; â€Å"A society is called masculine when emotional gender roles are clearly distinct: men are supposed to be assertive, tough, and focused on material success, whereas women are supposed to be more modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life. A society is called feminine when emotional gender roles overlap; both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life. †Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, p. 120 Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS) is somewhat unluckily named, since the name tends to give people associations with highly political matters although the dimension doesnt deal with those. A better name might have been Gender role stability, since this is what the dimension actually deals with. This fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the way in which a society allocates social (as opposed to biological) roles to the sexes. Some societies strive for maximum social differentiation between the sexes. The norm is then that men are given the more outgoing, assertive roles and women the caring, nurturing roles. As in all societies most institutions are populated by men. Such maximum-social-differentiation societies will permeate their institutions with an assertive mentality. Such societies become performance societies evident even from the values of their women. these societies are referred to as masculine. (In the English language, male and female are used for the biological distinctions between the sexes; masculine and feminine for the social distinction. A man can be feminine, but he cannot be female. ) Other societies strive for minimal social differentiation between the sexes. This means that some women can take assertive roles if they want to but especially that some men can take relationship-oriented, modest, caring roles if they want to. Even in these societies, most institutions are populated by men (maybe slightly less than in masculine societies). The minimum-social-differentiation societies in comparison with their opposite, the maximum-social-differentiation societies, will permeate their institutions with a caring, quality-of-life orientated mentality. Such societies become welfare societies in which caring for all members, even the weakest, is an important goat for men as well as women. such societies are referred to as feminine. Masculine and feminine are relative qualifications: they express the relative frequency of values which in principle are present in both types of societies. The fact that even modern societies can be differentiated on the basis of the way they allocate their social sex role is not surprising in the light of anthropological research on non-literate, traditional societies in which the social sex role allocation is always one of the essential variables. Like the Individualism-Collectivism dimension, the Masculinity-Femininity dimension relates to peoples self-concept: who am l and what is my task in life? MAS is the only dimension where there are systematic differences between the biological genders in how they answer. The difference is correlated with two factors; age (older people tend to score more on the feminine side) and how masculine the country is overall (in feminine cultures both genders tend to score equally, whereas men score much higher than women in masculine cultures) (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005). Masculinity is represented by the high end of the scale. The three highest scoring countries in the original study were Japan (95), Austria (79) and Venezuela (73) whereas the lowest scoring countries were Sweden (5), Norway (8) and the Netherlands (14). (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, pp. 120-121). Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) Uncertainty Avoidance is the degree to which the members of a society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity. This feeling leads them to beliefs promising certainty and to maintaining institutions protecting conformity. Strong Uncertainty Avoidance societies maintain rigid codes of belief and behaviour and are intolerant towards deviant persons and ideas. They try to minimize the possibility of unstructured situations (situations that are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual) by strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in absolute Truth; there can only be one Truth and we have it. People in uncertainty avoiding countries are also more emotional, and motivated by inner nervous energy. Weak Uncertainty Avoidance societies maintain a more relaxed atmosphere in which practice counts more than principles and deviance is more easily tolerated. They are more tolerant of opinions different from what they are used to; they try to have as few rules as possible, and on the philosophical and religious level they are relativist and allow many currents to flow side by side. People within these cultures are more phlegmatic and contemplative, and not expected by their environment to express emotions The UAI deals with how people within a given culture handle anxiety. It needs to be stressed that UAI is not the same as risk avoidance risk is focused on something specific whereas UAI deals with the unspecific general. The definition of UAI is â€Å"the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations† (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, p. 167). The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is how a society reacts on the fact that time only runs one way and that the future is unknown: whether it tries to control the future or to let it happen. Like Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance has consequences for the way people build their institutions and organizations. Typical of countries with high UAI is a need for written and unwritten rules. The three highest scoring countries in the original study were Greece (112), Portugal (104) and Guatemala (101) whereas the lowest scoring countries were Singapore (8), Jamaica (13) and Denmark (23) (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005). Long-Term Orientation (LTO) versus Short-Term Orientation This fifth dimension was found in a study among students in 23 countries around the world, using a questionnaire designed by Chinese scholars. It can be said to deal with Virtue regardless of Truth. Values associated with Long Term Orientation are thrift and perseverance; values associated with Short Term Orientation are respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and protecting ones face. Both the positively and the negatively rated values of this dimension are found in the teachings of Confucius, the most influential Chinese philosopher who lived around 500 B. C. ; however, the dimension also applies to countries without a Confucian heritage. The dimension was defined by Hofstede as:â€Å" Long-term orientation (LTO) stands for the fostering of virtues oriented toward future rewards in particular, perseverance and thrift. Its opposite pole, short-term orientation, stands for, the fostering of virtues related to the past and present in particular, respect for tradition, preservation of â€Å"face†, and fulfilling social obligations. † Hofstede Hofstede, 2005, p. 210 Cultures that score high on LTO tend to have so called Confucian values and not surprisingly the three highest scoring countries in the Bond-Hofstede study were China (118), Hong Kong (96) and Taiwan (87). The lowest scoring countries were Pakistan (0), Nigeria (16) and the Philippines (19) (Hofstede Hofstede, 2005). The case of Euro Disney Its first of Walt Disneys theme park, Disneyland, opened in Anaheim, California, in 1955. The Anaheim Park was an instantaneous success. The success story repeated itself with the opening of the theme park in Florida in 1970s, and with Tokyo Disneyland in Japan in 1983. Japans success made the corporates believe that they knew everything about opening a theme park in another country and making it a success. So, in 1992, they turned to Paris, the self-proclaimed capital of European high culture and style. Paris was chosen out of 200 locations around the world because of its demographics and the subsidies Walt Disney was offered by the French government. The Greater Paris area  was a high-density population zone (over 10 million) with people who had a relatively high level of disposable income. It also has the ability to attract substantial number of tourists. There was sufficient land available to meet the demand of the park and necessary supply of water and electricity was economical. The French government was very enthusiastic about getting Disney to Paris because they believed that the project would create 30,000 French jobs. They also gave the company more than $1 billion in various incentives. The Walt Disney had tasted nothing but success until 1992. From its very inception, Euro-Disney faced a number of problems. First was the allegation that Euro-Disney was an assault on the French culture. The cause: lack of cultural sensitivity. People looked at it as a symbol of American clichà ©s. The French framers even blocked the entrance with their tractors on the day of its opening. It was evident that the human resource department had done everything possible to ignore the aspects of cultural awareness and had misunderstood the French laws. They overlooked the traditions and habits of the French people when strategizing the park and how it would operate. The ethnocentric recruiting practice was one of their biggest mistakes. If a company follows ethnocentric hiring practices, the employees of a multinational company who are from the home country will be given preference. Following this, Euro-Disney filled all important positions with employees from the home America. The chairman of Euro Disney was an American who was said to have strong ties with France. What they did not realize was the fact that because he had strong ties with France did not mean he thought like the French. Because of this, they went on to implement Euro-Disney without much consideration to local culture. They filed to credit the local employees for their contribution to the initial planning process. Recognizing performance is the basis for building an affinity to the workplace and a sense of belonging. When operating in a culturally different environment, it is important that a company ‘act globally, but think locally. This was Disneys biggest mistake. They refused to acknowledge the fact that Europe and USA were both ‘Western cultures, but starkly different in their cultures. The theme parks in America did not serve any alcohol, but for the French, serving a glass of wine with lunch was a given. While the French culture is feminine in nature, the American is Masculine. Disney assumed that Europeans would not take breakfast and so they downsized the operation, but surprisingly Europeans did want breakfast. More surprising was the fact that did not want the typical French breakfast. They wanted bacon and eggs! Another big problem was the while Disney was successful in hitting the planned 9 million visitors a year mark, the visitors didnt stay for as long as expected. Most stayed for a day or two as opposed to the four to five days that Disney had hoped for. Europeans thought of theme parks as a full day excursion and not as a weekend destination. The company had spent billions of dollars building the luxurious hotels but because people opted for day excursions, the occupancy levels at the hotels were always low. Because of this, Euro-Disneyland had cumulative losses of $2 billion at the end of 1994[1]. Almost everything that Walt Disney had projected for Euro-Disney was the complete opposite of the reality in Europe. A puzzle of errors: miscalculating everything! Here are the factors that led to the downfall of Euro-Disney from the very start. I have discussed these in detail as we move further into the dissertation. Still beset by high costs and low attendances, Euro Disney will find it hard to hit its target of breakeven by the end of September 1996. Costs in the year were reduced by FF 500m by introducing more flexible labour agreements (more part-timers, increased job sharing and the use of more students in the peak season) as well as outsourcing contracts in the hotel operation. But the company admits that the lions share of cost reductions has now been realized. Now it hopes attendances are rising. . . Getting people to spend more once they are at the park might be more difficult. Euro Disney is pinning its hopes on economic recovery in Europe. Itll have to start paying interest, management fees and royalties again in five years time. Management will not say whether itll be able to cope then. 1 â€Å"Euro Disney,† Financial Times Lex column, 30 October 1996(14ED) 1. Miscalculation of drinking habits. Misunderstanding French drinking habits was a serious problem faced by Euro Disney. The management decided to continue with their policy of not serving alcohol in their theme park. Though it worked well in other places but the same did not hold true for Euro Disney. It rather proved to be disastrous because a French meal is incomplete without a wine. Wine is an essential part of the French Culture and is famous all over the world. This miscalculation became a cause of astonishment and consequently the company had to change its policy and serve alcohol. 2. Misunderstanding of breakfast and food norms. Disneys fault of ignoring the cultural differences in food made them commit another blunder. Disney believed that like Americans French would also prefer snacks and hence they downsized their restaurants. This proved to be a wrong decision because French preferred to sit down and eat complete meals rather than carrying away snacks in their hand like Americans. In fact, the data shows that they were trying to serve 2,500 breakfasts in a 350-seat restaurant at some of the hotels. Further, guests wanted bacon and eggs rather than just coffee and croissants (Burgoyne, 1995). This difference between the companys thinking and the actual French culture lead to long lines in front of the restaurants and on top of it when French were denied wine it complicated the matter even further and on the whole French did not have a pleasant â€Å"Disney experience†. 3. Misunderstanding of vacation habits. The Walt Disneys thinking of Americanize European habits put them into another trouble. The company miscalculated the vacation time because the Europeans preferred few longer holidays in comparison with the Americans who took several short breaks. So the companys theory of Americanizing brought loss to them. 4. Miscalculation of per-capita spending. Insufficient market research lead to miscalculation of the per capita spending by the visitors at the park. While the Americans and Japanese who never left the park empty handed, the Europeans did. The European visitors wanted to spend more time on the rides rather than shopping for food and souvenirs which resulted in lower expected revenue. As a matter of Fact spending was about 12% less than predicted. [ ] 5. Miscalculation of transportation preferences. There was a big miscalculation in the transport preferences which was again due to the non- understanding of the differences in the American and the European culture. While availability of boats, trams and trains proved to be beneficial  to carry visitors in America from their hotels to the park but with the Europeans this was not the case. Most of the Europeans preferred to walk . Also, as per the calculation it was assumed that most of the Europeans would travel by their own vehicles and hence a lot of parking space was allotted for the cars. Whereas most of the Europeans came by buses and bicycles and the facilities for the bus drivers to park their buses and the rest came out be inadequate and as a result the company was forced to reduce the space for parking lots and provide more space for the buses and the bicycles. 6. Misunderstanding of French labor laws. 7. Violation of French labor law. 8. Miscalculation of risk factor 9. Incorrect global staffing policies and hr orientations :Ethnocentric and polycentric 2. Misunderstanding French traditions and habits: celebrating Halloween instead of French festivals. 3. Nationalistic sentiments of  French people: Change in name from Euro Disney to Disneyland Paris 4. Staffing and training problems 5. Rigid Disney dress code 6. Operational errors 7. Labour costs 8. Labour disputes 9. communication problems 10. cultural operational issues Power distance  · Incorrect global staffing policies and hr orientations: Ethnocentric and polycentric The French were confused when Disney appointed mostly American-born managers into the front-line supervisory positions at Euro Disneyland many of whom were not fluent in the French language. Individualism  · Rigid Disney dress code  · threatening highly individualistic French cultural traditions Individualism is the cultural dimension that measures to what extent people to look after themselves and their immediate family members only Americas individualism score of 91 is the highest in the world. Frances score of 71 is also high, 65% more than t

Analysis Of Thomas Hardy?s The Darkling Thrush :: essays research papers

Thomas Hardy’s The Darkling Thrush, is a poem full of much sorrow. It is dark and bleak, just as it’s title is. Although it is so unhappy, it is also very deep. This poem is one of the many example’s of Hardy’s talent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poem is a lyric, with a rhyme scheme of abab. It is written in iambic pentameter, and it consists of quatrains. It is talking about a lack of faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hardy begins his poem talking about his setting. It was winter, and it was cold and dark. It seemed lonely, and anyone would have rather been inside. It looked ugly out there, and even the sky and the frost was unattractive. It was a very depressing place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He continues talking about the setting, but begins to talk about with it makes him think of. He feels that everything around was dead, and the wind sounded like a moan. The world seemed like it used to be alive, but now it’s just small and old. He thought that everyone around him felt the same way. Even though he felt this, he still somehow felt alone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of a sudden, it heard a voice coming from above. At that instant, all that was ugly appeared beautiful. All whom he thought felt the world was dead, are now seeing it for a second time. All was good, and everyone was happy. Still, Hardy felt the same. Instead of thinking things were beautiful, he thought things had gotten worse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He felt there was no use in being happy. The things that seemed ugly didn’t really matter much to him. He felt even more scared and alone than before. The air seemed happy, and all were blessed with hope. Hardy still saw no hope. Analysis Of Thomas Hardy?s The Darkling Thrush :: essays research papers Thomas Hardy’s The Darkling Thrush, is a poem full of much sorrow. It is dark and bleak, just as it’s title is. Although it is so unhappy, it is also very deep. This poem is one of the many example’s of Hardy’s talent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poem is a lyric, with a rhyme scheme of abab. It is written in iambic pentameter, and it consists of quatrains. It is talking about a lack of faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hardy begins his poem talking about his setting. It was winter, and it was cold and dark. It seemed lonely, and anyone would have rather been inside. It looked ugly out there, and even the sky and the frost was unattractive. It was a very depressing place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He continues talking about the setting, but begins to talk about with it makes him think of. He feels that everything around was dead, and the wind sounded like a moan. The world seemed like it used to be alive, but now it’s just small and old. He thought that everyone around him felt the same way. Even though he felt this, he still somehow felt alone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of a sudden, it heard a voice coming from above. At that instant, all that was ugly appeared beautiful. All whom he thought felt the world was dead, are now seeing it for a second time. All was good, and everyone was happy. Still, Hardy felt the same. Instead of thinking things were beautiful, he thought things had gotten worse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He felt there was no use in being happy. The things that seemed ugly didn’t really matter much to him. He felt even more scared and alone than before. The air seemed happy, and all were blessed with hope. Hardy still saw no hope.

Synopsis :: Essays Papers

Synopsis Both the movie and the book should be approached as a mystery that unfolds. It is written realistically but has a great deal of mystical overtones throughout the story. Both the movie and the novel begin in the middle of the story which in the beginning may be slightly confusing to either the movie go’er or the reader. Once the story has gone full circle it comes together in and attempts to question some primal beliefs as freedom, love, self worth, and the â€Å"natural† instinct for a mother to protect her child. Here is a brief summary of what has happened prior to the novel and movie’s opening. Mr. Garner purchases a 13-year old black slave girl named Sethe in order to assist his wife by doing the routine jobs around the house. Sethe is the only female slave owned by Mr. Garner who has five other male slaves – three Pauls, Halle, and Sixo. Sethe marries Halle and gives birth to four children. While she is pregnant with her fourth child, the six adult slaves decide to escape the household. Her three children make it to safety due to the aid of a runaway slave woman but Sethe waited for Halle, which caused her to get caught. She is then brutally raped and severely beaten by the slave owners but Sethe does eventually manage to escape without Halle. Sethe makes it out of Kentucky and gave birth to â€Å"Denver† the night before she crosses the river to Ohio. For 28 days Sethe and her children happily live with Halle’s mother, Baby Suggs, but she is soon found by the slave-owner who had come to retrieve them. To avoid a return to slavery, Sethe decid es to kill her children and herself. She is only able to kill her toddler, later known as â€Å"Beloved†. At the novel and films opening, which takes place after slavery has been abolished, the entire family is tortured by the ghost of the baby girl haunting the house, and the Black Community has turned their back on Sethe for her seemingly horrendous actions. Observations The character Sethe is presented as a former slave woman who chooses to kill her baby girl rather than allowing the child to be exposed to the physically, emotionally, and spiritually oppressive horrors of a life spent in the confines of slavery.

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto Essay -- English Literature Kitchen Essays

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto The path of life is not easy. It is scattered with struggles and hurdles which we must overcome. A rose plant is a good metaphor of life; the flower is soft with a pleasant fragrance but the thorns are prickly and hurt us. Likewise, life has good things like laughter, happiness, hope but it also has some things that hurt us, obstruct us. In Banana Yoshimoto’s novella Kitchen, Mikage Sakurai faces quandaries in her life which hinder her. However, she fights them back with hope and determination. She is aided by the Tanabe’s who help her to fight her dilemmas and struggles. Each character displays a sense of optimism, a hope for survival and the determination to fight back. In a greater sense, this rendering gives the reader a moral teaching that despair does not necessarily result in annihilation. They try to tell us that we must not give up in our lives, come what may. They appear as teachers giving us a lesson how to lead our lives. This rendering makes us feel close to them and think of them as our own friends. This makes them interesting and moving. Mikage is a loner. Throughout her life, she has felt separated from others and feels solitude. She says that despite all the love that surrounds us, we are separated by others physically and mentally which makes each one of us separate, alone. She has suffered great losses; she has lost all her family members. However, after moving into the Tanabe’s apartment, she becomes hopeful for a better life. Mikage wonders â€Å"Wrapped in blankets†¦.in the future† on page 16, that maybe she hadn’t wished for all the loneliness, maybe she had been hoping to think about the future. Here, Mikage reveals the fact that she had completely ignored... ...he darkest of moments and in our moments of despair, we must try to laugh and cheer ourselves. It is a way to become optimistic. In conclusion, this story is of great value to any reader because it portrays a real life story. The characters appear very real to us because of their simplicity and unusualness. This makes us endearing to these characters, we feel attached to them, sympathy towards them. Each character contributes to a greater understanding of the definition of life and the way to live. Each character is determined that they would not fail, they would not give up; they would continue to fight on despite any barrier, any resistance. They teach us that death is not the end of despair, there are several others way to live on despite being clouded by darkness and uncertainty. This makes the reader respect the characters and feel close to them.

Responsibility Accounting Essay

It is impossible for top managers to make all the necessary decisions about everything except in very small organizations. Somehow at some point he has to delegate some decisions to those who are at the lower levels and are more knowledgeable to the everyday detail of the company’s operation. By empowering lower level managers to make decisions, decision-making authority is spread throughout the organization rather than being confined to a few top executives. Attached with this decentralized approach, are costs and decisions at each sub-level that managers have to be responsible for. Decentralized organizations need responsibility accounting systems to link the manager’s decision-making authority with accountability for the outcomes of those decisions and to make sure that they are in congruence with the organization’s goals. The term responsibility center is used in any part of the organization whose managers has control and is accountable for cost, profit or investment. An Organizational View of Responsibility Centers †¢The manager of an investment center has control over cost, revenue, and investments in operating assets. Investment centers are usually evaluated using return on investment (ROI) or residual income measures. †¢The manager of a profit center has control over both costs and revenue, but not over the use of investment funds. They are often evaluated by comparing actual profit to targeted or budgeted profit. †¢The manager of a cost center has control over costs, but not over revenue or the use of investment funds. Managers of cost centers are expected to minimize costs while providing the level of products and services demanded by other parts and stakeholders of the organization. For this decentralized structure to be effective, organizations need to employ responsibility accounting. Responsibility accounting refers to the various concepts and tools used by managerial accountants to measure the performance of people and departments to foster goal congruence. Below are some of the concepts and tools that managerial accountants used for responsibility accounting: 1.Segment Reporting – Income statements are generated from each part or activity of an organization (e.g. sales territories, individual stores, service centers, manufacturing plants, marketing departments, individual customers, and product lines). In utilizing this concept of reporting, managers have to identify traceable and common fixed costs and make use of activity-base costing if necessary. These segmented income statements are useful in analyzing the profitability of segments and in measuring the performance of segment managers. 2.Performance report of each responsibility centers – this shows the budgeted and actual amounts, and the variances between these amounts, of key financial results appropriate for the type of responsibility center involved. The data in a performance report help managers use management by exception either to control cost operations effectively, find ways to generate more profit or consider opportunities for investments. 3.Activity-based responsibility accounting – Under this approach, management is directed not only to the cost incurred in an activity but also to the activity itself. Questions like the following will be asked, â€Å"Is the activity necessary?† Does it add value to the organization’s product or service?† Can the activity be improved? By seeking answers to these questions, managers can eliminate non-value added activities and increase the cost effectiveness of the activities that do add value. 4.Customer Profitability Analysis – uses the concept of activity-based costing to determine how serving particular customers causes activities to be performed and costs to be incurred. This focus on major market segments, geographical regions, distribution channels or customers. This also helps managers gain insight into the factors that are driving the company’s performance. Goal congruence results when the managers of subunits throughout an organization strive to achieve the goals set by top management. Given the above concept and with proper implementation an organization is surely rising above its competitors. It is therefore recommended that while top management gave the subunit managers decision-making authority and responsibility accounting systems in place, it is still of utmost importance that both side will conduct regular dialogue and consultations for coordination and to keep each other expectations on the same level and to make sure that top management understands the concerns of the lower level managers and vice versa. Top management also must emphasize that the responsibility accounting systems main functions are information and not blame, make sure costs are distinguished properly between controllable and uncontrollable as this increases the effectiveness of cost management systems, and its usage is to motivate desired behavior that would be beneficial for both the company and the employees. So how does responsibility accounting fosters goal congruence? As companies adopt this concept, top level management can concentrate on bigger issues such as overall strategy of the company. This allows as well lower-level managers to respond more quickly to customers and to changes in the operating environment since layers of decisions makings and approvals have been eliminated, and lower managers are now given the chance to be trained for higher positions. Consequently, as lower level managers make decisions they are expected that their motivation for work and job satisfaction is increased because the decision-making authority empowers them. But the concept of responsibility accounting is not only limited to an organization’s structure. For any type of cost whether from an organization’s perspective or from your personal life, an important key to managing or controlling the cost is to make it someone’s responsibility. And whether we like it or not, decisions has to be made, the only difference is that if we are choosing to make the right decisions or the wrong ones.