Friday, July 24, 2020
Launching in the U.S. Advice from 7 European Startups
Launching in the U.S. Advice from 7 European Startups For many European startups, cracking the U.S. market is an exciting chance for dramatic growth and increased credibility. Expanding into the U.S. takes a lot of research, support and careful planning, but companies that succeed enjoy major opportunities. Here are four key tips from European startups whove made the leap across the pond, successfully launching in the U.S. market. What You Should Consider I talked to startups who have successfully moved into the U.S. market, as well as companies that help startups expand into the U.S., to get their advice on the factors you should consider. These were their top tips: 1. Do your homework Many companies try to make the move without doing proper research. âA lot of companies say âI know my product, I know what Iâm doing, Iâve sold in Europe.â Itâs not the same as in the U.S. though,â says Christophe Garnier, managing director of Spark Labs, a U.S. expansion platform for tech and media companies. Garnier says many companies who try to make the move fail for three main reasons: âOne, they donât do homework. Two, they donât understand their market and their competitors. And three, they donât know have a good market strategy and know how to sell to American customers,â he says. Garnier recommends you do extensive research to vet things like market size, competition, who is in their industry, how much money theyâve raised, who the customers are and pricing strategy. âItâs really like founding another company and not as much like moving everything over,â says Karsten Beyer, COO for DataVirtuality, a data warehousing solution. If you were starting a company, youâd do plenty of research, so treat this move similarly. 2. Timing is crucial Timing is a big factor when youâre considering making your move. âA lot of companies start thinking very early on about moving into the U.S., but I would recommend they wait to start thinking about it when they have a model thatâs validated in their home country,â Garnier says. Beyer agrees that some startups jump the gun. âMany companies are way too early,â he says. âAs a startup, you have such scarce resources,â he says. âYou should focus all you have on one market first and be the leader there. Then you have the resources to spend a couple million to do a proper market entry in the U.S. When you do decide to make the move, Oliver Huebler, COO at MeisterLabs, recommends you time it with important events that could help boost your recognition. âEspecially when youâre in a specific area, like human resources, for example, line up your move with important conferences in that industry,â Huebler says. âYou donât want to miss those opportunities to present your product because you made the move in August and all the important industry conferences were in July.â Remote team management made simple. Sign up for MeisterTask Sign up for MeisterTask 3. Seek out support Donât try to do it alone. The startups I talked to stressed that there are many great resources you can take advantage of. Look to European accelerator programs, which allow you to spend a few months in the U.S. and help you decide if youâre all in. âMost European countries have incubators in Silicon Valley,â says Bernhard Kerres, founder and CEO of HelloStage, an independent online platform for the classical music community. âTouch base with them immediately because theyâll help provide you with things like a network, a desk and some money.â For example, the German accelerator program helped to shape HoloBuilder, software that allows construction professionals to create and share 360-degree views of buildings, into the successful company it is today. âWith the German Accelerator program, we incorporated our U.S. office and had 6 months access to great mentorship and built great connections to important construction firms wanting to work with us,â says Mostafa Akbari, CEO of HoloBuilder Inc. Kerres recommends having an American adviser or board member to help with things like opening a bank account. And, he says, donât isolate yourself. âSilicon Valley is very open,â he says. âShared office space is really useful, and there are also a ton of meet-ups.â 4. Build your network Building your network is crucial to successfully conquering the U.S. market. Huebler was surprised at how generous companies in Silicon Valley were with advice and information. âIn Germany if you have a great idea or if you want to partner with a bigger company, it would probably take you five months to meet the right person,â Huebler says. âIn Germany, talking to a CEO is almost impossible unless you know five people who went to kindergarten with them. Here itâs easier to get a meeting with a CEO. People know if they donât take this chance, someone else will.â Accelerator programs can be the key to quickly building your network, Beyer says. âWith the German accelerator, if youâre in the program and the mentors feel like youâre ready and you have potential, theyâll introduce you to that network,â he says. âYou get into the community within six months, nine months instead of trying for years.â Why Make the Move? If you decide moving into the U.S. market is right for your company and you put in the work, research and planning, you stand to reap a ton of potential benefits, including: Access to a unified market There are a lot of frictions in European commerce, from shipping flows to international taxes, explains Charles-Albert Gorra, co-founder and CEO for Rebagg. âYou can become a big player in one country, but you can hardly become a leader in multiple countries, he says. âIn comparison, the U.S. is a unified market that probably equals the size of â" or even bigger than â" many European countries aggregated.â Turn plans into action. Sign up for MeisterTask Sign up for MeisterTask Being seen as a global player Increasing your global footprint can automatically boost your reputation in a big way. âHaving the Silicon Valley office on our website, it helps a lot for our reputation to show weâre not just a little startup from Leipzigâ says Beyer. âIt shows that weâre a global player and that we can serve customers globally.â Access and proximity to important people One of the advantages of opening a U.S. office is, of course, being closer to American investors. âInvestors want to see your face 4 or 5 times to understand and trust youâ rather than just acting as what he calls âinnovation tourists,â says Jos Scheffelaar, CEO and co-founder of Launch in US Alliance. Being able to have those face-to-face interactions makes it much easier to build those relationships. Huebler says informal, face-to-face interactions like grabbing drinks make it so much easier to establish meaningful connections with important people. âMeeting people in person, you get more out of the meeting,â he says. âIn such a quick and fast virtual world, people are coming back to personal connections.â You also have easier access to your U.S. customers. âYou have to be close to your customers, be able to visit them at their workplace, get involved personally, find out what their problems are and what theyâre dealing with every day, to really understand them and be able to sell a solution that they honestly benefit from,â Akbari says. An innovative environment The startups I talked to all mentioned the innovative attitude they feel in Silicon Valley and the U.S. and how the rhythm of innovation feels different from Europeâs. âWe want to be there where the smartest minds are, where the technology epicenter is and where we can feel all the trends, Beyer says. We feel them earlier [in the U.S.] than in Germany.â The speed at which progress happens is a plus, too. âYou can create things much faster here,â says Huebler. âYou can meet on a Monday and get stuff done by the end of the week. In Europe, itâd probably take you four weeks. Iâm not necessarily saying the quality is better, but people try things fast here.â Thereâs also a willingness to experiment more, says Akbari. âThe U.S market is faster with the adoption of new technologies than Germany. In the U.S. people are more willing to try something new and to see if it really brings you the promised benefit.â Is this move right for you? It could be. Do your homework. Find support and resources to help you make the move. Stand on the shoulders of giants who have done this before. If you do, you can tap into significant opportunities and dramatically grow the future of your company. Discover collaborative task management. Sign up for MeisterTask Sign up for MeisterTask
Friday, May 22, 2020
What Do You Do for Fun Interview Question
Its almost a guarantee that your interviewer is going to ask what you like to do for fun. The college interviewer might ask this question in one of many ways: What do you do in your free time? What do you do when youre not in school? What do you do on your weekends? What makes you happy? This is not a trick question, and many kinds of answers will do well. If youre doing an interview at all, its because the college has a holistic admissions policy, and the interviewer is simply trying to get to know you better. College is about much more than academic classes, and the admissions folks want to know how you keep yourself busy when youre not doing schoolwork. The most attractive students are those who do interesting things in their spare time. Bad Interview Question Answers So, when you answer the question, make sure you actually sound like you do interesting things in your spare time. Answers like these will not impress: I like hangin with my friends. (Do you actually do anything with those friends, or do you just take up space on our little planet?)I do Facebook in all my free time. (Whether its Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, or some other social platform, this response is true for many students. But too much online time is a major source of poor academic performance in college, so you wont want to highlight your online addictions during your interview)I like partying. (Another activity that, if abused, has caused many students to fail out of college)I watch lots of TV. (Many of us watch too much TV; dont highlight that fact during your interview)I dont have any free time. (This answer is true for some highly involved students, but it is an evasive answer; what would you do if you did have free time?)Ive been reading all of the Greek classics. (Good for you, but really? Colleges like good scholars, but they also want students who occasionally take their heads out of their books) Youll also want to avoid insincere answers that may be about important activities, but that clearly are not fun. Cleaning dishes at a local shelter or scooping poop at an animal rescue are admirable and important activities, but probably not fun. That said, there certainly is a lot of personal satisfaction in helping others, but youll want to frame your answer to make it clear why such activities bring youà pleasure. Good Interview Question Answers In general, the best answer to this question will show that you have passions outside of the classroom. The question allows you to show that you are well-rounded. Within reason, it doesnt much matter what you do in your free time as long as you do something. Do you love working on cars? Playing a pick-up game of soccer? Hiking in the neighboring mountains? Experimenting in the kitchen? Building rockets? Playing word games with your younger brother? Painting sunsets? Surfing? Note that this question is not necessarily about your extracurricular activities such as theater, varsity athletics, or marching band. Your interviewer will learn about those interests from your application or activities resume, and youre likely to get another question about those interests. This doesnt mean you cant answer with a discussion of your favorite extracurricular activities, but you should view this question as an opportunity to reveal a side of yourself that appears nowhere on your application. Your transcript will show that you are a good student. Your answer to this question will show that you are also someone who has diverse interests that will enrich the campus community. Explain WHY the Activity is Fun Finally, be sure to follow up your answer with a discussion of why you answered the way you did. Your interview isnt going to be impressed with this exchange: Interviewer: What do you like to do for fun?You: I like swimming.Awkward silence Assume the interview is also asking you WHY you like the activity. Think how much better the interviewer gets to know you with a response like this: Interviewer: What do you like to do for fun?You: I love swimming. Theres a lake up the hill from my house, and I spend time there every day when the weather permits. I really enjoy the exercise, and I also like being surrounding by nature. When Im in the water its so peaceful. I get most of my best thinking done when Im swimming. In fact, one reason Im interested in Wellesley College is that Ill be able to keep doing what I love in Lake Waban. A Final Word on College Interviews Interviews are typically a pleasant exchange of information, and they arent designed to trip you up or be confrontational. That said, you will want to be prepared to answer some of the most common interview questions before you set foot in the interview room, and youll also want to avoid these common interview mistakes. In general, its a good idea to do an interview, even if its optional, but youll want to do enough preparation so that you make a positive impression.
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Family Is The Head Of Our Family - 1377 Words
Family has always been very important to me, on both sides. On my motherââ¬â¢s side of the family my great grandmother, who died last year at the age of ninety-nine, was considered to be the head of our family. It is because of what she endured that I am who I am today. Mother was blind, so we believed that if Mother can push trough not being able to see and get things done then there is no reason that we canââ¬â¢t achieve our goals as well. Growing up both of my parent was in my life, as well as another influential person in my lifeââ¬â¢ is my grandmother. She is 80 and a preacher, I grew up in the church, my faith has been that of Christianity. My mother and her sisters and brothers are also Christian. I have two sisters. We went to church a lot growing up, we were taught to listen to everyone at the church and you respect them as there your parents. We were raised to respect our elders at all time even outside of church. We were taught not to cuss or lie because it wo uld not be tolerated, and that was a sin against our faith. My sisters and I were also raised to believe in the Golden Rule and still do, ââ¬Å"Do unto others as you want them to do unto youâ⬠. I had abided by all of these rules growing up until around 4th grade, Piaget from the book Development through the lifespan would identify this as my transitioned period. Puberty started for me. My period came on at school, my teacher called my mother and I was told to walk home and put a pad on. I had no clue what a pad was butShow MoreRelatedjoint family1664 Words à |à 7 Pagesof a society i.e. family. A family is a set of human beings related to each other in a non-professional manner, giving rise to a concrete cohesion within the family. Love, care, and affection are theà most prominent human values, which are responsible for maintaining these bonds of relationships withina family.à Typically, a nuclear family may be conceived asà a unit consisting of acouple, children, and grandparents, and pets. In India however, there exists a special kind of family structure thatà reallyRead MoreHead Start1545 Words à |à 7 PagesFor this assignment, I conducted much research o n the Head Start Program. Head Start is a child development program, which provides aid and assistance to financially less fortunate families. It serves children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. Head Start is child centered and focuses much attention on preparing young children from low-income families for school. Head Start helps parents improve their basic literacy, numeric skills and employability skills. It promotes childrensRead MoreMy Family Essay704 Words à |à 3 PagesAs a member of a hispanic family there are many rules that the children of the family have to follow because that is the way the hispanic families do in order to raise the children for them to be successful or have a good future of their own. In my case, both of my parents love me and they raise the best they could do and I am grateful for it because they have always been by my side since day one of my life. They taught me the good behavior that all person should have, they demonstrate d me virtuesRead MoreThe Model Of The American Family1061 Words à |à 5 Pages For as long as I can remember, the ideal family household consisted of the male/father as the bread winner, provider, and head of the household, and female/mother, and children as members of this family. This image was embedded in us through our social class, our parents, our community, and the social media. The families of today have drastically changed, and are more complex in the family role. As time progresses, divorce rates are at an all time high, and single parent homes are even higher. ToRead MoreRemember The Titans : Movie Analysis1370 Words à |à 6 PagesThe movie Remember the Titans, focus on family assessment with an emphasis on family values, socialization, healthcare beliefs, and adaptation on how family solves problems. Also, family processes by way of adjustment in a newly ethnic integrated community surrounding sociocultural, environment and roles in the community. The analysis of Remember the Titans is surrounded by the main character Coach Herman Boone, his wif e and two daughters including family values and adaptation. Movie Setting andRead MoreAn African American Family Struggles with Racism in A Raisin in the Sun by by Lorraine Hansberry 933 Words à |à 4 Pages A Raisin in the Sun was written by Lorraine Hansberry and is a play about an African American family who are struggling in the 1950ââ¬â¢s to keep the family together. Although the play is portrayed in the 50ââ¬â¢s many issues like the economy, racism, and family dynamics the characters had to face; these issues are still issues in the 21st century. ââ¬Å"So money is life... things have changedâ⬠- Mama Pg. 75. In the quote Mama is surprised that money has the power to make or break the world; and more importantlyRead MoreThe And Social Work Welfare History1085 Words à |à 5 Pagespaper I will discuss a variety of aspects related to my agency, such as structure, social policy, and social work welfare history that empowers familiesââ¬â¢ lives. This semester I have been given the opportunity to work, as an intern, at Head Start Nacogdoches following a social worker understanding the importance of being efficient in my future career. At Head Start my job is to observe, take notes, and ask questions to my field instructor Ms. Celena Garrett in understand the importance of developingRead MoreAbandonment of the Military Family1458 Words à |à 6 PagesAbandonment of the Military Family Linda D. Frost College Writing I Westwood College Online Abandonment of the Military Family Day one May 28, 2008 the countdown to hell. Today has come. The girls and I are driving to the airport to pick my spouse, their dad after returning from his tour in Afghanistan. This should be an exciting day, but instead of the girls singing to the song playing on the radio, we are all silent. Excited to see him, but not sure if were ready for whatââ¬â¢s ahead of usRead MoreUnique Types of Family Systems Essay675 Words à |à 3 PagesMost people have a set view on what a normal family system may look like but as a social service provider I know that a family system is unique to each family. In todayââ¬â¢s society we see more single-parent homes leaving the hierarchy to be shifted. A hierarchy is determined and maintained by the systems rules, boundaries and interactional patterns (Gehart Tuttle, 2003). There are many different situations that can shift the hierarchy such as single parent homes, cultural differences, and effectiveRead MoreWhy Fathers Should Be A Family Poli cy1459 Words à |à 6 PagesBogenschneiderââ¬â¢s definition of ââ¬Å"family policyâ⬠, is a government role that ââ¬Å"aims to protect, promote and strengthen families through functions such as childrearing and childcare. The family policy is meant to be a broad definition; to include things like defense policy, economic edicts or pollution controls are all counted in the definition of family policy (Bogenschneider, 2014). While the definition could be open-ended, promoting Fatherhood or Co-Parenting would qualify as a true family policy because it directly
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Analysis of The Merchant of Venice Free Essays
Analysis of The Merchant of Venice Short plot summary. The film is about the jewish businessman Shylock who lived during the 1500ââ¬â¢s. The wealthy prince Antonio wants to borrow money with reason to help his friend Bassanio. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of The Merchant of Venice or any similar topic only for you Order Now Antonio invested all his money on merchant shipââ¬â¢s. But, Antonioââ¬â¢s plan failed ââ¬â the merchant shipââ¬â¢s were wrecked and now he didnââ¬â¢t have the money to re-pay Shylock. When Shylock didnââ¬â¢t receive his money, he and Antonio both agreed that Shylock would receive a pound of flesh from Antonioââ¬â¢s body. The married couple Bassanio and Portia, are friends with Antonio and they realized they had to help him. Portia offered Shylock triple the amount of what the money was really worth. Shylock rejected the offer but Portia had a plan to solve the dilemma ââ¬â Disguise as a male judge to save her friend and also be more extreme by making Shylock worthless. Analysis. In the movie there are several motives such as good vs. evil, kindness and cruelty, religion dilemmas (Christian vs. Jew), tragedy etc. These opposites are all common with Shakespeareââ¬â¢s writings. Among the main characterââ¬â¢s, Antonio is the one who is unselfish because he wants to help his friend, he represents goodness. Shylock isnââ¬â¢t actually the ââ¬Å"evil-oneâ⬠, heââ¬â¢s more of a vindictive individual because he lives in a society full of anti-Semitism and with a daughter who left him for a Christian man. I think Shylock has full right to receive a pound of flesh from Antonioââ¬â¢s body because both parties signed a contract (they both agreed on this) The movie is also about destiny and power. Whatever happened to the merchant ships is nothing Antonio, or any other human, can do about it. When Antonio borrows money of Shylock, he gives the Jewish businessman all the power. During the final scene when theyââ¬â¢re all gathered in court, Shakespeare clearly shows he wants to maintain the Christian morality and make Shylock ââ¬Å"cleanâ⬠by converting to Christianity. Because Shylock is a Jew, heââ¬â¢s featured as an evil person. From the filmââ¬â¢s and Shakespeareââ¬â¢s perspective, there is only one religion that is acceptable. This could be a symbol for the fights between the two religions and the main characters. Revenge is one of the main parts in this movie. Shylock uses his work and abundance to pursue his revenge. If the loan never had occurred Shylock would never had been able to take the evenge to another level. Though Shylock never succeeded his revenge, his main goal was vengeance and never hesitated to stop his work. Tragedy occurs when Shylock looses everything in court and has to beg for mercy. He has to give all his abundance to his daughter, convert to Christianity. He didnââ¬â¢t do anything wrong, lived in a anti-semi tism society. Above all, he had a signed contract of the deal. But, Portiaââ¬â¢s rhetorical skills turned the situation around when she argued that no blood, not more than the weight of a pound was allowed when cutting the flesh. This was impossible to accomplish. How to cite Analysis of The Merchant of Venice, Essay examples
Monday, April 27, 2020
Sherman Alexieââ¬â¢s Short Stories Essay Example
Sherman Alexieââ¬â¢s Short Stories Paper In Sherman Alexieââ¬â¢s short stories ââ¬Å"This is what it means to say Phoenix, Arizonaâ⬠, and ââ¬Å"Indian Educationâ⬠Alexie uses action and dialogue to show the struggles of an Indian culture in a white mans world, putting the theme of race and social justice in a dilemma. Alexie uses dialogue in the short story ââ¬Å"This is what it means to say Phoenix, Arizonaâ⬠, to illustrate an ill-funded Indian reservation. After Victor had found out that his father had passed away Victor needed money to retrieve his father remains, realizing that, ââ¬Å"[The only people that] have money on a reservation, [are] the cigarette and fireworks salespeople. People in the reservation truly donââ¬â¢t have money but for the few that sell cigarettes and fireworks, even the Tribal Council, ââ¬Å"[Has] a difficult time financiallyâ⬠, only being able to provide Victor with a hundred dollars for the retrievel of his fathers remains. Alexie also uses action in the short story ââ¬Å"Indian Educationâ⬠to give a sense of predigest against the Indian race. While in the second grade Alexies teacher makes him take a separate spelling test designed for junior high students, and when he proved to her that he could spell the words correctly she made him eat the test. We will write a custom essay sample on Sherman Alexieââ¬â¢s Short Stories specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sherman Alexieââ¬â¢s Short Stories specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sherman Alexieââ¬â¢s Short Stories specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The predigest missionary teacher wanted Alexie to feel inadequate by giving him a harder test, even though he passed, the teacher was in such rage that he did not fail she made him eat the test. The missionary teacher has no respect for Alexie by calling him an, ââ¬Å"indian, indian, indianâ⬠with no capitalization, giving no sing of respect for his background. Sherman Alexieââ¬â¢s short stories tell the stories of Indians in a racial and social injustice world.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Classical Management Viewpoint of the Worker Essays
Classical Management Viewpoint of the Worker Essays Classical Management Viewpoint of the Worker Essay Classical Management Viewpoint of the Worker Essay The classical management writers had a particular viewpoint of the worker. Discuss what this was. [12 marks] a The evolution of management has been in existence since the construction of massive structures such as the pyramids in Egypt in the ancient days and the Great Wall of China during the Qing Dynasty period. It is thus evident how important the role of management and its application is globally and through the passage of time. The emergence of the classical approach occurred during the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain and Europe, as it became necessary to have a more formal approach to management. Production shifted away from the cottage industry as large complex organisations sprouted due to new forms of technology. The classical approach places emphasis on purpose, formal structure, hierarchy of management, technical requirements, and common principles of organisation in order to manage efficiently the higher amount of outputs from increased producitivity. (needs emphasis on the workers) The classical management approach comprises of three theories namely- bureacratic management by Max Weber, Scientific management by Taylor and Administrative management by Henri Fayol. Max Weber is a German sociologist who defined an organisation as a well-defined hierarchy of authority and responsibility, following a system of rules and regulations where there is no confusion and conflicts. Under this formal hierarchy structure, workers abide by rules and follow accordingly without question. Official positions exist in their own right and jobholders have no rights to particular positions in the top management, since appointment of staff is based on qualification and competence. This will thus allow for a stable and well-defined job content such that work performance is based on the identified roles. However, the over-emphasis on rules and regulation only serves to dehumanise and demotivate the workers as workersââ¬â¢ initiation and creativity are being stifled. They become inflexible in responding to situations, and reluctant to innovate in time. There are three types of legitimate authority identified by Weber- traditional, charismatic and rational-legal authority. Workers are required to accept those in authority that arises from tradition and custom. They must also be loyal and entrust their confidence in the personal qualities of the leader. Hence, there is no questioning of the authority since the workers are bounded by the rules and procedures of the organisation, and does not have any job movement in their job scope. Nonetheless, Weber see this approach as neccessary at that time in order to achieve stability in the organisation, where rules are implemented to increase efficiency and productivity even though it neglects the social needs of the workers. Another writer who contributed to the classical approach is Taylor. He introduced the theory of scientific management where workers are viewed as ââ¬Å"rational economic manâ⬠who are satisfied and motivated by high wages, and are willing to work diligently for the organisation. He was concerned with the efficiency of the working methods, and the question of how to organize different resources into efficient and profitable operations. He wanted to prevent ââ¬Å"soldieringâ⬠which he believes arises due to the fallacious belief of the workers that any increase in output will result in unemployment, hence deliberately restrict their work-rate in order to stay in employment. Hence in order to overcome this problem, he came up with ââ¬Å"a true science of workâ⬠, referring to the amount to be done by a suitable worker under optimum conditions. Workers are paid their wages according to their productivity. Workers are systematically trained and placed through careful selections, jobs designated for them. Through analysis of the ââ¬Å"stopwatch exerciseâ⬠, he was able to establish standard time and standard output of work. He argued that workers prefer to be given a definite task with clear-cut standards, then rewarded accordingly for their productivity without limit. However, the scientific approach fails to consider the social needs of the workers as well, and also overlooked the human desire for job satisfaction by labelling workers merely as a ââ¬Å"rational economic manâ⬠who works long hours willingly for the sake of higher wages. Workers are viewed as cogs of machines, and exploitation of labour and unfair distribution of wages may occur. Administrative management was prefaced by Henri Fayol. He says that to manage is to forecast and plan, to organise, to command, to coordinate and to control. In his book ââ¬Å"Administration ââ¬Å"Industrielle Et Generaleâ⬠, he proposed 14 principles of management which he feels will enable organisations to function efficiently. His emphasis was also on the hierarchical aspects of the business enterprise as a formal organisation, based on the division of work, scalar chain, unity of command and centralisation. This top-down management style shows how authority is limited and restricted from the workers, who are expected to follow the leadership of others. In conclusion, under the classical approaches to management, the theories have similar traits towards their view of the worker. Discuss in what ways, and for what reasons, this viewpoint may be different in the 21st century. [13 marks] The 21st century marks an important pardigm shift in business and management principles. We now live in the Information Age (post-modern) and not the Industrial Age (classical). The 21st century is also a period of great uncertainty where we have se en horrific acts of terrorism against the good of mankind, the SARS outbreak in Asia, which threatened to derail the World Economy in todayââ¬â¢s ever-increasingly ââ¬Ëboundary-lessââ¬â¢ global economy as well as many other events. Henceforth, the classical management writersââ¬â¢ viewpoint of the workers has become less relevant in the 21st century as the approach was developed in the 1890 to 1940s. The classical approachââ¬â¢s viewpoint of the workers has become different in the 21st century as the modern era is more focused on the social needs and welfare of the workers. Humanââ¬â¢s rights are being advocated, henceforth making it necessary for organisations and their management to take care of the needs of the workers. Workers from the past were also less educated, whereas 90% of the population in the 21st century living in cities are literate. As such, it is more important for managers to focus more on improving the interactions and relations between management and workers at the workplace. This is developed in Hawthorne studies by Elton Mayo, who discovered the importance of informal working group. When workers feel more important at work and being taken care of, their productivity will improve, resulting in an increase in output. This is therefore different from the viewpoint of the classical approach when the social needs of the workers are being neglected. Nowadays, management has adopted a much flatter structure instead of a tall one. Workers have to be convinced of the abilities of their superiors before accepting their management styles. Similarly, top management must also be open to ideas coming from the lower level of workers within the organization. There should be mutual communications between the managers and their subordinates. Managers are encouraged to show care and concern towards the workers so that they will be motivated. This motivation to work will help to keep the productivity and efficiency of the organization going by making the subordinates feel important (encouraging self-esteem), and feel as if they really belong to the organization. As such they will feel that contributing to the organization will not only benefit the organization but themselves through self-satisfaction. However, too much motivation and giving leeway to workers will cause them to be complacent and to lose their sense of working abilities. Hence there should be a proper balance between adopting some of the classical approaches and putting them together with human relations which will be discussed later. The Gilbreths, followers of Taylor in scientific management of classical approaches were convinced with doing things in the one best way through the process of recording techniques done in experiments and motion studies. The Gilbreths used charting and basic elements of on-the-job motions and providing a standardized basis for recording movements. By doing experiments like these, the Gilbreths are trying to anaylse the whole working operations and this, as they believe, will most likely boost workers morale because of its obvious physical worker benefits and involves the managements concern for the worker. In this form of classical approach, every worker will always be a doer, a learner and a teacher that will have new possibilites in the job scope. This method applies mainly in the Industrial as mentioned earlier. However, as a contrast to such a classical theory of managements attitude to the worker, Elton Mayos Hawthorne studies were on the workers rather than on the work. Hawthorne was mainly interested in studying social relationship at work. Human relations have become an important element in management as it is proven by the company is able to thank their workers and show their appreciation is by giving company dinners and incentives like healthcare services that will benefit them, and such activities undertaken by organizations are still practiced in many organizations such s MacDonalds, Federal Express. The systems theory also states that organisations are complex entities, or systems of inter-ralted and independent parts comprising of input, process and output which have interaction with the external environment to arrive at stable state (homeostasis). Under the open socio-technical system, workers need work compatibility with each other in order to work in teams, which is important for work redesign (relevant for motivation). The Volvo experiment at the Kalmer plant has hexagon-shaped factories with assembly lines along glass walls. The autonomous team decides on allocation of work and responsibilities. By specializing and helping each other as a team, productivity and sales quality will improve. (need to relate more to 21st Century) As organizations cannot be totally humanized, managements attitudes and perspectives towards Man have also evolved along with their management ideologies, from Human Relations approach to one of Contingency Approach. Due to factors such as globalization, cultures of various countries (eg asian values that need adaptation), turbulent environment (war on terrorism), deregulation, privatisation, urbanisation and movement towards capitalism and dependence on market economy by countries such as China and India and greater competition, which are prevalent in the 21st century, and therefore old ideas have to be discarded and new ones embraced. As organizations have adapted and become more complex (Peters and Watermans attributes of organizations in the early 20th century, these ideas have become less applicable in changing times of the 21st century), operations have been decentralized and more fluid and flexibility have emerged (Sony and 3M). Therefore Man has evolved due to the demanding nature of today, which require many competencies and skills to deal with any incidences that occur due to the non-ideal (no one optimum) state in the business world. The classical approach have declined over the years but we cannot deny that their usefulness have not totally been eliminated. Some approaches like the structural organizations in the government still adopt its concept which is based on bureaucracy. However, managements must also give consideration to human factors and not simply based it on one approach. The structures of the organization should be more flexible and not rigid in order to adapt quickly to any global changes. Only then organizations can operate well in a globally ever changing integrated precarious world economy (need to emphasize more on 21st century; change conclusion).
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Glossary of Cold War Terms
Glossary of Cold War Terms Every war has its own jargon and the Cold War, despite the fact that there was no open fighting, was no exception. The following is a list of terms used during the Cold War. The most worrisome termà is definitely the broken arrow. ABM Anti-ballistic missiles (ABMs) are designed to shoot down ballistic missiles (rockets carrying nuclear weapons) before they reach their targets. Arms race Massive military build-up, especially of nuclear weapons, by both the Soviet Union and the United States in an effort to gain military superiority. Brinkmanship Purposely escalating a dangerous situation to the limit ( brink), while giving the impression that you are willing to go to war, in the hope of pressuring your opponents to back down. Broken arrow A nuclear bomb that is either lost, stolen, or accidentally launched that causes a nuclear accident. Though broken arrows made great movie plots throughout the Cold War, the most serious real-life broken arrow occurred on January 17, 1966, when a U.S. B-52 crashed off the coast of Spain. Though all four of the nuclear bombs aboard the B-52 were eventually recovered, radioactive material contaminated large areas around the crash site. Checkpoint Charlie A crossing point between West Berlin and East Berlin when the Berlin Wall divided the city. Cold War The struggle for power between the Soviet Union and the United States that lasted from the end of World War II until the collapse of the Soviet Union. The war was considered cold because the aggression was ideological, economic, and diplomatic rather than a direct military conflict. Communism An economic theory in which collective ownership of property leads to a classless society. The form of government in the Soviet Union in which the state owned all means of production and was led by a centralized, authoritarian party. This was viewed as the antithesis of democracy in the United States. Containment Fundamental U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War in which the U.S. tried to contain Communism by preventing it from spreading to other countries. DEFCON An acronym for defense readiness condition. The term is followed by a number (one to five) which informs the U.S. military to the severity of the threat, with DEFCON 5 representing normal, peacetime readiness to DEFCON 1 warning the need for maximum force readiness, i.e. war. Detente The relaxing of tension between the superpowers. See details inà Successes and Failures of Dà ©tente in the Cold War. Deterrence theory A theory that proposed a massive build-up of military and weaponry in order to threaten a destructive counter-attack to any potential attack. The threat was intended to prevent, or deter, anyone from attacking. Fallout shelter Underground structures, stocked with food and other supplies, that were intended to keep people safe from radioactive fallout following a nuclear attack. First strike capability The ability of one country to launch a surprise, massive nuclear attack against another country. The goal of a first strike is to wipe out most, if not all, of the opposing countrys weapons and aircraft, leaving them unable to launch a counter-attack. Glasnost ââ¬â¹ A policy promoted during the latter half of the 1980s in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Gorbachev in which government secrecy (which had characterized the past several decades of Soviet policy) was discouraged and open discussion and distribution of information was encouraged. The term translates to openness in Russian. Hotline ââ¬â¹ A direct line of communication between the White House and the Kremlinà established in 1963. Often called the red telephone. ICBM ââ¬â¹ Intercontinental ballistic missiles were missiles that could carry nuclear bombs across thousands of miles. iron curtain ââ¬â¹ A term used by Winston Churchillà in a speech to describe the growing divide between western democracies and Soviet-influenced states. Limited Test Ban Treaty Signed August 5, 1963, this treaty is a worldwide agreement to prohibit nuclear weapons testing in the atmosphere, outer space, or underwater. Missile gap ââ¬â¹ The concern within the U.S. that the Soviet Union had greatly surpassed the U.S. in its stockpile of nuclear missiles. Mutually assured destruction ââ¬â¹ MAD was the guarantee that if one superpower launched a massive nuclear attack, the other would reciprocate by also launching a massive nuclear attack, and both countries would be destroyed. This ultimately became the prime deterrent against a nuclear war between the two superpowers. Perestroika ââ¬â¹ Introduced in June 1987 by Mikhail Gorbachev, an economic policy to decentralize the Soviet economy. The term translates to restructuring in Russian. SALTà Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) were negotiations between the Soviet Union and the United States to limit the number of newly created nuclear weapons. The first negotiations extended from 1969 to 1972 and resulted in SALT I (the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty) in which each side agreed to keep their strategic ballistic missile launchers at their current numbers and provided for the increase in submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) in proportion to the decrease in number of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). The second round of negotiations extended from 1972 to 1979 and resulted in SALT II (the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty) which provided a broad range of limitations on offensive nuclear weapons. Space raceà A competition between the Soviet Union and the United States to prove their superiority in technology through increasingly impressive accomplishments in space. The race to space began in 1957 when the Soviet Union successfully launched the first satellite,à Sputnik. Star Warsà Nickname (based on theà Star Warsà movie trilogy) of U.S. President Ronald Reagans plan to research, develop, and build a space-based system that could destroy incoming nuclear missiles. Introduced March 23, 1983, and officially called the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). superpowerà A country that dominates in political and military power. During the Cold War, there were two superpowers: the Soviet Union and the United States. U.S.S.R.à The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.), also commonly called the Soviet Union, was a country that consisted of what is now Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
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