To what degree does a culture encourage people to think of themselves as equals and to what degree does a culture encourage people to stay within a hierarchical social structure?

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Activity 2: International Business and Human Resources

Using ProQuest, the online database on the Ashworth College website, and the Internet, research Geert Hofstede and Hofstede’s Dimensions. For this Activity, focus on the following:

  1. Power Distance: To what degree does a culture encourage people to think of themselves as equals and to what degree does a culture encourage people to stay within a hierarchical social structure?
  2. Individualism vs. Collectivism: To what degree does a culture encourage individualism?  Asian cultures tend to be group oriented, while American culture encourages individualism.
  3. Masculinity vs. Femininity: Is a culture oriented towards relationships or tasks?  This dimension deals with the idea of masculine and feminine influences in the workplace.
  4. Uncertainty Avoidance: Does a culture encourage people to take or avoid risk?

Read the following two (2) scenarios and answer the questions at the end of each scenario.  You must cite all resources used and include an APA-formatted reference list.  Your Activity responses should be both grammatically and mechanically correct, and formatted in the same fashion as the Activity itself.  If there is a Part A, your response should identify a Part A, etc.  (100 points) (A 4-page response is required for the combination of Parts A and B.)

Part A        Country A

The Problem:  A mid-size hotel chain requested the services of a human resources consultant to assist in preparing employees for a merger with a similar company whose headquarters were located in the same country.  The organization was very concerned about the type of employee anxiety that typically accompanies mergers and acquisitions. It was quite possible the merger might require some downsizing and change in organizational structure and management styles.

Country Background:  Both hotel chains were located in Country A, a relatively small (about the size of the American state of New Jersey), highly industrialized country politically considered to be a “western democracy.”  The country is considered to have a very open, friendly attitude towards tourism. The population is, for the most part, socially, racially, and economically homogeneous. The government is stable, the GNP is high, and crime is much lower than in other countries of similar size and economic status. Militarily, the country is pacifistic. Taxes are high, but much government assistance is provided in public education, including graduate school tuition, medicine, disability insurance, retirement benefits, utilities, transportation, and employee rights protection. In fact, all employees are guaranteed a seven-week annual vacation and maternal or paternal leave to all new parents. Professional and non-professional employees typically retire at age 53.  Both freedom of expression and the right to private enterprise are considered sacred.

The Consultant:  In the first meeting, the consultant was introduced to the organization and its key executives.  The consultant began by explaining his background in human resources and his experience in the cost-efficient management of human capital.  Suddenly the room went silent, and there was a definite freeze. Realizing his faux pas, the consultant cleared his throat and explained that his “real” emphasis was on assisting organizations to counsel and develop their employees to their fullest potential, especially during times of trauma. He then began talking about issues such as organizational learning.

Answer the following questions considering the above information.

  1. How would you describe this country’s culture in terms of Hofstede’s dimensions? Explain why.
  2. Why did the consultant change his image and presentation of services?
  3. What would you recommend that the consultant do differently?

Part B        Country B

The Problem:  A small hotel chain (with no international holdings) recently purchased a new information technology system.  Top management wished to computerize all of their hotels’ operations.  A consultant was hired to develop a training program to teach its employees how to operate the new computers.

Country Background:  The hotel organization is located in Country B, which has been economically categorized as a developing nation.  As a former European colony, it is still greatly influenced by its colonial legacy.  Tourism is new to this country, and hotels cater to foreigners or to the country’s elite, who pride themselves on appearing European. A large social, cultural, and economic gap exists between this country’s rich and poor. Ninety percent of the country’s wealth is held by 10% of its population.  Industry is 75 percent privately owned by a small cartel of leading families. The government is modeled after the European parliamentary system. However, in reality, the government is basically a single party system that has ruled since independence in 1960.  While the government claims to be militarily neutral, newspaper editorials are clearly anti-socialist.  The GNP is high for the region. Many observers believe that the country’s economic health reflects favorable trade and tax agreements that have encouraged large-scale foreign investors looking for relatively cheap labor markets. Government and company-supported services for the poor are meager and sporadic. The population consists of four key ethnic groups who possess different racial, linguistic, and religious origins. While 40 percent of the population is illegal immigrants, they are ethnically related and protected by their local

extended families.  Family bonds are, thus, very important.  In most cases, the ties to one’s clan are more important than one’s nationality.  Nepotism and favoritism often influence personnel decisions as job descriptions and performance criteria are typically vague.  In business and in government, members of the same family always hold positions of trust.

The Consultant:  Top company officials politely received the consultant.  They spent a lot of time getting to know him on both a professional and personal level.  While the consultant was flattered by the attention, he was also frustrated by the length of time needed to establish rapport. Impatiently, the consultant pressured company officials to permit him to present his ideas for a new employee development program. In addition to computer training, the consultant suggested new training in management and team building.  He called himself a change agent and encouraged the company to develop a systematic career development and counseling system along with tuition benefits for any employee who wished to further his or her education.  Finally, he suggested a full-scale cultural diagnosis to identify the need for culture change within the hotel chain.

Answer the following questions in light of the above information.

  1. How would you describe this country’s culture in terms of Hofstede’s dimensions? Explain why.
  2. Why did the consultant’s ideas fall on polite, but deaf ears?
  3. What would you recommend?

What was significant about the fraud and abuse issue(s) you learned about?

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Go to http://oig.hhs.gov (Links to an external site.). Click Newsroom > Videos. Locate and watch videos on fraud and abuse. Be sure to note the title of the videos you watch. On that same website, locate and watch videos on the work of the Inspector General’s Office. Be sure to note the title of the videos you watch.

What was significant about the fraud and abuse issue(s) you learned about?
What attempts were made, or could be made, to stop the fraud or abuse?
What was the role of the Office of the Inspector General in addressing fraud or abuse in the case(s) you watched?
Please make sure that you include a title page, minimum 2 full pages of body text and a citatifkton page with the citations in APA format.

Describe the steps you would take to take to redesign this situation to resolve the problems presented in the case.

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For the assigned case study, BP and the Deepwater Horizon Disaster of 2010, you must individually analyze it, addressing each of the four items for analysis below. Then post your analysis in Blackboard under Final Assignment.

Key Issues: Briefly describe the leading issues in this case using the information presented in the case description.
Diagnosis: Define the nature of the problems (structure, human recourses political, cultural) and defend your diagnosis.
Processes: Define the process problems in the case. Do they result from poor communication, missing leadership, muddled decision-making, incomplete problem solving, ineffective group norms and rules, inadequate conflict resolution strategies, inadequate structure or design of the organization, or some other reason?
Redesign: Describe the steps you would take to take to redesign this situation to resolve the problems presented in the case. You will propose four to six concise recommendations for people, technology, and structural changes at the individual, interpersonal, and/or organizational levels.
The Final Report – 20 pointsPrepare Your Final Report

Cover page with your name ID# BUS 200 – section and date
Executive summary (abstract)
Table of contents
The body of the report (Progress reports 1-2-3)
Redesign (Recommendations)
Bibliography
Deliverable:

The final report should include (1) progress reports I, II, III and your Redesign, (2) be no less than 12 typed pages – 1” margins, 12pt font, double spaced – APA format (3) include a Bibliography

Grading Rubric:

5 points – APA style fully employed

5 points – clearly summarized the case study and the problems presented

5 points – made a direct connection to the four frames and the problems presented in the case study

5 points – presented a redesign (recommendations) for improvement related to the four frames

Evaluate future challenges international supply chain management and their implication in sustaining competitive advantage.

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-Demonstrate an understanding of developments in globalisation within the context of contemporary practice in supply chain management and in so doing critically assess the role of supply chain management as a key source of competitive advantage. (Knowledge and Understanding)

-Analyse and evaluate challenges in design of competitive supply chain architecture within the context of cultural, ethical & technological evolution. (Analysis)

-Evaluate future challenges international supply chain management and their implication in sustaining competitive advantage. (Problem solving)

Explain the effect of Management Style on Employee Performance

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Effect of Management Style on Employee Performance

Discuss to what extent you believe things to be better or worse in the present day for businesses in general.

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1. Based on your readings, describe what you consider to be the responsibility of top leadership in a large organization with respect to reaching a balance between profits and stakeholder concerns. Please support your position by giving some examples from the text or from other sources where CEOs did a good or poor job of finding this balance.

2. Terris discusses the history of business ethics in America since the late 1800s with respect to anti-competitive practices, seeking unfair advantage through immoral arrangements with suppliers and public officials, failing to adhere to laws and regulations, and lack of transparency. Discuss to what extent you believe things to be better or worse in the present day for businesses in general.

3. On page 41, Terris discusses the ideas of Howard Bowen regarding the evolution of social responsibility of businesses. To what extent do you think his predictiofktns held true since 1953?

Select one prominent emerging economy, and conduct a comparative investigation of the major entry modes used by foreign firms in the past decade.

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Choose one global industry from those covered in Global Shift. Answer one question of the following three options.

2. For the chosen industry, select one prominent emerging economy, and conduct a comparative investigation of the major entry modes used by foreign firms in the past decade. Carefully assess (and illustrate with examples) the key motivations behind the choice of the entry modes under consideration.

(And my chosen question is #2 since it can easily related to the automotive industry the best)

**If the writer would prefer to work on the industry of their choice and reselect the question, feel free to do so and just let me know!**

 

Identify ONE major responsible management challenge OLAM International currently faces, and analyse it in the context of the company’s existing responsible management practices.

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Identify ONE major responsible management challenge OLAM International currently faces, and analyse it in the context of the company’s existing responsible management practices. You should then make recommendations for how the company should address the challenge through a combination of TWO or THREE different business functions. (i.e business models, strategy, HRM, supply chains)

You may use diagrams or images, but please reference them.

What types of technology could big retailers use to prevent identity thieves from stealing information?

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Instructions to Assignment #6Case AnalysisRequired AssignmentsChapter 4 -Ethics and Information Security: MIS Business ConcernsPleaseread Chapter 4 in Business Driven Information SystemsYou can view the electronics textbook for Business Driven Information Systemsathttps://www.vitalsource.com/loginby clicking “My Library” or BookshelfLogin Name: chingngian@gmail.comPassword: Rockwell4053!InstructionsEthics (from the Ancient Greek “ethikos” meaning “Theory of living”) attempts to understand the nature of morality; to distinguish that which is right from that which is wrong. Ethics in plain words means studying and analyzing right from wrong; good from bad. Information security deals with several different “trust” aspects of information. Information security is not confined to computer systems, nor to information in an electronic or machine-readable form. It applies to all aspects of safeguarding or protecting information or data, in whatever form.Please complete the “Closing Case One” pertaining to Targeting Target case study at the end of Chapter 4 of your textbookon page 169and answer the questions.These case studies are designed to give you practical experience in strategic management as it pertains to competitiveness and globalization. The case can be found in the Case Studies section of your textbook. Use the Graduate Case Study Formatto completethe case analysis.

In addition to the Case Analysis be sure to answer the following questions given for the case.Your responses must be complete, using terminology and concepts presented in the primary textbook as well as supplementary resources. You must read and follow the Case Submittal Format file found in the course resources area. Please double-space, use 12 point font, with one inch margins. Be sure to cite your resources and provide the references using APA 6th ed. format.format. Remember to reference all work cited or quoted by the text authors. You should be doing this often in your responses.Using the Graduate Case Study Formatfound in the attached document review the case using the Graduate Case Study Formatto structure a comprehensive analysis, and answer the questions at the end of the case.The case study must consist of seven sections and include Introduction, Analysis, Solution, Justification, Summary, Discussion Questions, and References.Discussion

Questions1.How did the hackers steal Target’s customer data?

2.What types of technology could big retailers use to prevent identity thieves from stealing information?

3.What can organizations do to protect themselves from hackers looking to steal account data?

4.In a team, research the Internet and find the best ways to protect yourself from identity theft.Special RequirementsAll in-text citations (directly or not directly quoting the material) must include author’s last name, the year of publication, page number, and para number.

Also, remember that you should have 75% of your references published within the last 10 yrs.Avoid writing in the first person when writing in APA formatting.Avoid writing in passive voice.The idea that you cite in the paper must match with the content of the textbook or journal.Use journals, textbooks, and websitesExample for an In-text Citation(Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013, p.456, para.4).Example for a ReferenceKreitner, R., & Kinicki, A. (2013). Organizational behavior(10th ed.). New York, NY:McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Special RequirementsAll in-text citations (directly or not directly quoting the material) must include author’s last name, the year of publication, and page number. Do not make them up because I will check them.A complete reference should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper. I will not accept the paper without in-text citation page number and paragraph number.Also, remember that you should have 75% of your references published within the last 10 yrs.Avoid writing in the first person when writing in APA formatting.Avoid writing in passive voice.The idea that you cite in the paper must match with the content of the textbook or journal.Use journals, textbooks, and websitesExample for an In-text Citation(Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013, p.456, para.4).Example for a ReferenceKreitner, R., & Kinicki, A. (2013). Organizational behavior(10th ed.). New York, NY:McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

What might be the differences between watching a TV show and observing a real-life situation? What influence did camera angles have on your observation?

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Collect and analyze observation data. Choose any TV show (Real Housewives of Potomac) except for a news-related broadcast; reality TV (Real Housewives of Potomac) might work exceptionally well for this assignment. Using the premise of the show as your case, develop an observation grid. The grid should include the explicit elements of the show—characters, scenes, plot—as well as the more implicit elements—themes, images, metaphors, undercurrents of emotion, and so forth. Watch an hour of the show and complete the grid as detailed as possible. Then, form a set of assertions based on your observation.

Include the following:
•The completed observation grid
•The set of assertions formed based on your observation
•A response to the questions below:
1. How did you analyze your observation data to form assertions?
2. How would you determine whether your assertions were trustworthy?
3. What might be the differences between watching a TV show and observing a real-life situation? What influence did camera angles have on your observation?
4. What observation skills have you learned in this assignment that can be transferred to a real-world observation?

APA FORMAT