Ptlls Written Rationale

Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) Written Rationale My micro-teach is about Accessibility Options, an IT related topic. I choose this subject because I am interested in IT. We are all aware that IT covers a wide range of topics. I have deliberately concentrated on the topic, Accessibility Options in the Control Panel in Windows XP, simply because I want to make my learners aware of the feature available for disabled users and how those types of users could apply it to their daily lives.I also intend to explain the methods in which a normal user can support disabled users. The Accessibility Options will cover 4 categories, which are Sticky Keys, Filter Keys, Toggle Keys and Magnifier. I have re-looked at my previous comments related to the one to one micro-teach, such as practicing before hand and being better prepared, which I currently doing so. I have designed individual handout booklets for the learners to use during the session and refer to after the less on.I want the learners to demonstrate what they have learned. The ideal way would be to get the learners to practice on their own individual computers, to do this I will need a few extra computers which unfortunately do not have. I shall therefore ask my learners to answer a few questions related to the session instead. My teaching delivery is based on lecturing whilst demonstrating my topic by using the computer and smart board to help my learners understand.

Impact of conflict Essay

Have you ever wonder why there are divisions and schisms around us that eventually lead to riots and wars? How can these things happen? These dilemmas happen because of conflict within the body or group of people. Sometimes conflict arises because of the superior and inferior mentality of some people. We can even notice and observe nowadays how our society is drastically changing. Our beliefs, cultures, values and morals have been changed through times. People are becoming liberal on things and somewhat approves the things that we know deep within us are wrong. They have the tendency to do things which only â€Å"benefit† them that can cause schisms and conflicts within their work, co-workers and even in their own family. They sometimes become insensitive and disregarded the right values and morals that were inculcated by their parents when they were still young in order to satisfy their selfish desires; thus, they sacrifice the welfare of their family and friends in order to meet their own desires. If an employee has conflicts with his boss, there is a tendency that he will not follow on his boss’ instructions that might be the ground of his termination. If a conflict happens within his co-workers, he might gossip about his co-workers whereabouts. But if there is conflict within the family, members within have always tension. Conflicts can bring disunity. Disunity can bring chaos and chaos can bring divisions. In the workplace, conflicts among the employees are not new. One scenario that can create conflict within the workplace is when somebody is promoted to a greater position and when you know that you are ahead of that person. Jealousy starts to creep in your heart and you feel inferior. This might lead to bitterness. On the other hand, conflicts within the family is one of the most dreadful things may happen to a person. Family can be disunited if conflict arises. Moreover, to a social psychologist, a conflict is a seemingly incompatibility of actions, goals, of ideas. The elements of conflict are much the same at all levels, from nations in an arms race to cultural disputes within a society to individuals in marital strife. In each situation, people become enmeshed in a destructive social process that produces results no one wants. Among these destructive processes are social traps and distorted perceptions (Dawes, 2000). Reference: 1. Dawes, R. M. (2000). Social Dilemmas. Annual Review of Psychology, 31 169-193.

Microeconomics D. U.s. Essay

7. Indicate whether each of the following statements applies to microeconomics or macroeconomics: a. The unemployment rate in the U.S. was 9.0% in April 2011. Macroeconomics b. A U.S. software firm discharged 15 workers last month and transferred the work to India. Microeconomics c. A unexpected freeze in central Florida reduce the citrus crop and caused the price of oranges to rise. Microeconomics d. U.S. output, adjusted for inflation, grew by 2.9% in 2010. Macroeconomics e. Last week Wells Fargo Bank lowered its interest rate on business loans by one-half of 1 percentage point. Microeconomics f. The consumer price index rose by 1.6% in 2010. Macroeconomics 11. Explain how (if at all) each of the following events affects the location of a country’s production possibilities curve. a. The quality of education increases. The curve will shift outward. Better education leads to higher productivity of labors, inventions and technological advantages. b. The number of unemployed workers increases. This should not affect the curve. Production moves inward, away from the curve. c. A new technique improves the efficiency of extracting copper from ore. The curve should shift outward as more production is possible with existing resources. d. A devastating earthquake destroys numerous production facilities. The curve should shift inward with the destruction of resources/capital. Chapter 2 1. Contrast how a market system and a command economy try to cope with economic scarcity. A market system allows for the private ownership of resources and coordinates economic activity through market prices. Participants act in their own self interest and seek to maximize satisfaction or profit through their own decisions regarding consumption or production. Goods and services are produced and resources are supplied by whoever is willing to do so. The result is competition and widely dispersed economic power. The command economy is characterized by public ownership of nearly all property resources and economic decisions are made through central planning. The planning board, appointed by the government, determines production goals for each enterprise. The division of output between capital and consumer goods is centrally decided based on the board’s long-term priorities. 10. In a sentence, describe the meaning of the phrase â€Å"invisible hand.† Acting in your own self interest to increase profit and at the same time helping society and the economy.

SULA Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SULA - Assignment Example Therefore, this essay will focus on the highlights about the themes utilized by Morrison in her novel including friendships, choices, and pride. The theme of friendship makes the central force in the novel. It helps to sustain the characters and get them through the hardships of real life situations. The relationships and friendships depicted in Sula emerge as difficult and complicated. They cause pain to the individuals whose relationships did not bear fruit as they had expected. For instance, the friendship between Sula and Nel finally leads to Nel’s broken marriage. The situation occurs after Sula returns to Nel’s house, and her idleness lures her to indulge in a meaningless sexual episode. However, Jude holds that his action is due to the undervaluing resulting from Nel’s sense of self-worth (Nigro 736). The theme is interesting since Sula and Nel had a long friendship, and when this happens, the reader intends to know more about what will unfold as the story continues. In this context, options are prevalent throughout the novel as various characters seem to make different decisions ate varied stages of the text. For instance, Sula’s characters struggle with self-identity and determination throughout the story. There are evident characters that choose to take their paths different from the ones exhibited by their parents. They want to follow their desires and ideas regarding what is wrong or right (Nigro 734). The situations create problems to the people that surround them enhancing the curiosity of the reader to unravel what will befall the â€Å"deviant.† Hence, the story becomes interesting as the reader wants to read more to realize what happens to the people that deviate from the society’s expectations. For example, Nel vows to find her self-identity and determination against her mother’s wish. The characters make own decisions that finally have profound effects on the entire society. In the

Walmart - Good or bad for America Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Walmart - Good or bad for America - Assignment Example Even though this practice helps keep the prices at Wal-Mart low for the consumers, something Wal-Mart states as its primary purpose, on the other hand, such trade practices result in jobs being taken away from the Americans and being handed over to others like the Chinese, thus lowering the living standard of the average Americans. Without stable jobs, the average American consumer would not be able to buy most of the consumer products, even if they were to be offered at such low prices as Wal-Mart does. It is argued by some that American jobs are not lost – more are created in different spheres – as a consequence of this outsourcing. However, such jobs do not pay the some nor do they come with the same benefits as manufacturing jobs. This is what â€Å"Creative destruction† (pbs) is all about, I agree with the statement that, in essence, while Wal-Mart is doing its best to make products affordable for consumers, by doing so it is, simultaneously, destroying the local US manufacturing

British expatriate managers coping with culture shock in the USA Dissertation

British expatriate managers coping with culture shock in the USA - Dissertation Example Various researches show that many of the expatriates who relocate to US to live and work often have mixed views regarding this, relatively, new nation. Many non-Americans, including many expatriates from UK, who relocate to the United States to do business to their bewilderment, find themselves undergoing a severe case of â€Å"corporate culture shock.† This article will examine the various problems and dilemma experienced by the expatriate managers when they relocate to foreign locales, with special focus on the British expatriate managers who generally face a culture shock as they move to live and work in the USA British expatriate managers coping with culture shock in the USA 1 Introduction 1.1 Background history â€Å"I think there’s just some incredible things that we could learn from other people’s cultures†- anonymous US expatriate manager. ... e managers with a bid to expand globally (Mercer Human Resource Consulting, 2001), while almost three-fourth of the expatriates are accompanied by their family members (Dickmann, Doherty, Mills, and Brewster, 2008). Expatriates within multinational companies play a vital role in initiating various foreign ventures and subsidies, and during troubleshooting at these offshore project sites. Globalisation along with economic liberalization that started in the early half of the 20th century made it necessary for many of the business firms to expand their trade and commerce globally, along with establishing an international distinction. In this context Bartol and Martin (1998) tells us that the process of globalization is in reality a strategy for worldwide integration where the chief objective of the various business firms is developing comparably standardized materials with a global address, along consolidating all the operations taking place at the worldwide level. In order to achieve t his goal, the organizations must necessarily send their chosen representatives for the various foreign projects, in order to oversee the work at site locations, and maintain the product and service standards in these foreign countries. Companies that with globalisation, have broadened their scope to create a worldwide presence and name, are often referred to as the multinational companies or MNCs (ibid). The origin of the modern form of multinational companies or MNCs that we see today can be traced back to the post World War II era. Though some companies may have started during the late 19th century, the development actually started from the late 1940s. However, it was only during the early 1980s, that various researchers in the fields of global HR management and expatriation (Evans,

Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Corporate America Research Paper

Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Corporate America - Research Paper Example Also, in Fortune 500 companies only 15 women are present in leadership positions. Black CEOs are even fewer in number, while Hispanics and Blacks constitute 5 to 10% of a renowned law firm’s associates of first year. They also account for only 2% of such firms as partners (Gilgoff 2009). A lot of employers are working to alter these statistics. They are working together with retirement specialists of minority groups who offer help in improving minority professionals to hold leadership positions. Also, prominent business schools are doing the same by including more minorities in leadership positions. A lot more employers in the private and public sectors are coming up with internal strategies to get minorities into senior positions. Within four years, the number of companies that apply to be in the annual magazine, Diversity Inc. ‘Top 50 Companies for Diversity’ column has tripled to over 400. This magazine requires that the minority groups are represented; in orde r, for a company to be considered in the rankings. Also, a lot of companies have come to the realization that minority representation is necessary for any profit making organization. This means that companies working to narrow the gap of minority leaders are not doing so as an act of social justice; rather, they want to improve their rankings (Gilgoff, 2009). It is a challenge to any company to try and maintain a workforce that is diverse. A report compiled recently by the Korn/Ferry International recruiting firm established that U.S. companies are losing $64 billion annually by replacing employees that they lose due to diversity management failing. Also, shortage of leaders in minority groups is presenting... A lot of employers are working to alter these statistics. They are working together with retirement specialists of minority groups who offer help in improving minority professionals to hold leadership positions. Also, prominent business schools are doing the same by including more minorities in leadership positions.   A lot more employers in the private and public sectors are coming up with internal strategies to get minorities into senior positions.   Within four years, the number of companies that apply to be in the annual magazine, Diversity Inc. ‘Top 50 Companies for Diversity’ column has tripled to over 400. This magazine requires that the minority groups are represented; in order, for a company to be considered in the rankings. Also, a lot of companies have come to the realization that minority representation is necessary for any profit making organization. This means that companies working to narrow the gap of minority leaders are not doing so as an act of soc ial justice; rather, they want to improve their rankings (Gilgoff, 2009).It is a challenge to any company to try and maintain a workforce that is diverse. A report compiled recently by the Korn/Ferry International recruiting firm established that U.S. companies are losing $64 billion annually by replacing employees that they lose due to diversity management failing. Also, shortage of leaders in minority groups is presenting great challenges. Minority employees are against working in companies that top jobs seen to be off limits (Gilgoff, 2009).

The most appropriate strategy for the segmented UK market Essay

The most appropriate strategy for the segmented UK market - Essay Example 112). This is the initial tip in attaining a feasible market for these products. The company should, first of all, deal with feasible products for introduction into the market. In this sense, it better to deal with t-shirts and simple top clothes. Additionally, it should concern with jeans clothes and jackets. A modern addition to the same pertains to khaki products. This is because they possess perpetuity in fashion world. In this sense, the products face a high certainty of sales. In terms of style and design, it is essential that the company separates its clothes products in terms of functionality and appearance. However, the functionality will rely on appearance and psychology games as pertains to the customers. For example, there could be light denim for hot weather. On the other hand, heavily designed denim would be for cold weather. In another sense, there could be workman oriented clothes or street articulated clothes. Additionally, there could be quality differences in terms of costs. In terms of denim products, fine clothes would represent better quality. However, this should occur within a range of fineness that remains fashionable for the young age. This means that the company should not compromise on the quality because the same would necessitate a divergent range of prices. In close relation to the same the company should entail various sizes to clothes. ... However, a market study should entail average prices for both female and male markets. For instance, there is a recent preference for fitting clothes among the male markets. This means that should all cloths should strive towards average definition of size. In terms of prices, there are few factors to consider in the same. To begin with, there should be range of prices that customers should be aware. In this sense, the fashion line creates a sense of quality and affordability of the same. Market segments are divisible into two vital aspects. For instance, the marketing team should consider the lower income sections. In addition to the same, the marketing team should consider the higher income groups. This is achievable in terms of placement and distribution. In higher income neighborhoods, they should set higher prices. That is because such a group considers high quality which is to coincide with prices. Low prices might connote poor quality of clothes. However, there is a highly fas hion conscious group among the high income earners. This group would be slightly price sensitive thereby the prices should be reasonable in order that the fashion line does not lose the group. In terms of low income neighborhoods, the stores should have slightly higher prices than the average consumer prices in such areas. This should be higher by only 20 percent. This is because such consumers would perceive such clothes as of better quality than their daily products. In terms of promotion, there would be notable aspects to the same. To begin with, the clothes market is a wide one that needs marketing techniques that reach an extensive audience. The immediate audience for such products would pertain to the UK consumers. It is crucial to note that the marketing

What do UEL students think about the future of university education Essay

What do UEL students think about the future of university education and why - Essay Example Another theme uncovered in the research was growing sentiment that university classroom sizes should be reduced in order to provide better learning and relationship development. Further, there were also beliefs that teacher education would need to be improved in order to build more competent teaching to keep up with the dynamic changes in tomorrow’s business environment. However, these identified themes had very radically-different attitudes about the future of education that conflicted with using them as a foundation for primary research. The most common theme, both in psychology text and general research articles was the impact of debt and financing for tomorrow’s university experience. Due to the commonalities associated with costs and future debt, this study developed its methodology based on this common theme. Review of literature There are many different governmental policy-makers that continue to debate the nature of public financing for education and are current ly working on proposals to change the government involvement in providing tuition and living costs to students with low- and mid-range incomes. One proposal for the future of university education is to create a system whereby student loan debt payments actually decrease based on income changes for the post-graduate (Browne 2010). Why is this important for this study? According to Callender (2002) students who take on considerable student loan debt have very high instances of pathological depression and anxiety about how this will impact their lifestyles. Pathological depression, according to Morris and Maisto (2005) is defined as a mood disorder that includes overwhelming feelings of sadness, social isolation and excessive guilt. Further, those struggling with anxiety have prolonged periods of intense fears that can lead to panic or even social isolation (Morris and Maisto). University educators not only attempt to promote standardized learning, but also to assist students in becomi ng active contributors to the social order. Students who have earned their degrees from the university tend to be more participatory in volunteerism, experience much more social inclusion, and tend to be more involved in community affairs (Greenaway and Haynes 2003). Universities will be limiting their ability to provide more effective contributors to society if lessons on community and sociology are lost to situations of anxiety and depression due to concerns over debt load. Why is this a concern for the future of university education? According to Vasagar (2011), universities are losing revenues today and therefore are planning to charge the ?9000 pounds for tuition that is allowable by current laws related to university enrolment. Concurrently, university costs continue to increase annually by approximately 10 percent, thus the future of funding for education looks to greatly exceed the current ?9000 cap due to inflation and higher operational costs of the university (i.e. facili ty management, payroll and supply chain). Research also identified that complaints about the student loan process have greatly increased from 2006 to 2011. A major supplier of student loans, The Student Loans Company, logged an increase in grievances from students that rose from 1,411 in 2006 to 5,648 in 2011 (Cook

The war on terror Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The war on terror - Essay Example It felt very terrible and painful. I learnt that the current war on terror must be continued and every possible attempt must not be left to hunt down any terrorists who do not respect human values and human lives. Additionally, terrorists consider it reasonable and acceptable to kill someone on the basis that he or she has an American nationality or someone belongs to a particular religion. Although it is very financially painful to bear the cost burden of maintaining American or NATO troops in Afghanistan, what I believe that the sane leaders of the world have no choice but to stay their wipe out the heavens of terror. Most effective revision I revised the topic ‘Propaganda’. In this topic, the use and application of propaganda are greatly discussed and analyzed. First, I narrowly read this concept and submitted. However, it did not work. I was asked to revise the paper to provide some relevant but authentic references to the points that I initially did not provide in t he assignment. While revising this paper, I realized that the work of revision has provided me some greater and deeper understanding of the use of propaganda in different political and non-political events.

Argument by Authority Essay Example for Free

Argument by Authority Essay The first part which presents an argument by authority is the opening – â€Å"According to repeated nationwide surveys, more Doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette! † Though it does not directly relate the authority of the doctors in cigarette smoking, it is suggesting that even doctors, who are supposed to be health conscious, are smoking, thus creating an illusion that cigarette smoking is not bad for the health. The second part is the expression â€Å"The doctor’s choice is America’s choice! † The first point may be less reliable than the second because it is just a survey and does not require much expertise as doctors. The second is more reliable although it suffers from the fallacy of argument by authority. The first statement is an appeal to anonymous authority type of argument (claiming that an argument is valid based on an opinion of an anonymous and not necessarily an expert) while the second suggests that it is a general argument from authority fallacy (claiming that the argument is valid because the opinion presented is from an expert). By stating that the doctor’s choice is America’s choice, the speaker is claiming that whatever the doctors smoke is what America smokes. It may also be categorized as hasty generalization, but what it actually does is persuade Americans to smoke Camel because doctors, as it were, are smoking Camels. References Alouette. (2007, July 26). Amusing old fashioned advertisements, cigarette ads [image]. Unsought Input. Retrieved March 3, 2009 from http://www. unsoughtinput. com/index. php/2007/06/26/amusing-old-fashioned-advertisements-cigarette-ads/ Lindsay, D. (Ed. ). (2009, January 5). A List of Fallacious Arguments. Retrieved March 3, 2009 from http://www. don-lindsay-archive. org/skeptic/arguments. html#expert

Diversity at Barclays Bank Essay Example for Free

Diversity at Barclays Bank Essay There are four top leading Banks in UK, Barclays Bank is one of the leading banks. Barclays Bank considers honest prompting an atmosphere or environment where diversity is highly respected and accepted. Diversity as defined by (Dictionary, 2009) is said to be the reality or standard of being diverse (Rajan Amin, 2003) Says diversity contains personal individuality explained by age, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, sexual position. These differences are established and guarded by law. Diversity in workplace can also be viewed has the difference in qualities and attributes in people working in an organisation. Diversity in workplace can have positive influence in efficient and smooth running of an organisation and can cause chaos between the employees if not administered properly. In 1963 Late President of USA, John Kennedy met with the Americans leaders to discuss about (Drachsler, 2013) the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act which was made law on June 19 of 1964 to focus on Equal opportunity commission and affirmative action and policies, which made the organisations, focus more on just complying on legislation imposed by law, it moved to another stage during the early 1980s to incorporate minors and women into workforce in the late 1980s it moved from just complying to rules and regulations and focuses more on business survival. In the late 1990s there is much shift from complying to laws and to focus on incorporating women and minors into workforce to including everyone in the workforce to know the differences in each employee in the workforce and to be sensitised about the needs and distinctions of others. Now in this century Diversity has shifted attention to inclusion and diversity to increase the efficiency, profitability, wide scope and all factors that can lead to business success. There are two types of workforce diversity Surface level diversity and deep level diversity 1. Surface level diversity as defined by (Kenneth Price H, 2002) as distinctions to each of more members of a team in an overt demographic feature. It is also said to be the different features in workforce that can be seen and observed such Age, Gender, Religion, and Ethnicity. Marital status was also listed as an factors to be considered as a surface level diversity and all these aforementioned examples of surface level diversity  are quantifiable 2. Deep level diversity is defined as distinctions between values, personality and preferences in work. It also defined by (Kenneth Price H, 2002) as the predetermined distinctions among members of a team’ personalities included psychological characteristics, values and attitudes. They factors here can only be felt and cannot be seen they are qualified they cannot be quantified. There are benefits derived from workforce diversity, In Employee management they make good utilization of talents, improved quality of team problem- solving efforts and strength to attract and retain employee’s organisations benefits. In Strategic problem solving skills such as prospective to improve sales volume and to increase market capital base of the organisation, good ethical behaviours ( knowing the right thing to do) . In Organisational Operation they derive good team spirit among the employees, good problem solving strength and lowering cost that is connected to absenteeism and law suit s. Diversity is a two edged sword (Chrobot-Mason, 2013) which means it has positive and negative advantage. There are challenges to workforce diversity such as communication in multicultural environments has mentioned by (Fatima Oliviera, july 2013) and diversity involves not only how employees see themselves but how they see others. That insight affects the way they interact. (Sreedhar, 2011) Highlighted that there is need for professionals in human resource department to consider and administer effectively with issues of change, communication and adaptability. (CHUA, 2013) Also discussed that as organisations become more culturally diverse, conflicts and tensions are bound to happen among employees or people that are from different cultural backgrounds. With all these above mentioned merits and demerits I think diversity is the management of differences in employees effectively and eliminating conflicts that might arise afterwards. Barclays has the believe that to be among the first four leading banks in the world they need a rock solid diversity and inclusion strategy programme and policy to be in place to give them a huge advantage among their rivals in the banking sector . They started by knowing that the foundation of their success is in the talented people they employ, whatsoever lifestyle, age, personality, religion, race, disability, gender or sexual orientation. Barclays focuses on six principal areas of diversity; Gender- is the most important of Barclays diversity and inclusion policy, promoted by the Barclays executive diversity group and it was aimed at increasing the number of women in the senior roles by doing all that is possible to make women in the organisation fulfil their career potential with Barclays increasing female portrayal to at least 20% by the end of last year and rising more to more than 25% by 2015 at the board level. Recruiting is based on merit, and gender diversity is considered seriously when exerting talents across the globe, from the future leader programmes to the most senior recruit and they do make sure that all those that provide recruitment support, supports the vision to lure in diverse candidates around the world. However, other banks all over the globe have innovated Women’s Initiative Networks but the Barclays Women of the year award identifies talented personal and Professional attainment from female employees globally, as well as identifying male em ployee who champion and be of support to female career development. Disability Barclays has shown commitment to being a disability self- assured organisation. Their aim is to lure more highly expertise people, aid disabilities or health defect by making available the equipment and accommodation that enable their employee to be outstanding. Awareness of employee with disability is giving the Bank to recognise modern ways of making products, service and facilities available to everyone an illustration the organisation run disability listening groups, the forum provides staffs with disability with the chance to meet with high level employee and give materials into calculated transformation to improve the working society. Generational diversity Recognising generational diversity in workplace adds cognitive capital to Barclays bank, which promotes revolutions for employees, clients and the customers of the Bank. Barclays bank manages this by supporting the recruitment process and holding firm an age diverse workforce. Creating a workforce with no age limit on each vacant position at Barclays is set as a goal achievable. Merit is the criteria for any elevation; elevation is open to all employees through a yearly achievement and development review  procedure. They are among just few organisations that have taken the proactive measures to include multigenerational diverse workforce into the employee working tactics, the age employees also believes that skill, strength, capability and accomplishment are the backbone of all good performances, which is making the bank one of the leading banks in the world. Sexual Orientation Barclays has good records to encourage their Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered employees, customers and clients and the Bank have been known worldwide by numerous external establishments, Human Rights Campaign in the US are included. Barclays was at the stonewall workplace equality index (WEI) controlled by the United kingdom’s chief Lesbian Gay Bisexual charity, and they were ranked number three in year 2011 in acknowledgment of the work been done to make sure their workplace, products and services are included. They achieved 100 percent in the 2011 Human Rights campaign corporate equality index in the USA and it 95percent in the UK. Multiculturalism This is a very important tool for organisations in the current global business world, Barclays works with a great cultural diversity sense. Barclays Employees are from all around the globe, the employees throughout the Barclays around the world set a footmark to make up a constantly changing pattern of nationalities, cultures and heritage. The distinctive approaches are immeasurable in making sure the organisation comprehend what the need of their customers and clients all around the world is, and with that they provide expert products and services to meet the needs. More to this is the Cultural Awareness Employee network which brings together employees within all Barclays to make sure the bank continue to find up to date method to examine the world with the motive of evaluating and leveraging differences. CONCLUSION Globalisation has made businesses to see diversity has a must do thing, to be successful in modern day business, diversity in workplace should not be treated as complying to law and regulations, it is now a thing of inclusion  and diversity to increase the efficiency, profitability, wide scope and all factors that can lead to business success. For Barclays Bank, Diversity and inclusion is much more than just complying with the law. It means stating and having an active policy in place to make the very best of their diverse staff to serve the clients, customers and benefit their employee to make them retain the height they are in the business world. RECOMMENDATION Having observed all the analysis of diversity and inclusion it is therefore suggested that the following be done to enjoy more benefits of diversity Minimise inequalities among employee to reduce conflicts among the employee. Training and re training programme on human relation should be put in place for employee to enable the employee to know how best to interact among their contemporary. Change is constant so therefore diversity policies and procedures guide lines should be amended yearly. Bibliography Chrobot-Mason, D. A. N. P., 2013. The psychological benefits of creating an affirming climate for workplace diversity. Professiona and management development training, 38(1059-6011), p. 31. CHUA, R. Y. J., 2013. The costs of ambient cultural disharmony: Indirect intercultural Conflicts in social environment undermine creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 56(0001-4273), p. 33. Dictionary, A. H., 2009. Mifflin Houghton. [Online] Available at: http://www.eref-trade.hmco.com/ [Accessed 21 01 2014]. Drachsler, D. A., 2013. Supreme court sets high bar for Title vii retaliation claims.. Labour law journal, 64(4-0023-6586), p. 6. Fatima Oliviera, M. d., july 2013. Multicultural Environments and Thier Challenges to Crisis Communication. Business In Communication , 50(0021- 9436). Kenneth Price H, D. H. A. J. G. H. A. F. T., 2002. TIME, TEAMS, AND TASK PERFORMANCE: CHANGING EFFECTS OF SURFACE- AND DEEP-LEVEL DIVERSITY ON GROUP FUNCTIONING. Academy of Management Journal, 45(5), pp. 1029-1045. Rajan Amin, H. S., 2003. The business impact of diversity. Business Source Premier, Issue 0959-5848, p. 1471 Words. Sreedhar, U., 2011. Workforce Diversity and HR Challenges. OB and HRM Department, IBS, Bangalore (Karnataka), INDIA, 4(0974-2611), pp. p33-36.

Drives for Globalisation

Drives for Globalisation Q) Identify, define and describe three of the drivers of the recent wave of globalisation. Justify your selection, supporting your argument with the use of examples. Introduction Globalisation can be characterized by four factors; the growing worldwide interconnections, rapid, discontinuous change, increased number and diversity of participants, as well as growing complexity (Parker, 2005). According to the Dictionary of Economics (Bannock et al., 2003), the term; globalisation, is defined as the geographical shifts in domestic activity around the world and away from the nation states. It can also be referred to the interdependence of economies, through the increase in cross-border movement of goods, service, technology and capital (Joshi, 2009). Examples of such integrations can be seen in the growing presence of many multinational companies as they expand into new regions (i.e. McDonalds) and the outsourcing of manufacturing and services. There are four main areas that drive the recent wave of globalisation; however, as each area is very broad, this essay will focus on three drivers within the four categories. Drivers of Globalisation The four main areas of drivers for globalisation are market, government; cost and competition (see Figure 1). These external drivers affect the main conditions for the potential of globalisation across industries, which are mainly uncontrollable by individual firms. Market drivers include areas such as common customer needs and transferable marketing, whereby the emergence of global markets for standardized products has enabled corporations to cater demands in new markets with existing products (Levitt, 1983). Government influence is also a major driver, with policies leading to reductions in trade barriers and a shift towards an open market economy. With access to new markets and human capitals, in the area of cost advantage drivers, companies are able to gain new economies of scale by selling at higher quantities, as well as explore the advantage of low cost production through outsourcing and import. In the case of competitive drivers, the growing trade between nations along with f oreign direct investment (FDI) has helped to increase interdependence among countries and organisations, as well as exposing firms to new competitors. This essay will now focus on three more specific drivers from these four areas; the lowering of trade barriers in trade liberalization, the cost differences between countries, and the rapidly changing technology such as the internet. Globalisation is by no means a new phenomenon; periods of growing interconnections had existed throughout history, such as the Silk Road connecting Europe to Asia. However, unlike many of past waves, globalisation today represents much thicker relationships that involve many people and interactions in interconnected networks (Keohane and Nye, 2000). Hence, the reason for focusing on these three drivers is because they are some of the most important factors that influence and steer the recent wave of globalisation. The governments trade policies help to open the door to their economy, while the difference in cost provides incentives for investment such as overseas companies looking to benefit from low cost economies, at the same time, the rapidly changing technology helps to accelerate the rapid diffusion of free enterprises through new means of communication and improved mobility. Trade liberalization As a way to regulate their international economic position, trade policies has been used by various governments to control what goes in (imports) and out (exports) of the country. Most of the restrictive policies are for imports with the use of barriers such as tariffs  [1]  and non-tariff barriers  [2]  , whilst for exports, it tend to be stimulatory (Dicken, 2007). One of the key features and drivers of globalisation has been the liberalization of barriers on trade in goods and services. An important motivation for such action is usually related with market access, as many governments reciprocate each others liberalization decision, each can benefit from the market access provided for its export industries by the other reciprocating government (Hillman et al. 1995). For example, since major reforms to liberalize market since the 1978 and trade, China experienced some of the highest GDP growth (around 10%) in the world for decades where millions were lifted out of poverty. Although there has been a general shift towards trade liberalization around the world, countries still have differing policies and levels of liberalization depending on stages of development, culture and other political factors. One prominent international organization that promotes trade liberalization and brought major reductions in trade barriers is the World Trade Organization  [3]  (WTO), which has the competencies to both enforce existing trade agreement and to pursue new possibilities of liberalization (WTO, 1995). Preferential trading agreement can also take place between countries, such as the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), where members have a common foreign trade policy and substantially reduce internal trade barriers among themselves (Hillman, 2008). Also, though international trade is getting more liberalized, it has not produced similar level of benefit to all countries. For example, the influx of cheap, subsidized agricultu re goods from western countries into poorer developing countries in the south after market liberalization, have devastated many local producers and increase in poverty, as it was the case for the Mexican corn famers  [4]  . Differences in cost between countries As a number of factors such as stage of development, location and demography varies between countries, the cost of factors of production: land, capital and labour, will undoubtedly differ as well. These differences also increase international trade and investment, thus further driving globalisation. For example, in the southern city of Guangzhou, China, 10,000 labourers work legal hours stitching shoes for Nike at $95 a month (Time, 2004). Therefore, it gives great incentive for companies such as Nike to outsource manufacturing work to China and other low cost economies, where goods can be made at a fraction of the cost as opposed to industrialized countries. As seen in the clothing industries, much of manufacturing has moved to the developing world, where there are small barriers to entry, labour intensive and only requires low levels of economic development in the host country. Also, low cost labour does not only apply to low skilled works, a highly skilled professional in emerging economies can still be much cheaper to employ compared to ones in developed countries while producing similar quality of result. For example, the Intel Centrino Duo mobile platform was almost all developed in Intels India development centre  [5]  . When the wages increase as the economy grows, production may be moved to another low cost economy. Of course, the variation in cost is not unique only in human capital, but also in many other areas such as raw materials, which can be influence by geographic location of the country. The cost advantage from outsourcing and importing can be negated by shipping and distribution cost, but when the difference is high enough, as it was shown in the huge variation in salaries between China and US; it will still be cheaper to import. Rapid change in technology Technological advancement in the past few decades have led to major improvements to global connectivity (Wellman et al, 2005), mobility and communication, which in turn helped to facilitate, drive and be driven by globalisation. Examples of technology change facilitating globalisation can be seen in all sectors, from agricultural, production lines, to finance. In particular, one of the most prevalent changes is in information technology, ranging from mobile phones to the internet, where people are able to connect to each other from different localities throughout the world and access all sorts of information (Nyiri, 2005). It is based upon the convergence of communications and computer technologies, shifting from analogue to digital systems. For example, a director in the US can conduct a meeting with managers based in India through video conferencing, saving time and money from such long distance travel. For instance, the Bank of America Corp has 400 video-conferencing systems, and the Cleveland banking company saves $200,000 a month in travel expense by using video conferencing according to one of its spokesperson (Bills, 2006). Although there are concerns of a digital divide between places that are connected and those that not, the recent development in mobile technology can help to overcome obstacles in communication access growth in p oor countries that lack fixed line infrastructures. In another area, innovations in transportation technologies have accelerated geographical mobility, as speed and efficiency of transportation are dramatically lowered. For instance, development in aviation technology from propeller aircraft in the 1950s to jet passenger aircraft by 1960s has cut travelling time by hours, resulting in greater convenience and international mobility. Overall advances in both transportation and communications technologies have made todays complex global economic system possible by overcome the frictions of space and time. Conclusion This essay has only covered some of the crucial drivers in the recent globalisation; there are a number of other drivers and conditions which make globalisation as it is today. Furthermore, each driver has their limitations to the extent of their influence. In the event of the recent global recession, globalisation has come under much criticism as economic shocks can be felt across the globe and affect many people due to the growing interconnection between countries. However, although closing an economy may insulate it from shocks, it can also mean stagnation in growth and even more severe internal crises. Hence, it is also important to remember that most, if not all drivers are dependent on one another, and that the way they are managed will have profound influence on the direction and success of the recent wave of globalisation. References: Bannock G., Baxter R. E. and Davis E. (2003) Dictionary of Economics, 7th ed. Penguin Reference, pp. 161 Bills S. (2006) Video Conferencing Gets Lift from New Technology, American Banker, The Financial Services Daily. Wed. Feb 15, 2006 Dicken P. (2007) Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy, 5th Ed, Sage Publications, London Hillman A. (2008)Trade Liberalization and Globalization, Readings in Public Choice and Constitutional Political Economy, Chapter 27. Springer US Hillman A.L., Long N.V. and Moser P. (1995) Modeling reciprocal trade liberalization: the political-economy and national-welfare perspectives. Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, 131, pp503-515 Joshi R. M. (2009) International Business, Oxford University Press, New Delhi and New York. Keohane R. O. and Nye J. S. Jr. (2000) Introduction. In Joseph S. Nye, Jr and John D. Donahue (Eds), Governance in a Global World, pp. 1-41. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press Levitt T. (1983) The Globalization of Markets, Harvard Business Review, May/June 1983: 39-49 Nyiri K. (2005) A Sense of Place. The Global and the Local in Mobile Communication. Wien: Passagen Verlag. Parker B. (2005) Introduction to Globalization Business, SAGE Publication, pp. 6-9 Time magazine. (2004) How Nike Figured out China, by Matthew Forney, Sunday, Oct 17, 2004. Weblink: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,725113-4,00.html Wellman B. et al. (2005) Connected Lives: The Project. The Network Neighbourhood, edited by P. Purcell. Berlin: Springer World Trade Organization (1995) International Trade: Tends and Statistics (Geneva: WTO).

Ernie Barnes: Research of the Football Artist Essay -- history

Ernie Barnes: Research of the Football Artist Ernie Barnes was and still is one of the most popular and well-respected black artists today. Born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, in 1938, during the time the south as segregated, Ernie Barnes was not expected to become a famous artist. However, as a young boy, Barnes would, â€Å"often [accompany] his mother to the home of the prominent attorney, Frank Fuller, Jr., where she worked as a [housekeeper]† (Artist Vitae, The Company of Art, 1999). Fuller was able to spark Barnes’ interest in art when he was only seven years old. Fuller told him about the various schools of art, his favorite painters, and the museums he visited (Barnes, 1995, p. 7). Fuller further introduced Barnes to the works of such artists as, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Correggio, which later influenced Barnes’ mannerist style of painting. As a young boy Barnes was â€Å"introverted and shy† (p. 8). He wasn’t able to fight like the other young boys his age, and quickly became a punching bag for bullies. The after school brawls became so severe that Barnes’ mother asked his principal to allow him to leave school fifteen minutes early everyday. After viewing the extent of Barnes’ bruises, the principal had no choice but to comply. On the other hand, once the other children learned that Barnes could draw they no longer laughed and made fun of him, â€Å"They just watched [him draw] in silent awe† (p. 8). When Barnes entered junior high school, he became interested in dating and knew that the only way he could get attention from the girls was to play junior varsity football. Therefore, he joined the team, and was dubbed too sensitive for the game, and later quit the team. However, when Barnes entered high school, he was put on a bodybuilding program, by the high schools weight lifting coach, Mr. Tucker, who showed a genuine interest in Barnes’ drawings. Through Mr. Tucker’s constant encouragement, Barnes was able to reinvent himself, graduating from high school with twenty-six football scholarships, as well as the respect of the community (Artist Vitae, 1999). Before Barnes went to college, at North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University), he impregnated a young girl and was forced to marry her in order to save face, and his first child was born in 1957. Although Barnes’ marriage was not a successful one, he adored his newbor... ...ers football team. Completes â€Å"A Dream Unfolds†, commission for National Basketball Association commemorating their 50th anniversary. Private commissions (5). Receives Treasure of Los Angeles award, Central City Associatio  · 1998: â€Å"The Advocate† donated by Donna Arnold to North Carolina Central University School of Law. Begins paintings for traveling exhibition, Visual Poem of Human Experience. Private commissions (6).  · 1999: Private commissions (2). Continues to work on paintings for traveling exhibition, Visual Poems of Human Experience (The Company of Art, Chronology 1999). Bibliography Barnes, Ernie (1995). From Pads to Palette. Waco, Texas: WRS Publishing. Huyett, Pat. (2000). Mbembe: High Aspirations [Online]. Available: http://cctr.umkc.edu/~phuyett/mbembe.html [2001, March 19]. The Company of Art. (1999). Artist Vitae [Online]. Available: http://www.erniebarnes.com/bio.html [2001, March 19]. The Company of Art. (1999). Chronology [Online]. Available: http://www.erniebarnes.com/chronology.html [2001, March 19]. The October Gallery. (2000, May 19). About the Artist [Online]. Available: http://www.octobergallery.com/sbarnes.htm [2001, March 19].

Marketing :: essays research papers

Hewlett-Packard/Compaq Merger   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 2002, the (HP/Compaq) merger announcement was made by Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Compaq head Michael D. Capellas. If in fact the merger goes through, it would be the largest merger in the computer industry history. Some may ask why this merger was so important to these companies. The truth of the matter is that both of these companies feel that this merger will benefit their company not only at the present time but in the future also. Along with a huge merger like this one, there are some pros and cons that affiliate with a huge merger like this one. According to a reference article these are some of the reasons why some may support the merger and some reasons why some may oppose the merger: Why to support the merger: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The new HP will become the market leader in servers, storage, management software, printing and imaging, and PCs, improving our ability to offer the end-to-end solutions customers demand. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We will double our profitable and growing services business, enhance our R&D efforts, and extend our customer reach in 160 countries. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We will achieve annual cost savings of $2.5 billion, adding $5 to $9 in present value to each HP share; and increase earnings per share by 13% during the first year following the merger. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By improving profitability in enterprise computing systems, in PCs and access devices, and in IT services, we will have the financial strength to extend our successful imaging and printing franchise into new multi-billion dollar categories like digital imaging and digital publishing. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The closer you look, the more you will see that the merger of HP and Compaq is the single best way to strengthen our businesses and improve our market position, deliver more of what our customers need, enhance opportunities for our employees, and increase the value of your investment. Why to oppose the merger: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Acquiring market share does not translate to leadership, i.e., demonstrated better business model, technology innovation or success at winning business from competitors. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Admission of no new significant technology/capabilities added to HP's portfolio. Significant overlap creates cost synergies which are offset by revenue losses from rationalized products and services †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Large stock transactions statistically more risky. Upon announcement of the proposed merger, Moody's downgraded HP's debt rating and put it on negative watch, S&P has also put HP on negative outlook †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bigger, but in an unattractive business, commodity computing. Hardware as diminishing economies of scale and HP and Compaq already has significant scale.

Oliver Twist Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

Oliver Twist Oliver Twist, a poor, innocent orphan boy, stands out in this story as the main character, but it is the supporting characters that allow this novel to develop a much more satisfying and believable theme. With "Good V.S. Evil" as one of the major conflicts, in such categories are the secondary characters found as well. Three supporting characters of Oliver Twist aid the elaboration of the story; these significant characters are Mr. Brownlow representing purity, integrity and goodness, Nancy as partially righteous, partially villain and lastly on the other extreme of the scale: Fagin, the symbol of evil, corruption and manipulation. Throughout the story we are introduced to each of these characters through an omniscient point of view, and are able to categorize them according to their personalities, thoughts and actions. With their differing levels of honesty and social status, each of them play a crucial role in the development of the story's theme. As most of the author's characters, Mr. Brownlow too, is brought out with an indirect presentation but it is not long after introducing him that his wholesome goodness is revealed to us. Though at first he accuses Oliver of stealing, his concern over Oliver's welfare on the street is a direct hint of his innocence which successfully helps him convince Oliver to board at his house. A generous and trusting man he was, perhaps too good a man to be true; but with all the malicious characters in the story, a pure persona was needed to ensure a happy ending. With honesty and great wealth as his prime qualities, he assists Oliver in his times of need and demonstrates to society with an exemplary touch, the attributes of a perfect citizen. As the positive extreme in both social status and benevolence, Mr. Brownlow is a definite aid in the development of the theme throughout the novel. Nancy, for us, must be the weakest character. Trapped between wanting to help Oliver evade Fagin's exploitat ion and her dedicated love for Sikes; she fails to survive to the end as she is convicted and ironically murdered by her own husband: Sikes, a brutal and abusive man. But there is a great need for this secondary character in the story, she serves not only as a tie between the scenes at the different house holds but as well she is the only hope of salvation for Oliver. Without her, Oliver may have never had... ...ty in the midst of England's nineteenth century. As revealed throughout the tale, England's nineteenth century was an period of much poverty and great social problems which resulted in a society of two opposing classes: the wealthy and the poor. Within these two classes lay two other opposing forces: the good and the bad. In the same way that good and bad exist within all classes in the novel, the same thing can be said about real life. What the theme of this story says about reality is that in today’s society, it doesn't matter whether you are rich or poor, educated or not, most competent human beings possess the ability to judge right from wrong and are therefore free to make whatever choices in their lives they wish to make, provided though, that they can live with the consequences of their decisions. In Oliver's case, even just as a very young boy, he too was able to judge right from wrong and ends up choosing not to steal. As a result of his decision, young Oliver is given a happy home and a promising future. On the other hand, Fagin's judgment is not so proficient, and concluding, he remains with nothing but insanity and a solemn life in jail until his last day comes about.

Coyote Blue Chapter 23~24

Part 3 Quest CHAPTER 23 Pavlov's Dogs and the Rhinestone Turd Las Vegas The only distractions from the noise of his own mind were desert-dried roadkills, thrown retreads, and road signs reflecting desolation. Sam drove, smoked, and fought drowsiness by worrying about how he would find the girl. The trickster slept in the passenger seat. Sam had been to Las Vegas three times before – with Aaron – to see championship boxing at Caesar's Palace. Two hundred dollars bought them seats at nosebleed altitude, closer to the moon than the ring, but Aaron insisted that there was nothing like being there. Without binoculars, following the progress of the fight was like tracking down a rumor. Sam usually watched the women and did his best to keep Aaron calmed down. As soon as they walked into a casino Aaron started. â€Å"This is my town! The lights, the excitement, the women – I was born for this place.† Then Aaron would drop a couple thousand at the tables and suck free gin and tonics until he staggered. In the morning Sam would drag Aaron out of a tangle of satin sheets and hookers, throw him in the shower, and listen to his long lament of remorse and hangover as he lay in the backseat of the car with a jacket over his head, whining the whole way home about how he would never return. Aaron never failed to fuel the greed machine and was always dumbfounded when it juiced him of his hope. It was the machine that fascinated Sam. While Aaron ground himself through the velvet gears, Sam watched the workings of the most elaborate Skinner box on the face of the Earth. Drop the coin, hear the bell, see the lights, eat the food, see the women, hear the bell, see the lights, drop the coin again. The ostentation of the casinos did not create desire for money; it made money meaningless. There were no mortgages in a casino, no children needing food, no car needing repairs, no work, no time, no day, no night; those things – the context of money – were someplace else. A place where people returned before they realized that a turd rolled in rhinestones is a turd nonetheless. Sam saw the glow from Las Vegas rising over the desert from thirty miles out. He poked Coyote in the leg and the trickster woke up. â€Å"Hold the wheel,† Sam said. â€Å"Let me drive. You can sleep.† â€Å"You're not driving my car. Just hold the wheel.† Coyote held the wheel while Sam punched buttons on the console. The screen of the navigation system flickered on. Sam punched a few more buttons and a street map of Las Vegas lit up green on the screen. A blip representing the Merecedes blinked along Highway 15 toward the city. â€Å"Okay,† Sam said, taking the wheel again. Coyote studied the screen. â€Å"How do you win?† â€Å"It's not a game, it's a map. The blip is us.† â€Å"The car knows where it is going, like a horse?† â€Å"It doesn't know, it just tells us where we are.† â€Å"Like looking out the window?† â€Å"Look, I'm going to have to sleep when we get to Vegas. I don't even know where to start looking for Calliope.† â€Å"Why don't you ask the car?† Sam ignored the question. â€Å"I'm going to get us a room.† He dialed information on the cellular phone, got the number of a casino hotel, then called and reserved a room. The exits off the highway were marked by names of casinos they led to, not by the names of streets or roads. Sam took the exit marked Camelot. He followed the signs down the surface streets lined with pawnshops, convenience stores, and low-slung cinder-block buildings under neon signs that proclaimed, CASH FOR YOUR CAR, CHECKS CASHED HERE, MARRIAGES AND DIVORCES – TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR DRIVE-THRU WINDOW. Coyote said, â€Å"What are these places?† Sam tried to think of a quick explanation, but was too weary from lack of sleep to tackle the concept of Las Vegas in twenty-five words or less. Finally he said, â€Å"These are places where you go if you want to fuck up your life and you don't have a lot of time to do it in.† â€Å"Are we going to stop?† â€Å"No, I seem to be fucking up at a fine rate of speed, thank you.† Sam spotted the pseudomedieval towers of Camelot rising above the strip, multi-colored pennons flying from standards tipped with aircraft warning lights. He wondered what the real King Arthur (if there was a King Arthur, and who was he to question the truth behind myth?) would have thought about the casino named after his legendary city. Would he recognize anything? Would he cower in fear at the sight of his first electric light? Flush toilet? Automobile? Would he be reduced to a pathetic Quixote attacking this place where chivalry was a quaint marketing idea? Or would the Once and Future King lay eyes on a leggy keno girl and raise another lance to lead the knights of the Round Table in a charge? The women, Sam decided, would be Arthur's touchstone, and his downfall. He shot a glance at Coyote. â€Å"When we get there you're going to see a lot of women without a lot of clothes on. Stay away from them.† Coyote looked surprised. â€Å"I never touch a woman who does not want it-â€Å" â€Å"Don't touch!† Sam interrupted. Coyote slouched in his seat. â€Å"Or need it,† he whispered. Sam drove the Mercedes over a giant drawbridge and stopped at the valet parking station where a dozen young men dressed like squires were scrambling around unloading cars, filling out slips, and driving cars away. â€Å"This is it,† Sam said. He popped the trunk and got out, leaving the engine running. A warm desert wind washed over him at the same time a young man ran around the car and held out a numbered slip of paper. â€Å"Your ticket, milord.† Sam dug in his pocket for a bill to tip the kid, but found nothing. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said. â€Å"I don't have any cash on me. I'll get your name and leave a tip at the desk.† The kid tried to force a smile and failed. â€Å"Very good, milord.† He jumped in the car and slammed the door. Sam cringed and tapped on the window. The window whirred down; the kid waited. Sam leaned in and read the kid's plastic badge. â€Å"Look, uh, Squire Tom, I really will leave a tip at the desk for you. We left in a hurry and I forgot to get cash.† The kid waited, gunning the engine. â€Å"There's an alarm remote on the keys. Could you turn it on after you park it? One chirp is armed.† Squire Tom nodded and pulled away. Sam heard him say, â€Å"The pox on you, Moorish pig,† over the squeal of the tires. How authentic, Sam thought. He watched the Mercedes disappear around the corner and wondered why valet parking always made him feel as if he had seen his car for the last time. Coyote stood across the lane waving to the car. He looked over. â€Å"Moorish pig?† â€Å"The dark skin, I guess,† said Sam. He led Coyote past a half-dozen squires and an overweight guy in a purple-and-yellow jester's outfit with a radio on his belt and a badge that read, Lord Larry, over another drawbridge, and into the casino. Trumpets played a fanfare as they crossed the threshold under a brace of huge broadswords. A jolly electronic voice welcomed them to Camelot. Sam spotted a woman in a peasant dress by a sign reading, Ye Olde Information. The badge she wore, next to a magnificent display of cleavage, read, Lusty Wench Wendy. Sam pulled Coyote back and approached the girl. â€Å"Excuse me, er, Wendy. I have a room reserved and I need to find a cash machine.† The girl spoke in a whining fake-English-over-true-Brooklyn accent.  «Well » – she threw out a hip, struck a pose – â€Å"if milords proceed through the casino to the left to the second arch, ye will find the registration desk. There's cash machines by every arch, milord.† â€Å"Thanks,† Sam said. He started to walk away, then turned back to the girl. â€Å"Excuse me, but I've been here before and I thought everyone was a lord or a lady. Lusty wench is a new one.† The English accent had overheated and failed. â€Å"Yeah. About three months ago they said it was getting sorta confusing. You know, six Lord Steves, ten Lady Debbies. They use a bunch of other medieval titles now. The bellboys are serfs. Lusty wenches, alchemists, stuff like that.† â€Å"Oh, thanks,† Sam said as if he understood. He led Coyote into the chaos of the casino, looking for a cash machine while trying to move quickly. Coyote's appearance was attracting attention, and when people looked up from a slot machine or blackjack table, Sam knew they were truly distracted. As they passed a carousel of slot machines, a middle-aged woman who was pumping quarters into a machine by the handful leaned so far back to get a look at the trickster that she nearly toppled off her stool. Sam caught her and steadied her. â€Å"He works at the Frontier, up the strip,† Sam said. Coyote peeked over Sam's shoulder, winked at the woman, then licked his eyebrows. The woman's jaw dropped. â€Å"Exotic dancer,† Sam explained. The woman nodded, a little stunned, and returned her attention to the slot machine. â€Å"I wish you wouldn't do that,† Sam said to Coyote. â€Å"And don't you have any other clothes? Something a little more conservative?† â€Å"Wool?† Coyote made an incredibly realistic sheep noise. A pit boss at the blackjack tables raised an eyebrow and two security jesters fell in behind Sam and Coyote. â€Å"Be cool,† Sam said. He turned under a hanging tapestry of a unicorn and stopped by a cash machine, checking over his shoulder for the security jesters. They waited and watched, standing a few feet away, while Sam took a deck of credit cards from his wallet and shuffled through them. When he inserted one of the cards in the machine and punched his identification number the jesters moved off. â€Å"They're gone,† Coyote said. â€Å"Yeah, as long as it looks like you're going to spend money I guess it doesn't matter what you look like.† Coyote watched as the cash machine spit a stack of twenties into the tray. â€Å"You win,† he said. â€Å"You picked the right numbers the first time.† â€Å"Yeah, I'm lucky that way.† â€Å"Try again, see if you win.† Sam grinned. â€Å"I'm very good at this game.† He put a different card into the machine and punched the same PIN number while Coyote watched. The machine whirred and another stack of twenties shot into the tray. â€Å"You won! Play again.† â€Å"No. We need to check in.† Sam picked up the money and walked to a registration desk that was long enough to land planes on. At this hour of the morning there were only two people on the desk, a lusty wench named Chantel and a very tall, thin, very black man in a business suit and wraparound sunglasses who stood back from the desk and watched, unmoving. â€Å"Hunter, Samuel,† Sam said. â€Å"I have a reservation.† He placed a credit card on the desk. The girl typed for a second. The computer beeped and the girl looked over her shoulder at the black man, who moved like liquid to her side. He consulted the screen for a moment. What now? Sam thought. The black man looked down at Sam and a crescent moon of a smile appeared on the night sky of his face. He picked up Sam's credit card and handed it back. â€Å"Mr. Hunter, thank you for joining us again. The room's on Camelot, sir. And if there's anything I can get you, please don't hesitate to call down and ask.† Sam was dumbfounded. Then he remembered. The last time he had stayed here Aaron had lost almost twenty thousand dollars and billed it to their suite of rooms. The suite had been registered in Sam's name. Vegas loves a loser. â€Å"Thank you† – Sam read the man's nameplate, which was pinned at Sam's eye level – â€Å"M.F.† No Lord, no Squire, no title at all – just M.F. â€Å"The second elevator on your left, Mr. Hunter,† the lusty wench said. â€Å"Twenty-seventh floor.† â€Å"Thanks,† Sam said. Coyote grinned at the girl and Sam dragged him away to the elevator, where the trickster immediately punched in four floor numbers and stood back. â€Å"This time, I will win.† â€Å"It's a fucking elevator,† Sam said. â€Å"Just push twenty-seven.† â€Å"But that is not the lucky number.† Sam sighed and pushed the floor number, then waited while they stopped at all the floors Coyote had pushed on their way to twenty-seven. Once in the room, Sam stripped to his shorts and fell onto one of the king-size beds. â€Å"Get some sleep if you can. I'll try and figure out how to find Calliope in the morning. I'm too tired to think now.† â€Å"You sleep,† Coyote said. â€Å"I will think of a plan.† Sam didn't answer. He was already asleep. Coyote Loses His Ass Coyote and his friend Beaver had been hunting all day, but neither had found any game. After a while they sat down on some rocks and began talking. â€Å"This is your fault,† Coyote said. â€Å"I can always find game.† â€Å"I don't think so,† Beaver said. â€Å"If you are such a good hunter, why is your wife so skinny?† Coyote thought about his skinny wife and Beaver's fat little wife and he was jealous. â€Å"Well, how about a bet?† he said. â€Å"Tomorrow we will each go out hunting. If you get more rabbits, you can come to my lodge and sleep with my wife so you can see that my skinny wife is better. But if I get more rabbits, I get to sleep with your wife.† â€Å"Sounds fair,† Beaver said. The next day, after the hunt, Coyote came to Beaver's lodge carrying his one scrawny rabbit. â€Å"Oh, Mrs. Beaver,† he called. â€Å"I've come to collect on my bet.† Mrs. Beaver called from inside the lodge. â€Å"Oh, Coyote, you are a great hunter. Mr. Beaver just stopped by with twenty rabbits on his way to your lodge. You better go stop him and tell him that you got more.† â€Å"Right,† Coyote said. â€Å"I'll be right back.† He slunk off to his lodge dragging his rabbit. His wife was waiting outside. â€Å"Nice rabbit,† she said. â€Å"Beaver is inside. I'll see you in the morning.† Coyote's wife went into the lodge and pulled down the door flap. All night Coyote sat outside his lodge shivering and listening. At one point he heard his wife cry out. â€Å"Beaver!† Coyote shouted. â€Å"Don't you hurt my wife.† â€Å"He's not hurting me,† Mrs. Coyote said. â€Å"I like it!† â€Å"Swell,† Coyote said. The next morning Beaver came out of Coyote's lodge singing and grinning. â€Å"No hard feelings, right?† â€Å"A bet is a bet,† Coyote said. Mrs. Coyote peeked out and said, â€Å"Maybe this will teach you not to gamble.† â€Å"Right,† Coyote said. Then he called to Beaver, â€Å"Hey, how about playing the hand game with me – double or nothing?† â€Å"Sounds good,† Beaver said. â€Å"Let's go down to the river.† At the river Coyote said, â€Å"This is for a night with your wife.† Then he picked the wrong hand. â€Å"You really shouldn't gamble,† Beaver said. â€Å"I'll bet you my best horse for a night with your wife,† Coyote said. After a while, Coyote had lost all his horses, his lodge, his wife, and his clothes. â€Å"One more time,† he said. â€Å"But you don't have anything left,† Beaver said. â€Å"I'll bet you my ass against everything else.† â€Å"I don't want your ass,† Beaver said. â€Å"I thought you were my friend.† â€Å"Okay,† Beaver said. He hid the stone behind his back. Coyote picked the wrong hand. â€Å"Can I borrow your knife?† Coyote said. â€Å"I don't want your ass,† Beaver said. â€Å"A bet is a bet,† Coyote said. He took Beaver's knife and cut off his ass. â€Å"Boy, that stings.† â€Å"I've got to go,† Beaver said. â€Å"I'll tell your wife she can come and sleep in my lodge if she wants to.† He picked up all of Coyote's things and went home. When Coyote got home his wife was waiting. â€Å"Beaver took the lodge,† she said. â€Å"Yep,† Coyote said. â€Å"Where's your ass?† she asked. â€Å"Beaver got that too.† â€Å"You know,† she said, â€Å"there's a twelve-step program for gambling. You should look into it.† â€Å"Twelve steps.† Coyote laughed. â€Å"I'll bet I can do it in six.† CHAPTER 24 Coyote in Trickster Town Las Vegas Coyote had been a long time in the Spirit World, where everyone knew him, so no one would gamble with him. Now that he was in Trickster Town, he wanted to make up for lost time. He waited for Sam to fall asleep, then he took the salesman's wallet and went down the elevator to the casino. Coyote saw hundreds of shiny machines blinking, and ringing, and clanking big coins into hollow metal bowls. He saw green tables where people traded money for colorful chips and a woman in a cage who paid money for the chips. He saw a wheel with a ball that went around and around. When the ball stopped a man took everyone's chips. The key to that one, Coyote thought, is to grab your chips when you see the ball slowing down. At one green table, a shaman with a stick chanted while players threw bones. There was much shouting and moaning after each throw and the shaman took many chips from the players. That is a game of magic, Coyote thought. I will be very good at that one. But first I must use Sam's cheating medicine on this machine. The trickster stood by a machine that he had seen Sam win from two times. He took one of the gold cards from Sam's wallet and slipped it into the machine, then he pressed the number that he had seen Sam use. The machine beeped and spit the card out. â€Å"Panther piss!† Coyote swore. â€Å"I've lost.† He pounded on the machine, then stepped back and drew another card from Sam's wallet. He put it in the machine and pressed the number. The machine beeped and spit out the card. â€Å"Balls!† Coyote said. â€Å"This cheating medicine is no good.† A round woman in pink stretch pants who was standing behind Coyote cleared her throat and made an impatient humphing noise. Coyote turned to her. â€Å"Get your own machine. This one is mine.† The woman glared at the trickster and tapped her foot. â€Å"Go, go, go,† Coyote said, waving her away. â€Å"There are many machines to play on. I was here first. Go away.† He put another card into the machine and hunched over the keyboard so the woman would not steal his cheating medicine. He looked back over his shoulder. She was trying to see what he was doing. â€Å"Go away, woman. My cheating medicine will not help you. Even if you win you will still be ugly.† The woman wrapped the strap of her pocketbook around her wrist and wound up to swing it at Coyote. Coyote was going to turn into a flea and disappear into the carpet, but he would have had to drop Sam's wallet to do it, so he hesitated and the woman let fly. Coyote ducked and covered his head, but the blow didn't come. Instead he heard a solid thud above his head and looked up to see a huge black hand holding the pocketbook in the air, the woman dangling from the strap at the other end. Coyote looked up further, craning his neck, until he saw a dazzling crescent moon of a smile in the face like night sky. â€Å"Is there a problem?† said the crescent moon in a soft, calm, deep voice. The giant lowered the woman, who stood stunned, staring up at what looked like a living late-afternoon shadow in sunglasses. The giant was used to shocking people – white people anyway; a seven-foot black man anywhere off a basketball court nonplussed most. He squeezed the woman's shoulder gently to bring her back to her senses. â€Å"Are you all right, ma'am?† Again the smile. â€Å"Fine. I'm fine,† the woman said, and she tottered off into the casino to tell her husband that, by God, they would spend their next vacation in Hawaii where natives and giants – if they were there at all – were part of the entertainment. The giant turned his attention to Coyote. â€Å"And you, sir, can I help you with anything?† â€Å"You look like Raven,† Coyote said. â€Å"Do you always wear sunglasses?† â€Å"Always, sir,† the giant said with a slight bow. He pointed to the brass nameplate on his black suit jacket. â€Å"I'm M.F., customer service, at your service, sir.† â€Å"What's the M.F. stand for?† Coyote asked. â€Å"Just M.F., sir. I am the youngest of nine children. I suppose my mother was too tired to come up with a full name.† This was not entirely true, nor entirely false. The giant's mother had, indeed, been weary by the time he was born, but she had also developed an unnatural obsession with dental hygiene as a child, after she was chosen to be one of the first students ever to participate in a Crest toothpaste test. It had been her single moment of glory, her fifteen minutes of fame (and her best checkup ever). When she grew up she married a navy man named Nathan Fresh, and as she bore her children she christened them in remembrance of her day in the dental sun. The first of the Fresh children, a boy, was named Fluoristat. Then came three more boys: Tartar, Plaque, and Molar. Then two girls: Gingivitis and Flossie (the latter after the famous dental hygiene cow). After normal deliveries of two more sons, Bicuspid and Incisor, she had a long, difficult labor with her largest and last son, Minty. Later, Mother Fresh swore that had the child taken one more minute to come into the world, she would have nam ed him Mr. Tooth Decay out of spite – a fact that gave little solace to the man named Minty Fresh. Coyote said, â€Å"People think that it stands for motherfucker, don't they?† â€Å"No,† Minty said. â€Å"No one has ever mentioned it.† â€Å"Oh,† Coyote said. â€Å"Can you fix this machine? When I give it the cheating number it just beeps.† Minty Fresh looked at the cash machine, which was still blinking the message INSTRUCTIONS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, OR JAPANESE. CHOOSE ONE. â€Å"You'll need to choose a language, sir.† He reached down and pushed the English button. â€Å"It should be fine now.† Coyote inserted a card and punched two numbers on the keyboard, then looked at Minty. â€Å"This is my secret number.† â€Å"Yes,† Minty said. â€Å"If you need anything at all, please ask for me personally.† He turned and walked away. Coyote finished punching the PIN number. When the machine prompted him for an amount he punched in $9999.99, the maximum allowed by the six-figure field. The machine whirred and spit five hundred dollars into the tray, then flashed a message saying that this was the card's transaction limit. Coyote tried the card again and got another five hundred. The third time the machine refused the transaction so Coyote tried another card. After running all of Sam's cards to their limit he walked away from the machine with twenty thousand dollars in cash. Coyote went to the roulette table and held the four-inch brick of twenties out to the croupier, a slight Oriental woman in a red-and-purple silk doublet with a name badge that read, Lady Lihn. The croupier said, â€Å"On the table.† She gestured for Coyote to put the money down. She nodded to a pit boss. â€Å"Watch count, please,† she said mechanically. The pit boss, a sharp-faced, slick-haired Italian man wearing a polyester suit and a ten-thousand-dollar Rolex, moved to her side and watched as she counted the bills out on the table. â€Å"Changing twenty thousand,† Lady Lihn said. â€Å"How would you like this, sir?† â€Å"Red ones,† Coyote said. The pit boss raised an eyebrow and smirked. Lady Lihn looked irritated. â€Å"Red is five dollar. No room on table.† The pit boss addressed Coyote. â€Å"Perhaps you'd like two hundred in fives and the rest in hundreds, sir.† â€Å"What color are the hundreds?† Coyote said. â€Å"Black,† Lady Lihn said. â€Å"Yellows,† Coyote said. â€Å"Yellows are two dollars.† â€Å"You pick,† Coyote said. Lady Lihn counted out racks of chips and pushed them in front of Coyote. The pit boss nodded to a cocktail waitress, then to the stack of chips in front of Coyote, which the cocktail waitress interpreted as â€Å"Take the order.† The cocktail waitress would bring strong drinks until Coyote started to get drunk, then she would bring watered drinks until he looked tired, when she would offer coffee and disappear until the caffeine kicked in. â€Å"Can I bring you something to drink?† Coyote turned to the cocktail waitress and stared into her cleavage. â€Å"Yes,† he said. The waitress held a pen ready over a cocktail napkin. â€Å"What can I bring you?† Coyote shot a glance to a woman at the table who was drinking a mai tai, resplendent with paper parasols and sword-skewered tropical fruit. He grabbed the woman's drink and downed half of it, nearly taking his eye out with the plastic broadsword. â€Å"One of these,† Coyote said. He replaced the drink in front of the woman, who didn't seem to notice that it had been missing. She'd been riding the alcohol-and-caffeine roller coaster for hours and was absorbed in winning back her children's college fund. â€Å"Bets down,† Lady Lihn said. Coyote put a single red chip on black and the ball was dropped. Coyote watched the ball race around the outside of the wheel. When it slowed and dropped to the numbers he reached for his bet. â€Å"No touch bet,† Lady Lihn snapped. In an instant the pit boss, the cocktail waitress, and two security jesters in steel-toed elf shoes were at Coyote's side. The trickster pulled his hand back. It will be hard to trick these people, Coyote thought. They talk like wolves, all twitches and gestures and smells. The ball dropped into a red slot and Lady Lihn placed another red chip next to Coyote's. â€Å"I win, I win, I win,† Coyote chanted. He did a skipping dance around the table and sang a victory song. Above the casino, in a mirrored dome, a video camera picked up Coyote's dancing image and sent it to a deck of monitors where three men watched and, in turn, watched each other watch. One pressed a button and picked up a telephone. â€Å"M.F.,† he said. â€Å"This is God. Customer service on table fifty-nine. The Indian you were talking to a few minutes ago. Watch him.† â€Å"I'm on it,† Minty Fresh said. He turned to the girl who was working behind the computer. â€Å"God wants me on the floor.† The girl nodded. As Minty walked by her she sang softly, â€Å"He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you're awake†¦.† Minty Fresh smiled. He really didn't mind being watched. Because of his size, people had always watched him. He had never blended into any background, never entered a room unnoticed, never been able to sneak up on someone. Attracting attention was as natural to him as being. And for every original-thinking dolt who asked him how the weather was up there, there was a woman who wanted to research the wives' tale of proportional hand-foot-penis size. (A tale, Minty thought, dreamed up by the unsatisfied wives of small-footed men.) Minty spotted the Indian at the roulette table. The two security jesters had moved off a few feet but were still watching, as was the pit boss. When Minty came to the table they nodded in acknowledgment and moved off. The croupier looked at Minty and immediately looked back to the bets on the table. Minty Fresh put her on edge. It wasn't his size that rattled her, but the fact that no one was exactly sure what his job was, only that when there was a problem, he was there. He handled things. Lady Lihn dropped the ball into the wheel. It raced, then rattled into a slot, and she raked all the bets off the table. Coyote cursed and let out a howl. The woman playing next to him staggered back and wandered away, carrying visions of her children wearing paper hats and saying, â€Å"I was going to go to college, but my mother went to Vegas instead. Would you like fries with that?† Coyote looked at Minty Fresh. â€Å"She was bad luck. I lost half of my chips because of her.† â€Å"Perhaps you should move to a different table,† Minty said. â€Å"We can open a private table just for you.† Coyote grinned at Minty. â€Å"You think you have a table where you can trick me?† â€Å"No, sir,† Minty said, a little embarrassed. â€Å"We don't wish to trick you.† â€Å"There's nothing wrong with tricking people. They pay you to be tricked.† â€Å"We like to think of it as entertainment.† Coyote laughed. â€Å"Like movie stars and magicians? Tricksters. People want to be tricked. But you know that, don't you?† He picked up his chips and walked to a crap table. Minty thought for a moment before following the Indian. He prided himself on being able to handle any situation with complete calm, but he found dealing with this Indian made him nervous, and a little afraid. But of what? Something in the eyes. He moved in behind Coyote, who was throwing chips on the crap table. â€Å"You can't bet the numbers until the point has been made, sir,† said the stickman, a thin, balding man in his forties. He pushed Coyote's chips back across the table. The stickman looked over Coyote's head and nodded to Minty Fresh before pushing the dice to the shooter. â€Å"Place your bets,† he said, and the dealers working at either end of the table checked the bets on the felt. â€Å"New shooter coming out,† the stickman said. A blond woman in a business suit and perfect newswoman makeup picked up the dice and blew on them. â€Å"Come on, seven,† she said. â€Å"Baby needs new shoes.† Coyote twisted his neck to look at Minty Fresh. â€Å"Does talking to them work?† Minty nodded to the table as the woman let fly with the dice, rolling a two. â€Å"Snake eyes!† the croupier said. â€Å"Lizard dick!† Coyote shouted back. The blond woman cursed and walked away from the table. The stickman shot a glance to Minty, then continued. â€Å"Two. Craps. No pass. No come. Place your bets. New shooter coming out.† He pushed the dice to Coyote, who threw a handful of black chips on the table and picked up the dice. â€Å"You are small, but I am your friend,† Coyote said to the dice. â€Å"You have beautiful spots.† He pulled the rawhide pouch from his belt and poured a fine powder on the dice. â€Å"You can't do that, sir,† the stickman said. Minty Fresh gently took the dice from Coyote and handed them to the boxman, who sat across from the stickman watching an enormous rack of chips that was the table's bank. He inspected the dice, then gave them to the stickman, who dropped them in his tray and pushed a fresh pair to the trickster. â€Å"What is this, shade?† Coyote said. â€Å"The shaman gets to use his power stick but I can't use my cheating powder?† â€Å"I'm afraid not,† Minty said. Coyote picked up the new dice and chucked them to the end of the table. â€Å"Eight! Easy,† the stickman said. â€Å"Did I win?† Coyote asked Minty. â€Å"No, now you have to roll another eight before you roll a seven or eleven.† Coyote rolled again. The dice showed a pair of fours. â€Å"Eight. Winner. Hard way,† the stickman chanted. The dealer placed a stack of black chips next to Coyote's bet. â€Å"Ha,† Coyote said, taunting Minty Fresh. â€Å"See, I am good at this game.† â€Å"Very good,† Minty said with a smile. â€Å"You roll again.† Coyote placed the remainder of his chips on the table. The dealer immediately shot a glance to the boxman, who looked to Minty Fresh. Minty nodded. The boxman nodded. The dealer counted Coyote's chips and stacked them on the pass line. â€Å"Playing twenty-one thousand.† Coyote threw the dice. â€Å"Two!† the stickman said. The dealer raked in Coyote's chips and handed them to the boxman, who stacked the racks in the table bank. â€Å"I lost?† Coyote said incredulously. â€Å"Sorry,† Minty said. â€Å"But you didn't crap out. You can shoot again.† â€Å"I'll be back,† Coyote said. He walked away and Minty followed him through the casino, into the lobby, and out the door. Coyote handed the valet ticket to a kid named Squire Jeff, then turned to Minty, who stood by the valet counter. â€Å"I'll be back with more money.† â€Å"We'll hold a place for you, sir,† Minty said, relieved that the Indian was leaving. â€Å"I was just learning your game, shade. You didn't trick me.† â€Å"Of course not, sir.† Squire Jeff pulled up in the Mercedes, got out, and waited with his hand out. Coyote started to get into the car, then stopped and looked at the valet. He took the pouch from his belt and poured a bit of powder into the kid's hand, then got in the car and drove away. Minty felt a wave of relief wash over him as he watched the Mercedes cross the drawbridge. Squire Jeff, still holding his palm out, turned to Minty Fresh. â€Å"What am I supposed to do with this?† â€Å"You could snort it.† Squire Jeff sniffed at the powder, then wrinkled his nose and brushed the powder from his hand. â€Å"Fucking Indian. You work inside, right?† Minty nodded. Squire Jeff looked Minty up and down. â€Å"You play any ball?† â€Å"One year, UNLV.† â€Å"Injury?† â€Å"Attitude,† Minty said. He walked back into the casino.

Cultural Models and Cultural Dimensions

Cultural Models and Cultural Dimensions (Hofstede) Cultural studies are not a unified theory but a diverse field of study encompassing many different approaches, methods and academic perspectives. As in any academic discipline, cultural studies academics frequently debate among themselves. Cross-cultural communication, as in many scholarly fields, is a combination of many other fields. These fields include anthropology, cultural studies, psychology and communication.There exists no uniform evaluation system or model of cultural aspects to date. However, the variety of the available models much more illustrates how multifaceted the approach can be. Nevertheless, there are some common dimensions for the most cultural models such as concept of time and space, equal (or non-equal) rights of men and women and position of the individual in the society. The most popular cultural models come primarily from the English-speaking researches: Hall (1989), Hofstede (1991), Oksaar (1988).Wierzbick a is famous for her work in semantics, pragmatics, and cross-cultural linguistics and has established the idea of so called Universal Human Concepts and their realisation in the language (Wierzbicka, 1992). Looking for an appropriate basis cultural model for this research a short comparison of the most known models needs to be done. The differences begin at the definition of culture or even at avoiding any definition, at the objectiveness level (e. g. amount and homogeneity of the interviewed persons) as well as at use of different cultural dimensions.Table 6 contains a comparison between three most popular cultural models of Hofstede, Hall and Gesteland though the latter should be concerned more as a collection of a life experience in how to behave in business with success worldwide. Table 6: Comparison of Cultural Models (Astapenko, 2008: 92) This comparison demonstrates the lack of homogeneity of the research basis. While the amount of the interviews done by Hall is relatively hi gh, he surveys only three countries. Gesteland on his hand does his research without any statistics using his own experience.Comparing to this the cultural model of Hofstede is more representative and homogeneous. He worked on interviews of IBM-employees in over 50 countries who therefore work in the same sector in comparable positions and have a similar social status. It is obviously that every cultural model has to be approached with great caution and an uncritical reading of cultural dimensions can lead to false conclusions. But even if Hofstede's conceptualization of culture has attracted some criticism he is though one of the most renowned and most cited experts.The continuity of his researches can be observed over decades and the approach of his scientific school is still being applied and improved. Moreover, his research approach establishes a connection to the active prevention measures mentioned in Chapter 2. As his classification system will be used to make a comparison of the involved regions later in this chapter, it adds to the consistency of this report to explain his definition. Hofstede defines culture as â€Å"the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others† (Hofstede et al. , 2010: 6).Investigating culture is an attempt to catch general trends among a large group of people on a very general level. Therefore, the findings in this report should not be applied on an individual level, as this may lead to miscommunication or even stigmatisation. There are different levels of culture (national, regional, ethnic, religious, gender, social class or even organisational level) but regarding Transferability of Road Safety measures the national level was suggested to be the subject for further research. Strictly speaking, the concept of a common culture applies to societies, not to nations.Based on elaborate research from 1967 to 1973, Hofstede developed a model that tries to cap ture †culture† through scores on four values, so-called cultural dimensions (given below). Later researches added further dimensions which cannot be fully evaluated here due to other focuses in this project. The complete description of the cultural dimensions can be found on the website (Hofstede, 2011). The four main dimensions according to Hofstede are: †¢ Power Distance Index (PDI): the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.Individualism (IDV): the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups. †¢ †¢ Masculinity (MAS): refers to the distribution of roles and values between the genders. The women in feminine countries have the same modest, caring values as the men; in the masculine countries they are somewhat assertive and competitive, but not as much as the men, so that these countries show a gap between men's values and women's values. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI): a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. Based on the values for these dimensions of the 19 European countries for which cultural dimension scores are available, an average European score was calculated. After a comparison between Europe, India and Brazil based on the official study data from Hofstede the research for metropolitan areas of Sao Paulo and Delhi which was done for this particular project by the local partners using the questionnaire of Hofstede is being presented.On the basis of its results the project partners awareness of the cultural differences and similarities between Brazil, India and Europe should be sharpened in order to consider them during the transfer of European Safety measures to Emerging Economies. This allows to avoid misunderstandings and to exclude from the beginning those measures which cannot be transferred due to cultural reasons. 1. 1. 1. Comparison of Cultural Dimensions of Europe, Brazil and IndiaA first issue that arises when comparing the regions that are cooperating in SaferBraIn is the difference in analysis levels: how should one compare the cultures of two countries (India and Brazil) with the culture of a continent (Europe)? Having some insight in the European states cultures, it is safe to say that significant differences can be noted between the European member states. Therefore an average European score was calculated based on a mathematical analysis of Hofstede’s cultural dimension scores.Even if there are in some cases crucial differences between European countries like Italy and Germany, Spain and Sweden, this average score allows comparing the cultures of Europe, India and Brazil. The next figure presents the scores on the four dimensions for these three regions. It must be stressed at this stage that it is not the authors’ intention to make hard statements about cultures. As was indicated before, Hofstede’s research can only be used to descr ibe general trends in the average culture of a country. This should under no circumstances be translated to an individual level.Figure 20: Comparison of Europe-India-Brazil on Hofstede’s 4 cultural dimensions Figure 20 indicates that the power distance is relatively large in India and Brazil, compared to Europe. This could mean that individuals in these two countries operate in a more hierarchical system. Following Hofstede’s definition, hierarchy in India and Brazil is not only accepted, it is also expected. It may be interesting to keep this in mind when analyzing the corresponding traffic systems and when designing pilots to be implemented in these two countries.Especially concerning the enforcement of safety measures, the strong power orientation influences its exercising. It is known that Brazil and India already have many road facilities and road safety measures but they are not proper used by population. Due to that stronger enforcement measures are needed to im prove the acceptance of new technologies and facilities. One can also notice that Europe appears to have a more individualist culture than India and Brazil. This tendency toward individualism can be found in several Western countries. The United States of America for example, have a score of 91 on Hofstede’s scale.Individualist cultures rely more on media and less on their social networks. Different surveys demonstrate that in an individualist culture employees are expected to act at their own responsibility and organise their work gathering their own interests with those of their employers. In a collectivist culture an employee is a part of a group and has to act according to its interest. This should be considered cooperating in pilot projects for SaferBraIn. Moreover, collectivist cultures tend to have higher power distance that individualist ones.So a strong hierarchy and acceptance of higher positioned partners can be presupposed working with India and Brazil. Considerin g vulnerable road users a health-care survey mentioned by Hofstede showed that individualist and collectivist cultures differently deal with disability. A special part of the survey was dedicated to disabled children. â€Å"In the individualist communities [†¦], people with disabilities tended to remain cheerful and optimistic, to resent dependency and being helped, and to plan for a future life as normal as possible.In the collectivist communities [†¦], there would be more expression of grief, shame, and pessimism; family members would be asked for advice and assistance, and they would make the main decisions about the person’s future† (Hofstede, 2010: 116). Translating this finding to the SaferBraIn project, it can be supposed that collectivist cultures like India and Brazil would not have sophisticated facilities for disabled VRU’s and these persons would not be well integrated in the society. This could be therefore a useful part of the safety meas ures? ransfer though the awareness of local partners cannot be assumed. The scores on the masculinity dimension show the smallest differences between the investigated regions. The scores are about 50-60 which can be interpreted as a quite balanced value between masculinity and femininity in the compared countries. However, one can notice that Europe has the highest score. A thorough look at Hofstede’s full definition for this dimension could interpret it as follows: Europe has a more assertive culture overall than India and Brazil, while India and Brazil have a slightly more modest culture.In relation to this report, it may be important to safeguard these cultures’ higher need for modesty. Even if the masculinity dimensions scores are very different within Europe, the average score demonstrates the predominant masculine character. In masculine societies there is a feeling that conflicts should be resolved by a â€Å"good fight†, where challenge, earnings, recogn ition, and advancement are important, whereas in feminine cultures there is a preference for resolving conflicts by compromise and negotiation focused on relationships.Since the score’s difference for surveyed countries are minimal, this dimension cannot evoke critical misunderstandings within SaferBraIn project. Finally, the level of Uncertainty Avoidance (UA) shows strong differences between the three regions. Though, UA is not the same as risk avoidance and these two concepts should not be mixed. Risk is focused on something specific and refers on a known and expected event. Avoiding risk we prevent something what we can foresee and not what is completely unpredictable.Hence, it would be incorrect to conclude that showing a relatively low level of UA, a potentially higher sense for risk taking can be assumed for India. Cultures with high Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) like Brazil or to a lesser extent Europe shun ambiguous situations and try to prevent them with more la ws, rules, and regulations. Brazil has more law schools than all countries in the world together. There are 1,240 higher education courses for the training of lawyers in the country while the rest of the planet comes to about 1,100 universities (CNJ, 2010).Cultures with low UAI like India believe that many problems can be solved without formal rules and that the latter should be established only in case of absolute necessity. Paradoxically in countries with weak UA where rules are less scared they are often better followed. Translating these findings to the needs of SaferBraIn even when European experts can expect hindered possibilities for Road Safety measures enforcement due to low legacy level in India they can presuppose their better acceptance. On the contrary in Brazil it is assumed that every measure would first need a legal regulation.However, in countries with strong UA laws can fulfil a need for security even when they are not followed. Another finding done by Hofstede tha t is relevant for SaferBraIn shows an interesting correlation between the strength of UA and the maximum speeds allowed in the country. â€Å"The relationship is positive: stronger uncertainty avoidance means faster driving. Faster driving, other things being equal, means more fatal accidents, thus more risk. However, this is a familiar risk, which uncertainty-avoiding cultures do not mind running.Their emotionality provides them with a sense of stress, of urgency, which in turn leads to wanting to drive faster. The higher speed limits in stronger uncertainty-avoidance countries show, in fact, a priority of saving time over saving lives† (Hofstede, 2010: 198). 1. 1. 2. Cultural Research for metropolitan areas in Brazil and India Brazil and India are countries of contrasts concerning climate, geography, income distribution, and educational level of its people. Because of the diversity we cannot consider that knowing the country’s culture we also know cultural dimensions of its metropolitan areas.For this reason the Hofstede? s theory of Cultural Dimensions using the interviews based on his questionnaire was applied in Sao Paulo city and Delhi – the big metropolises which can be compared in their extension and live rhythm and in which the use of western experience can be assumed. Local partners (IMR for Brazil and A+S for India) have initiated interviews of about 200 people each in Sao Paulo and Delhi to have representative scores for these metropolitan areas. Of course, analogue researches can be done for every region or city where the transfer of safety measures is planned.The detailed information to the results of these researches can be found in Annexes 6 and 7. Though, the difficulties with the questionnaire are worth to be shortly mentioned at this point. Although questionnaires in local languages (Portuguese and Hindi) were used, the interviewees in India could not always interpret question unambiguously. It was established especially dealing with lower and lower middle class that a certain level of education is affordable for the answers. Many easy understandable issues from the European point of view needed to be explained.In contrary, the upper-class representatives preferred to use the English version of the questionnaire. The main outcomes of the research are the differences between Individualism (IDV) and Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) scores. For Brazil also the Masculinity (MAS) score features diverse scores. Power Distance Index (PDI) remains very similar in Brazil and India for both country average and metropolitan area (Figure 21). Figure 21: Comparison PDI incl. Sao Paulo and Delhi As mentioned before countries with high PDI tend to have well-built hierarchical relations within the society and need strong enforcement.Concerning wearing of helmets to protect two-wheelers, Error! Reference source not found. should be studied. Following the law, the motorcycle driver is wearing a helmet. At the same time m ore vulnerable passengers (two children and the lady) are not protected. Hence, only the stronger member of the family, having more power, is protected. Figure 22: Using helmet on motorcycle in India IDV (Figure 23) shows very high divergence between the country average and metropolitan area in both Brazil and India.Though, the development goes in both countries in opposite directions. While the inhabitants of Sao Paulo turn out to be extremely individualistic the population in Delhi tends to more collectivism. Figure 23: Comparison IDV incl. Sao Paulo and Delhi With reference to the assumption in Chapter 4. 3. 2 according the interrelation between the individualism score and the treating of disabled following examples can be used due to motivate this assumption. Delhi roads are equipped with convenient, wide footpaths.Though, the level of most kerbs on Delhi roads is inconveniently high (Figure 24). This prompts pedestrians to walk along the roadside especially when they have physi cal problems in climbing high steps. Figure 24: High kerbs in India However, in modern projects like the Rapid Bus Corridor (RBC) in Delhi a segregated and safe corridor for pedestrians and non-motorized transport is provided. Also for the VRU with disabilities special facilities like dropped kerbs, low floor buses or platform-bus adjustment are provided.In the City of Sao Paulo, where the individuality score is very high, dropped kerbs and tactile pavements are applied on most major junctions in the consolidated part of the road system (Figure 25). Figure 25: Tactile pavements in Sao Paulo Another example for extremely low IDV in Delhi is the unspoken rule to never cross the street alone. They always wait to gather a group of some persons and cross the street in a crowd feeling safer as a part of a group and providing counterweight to motorised traffic (Figure 26).Figure 26: Crossing the street in Delhi Traffic rules require motorists to stop once a pedestrian steps on the zebra cr ossing. Practically this rule is not being followed, and crossing busy roads at zebra crossings is as dangerous for pedestrians as elsewhere. Pedestrians cross roads either in larger groups or whenever opportunity occurs. Concerning Masculinity score the research shows that Sao Paulo has a very high MAS (Figure 27), even higher that the European average. Therefore a conclusion can be drawn that the society of Sao Paulo is more oriented on financial recognition, earning and challenges.Possessing a big and expensive car means to be more powerful and respected. For this reason VRU have to subordinate whether crossing the street or waiting for a car blocking the footpath while garage or property. However, when a pedestrian shows his power by stepping to the road and focusing directly and self-confident on the driver he will be accepted and the car will let him cross the street. Figure 27: Comparison MAS incl. Sao Paulo and Delhi In Delhi even having an expensive do not automatically mea ns to be more powerful.These cars can be scratched and damaged the same way as a simple rickshaw. Even animals are seen as the most vulnerable road users and are equal to others. These facts are related to the very low IDV which means that this society is relationship-oriented and tries to solve conflicts by compromise. Similar to IDV the tendency of the score for UAI develops in the opposite direction between the country average and metropolitan area (Figure 28). In Brazil it is drastically decreasing for Sao Paulo, in India it is slightly increasing for Delhi.It can be therefore concluded that in Sao Paulo new safety measures being to a certain degree always ambiguous would be easier accepted. On the contrary, in Delhi more enforcement and education measures would be needed to promote acceptance of new safety measures. Figure 28: Comparison UAI incl. Sao Paulo and Delhi To sum up the research has identified several crucial differences between the countries? scores and the scores f or metropolitan areas. It is important to consider it when talking about transferability of road safety measures or working on pilot projects.