Research Paper Topics on Iran and Nuclear Weapons

Research Paper Topics on Iran and Nuclear WeaponsIranian nuclear weapons are a hot topic among the academics and scientists in the field of nuclear weapons. This may be because of the urgent need to develop different nations' trust in the course of the development of strategic weapons, and the fact that Iran is already vying for their world leadership. Nevertheless, with the recent report about a secret Iranian nuclear weapons program by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), this is probably not a good idea.Apart from the sudden talk about a secret nuclear weapons program, there has been another report that the construction of a secret nuclear weapons plant in Iran has also been discovered. That also brings up questions as to why there was not more alarm at the construction of the plant. In addition, with the recent nuclear deal signed between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, it might also mean that they will continue to develop advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium, w hich will make it easier for them to build their own nuclear weapons. Aside from these, there have also been a series of other reports regarding the possible development of nukes by the IAEA itself.There has been some media attention concerning the topic of nuclear weapons, in a way that some of the newspapers are also publishing some of the articles, as well as the websites of the major news channels. The issue of nuclear weapons is very crucial and this has sparked a debate on the way the future of the world is going to be headed. Thus, this has made it easier for the Iranian nuclear weapons scientists to perform experiments on a foreign country's top secret documents.Another issue that has been covered in the media is that of the nuclear weapons that Israel has. It has also been talked about, that the United States has the potential to develop nuclear weapons, as well as nuclear energy. Both of these points raise many questions and also give the international community reasons to question whether or not the United States will lead the world in the direction of developing nuclear weapons, and whether or not the United States will continue to cooperate with other nations in the same direction.While many research paper topics have focused on the question of how Iran has changed and the nuclear weapons they have developed, other recent topics include the topic of the world's trust in the use of nuclear weapons. As for Iran, the topic has been covered with the issue of proliferation, as well as the testing of a weapon in a different country. Now, with the subject of the United States developing nuclear weapons, the world will have to take a second look at how they want to deal with other nations that might be secretly developing nuclear weapons, as well as the people who might be involved in doing so.The issue of nuclear weapons and research paper topics has been discussed among academics in many ways. The most important topic has been the issues that the United States has had in the past with the use of nuclear weapons and related topics, as well as the major study of the effects of the public in relation to nuclear weapons, both in the US and in other nations. These two topics have made it easier for the United States and other nations to determine what the international public's interests are.The next major topic that has been covered involves the nuclear weapons that the United States has and the concerns of its citizens with their knowledge. According to some studies, the majority of the public believes that nuclear weapons are harmless, while others believe that it could become an inevitable reality in the near future. Some of the other research papers that have been released are focusing on the fear of nuclear weapons and how the citizens in the United States think about them.It is expected that the Iranian nuclear weapons research paper topics will continue to grow and evolve, as many governments around the world are looking into a nd studying the subject of nuclear weapons. It is expected that there will be a lot of discussion on the topic of nuclear weapons, as well as other topics related to the topic of the future of the world.

Environment Essay Topics

Environment Essay TopicsEnvironment essay topics will encompass a wide range of subjects and topics. The topics can be about biological, natural and industrial elements of the environment. The environment is constantly changing due to the actions of human beings. As humans change, the environment changes as well.When you write a topic or a subject matter you are putting your thoughts and your feelings on paper. This article will discuss some topics that you can use to help you write essays about the environment. You may not consider this but you may find it is important when you are writing your essay.Make sure that you write your essays in a style that is easy to read. Look at some of the essay topics you can use to help you write a topic. You can use topics like this for a style. This will help you ease yourself into your essays because you will have a theme that you can relate to as you go through your essays.Your subject should contain varied ideas that relate to your essay topic . As you start to write these essay topics, make sure that they flow well. Some of the things you should include in your essay topics are about a woman who accidentally discovers a disease by observing a newborn baby being infected. You can use this topic to write about people who are passionate about the environment and want to preserve and protect it. As humans continue to pollute the environment and endanger it, we are also polluting our planet and we are losing more of it.When you write about a topic, make sure that you include thoughts and ideas about things that pertain to it. The science and technology of today should be a part of what you think about. Even though the earth is getting older, we should still strive to keep it safe and the environment in the best shape possible. It is not an easy task. You should learn about what needs to be done to save the environment today and what you can do to prevent it from becoming a more damaged environment.The ideas about nature and t he environment are all about environmental ideas. Sometimes you can use this topic to teach about nature and how it is related to environmental issues. While writing this topic, you need to take into consideration the idea of conservation, which is how a society protects and preserves the earth and its creatures.When you want to teach about the world around you, you can use some of the environmental topics to help you with your essays. However, when you use them, make sure that you put your thoughts and feelings on paper.

The Color Purple Movie By Steven Spielberg - 1561 Words

The Color Purple movie was directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1985. This movie is a reenactment of the novel written by Alice Walker. The movie started with a young African American girl named Celie narrating a letter as she wrote to God. She grew up in Georgia in the early 1900s. A shy, timid, scared, and unassertive girl, who lived in a home with a man known to be her father, Alphonso. She was raped and abused by this man. As the movie goes on, she shares that she has two children by her father and he had put them up for adoption. Later on, as a young child, Celie was married off to a man known by the name of Mister. He needed someone to fill the missing void of his wife who had recently died. Her marriage was quite depressing. She had to raise Mister’s children, clean house, and undergo sex with this man. It was a very dominant marriage. She experienced the same abuse here as she did at home with her father. I believe during that time sexism was heavily portrayed. Time had gone by and Celie had gotten older, she became more confident, outspoken, and she overcame adversities. The movie opens with Celie narrating a letter she began to write to God. At the young age of 14, she had already had two children by her father. After her mom died, she took on the responsibility to help care for her siblings, cooking, and keeping up the home that they all lived in. It was until one day, a man came to their home and asked the father, Alphonso, if he could marry Nettie. SheShow MoreRelatedThe Wallpaper Of Purple By Steven Spielberg1426 Words   |  6 PagesThe Sexist Shade of Purple If Jaws was the movie that jumpstarted Steven Spielberg’s career in the film industry, then The Color Purple was the movie that was able to distinguish Steven from any other movie director during the time. All of Spielberg’s movies prior to 1985 were generally movies of either action packed adventure or unnerving horror, but once Steven Spielberg announced that he would be doing a movie based on Alice Walker’s book, The Color of Purple, no one knew what to expect. JumpRead MoreA Brief Look at Steven Spielberg1726 Words   |  7 PagesSteven Allan Spielberg is known worldwide as a screenwriter, producer and one of Americas most successful filmmakers. His 20 highest-grossing films grossed 8.45 billion. He is a three-time winner of the Oscar Award, twice as the best director of the year. 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At a young age she is married off to her Mister and from then serves him, doing anything to meet his needs and pleasure him. She lives this life of slavery and assault, to one day be reunited with her sister, Nettie, in Africa. A novel in which focuses on similar themes to that of The Color Purple is a 1985 dystopian novel written by Canadian authorRead MoreThe Color Purple by Alice Walker675 Words   |  3 Pagesher lifelong journey towards change. Walkers career as a writer took flight with the publication of her third novel, The Color Purple, in 1982. Set in the early 1900s, the novel portrays the life and struggles of a female African-American experience through the eyes of its narrator, Celie. Celie suffers terrible abuse from her father and later from her husband. The Color Purple is a novel structured through a series of letters. Celie writes about the misery of childhood incest, physical abuse, andRead MoreAn Analysis Of Maya Angelou And Alice Walker927 Words   |  4 Pagesback into drama and theatre arts. She won a role for an international tour called â€Å"Porgy and Bess†, and got to tour to twenty-two countries. In 1972, Maya Angelou became the first African-American woman to have an original screenplay produced as a movie for â€Å"Georgia, Georgia†. She went on to receive many awards and national medals for not only her spoken word, but her also her involvement in the civil rights movement. She pas sed away at her home in North Carolina on May 28, 2014. Alice Walker wasRead MorePrecious Based on the Novel Push by Saphire Analysis1368 Words   |  6 PagesIntracultural Communications Professor Brook Film Analysis on 2009’s â€Å"Precious† Analyzing a dynamic film like the 2009 â€Å"Precious† is difficult. The movie got a lot of praise for the acting and the story that was portrayed but it also got a lot of heat from the race that was portrayed in the movie. African Americans nationwide said the movie made their African American ghettos into a sexually incest ridden, classless society and didn’t properly show any of the positive attributes that come from

Implications for Social Media Marketing †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Implications for Social Media Marketing. Answer: Introduction: In the 21st century, social media has created wonders in the society. Be, it brand awareness, fast food or mobiles occupying the top most position, social media is the answer to the issues regarding the inadequate knowledge about the latest trends adopted by the brands in terms of expanding their business. Overall, social media has optimized the whole world for the people regarding uprooting the aspect of being called an old-fashioned regarding the latest trends in the surroundings (Whiting and Deshpande 2014). This essay attempts to speculate the impact of social media in terms of creating a genius out of the ordinary spectators. In view of the widespread benefit of social media, the grounds of reality attain a higher position than myth. Typical evidence in this direction is declaration of smarter cities for providing uninterrupted internet connection to the public domain. Assistance in revolutionizing the business is one of the other grounds, which makes social media a reality, rather a necessity in terms of adding more to the customer stock (Whiting and Deshpande 2014). Herein, the other articles related to fast food, brand awareness and mobiles in demand can be correlated. Uploading the images of the mobiles, which the companies have launched, on the social networking sites and the official websites, enables the personnel to increase the trafficking of the audience towards the brand image. Herein, the limitations of the Egyptian threshold get nullified. Along with the mobiles, informing the public about the fast food restaurants, which have opened their outlets, enhances the field of social media marketing. On the contrary, social media acts as a platform for the entrepreneurs and startups in terms of finding investors, which alters their predicament in the competitive ambience of the market. Now, with just a click the people can search for the nearest restaurants (Gaber and Wright 2014). Within this, the provision of table booking, selecting the foods and paying online are some means, which have heavily influenced the purchasing power of the customers. In response to this, execution of market segmentation through the means of online survey, feedback and content generation options assist the readers to take the stance in favor of social media being a reality. Social media marketing in the field of tourism is another feather in this discussion. Launching new apps, which books tickets, hotel rooms, complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner are typical example in this direction. For this, uninterrupted internet connection is needed. Along with this, the tourism industry personnel need to make effective use of the contents generated by the clients, which possesses the flexibility to bring innovation in the business services (Minazzi 2015). Uploading the images of the rooms in their exact forms helps the tourists to select the rooms which match their requirements. Mobile bookings saves a lot of time for both the customers and the clients, which if devoted to the other tasks, results in the systematization of the business activities, according to their priorities. The fast food restaurants launch the menu cards, the rates of the items, their images which helps the customers to place their orders online. This means, they would go to the restaurants and get their requested orders. Posting the ratings given by the people on the social networking sites is crucial for the restaurant managers in terms of assessing their position within the competitive ambience of the market (Gaber and Wright 2014). These ratings also hold importance for the customers in terms of suggesting their peers, relatives for going to these restaurants. Launching the specifications of the mobiles influences the affordability of the customers, especially those belonging to the middle class. Providing proper access to the customers regarding the newly launched products and outlets enhances the awareness of the brand among the people. Herein, social media has large contribution. Organizing quizzes and contests regarding the purchased products on the social media makes the personnel aware about the customer approaches. The facility of search engine optimization equalizes the social networking sites. This is in terms of providing the required information. The number of visitors visiting the official page of the company escalates the network channels and the sources of revenue. Herein, the aspect of pay per click advertising finds its mention, which is one of the main agents for brand awareness (Monica and Bala? 2014). In view of the above propositions, brand awareness, fast food and mobile brands can be considered as the benefits of social media. Countering this, effective and judicious use of the social media helps the personnel to enhance the preconceived knowledge of the people in terms of the mobiles, which are in demand in the market or the fast food restaurants, which have opened their outlets in the close proximity to the customers. The previous sentence makes brand awareness as an outcome of social media marketing (Monica and Bala? 2014). Fast foods and mobiles are the grounds, which the companies and organizations use for expanding their business upto the extent of foreign market penetration. Apart from the positive sides, social media has negative sides, which diminishes the intensity of the positive sides. Typical example of the negative sides of social media is the cyber crimes, which aggravates the complexity of the personnel in terms of establishing contact with large number of customers. Within this, instances of virus attacks and hacker interventions result in the loss of the organizational data, which adds vulnerability to the market position of the companies and organizations in the competitive ambience (Ashley and Tuten 2015). The loss of organizational data means the loss of customers personal profiles, which destroys the stability in the relationship between the customers and the company. In such a situation, the need is to adopt security software, which safeguards the privacy of the customers personal profile. Exposure of lackadaisical attitude in the adoption of this software is one of the other negative aspects, which acts as an obstacle in the progress of the companies and organizations towards technological advancement. In case of social media informing the customers about the opening of fast food restaurants outlets, negative examples can be transmitting improper information to the customers. Examples in this direction can be uploading wrong ratings, pictures, menus among others. The likeliness of these aspects nullifies the limitations of Egypt. This kind of interplay with the buying behavior of the customers degrades the designation of the personnel in terms of ensuring the wellbeing of the customers (Hyder 2016). This is also the case for social media in mobile apps; where the negative examples are advertising false offers, discounts and schemes to the customers. This situation obliterates the various facilities offered by the companies and organization for the execution of social media marketing. Highlighting both the positive and the negative aspects broadens the scope and arena of social media. Overcoming the negative issues would add value to roles and responsibilities of the personnel in terms of modernizing the lives of the customers. Countering this, revealing conscious attitude towards the allocated responsibilities would help the personnel to avert the instances of crisis. Typical example of this consciousness is to hire IT experts for inspection of the machines. Maintaining frequency in this inspection is assistance for the personnel in terms of taking preventive measures well in advance (Luo and Zhang 2013). The articles emerge successful in providing an insight into the widespread benefits of social media. The dynamics of social media is reflected from the companys use of the social media to inform the customers about the mobile apps, which can help them in making online bookings for hotels and restaurants. Providing proper access to the customers for making the bookings influences their purchasing power and affordability. Along with this, it enhances the brand awareness. Countering this, uploading the images of the newly launched products and services along with their specifications itself enhances the awareness of the people about the brand image. The generalized and widespread benefits of social media nullify the mention of Egypt. The negative aspect in the articles in the mention of security policies in case of social media for mobile apps and health issues in case of the fast foods articles. References and Bibliography Ashley, C. and Tuten, T., 2015. Creative strategies in social media marketing: An exploratory study of branded social content and consumer engagement.Psychology Marketing,32(1), pp.15-27. Gaber, H.R. and Wright, L.T., 2014. Fast-food advertising in social media. A case study on Facebook in Egypt.Journal of Business and Retail Management Research,9(1). Hyder, S., 2016.The zen of social media marketing: An easier way to build credibility, generate buzz, and increase revenue. BenBella Books, Inc.. Luo, X. and Zhang, J., 2013. How do consumer buzz and traffic in social media marketing predict the value of the firm?.Journal of Management Information Systems,30(2), pp.213-238. Minazzi, R., 2015. Mobile Social Media Marketing in Tourism. InSocial Media Marketing in Tourism and Hospitality(pp. 127-135). Springer International Publishing. Monica, B. and Bala?, R., 2014. Social media marketing to increase brand awareness.Journal of Economics and Business Research,20(2), pp.155-164. Scott, D.M., 2015.The new rules of marketing and PR: How to use social media, online video, mobile applications, blogs, news releases, and viral marketing to reach buyers directly. John Wiley Sons. Tuten, T.L. and Solomon, M.R., 2014.Social media marketing. Sage. Whiting, A. and Deshpande, A., 2014. Social media marketing: A myth or a necessity.The Journal of Applied Business and Economics,16(5), p.74. Zhu, Y.Q. and Chen, H.G., 2015. Social media and human need satisfaction: Implications for social media marketing.Business horizons,58(3), pp.335-345.

The Psychology of Happiness

The introduction.  The semantic meaning of happiness While discussing the psychology of happiness, some basic issues concerning the meaning of the term must be considered. First of all, it should be pointed out that the issue of happiness is regarded quite ambiguously. For instance, for most of people happiness is recognized to be a subjective phenomenon.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on The Psychology of Happiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For some individuals the semantic meaning of the term is mostly associated with well-being or flourishing. Other people determine happiness as a person’s emotional state, which has nothing in common with material welfare. In other words, the second category of people defines happiness as a feeling of harmony and internal quiet. The psychology of happiness is closely related to philosophy, as the science of happiness is based on three major theories, namely â⠂¬Å"the emotional state theory, the life satisfaction theory, and hedonism† (Haybron, 2011, para. 1). The body Some fundamentals on happiness According to philosophical point of view, happiness can be regarded as a state of mind or, as a certain kind of pleasure a person’s mode of life is based on. As far as, we are to speak about the psychological importance of happiness, we are to reveal certain mental states happiness is determined by. Thus, it should be noted that to be happy it is necessary to gain pleasure, life satisfaction, etc. On the other hand, a positive emotional condition can be also regarded as happiness. Generally, one is to keep in mind that there are a lot of misconceptions concerning the issues, which make us happy. Special investigations show that â€Å"our enduring level of happiness (H) is determined by our happiness set point (S), life circumstances (C) (influenced by aspects of temperament and character such as depression and sleep quality) and intentional or voluntary activities (V)† (â€Å"The Psychology of Happiness,† 2010, p. 2).Advertising Looking for article on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sonja Lyubomirsky is of the opinion that the variable S is equal to 50% of happiness, material welfare is equal to 10%, and 40% of happiness depend upon a person’s actions and intentional activities. Depression as an opposite state In our days, depression is considered to be one of the most widespread psychological states, when a person cannot enjoy anything because of some unpleasant and difficult situations. It must be pointed out that in the UAE depression is prevalent, but the reasons of the mental state differ from ones, which other countries face. Generally, in most case, depression in the UAE is caused by work-related problems, including stressful conditions of work for expatriates. Of course, the financial crisis cannot be neglected too. Those, who are separated from family, cannot find a social support; so, a lack of functional relations causes stress and, therefore, depression. In other words, one can make a conclusion that it is the loss of control, which influences people’s mental state. Loss of concentration and apathy are recognized to be the most common signs of depression. The situation can be aggravated, if persons start to reconsider their whole life. Thus, they may suddenly realize that did not start a family in time, did not make money in time, etc. Some variables happiness depends upon People cannot be happy, if all the time they think how to survive in the modern world. On the contrary, constant attempts to resolve certain conflicts, earn more money, etc. cause the feeling of dissatisfaction and tiredness. Moreover, if people have no social support, the stress can cause more serious mental disorders than depression only. The feeling of happiness also depends upon a person’s free choi ce. â€Å"Some studies have shown that economic development, democratization, and rising social tolerance have increased the extent to which people perceive that they have free choice† (â€Å"The Psychology of Happiness,† 2010, p. 4).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on The Psychology of Happiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In other words, to help people feel good, it is necessary to think about the policy the government relies on. Unfortunately, people cannot live alone; they need constant support and interaction. Moreover, their internal state depends upon numerous factors, and social medium they live in impacts on their worldview and confidence. Still, when speaking about a person’s emotional state, one is to keep in mind that human beings cannot feel happy the same way. Their understanding of happiness will be always different. For instance, the above-mentioned free choice can be als o regarded as a negative component. Thus, some individuals can satisfy their needs and feel good; others cannot feel good while satisfying their needs, because they try to find the best possible choice and cannot decide what they want. In other words, the feeling of happiness is a subjective issue. Some people may have certain problems with health; so, for them, happiness means the absence of health problems. Others do not need any treatment, but they are economically disadvantaged; so, such individuals think that if they earn more money – they will be happy. An analysis of people’s common values or expectations However, in spite of the fact that happiness is a subjective issue, for certain groups of people some things can be regarded as common values or expectations. Of course, the simplest example is related to persons’ well-being. Thus, while people have different incomes, they can be divided into three major categories: poor people, middle-class people and p eople, who are in easy circumstances. Correspondingly, one can probably determine one common aim for each group. So, it seems that the representatives of the first category can be happy, if their incomes are equal to the incomes of middle-class people. The demands of the representatives of the second category are more complicated, due to the so-called hierarchy of persons’ needs. So, middle-class people want to be richer than they are. People, who are in easy circumstances, can suffer from the so-called interpersonal conflict. Of course, the above-mentioned assumptions should not be regarded as totally reliable; they are based on the general concepts concerning the modern society.Advertising Looking for article on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hierarchy of persons’ needs must probably be considered in details. Thus, there is a need to point out that when some aims are achieved, new objectives appear. So, to feel happy, human beings are to set certain aims and every new aim is to be more complex and, therefore, more valuable. However, constant struggle for happiness or gaining aims can cause utter exhaustion, which can lead to depression. â€Å"Experts in the burgeoning field of positive psychology hold that people usually guess wrong about what will bring them happiness. Money, for example (beyond enough to cover life’s basic needs) doesn’t predict happiness† (Allison, 2011, para. 3). The conclusion As far as happiness is recognized to be a subjective variable, one can determine the common conception of the issue. So, developing self compassion, achieving flow experience, expressing gratitude, and using character strengths are the most widespread paths to happiness. References Allison, K. (2011 ). The Power of Positive Psychology: Finding Happiness In A Cold Ocean Swim. Harvard Health Publications. Web. Haybron, D. (2011). Happiness. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/happiness/ The Psychology of Happiness. (2010). Stanford Graduate School of Business.  Web. This article on The Psychology of Happiness was written and submitted by user Shania S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Role of expatriation in MNC International Assignments Essays

The Role of expatriation in MNC International Assignments Essays The Role of expatriation in MNC International Assignments Paper The Role of expatriation in MNC International Assignments Paper Essay Topic: Economics This assignment examines the role of expatriate staff in the success of a multinational corporation (MNC) reviewing literature on international human resource management, knowledge transfer, the benefits of employing expatriates for international assignments and cross cultural training. The literature stipulates that having experienced international staff is a principle source of competitive advantage for a multinational corporation (MNC) (Hamill, 1989; Harris and Moran, 1996; Bender and Fish, 2000; Luthans and Farner, 2002; OKeefe, 2002; Paik et al, 2002; Vance and Paik, 2002; Harvey and Novicevic, 2005; Shen, 2005; Shih et al., 2005). Increasing globalisation and internationalisation has meant that international assignments are no longer reserved for a small number of top flight executives (Bonache, 2005), so companies can now recruit a wider range of individuals to expatriate and develop into internationally aware talent. Some researchers (Webbe and Wright, 1996; Yarvas and Badur, 1999; Stanek, 2000; Downes et al., 2002; Suutari, 2003) have recognised that individuals are more likely to accept further international assignments if their first was successful, so it is in the best interest of companies to expatriate their staff effectively. This assignment is a broad review of the literature. It will explore the reasons behind the employment of expatriates in MNCs, and will provide an overview of the processes which MNCs should adopt in order to successfully manage their international staff. An MNC is a firm that owns business operations in more than one country (Hill, 2005). In terms of their international workforce, there are three types of employee; the Host Country National (HCN), local managers employed by the MNC, Parent Country Nationals (PCN), those who live, and work in a subsidiary of the MNC away from their home country and are citizens of the country where the MNC is based, and Third Country Nationals (TNC) who are employed by a MNC but are citizens of a country other than the one in which the MNC is headquartered or the country in which they are assigned to work. (Hodgetts and Luthans, 2003) The literature identifies three main reasons for why MNCs send out expatriates: position filling, transferring technical skills and knowledge; management development, giving international experience to national managers; and organisation development maintaining the structure and decision processes of the parent company (Hamill, 1989; Harzing, 2001; Baruch et al., 2002; Morgan et al., 2004). MNCs should recognise that selection and subsequent management of expatriates will differ, depending on the reasons behind the expatriation. Perhaps the most persuasive argument as to why expatriates are needed in MNCs is due to knowledge transfer (Bender and Fish, 2000; Harvey and Novicevic, 2001; OKeefe, 2002; Fish 2004; Crocitto et al., 2005; Shih et al., 2005). Colgate-Palmolive, have harnessed their expatriates knowledge into a massive database which can be accessed by other managers throughout the company (Anon, 2003). As some researchers have recognised, if companies can effectively harness the knowledge which their expatriates have acquired during their international assignments, they can attempt to establish an international learning organisation, which would be a valuable source of competitive advantage (Bender and Fish, 2000; Harvey and Novicevic, 2001; OKeeffe, 2002). The benefits of expatriates are numerous. The expatriate will gain a holistic overview of the company at an international level which will enhance business awareness, planning and motivating techniques (Webbe and Wright, 1996; Stanek, 2000), ensuring the development of a pool of specialist employees who are more internationally business aware and culture savvy. Despite the obvious benefits of employing expatriates, the drawbacks are equally as numerous. The failure rate for expatriate assignments is staggering, and the direct costs arising from this failure are estimated to be as high as $1,000,000 per unsuccessful expatriation (Luthans and Farner, 2002). The hidden costs including a loss of business and reputation, and a negative effect on local morale (Hamill, 1989; Yavas and Badur, 1999) are equally high. The reasons for failed expatriate assignments can stem from a poor selection of candidates, a lack of cross cultural training, poorly designed compensation packages, inability to adapt to the new local environment, and a lack of preparation for repatriation (Hamill 1989; Darby, 1995; Crocitto et al., 2005). Such problems can have a massive impact on the individual, including a loss of self esteem, feelings of failure, and an inability to properly readjust to life back in the domestic country (Yavas and Badur, 1999; Banoche 2005). OKeeffe (2002) suggests that such difficulties can lead to depression, alcoholism and extra marital affairs. Nevertheless, the alternatives of sending out expatriates are very few. One suggestion is that of virtual expatriation, whereby the individual remains at their home base, but confers with the overseas office by means of videoconferencing, taking short term trips to the subsidiary if necessary. This cuts costs and the burden of coping with new cultures and family concerns, but still enhances the communication and business skills of the individual as he works closely with the foreigners in the subsidiary (Stanek, 2000). However employees choose to take international assignments for reasons including a chance for personal career development and for the adventure that these experiences can provide, and by using this technique, these may be diminished. Despite the problems and costs that arise from failed international assignments research empirically shows that companies do little to assist their expatriates. This is perplexing as the development of a pool of experienced international managers and staff is in a firms best interest, considering the benefits and competitive edge over their competitors that this would give them (Selmer, 1999; Shen, 2005). There is a superfluous of literature available on how MNCs can successfully manage their expatriates. This needs to include the selection of the right individuals to be expatriated, how to prepare these staff for their experience including any family or organisational concerns they may have, preparing an effective compensation package, and repatriation. The selection of staff to go an overseas assignment is difficult, and if the right candidate if not chosen the chances of the assignment being successful are slim. MNCs need to recognise that individuals need to have skills and abilities over and above those that are required at a national level (Hamill, 1989; Rodrigues, 1997; Yavas and Badur, 1999), and should understand that due to differences in culture across the world, as Darby (1995) illustrates, although someone is an excellent manager in the UK, they may not be elsewhere in the world. Harvey and Novicevic (2001) recognise that individuals with the right competencies can support and promote knowledge transfer throughout the organisation, and will be more able to appreciate, and take advantage of, trends at a regional, national and international level, based on the skills developed and acquired overseas. In her research, Suutari (2003) identified motivators that affect the likelihood of an individual accepting an international assignment. These include a personal interest in expatriation, for the experience this offers, and to further their own careers, however the acceptance of an offer can depend on factors such as age, and marital status. The literature acknowledges many attributes and competencies that expatriates should have, and there is little controversy in the research as to what these are (Yavas and Bardur, 1999; Baruch et al, 2002; Fish, 2004; Holopainen and Bjorkman, 2005). Having undertaken an extensive review of the literature, Jordan and Cartwright (1998) identified that the most prominent of these are four key competencies, relational ability, cultural sensitivity, linguistic skills and the ability to handle stress; and three main attributes, low neuroticism, moderate extroversion and a high openness to experience. Research also suggests, however not significantly so, that individuals with high emotional intelligence, the ability to understand and control ones own emotions, be socially aware, build strong relationships and communicate well with others (Goleman et al. 2001), will be able to prosper and adjust well during an international assignment (Gabel et al.,2005; Tan et al., 2005). If MNCs can factor these components into their selection process for expatriation, they will be more likely to ensure the success of the assignment. It is important to note however, that as well as having the right person in place, there are a number of organisational determinants that can affect the success of an international assignment. Morgan et al. (2004) suggest that the type of work that the expatriate will be undertaking can have a substantial impact on their success. Individuals working in the upstream functions of Porters value chain, such as logistics and production will have less difficulty in adjusting to their new environment than those working in downstream functions, such as marketing or sales. This is due to the fact that individuals working in these latter functions will have more personal contact and integration with HCNs, and so will be more aware of the cultural differences. The systems that a company has in place can impact the outcome of an international assignment. If the systems used in the subsidiary are different to those in the home country, the expatriate will have to overcome this as well as coping with adjusting to external cultural differences (Morgan et al., 2004) Research has found that companies can affect expatriate success by remaining in communication with their international employees (Yavas and Badur, 1999; Harzing and Christensen, 2004; Bonache, 2005). This would calm any fears of isolation and ambiguity, which can lead to the failure of an assignment. Additionally, Wright and Baker (1996) suggest that companies should allow their expatriates some time to settle in to their new environment and become accustomed to their new environment before assuming their full job responsibilities. Once a MNC has established what operational factors can be altered to facilitate the success of the international assignment, the company needs to establish any family related factors that could affect the assignment. Approximately 60 percent of international assignments fail due to family problems (Ruhsing and Kleiner, 2003) which could be due to difficulties of the partner or spouse adapting to the local environment, and often, they have more trouble adjusting than the expatriate themselves (Fish and Wood, 1997; Suutari and Burch, 2001). This is due to the fact that they are mainly left to cope on their own without the support of the MNC however the company can take steps to resolve this. MNCs need to be aware of the growing number of dual career couples in the workplace. According to the research, very few firms have made an effort to support such families, and if companies fail to address these problems, then they will suffer from both a lack of suitable individuals accepting overseas assignments, consequently limiting their pool of international talent (Selmer, 1999; Yavas and Bodur, 1999b; Riusala and Suutari, 2000; Moore, 2002) To limit the extent of these problems, research suggests (Fish and Wood, 1997; Simeon and Fujiu, 2000; Rusing and Kleiner, 2003) that companies should endeavour to create a network of expatriate families before departure, to reduce the feelings of isolation that can go hand in hand with moving to a new country, away from family and friends. Many spouses leave careers, so some companies have began to provide career advice, and have even considered employing spouses at the subsidiary (Fish and Wood, 1997; Riusala and Suutari, 2000; Glanz and van der Sluis, 2001; Baruch et al 2002). The children of expatriates are another concern. There is little research on this area, however Rhushing and Kleiner (2003) suggest that these children should be given cross cultural and language training, and the MNC should make an effort to find out about child care or the schooling in the destination country, and if necessary, contribute towards fees or costs. Hurn (1999) recognises that ideally where children are involved, companies should coincide the dates of the assignment with school terms, to limit disruption. Expatriate families will also have concerns about housing, both at the destination, and regarding what should be done with their family home. Pets are another concern, however Rushing and Kleiner (2003) suggest that companies should take advantage of professional specialist services that can assist with the practical side of the move. The firm also needs to consider soft factors, principally cross cultural training, to facilitate the move. Research proves that any type of cross cultural training facilitates expatriate adjustment, as it enables individuals to better understand, and integrate themselves with foreign cultures (Treven, 2003; Jassawalla et al, 2004; Waxin and Panaccio, 2005). Luthans and Farner (2003) suggest that this training should be a mixture of both social norms, and business culture to be most effective. Historically, pre-departure training has been generic however some research found strong evidence to suggest that such training can be improved by including the opinions of HCNs (Vance and Paik, 2002). Some of the literature suggests that firms should undertake post departure training, yet Shih et al. (2005), in their study of the management of expatriates in five large MNCs found that this didnt occur at all. There is a distinct lack of congruence between management practices and the advice in the literature on training and development (Shen, 2005; Lewis, 1996). This is again paradoxical, as it would be in the best interests of the company to provide such training, not only to limit the costs of a failed expatriation, but as the world is becoming more globalised and interdependent, it is likely that the company will have increasingly more customers, suppliers, and other employees from different cultures. Hence, MNCs need to ensure that they have some type of cross cultural training in place. Perhaps the example set by the Finnish MNCs, whom have a proportionately higher number of successful expatriates than other countries, can be followed (Suutari and Brewster, 2001). One reason why they are so successful is that they have a longer period between the selection of expatriates, and sending them abroad, allowing more time for support and training, showing how important this training is. Once the expatriate is on their assignment, there is a wealth of research to suggest that assigning the expatriate an international mentor can help alleviate any feelings of isolation, and provide support (Downes et al., 2002; Harzing and Christensen, 2004; Crocitto et al., 2005). Crocitto et al. (2005) suggest that the expatriate should have a network of experienced mentors, so that they can obtain social support, or business advice from a number of different sources. This really is a method of knowledge sharing, and so can be of mutual benefit for the organisation and the individual. This will only be possible however, if the firm has had some considerable experience on the global arena. A final factor that MNCs need to consider when preparing to expatriate an employee is the compensation and reward package that they provide. Researchers recognise that reward packages that attract, retain and motivate outstanding employees going on international assignments are essential in achieving organisational goals (Phillips and Fox, 2003; Simms and Schraeder, 2005). However Banoche (2005) has found that many expatriates are unsatisfied with their compensation packages (Banoche, 2005). The most common approach is the balance sheet approach, whereby the expatriate keeps their home salary but is given extra compensation to cover such costs as living allowances and long and short term performance incentives. Some companies even provide support for spouses or partners (Phillips and Fox, 2003; Sims and Schraeder, 2005; Banoche, 2005; Baruch et al 2002). There are many criticisms of this approach. As Phillips and Fox (2003) remark, it can be costly if the expatriate assignment runs for a long time, and it can create friction between expatriates and local workers doing the same job but for lower pay. To cut down on the expense of expatriates, Selmer (1999) identifies that increasingly, firms are reducing expatriate compensation packages or cutting extra compensation all together, reasoning that international experience is essential for career advancement, and is a necessity in todays globalising environment. However, expatriates are not likely to function properly if they cannot see a clear link between performance and reward, not only in regards to their financial compensation, but their future career progression (Harzing and Christensen 2004). Shih et al., (2005) remark that this may be a sign that MNCs themselves are unsure as to how to harness and develop their management talent, especially on repatriation. This is the final step in expatriation, and should be an integral process, thus needs to be managed effectively for the assignment to be a success. Repatriation is often overlooked (Paik et al., 2002), and research has found that people are significantly less satisfied by their repatriation, than expatriation (Morgan et al., 2004). Some companies, including Unilever and GlaxoSmithKline have sought outside advice to help this transition (Hurn, 1999). Companies need to realise that problems at this stage can seriously diminish the psychological contract that employees have with the firm, resulting in low morale, and high turnover (Fish, 2004). If this occurs, then the knowledge and expertise that the expatriate has gained from going overseas may be lost to a rival firm (Anon, 2003; Crocitto et al., 2005; Shih et al., 2005) Typical repatriation problems include feelings that the international assignment is not of as much value as expected to the company and financial difficulties, due to readjusting back to the basic reward package (Selmer, 1999). Change is another massive problem. Depending on the duration of the assignment, the likelihood will be that both the employee and the company will have changed considerably. This organisational change not only relates to systems and technology, but the turnover of colleagues and support networks (Paik et al., 2002; Baruch et al., 2002). To facilitate repatriation, MNCs should keep channels of communication open to provide support to the employee, continuing after the assignment has finished. Hurn (1999) suggests that firms should debrief the employee, identifying areas of skill development and deficiency, and actively search for roles that will now utilise and develop these skills further, showing commitment to the employee and enforcing the psychological contract. He remarks that repatriation should not be seen as a separate phase, but a holistic career step, and an intrinsic component to the expatriation process (Hurn, 1999). To summarise, firms can reduce the expense of failed international assignments by ensuring that they follow the necessary steps to select, expatriate, train and develop, and repatriate their staff. As discussed, the benefits to both the firm, and the individuals involved are substantial, and by following this process, firms can establish and nurture these international experiences into a source of key competitive advantage.

Cross Cultural Management. Importance of Value Essay

Cross Cultural Management. Importance of Value - Essay Example Cross cultural management refers to a mechanism formulated to train people regarding the variations of practices, preferences, and culture in global business. With the lapse of time, diversity in practices, cultures, and preferences of consumers increase substantially, thereby increasing the need to bridge the communication gap by implementing cross cultural management. In management, cultural differences refer to varying taste, preferences, culture, likes and dislikes, ways of communications, norms, values, and beliefs of every culture. The objective of this paper is to examine the cultural variations in the light of scholarly articles as mentioned in two renowned models. An extensive study of Hofstede and Schwarts model will be done followed by a criticism of Hofstede model. These two models can be viewed in terms of how the business managers react to cross cultural management. The business managers face various sorts of cultural issues while performing their tasks e.g. workforce d iversity, language barriers, religious issues etc. Under these circumstances, it is highly effective for the business managers to understand these two cross cultural models and incorporate their effects in their organizational context. Importance of Value Hofstede and Schwartz have studies cross cultural values and their findings are in the subsequent parts of this section in order to gain acquaintance with importance of value and varying values in different culture. Hofstede Model Hofstede (1993) stated that when management theorists embark to other parts of the world, outside their own country, they encounter strange customers, beings, theories, organizing and disorganizing, immoral or old-fashioned ways of doing things. Some of them work but some of them fail to work. After gaining this experience, the traveler comes to home country and can use this experience advantageously. The purpose of the study of Hofstede (1993) was that all great ideas relating to management, politics, or science, have come from different parts of the world and have been enhanced by foreign influences. Hofstede (1993) examined the context of management from different parts of the world. Hofsetde (1993) reviewed the managerial culture of countries like Japan, France, China, Holland, Russia, Germany, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Hofstede (1993) stated that management is what is common among all countries but its context and meaning differ to a smaller or a larger extent from country to country. Hofstede (1993) further stated that it requires considerable cultural insight to understand the philosophies, processes, and problems. Further arguing, Hofstede (1993) stated that if management is such a broad word and it means so many varying things, then it cannot be expected that management theories of one country will be applicable to abroad as well. Management is related to government, politics, and school. It is present in beliefs and religion about science. Manag ement theories are interdisciplinary but as soon as national boundaries are crossed, it becomes more interdisciplinary. By stating so, Hofstede (1993) divided cultural difference into five dimensions. i. Power distance; inequality among people that is considered as normal among people ii. Individualism vs. collectivism; degree to which people of a country tend to act as individuals instead of a members of a group iii. Masculinity vs. femininity; where tough values like performance, assertiveness, success prevail over gentle values such warm relation, care, quality of life. iv. Uncertainty avoidance; people preferring planned situation over unstructured ones. v. Long-term orientation vs. short-term orientation; long-term refers to values