Presentations' Summaries

Tuesday, September 28th 2010


Well, the last class September 22nd we had four presentations which were: Motivation in the Workplace –Argentina-, Organizational Learning –Russia-, Work Ethics –Vietnam- and, Communication and Team Work –USA-. Based on the presentations, I’m going to make a brief summary of each one explaining the traditional management style, organizational culture and business protocol of each country and also explaining each topic.


MOTIVATION IN THE WORKPLACE –ARGENTINA-

Argentina is the country with more European influence in their culture, customs and even the way they make business in South America. The argentine society is seen as an educated and progressive culture that constantly is trying to make their best efforts for being recognized nationally and internationally.

a. Management Style in Argentina
Within Argentina, the management style of the managers is recognized for two characteristics for being authoritarians and paternalistic.
The managers are seen as the ones that have the power to take decisions, and must be obeyed and respected. The management style is characterized, for giving direct and clear instructions, and when they work in teams, the members respect the power that each member has.

b. Motivation in the Workplace
Based on the explanation made by the team motivation “is the force that makes us to do things”. Within organizations is important to constantly have an internal motivation, apart from the technological development that a firm could have, it’s important to keep employees motivated so that they are effective and efficient.
To achieve a better environment within organizations and to ensure the motivation of employees within organizations is important the good communication between managers and employees. Also, besides the monetary incentives are also required non-monetary incentives, for example assigning more responsibilities, motivated with the ability to promote them, etc.

c. Organizational Culture
The Argentine organizational culture is characterized for a hierarchical structure, in which the decisions are taken at the top of the structure, in which there is a direct relation between managers an employees, and those assign tasks that have to be followed by the workers and made at the right time.

d. Business Protocol
Taking in account the explanation made by the team, the Argentine business protocol is characterized for the following characteristics:
• It’s really important to avoid vulgar gestures, because for them these are considered offensive.
• Business dinners are used for socialize with your colleagues, with the objective to meet their customs and traditions.
• Punctuality is important for business meetings.
• When is a long business negotiation “It is important not to change your negotiating team because business is based on personal relationships, and these relationships are based on trust.”

These are some tips for when you’re are going to start businesses with Argentine managers, in order to respect their customs, traditions, values, etc.



ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING – RUSSIA-

a. Russian Traditional Management Style
Taking in account the explanation made by the team, the Russian traditional management style is characterized for the following aspects:
• Its business culture is recognized for being complex.
• People tend to have a fatalistic mentality.
• They are recognized for having an orthodox catholic ethic, which implies obedience and respect for the hierarchical structure in the businesses.
• Finally they have changed from a communist to a post communist mentality.

Russian managers are classified in the following styles:
• Technocrats, the Russian technocrats managers, are the ones that are inventive, do not have a high management level, they are strongly clung and guided by the Soviet tradition and its roots. And one of the most important characteristics is that their work style is distinguished for being collectivist, hierarchical and paternalist.
• First entrepreneurs, these are distinguished for being pragmatics, flexible and for being hazardous.
• Modern Russians, are recognized, because when they are making businesses they are more open to new options and tend to be less rigid. This open view or though of making business is a result of its higher business education.

b. Organizational Culture
Taking in account the presentation, the team explained this aspect through a comparison between the organizational culture of Russia and China, Germany and USA. Mainly Russian’s organizational culture is characterized for its high creativity, power distance, individualism and uncertainty avoidance compared with the other countries.

c. Organizational Learning
The organizational learning is the “different ways to design organizations in order that they comply all their functions effectively and help to build a better society”
The organizational learning is divided in four dimensions:
• System level, this level is individual and inter-organizational.
• Learning modes, which are cognitive and cultural.
• Learning typology, that could be adaptive or proactive.
• Learning process, in which there is an exchange and diffusion of knowledge and information.

Finally, I’m going to explain and show a little bit of the Russian business protocol.

d. Business Protocol
The Russian businesses are distinguished for being honest, developed in an environment of patience. It’s important to highlight that when you are making business with Russians there is a scenario of win-lose, because they don’t think that could be win-win scenarios.



WORK ETHICS –VIETNAM-

The Vietnamese culture is recognized for being a masculine society. It’s also characterized because they consider that actions are more important that words, this “slogan” is of high importance among them.

Ethics in Organizations
According to the presentation, the ethics of an organization “is how an organization ethically responds to an internal or external stimulus”
When we talk about ethics in organizations is important to highlight the following aspects:

a. Business Ethics
When we talk about business ethic, we are referring to the way that worker should act with business, taking in account that they should be responsible and act in the right way.

b. Corporate Compliance
The corporate compliance is when companies are focused on fulfilling the international and national laws and regulations, with the purpose of making their processes in the right way.

c. Corporate Governance
The corporate governance are all the laws, rules and regulations that executives, managers and CEOs use to control themselves and achieve all the responsibilities that were assigned by the stake holders.

d. Corporate Responsibility
The corporate responsibility means that every company must comply with the obligations that it has with its customers or stakeholders.

e. Corporate Social Responsibility
The corporate social responsibilities are all those obligations and responsibilities that the companies have with the societies, in order to achieve the progress and protection of this.

Based on the presentation, there are two different approaches related to the ethics within organizations, which are:
Individualistic approach, which means, that every person belonging a firm is responsible for its own attitude, action and behavior.

Communal approach, says that every community is responsible for the behavior of the members that belong that community.

Vietnamese Business Culture
The Vietnamese business culture is characterized for being very conservative. Within this business culture is respected the hierarchical structure that there is in the firms and in the bargaining. It’s also important to make formal and structured contracts that must written in English and in Vietnamese.

After explaining the Vietnamese business protocol and culture and, about Ethics in Organizations there is one important topic to highlight are the Work Conditions in Vietnam, these working conditions are deplorable and unethical, because most of the people that works in great multinationals, that people do not receive the legal benefits and the correct payment.

The Vietnamese in response to this abuse, have created work unions in order to protect and enforce all their rights.



COMMUNICATION AND TEAM WORK – USA-

a. Organizational Culture in USA
Based on what was explained in the presentation, the organizational culture of the American firms is oriented to achieve results and receive short-term benefits. The organizations are recognized for having vertical structure, in which every worker and manager has a visible responsibility and its own supervisor. Finally, the organizational culture of the firms is characterized for its individualism, masculinity, long-term orientation, power distance and uncertainty avoidance.

b. Communication and team work

Communication
The communication within organizations has many problems, because there cultural, language and gender difficulties that disrupt the well communication among the workers. The American’s communication style is a mix of aggressive communication for business and assertive communication for regular conversations.
The communication can be divided in the following styles:
• Aggressive communication: problems to understand and communicate with the others.
• Passive communication: this communication is recognized for being very peaceful, and the members that integrate this communications tend to accept and be agreeing with everything.
• Passive-aggressive communication: this type of communication is very manipulated and the parties try to achieve their own goals without taking in account the necessities of the other.
• Assertive communication: is the perfect way to communicate, because parties express directly, honestly which allow them to create a pleasant environment.

Team Work
When we talk about team works we are referring to a group of people that work together in order to achieve the same objectives and goals, but fulfilling the following aspects: good communication, coordination, balance of contributions and efforts.

Working groups in USA tend to work in a very integrated way, in order to comply and achieve the goals assigned to them; however one disadvantage of American team works is that these groups tend to be replaced with new member when they initiate new projects.

c. Traditional Management Style
The management style of USA is distinguished for being very individualistic, which means that every manager and worker is focused in their own responsibilities and departments of work.
The way that managers manage their departments is not really adequate for some people, because as an example, American managers use to disregard the opinions and ideas of the subordinates.

d. Business protocol
The American business protocol is a mix of formal and informal aspects. When managers are making business, they tend to use an aggressive communication for the purpose to achieve the goals that they want to reach.
One of the most important aspects to make business with American managers is the presentation, for them these presentations are essential for decision-making.
Finally, is important to understand its culture, customs and values of the American executives, with purpose of reaching a successful business process.


BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Team’s presentations and explanations.
- Image Motivation. Genesis Blogging. Self-Motivation. (Online: http://genesisblogging.com/887/motivation-in-the-workplace-self-motivation-101/%C2%93motivation%C2%94-road-sign-with-dramatic-clouds-and-sky/)
- Image Motivation 2. Work Place Cartoons and Comics. (Online: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/w/work_place.asp)
- Image Manager. HOSIER, Fred. Is this guy the toughest boss ever?. (Online: http://www.hrblunders.com/tag/tough-boss/)
- Image Organizational Learning. Squidoo. So What's The Big Idea?. (Online: http://www.squidoo.com/organizationallearning)
- Image Work Ethic. Cartoon stock. Work Ethics Cartoons and Comics.(Online: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/w/work_ethic.asp)
- Image Protocol. Persona Blog. (Online: http://www.japanikuiku.com/)
- Image Communication. Photo by: RODRIGUEZ, Andrés. (Online: http://www.masternewmedia.org/es/2007/02/14/marketing_online_los_medios_tradicionales.htm)
- Image Teamwork. Aprendizaje situacional: una perspectiva integradora. (Online: http://docencia-temasvanzadosdeaprendizaje.blogspot.com/)

North Korea & Emotions in the Workplace

September 21st, 2010


Well the last class, we made a discussion and watched a video about the situation in North Korea; and then there was a presentation about Emotions in the workplace focused on Japan.

North Korea
North Korea is known for being a totalitarian country, in which the last and actual president are seen as a godlike figures, which makes that all the citizens must show respect and allegiance to them. Within the society the president is seen as person that never is wrong and as someone that has the right answer for everything.
The country is presented as a militarized country, where everything is focused on recruiting men to integrate the army and being available to serve to its president.
As was shown in the video anyone arriving to the country is accompanied by a "guide" that acts as vigilant and informant, who has the power to decide if a tourist can stay or has to go taking in account the tourist’s behave.
The country's infrastructure is geared to military defense, with large military weapons, which they say is for their own defense.
They have a great road infrastructure, for not passing cars because as there is absence of private property, only those who belong to the government can have car.
North Korea is characterized for being a country, in where their leaders create false truths with the objective to look good in front of the international community.
Finally, North Korea is recognized for being a totalitarian regime, that prohibits the free expression and to take their own decisions, because if they try to do that the can be punished.


Now I’m going to make a brief summary about the presentation Emotions in the workplace focused on Japan. I’m going to explain the traditional management style, business protocol and organizational culture in Japan; and explanation of the Emotions in the workplace.
First of all, Japan is one of the most important economies of the world; it’s also characterized for their development of technologies and manufactures. Its culture is influenced by Taoist, Confucian, Asian and Western ideas.

Traditional Management Style

According to the presentation, the management style is focused on cooperation and mutual obligation, rather than equality. The traditional Japanese management style is characterized for its efficiency within the firms and businesses.
The management is characterized for the scientific management, which emphasizes the role of management and direction within processes. This process of management is distinguished for consensual and decentralized decision-making, in creation of good relations among workers, etc.

Organizational Culture
Based on the explanation made by the team, the Japanese organizational culture is based in eight principles:
• National Identity
• The notion of Confucianism
• Loyalty
• Group Orientation
• Formal authority and personal influence
• Obligations
• Closed business culture
• Business trust
These are the fundamental principles that should be within a Japanese organization in order to be success.

Emotions in the workplace
First of all, emotions “are psychological and physiological episodes experienced toward an object, person, or events that create a state of readiness”

When we talk about emotions in the work place, we refer to the way that people control and manage their emotions during interpersonal contact. Many times, within the organizations workers have to show and abide good emotions when they are in contact with co-workers, suppliers, executives, etc.

Business Protocol
As I have explained in previous blogs, the business protocol is how people should behave when they are in contact with colleagues when making business, trying to adapt to the customs, traditions and protocols during the bargains. Based on the presentation, some protocols are:
• Japanese prefer to do business on the basis of personal relationships.
• Appointments are required to do in several weeks in advance.
• It is best to phrase questions so that they can answer yes.
• Business cards are really important, etc.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Teacher’s explanation.
- Video about North Korea.
- Presentation of Emotions in the workplace – Japan -
- Image. Managing emotions. (Online: http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/skills/emotions.html)
- Image Japanese protocol. Japanese Etiquette & Protocol. (Online: http://www.culturalsavvy.com/jp_etiquette.htm)

Expatriates & Migration II

September 15th, 2010


Expatriates & Migration II

Keeping with the topic of Expatriates and migration, I’m going to add some concepts to make this topic much clearer. I’ll also make a brief summary of the presentation about The role of workers and migrant workers in South Korea.
The last objective of this blog is to answer the question made by the teacher about the cultural difference between North Korea and South Korea.

First of all I’m going to add some concepts about expatriates and migration based on the teacher’s explanation:

Hostile Reception
Within this concept there is one really important which is xenophobic that is the fear for foreign people. According to the explanation, human’s mind and people prefer to deal with what they know. The social invisibility is another concept that is related with this topic, because the society and the governments ignore many times immigrants, which causes many times troubles within the societies. Also there is a political, economical and legal abandonment, which do not offer them many guarantees in the country in which they are staying. Another really important and which is really common within the countries that receive many immigrants is the discrimination.

Informal Organizations
One issue that is really common within the countries, are the informal organizations, which are “organizations that operate in illegality but not with antisocial objectives. They had in mind legal goals.” These organizations are characterized because, they don’t have high technology, there is not a well-established organizational structure and finally they are not legally registered and constituted.
Within these informal organizations are the informal workers who are the ones that are self-employees, sometimes they are unpaid family employees and for many other reasons.
Some elements that characterize the informal organizations and workers are the high or low entry or exit of barriers, the abuse of power, the irregular salaries for workers, the illegal control of certain activities, the lack of control by the government, etc.
The informal jobs and organizations cause many social problems, some of them are: they don’t pay taxes, no warranties for products and workers and, social discomfort among the people.

Finally the reasons that cause these informal situations are the migrations, the absence of the government, unemployment and, the lack of legal and financial opportunities for the people.

Before answering the teacher’s question I’m going to make a brief summary about the presentation The role of workers and migrant workers in South Korea.
First of all I’ll begin explaining about the role of the workers which means that now a days workers have to be well prepared, achieving all their activities, goals and using all their skill with the purpose of being effective. Another concept to take in account is the migrant worker “is a person who is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which he or she is not a national” that goes to another country trying to find a better opportunity of job.
Before explaining the traditional management in South Korea, I’ll say that South Korea is located in the southern of the Korean peninsula; its economy is based on industries, agriculture, automobile productions, etc.

Traditional Management Style
The Korean management style is well influenced by the Japanese style. Its management is characterized for being planned, organized, controlled, led and motivate which allow them to have a successful management.

Organizational Culture
Within the Koreans organizations, workers develop good relations among them and also with their colleagues. Also is really important to spend a lot of time to create good relations.
Something that allows having good work relations between employees and manager is spending some times among them, with the purpose to consolidate these relations.

Business Protocol
As I have explained in previous blogs, the business protocol is how people should behave when doing business with others colleagues, trying to adapt to the customs, traditions and protocols during making business.
Based on the presentation for South Koreans is really important to respect their Korean etiquette, including respect for positions and hierarchy; taking in account all their manners, how to greet, talk and the right dresses to use.

To end this blog I’m going to answer the question made by the teacher about, why is there a cultural difference between North and South Korea?

The main reason that caused this cultural difference was the Korean War. First of all, because South Korea was influenced by the democracy which gave them the freedom and liberty that allow to that society to be more prosperous and with an open mind; while North Korea was influenced by the communism of the URSS, which created among their country a hostile space that is close to the rest of the world.
It was from this war that began this cultural difference, there are differences of thoughts, religions, cultures, manners and ideologies between the two societies. Based on the article of Rit Nosotro “What caused the differences between North and South Korea?” the North Korean immigrant that receives South Korea are treated in a different way because they are not related with that new system, most of the time they are discriminated because between them they have dialect differences. Their religious thoughts are different, because North Koreans have their President as a godlike figure, while most of South Koreans accept the existence of God.


Bibliography
Teacher’s explanation and presentation.

Team’s presentation and explanation “The role of workers and migrant workers in South Korea.”

NOSOTRO, Rit. The differences between North and South Korea. (Online: http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t3w30korea.htm).

Image Informal Organization. Design Studio. Informal Organizational Structure. (Online: http://organizationalstructure.department-k.com/informalorganizationalstructure/)

Image Cultural Differences. Thoughtpick’s blog. (Online: http://blog.thoughtpick.com/2010/03/10-ways-to-manage-your-social-media-staff.html)

Migrants Worker’s image. MailOnline. SLACK, James. Labour finally admits minuscule benefit each migrant brings to Britain - just 58p a week. (Online: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-553548/Labour-finally-admits-minuscule-benefit-migrant-brings-Britain--just-58p-week.html)

EXPATRIATES AND MIGRATION

Monday, September 6th 2010


EXPATRIATES AND MIGRATION

Well after we finish the topic related to the manager and its different roles within the organizations; the last class we started the topic the expatriates and migration in the companies and there was a presentation about the Merging Processes and some information about the organizational culture and business protocol in China.
I’m going to start making the explanation about what is expatriates and migration in companies, based on the presentation made by the teacher.

Probably we can think that expatriate and migration is the same thing, but there is an important difference between this two, which is:
Expatriate: “is a professional that temporally or permanently is residing in a different country from where he/she is, because he has skills, works in his own profession and has an advantage in the company that he is going in the other country”.

Expatriates in the companies are really important because they bring the knowledge and experience that they have to that organization, with the purpose of fulfilling the job that the company is requiring and that cannot be done by a local worker because maybe it doesn’t have the experience and ability to fulfill it. Another important aspect about expatriates is that they become ambassador of their culture in the foreign country; they have the complete support of the organization because they are the ones that have the ability and experience to manage.

Migration: “is a phenomenon in which an individual or group moves from its habitat towards a new location, implying permanence in the new place”.

When we talk about migration, we’re referring to a change from one country to another or the change from one culture to another. The people that migrates has to adapt to a new culture and to find another job different from which they performed in their home country.
We have to identify two concepts related with the migration, which are:
• Immigration.
• Emigration.
There are many reasons that cause migration at a national and transnational level, which are:
• Armed conflicts.
• Health and education situations.
• Environmental conditions.
• Economic difficulties, etc


Well after this explanation about expatriates and migration, I’m going to make a summary about the presentation made in class about Merging Processes in Organizations, and a bit refer to the Business Protocol and the Organizational Culture in China.

I. Traditional Management Style -China-
Before star talking about the traditional management in China, I’ll begin saying that China is one of the most populous states of the world, is governed by the Communist Party of China. It’s characterized for a high educational system, a multi-religious country and a culture based on the traditional Chinese values and for the influence of the Confucianism.
Now talking about the traditional management, the Chinese management is characterized by the directive, which means that the senior manager assigns the responsibilities to it directs managers that these ones then will give the instructions to the others. Within the company managers should be seen with respect and loyalty, which have the responsibility to seek a general interest in the organization for the proper functioning of this.

II. Merging Process.
A merging process is a “business combination transaction involving the combination of two or more companies into a single entity.”, the merging process should be approved by the company’s shareholders. This process is characterized for seven steps:
• Planning and preparation.
• Marketing.
• Relationship building and negotiation.
• Due diligence.
• Approvals and communication.
• Conversion.
• Post-merger.
Apart from the difficulties of financing, due diligence, closing and taxation; the purpose of the merging process is to create shareholders values, gain an important market share and also be more efficient within the organization.

III. Organizational Culture in China.
Within the Chinese organizational culture there is an important business element that is the “guanxi” this explains the relationships and the connections within the Chinese organizations, which will give the right support and cooperation among the Chinese workers.

IV. Business Protocol.
Within the Chinese Business Protocol is really important the communication and the information, the communication because you’ll need and intermediary to make business and, the information because you have to inform to your business partner about you company.
Punctuality and making appointments for business meeting is really important for the Chinese executives. It’s also important to make a previous agenda and send to the Chinese colleagues with the purpose of having a more successful meeting. Pay a lot of attention to business cards and show respect and patience during the business negotiations.
These are some tips for when you are going to make business with Chinese managers.


To end this topic, I will answer the question made by teacher about which should be my attitude or role with immigrants.


I’ll begin saying that immigrants as people who are looking for a better quality of life in other countries, that tries to give to their families a better future.
Instead of showing an attitude of rejection and contempt for them, I should show an attitude of respect, tolerance, and solidarity. Apart from this being a hospitable person seeking to collaborate on what they need but everything within legal limits. All this in order to have a better life with them, avoiding the bad disagreements, and thus achieving a peaceful and livable coexistence.


BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Teacher's explanation and presentation.

- Merging Process -China-. Team's presentation.

- Image Expatriate. Sanjeev Himachal. Challenges for Expatriates – Assimilating in new Culture and Country. (Online: http://sanjeevhimachali.blogspot.com/2009/08/challenges-for-expatriates-assimilating.html)

- Image. Merging Process. PONTEFRACT, Dan. IT & HR: Should they merge?. (Online: http://www.danpontefract.com/?p=499).

- Image Migration. Emigrating Cartoons and Comics. (Online: http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/directory/m/migration.asp)