Merger Management of Kraft and Cadbury

Merger Management of Kraft and Cadbury Nowadays, organisations must actively develop and adapt appropriate changes that fit the dynamic environment. This highlights the importance of change management in judging how flexible and responsive an organisation is. As more companies expand and diversify, it is inevitable that smaller organisations are now looking into merger with bigger organisations to boost their share of their market. Bigger organisations are also attracted by the opportunities of entering untapped emerging markets. Therefore, the nature of change that we will be investigating in this report is merger and acquisition (MA). We will relate this change to USs Kraft Foods Incorporated, as the company recently acquired UKs Cadbury. The issues we have selected to focus on are in the following order: leadership and communication, cultural change, and staff resistance. Leadership is chosen because leadership is critical to determine the success of an acquisition. Firstly, due to the huge number of employees involved, the choice of an appropriate leadership style is vital to ensure integration in both companies is a smooth process. Next, an effective leadership will improve the productivity of both companies through the efficient allocation of resources to achieve the organizational strategic goals. Communication is chosen because the acquisition will raise doubts among Cadburys employees on their roles in the new company and its vision and goals. The feeling of uncertainty about their future could lead to a dip in their morale and low productivity at work. Thus, it is essential for Kraft to use an appropriate communication strategy to increase the awareness of the employees of any impending change initiatives. Culture is chosen because of the diverse cultures between Kraft and Cadbury. Cadbury was founded on Quaker ethics to build a socially benign business. This philosophy helped Cadbury to build a world-class brand that is close to the hearts of the British people. In contrast, Kraft is more of a performance driven company with decades of profit driven mergers and demergers. Thus, it is essential for Kraft to identify and value the cultural differences as sources of synergy and efficiency in order to manage the acquisition process effectively. Staff resistance is chosen because management and employees made up the core structure of the organisation. The policies undertaken by these personnel and behaviour exhibited can have an immediate and vital impact on determining how organisation functions. In the horizontal acquisition of Cadbury, Kraft must also be able to seek equilibrium for integrating the staff from both sets of organisation. Conflicts at management levels, diverse working styles and even motivational approaches are some situations that may hinder and pose challenges. Before implementing any change initiatives, we recommend Kraft to conduct diagnosis of the three issues mentioned above. 2.0 Leadership and Communication 2.1 Definition of Leadership Koontz and ODonnell (1955, pg 17) the activity of persuading people to cooperate in the achievement of a common objective 2.1.1 Adairs Action Centred Leadership Duberly (2010) Adairs Action Centred Leadership model points out that a leader can only be successful when he is able to meet all three areas of needs task, individual and team maintenance needs- by helping his followers achieve the objectives of the common tasks, generate team dynamics and cater to the individuals needs. 2.1.2 Case-Study Rebecca Johnson (2008) The case study of Refresh Yourself illustrates Britvics use of Adairs action centred leadership to revive their company. For meeting task needs, the use of the balanced scorecard system with job descriptions provided their employees with a clearer understanding of their duties and responsibilities. With that, it helped to set the direction for employees to achieve their objectives. For meeting individual needs, the use of a performance management system with a core set of behaviours allows the employees to know how effectively they are performing relative to expectations. With a performance-based rewards system, Britvic motivated their employees by rewarding them accordingly as a form of recognition. For meeting team maintenance needs, a workshop session was conducted for the leaders of Britvic to reflect on their leadership. The insights gained proved to be very beneficial to them in their role as a leader as survey results showed that the employee engagement increased from 55% to 70% and employees confidence in leadership leapt to 72%. 2.1.3 Recommendations For meeting task needs, Kraft needs to provide a detailed road map which includes specific and clear goals, a detailed approach for achieving these goals, and a list of resources and time required to reach these goals. With that, Kraft and Cadbury can identify common goals so that the employees from both companies can work together on common projects in order for a smooth integration to occur. In the case of Kraft, the closure of Cadburys Somerdale plant led to a loss of 400 jobs. This caused the Cadburys employees morale to decline as they were fearful of further jobs losses. More importantly, this caused a loss of trust in the leadership of the organisation. Thus, Kraft should make a pledge to them that there will be no further job losses and factory closures to assure them of their job security. This form of assurance will restore their morale and bring about greater productivity within the team to meet the team maintenance needs. For meeting individual needs, Kraft should acknowledge employees achievements by offering rewards to keep them motivated. The rewards can be offered in the form of the cafeteria rewards system which offers employees the ability to choose a combination of benefits that best suit their needs. 2.1.4 Transformational Leadership Bass, B. M. (1990) There are four factors which make up a transformational leader, namely, charisma, inspiration, intellectual stimulation and individualized attention. Firstly, a transformational leader exudes charisma and instils pride in employees within the organisation. He creates vision to guide his followers and as engines of change within the organisation. They are deemed as role models. Secondly, a transformational leader communicates optimism about future goals to inspire his followers. Thirdly, he uses intellectual stimulation which encourages innovation and creativity in approaches towards identifying and solving problems. Lastly, he shows individualized attention by addressing his followers concerns and providing them with training for self-development. 2.1.5 Case-Study Catherine Monthienvichienchai (2007) The case study of Korea Ladder illustrates how Jonathan Cormack took on the role of a transformational leader. He united the two organisations behind a shared vision to inspire his employees. They were placed in groups for a discussion to help them realise the shared vision. He also fostered workplace creativity by conducting workshop sessions which were not a common practice in a Korean workforce. It was used as a form of intellectual stimulation to instil a sense of belonging in the employees. The positive feedback received from the employees proved that it was a success. He showed individualized consideration for the staff when he convinced the union that the foreign executives should not be removed as their experience and strengths possessed were essential to bring the bank to the next level. 2.1.6 Recommendations As the acquirer, Kraft needs to unite the two companies under one vision by offering communication programs that support the shared vision. The programs can be in the form of workshop sessions which creates a participative environment to foster a sense of belonging and involvement among employees. This environment would enable Kraft and the employees to work out a mutually satisfying outcome (i.e. a win-win situation). Next, Kraft must work at gaining the trust and respect of Cadburys employees to prevent the defection of talented people. Kraft can do so by bringing talents from both organisations together to work jointly on projects. This will encourage employees to focus on their similarities rather than their differences.The organisations various departments need to be restructured and processes must be redesigned to align with Krafts vision. 2.2. Communication 2.2.1 Definition of Communication Newman Summer (1977, pg 12) Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons. Communication Process Duberly (2010) Communication begins when the transmitter encodes a message to convey an idea, the receiver then decodes the message to achieve understanding. The context of a message refers to the non verbal cues conveyed by the transmitter to the receiver. The perceptual filter actually influences the way the message is transmitted. It ends with the receiver providing feedback to the transmitter to evaluate the effectiveness of the message. For effective communication on change, we will focus on three communication strategies. Firstly, spray and pray is used when employees are showered with a wide variety of information, and managers pray that staff will pick up what is needed to be done. Secondly, tell and sell is used when management attempts to both inform employees on changes and sell them on why they are required to the passive employees. Lastly, underscore and explore is used when management engages employees in a dialogue about the change process and seeks to identify obstacles and the misunderstandings that need to be addressed. Lastly, withhold and uphold is used when information is withheld until it is absolutely necessary to release it. 2.2.2 Case-Study Sarah Butcher (2005) The case city of Recovery plan illustrated the use of tell and sell as a communication strategy to persuade the bankers at Citigroup to be receptive to the new performance appraisal and compensation system. With regards to the revised compensation system, Citigroup need to sell to their bankers the idea that bonus payout will not be solely based on reaching financial targets but also dependent upon comprehensible understanding of the shared responsibilities. Another communication strategy adopted by Citigroup was spray and pray in educating their employees on the ethics and the banks code of conduct. It is a top down and one way communicating approach as the responsibility of communicating the acquired knowledge to the rest of the employees falls on the shoulder of 3000 senior employees at Citigroup. 2.2.3 Recommendations For effective communication, Kraft can adopt the underscore and explore method whereby they conduct a transparent and truthful dialogue with the employees to address the differences in culture and to identify any constraints for the change to be implemented. Kraft can also go beyond reassuring the Cadbury employees of their motive regarding the closure of the Somerdale plant. Since this is a two-way communicating process, the feedback generated from the active employees will be useful in resolving misunderstandings and build consensus on key issues. Kraft has to be cautious especially when dealing with redundancies. The communications, compensations, and benefits for redundant workers need to be clear and direct so as to build trust and commitment. In addition, they should also take a closer look at the effects of survivors (remaining workers) who suffered from low morale and decreasing commitment, trust and loyalty towards the organisation after the merger. Kraft can being by educating and persuading survivors of their good intentions by accounting personally for their action. On the other hand, the survivors need to be informed of their specific job roles and entitlements. Unless companies try to deal with this survivor syndrome by demonstrating to the remaining employees that the process for determining redundancies was transparent and professional, and those made redundant were treated fairly and lawfully, the general productivity and morale are less likely to be affected adversely. 3.0 Cultural change 3.1 Definition of Culture Drennan (1992) defined organisational culture as, Culture is how things are done around here. It is what is typical of the organisation, the habits, the prevailing attitudes, the grown-up pattern of accepted and expected behaviour. And as aptly phrased, culture is the key factor for making or breaking a merger and acquisition dealÂÂ ­. (Accenture, 2000) 3.1.1 Understanding Organisational Culture To better understand organisational culture, different methods are used, one being the Onion skin (Duberley 2010, modified from Schein 1992, 2004) Schein suggests three levels to organisational ÂÂ ­ structure: artefacts (e.g. language, environment, rituals), espoused values (organisations strategies, goals, philosophies) and basic underlying assumptions level (subconscious perceptions, thoughts and feelings that are the ultimate source of values and actions). Onion Skin (modified from Schein) 3.1.2 Sources of Organisational Culture The founder, organisational history, industry and size of the organisation impact its culture. (Duberley, 2010) Organisational culture is also reflected by national cultures and professional subcultures. (Hofstede, 1981) 3.1.3 Influence of National Culture The difference in various elements of a country such as languages, laws, values and attitudes will lead to one nations culture diverging significantly from another (Hofstede, 1980; Tayeb, 1989; Wilson, 1992) As an example of national culture, Adler (1997) describes Americans strong individualistic tendencies evidenced in their language such as trounced the opposition, and their human resource management based on individual knowledge and skills. (Calori and De Woot, 1994; Hemel Hempstead: A European Management Model Beyond Diversity), we understand that though organisational culture in the United Kingdom has similarities with the United States, certain significant differences include the adversarial relationships with labour, the tradition of the manager as a gifted amateur (as opposed to the professionalism of US managers) and the influence of class differences in the firm. 3.1.4 Cadburys and Krafts Culture Cadburys culture stems from its founder of Quaker origins: a paternalistic and philanthropic culture, which also focuses on the well being of groups rather than the individual. This translates to the idea that the leader knowing what is best for the organisation and its followers: (i.e. leaders as expert father figures). Cadburys culture of principled capitalism is what makes Cadbury great and it has successfully built a socially benign business. Cadbury has a loyal workforce that consists of staff and managers who have been in the organisation for a long period. Cadbury has a long tradition of high quality production and most of its factories make use of its local community, thereby ensuring that the brand itself is close to the hearts of locals. What this translates to is a family orientated and communal working atmosphere where staff takes strong pride in their work. Krafts culture is more performance oriented and is more focused on the meeting of sales and performance goals. Kraft is the quintessential traditional multinational business firm. There is a mercenary culture present; most staff and managers perform in relation to the rewards they get. Most rewards they expect are material and on an individual basis. Furthermore, Kraft is very much interested in destroying competition and seeks many alternatives and ways to ensure they are always ahead of competitors. Krafts culture is less communal and the working atmosphere is unlike a family atmosphere, in that people view each other as merely working colleagues and do not share deep friendships with one another. Staff and managers in Kraft are productive and focused in their work and most of them have a passion for business. 3.1.5 Potential of Post-Acquisition Culture Clash The acquisition will damage Cadburys current culture as the striking differences between Cadbury and Krafts culture may damage Cadbury existing successful culture of principled capitalism. This would bring about lower morale and performance and de-motivated staff. Krafts competitive and goal orientated culture might cause staff burn out amongst the Cadbury employees as they may feel insecure and uncertain. Krafts mercenary culture may create a lack of trust, which will weaken Cadbury staffs strong loyalty. By joining an American company, Cadbury risks losing UK benefits schemes to American procedures. Also, consumers may feel betrayed by the loss of its original organisational goals, resulting in a weakened brand. However, one advantage is that Cadburys shareholders will profit through the acquisition with the worlds second largest food manufacturing company. 3.1.6 Case-Study (Quote your Reference)SCB (an America-originated company) acquired and merged with KFB. SCB was successful with the merging of cultures due to effective communication, the understanding of the differences in cultures and the understanding that If you dont stretch things at all then nothing will change, but if you stretch things too far or too fast youll leave people behind. The approaches SCB used were the Conciliative, Educative and Corrosive approach, evidenced in the heavy use of consultation, training and use of networking. With this, they successfully overcame problems of national culture and cultural change such as: over-enthusiastic labour unions and differences in management styles, to name a few. What Kraft and Cadbury can learn from this is the importance of communication and flexibility in the use of approaches. 3.1.7 Recommendations Because culture is an essential element in an organisation, culture analysis should play a major role in an acquisition. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis exists in corporate culture: visual artefacts or manifestations of the organisation, the espoused values and basic assumptions (The Onion skin model) of the organisation have to be properly evaluated. This is essential to better understand the Krafts inner-workings and most importantly, its employees and their feelings toward the acquistion. The difference in national cultures of a UK in comparison to US organisation also impacts organisations greatly. Thus, Kraft should exercise patience and understanding to ensure that culture change is implemented and not resisted. (Whittle et al (1991:3) We understand that culture change is not a single event but an ongoing sequence of changes. Flexibility is important, as different stages of the change program may require appropriate approaches. 4.0 Resistance and Resentment Felt by Cadbury Employees 4.1 Definition of Individual and Change We will be illustrating the definition using case-study of the acquisition of Cadbury by Kraft. The process involves organisation undergoing a transformative change. This is so as the nature of change is large-scale and fundamental. At the same time, the effect is permanent and can be observed in the long-run. This issue raises the question of uncertainty which in turn, brought about greater anxiety. According to Schein E. et al. elaboration on Kurt Lewins(1951) Three-Step Model, anxiety can be broken down to two major forms survival and learned anxiety. The former pushes for change while the latter obstructs change. In order to integrate the change, Scheins theories suggest an inclination towards minimizing the learning anxieties. Generally, there are three areas we will be investigating with regards to the case-study. Firstly, the consideration of parochial self-interest which will need us to look into how the various groups in organisation will react upon their immediate interests in the company. With a likely shift in management, Cadbury staff will be reassigned to new job roles and positions in Kraft Inc. this may affect the individuals and probably also management. A possible reshuffling of manpower by HR will see the Cadbury staff go through a series of re-employment tests to allocate them to suitable tasks. This means that potential loss of authority and power especially for the executives and leaders of Cadbury relevant to their positions resulting in a conflict between their self-interests and the organizations interests. Therefore, the move to quit by the staff may be explained by this clash of interests. Next, the misunderstanding may be another consideration since the top management could be inconsistent in conveying their messages while middle-level managers could have failed to communicate clearly and on a constant basis to employees. They may put off the delivery of what they deemed as negative news. At the same time, employees are interpreted to be in denial and avoid the truth. They are sceptical of success and are unwilling to move out of their comfort zone to embrace change. Lastly, the tolerance for change is low as the former Cadbury staff may take huge pride in how they go about doing their work. Kraft personnel think otherwise and what they thought to be desirable for the organisation could be in contradiction with the new staff. The former Cadbury staff may reject changes while Kraft personnel likewise will stick to their ways of carrying out tasks. We will look into the Model of Stages of Psychological Reaction by Hayes and Hyde (1996) adapted from Elizabeth Kubler-Ross(1969) and see how it affects the individual change of Cadbury worker. Model of Stages of Psychological Reaction When Kraft Inc. based in the America announces the acquisition of UKs Cadbury on February 2010, there was first, feelings of shock among the stakeholders and also the employees of both companies as the ongoing speculation has been realized. Upon the acquisition of Cadbury, subsequently Kraft drew up plans to smooth the process of integration of the UK-based competitor into the confectioner family. However, at this stage the general sentiments among the people involved are denial. The employees may find it difficult to come out of this particular stage. Implementation of the changes to the different levels of organisation as Kraft begins to incorporate and find a fit for the new employees, new teams and new managers. At this stage, employees may experience depression and letting go but the main idea is that most personnel will not be able to come out of the previous stage so they will have regress or stay put in the previous phase. Thus, not all will complete this cycle. Some may progress beyond and enter the acceptance and testing stage which we believe to consist of majority to be the lower level of staff and employees while the senior management figures most probably regress or stay in the denial stage or even move on to another company highly likely for the case according to the article 120 of 165 Cadbury Staff Leave Since Krafts Takeover on webpage http://www.foodanddrinkdigital.com/sectors/food-manufacturing/120-165-cadbury-staff-leave-kraft-takeover. Case Study (Quote your reference) In January 2005, Gillette was acquired by PG. The merger resulted in around 6000 job cuts which was equal to 4% of the combined workforce of the two companies. The process of post-merger integration of these two companies faced an inevitable resistance. A number of people were told that they had joined what they thought was a long-term employer with sufficient size and famous brand. They felt that Gillette was a leader in the industry on many fronts. Not only were some Gillette staff personally unprepared for the takeover, because they often felt that their company was the better one, they also did not believe in the tremendous opportunities that were promised by top management from PG. Gillette employees had to face the unpleasant dilemma of whether moving to PG (and coming to terms with the changes) or leaving the company. PG and Gillette essentially had two different corporate cultures. Employees of Gillette hoped that Gillette, because they had been so large and successful, would be able to influence PG post-acquisition. But hoping for that was a complete utopia, as one former employee said. Gillette was absorbed into PG and very little from its culture was left, another said. Rather than change, employees voluntarily but reluctantly left the jobs they thought they would have until retirement. (Quote your Reference) In a joint press release at the time of their merger in 1997, the president of Daimler-Benz, JÃ ¼rgen Schrempp, and the president of Chrysler, Robert Eaton, declared that there will be no plant closures or layoffs as a result of the merger. However in 2000, the company announced there would be between 20000 and 40000 job cuts in the North American Chrysler division. Schrempp, by then the DaimlerChrysler president, claimed that the company was overstaffed by at least 6%. Announcing redundancies two or three years after the initial deal can cause even greater stress to the employees who thought that they were survivors. Employees are better prepared to handle the bad news straight after the transaction than two years later, after the newly merged culture has started to take shape when they thought they could rely on managements assurances regarding the merger, often accompanied, as in the Daimler/Chrysler example, with promises of no future redundancies. 4.1.2 Recommendations The negotiation and agreement approach would be much recommended. The resistance stems from Krafts inability to walk the talk of retaining the Somerdale plant in operation. On top of walking the talk, they are expected to keep behaviour consistent with messages, keep commitments and promises, and demonstrate some energy and enthusiasm regarding the change. Only then will team members feel they can take the next step of commitment. Kraft has to deploy the soft power to facilitate integration between the two cultures. The soft power provides an effective mean for Kraft to reach out to employees at a personal level. This promotes the establishment of a long-term positive relationship as empathy and communicating at employees level builds trust and strengthens their commitment to the organisation. 5.0 Conclusion In view of the acquisition of Cadbury, it is critical for Kraft to establish an effective leadership team to pave the way for a change programme. Kraft can adopt Adairs action leadership to have an overview of the three areas of need and ensure that they are met adequately. The success of the acquisition is also influenced by how well Kraft communicates to their employees on the change. Thus, Kraft should use the underscore and explore method to address the possible challenges and problems caused by culture differences. Due to the diverse cultures of Kraft and Cadbury, onion skin method can help Kraft identify the differences to prevent culture clash. With this in mind, Kraft can set directions for the management and employees to realign their styles of working to fit the companys vision. This will pave the way for Kraft to achieve their objectives and develop a strong standing corporate culture at the same time. Effective HR management may be a viable solution but in the long-run, in order to foster a harmonious relationship and spirit of unity among the management and employees. It is necessary to inculcate positive employee attitudes and promote willingness to learn with the acceptance of changes. Eventually, the organization can help staff to align their interests with those of the company so as to keep motivation high level across all departments. 6.0 Appendices 6.1 List of References References for Leadership Communication Type of Source Reference List Reference Books Bernard M. Bass, Ruth Bass (2008), Concepts of Leadership, The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications (4thedn), pg 17, Simon Schuster M V Rodriques(2000), The Meaning and Process of Communications, Perspectives of Communication and Communicative Competence, (1st edn), pg 12, Concept Publishing Company Bass, B. M. (1990), Organizational Dynamics, From Transactional to Transformational Leadership: Learning to Share the Vision, pg 22, Winter Case Studies Rebecca Johnson (2008), Refresh yourself, People Management Magazine, pg 32 Catherine Monthienvichienchai (2007), Climbing the Korea ladder, People Management Magazine, pg 30 Sarah Butcher (2005), Recovery plan, People Management Magazine, pg 34 Lecture Notes Duberly (2010), Change Management Lecture Notes References for Staff Resistance Type of Source Reference List Reference Books Esther Cameron Mike Green (2004,2009), Making Sense Of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models, Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change (2ndEdition) various Chapters Moeller S., (2009), Surviving MA: Make the Most of Your Company Being Acquired, John Wiley Sons Ltd Adolph G., Pettit J. and Sisk M., (2009), Merge Ahead: Mastering the Five Enduring Trends of Artful MA), Booz Company Inc Maginn M. D., (2007), Managing in time of change, McGraw-Hill Case Studies Gillette and Daimler Online Articles 120 of 165 Cadbury Staff Leave Since Kraft Takeover by Chris Farnell on July 29,2010 accessed on Saturday August 28, 2010 Kraft Gets Boost from Cadbury Thursday August 5, 2010 taken from The Wall Street Journal Earnings accessed on Saturday August 28, 2010 Kraft Criticised over Cadbury Factory Pledge May 26,2010 taken from BBC News Business accessed on Saturday August 28, 2010 Lecture Notes Duberly (2010), Change Management Lecture Notes Session 5 The Individual and Change Quotes Esther Cameron Mike Green (2004,2009), Making Sense Of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models, Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change (2ndEdition) What gets in the way of change: resistance to changeSchein E. Page 57, Kogan Page Limited, London UK

Alternative Sources of Energy Essay -- Energy Research Papers, 2015

As the population continues to increase day after day, so does the demand for oil and other natural resources. Eventually we will get to a point where we will need to find different ways of efficiently producing energy at a low cost. Twenty to thirty years ago it was hard to imagine what sources of energy (other than obvious possibilities like solar panels and windmills) that could efficiently supply the world. The advancement of technology today is opening new doors in the energy field that are likely to change the way we think about energy. With so many different sources of energy that are prevalent around the world, the challenge is found in harvesting and securing the energy at its source, and doing so in an efficient manner. I decided to do some research about possible future sources of energy, and my search turned up some interesting results. One of the most basic yet potentially worthwhile investments was found on an alternative energy website. This particular article talks about the use of flying wind farms. These flying wind farms are essentially "airborne turbines spinning at high altitudes sending power down via nano-tube cable tethers to generate power." Basically there would be two turbine's attached via the nano-tube cables that would fly high in the sky like kites. The strong wind from the high altitude would allow the turbines to capture and transmit the energy down the cables. The idea was being explored by NASA who said that the t...

Cultural Dilemma in the US Postal Service Essay

There are numerous cultural differences in our societies as a result of the numerous diverse cultures that people belong to. Each culture has its own ways of doing things with different cultural norms, values, perceptions, as well as behaviors. People from certain cultures will practice the values, norms and perceptions that their cultures belief in and therefore will end up having difficulties when interacting with people from different cultures who will have differing cultural norms, values and perceptions. These cultural differences are manifested in the workplace as different people from different cultures come together to work together for the common goal of the institution or organization they work for. Since our cultural values and norms influence our individual understandings and perceptions, people will react differently towards events and circumstances that could occur within us and in the environment. These differences in perceptions will affect how employees within an organization will interact with each other and work in harmony so as to satisfy the needs of the organization’s stakeholders. As such, cultural differences are a major concern for managers within organizations as they could help the organization achieve its objectives or hinder it from achieving them. The objectives of an organization are set in place by its stakeholders who have invested in the organization in one way or the other and expect to gain from such an investment in future. It is therefore the responsibility of managers to find a way in which the employees within an organization can work together in a seamless manner despite their differences in culture so as to ensure the organization operates continually for the common good of all stakeholders. The United States Postal Service The Postal Service is an agency authorized by the constitution of the United States and is responsible for the provision of postal services to the whole of the United States. Established in 1775 in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin through the enactment of a decree passed by the second continental congress, it experienced minimal growth and was later transformed in to its current form as an independent organization through the signing of the postal reorganization act of 1970 by President Nixon. As an independent organization, the postal service is self sufficient and does not rely on taxpayer’s money for its operations. The Postal Service’s mission is to offer the American people with trusted wide-reaching postal services that are at affordable prices. As such, the Postal Service is the only delivery service within the United States with the responsibility of providing all of the various features of a universal postal service at reasonably priced rates. The Postal Service conveys about 660 million mails to about 142 million delivery spot around the United States. Although the postal service enjoys a monopoly as contained in Article I, (8), (7) of the Constitution that grants the Postal Service with the special right to make delivery of letters in addition to the power to restrict the access to mailbox that are exclusively meant for mail. Its major competitors are United Parcel Service and FedEx. The postal service manages 32,741 post offices within the United States with a labor force of about 656,000 employees. Cultural differences of management and how they affect the US Postal Service The United States is a country that is full of cultural diversity with different cultural practices based on the numerous ethnic groups that live in the United States. The employees working in the postal service are drawn from these different cultural groups. As such, managers at the postal service have to deal with these differences effectively so as to ensure continues success of the organization. In doing so, managers need to be aware of and understand the seven dimensions of culture developed by Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner detailed in their book Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Diversity in Global Business. Below is a discussion of these seven dimensions. Universalism v/s Particularism This dimension is based on the view of how a culture perceives rules and relationships. Cultures that embrace universalism hold the belief that general rules, values, codes, norms and standards take preference over other particular needs, claims of friendship and other relations. In a society that is universalistic, the rules usually apply equally to all of the members of the universe (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). Exceptions to these rules are deemed as to weaken them. Universalism is based on finding rules that take a broad and general picture. In the event that there lacks a rule that fits for accomplishing something, universalism advocates for taking the alternative of establishing the most appropriate rule. Cultures that embrace Particularism perceive the ideal culture as one that is based on human friendship, and intimate relationships . People in these cultures view the spirit of the law as being more significant than the letter of the law. This has the effect that when the rules within a culture take a perfect fit, people in such a culture will judge the case based on the advantages of the law instead of attempting to force the rule to fit. Rules and regulations within particularistic cultures merely codify how people are supposed to relate to one another. Individualism v/s Communitarianism This dimension is based on the view of how members of a culture functions, whether in groups or as individuals. Individualism has a basis on rights that appertain to an individual. This is usually experienced in communities that have loose ties connecting their members resulting in an expectation of individuals to look after themselves. Individualism is aimed at giving individuals the right to personal space as well as the freedom of doing things as per individual liking (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). It permits each individual to develop or fail on an individual basis, as well as perceiving group-focus as striping the person of their absolute rights. Individualistic cultures are more egotistical and give emphasis to their personal goals. People resulting from individualistic cultures have a propensity of thinking only on personal basis. Communitarianism or collectivism is based on rights that appertain to a group. Collective cultures usually place a lot of emphasize on groups and are more concerned with the whole rather than on the single individual. Harmony as well as loyalty within a group are very imperative and ought to be maintained always (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). Confrontations of any kind are highly avoided with people using expressions and phrases that would describe an argument in less negative manner. Saying no to others is considered to be wrong and deemed as a way of destroying the harmony found within these groups. Neutral v/s Emotional Emotional or neutral perspectives are used in the description of how cultures articulate their emotions. Emotional cultures articulate their emotions in a natural way (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). This is witnessed in reactions that occur instantly through verbal and/or non-verbal means such as mimic as well as body signals. Members of the emotional culture unlike those in the neutral culture display a tendency of overreaction creating scenes. Emotional cultures are usually focused on the individual and rarely on the object or position of discussion. It is considered to be alright for one to use emotional intelligence when making decisions. It is also okay for people to show various forms of physical contact while in public and during the communication process. The neutral culture tends to avoid displaying emotions publically. This is based on the fact that neutral cultures do not reveal what they are thinking in a way that is more precise as well as direct (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). This is an aspect that has the likelihood of leading to misunderstandings. This is because emotions of a certain kind may not necessarily demonstrate a certain situation. Neutral cultures usually appear to be rather reserved, an aspect that cannot be viewed as an indication of their disinterest or boredom. This appearance of reservation is based on lack of emotional tone. On a general perspective they harbor feelings of discomfort over contact in public resulting in a mode of communication that is more subtle thus making it hard for members of another culture to understand. Specific vs. diffuse Specific cultures are those that usually have a small area reserved for privacy and its separated from the public life. People in these societies have many interactions with the outside world and are constantly involved in such activities such as socializing in various areas that involve many people. People from these cultures have a rather small amount of privacy preferring to share there interests with others who are within their groups of socialization (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). People from such a culture deal with specifics and will view the whole as a sum of these specific parts. The life of an individual is divided into several specific parts and one deals with one part at a time. Conversely, diffuse cultures are usually concerned with maintaining people’s privacy. People in these cultures will avoid any kind of confrontations in the public and have a high degree of privacy preferring to share just a small amount of their private life with other people especially strangers (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). People from diffuse cultures usually start with the whole before going down to the various parts that make it up. Each of the parts is viewed in the viewpoint of the whole total with all of these parts being related to one another. These people prefer attributes and behaviors that help build trust and honesty fostering the building of strong relationships. Achievement vs. ascription This dimension is concerned with the status accorded to individuals within cultures. In cultures that are achievement oriented, the status of an individual is based on the accomplishments that one has achieved and accomplished. Individuals from these cultures gain their status from the various things that they have accomplished on their own (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). A person with such a status has to show prove of what he or she is worth with the various powerful positions within the culture being accorded to people who have certain accomplishments. In cultures that are ascription oriented, the status of an individual is based on the groups that one is associated with. In ascriptive societies, individuals gain their status mainly through birth, gender, wealth, or age (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). A person who has an ascribed status does not necessarily have to accomplish something so as to preserve his status since his or her status is accorded based on his or her being. Sequential vs. synchronic This dimension is concerned with the attitude of a culture towards time. People who are from sequential cultures tend to carry out one thing at a time in a sequential manner . They examine time as distinct, and made up of consecutive divisions which are both tangible and divisible (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). People from these cultures strongly prefer to plan for their time and will keep to these plans once they made them so as to aid in implementation. Any time commitments that one might have are usually taken seriously and staying on schedule is considered an important aspect of time management. Sequential people in particular place a lot of importance on the value of completing of tasks. Conversely, people from cultures that are synchronic usually perform several tasks at a time. These cultures view time is a constant flow that allows many things and tasks to be carried out simultaneously (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). Time is perceived as a force that one can not be able to contain or control. Time is also regarded as flexible as well as intangible. Time commitments are often desirable but not absolute with plans that people could be having being easily changed. Internal vs. external control This dimension is concerned with the attitude of a culture towards the environment. In internal cultures, people usually posses a mechanistic outlook of nature. They perceive nature as an intricate machine and which can be directed if one has the correct expertise needed to do so. People from these societies do not believe in the existence of luck or any form of predestination (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). These people are directed towards the inside as one’s personal decision is usually deemed to be the starting position for each action that they will do. They also believe that one can live the kind of life that he or she wants to live if that are in a position to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that might come on the way. In addition, they believe that man is capable of dominating nature if he wishes to do so. . In external cultures, people usually posses an organic outlook of nature. They perceive that mankind is one of the forces of nature and should therefore operate in one accord and harmoniously with the rest of the environment. These cultures hold the believe that man should subdue to nature as well as get along with the other forces existing within the environment (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1998). These people do not believe in their ability of shaping their own destiny but rather hypothesize that nature moves in rather mysterious ways hence one can not never know what is going to happen in the future. As such, their actions are directed externally to the environment and are adapted to the external circumstances surrounding them. Conclusion Based on these seven dimensions, the American culture is individualistic, achievement, emotional, internal, sequential, universalistic, and specific. These dimensions have several implications that managers need to consider in order to make sure that the employees are able to work in a manner that benefits the organization as well as themselves especially in a large organization such as the postal service that employs over 600, 000 employees. In addition, due to the cultural diversity present in the United States and the growth of globalization, there are numerous citizens from different cultures in the United States that do not follow these seven dimensions of the American culture and therefore follow different aspects of the seven dimensions. With the postal service being a national agency that offers employment to all citizens irrespective of their cultural backgrounds, managers need to ensure that the employees are able to work in a manner that benefits the organization. This will require the managers to build cultural understanding through: †¢ Building awareness of cultural differences. †¢ Educating the employees on the various strengths and limitations of different cultures within the workplace †¢ Educating the employees on the Building skills the impact of cultural differences within the workplace †¢ Educating the employees on various adaptive behaviors that could help them to realize valuable results within a setting with cultural differences. †¢ Building unity and consistency through team working †¢ Developing a shared understanding and vision between the employees †¢ Establishing effective communication channels amongst the employees to facilitate quality exchange of ideas between themselves †¢ Establishing feedback mechanisms aimed at reviewing and improving the employee’s awareness of cultural differences. In addition, the managers need to come up with strategies that will enable the postal service to compete effectively. This will require them to actively develop: †¢ A shared understanding of the organization’s goals and objectives †¢ An acknowledgment of the significance of diversity in contributing towards expertise. †¢ A clear and shared comprehension of the role of professional pooling of skills and knowledge within the organization. Reference Trompenaars, F. , & Hampden-Turner, C. (1998). Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global Business. New York: McGraw Hill.

Persuasive Essay

Persuasive Essay Persuasive Essay Peyton Duersel English III Mr. Wyss 21 September 2014 Audience: Administration Such a Strict School at Sporting Events Jesuit has many sports clubs and teams. Each one of these teams plays competitively against other schools. Most of these, such as football and basketball, have games every week; and Jesuit encourages its students to supports their fellow blue jays at those events. But why would a student want to attend one of these games if he has a chance of being disciplined for doing something wrong? Every one of Jesuits students already has to cope with at least 8 hours of intense supervision and strict discipline each day at school. Obviously, less discipline at sporting events would bring an increased crowd of students. Therefore, Jesuit disciplinary actions against students should be less strict at games, the band should be able to play a wider variety of songs, and the students should be given the opportunity to show their school pride. First, Jesuit disciplinary actions against students should be much less strict at games. The fact that those who attends extra-curricular activities have to b e overly worried about being disciplined is unnerving. Students should feel free and fully focused on supporting the team throughout the game. No fan at the LSU game, or even the Rummel game, is remotely worried about breaking any rules; and that is a huge factor to the on-field success. Our job in the stands is to support the players with everything we have, but Jesuit takes this away from us. Some restrictions, such as those concerning body paint and student section chants, are unnecessary. Having a few students paint â€Å"Jesuit† on their chests does not defame the tradition of Jesuit High School. Also, student section chants with actually meaning would bring fun to the games. No one wants to say â€Å"Blue Jay† continually for half the game. Although there should be a reduction of discipline, still having a control on behavior is very important. Students should not be given complete freedom, for complete chaos would erupt. But body paint and new student section ch ants would certainly help the students support their fellow classmates. There is no reason why these things are not already allowed, other than Jesuit’s anal retentiveness. Ridiculous strictness at sporting events only hurts Jesuit’s fans and team. Therefore, disciplinary actions against students should be much less strict at sports games. Second, the band should be able to play a wider variety of songs. Our band plays music from old bands like Journey, but that lame music does nothing for anyone on the field. Unless the chess team is playing, no one is hyped for the competition. These songs are classics, but I want to hear some modern rap and hip-hop songs. The band members and the band itself would be a lot cooler if they were able to play modernized music. Last year, St. Augustine’s band was playing an explicit song by Jay-Z, while Jesuit’s band was playing grandma music all night. I do understand that Jesuit will never have the same rules as St. Aug, but we don’t always have to look like a school full of nerds. However, Jesuit should never play and advocate explicit music. Just a few songs from this century would be nice to hear at the football and basketball games. Except for songs containing explicit or foul language, the Jesuit band should be able to play any and all modern music. Finally, Jesuit students should be allowed to completely show their school pride. Persuasive Essay Persuasive Essay For writing a persuasive essay, the most important thing is to write a good thesis statement. For writing a good thesis statement for a persuasive essay, you have to follow the following guidelines: a. The thesis must be a complete sentence. By definition, a thesis makes a claim about a subject. You have to stick your neck out and make a point. Therefore for a persuasive essay, description of the subject is not sufficient; it should have a valid thesis statement. b. A thesis must be an assertion, not a question. A question may be used effectively in your title or introduction as a way of creating interest, but a thesis is a statement that answers the question in your persuasive essay. c. The thesis must be a generalization or an opinion, not just a statement of fact. A fact is something that can be verified as true or false; an opinion is something that must be supported or proved. So, the thesis statement for a persuasive essay should be an opinion or generalization. d. Thesis on a controversial subject should not be wishy-washy. You may feel that there are good arguments on both sides, but you should make some assessment of the issue for a persuasive essay. e. A thesis should make a point, not just promise to do so. For every claim, you should give justifications for your claim for writing a good persuasive essay. f. Ideally, a thesis should be stated as a single statement that should also give the main idea. g. Learning to combine a group of ideas into a single sentence takes a bit of practice. Therefore, for writing a persuasive essay, you should write a clear and understandable thesis statement that will make your essay a persuasive one.

Explain what Roman Catholics Essays

Explain what Roman Catholics Essays Explain what Roman Catholics Essay Explain what Roman Catholics Essay Explain what Roman Catholics and other Christians believe about sexual relationships outside of marriage as well as within marriage. Use bible passages and Christian teaching and practice to support your answer.All Christian churches teach that sex belongs in marriage. The proper context of a sexual relationship is marriage and it was what God intended us to do, thus making it very important. God intended everyone to get married, have sex and have children. So God created human beingshe created them male and female, blessed them and said, have many children, so that your descendents will live over all the earth. (Genesis 1:27-28)Sex outside of marriage is not permitted in the Catholic Church for many reasons. One of these is that it will not fulfil everything that God intended it to be, which is the expression of deep love. Also sex makes the marriage official, this is the last stage of becoming a married couple. This is also known as the marriage being consum mated.The basis of this is the belief that marriage is a sacrament. It is permanent, exclusive, a sign of Gods love and it should be life giving. The two most important points are life giving every marriage should be open to the possibility of having children and a persons life is enriched through being married. The other point is exclusive promise to be faithful and to not have an affair. Do not commit adultery (7th commandment). These are the most important because they paint a picture of the ideal marriage. Marriage is the sacrament in which baptised men and women vow to belong to each other in a permanent and exclusive sexual partnership of loving mutual care, concern and shared responsibility, in the hope of having children and bringing up a family. (Catechism of the Catholic Church)This also shows that the church has a positive view on sex. Marriage provides security for a sexual relationship, where the couple can trust each other and is a stable environment to raise childre n. This means that there should be no artificial contraception or need for an abortion. Also, that a relationship is enriched through sex, it is a unique way of showing love. A man should fulfil his duty as a husband, and a women should fulfil her duty as a wife, and each should satisfy the others needs. (1 Corinthians 7:3)Sex before marriage (fornication) and adultery both break the exclusivity of marriage, as one of the couple is breaking the vows of marriage. Also, sex outside of marriage is not as meaningful as inside of marriage. This is because when you have sex outside of marriage you do it for pleasure and lust, but inside of marriage you do it as a sign of deep, meaningful love. Although not all Christians believe this; some think that once you are in a committed relationship, with a plan to get married, then it is all right to have a sexual relationship.If you have sex before marriage then you are breaking the vow of faithfulness for your future husband/wife. Also, that th e sacrament hasnt taken place, so Gods love isnt there and present.At a wedding, the greatest gift that you can give to you future husband/wife is your body. This means that you save your virginity for your husband/wife so you are pure for them. This also means that you only have one sexual partner.When people start to have casual sex or one night stands, the person may start to feel used, or as a sexual object. This also causes many unwanted children and this is the position where people start to have abortions.Some Christians go against no sex before marriage; they say that if a couple are engaged, then they are entitled to a sexual relationship, but only if the commitment is there. This could go wrong though; for example if a couple go through a tough time whilst engaged and break up, then if the couple have already had sex, then they cannot marry in the eyes of God. This is because it would be seen as adultery and would be very unfaithful to your future husband/wife.If someone c ommits adultery whilst married, then it can be very hard to be set right again. Adultery can be seen in many different ways, for example in the bible it says that if you look lustfully at someone then that could be seen as adultery. You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:27-30)It is also adultery if you have a sexual relationship before you get married and then decide to get married latter on in life. This is seen as adultery because you are breaking a vow in advance, that you wont have sex outside of marriage. Havin g sex outside of marriage is also known as fornication. This also means that you cant give you purity/virginity to your future husband/wife. This is because you have already lost your virginity so once you have lost it to that one person then you cant lose it again for your husband/wife.Another form of adultery is when you get re-married after being divorced. This is adultery because you have only divorced legally, but in the eyes of God you are still married. If you re-marry and have sex, you have committed adultery against your first husband/wife, who you are still married to in the eyes of God.

Ethics Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Ethics Paper - Essay Example This is obviously the wrong direction that the prison system is taking and represents an unethical way in which the offenders are being treated. Although the conditions in these prisons meet federal and local standards, the overall issue of human rights and equality is fundamentally flawed due to the fact that the people who are being locked away are not viewed with respect to how they should be punished or reformed; rather, they are only viewed with respect to the overall level of profitability that can be extracted from the state, regional, or federal government for their tenure in the penal system. The following analysis will discuss this to some length and highlight the unethical nature as well as some prescriptions for change that could be instituted in order to have a positive impact upon the current criminal justice system. The ethical issue that exists is the fact that the prisons and penal institutions within the United States are supposed to be interested only in punishing and rehabilitating the criminal. Instead, what is taking place throughout the country is a situation in which the prison complex itself is making a massive amount of money based upon the individuals that it incarcerates. As one might expect, this means that there will be little if any focus upon seeking to rehabilitate the criminal; instead, the focus is upon only trying to expand the size of the prisons so that a further and further level of profitability is made. There have of course been people complaining about the criminal justice system in the United States for many years; however, the fact of the matter is that the current â€Å"for profit† criminal justice system is one that does not champion the improvement of society or the reintegration of the offender. As such, the primary ethical/moral issue that one must consider relates to the issue that has evolved from what this author will deem â€Å"incarceration for profit†. Although few individuals in the United St ates are aware of this practice, the fact of the matter is that it has grown from an isolated incidence to a multi-million dollar a year industry. The central issue can be explained as a system whereby overburdened municipalities cannot immediately afford the massive expense that is called for in order to build a new penitentiary system. As a way to bridge this gap while making a substantial profit, private firms enter into the equation and offer the municipality a joint venture which is oftentimes hard to resist. These firms offer to front the necessary capital to build the facility as well as staff it with private contracting security firms. The catch then comes as the municipality agrees to an extended lease of the facility. Although at face value this may seem an ingenious way for a private firm to work to alleviate the strains that a municipality may have with relation to prison overcrowding, it is however slightly more sinister than one would at first presume. Due to the fact that a private firm now has stake in the criminal justice system, a system that arguably the state and the state alone should have prevue over, the interests of rehabilitation and reform are placed as secondary to overall profit (Brickner et al. 11). Such a situation is counter to the very foundations of what the criminal justice system is supposed to provide to society. In this way, incarceration has become the primary focus of policy makers and local leaders whereas the needs of those incarcerated

International Business (Domino's Pizza) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Business (Domino's Pizza) - Essay Example The paper will discuss the methods of international expansion the company used to date and its appropriate development methods, Domino's Pizza methods using in different markets, as well as the possible combination of international expansion methods. The paper will also critically appraise the current strategy and give appropriate recommendations for further development. 2. The most appropriate Domino's Pizza development method, as well as the best method of international expansion is licensing and franchising: "We have developed a large, global, diversified and committed franchise network that is a critical component of our system-wide success and our leading position in pizza delivery. As of March 21, 2004, our franchise store network consisted of 6,878 stores, 63% of which were located in the contiguous United States" (7). These system has doubtless advantages namely for such global international company as Domino's Pizza. The franchise system allows minimizing such negative barriers of international expansion as language barrier, local governmental measures and the registration of trademark. The system also provides the adaptation of Domino’s Pizza rights and regulations to the cultural differentiations of various countries: â€Å"We also adapt our system to the local market to accommodate cultural differences in delivery vehicles, store design, signage, etc. Pizza toppings are the most common cultural adaptation. We have pickled ginger in India, squid in Japan and green peas in Brazil† (3). Domino’s Pizza quick service restaurants in different countries are not a wholly subsidiary of Domino Pizza Company (like McDonald’s in the UK). 's in the UK). They are based on Franchising Agreement with Domino's Pizza International, Inc. A franchisee must have appropriate local market, business strategies and experience knowledge: "Internationally, we have also been able to grow our franchise network by attracting franchisees with business experience and local market knowledge. We generally use our master franchise model, which provides our international franchisees with exclusive rights to operate stores or sub-franchise our well-recognized brand name in their markets" (7). Through well developed franchising system Domino's Pizza Company gains constant royalty payments which allow the company to develop an d expand to international markets: "A substantial percentage of our earnings is generated by our committed, owner-operator franchisees through royalty payments and revenues to our vertically-integrated distribution system. Royalty payments yield strong profitability to us because there are minimal corresponding company-level expenses and no capital requirements associated with their collection" (3). The growth and revenue of Domino's Pizza is mainly provided by its franchising system development and royalty payments from numerous stores throughout the world. The company has chosen the most appropriate method of international expansion. Domino's Pizza makes franchising agreements with appropriate firms working in relevant market segments and having local market features knowledge.