Cultural Dimensions Essay Example for Free

Cultural Dimensions Essay Culture is one of those terms that have no specific definition because of its diverse nature. It can be looked at from any point of view. However, a basic definition that includes all the important aspects of a culture is ‘the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations’ (Webster, 2008). Culture is very important if one wants to study a society. It can tell a lot about different aspects of the society and this is the reason why different countries deal with issues differently. This paper will outline and discuss the cultures of China, Saudi Arabia and United States of America and will show how, because of differences in cultures, issues like strategy, team communications, influence tactics, conflict management etc are dealt differently in these countries. Towards the end, recommendations to avoid cross cultural differences will be outlined. United States of America The population of United States of America is very diverse. It has people from many backgrounds. However in general, the American culture is said to be one of the most individualistic culture in the world. This means that people are less integrated in forms of groups. They do not depend on each other and are more concerned about themselves than about others. The country also has a higher than world average score for masculinity. This means that there is differentiation between genders to some extent in the American culture. On the other hand, the score in power distance dimension shows that there are not many differences in societal levels. This can be seen in organizational, family or governmental settings. People expect that power will be distributed equally to a greater extent even if someone is lower in the level of hierarchy. Besides this, the score on uncertainty avoidance is also lower than the world average. This means that people are tolerant to uncertainty and there are few rules and regulation present to control results (Hofstede, 2003). One important characteristic about the work culture in United States is that hard work and integrity is appreciated and also, punctuality is valued. Both mean and women are expected to dress according to the surroundings, situation and weather. The culture does not promote or support gift giving in business as it may be considered as bribe (International Business Center, 2003). As mentioned above, because of the cultures individualistic nature, privacy is valued. The lifestyle in general is causal and informal. Americans believe in voicing their opinions and although this direct speaking is sometimes considered as rude in other cultures, it is totally normal among Americans (American Graduate Education, 2007). From the above details, we can tell a lot about how issues like strategy, team communications, influence tactics and conflict management get affected. Since people believe in voicing their opinions, the strategy is usually bold. In addition to this, since any kind of strategy requires its actors to put in all the effort they can possible put in. Be it in an organization, government or even in one’s personal life. The team communication is very effective because of the low power distance characteristic and informal nature of the American culture. The belief that the power distributed to everyone is equal and the informal nature in groups inhibits any kind of barrier in effective teamwork. Gift giving or anything close to bribery is considered very insulting and inappropriate therefore this approach is not widely used in influence tactics. Conflict management is usually done openly without an arbitrator or a third party (American Graduate Education, 2007). As mentioned above, Americans believe in voicing their opinions so this plays a major role in conflict management strategies used nationwide. In order to remove the communication barriers, in my opinion, one would not have to change much about himself because of the presence of a diverse cultures in the population. However, it is suggested that English is used to communicate any kind of verbal information as this is understood and accepted by almost everyone (American Graduate Education, 2007). Regarding dressing, one is suggested to dress appropriately considering the time of the day, weather, occasion and gathering. China Now we come to the Chinese culture. The culture of the people of China is very different from the American culture just discussed above and it is said to be the exact opposite of the America culture. In fact, the Chinese culture is very different, unique and peculiar if one compares it with the rest of the cultures in the world. It is difficult to understand for those who are not a part of it however one does not need to completely understand it before blending in (Think Quest, 1998). We will now look into this in detail. We can prove the above hypothesis correct by comparing the individualism dimension of the American and Chinese cultures. Unlike the America culture, the people of china are very collectivistic. They are integrated tightly, they look after each other and they are highly dependable on the people around them. This can be seen in their family structures and organization values etc. Both the Chinese and American cultures are similar when it comes to the Masculinity dimension. They both score approximately 68 on a scale of 1 to 100. This again is higher than the world average which means that there are slightly more differences between genders in the Chinese culture compared to the rest of the world. The uncertainty avoidance is slightly higher than United States which means people are more tolerable to not have complete information as compare to the American culture. The fourth dimension of Power Distance is also quite higher than the United States meaning that people expect more differences in organizational hierarchies. The American score on Power distance was 45 while the Chinese score is 85 therefore one can imagine the amount of differences in the structures of organizations, governmental institutions and families etc. One major difference is in the long term orientation dimension of the two cultures. While the American culture was more on the lower side of this dimension, the Chinese culture is known to have the highest ranking factor when it comes to long term orientation. These means that people tend to overcome obstacles with time and not with will and strength (Hofstede, 2003). Some other important details of the Chinese culture include being used to the communist form of government. The Chinese culture is very hospitable and accepts people from all backgrounds. Since there is no one particular religion that is followed in the country, anyone can adjust easily (International Business Center, 2003). All these cultural characteristics largely influence many issues in business. For instance any strategy usually requires everyone to stick together and work collectively because of the collectivistic nature of the culture and also teamwork is very effective as people realize that they are dependent on each other. However, because of high power distance, both strategy and team communication is affected. Communication within team becomes more broken as it has to be passed through several levels of hierarchy. The cultural values are imbedded in the he influence tactics. For example these tactics project the idea of togetherness as it is evident from their advertisements that promote family ties and bonds etc (Lin, 2001). The approach to conflict management is including a third party to settle issues. In order to remove the communication barriers, a few things need to be kept in mind. Firstly, it is suggested to not use too much of hand movements as this distracts the audience. Besides this, there are other non verbal gestures that must be avoided. For instance pointing finger may be considered rude therefore such things must be kept in mind in order to ensure effective communication. English is understood widely in the corporate world therefore this is preferred after Chinese of course (International Business Center, 2003). Saudi Arabia Now we will start discussion on the culture of the last country of the paper. This country has also been selected to be studied because of its different and unique culture. The Chinese and Arabian Cultures are similar in the power distance dimension of their cultures. Unlike the American Cultures, the high power distance ranking indicates the inequality of wealth throughout the Arab world. Because of this, the rich of course have more power than the poor. The uncertainty avoidance dimension of the Arabian culture is also very different from the Chinese and the American cultures. While the Chinese and Americans ranked lower than world average on the uncertainty avoidance ranking, the Arabian culture has a higher score in this dimension. Meaning that people do not tolerate uncertainty at all and this can be the reason why there are so many rules, policies and regulations are implemented in the country. Surprising as it may sound, the Arabian culture scored low on the masculinity dimension considering all the restrictions on the Arabian women etc. The score was 52 which is only slightly higher than the world average. The reason for low masculinity ranking could be that all the restrictions on the women of the country are because of the religion and not the culture. The Arabian culture, like the Chinese culture, is more collectivistic. It had an average ranking of 38 which is way lower than that of the American culture and also the world average for that matter. This means people prefer to stick together and remain integrated (Hofstede, 2003). The Arabic culture is largely shaped by its history and religion (Saudi Embassy, 2006). Therefore history, religion and language are valued the most in the Arabian culture. These cultural characteristics affect many practical issues. The strategy devised by Arabs in any situation usually calls for people to remain cohesive. Also because of high uncertainty avoidance, there are many rules, regulations and policies that must be followed. Because of high power distance, like the Chinese culture, effective team communication is affected. But on the other hand, this is compensated for because of collective nature of the culture. The influence tactics are devised keeping the religion in mind. Anything such as bribery or use of women models in advertisements are avoided because this is against Islam. Conflicts are also managed according to the rules of Shari’ah which is the Islamic or Sacred Law (Hooker, 1996). Also, because of the collectivistic nature of the culture a third party is often included in managing conflicts. There are many cultural traits that must be kept in mind in order to improve communication. Firstly, one must keep in mind that during communication, anything he says or does not offend or insult Islam. The people are very sensitive when it comes to the religion therefore one must dress, talk and behave appropriately. There are certain non verbal gestures that are considered offensive such as the thumbs up sign and crossing of legs etc. Therefore one should avoid these. Arabic is preferred by the people there therefore it is preferred is one communicates or at least uses some words from Arabic. One must not ask too many questions are the inquisitive one is considered as the most unimportant and lastly, if an Arab offers a gift, not accepting it may be considered offensive (International Business Center, 2003). References American Graduate Education (2007) U. S. American Culture Values. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from American Graduate Education. Web site: http://www. americangraduateeducation. com/folder2/subfolder2/americanculture. htm Hofstede, G. (2003). China- Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from Geert Hofstede. Web site: http://www. geert-hofstede. com/hofstede_china. shtml Hofstede, G. (2003). United States of America- Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from Geert Hofstede. Web site: http://www. geert-hofstede. com/hofstede_united_states. shtml Hofstede, G. (2003). Arab World- Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from Geert Hofstede. Web site: http://www. geert-hofstede. com/hofstede_arab_world. shtml Hooker, R. (1996) Shariah- Sacred law. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from Washington State University. Web site: http://www. wsu. edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/SHARIA. HTM International Business Center. (2003). China. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from Cybor Link. Web site: http://www. cyborlink. com/besite/china. htm International Business Center. (2003). United States of America. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from Cybor Link. Web site: http://www. cyborlink. com/besite/us. htm International Business Center. (2003). Saudi Arabia. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from Cybor Link. Web site: http://www. cyborlink. com/besite/saudi-arabia. htm Lin, C, A. (2001) Cultural values reflected in Chinese and American television advertising. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from All Business. Web site: http://www. allbusiness. com/professional-scientific/advertising-related-services/836806-1. html Merriam Webster (2008) Culture. Retrieved 1 Oct, 2008, from Merriam Webster. Web site: http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/culture%5B1%5D Saudi Embassy. (2006) Culture. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from Saudi Embassy. Web site: http://www. saudiembassy. net/Country/Culture/Cul. asp Think Quest (1998) Destiny, the Culture of China. Retrieved Oct 1, 2008, from Think Quest. Web site: http://library. thinkquest. org/20443/living. html

Answering the Question in the Murder Mystery Essay -- Literature

A murder mystery is a type of closed text or resolved suspense that follows a structure. The characters are following a plot structure, the evidence is following a reveal structure, and that will lead to a resolution. â€Å"In closed texts, the murder is found, the mystery resolved, the ghost exposed as a mechanical illusion, or the lovers are able to consummate their love† (Bennett 197). Almost all murder mysteries are considered closed texts because of the structure that the texts tend to follow. The novel has a victim that has been murdered. The victim has many possible murderers for many possible reasons—all equally valid, so it seems. The victim has a person trying to solve the case. Through various means of detection, the murderer is sought and found. So, the question of â€Å"Who done it?† is answered by a human character usually—I am sure that animals have played the part of detective before. The murder mystery is closed, the victim has a murderer; the murderer is caught, the world can return to normal. This concept is the typical ideal of a closed text. As humans, we have a need to understand the world in which we live, which seems to be a common desire. The essential question of â€Å"Why am I here?†Ã¢â‚¬â€the most sought after answer in all of human existence that has yet to be adequately answered has a similar question that typically can be answered—â€Å"Who murdered the victim?† Every human wants to know, at some point in time in his or her life, why he or she is here on this planet. Are we here to serve a purpose; are we here with no purpose; or are we here to enjoy what [insert your own deity or belief system] has given. People want to know; they are constantly searching for some answer to the question of â€Å"Why†¦?,† as can ... ...s and Charles Simic.† The American Scholar 74.2 (2005): 49-56. Kriner, Tiffany Eberle. â€Å"Conjuring Hope in a Body: Lucille Clifton’s Eschatology.† Christianity and Literature 54.2 (Winter 2005): 185-208. Lee, Li-Young. Rose: Poems. Rochester, New York: BOA Editions, Ltd., 1986. "Romanticism." The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 12 Aug. 2008. . Simic, Charles. Sixty Poems. New York: Harcourt, INC., 2007. "Surrealism." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 12 Aug. 2008. . "Transcendentalism." The American Heritage ® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. 12 Aug. 2008. .

The Game That Went Wrong!

It was 9. 00pm on a dark and cold night. Michael, Simon, Steffanie and Gemma were walking through the woods. â€Å"God it's a bit dark here init! † said Steff as they were trudging through the dirt and the tall, dark trees. â€Å"God you're a wimp! † said Mike as he came up behind her and scared her half to death. Steff grabbed his hand so tightly you could nearly see his face turn purple. â€Å"Guys†¦..! † shouted gem a few feet behind them, â€Å"I think we've lost si! † â€Å"What do you mean LOST him? † â€Å"He was right behind us! † said a scared and worried steff, â€Å"you know si, he's probably just being stupid† â€Å"yeh well it isn't very funny is it! Si, Si, give it up now, it isn't funny† They kept walking while shouting him. â€Å"Guys, he's bin gone for nearly an hour now, where is he? † gem said! They kept walking and finally came to the end of the woods; Steff was really worrying about him now. â€Å"I thought I said to stick together but no†¦ That's too much to ask isn't it! We can't do anything without someone going missing or something going wrong! † â€Å"Try his mobile† gem pulled out her mobile and started ringing him, â€Å"it's switched off! † â€Å"Great†¦ just bloody great! † â€Å"Si! † screamed steff. It was at this point that everyone was starting to get worried. What if something has happened to him? † â€Å"Will you shut up; you're giving me a headache! Look he said he was going to hide in the woods and try and scare you but he's been gone way too long now! † â€Å"Be careful, the last thing we need is to loose another one of us! † â€Å"Ill b fine! † Mike set off back inside the woods. It was even darker now as 2 hours had nearly passed. â€Å"What happens if we never see him again, I mean he could have been killed or anything! † â€Å"Steff!!!! Will you shut up, he will be fine, he's very much alive just lost or something! Stop exaggerating and calm down! † Mike came walking back towards us; there was no sign of Si! â€Å"Well†¦ where is he? Please tell me you found him! † â€Å"No, ive looked everywhere but there was no sign of him, all I found was this! † he put his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out Si's phone and wallet! â€Å"Oh my god! † â€Å"Something must have happened to him,† â€Å"He will turn up, don't worry, you know what Si is like! † â€Å"Its getting late, we gota tell someone! † â€Å"Look†¦ I aint leaving until we have found him! † â€Å"Im not giving up, he wouldn't give up on us! † It was at this point that everyone was panicking and didn't know what to do. Ring his mum; ask her if she's heard from him! † Gem pulled out her phone and started to ring, there was no answer, â€Å"I think they must be out or something because they aren't answering. † We've got half an hour to find him! † â€Å"If he doesn't turn up we'll just have to hope he's turned up at home or something! † They all stayed together and kept searching but they didn't find him, it was now 11. 30pm and to it was too dark and too late to keep looking for him. â€Å"I think we should get going† They all started walking up the street â€Å"I will try ringing his parents again when I get in, if I hear anything I will let u know! Mike said as he was walking down his drive, â€Å"ok†¦ I hope he is ok! † â€Å"See ya tomorrow! † It was a very long night for everyone, they didn't have a clue where Simon was or where he had gone, Steff was all up night as she couldn't sleep as she was too worried about Simon. Every time she looked at the clock just an hour had passed, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock and yet still no one had heard anything about Si. The next day Steff rang Mike to see if he had heard anything. â€Å"No I haven't, I rang his parents again this morning and they said they haven't heard from him and he never came home last night! they thought he had they said that they were worried so they have rang around and nobody has seen him so they rang the police to file a missing persons report so I think they have gone out looking for him! † â€Å"What exactly did you say to them, how did they take it? † â€Å"Well I spoke to his mum and I told her we were just messing about and we were just playing, then we lost Si and we went looking for him but couldn't find him, she was pretty upset, she started crying and I didn't know what to say, She said that if he's not found by within the next few hours could we give in a statement so I said yes? â€Å"Oh my god, what happens if we never see him again, it's my entire fault! † â€Å"Steff just calm down, we don't know what's happened yet, we just got to wait and see, it isn't your fault, it isn't any of our faults, we just got to stay calm and stick together! † â€Å"I hope he's ok or I will never forgive myself! † â€Å"Look I'm really sorry but I've got to go now, a police car has just pulled up outside my house! † â€Å"Ok, what are you going to say? † â€Å"I'm gonna be honest and tell them everything! † â€Å"Ok ring me later and tell me how it's gone, tra! Mike opened the door to the two police officers and they came in and sat down. With the look on the officers faces, Mike started to worry, â€Å"Were very sorry to deliver this news to you but I'm afraid we found Simons body! † â€Å"We found it in a black bag amongst some bushes deep in the woods, were very sorry! † Mike paused and didn't say anything, he was completely taken back. â€Å"God!! I didn't think he was dead, when did you find him, we were only having a bit of fun!! † â€Å"Were very sorry! † â€Å"I think his parents may want to speak to you shortly! † â€Å"Err err yeh that's ok! † the police officers got up and walked out! â€Å"

Should Marijuana Be Legalized - 2211 Words

Rick Querido Monay Cummings Keith Tatum BCOM/275 10/08/2012 Should We Legalize Marijuana Should Marijuana be legalize is one of the top debated issues in the United States. This issue has many people concerned why it should and why it should not be legalize. Marijuana is an herb mostly grown in South American countries and illegally smuggled in to United States. Pot is the most commonly used drug in America. The attempt to federally legalize marijuana has been going on for years. Today, the debate to legalize cannabis has become stronger. There is a campaign created known as the â€Å"420 Campaign,† it is a campaign that conveys the top ten reasons for legalizing cannabis (High Times, 2012). The 420 Campaign, presents very good†¦show more content†¦According to the article many have been arrested, some had their property taken from them. Some are facing charges and or criminal investigations for the cultivation or distribution of medical marijuana. The DEA are not so much concerned about the medical marijuana patients and caregivers they will leave them alone. The major concern is the federal law does not recognize medical marijuana. However, they (DEA) are allowed to use the Controlled Substance Act to arrest people for the use and or operation of medical marijuana (safeaccessnow.org). There is an easy access to providers of this drug because if the user is traveling from one state to another they can use an application on their iPhone by the name of weedMaps to locate a distributor be it medical or recreational. This plan allows the users to contact doctors and pharmaceuticals from other states for the distribution of this drug for personal use. That is why legalizing this drug can become addictive to the general public. Without written documentation from a person s doctor affirming that the person suffers from a debilitating condition and might benefit from the medical use of marijuana the drug should not be distributed in another state. Marijuana should be legalized because according to High Times (2012), â€Å"Marijuana use has positive attributes,Show MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?849 Words   |  4 Pageswhether marijuana should be legalized. Around 23 states have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use. In the state of Illinois, medicinal use of marijuana has been passed on April 17, 2013. Since January 2014, patients are able to obtain marijuana with a doctor s recommendation. The new debate is whether marijuana should be legalized for the general public as a recreational drug. Although some believe that marijuana is harmless, and that it has beneficial medicinal uses, marijuana shouldRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1715 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana in Society Cannabis, formally known as marijuana is a drug obtained from the tops, stems and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis. The drug is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Only substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are used more (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). In the U. S. where some use it to feel â€Å"high† or get an escape from reality. The drug is referred to in many ways; weed, grass, pot, and or reefer are some common names used to describe the drug (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). Like mostRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1489 Words   |  6 Pagescannabis plant or marijuana is intended for use of a psychoactive drug or medicine. It is used for recreational or medical uses. In some religions, marijuana is predominantly used for spiritual purposes. Cannabis is indigenous to central and south Asia. Cannabis has been scientifically proven that you can not die from smoking marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized to help people with medical benefits, econo mic benefits, and criminal benefits. In eight states, marijuana was legalized for recreationalRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1245 Words   |  5 PagesMarijuana is a highly debatable topic that is rapidly gaining attention in society today.   Legalizing marijuana can benefit the economy of this nation through the creation of jobs, increased tax revenue, and a decrease in taxpayer money spent on law enforcement.   Ã‚  Many people would outlaw alcohol, cigarettes, fast food, gambling, and tanning beds because of the harmful effects they have on members of a society, but this is the United States of America; the land of the free and we should give peopleRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1010 Words   |  5 PagesThe legalization of marijuana became a heated political subject in the last few years. Twenty-one states in America have legalized medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington are the only states where marijuana can be purchased recreationally. Marijuana is the high THC level part of the cannabis plant, which gives users the â€Å"high† feeling. There is ample evidence that supports the argument that marijuana is beneficial. The government should legalize marijuana recreationally for three main reasonsRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1350 Words   |  6 Pagespolitics in the past decade would have to be the legalization of marijuana. The sale and production of marijuana have been legalized for medicinal uses in over twenty states and has been legalized for recreational uses in seven states. Despite the ongoing support for marijuana, it has yet to be fully legalized in the federal level due to cultural bias against â€Å"pot† smoking and the focus over its negative effects. However, legalizing marijuana has been proven to decrease the rate of incrimination in AmericaRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1231 Words   |  5 Pagesshows the positive benefits of marijuana, it remains illegal under federal law. In recent years, numerous states have defied federal law and legalized marijuana for both recreational and medicinal use. Arizona has legalized marijuana for medical use, but it still remains illegal to use recreationally. This is absurd, as the evidence gathered over the last few decades strongly supports the notion that it is safer than alcohol, a widely available substance. Marijuana being listed as a Schedule I drugRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1457 Words   |  6 PagesSHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED? Marijuana is a drug that has sparked much controversy over the past decade as to whether or not it should be legalized. People once thought of marijuana as a bad, mind-altering drug which changes a person’s personality which can lead to crime and violence through selling and buying it. In the past, the majority of citizens believed that marijuana is a harmful drug that should be kept off the market and out of the hands of the public. However, a recent study conductedRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1596 Words   |  7 Pages But what needs to be known before a user can safely and completely make the decision if trying Marijuana is a good idea? Many do not want the drug to be legalized because they claim that Cannabis is a â€Å"gateway drug†, meaning it will cause people to try harder drugs once their body builds up a resistance to Marijuana, because a stronger drug will be needed to reach a high state. This argument is often falsely related to the medical si de of the debate over legalization. It is claimed that this wouldRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?985 Words   |  4 PagesLegalize Marijuana Despite what people believe about marijuana, it hasn’t once proved to be the cause of any real issue. It makes you wonder what the reason as to why there is a war on drugs. Why is marijuana the main concern? Since the time that alcohol and tobacco became legal, people wonder why marijuana isn’t legal yet. The fact that marijuana is illegal is mainly caused by the amount of money, jobs, and pride invested in the drug war. Once the government starts anything, they stick to it. At