Theory of Constraints Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Theory of Constraints - Assignment Example h a difference of four minutes, it means that the first customer to be served will leave when the last customer is left with 24 minutes to leave because the total time that is being lost before the servers finish with their last customer in the first round of 12 is 24 minutes. And suppose there is an increment in the number of servers then there will be decrease in time lost with increase in the number of customers served which is directly proportional to increase in general income of the process(Jacobs, Chase & Lummus, 2011). If the average cost per meal is 10$ then it means that in the first 50 minutes the process shall have generated 120$ and in the first 1 hour it shall have generated 144$. For a better understanding of that calculation the figures are tabulated as shown bellow Increment in the number of customers can comfortably accommodate by increment in the number of employees by a positive figure of one and at the same time the current employees must adjust their level of performance for the general success of the process(Jacobs, Chase & Lummus,

The Principles of Nursing and Health

The Principles of Nursing and Health Introduction This assignment into principles of nursing and health will explore dimensions of health; it will give an insight to a person who has a condition called multiple sclerosis. Looked at will be what determinants of health are to this person. Underpinning professional, legal and ethical implications surrounding health should the individual require nursing care is of great importance. Finally the assignment will give a reflection of what information has been gained and health concepts on a personal level. 1 Dimensions of health Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. World Health Organisation (WHO 1946) cited in Naidoo (2009). Health means so many different things to different people, someone viewed as having a disease or disability can also feel like they are healthy, as can a person who is physical fit feel unhealthy. Dimensions of health determine health to each individual. There are six different dimensions of health which are; intellectual, physical, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental. Health is looked at as a whole and when being cared for, a holistic approach could be used taking into account all of the dimensions of health. Dimension in more detail are; intellectual this is when a person has the ability or inability to make decisions and judgements reasonably, understanding decisions and consequences of decisions. Physical health is what you can see the size, shape and body function. Emotional is when a pers on is empathetic towards other peoples feelings and has an understanding of their own, and can deal with all different types of emotions as and when they occur. Spiritual health can be having a belief in a god or religion however it has more of an impact on a persons ethics, peace of mind and principles. Social dimension is having relationships with all different types of people for example work colleagues, family and childhood friends. Environmental can be where a person lives and works it could be a poor area or poor working conditions. Across all the dimensions if one is affected this could have a knock on effect to other dimensions or all of them, they usually all go hand in hand, Brooker (2007). 2 Person overview To put principles of health into a reality and have an understanding an example could be an individuals health. Chosen as an example is David Anderson; David is fifty five year old male who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in his early thirtys. Multiple sclerosis is a condition which causes a defect in the central nervous system. The myelin sheath which surrounds the nerve fibres comes under attack from the autoimmune system, Corcos (2008). The disease is unpredictable and can affect different people in different ways. Usual symptoms are numbness in limbs, involuntary movements, lethargy, blurry or double vision the list goes on. Multiple sclerosis was identified by the French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot in 1863 who worked in a hospital called Salptrire in Paris. He identified the condition as aclrose en Plaques, Burgess (2010) which mean hardening, this relates to the scaring which causes the damage to the nervous system. David has worked in the same job for over 30 years, it is an outdoor manual position where he walks for long periods of time in a country setting as well as working in a country setting he also lives four miles from his place of work and has no commuting stress. David has been married for 35 years he has three grown up children and three grandchildren. David enjoys spending time playing golf in the summer months and watching sports live and on the TV he also enjoys photography. Davids health has always been very good despite his condition; he has never been on medication other than over the counter analgesics and has never required any kind of treatment. At times the effects of his condition do show but in a very minor way which he has always coped on the surface extremely well. 3 Determinants Determinants are factors which may affect a persons health; this may be in a good way or a bad way, generally and in the health of the above person. Determinants are factors which influence how healthy a person is. These are socio-economic which are cultural and environmental for example where in the country the person lives, living and working conditions for example are the conditions good is there stress involved, social and community networks is there support in place in the community and socially, individual lifestyle factors for example if the person takes regular exercise and eats a balance diet, and age, sex and hereditary factors. Naidoo and Wills as cited in Brooker (2007). Determinants which affect David are difficult to identify, possibly determinants affect him in a positive way. David has a very good life style, and has had a steady job for a long time environmental factors have possibly enhanced the quality of life for David. He spends a lot of time outdoors and feels t his has a positive effect as for long periods of time he lives symptom free from his condition. Social and community factors again are strong in his family who surround him and the networks of doctors in the local GP office are also strong. Around the world the United Kingdom has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world, Rog et al (2009) cited in Burgess (2010). It has been said by Ebers et al (2007) cited in Burgess (2010). One in one thousand people in the UK have MS. It has been shown in studies that the further away from the equator the higher the volume of people recorded to have MS. This could be due to the periods of time these areas have sunshine, a vitamin related to sunshine is vitamin D, the body requires sunlight to synthesize vitamin D this vitamin is found in most immune cells and is associated functions including inhibition of the production of cytokines this is known to have a negative effect in MS, Ponsonby et al (2005) cited in Burgess (2010). Sh etland and Orkney in the north of Scotland have the highest rate of cases in the world. Interestingly studies have also shown people who emigrate from country to country before the age of 15 will develop the risk from the country which they have settled in, if the move takes place after the persons 15th birthday it is said the person will retain the risk factor from the country they are originally from. Underpinning professional, legal and ethical principles. Nursing care may be required for David in time and there are a lot of factors to consider when any person is being nursed. Looked at are the underpinning professional, legal and ethical principles involved in nursing a patient. As a professional a nurse has to follow rules which are set by the NMC. The NMC is the Nursing and Midwifery Council they are the governing body for all nurses and midwifes, the NMC have produced a code and within the code there are rules, standards, guidance and advice. NMC The Code (2008). The NMC are a council who if find or have any incidents reported to them will make decisions about fitness to practice, and can discipline or strike a nurse off of the registration if the nurse has failed to follow the code or committed an offence. The main concern of the NMC is to safeguard patients and members of the public and how they are treated by nurses and midwifes. It is said in NMC, The Code (2008) Individuals must be respected and dignity must be maintained. Individuals should not be discriminated against and must also be treated with consideration and kindness. Where required a nurse must seek out help and support from relevant agencies and support networks in the health and social care setting. Respect is an essential part of protecting an individuals confidentiality, information should never be shared other than with relevant people or professionals involved with the care of the person. It is also important that information should be shared if the person is at risk or h arm. An additional part of respecting a person may be concerning their likes and dislikes, communicating is essential when caring for a person or there family to ensure the best possible care is given, this could be ensuring communication can happen without any obstruction for example language or communication requirements possibly providing some kind of aid. Consent is a large part of care giving every time a treatment is given this could be from bathing to giving medication consent must be obtained, if an individual declines consent for treatment this must be respected, as it is a persons right to be involved in any decisions regarding treatment however there is an instance when decision making could be taken away from a person this happens when the mental capacity is compromised. there is a part of legislation which ensures a person who is incapable of making decisions regarding care is safe guarded. As a professional nurse boundaries must be maintained between patients and nurse s it is unacceptable to accept gifts, loans or personal relationships from patients and their families. It is part of the role of a professional to identify risks and people who are taking risks, it is also a duty to report any practices that are putting others at risk. Record keeping is an essential skill which nurses must practice in an accurate way as the records include all of the patients care which has been given or is due to be given, keeping accurate records is imperative as poor records could harm a patients safety and confidentiality. In the case for David he may become ill in time and require nursing care and it may become costly to the government, it is his right to receive care as and when required and be treated with respect and dignity, he may decide he does not want his suffering to be prolonged if his life is nearing an end and any decisions he may take must be upheld. Be open and honest, act with integrity and uphold the reputation of your profession NMC The Code (2008). Following the above statement ensures you comply with the code and also by following the law, being honest and able to identify problems and deal with them in the correct way if anything were to happen in practice. This will ensure care given can be without prejudice and the integrity of the nurse remains intact. NMC (2008) Legal issues which could arise could be in two ways these are civil and criminal. A civil court of law is where an individual person can file a case against another person or organisation when a person has come to harm possibly by neglect. Criminal law is where a person has committed a crime and it is in the publics interest for the person who committed the crime to be prosecuted by a court of law and punished. Personal Concept As I have studied and read more about principles of health it has had a major impact on the importance of knowing what the dimensions of health are, and understanding why a person has maybe become ill or in hospital, and what can be done to help or educate an individual to have a better life style which will lead to improved health. Looking at an individual has also given me an understanding that determinants of health can be positive as well as negative, as having a good life style for someone who has a condition like MS can enhance quality of life. Also if someone has a very poor life style this can lead to conditions like type 2 diabetes, this is generally caused by a very poor diet and by being overweight. Being a nursing is an extremely important role and has very strict guidelines which must be followed. This will ensure accurate information and care is given at all times. By following the NMC code it will ensure that I am respectful of individuals and value people from all walks of life, always leading by example, being accountable for my actions and will always treat people fairly. Conclusion This assignment has looked at dimensions of health, and how different dimensions can have an effect on all of the dimensions, there are six different dimensions which range from emotional to physical, each one is of equal importance and if any one is impaired it can often influence health. An overview of a person who has MS has been given and what determinants affect this persons life, is it good or bad? Professional, legal and ethical principles have been looked at, also and the importances of how these come into play when a person is being nursed. Identifying how the assignment has enhanced a personal view of the nursing profession has also been discussed. It has been identified the importance of being accurate regarding care giving and in record keeping to ensure the best care is given at all times. References Brooker C, Waugh A and Watson R. Foundations of Nursing practice fundamentals of holistic care, 2007 Edinburgh Mosby Elsevier. Burgess M, Shedding greater light on the natural history and prevalence of multiple sclerosis British Journal of Neuroscience nursing January 2010 Volume 6 number 1 Corcos J and Shinck E Neurogenic Bladder second edition 2008 Informa Healthcare. Naidoo J and Wills J. Foundations for Health Promotion Third edition 2009 Edinburgh. Nursing and Midwifery Council The Code 2008 World health organization. (WHO) 1948 Preamble to the constitution, Geneva. [online] http://www.who.int/suggestions/faq/en/ [13/11/2010]

George Orwell Essay -- History Biography Biographies Essays

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair was born in 1903 at Motihari in British-occupied India. While growing up, he attended private schools in Sussex, Wellington and Eaton. He worked at the Imperial Indian Police until 1927 when he went to London to study the poverty stricken. He then moved to Paris where he wrote two lost novels. After he moved back to England he wrote Down and Out in Paris and London, Burmese Days, A Clergyman’s Daughter and Keep the Apidistra Flying. He published all four under the pseudonym George Orwell. He then married Eileen O’Shaughnessy and wrote The Road to Wigan Pier. Orwell then joined the Army and fought in the Spanish Civil War. He became a socialist revolutionary and wrote Homage to Catalina, Coming Up for Air, and in 1943, he wrote Animal Farm. It’s success ended Orwell’s financial troubles forever. In 1947 and 48 despite Tuberculosis, he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four. He died in 1950 (Williams 7-15). This essay will show and prove to you that George Orwell’s life has influenced modern society a great deal. Biography In 1903, Eric Arthur Blair was born. Living in India until he was four, Blair and his family then moved to England and settled at Henley. At the age of eight, Blair was sent to a private school in Sussex, and he lived there, except on holidays, until he was thirteen. He went to two private secondary schools: Wellington(for one term) and Eaton (for four and a half years). After Eaton, Blair joined the Imperial Indian Police and was trained in Burma. He served there for nearly five years and then in 1927, while home on a leave, decided not to return. He later wrote that he had come to understand and reject the imperialism he was serving. He was stuck...between hatred of the empire and rage against the native people who opposed it, and made his immediate job more difficult. Blair, on his first six months of release, traveled to the East End to research the English poor. In Spring of 1928, he took a room in a working-class district of Paris. He wrote two novels, which have been lost, as well as publishing a number of articles in French and English, and later became ill with pneumonia. He then worked ten weeks as a dishwasher and kitchen porter, and later returned to England at the end of 1929. He used his parents’ home in Suffolk for writing and earned money from occasional articles and teaching. Bl... ...o is never swept away by his imagination.† Of Nineteen Eighty-Four, Fredric Warburg comments, â€Å"This is amongst the most terrifying books I have ever read†. â€Å"Mr. Orwell’s latest book, Nineteen Eighty-Four, can be approached either as a political argument or as an indictment of materialism cast in fictional form,† writes Harold Nicolson. â€Å"Mr. Orwell is in every way similar to Huxley, especially in his contempt for people, in his aim of slandering man,† reports Isaac Anisimov for the Pravda. CONCLUSION As you can see, George Orwell is one of the most beloved and respected authors in history. His works speak out against money, hypocrisy, poverty and injustice. His style has influenced many modern authors and will, most definitely, influence many more authors to come. WORKS CITED Calder, Jenni. Animal Farm & Nineteen Eighty-Four. Philadelphia:Milton Keynes, 1986. Meyers, Jeffery. George Orwell: The Critical Hertige. Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1975. Orwell, George. Animal Farm. Orlando: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1982 Williams, Raymond. Orwell. London: Raymond Williams, 1991 Wykes, David. A Preface to Orwell. New York: Longman, Inc., 1987. George Orwell Essay -- History Biography Biographies Essays George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair was born in 1903 at Motihari in British-occupied India. While growing up, he attended private schools in Sussex, Wellington and Eaton. He worked at the Imperial Indian Police until 1927 when he went to London to study the poverty stricken. He then moved to Paris where he wrote two lost novels. After he moved back to England he wrote Down and Out in Paris and London, Burmese Days, A Clergyman’s Daughter and Keep the Apidistra Flying. He published all four under the pseudonym George Orwell. He then married Eileen O’Shaughnessy and wrote The Road to Wigan Pier. Orwell then joined the Army and fought in the Spanish Civil War. He became a socialist revolutionary and wrote Homage to Catalina, Coming Up for Air, and in 1943, he wrote Animal Farm. It’s success ended Orwell’s financial troubles forever. In 1947 and 48 despite Tuberculosis, he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four. He died in 1950 (Williams 7-15). This essay will show and prove to you that George Orwell’s life has influenced modern society a great deal. Biography In 1903, Eric Arthur Blair was born. Living in India until he was four, Blair and his family then moved to England and settled at Henley. At the age of eight, Blair was sent to a private school in Sussex, and he lived there, except on holidays, until he was thirteen. He went to two private secondary schools: Wellington(for one term) and Eaton (for four and a half years). After Eaton, Blair joined the Imperial Indian Police and was trained in Burma. He served there for nearly five years and then in 1927, while home on a leave, decided not to return. He later wrote that he had come to understand and reject the imperialism he was serving. He was stuck...between hatred of the empire and rage against the native people who opposed it, and made his immediate job more difficult. Blair, on his first six months of release, traveled to the East End to research the English poor. In Spring of 1928, he took a room in a working-class district of Paris. He wrote two novels, which have been lost, as well as publishing a number of articles in French and English, and later became ill with pneumonia. He then worked ten weeks as a dishwasher and kitchen porter, and later returned to England at the end of 1929. He used his parents’ home in Suffolk for writing and earned money from occasional articles and teaching. Bl... ...o is never swept away by his imagination.† Of Nineteen Eighty-Four, Fredric Warburg comments, â€Å"This is amongst the most terrifying books I have ever read†. â€Å"Mr. Orwell’s latest book, Nineteen Eighty-Four, can be approached either as a political argument or as an indictment of materialism cast in fictional form,† writes Harold Nicolson. â€Å"Mr. Orwell is in every way similar to Huxley, especially in his contempt for people, in his aim of slandering man,† reports Isaac Anisimov for the Pravda. CONCLUSION As you can see, George Orwell is one of the most beloved and respected authors in history. His works speak out against money, hypocrisy, poverty and injustice. His style has influenced many modern authors and will, most definitely, influence many more authors to come. WORKS CITED Calder, Jenni. Animal Farm & Nineteen Eighty-Four. Philadelphia:Milton Keynes, 1986. Meyers, Jeffery. George Orwell: The Critical Hertige. Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1975. Orwell, George. Animal Farm. Orlando: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1982 Williams, Raymond. Orwell. London: Raymond Williams, 1991 Wykes, David. A Preface to Orwell. New York: Longman, Inc., 1987.

International Business- Failure of Joint Venture as a Result of Culture Essay

1. Joint venture between TCL and Alcatel In 2004, TCL Technology Holdings Limited, a multinational electronics conglomerate from Huizhou, China entered into a mobile phone manufacturing Joint Venture with Alcatel, a global corporation in telecommunication equipments, services and applications from Paris, France, in a bid to foray into the global market. The joint venture company – TCL and Alcatel Mobile Phones Ltd (TAMP) – managed research and development (R&D), sales and distribution of mobile handsets and related products and services (TCL 2011). TCL invested 55 million euros to garner a fifty five percent stake while Alcatel put in 45 million euros along with its mobile handset business for the remaining forty five percent share (China Daily 2004). The two corporations each possessed individual strengths that they believed, when joined in partnership, would establish their stronghold in the competitive mobile phone industry and further their geographical reach in sales. TCL is a distinguished brand that fronts the China market and has a vantage point as a low cost manufacturing base in Asia. Alcatel is a leading player in Europe and Latin America and has operations in more than 130 countries. It could contribute an extensive sales network as well as its high aptitude in R&D (TCL 2011). Alcatel also provided patents to TCL, who did not own its own technology, to enable its entry into markets that have intellectual property (IP) rights requirements (Zhu 2005). TCL at that time had faced a waning domestic market and needed Alcatel to help it expand into newer international markets while Alcatel believed that TCL’s lead in manufacturing would improve its product offering that would better meet the varying needs of its customers worldwide. According to Morgan Stanley, a multinational financial services provider, the joint venture (TAMP) had enormous potential to place seventh to become one of the global leaders in the industry (TCL 2011). TAMP began operations in September 2004. However, only 8 months into the joint venture, by the end of the first quarter of 2005, TAMP had reported a loss of 36 million euro (Li 2011). As a result, TCL bought out Alcatel’s 45 percent share in TAMP to solely take over the venture. The TCL-Alcatel (T&A) collaboration had failed. The transaction took place in the form of an exchange of stocks where Alcatel transferred its TAMP shares to TCL in return for a 5 percent share in the latter’s firm. Because the venture had ended prematurely, Alcatel also paid 20 million  euros in compensation to TCL for the withdrawal of IP rights it had rendered to TAMP (Zhu 2005). After the termination of the joint venture, TCL began to draw profits again in the following year (Li 2011). 2. Problems of the joint venture The failure was attributed to high inherent production costs of managing an international corporation and the underlying financial problems of Alcatel that existed prior to the joint venture that impeded TAMP’s profit goals (Zhu 2005) therefore made it hard to revive the business. Ernst & Young’s (2011) financial reports revealed that Alcatel suffered net operation losses of 400 million euro in 2001 and is a plausible reason why it had been eager to sell its shares to TCL in the first place – to rid the loss making assets (Zhu 2005). But to a large extent, stark cultural differences in working styles between the Chinese and French had a role to play in the lead to its eventual failure. Despite their industrious attempt at internationalizing the business, the Chinese had a perennial lack of understanding of the European culture and were inexperienced in managing international human resource (Monks 2012). This caused friction amongst the employees, who are the building blocks of a company, thus eventually eroded the viability of the collaboration. 3. Culture in IB Culture is an integral part of international business. Every country exhibits a unique set of culture that is distinct from another and has a considerable effect on the way people work and function in their workplace. It is a basis upon which organizations strategize and shape their operations and decisions (Reis, Ferreira and Santos 2011) as well as influence the way they negotiate (Graham, Mintu and Rodgers 1994). Therefore it is critical to learn and understand the cultures of the countries in which you are interested to do business because differences in culture potentially give rise to misunderstandings in the workplace where people have inaccurate perceptions  of each other (Wursten,Lanzer and Fadrhonc 2012), so when managers have awareness of differences, they can alter the way they manage their foreign employees. This is supported by Luo (1999), who found that an understanding of host country culture improved overall business performance. Entering into joint ventures with local firms is an advantageous mode of entry that allows foreign MNCs to acquire local knowledge (Makino and Delios 1996) and this was the strategy taken by TCL in its entrance into France. However, the Chinese firm still faced huge problems of ‘culture conflict’ (Yao and He 2005, p.34). 4. Why it faced difficulties Over the past decade, China had been aggressive in reaching out to the world through its outward foreign direct investment (FDI) policies. Figures from the 2006 Statistical Bulletin of China’s Outward Foreign Direct Investment show that outward FDI of China increased 18.5 billion from 2002 to 2006 (Ministry of Commerce of China 2007). Declining domestic demand and ailing revenues had been a motivation and the confidence from having many years of international experience from foreign MNCS operating in its country had primed China for its own global advance (Lyles and He 2008). Yet there lay fundamental problems in the execution. 4.1 Cultural Differences between TCL and Alcatel There are distinct differences in working styles of employees in Alcatel and TCL due to the intrinsic cultural differences between these two countries. How will management adapt to it is specific to culture as managers are products of their own culture with its own set of beliefs and values and manners of expression and will go on to organize its people effectively according to this very culture so it follows that what works for a particular culture might not necessarily work for another (Wursten 2008). Some friction was observed in the interaction between TCL and Alcatel employees and cooperation between the two managements due to personal perceptions of each other. In an interview conducted by Li Jing (2011), associate professor at Simon Fraser University, for the vice presidents of TCL – Well Lu (TCL) and Laurent Labbe (Alcatel) -, the issue of cultural differences between the two firms was discussed. 4.1.1 Conservatives v Risk Takers The French adopts a more conservative approach when it comes to decision-making. Conservatism is associated with the uncertainty-avoidance (UAI) dimension ( Doupnik and Riccio 2006) and France has one of the highest UAI index at 86 indicating that they are not comfortable with ambiguous situations and will take measures to avoid them (Hofstede 2001). They ‘think a lot before doing something’ (Li 2011, p.3), because in their country, mistakes are unacceptable (Bowie 2008). As a result, Frenchmen are averse to risk (Bowie 2008). Out of 500 employees from Alcatel, only 70 remained in the joint venture company because the perception is that there will be no job security and they cannot afford taking this risk (Li 2011). High turnover rates lower the productivity of a business (BizFilings 2012). Conversely the Chinese are more willing to take risks. This is reflected in their low UAI score of 30. They accept ambiguity, are adaptive to change and make decisions based on a pragmatic approach (Hofstede 2001). However a point to note is that, although China is generally open to risk taking, it tends to embark on lengthy considerations that can notably delay decision-making (RSM International 2010). This would test the patience of its French counterpart and frustrate the relationship. This divergence in attitude and multi-faceted culture causes a struggle in reaching decisions when both parties are set in their own ways about an approach. 4.1.2 Individualists v Collectivists Alcatel’s is a predominantly individualist culture where work relationship is upon the basis of a contract, which underlines the concept of professionalism and have marked definition of an employee’s job responsibilities (Li 2011). TCL, in contrast, is primarily a collectivist culture where people work in the interests of the group (Hofstede 2001). This is reflected in its corporate culture where it wants its employees to feel belonging to the company, to treat it like home (Li 2011). But during the joint venture, as the company grows at an accelerated pace, the nature of the jobs became vague and necessitated a TCL working style. The French are a high-minded group so competition typically prevail teamwork (Kenna and Lacy 1994) at the work place which meant many Alcatel employees were removed from their comfort zone. 4.1.3 Varying degree of acceptance of power Moreover, as France is also an uncertainty avoidance society, there was further disorientation when there was no clear example from top management how they were supposed to work (Li 2011). France and China are both large power distance societies but employ different types of power (Zheng 2010). The French are more accustomed to legitimate power, which is the power that imposes a sense of responsibility or obligation on them (Zheng 2010) and value strong leadership and tight controls (Bowie 2008). But this was not the approach used by the TCL as it tended to be more abrasive and did not agree with a very important aspect of Chinese culture – Harmony. Chinese people manage work relationships with harmony in mind and also the concept of giving everyone ‘face’ (Zheng 2010) so the difference in styles puts the French in discomfiture, and the Chinese in confusion as to why the French was being less than efficient therefore affecting the company’s productivity that would affect the bottom line of the business. 4.1.4 ‘Lazy’ v Driven Individuals Lu admits that he ‘used to subscribe to the stereotype that Frenchmen are lazy’ and ‘are more relaxed’ when it comes to work attitudes (Li 2011, p.3). Laziness is perceived as a negative characteristic and might draw disapproval from other co-workers. However it must be understood that the  French are not really ‘lazy’ but are Polychronic people (Hall 2000). Polychronic people are described in Hall’s cultural theory to have a tendency not to keep a tight structure on their time and work at their own pace, also preferring not to make elaborate plans so (Suntsova 2009) therefore giving the impression of being lazy. The Chinese are, like the French, Polychronic (Hall 2000). But to a large degree they are also a masculine society, according to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (2001), with a high score of 66. In masculine societies, people are motivated to be the best they can be, where great emphasis is placed on achievement and success. Labbe (Li 2011) had described the Chinese as workers with tremendous drive and ambition. On the other hand France is a more feminine society scoring 43, which implies that they are more concerned about the quality of life. For example, France has a liberal welfare system in place that entails short 35 hour work weeks. Labbe (Li 2011, p.3) agrees that the Frenchmen are ‘satisfied with just working for a base salary’. Thus TCL (Chinese) employees who are more masculine, will be disposed to think that their Alcatel colleagues (French), who are feminine and polychronic, are lazy and unmotivated workers, which is a careless observation, because eventually the work is accomplished, only the work is done in a different manner. This misconception leads to resentment amongst employees. 4.2 Lack of international management experience To add to the problem, TCL, like many Chinese firms lack real experience in managing an international business. MNCs’ operating in external markets face liability of foreignness (LOF) where they are at a disadvantage to local firms due to unfamiliarity of host country conditions (Hymer 1976). They have to overcome the liabilities by forging competitive advantages against local firms or fine-tune managerial learning about host markets to reduce LOF while local firms do not have to make as much adjustments in comparison (Petersen and Pedersen 2002). Therefore while many years of having foreign MNCs in China allowed these MNCS to accrue experience from their overseas ventures, the Chinese firms, who although to a large measure were part of the internationalization process, were only at the receiving  end and had not really garnered real managerial experience in operating internationally. When it was down to the actual initiation into international markets such as the US and in this case Europe France, China was confronted by its own set of LOF and was unable to reconcile the divergent national and corporate cultures (Thomsen and Nicolas 2008) between the two countries so it faced difficulties in managing its French employees in TAMP. 5. Solution The general idea one gets from reading related literature about culture in international business is that, differences in culture is a source of misunderstandings and miscommunication that will invariably present itself as a threat to the productivity of business. And the solution would be to understand these differences in culture, to have knowledge of them, so that we can reduce some of these problems (Pilhofer 2011). While it is very useful for us to gain cultural understanding, conventional literature conveys a negative notion in relation to it. It seems to be implying an obligation and necessity to learn about culture to avoid failing the business. Essentially there is nothing fundamentally wrong with this notion but this would only lead to people withdrawing from interaction with other cultures altogether if they fear failure and negative situations (Pilhofer 2011). If I were in charge of the joint venture, I would ensure that the employees gain an appreciation and respect for culture. They need to view cultural learning positively, see it as learning how different others’ cultures are from theirs and use it to adapt accordingly so as to achieve the business objectives (Ferraro 2009). Learn that negative situations such as misunderstandings are inevitable, but even those can be regarded positively in terms of a new experience (Pilhofer 2011). It is not as much the knowledge than what you do with it. To achieve this, management must first introduce this idea of openness to its employees to gradually overcome their innate ethnocentrism (Ferraro 2009). With inculcation and education, over time I believe it will form part of the company’s corporate culture. When work is done in a more positive and respectful atmosphere, performance can be more productive (Ferraro 2009), than in a stressful environment. Going forward, TCL needs to gain more experience in managing people internationally by undertaking more international endeavors. However they cannot enter heedlessly and will need to study the new markets and their cultures and create a plan. Some difficulties would still be faced but they could learn from it. 6. Conclusion The joint venture between Alcatel and TCL failed chiefly due to its existing financial situation. However for the most part, the friction experienced by employees from both companies because of 1. lack of understanding of cultural disparities in work styles and 2. inadequate international experience of TCL’s management had undermined the potential effectiveness of the joint venture, inevitably leading to its failure. Culture is a very elemental factor in International Business today. Business partners face challenges in working with people from other cultures. If there is no knowledge and understanding, firms would not be able to make adjustments accordingly to best achieve their business goals. But cultural knowledge should be learned with a positive motivation rather than attaching negative consequences to it. People need to gain an appreciation and respect for other cultures to be able to work in them effectively. Word count: 2640

Business Entity Paper Essay

There are different forms of businesses and they al have their own purpose. Some are for individuals and others are for partners but they both have different forms. Depending on the size and type of business the owners decide how they are going to start it. Also the liability behind them and the type of ownership also depends on how they decide to go. A corporation is a juridical entity established under the corporation code and register with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It has to have a minimum of five persons and up to fifteen. The liability is limited for the shareholders and are only countable for the amount of capital invested. It is more difficult to create, manage and organize. Depending on how many shares an individual has that’s how the participation of them is assign. If an individual has not that many shares they will be left out with out any participation or word in the company actions and next moves. An example would be Apple and Microsoft. Individuals ask, â€Å"What are the benefits to commerce of having shareholders and other entities that shield their members, protected from personal liability?† There are many benefits to having shareholders, one of the main reasons why individuals decide to incorporate is the personal liability protection it has on its members. The law protects the shareholder’s personal property and the shareholder is only responsible for the value of the equity they have in the company. It also has tax advantages, some incorporated business are able to lower their tax rate by reducing the salaries paid to their owners. The CEOs of these companies are able to carry out their management skills with the support of the shareholders. The ability to transfer ownership is a great benefit because in case of a death or simply selling their shares can be done without having to finish the organization and starting a new one with new owners. Another question frequently asked is â€Å"Would commerce be better served if personal liability would attach to those individuals for the misdeeds of their entity?† There are individuals that would say yes, have their personal belongings attached to the corporation. The logic behind an insurance  company is to protect individuals from mistakes, either caused by others or individual mistakes. Having a corporation gives the opportunity to a group of individuals to carry out a business idea and to have the ability to prosper or to fail without loosing all their life savings and personal belongings. Individuals make mistakes and it is not fair to loose everything on the first try.