Sumary
Question
¿What makes Lebanon such a potentially explosive factor in an unstable region as the Middle East is?
First we must know that Lebanon is the most politically complex and religiously divided country in the Middle East, even people in the Middle East find its politics confusing. Set up by France after World War I as a predominantly Christian state, Lebanon is now about 60% Muslim, 40% Christian.
It has 18 officially recognised religious sects and sharing power between them has always been a complicated game. Lebanese Muslims have tended to look east for support from the other Arab states and from Iran. The Christians have tended to look west to Europe and the United States.
The country's proximity to Israel mean it is also intimately tied to the Arab-Israeli dispute. While Lebanon has plenty of problems of its own, it has also become the arena where many of the region's conflicts and rivalries are played out.
Also is important to know that it has too much Syrian influence, the long conflict which ravaged the country from 1975 until 1990 was both a civil war and a regional war. It left Lebanon firmly under Syria's thumb, and with a southern strip of territory occupied by Israel as a buffer zone.
Lebanese politics have resulted in a succession of wars and atrocities, Israel has repeatedly intervened in Lebanon to protect its northern border. The civil war also drew in Iran to fight Israel and support the Lebanese Shia.
But while Syria no longer has a military presence, it has retained political influence through its relationship with Hezbollah. The government is badly split between anti-Syrian and pro-Syrian factions. The first is a loose alliance of Sunnis, Christians and Druze (a heterodox offshoot of Islam) and enjoys the support of the United States. The second is an essentially Shia grouping dominated by Hezbollah, with the backing of Syria and Iran. Symbolising the polarisation is the fact that the president is pro-Syrian and the prime minister anti-Syrian.
Others see a different but no less worrying possibility, that radical Islamists of the al-Qaeda type now see Lebanon, like other failing states, as attractive terrain in which to establish a foothold.
Bilbiography
PE HALEY, LW SNIDER, MG BANNERMAN. Lebanon in Crisis: Participants and Issues. Syracuse University Press
GH SNYDER. Crisis Bargaining. Council on International Studies
lunes, 3 de noviembre de 2008
AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA
Sumary
In this topic we saw some issues about the history of Oceania, after this we learn about the characteristics of the population.
After this we analyze some Oceanias countries as the Marshall islands, Micronesia, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, looking in each one the general aspects as the culture, religion, and language.
Question
¿Has Europe too much influence over Australia according to the history?
Some research shows that modern Australia was founded with the influx of European settlers just over two hundred years ago, but the Aborigines inhabited the island continent for tens of thousands of years before that. They numbered a few hundred thousand before the European influx. But two centuries of discrimination and expropriation followed, and at one point the indigenous population fell as low as 60,000.
Australia's politicians at first looked to Europe and the US in foreign policy, but in the past 20 years or so they have made their near neighbours a priority.
Australia has mediated between warring groups in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and deployed thousands of peacekeepers in newly-independent East Timor.
In Australia the strong, services-based economy has seen sustained growth; mining and agriculture provide the lion's share of exports, also Australia is a regional policeman; further afield, its troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan
Is important to know that today, 99% of the population are of European or Asian descent. The government formally apologised in 2008 for the past wrongs committed against the indigenous Aboriginal population. Indigenous Australians suffer high rates of unemployment, imprisonment and drug abuse.
The gradual dismantling of the "White Australia" immigration policy in the decades after World War II heralded an increase in the number of non-European arrivals. Migration continues to shape Australia and is a politically-sensitive issue. The country has taken a tough stance on unauthorised arrivals, but has scrapped a controversial policy of holding asylum seekers in detention centres until their cases are heard.
Bibliography
G HUGO. International migration between the European Union and Australia: patterns and implications. dspace-dev.anu.edu.au
THOMAS RISSE-KAPPEN. Cooperation Among Democracies: The European Influence on U.S. Foreign Policy. Publicado por Princeton University Press, 1997
In this topic we saw some issues about the history of Oceania, after this we learn about the characteristics of the population.
After this we analyze some Oceanias countries as the Marshall islands, Micronesia, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, looking in each one the general aspects as the culture, religion, and language.
Question
¿Has Europe too much influence over Australia according to the history?
Some research shows that modern Australia was founded with the influx of European settlers just over two hundred years ago, but the Aborigines inhabited the island continent for tens of thousands of years before that. They numbered a few hundred thousand before the European influx. But two centuries of discrimination and expropriation followed, and at one point the indigenous population fell as low as 60,000.
Australia's politicians at first looked to Europe and the US in foreign policy, but in the past 20 years or so they have made their near neighbours a priority.
Australia has mediated between warring groups in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and deployed thousands of peacekeepers in newly-independent East Timor.
In Australia the strong, services-based economy has seen sustained growth; mining and agriculture provide the lion's share of exports, also Australia is a regional policeman; further afield, its troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan
Is important to know that today, 99% of the population are of European or Asian descent. The government formally apologised in 2008 for the past wrongs committed against the indigenous Aboriginal population. Indigenous Australians suffer high rates of unemployment, imprisonment and drug abuse.
The gradual dismantling of the "White Australia" immigration policy in the decades after World War II heralded an increase in the number of non-European arrivals. Migration continues to shape Australia and is a politically-sensitive issue. The country has taken a tough stance on unauthorised arrivals, but has scrapped a controversial policy of holding asylum seekers in detention centres until their cases are heard.
Bibliography
G HUGO. International migration between the European Union and Australia: patterns and implications. dspace-dev.anu.edu.au
THOMAS RISSE-KAPPEN. Cooperation Among Democracies: The European Influence on U.S. Foreign Policy. Publicado por Princeton University Press, 1997
LATIN AMERICA
Sumary
The presentation began analysing the general aspects of Latin America, as culture, major countries population, and then they made a comparison between Guatemala and Chile.
Then we saw some isues about Guatemala, the ethic relations, the basic economy, the division of labor and the classes and castes. Also we learn how to do business with them.
Finally we learn from the readings about the ethical evaluations, intentions, and orientations of accountants, from the evidence of a cross-cultural examination. And also we saw the integration processes in the western hemisphere.
Question
¿Is Latin America prepared fot the economic crisis in the world?
Recently the dramatic falls in Latin America's stock markets on what is already being called "Black Monday 2" have reignited concerns about how well-placed the region is to withstand the global financial crisis. Nerves were frayed during Monday trading in Sao Paulo.
Monday's falls in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Chile were all greater than the last one-day big decline in mid-September after the announcement of the collapse of the US bank, Lehman Brothers. The Merval Index in Buenos Aires, for example, dropped 8.7%, the worst fall in six years. Sao Paulo's stock market fall of more than 9% was the worst in nearly a decade, as was Santiago's. Mexico City's drop was the worst since 2000.
Now he have to see how exposed is Latin America, and analysts say there is no doubt that the region's economies are still better-equipped than in previous years to absorb the effects of the international crisis. But countries like Mexico and Brazil have much lower public debt compared to the 1980s and 1990s, the years of Latin America's debt crisis.
Also know we can see that most countries in the region also have higher reserves and a more diversified export base.
So far, no Latin American banks have gone bankrupt. But there are fears that a general tightening of international credit lines or a rise in interest rates could feed through to local banks, particularly those which are local branches of international banks.
This crisis would adversely affect everyone from small businesses to exporters seeking credit. It is worth remembering that one major factor behind the region's generally strong economic growth, which has been between 4% and 6% in the last three years, has been the boom in credit in recent years.
Analysts say Latin America's poor will also be badly affected. The global financial turmoil will be another obstacle, along with the food-price inflation, maintaining the recent drop in Latin America's poverty rate.
Bibliography
S EDWARDS. Crisis and reform in Latin America. orton.catie.ac.cr, 1995.
KL REMMER. The Political Impact of Economic Crisis in Latin America. American political science review, 1991 - cat.inist.fr
The presentation began analysing the general aspects of Latin America, as culture, major countries population, and then they made a comparison between Guatemala and Chile.
Then we saw some isues about Guatemala, the ethic relations, the basic economy, the division of labor and the classes and castes. Also we learn how to do business with them.
Finally we learn from the readings about the ethical evaluations, intentions, and orientations of accountants, from the evidence of a cross-cultural examination. And also we saw the integration processes in the western hemisphere.
Question
¿Is Latin America prepared fot the economic crisis in the world?
Recently the dramatic falls in Latin America's stock markets on what is already being called "Black Monday 2" have reignited concerns about how well-placed the region is to withstand the global financial crisis. Nerves were frayed during Monday trading in Sao Paulo.
Monday's falls in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Chile were all greater than the last one-day big decline in mid-September after the announcement of the collapse of the US bank, Lehman Brothers. The Merval Index in Buenos Aires, for example, dropped 8.7%, the worst fall in six years. Sao Paulo's stock market fall of more than 9% was the worst in nearly a decade, as was Santiago's. Mexico City's drop was the worst since 2000.
Now he have to see how exposed is Latin America, and analysts say there is no doubt that the region's economies are still better-equipped than in previous years to absorb the effects of the international crisis. But countries like Mexico and Brazil have much lower public debt compared to the 1980s and 1990s, the years of Latin America's debt crisis.
Also know we can see that most countries in the region also have higher reserves and a more diversified export base.
So far, no Latin American banks have gone bankrupt. But there are fears that a general tightening of international credit lines or a rise in interest rates could feed through to local banks, particularly those which are local branches of international banks.
This crisis would adversely affect everyone from small businesses to exporters seeking credit. It is worth remembering that one major factor behind the region's generally strong economic growth, which has been between 4% and 6% in the last three years, has been the boom in credit in recent years.
Analysts say Latin America's poor will also be badly affected. The global financial turmoil will be another obstacle, along with the food-price inflation, maintaining the recent drop in Latin America's poverty rate.
Bibliography
S EDWARDS. Crisis and reform in Latin America. orton.catie.ac.cr, 1995.
KL REMMER. The Political Impact of Economic Crisis in Latin America. American political science review, 1991 - cat.inist.fr
EUROPE
Sumary
The presentation began with the general aspects of the continent, after it we saw some recent history in Europe or relevance as I and II world wars.
After it we learn about the important issues about the integration and economy, and saw some issues about the European Union. Then we analize important countries of Europe and analized in each of them the culture, general aspects and language. In other presentation we saw the changing borders in europe.
Question
¿Why is the Roma poverty a major issue to the European Union?
Now days the European Union's freedom of movement laws mean Eastern Europe's large population of Roma (Gypsies) is now spreading west. Roma make up as much as 10% of the population in Eastern Europe.
The effect of this influx on national economies, as well as the deep poverty of the European Union's Roma, are high on the agenda as the first summit on Roma integration within the EU begins in Brussels. Italy and Spain have received the most Roma, mainly from Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia, where they make up as much as 10% of the population. Italy has witnessed the most serious effects that are among others murders blamed on Roma, and revenge attacks by vigilante groups, followed by controversial government attempts to fingerprint Roma immigrants.
But some people dont know how how the EU could help, but perhaps they could start by pressurising national governments to implement their own declared policies in housing, employment and education.
Also in eastern Hungary poverty is so endemic, with the Roma blamed for widespread petty theft, that the head of the Hungarian Poultry Board recently complained that people are no longer raising hens in several counties.
Finally we can say that this is a big problem but if the EU make efforts to give a solution the problem will not become bigger, but the EU must know they have to act now.
Bibliography
J PETERSON. Decision-making in the European Union: Towards a framework for analysis. Journal of European Public Policy. informaworld.com
N NUGENT. The Government and Politics of the European Union. Duke University Press, 2003.
The presentation began with the general aspects of the continent, after it we saw some recent history in Europe or relevance as I and II world wars.
After it we learn about the important issues about the integration and economy, and saw some issues about the European Union. Then we analize important countries of Europe and analized in each of them the culture, general aspects and language. In other presentation we saw the changing borders in europe.
Question
¿Why is the Roma poverty a major issue to the European Union?
Now days the European Union's freedom of movement laws mean Eastern Europe's large population of Roma (Gypsies) is now spreading west. Roma make up as much as 10% of the population in Eastern Europe.
The effect of this influx on national economies, as well as the deep poverty of the European Union's Roma, are high on the agenda as the first summit on Roma integration within the EU begins in Brussels. Italy and Spain have received the most Roma, mainly from Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia, where they make up as much as 10% of the population. Italy has witnessed the most serious effects that are among others murders blamed on Roma, and revenge attacks by vigilante groups, followed by controversial government attempts to fingerprint Roma immigrants.
But some people dont know how how the EU could help, but perhaps they could start by pressurising national governments to implement their own declared policies in housing, employment and education.
Also in eastern Hungary poverty is so endemic, with the Roma blamed for widespread petty theft, that the head of the Hungarian Poultry Board recently complained that people are no longer raising hens in several counties.
Finally we can say that this is a big problem but if the EU make efforts to give a solution the problem will not become bigger, but the EU must know they have to act now.
Bibliography
J PETERSON. Decision-making in the European Union: Towards a framework for analysis. Journal of European Public Policy. informaworld.com
N NUGENT. The Government and Politics of the European Union. Duke University Press, 2003.
GLOBALIZATION
Sumary
We saw first some debates around the globalization, such as the globalists (positive and negative), inter-nationalistics, transformationalists.
After analizing that and after the development of an activity we saw the “old age” and “new age” of globalisation. And understand some aspects of why is globalization bad and good for business, culture and people.
Finally we analyzed the concept of civil society, all the issues involved with it and the historical roots of 1990s corporate-led globalisation resistance. Finally we saw and learn about corporate social responsibilit.
Question
¿Why public services could suffer in countries like India as a result of globalisation?
Some studies said that globalisation had led to lower tariffs, an important source of public revenue. And that means that a decline in tariff leads to less money for the governments to spend on its people and this is a prove of how international financial and trade organisations are affecting economies and societies.
Is known that globalisation had played an important trigger in the buoyant Indian economy - it grew at over 9% in the six months to this September. But it had been given too much credit for the growth, because much of India's early growth came from a change in internal government policies. So we can said that some excess credit was given to external liberalisation rather than internal liberalisation for India's economic growth.
India also gained by its investments in sectors of higher education, which helped the country to reap the benefits of the information technology revolution. Instead India cant face a economic meltdown of the kind experienced by Brazil and Argentina in the past leading to political and social instability, because issues as the volatility in the 1990s in Latin America was related to capital markets instability. The poor took the brunt of the meltdown and bore the cost. The bottom-line is, that India has so far avoided that kind of extremes.
Blibliography
R GANGULY-SCRASE, TJ SCRASE. Responses to economic liberalisation and cultural globalisation in India. South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, 2001. Routledge
J GHOSH. Globalisation, export-oriented employment for women and social policy: A case study of India. Unpublished manuscript, 2000 - unrisd.org
We saw first some debates around the globalization, such as the globalists (positive and negative), inter-nationalistics, transformationalists.
After analizing that and after the development of an activity we saw the “old age” and “new age” of globalisation. And understand some aspects of why is globalization bad and good for business, culture and people.
Finally we analyzed the concept of civil society, all the issues involved with it and the historical roots of 1990s corporate-led globalisation resistance. Finally we saw and learn about corporate social responsibilit.
Question
¿Why public services could suffer in countries like India as a result of globalisation?
Some studies said that globalisation had led to lower tariffs, an important source of public revenue. And that means that a decline in tariff leads to less money for the governments to spend on its people and this is a prove of how international financial and trade organisations are affecting economies and societies.
Is known that globalisation had played an important trigger in the buoyant Indian economy - it grew at over 9% in the six months to this September. But it had been given too much credit for the growth, because much of India's early growth came from a change in internal government policies. So we can said that some excess credit was given to external liberalisation rather than internal liberalisation for India's economic growth.
India also gained by its investments in sectors of higher education, which helped the country to reap the benefits of the information technology revolution. Instead India cant face a economic meltdown of the kind experienced by Brazil and Argentina in the past leading to political and social instability, because issues as the volatility in the 1990s in Latin America was related to capital markets instability. The poor took the brunt of the meltdown and bore the cost. The bottom-line is, that India has so far avoided that kind of extremes.
Blibliography
R GANGULY-SCRASE, TJ SCRASE. Responses to economic liberalisation and cultural globalisation in India. South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, 2001. Routledge
J GHOSH. Globalisation, export-oriented employment for women and social policy: A case study of India. Unpublished manuscript, 2000 - unrisd.org
EAST ASIA
Sumary
We saw a presentation about the Asean and analized each of their integrants, also we learn about Vietnam, looking all the aspects of it. And we saw some of the principal countries and their general aspects.
We made an emphasis on Japan, learning everything about this country and all the important thing they have to offer to the world. We analyze important aspects as the tecnology, culture, language among other important issues.
Question
¿Is a trade pact between ASEAN and japan a good thing for the economy of both parties?
In recent months is known that the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) has agreed a preliminary free trade pact with Japan. The outline, signed during an annual meeting between Asean and Japan taking place in Manila, could be sealed as early as November officials said.
This deal cut tariffs on 90% of Asean products is set to further boost trade between the two parties, which hit $160bn (£79bn) in 2006. The most important issue and a positive aspect to te economy is that the Asean members aim to turn the whole region into a free trade zone.
Is obviously that Japan is a key Asean partner, accounting for 12% of the bloc's world trade in 2006. Also a free trade deal with South Korea is expected in 2008, and further deals are tipped to be signed with Australia and New Zealand in 2010.
All the members discussed the issue of product safety at the event following a series of recalled toys that had been made in China. A series of product recalls of Chinese toys has pushed the issue into the spotlight.
But we can say that this pact just lead opportunities of development and rise in economy for both paries as soon as the pact conclude, and begin to take place.
Bibliography
WK Kwan, PM Goh, Koizumi. Call for Japan-Asean pact. The Straits Times, 2002
M BARRY. ASEAN Free-Trade Area Discussions on Including China, Japan, and South Korea. International Economic Review, 2001 - ciaonet.org
We saw a presentation about the Asean and analized each of their integrants, also we learn about Vietnam, looking all the aspects of it. And we saw some of the principal countries and their general aspects.
We made an emphasis on Japan, learning everything about this country and all the important thing they have to offer to the world. We analyze important aspects as the tecnology, culture, language among other important issues.
Question
¿Is a trade pact between ASEAN and japan a good thing for the economy of both parties?
In recent months is known that the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) has agreed a preliminary free trade pact with Japan. The outline, signed during an annual meeting between Asean and Japan taking place in Manila, could be sealed as early as November officials said.
This deal cut tariffs on 90% of Asean products is set to further boost trade between the two parties, which hit $160bn (£79bn) in 2006. The most important issue and a positive aspect to te economy is that the Asean members aim to turn the whole region into a free trade zone.
Is obviously that Japan is a key Asean partner, accounting for 12% of the bloc's world trade in 2006. Also a free trade deal with South Korea is expected in 2008, and further deals are tipped to be signed with Australia and New Zealand in 2010.
All the members discussed the issue of product safety at the event following a series of recalled toys that had been made in China. A series of product recalls of Chinese toys has pushed the issue into the spotlight.
But we can say that this pact just lead opportunities of development and rise in economy for both paries as soon as the pact conclude, and begin to take place.
Bibliography
WK Kwan, PM Goh, Koizumi. Call for Japan-Asean pact. The Straits Times, 2002
M BARRY. ASEAN Free-Trade Area Discussions on Including China, Japan, and South Korea. International Economic Review, 2001 - ciaonet.org
SOUTH ASIA
Sumary
We began with an exellent presentation about the religions that exist in this region that are Islam, Induism and Jainism, and we saw the issues involved with each of these religions and where they were practiced. Also the partners make an analisys on Hofstede´s framework looking each of the characteistics.
We saw deeply the caste and all the implication it had depending where you belong, and also we saw the works and attitudes the person of a caste can do o not.
At the end of the presentation we saw and learn about the company INFOSYS who are a entreprise dedicated to the manage of software and services. We saw how they work and what they did for being succesfull now days.
Question
¿Why be part of a low caste is the meaning of poverty, udevelopment and slavery?
To many people in India said that prefer to born again as an animal rather than as a harijan (dalit), because eveyone can notice the humiliation they suffer. In a region of India this is more specific, the region is Bihar, where after the floods millions of people lost their homes, belongings and even family members. But for the dalits of Bihar there is further misery: the caste system.
The unemployment is a variable that is affecting all Bihar population nowdays and because of their condition of dalit, is harder to get a new job or to be someone in life. The childres of the dalits always suffer for being hungry and for not having education. In Bihar the dalits work for earn about 40 rupees (80 cents) for a 12-hour day.
And the problem is bigger because affter this floods hundreds of dalit families are in extremely situations of poverty. In this emergency, when everyone should be provided with food, certain groups are denied access.
And the only persons that can leave the place where the upper cast members, because the dalits may stay home to guard their house and belongings. No matters if the guard is old or have also a family, because they just took advantage of their condition of dalit. It seems a strange sort of society where an old man stays back, without food or shelter, taking numerous risks to guard the house of his feudal lord.
But also is important to know that in this society there is no other support system for dalits family members. For many it has become a question of survival, they cant use the hand pump to get water as it belonged to upper caste people.
All people must understand they are also human beings, they need food and water and their children also feel hungry. Everyone must have to challenge the system, eventhough the problem is gigantic. But efforts need to be made. The critical point is that while equality may be an accepted philosophy it can only happen once people also agree in practice to be equals. Everyone in India must understand that equality means that all people should get food and their rights and dignity are respected.
Bibliography
GS GHURYE. Caste and Class in India. Popular Book Depot
HUTTON J. H. Caste in India. Its Nature, Function, and Origins. Oxford University Press, Bombay, INDE (1973) (Monographie)
We began with an exellent presentation about the religions that exist in this region that are Islam, Induism and Jainism, and we saw the issues involved with each of these religions and where they were practiced. Also the partners make an analisys on Hofstede´s framework looking each of the characteistics.
We saw deeply the caste and all the implication it had depending where you belong, and also we saw the works and attitudes the person of a caste can do o not.
At the end of the presentation we saw and learn about the company INFOSYS who are a entreprise dedicated to the manage of software and services. We saw how they work and what they did for being succesfull now days.
Question
¿Why be part of a low caste is the meaning of poverty, udevelopment and slavery?
To many people in India said that prefer to born again as an animal rather than as a harijan (dalit), because eveyone can notice the humiliation they suffer. In a region of India this is more specific, the region is Bihar, where after the floods millions of people lost their homes, belongings and even family members. But for the dalits of Bihar there is further misery: the caste system.
The unemployment is a variable that is affecting all Bihar population nowdays and because of their condition of dalit, is harder to get a new job or to be someone in life. The childres of the dalits always suffer for being hungry and for not having education. In Bihar the dalits work for earn about 40 rupees (80 cents) for a 12-hour day.
And the problem is bigger because affter this floods hundreds of dalit families are in extremely situations of poverty. In this emergency, when everyone should be provided with food, certain groups are denied access.
And the only persons that can leave the place where the upper cast members, because the dalits may stay home to guard their house and belongings. No matters if the guard is old or have also a family, because they just took advantage of their condition of dalit. It seems a strange sort of society where an old man stays back, without food or shelter, taking numerous risks to guard the house of his feudal lord.
But also is important to know that in this society there is no other support system for dalits family members. For many it has become a question of survival, they cant use the hand pump to get water as it belonged to upper caste people.
All people must understand they are also human beings, they need food and water and their children also feel hungry. Everyone must have to challenge the system, eventhough the problem is gigantic. But efforts need to be made. The critical point is that while equality may be an accepted philosophy it can only happen once people also agree in practice to be equals. Everyone in India must understand that equality means that all people should get food and their rights and dignity are respected.
Bibliography
GS GHURYE. Caste and Class in India. Popular Book Depot
HUTTON J. H. Caste in India. Its Nature, Function, and Origins. Oxford University Press, Bombay, INDE (1973) (Monographie)
CHINA
Sumary
We saw all about the Human Resources Managment in China, we began this topic learning about the general aspects, the background and of course the history. After that we saw all the types of companies that exist in China and how is the process when you are doing business with them.
Also we saw all the economic deeply and how those afects China, and how that make China rise out to the world in several issues and aspects.
Question
¿How is China dealing with the world´s financial meltdown?
Is normal to see that the earlier crisis started with local worries about Thailand`s widening current-account deficit and poverty bubble in Bangkok. It astonished the world with the speed and extent of the contagion that spread to other asian countries, and emerging markets elsewhere, such as Russia and Brazil.
Research shows that China is the far better placed to withstand the present shock. Its banks are stronger, its currency regimes less rigid, its foreign-exhange reserves bigger. On the other hand, a decade of accelerated globalisation had seen every country integrated even more closely into the world economy. China may not face the sort of meltdown experienced at the end of the 1990s. But prospects for growth look much bleaker that they did even a fortnigth ago. Exports to rich countries still matter, albeit less than they did.
China leaders have complained that they were blamed for bringing the last crisis on themselves, with their misguided exchange-rate policies, opaque financial systems, profligate spending and corrupt politics. China is refusal to allow a faster appreciation of the yuan has been blamed by some for helping build up the huge global financial imbalances that now seem to be unwinding so fast.
Blibliography
NICHOLAS R. LARDY. Integrating China Into the Global Economy. Publicado por Brookings Institution Press, 2002
BARRY NAUGTHON. What is distinctive about China`s economic transition? State and enterprise reform and overall system trasformation. University of California, San Diego, La Jolla. February 15, 1994.
We saw all about the Human Resources Managment in China, we began this topic learning about the general aspects, the background and of course the history. After that we saw all the types of companies that exist in China and how is the process when you are doing business with them.
Also we saw all the economic deeply and how those afects China, and how that make China rise out to the world in several issues and aspects.
Question
¿How is China dealing with the world´s financial meltdown?
Is normal to see that the earlier crisis started with local worries about Thailand`s widening current-account deficit and poverty bubble in Bangkok. It astonished the world with the speed and extent of the contagion that spread to other asian countries, and emerging markets elsewhere, such as Russia and Brazil.
Research shows that China is the far better placed to withstand the present shock. Its banks are stronger, its currency regimes less rigid, its foreign-exhange reserves bigger. On the other hand, a decade of accelerated globalisation had seen every country integrated even more closely into the world economy. China may not face the sort of meltdown experienced at the end of the 1990s. But prospects for growth look much bleaker that they did even a fortnigth ago. Exports to rich countries still matter, albeit less than they did.
China leaders have complained that they were blamed for bringing the last crisis on themselves, with their misguided exchange-rate policies, opaque financial systems, profligate spending and corrupt politics. China is refusal to allow a faster appreciation of the yuan has been blamed by some for helping build up the huge global financial imbalances that now seem to be unwinding so fast.
Blibliography
NICHOLAS R. LARDY. Integrating China Into the Global Economy. Publicado por Brookings Institution Press, 2002
BARRY NAUGTHON. What is distinctive about China`s economic transition? State and enterprise reform and overall system trasformation. University of California, San Diego, La Jolla. February 15, 1994.
AFRICA
Sumary
This topic had two parts the first one was the exposition that showed the general aspects of Africa. Also we saw how the colonialism and post colonialism contribute with the actual situation of poorness and war of african´s citizens. We learned about Sierra Leone and the conflict with diamonds they have, there the guerrillas figth with the civil population, and that is a fact of why there exist the illegal trade of diamonds because of corrupt governments, trade of weapons and terrorism. Those issues are the ones that made the diamonds called “blood diamonds”.
Lorenza Fontana showed us the problem in Nigeria about the oil from the multinationals corporations existing in the Delta Niger region. We saw all the aspects influenced with a background that brings out all the aspects that made this not fair for the citizens. We saw how in front of this inequallytu came up the the movement MEND and we analyzed all the implications of them in the oil conflict.
Question
¿Why Africa being one of the richest continets in the wold in resources continue being the poorest one?
Since ever we listen and learned about Africa´s natural resources and all the mineral resources they had there. But also we listen about the war, terrorism and poorness they live in. This is contradictory and had no sence, because you can´t understand why a conuntry with that amount of resources live in the worts conditions of poverty.
But all of that have an explication,and it came from the colonialism period were the Europeans took advantage on African people. First some writter said that colonialism was a system witch functioned well in the interest of the metropoles. Also there are so much writters who said that Europeans did to much for Africans and this is complety false because the only thing Africans learn from Europeans were the words opression, explotaition and slavery.
The Europeans said that they built railroads, schools, hospitals and the like, but they did´nt noticed that the sum of these was extremely small in comparison with the damage and pain they when throug later.
That is why we can say Africa has everything to be a rich country but the develped countries never wanted to be like that, and they had been doing everything to take out the ritchness of Africa making the African population suffer and die because of the injustice of the richest ones.
Bibliography
ROY RICHARD GRINKER, CHRISTOPHER BURGHARD STEINER. Perspectives on Africa: A Reader in Culture, History, and Representation. Publicado por Blackwell Publishing, 1997
J WODDIS. Africa: The Roots of Revolt. 1962 , Citadel Press.
This topic had two parts the first one was the exposition that showed the general aspects of Africa. Also we saw how the colonialism and post colonialism contribute with the actual situation of poorness and war of african´s citizens. We learned about Sierra Leone and the conflict with diamonds they have, there the guerrillas figth with the civil population, and that is a fact of why there exist the illegal trade of diamonds because of corrupt governments, trade of weapons and terrorism. Those issues are the ones that made the diamonds called “blood diamonds”.
Lorenza Fontana showed us the problem in Nigeria about the oil from the multinationals corporations existing in the Delta Niger region. We saw all the aspects influenced with a background that brings out all the aspects that made this not fair for the citizens. We saw how in front of this inequallytu came up the the movement MEND and we analyzed all the implications of them in the oil conflict.
Question
¿Why Africa being one of the richest continets in the wold in resources continue being the poorest one?
Since ever we listen and learned about Africa´s natural resources and all the mineral resources they had there. But also we listen about the war, terrorism and poorness they live in. This is contradictory and had no sence, because you can´t understand why a conuntry with that amount of resources live in the worts conditions of poverty.
But all of that have an explication,and it came from the colonialism period were the Europeans took advantage on African people. First some writter said that colonialism was a system witch functioned well in the interest of the metropoles. Also there are so much writters who said that Europeans did to much for Africans and this is complety false because the only thing Africans learn from Europeans were the words opression, explotaition and slavery.
The Europeans said that they built railroads, schools, hospitals and the like, but they did´nt noticed that the sum of these was extremely small in comparison with the damage and pain they when throug later.
That is why we can say Africa has everything to be a rich country but the develped countries never wanted to be like that, and they had been doing everything to take out the ritchness of Africa making the African population suffer and die because of the injustice of the richest ones.
Bibliography
ROY RICHARD GRINKER, CHRISTOPHER BURGHARD STEINER. Perspectives on Africa: A Reader in Culture, History, and Representation. Publicado por Blackwell Publishing, 1997
J WODDIS. Africa: The Roots of Revolt. 1962 , Citadel Press.
domingo, 24 de agosto de 2008
MODULE 3
MODULE 3
III. MANAGING DIVERSITY
SUMARY
QUESTION
III. MANAGING DIVERSITY
SUMARY
We saw the spheres of activity in the management of cultural diversity knowing how each one work. We also learned the differences between managing diversity and equal opportunities,
Also we learned parallel between managing diversity and the competitive advantage, analyzing each variable as cost, resource acquisition, marketing, creativity, problem solving, and organizational flexibility.
Finally we learned the components to transform traditional organizations into multicultural ones.
Also we learned parallel between managing diversity and the competitive advantage, analyzing each variable as cost, resource acquisition, marketing, creativity, problem solving, and organizational flexibility.
Finally we learned the components to transform traditional organizations into multicultural ones.
QUESTION
Which is the best way for a organization to manage the cultural diferences?
We saw the spheres of activity in the management of cultural diversity knowing how each one work. We also learned the differences between managing diversity and equal opportunities,
Also we learned parallel between managing diversity and the competitive advantage, analyzing each variable as cost, resource acquisition, marketing, creativity, problem solving, and organizational flexibility.
Finally we learned the components to transform traditional organizations into multicultural ones.
When an organization is involved with different cultures it must educate their employees towards an understanding and tolerance in these differences. There is a process that can make things easier for an organization.
This process is call Holvino’s Multicultural Organizational Development model and it provides a useful support of the stages of an organization moving from a monoculture, that is characterized for exclusionary issues into the organization where the values of one group, culture or style are dominant, to multicultural organization who are inclusive and where the values of diverse people are valued and contribute to organizational goals and excellence.
According to this, an organization must development approach to designing and implementing a diversity initiative follow a five-step process: 1) preparing for the initiative; 2) assessing needs related to diversity; 3) developing a vision, goals and a strategic plan; 4) implementing the interventions selected; and 5) monitoring and evaluating progress and results.
These steps are something basic and very easy to accomplish by an organization, the key is that it must focus on the strengths of the organizational development approach to diversity, because this will provides a clear focus; it is similar to other planning processes.
If every organization take this into account, the problems with the cultural differences will be easier to accomplished, and will make the workplace a better place for the employees and a more successful company because is clear that a happy worker make happy costumers.
Bibliography
- DEBORAH MERRILL-SANDS, EVANGELINA HOLVINO WITH JAMES CUMMING (2000). Working with Diversity. Center for Gender in Organizations (CGO) SIMMONS Graduate School of Management Chaos Management, Ltd.
sábado, 23 de agosto de 2008
MODULE 4
MODULE 4
IV. INTERNATIONAL LABOUR MIGRATION
IV. INTERNATIONAL LABOUR MIGRATION
http://www.allianceit.ca/images/data_migration.jpg
SUMMARY
We learned about migration having into account some important concepts as the origins, history and important dates of migration in our society and others.
Also we emphasized in the fact of the brain drain, specially the ones that happens here in Latin America, because of the lack of opportunities and support from government to the education and many other factors.
In class this case and other related were discussed, taking into account the conflicts, consequences and issues that something like this can bring, also the image that the migrant has of another country as a opportunity to improving lifestyle for the migrant himself and the family. We talk also about the consequences for each country, the one that loses a citizen and the one that receives the migrant, evaluating every problem and discussing it. Some of these problems were the brain drain, remittances, the population increase, the decrease of the jobs.
QUESTION
What are the social or political impacts of migration to the cities?
There are a lot of impacts in those two issues and in several more, some of those impacts are positive and some negative. The key is to understand the impacts and manage it in the right way.
First we can analyzed the political impacts, because is important to show that there are more positive migrant policies in cities, but it has taken a long time. Migrants always try to achieve urban benefits and amenities like access to schools and housing, but the problem is with governments who don’t see this as possible as they want to.
Even though now is common to see a shift at the highest levels of government towards social policies addressing inequality and disparity. Differential treatment of migrants is now becoming to be a potentially explosive issue, because the migrant population is growing.
In the latest days there are growing up second-generation migrants, who are the younger migrants, they are studying and working searching a better future for them and their families. But is common to see that in the cities they are not treated in the same way as the local kids.
Gradually there have been small changes in all of those aspects and the positive policy changes have been happening slowly, because the principal importance for governments is the welfare of the citizens and the migrants who are also important citizens as well.
Governments must educate all the society to understand and respect the migrants, because everybody must know that they are human beans and deserve the same rights as the citizens.
Bibliography
- Stark O (1991), The migration of labor. Cambridge, Massachusetts/Oxford, England, Basil Blackwell.
- Douglas S. Massey, Joaquín Arango, Graeme Hugo, Ali Kouaouci, Adela Pellegrino, J. Edward Taylor (1998).Worlds in motion. understanding international migration at the end of the millennium. Oxford. Oxford University Press.
MODULE 2
MODULE 2
II. Exploring Diversity
II. Exploring Diversity
SUMMARY
Here we learned and understood that everybody are different in several ways and also knew how those differences affects individuals’ values, opportunities and perceptions of self and others at work and at society. Also we saw important concepts about this topic as race, discrimination and racism.
We went deeper with the concept of racism, looking at important issues as the personal, the cultutal and the institutional racism.
To understand better the diversity we saw the theories underpinning of diversity, and also we learned how to understand the multicultural diversity in every of it issues.
QUESTION
Why there are differences and conflicts, between people of different cultures in workplace in some organizations? ¿Is this problem related with the cultural diversity?
First we should know there are a lot of differences and low tolerance for people from other cultures in actual society, because everybody feels afraid of the unknown issues, that’s why in this cases the lack of information and education about other cultures or behaviors make people reject those other person who are different.
Even thought there are some investigations and research that shows how these differences are taken between different culture people, especially in workplace. E.T. Hall developed the concept that there are three important concepts about cultural differences. These are time, context, and space. He also established that is important to understand the differences between monochronic time and polychronic, because time is essential to success, especially in workplace.
Is important to understand monochronic time is characterized as linear, tangible, and divisible. In monochronic time, events are scheduled one item at a time and this schedule takes precedence over interpersonal relationships. Monochronic time focuses on the time is money approach and is couched in terms such as time spent, time wasted, time lost and so on.
Otherwise polychronic time is characterized by the concurrent happening of many things and by a great involvement with people and is more focused on completing human transactions than it is on the holding on of schedules.
That’s why we saw that those cultures that are monochronic do one thing at a time and concentrate on the job at hand, and take commitments seriously. They are more likely to value promptness and are accustomed to short- term relationships. And in the other hand polychronic cultures focus on doing many things at a time, are more distractible and are likely to base their promptness on the strength of a relationship, so keeping strangers waiting is far more acceptable than family.
The other issues that Hall exposed were the high and low context, it refers to the amount of information that a person can manage. This can vary from a high context culture where background information is implicit to low context culture where much of the background information must be made explicit in an interaction. In consequence people from a high context cultures often send more information implicitly, have a wider "network," and thus tend to stay well informed on many subjects. The people from low context cultures usually verbalize much more background information, and tend not to be well informed on subjects outside of their own interests.
Here we can understand why there are differences in work, because not everybody has the information of this, and in some cases this causes serious problem at work, some of them unsolved ones. We should understand that in every place there are a lot of different attitudes and behaviors in people, some of those are characteristics of their cultures and knowing those differences life in work can be easily and peacefully if we understand the cultural diversity.
Bibliography
- Hall, E.T. (1990), Understanding cultural differences, Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, ME
- Hall, E.T. (1985), Hidden Differences: Studies in International Communication, Gruner & Jahr, Hamburg
domingo, 27 de julio de 2008
THE CORPORATION
THE CORPORATION
The directors Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott showed in this film how the behavior of many large corpotation of the world can affect the society. They did it by giving the corporation characterist of a person and they evaluated them from a psicologic point of view. This fim was created in 2003 and is a Canadian documentary.
QUESTIONS
1. What role should the corporation play in our lives and society, if any?
The corporation must be see as a part of the economy of the world and not as a part of our life, because there is where it becomes into a "psycho monster" that affects those who don't have economic resources to defeat themselves from the attack of it. I think there is where the governments of every country must take a part, because they must make corporation respect the cultures of the country they’re trying to enter and make citizens understand that every corporation even thought it is from the country or foreigner are just a part of a economy and don’t give the corporation values of a person.
They must have more social responsibility and not focus on the economic issues; the role they should play is to take the cultural diversity of some countries to others to show how different cultures are.
2. Should corporations be entitled to the same legal rights as individuals? Where the line should be drawn?
No, as I said before the corporation must be seeing as a part of an economy and not as an individual, that’s why they should be entitled to legal rights designed especially for these institutions because if not there is were they do illegal things that not have the fair punishments. Every person must understand a corporation is just something of an economy that in several cases makes our life easy, but they must
3. How can we ensure corporations are held accountable for their actions? Should individuals (directors, employees, shareholders) bear any responsibility for the actions of a corporation? If so, to what degree?
The corporation will be held for their actions if the directors take total responsibility of they acts, because they are the ones that take important decisions in the corporation, the shareholders have also huge responsibility because they also manage, in certain way, the corporation actions, and the employees also have responsibility but not in a high level because they make part of it and are the ones that hold it, I mean, the directors have the biggest responsibility, the shareholders medium, and the employees low.
4. What are the benefits of the corporate form? Could an alternative model offer these as well?
This form has some benefits, but it depends of the way corporation manage all the things. Because depending of the way things are this form could be positive or negative for the corporation it self and the society that surround it. A corporation must now what benefit it self will also benefit everyone in the society.
5. Do you think corporations are the root cause of the problem, or is it consumerism, capitalism, or all three?
The problem is the consumerism and capitalism, also big part of the fault is from the governments because they aloud corporations to do “illegal” things to employees, environment and society, and not make them pay for the mistakes, countries must make respect themselves from the corporations, there’s were the problem from my point of view born.
6. If corporations weres more reflective of the world’s population (poor, women, ethnically diverse, etc) would that help?
Maybe, but not in a huge level because as I said in the fifth question the problem will be solve if governments take part in this and make rules and rights to defeat the negative influence that a corporation could have on the citizens, even though the corporation must also have social responsibility toward issues like poorness, women, ethnically diverse, children among other important issues of the society.
The corporation must be see as a part of the economy of the world and not as a part of our life, because there is where it becomes into a "psycho monster" that affects those who don't have economic resources to defeat themselves from the attack of it. I think there is where the governments of every country must take a part, because they must make corporation respect the cultures of the country they’re trying to enter and make citizens understand that every corporation even thought it is from the country or foreigner are just a part of a economy and don’t give the corporation values of a person.
They must have more social responsibility and not focus on the economic issues; the role they should play is to take the cultural diversity of some countries to others to show how different cultures are.
2. Should corporations be entitled to the same legal rights as individuals? Where the line should be drawn?
No, as I said before the corporation must be seeing as a part of an economy and not as an individual, that’s why they should be entitled to legal rights designed especially for these institutions because if not there is were they do illegal things that not have the fair punishments. Every person must understand a corporation is just something of an economy that in several cases makes our life easy, but they must
3. How can we ensure corporations are held accountable for their actions? Should individuals (directors, employees, shareholders) bear any responsibility for the actions of a corporation? If so, to what degree?
The corporation will be held for their actions if the directors take total responsibility of they acts, because they are the ones that take important decisions in the corporation, the shareholders have also huge responsibility because they also manage, in certain way, the corporation actions, and the employees also have responsibility but not in a high level because they make part of it and are the ones that hold it, I mean, the directors have the biggest responsibility, the shareholders medium, and the employees low.
4. What are the benefits of the corporate form? Could an alternative model offer these as well?
This form has some benefits, but it depends of the way corporation manage all the things. Because depending of the way things are this form could be positive or negative for the corporation it self and the society that surround it. A corporation must now what benefit it self will also benefit everyone in the society.
5. Do you think corporations are the root cause of the problem, or is it consumerism, capitalism, or all three?
The problem is the consumerism and capitalism, also big part of the fault is from the governments because they aloud corporations to do “illegal” things to employees, environment and society, and not make them pay for the mistakes, countries must make respect themselves from the corporations, there’s were the problem from my point of view born.
6. If corporations weres more reflective of the world’s population (poor, women, ethnically diverse, etc) would that help?
Maybe, but not in a huge level because as I said in the fifth question the problem will be solve if governments take part in this and make rules and rights to defeat the negative influence that a corporation could have on the citizens, even though the corporation must also have social responsibility toward issues like poorness, women, ethnically diverse, children among other important issues of the society.
7. Do you agree with the film’s diagnosis that the corporation is a psychopath?
I totally agree, because the film gave a lot of arguments to think so. And even in our environment we can see that type of behavior where the corporation just care for the positive proffits without looking the problems that they can cause on society.
Bibliography
- propiedadprivada.blogspot.com/2005/05/la-mentalidad-anti-capitalista-del.html
miércoles, 23 de julio de 2008
MODULE 1
MODULE 1
I. Introductory module: Culture and International Business & Ethnography
SUMMARY
In the introductory module we learned about the importance of the culture in international bussines,
we did it by having into account terms as ideology, nationality, social class and gender.
Also we learned the importance of knowing the meaning of international organitational behaviour, that consist in the study of the cultural differences and the cultural diversity that can affect work-related behaviour. We saw some mistakes we can have by not having a correct cross cultural comunication as stereotyping, selective perception, projecting similarities.
Is to important to know how cultural diversity works, that’s why we learned about some positions or views about this issues, those are, parochial view, ethnocentric view and synergistic view.
Finally we saw how to do the ethnograpic research and all the methods, principles, fieldwork guidelines and the ethics you must follow to do it in the rigth way.
QUESTION
How national culture impacts behaviour at work in developed countries like the ones in the United Kindom?
To understand better this issue is important to have into account some of the Hofstede’s knowledge as the cultural dimension he proposed according to the United Kingdom.
First by analysing the Power Distance that is the first dimension, we can see that people in high power distance cultures are much more comfortable with a larger status differential than low power distance cultures. Here climate is measured by geographical latitude, because cultures in high-latitude climate (moderate or cold climates) tend to have low Power Distance Index (PDI) scores and cultures that have tropical climate tend to have high PDI scores. In order to this United Kingdom have low degree of Power Distance and there is multiple research that shows the United Kingdom as a owner of a tigther hierarchy. There is also likely to be more mechanisms to allow feedback from the lower order to the top of the management order.
The second dimension in the Uncertainty Avoidance and this refers to the extent to which a culture feels threatened by uncertain situations and then tries to avoid them by establishing more structure. In the United Kingdom we can see that cultures with low Uncertainty Avoidance Index tend to have reached the level of modernization and have more stable or predictable in their rate of change.
The third dimesion is the Individualism-Collectivism that describes the degree to which a culture depends on and has allegiance to the self or the group. One of the main predictors here is economic development. Is surprising to know that cultures in colder climate are more individualistic and the warmer climate more collectivistic. In order to this the United Kingdom is an individualistic culture and it tends to do not perceive a large psychological distance between in-group and out- group members. They value self-expression, see speaking out as a means of resolving problems, and are likely to use confrontational strategies when dealing with interpersonal problems.
The last dimension is Masculinity-Feminity and It basically refers to expected gender roles in a culture. Is important to have into account here that climate is a predictive factor, because masculine cultures tend to live in warmer climate near the equator and feminine cultures are likely to locate in colder climates away from the equator, that’s why we see that members of high Masculine cultures believe that men should be assertive and women should be nurturing. In United kingdom this do not happen very offen, but there is still some low degree of this.
In conclusion we can see how Hofstede’s theories help us understand some of cultural behaviour in United Kingdom, but also is important to have into account that often the development of a country depends on these and other factors such as level of education of its population which may be just as indicative of why differences between work cultures exist.
Biliography
- Hofstede, (1991), Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind, McGraw-Hill, London
- Hofstede, (2004), Cultural Dimensions Explained: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_india.shtml
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