Explaining the theories of play Essay Example

Clarifying the speculations of play Essay Example Clarifying the speculations of play Paper Clarifying the speculations of play Paper This paper investigates how dramatization helps in the psychological, cultural, passionate and intellectual advancement in kids. By elucidating the hypotheses of dramatization, it other than investigates how show has changed over the mature ages because of innovative modifications and the intellectual, mental, cultural passionate and cultural adjustments which take topographic moment that children play. Different aspects of dramatization which are investigated incorporates its part as a commercial foundation for children to cover with encounters in the earth. Play is so of import to a child s advancement that it is advanced by the United Nations 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 31.1, which perceives the privilege of the child to rest and relaxation, to indict in show and recreational exercises suitable to the age of the child and to partake openly in social life and the humanistic controls ( WHO, 1989 ) . Recognizing that children need clasp to indict in self-propelled show is of piece among guardians, wellbeing experts and instructors. Play advances the psychological, cultural, enthusiastic and physical improvement of the child thus it ought to non be thought little of. Youngsters other than create and hamburger up achievements, for example, etymological correspondence advancement, work goals, arranging, and sequencing achievements which will be utilized in farther obtaining ( Singer et al. , 2006 ) . The capacity of show in kids improvement has been outlined in arranged hypothetical records and hypotheses. For case, Jean Piaget s hypothetical records of child advancement and securing depend on the perceptual experience that when a child develops, it creates information developments and mental pictures ( systems ) or connected builds to comprehend and respond to states of being in nature. This are required through dramatization exercises along these lines fitting to Piaget, a child s development in information creates from intrinsic physiological responses to complex mental exercises ( Singer et al. , 2006 ) . Fitting to Almon J. ( 2004 ) Piaget recognizes four formative stages which incorporate Sensory engine where the child during childbirth to two mature ages manufactures develops about how world functions with the environing condition. At this stage, a child does nt hold object permanency ( perception that physical items exist when non located ) . In the pre-word related stage, the child does nt gestate dynamically and needs physical fortunes which are concrete ( age of seven to 11 mature ages ) . At two to seven mature ages, the child is in the solid operational stage where he starts to gestate and explain physical encounters by sensible developments and can other than arraign in dynamic employment work trip. In the proper tasks stage, information developments are grown-up like and grasp calculated sensible reasoning. On the balance of the above stages thus, Piaget builds up the psychological hypothesis of show which diagrams the intellectual principles of how information can be worked in kids ( Smith D. , 1995 ) . Blending to this hypothesis, Repetition of encounters through dramatization requires absorption in the child s developments of information in this manner the child continues a psychological harmony. New or various encounters cause loss of balance and change the child s psychological development to suit new conditions along these lines an ever increasing number of developments of information are raised. Formalized obtaining each piece great as etymological correspondence advancement is improved in playing kids. Coolhan K. et Al. ( 2000 ) proposes that odds for larning unwritten imparting is introduced to the child and this early improvement of etymological correspondence will along these lines be utile in perusing and making. In add-on, kids create critical thinking achievements as they play. A portion of the playing exercises they participate in require basic idea achievements like structure with squares, playing with H2O and sand, making mystifiers, or assembling and planing their imaginative dramatization nation ( Huertwitz S. , 2002 ) . Free child driven play will do a child interesting about their universe and this encourages farther procurement. In this way blending to Ginsburg K. ( 2001 ) , when permitted to arraign nations of their ain inclusion, kids are probably going to build up an uplifting demeanor towards larning. Blending to Jean Piaget, Play makes a climate which is loosened up where larning can take topographic point simple. In add-on, Piaget proposes that dramatization is non like obtaining and for advancement in information to occur, there must be absorption and form. He further alludes to play as digestion without alteration. Jean Piaget plots four kinds of dramatization viz. physical or centripetal engine show where a child participates in rehash of physical movement, for example, instability of the pess or back tossing of the caput for sheer happiness regarding making so. In emblematic dramatization, the child has a psychological portrayal of non present universes. In this sort of dramatization Piaget proposes that It is predominantly affectional battles that show up in representative play.A If there is a scene at tiffin, for delineation, one can be sure that a hr or two a short time later it will be reproduced with dolls and will be brought to a more joyful solution.A If the child has been scared by a Canis familiaris, in an emblematic game things will be organized so Canis familiariss will never again be normal or children will go daring ( Piaget, 1912 ) . Instances of kinds of dramatization which envelop Piaget s types incorporate ; An A Games of turns ( Construction ) which An Involve larning by chance from representative show. On this sort of show, Piaget proposed that they are stomach muscle initio saturated with dramatization imagery however tend along these lines to speak to echt variants or answers for employments and astute innovative exercises Piaget, 1962.A An Other games incorporate Games holding discretionary guidelines, games influencing at least two members, table games with guidelines, athleticss and games ( Prunus dulcis J. , 2004 ) Hurtwitz S. ( 2002 ) recommends that originative dramatization signifiers bit of originative action in kids which empowers them to show themselves straightforwardly and without judgment and its indicated when recognizable stuffs are utilized in an irregular way especially when children take part in innovative show and pretending. Inventiveness sustains a child s enthusiastic wellbeing and the encounters experienced during their first mature ages of life can altogether build up their innovativeness. It encourages mental improvement by providing chances for searching out new contemplations, methods of critical thinking and thought ( Singer et al. , 1996 ) . Kids should be given originative stuffs and encounters like drawing/painting, picture taking, music, field trips, working with wire, earth, paper, wood, H2O or shadows. Time is expected to investigate these stuffs on their ain so as to satchel their contemplations. This includes clasp to accept about how to be after, structure, idea , examination and amendment undertaking considerations. Varieties encounters like field trips, watching get-aways and exercises with other social gatherings and elevating children to pass on visitants to class prompts innovativeness. Youngsters should hold progressively close to home encounters with individuals and condition of affairss outside of their ain condition, so as to incorporate them in their dramatization ( Smith D. , 1995 ) . Orchestrating to Piaget, dramatization in kids upgrades psychological improvement which is accomplished when there is a proceeded with harmony between digestion ( implementing a plan which exists on the universe ) and alteration ( where the plan are changed to suit the universe ) .For outline through claim show, a child forces mental plan on the universe in this manner absorption and they other than watch or impersonate past occasions or action in this way modification ; show other than encourages imaginative movement of strained quality among modification and osmosis which adds to advancement in the child ( Coolhan K. et al. , 2000 ) . Piaget to boot proposes that when children play with objects ( turns ) they create representative theoretical thoughts and they build their cognizance through cultural gathering communication which is disguised into thought. Dream dramatization or solitary show in diaper days become deliberate and haggled in this manner loaning to the cultural, intell ectual and enthusiastic position ( character ) of the child ( Singer et. Al. , 2006 ) . Play creates cultural achievements in kids especially when playing house and taking up the elements of various family unit individuals. Vygotsky refers to a situation of two sisters playing at being sisters. They get great practices and dealingss between them that are neer seen in everyday life condition of affairss. In this manner dramatization permits collaboration between kids as they speak with one another, associate in show and tune in to contemplations of others ( Vygotsky, 1978 ) . Participation is other than improved in these children as they find the significance of cooperating and sharing the dramatization instruments accessible. Incase of battles, they can negociate for better kept playing. Besides, a socially sound child changes great in school are bound to execute great scholastically ( Smith D. , 1995 ) . Engine achievement advancement is improved by dynamic show exercises in kids. They incline toward physical movement when left on their ain. In dramatization, they perform numerous exercises like running and jumping which prompts physical fittingness. Kids who do nt play are progressively inclined to meatiness and numerous different entanglements. Aside from enormous musculus achievements, dynamic dramatization other than improves the advancement of minimal engine achievements when children construct, color or show with dirt. Procurement and clean of achievements important for effective securing in school is by means of dynamic dramatization ( Ginshburg K. , 2001 ) . Freud built up the psychoanalytic hypothesis and related it to play in kids. Harmonizin

Miles sorry, madam! Review Essay Example

Miles sorry, madam! Survey Paper Article on Miles sorry, madam! Vasily Shukshin a stunning individual, liberally skilled ordinarily, fine feeling of the awfulness of human presence and ready to joke, even through tears, even on the edge of the pit geezer who doesn't live like every other person, who needs the entire world to paint and make happy. who doesn't comprehend why he dislike typical, ordinary individuals submitted their accounts VM Shukshin. They Crank, soul smell that in the town of individuals better nezanosistey, and they ache for excellence in all things: broiler white, dull razrisuy, prams childrens eyes are troubled to uncover And incidentally, perfectly, on prams Crank let cranes rush territory, at the base the blossoms are diverse kitchen herbs, a few guys, tsyplyatok But no one comprehends, doesn't cheer. What's more, creeps into the spirit yearning But for what reason am I there? Furthermore, no reaction from the writer nor the peruser We will compose a custom article test on Miles sorry, madam! Audit explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom exposition test on Miles sorry, madam! Survey explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom paper test on Miles sorry, madam! Audit explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer But then inventiveness Shukshin the songs of devotion this geezer:. What's more, the story Give us a heart! vetfeldshera about Kazulin, glad as of now since he played out the main heart medical procedure ,; and Microscope expert woodworker Erin, purchased on poslednik cash dorogushchy gadget, and Space, the sensory system and Shmat fat, which recounts a question kid captivated by science, with the retired person Naum Yevstigneyevich that struck essential accomplishment Pavlov so now, mature age, prepared to reexamine zhizennye PRINCIPLES. Shukshin legend is lost in this life, it is the city didn't, and the town is from its underlying foundations, hesitant to fall off. That is its deplorability, when the spirit is torn in two when difficult to live. Be that as it may, the life of a geezer like and acknowledge, until there is quality. What's more, what an amazingly real to life Vasyl Kravchuk chief, which not at all like the others, with its topic of an erudite person, a genuine ace. It is a pity, presently it is nearly no one peruses. Individuals, individuals Clever you individuals, and don't have the foggiest idea how to live. What is there to include?

CPW QA

CPW QA AHHH CPW!!! Was the name of my last blog post I wrote prior to CPW last year, and it is, once again, that time of year! This year Id like to make it QA styled, where I answer some questions that you might have about this exciting weekend! Feel free to post any additional questions you have in the comments section below, and I will do my best to answer them as soon as possible! How do you decide which events to attend? I know that it gets confusing with the over 200 events listed on the CPW schedule, but you will decide as you go along.  You might be so excited that you want to go through the CPW booklet and highlight every event you want to attend or star each event for every day on your phone so you dont miss a thing (I actually did that) but relax! Take advantage of every second of CPW by meeting your prospective classmates and doing things with them that you can both enjoy.  Some of my best friends at MIT are the ones that I met at CPW and during orientation/rush, and I remember the fun I had with them more than the specifics of the events that we took part in. My parents are worried about me going to CPW by myself. How do I make them feel assured that I will be okay? I went to CPW alone as a prefrosh, and my agreement with my mother was that I would check in with her via text or phone each day.  I also gave her the number of my host in case she couldnt get in contact with me. If that isnt enough for your parents, you can tell them that MIT has a 24/7 student-run ambulance service filled with volunteer student EMTs, and we are awesome.  We also have MIT Medical right here on campus, which has a walk-in urgent care center, available each day 7am-11pm, in case you are not feeling well.  Additionally, each dormitory has its own collection of Medlinks, which is another student run organization that connects students to MIT Medical by providing over the counter medication and bandaids, as well as other emergency care materials.  If you ever do not feel well or get hurt during the weekend, there is a huge support system here at MIT to help you out.  You can always call the MIT emergency line at 617-253-1212 if you do not feel safe or are in an emergency at any time during the weekend.  If you cannot find a Medlink wherever you are, try to make your way to East Campus and ask for me, Array. Im a Medlink here in East Campus, and Id be happy to try my best to heal you :) How should I approach CPW if I have already ComMITted to MIT versus if I am still considering other schools? (Question submitted by Barbie D. 17) If you have already ComMITted, congratulations! If not But in all seriousness, if you have comMITted, focus the weekend on exploring each of the dorms.  Make it your goal to visit an event or party at every dorm, and get a feel for if you fit in well with the culture there. Talk to different upperclassmen and ask them where they live, and do your best to meet as many people as possible, especially your future classmates! Like I said, some of my best friends here at MIT are the ones I met during CPW, such as my friend Emma S. 16, who I make a point to see at least twice each semester even though she lives really far away in Simmons. If you have not comMITted, make it a point to check out the resources that MIT has to offer. Perhaps try attending a class or go to some information sessions for specific programs you are interested in, and try to see how well MIT is a fit for you academically and culturally. How do I get around campus? What if I want to go somewhere off campus? (Question submitted by Alyssa H. 17) Alyssa H. 17 told me to tell them where Pika is.  During her CPW last year, she got lost walking to Pika late at night in the cold, and was unsure how to use the MIT shuttles to get back to campus.  She thinks that she is defective for not knowing how to get around Cambridge, but she is not!  I still get lost getting to Pika, which is a co-ed independent living community here at MIT that has awesome events and is a ton of fun to hang out at. My answer to this is to go to your mobile app store on your phone and download the MIT Mobile app: For Android/Google Play For IPhones This App is MAGIC!  I used it so much during CPW and rush, and it is how I get around campus even today when I am confused about what building I should be in or what bus I should be taking. It gives you up-to-date schedules of the shuttles that are running around campus, such as the Saferide shuttles that run at night, which so happen to go to Pika!  If you do not have a smart phone, I highly recommend finding someone who has one and sticking by them during your time at CPW, because it is really helpful! Additionally, if you find yourself lost and scared at anytime during CPW, call the MIT Police. They are extremely helpful, and they are there for you always, especially if you feel unsafe in any way. Here are some screenshots of the magical application: How much sleep is the right amount of sleep? (Question submitted by Elena B. 17) Elena B. 17 claimed that she often heard advice from upperclassmen saying that if youre sleeping enough, youre doing CPW wrong! However, I have to disagree with that statement to an extent.  There are things going on during CPW at all hours, and it can be overwhelming at times when deciding to miss out on events in order to try and get some sleep.  My advice is to do what feels best for you.  My friend Jake I. 16 and I got so tired at one point during CPW that we just got angry and aggravated at the smallest things, and it got to the point where CPW just wasnt as much fun as it would be with more sleep. So we put away our red bulls from the night and got a good few hours of sleep, which made us feel a lot better. About 4 hours of sleep was about right for me during my CPW.  I stayed awake using energy drinks (my CPW was my first energy drink experience!), and spent the time with my new best friends exploring the Institute in any and every way that we could, and I dont regret it one bit. But your body is different from mine which is different from every other student who goes to MIT and who will be at CPW, and therefore you will need a different amount of sleep from other people. If someone is telling you that you cannot sleep but all you feel like doing is sleeping, go to sleep! You will feel a lot better once you have gotten sleep and you will be able to enjoy the CPW experience a lot more than if your brain is deprived of rest and unable to comprehend anything that is going on. If I am totally in love with one dorm, should I spend more time there? Or should I focus on exploring the other dorms? (Questions submitted by Elena B. 17 and Sebastian G. 17) Like I said, try to go to at least one event at each dorm. But if you go to an event at a dorm and realize that it is your favorite place in the world, I recommend spending the bulk of your time at that dorm.  For example, as a prefrosh, I found that I really fit in at East Campus and Senior House.  After attending events at every single dorm, or at least walking in to each dorm, I spent the rest of my weekend in the East Campus and the Senior House courtyards, trying to figure out which one was a better fit for me.  After all, when you fill out your housing preferences, you have to rank each dorm from first choice to last choice, so you better have a good idea of what each dorm is like so that you can rank them in a not-so-random fashion. How much time should I spend with my host?  (Question submitted by Elena B. 17) This is a fantastic question, and one of the reasons why it is a part of the host-matching questionnaire you filled out when you submitted your form that you are attending CPW.  How much time you should spend with your host depends on how you want to spend your CPW.  I barely saw my host during CPW because she was a double major and was extremely busy studying during the weekend, so I spend the weekend with my new friends exploring campus. Last year, I barely saw my prefrosh, Victoria P. 17, even though we were friends before CPW, because she went off to see all of the other dorms and ended up choosing to live in Baker house, which was a better fit for her and I know that she is very happy there today!  I want to make clear that we chose to be CPW hosts because we are excited to meet prefrosh and convince them to come to MIT, and we are here if you need us, but do not feel pressured at all to spend all of your time with us.  You can spend as much or as little time with your host as you would like, but make sure that you do some exploring on your own, too!  Most prefrosh will choose a more flexible option where they check in with their host each day, but are mostly on their own, and this is how I plan on leaving it with my prefrosh. However, if she wants to grab food together or go to an event together, I would be more than willing to do so.  And I am sure that your host feels the same way :) Should I go see what the classes are like? Or should I mostly go to non-academic events? (Question submitted by Elena B. 17) This goes back to the question of what if I have already ComMITted?  If you already ComMITted, then you will have four years to see what the classes at MIT are like, go have fun!  It might be a good idea to see what one class is like so you can feel more prepared for your freshmen year, but dont spend all your time on academics, focus on trying to find a living group that best fits you. If you have not comMITted, then I highly recommend attending some academic events across campus.  Getting a feel for what MIT is like in the classroom and out of the classroom will give you a good idea of if MIT is right for you, and it should help you make your decision. Is CPW a lie? You might hear this rumor from time to time during the weekend. There will be whispers from upperclassmen across the courtyard, bitter from a week of tests and problem sets due. CPW is a lie, theyll say.  And I disagree, to an extent.  CPW is a time when we MIT students get to show you the things that we love to do and would love to do on an every day basis if we could.  However, it is not a representation of what MIT life is like each day as a student who is hosed with tons of problem sets and exams and studying and labwork and more.  This doesnt mean that CPW is for nothing you will learn about what MIT students are really like as people, and get a feel for which cultures you fit in with.  MIT can be extremely tough at times, but we like to use CPW and Rush (orientation) as times where we can explode from the inside out with our creativity and passion for what we study and where we live.  Some things about CPW do happen outside of this weekend we often have burgers grilling in the courtyard of East Campus during the nice weather, and we occasionally enjoy (probably on a monthly basis) smashing old computer equipment and other cruft (usually maybe sometimes in the form of throwing it out windows).  We also have hair dyeing parties and various other carnivals during the year.  It just isnt every single day, like during CPW. Are upperclassmen scary? (Question submitted by William L. 16) Yes.  William L. 16 says that when he was a prefrosh, he thought that it was scary talking to upperclassmen, or current MIT students, about what it is like to go to MIT.  But now, he is extremely excited to talk to you, and suck the happiness out of you.  He is kidding, dont worry. In all seriousness though, come and talk to us! We want to be your friends and we love MIT so much that we want to share our joy and experiences with you! Ask us questions, let us dye your hair, let us take you on tours of campus (I can show you where Baker house is, if you would like), and more! Has anyone really been far, even as decided to use even go want to do look more like? (Question submitted by Max J. 17) I dont understand Max, if you understand this please comment below and say mean things about him. How do I meet the bloggers? Connie H. 15 has a blog post regarding where you can find the bloggers around campus during CPW, but also you can come and meet all of us Friday on the third floor of the Student Center (W20) from 9pm-10:30pm.  We want to see you and talk to you! Ill even show you more pictures of cats if you want! What are some other dont miss events? (Question submitted by Elena B. 17) These are some of my favorites! Thursday, 3pm Cupcake Roulette! My friend Marvin R. 16 (Marvin the Cupcake Man) is making a ton of cupcakes for you all! Come to Talbot lounge, which is located in East Campus, at 3pm tomorrow and grab some cupcakes!  Hopefully youll get one of the yummy ones, and not one filled with wasabi or some other terrible thing :) Seriously, our kitchen smells SO good right now! All The Time The Great Depression at East Campus! Come to the East Campus Courtyard pretty much any time during the weekend and grab food and get your hair dyed! I am excited to turn your head into a rainbow! Also, our theme this year is the Great Depression. I dont know why. Jake I. 16 told me to mention it. All The Time Dorm Tours! Get a tour of each dorm! (Our walls have awesome murals here in East Campus) Make sure you get a tour to Baker House, those are always the best! Thursday, 5:47pm LN2 Ice Cream and Giga Pudding! Random Hall has LN2 events each year during CPW, and it was so much fun when my friends and I went during my CPW! Go have LN2 ice cream it is so good! If you miss this event, there will be more LN2 ice cream at East Campus Friday at 5pm. Thursday, 11pm Firehose! Take classes on anything and get to know the members of the Educational Studies Program here at MIT! Kate R. 14 will be there! Friday, 11:30am Career Development Open House! I work here! Go to room 12-170 and meet the career development team! They will have tasty treats and a lot of information! Friday, 4pm Acapella Jam wth the MIT Wellesley Toons! Ester J. 14 from Tetazoo wants you to join her and the Toons in Lobby 7 to sing your hearts out in a room with amazing acoustics! Friday, 6pm Spring Greater Boston Invitational Songfest! Again, Ester invites you to see all of MITs incredible a cappella groups! Rachel N. 16 says All the a cappella! Such harmony! Many sing! Wow! Friday, 8pm Roadkill Buffet! Rachel N. once again says improv! Staceys mom! wooo! Any time, Anywhere BBQ. Emily L. 14 states that It will all taste similar and it will all be good, filling, and plentiful. Saturday, 12:30pm Adventure Tours an Cruft Smashing! Kate R. 14 says This aint no typical dorm tour! Also we like to smash things here. Any time SigEp (518 Beacon St, Boston) Edwin Z. 16 claims that they have a huge red chair and infinite burgers, hot dogs, and freeze pops! Saturday 3pm Patrol! Shoot your friends! Shoot your enemies! Shoot that random prefrosh you just met! Shoot the upperclassmen! Patrol is a nerf-style dart-gun combat game run by the MIT Assassins Guild every Saturday in Building 36. Saturday, 11pm Pirates vs. Ninjas Capture the Flag! This is run by Pika!  They are going to bring swords and projectiles, and it will be epic. I cant wait to meet all of you at CPW!  AHH CPW! Let me know if you want to come meet Galileo :) He is even more excited than me about CPW!

Another Look Back, and a Look Ahead - 1053 Words

Imagine the impact technological innovations have had on society? How much did technology influence society a decade ago, and how much does it influence society now? Technology was created from humans to become a more efficient specie. Although technology has advanced society with respect to technology and efficiency, it has also created problems not previously seen because of the use of technology. Edward Tenner, a writer and technology consultant, wrote an article titled â€Å"Another Look Back, and a Look Ahead† published in 1996. In his article Tenner argues, through the use of the rhetorical appeal ethos, compare and contrast, and cause and effect, that society is advancing at an alarming rate and suggests a â€Å"retreating from intensity†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦Tenner compares the use of transportation over time, demonstrating that although it has made transportation much faster, it has created â€Å"revenge effects† such as traffic and congestion, things that before the technological innovation were never seen. Examples such as these have led Tenner to advise society to fix problems that new technologies bring not by creating new technologies to solve the problem, but by slowing down and addressing the problem itself, not a quick fix. Comparing and contrasting the impact technology has had on society effectively illustrate Tenner’s main argument, but through the use of cause and effect the audience can relate and understand how Tenner formed his thesis. In the text Tenner provides many cause and effect examples. An example Tenner uses is the effects that are created because of industrial carbon dioxide emissions. Industries that create carbon dioxide allow for many benefits such as electricity and transportation, but they are also responsible for warming the earth’s temperatures, â€Å"global warming†. â€Å"The increasing cultivation of the earth would bring about higher temperatures and eventually a me lting of the polar icecap† (Tenner 76). Another cause/effect example Tenner uses is â€Å"strict directives on meat radiation after the Chernobyl meltdown of 1986 destroyed the Lapp reindeer-meat economy† (Tenner 76). A catastrophic event in Chernobyl created a lasting effect on the economy. Tenner argues that these technologies have manyShow MoreRelatedInto The Wild, When I Woke Up On Tuesday Morning, It Was Friday, and Another Look Back, And A Look Ahead1543 Words   |  7 PagesI Woke Up Tuesday Morning, It Was Friday† sought progress by seeking help in recovering their sense of self after trauma. Meanwhile, Edward Tenner highlighted society’s long years spent on improving transportation and navigation in â€Å"Another Look Back, and a Look Ahead†. In a positive light, all the works had portrayed their characters achieving a certain degree of progress after a certain period of time. The chief differences lie in the level of difficulty in achievin g the progress, the amount ofRead MoreArt History Analysis Paper1670 Words   |  7 Pagesside of the relief and looking straight ahead. His hands are the only ones that are detailed to the extent that they show the definition of the finger nails and the wrinkles and creases on the fingers and knuckle area. 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This picture shows a cobbled street, probably somewhere in the south of Europe, at night. In the very front there is just the street, and in the left corner there is the edge of a building that is painted in dark blue. It looks like there is no light coming out of this building, and it does not seem to be very important for the view, Van Gogh caught for this image. Next to the dark building another one is

History Hammurabis Code Essay - 1305 Words

History is the past, which generally cant be scientifically demonstrated. The true; objective of History is to rediscover past. A memorable slip happens when past is rediscovered from our predisposition that is from the way we see it. Indeed certain curios and works pf expositive expression that we have left from prior human advancements could be deciphered in a few separate ways, or misjudged to a certain augment or totally. Normally understanding or even error is influenced yet the idea of ethnocentrism, where diverse neighborhoods have a recently set up foundation of certain standards dependent upon accept their, conventions, social, administrative, and particular qualities and morals from which they judge other outside groups. The†¦show more content†¦An alternate truth makes Hammurabis Code so like the U.S. Established Law Code is that it takes after particular request, comprising of differentiate parts connected with comparable issues. For example; The Administration o f Justice section is accompanied by Felons and Victims, which is thus emulated by part that discussions about Property issues. In this way from a perspective of a standard contemporary American, the Hammurabis Code is an antiquated situated of point by point lawful codes of Mesopotamia. As said above, the code is made out of 282 law codes which are begun in restrictive sentences, ordinary to an administrative record, and softened down up sets of sections which are connected with specific issue acknowledged and furthermore accompany a certain request. Subsequently remembering such a meaning of Hammurabis Code, Americans can take a gander at it as primitive and even savage model of contemporary set of laws. 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Such simple aspects of life such as getting a job, voting, and even choosing who they would like to marry are things that women have fought for, for many years. At one point, these were all things that women in America and parts of Europe had no right to. Men as a whole had suppressed women and taken control of the society. Despite mass oppression in history, women have risen in societyRead MoreLiterature, Law Codes, And Archaic Sumerian Religion1003 Words   |  5 Pagesscarcity of resources as well as the untamable nature of their deluge environment led these early people to believe their futures veered on a harsh predetermined course. This essay will demonstrate that many prominent sources in ancient literature, law codes, and archaic Sumerian religion reflect the rigorous geographic and natural conditions which caused this deterministic mindset. 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New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management Free Essays

Why Do We Need Professional Human Resource Management in Retailing? Such terms as globalization, process management, and value-based management dominate the current discussion of management in retail co mpanies. There has been an increasing realization that people are one of a company’s key assets. Re- tail means working and serving customers in a direct, personal way. We will write a custom essay sample on New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now This calls for special actions from retail companies to fulfill the demands of an increasing num- ber of well-informed and sophisticated consumers. In view of all the c hanges in both national and international contexts, it is ab solutely essential to get the right people if a business is to be successful and sustainable. Retailing is a major labor-intensive industry sector. The refore, companies are continually challenged to re-organize and adapt their st ructures to become more efficient. The necessity for part-time workers, because of long store opening hours and peaks in the trading day/week, requires a flexible framework to optimize labor processes. Emotionally, the workforce needs orientation and vi sion in changing times. Human resource management (HRM) has to provide a â€Å"coach,† not only to organize, but also to support employees and m anagement mentally and p rofes- sionally in fulfilling their tasks in terms of future company goals. People are the driving force behind all transactio ns that occur in retailing outlets. In the future world of retailing, there will be an increasing need to adapt and change towards a more formative and proactive style of HRM. M. Krafft and M. K. Mantrala (eds. ), Retailing in the 21st Century: Current and Future Trends , DOI 10. 007/978-3-540-72003-4_16, ? Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010 257 258 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick Changes Changes in Retail The formats of retailing have been evolving continuously over the last 100 years, and individual retailers have changed tremendously in the products they sell and in the manner in which they operate. Retailing of lifestyle products impacts directly on the changing culture of our societiesâ⠂¬â€one has only to think of the introduction of the Sony Walkman or the Apple I-Pod to grasp the international range of con- sumer needs. In order to provide an expanding product and service range, retail has had to alter and amend its approaches to satisfy ever more voracious and in- creasingly sophisticated consumers. For several years, retailers have had a promi- nent role in today’s society in their capacity as employers: the retail industry em- ploys one in nine of the UK workforce, for example (Gilbert 2003). Nearly two thirds of employees are female. Therefore, special concepts in HRM are require d to allow for the compatibility of work and family. Gilbert (2003) also points out that: â€Å"[T]he retail sector has had a reputation for not supporting its employees and for having lower pay and longer hours than other sectors. † Future HRM h as to find a practical ap proach that will lead to the right balance of companies’ and employees’ needs in terms of pay ment and hours for the workforce, and service guarantees for their customers. The developments in many European countries show the changing attitudes of young university graduates for whom retailing now provides modern and attractive career pro spects. However, retailing is still far from the first choice for top graduates and this needs to change. Environmental factors such as economic, social, political, cultural, and demo- graphic developments are driving the rapid changes in the retail business. Retail management and HRM departments have to be aware of all these changes. Some of the environmental factors are described below. New Forms of Trading New trading formats have been the lifeline allowing businesses to gain and sus- tain competitive advantage. New t rading form ats are constantly appearing at both ends of the spectrum. Higher margin goods, sometimes even with designer labels, have coexisted with the increasing demand for more aggressive pricing such as that app lied by hypermarkets, off-price retailers, and hard discounters. Often, consumers switch from smaller local stores to supermarkets, and increas- ing numbers of consumers are using new channels for Internet and TV shopping. The international press reports the continuing success of new fo rms of online retailing (e-tailing) in Europe and the USA, as well as rapid changes in Eastern Europe and Asia in use of the Internet. Within these trading formats, new pro- fessions, working careers, and functions are developing very fast. To succeed, HRM has to recognize and manage these changes in retailing human resource requirements. Exchange of knowledge is one of the basic prerequisites: For ex- New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 259 ample, the German retailer METRO Group is installing software that will allow knowledge shar ing with sy stematic tr ansfer of all necessary infor mation and skills to METRO Group sites throughout the world. It is imperative for a retailer to co llect and struct ure all exper ience and knowledge fro m d ifferent staffs, stores and country-markets. The challenge in the future for retail company man- agement i n general and HRM in particular will be t o ensure t hat th e right knowledge is available at the right time and in the right place. Consumer Behavior Closely aligned with the expansion of new trading formats are the changing needs of consumers. Increasing social acceptance of women in the labor force has led to the emergence of a new l ifestyle and changed consumer purchasing patterns over the last seve ral decades (Gilbert 2003). Present-day consumers are m ore experi- enced, more aware of their important role in the business, and more self-confident than previous generations. Further, as international retailers have found out, there is a great need for retail chains to adapt to ‘local’ ways, so as to fulfill regional needs and shopping habits, especially in the food business (e. g. , see c hapter by Mierdorf, Mantrala and Krafft in this book). Technology Let us consider what retailing looked like 20-30 years ago: little or no EPOS tech- nology, electro-mechanical tills, paper-driven accounting, checking and co mptom- eter systems, perhaps enhanced by a ‘Kim ball tag’ system to aid stock replenish- ment. Thirty years ago there were not even many supermarkets—self-service was just appearing over the horizon for some modern retailers in the 1960s and 1970s. The advent of increasing computerization in the late 1970s started to affect busi- nesses as they adapted to possibilities that began to open up through IT-supported working practices. Processes for controlling, distribution, payroll, accounting and, especially, merchandise management systems started to be aut omated during the early 1980s. E DI, scanning, and bar-coding were im plemented—after heavy IT investments—to lower costs and increase accuracy levels. Many organizations were downsized and refocused as these manual processes were converted to more cus- tomer-focused activities and professional supply chain management. Structural Trends and Competition In Europe and USA, retailing is characterized by increasing rates of market con- centration. This is caused by shareholders’ requirements for more cost-effective operations, mergers among suppliers, and the growth of technology. Future retail- ers have to be fast and flexible in making decisions about worldwide sourcing and selling. This calls fo r people to acquire skills and competencies that will allow them to compete successfully in both national and international contexts. Interna- 260 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick tional HRM has to consider different ways of working with people: in many Euro- pean countries, HRM departments have to cooperate with works councils, which influence companies’ management thinking. HRM has the role of developing and defining human working processes fai rly an d prov iding for capability-oriented working conditions. Germany’s political debate about the consequences of capital- ism in 2005 shows the need for companies to act and communicate on the basis of consistent and balanced argumentation. HRM needs executives who are familiar with developments going on in a society, shifts in cultural values and behavior. To be competitive in global markets, many organizations reduce staffing levels and change to automated processes to lower costs. Beyo nd this, h owever, more pro- gressive ret ailers, s uch as Carrefour, M ETRO G roup and Wal-Mart, have ex – panded their offerings: they have i nvested heavily in new product ranges, new trading f ormats, and joint v entures, o r i n shapi ng an d spreading t heir bra nds. Merely cutting investments, e. g. , in the sales force, or opening stores around the world per se i s not enough to meet the demands of the new retail age. A clear strategy, stable and IT-supported processes, and correct allocation of financial and management resources are needed for international success the future. Globalization of Sourcing Sourcing from overseas vendors gathered momentum with the conclusion of trad- ing agreements with, for example, the Peop le’s Republic of China and grants of ‘favored nation’ status. Manufacturing’s importance has decreased enormously in most W estern countries since the em erging Asi an â€Å"t igers† a nd l ess expensive Eastern European manufacturers began to dominate the supply of goods, espe- cially, nonfood goods, to the industrialized countries. Consequently, in the West, distribution has become one of t he most promising sources of improved margins as new technology drives down the cost of logistics. However, with globalization of sourcing, it has become imperative to develop special strategies to enable the headquarters workforce to be aware of international processes, markets, and com- petitors. Further, domestic retail companies anywhere have to also stay on top of emerging global trends. Companies that plan to enter new foreign markets have to carefully consider local cultures, religious values, and national laws in developing their new market entry strategies. All the developments mentioned above are stron gly interrelated. Retail man- agement and HRM have to jointly examine all these change s to m ake adequate and appropriate adaptations to organizational structures, systems, and processes. Changing Role of HR Departments HR departments—originally called payroll departments, then relabeled staff man- agement, followed by another m etamorphosis to personnel and then to human resource management—have been in the vanguard of change management in re- New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 261 tailing. Many companies have recognized that HRM is an essen tial component in achieving long-term success, and not just a means of recruiting workers. Areas such as the recruitment process, selection, induction, retention, performance moni- toring and evaluations, staff training, development and motivation. Decision mak- ing, and re-sourcing for expansion will continue to demand the professionalism of HRM workers. Personnel in different kinds of businesses have to adapt and change in response to emerging trends. The international HRM professional has to think globally, while rem aining ab le t o fu lfill lo cal asp irations. This i dea is based on Geert Hofstede’s theory of cultures. He turned the well-known slogan, â€Å"Think globally, act locally† into: â€Å"Act g lobally, think locally. A major task of th e international HRM professional is to provide expertise in terms of interpretations of the local laws and working practices, so as to offer practical steps for successful operation of the international retailer. Building the Future – HRM Challenges for Retailers Retailing means working in a g lobal con text but sim ultaneously adjusti ng to local needs. We describe below some international challenges to HRM in retail which are connected with national and local requirements. As mentioned above, major retail com panies have decided to invest globally to en sure greater po ten- tial for sustainable growth. Several ret ailers have identified internationalization as a huge oppor tunity for growth. In 2006, about 50 % of the METRO Group’s employees work ed ou tside Germany. Th e Am erican retail g iant Wal -Mart, France’s Carrefour, and United Kingdom’s Tesco are thr ee more organizations that are aggressively pursuing international expansion. This immediately gives rise to qu estions that require answers in every ar ea of operati on. An swering these questions is key to successful transformation of a national business model into an international one. HRM strategy builds on the business strategy of the firm. The HR persons in charge have to be b usiness partners for management, providing strategic and practical operational solutions in the form of HR concepts or staffing solutions based on thorough know ledge of the bu siness. Wal -Mart’s initial attempt at expansion in Germany failed—as did Marks and Spencer’s—because neither of these companies appreciated the nuances of German retail culture, underestimat- ing local competition and, especially, the price sensitivity of German customers. Carrefour’s for ays i nto the United Kingdom lik ewise end ed with a strategic retreat. As long ago as in 1989, Dawson stated that: â€Å"Retail is a response to cul- ture†Ã¢â‚¬â€and the HRM function plays a c rucial role in assisting corporate man- agement understand and adapt to local cultures. For example, UK consumers’ resistance to th e use of self- scanners p rovided b y some retailers to r educe queues at checkou ts might have been anticipated by HR managers interacting with local employees. 262 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick Strategic Tasks of HRM: Key strategic tasks of human resource management of an international retailer include: ? Assisting the retailer’s top managers who work well over 60 hours a week negotiating myriad complex issues in a competitive marketplace, cope with stress arising from quick changes, fierce competition, cost pressures, time management problems, and the need to make quick decisions. ? Keeping up to date with continuously developing technology and being able to optimize its usage so as to achieve the right balance between pro- ductivity gains and service gains. HR needs to find answers to the follow- ing question: How much technology can customers and the workforce han- dle in the store? ? Dealing with demography, e. g. , an aging workforce in Western Europe but predominantly young and inexperienced employees in other areas of the world, such as Asia and the Middle East. Strategically, this poses one of the hardest challenges for HR professionals who are required to recruit and develop t alented st aff, offer t raining f or all age gr oups, ens ure a well- balanced age structure, and build up a working climate enabling employees of all ages to buy in and show suitable results. Cross-cultural recruiting and training: All cultures have their own unique practices and emphases, some of which are obvious while others are more subtle and harder to detect. HR departments need to be able not only to of- fer advice and professional preparation to local managers but also ensure that individuals appointed to these positions are aware of company polici es as well as sensitive to the local culture. That is, in international settings, in- dividuals need both a common language and intercultural sensitivity. Identifying and retaining highly qualified, highly motivated individuals ready for international management appointments: The role of HRM is to provide an international assignment policy that takes into account individual prob- lems of expatriates, works around and supports family integration abroad. Operational Tasks of HRM: Some key HRM tasks that have to be fulfilled to enable the workforce to meet the needs of customers nationally and internationally include: ? Reshaping and r estructuring the workforce so as t o broaden their e xperi- ence by the acquisition of n ew skills: Developments like automatic stock replenishment, new methods of conducting transactions, and alterations to the way goods are displayed, have increased retailer employee training re- quirements. Also employees must learn to serve increasingly litigious con- sumers wh ile main taining h igh productivity wh ich is essen tial in h igh- volume, l ow-margin e nterprises. P rofessional human reso urce m anagers must train employees on how to balance these oft-conflicting demands for high staff-productivity and great customer service. New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 263 HR Challenges General Conditions ?Company Strategy ?Added Value Management ?Change Management ?Recruitment and Retention ?Employability and Lifelong Learning ?Corporate Governance ?Technology / IT Infrastructure Fig. 1. Challenges and General Conditions for HRM ? The critical resource of most businesses is no longer financial capital, but rather their employees (Barber, Strack 2005). Consequently, identifying and gathering the data for human capital valuation and assessment of the return on human resource investments is an important task for HR managers. ? HRM itself must develop, moving from being a ‘personnel’ department to its new role as a strategic business partner and building the basic structural foundation that will enable companies to organize and optimize their return on human resources. The emerging trends that persistently need HR attention currently include some of the areas discussed below. We m ake a di stinction between HR challenges and general conditions (Figure 1). In the case of HR challenges HRM has direct influ- ence, while general conditions are contingencies within which HRM has to oper- ate. This list is not exhaustive, but looks at some selected current trends and needs. Current HR Challenges ? Company Strategy. HRM has to adapt its entire program to the company’s overall vision and strategy. It is known that organizations with good human capital management generally create substantially more shareholder value than other companies. The significance of human capital is especially visi- ble in the case of a merger. The success of a merger depends much more on the competencies of the staff and m anagement than on other aspects, such as finance, IT, and production. Hax and Majluf (1991) feel that it is there- fore essential for well-planned practices and highly efficient HR functions to be aligned with the business of the company concerned. An HR strategy must be ‘com prehensive’ in the sense of addressing all the different per- sonnel and HR activities central to the long-term development of the firm’s businesses. HRM departments have to conceptualize and structure business 264 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick plans with detailed operations extending from the current to the future state of strategy, organization, and action. These must be based on the organiza- tion’s mission and common values. ? Added Value Management. This confronts HRM with the critical q uestion of what actions add m easurable value to the business. There is less cer- tainty about the central direction and more about committed management setting the right tone within the organization for defined values to flourish. Commitment in the form of personal engagement and belief in the organi- zation and its concepts is important. HRM has to support this by elaborat- ing concepts and criteria for their evaluation, some of which should be re- vised annually. The following behavioral aspects of the workforce should be included in the HRM concept: ? Personal Honesty and Integrity ? Self-Motivation and Entrepreneurial Style ? Ability to Communicate the Values and Benefits ? Encouraging Others to Want to Work with the Company and Share its Values; Pride in the Company Training and Developing, Coaching, and Mentoring ? Change Management. The most important drivers for change are globaliza- tion, technology, and a workforce that is in creasingly knowledge-based. Ulrich has stated that there is a need to redefine firms’ performance less in terms of cutting cost and more in terms of profitable growth (Ulrich 1997). Managers have to be able to make changes happen of their own volition and also to support the company in its drive for sustained success. Manag- ers have to be able to empower their own staff. Moss Kanter (1989) states that it is only through true empowerment that staff will really contribute to the changing needs of a busi ness, since they will then be doing things be- cause they understand them and for the right reasons, thinking and reflect- ing on the changes and t heir likely impact, and above all feeling at ease with the implementation of change. Change management recognizes the need to reflect on t he manager’s role in the management of cha nge, the identification of problems, and the ability to make changes in either a pro- grammed or a no nprogrammed manner. HRM has to take accoun t of the risks required for the achievement of change in the company. ? Recruitment and Retention. Employee recruitment and selection is one the most vital HR functions. However, the retail industry is faced with difficul- ties in attracting highly educated people. Nonetheless there is a po sitive trend for change. The challenge for HRM is to show the attractiveness of the retail sector a nd ensure that appropriate training and careers are avail- able, so that this sector can take a leading place in t he competition for available talent. Retail has recently been promoting opening up access to its workforce by declared rejection of discrimination on the grounds of gender New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 265 or race, and, lately, also by employing more elderly persons. It is also nec- essary to build up programs for part-time workers. The ability to value di- versity within the workforce is a strength, provided that this is backed up by continuous training and correctness. Many organizations run courses on this aspect, usually under the title of ‘Inc reasing Self-awareness,’ as t he ability to understand one’s impact on others is a powerful skill. Next, reten- tion focuses on the goal of keep well-performing staff in the company. This depends not only on interesting work, fair compensation, and a motivating climate and management culture, but also on transparent and achievable ca- reer paths combined with a supportive management that provides guidance. ? Employability and Continuing Education. This is a major area of challenge to most employers, but especially those who employ large numbers of staff, as retailers do. Staff have to take retraining in order to adapt to a constantly changing external environment. It is a question of mind-set, working envi- ronment, and attitude towards self-responsibility. The future will be charac- terized by the following needs, amongst others: ? The need to handle increasing complexity. ? The need f or co ntinual enh ancement of th e ma nagement skill sets known as ‘Life-Long Learning,’ i. e. the ability to adapt to changing en- vironments, challenges and technology. ? The need for a positive attitude to newly emerging opportunities: Manag- ers themselves have to become life-long learners. This is of particular im- portance to the changing generations. The process can be aimed, for ex- ample, at obtaining further business qualifications, such as an M BA, a marketing diploma, or HRM qualifications, or attending training courses on key skills, such as lead ership, or personal development workshops. Some universities are now of fering master’s degree courses on wor k- based learning in which projects are directly related to the learning envi- ronment of the individual s tudent’s workplace. Analysis of actual workproblems can be counted as a credit toward an MA o r an MSc. Classroom training fostering positive acceptance of new structures, top- ics, and technologies is necessary. ? The need to communicate regularly and precisely, and transmit meaning and values: While the company will provide support, it will be the indi- vidual managers who have to ‘drive’ their own learning and that of others in periods of intense change, often using technology such as video con- erencing or E-l earning/blended learning to pursue their studies. HRM needs to consult with managers on how best to use modern methods. ? The need for creative management: This can be the way to bring new insights into common view or to introduce new issues as an area for the HRM specialist to develop. Many managers are locked into their own reality or their own version of their world, allowing themselves to be trapped into a mind-set of either success or self-perpetuating failure. One 266 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick f the keys to successful business growth is for managers not to allow themselves to be trapped in a ‘psychic prison’ (Morgan 2001) of t heir own making, causing them always to see retail in one dimension only. Current General Conditions ? Corporate Governance. The recent case of Enron and the difficulties faced by retailers such as Sainsbury suggest that the governance of these organi- zations was grossly at fault in permitting the excessive amounts of power vested in their chief executive officers (CEOs). The nonexecutive directors seem to have abdicated their duties in not restraining the CEOs in their riskier schemes. Expansion, absolute power, soaring costs, and misinterpre- tation of facts and figures appear to have gone unchecked and a tacit acqui- escence to have been entered into, presumably with the goal of presenting stakeholders with a picture that was m ore positive than the reality. As th e impact of the backlash is always difficult to predict, it is likely that HR di- rectors will become more closely involved in the careful examination of candidates’ integrity and suitability for high office. It is likely that this will slow t he decision-making process within t he board e nvironment, b ut i t might be a small price to pay for a more responsible environment acting in the best interests of all parties. HRM needs to motivate the entire staff of their company, to observe and evaluate the ‘political’ situation within the company, and to react in a n appropriate way that ca n influence the re- tailer’s level of success. HRM has the opportunity, and therefore the duty, to influence national and international codes of corporate governance. ? Technology/IT Infrastructure. In some of the ne w and emerging m arkets management has to decide whether to implement a total system with all branches totally aligned with the parent company. It can be prohibitively expensive for a branch at the periphery of the organization to lock into a global IT infrastructure that is geared to operations in Western countries where labor costs are very much higher. Retailers operating internationally rely on com mon platforms and IT structures; the decision to be m ade is when is the time right for investments? A major change in retailing in the future will be the worldwide use of RFID technologies. The success of the METRO Group in developing and running their â€Å"Future Store† in R heinberg as a tigh tly controlled experi- ment has ha d a strong impact on t he application of new technologies in ‘real business,’ since METRO Group has shared the results with industry and with its wholesalers, as well as its IT and logistics providers (see, e. g. , chapter by Kalyanam, Lal a nd Wolfram in this book). The scientific re- search involves customers’ reactions to the new shopping methods, and possibly also staff training in the use of intelligent technologies and intro- ductions to available information and changing processes for customers. New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 267 In conclusion, there has been, and continues to be, a great deal of activity sur- rounding staff appraisal. The management of progression, or performance moni- toring, continues to exercise HRM professionals, who wish it to be as fair as pos- sible to individuals, but also want the company to obtain maximum benefit from the exercise. While the strategy should be systematic, it also needs to be continu- ous, with a fully im plemented set of key me trics. A full look at each individual’s future, which can be a position as well as a set of personal goals, should be carried out at regu lar intervals. HRM professionals must ensure that line managers can perform this function. Next, we discuss approaches that address current HR challenges in retailing. HR Challenges General Conditions ?Company Strategy ?Added Value Management ?Change Management ?Recruitment and Retention ?Employability and Life-long Learning ?Corporate G overnance ?Technology/ IT Infrastructure Structure Motivation Fig. 2. Approaches to Challenges and General Conditions for HRM Approaches to HR Challenges in Retailing Practice Building up and Keeping Motivation As indicated in Figure 2, HRM has to en sure that the workforce is motivated and trained to satisfy consumers’ needs. Retailers have to develop the employee value proposition. This means an attractive position with the fulfillment of employee needs and expectations and achievement of a go od, unique image in terms of re- cruiting and keeping human capital. We list below some approaches to retaining an adequate sales force. HR quality cannot be assured without investment. Such investment has to be justified in economic terms and must therefore be constantly monitored: ? Planning the HR costs and expenditures for the annual business budget and forecasts ? Supplying key data needed for planning the workforce at all levels and providing benchmark data on key performance indicators, such as average working hours per store opening hour, turnover per w orking hour, profit per working hour 268 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick ? Elaboration of systems to measure the work involved in and results of HRM (training investment per employee, rate of internal job placements, etc. ? Providing common and communicated values of the com pany to give the workforce a strategic framework and common mind-set ? Creating a transparent internal job market ? Offering the staff a perspective for the future and clear career paths ? Flexible models of working times, such as part-time working concepts, an- nualized hours contracts, and balancing of profession and family with the aid of sabbaticals ? Ensuring adequate processes, tools, and budget to allow for members of the workforce to achieve their objectives and ambitions Continuing education of ex ecutives and employees within actual training programs and a corporate university ? Training the workforce in soft skills and mentoring to ensure proper align- ment of their values with the company’s values and beliefs ? Initiation of an employee suggestion/inquiry system to improve the process of cooperation ? Recruitment of talented graduates from exchange programs with universi- ties worldwide ? International education within internal exchange programs, with p artici- pants from different countries ? Apprenticeships and e ducations in new professions to build up t he best workforce Sharing company success with e mployees (incentive systems at all sta ff levels, based on parameters that are accessible to employees) ? Offering fringe benefits, such as discounts for shopping at the employer’s stores, company cars, equi ty programs, retirement arrangements, company nursery/kindergarten, and other social benefits. The Future of HRM and Final Remarks Most employees spend a substantial amount of time at work. Some people there- fore consider their job decisions on joining a retail company or some other indus- try in the cont ext of social environment. HRM has to kee p an eye on s uch con- straints, as the retail trade is anxious to attract the best employees. Future HRM will concentrate on supporting management and workforce and outsource admin- istrative tasks to contractors. In future, there will be more intensive collaboration New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management 269 and networking with external parties. New professions in retail, such as that of IT specialist, are developing. HRM must also place greater emphasis on ethical work- ing conditions, safer working environments, and equal-opportunity policies (end- ing sex/age discrimination, inclusion of minorities, etc. . In any company, HRM has to build up trust and commitment among all persons working in that organiza- tion. Continued reliance on traditional processes is d efinitely no longer a recipe that pr omises much success. HR m anagement has t o a ssure fast a nd market- oriented actions that are appropriate to complex market situations. HRM will have to set priorities on the HR strategy and its realization, but will be viewed on the operational side more in the role of a serv ice center. In future, the issue of management development will gain even greater importance. To sum up, HRM has to be aligned with the business strategy of the company, to work in keeping with all of its corporate objectives, and to be prepared not only to help in implementing all changes necessary but also to instigate and be at the vanguard of change programs. Further, HRM should be aware of employee inter- ests within the organization yet conscious of its place as the ‘power house’ when controversial business decisions, such as downsizing, have to be implemented. Lastly, it plays a key role in ensuring that constant retooling and retraining takes place in the operation to meet ever-evolving challenges. Life-long learning should be an integral part of any business, to enable it to respond to its rivals’ activities with fresh initiatives within the company. HRM specialists have to ensure the long-term performance of â€Å"their† retail or- ganizations. It is a big challenge for HRM to meet the future needs, and the task is wide ranging. How well HR managers perfo rm th eir fu nction will determin e whether a reta iler registers a sustainable success in the future. We have tried to show in this chapter the comprehensive and central role of HRM in retailing. Re- tail has been and will continue to be an exciting field of business throughout the world. The main function of the retail sector is to wo rk with and for people all over the world, so that retail has the chance to give people interesting and fulfill- ing workplaces. References Barber, F. and Strack, R. (200 5): The Surp rising Economics of a â€Å"People Business†, in: Harvard Business Review June 2005, pp 81-90. Davies, G. (1999): The Evolution of Marks and Spencer. Service Industries Journal. 19, 3, 60-73. Dawson J. A. (2001): Strategy and opportunism in European retail internationalisation Brit- ish Journal of Management, 12, 253-266. Dawson, J. A. (2000): Retailing at Century End: some challe nges for management and re- search. International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 10, 119- 148. Gilbert, D. (2003): Retail Marketing Management, 2nd edition, Prentice Hall. 270 Julia Merkel, Paul Jackson, and Doreen Pick Hax, A. and Majluf, N. (1991): The Strategy Concept Process. A pragmatic Approach, Prentice Hall. Mellahi, K. , Jackson T. P. and S parks, L. (2002) : An explor atory study into failure of a successful organisations: the case of Marks and Spencer, British Journal of Man age- ment, 13, 15-29. Morgan G. (2001 ): Images of Organisation Sage, London Moss Kanter R. (1989): When giants Learn to Dance Simon Schuster, London Seth, A. and Randall, G. (1999): The Grocers: the rise and rise of the supermarket chains, London: Kogan Page, Social Science Research, 24, 28-62. Ulrich, D. , Losey, M. R, Lake G. editors (1997): Tomorrow’s HR Management New York, John Wiley Sons, Inc. Ulrich, D. (199 7): Human Resources of the Future: Conclusions and Observ ations, in: Tomorrow’s HR Management, edited by Dave Ulrich, Michael R. Losey et al. , 354-360, John Wiley Sons. How to cite New Challenges in Retail Human Resource Management, Papers

Decision Making Techniques for Small Groups

Question: Describe about the Decision Making Techniques for Small Groups. Answer: Introduction: From the past years, small learning group technique had reached to an admirable place especially in providing education in school and it leads to encouragement of student and deep learning. Small learning group technique helps to increase student creativity, attention towards topic, retention of knowledge. It also increases critical thinking, teamwork spirit, communication skills, peer to peer coordination, cordial relations and self directed learning. Small learning group technique adopted in school comprises of various methods and here we are going to study them and their effectiveness in decision making. Point: Group Decision Making Group decision-making is one of the effective methods for learning in small group. Adoption of this technique in school leads to increase knowledge of students as the instructor breaks the whole class in small segments, and discussion is carried to come at a decision from various alternatives (Huber, 2003). Effectiveness of this technique is analyzed on the basis that how this technique is used for arriving at a decision in small learning group. Evidence: Group decision making is a participatory process carried in small learning group in which different individuals act collectively, analyze problems or situations, consider, suggest and evaluate alternative courses of action, and from those alternatives, best and creative idea is taken (Heise, 2013). Evidence of this group decision making techniques can be seen in school, to increase creativity and coordination of students. Assessment: The number of people involved in group decision-making varies according to need of situation, but often ranges from two to seven in small learning group (Heise, 2016). The individuals in a group may face cultural diversity as they may belong to different regions. Decision-making groups are generally informally created by the instructor in school to attain a specific goal like for imparting critical skills in students. Point: Brainstorming is an Important Decision Making Technique Evidence: The example or evidence of brainstorming technique can be seen in school, where instructor motivates their students to find out new ways of solving a particular problem. Brain storming is a widely used technique in schools and it leads to creativity in students. It is a process, where new and creative ideas are generated and solutions are derived through intensive and freewheelinggroupdiscussion in class (Huber, 2003). Everyparticipant in the brain storming technique is encouraged to think and suggest as many ideas as possible. The instructor documents all the generated ideas. After generation of ideas analysis, discussion, orcriticismis being done in class that leads to increment in effectiveness of students because of small learning group technique. Assessment: The advantage of brainstorming in school is that it consist the ability to refine ideas and include every person's input to generate specific ideas in small learning group as every one gets a chance to present their ideas (Heise, 2016). Point: Nominal Group Technique Evidence: Nominal group technique is a more controlled technique in comparison to brainstorming .Each member of the group writes his or her ideas and then these ideas are discussed and ranked accordingly. The ideas having highest ranks or votes are prioritized and accepted as a group decision (Heise, 2013). Each group member has to come up with list of various ideas. Evidence of this technique can be seen in school. For example, the group of students in school uses this technique to reach at a decision that leads to improvement in coordination and communication skills. Assessment: Nominal group technique leads to generation of creative ideas than traditional group discussions. This technique balances the power of individuals by limiting the power of opinion maker, as there is no leader who dominates the discussion. In schools, this technique leads to constructive problem solving and it also allows the group member to vote the ideas democratically and on this basis, ideas are prioritized (Huber, 2003). Point: Group leader in small learning group should create an enabling environment for all the group members, so that the challenges of effective group decision making can be reduced. Evidence: Evidence of this technique can be seen in all schools. The schools provide productive environment for growth of individuals. Main purpose of this is to improve ability of student with regard to their skills and creativity. Group leader should explain the rules; remind individuals that their ideas are going to be used as a stimulus for other students (Heise, 2016). Assessment: It is important for group leader to improve the environment at the time of activity to get new and creative ideas from its group members. A group leader can improve the workplace environment through motivational stories and putting success stories of different high performers students (Huber, 2003). Point: There are a number of advantages and disadvantages of small learning group [In reference to school] Advantages: In schools, small learning group leads to various advantages to learner. They are Self direction, active learning, and development of self regulatory skills that are going to help them whole life. It leads to self motivation, allows the student to test their thinking, hypothesis, deep learning and higher-order activities such as analysis, evaluation and synthesis. It develops skills like leadership, team work, problem solving, cordial relationship, management skills and allows them to make an analysis of their thinking (Huber, 2003). Disadvantages: (Huber, 2003).Small learning group technique puts more focus on group rather than individual and because of this students cannot be able to think interdependently. Students usually stick to someone else opinion rather than giving fresh idea. Every student has a different goal and perception which leads to conflict in decision making. In small group learning technique individualism is lost. Conclusion Small learning group technique adopted in school helps in providing good academic environment, and leads to collaborative learning in students. Small group teaching in schools increase the teamwork ability, retention of knowledge, enhance transfer of concepts to new problems, increase student interest, and improve the self-directed learning and critical skills in students. It develops peer-peer interaction and improves the communication skills. Reference Heise, D.R. (2013). Modeling Interactions in Small Groups, Social Psychology Quarterly, 76(1), 52-72. Huber, G.L. (2003). Processes of decision-making in small learning groups, Learning and Instruction, 13, 256-269. Heise, D.R. (2016). Modeling Interactions in Small Groups, ProQuest, 10(10), 01-18.

Impact of Globalisation on Nokia Company Essay Example

Impact of Globalisation on Nokia Company Paper International Business Question 1. Using one specific company, with which you are familiar, examine the actual and potential impacts of globalisation on that company. Explain the reasoning behind the points you make. Evaluate possible strategies going forward which the company might use to respond to the impacts of globalisation you have identified. Table of Contents 1. Background 1. 1 What is Globalization? 1. 2 The Importance of Globalization regarding a business 1. 3 Nokia a brief introduction 2. Characteristics and issues influencing Globalisation 3. How globalisation impacts the company 3. Product 3 . 2 Logistics 3. 3 Acquisitions 4. Evaluation and recommendations 4. 1 Rugman and Collinsons integration-responsiveness framework 4. 2 PEST analysis 4. 3 SWOT analysis 4. 4 Conclusion 5. Bibliography Part 1 – Background 1. 1 What is Globalization? â€Å"Globalization the growing integration of economies and societies around the world â€Å" The World Bank Globalization is a very wide concept involving such diverse areas as global and domestic economies, politics, sociology and international relations. Because of this there is no general consensus regarding the definition of this phenomena. There also isn’t a clear agreement between when globalization began. Some say that it actually began when Christopher Columbus discovered America in the late 15th century and brought back such goods as tobacco, various spices and some others. While others say it’s a relatively new and began in the 19th century with the Industrial Revolution. However people tend to agree that it’s never had such wide impact as in the last 20 years due to the introduction of the internet, mobile phones, decreased costs of transportation and manufacture of various goods. It’s agreed by most people that at least the following three elements are commonly involved in globalization: †¢ Shrinking Space. The lives of people are becoming more and more interconnected; not just domestically, but also globally. With increasing popularity of the social networking services such as facebook, twitter and skype it’s becoming easier to interact with people on the other side of the globe. Due to easier communication between human beings, people people in some cultures are becoming more aware of global norms. We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of Globalisation on Nokia Company specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of Globalisation on Nokia Company specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of Globalisation on Nokia Company specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Youth in Japan for example are refusing to work long hours although this was common in the past and still is amongst the older generation. †¢ Shrinking Time. Due to the various communication and information technologies and the pace of their development, events occurring in one place have close to instantaneous impacts in other places. Catastrophic events like attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center during September 9/11 were reported globally in a matter of seconds and also had global effects on the prices of various stocks and currencies. Disappearing Borders. Borders of Countries around the world are becoming significant only on maps, as regional trade blocks (e. g. EU, NAFTA) and supranational bodies (e. g. IMF, WTO) increasingly override national policy making in economic and business issues as well as law enforcement and human rights. 1. 2 The Importance of Globalization regarding a business. Globalization should be important to every company because itâ€℠¢s nearly impossible to succeed for a large business in current economic conditions without carefully analysing every single angle of it. Companies worldwide are outsourcing the production of some and in some cases even all of their goods to other countries due to cheaper labour costs and cheaper raw materials. The transportation is becoming cheaper and cheaper due to improving technology, hence it is often more profitable produce the goods elsewhere and transport them directly to the consumer. Companies are also exporting certain branches of their company to other countries (e. g. utsourcing customer service calls to operators in India) Because of these decisions companies are saving vast amounts of money, hence they are able to decrease the prices of their goods and compete very aggressively with other companies. Due to the fierce competition many businesses are forced to also use the benefits of globalisation to their own advantage. In order to survive the harsh reality of competition businesses need to constantly be aware of changing conditions regarding the quality, efficiency and cost of production and various ot her important, but constantly fluctuating factors. . 3 Nokia a brief introduction Nokia is a leading manufacturer of mobile devices, with a market share of 30% of all mobile devices globally. Interestingly the company was founded in 1865 and started its operations by manufacturing paper. The company later added electricity generation to its business activities. In the beginning of the 20th century the company started making rubber shoes along with other rubber products. Shortly Nokia expanded to cable and electronics business. By the late 1960’s the company was responsible for many different industries, hence producing many completely different products. During the 1990s the company focused solely on the fastest growing segments in telecommunications and divested itself of all of its non-telecommunications businesses. While Nokia remains the global leader of mobile devices, the market share is falling slightly. Same time last year the company had 34% global market share, 4% more than currently. Worryingly the profit fell by a staggering 40% in the second quarter of 2010, compared with the previous year. The company faces strong competition in the Smartphone segment, as Apple and Google recently entered the Smartphone sector with the iPhone and Google android phones accordingly. Part 2 – Characteristics and issues influencing Globalisation †¢ In the past the world economy was dominated by 2 (bi-polar) main areas – North America and Europe, however the world moved on to a tri-polar model where 3 regions dominate the entire world. These regions are North America, the European Union and South-East Asia and they account for roughly 80% of the total value of world exports and 84% of world manufacturing value added. There has been growth in international trade and capital flows for exports and foreign direct investment respectively. During the period between the 1980 to 2007 world exports of goods and services more than doubled, reaching over 17,000 billion USD in 2007 and accounting for over 31% of world GDP. †¢ There has been significant growth in the world cross- border Mergers and Acquisitions. Most activity regarding Mergers and Acquisitions is concentrated in the telecommunications and the media, financial services, insurance sectors. The global value of Mergers and Acquisitions rose from 200 billion USD in 1990 to 1600 billion USD in 2007. †¢ Over the past years there has been a rapid growth in regional trading agreements. To name a few – European Union, North American Free Trade Area, European Free Trade Association. Members of these regional trading arrangements have preferential treatment to trade in goods and services between members of these blocs. Multinational Enterprises began locating production facilities inside these RTAs to avoid protective and discriminatory barriers. Changing international labour costs are particularly important in the globalization movement as both wage and non-wage costs (like social security, taxes, etc. ) are one of the most important factors when a business, has to decide in which country to locate the production plants and export other areas of the company. However labour costs alone are a poor indicator, that’s why relative unit labour costs are often used instead, as the RULC takes into account not only the labour costs, but also the productivity of the workforce and the exchange rate. Another important factor influencing globalization is the increasing international communication. Over the 20 years from the 1990 to 2010 the international telephone calls have risen from 33 billion minutes to over 130 minutes. Worldwide Internet users have increased tremendously from 1990 to 2006. From 1. 7 users to 136 per 1000 people. Telephone lines increased six times in developing countries. In 1990 only 21 people had telephone line per 1000, while currently this number is a whopping 132 per 1000 people. †¢ Another important factor in many countries is growth in ageing populations. Although the median age of world’s population rose only from 23. 6 years to 26. 6 years from 1950s to 2008, it’s predicted that the median age over the coming 40 years will rise to 37 years by 2050. This will definitely affect the labor supply in some countries as well as the changing consumer tastes. Producers of goods and providers of various services will have to focus on the older generation. Part 3 How globalisation impacts the company 3. 1 Product Nokia operates a total of 15 manufacturing facilities located in Finland, Brazil, China, England, Hungary, India, Mexico, Romania and South Korea. The company produces standardised products worldwide due to the enormous benefits of the economies of scale. Nokia’s products are produced in exactly the same way in every country, the only difference being that company focuses on promoting different models in different countries in various continents. Naturally as disposable income in African countries is much lower than in other parts of the world the company focuses on selling cheaper, more economical budget phones, which appeal to the majority of locals. One of such examples of phones is the Nokia 1100. This simplistic device is the world’s best selling handset with the sales of 250 million since the launch in 2003. In addition to being the best selling mobile phone it’s also the best selling consumer electronics device in the world. Despite being released in 2003 when the phones already had colour screens and cameras this phone outsold all others just because the correct marketing approach by Nokia – selling to the developing countries. This phone is capable of lasting for up to 400 hours and also has a built in flashlight which are essential functions in the parts of the world where electricity is scarce. Interestingly Nokias one billionth phone sold was a Nokia 1100 purchased in Nigeria. In Europe and North America on the other hand the company focuses on each country individually as personal income fluctuates highly depending on the region; however as over all the consumers in these areas are more technologically conscious and have higher incomes Nokia naturally sells more mid to higher end phones. Nokia’s most expensive mass produced phone was the Nokia 8800 Gold Edition which cost a whopping ? 1459. This demonstrates company’s diversity, with the ability to find a niche in the mobile phone market both ways – for the lower and higher end devices. Recently however due to the effects of the global economical recession the company introduced a new line of budget phones, hence indicating the flexibility and adaptability of the company. 3 . 2 Logistics Nokia manufactures mobile devices and related Internet and communications industries, with over 123,000 employees in 120 countries, sales in more than 150 countries and global annual revenue of EUR 41 billion and operating profit of â‚ ¬1. billion as of 2009. As of December 2009, Nokia had R presence in 16 countries and employed 37,020 people in research and development, representing approximately 30% of the groups total workforce. The Nokia Research Center, founded in 1986, is Nokias industrial research unit consisting of about 500 researchers, engineers and scientists. It has sites in seven countries: Finland, China, India, Kenya, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Besides its research centers, in 2001 Nokia founded (and owns) INdT – Nokia Institute of Technology, a R institute located in Brazil. Nokias industrial design department is headquartered in Soho in London, England with significant satellite offices in Helsinki, Finland and Calabasas, California in the USA. Recently the company signed a memorandum with Cluj County Council, Romania to open a new plant near the city in Jucu commune. Moving the production from the Bochum, Germany factory to a low wage country created major dissatisfaction in Germany. The politicians in Germany even boycotted the company by trading their mobile phones to other brands. The German officials even threatened Nokia by demanding 60 million Euros which the company received in subsidies, however one of Nokia’s Chairmen replied â€Å"Unfortunately, the costs of labour, including non-wage labour costs, in Germany are not competitive enough for the mass-production of Nokia products†. This just shows how the differences and changes in the RULC in combination with various taxes on imports/exports including other important factors can steer a company like Nokia away from one country to another. . 3 Acquisitions Acquisitions are a big part of any large corporation these days and they are very important in many fundamental ways including strategically, economically and time management wise. In present times every second counts as information travels virtually instantly from one end of the globe to the other, hence a company may save valuable time and resources by acquiring another firm, which will most likely be established in the market and only s ome reorganisation may be needed. During the past few years Nokia has been actively acquiring companies with new technologies and competencies, including also investments in minority positions. Since December 1997, Nokia has acquired 41 companies or businesses. To name a few more notable acquisitions: †¢ In 2003 Nokia acquired Sega. com, a branch of Sega which became the major basis to develop the Nokia N-Gage device. This was a very notably strategic and innovative move, because the company later launched the first gaming/mobile device on such mass market. Although the device sold over 3 million units it was still considered a failure, yet it still was a very innovative move from Nokia. †¢ On June 19, 2006, Nokia and Siemens AG announced the companies would merge their mobile and fixed-line phone network equipment businesses to create one of the world’s largest network firms, Nokia Siemens Networks. Each company has a 50% stake in the infrastructure company, and it is headquartered in Espoo, Finland. The companies predicted annual sales of â‚ ¬16 billion and cost savings of â‚ ¬1. 5 billion a year by 2010. About 20,000 Nokia employees were transferred to this new company. †¢ In October 2007 Nokia bought Navteq, a U. S. -based supplier of digital mapping data, for a price of $8. 1 billion. Nokia Ovi Maps use Navteq’s maps in Smartphone’s. Ovi Maps provides offline maps, eliminating the need for a constant internet data feed. †¢ On April 10, 2010, Nokia announced its acquisition of MetaCarta, whose technology was planned to be used in the area of local search, particularly involving location and other services. Part 4 – Evaluation and recommendations . 1 Rugman and Collinsons integration-responsiveness framework Nokia is in the transnational strategy (T) quadrant as it faces high local responsiveness and high global integration. The company operates in a market with strong international cost and price competitiveness pressures but it must meet such challenges while paying due regard to the high political sensitivities of host governments (like in the case m entioned previously when Germany didn’t agree to the relocation of one of the production plants) and agencies. . 2 PEST analysis |Political |Changes in the future taxation policies are a possible issue as there still are countries which struggle to | | |regain economic muscle after the recession, hence it’s very likely to see some changes in weaker economy | | |countries. | |Changes in subsidies or financial funding, especially in developing economies can lead to increased costs in | | |the company | | |Changes in trade bodies is an ongoing issue, as globalization is advancing the pace in the changes between | | various trading parties are very likely to influence import/export costs along with other unforeseeable | | |impacts. | | |Political instability in countries such as North Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq can lead to global political | | |insecurities, hence unpredictably effecting business behaviour worldwide. |Economical |Overall economic situation, especially fut ure economic fluctuations | | |Changes in consumer spending can influence the demand greatly | | |Changes in government spending | | |Exchange rates can increase/decrease import/export costs | |Social |Ageing populations such as China along with many other European countries can influence the design of future | | |mobile phones | | |Social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter are changing the accessibility to the consumers | | |Lifestyle patterns and changes | | |Media views and perceptions | | |Ethnic and religious differences | |Technological |Current and future technological innovations | | |The level of research funding | | |Changes in means of consumer purchase | | |Intellectual property rights and copyright infringements | | |Global communication technological advances | | |Digitalization of things like books | 4. 3 SWOT analysis Strengths |Leading mobile phone company by market share | | |Sales in more than 150 countries | | |Innovative company | | |20 year experience in mobile phones | | |Global brand awareness | | |Widespread Location | | |Offers products in various price ranges | | |Corporately responsible company | | |Environmentally conscious | |Weaknesses |Slow and outdated Operating System (symbian) of mobile devices | | |Poor customer service | | |Slow comeback to competition (During the beginning of the iPhone era) | |Opportunities |New and innovative future products | | |MeeGo – new OS for netbooks | | |New approach towards developing companies | | |Partnerships with other organisations | | |Symbian^3 – a reboot of the old symbian operating system for mobile phones | |Threats |Political instability | | |Economical instability | | |Incredible sales of Apple iPhone and Google Android mobile phones | | |Market share loss to competitors | 4. 4 Conclusion Nokia is one of the leading global brands, however recently companies like Google and Apple started posing extremely dangerous threats with introduction of new products and services. These companies are taking over Nokia’s market share at extremely fast pace, especially in the smart phone sector. Other communication companies like Samsung, Sony Ericson and Motorola are also introducing innovative technologies and products. Nokia needs to quickly develop new mobile phones, especially with touch screen displays and also improve the hardware performance of its devices. Although investments are being made towards new operating system development for mobile phones the company need a completely different approach, as the early beta demonstrations are not looking up to par when compared to its competitors. Nokia also need to focus on the changing economical conditions in countries like China where the standard of living is changing drastically, hence more and more people are becoming possible future customers. The company should also take in to account the changing demographic situation worldwide, where most currently dominant economies are ageing; therefore it should prepare to shift its target clientele base from young adults towards older customers. The firm should also continue manufacturing simplistic devices as there are still plenty of possible customers with little technologic knowledge. 5. Bibliography Websites: Wikipedia. 2010. Nokia. [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Nokia [Accessed 28 November 2010]. Wikipedia. 2010. List of acquisitions by Nokia. [online] Available at: [Accessed 28 November 2010]. Wikipedia. 2010. Globalization. [online] Available at: [Accessed 28 November 2010]. Nokia. 2010. The story of Nokia. [online] Available at: [Accessed 29 November 2010]. Newlaunches. 2007. Nokias phone history timeline. [online] Available at: [Accessed 30 November 2010]. Articlesbase. 2007. Nokia the History. [online] Available at: [Accessed 10 December 2010]. Dw-World. 2008. German Politicians Return Cell Phones Amid Nokia Boycott Calls. [online] Available at: [Accessed 12 December 2010]. Spiegel Online International. 2008. German State Demands â‚ ¬60 Million from Nokia. online] Available at: [Accessed 12 December 2010]. Books: Wall, S. Minocha, S. and Rees. B. , 2010. International Business. 3rd ed. Pearson Education Limited. Griffiths, A. and Wall, S. 2008. Economics for business and management. 2nd ed. Pearson Education Limited. Brooks, I. Weatherston, J. and Wilkinson, G. 2010. The internationa l business environment. :challenges and changes. 2nd Ed. Financial Times/ Prentice Hall Dicken, P. 2007. Global shift :mapping the changing contours of the world economy. 6th ed. Sage Publications Ltd. Cullen, B. J, and Parboteeah P. K. 2009. International business :strategy and the multinational company. 1st ed. T F Books US