Hofstede and Trompenaars Cultural Dimensions

Hofstede and Trompenaars Cultural Dimensions Hofstede stated 5 Cultural dimensions which can be used to investigate national preferences. To explain the variation of cultural dimensions in different countries, a chart illustrating all 5 Cultural dimensions is shown in Hong Kong, China and USA. Detailed explanations are given below: Power distance is the distance in the approach between the subordinates and seniors in an organization. The high Power Distance countries make use of Centralized decision making and the employees are less likely to question their seniors. Whereas, in low power distance there is decentralized organization structure and employees are more likely to question their seniors. In high Individualism, it is generally expected that people only take care of their loved ones like their immediate families, there is very less tendency that the people will work and belong to any groups. Countries with high Masculinity, there is high degree of gender differentiation and people will place much importance on recognition, challenges, wealth, earnings etc. whereas, countries with high femininity, importance is given to quality life, cooperation, friendly atmosphere, caring others etc. Uncertainty avoidance is how people feel and react in doubtful situations and has created beliefs to avoid such situations. In countries with high Uncertainty people believe on experts and their knowledge, there is need for security and people are not willing to take risks. Whereas, in low Uncertainty avoidance people tend to be ambitious and are ready to accepts unknown risks. The fifth cultural dimension was studied by using Questionnaire in various countries around the globe. Long Term Orientation deals with good moral values regardless of truth. In Long Term Orientation the values such as Perseverance, thrift play vital role, while respect in beliefs, principles in society and binding oneself by social duties are associated with Short Term Orientation (Hofstede and Bond, 1984). Trompenaar Cultural dimensions: Universalism and Particularism: According to Trompenaar, the culture assigns the importance either to the rules or personal relationships. In Universalism culture people share belief that the rules, values and law are more important than personal or other relationships while, in Particularism cultures people focus more on human friendship or personal relationships. Individualism and Communitarism: Trompenaar Individualism and Communitarism cultural dimension carry the same meaning with Hofstedes Individualism. As explained above, the culture differences are illustrated as to whether people function more as individuals or in groups. Specific and Diffuse: In Specific cultures such as Denmark, the interactions between people are well defined viz the interactions are tending to criticize their juniors directly and openly, people tend to concentrate on hard facts, standards. In diffuse cultures like Russia, the criticism is considered a personal matter and may form a part of losing value or prestige. Affectivity and Neutrality: Affectivity and neutrality cultural dimension provides a degree in which people show their feelings. In Affectivity cultures, individuals express feelings naturally and openly. People talk loudly, show happiness or unhappiness, greet with enthusiasm etc. whereas in Neutral cultures, people tend to hide their emotions. Achievement and Ascription: In Achievement cultures, members are awarded official position depending on job performances, whereas, in Ascription cultures, members are respected or awarded official positions depending on ethnic groups, age, family, gender etc. In Sequential time cultures, people generally perform duties sequentially i.e. perform only one duty at a given time. While, in Synchronous time cultures people are flexible, handling several duties at a single point of time. Inner and Outer directed: It is set of people who believe that environment can be controlled versus a set of people who believes environment controls them. In Inner directed cultures, people believe that it is in humans hand and right a expertise knowledge can control nature; In outer directed cultures people believe that nature is not in their control and therefore they should live and change themselves according to the nature or environment. Source: Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars, (1993). Hofstede and Trompenaar helped to explain cultural differences with help of various cultural dimensions. Below table provides information on Trompenaar cultural dimensions with respect to various countries around globe. Thus, it can be seen that the cultural dimensions provided by Hofstede and Trompenaar help to better understand various cultures and thus they help to investigate different national preferences. Strengths and Weakness of Hofstede and Trompenaar: Inherent bias between Hofstede and Trompenaar and ways to overcome Inherent bias: To show the inherent bias between Hofstede and Trompenaar an association between national metrics on individualism and national sales data of i branded phones is demonstrated. The analysis shown in Table 1 reveals the bias on individualism criterion of Hofstede and Trompenaars (Burns and Bush, 2006 cited by Veerapa and Hemmert, 2010). The lack of precision can be overcome by using diagnostic tools like SPSS (Wilcox, 2001). SPSS helps to correct the deviations and presents post hoc test outputs which can be analyzed (Burns and Bush, 2006 cited by Veerapa and Hemmert, 2010). Hofstede Improvement model: In Hofstedes model it has been seen that the model merely assumes uniformity. Hence, there is a need to study diversity, richness of institutions and their practices. Presently, intense debates, reviews on interaction, structure and conceptualization are available on immediate basis. We should be engaged and involve in using theories of action, which can deal with multiple influences, change and variety, situational non-national variability, power and difficulties on individual subjects instead of seeking explanations from the conceptual lacuna for assumed national uniformity (McSweeney, 2002). Comparison between different models: Most of the cultural literatures have discussed and pointed towards core values of culture which helps to identify difference between cultures. Hofstede proposed that the most efficient method to modify the process of thinking is to change individual behaviour (Schwartz, 1999 and Hofstede, 1980). Project GLOBE has focused and illustrated effects of leadership qualities on various cultures and examined charismatic leadership at three levels industry type, national and organizational- nested within each other (House et al., 1999). The fit between management practices and cultural characteristics is considered to play a vital role in implementing a successful management team (Aycan et al., 2000). Nevertheless, Hofstede and Harzing, (1996) proposed that only few studies were able to examine or only few theories realized that the culture itself changes over period of time. Schein (1992) proposed a cultural dimension which reflects on the levels of visibility. Drawing on Scheins proposal, cultural theories vary depending on concentration on the different layers of culture. Many cultural theories concentrate on the middle portion; values specialized in between visible and invisible parts of culture (House et al., 1999; Hofstede, 1980; Inglehart and Baker, 2000). The association between change in economic development and work values was studied by Inglehart and Baker (2000) and both found noticeable cultural changes. Very few models concentrate on the visible and the external layer of practices and behaviors, Trompenaar assessed or judged the differences in cross-cultures with respect to behaviours, driven by values (Trompenaars, 1994; House et al., 1999). Multiple levels of cross cultures are shown in Figure 1: Most of the cross cultural research focused on national level, illustrating differentiation in cross cultures with regards to national values (House et al., 1999; Hofstede, 1980). Berson, Erez and Adler, (2004) proposed the formation of interdependent and multinational work teams helps to minimize the complexity in workplace within and across borders. The interdependent teams help the companies to bridge cultural gaps and assure smooth coordination and communication. Even the CEOs has consistently emphasized the interdependence and connectedness in their speeches. Hall (1976) studied high and low context cultures. Environment is important for the people belonging to high context cultures and they rely on interpretation i.e. make use of non-verbal signals during communication, whereas, in low context cultures non-verbal signals are often ignored and environment is less important. Hall model does not rank different countries and is built on qualitative insights and the model does not provide numerical data and hence, comparisons can only be on subjective basis. Problems for Expatriates: This section discusses differences in organizational styles and cultural patterns between Japanese and German staff members in Dusseldorf region of western Germany, and issues they encounter for morale, communication and co-operation. As English not being the native language for both Japanese and Germans, a sizable amount of Japanese firms in Dusseldorf region remark on communication problems and stress between Japanese expatriates and local staff members. There is also a contrast on subject of politeness, Japanese staff are recognized for considering the politeness to great extents; a distinct Japanese politeness syndrome is unwillingness to say no with firmness, which confuses the foreigners and Westerners find it disingenuous, whereas, Germans suffer the reputation for being arrogant, blunt and curt. The Germans see the standoffishness of Japanese as an obstacle to pleasant office relationships. German managers found it difficult and comment that even after continuous efforts they are not in a position to socialize with Japanese expatriate teams. The isolation and the size of Dusseldorf region helped to put a belief on German side, that Japanese are reclusive and clannish by character. The Japanese were annoyed by German curtness and Germans were bothered by Japanese unfriendliness (Lincoln et al., 1995). The Japanese expect forthright assumption of guilt and produced apologies in places where the Europeans find it inappropriate and unnecessary. In Japanese firms the acceptance of failures of ones duties is an obligation to European (Wall Street Journal, 1989), as the Westerners impulse to shift blame to others and defend oneself. Some differences also occur on the decision making process as for Japanese its bottom-up command and control while for Germans its reverse (Kieser, 1990; Lincoln et al., 1990). More, the Japanese hire employees as generalists and not as specialists. The Germans found the appraisal style inconvenient because the Japanese appraisal style judges long-term achievements and performances and not present performances (Endo, 1994). If the company wants to reward the younger ambitious local hires for their appropriate skills, the company was not able to do so, because of the morale issues of appraisal system of Japanese business cultures, due to which the problem of inequality arise. Expatriates Managers motivating and leading staff: Research has shown that the styles of leading staff, motivating and communicating vary among countries (Adler and Gundersen, 2008). To motivate and to understand the motivation drivers of the employees, an expatriate manager should have a broad idea about real root values of different cultures (Sergeant and Frenkel, 1998). Work placement motivation plays an important role so that the employees work effectively and organization can achieve their goals. In multi-culture environment the motivation factors will vary from person to person, so the organization should use different motivational tools. One of the strongest motivational factors is probably the development of an appropriate reward system; this can influence both employee motivation and job satisfaction (Hickins, 1998 cited by Albu, 2009). The people motivations may vary depending on their emphasis on income, more number of contacts, security in job or feeling of accomplishment. The attributes and roles chosen by experienced expatriate managers in leading their teams are not constant and may vary in different contexts. Finnish expatriates in various countries indicated different perceptions of leadership, examined by Suutari (1996). For examples, an expatriate from Germany commented that the softness in Scandinavian is inappropriate and claim for receiving respect from subordinates a person should be more authoritative. Similarly, if a manager from a different culture is working in France, he should avoid participating in groups, as he would not succeed to get any ideas from his colleagues and nothing will work if he did not take a decision himself. An expatriate in UK was advised to make use of directive style and be more rigorous. Whereas, in Thailand good leadership qualities are associated with moral values like to sacrifice, to think about majority and not only about their families. A successful leadership style must be appropriate to the context within which it is exercised (Mead, 2005, p. 133). PART 2 Preparation for Expatriates and their relatives: After reviewing various research articles following were the requirements found for preparing an expatriate for successful mission. The companies need to employ rigorous and sophisticated pre-move policies to expatriates along with their families, which include personality and psychometric testing, cross-cultural and language training (Forster, 2000). Many researchers like Mendenhall and Oddou, 1986; Tung, 1981; Brislin, 1981, Smith and Still, 1997; Bochner, 1982; Forster, 2000, Brislin et al, 1986 have strongly emphasized on cultural empathy during expatriate trainings. Cross cultural training is broadly classified into 6 types by Tung (1982): 1] Using information containing facts such as information on housing, schools, weather, and geographical location. 2] Cultural preferences or tendencies, information such as the value systems of host country. 3] Cultural Assimilation programs which help to describe cross cultural experiences. 4] Linguistic training 5] Sensitivity training, helps developing confidence in particular situations. 6] Exposure to other cultures by means of field experiences, which will help to get a feel of emotional pressures. According to Brewster and Pickard (1994) following should be the cultural training programs for expatriates: 1] a cognizance about major emphasize on influencing cultural behaviours 2] Mandatory knowledge which is required when dealing in different situations. 3] Developing emotional maturity and acquiring skills to help psychological adjustments when working abroad. Thus following can be the relevant training programs, which can be used to prepare an expatriate. How Cross cultural Training programs support Expatriates and their relatives: The cross-cultural and linguistic training introduces the employee the importance of cultures and help to sensitise the actual differences in cultures. The training programs help expatriates to become vigilant of unavoidable psychological stress which usually happens when individual tries to adapt in foreign cultures (Forster, 2000). Cross cultural training and language training helps to built cross cultural competency skills and add on social and professional skills, knowledge, coping techniques and factual information to expatriates and helps to create an artificial make-up. Training programs also helps to provide relevant information on the living and working styles of the host country. Cultural, political, economic information and information on cultural awareness helps expatriates to understand the foreign culture in more suitable and personal way, all these factors work at intellectual or mental process of the expatriate. More, cross-cultural training also consist of learning activities which are purely based on experience combining mental process and behavioural techniques which help to reinforce the assimilation of information on occasions like experimenting alternative response strategies and simulating critical incidents. It is also believed that, cross cultural training helps to acquire an intercultura l effectiveness skill which improve families and personal adjustments overseas. Such skills include building relationships, effective cross cultural communication, transition stress management, cultural awareness, improving managerial decision making, negotiation techniques and conflicts resolution (Kealey and Protheroe, 1996). Nevertheless, as per Gertsen (1990) literature, excluding the training, for a successful expatriate mission, lot more depends on the employees personal traits like openness, self confidence, good communication skills, intelligence, optimism, tolerance, empathy, independence, initiative and willingness to change. Requirements for working in multi-culture environment: Intercultural competence plays an important role and is necessary, when a member of a cross-cultural team needs to build strong relationship with other nationalities. Due to intercultural competence the member is able to exchange verbal non-verbal levels of behaviour (Dinges, 1983; McCroskey, 1982; Spitzberg, 1983). Research delineated important features of inter-cultural competence such as ability to develop and maintain relationships, personal traits like inquisitiveness and effectively sharing information with others (Black and Gregersen, 2000; Mendenhall, 2001). Apart from knowledge of language and culture, Intercultural competence also involves affectivity and behavioural skills like charisma, empathy, friendliness, ability to control uncertainty and anxiety (Gudykunst, 1998; Spiess, 1998). There are three parts of intercultural competence, sufficient cultural knowledge, appropriate skills and Personality Orientation. The managers in USA and Russia have associated high performing cross cultural teams with clearly understanding their approach for team goals, equipped with complementary skills, working with expertise teams, and tremendous commitment with relatively higher degree of motivation, clear responsibilities of team roles, cultural sensitivity, cooperative team climate and access to technology (Matveev and Milter, 2004). To work effectively with multi cultural teams the managers need to know and understand the culture of a person with whom they are interacting, their behaviour patterns during conflict situations, and information about their personality, life experiences, demographics etc. Manager of diverse cultures needs to be vigilant with regards to the interests, resources of different cultures and diversity of perspectives, to obtain all this information the manager requires high level of intercultural communication competence (Matveev et al., 2002). Lessons drawn from tutorials and classes From tutorials and classes, we gathered knowledge which helped critical analysis of contexts and issues relating to business and management operating across cultures. Various aspects of cultural diversity and national cultures have been explored. International HRM has become a strategic asset of many organisations and play vital role in implementing and developing policies on cross cultural management. We learnt differences between cultures, their relations when working in organisations, businesses and the way people from different cultures interact and communicate. It was also observed that if the variety of cultures is ignored, the organisations suffer from conflicts and underperform. From the principle theories of cross cultures I explored the effects of cultural diversity on leadership, negotiation, communication, motivation and ethics in organisations. Through critical analysis the awareness among cultural differences was raised, while reinforcing behaviours and skills that can help managers to adjust in such differences. The main focus of study was on management of International Business and there was seen a strong emphasis on cultural differences between European, Asian, Anglo-American and African. How multicultural awareness can be raised and stereotyping be decreased To raise multi cultural awareness, Sleeter (1992) given importance to multicultural professional development programs and awareness building inservice programs. Sleeter observations revealed that after completion of these programs, teachers greatest change was increased attention to Black students and increased the usage of cooperative learning activities. Multi-cultural awareness can also be raised through well-prepared induction programmes incorporating cultural awareness training. Professional counselling across cultures could also provide effective help to raise cultural awareness (Skinner, 2010). Sue et al. (1982) suggested three dimensions of cross cultural counselling competencies: knowledge, awareness and skills. The counsellor needs certain cultural specific knowledge and must be aware of potential cultural differences. Thus, cross-cultural training and cultural competencies raise multicultural awareness. Stewart et al., 2009 proposed the success of a modern technique Situational Attribution Training Technique to minimize the underlying stereotyping. White participants were trained extensively to choose situational over dispositional explanations for negative stereotype-consistent behaviors performed by Black men (Stewart et al. 2009, p. 221). Reduced racial stereotyping was demonstrated by the individuals who finished their Situational Attribution Training. More, the impact of Stereotyping can be minimized by bringing together different cultural members and when these members come together they notice that other persons are not as stereotype as considered, this proof makes a disagreement, which finally helps in improving thinking about stereotypes. Words: 3,179

Uses of Australian Medic and other Legumes in the United States Essay

Uses of Australian Medic and other Legumes in the United States In recent years the United States has been experimenting with the uses of medics, clovers and other forms of legumes which include sweet clover, rose clover, crimson clover, barrel medic, button medic, Australian medic, burr medic, nitro alfalfa, and spotted medic just to name a few of the long list of plants used in these experiments. The purpose of these experiments were to determine the benefits of intercropping these legumes with non-nitrogen fixating crops such as corn, sunflowers and many others. Some of the suggested benefits would include using less fertilizer, gained water infiltration into the soil, and reduced soil erosion. A study was conducted in Stephenville, Texas over several years to determine the types of medics and clovers that could possibly be used in areas of the United States that have high temperatures in the summers with limited precipitation, another objective of the experiments conducted in Stephenville was to determine the affects of harvest height, as herbage removal affects the reproduction of the stand in following years. Some cool-season annual species looked to be promising candidates for this particular experiment. Many of these species have become widely naturalized across the Great Plains region of the United States which indicates adaptation to climate, soils, local vegetation, and pathogens (Muir et al., 2005). One of the biggest factors in the growth and reproduction of medic is the climate, especially temperature and rainfall, has the strongest effect on legume production. Annual Australian medic species that are accustom to the long growing seasons in southern parts of the continent took ten to seventy ... ...provided by these plants. References Groose, Robin W., 1999. Lamb Chops and Rolls on 12 Inches of Rain. Casper Star Tribune. Kandel, H.J., B.L. Johnson, and A.A. Schneiter. 2000. Hard Red Spring Wheat Response Following the Intercropping of Legumes into Sunflower. Crop Science 40:731-736 Muir, James P., William R. Occumpaugh and Twain J. Butler, 2005. Trade-Offs in Forage and Seed Parameters of Annual Medicago and Trifolium Species in North-Central Texas as Affected by Harvest Intensity. Agron. J. 97:118-124 Sheaffer, Craig C., Steve R. Simmons and Michael A. Schmitt. 2001. Annual Medic and Berseem Clover Dry Matter and Nitrogen Production in Rotation with Corn. Agron. J. 93:1080-1086 Smeltekop, Hugh, David E. Clay and Sharon A. Clay. 2002. The Impact of Intercropping Annual ‘Sava’ Snail Medic on Corn Production. Agron. J. 94:917-924

The Women of Umuofia in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay

The Women of Umuofia in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart    The only women respected in Umuofia are those like Chielo, the priestess of the Oracle of the Hills and Caves, who is removed from the pale of normalcy. Clothed in the mystic mantle of the divinity she serves, Chielo transforms from the ordinary; she can reprimand Okonkwo and even scream curses at him: "Beware of exchanging words with Agbala [the name of the Oracle of the Hills and Caves]. Does a man speak when a God speaks? Beware!" (95). Yet if Okonkwo is powerless before a goddess's priestess, he can, at least, control his own women. So, when Nwoye's mother asks if Ikemefuna will be staying long with them, Okonkwo bellows to her: "Do what you are told woman. When did you become one of the ndichie [clan elders]?" (18).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps Umuofia's shabby and degrading treatment of women and wives stems from unconscious fear of, rather than reverence for, the ubiquitous and capricious Earth goddess Ani or Ala, who wreaks such havoc on the townspeople s lives. She is the goddess of fertility. She also gives or withholds children; she spurns twin children who must be thrown away; she prohibits anyone inflicted with shameful diseases from burial in her soil. To the men of Umuofia, she must seem the embodiment of the two-faced Greek furies and Scylla and Charybdis joined together -- vengeful, unavoidable, and incomprehensible. Umuofia s men can compare to the ancient Greeks who were noted for similar female images such as Pandora, Circe, Medea, and Clytemnestra. In helpless, mortal dread of a fearsome divine female principle, they come down heavily indeed on ordinary women whose lives they can control as they like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A cursory look at the place o... ...e African Novel: Essays in Analysis. London: Saros International, 1992. pages Nwapa, Flora.   Efuru.   London: Heinemann, 1966. ---.   Idu.   London: Heinemann, 1970. Ogunyemi, Chikwenye Okonjo.   "Women and Nigerian Literature." Perspectives on Nigerian Literature. Vol. 1.   Lagos, Nigeria: Guardian Books, 1988.   pages Okonkwo, Juliet.   "The Talented Woman in African Literature." African Quarterly 15.1-2: pages. Rich, Adrienne.   Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution.   New York: Norton, 1976. Thiong o, Ngugi   wa.   Petals of Blood.   London: Heinemann, 1977. ---.   Devil on the Cross.   London: Heinemann, 1982.   Walker, Alice.   "In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens." In Search of Our Mothers   Gardens: Womanist Prose. New York: Harcourt  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brace, 1983.   231-243. Weinstock, Donald, and Cathy Ramadan.  

Challenges faced by the Allies in their Germany Advance

The establishment of empires and the countries that exist today was not an easy undertaking. There were always battles associated with this, and this led to bloodshed and destruction of cities. The world has always had incidences of wars, which most of the times are initiated by the strong countries, as they try to win the smaller ones. From the colonization battles to the wars like the First and Second World Wars, there have always been defeats and conquests. Even the strongest leaders have at times surrendered because of the extremes of the war. However, those who win are also affected, as their conquest is most of the times associated with several difficulties. The advancing of the allies into Germany in 1945 will be discussed with close reference to the scale and the nature of the problems that they faced. The crossing of the Rhine The Allies had targeted Germany after they conquered in the Battle of the Bulge. All the citizens were aware that once the Allies set foot in Germany, it would be the end of war. However, the Allies faced great challenges from some fanatical Nazis; Hitler included. Throughout the second and third months of 1945, there was a great battle by the allies in a bid to pass the Siegfried lane. They were faced with a great problem because the Germans had set up antitank fortifications, artillery and pillboxes which stretched from the western German border. This was quite a big hindrance to the allies as they sought for the best way to enter Germany. Additionally, this was an area which was always manned by old men and young boys, so that they could ensure that no enemy passed that point. Since time immemorial, the allies had not had the ability to pass through the Siegfried Line because of these hindrances. However they managed to conquer this small town in 1945 through the use of gasoline aids (World War II, 2010). When they set in, they advanced to Cologne, which was considered as the major German city. However, they were faced with a challenge because the US Army commander referred to as General Dwight D. Eisenhower gave orders to the allied forces to instead advance towards Ruhr. This is after he had realized that if Berlin was captured, then the industrial machine of Germany could be destroyed. There was a conflict between the leaders because the desire of Churchill was for the allies to overcome Berlin, but Eisenhower ordered the Allies to advance towards the Ruhr after crossing the Rhine (World War II, 2010). Crossing the Rhine for the Allies was quite an achievement because for the past one hundred and forty years before this time, there is no single group which had successfully crossed it. Hitler considered the Rhine as one of the important symbols of Germany. The only time the Rhine was crossed successfully was during the times of Napoleon, in 1805. This is because all the people who tried to do so would be shot down (World War II, 2010). However, the allies succeeded crossing the Rhine, amidst the challenges, because all the bridges had been blown up to restrict their advance. This also happened before they managed to capture Cologne city. This was indeed a great challenge. They had to cross the Rhine on special bridge units, which were often segregated. They also went ahead and constructed a bridge whose depth was twelve miles and thirty five miles width. Even though they managed, all these crossings were most of the times on fire, which was lit by the German forces. All this happened before March 23, 1945 (World War II, 2010). The Allies had set up an undertaking referred to as Operation Varsity which took place in 1945. It was considered as the last operation of the allies in Europe, and although the allies conquered, they were still faced with challenges. The Germans had prepared themselves as there were anti aircrafts units which were set strategically against the allies. All the bridges were blown up again, and Hitler was unable to restrict the allies who had settled in the west. The Red army had targeted Berlin, and it set forth to the West (World War II, 2010). Blitzkrieg Since time immemorial, Germany had always been known for using the trick known as ‘Blitzkrieg’. This was also referred to as the lightning war. This was an operation which involved the constant use of mass planes which would be ordered to break through the defenses of the enemy on a very close range. The enemy could not be allowed at any moment to invade Germany. Ordinarily, the German forces would successfully surround the opposing troops, where they would be forced to surrender (USHMM, 2010). This trick had proved effective since in the previous years, Germany had defeated Poland, Belgium, France and the Netherlands. However, they had never managed to defeat Great Britain. The allied forces also faced the same challenge, as the Germans tried to oppose their entrance to their territory. However, the allied forces managed to cross the Rhine, and consequently, the Nazi Germany surrendered (USHMM, 2010). When the war had advanced, it reached a point where the Germans felt defeated and they were therefore looking for ways in which they could surrender. This was indeed what the allies wanted. However, it was not an easy task, as there was a major challenge. There were so many deaths associated with the march. The last important German unit, which was referred to as Army Group B has all its men surrender, which totaled to two hundred thousand on April 24. The Germans were trying their best to ensure that the refugees were not a distraction so that they could surrender to the Allies from the west. Therefore, there was a delay in the Germans surrendering as most of the refugees refused to give way (World War II, 2007). German secret dealings The allied forces were constantly attacked by the refugees. There were guards who were assigned so as to force the people to move away from the fighting ground. However, most of the refugees resisted the orders and as a result, there were so many deaths which resulted. The guards continued to kill these people secretly (World War II, 2007). There was the collaboration of the allies and the Russians on the concentration camps. However, they faced another challenge as the Germans had tried to conceal their crime by hiding the bodies of the people who had been killed. They were presented with very horrific facts, as there were very many corpses which had been piled in a large heap. This revealed how the Germans had continued killing the people. In one of the camps, referred to as the Ohrdruf Concentration Camp, all the civilians of this place were ordered by Eisenhower to see what used to happen in secret. This proved a great challenge to the Allies because they had to first search for all the guards that were hiding in all their ranks (World War II, 2007) As a result, the Gestapo officers and the guards realized that their dirty dealings had been revealed by the Allies. Therefore, they tried all they could so as to escape. However, most of them, including some Nazis of the high ranks were captured as they were escaping. Some of these included Fritz Von Papen, Herman Goering, and Albert Speer. There had looted art treasures which were later discovered. Additionally, there were very many hidden caches of jewelry and gold which were found in all parts of Germany. These had been stripped off from different countries and had been sent to Germany (World War II, 2007) Persecution of collaborators All the German leaders who tried to make secret alliances with the allies were persecuted and this was another problem that the allies encountered. One of these leaders was Heinrich Himmler, who tried to make a separate armistice with the allies from the west. However, he was too unfortunate because as soon as Hitler realized this, he ordered his soldiers to execute him. Additionally, Goering also tried to do the same, and even tried to take over from Hitler, but did not succeed. Therefore, the allies were in constant wrangle with Hitler as he never allowed any of his men to collaborate with them. All the same, this did not prevent the allies from excelling (World War II, 2007) When the then U. S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt died Hitler had hopes, that this would affect the operations of the allies. However, this was not the case, as the allies continued with their resolve, unaffected by anything. As a result, Hitler became a very depressed man, and vowed to fight the allies the best he could. He started by ensuring that the sewers were flooded, in a bid to stop both the Russian and the Western allies to continue their advance in Germany. The allies were constantly threatened by his actions. However, his efforts proved fruitless because most of the people who were wounded and killed were the refugees. He set battles by moving trapped or nonexistent armies. All the commanders that defied his orders were executed. Even though he tried all this, the Allies still won the battle, and the Nazis surrendered (World War II, 2007). Conclusion Though the allies were faced with great challenges as they tried to invade Germany, they successfully won. However, they were constantly faced with the German attacks through the tricks that it had used over the years so as to defend itself from its enemies. Some of the leaders of the German armies collaborated with the allies so that they could defeat Hitler and his forces. Eventually, the might of the Allies only left Hitler a depress man, who even chose his successor before he committed suicide. References USHMM. (2010).World War II in Europe. Retrieved from http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007681 World War II. (2007).The German surrender April 25-May8, 1945. Retrieved from http://worldwar2database.com/html/germanysurrender.htm World War II. (2010). Crossing the Rhine. Retrieved from   http://worldwar2database.com/html/rhine.htm

Communication Strategies for Leaders Essay

A leader must be able to communicate effectively. When asked to define leadership, theorists and practitioners alike frequently use the words â€Å"influence,† â€Å"inspire† and â€Å"transform,† all of which depend on communication, verbal and nonverbal. Leaders lead through their words and actions. This text focuses on both, thus the emphasis throughout on emotional intelligence, the ability to understand the self and others (Barrett, 2011). Effective leadership communication requires the ability to anticipate to the potential interruptions in the transmission of the message, appreciate the context, understand the audience, select the right medium and craft a clear message that allows the meaning to reach the specific receiver as intended (Barrett, 2011). In my quest to achieve superior communication leadership skills I have had the opportunity to assess and evaluate my effectiveness in communication leadership. This personal assessment has indicated I must become more strategic as strategy is the foundation on which any effective communication depends on. Leaders must be able to analyze their audience in every situation and design a communication strategy that facilitates accomplishing their communication. Communication is critical to every organization and for any aspiring leader. I plan to be strategic in developing a plan to be a more effective communicator by reaching out to external constituents as that is an area for communication improvement. Overall, effective communication strategy depends on ones thinking and planning strategically understanding your audience, and structuring your communication for different situations, delivery methods, and audiences to ensure that you connect with your audience and deliver your intended message (Barrett, 2011). III. As a leader and manager in my organization I take pride in being an effective leader and communication. I have been at my non-profit organization for the past 6 years and have made significant improvement and learned to grow my communication skills. Owens (1998) mentions two key features of leadership which are: (1) the engagement of persons in a process that identifies them with goals, and (2) the potential to change the institutional environment (e.g. values, beliefs, etc.) by implementing diversity goals into the organizational culture. At the same time, I am a leader that promotes integrity to motivate ethical behavior across the entire organization. Also, it is important for me to create an open environment in which followers and employees feel free to speak up and come forward to me when any action needs to take place. Overall, I am always striving to be a better communicator in all situations as it teaches as I want to be recognized by others as a transformational leader. I consider my oral public speaking skills to be my major strength when communicating to internal colleagues at my organization. I am always poised to conduct presentations and participate in public speaking engagements. I always maintain a sense of confidence and take pride in my public speaking skills. At the same time, I feel much more comfortable in situations where I can communicate effectively with my team members and demonstrate my dynamic skills to engage them effectively. I tend to be a coach and a motivator among my employees. I use different means to get my employees to want to be better at their duties and take full ownership of their tasks and goals. I also have a lot of confidence in being able to utilize my skills in dealing with others feelings and communicating with them solutions to help them with their particular situation. I would consider my interpersonal communication skills with external relations as an area for improvement. I tend to be an extrovert when it comes to public speaking and very confidant with communicating with large audiences but I tend to be introverted when it comes to communication in smaller groups or individual communication with members of external organizations. Barrett (2011) suggests that selecting the right spokesperson to deliver external messages can be almost as critical as the message themselves. I need to work on this part of my communication leadership by participating in more social and networking events to work on my confidence in communicating with external constituents. I also plan to travel more with my executive leadership team and attend meetings and events to get a better understanding of how to communicate more effectively in my external communication. Improvement Goal Effective leadership communication requires the ability to anticipate to the potential interruptions in the transmission of the message, appreciate the context, understand the audience, select the right medium and craft a clear message that allows the meaning to reach the specific receiver as intended (Barrett, 2011). I always maintain a sense of confidence and take pride in my public speaking skills. At the same time, I feel much more comfortable in situations where I can communicate effectively with my team members and demonstrate my dynamic skills to engage them effectively which include motivating and coaching. I would consider my interpersonal communication skills with external relations as an area for improvement. I tend to be an extrovert when it comes to public speaking and very confidant with communicating with large audiences but I tend to be introverted when it comes to communication in smaller groups or individual communication with members of external organizations. I have action steps in place to help me in my leadership development which include attending more external corporate events and meetings with the executive team. Solicit feedback from executive team members concerning areas for improvement and change any behavior based on feedback. Also, I plan to participate in more networking events with external constituents. References Aamodt, M. (2013). Industrial/Organizational Psychology: An applied approach. Seventh edition. Cox et. al (2007). Evaluating organizational-level work stress interventions: Beyond tradition methods. Work & Stress, 21, 348-362. Ebbers, L., Conover, K., Samuels, A. (2010). Leading from the middle: preparing leaders for new roles. New directions for Community Colleges.Wiley Periodicals. Frese, M (2009). The changing nature of work. In N. Chmiel (Ed.) An introduction to work and organizational psychology (2nd ed., pp. 397-413). Oxford: Blackwell publishing. Lawler, E.E. (2001). Organizing for high performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Owens, Robert. (1998). Organizational Behavior in Education (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Key Benefits And Challenges Of An Integrated Approach To Working With Children With Additional Needs And Their Families In An Early Years Setting.

Introduction Many families who have children with additional needs often fear sending their children to mainstream schools (Wang 2009). Such parents often fear that their children will not be treated equally in mainstream school, and also worry about how well their specific needs can be met (NCSE 2011). As such they often place them in special settings with low student-pupil ratios and with specialized teaching. However, the effectiveness of special settings has recently been questioned. Placing children with special needs in special settings has been a subject of considerable debate over the past few years (Wall 2011). While the general public view is that special needs students can benefit from individual and small group instruction, there is no compelling evidence to support this claim. In fact, the opposite seems true. According to a study conducted by Casey et al (1998), it was found that special schools with curricula designed specifically for special needs students did not necessarily result in better improvements in children’s cognitive ability or developmental outcomes. A similar study by Bunch & Valeo (1997) came to similar conclusions It was claimed that special placement of children with additional needs has not demonstrated substantive advantages over mainstream classes, despite specialized teaching and lower teacher to pupil ratio. More recent researches by Brown et al (2005) and Allen & Cowdery (2005) have made similar conclusions. In this regard, this paper examines the key benefits and challenges of an integrated approach to working with children with additional needs and their families in an early years setting. Defining the term ‘Additional needs’ Before exploring further, it is worthwhile to first define the term ‘additional needs’. This term is used in reference to certain conditions or circumstances that might lead to children requiring special support (Owens 2009). Children with additional needs are mainly those that have health conditions and needs related to learning and physical development (Roffey 2001). That is, children with additional needs include: those who are physically handicapped, those with developmental delay or intellectual disability, communication disorders and those diagnosed with conditions such as Down syndrome, Autism or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Owens 2009). ‘Inclusion’ Having defined the term ‘additional needs’, it is important to understand the context in which the term ‘inclusion’ is used. As Connor (2006) points out, the concept of inclusion is used to describe placement of children with additional needs in regular settings rather than special facilities. It should be noted that inclusion goes beyond just teaching the child in inclusive classroom settings and includes the quality of the child’s experience of school life and association with other peers. Legislative framework. Key legislations governing provision of services to special needs children include the ‘Education (NI) Order 1996’ and the ‘Special Education Needs and Disability (NI) Order 2005’ (DoE 2009). The former outlines the rights and duties of the following in relation to special needs students: schools, parents, Health and Social Services Boards, Education and Library Boards Department of Education It also sets out a Code of Practice and establishes an arrangement for issuing a statement and assessment of these children’s education needs (Porter 2003). The ‘Special Education Needs and Disability (NI) Order 2005’ resulted from amendments made to the first one to include the right of special needs children to mainstream education and introduction of new disability discrimination responsibilities (DoE 2009). Integrated approach In the UK, these children with special needs are integrated into the mainstream schools provided that there is adequate equipment, enough staff and the right resources to ensure that they achieve their full potential ( Heinemann & Vickerman 2009). However, it is not mandatory for mainstream schools to enroll children with special needs. Rather, it depends on the ability of the school itself to meet their needs. If the mainstream school setting cannot provide for their needs, the child is placed under the local authority which then seeks to provide solutions (Silberfeld 2009). There is a growing recognition of the benefits of including special needs students in mainstream schools as opposed to remedial settings. Now more than ever, there is an increased emphasis on collaborative model and joint working to ensure that children with special needs are included in mainstream education (Duke & Smith 2007). Perhaps this has been driven by the recognition of its benefits and increasing trend in children in need of special attention. The number of children with educational needs in the UK has been on the rise over the past few years. For example, their proportion as a percentage of the total school population increased from 14.6% in 2003 to 17.7% in 2007 (DoE 2009). Benefits There are several benefits for such an integrated approach to working with children with special needs. First, such inclusive programs will help other children to understand them, accept them, appreciate and value their similarities and differences (Sammons et al. 2003). This will enable them to see each person as an individual as opposed to seeing them in terms of their needs. Another benefit to such an integrated approach is the reduction in stigma. There is compelling evidence that shows that placing children with special needs in mainstream schools in the early stages can significantly reduce stigma (Griffin 2008). Inclusion programmes have the potential to facilitate a relationship that can be mutually beneficial for both groups of students. It allows children from both groups to develop awareness and to value their differences, thereby reducing stigmatization and labeling. An integrated approach to learning enhances social integration and reduces stigmatization and prejudice ag ainst children with special needs (Griffin 2008). Inclusion also reflects the acceptance of special needs children in the society. The integrated approach makes children with special needs to feel accepted to the society and by their peers and gives them a sense of belonging (Robinson & Jones-Diaz 2005). Such inclusive programmes can as well be of benefit to the parents. All that parents want is for their children to live typical lives like other students including being accepted by their friends and peers (Owens 2009). Families’ visions of having their children experience typical life like other regular students can come true (Weston 2010)Furthermore, maintaining an inclusive setting can be more economical than running a special setting (Weston 2010). Additionally, the economic outputs can be greater when special needs students are educated in mainstream schools because of the self-sufficiency skills stressed in such settings (Mitchell 2009). Other benefits to such an integr ated approach include: improved academic performance, opportunity to participate in typical experiences of childhood, and gaining confidence to pursue inclusion in other settings such as recreational groups (Jones 2004). Research seems to suggest that special need children perform better when placed together with other peers in the natural setting (Brown et al., 2005). As Allen & Cowdery (2005) points out, special need children who receive services such as occupational therapy, language therapy and special education perform even better when provided with these services in the natural settings with their typically developing peers. Challenges While the arguments in favour of integration are valid, it should also be remembered that integration in itself is a two-way process. In most cases, the benefits of integration have been argued from the side of special needs student. What about the other group of students. Aren’t they going to be affected by the way services are devoted t o special needs students? Such an integrated approach raises several key challenges. One particular challenge relates to the issue of fairness. Given their inclusion in mainstream classrooms, how can fairness be determinedWhat is fair for a typical average studentAnd what is fair for a special needs student (Swartz 2005)It is questionable whether the educational needs of these students can be met in mainstream classes especially given that they requires some sort of specialized services and special attention as well. There is a danger that the attention given to the special needs students will affect the quality of services that the regular students receive (Hoccut 1996). Given the developmental delays that most special needs students experience, the other regular students may rate themselves with these students in terms of academic performance which eventually might lead to the decline in their creativity and critical thinking capabilities (Wang 2009). Can this be termed as fair to either groupThis remains a major challenge to such inclusion programmes. Another challenge relates to the aggressive nature of some of these children. Coping with emotionally and behaviourally disturbed children can be particularly challenging for both the students and teachers (Cohen et al 2004). This can be seen with the recent push by some schools for ‘responsible inclusion’. Some of these children mental health needs are beyond what the mainstream education can deliver and as such can be disruptive to other students. Schools have become de facto mental health providers for children with special needs yet they were not set up for such purposes (Heinneman & Vickerman 2009). Despite these challenges, the focus should be on promoting integration of special needs students into the mainstream education. While there are many arguments in favour of and against integrations, the benefits for such integration are significant. Those in favour of special facilities argue that these facilities are best for children with special needs in that it helps them maintain self-esteem and experience greater success (Cohen et al. 2004). They argue that segregation helps them with self-esteem and protects them from stigmatization. To some extent, they raise a valid argument especially given that the mainstream schools do not have enough human resources and adequate material for catering for the needs of such children (Hocutt 1996). However, such an approach will only further enhance stigmatization and negative labelling. Also, it might lead to social isolation from their peers and a lack of academic press, and higher order thinking among children with special needs. Moreover, placing such students in special facilities conjures up images which render them as failures and this may further reinforce their low-self esteem (Cohen et al 2004). Perhaps this might be the reason why some of these students become physically aggressive or verbally abusive. They end up viewing aggression as the only way to be recognized (Cohen et al 2004). There are several benefits to such an intergrated approach to learning including better social adjustment and stigma reduction. Children with special needs may also benefit from inclusion programs through participating in typical experiences of childhood, gaining an understanding about diversity of people in the community, and gaining the confidence to pursue inclusion in other settings such as recreational groups (Nutbrown & Clough 2010). Other regular students may benefit from the opportunity to meet and share experiences with special needs students, and developing positive attitudes towards students with varied abilities (Weston 2003). There is a need to ensure that these students receive as broad and balanced an entitlement curriculum as possible, similar to that received by the regular students (Cohens et al. 2004). Regardless of their condition or of the developmental delays that children with special needs may e xperience, they should all be allowed to learn and participate in everyday routines just like other children (Weston 2003).It should be remembered that children of all ages have the same intrinsic value and are entitled to the same opportunities for participation in child care. Conclusion Research has shown that special needs students who are mixed with their peers in mainstream classrooms are more likely to achieve better outcomes academically and socially while those in segregated classes fall further behind. There are, however, challenges to such an integrated approach to working with special needs children. Challenges related to coping with emotionally and behaviourally disturbed children and the challenge of ensuring fairness have been highlighted in this paper. Despite these challenges, the paper calls for an integrated approach to working with children with special needs. Unless there is a compelling reason to put special needs children in special settings, they should be placed in the mainstream educational setting. To ensure the success of this integrated approach, it is important that all the professionals involved value and appreciate their individual roles and those of others in order to ensure that these children receive best education, care and support. Families must also show their commitment to the multi-disciplinary partnership approaches. References Allen, K. E., and Cowdery, G. E., 2004. The exceptional child: Inclusion in early childhood. Albany, NY: Delmar. Brown, J.G., Hemmeter, M.L. and Pretti-Frontczak, K., 2005. Blended practices for teaching young children in inclusive settings. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K., 2004. A guide to teaching practice. Psychology press Connor, J. (2006) Redefining inclusion. Every Child. 12(3) Watson ACT: ECA Department of Education (DoE), 2009. The way forward for special educational needs and inclusion. Department of Education Dukes, C. and Smith, M., 2007. Working with parents of children with special educational needs. London: SAGE publications. Griffin, S., 2008. Inclusion, equality and diversity in working with children, Professional Development. Oxford Heinemann, A. and Vickerman, P., 2009. Key issues in special educational needs and inclusion. London: Sage Hocutt, A.M., 1996.’Effectiveness of special education: is placement the critical factor?à ¢â‚¬â„¢ The Future of Children Special Education For Students With Disabilities, Vol.6 (1) Jones, C.A., 2004. Supporting inclusion in the early years. Supporting early learning. McGraw-Hill Mitchell, D. (ed) 2009, Contextualizing inclusive education. London: Routledge National Council for Special Education (NCSE), 2011. Children with special educational needs, National Council for Special Education Nutbrown, C. and Clough, P., 2010. Inclusion in the early years. London: Sage Owens, A., 2009. Including children with additional needs in child care. National Childcare Accreditation Council Inc. Porter, L., 2003. Young children’s behaviour. Practical approaches for caregivers and teachers. 2nd edition. London: Paul Chapman Publishing Robinson, K.H. and Jones-Diaz, C., 2005. Diversity and difference in early childhood education. Issues for Theory and Practice. Maidenhead: Open University Press Roffey, S., 2001. Special needs in the early years London. David Fulton Sammons, P., Tag gart, B., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford and Elliot, K., 2003.The early years transition and special educational needs (EyTSEN) project. London: University of Oxford Silberfeld, C. et al., (eds), 2009, UEL early childhood studies reader. London: Sage publications Swartz, S.L., 2005. Working together: a collaborative model for the delivery of special services in general classrooms. Wall, K., 2011. Special needs and the early years. A practictioner guide. 3rd edition. London: Sage publications Wang, H.L., 2009. ‘Should all students with special educational needs (SEN) be included in mainstream education provision– a critical analysis’. International Education Studies, vol. 2(4) Weston, C (ed), 2010. UEL special needs and inclusive education reader. London. Sage publications Weston, C., 2003. ‘Educating all: inclusive classroom practice’. In: Alfrey, C., Understanding Children’s learning. London. David Fulton.

Difference Between Marketing Communication Objective

Difference Between Marketing Communication Objective Free Online Research Papers In an era burgeoning industrialisation brands have finally come face to face with a nemesis that they never thought could have existed, a nemesis they can never hope beat. Why? How awful it must be for them (the brands) that they are surrounded by competitors who are exactly like them. Now it’s no longer the question who’s better, whose technology is more superior or who has a better supply chain, because all brands are almost the same. So how can they possibly claim superiority over their competitors? This is what Super Man must have felt like when he collided with Bizarro Man who exactly the same as him in every conceivable way, the only difference being, (to use a marketing term) their packaging. This is exactly what the all brands are forced to face these days. A Coke is as good as a Pepsi, a Bajaj as good as a TVS, a Nokia is as good as a Sony Errikson. So how can any particular brand entice customers buy their products, when they are so many brands they can choose from? So what’s the answer? Building up brands in such a way that it connects with the consumers is able to create that special brand – customer bond that goes beyond immediate monetary gains. That is where I believe the difference lies between communication objective and marketing objective. Marketing objective as the term suggests deals exclusively with marketing while communication objectives end result is not an immediate increase of sales but creating an identity, an face for the brand, that the customers will hopefully love and respect. I will try an elaborate this view with the help of couple of examples. Bajaj Auto’s two wheelers had enjoyed market leadership till the late 80’s without any major threat of competition. It roped in millions of satisfied customers. It was the largest selling scooter in India. But things changed during the late 80’s, where Bajaj, especially Bajaj scooters faced competition from LML Vespa and Kinetic Honda. Both these competitors were claiming technological superiority of their products. Though Bajaj claimed ‘value for money for years, the new competition created a perception that Bajaj scooters were made of old technology that was now on its way out. However, in order to upgrade its technology, it needed time and resources. In the mean time, Bajaj Auto wanted to further consolidate its leadership status. Till Bajaj saw competition, their advertisements spoke about product features, sales figures and product ranges available, etc. The new competition forced Bajaj and its advertising agency Lintas to rework on their communicati on strategies. The assignment in front of the advertising agency was to take the brand ‘Bajaj scooters’ to a superior position without altering the already established brand equity of the product. The company and the agency shortlisted factors which has strong India-association, such as, Independence Day, sports (cricket), cinema and heritage. The company released a press campaign in 1990 with the theme ‘the great Indian spirit’. This was also prudently extended to the electronic media. The commercial depicted habits and behavioural aspects of a cross-section of the population comprising the length and breadth of India, such as Panjabis, Parsis, etc. Thus, the commercial was targeted at the emotions of the viewers with relation to the brand. For that commercials were first written in English and later translated in Hindi. The birth of ‘Hamara Bajaj’ took place with the Hindi translation. The company, promptly replaced ‘the great Indian spirit’, identifying the potential of ‘Hamara’. The term ‘Hamara’ encompasses the entire target audience consumer or not; it led to a strong association with India. Indians are pr oud to say ‘Hamara India’. Thus, ‘Hamara Bajaj’. The theme ‘Hamara Bajaj’ not only helped the company to build its brands. But it also functioned indirectly as a motivator to all those associated with the company : the dealers, employees, suppliers Bajaj, in the process of brand building, has also built national pride and enjoyed positive mileage as a result. This is one way for a brand to build an identity for itself. Bajaj had it not invested in revamping its communication policies it would have died out, because it really didn’t have the recourses to compete with companies like LML and Kinetic Honda whose technology undeniably much superior to that of Bajaj. So the only reason consumers persisted with Bajaj in spite of the fact that tilting the Chetak to the side for starting was a common joke, was because of brilliant communication strategies of Bajaj. The second example I would like to forward would be that of the Virgin group of enterprises. Virgin has created a unique identity for itself as an ultimate underdog. The company typically enters markets and industries populated by established players such as British Airways, Coka Cola, Levi Strauss, British rail, and Smirnoff and portrays them as being somewhat complacent, bureaucratic, and unresponsive to customers need. In contrast Virgin is perceived as an underdog who cares innovates and delivers an attractive alternative to what customers have been buying. When British Airways attempted to prevent Virgin from gaining routes, Virgin painted British Airways as a bully standing in the way of an earnest youngster whose alternative promised better value and service. Virgin personified by Richard Branson the founder of Virgin is the modern day Robin Hood, the friend of the little guy. More over Virgin’s is personality driven brand. Virgin’s communication objective is to ensure that people are attracted to the brand not just due to its functional benefits but more due the endearing personality of its owner the flamboyant billionaire Richard Branson. Virgin has a very strong brand equity and the company has worked to make the consumers feel that there is a bit ‘Virgin’ in each one of them. So if the Virgin brand is personified as a person these would be his qualities: FLAUNTS THE RULES IS AN UNDERDOG, WILLING TO ATTACK THE ESTABLISHMENT IS VERY COMPETENT ALWAYS DOES A HIGH QUALITY JOB Research Papers on Difference Between Marketing A Unilever ProductAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfTwilight of the UAWThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaOpen Architechture a white paperGenetic Engineering