Avoiding Cross Cultural Miscommunication - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1123 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/09/14 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? Subject: Avoiding Cross-Cultural Miscommunication It has been brought to our attention in Human Resources that our organization will begin international business at the beginning of the new year, which is just less than five months away. There are several negative situations that can occur within our organization due to cross-cultural miscommunication. When cross-cultural communications do not translate as intended, people can take with them a complete different message which can cause costly mistakes. Sometimes the wrong choice of words will be used and can cause severe embarrassment. If our organization uses poor translators, we could experience some tragic consequences in our business (Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan, 2007). I would like to be proactive in avoiding cross-cultural miscommunication by making some recommendations in cross-cultural communication. However, before I make some recommendations, I would like to discuss cultural awareness. 112 It is important to understand that the key elements that define culture are the learned norms based on atitudes, values, and beliefs of a group of people (Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan, 2007). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Avoiding Cross Cultural Miscommunication" essay for you Create order Ultimately, an organization that does not try to understand these elements will surely fail if they become an international company. Another area a company must avoid or overcome is ethnocentricity. According to The Columbia Encylopedia (2000), ethnocentrism is the feeling a specific group has about their values and feels that they are superior to those of other groups. It is quite possible that it can cause an attitude of superiority. If this organanization chooses to ignore important factors, thinks that their home-country objectives should be the only objectives that should count, and thinks that change is easy, we might possibly find ourselves missing out on greater opportunities. 110 Our attitudes, values, customs, and beliefs shape the culture of our organization. At this point, I recommend that we have a third party come into our organization and evaluate our organizational culture and see if it is in alignment with our company goals. If the study reveals we are not in alignment with our goals, I highly recommend that a new culture be developed nd all management and employees be trained in the new adopted culture. There are effective strategies in which our organization can adapt to the culture in our organization. According to an article on alignment and how it works an why it matters in Training Magazine, organizational alignment can only be achieved wen our strategic goals and cultural values are consiste nt with each other. so, if we follow my recommendation and have a study of our organizational culture and if it reveals a need for change, we can hopefully get our orgnaization headed in the same direction. This will allow our organizaion to increase our profits, our employees job satisfaction, increase our quality of service, and our long-term success (Tosti, 2010). Our company must be aware of the elements of other cultures, such as norms and values in order to operate profitably and successfully. If we try to operate our organization with different norms and values than our employees can adapt to, we will soon find ourselve with a possible high turnover. For example, or organization should develop a reward program for providing excellent customer service instead of the current nobody cares culture. We need to develop leaders that will shape this culture. We need to make a priority of understanding the norms and values of a desirable and successful organizational culture. When we make this possible, the work attitudes within our organization will be a respectful one. The other attitudes toward leisure, time, change, family, social mobility and religion will be important to shape our culture, also. For example, we can form a recreation committee to start planning activities and outings for our employees on a quarterly basis. This could help increase attitudes toward leisure, family, and social mobility. At the same time, we should think about developing a flex time schedule for all employees allowing a flexible start and end work time. Corporate/personal verbal and non-verbal communication has an influence on cultural understanding. If our organization continues to promote that we are an English only speaking organization, we must strive to walk the talk and speak and write in English only. At the same time, I recommend our training and developmet department to conduct training classes in verbal and on-verbal communication. We need to ensure that employees understand the different meanings of the words used from each country. This will help with any embarrassments that might be caused by using the wrong words during conversations and presentations. At the same time, training can be provided in the styles of communication we want our organization to practice. If our organization continues the culture of a closed communication style, I believe that senior leadership will lose out on what employees are accomplishing and feeling. How else will they hear the voices of their most valuable assets? (Whiley Sons, 2007) Education and technology are both linked to culture in a way that provides intrinsic needs for employees. Our organizatio can offer work-life programs such as tuition reimbursement and/or a career development program. This would allow employees to further their education, which will help them in advancement opportunities within our company. This would help create a culture of career development. The mass media shapes culture, public opinion, marketing and adverstising by having a persuasive power over us. The reason they have persuasive power over us is because it is a one-way conversation. This leaves a huge gap between the sender and the receiver. However, the internet has affected one-way communication to some extent by decreasing the control on citizens to communicate to the outside. There are both positive and negative political impacts that can affect our company. We need to research different countries on operational regulations for our day-to-day operations. For example, what will the country require on bank deposits, court registration, our company seal, and health benefits. Some countries might only have two or three regulations for us to comply with, while others might have over twenty. In conclusion, our company should carefully consider culture awareness as a major factor in todays global marketplace to be successful. Reference: Daniels, J. , Radebaugh, L. , Sullivan, D. (2007). International Business Environments and Operations. Upper Saddle River, NJ:Pearson Prentice Hall. p 67. ethnocentrism. The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. Columbia University Press, 2000. 12933. General OneFile. Web. 15 Aug. 2010. Document URL https://find. galegroup. om/gtx/infomark. do? contentSet=IAC-Documentstype=retrievetabID=T001prodId=ITOFdocId=A69026464source=galesrcprod=ITOFuserGroupName=oran95108version=1. 0 Tosti, Donal, and Stephanie Jackson, Alignment: how it works and why it matter. Training 31. 4 (1994): 58+. General OneFile. Webb. 15 Aug. 2010. GDN: A15410553. While, John Sons. (2007). The WorldatWork Handbook of Compensation, Benefits, and Total Rewards: A Comprehensive Guide for HR Professionals. Hoboken, NJ:WorldatWork. p 572-573. https://www. litnotes. co. uk/mass_media. htm. Retrieved on August 18, 2010.

Animal Rights And The Health Benefits Of Meat Essay

Since the beginning of time, civilization has been dependent upon hunting for survival. Hunting provided meat for individuals, families and tribes; it was essential for man’s survival. Today many animal rights groups, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), rally to abolish hunting. In today’s society hunting may not be necessary for our survival, but hunting still provides many benefits to both man and the animal population. Even though our ancestors did not have the nutritional knowledge we have today, they recognized the health benefits of meat. Meat is high in protein,which is essential for brain development and loaded with vitamins such as B3, B6, B12, iron and zinc which are all necessary for healthy bodies. Today our grocery stores are packed with processed meats which have been treated with steroids, antibiotics and preservatives. The color is enhanced with dyes to make the meat appear fresh for longer periods of time. Our ancestors didn’t have the choices of our modern meat markets and grocery stores, but they were eating healthier than we eat today. Their meat was fresh, low in cholesterol and fat, lacking preservatives and they appreciated the animal that provided the meat. Hunting wasn’t killing, it was essential. Hunting has definitely evolved over time. Consequently, most hunt for sport and recreation rather than a method of survival. However, most hunters still respect their kill. Maybe the need to hunt isn’t the same for everyone, butShow MoreRelatedEssay on It is Better to be a Vegetarian1113 Words   |  5 Pagesissue of eating meat has been a great concern to all types of people all over the world. In many different societies controversy has began to arise over the morality of eating meat from animals. A lot of the reasons for not eating meat have to deal with religious affiliations, personal health, animal rights, and concern about the environment. Vegetarians have a greater way of expressing meats negative effects on the human body whereas meat eaters have close to no evidence of meat eating being a positiveRead MoreAnimal Products Are Not Necessary For Good Health1475 Words   |  6 Pagesbelieving animal products are a necessity to a healthy diet. Animals—other livin g things are dosed with hormones and seen as byproducts, their rights being ignored and denied. Cutting meat and other animal products out of the â€Å"normal† lifestyle would benefit humans just as well as animals (â€Å"Vegan Diets: Healthy and Humane†). Animal products are not necessary for good health, and removing them would have a positive effect on human health all around. No longer supporting the dairy and industrial meat industryRead MoreThe Many Benefits Of Vegetarianism Essay1242 Words   |  5 PagesMany Benefits of Vegetarianism â€Å"A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral† is an eye opening statement said by Leo Tolstoy. Tolstoy shows us that the killing of animals is one of the main reasons why being vegetarian is the right thing to do. Not only is being meat-free the animal-friendly thing to do, but it also promotes many favorable health aspectsRead MoreShould People Become Vegetarian?1066 Words   |  5 PagesShould people become vegetarian? Albert Einstein said, â€Å"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.† Nowadays, a growing number of vegetarians has been showed in many studies, such as a poll started by a nonprofit organization named Vegetarian Resource Group. It showed that United States has 6-8 million adults who do not eat poultry, meat, or fish (â€Å"Becoming a Vegetarian†, 2009, pp4). Much more people chooseRead MoreThe Benefits Of Vegetarianism : The World s Outcry For Meat Eating1316 Words   |  6 PagesThe Benefits of Vegetarianism: The World’s Outcry for an End to Meat Eating For many people, meat is a scrumptious food that offers many benefits to one’s health. It offers many nutrients such as proteins and essential fatty acids, while also being more readily available than ever before. Consequently, over 101.1 kilograms of meat is consumed per person every year in developed countries as a result (Clarke, 4). It is clear that meat is a very popular food, and that is no surprise considering ourRead MoreVegetarian And Omnivore : Vegetarianism Is The Health Benefits1144 Words   |  5 Pagesaffect our health? Which diet is healthier? I want to talk about 2 different ways of choosing diets: vegetarian and omnivore. Vegetarianism is based on the concept of not eating meat, although some vegetarians include dairy, eggs, fish or even poultry. The strongest argument to practice vegetarianism is the health benefits. Omnivore means an equal-opportunity eater who consumes both animal and plant based foods in varying ratios. The diets of omnivores include both plant materials and animal foods oftenRead MoreIs It A Vegan?1460 Words   |  6 Pageseveryday life has become and I have never been happier. My whole world turned for the best when I cut animal byproducts out of my life and became a vegan. Slowly but surely, my body healed itself from the inside-out. If one was to ask me about becoming vegan before I knew what benefits it would provide, I would have laughed. I would have told that vegan that I just couldn’t give up my beloved meat, dairy, and eggs but ultimately, I did just that. The transition to Veganism became easier when I acceptedRead MoreShould Vegetarians Be Vegetarian?997 Words   |  4 Pagespeople who health conscious and animal rights activists. The fact that some people think vegetarians are healthier than non-vegetarians or vice versa is not true. Eating vegetables and food made of vegetables alone is not balanced diet neither is eating meat only. Vegetarians argue that they have better control of their weight because they abstain from eating foods that contain fats. Today, chemicals, growth hormones and antibiotics have become an important part of animal feeding. Animals are not raisedRead MoreAnimal Rights And The Rights Movement Essay1035 Words   |  5 Pagessacrifice lives in order to protect the welfare of animals? Is the human race ready to justify trading human lives for animal lives? Even though we should make every effort ensure that animals are not wantonly harmed in research, animals certainly do not have the same rights as humans do. Many animal rights activists condemn research on animals, citing that it is inhumane. But prohibiting research on animals would be even more inhumane. Research on animals has eradicated many diseases and saved the livesRead MoreMorality in Eating Meat1046 Words   |  4 PagesWhen asked the question, â€Å"Is it right to eat beef?† many Americans and people across the world expect the Hindus because of religious reasons say yea. For some people eating beef is not morally right, either because they believe the animal has the right to live just as much as we (humans) do or simply because they feel they can obtain nutrients and nourishment an alternate way. For cattleman, chicken farm producers, slaughterhouses, and etc. whose livelihood depends on the producing livestock for

Marketing Management Plan for Starbuck

Question: Discuss about the Report for Marketing Management Plan for Starbuck. Answer: Evaluation Plan For Starbuck Company to be successful in introducing whey protein drink as a new product in the Singapore market, the marketing management should design a marketing criteria that must be implemented consistently as per the markets reaction Criteria for Success of Marketing Plan The marketing team on behalf of conducting market campaigns and advertisements of the new product should use the following strategies to evaluate feedback from the people of Singapore over the Whey protein drink product. The management should employ the utilization of a standard scale of analyzing performance in the Singapore market through establishing meaningful comparisons among Starbuck's activities, brands, and markets together with that of competitors (Jain Haley 2009). Integrate the key performance indicators of the business and the management of the firm to determine whether the marketing team is ensuring consistency and reliability across the marketing mix. Further, the marketing management should evaluate the applicability of the most used performance measurement systems to produce procedures and right approaches to evaluating advertising and marketing data. Measuring Success of Starbuck in Singapore Measuring Starbuck's success in the market should get based on the client's opinions, ideas, and points of view about the whey protein drink. Therefore, the marketing management of Starbuck should: Encouraging market research and analysis of the competitor's outcomes to determine to what extent are the competing with them, this will assist in designing unique strategies for gaining a competitive advantage. The marketing management should regularly monitor the progress of the product in the market to determine what approaches are favorable as well as the unfavorable strategies which need to be adjusted. Use both the marketing metrics and predictive analytical tools in measuring the outputs realized over the whey protein drink in Singapore (Nebenzahl Jaffe 2013). This approach will involve the appreciation of statistics in examining and determining the market growth patterns in Singapore. References Jain, S. C., Haley, G. T. (2009).Marketing planning and strategy. Cincinnati South-Western Publishing Company 1985. Nebenzahl, I. D., Jaffe, E. D. (2013). Measuring the joint effect of brand and country image in consumer evaluation of global products.Journal of Marketing Practice: Applied Marketing Science.

Marketing Plan Phase Ii †Grocery Delivery Essay Example

Marketing Plan Phase Ii – Grocery Delivery Paper Marketing Plan Phase II – Grocery Delivery Eric Delgado, Karen Easley, Mary Balderramos, Melanie Deutsch, and Randy Fordyce MKT/421 July 25, 2011 Denise Levith Marketing Plan Phase II – Grocery Delivery The idea of Wal-Mart’s proposed delivery service is an extraordinary way to provide customer service to its customers, but just like all other fantastic ideas there must be a plan in place. Though it may sound simple to implement the service, it is essential to make sure that certain planning is conducted. There are many considerations to be made to gain the greatest amount of success in implementing the delivery service. The different types of planning consist of identifying the segmentation criteria that will affect the target market selection; the organizational buyers and sellers of the delivery service and any factors that will influence purchasing decisions; finally identifying the competitive plane. Segmentation Criteria and Target Market Wal-Mart’s general target market is families and individuals in the lower and working class. However, because of tough economic times Wal-Mart is reaching out to middle-class individuals and families as well by advertising well-known brand names and low prices. The target market for Wal-Mart’s grocery delivery service will be their current customers in larger cities and suburban areas. This means the segmentation criteria will be individuals or families from lower class range to middle-class range urban, suburban, and exurban areas. Rural areas will not be part of the target market at this time unless the service does well and rural area customers show interest in the service. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Plan Phase Ii – Grocery Delivery specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Plan Phase Ii – Grocery Delivery specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Plan Phase Ii – Grocery Delivery specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The target market will focus on families and individuals without transportation, those that have difficulty shopping for themselves for medical or personal reasons, people who are busy and want to save time, or those that want or need to save on gas money by having their groceries delivered. Organizational Buyers and Sellers Organization buyers for Wal-Mart are individuals with the responsibility of purchasing products and services for the store. The buyers have the responsibility of making decisions according to the rules and procedures of the organization. Buyers need to evaluate and choose brands and products that the customer prefers to be resold in the market for an affordable price to the consumer. Organizational buyers make purchases from wholesalers, manufacturers, and others. The organizational buyer has the responsibility of selecting suppliers and negotiating terms of contracts about providing merchandise at low cost to its customers. Organizational buying involves making decisions pertaining to whether to buy, what to buy, the amount to buy, and from whom to buy (Perner, 1999-2010). The consumer buyers are the customers who purchase the merchandise from the organization. Wal-Mart works hard to ensure that there is a supply of merchandise that the customer prefers on the shelves. Consumer buyers purchase goods and items for personal consumption, for the home, and the family. According to Chief Executive Officer, Mike Duke, many Wal-Mart shoppers live from paycheck to paycheck. Wal-Mart’s core shoppers are running out of money because of the rising cost of gasoline. If this trend continues, this can become a concern for Wal-Mart (Kavilanz, 2011). Factors that influence the purchasing decisions at Wal-Mart are the Initiator, Influencer, Gatekeeper, Decider, Purchaser, and User. Several people play important roles in the decision buying process at Wal-Mart. 1. Initiator is the first person who suggests making a purchase. 2. Influencers are the people who influence the buying decisions. 3. Gatekeepers are the members who regulate the flow of information. 4. Decider is the person who has the formal or informal power of choosing or approving the selection of the supplier’s brand. 5. Purchaser is the person who negotiates the purchase. 6. Users are the members of the organization who will use the products. The consumers are the purchasers of the buying process and help to define product specifications. Purchasing decisions affect marketing strategy in developing and maintain a match between an organization resources and marketing opportunities. Marketing strategy enables those in purchasing to target groups of customers to form a relationship in knowing the consumer’s preference. The Competitive Plane When one thinks about an industry giant such as Wal-Mart, it is easy to forget that the company faces stiff competition. Wal-Marts competition is usually right around the street corner and that corner could become the companys greatest obstacle. Target Target immediately comes to mind when one thinks of Wal-Marts direct competition. On the outside, the two companies seem to operate in an identical manner; big box stores with thousands of products for sale. Targets resources are its greatest threat to the Wal-Mart grocery delivery service. Target offers near identical products, the companys website states stores only (Target, 2011) when shopping for a standard household product like coffee. This does not mean the company cannot quickly implement a delivery system. As a national corporation, Target has the capital and manpower to invest in a grocery delivery system. If the Wal-Mart system proves profitable; Target will likely hop on the bandwagon. Kroger Stores like Kroger are typically more accessible than Wal-Mart stores. Whereas Wal-Mart plants a store in larger commercial shopping districts, Kroger’s smaller stores can be found mixed in with large residential sections of a city. This places the store in closer proximity with prospective delivery customers who could eliminate the need for big-box climate controlled delivery vehicles. For such a short trip, an employees personal vehicle or a small company vehicle will do. Krogers resources may hinder delivery as the company tends to hire younger employees who do not yet have a driver’s license. In this aspect, the smaller Wal-Mart Neighborhood Store is a force to be reckoned with. Smaller stores provide the same customer to store proximity as the Kroger, but with the human and financial resources to back up the goal. Conclusion In closing, it is obvious that Wal-Mart cannot just simply add a delivery service without many considerations. The above data has made it easier for the decision makers behind the proposed service. The designated target market is families and individuals in the lower working class in the urban areas with possible expansion to rural areas. The organizational buyers provide merchandise at profitable price for Wal-Mart while maintaining an affordable price for the consumer buyers. Finally, Target and Kroger are among the major competitors that can compete with the delivery service of their own. References Armstrong, G. ; Kotler, P. (2009). Marketing: An introduction (9th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Kavilanz, Parya (2011). Wal-Mart: Our shoppers are running out of money. CNN Money. A service of CNN, Fortune and Money. Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://money. cnn. com Perner, L. 1999-2010). USC Marshall. Organization Buying. University of Southern California. Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://consumerpsychologist. com Rao, Naryana, K. V. S. S. (2010). Organizational Buying Process and Buying Behavior. Marketing Management Article Series. Knol 2010Aug 15. Internet Version 10 Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://knoll. google. com Target. (2011). Maxwell House Breakfast Blend 34. 5oz: Target. Retrie ved July 23, 2011 from http://www. target. com/Maxwell-House-Breakfast-Blend-34-5oz/dp/B0040IIZ00/ref=sc_ri_1? ie=UTF8;node=2335128011