Agriculture Education

IDA/700-PAK-10 Assignment Report Agricultural Education FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY: NOT FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION PAKISTAN Horticulture and Vegetable Production at the Sind Agricultural University, Tandojam by Mohamed A. S. Sakr UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (Unesco) Paris, 1982 Serial No. FMR/ED/OPS/82/23KIDA) IDA/700-PAK-10 Assignment Report (Sakr) FMR/ED/OPS/82/231 (IDA) Paris, 22 June 1982 CONTENTS PARAGRAPHS INTRODUCTION ( 1 – 2) AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY PROVISION AND NEEDS ( 3 – 14) Faculties 3- Central Facilities: 5- 8 (1) (2) (3) Central Library Laboratories Water and Electricity (4) 5 6 7 S University Farm 9 Faculty of Agriculture 9 Staffing 10 – 14 Department of Horticulture 10 (1) (2) (3) Staffing Buildings Equipment 11 – 13 14 (15 – 36) ACTIVITIES OF HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT AND ADVISER 16 – 20 Undergraduate Curricula 21 Postgraduate Curricula 22 – 29 Vegetable Crops (1) (2) (3) object ives and Methods Growing methods Seed production (4) Results 22 – 23 24 – 27 28 29 30 – 32 Student Training:- practical work and lectures 3 – 34 Staff Training Research 35 – I. INTRODUCTION 1. This report covers the activities of the Adviser in Horticulture and Vega,table Production from 14 March 1981 to 13 March 1982, within the framework of Credit Agreement No. 678, signed on 18 February 1977 between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the International Development Association as provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under sub-contract to Unesco. 2. His functions were defined as follows:Under the direction of theVice-chancellor of the University and the Director of the Third Education Project in Pakistan, the Adviser, besides performing such other duties within his competence as might be assigned him, would assist the University's Faculty of Agriculture to: a) b) Develop curricula and teaching methods for cour ses in horticulture ; c) Prepare courses on physiological features affecting the growth of horticultural crops, including day-length, water-stress, soil and air temperatures, fertiliser use and uptake, etc. ; d) Encourage the development and use of innovative methods for teaching horticulture; e)Identify plant species which could be used locally for seed production; f) I I. Initiate and improve research methods in vegetable production; Prepare, within the Adviser's field of competence, technical documents (manuals, guidelines, brochures, etc. ) to be put at the disposal of the Faculty of Agriculture. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY PROVISION AND NEEDS Faculties 3. The Sind Agricultural University, which developed from the Agricultural College first established at Sakrand in 1939, had in 1982, an enrolment of 1,700 students and some 200 teaching staff (not including Research Institute s taff).It has a Division of Basic Sciences, three Faculties – Agriculture, Animal Husband ry and Veterinary Science, and Agricultural Engineering — and a Directorate of Advanced Studies. 4. The largest faculty is that of Agriculture, with 1,252 undergraduates and 174 postgraduate students and 88 teaching staff in 1982. It has eleven departments: agronomy, botany and plant breeding, agricultural extension and short courses, agricultural chemistry, agricultural economics, entomology, horticulture, plant protection, plant pathology, statistics and English. -2-Central Facilities (1) Central Library; 5. The Adviser considered that the Central Library, which serves the whole University, had inadequate stocks of recent reference books and periodicals, that its use could be increased if its hours of operation were extended from 7. 30 a. m. to 7. 30 p. m. , and that indexing and shelf-storage of books and other materials should be improved. (2) Laboratories : 6. A Central Laboratory, the Adviser recommended, should be established for advanced studies, suitably equipped and staffed with trained technicians.There was a need for a central service to maintain and repair laboratory equipment and apparatus. He found numerous items to be out of service which could easily have been repaired. Laboratory assistants were needed for proper laboratory maintenance and operation, and every department should have access to laboratories suitable for practical work by students, for demonstrations and for research and experimentation by teaching staff and postgraduate students. (3) Water and Electricity: 7. The water pressure was inadequate in most laboratories, to the detriment of practical work and experimental projects.Intermittent electrical breakdowns interfered with the conduct of laboratory experiments which required maintenance of a certain temperature, humidity and lighting. Wiring in some laboratories was inadequate. Voltage fluctuations should be stabilized by voltage regulators where sensitive apparatus was used. An emergency power, supply should be availab le. (4) university Farm: 8. The importance of practical training should be reflected by the development of a university farm large enough to serve all three faculties.A committee, headed by the Vice-chancellor, should be responsible for the planning and control of the farm, with a farm manager in charge of its activities. The farm would be used primarily for training students and for experimental studies, while production of field crops, fruit and vegetables, together with apiculture and fish-farming, could support research activities. Faculty of Agriculture Staffing: 9. With 88 teaching staff for 1,426 students, the student-teacher ratio in the Faculty of Agriculture is 1:16.This makes it difficult for teachers to teach, supervise practical training and research tasks and deal individually with students. The Adviser considered that the teacher:student ratio should be 1:10. -3- Department of Horticulture (1) Staffing 10. The Horticultural Department of the Faculty of Agriculture pro vides undergraduate and graduate courses in three main fields: pomology, olericulture and ornamental horticulture. The teaching staff of eight (a professor, one associate professor, four assistant professors and two lecturers) should be doubled by the addition of two associates, two assistant professors and four lecturers.A laboratory technician and three assistants, a field assistant for the vegetable garden and a tractor driver (should the Department receive a garden tractor) should also b e provided. For the moment, the University should provide at least a laboratory technician and a field assistant. (2) Buildings (a) Laboratories : 11. The Department has two laboratories, one about 30* x 15†² and the other 60†² x 3 0†², the latter having two store rooms. Considering that this space was not enough for undergraduate practical work, the Adviser-recommended the provision of two more laboratories of 4 0†² x 25 ‘ . b) 12. Horticultural Structures: The Adviser recommended provision of: (i) a lath house of 4 0 x 8 0 ‘ for propagation and to provide proper shade for seedlings and ornamental shade plants; (ii) a greenhouse for tropical foliage plants? (iii) a growth chamber for research on environmental impact on the growth and yield of horticultural plants. If an imported growth chamber cannot b e obtained, an alternative would b e a greenhouse with humidity, light and temperature controls. (c) Post-harvest Structures: 1 3. A building is needed for preparing fruit and vegetables for marketing and torage, de-greening and fruit-curing chambers, cold storage, and preservation of fruit and vegetables. (3) Equipment 1 4. The laboratory equipment is adequate, though some items were in need of repair. Field machinery, for both garden and farm, is provided by the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering. However, the Adviser considered it would be advantageous for the Department to have a 60 hp garden tractor, with trolly and -4- other accessori es, plough, cultivator, rotivator, leveller, pit-digger, driller, power sprayer, etc.This would save time now being lost in borrowing tractors in emergencies, such as one which might arise in connection with disease and pest control. It would ease problems occurring from the shortage of labour. I II. ACTIVITIES OF HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT AND ADVISER 1 5. Besides advising on staffing and facilities, the Adviser co-operated with Department of Horticulture staff in a number of activities, including the revision of curricula, growing of vegetable crops, practical work, training students and staff, and research. Undergraduate Curricula 16..Undergraduate studies in horticulture cover a period of five years, the courses being: Years 1 and 2 : Basic science (Intermediate l evel); Year 3 : General horticulture; Year 4 : Fruit and vegetable growing and ornamental horticulture ; Year 5 : Fruit and vegetable production, landscape gardening and general food technology. 1 7. The curricula in the following areas were revised. (a) Intermediate level basic science; (b) Various major field horticultural courses; (c) Agro-ecology of Sind and Baluchistan; (d) Major horticultural crops in Sind and Baluchistan; e) Problems of fruit and vegetable production in these two provinces. 18. An interim development plan was prepared for undergraduate and postgraduate studies. It was agreed that the three existing courses in plant-breeding and genetics provided an adequate scientific background in this field and that priority should now go to fruit and vegetable production. To this end, two new courses should be added so that the overall course would include: vegetable growing, vegetable production (two courses) and seed production. – 5- 19.In vegetable growing, in addition to the existing areas of definition, classification, soil and climatic requirements, the Faculty should add rotation, green manuring and kitchen garden cultivation. The two courses in vegetable production would gi ve time for major crops to be dealt with in greater detail and for more practical training. The area in Sind under vegetable cultivation is increasing steadily as farmers realise its value for cash crops, but the yield is still very low. This is due mainly to lack of knowledge and experience (which the agricultural extension services could provide) and a lack of good seed. 0. A course in vegetables, fruit and ornamental plant seed production should be offered. Students would learn how to collect, harvest, clean, dry, pack and store seeds and they would study seed dormancy, germination and treatment, together with methods of breeding self and cross-pollinated crops. Postgraduate Curricula 21. The present postgraduate curricula cover horticultural plant nutrition, plant propagation and fruit production (two p arts). This last should be replaced by two new courses : (a) the soil and water relations of horticultural plants; (b) temperature and water relations of horticultural plants.Opt ional courses should be introduced for M. Sc. students to supply them with additional information needed in their fields of study. Options could include courses on major horticultural crops and general courses on the improvement of horticultural plants, on growth† regulators and on protected cultivation. As most research experiments on vegetables must be conducted at the Agricultural Research Institute at Mirpurkhas, 30 miles away, it was decided that priority should be given to raising vegetable crops at Malir, the university Farm,to provide the Horticultural Department with the facilities needed for research.Vegetable Crops (1) Objectives and Methods 22. The main objectives of the Horticultural Department in growing vegetable crops were to provide practical training for staff, students and labourers; to become familiar with problems of vegetable production in Sind; to evaluate crops and varieties, and seed production. It was planned to start by using two acres in the horticu ltural garden for growing most of the vegetable crops for practical training, and four acres at Malir Farm for a four-year crop rotation. 2 3.Winter vegetables, carrots, radishes, turnips, cauliflowers, spinach and beet, were grown in the garden. The local varieties were identified, evaluated, weighed and measured. Promising varieties of radish, carrot and onion could be improved by breeding. All peas and spinach were of poor quality, most of the peas being dwarf types, with an average plant height of only ten – twelve inches. – 6- The spinach varieties were prickly-seeded and, during the shortest winter days, started flowering early. The seed stalks had an extreme male-type of inflorescence.Seed of selected suitable varieties of peas and spinach should be imported. (2) Growing Methods (a) Trailed Tomatoes; 2 4. Trailing tomatoes were tried in the open; local and imported varieties were planted and supported by iron stakes, galvanised wire and plastic string. Students and labourers were trained to tie the vines to strings, to pinch and remove auxiliary shoots and to apply fertilisers. The trial was successful, the plants standing well throughout the season and bearing -heavily. Later, owing to virus diseases on some vines, all plants were removed and burnt.A second trial was begun in the summer, the tomato vines being shaded by luffa plants – ridge gourd (luffa acutangula) and sponge gourd (luffa aegyptica) – the small luffa fruit being edible. (b) Soil-level mulches: 2 5. Cucurbits – bitter gourd (mermodica charanta), tinda or Indian squash (citrullos vulgaris, var fistulosa), tori (luffa s p. ), cucumber and cantalope were grown- early. Seeds were planted on December 21st in hillocks on raised beds covered with clear polyethylene film to form soil-level mulches.Two weeks later, seed emergence was observed, with a minimum temperature o f 6 C. Minimum and maximum temperatures and germination percentages were recorded. (c) Pla stic tunnels: 2 6. Plastic walk-in and mini-tunnels were† made of local materials. The mini-tunnels were used for raising nursery plants and for getting tomato, pepper and egg-plant seedlings†¢ They gave high germination percentages and well-established seedlings. The walk-in tunnels were used for trailed tomatoes and for cucumbers, temperature and humidity data being recorded. d) Crop rotation: 2 7. A site on Malir Farm was selected for growing vegetables as an intercrop on the new mango plantation and an area of four acres was prepared for a fouryear rotation. Vegetables were grown on the farm to provide training in managing a vegetable farm for profitable production, and the rotation was designed to cover the main summer and winter crops. The main factors taken into account when planning the cropping sequence were distribution of the root systems and differences in the uptake of nutrients.All needs for seeds, fertilisers, fungicides and pesticides were estimated, and s upply arrangements made, from the beginning. . 7- (3) Seed Production 2 8. Onions, cauliflowers-and spinach were grown on the farm for seed production. Good onion bulbs of two to three inches in diameter were selected, the Phulkara variety being chosen as being an early sort commercially grown on a large scale in Sind's three main districts – Hyderabad, Tharparker and Sanghar. Snow white, an imported variety of cauliflower, was also planted for seed production.Spinach seed was sown in two batches, that for seed production being sown early and a fortnight later another small area being sown to ensure adequate pollination. (4) Results 29. This vegetable growing gave ample scope for training staff, students and labourers. Mini-tunnels and plastic soil mulches showed possibilities of improving yields and reducing costs. The former, as noted, gave high germination percentages and well-established seedlings, while the latter produced good quality summer crops, advanced by some thre e to four weeks and with a 25% to 50% increase in yield, with consequent savings in water and labour.Visitors were interested in getting information on plastic film tunnels and mulches for growing early tomatoes, egg-plants, chillies, okra, melons and gourds, which all gave high market prices. Student Training – practical work and lectures 30. The horticultural garden of about forty acres and the new fifty-acre mango plantation provided ample space for giving students practical training in fruit, vegetables and ornamental horticulture during the academic year 1981/82. Four groups, of 45 third-year general horticulture students, were split into sub-groups, each having its own assignment r e. . in the orchard or vegetable garden, weeding or thinning out, etc. Fourth-year students likewise participated in practical work in ornamental horticulture, trimming hedges and creepers, tending lawns and preparing cuttings. Fifth-year students also took part in practical work on vegetable production. 31. In the winter season, when more land is usually available for practical training and demonstration in vegetable growing, work done by third and fifth year students included: (a) different ways, of sowing seed: by scattering; in hillocks, by drilling, (b) aising and tending nursery plants, both in the open and in mini-tunnels ; (c) weeding, thinning, manuring, applying fertilisers; (d) trailing tomatoes and preparing paper p ots, plastic tunnels and mulches. -8 3 2. included: In addition, practical garden and farm work for fifth-year students (a) identification of spinach and chard seeds, learning by observation that spinach is single-seeded while chard and beet are multiple-seeded; practice in thinning; (b) recognition of spinach sex: extreme male, vegetative male, female, and identification of types of inflorescence; (c) emonstration of sexual propagation of the potato, sweet potato, dasheen and garlic;. (d) practice in cutting seed tubers into two, three or four p ieces according to size and number of eyes; cutting of sweet potato vines. Staff Training 33. In-service training of the'Department's teaching staff was carried o ut, directly or indirectly, by visits, practical work and discussions. Most staff members participated, in groups of two to four at a time, in visits to noted farms, progressive vegetable growers, agricultural research institutes, fruit and flower shows, and to seed markets, merchants and growers.The Adviser recommended that more such visits should be made and that the University should have more transportation for this purpose. 3 4. Practical work included vegetable growing and testing, plant and seed studies, laying out crop rotations and managing day-to-day operations. Discussion topics included undergraduate and postgraduate curricula, teaching methods, laboratory and equipment needs and use, and the draft university development plan. Three topics were prepared for seminars – plastic film tunnels and mulches, ro tation and inter-cropping, and vegetable crop nutrition.A seminar was held on the first of these, attended by university staff, growers and guests. Research 35. The Adviser considered the span of one academic year inadequate for the work that the M. Sc. course should comprise – attending courses and seminars, laying out the research experiment, collecting data and information, and preparing the thesis. Chemical analysis, he noted. , had not been included in any of the eight M . Sc. experiments on vegetables carried out in the previous seven years, although four were on the use of manure and fertilisers and two on variety tests. 9- 36. Eight M. Sc. experiments were due to be conducted at Malir Farm: two on methods of carrot seed production, three on onions (two on fertiliser use and the other on spacing), two on okra (on spacing and on testing varieties) and one on manure-testing for chillies. Other experiments proposed included evaluation and improvement of the keeping qualit ies of local varieties of vegetables, studies on the optimum sowing dates for the main vegetable crops, and the effects on vegetable crops' growth and yields of selected environmental factors and of manure and fertilisers.

Case analysis of Barsetshire County Council (BCC) Essay

The case analysis of Barsetshire County Council (BCC) implies the need for the organizational and managerial change that it felt necessary and the aftermath of implementing the changes. As a public service organization the BCC felt that power should be devolved to the middle management and the change of organizational structure is necessary to meet the uprising demand of services by the locality and to effectively run the activities through out various departments. According to Weber’s analysis of bureaucracy, it is an omnipresent form of administration in modern society, where power and decision making authorities are held by the higher level of the organization. Development in the early twentieth century in scientific management associated with names such as Taylor, Urwick and Fayol, gave great support for bureaucratic systems of organization for their efficiency, stability and the elimination of waste. The larger the organization, the greater the degree of bureaucratization (Dawson). BCC, one of the larger county councils, formed as a bureaucratic structured public service organization, having a large number of employees over 28,000. The new CE of the BCC realized that power should be devolved to the middle management. He felt that the change in organization and management was necessary to ensure effective strategy implementation. According Nadler and Tushman(1990) the executive is a critical actor in the drama of organizational change. As being a bureaucratic organization, the BCC teamed up with new management view to turn it to a flexible, organic organization, which is more adaptable to new and unstable conditions (Burns, 1963). Now days it is obvious that, the very ability of an organization to survive will depend on its ability to master the process of change (Iverson 1996; kanter et al. 1992; Zimmerman 1991) .The situations that triggered this organizational change in BCC were referred as, though the organization was run by high professional philosophy, the business was not aimed at customer need and demands. But which is vital as a public service organization. Shortage of resources was also a norm in BCC and it was under tighter control of upper level management. And these all resulted from the narrow span of control, too many hierarchical steps of management and tightly prescribed role. It is necessary to explain here the term ‘Devolved management’. It means empowering the management team in an organization in decision making and taking initiatives as necessary and required for the operation of the organization. The situation is opposed to mechanistic systems; where decision making authority flows down from top to bottom manner, but more towards organismic system, which refers to more adaptive and lateral in environment (Burns, 1963). Thus the necessity of changes in the BCC was widely disseminated to the middle mangers and the key factors of the changes were widely emphasized. These key factors of organizational changes will be described shortly. Strategic management is the set of decisions and actions used to formulate and implement strategies that will provide a competitive superior fit between the organization and its environment as to achieve organizational goals (Prescot, 1986). Before initiating an organizational change, certain strategic planning must be done to ensure the proper functionality of the changed management. The essence of formulating strategy is choosing how the organization will be different (Porter, 1996). A well defined strategy helps the organization to achieve core competency, synergy and value creation. A devolved management, as in the case of BCC, means giving more power to the middle level management, who are in charge for implementing overall strategies and policies defined by top managers. So, top level management’s responsibility is to define a clear strategy and lead the mid level mangers toward it. As a public organization like BCC, customer orientation is a vital issue. So strategy of the changed organization should comply with this. Leadership is reciprocal, occurring among people (Kouzes and posner, 1990) leadership is people activity, distinct from administrative paper shuffling or problem-solving activity. It is dynamic and involves the use of power. The goal of senior executives in many corporations today is not simply to wield power bit also to give it away to people who can get jobs done (Stewart, 1989). A devolved management enables the managers to become more focused about the goals and being empowered to take initiative they can practice the leadership role in doing things like entrepreneurship, risk taking and proactive. Which enable the organization to be more effective and help the employees to be customer centered. The need for organizational change in BCC emphasized this by devolving power to the middle management. An effective work force is an asset of an organization. The employee in an organization, which is flatter and practices Human relations approach, performs better than others. Training and development of employees represent a planned effort by an organization to facilitate employees learning of job related behaviors (Keys and Wolfe, 1988). Also performance related rewards encourage employees to increase their effectiveness. BCC initiated performance related pay for white collar staff as the requirement of its organization change. As it is assumed that, they (white collar staffs) have a purely calculative involvement with the organization; so remunerative power is used to obtain their compliance (Etzioni, 1975). Also enriched jobs improve employee motivation and satisfaction and the company gets benefited from higher long-term productivity, reduced costs and happier employees (Dalton, 1998). An organization’s structure is defined by how tasks are formally divided, grouped, and coordinated change agents can alter one or more of the key elements in an organization’s design. For an instance, departmental responsibilities can be removed, and span of control widened to make the organization flatter and less bureaucratic. In decentralized organization, having less hierarchy levels, decision authority is pushed downward to lower organization levels. Employees have their right to make decisions and to take initiative, which is the vital part of a devolved management. The organizations are now a days turning to Horizontal organizations. The vertical approach such as traditional functional structure does not work nay more, as tend is toward breaking down barriers between departments, and many companies are moving toward horizontal structure based on work processes rather than departmental functions (Hurwitz, 1996) Organizational culture refers to system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes a organization from others (Becker, 1982). It can act as a barrier to change as well. But the actions of top management have a major impact on the organizational culture (Hambrick and mason, 1984). In a flat dynamic organization, employees have their own say in decision making, initiate change and realize their accountability in their jobs, which are rare in bureaucratic hierarchical organization. In BCC, the top management identified that a new culture replacing the old one was necessary to initiate new devolved management. Now it is needed to evaluate whether the BCC was successful in implementing the changes. In a devolved management decision making power of the middle managers is more emphasized. Delegation, which means transfer of authority and responsibility to positions below the hierarchy also arise (Leana, 1986) in devolved management. It frees middle manger from seeking authority from the top level management whenever any situation needs instant attention. It also increases creativity and perception. As a result of devolution of management in BCC, the management of the Social service Department (SSD), the line mangers were given more power and control over decision making. That raised more accountability among the managers which enable the subordinates to reporting and justifying task outcomes to those above them in the chain of command (O’loughlin, 1990). In devolved management, the need for self esteem (Maslow, 1943) arises in empowered mangers. At also makes them running toward goal. Intentions to work toward a goal are a major source of work motivation (Locke, 1968). The performance of the managers ultimately increases. But too much accountability hampers the smooth functionalities of the managers. It creates hesitation and more complexity. It just like ‘Goal Blocking’- occurs a when person’s motivation has been aroused but attainment of goal is thwarted in some way. To maintain service, the managers need resources. The empowered management can use the allotted resource successfully despite scarcity. The mangers have more control and accountability in providing services as a result. In BSS after devolution, management properly focused on the needs of the client instead of resource led services customer oriented business was emphasized. Technology- driven workplace in which ideas, information, and relationships are becoming important, is the most dramatic element of organizational change. In BCC the introduction of computerized financial management enabled the mangers to increase decision making responsibilities in budgeting. But problem arises when top level management still have control on resource allocation after giving away the power to the middle level management to decide in using the recourses. It limits functionality. If mangers are given limited resources but are expected to improve work performance, it is a dilemma for the managers as the middle mangers of BCC faced after devolution. Moreover, the newly devolved management system had a good affect on specialists support staff of finance, personnel, and information departments. They were widely dispersed having their head of profession at the center to ensure proximity with the service and business needs instead of being centralized. This was a key feature of organizational change in BCC, ‘being close to the customers’. But some felt it as a predicament that, the communication gap was large as the specialist staffs were controlled centrally in pre-devolution period. So, still there remained some structural barriers in specialists’ service. The managers didn’t understand the activities of the specialist support staffs. Actually, though devolution evolved in SSD, the department of specialists was not ‘devolved’ fully. The devolution of management in BCC, specially in SSD (Social Service Department) was introduced both with the emergence of positive and negative aspects of it as every thing has those two sides naturally. But the balance on the positive side was far heavier than that of negative side. All middle mangers were happy (except few) with the new devolved management system, which empowered them to take decisions regarding their fields and to take initiative with out asking permission of higher authority. The accountability and the clarity aroused with in the employees. The efficiency of mangers to use the scarce resources according to the need and demand of consumers also increased. That means the mangers were becoming more responsive and cautious about the customers. The overall situation was improved in BCC after the devolution of power. But as the ‘dark side of the moon’, the devolved management faced some negative waves of thoughts from some mangers of BCC. They felt that, though they had been given additional responsibilities and decision making power, they had not been given the full authority. Some occurrences were opposed to the initiatives as the CE announced those to be needed for the organizational change and devolution of power to the middle management. Finally, it can be said that; the initiative and implementation of devolved management and organizational change for effective implementation of strategic planning in Barsetshire County Council (BCC), were totally appropriate as being public service organization. But in reality, fully devolved management cannot be possible for some factors. If the middle mangers are biased, or they are not totally focused on the goal, the devolved power they practice does not make any good to the organization. On the other hand if upper level management holds potential control over some major areas such as resource allocation of organization after devolution, when middle managers are expected to make decisions, major conflicts may likely arise between management team. Thus this will lead to frustration and job dissatisfaction among middle mangers. In a public service organization like BCC, consumer orientation is vital. So, upper level management and the middle level management’s dedication will be concentrated on achieving customer’s contention by providing required service. Even there is hoax about empowering mangers. Many empowerment initiatives fail to deliver their expected advantages and that employees can end up less committed than before (Cunningham and Hyman, 1999). Also empowerment may turn to disillusionment- because managers tend to assume that more interesting work is sufficient rewarding, they find themselves working much harder for the same remuneration (Cunningham et al, 1996). The introduction of Organizational development is then necessary for effective organizational change, which is a collection of planned- change interventions built on humanistic- democratic values that seek to improve organizational effectiveness and employee well-being (Porras and Robertson, 1992). Now a days more and more organization are turning to devolved management, the top level managers believe , this would make the subordinates more goal oriented and the barriers and conflicts between management level would be removed, thus the organization could turn into a learning organization. Barsettshire county counsil was not an exception to this. References: * Micheal E. Portar (1996), â€Å"What is Strategy?† Harvard Business Review, 61-68. * Michel G. O’Loughlin (1990), â€Å"What is Bureaucratic Accountability and How can we measure it?† Administration and society 22, Vol(3), 275-302. * Carrie R. Leana (1986), â€Å"Predictors and Consequences of Delegation†, Academy of management journal, Vol(29), 754-774. * Alan Hurwitz (1996), â€Å"Organizational structure for the new world order†, Business horizons (may-June), 5-14. * Bernard Keys and joseph Wolfe (1988), â€Å"Management Education and Development: current issues and emerging trends,† Journal of management, Vol(14), 205-229. * James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. posner (1990), â€Å"The credibility factor: what followers expect from their leaders†, Management review, January, 29-33. * Thomas A. Stewart (1989), â€Å"New ways to exercise power†, Fortune, November 6, 52-64. * Glenn L. Dalton (1998), â€Å"The collective stretch†, Management review, December, 54-59. * D.C Hambrick and P.A. Mason (1984), â€Å"Upper Echelons: The organization as a reflection of its top managers,† Academy of Management Review, April, 193-206. * Cunningham et al (1996), â€Å"Empowerment: The power to do what?†, Industrial Relations journal, vol(27), 143-54. Cunningham and Hayman (1999), â€Å"The poverty of empowerment? A critical case study†, Personal review , Vol (28), 192-207 Bibliography * Rollinson D. and Broadfield A.. (2002), â€Å"Organizational Behaviour and Analysis â€Å", 2nd edition, Pearson education. * Robbins S.(2001), â€Å"Organizational Behaviour†, prentice Hall: New Jersey. * Daft R. (2003), â€Å"Management†, 6th edition, , Thomson. * Soffer C.(1978), â€Å"Organizations in theory and practice†, Heinnman : London. * Dawson S.(1996), â€Å"Analyzing organizations†, 3rd edition, Macmillan.

Why South Korean Universities Have Low International Rankings

In the first portion of this essay, the grounds ‘Why South Korean Universities Have Low International Rankings ‘ ( Paul Z. Jambor in Academic Leadership: The Online Journal, 2009: Volume 7 ; first issue ) are clearly laid out from legion points of positions refering to two outstanding international rankings ; the Times and the Shanghai rankings ( QS, World & A ; Shanghai, 2008 ) . Herein, different facets affecting the complex relationships between pupils and professors every bit good as between pupils, decision makers and the establishments are shown to account for the comparative low rankings of South Korean universities on an international graduated table. That is to state, South Korean universities may really good fall low on international rankings due to the relatively big flexibleness pupils are afforded during the class of their university surveies. The ground I decided to compose this paper is largely because a figure of my co-workers have gone to lengths in converting me to compose about the pupil side of the overall image in add-on to the grounds laid out in the first portion of this essay. Therefore, I am taking this chance to sketch for you a comprehensive organic structure of concluding and grounds in an effort to demo that the hassle-free atmosphere Korean university pupils find themselves in may good be a important clincher for the below mean criterions at South Korean universities. In consequence, this is shown by the low international rankings of Korean universities in both the Times and the Shanghai rankings ( QS, World & A ; Shanghai, 2008 ) . As clearly demonstrated in the first portion of this essay, South Korean high school pupils perform good above norm academically in the countries of mathematics, reading and scientific discipline. In comparing, South Korean university pupils find themselves dawdling behind on the international forepart due to the lower criterions of station secondary instruction in Korea, as is exemplified by the rankings of South Korean universities. All in all, while Korean high school pupils are under great trades of force per unit area in run intoing the educational demands set out for them by the Korean Ministry of Education, university pupils however find themselves overly involved in student/sports festivals and extracurricular activities that keep their heads off their educational chases. Furthermore, the institutionally recognized grounds for pupils to lose categories are merely unheard of in most ‘higher ranked ‘ academic establishments. On the whole, Korean university pupils have it relatively easy and few of them seem to take at least their freshers and senior old ages of university instruction every bit earnestly as they should, with many claiming that they in fact do small analyzing in their first-year twelvemonth. On the whole, they may merely be immersed in serious instruction in their sophomore and junior old ages. That is to state aside from the relaxed fresher environment, many pupils in their senior twelvemonth are easy let out of holding to go to categories if they had already found employment before the decision of their surveies, possibly as a consequence of a ill-conceived effort by their disposals to better the pupil employability figures of their establishments. With all these factors combined, since at least 50 per centum of the Times superior system is sentiment based with 40 per centum based on a system of equal reappraisal and ten per centum based on a system of employer reappraisal ( QS World ; Methodology, 2008 ) , it is merely logical to reason that any ineffectualness in the Korean station secondary system of instruction would non travel unnoticed by the ‘peers ‘ and the 'employers ‘ who are being surveyed. Consequently, this would constantly take to lower rankings on a planetary graduated table.The Post High School BreakFor the most portion the South Korean secondary system of instruction puts pupils under a great trade of force per unit area in readying for the SAT ( Standard Achievement Test ) to acquire into the universities of their pick. What is more, in add-on to the clip pupils spend in high school, they spend long eventides in auxiliary private educational establishments, analyzing 15 hr yearss ( Dillon, 20 08 ) , to fix for the SAT. Not surprisingly, South Korean 15 twelvemonth olds do good in mathematics and reading harmonizing to The Programme for International Student Assessment in 2006 ( PISA, 2006 ) . Assumingly, Korean university decision makers are good cognizant of this and are therefore likely to let pupils to hold a comparatively stress free academic twelvemonth as freshers in order to do up for the old twelvemonth of adversity caused by being overworked.Student SurveiesMy pupil studies reflect this really same point. That is, a important figure of pupils frequently point out that the work load in my Academic English class is inordinate, nevertheless, I would respectfully differ. To be exact, they merely have to manus in 3 written assignments, at less than one page each. Furthermore, there are merely four ratings, two of which are written, one of which is a presentation and the last one being a group treatment trial. All things considered, that barely accounts for an inordin ate work load. When I ask my pupils when they study and how much of it they do, frequently times they claim that they ne'er study. Even though this is nonfactual grounds and it may non keep true in all instances, it is yet another indicant that pupil class tonss are instead light in relation to their high school old ages. By and big, pupils do acknowledge that they did more perusal in high school than in their first-year twelvemonth of university, and this does talk volumes for why South Korean universities are ranked relatively low internationally. One would believe that it is merely every bit valuable to hold higher ranked universities, therefore better university pupils, as it is to hold high executing 15 twelvemonth olds, nevertheless, there should be no alibi for South Korean universities to keep their pupils to take down criterions than the high schools that precede them. After all, to hold universities with higher criterions of instruction than those found in high schools would merely be the reasonable thing to make since it is best to raise and non drop the criterion of instruction at each new phase of a immature grownup ‘s educational development.The Annual Student and Sports FestivalsTalking sanely, it is safe to presume that there is a clear advantage for pupils to experience comfy at their establishments, yet still disputatiously it may be overreaching acceptable boundaries when many South Korean station secondary establishments make it criterion for their pupils to take the bulk of a hebdomad off each for a pu pil and athleticss festival in the spring and autumn semesters. It is the same as giving pupils the big portion of two hebdomads off from an full twelvemonth of their surveies in order to take part in activities that are incidental and more significantly non-academic. Even if pupils are required to come to category at least a few times during the hebdomad of the pupil festival, they are however insufficiently functional as a consequence of the orgy imbibing that goes on during the class of the hebdomad. Even professors are encouraged by their sections to imbibe with their pupils at the beer collapsible shelters. This is for the most portion done as a trade off for the categories that are persuaded to be cancelled by the several sections. All in all, it may non come straight to mind for those in charge that imbibing on weeknights has lay waste toing effects on the coherency degrees of non merely the pupils but besides the professors/instructors in the forenoons to follow. Therefore, irrespective of the figure of existent cancellations, even the categories which are quickly held output low academic consequences. What is more, particularly freshmen pupils, extremely instrumental in puting up and running of the pupil beer collapsible shelters where pupils gather by sections to imbibe together, are frequently excused from category lawfully so they can put up their drink collapsible shelters during the class of the pupil festival. Customarily, the pupils selected for set-up responsibility are frequently excused from go toing regular categories.Relatively Insufficient Excuses for AbsencesAside from the institutionally recognized absences during the hebdomad of the pupil and athleticss festivals, leave taking for graduation photo-shoots are for the most portion considered as legitimate absences in the position of the station secondary system. More significantly, pupils are even excused from their regularly scheduled categories in order to look for their annual category and single exposure shoots. What is more, a figure of establishments allow female pupils to be excused for one twenty-four hours a month due to their premenstrual rhythm spasms. Possibly the statement could be made that this is instead unneeded pattern as it is non an equal alibi in higher graded establishments.The South Korean Army Service for Young MenAs for my male first-year pupils, most of them miss a twenty-four hours of categories to travel to their ‘Army Test ‘ . This is a standardized physical scrutiny for immature Korean males who are of weaponries bearing age get downing at the age of 19. What is more tragic is that the Korean authorities frequently drafts a important part of male freshmen pupils during the center of the semester alternatively of waiting till the terminal so they could at least have the opportunity to finish their semester of surveies. These pupils frequently miss months of instruction. Taking this catastrophe into history, universities frequently get professors to establish these pupils ‘ classs on the work they had completed up to the point of their military bill of exchange. This is yet once more lost clip in category. After holding completed two old ages in the armed forces, the returning pupils are allowed to get down the semester every bit much as one month into the class. In consequence, it is possible for pupils to lose about an full semester, holding completed merely over a semester of surveies, and still acquire credited for holding concluded both semesters.The Senior Year Employment ExcuseWhat I find the most distressing is the inclination of Korean universities to allow pupils out of go toing a big part of their senior twelvemonth of surveies, all in the hopes of bettering the figures related to the employability of their pupils. On one peculiar juncture, I was even called by one of my former section caputs promoting me to pardon a senior pupil from an full semester of surveies as a consequence of him holding found a occupation less than half manner into his senior twelvemonth. What should be even more distressing is that senior pupils on juncture discovery work in Fieldss unrelated to their big leagues, and still they are able to utilize this employment as an acceptable alibi to lose an full semester of categories. While it is standard pattern for professors and teachers to give some kind of out of category undertaking to these pupils, the sort of work they are able to give them seldom makes up for the schoolroom experience and cognition they could hold gained by really taking active functions in the categories.The Inefficiency of the Heavy Course-loadIt is true that South Korean pupils have a heavy category burden in their freshers twelvemonth, taking portion in every bit many as 20 hours worth of categories, however, it seems to be inefficient from the point of position that such a high per centum of them can still acquire off without really making any analyzing exterior of the schoolroom, as they frequently claim to make. All in all, it may really good be more advantageous for Korean university pupils to take portion in more efficient instruction with fewer categories that yield higher work loads.The Differential Treatment of Foreign Instructors/Professors by StudentsWhat is more, bad reappraisals by foreign professor and teachers frequently find their manner into the unfastened for all to see and therefore farther damaging the reputes of the several establishments. To be precise, the differential intervention of foreign professors by Korean pupils may besides travel far in this regard. It is true that â€Å" in the Chinese Confucian tradition, ‘teacher ‘ is the most well-thought-of profession † ( Hofstede, 1986:304 ) and harmonizing to Cortazzi â€Å" Confucianism, with its accent on household values and regard for age and acquisition, has been peculiarly influential on the Korean manner of life † ( Cortazzi in Finch, 2000: Ch. 2.4.2 ) . What is more, Underwood states that â€Å" Korea is a Confucian society. Everyone is Confucian, including the Christians † . ( 1998:85 ) However, the high degrees of regard systematically expressed to Korean pedagogues by Korean pupils is seldom conveyed toward the foreign professor/instructor as Confucianism has no established system of behavior toward aliens. Under the Confucian bequest, there is no proviso for pass oning with aliens who are by definition beyond the kingdom of prescription of the proper human relationship under Confucian moralss. Koreans are really polite and follow an luxuriant etiquette but merely toward insiders. They can be rather ill-mannered toward aliens. ( Yum, 1987:84 ) Possibly about automatically, this alone places the mean foreign professor/instructor outside of the Confucian hierarchy, hence being afforded a different criterion of intervention and regard by non merely the pupils but besides the disposal. Case and point, while Korean professors are frequently showered with gifts and congratulationss on instructor ‘s twenty-four hours, this does non look to be the instance for the mean foreign professor/instructor. At least this does non look to be the instance based on personal experience and the experience of a important figure of my co-workers. But of class, my non-Korean pupils are for the most portion much more acute on wishing me a happy instructor ‘s twenty-four hours and are seldom hesitating to bow to all their professors, irrespective of race and nationality. This in itself speaks volumes about the Korean station secondary pupils and their Confucian upbringing. After all, it is non uncommon for Korean pupils to bow to Korean professors in the hallways or at any other organized event. Students even stand up when a Korean professor walks into a room or any public assemblage. Of class this is seldom the instance with foreign professors. In fact, Korean pupils frequently treat foreign professors as if though they were simply their friends. At times they even call foreign professors by their first names, which of class is straight-out rude with regard to the standard intervention toward Korean professors. All in all, the standard behavior toward foreign professors by Korean pupils is really careless, for the most portion nothingness of the deep respect Korean professors are shown. Possibly this is besides because Koreans have â€Å" no experience of diverseness † and â€Å" no openness to difference † ( Underwood, 1998:91 ) . Conceivably, due to the non-authoritarian instruction attack of the foreign professor/instructor, pupils may non see the demand to demo the same sum of regard toward the mean alien as opposed to the mean Korean. This difference in intervention between foreign and Korean professors/instructors, nevertheless, does non travel unnoticed by the foreign professors. Often times this is difficult for the ‘foreigner ‘ to get down and it goes far in estranging the foreign professor in what should otherwise be a professional instruction environment where race and nationality should hold small to make with the regard a individual is afforded. What is more, I have even been told by decision makers at one of the station secondary establishments I work for that â€Å" the tennis tribunals are merely for the Korean staff, hence, you can non utilize them. † Subsequently, this was changed to â€Å" the tennis tribunals are merely for tenured staff † , but of class, for the most portion, merely the Korean staff has the opportunity to be tenured. Afterwards the diction changed yet once more and I was told that â€Å" even though the tennis tribunals are usually reserved for tenured staff, an exclusion can be made so you can utilize it. Just do certain you pay the enrollment fees. Besides, make your best to acquire along with the Korean staff and attempt non to do them experience uncomfortable. † Now what in the universe could I perchance do to do them experience uncomfortable? Throw balls or rackets at them? Surely I am non traveling to make that. Overall, this blunt inclination by the disposals tends to direct the incorrect message to pupils, and the ensuing corporate prejudice does be given to estrange foreign professors at the several establishments. Surely, there is a existent likeliness that this has an indirect but negative consequence on the international rankings of Korean universities. That is to state, the word has the inclination to acquire out of Korea, and it is rather sensible to presume that this sort of repute goes far in carrying the ‘peers ‘ and 'employers ‘ , taking portion in the studies conducted by QS Times, to rank Korean universities comparatively low internationally. Keeping in head, that merely Seoul National University made it into the top 200 universities harmonizing to the Shanghai rankings and merely three Korean universities qualified for the top 200 group of station secondary establishments in the Times rankings ( QS, World & A ; Shanghai, 2008 ) . This is possibly the biggest sarcasm, for it is likely that the differential intervention of the foreign staff may really good hold the most far making effects with respect to the low rankings awarded to Korean universities by the equals and employers being surveyed by QS Times. After all, their combined sentiments accounting for 50 % in weight when it comes to the clinchers used to set up the overall rankings ( QS Times ; Methodology, 2008 ) .Figure 1: The Times Higher Education MethodologyIndexExplanationBurdeningAcademic Peer Review Composite mark drawn from equal reappraisal study ( which is divided into five capable countries ) . 6,354 responses in 2008. 40 % Employer Review Score based on responses to employer study. 2,339 responses in 2008. 10 % Faculty Student Ratio Score based on pupil module ratio 20 % Citations per Faculty Score based on research public presentation factored against the size of the research organic structure 20 % International Faculty Score based on proportion of international module 5 % ( QS Times ; Methodology, 2008 ) With the equal reappraisal index accounting for 40 % of the entire weight used to cipher international rankings, would it non be a reasonable thing to handle co-workers as peers. That is to state, the really same co-workers that are treated indifferently by Korean pupils and station secondary establishments, every bit good as their friends with whom they portion personal experiences, could really probably do up a significant per centum of the equals make fulling in the studies. This would certainly ensue in the prescription of lower ranks to South Korean universities and therefore Korean parents would be more inclined to direct their kids to analyze at higher graded universities in the United States. After all, â€Å" Traveling to U.S. universities has become like a immense craze in Korean society, and the Ivy League names – Harvard, Yale, Princeton – have truly struck a nervus, † ( Harvard alumnus ; Victoria Kim in Dillon, 2008 ) . Person please state the people in charge of the Korean station secondary establishments for they can no longer afford to let this increased inclination for pupils to analyze abroad as it leads to augmented fiscal strain on the pocketbooks of Korean parents. Overall, Koreans need to take instruction back into their ain custodies and go truly independent in footings of both secondary and station secondary instruction. They owe themselves at least this much.DecisionTaken as a whole, Korean establishments and pupils every bit good as policy shapers need to take the above mentioned factors into serious consideration as the transparence of the state of affairs at the several Korean postsecondary establishments is inevitable given the nature of today ‘s planetary society being linked up by the World Wide Web. All in all, they must go more concerned with the likely clinchers that may really good put them in lower ranks internationally. South Korea is non in a bubble, and every attempt must be made to guarantee that Korean pupils are held to international criterions, if the purpose is to better Korean post-secondary establishments on a planetary graduated table. Furthermore, the criterion for attending on all foreparts must be brought to international degrees and the Korean authorities should take the necessary stairss to do certain that male pupils are non pulled out of school half manner into the semester. What is more, universities themselves would be better off in leting pupils back into the pupil population merely when the semester is get downing and non every bit far as a month into it. Besides, establishments should guarantee that senior pupils complete their concluding twelvemonth of surveies and non be allowed to complete early in a mere attempt to better employability statistics. Furthermore, much attention should be taken to guarantee that pupil and athleticss festivals do non hold such profound impact on pupil attendings. Possibly, more significantly, foreign pedagogues should be exposed to the same degree of regard and the same sort of intervention as is the instance with the Korean pedagogues. All in all, the universe is acquiring smaller and smaller with each go throughing twelvemonth, hence, it is imprudent to presume that what goes on behind closed doors stays behind closed doors for the doors have long been opened and the walls have for a piece been crystalline. All in all, any uneffective, deficient and colored patterns at the several establishments should be rooted out at all costs so that Korean station secondary establishments can derive a better stance on today ‘s planetary phase. Most significantly, the differential intervention of foreign professors at Korean universities must discontinue to be as it may travel far in destroying the repute of Korean universities worldwide. Ultimately, it should be stated that it is non my purpose to knock Korean station secondary establishments, nevertheless, I do hold it necessary to pull public and institutional attending to any factors that are likely to lend to the comparative low rankings of Korean universities. This is needed so policy shapers and those groups of people in charge of the establishments can eventually admit that the jobs are echt and therefore be given ample consciousness and chances to efficaciously undertake the debatable issues. Overall, this would travel far in bettering the international rankings of Korean station secondary establishments and as a ensuing effect provide better chances for Korean pupils on a domestic degree, therefore going a win-win state of affairs for all parties involved.

To What Extent Does The Philosophy of The Upanishads Represent A Essay

To What Extent Does The Philosophy of The Upanishads Represent A Continuation Of The Vedic Tradition Answer With Particular Reference To The Following Key Con - Essay Example The idea of sacrifice in the Vedas has more an inward orientation. Sometimes this has resulted in even atheist thinking with in Hinduism. Later compositions often cite the authority of the Vedas as the more orthodox of Hindu scriptures. Many of the ideas in Hinduism like Dharma, Moksha and Karma are a matter of confusion even for the best of minds. Some times even the Vedas and Upanishads may not give the faithful clarity of mind. However, the search for truth by itself is a spiritual experience even when one has unsolved question in the mind. The essay concludes by the assertion that the Vedas are the ultimate spring from which other scriptures took their origin. Scriptural authority in Hinduism has many levels. (Lipner, 1988, P.26) In other religious texts the idea of inspiration, which is very sacrosanct and rigidly defined, is left somewhat vague in Hinduism. It is not even expected that all believers should fall in line with a canonical adherence to any doctrine as in other religions. â€Å"In an attempt to set monotheism firmly within the framework of classical Hinduism, Debendranath tried to find authority in the Vedas but became disillusioned with further study and decided that reason and conscience should be the test of the authority of any scriptural text.†(Brockington 176) In traditional Hinduism the Vedas have been given the status of the ultimate canonical text of divine knowledge. The word Veda means knowledge and it is applied in the sense of saving knowledge. It is interesting to note that many Hindus do not have any access to the Vedas .For all the real-time use many Hindus use other forms of scriptures. By about 400-300 BC the idea of â€Å" the four-Vedas† known as Chatur Vedas became an accepted canon. The four Vedas are The Rig, the Sama, Yajur and Atharava Veda .The Vedas contain a huge and diverse body of sacred language, which is directly or indirectly concerned with sacrificial ritual. The composition of the Vedas was a

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Article - Assignment Example s of hair coloring entail the chemicals and their composition that are normally employed in the process, which are associated with human cancer risk (Scali-Sheahan, pp7-10). The risks mainly appear to be affected by duration of use accompanied by precise genetic polymorphisms. There is also risk of allergic reactions to the populace since it is unattainable to evade contact with the skin when undertaking hair color process. There are no vegetable-based rinses that are utilized for covering the hair shaft. Lack of the hair shaft with botanical components makes the strategy to be weak (Scali-Sheahan, pp7-10).Vegetable-based substances do not penetrate the hair shaft thus eliminating the risks of human cancer and allergic reaction. Moreover, rinses contain minimal quantity of synthetic chemicals of the hair dyes. The competencies of the hair coloring main demand experienced stylists. Experienced stylists and underlying quality products will enhance competencies in application of hair coloring. Competency will also be enhanced via utilizing of vegetable-based rinses in covering of the hair shaft thus eliminating human cancer and allergic reactions on the

Using our data set from Unit 1, compose a e-mail to the head of the Research Paper

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The Militant Environmentalists War on Environmental Crisis - Essay Example The Militant Environmentalists’ War on Environmental Crisis England’s King Edward I threatened Londoners with harsh penalties if they didn’t stop burning sea-coal.†, and the latest news narrates about the deteriorating state of affairs, carbon emissions being the main point of concern in terms of air and chemicals in terms of water. The logical and necessary efforts on changing the existing situation for better aside, there are some organizations that make this purpose the core value of their members’ existence, and their actions often not only look at least strange, but also may lead to the radically opposite effect, that is, distract people from the sound interest on the environmental problem, due to intervention into one’s life. The cause of militant behavior of certain individuals or groups of environmental activists is their being determined at turning the attention of the society to the most serious problems of the environment to date. This suggestion is enforced by the fact that it is quite possible that we might simply have no time to consider the environment damage we have caused and to find an adequate and effective solution as the pace of the nature destruction by humans is high, and the effect of the counter-measures taken is, on the contrary, time-consuming. The reason the behavior is violent is because there are, as Lohan states, simply no other ways the mentioned activists can get the public informed about the problem and its seriousness, as it is quite possible that the conventional organization of the life on the Earth may either disappear or be completely changed in the nearest future.

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Locke on the Relationship Between Government and Religion - Essay Example The right to freedom, therefore, implies that the will of others does not bind a person. However, he is also quick to acknowledge the existence of God and believes that "God has given us a moral obligation to adhere to divine laws. These laws are written on every persons hearts" (Galenkamp,2012,p.92). Locke believes that the State has no right to impose any religion on their citizens. He writes that every person has rights such as a right to life, a right to free will and a right to the estate. Thus, the country has no freedom to take away any of those rights from an individual only because the person does not agree to the kind of religion recommended by the State. The society can confront a person when his religion causes chaos to others. "Only when someones religious commitment constitutes a direct threat to the public peace and order, civil authorities may legitimately restrict religious freedoms" (Galenkamp,2012,p.92). Lockes view of toleration is both useful and ethical because it appreciates and embraces differences. It is also useful because, it states that the State has a right to intrude if someones religious belief disrupts peace. It is also ethical in that he believes an individual has the freedom of choice. He also believes in the existence of God, who according to him has deposited the ability to make right or wrong decisions. He believes that God has set the standards for us and in us. A person does not necessarily need the laws to be written somewhere for them to follow. God already deposits them in our hearts. The right following to this promptings will ensure that a persons conduct is safe and does not infringe on others. Such "promptings" are the same ones that ethics applies. As Locke states in his "A Letter Concerning Tolerance", society has a right to say no to some communities whose beliefs tamper with others rights. Any religion that disrupts the peace of a country and causes chaos, killings or havoc should be stopped. For example, a

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The True Meaning of Life Essay Example for Free

The True Meaning of Life Essay What is the meaning of life? Well known Greek philosphers such as Socrates and Plato believed that our purpose in this life was to gain knowledge in preparation for the next life. Other Philosophers such as Epicurus believed that pleasure is the main goal in life. After giving these ideas lots of thought, I have come to my own conclusion that the true meaning of life is far more complex than either of these; far too complex for any human to fully comprehend. In fact these two different philosophies are only part of the grand picture. If it were that easy for men to figure out our lives wouldnt be so messed up now. The meaning of life revolves around many different things. I think these things include: self-understanding, development of mind and soul, and an afterlife. According to Epicurus, pleasure was the meaning of life. His ideas of life were completely opposite of Plato. Epicurus, in my opinion was a little bit niave and narrow minded in his view on the subject. He would say that the meaning of likfe was to experience pleasure until the end of your existence. He did not believe in an afterlife or that a person had a soul that lived forever. He just thought when you are gone thats it. I disagree with all of that because I have many religious beliefs from which I derive the meaning of life. One of these beliefs is that there is life after death, and that there is one supreme being of the universe. This goes back to Aristotles first mover theory. I would however agree that life is a balancing act between pain and pleasure; or good and evil. You cant have one without the other. For every thing in existence there is always something of opposition. Another ancient Greek philosopher was Socrates. Socrates said the unexamined life is not worth living. I agree with this in a sense that if you cant look back at your life and be proud of your accomplishments, then everything that you ever did was in vain. You have to be able to look at the mistakes you have made and be able to learn from that or you are doomed to repeat those mistakes. Maybe on a deeper level Socrates might have been talking about analyizing the purpose of ones life. This in my opinion is just as important. I feel that in order for me to succeed in life I have to at least examine the meaning of my being. I believe that it comes to a point in every persons life where they sit back and think why am I here? Whether it happens often or not, I wouldnt believe any person of sane health that said they never once thought about it. Socrates also said that the good of life is knowledge. He believed in a higher good in life that could be achieved through an endless search for knowledge. His definition of higher good was when virtue and knowledge united. Although I agree that what Socrates speaks of is an important part of living, I would not go so far as to say it is the reason for liveing. I say this partially because of my definition of knowledge. I see knowledge not as just to be found in the universe, but in a way created by humans not unlike myself. Many things that are classified as knowledge such as: language, mathematics, and history are all human created. Our language was created by people in earlier civilizations, as well as mathematics. History is the story of these early people and civilizations. Should I assume that my reason for living is to learn of someone elses life? If so, what was that persons meaning for living? Undoubtitly these things are of tremendous value to our civilization and how we live. But I ask myself once again how does it relate to why we live. As far as Socrates belief in a higher good, I agree 100%. I honestly believe that there is a higher good that can be achieved but not just through the search of knowledge. My theory of how higher good can be achieved is that a person must fully understand themself. That is when a person is able to recognize their potentiol and develop it. They also have to be able to relinquish any doubt they have about themself. One must commit to their spirituallity. Finally they have to become physically stronger. Not meant to offend anyone, but the highest good to me, is the best that you can be. A weak body is vulnerable and doesnt complete a person as a whole. An interesting connection to that is how it is said that humans only use a small fraction of their brain. I believe when someone can tap into the rest of their brain, they will be close to if not at their highest good. Last but not least we have the philosopher Plato, who was the pupil of Socrates. Therefore many of their ideas are similar if not identical. Plato also believed that knowledge was the most essential part of life. He thought that learning and knowing the truth was the only way to achieve perfection, and striving for perfection was the goal of life. I believe Plato may have been on to something. I have made it in one of my personnal philosophies in life to strive for perfection. Although deep in the back of my mind I know it is unattainable I still try like it is. This reminds me of a quote that I read that said aim for the moon, fore even if you miss you will land among the stars. I just means to improve you have to set your standards high. Once again that is only part of the bigger picture that is called life. Striving for wholeness and perfection, as I perceive are mere steps to achieving a higher good, and therefore are not the cumulative meaning of life. Plato was probaby the philosopher I most agree with. He also believed in an after life and preparation for it. But I dont particularly agree with him when he say that a higher good could only be accomplished by giving up all pleasure. Obviously there has to be some sacrifice, but to give up all pleasure would be to give up on what you are trying to accomplish. I think of pleasure as one of the most powerful motivating forces ikn life. Whether it be intellectual of physical a person has to be able to enjoy what they are doing to excel above and beyond. Even Plato had to in some way had to enjoy philosophizing or he probably wouldnt do it. It is now evident that the meaning of life has to far more complex for any one person to fully understand. All these ideas of these different philosophers are not necessarily inaccurate, just incomplete. All peices to a puzzle that I have no way of fully figuring out. Socrates spoke of a higher good to be achieved. Nobody has seemed to accomplish this yet in life. There are so many obstacles that we face as we try to achieve a higher good. Many of these are based in the fact that we are human beings, and because of that are flawed by the ways of our culture. Things such as self-doubt, worry, ignorance, and the values put into our heads since the day we were born all are road blocks on our way to a higher level. Also being human beings makes vulnerable to the ways of the world around us, so it is not easy to block these things out of our lives. In a summary I believe this life to be stage in which we are to develop our minds, bodies, and souls to their highest potential in preparation for the afterlife. A person living by this philosophy would probably become a genius or great thinker. But like Eupicures, Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato I could only form my own opinions of the subject. There isnt anyway for me to figure out whether I am right or wrong. Only God could ever really know the true meaning.

Ethnic inequalities in the workplace

Ethnic inequalities in the workplace 3. Why, despite Race Discrimination, legislation do ethnic inequalities in the workplace persist? There are a large number of problems including discrimination, human capital and social isolation that mean that ethnic inequalities in the workplace continue. Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Black Caribbeans suffer the most discrimination, have the least human capital and are most prone to social isolation. This can be seen in that these ethnic groups have the greatest unemployment rates and lowest incomes. Meanwhile the Chinese and Indians do better for themselves in comparison, however are still not on the same levels at Whites in Britain. Since the 1970s Black Caribbeans, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis have continued to have double the unemployed rates that whites do. This is shown in the fact that on average Black Caribbeans earn around 15% less than whites (Hall Carter, 2006). Meanwhile increasingly Indians and Chinese have managed to gain more or less the same levels of works at whites in Britain. Further more Indians, Chinese and Pakistanis have continued to have higher rates of s elf employment than whites or Black Caribbeans since the 1960s, meaning Black Caribbeans do the worst in employment (Clark Drinkwater, 1998). However there is some evidence to suggest the situation is improving in the workplace that will be explored nearer the end of the essay. Discrimination, whether it be conscious or subconscious, is seen as a major factor in ethnic inequalities in the workplace in Britain. The general definition of discrimination is that it is prejudice treatment of a person based on their membership of a group. Often this discrimination is against a religious group or race, even simply due to skin color. A vast amount of research suggests that discrimination against ethnic minorities continues to be a problem when it comes to employers hiring. (Deitch, Barsky, Butz, Chan, Brief Bradley, 2003). Further studies also suggest that prejudice against ethnic minorities has remained at a constant level over the past 40 years (Li Heath, 2008). It is defiantly a valid point that different ethnic minorities experience different levels of discrimination by whites within Britain. Research shows that the British population overall believe there to be similar levels of prejudice against Blacks and as there are with Pakistanis (Verkuyten Brug, 2002 ). There is a common underlying prejudice view with some employers that these ethnics groups are most prone to laziness and crime. The view that racial discrimination is greater in manual labour such as building than it is in the non-manual labour such as office work is certainly a valid one, as it can be argued there are more social boundaries with an office environment than on a building site (Fraser, 2009). The higher an individual goes in the workplace hierarchy, the greater the rules and regulations set in place that prevents discrimination within that environment. Hence this means discrimination is likely to be greatest at the lower end of the manual labour hierarchy. It is fair to say Black Caribbeans and Pakistanis are more likely to be discriminated against than Indians and Chinese as there is a clear education gap between them. Unfortunately due to the similarity in looks between Pakistanis and Indian they may well suffer equal discrimination. Black Caribbeans in particula r will feel obliged to apply for lower pay jobs (Verkuyten Brug, 2002). It is hence easy to see how once you are bracketed into a certain ethnic group, depending on which group that is, an individual is either in a cycle of advantage or disadvantage. Whites would on average be considered to be in a cycle of advantage with regards to ethnicity and work in Britain. The idea of human capital adds to the problem of ethnic inequality in the workplace. An employer will seek to asses how strong or weak an applicants human capital is (their value as worker). For example if you are a graduate from university experience you are far more likely to be employed than someone who dropped out of school at the age of 16. Ethnic discrimination in human capital can be seen clearly in that if a white individual has the same qualification as an individual from an ethnic minority, the white individual is more likely to get the job. This is a sad but true fact, although one would like to think it is becoming less common in this current age. However, ethnic groups are not discriminated against to the same degree as one another, with Indians and Chinese often coming close or surpassing whites in their human capitol. This is due to ethnic groups differing levels of human capital, subsequently created by differing education levels. On average Indians and Chinese have h igher educational levels than Black Caribbeans, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis (Ratcliffe, 2004). This would help explain the pay gaps between the ethnic groups, with Indians and Chinese on average earning more than other ethnic minorities (through better jobs due to their better standard of education). Language is another vital part of human capital. In the first generation of migrants, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in particular lacked the English language one needs to work. This is less of an issue now, but unfortunately these prejudices carry on into the second generation. Education levels and language skills are therefore crucial to judging an individuals human capital. Unfortunately due to conscious or subconscious discrimination of an employer being white is often an addition to an individuals human capital while often being a member of an ethnic group is seen as a subtraction to human capital. Another reason for ethnic inequality within the workplace is social isolation. This is relevant in particular among Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, as they are the most socially isolated of all the ethnic groups within Britain (Ratcliffe, 2004). Compared to other ethnic groups, in particular whites, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis lack the bridging social skills that are needed to gain work contacts within a predominantly white British society, which is almost essential to finding the jobs. Their social isolation may continue with their lack of good education and English language, which is again essential to networking for jobs. Further more ethnic minorities are often highly concentrated in certain urban areas, with Bangladeshis and Pakistanis having the highest level of geographical segregation from the white population (Solomon, 2003). Due to this they are less likely to mix with the white population of Britain, and therefore less likely to network for jobs. As a result there are very fe w examples of Pakistanis or Bangladeshis marrying into white families. Again, location is essential as to rates of pay or qualities of jobs. The first generation of migrants arrived in Britain with little knowledge and little money, hence they moved into lower class and lower income areas of cities. This is where cycles of advantage and disadvantage are relevant once more. Ethnic groups who live in areas of deprivation are in cycles of disadvantage. Classic examples include areas of Slough, East London and Bradford. Areas of deprivation will entail a poor quality education and poor job opportunities and therefore will in turn create individuals of poor human capital that are likely to be discriminated against due to their geographical location and prejudice opinions that come with living in that area. On top of this, if an individual is of an ethnic minority there is even more discrimination likely to be consciously or subconsciously directed their way. Due to this, an area may beco me less desirable, and therefore only attract more migrants or unemployed due to the cheap standard of living, adding further to the problems of the area. While there is overwhelming evidence to suggest ethnic inequalities within the workplace persist, there is some evidence of the situation improving. Overall racial discrimination is becoming less common due to new rules and regulations, as well as it being frowned upon to the highest degree. In particular, Black Caribbean individuals are marrying white individuals hence bridging the gap between ethnic groups and creating more networking for employment (Hall Carter, 2006). The second generation of migrants are generally doing better with jobs than the first generation due to their greater integration into the education system and greater use of the English language. In particular Indians and Chinese are acceleration in the economy, gaining high earning jobs in law or medicine. In conclusion, there are a large number of problems including discrimination, human capital and social isolation that mean that ethnic inequalities in the workplace persist. Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Black Caribbeans suffer the most inequality in the workplace, while the Chinese and Indians do better for themselves in comparison, however are still not on the same levels at whites in Britain On average the whites in Britain do better overall in the workplace than the other ethnic groups due to the above problems. Having said this, the second generation of migrants have done better in the workplace than the first generation of migrants.

International Entrepreneurship leads to greater cultural understanding

International Entrepreneurship leads to greater cultural understanding Globalization of the world market brings new possibilities as well as enormous hurdles for both established and young businesses. With the emergence of international entrepreneurship, entrepreneurs are concentrating on specific issues that they face operating in complex environments affected by diverse national cultures and institutional influences (Johanson Vahlne, 2009). New global entrepreneurs depend on global networks for resources, distribution, and designs for growth. International entrepreneurs realize that success in a new marketplace requires agility, ingenuity, and certainty with a global viewpoint to acquire sustainability. Thus, global thinking is beneficial since foreign business clients can choose ideas, products, and services from many countries and cultures. However, entering into a foreign environment and culture can also become an obstacle psychologically in and of itself for the individual international entrepreneur (Mitchell et al., 2002). This paper will examin e two areas that focus on the importance of cultural understanding in international entrepreneurship. The first will comprise of how entrepreneurs who expand into international markets must know how to think globally in order to design and adopt strategies for different nations as a business ventures into an uncertain market. The second part will explore how psychological adaptation of the individual entering a foreign culture is interconnected with the international entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs can expand their business by participating in the global market; as every year thousands of small business enterprises are actively engaged in the international field. International entrepreneurship studies have started to focus on specific topics that confront entrepreneurs as they expand their new ventures (Zahra, Korri, Yu, 2005). The definition of international entrepreneurship in this paper will focus on the process of creatively discovering and exploiting opportunities that lie outside of a firms domestic markets in the pursuit of competitive advantage (Zahra George, 2002); across national borders, to create future goods and services (Oviatt McDougall, 2005). This meaning incorporates the process aspect of international entrepreneurship, which focuses on a central issue of why some individuals exploit international opportunities while others equally well placed do not act on them (Zahra, Korri, Yu, 2005). Globalization is a process fuelled by increasing cross border flows of goods, services, money, people, information, and culture (Held et al., 1999, p. 16). However, the use of this term will refer to Guillà ©ns (2001) definition of globalization as a process leading to greater interdependence and mutual awareness among participants in general. Guillà ©n (2001) combines the understanding of globalization as the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole, and as the diffusion of practices, values and technology that have an influence on peoples lives worldwide (Guillà ©n, 2001). Noticing opportunities is normally more difficult in international settings, and the level of uncertainty that the potential entrepreneur must undergo will also be greater. Entrepreneurs able to function successfully in international settings may be both more skilled at noticing opportunities and have a greater capacity to endure the uncertainty associated with international entrepreneurship (Lu Beaamish, 2001). Noticing opportunities is normally more difficult in international settings, and the level of uncertainty that the potential entrepreneur must endure will also be greater (Coviello, 2006). Oviatt and McDougall (2005) emphasized that international entrepreneurs display the intention to compete in multiple locales at the inception of the firm to exploit existing international opportunities and would have the intention to do so when they started their firms (McNaughton, 2003). Starting a firm is a difficult process under the best of circumstances. International business scholars have traditionally argued that internationalization is difficult because firms had to overcome a liability of foreignness, although Johanson and Vahlne (2009) have recently acknowledge that being part of an effective network and prior knowledge can greatly accelerate the international entrepreneurship process. This liability of foreignness was based on the fact that firms and entrepreneurs lacked knowledge about doing business in other countries, which meant they had to endure the costs of learning and the discomfort of uncertainty (Lu Beaamish 2001). However, by positioning themselves in relevan t networks, or because of their past experience, many entrepreneurs have high levels of operational knowledge about foreign markets. In this manner, the traditional approaches for dealing with the liability of foreignness of either imitating local firms or by transferring unique organizational or managerial competences to their foreign unit (Sapienza et al., 2006) have been supplemented with a knowledge component, which is more related to uncertainty. There has been an acknowledgement that firms could begin to internationalize sooner and Sapienza et al. (2006, p. 915) suggest that the earlier a firm internationalizes, the more deeply imprinted its dynamic capability for exploiting opportunities in foreign markets will be. Others have pointed out the benefits of internationalizing earlier, or at least exporting at an earlier stage (Kundu Katz 2003). This may be because although there is a cost to learning, early entrants begin this process sooner (Autio, Sapienza, Almeida, 2000) an d at least some suggest they should do this before they actually start the firm (Coviello, 2006). An entrepreneur who would like to take advantage of international markets may have to study a foreign language, may have lived abroad and may be face with culture shock. Entrepreneurs must realize their companys competitive advantage such as: technology, price, financial superiority, or marketing, product innovation, an efficient distribution network or possession of exclusive information about the foreign market (Sapienza et al., 2006). Declining market conditions at home may cause entrepreneurs to seek foreign markets to help their business. Successful global entrepreneurs should have the following characteristics: a global vision, international management experience, innovative marketing or technology processes, a strong international business network, and effective organizational coordination worldwide (Lee, Peng, Barney, 2007). When global opportunities occur, entrepreneurs are likely more open-minded about internationalizing. The advantage of international trade is that a companys market is expanded much and growth prospects are greatly raised. Other advantages include minimizing seasonal slumps, reducing idle capacity, getting knowledgeable about products not sold in target markets, technology used in other countries, and learning about other cultures (Johnson, Lenartowicz, Apud, 2006). Before going to a foreign market, it is essential to study the unique culture of the potential consumers. Concepts of how the product is used, psychographics, demographics, and political norms as well as legal normally differ from an entrepreneurs home country (Miller Parkhe, 2002). De Tienne Chandler (2004) suggest that entrepreneurs must consider five factors relative to the country and cultures that the business venture will inhabit. First, they must study foreign government regulations: patent, import regulations, t rademark laws, and copyright that affect their products. Second, they must know political climate: relationship between business and government or public attitudes and political events in a given country affect foreign business transactions. Third, they must consider infrastructure: packaging, distribution system, and shipping of their export product. Fourth, they must research distribution channels: accepted trade both retail and wholesale, service charges and normal commissions, distribution agreements and laws pertain to agency. And fifth, they must study competition: number of competitors in target nations and their market share, as well as their price, place, product and promotion. Additionally, they must find market size: of their product stability, size, country by country, and know what nations are markets expanding, opening, maturing, or declining (De Tienne Chandler, 2004). Eventually, entrepreneurs must understand culture of their products. Small businesses can study int ernational cultures by business travel, participating in training programs, reading the current literature, and undertaking formal educational programs. Small business, who wants to sell product on a worldwide basis must realize different standardization in each country. In some cases, goods must be adapted for different local markets if it is to be accepted and consumer goods always require much more adaptation (Johanson Vahlne, 2009). One issue related to international opportunity is why individuals in home countries are not the ones that take action on these opportunities, which would seem logical, as they are better positioned to notice. This question is especially important because research indicates that local firms usually have higher levels of performance than do foreign firms (Miller Parkhe, 2002). While the matter of liability of foreignness is present in some cases, this relates to firms competing in the same industry. Thus, when locals begin to imitate the foreign firm, they may in fact end up with higher levels of performance, because of factors such as lower lawsuit awards (Mezias, 2002). However, national average levels of entrepreneurship to uncertainty, opportunity, and cognition uncertainty avoidance are not identical across countries (Hofstede, 2001). This suggests that although it is possible that both a local and foreigner notice a specific opportunity at the same time, the local may not act fo r both the fear of failure and stigma attached to that failure in certain cultures (Lee, Peng, Barney, 2007). Thus, the potential entrepreneur must also be willing to endure the uncertainty associated with acting on these opportunities. To gain insight into effective professional task performance across cultures, an understanding of effective communication and psychological adaptation has to be complemented by an exploration of the effect of culture on task process. Over the last few years studies on cross cultural competencies in different professional fields have started to emerge. Examining the relationship between national culture and entrepreneurship is an important emerging subject matter in international entrepreneurship (Hayton, George, Zahra, 2002). The sociological viewpoint on entrepreneurship proposes that entrepreneurs are intertwined in a social framework and their cognitive process and behaviours are shaped by the interactions between the environment and entrepreneur (Zahr, Korri, Yu, 2005). There is also evidence of the impact of national cultural values on the characteristics and behaviour of individual entrepreneurs (Mitchell et al., 2002). Mitchell et al. (2002) confirmed that entrepreneurs share a set of cultural values, regardless of their national origin or cultural background. However, it appears that whilst some core values are shared across different countries and cultures, some of the behaviours of individual entrepreneurs reflect the value system of their respected national culture. With regards to adaptation in international entrepreneurship, entering into a foreign environment is not a transition for the business venture alone. The actors, international entrepreneurs, involved are also plunging into same the foreign environment (Hofstede, 2001). Entering a new culture means commencing to share a pattern of thinking, feeling, reacting, and problem-solving (Saee, 1999). Cross-cultural psychology argues that unfamiliar cultural territory negatively affects an individuals affective, both the sense making and cognitive mechanisms, and undermines the appropriateness and effectiveness of their behavioural responses (Maznevski Lane, 2004). This happens when individuals are unable to accurately perceive and interpret the alien cultural environment, nor explain or predict the behaviour of people with different cultural backgrounds (Maznevski Lane, 2004). Evidence suggests that exposure to a foreign cultural environment can cause culture shock, a psychological conditio n which adversely affects psychological and affective states (Johnson et al., 2006). Saee (1999) contends that opportunity identification competencies developed in an entrepreneurs home cultural environment may not be sufficient to perceive a high level of entrepreneurial self-efficacy about performing the task of identifying opportunities across borders and cultures. Cross-cultural studies have explored the challenges that a foreign cultural environment poses to human behaviour, cognition, and professional performance. Human behaviour is considered the coping mechanism that individuals consequently develop. Some researchers suggest that building this coping mechanism, in individuals, amounts to developing a global mindset or cultural intelligence (Maznevski Lane, 2004; Early Mosakowski, 2004). According to Maznevski and Lane (2004, p. 172), a global mindset is the ability to develop and interpret criteria for personal and business performance that are independent from the assumptions of a single country, culture, or context; then to adequately implement those in different countries, cultures, and contexts. Cultural intelligence is seen as the ability to interpret the foreigners behaviour the way the foreigners countryman would (Earley Mosakowsi, 2004). Cross-cultural competence is defined as the appropriateness and effectiveness of ones behavi our in a foreign cultural environment (Mitchell et al., 2000). Psychological adaptation is considered the centre point of personal traits and attributes that help generate internal responses in an unfamiliar environment by managing stress (Saee, 1999). Successful adaptation to a host cultural environment requires the abilities to be mindful, to tolerate ambiguity, and the ability to explain and make accurate predictions of strangers behaviour (Saee, 1999). This also includes the levels of anxiety and uncertainty that affect the intercultural encounter (Saee, 1999). CONCLUSION: International entrepreneurs actually face greater uncertainty than is generally common in more established businesses, which benefit from learning and experience, because international entrepreneurship is about the implementation of a new innovative business. There is an uncertainty to entrepreneurship and the role it plays in initiating the process. Mitchell et al., (2000) observes that entrepreneurial action is a result of overcoming and paralysis that is caused by the uncertainty that precedes the entrepreneurial act. Guillà ©n (2001) adds that the key concept that entrepreneurs create new combinations, which become the innovations that are the engine of economic growth. The entrepreneur is likely to see the opportunity as relatively certain. This is important with regards to international entrepreneurship in that exploiting an international opportunity requires more than dealing with operational certainty; there is also a high level of cultural uncertainty that the entrepreneur has to endure to ensure the new ventures prosperity. The volume of research on international entrepreneurship supports the notion that a period of domestic development is no longer necessary for many firms and that international entrepreneurship is possible at the time the firm is established or shortly thereafter. However, consideration must be taken with respect to the foreign culture a venture will go into and the psychological affects upon the entrepreneurs joining in the venture. Effective operation in the globalised economy requires that entrepreneurs develop new skills and competencies. Some of these skills and competences are needed to deal with national and regional cultural differences that are becoming intense with the continuance of globalisation (De Tienne Chandler, 2004). (Authors) believe that current and future international entrepreneurs need to develop cross-cultural competence to successfully identify business opportunities.