Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Sunday, May 17, 2020
An Interest in African Studies and International Relations
My primary interest is in the study of Africa, both past and present - ancient history, traditions, cultures, colonialism, and nation building. I would like to study and conduct research on various issues that impact the African continent including ethnic and religious conflicts, health and environmental challenges. I am also interested in historical and evolving roles of women in Africa. In the summer of 2008, I travelled to Orogun, a village in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, where my father spent his childhood. I had read and heard stories about the oil rich villages in the Niger Delta and the plight of the villagers from environmental hazards resulting from toxic oil and gas flares, air and water pollutions leading to birth defects, lung diseases, and destruction of the ecology. I was shocked to find a village with such rich natural resources with no infrastructures, good medical facilities, or schools. I returned to Orogun in the winter of 2010 to participate in a food drive organized by the Omo-Agege foundation. We distributed over 500 bags of rice to the villagers. I also helped organize a Christmas party for the Orogun children where I introduced games like musical chairs and awarded prizes for dance competitions. I am deeply concerned about the immediate and long term health risks facing the people of the Niger Delta in Nigeria due to the environmental haz ards in the region, and hope to delve into available remedies and compensations. In the summer of 2012, IShow MoreRelatedMultilateral Relations Between Africa And Africa1407 Words à |à 6 Pageshas gradually gained modest relations, and aspiring to cultivate a multifaceted partnership with major global political players in all directions from Left-Right, Eastââ¬âWest, North-South, and South-South. The two major partners forged their own cooperation are Peoples Republic of China and United States of America and the partnerships they created are known as Sino - Africa relations named ââ¬ËForum on China-Africa Cooperationââ¬â¢ (FOCAC), and US ââ¬â Africa which is dubbed ââ¬ËAfrican Growth and Opportunity Actââ¬â¢Read MoreRelationship Between Rwanda, Israels Perceptions Of The 1994 Rwandan Genocide1249 Words à |à 5 Pagesother African Great Lakes region nations. During my various periods living within Rwanda, I have had the opportunity to perform independent research and analysis on the nationââ¬â¢s political, military, agricultural-focus ed development, religious and social history and presence. This research resulted in my publication for the Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs titled, ââ¬Å"Rwanda, Israel, and Operation Protective Edge.â⬠I wish to continue my current research on Rwandan perceptions of the international communityRead MoreAn Approach to the Regional Neoliberal Governance in Southern Africa from a Critical Perspective1177 Words à |à 5 Pagesforces that build them up. (Sà ¶derbaum 2004a, p. 421). The process of economic globalization and the impact of neoliberalism in the contemporary world have affected the context in which regionalism/ regionalization occurs, with new balances and relations and consequent implications for the political economy of regionalism (Sà ¶derbaum 2004b, p. 17).The new regionalism movement comes as an answer to those challenges deriving from transnational actors and those posed to the nation state. AdditionallyRead MoreMy Parents Taught Me The Value Of An Education Essay1607 Words à |à 7 Pageswas the only Black student in my grade. Prior to migration, I was aware of the racial categories in the UK and the US, and the implications of being an African immigrant in the UK, but I did not comprehend the full implications of this until I lived in a country where I was a racial minority. Thankfully, my primary school had other international students, from across the globe, and I had some open-minded British peers and I could thrive and learn about other cultures. This early exposure was a greatRead MoreMedia Representation of the Rwandan Genocide1202 Words à |à 5 Pagesreason for looking at representational practices in relation to texts, language and modes of interpretation is because it is through these practices that ideas about International Relations are producedââ¬â¢. Through the media coverage on the Rwanda Genocide I investigate how a lack of representation can limit the study and practice of International Relations. Alan Kuperman (2000) presented the argument that ââ¬ËWestern media blame the international community for not intervening quickly, but the mediaRead MoreEssay on History of the Democratic Republic of Congo1169 Words à |à 5 PagesCongo region. They held great interests in the rubber industry and created harsh labor camps that exploited the people. That is why after gaining independence in 1960, the nation then known as Zaire plunged into chaos. Military unrest coupled with oppressive warlord throughout the region made it a very unstable state, ready to collapse. Nowadays, U.N. peacekeeping forces hold posts in the nation to maintain its stability. The United States has had foreign relations with the country from 1960 andRead MoreProblem: Human Rights Violations In Sino-Africa Cooperation1321 Words à |à 6 PagesCooperation Chinaââ¬â¢s increasing presence in Africa has been exposed to international critiques for human rights violations. Rampant land grabbing by Chinese companies, labor abuses in Chinese factories and farms, and Chinaââ¬â¢s close bonds with authoritarian governments are three major problems that have become protuberant, impeding the progress of Chinaââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Going-Abroadâ⬠strategy in Africa. Take Chinaââ¬â¢s footprint in the African agricultural sector, for example. According to Human Rights Watch in 2012Read MoreIntercultural Communication At The National Alliance Party ( Tna ) Essay1653 Words à |à 7 PagesCOMMUNICATION COURSE CODE: COM 1500 INSTRUCTOR: NGINDA R. DATE: 6TH JUNE 2016 ASSIGNMENT: IMPORTANCE OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN YOUR LINE OF STUDY. INTRODUCTION My name is Amanda Wainaina, and I am currently pursuing a bachelorââ¬â¢s degree in International Relations. The main area of focus l have decided to undertake is Development Studies whilst also taking a minor in Management. Furthermore, I am currently interning at The National Alliance Party (TNA). Inasmuch as I am very excited aboutRead MoreCrisis Diplomacy1351 Words à |à 6 Pagestogether. Diplomacy is defined as the conducting of negotiations between representatives of states. This may refer to international diplomacy, the conduct of international relations through the communication of professional diplomats in the essence of certain issues such as peace-making, economics, cultures, trade, war, environment and human rights (Feaver, 2010). The main case study to be focused on will be that of Libya and how the EU AND AU were involved in the diplomatic intervention in Libya.Read MoreInternational Trade Has Brought Huge Gains On A Number Of Countries Around The World1472 Words à |à 6 Pages1.1. Statement of the research problem International trade has brought massive gains to a number of countries around the world. It has helped spread technology, enhanced competitiveness, raised productivity, and gave consumers with a number of choices. These potential gains from trade have motivated countries to aggressively negotiate for trade relations and explore new trade opportunities. For instance, a study which was carried out by World Trade Organization (WTO) (2008), for the period 1950-2007
Friday, May 15, 2020
An Amazing Experience For Any Band Student - 1443 Words
I spent this past weekend in Athens, to participate in Janfest, an amazing experience for any band student. Janfest is one weekend, Thursday afternoon through Sunday afternoon, every January hosted by the University of Georgia for high school band students around the state. And even though I didn t get into the best band, and wasn t first chair or anywhere close to it, it was one of the most fun and hectic weekends of my life. On Thursday afternoon, as soon as I got there, strangers were rushing me off to the practice room before my audition to see in which band I would be performing. Seeing the mass of other students made me ferociously nervous and realize that I wasn t as good as most of them in the room. However, I promised myselfâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Since I don t wear makeup, I got dressed quickly and went down for breakfast having pancakes, a sausage, egg, and cheese croissant sandwich, a cream cheese danish, and bowl of Pops cereal. Once done, I headed back up to my room to grab the rest of my things to be at rehearsals by 8:00. Walking in there was intense, because it was 150 other kids just milling about while the director finished setting up. Thirty minutes later, I was seated second to last chair in the flute section, between two freshman, wishing I could hide in the corner. The director had us take out a short, but beautiful flowing piece that was relatively easy, which we got through pretty quickly. The next piece was more intricate, with accidentals and rhythms all over the place, much time was spent on it. When we were let out for lunch at 12, the director told us that the rest of the afternoon activities had been cancelled because if the weather conditions. Upset by the news, I searched out my group to go to lunch at . after lunch we went back to our hotel to chill and take naps. We didn t do anything until we went out for dinner at Pouch, an all pie restaurant, when it started to snow. Excitedly, I ran outside to see it and quickly ra n back inside, because I hadn t brought my coat. When dinner was finished, we drove to Krispy Kreme for donuts and coffee, looking to be out for a while before we went back to the hotel. Back at the hotel, we watched the end of High School Musical 2 and Back to the FutureShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Pembroke Pines Charter High School Essay991 Words à |à 4 Pages sharing life experiences, getting a job based on your abilities and becoming a success because of your knowledge. This is all stemmed from the one institution in which is the most important: School. Pembroke Pines Charter High School was the school I attended. The slogan ââ¬Å"College, Citizenship and Communityâ⬠played a very important role throughout the school program. VISION GOAL The vision that Pembroke Pines Charter High School wants to achieve is in ââ¬Å"collaboration with students, parents and theRead MoreCompetition Essay1277 Words à |à 6 Pagesposition. The whole band raised their instruments. I saw h er count us off, and heard the intake of breath right before we started to perform. On Saturday, April 22nd, 2017, one of the greatest days of my band career occurred. For months, me and the Westville High School band, had prepared for the 2017 ISSMA Band Competition. Eight months have hardcore practice on our pieces and sight reading skills, all came down to this very moment. So how did it all start? How did me and my band get here? It allRead MoreExtracurricular Activities703 Words à |à 3 PagesMany students become involved in extracurricular activities and it really enriches the high school experience. Staying after school for something you enjoy can make it all worthwhile. Baseball, Soccer, Spanish Club, SCA, etc. are all extraordinary activities students stay after school for. Although extracurricular activities can make grades suffer, and stress students out, schools shouldnââ¬â¢t control the after school involvement of students because it could help develop a work ethic, lead to gettingRead MoreEssay on Why Music Education Is Being Cut1454 Words à |à 6 PagesEducation Is Being Cut Many schools around the country are cutting their music program because of budget cuts in their counties. The arts for some reason are always the first to be cut; apparently the school doesnââ¬â¢t think they are essential to their students learning. Schools try to focus on the more important academic classes because of the high testing standards they must now meet. (Nesoff 2003) This is not just happening in poor school districts it is happening in large districts across the countryRead MoreGraduation Speech : A College Student1360 Words à |à 6 PagesUniversity for the first semester I have done things both inside and outside of my comfort zone as I have adjusted to life as a college student. I used to cheerlead throughout high school for both the basketball and football seasons, so attending my first football game in the Dome was something I easily crossed off my checklist within the first week of being a college student. From freshman year to senior year of high school, I had attended every single football and basketball game, whether I wanted toRead MoreArt Programs At My School1726 Words à |à 7 PagesThis number is less than twenty-five cents per student. Local and state art funds have increased in the past few years, but federal funds for the arts have remained at a constant number, which is drastically lower than local and state funds (Twenty). According to the National Endowment for the Arts, there are many federal departments, bureaus, and agencies that use the arts in their programs. Some of these programs include Earth as Art, Military bands, DanceMotion USA, Art in Architecture, and Artist-in-ResidenceRead MoreMusic Classes At School And School943 Words à |à 4 Pageshoping to play Sax, Drums, or Electric Guitar. I open up the case disappointed at first to see it was just an old wooden jasmine acoustic guitar, but still stoked that I could now join the band at school. I thanked my Mom for the guitar, and picked it up; placing my fingers on the frets seeing if I could get any sort of sound out of it. Over the next couple of weeks I continued to mess around with the guitar seeing what it was capable of. In the fall I join the guitar class at school; itRead MoreHappiness Is Not What I Thought It Was1332 Words à |à 6 Pageswith new people and being on my own would be an amazing opportunity because I would probably not have this opportunity another time in life. However, I was forgetting about the smallest thing that could either make or break my happiness in this journey. It never occurred to me that the smallest things such as feeling lonely or out of place could impact me. Something that led me to make the decision of going out of state was being a part of the band. About half of my grade school years consistedRead MoreMy Experience With Evolutionary Pressure1461 Words à |à 6 Pagesmy head like a gimmicky concept. Potential. Something that I personally value is the continual growth of a person while in search for a higher purpose. So far throughout all of my experiences my life has presented me with evolutionary pressure needed to form self identity. Because the journey itself has been truly amazing, I have conflicting views on which parts I resonated with the most. My current circumstances and sense of direction or my nostalgic moments learning to explore within and embodyRead MoreThe Emergence of The Musical Rent Essay890 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Emergence of The Musical Rent The 1996 hit musical RENT stars an amazing cast, each with his/her own powerful voice. This musical, Jonathan Larsonââ¬â¢s first produced show, has become one of the biggest things ever on Broadway. The concept of the show is nothing immaculate. RENT is a musical updating La Boheme and setting it in NYCââ¬â¢s East Village on Christmas Eve. In the opera, the Parisians are afflicted with tuberculosis. This plague was modified to todayââ¬â¢s equivalent of the AIDS virus
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Gay Unions are a Childish Imitation of Marriage Essay
It needs no further proof; the AIDS epidemic has made it sufficiently clear that the vast majority of active homosexuals are promiscuous, and much more so than promiscuous heterosexuals. This fact alone points to the subject of this essay - the ego-centeredness of the gay relationship. The fairy tale of faithful homosexual unions (with its slogan, What is the difference from heterosexual marriage, apart from the sex of the partner?) is a propaganda item, to win privileges from the law and acceptance within Christian churches. Years ago, German sociologist and homosexual activist Martin Dannecker (1978) already openly admitted that homosexuals have a different sexual nature(HIV), i.e., that partner variability isâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦After some years she and her lover were found dead, allegedly having committed suicide together (if this is the true version; in any case, the scene indicated a romanticized dying for love). Two emanicipatory homosexuals, a psychologist and a psychiatrist, David McWhirter and Andrew Mattison (1984), studied 156 male couples, the most partner-stable segment of the homosexual population. They concluded: Though most gay couples begin their relationship with an implicit or explicit commitment to sexual exclusivity only seven couples in this study had been consistently sexually monogamous.(Male) That is 4 percent. But notice what is meant with consistently sexually monogamous: these men said they had had no other partners for a period of less than five years. Notice the authors distorted use of language: commitment to sexual exclusivity is morally neutral and, in fact, a poor substitute for fidelity. As for the 4 percent, we may safely predict that, even if they did not lie, the consistency of their behavior ended sometime soon afterward. Because that is the fixed rule. Homosexual restlessness cannot be appeased, much less so by having one partner, because these persons are p ropelled by insatiable pining for the unattainable fantasy figure. Essentially, the homosexual is a yearning child, not a satisfied one. The termShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words à |à 1573 Pageshave healthier, happier marriages) and the right (a traditional male working, wife at home family structure is best) are wrong. Still, this is a complex issue, and research on it continues. What about whether the husband works outside the home? Historically, this was quite unusual, but it is becoming increasingly commonââ¬â wives are now the primary breadwinner in 22 percent of U.S. couples, up from 7 percent in 1970. There is some evidence that men are less healthy and marriages are more likely to fail
Essay Womens Rights Prehistory till 1500Ce - 605 Words
How Womenââ¬â¢s Roles in History are Different of Those Today Cassandra Dunseath HIS103: World Civilizations Rebekah Kennedy October 7, 2013 How Womenââ¬â¢s Roles in History are Different of Those Today In the last three decades womenââ¬â¢s roles in society have changed. We are now seen as more than just a pretty face that can cook, clean, and take care of our children. Throughout history, we have seen more and more of these ââ¬Å"gender roles,â⬠and also viewed differently in the past. Women played a major role in prehistory to 1500 CE. So, what roles did women play in society at that time? Were they treated or viewed differently or the same as men this this time? In this essay I will be trying to answer theseâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦But still at this time men were viewed differently than women were viewed. In the Era of Confucius, 80 CE, women didnââ¬â¢t matter that much at all. However as I read in the article, Lessons for a woman, a women took it upon herself to create how she feels her and her daughters should be taught and what their customs are. The rules that she expects women to follow are somewhat practical. She states that women should be respectful and Put others before herself. A women should go to bed late but rise early to get her chores and daily duties done. It also states on how married men and women should act. It also states that a woman should have four qualifications, womanly virtue, womanly words, womanly bearing, and womanly work. It was important back then for a woman to be seen and not heard. Again women still had the rough life and were only viewed as mothers and house wives back in this time period. In the Mayan Empire women varied according to class. The wealthy women had slaves and other servants who met their every need. Poor women like farmerââ¬â¢s wives had to cook, care for their children weave or sew and help their husbands grow crops. The wealthier women did not have any political power. Also these women could be used as pawns in marriage to secure better diplomatic relations between cities or between families, as was done in other soci eties at the time (Mahdavi, F.
Fortescue Metal Group
Question: Discuss about the ase study for Fortescue Metal Group. Answer: Issues and Facts The given case i.e. Forrest v ASIC resolves around the representations made by FMG (Fortescue Metal Group) and the CEO Forrest in the ASX announcements and media release. This announcement was in context of an agreement signed in regards to the iron ore mining project being implemented by FMG in Western Australia. The company FMG had planned to build a railway line near the project site for the transportation of ore from the mine to Port Hedland and additionally build a port. To implement the same, the company executed agreements in 2004 with three leading state owned companies from China. One such agreement called as Framework Agreement was implemented with the China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC). The company notified the ASX of this development by extending a letter and publishing a detailed media release on the company website. In these public announcements, it was stated that the company and CREC have executed a binding agreement whereby CREC would build and also finance the railway project at the mining site. Additional clause stated as the contract term was the fact that full risk regarding the project would be assumed by CREC as per the fixed price agreement for the project. The above information that has been provided to the investors (both actual and potential) was not complete and hence potentially misguiding. The actual clauses and terms of the Framework Agreement implemented with CREC were not put in the public domain as they were classified as confidential. ASIC pointed at the fact that that the framework agreement in actuality did not contain any clause with regards to a fixed price being decided and CREC assuming full risk for the rail project. Hence, based on the above facts, the central issue in the case was to determine if the company i.e. FMG and the CEO Mr.Forrest had indeed violated the Section 1041H of the Corporations Act 2001 by giving out potentially misleading statements in the public domain with regards to having a legally binding contract with CREC when the same was not true. Additionally, as indicated most of the terms like price were yet to be negotiated when announcement was made. Also, the scope of work was not defined, design specifications for the project were lacking and completion was not defined in the Framework Agreement on the basis of which public announcement was made by the company. Relevant Laws and Principles Various companies while listing on the Australian Stock Exchange i.e. ASX have to give their consent on the listing agreement and ensure that all the requirements listed in this agreement should be met. The listed entities on the ASX as per the rule 3.1A of the listing agreement are required to make continuous disclosures as highlighted by the Section 674(2) of the Corporations Act 2001. Often this information is material and thereby can potentially have a material effect on the price of the stock of announcing entity. As a result, ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) tends to scrutinise these announcements so as to assure that they do not mislead the investors and other stakeholders. One of the key tools for ASIC to ensure that the companies ensure transparency in their reporting and adhere to sound corporate governance principles is through the Corporations Act 2001. It lists down the various provisions which the companies need to adhere irrespective of whether they are public or private. A key provision to enhance transparency and ensure accurate reporting to the shareholders is Section 1041H. As per this section, a person must not conduct in a deceptive manner that may knowingly or unknowingly mislead customers or any other stakeholder. In case of violation of this section, civil liability would be attracted on the offender besides having other legal implications. A central principle with regards to assess whether a given partys conduct is deceptive or not is to ascertain the effect of the wrong or incomplete statement on the intended audience. If the audience is misguided, then indeed the conductive is misleading and deceptive whether or not there was intention to mislead on the part of the person or organisation concerned. Further, the interpretation drawn in such by the intended audience should not be based on any specific knowledge possessed by them. Further, it is imperative that cases involving misleading behaviour should not be viewed in isolation but must be interpreted considering the facts of the underlying situation. Additionally, it needs to be taken into consideration that what the deceptive statement in actuality conveys to the intended audience. Based on the communication actually grasped by the audience, would it be decided whether any misconduct has indeed been committed or not. In the event, that the statement is potentially incorrect for a legal expert but the intended audience interpretation about the same is correct, then the statement is not misleading or deceptive. Arguments of the Parties The arguments of the various parties involved in the case is summarised below. ASIC ASIC made multiple allegations against the company and its CEO. The principal allegation by ASIC was that the contents of the Framework agreement were falsely represented by the company in the public domain and the description provided did not match the actual clauses of the agreement. Another, allegation by ASIC was that the company had falsely indicated the legally binding status of the contract which in actuality was not true. Hence, the unqualified opinion extended by the company was in violation of Section 1041 H since either the statement was released with an intention to deceive the investors or if they were released with benign intent, then there was insufficient evidence to support the public announcement. Primary Judge (Gilmour) The primary judge opined that the announcement with regards to agreement with CREC being binding was an opinion and the main concern of the judge was to ascertain the underlying intentions of making such an opinion and also whether the opinion was reasonable to hold or not on the part of the company. After analysing all the case facts, the primary judge reached the verdict that it was reasonable on the part of the company and its CEO to hold the opinion that the contract with the Chinese contractors with regards to building, financing and transferring the infrastructure of the project and hence no violation of any law has been done. However, ASIC was not satisfied with the verdict as it highlighted mails sent by the CEO (Forrest) which related to the negotiation relating to the execution of an Advanced Framework Agreement which was more definitive and bring clarity regarding price and specifications. The indulgence of the CEO in such negotiation according to ASIC was reflective of the fact that the original framework agreement was not binding and hence misleading for the investors. The matter was thus brought forward to the full court. Full Federal Court Keane CJ was responsible for delivering the principal judgement here and was equivocally critical about the trial judges (Gilmour) approach towards the case. He on behalf of bench opined that the major issue in the case was not the intention and the mental state of the representer i.e. FMG but rather the impact of the statement in relation to its misleading potential with the intended audience. Also, he opined that the announcement with regards to the framework agreement with CREC was not a matter of opinion but a statement representing a fact which indicated that the agreement was legally binding and thus enforceable. The statement communicated to the intended audience that the contracts executed with the Chinese contractor is contractually binding as defined in the Australian courts. Keane CJ also observed that the representation by the company in its announcement with regards to the mutual agreement on a fixed price and the CREC assuming full risk was indeed misleading to the reasonable investors. This is apparent from the emails highlighted by ASIC where the CEO of FMG is engaged in negotiation of the price in the form of Advanced Framework Agreement. It was apparent from the exchange of emails and the negotiations being carried out that the assuming of risk by CREC and settling on a fixed price was currently under negotiation and thereby had not been settled at the time of the public announcement. Additionally, it would not be fair to expect that an average investor who would have invested in the company would perceive the announcement any differently than the general understanding of contract being legally enforceable. Thus, it was opined that the company and its CEO were guilty of violation of Section 1041H by giving out a misleading and incomplete represent ation about the agreement. However, the company was not satisfied with the verdict and hence an appeal was made to the High Court to rule on the case. High Court The majority in the high court like the Full bench of the Federal Court criticised the approach adopted by the trial judge where a decision was based on the distinction of fact and opinion. The High Court reached its verdict based on two main arguments. Firstly, the judgement with regards to the conduct being misleading would be driven by the underlying context and cannot be viewed in isolation of the accompanying facts. Secondly, the imperative test in cases regarding deceptive conduct is to ascertain what the deceptive statement actually conveys to the desired audience and not what it actually wanted to convey to them. The allegation by ASIC that the framework agreement with CREC did not amount to a Build and Transfer project was not supported by the high court majority which indicated that based on clause 1 and clause 3 of the agreement, it was concluded that the description provided by the company in the announcement about the agreement being build, finance and transfer was indeed accurate. With regards to ASICs allegation that the framework agreement was legally not binding, the high court majority opined that the intended wider audience would have understood that the agreements made were of a binding nature. They did take the announcement in the sense that in the event of future breach of contract or disagreement, the issue would be resolved through legal intervention in accordance with the prevalent Australian laws. Hence, the essential difference between the verdict of Federal Court and High Court majority was on account of absence of interpretation of the binding clause by the intended audie nce as being legally enforceable in Australian court. With regards to the emails of the CEO negotiating an Advanced Framework Agreement, the majority in the High Court was opinion that negotiating a better deal when one deal is in place is not prohibited by law. Hence, the majority in the High Court upheld the appeal initiated by the company and ruled that through the announcement the company had not acted in a deceptive manner and has not broken any legal stature or principle. Conclusion and Court Decision The case was first heard by the trial judge at the Federal Court who ruled in the favour of the company and Forrest. However, ASIC appealed and the majority of the full bench of the Federal Court upheld the appeal as the bench was critical of the approach adopted by the trail judge. However, the company filed an appeal in the High Court which the majority upheld and ruled that no misleading was done on the part of the company. Hence, the final verdict was that the company and CEO were not found guilty of misleading the investors.
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Communication and Consultation Lead & Manage Effective Workplace Rela
Question: Discuss about the Report for Lead and Manage Effective Workplace Relationships of Communication and Consultation. Answer: Introduction In order to manage effective workplace relationships it is very important for an employee to reinvent himself in the current workplace. It is important to maintain a positive attitude and respect diverse values and perspectives. In order to maintain relationship in the workplace, it is the responsibility of an individual to encourage others to share problems related to work and to help them. A good work relationship is beneficial as working in the organization becomes more enjoyable and the employees becomes more creative and innovative. [1] The report highlights the issues of policy conflicts in the organization. JKL industries have some cultural issues, which affects the work performance of the employees. The new manager has to resolve the issues. In order to resolve the issue, the manager has to use emotional intelligence. Rigid organizational culture creates discrimination among the co-workers. Discrimination in the organization creates communication gap in the organization. The report mentions previous experience of the manager in this respect. The second answer is about confrontation with the team in the meeting. The manager has responsibility to convince the team member and the employees about the values of dynamic culture in the organization. The manager takes assertive communication style to resolve the issue. The answer highlights different types of networking in a business and their implications. A networking plan is developed to analyze the scenario. The networking plan consists of networking activities, time schedule and rationale of the activities. Part A JKL industries is an Australian owned company that mainly sells forklifts, small trucks as well as spare parts to industry. The company also delivers value to customers as well as investors through their highly trained, motivated and professional workforce. Head office of JKL industries is located in Sydney. JKL industries have negotiated the sales rights to a range of medium and large trucks after being in a business that mainly dealt with forklifts and small trucks. In other words, JKL industries changed into an overseas supplier. The company is mainly looking forward to increase their market share in selling. As a result, structure of the organization needs to change to incorporate these big changes. These changes are likely to cause problems in the organization, as it will involve huge cost. Communication and consultation are essential in an organization as it helps to develop people in an organization. A good communication and consultation is central to the management process. Without communication and consultation, the issues that were faced by the organization were that it lacked an overarching approach to information management. It also faced slow responses to internal and external customer needs. Communication and consultation is also needed to avoid poor sense of employee engagement and responsibility for work performance. The main role of the communication consultant is to put in place the right communication plan with the adapted media. They are also responsible for developing a message that is required for various phases of the project. [2] Business and strategic planning of JKL industries includes its mission and vision. The mission of the company is to deliver value to its customers as well as investors with the help of their highly skilled and motivated workforce. The vision of the company is to develop and unlock the potential of its customers. JKL has mainly developed strategic and operational plan to drive and direct business over the next five years. Strategic Plan of JKL is to become the leading supplier of forklifts as well as medium and large size trucks. [3]The operational plans are as follows: JKL will enlarge obtainable braches to incorporate the sale of medium and large trucks within 12 months. JKL will depart from the rental market and shut the rental division within the next 18 months. JKL will continue the selling of forklifts and enlarge their share of market by 7 percent within the next 12 months. JKL also propose its operational plan to comprehend strategic objectives. The main characteristic of its operational plan includes human resources, physical and financial resources as well as performance management. The primary objective of the organization is to be solution-oriented as well as focused on the requirements of customers. The main stakeholders of JKL are its clients and customers. [4] (a) The three most important communication objectives are as follows: Increased productivity With the help of good communication skills, an organization will be able to anticipate problems and co-ordinate workflow. A good communication will help to develop relationships and promote commodities and services. Stronger Decision-Making The ability to communicate effectively will increase productivity in the organization.[5] Strong Business Relationships With the help of effective communication skill, the impression about the company can be enhanced. Without an effective communication, individuals tend to misunderstand each other as well as misinterpret information. This leads to failure of ideas among the employees. (b) The communication strategies for work teams to meet organizational needs are as follows: Clearly communicate goals and objectives with every department: An effective communication strategy will help the work teams to have a clear understanding of the aims of the company as well as the mission. When work teams feel more engaged to the company, they are more likely to communicate openly with other workers. [6] Strengthen company Communication: Work team communication can become more effective between phone calls, emails as well as text messages. Communication can be strengthened if the company communication can take place in a single location. Allow everyone to contribute: Top-down communication strategies can leave some workers feeling detached. This can be avoided by allowing open communication among all workers. This will help the team workers to meet organizational goals. Information should always be available: To meet organizational goals by efficient communication strategy, it is important to make information available at all time. The communication strategies for individual employees to meet organizational needs are as follows: Inclusive communication strategy: An inclusive communication strategy should be employed in an organization for individual employees to meet organizational needs. This strategy invites all the members to become a part of a decision taken by the company. Interaction process should be result-oriented: An effective communication should be result-oriented. In other words, it should focus on obtaining productive results to the organization. (c) The two methods of communication are as follows: Verbal Verbal communication is the most effective communication that involves the use of words in delivering the intended message. The two most important forms of verbal communication involve both oral and written communication. Written communication involves documentation done with pen and paper. On the other hand, oral communication is a form of verbal communication that involves formal communication such as lectures. [7] Visual Communication In todays world, visual communication is the most important form of communication. JKL will make communicate with the help of visual aids such as graphic design. [8] (d) It is the responsibility of the management to consult with the employees regarding the health and safety matters. The management should consult the employees by the introduction of the measures that will substantially affect their health and safety at work. It is the duty of the management to give training to the employees regarding health and safety. Information about pay and conditions of employment is indispensable to all employees. Management is required by law to provide employees written statements identifying the main contractual details within two calendar months of the beginning of employment. Some contracts of employment include vital terms and conditions additional to those that must be set out in written orders. Management is required by law to provide the employees enumerated pay statements whenever payments are made. Figure: Grievance procedure (Source: Created by Author ) Portfolio Communication Type Description Outcome Verbal Communication Sales Consultants The first type of communication will be both oral and written that will include face to face conversation Non-verbal communication Operation Manager The communication with operation manager will include non-verbal communication as there is always a distance between the employees and managers Visual Communication Managing Director Managing directors are mainly communicated with visual communication strategy that involves video calls. Management feedback The feedback that is provided by the management to the employees are as follows: Employees face inadequate consultation that results in risks. As a result, Communication and consultation are, needed that will avoid poor sense of employee engagement and responsibility for work performance. The employees face problems related to inadequate communication. It is very important to implement a transparent communication so that the workers feel free to communicate. There is a lack of overarching approach to information management. The management had identified poor general awareness among the employees. As a result, the code of conduct of the company should be transparent to all the employees. 2. Analysis of two policies that creates conflicts As per the complaint of the employee, there are no incentives among some other employees of JKL industry to accommodate non-Christians in the Christmas celebration. This scenario indicates presence of rigid culture in the organization. Among the several policies, two important policies that influence the conflicts are resistance to change and avoidance of conflicts. Management team of JKL industry has low emotional intelligence as per case study. Emotional intelligence has two aspects such as personal competence and social competence. Personal competence needs self awareness and self management to manage a team. Social competence of a manager requires social awareness and skill of relationship management. Social competencies of a manager require capability to interpret the behavior of the employees and team member. Due to lack of this skill, the management team avoids any conflicts arises in the organization. [9] The unresolved problem creates communication gap among co-workers and also between employees and management. If the racial discrimination faced by the employees are not resolved at time, this may increase dissatisfaction of the employees and increases turnover in the company. Cultural distance among the employees resists the collaboration among the team members. Lack of collaboration affects the share of knowledge and creative ideas among the team members. Relevant legislation Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) is applicable to mitigate religion discrimination in the work place. Racial discrimination Act 1975 can also be applied to resolve conflicts. These laws prohibit unfairness in the work place. [10] Implication of effective policies Following the policies of Human rights service department of Australia, the first requirement to bring diversity is to respect everyone in the workplace. As a manager, the policy would be motivating the employees to accept diversified culture. One of the objectives of Australian government is the cultural inclusion in work force. When employees have different values and different cultural background, punitive action may be detrimental. Therefore, the management team can take supportive training to increase knowledge about cultural diversity. In order to handle this situation, the manager needs to play a role of leader, who can establish a high valued culture in the organization. Implementation of zero tolerance policy in the event of discrimination may be effective. Changes in policy in JKL industries and suggestions to resolve the issues When the non Christian employees are excluded in Christmas celebration, the management team needs to communicate directly with the employees who are showing rigid behavior. Passive aggressiveness is reflected in the exiting culture of JKL industries. In order to mitigate the cultural distance and passive aggression, the new manager can organize an open discussion forum, where employees of different cultural background can take part and share their views about own culture and others culture. This can change the perception of employees of JLK industries showing passive aggression. Moreover, reward system for the employees, who behave well with other employees irrespective of cultural background, may be effective. At the time of recruitment, the HR department can sign an agreement with the employees to show decent behavior in the work place. Problems coming from the team The resistors believe always in home culture. Therefore, they may be unwilling to take part in the meeting. The narrow belief of the employees is hard to remove. Other members of the management team may resist the procedure. They may behave aggressive attitude and walk out from the meeting. Rigid thought restricts them to accept the good aspects of cultural diversity. [11] Confrontation with the team In order to handle the aggressive behavior of team member and other employees, the manager can take a strong leadership position. The manager can highlight some examples of organizational failure due to having rigid cultural practice. They needs to be motivated about the fact that professional skill and knowledge is more important in an organization compared to rigid cultural practice. The manager can set an organizational goal such an expansion of business in the international market. In order to achieve the goal, cultural diversity is very much important. Examples of organisational success of Giant firms in the world due to having dynamic work culture can motivate the team member. Communication style The default communication strategy of the manager is assertive styles of communication. The manager wants to retain this style in resolving the problems. The main characteristic of this style is to save own right and be respectful to other communicators. The problem solver needs to be good listener first. Problem and grievances of all the members require to be given priority without any bias. At the time of communication, the facial expression and word choice needs to be firm and positive. [12] Previous experience The same communication style was adopted during working in multinational organization in Australia. New group of chairperson joined the organization. Therefore, the employees were unwilling to accept the organizational change. The team member and the employees had to accept new rules and regulations. New measurement of work performance, organization process was set. A communication gap was created between the top management and the employees. A sensitive position had been taken to mitigate the gap. [13] 3. Importance of networking in achieving organizational goal Network in an organization is a group of employees, who work together to achieve a common organizational goal. Three form of networking are observed in an organization. Operational networking, personal networking and strategic networking are different form of networking. Figure: Different types of networking (Source: Machin, 2014) The purpose of the operational networking is engaging team member into work process to work efficiently. Building up strong relation with co-workers is key behavior of operational networking. Stakeholders such as both internal and external members are involved in the operational network. Internal members are employees of different department in the organization, team members of management and external stakeholders are customers, suppliers and distributors. The allocated task for each member signifies clear criteria for membership in the network. After building relationship, everybody works to achieve a common organizational goal. In the operational networking, trust between management and stakeholders is one of the important aspect. The external stakeholders help the organization to identify potential opportunity and threats in the market. [14] The purpose of personal networking is enhancing personal skill along with the professional skill. The high performers of the personal networking have characteristics such as work diversity, awareness about own capabilities and abilities of other team member, dynamic nature, investment of time and effort to enhance relationship in the network. The formal network has structured process of meeting. In the informal network, the relationship with the colleagues is built up overtime. The network highlights several information regarding facts, issues about the internal and external work environment that affect performance of organization. In the strategic network, future risks and challenges are given priority. It focuses on valuable relationship with the organization, which can help in organizational development. Figure: Strategic networking framework (Source: Darbi et al. 2016) Strategic networking focuses on the needs of the organization considering what resources the organization has. After making analysis of gaps in access information and required resources, a plan is built. The plan is about relationship portfolio. The relationship portfolio helps to identify the relationship, which values most to the organization. The value of relationship is determined based on relative contribution of the stakeholders and their interest on the organization. The network identifies weak relation and strong relation. Further analysis is done to improve network and resource allocation in the organization. Strategic networking requires substantial effort of the manager, who can devote time and effort to build effective relationship with the stakeholders and the team members. For a new manager and leader, formulation of strategic networking is comparatively difficult. [15] The operational networking is suggested for the JKL industries. Collaborative work gets first priority in this networking. In order to implement the networking in the organization, the manager requires good problem solving skills, information-gathering skills. Interpersonal communication skill is another important requirement. This skill is required to communicate organizational information with the employees and tem members. The manager needs to have skill to gather relevant information, which can lead to the organization development in future. Relationship needs to build considering both short term and long term goal. [16] Previous experience In the previous company, strategic networking was applied. The previous company belongs to the same industry in which JKL operates. During the working period, the company faced loss in the production. Therefore, strategic networking was taken. As immediate fund was needed in that company, relation with new venture capitalists was built. The venture capitalists helped by providing funds and also in strategy formulation. Good relation with suppliers helped the company in crisis period. They provided raw materials in credit for months. Social networking was used to build business relationship. The loss-making period lasted for few months. A consultant was recruited to overcome that situation. The team members were motivated to stay in the company. Collaborative work, diligences of the employees brought the company back on the track. After a few months, the company started to regain the profit. 4. Networking plan Networking activity Person Schedule Rationale for networking activity Meeting with the key suppliers with whom Sam has issues. Sam 1st month This meeting would help both the sales person and the suppliers in addressing the issues. The meeting would be doe in the presence of manager. The sales person can communicate with the suppliers about the delayed devilry date ad about unwillingness to keep the cost down. Building good relationship with the customers by increasing the values Sam 1st to 3rd month For the benefit of the organization, good relationship with the customers is necessary. Aggressive attitude towards the suppliers may hamper the business. The customers need to make realized that JKL values the need of customers and the delay in supply is unintended. The networking can mitigate the communication gap between the customers and suppliers. The management needs to use their emotional intelligence in formation of networking. Collaboration with new suppliers Sam 3rd month The new supplier may be more reliable for the sales man. New relation improves the supply chain of the company. Removing communication gap with the customers Alex 1st to 2nd month Alex has issue with the understanding of the customers. Alex needs to realise the organizational objective. As a sales person, he needs to understand the specificity of his role and the purpose. He has perception that customers do not understand the deal and assumes them as fool. However, management requires making him realize that keeping positivity is necessary from business perspective. Training of Personal integrity and sustained effort. Alex 2nd to 3rd month The sales person requires motivation to bring positivity in performance. Trust and integrity is important for the networking. Therefore, Alex needs to give effort to build good relation with customers. Lack of communication skill may be a reason that he fails to convince the customers about the products. Conclusion It can be concluded that communication and consultation are essential in an organization as it helps to develop people in an organization. Personal competence needs self awareness and self management to manage a team. It has also been concluded that it is the duty of the management to give training to the employees regarding health and safety. The management team can take supportive training to increase knowledge about cultural diversity. Without an effective communication, individuals tend to misunderstand each other as well as misinterpret information. The manager can set an organizational goal such an expansion of business in the international market. The primary objective of JKL industries is to be solution-oriented as well as focused on the requirements of customers. The relationship portfolio helps to identify the relationship, which values most to the organization. References Alexander, David. 'Operational Plans',Encyclopedia of Crisis Management,(2013), pp. 689-694. Atkinson, R., M. Lad, S. Bhatti, et al. 'A Proposal for Coalition Networking in Dynamic Operational Environments',MILCOM 2006 - 2006 IEEE Military Communications Conference,(2006), pp. 1-8. Besley, John C., Anthony D. Dudo, Shupei Yuan, et al. 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