The marketing strategies of louis vuitton Research Paper

The marketing strategies of louis vuitton - Research Paper Example In addition, the motivation of its employees can be considered a marketing strategy of this company because of the fact that these employees provide such great services to the customers that the latter are encouraged to return to the Vuitton stores (Christensen et al 38). The management at Louis Vuitton has created a relaxed environment and it is a fact that most of the time, the managers are indistinguishable from the other employees because they do not simply give orders to their subordinates, but they also accept feedback from them and are ready to get alternatives to their decisions. This helps to show that although they have managers, the employee teams at Louis Vuitton are obviously in their later stages of development and are very comfortable outside their predefined roles, displaying high levels of motivation. The management has come to the realization that any attempt to put any verbal barriers between themselves and their employees ensures that employees have the freedom to interact with the customers so that they can efficiently serve them. The marketing of the Louis Vuitton products is not only being done at a local level, its marketing campaigns are also conducted at a regional, national, and international level. This has been found to be the best way to ensure that these products reach a wider audience than they would normally have if marketing were done at only the local level. The professionalism of the marketing staff at Louis Vuitton has enabled it to compete against other organizations effectively attempting to market similar products and in fact, it has developed an edge over them in the market. Louis Vuitton always aims at being the best in the marketing of its products so that the relatively low level of its competitors in the marketing business has worked towards showing that this company has the top quality of work that is done within it. The marketing of the Louis Vuitton products tends to be done using all the media available, both vis ual and print, to ensure that a much wider audience is reached than anticipated (Wang and Lin 401). This has worked towards guaranteeing the success of this company’s product within the market for a long time since the marketing strategy adopted has been one that retains the attention of its audience. One of the best means through which the Louis Vuitton products are marketed is online since there are billions of users of the internet who are often a ready audience. Because the internet is a leading tool in marketing, this is where most companies and other institutions go to when they need to acquire products for the use of their clients, and Louis Vuitton has not been left out of this marketing strategy. Marketing online has ensured that the clients of this company stay up to date with the current product so that they are able to get the best out of it. One of the marketing strategies that have been adopted by Louis Vuitton has been the use of customer relationship marketing

The Demon In The Free

The Demon In The Freezer Essay Richard Preston has established himself a reputation of being a storyteller that mastered on putting faces on otherwise undistinguishable deadly viral diseases like ebola virus, anthrax and smallpox. He is keen on carefully describing to his readers how fatal these viruses are in his novels. He has proven himself to be an expert on stirring awareness among his clientele about these viruses which though contained in a sense that these are confined to certain facilities of the world, have now been made and being developed by certain terrorist groups into a fatal weapon which at any moment can be discharged anywhere to effectively kill and thus strike terror among the targeted public. Like his other books (i. e. Biohazard, The Coming Plague, and The Hot Zone), The Demon In The Freezer is effective in keeping the readers attention to follow every turn of the story. The Book is divided into eight thrilling chapters. Opening in the life of an ordinary photo retoucher of the National Enquirer in early seventies by the name of Robert Stevens, the author skillfully guides the readers to a shocking awareness of the presence of the Anthrax virus that killed Stevens (Preston, 2002). The unfolding of the story at the outset was seemingly calm until the death of Stevens which at this time has triggered anticipation in the reader and keeps him/her following the next turn of the story. The whole book effectively tells of the looming dangers of biological weapons. Since these viruses were put under control and relegated to the confines of laboratories such as in Atlanta and Siberia, the thought that some of these viral diseases are currently in the hands of terrorists is just simply terrifying. On the other hand, constant care must be observed by those who currently responsibly keeping these for further studies. Preston is adept in telling this kind of story. His accurate knowledge on these matters, which obviously a product of extensive research, was carefully woven into his story. All the important details and informations which naturally enhanced the story are all facts based on true accounts. Preston is also effective in giving his readers the rationale behind why the battle still rages on destroying these viruses among those suspected of keeping them. This is definitely a good read. Reference: Preston, Richard. October 8, 2002 (1st Edition). Publisher: Random House.

The Nightmare Essay -- Fantasy, creative writing, fiction writing

Exhausted and beat, Kai grasps his face. The prominent slap that the girl he saved has left a mark. The battle that left one town saved and a hero in pain. His shoulder gashed deeply, a painful memory of the dragon’s last attack before being dismantled and left headless. Kai stands in distraught his right-hand holding his left shoulder and his left hand grasping his face. He watches as the girl he saved stampedes off with steam coming from her ears as her ass imprinted with a bloodied hand, the hand print that Kai had accidentally left. Kai stands within the beloved town just staring at his hand wondering if something was actually wrong. The silence is broken as his companions join him. Even before he can say anything Amber, the girl secretly in love with Kai, slaps him across the face ferociously as fire burns with in her eyes. Without giving him time to explain, Amber scolds Kai and begins to yell â€Å"I don’t believe you oh my gosh. What is wrong with you? Do you h ave to grope every hot girl you see?† Kai looks at her as if a hint of jealousy has arose, but knowing if ever bought up he’d be tormented like no other and can only reply â€Å"It wasn’t me this time I swear. This hand is out of control†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Just then, Kai passes out clinching his shoulder as he crashes to the ground. The next morning Kai wakes up in a bed with his shoulder bandaged and in a sling. He hears Melody and Amber talking in the next room and as he goes and sees how they are doing, his left hand breaks from the sling and gropes Melody upon her ass. This hand which was named by the group as the â€Å"lecherous hand† seems to have a mind of its own. With his hand squeezing her firm ass, Sai walks in. â€Å"What the hell is going on here?† Kai does not know how to reply. H... ... in bed. He looks at his left hand and then feels his shoulder bandaged and in pain. He removes the bandage and his deep wound has not healed. He lies back down trying to catch his breath when as four people enter the room. They sit next to him asking what had happened and all he can say is â€Å"nothing it was a dream†¦just a bad dream.† As his friends stick by his side watching over him he notices the pouring outside. The rain smashes at the windows like hail and he whispers to himself â€Å"even the heavens weep.† But outside a notorious figure works the night, peering through the window he steps aside and takes his leave. With a malevolent grin on his lips his raspy voice utters â€Å"Kai†¦you are almost ready.† The wet and dark night shakes and rumbles as a devilish laugh echoes through the night making even the Devil himself quiver. This is only the beginning of the end. The Nightmare Essay -- Fantasy, creative writing, fiction writing Exhausted and beat, Kai grasps his face. The prominent slap that the girl he saved has left a mark. The battle that left one town saved and a hero in pain. His shoulder gashed deeply, a painful memory of the dragon’s last attack before being dismantled and left headless. Kai stands in distraught his right-hand holding his left shoulder and his left hand grasping his face. He watches as the girl he saved stampedes off with steam coming from her ears as her ass imprinted with a bloodied hand, the hand print that Kai had accidentally left. Kai stands within the beloved town just staring at his hand wondering if something was actually wrong. The silence is broken as his companions join him. Even before he can say anything Amber, the girl secretly in love with Kai, slaps him across the face ferociously as fire burns with in her eyes. Without giving him time to explain, Amber scolds Kai and begins to yell â€Å"I don’t believe you oh my gosh. What is wrong with you? Do you h ave to grope every hot girl you see?† Kai looks at her as if a hint of jealousy has arose, but knowing if ever bought up he’d be tormented like no other and can only reply â€Å"It wasn’t me this time I swear. This hand is out of control†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Just then, Kai passes out clinching his shoulder as he crashes to the ground. The next morning Kai wakes up in a bed with his shoulder bandaged and in a sling. He hears Melody and Amber talking in the next room and as he goes and sees how they are doing, his left hand breaks from the sling and gropes Melody upon her ass. This hand which was named by the group as the â€Å"lecherous hand† seems to have a mind of its own. With his hand squeezing her firm ass, Sai walks in. â€Å"What the hell is going on here?† Kai does not know how to reply. H... ... in bed. He looks at his left hand and then feels his shoulder bandaged and in pain. He removes the bandage and his deep wound has not healed. He lies back down trying to catch his breath when as four people enter the room. They sit next to him asking what had happened and all he can say is â€Å"nothing it was a dream†¦just a bad dream.† As his friends stick by his side watching over him he notices the pouring outside. The rain smashes at the windows like hail and he whispers to himself â€Å"even the heavens weep.† But outside a notorious figure works the night, peering through the window he steps aside and takes his leave. With a malevolent grin on his lips his raspy voice utters â€Å"Kai†¦you are almost ready.† The wet and dark night shakes and rumbles as a devilish laugh echoes through the night making even the Devil himself quiver. This is only the beginning of the end.

Gandhi National Movement

Mahatma Gandhi was the fore front eminent political and ideological leader during the Indian independence movement. He pioneered satyagraha, resistance to tyranny through mass civil resistance. His philosophy was firmly founded upon truth and ahimsa (nonviolence). His philosophy and leadership helped India gain independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi first employed civil disobedience while working as an expatriate lawyer in South Africa.He fought for the resident Indian community's struggle for civil rights. After his return to India in 1915, he organised protests by peasants, farmers, and urban labourers concerning excessive land-tax and discrimination. After assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns to ease poverty, expand women's rights, build religious and ethnic amity, end untouchability, and increase economic self-reliance. Above all, he aimed to achieve Swaraj or the independen ce of India from foreign domination.Gandhi famously led his followers in the Non-cooperation movement that protested the British-imposed salt tax with the 400 km (240 mi) Dandi Salt March in 1930. He launched the Quit India Movement in 1942, demanding immediate independence for India. Gandhi spent a number of years in jail in both South Africa and India. The nationalist movement grew into a wide spread mass anti-imperialist movement at the end of the First World War. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi came into prominence at this time and became the undisputed leader of the nationalist movement.Powerful mass movements were launched under his leadership. These involved defiance of laws, peaceful demonstrations, boycott of educational institutions, boycott of courts, picketing of shops selling liquor and foreign goods, nonpayment of taxes and the closing of vital business. These non-violent but revolutionary methods influenced millions of people belonging to all sections of society and infuse d in them bravery and self-confidence. Millions now braved the repression resorted by the govt boldly courted imprisonment and faced lathicharges and firings.Gandhiji lived the simple life of an ascetic and talked to the people in a language they could understand. He came to be known to the people as Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji made social report a part of the programme of the nationalist movement. His greatest achievement in the field of social reform was the campaign against inhuman institution of untouchability which had degraded millions of Indians. His other achievement was in the field of cottage industries. He saw in the charkha, the spinning wheel, the salvation of the village people and its promotion became part of the congress programme.In addition to infusing people with the spirit of nationalism it provided employment to millions and created a large group of people who were ready to throw themselves into the struggle and court imprisonment. The charkha became so important t hat it eventually became a part of the flag of the Indian National Congress. Gandhiji devoted himself to the cause of Hindu-Muslim unity . He regarded communalism as anti-national and inhuman. Under his leadership the unity of the nationalist movement was secured and the people worked hard for independence.As a practitioner of ahimsa, Gandhi swore to speak the truth and advocated that others do the same. He lived modestly in a self-sufficient residential community and wore the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl, woven from yarn that he had spun by hand himself. He ate simple vegetarian food, experimented for a time with a fruitarian diet, and undertook long fasts as a means of both self-purification and social protest. He inspired many prominent Leaders across the World, who applied his principles in their own countries, in fight against tyranny and for gaining Independence.Gandhiji is referred to as Mahatma or â€Å"Great Soul† (magnanimous), an honorific first applied to hi m by Rabindranath Tagore). In India, he is also called Bapu and officially honored in India as the Father of the Nation. His birthday, 2 October, is commemorated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday, and worldwide as the International Day of Non-Violence. Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948 by Nathuram Godse of RSS. He was really a Mahatma born in the disguise of a Man. ————————————————-

Dialogue Between Plato and Nietzsche Essay

Plato and Nietzsche are sitting in a park enjoying a light picnic lunch. All of a sudden a man dressed in black, wearing a balaclava run’s past and steals Nietzsche’s Turkey sandwich. Nietzsche:This is preposterous! That immoral man has just stolen my last turkey sandwich! This is a horrible position to be in! Plato:What do you mean Nietzsche? Are you saying that you are in a worse position than the thief that stole your sandwich? Nietzsche:Yes that is exactly what I am saying. He isn’t the one who is going to starve to death now is he? Plato:Oh Nietzsche don’t be silly, you’re looking at this in the wrong way. You see, it is you who is in the better position since it is more shameful to inflict wrong than to suffer wrong. Evil derives from wrongful actions, those which by nature involve shame and/or pain. And theft is a very shameful act is it not? Nietzsche: Yes, being a thief is a very shameful way to live, as he is driven by his desires. He must have no self restraint what so ever. Without self restriction how could anyone lead a good life? For it is only through our will to power, strict obedience and restraint over a period of time can great thinking, art and virtue occur. Plato:I agree. The discipline to act justly, control and order one’s body and mind, not need anything and to live virtuously is the only way for true self-fulfilment. Those who repetitively satisfy their desires do not posses real power over one’s self because this gratification further stimulates, rather than eliminates, ones craving for desire. A person who is always fulfilling desire is in continuous need for further satisfaction, and thus acquires no true power over themselves as they are constantly controlled by their urges. Nietzsche:Not only does one need self discipline and obedience, like you said, but they also need to be freed from outer restrictions such as the â€Å"herd mentality† which constrains them from becoming a true leader. Who is to say that this thief does not have to qualities to rule? He has been trained that compliance and obedience toward his herd is best. This herd mentality forces its followers to repress their natural aspiration to become leaders, it unselfs gifted individuals and natural leaders. Qualities such as benevolence, modesty and pity are taught by the herd to be virtuous, when really it is the imaginative, daring, creative and courageous who are the virtuous ones, whom should rise above the herd because they are the natural leaders. Those who have to will to power (drive to do so) are able to live their lives the fullest and therefore ultimately become the ubermensch. Plato:Here is where we differ Nietzsche, the way I see it is that community or herd is not such a bad thing, leaders on the other hand are. Weaker people should not be subject to stronger people. Just like large countries should not attack the small ones, on the grounds of that they are stronger and therefore superior. Governments and communities help to restrain those who cannot restrain themselves and therefore guiding them into leading a more virtuous life. Leaders, such a politicians, on the other hand only seek to amuse and gratify rather than improve the soul. When morality is applied in the masses it is right and natural Nietzsche:But Plato, the theory of evolution has proved that God is dead and is no longer need to explain out existence meaning that conventional morality is irrelevant. Therefore we must create our own morality which is not transcendent or absolute. Plato:Wrong again Nietzsche. Just because there is proof that God may not exist, it doesn’t mean that man creates his own morality or anything else for that matter. You see, in this universe there are two different worlds, the material world and the metaphysical world. We experience the material world with our senses. We can see it, feel it, taste it and touch it. Whereas the Metaphysical world (world f the forms) exists beyond the senses. The Metaphysical world contains perfect examples of qualities and concepts that exist in the material world. We can recognise these concepts (beauty, justice, good etc) and qualities (colour, shape) because we have experienced them in the Metaphysical world. Our soul/mind experiences the Metaphysical world before birth, but the trauma of birth makes us forget this world and we must relearn it thorough philosophy. So, because there is a perfect examples of everything in the Metaphysical world that there is here in the Material world, there must be a perfect form of morality. This means that there is an absolute morality for mankind to live by.

Whipscorpions Look Scary But Cant Really Hurt You

Whipscorpions Look Scary But Can't Really Hurt You Whipscorpions look fiercely threatening, by some accounts. In truth, they may be the scariest looking creatures that cant actually do you much harm. They resemble scorpions, with enormous pincers and long, whip-like tails, but they lack venom glands entirely. Whipscorpions are also known as vinegaroons. What Whipscorpions Look Like Whipscorpions do look similar to scorpions but arent true scorpions at all. They are arachnids, related to both spiders and scorpions, but they belong to their own taxonomic order, the Uropygi. Whipscorpions share the same elongated and flattened body shape as scorpions and possess oversized pincers for catching prey. But unlike a true scorpion, a whipscorpion does not sting, nor does it produce venom. Its long, slender tail is likely just a sensory structure, enabling it to detect vibrations or odors. Although smaller than most true scorpions, whipscorpions can be impressively big, reaching a maximum body length of 8 cm. Add another 7 cm of tail to that, and youve got a big bug (though not an actual bug). Most whipscorpions inhabit the tropics. In the U.S., the largest species is Mastigoproctus giganteus, sometimes known as the mule killer. How Whipscorpions Are Classified Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum –  ArthropodaClass –  ArachnidaOrder - Uropygi What Whipscorpions Eat Whipscorpions are nocturnal hunters that feed on insects and other small animals. The first pair of a whipscorpions legs are modified into long feelers, used for locating prey. Once a potential meal is identified, the whipscorpion grabs the prey with its pincers and crushes and tears its victim with powerful chelicerae. The Life Cycle of Whipscorpions For a creature with such a frightening appearance, the whipscorpion has a remarkably tender love life. The male caresses his potential mate with his front legs before presenting her with his spermatophore. After fertilization occurs, the female retreats to her burrow, guarding her eggs as they develop in a mucous sac. When the young hatch, they climb onto their mothers back, holding fast with special suckers. Once they molt for the first time, they leave their mother and she dies. Special Behaviors of Whipscorpions While they cant sting, whipscorpions can and will defend themselves when threatened. Special glands at the base of its tail enable the whipscorpion to produce and spray a defensive fluid. Usually, a combination of acetic acid and octanoic acid, the whipscorpions defensive spray gives off a distinctive vinegar-like smell. This unique odor is why the whipscorpion also goes by the nickname vinegaroon.  Be forewarned. If you encounter a vinegaroon, it can hit you with its defensive acid from a distance of a half meter or more. Other Types of Whipscorpions The order Uropygi isnt the only group of organisms known as whipscorpions. Among the arachnids are three other orders that share this common name, briefly described here. Micro Whipscorpions (Order Palpigradi): These tiny arachnids live in caves and under rocks, and we dont yet know much about their natural history. Micro whipscorpions are pale in color, and their tails are covered with setae that function as sensory organs. Scientists believe micro whipscorpions prey on other microarthropods, or perhaps on their eggs. About 80 species are described worldwide, although many more likely exist, still undiscovered.Short-tailed Whipscorpions (Order Schizomida): The short-tailed whipscorpions  are small arachnids, measuring less than 1 cm long. Their tails are (predictably) short. In males, the tail is knobbed so the mating female can hold onto it during mating. Short-tailed whipscorpions often have modified hind legs for jumping, and look superficially similar to grasshoppers in that regard. They prey on other small arthropods, hunting at night, despite poor eyesight. Like their larger cousins, short-tailed whipscorpions spray acid in defense but lack v enom glands. Tailless Whipscorpions (Order Amblypygi): Tailless whipscorpions are just that, and the name of their order, Amblypygi, literally means blunt rump. The largest specimens reach 5.5 cm in length and look somewhat similar to the larger vinegaroons. Tailless whipscorpions have strikingly long legs and spiny pedipalps, and they can run sideways at startling speeds. These features make them the stuff of nightmares to the easily spooked among us, but like the other whipscorpion groups, tailless whipscorpions are benign. That is, unless youre a smallish arthropod, in which case you may find yourself impaled and crushed to death by the tailless whipscorpions powerful pedipalps. Sources: Bugs Rule! An Introduction to the World of Insects, by Whitney Cranshaw and Richard RedakBorror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. JohnsonSpecies  , Bugguide.net. Accessed online March 10, 2017.Mastigoproctus giganteus  - Giant Vinegaroon

ECON 401 Assignment 1 Essay

ECON 401 Assignment 1 Essay ECON 401 Assignment 1 Essay ECON 401 Assignment 1, version B- Globalization of markets: Moving away from an economic system in which national markets are distinct and entities, isolated by trade barriers and barriers of distance, time and culture, and towards a system in which national markets are emerging into one global market. Example: McDonalds having to adapt their menus to people changing preferences. In order to stay competitive, McDonalds had to adapt a healthier menu. Also McDonalds realized that their customers want a place where they are able to have a meeting, a place to â€Å"hangout†, therefore lots of McDonalds in Grande Prairie renovated their restaurant and changed the way their menu is designed to make it more appealing, and healthier, for the consumer. They also offer free Wi-Fi for their customers who want to do their business while they are enjoying their meals. Globalization of Production: tend by individual firms to disperse parts of their productive processes to different locations around the globe to take advantage of differences in costs and quality of factors of production. Example: Nike decided to move where the production was made for their product to china to save on costs of labour to create a higher profit margin. By doing this they were able to increase their revenues and also the labour laws in those countries are not the same as North America, therefore they are able to create more product in a less amount of time because breaks might not be required in a country, like China. Whereas, they would be in North America. 1. The Venezuelan economy teaches us that when a dictator is in control, it can be really bad for the country. With a dictator like Chavez in control of political decisions, not every decision made will benefit the country. For example, â€Å"in 2009, when Chavez also extended governmental control over the media and making them only partly free† (p.50 International business, Hill 2010). One of the good things that happened under Chavez’s control is that the government share of GPD increased from 20%at the end of the 1990’s to almost 40% in 2008. However, when the oil prices fell in 2008/2009, the Venezuelan economy went into reverse, shrinking by 3.3%in 2009 and 2.8% in 2010. (P.50 International business, Hill 2010). The future prosperity and standards of living seemed to have increase in the later years but not due to the fact of the economy but more due to the fact that multinational companies will pay billions for poor countries to sell them their resources and the pay them the price its actually worth. In my opinion, the prognosis for the Venezuelan economy will continue to increase because the multinational companies like Shell, for example, need the resources that a country, like Venezuela, has to offer. A country, like Venezuela, is very attractive to international businesses because there is a huge possibility for company to make billions of dollars of this country. If the oil prices were to retreat from their current high level I don’t think Venezuela would have the same prosperity because oil export is the main income for this country and if the oil export would decrease this country wouldn’t have the same revenue therefor wouldn’t have the same prosperity. 2. According to Joseph Stiglitz the problem with the strong rules to protect intellectual property and patents, especially in relation to medicines are as long as you don’t have laws in place to protect those property right there’s nothing in place in order to protect them you can have rules in place but doesn’t mean everyone is going to follow those rules. For example in a case study in chapter six called â€Å"The rise of India’s drug industry† this story is one of the most successful stories in international trade in my opinion because India protected their property rights and were able to make millions of dollars and also to protect themselves from other companies or country stealing their ideas after they spent

Zirconium Facts (Atomic Number 40 or Zr)

Zirconium Facts (Atomic Number 40 or Zr) Zirconium is a gray metal that has the distinction of being the last element symbol, alphabetically, of the periodic table. This element finds use in alloys, particularly for nuclear applications. Here are more zirconium element facts: ZirconiumBasic Facts Atomic Number: 40 Symbol: Zr Atomic Weight: 91.224 Discovery: Martin Klaproth 1789 (Germany); zircon mineral is mentioned in biblical texts. Electron Configuration: [Kr] 4d2 5s2 Word Origin: Named for the mineral zircon. Persian zargun: gold-like, which describes the color of the gemstone known as zircon, jargon, hyacinth, jacinth, or ligure. Isotopes: Natural zirconium consists of 5 isotopes; 28 additional isotopes have been characterized. The most common natural isotope is 90Zr, which accounts for 51.45 percent of the element. Of the radioisotopes, 93Zr has the longest half-life, which is 1.53x106 years. Properties: Zirconium is a lustrous grayish-white metal. The pure element is malleable and ductile, but the metal becomes hard and brittle when it contains impurities. Zirconium resists corrosion from acids, alkalis, water, and salt, but it does dissolve in hydrochloric or sulfuric aicd. Finely-divided metal may ignite spontaneously in air, especially at elevated temperatures, but the solid metal is relatively stable. Hafnium is found in zirconium ores and is difficult to separate from zirconium. Commercial-grade zirconium contains from 1% to 3% hafnium. Reactor-grade zirconium is essentially free of hafnium. Uses: Zircaloy(R) is an important alloy for nuclear applications. Zirconium has a low absorption cross section for neutrons, and is therefore used for nuclear energy applications, such as for cladding fuel elements. Zirconium is exceptionally resistant to corrosion by seawater and many common acids and alkalis, so it is used extensively by the chemical industry where corrosive agents are employed. Zirconium is used as an alloying agent in steel, a getter in vacuum tubes, and as a component in surgical appliances, photoflash bulbs, explosive primers, rayon spinnerets, lamp filaments, etc. Zirconium carbonate is used in poison ivy lotions to combine with urushiol. Zirconium alloyed with zinc becomes magnetic at temperatures below 35 °K. Zirconium with niobium is used to make low temperature superconductive magnets. Zirconium oxide (zircon) has a high index of refraction and is used as a gemstone. The impure oxide, zirconia, is used for laboratory crucibles that will withstand heat sh ock, for furnace linings, and by the glass and ceramic industries as a refractory material. Occurrence: Zirconium does not exist as a free element, primarily due to its reactivity with water. The metal has a concentration of around 130 mg/kg in the Earths crust and 0.026 ÃŽ ¼g/L  in sea water. Zirconium is found in S-type stars, the Sun, and meteorites. Lunar rocks contain a zirconium oxide concentration comparable to that of terrestrial rocks. The primary commercial source of zirconium is the silicate mineral zircon (ZrSiO4), which occurs in Brazil, Australia, Russia, South Africa, India, the United States, and in smaller amounts elsewhere in the world. Health Effects: The average human body contains about 250 milligrams of zirconium, but the element serves no known biological function. Dietary sources of zirconium include whole wheat, brown rice, spinach, eggs, and beef. Zirconium is found in antiperspirants and water purification systems. Its use as a carbonate to treat poison ivy has been discontinued because some people experienced skin reactions. While zirconium exposure is generally considered safe, exposure to the metal powder can cause skin irritation. The element is not considered to be either genotoxic or carcinogenic. Crystal Structure: Zirconium has an alpha phase and a beta phase. At room temperature, the atoms form close-packed hexagonal ÃŽ ±-Zr. At 863  Ã‚ °C, the structure transitions to body-centered ÃŽ ²-Zr. Zirconium Physical Data Element Classification: Transition Metal Density (g/cc): 6.506 Melting Point (K): 2125 Boiling Point (K): 4650 Appearance: grayish-white, lustrous, corrosion-resistant metal Atomic Radius (pm): 160 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 14.1 Covalent Radius (pm): 145 Ionic Radius: 79 (4e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.281 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 19.2 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 567 Debye Temperature (K): 250.00 Pauling Negativity Number: 1.33 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 659.7 Oxidation States: 4 Lattice Structure: Hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 3.230 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.593 References Emsley, John (2001). Natures Building Blocks. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 506–510. ISBN 0-19-850341-5.Lide, David R., ed. (2007–2008). Zirconium. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 4. New York: CRC Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-8493-0488-0.Meija, J.; et al. (2016). Atomic weights of the elements 2013 (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure and Applied Chemistry. 88 (3): 265–91. doi:10.1515/pac-2015-0305 Return to the Periodic Table

Effect of lowering temperature in tissue and organ preservation Research Paper

Effect of lowering temperature in tissue and organ preservation - Research Paper Example Enzymes in tissues and organs dissociate through inactivation because of cold-related propensities. Some enzymes are intrinsically affected by cooling. Reducing the temperature increases trans-membrane diffusion of solutes from minute ions to expanded molecules (Fuller et al., 2014). Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Preservation This preservation method was developed to enhance the quality and time of preservation of kidneys. The method allows the movement of oxygen to the tissues to enable ATP synthesis. The perfusion of the fluids aids in the transportation of oxygen through the fluids to essential areas of the organ (In Kirk, 2014). The perfusion process is positively impacted when the temperatures are regulated to certain limits. Even though the reduction of temperatures can have certain side effects, the preservation viability is immensely enhanced. Oxygen Persufflation The method employs gaseous oxygen in improving the viability of an organ for transplant. For instance, oxygen is bubbled through a vasculature that is then released through minute proliferations at the organ's surface. The method is effective in liver preservation because of its homogenous distribution of oxygen. The method has incredible capabilities of recovering the DCD organs (In Kirk, 2014). The two methods are critical in reducing the metabolic and chemical reactions that can otherwise affect the normal establishment of an organ. The flow of oxygen within the organ is the principal foundation of employed by the methods of preserving organs and tissues.

Foreground, Middle Ground and Background. Winslow Homer compared to Essay

Foreground, Middle Ground and Background. Winslow Homer compared to Andrew Wyeth - Essay Example The grass in the foreground also suggests that the picture was drawn regarding to the dry spell or the harvest season in Chadds. Christina seems mesmerized by her rural setting, a suggestion of breeze stroking her loose features of hair as she stares in the direction of her home, totally fascinated. Besides, we can note the distinguished passive color palette in the foreground that helps us to differentiate the harvested grass and that which is yet to be harvested. Moreover, the different color used helps distinguish the clothes that Christina is wearing from the where she is crawling. The light sandwiched between the household and the barn is the brightest theme of the painting and Christina is leading her head upwards in the direction of it.   In the middle ground of the Christina world painting, we can note several different features from the foreground. The foreground contains a huge part occupied by dry grass fields. In addition, we can see a huge part of this grass field has been harvested exposing the Christians family home. There is also a path created by a car that is used to access Christians home. At the rear end of the middle ground, there is a fence that surrounds Christians home. In the background of the painting Christina’s World, we can see the the family home where she lives. The painting suggests that she might be living with her family since it shows a huge two storey family home with other structures surrounding it. Among the structures are two large separate houses and a small single structure built in the unharvested grass field. We can also see a huge section of Christian’s family home has a compound with harvested grass. From the picture, we can suggest that the economic activity in the Christian’s World was farming. Content, Style, Axis, Symmetry, and Asymmetry In Christina's World, Wyeth used subdued colors to convey the tranquility of being restricted to a country setting.  Andrew Wyeth’s works merged i nto his established and continuing style characterized by a passive color palette, convincing representations, and the illustration of emotionally charged, symbolic objects or people. Christina's World is based on a real life situation, which he encountered in Chadds, Ford area. This picture is a depiction of a victim of polio disease who tried to crawl up a hill. Christina looks as if fascinated by her rural background, a suggestion of just cuddling her movable filaments of hair as this woman stares en route to her home, entirely captivated. The perkiest part of the sky looks as if to gesture Christina like a blissful white light. A sole figure in the vast countryside, Christina is fairly susceptible to the harsh set up, but embraces it nevertheless to relish the attractiveness of the scene and her freedom. Andrew Wyeth’s, main passion of painting lay on the land and people around him. His works paintings were mainly based in his home town of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, and a t his seasonal family home in Cushing, Maine.  His most popular painting was Christina's World, a 20th century art, currently preserved in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.   This painting portrays his neighbor, Christina Olson, rambling on a dry ground fronting her house. The countryside is in her world is generally dry and unproductive but has a suppleness to it which is bizarrely appealing. An else intimidating scene emits a sense of safety to the onlooker. The addition of a "crippled" young girl alters the background to to some degree obliging and approachable. This meant that Christina Olson had to

Global Recession And Its Impact On Organizations Essay

Global Recession And Its Impact On Organizations - Essay Example Motor vehicle industry was one of the worst hit by the crisis. Some firms such as the General Motors in the US had to shut down some of its branches. According to Dullien, Herr, and Kellermann (2009), Organizations have been affected heavily by the world economic crisis. This has seen the organizations lose key players in the industry. Some firms have been forced to close down due to reduced sales. Epstein, Grabel, and Jomo (2004) give an example is the motor industry sector that recorded a decrease in sales compelling some firms to minimize branches. This other than low-profit margins result from the economic crisis which boils down to individuals rather than organizations alone. The effects of economic recession extended all over the world with the most vulnerable being the gas exporters to the United States. According to Flassbeck and Spiecker (2007), this owes to reduced trade levels such as real estate and gas and banking sector. The banks in the US decided to reduce loans available for individuals due to lack of confidence in the assets that they own. According to Ratha, and Xu (2007), what followed was panic and mistrust development in organizations. G-20 (2009) argues that the governments of affected states have made effort in making sure that corrective mechanisms are implemented with mitigation measures put in place KEA (2006) has details of organizations worst hit by the recession includes the large incorporate houses in the United Arabs Emirates where real estate sector became a victim of the circumstances. Construction and value chain were sectors that were no exemption from the crisis. ECA and APF (2008) demonstrate that tourism and hospitality recorded a significant level of reduced customers as compared to the previous years.

Congestion Pricing in New York City Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Congestion Pricing in New York City - Term Paper Example Next, Congestion pricing was introduced in London in 2003 with a charge of $13 for cars entering central London. Since its introduction, traffic delays have been reduced by 26%, bus service has becomes much faster and more reliable, and many more people have taken to bicycling instead of using their cars to access central London. Further, pollutants in the air have dropped dramatically too and Co2 levels have been reduced by 15% (Transport Alternatives). Stockholm conducted a trial of congestion pricing in 2006 for 6 months and found a 20% reduction in traffic, and a 10% drop in air pollution. Following this, it was made effective in 2007 in Stockholm. Since then, Stockholm has seen a 4.5% increase in public transport ridership, an 18% reduction in traffic, 50% decrease in waiting time to enter the city, and 14-18% drop in carbon emissions (Peach). In Trondheim, Norway, the congestion pricing has helped reduce traffic congestion by nearly 10% (Zupan and Perrotta). There are several g oals that introducing congestion pricing brings to the cities. ... The charges would be applicable from 6 AM to 6PM. The charges varied from $8 for cars to $21 for trucks. The charge was payable only once per day. Certain categories of vehicles were exempt from these charges. These vehicles were transit buses, emergency vehicles, taxis, and vehicles with handicapped license plates. However, for taxis that begin, end or touch the zone a surcharge of $1 would be applicable. For payment, the drivers would have an option of paying either through an â€Å"E-ZPass† which was an electronic transponder, or through an account linked to the E-ZPass recognizable through license plate recognition systems. For people without E-ZPass, the payment could be made within 48 hours at certain specified retail outlets/via internet or phone. In comparison to congestion pricing in other countries, the amount proposed was lower ($8 for NY compared to $13 in London for example). Further, the table below shows the comparison of several other important factors in the p roposed congestion pricing in New York with the implemented congestion pricing in London. Table 1: Comparison of London and New York Congestion pricing    London (Before Implementation) New York Proposal Size of zone 8 sq miles 8,5 sq miles Area of zone as percentage of region 1,3% of greater London 0,1% of tri-state region Number of Vehicles Entry Points 174 19 People Entering Zone Each Morning >1 million 1,7 million People Entering Zone by public transport 85% 78% Vehicles Entering Zone Each Day 7 AM to 6:30 PM 315,000 500,000 Vehicles Per Hour During Four Hour Morning Peak Period 40,000 53,000 Residents in Zone 83,000 500,000 Routing around the zone Ring road available to avoid the zone Options limited for most trips Source: Zupan and Perrotta, 2003 The proposal

The Brady Act; A policy review Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The Brady Act; A policy review - Case Study Example The examination of this study will show where there is a specific set of implementations for the crimes as well as changes in the understanding of the act through political and social rejection of the Brady Act. To alter this, there is the need to further examine what the gaps in the act are as well as what can be done to further prevent crimes through types of weaponry. Policies and acts are defined to provide protection and safety among the nation while regulating different actions by citizens in the United States. A policy which has come into effect since 1993 is the Brady Act, which is based on regulating the hand guns that are supplied to individuals in different states. The act was developed specifically to have regulations on criminals who try to purchase hand guns by creating controls and stipulations that are a part of receiving a handgun. The Brady Act has shown several prospects that are helping to regulate the crimes from hand gun purchases; however, there are also several questions in the legitimacy of the act as well as to what extent the act can provide a complete lowering of criminal rates within different states while offering the correct types of restrictions among those who carry firearms. The concepts that are in the study are based on the Brady Act and how it has changed the regulations with firearms. The author shows that the regulations and policies have been implemented over a longer period of time; however, this has not stopped the purchases of handguns by criminals. The author shows how the policies, such as background checks, five day waiting periods and state and federal regulations haven’t been able to alter the purchase in different states. The reinforcement of the act is one which the author shows as limited, specifically which is shown through the statistics of the Brady Act and the amount

Government Corruptness in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Government Corruptness in China - Essay Example It is very hard to fight against corruption in the country with self-appointed leaders. Their work is performed by their advisors and thinkers. It is necessary to take Chinese leaders out of their thinking vacuum filled with Marxism into a global context. Another thinker George Zhibin Gu supposed that occurrence of corruption in Chinese government is possible and even predicted. Li was a cruel ruler, who forbade freedom of thoughts, reading some books, travelling and other insane communist methods (Glassman 1991, p. 32). From a social perspective, corruption in China may be referred to: â€Å"the low wages of civil servants, the many opportunities for corruption during the last two decades of Deng Xiaoping's modernization policy, and the lack of political will in implementing anticorruption measures against senior party officials† (Glassman 1991, p. 41). Unfortunately, no radical measures were taken to stop corruption in the country. The death penalty for bribery was not effec tive against senior party officials. Corruption in Communist China In 80s Chinese society considered bribery as "the most prevailing social crime" (Gu, 2010). A social turmoil caused by protests against corruption occurred in 1989 when students went to demonstration against it. Mass media in China has "dramatically increased the exposure of corruption cases to highlight the party's determination and efforts to repress corruptions" (Gong 1994, p. 54). Unfortunately, these actions were not effective and corruption remains one of the most negative phenomena in the Chinese society. Corruption is an unhealthy practice and there is a need to look for an efficient remedy for it. On the other hand, once political system of the country has started its work in a close coexistence with corruption, it means that it accepts it. Nevertheless, for Chinese society the Chinese Communist Party makes an attempt to purify its image and develops anticorruption strategies and rules. For example, it stren gthens a production control; forbids any presents at work for officials; disciplinary penalties are applied for public offenders (Wei-Ming, 1996). The cases of corruption were mishandled in 1987 when the Central Discipline Inspection Commission (CDIC) and the Ministry of Supervision (MOS) were reestablished to curb corruption and maladministration (Wei-Ming, 1996). This happened in 1982. But 1987 numerous complaints were accumulated by these institutions, but they could not be dealt with because of a lack of political will. The Chinese government has decided to subject corrupted officials to death penalty in case they accept brines exceeding 100,000 Yuan, or US$ 12,000 (Gu, 2010). Explanation of corruption Therefore, it is relevant to develop a complex approach for dealing with corruption in China. In accordance with Huntington's theory on corruption, this phenomenon is positioned as a lack of a proper "political institutionalization"(Wei-Ming, 1996). In case institutionalization is present to the fullest extent, political processes are stable and applied procedures are valuable. Moreover, the researcher suggests that a possible reason of corruption may be bureaucracy dependency on other social groupings and act in accordance with bureaucratic methods of behavior. It should be noted that corruption may be caused by an external influence of officials caused by their families and relatives, because the primary goal of officials is not to act in favor of the government, but to act in favor of their families. It is possible to take into account other factors causing corruption: an improper adaptation of the government to the changing environment; deregulation of social activities and economic practices of the country; excessive discretion

The Brady Act; A policy review Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The Brady Act; A policy review - Case Study Example The examination of this study will show where there is a specific set of implementations for the crimes as well as changes in the understanding of the act through political and social rejection of the Brady Act. To alter this, there is the need to further examine what the gaps in the act are as well as what can be done to further prevent crimes through types of weaponry. Policies and acts are defined to provide protection and safety among the nation while regulating different actions by citizens in the United States. A policy which has come into effect since 1993 is the Brady Act, which is based on regulating the hand guns that are supplied to individuals in different states. The act was developed specifically to have regulations on criminals who try to purchase hand guns by creating controls and stipulations that are a part of receiving a handgun. The Brady Act has shown several prospects that are helping to regulate the crimes from hand gun purchases; however, there are also several questions in the legitimacy of the act as well as to what extent the act can provide a complete lowering of criminal rates within different states while offering the correct types of restrictions among those who carry firearms. The concepts that are in the study are based on the Brady Act and how it has changed the regulations with firearms. The author shows that the regulations and policies have been implemented over a longer period of time; however, this has not stopped the purchases of handguns by criminals. The author shows how the policies, such as background checks, five day waiting periods and state and federal regulations haven’t been able to alter the purchase in different states. The reinforcement of the act is one which the author shows as limited, specifically which is shown through the statistics of the Brady Act and the amount

WHY TO CHOOSE CAL STATE UNIVERSITY SANTA BARBARA Essay

WHY TO CHOOSE CAL STATE UNIVERSITY SANTA BARBARA - Essay Example However, this clause was deleted to allow the upgrading process hence the creation of Cal State University Santa Barbara which became part of the university of California research system. The campus is located in the California, United States, and it covers an approximate area of one thousand and twenty-two acres of land in Goleta. It has conferred various students with various degrees in the past hence it is among the top performing universities in the California university system. California University has had the culture of research for long hence all upcoming universities have to follow suit. Miller (41) asserts that its location is adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, which gives the students an amazing breeze all the time. Moreover, the university is built on Cliffs hence this provides beautiful scenery of the ocean and other places. It has also its own beach, yet none of the other universities owns a beach. This makes the life of the students comfortable especially during the recess period. In addition, the campus has many paths, which make the movement of students, their bicycles, and vehicles, easy. The campus layout is also artistic. This is evident on the strategic location of lecture halls, the sports and athletics fields, the dining halls, laboratories, libraries, washrooms, amphitheaters and conference halls. According to Starr (14) the hostels of the students and the sport fields connect the West and East campuses. This enhances the learning process because it saves the students’ time of moving long distances to rest and attend to their chores. Furthermore, the university affords the disabled lot facilities to use. In fact, it has a school for the disabled students. This makes it a choice of many people who value the less privileged in the society. It also upholds environmental preservation because it has created its own natural preservation center. Its library is located near

Grolsch Company Essay Example for Free

Grolsch Company Essay 1. Yes, several of the major players have been actively engaging in mergers and acquisitions, leading to a more concentrated market with larger market shares for the leading firms. 2. There is not a clear leader which absolutely dominates the industry. While Heineken is the leader in the international market, Bud (Light) leads total volume. There is also no core, the leading companies in international and total volume markets differ from each other. 3. In its process of expansion, Grolsch has engaged in both cooperation with local brewers, and direct shipping from domestic factories, depending on the markets demand. For markets such as the USA that valued originality, direct shipping was used. For others that did not hold an emphasis on this, joint venture options were explored to cut costs. 4. No, standardization is not increasing. Majority of Grolsch’s sales come from its Grolsch Premium Lager, with other variations such as Amsterdam beers. Packaging was not standardized around the globe, products shipped to different markets had country-specific labels. Grolsch is also priced differently in various markets, priced at a higher price in its domestic market. 5. It implies that minimum target should be to further enhance operations, increasing production and distribution efficiencies to achieve cost reduction in order to remain profitable. 6. Variation is quite large on cross-country markets. Grolsch is priced as a premium brand in non-domestic market and a mid range standard product in the Netherlands for Grolsch Premium Lager. Also, the different products offered in different regions also make them differ in profitability. For example, the home market that accounted for roughly 50% of sales in volume generated 65% of revenues with even higher EBIT. 7. Profits are most tightly linked with volume, with national sales as it is the most profitable providing the highest EBIT and lowest distribution costs. International sales have shown to be slightly less profitable but still important in overall profitability. 8. Price-sensitivity for beer is relatively low, with many competitors in the market so distribution on economic profits should lean more towards suppliers and complementors. 9. Labor took up approximately 15% of revenues compared to 4% to 6% on advertising. Hence, the industry Grolsch is in is most likely labor-intensive.

Embodied Ideology Walpoles Expression Through Characters in Castle of

Embodied Ideology: Walpole's Expression Through Characters The description of the eighteenth century gothic as ?a confused and contradictory form, ambivalent or unsure about its own aims and implications? (Kilgour 5) is an entirely fitting one for Otranto - especially with regard to domestic and gender ideology. Valdine Clemens tells us that at the time of Otranto?s publication, ?cultural conditions [?] were highly repressive for women? (31). Women were vulnerable and defenseless, unable to exercise control in most areas of their lives. Men were allowed to control where their children went to school, where they worked, and to whom they got married ? all without any input from their mother. As well, it was much easier for a man to divorce his wife than for a woman to divorce her husband. Clemens cites Lawrence Stone to give us just such an example of the inequalities women had to suffer: [?] a Lady with numerous aristocratic connections sued for divorce from her husband, who ?had been unfaithful to her on their wedding night, had debauched all the maidservants in the house, had given his wife venereal disease, and was constantly drunk.? Her application was defeated after considerable parliamentary debate on the grounds that ?divorce by act of Parliament had traditionally been restricted to husbands, except when there were peculiarly aggravating circumstances like incest.? (34) Walpole?s novel can be seen as having a feminine bias and being subversive of these social norms. There is, however, evidence that supports a conservative ideology as well. This makes it particularly difficult to give a definitive answer to the long-debated question of whether or not Walpole was trying to be conservative or subversive of societal nor... ...ranto and subsequent revelation of authorship points to a conflicting desire to circulate and to not circulate his work at the same time. It is not improbable that Walpole was also unsure about what he wanted the implications of his novel to be. Like the incongruous and ambiguous nature of the gothic (discussed in IncongruousCorpus), Walpole himself was ?unsure about [his] own aims?, whatever his views on society were. Works Cited Clemens, Valdine. The Return of the Repressed: Gothic Horror from The Castle of Otranto to Alien. New York: SUNY P, 1999. Ellis, Kate Ferguson. The Contested Castle. Chicago: U of Illinois P, 1989. Kilgour, Maggie. The Rise of the Gothic Novel. London: Routledge, 1995. Marcie Frank. ?Horace Walpole?s Family Romances.? Modern Philology 100 (2003): 417-35. Walpole, Horace. The Castle of Otranto. New York: Oxford UP, 1996.

Fyodor Dostoyevskys The House Of The Dead :: essays research papers

Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The House of the Dead   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fyodor Mikhaylovich Dostoyevsky was born in Moscow on Nov. 11, 1825. As his father was a former military surgeon, Dostoyevsky grew up in the noble class. He entered the military engineering school at St. Petersburg at age 16. Shortly after graduating, he resigned his commission and devoted all his time to writing. However, he soon became caught up in the movement for political and social reform during the reign of Tsar Nicholas I. He began to participate in weekly discussions about the ideas of French utopian Socialists. This Petrashevsky Circle was arrested in April 1849. After a long investigation, Dostoyevsky, along with 20 other members of the Circle, were condemned to be shot. Literally moments before his execution was to occur, his sentence was commuted to four years hard labor in Omsk, Siberia. He accepted his punishment and began to regard many of the simple convicts as extraordinary people. During his sentence, he became devoted to Orthodox Christianity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The House of the Dead was initially published in Russia, 1860. Upon initial examination of the work, it appears to be a stream of consciousness account of Dostoyevsky's four years in a Siberian prison camp. But, upon further review, it seems to be more an account of Dostoyevsky's personality and attitudes through these years. In his first year in prison, Dostoyevsky â€Å"found myself hating these fellow-sufferers of mine.† (305) His first day in prison, several convicts approached him, a member of the noble class and no doubt very wealthy in the convicts' eyes, and asked him for money four times each; and each refusal seemed to bring more convicts. He quickly grew to spite these people, for they thought him to be an idiot, unable to remember that the very same convict had approached him for money not fifteen minutes earlier. (67-8) But, Dostoyevsky makes a startling realization at the end of this first year, a discovery which allows him to drastically alter his personality: â€Å"...the convicts lived here not as if this were their home, but as some wayside inn, en route somewhere.† (303) this concept is followed by Dostoyevsky's realization that he wanted, unlike many other convicts in the camp, to live as he did before his imprisonment. He believed that â€Å"Physical, no less moral strength is required for penal servitude if one is to survive all the materiel deprivations of that accursed existence. And I wanted to go on living after I had left prison....† (277). The remaining twenty pages are anti-climatic; they simply deal with the change of a Major stationed at the prison and Dostoyevsky's

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions 3 Countries

Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture: An overview of Venezuela, Belgium and Japan International Business ADM 3155 Table of Contents Introduction to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture3 Individualism3 Masculinity3 Power Distance4 Uncertainty Avoidance4 Conclusion5 VENEZUELA5 Introduction to Venezuela6 Individualism6 Masculinity7 Power Distance7 Uncertainty Avoidance8 Conclusion8 BELGIUM11 Introduction to Belgium11 Individualism12 Masculinity12 Power Distance13 Uncertainty Avoidance14 Conclusion14 JAPAN16 Introduction to Japan16 Individualism16 Masculinity17 Power Distance18Uncertainty Avoidance18 Conclusion19 Conclusion to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture20 References23 Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture Introduction to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture In 1984, Geert Hofstede published a book called Culture’s Consequences. In this book, he divides cultures into four basic categories. These categories are individualism, masculinity, dower distance and u ncertainty avoidance. Hofstede assigns different cultures a number on a scale between 1 and 100 for each category depending on how their culture corresponds to the description.By analyzing how a country fits into each section a person can get a better understanding of how a culture operates in their daily lives and also in their business. Individualism Individualism refers to how people within a culture interact with one another. Knowing how people work with one another will help you to understand how they will work with you in a business setting. High individualism will display characteristics like importance of employees’ personal life, emotional independence from the company, calculative involvement and more importance attached to freedom and challenge in their jobs (Hofstede).People with high individualism prefer individual decisions as opposed to group decisions. Society encourages individuals to show their own initiative which relates to them finding smaller companies m ore attractive. High individualism can be seen as a more selfish and self-serving way of living (Nasierowski). This is very important when conducting business in a different culture. If you are looking for innovators, new ideas, and self-motivated people, who will contribute more than just labour to your company you should look for a country with high individualism.When conducting business in a high individualism society it is important to recognize individual achievements and reward people on an individual basis. Recognising individual differences and ideas is important as well as giving individual praise and recognition. This will keep employees satisfied and motivated. Individual workers want to chance to excel and they tend to look after themselves and their own needs and advancement and are not concerned with â€Å"stepping on others to get ahead†. Masculinity This dimension is not looking at gender roles specifically, but at the characteristics generally associated with masculinity and femininity.Masculinity is referring to aggressiveness, the desire for power, wealth and achievement. A country with a high masculinity will show traits including admiration for the strong, importance placed on earnings, recognition, advancement and challenge, employees attracted to larger organizations and higher job stress. They also find it acceptable for the company to interfere with their private life. This can be an advantage if you are looking for highly motivated individuals (Hofstede). High masculinity is good for doing business because these employees will be competitive, aggressive and driven for success.They are willing to make sacrifices in their personal lives to achieve success in their business. When working in this type of environment people are more willing to work over-time. You can easily get results from your employees by throwing money and power at them. These employees are not as concerned with ethics or the environment as they are with economi c growth (Nasierowski). Power Distance Inequality is the main issue that power distance addresses. Power distance measures how a culture, group or organization views themselves and each other in terms of authority and value.In a county with a high power distance value is placed on obedience to the person who is seen as in charge. Children obey parents, students obey teachers, employees obey employers, etc. , without question. There is a large amount of fear associated with high power distance and those seen as â€Å"lower† or â€Å"less important† show resentment towards those higher than them and also show distrust to one another. In business, employees do not have input into the company and simply follow orders. Employees are viewed as unmotivated and unhappy with their jobs (Hofstede). Uncertainty AvoidanceUncertainty avoidance is a fear of the unknown. If a culture has high uncertainty avoidance then they are looking to escape any type of difference or change that would occur in their lifestyle, job, culture, government, etc. Characteristics typical of high uncertainty avoidance include a fear of failure, higher job stress, frequent worry about the future and less achievement motivation. Loyalty to ones employer and a tendency to stay with that same employer are also characteristics. This could be viewed as a very positive or negative quality depending on your type of business (Nasierowski).In a business that requires controls and regulations, for example a factory. You would prefer a country with high uncertainty avoidance because you know that they will not try to change any of the products you are producing. They will be more likely to continue following the exact rules, regulations and policy that you have placed in front of them. In business, you will not have to worry about any radical changes or interference. If you want anything new it will have to be introduced slowly and carefully with clear direction. However, you know that once an idea is taken on it will not be tampered with.Conclusion As the world continues to â€Å"shrink†, we begin to experience more globalization and must interact more frequently with other cultures. Through Hofstede’s dimensions we can gain a greater understanding of how to integrate our business with other countries. Being able to understand a country’s culture and how it is different from your own is vital to success in international business. We can decide where would be the best place to do business and how to make it more successful. Before entering a new market the culture and values inside and outside the workplace need to be understood.Almost all businesses are to some degree impacted by globalisation and therefore having knowledge of other countries and other cultures is vital. In this paper we will address three countries from different culture groupings: Japan, from the Independent block, Belgium, from the Latin European block, and Venezuela from the Lat in American block. These blocks are clusters of countries that share common aspects of culture; including geographic location, language, and history. For example, the Latin European block includes not only Belgium but France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Nasierowski). By explaining how these three countries fall into Hofstede’s dimensions we will be able to help you understand some of the advantages and disadvantages of doing business with these cultures (Nasierowski). Advantages include being able to understand what will motivate your employees and business partners and how to communicate properly in different business settings. For example, depending on what country you were in, Hofstede’s dimensions of culture will help you to know the best way to communicate changes to your business partners and employees.VENEZUELA Introduction to Venezuela Venezuela is a Latin country that occupies most of the northern coast of South America on the Caribbean Sea. The rest of Venezue la is surrounded by Brazil, Colombia, and Guyana. Venezuela has a population over 27 million, which could be considered relatively small compared to other countries with thinking in terms of expanding business markets. The capital city is Caracas which has a population of over 3 million. After gaining independence from Spain in 1821, Venezuela continued to go through a period of unstable dictators.In the early 1900’s it became a major exporter of oil. The oil wealth contributed to the large gap between the countries extremely wealthy and extremely poor. Venezuela’s current President is Left wing Socialist Hugo Chavez who promised to even the gap between the rich and the poor. He is dedicated to loosing Venezuela’s dependence on the U. S. for oil exportation and is therefore trying to strengthen his oil shipping business with China. This could be attributed to his close friendship with Dictator Fidel Castro of Cuba. (â€Å"http://www. state. ov†) When revi ewing the country of Venezuela within Hofstede’s dimensions of culture we find that it falls into extremes with both very high scores and one very low score. (Hofstede) Individualism In contrast to the rest of the scores Venezuela has received in Hofstede’s rankings, in this dimension they are only a 12 out of 100. This means a very low individualism in this culture. Low individualism means that they are group oriented people. They are concerned about how decisions will affect everyone in the group. They have in-groups and out-groups and think of people in terms of how they fit into such groups (Hofstede).It is important when doing business to realize that they will be concerned with the training and physical conditions the organization provides. They have a moral involvement with the company and they place a great deal of emphasis on duty, expertness and prestige as life goals. This type of mind set is called collectivism. If you are doing business with a group of peo ple with high collectivism, you must understand that they are looking at the age of a person. Age is an indicator of knowledge and experience. Collectivists want to do business with people who have been around for a while and know them as a group.They do not like outsiders; you must earn your way into their trust and fit into their group the same way they want to fit in to their own group. For doing business with this group of people you must first learn to belong. You as an outsider will not be able to tell them anything or get them to follow you unless you first belong. The same can be considered when marketing or advertising to these countries as they will only want purchase things that will fit into their already preconceived ideas of life and work. Masculinity At 73 out of 100, Venezuela once again has a high ranking.This means that it tends to be a male dominated society and power structure. This can cause the female population to become more competitive and assertive; however , they are still not on the same level as the male population. Masculinity also means that they are looking for earnings, recognition, advancement and challenge (Hofstede). This would be important to keep in mind when doing business with a Venezuelan company or employees because it can help you identify how to appeal to them to get better work or dealings from them.You can recognize that they are looking for larger corporations and organizations and they are attracted to wealth and success. For countries with high masculinity you can easily motivate your employees with money and success. They are looking to own fancy material objects and have the latest technology and accessories. If you want your employees to do something or achieve something all you have to do is entice them with prestige and power. If you are having a business meeting, take them to an expensive restaurant, ear your best designer suit and pick them up in a flashy car. Power Distance This is Venezuela's highest ran king dimension with 81 out of 100. This is an indication of a high level of inequality of power and wealth which is accepted by the culture as a whole. Hofstede states that Venezuela is in the top 5 in the â€Å"employees afraid† category. This means that Venezuelans show a clear distinction between â€Å"boss† and â€Å"employee†. The boss makes all the rules and the employees follow. A Venezuelan employee would not offer their opinion or any ideas to management.They would not ask questions or for clarification of their job either. The large power distance means that people are concerned with getting favour by saying â€Å"yes† to whatever the boss says (Hofstede). This means that when you are doing business with them you must always remember that if they are looking at you as being the one â€Å"in power† they will not contradict you or tell you if they do not understand anything that you are telling them about how your business is going to be co nducted. They will not offer any suggestions.It also means that if they consider themselves to be the ones in power they are not looking for you to disagree with them or ask them any questions. They are also not looking for any suggestions or ideas either. They are only looking for a â€Å"yes sir†. There is also a large wage difference between the top employees and the labourers. Uncertainty Avoidance Venezuela scores 76 out of 100 on the Uncertainty Avoidance Index. This indicates a high level of uncertainty avoidance. As we have discussed earlier, high uncertainty avoidance indicates a resistance to change and new ideas.There are three indicators for uncertainty avoidance, rule orientation, employment stability and stress (Hofstede). Venezuela being a country with a long history of dictatorship and having a large gap between the rich and the poor can easily fit these three indicators and therefore explain the high uncertainty avoidance. People are used to having on leader and being forced to follow their rules. They are very concerned with their employment because there are not a lot of good jobs to be found. Stress can mean many different things and have many different triggers.For a citizen it could be fear of punishment for rebellion and for an employee, a fear of losing one’s job. When thinking about doing business with Venezuela, you would have to take into account that their high uncertainty avoidance would mean that your employees or business partner are looking for rules and regulations to follow. They want stability and are looking for a routine. They do not like change or progression in their jobs. They are not risk takers in business and would need reassurance. ConclusionWhen viewing the country of Venezuela through Hofstede's dimensions of culture, you can get a better understanding of how decisions are made in this culture and how you can create more profitable business dealings within this country or with companies from this coun try. For Venezuelan’s we see that there is a high power distance which means you should appeal to those who are in power if you are looking to create a business deal or if you are looking to make a change. It will also help you to know that you would have to accommodate your employees who would not be willing to contradict you or ask questions.You must also remember that no one appreciates change or is willing to initiate it, which can be very difficult to deal with in today’s ever changing society. Large corporations are more appealing to Venezuelans, as is money, power and appreciation, but Venezuelans live within groups and therefore are concerned about what is best for all those involved in their group. With these things in mind you would be able to create a successful business relationship as long as you are willing to show understanding for the differences in our shrinking world.Other things that need to be taken into account are the political factors. For Venezu ela this is a negative factor as the government has control over everything in this country. The banking process is very complex and so is the purchasing system. You require identification and verification for all purchases. The government is very concerned about citizens investing their money in other countries and would therefore be very involved in any business associations with companies in Venezuela.Your business would have to have some sort of gain for the country as well as your own profits (â€Å"BBC News†). Another indication of the possible difficulties in doing business in Venezuela is that of the ranking given to this country from the World Bank, International Finance Corporation. Each year they show the results from a series of questions they ask of each country for things like getting a permit, property rights, etc. ; all things that would be considered when starting a business in that country. With these results they rank the countries in order.Venezuela is ver y close to the bottom of the list, which means that obtaining permits, business rights, starting a business, paying taxes, and dealing outside of the borders are all more difficult compared to other countries. The official ranking is 177 out of 183 countries (â€Å"Doing Business: Measuring Business Regulations†). This is all an example of Porter’s Diamond which is a theory that helps you look at a country and see certain factors that affect business. Porter discusses how business has several different factors and government is a specific element that can make a difference at any one of the four points in the diamond.The four areas include: firm, strategy and structure; demand conditions; related and supporting industries; factor conditions (Nasierwoski). This country shows an example of how government is heavily involved in the firm, strategy and structure as well as the related and supporting industries. In fact, you could suggest that government is a factor in the e ntire diamond. This is why it is so difficult to do business in Venezuela. Not only is government involved in everything but it is a very strict and controlling government. BELGIUM Introduction to BelgiumBelgium is a small country surrounded by France, Germany, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. Located in one of the world’s most advanced continents and industrialised regions, Belgium is an important international trading partner and a powerful force in the world of international business. Belgium relies heavily on both imports and exports to fuel its growing economy. It was one of the founding countries of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The country also belongs to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.Currently it has the 9th largest GDP in Europe (World Bank) and its per capita GDP ranks among the worlds highest. The country is also home to Europe’s second largest port, importing and exporting goods internationally, in 2010 exports made up 261 billion dollars. The country has a large industrial sector which includes; steel, textiles, refining, chemicals, food processing, pharmaceuticals, automobile, electronics, and machinery fabrication. (â€Å"Belgium Europe†) It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with a population of over 10,400,000. â€Å"Belgium Facts†)Belgium has three official languages; Dutch, French and German although English is widely spoken. The country grants more new citizenships than any other country besides Canada. (â€Å"Eupedia's Belgium Guide†)Belgium is one of the most economically and technologically advanced countries in the world and has very high standards of living. They were one of the first countries to legalise gay marriage and the first county to issue electronic passports. The country is number the one chocolate exporter in the world and ninety percent of raw diamonds are negotiated and distributed in Belgium.The country also has the highest proportion of female ministers in the world and the smallest salary gap between males and females in the EU. (â€Å"Eupedia's Belgium Guide†) This small but powerful country continues to grow and expand its international reach. Individualism Belgium’s second highest dimension is individualism with a score of 80 which means that they put a strong emphasis on the individual rather than the group. There is a large focus on individual achievement, initiative and success. When doing business in Belgium it’s important to treat everyone as an individual who has their own ideas and personality.Individualism is something to be celebrated and standing out is important. Therefore, when working with this type of society, it is important to recognise individual achievements and give rewards and recognition to employees on an individual basis. Recognition and rewards are good ways to motivate employees. In this society personal time and personal freedom are highly valued and therefore it is important to give employees their space and freedom to work. It is important not to monitor employee’s work too closely as this can be interpreted negatively, and employees expect to have the freedom to work independently.Work life and personal life are two different and separate things and privacy in both are respected. High individualism is reflected on the emphasis of ‘I’ as opposed to ‘We’. Individuals look out for themselves and their immediate family and therefore look out for ways to better themselves and advance themselves and their immediate family. It is common to pursue individual goals and self advancement at the expense of others. When making decision people think about how the decision will affect them and do not always think of what is better for others.Employees will often change jobs and job loyalty is not very high. When working in this society it is important not to depend on others or on group s and to work on your own. Promotion and ranking often depend on individual performance and not on seniority. (â€Å"Individualism,†) (Hofstede) Masculinity Belgium’s lowest cultural dimension is Masculinity, at 49 putting it in twenty-second place. Belgium is almost right in the middle so therefore they don’t have any extremes towards masculinity or femininity. The country falls in the middle and value both femininity and masculinity equally.It is important to have both these traits. As a leader it is important to display the traits associate with both a masculine and a feminine work ethic in order to fit in and be accepted. A culture that is more masculine tends to focus more on advancement and earning whereas a culture that is more feminine tends to focus more on a friendly atmosphere and position security. Because Belgium is almost in the middle its important when conducting business to maintain both masculine and feminine characteristic and not bend toward extremes.Realise that although advancement, earnings and money are important it is also important in the Belgium business setting to have cooperation, security and a good work environment. High masculine societies prefer large businesses and high feminine societies prefer small busyness therefore the idea business size for Belgium’s is somewhere in the middle. Big enough to be competitive and aggressive, yet small enough to have a nurturing stable environment for the employees. In the Belgium society there is less of a distinction between genders and gender roles.Therefore when conducting business do not assume that someone has certain responsibilities or has a certain roles due to their gender. Support and friendliness are just as important as brilliance and performance in Belgium. To be successfully in business dealings with Belgium remember to display a mix both feminine and masculine qualities and to treat both genders as equally important. (Hofstede) Power Distance Belgi um’s third highest dimension is power distance. Belgium has a power distance of 60 which means that to some degree it is thought that power is not distributed evenly.Although Belgium has a higher power distance they do not have a really high power distance so people respect authority but are not always afraid to ask questions to superiors. Although there is some two way communication, it tends to be more one way communication. A high power distance means that decision making is more centralised and roles and responsibilities are more clearly defined. Organisations have more bureaucracy and larger pay difference exist between jobs and positions. In Belgian businesses there exists a more vertical organisational structure and more vertical communication.In an organisation with a vertical structure there tends to be more rules and policies and it is important to be aware of these rules and policies when conducting business in the country. Information and communication move upward and downward throughout the ranks. It is important when doing business to give clear and precis directions to insure that everyone understands because they might not be comfortable asking for clarification. The relationship between the member of the top of the hierarchy and the bottom of the hierarchy are limited and very professional.Relationships within organisations are more distant. Therefore in business it is important to know the different levels of jobs and who makes the decisions. Depending on what position you hold you will answer to others who hold higher positions of authority and make most of the rules and decisions. It is important to show respect to those in higher positions. If you are on a lower level you may be restricted to certain information. Problems are usually blamed on the people who work in lower positions. (â€Å"Power Distance Index. â€Å")(Hofstede) Uncertainty AvoidanceThe countries highest dimension is uncertainty avoidance, with a 94 which mean tha t Belgium as a society not mot like taking risks. This high level also indicates the country’s low tolerance for uncertainty. Belgium’s very high level of uncertainty avoidance affects how they do business and must be considered and understood before conducting business with a Belgium company or with someone from Belgium. If you think you can change a Belgian businesses way of thinking or doing something in a short period of time you will not be successful.One of the main aspects is that they like to avoid risk and stay away from uncertain and risky situations, including foreigners and foreign ways of doing business. Having things well planned out and prepared in advanced and having things clearly explained is important. Resistance to change is high and therefore changes must be slowly introduced. Laws of the workplace as well as all other laws tend to be carefully followed so it is very important to understand and abide by Belgium laws when doing business in Belgium. They rely heavily on rules, laws and regulation in order to avoid risky situations.When doing business in Belgium it is important to know your facts and be very organised. Belgians will move towards stable low risk investments and avoid unstable high risk investments. Unstructured and uncertain situations are avoided. Because they fear the unknown, foreigners and new ideas are regarded warily and foreigners who want to conduct business with the country must be careful. Because of the fear of the unknown employees are often stressed and anxious, if it is possible to reduce stress and anxiety you will be a lot more successful.Changing jobs is done less frequently and therefore employee turnover is much smaller and employee loyalty is much higher. (Hofstede) Conclusion When doing business in this country foreigners have to take the cultural dimensions of Belgium into careful consideration of they want to be successful. According to The International Finance Corporation 2011 economy ran kings, Belgium is in 28th place out of 183 countries. The countries are raked on various variables, such as permits and taxes, that look at the ease of doing business in the country.Belgium’s reasonably low score indicated that it is possible to enter the market without too many difficulties. Therefore it is a country that should be given much consideration when looking at foreign markets. Before conducting business with any foreign business it is important to look at the cultural differences and how these differences impact business. In order to understand the culture and values of a society it can be usefully to look at the country’s history and past. Belgium has some similar cultural dimensions to Canada and they are used to working with foreigners and different ways of doing business.Because of this Belgium tends to be fairly open and understanding of other cultural differences. However, in order to be successful and gain the trust and acceptance of local workers a nd businesses it is vital to understand the countries cultural dimensions and how to act inside and outside the boardroom. The biggest disadvantage to working with or in Belgium is their extremely high uncertainty avoidance. The Belgium’s avoid risk and unknown situations in order to protect themselves and their country. If there is anything new or risky it has to be introduced very carefully and slowly, the Belgians would never change overnight.This does not mean however that they are narrow minded or unwilling to change. If you are well prepare, respectful and follow the rules of the country and company you can be very successful in the Belgium market. JAPAN Introduction to Japan Japan is an island surrounded by Russia, China, and Korea. Japan has a population of 127. 08 million, this is a fairly large number considering Japan is only an island, as the population gets bigger the island stays the same size, creating a deficiency of land. The capital city of Japan is Tokyo. ( â€Å"U. S.Department of State†) After the second world war ended Japan started to prosper in their business doings, in 1956 they joined the United Nations, 70 percent of Japan's workforce is in services while the remainder 30 percent are in agricultural and industry. The agricultural good that they produce include rice, vegetables, fruit, milk, meat, and fish, they also export some of these items. The official language of Japan is Japanese, while their business language is English . The Japanese have a parliamentary government and a constitutional monarch. (â€Å"U. S.Department of State†) Japan has a free market economy, it is currently the third largest in the world, its economy is highly competitive and efficient in international trade. Productivity is low in agriculture, distribution, and services. Since Japan has few natural resources trading helps them to earn foreign exchange needed to purchase raw materials for its economy. (â€Å"U. S. Department of Stateâ⠂¬ ) Individualism When doing business with Japan it is important to remember that they have very low individualism and high collectivism. Japan does not believe in individual freedom or rights, it is all about the group and what is best for the group.When doing business with Japan, you must never address a single individual as the company, you must address the entire group. When working in Japan, your work becomes your life and whenever your work needs you must put everything else on hold. Japanese emphasize teamwork and loyalty, groups/colleagues learn to trust and work together at a young age. When entering the Japan market you must first be accepted by the group, once you have the groups support you will be able to trust them to your company good and they will be willing to work long hours for you if provide them with what they need.When working for a company in Japan, the likely-hood of you being promoted is based on your seniority in the company, someone who has been there lo nger than you is more likely to get the promotion, even if you are more qualified for the job. Masculinity During the IBM study for Hofstede's five dimensions Japan ranked number one out of all the countries for the highest masculinity, not only is the country masculine but the citizens are as well. It is unacceptable for a woman to wear pants in a business setting, the men find it extremely offensive. The women must either wear skirts or dresses when in a business environment.Men are the masculine ones of the society, during business discussions when things are not going as planned it is normal for individuals to become aggressive in order to get things completed. The women are the ones to calm the men down and provide comfort for them. Women who are in more qualifying jobs are very assertive, just so that they can be seen as equal to their male co-workers. The management structure of a business is built on rules and order among individuals, there is a hierarchy of power in Japan s ociety and in business'. An employee at the bottom of the ierarchy has no right to talk to someone higher up or even suggest ideas that they feel will benefit their company. It is the employees’ job to do what is told of them and to never question their employer. In Japan, one must sacrifice everything for their work, that includes family and social life, the term â€Å"karoshi† is Japanese for dying because one is overworked. Since the population in Japan is so large, the men and women learn to become competitive and have placed a high importance on achievements, if children were to do poorly in school it would be a disgrace to their family. Power DistanceJapan's power distance is a little higher than average. When doing business with them one must watch out for a few things. When working in Japan, for a Japanese company, it is unacceptable for an employee to talk to their superior with disrespect or talk to someone higher up in the working chain about their current m anager, doing such a thing is considered disgraceful and could cause you to lose your job. In Canada it is common for an employee to comment and try to make their company better, where in Japan if an employee were to make such a comment their employment with said company would be terminated.The employees are dependent on their managers, to tell them what to do and how to do it, it is not their responsibility to think for themselves, that is the job for their superiors. Finding a job in Japan could be difficult for people who are migrating to the country and do not already have a job lined up for them. Japan has a caste system in place, once you are born into a caste it is not very likely that you will move away from it, this being said, the occupation that your father has would be the occupation that you will take over.There is a large income difference in Japan, it is easy to tell what class you belong to. Business cards are very important for the Japanese, when going on business m eetings you should always have about 100 business cards on hand for a one week business trip. Having a double sided business card is very important, make sure that one side of the card is in Japanese and the other side is in English. When giving your business card to others you must hold it in both hands, with the Japanese side facing upwards, also, make sure to bow while passing on your business card.Never forget to pick up the business card and put them in your case, if you forget one of the business cards it is like a slap in the face for the other individual. You will have to bring a small notebook to write notes in and never write on the business cards, it is another sign of disrespect. (â€Å"Venture Japan†) Uncertainty Avoidance Hofstede gave Japan a score 92/100 for uncertainty avoidance, it is Japans most prominent cultural characteristic. Citizens do not like change so they tend to stay with the same company for the rest of their lives, staying loyal to their employ er.Individuals are willing to work if they are provided with job security in return. It is important to remember that Japan does not take well to foreign companies that they do not know, coming into their country and starting a business there. You must first gain the citizens trust and acceptance if you want to do well with your business venture. With uncertainty avoidance comes anxiety. Japanese individuals put up with a lot of anxiety about their work and colleagues. â€Å"In Japan there is the outlet of getting drunk along with colleagues after working hours.During these parties, men release their pent-up aggression, even towards their superiors; but the next day business continues as usual. Such drinking bouts represent one of the major institutionalized places and times for anxiety release† (Hofstede, 118) An important thing to remember is that if you want to work in Japan it is accepted to drink in the office after working hours, during the day it is unacceptable to rel ieve your aggression towards your superiors but it is accepted during â€Å"such drinking bouts†.In Japan it is common for others to ask straight forward questions like â€Å"how much do you make? † and â€Å"how big is your house? † such questions are asked so that they are able to assess what position of the hierarchy you at. Conclusion When viewing Japan through Hofstede's dimensions, you get a better understanding of how they do business based on cultural differences. Japan has a high masculinity, and low individualism, this is beneficial for companies seeking loyalty, and who wish to get tasks done on a timely basis. There are many advantages with doing business with Japan, when you gain heir trust and confidence then they will always be loyal to you and assist with what they can. They will get work done when asked and on time, as long as they are provided with instructions they will do the work to the best of their ability. Only a few disadvantages exist w ith doing business with Japan, a reason why someone would not want to do business with them would be that they consider work to be very important, you would not be able to be sarcastic with them or even try to discuss ways to better the company if you are positioned slightly lower than them on the hierarchical business poll.In the end, if you are doing business with Japan you will always be able to count on them, making Japan an excellent country to do business with. Another factor of doing business in Japan is based on the study that The World Bank does each year that addresses the ease of doing business within a country. Japan has a score of 18/183, they have a relatively low score which indicated that doing business with them would be easy and have benefits in the long run, such as obtaining permits, business rights, starting a business, paying taxes, and dealing outside of the borders is very easy for foreign companies to do in Japan.Japan ranked second as the most technological ly powerful economy in the world, after the U. S.. Technology innovation is very important for a countries development, having a company in Japan helps that company because of all the technology advancements that they make, helping them become first in a market and having an advantage above everyone else. Conclusion to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture As the saying goes â€Å"our world is shrinking†. This means many different opportunities for businesses to grow and expand.It offers more opportunities to people for competition, access to new goods and services, new technology and knowledge. Everyday our world continues to gain new inventions and ideas. However, with this progress also comes a great responsibility. It is the responsibility of each individual to make sure that they have a respect and understanding for this new accessible world. Another saying is â€Å"knowledge is power†, in the world of business this is very true. In the world of globalization th is is even truer.The more knowledge you have about the customs and beliefs of a certain culture, the more successful your dealings with them will be. Geert Hofstede understood this thought and through his research we are able to gain a better understanding of many different cultures and how when we apply them to the business world we can become more successful. In this paper we reviewed three different cultures from three different areas of the world. Although, we did find many differences in the history, background and specifics of the cultures, we also found some similarities in the behaviours of the people who live in these different cultures.Through these observations we are able to understand that when doing business in Venezuela, if you want to be successful you must look and act as though you already are successful because the country has a high masculinity which means they value money, power and success. We also know that to succeed you must be ready to deal with the difficu lties and interference of the government. Venezuelans are collectivists and so they look out for one another inside their perceived groups however this also means that you must appeal to the group when marketing or dealing with them.They also have a high power distance and so they will not disagree with the boss nor will they let you know if they don’t understand. All of these differences are not necessarily bad things but they can make it more difficult to do business with this country. The important thing to remember is that if you know these things about them then you can work around these obstacles to achieve success. Japan is a very masculine country, making them more aggressive which helps to increase efficiency among employees which benefits the company that they work for.Japan also has high uncertainty avoidance, with high uncertainty avoidance employees do not take change very well, Japan has been doing business the same since World War II ended, some would see this as a bad thing but in reality it is very good, this is helpful because it provides a more secure environment and no one is afraid of what they already know. When doing business in Belgium it is important to keep in mind their high cultural dimensions and how this affects doing business.Their highest dimension is uncertainty avoidance flowed by individualism, therefore, it is important to introduce new ideas slowly and celebrate individuality. Although there are differences that must be considered if you do your research Belgium can be a warm and welcoming environment to do business in and to expand your international reach. We have presented in out paper three very different countries from different sides of the world. But which one is best to do business with? Venezuela, although it is the cheapest market to enter, has a very high rating on the WBI and is extremely difficult to enter and presents many obstacles.Also, as we have discussed earlier in this paper Hofstede’s dime nsions of culture outline the differences and difficulties that one would encounter when dealing with the work force in Venezuela. Japan, although the highest ranking on the WBI, has a very different culture and very different language when comparing it to Canada and therefore would present many different challenges also outlined in the paper according to Hofstede’s dimensions. Belgium is therefore our best choice when considering internationalising into a broader market.Its ranking is close to Japan, well above Venezuela however, it is also a lot similar in culture, demographics and attitudes to Canada. One of Belgium’s official languages is French, which is also a benefit to Canadian business people. However, Belgium would be definitely a smaller market expansion according to population size. References About Belgium. â€Å"Eupedia's Belgium Guide. Eupedia, 2010. Web. 21 Oct 2011. ;lt;http://www. eupedia. com/belgium/trivia. shtml;gt;. â€Å"Ease of Doing Business in Venezeula, RB. † Doing Business: Measuring Business Regulations. The World Bank, 2011. 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