Chiles Geography and Culture

Introduction Chile is a developing country that is located in South America. Whites and white-Amerindians constitute 95% of the country’s population of 16 million people (Roraff Camacho, 2011, p. 13). Chile’s unique culture is a complex blend of European traditions and local heritage. In early 1990s, the country managed to establish a democratic political system, which enhanced its economic growth.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Chile’s Geography and Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Consequently, Chile has become an attractive investment destination for foreign companies. However, foreign firms need to understand Chile’s culture in order to succeed. It is against this backdrop that this paper analyzes Chile’s culture. Concisely, it will examine the cultural fit between Excel Learning Centers and Chile. Excel is a North American company whose headquarters is lo cated in Lansing, Michigan. The company intends to join Chile in order to expand its market share. Stereotypes about Chileans North Americans associate Chileans with the following stereotypes. First, they believe that Chileans always arrive late for meetings, stay late, and like socializing. Chileans enjoy socializing during formal and informal meetings since they highly value personal relationships (Roraff Camacho, 2011, p. 32). In Chilean culture, visitors are expected to arrive at least fifteen to twenty minutes late for social meetings such as dinner. On the contrary, most Chileans are always punctual for business meetings. However, discussions in such meetings may take longer than expected. Second, North Americans believe that Chileans have a strange accent or speak in a funny way. This stereotype is true because Chileans normally speak very fast and hardly pronounce terminal consonants in their speeches. Moreover, the variant of Spanish that is spoken in Chile is quite differ ent from the one spoken in other countries. In particular, Chilean Spanish is characterized with a distinctive melody. Third, North Americans associate Chileans with pride or arrogance. This view is partly true because most Chileans are easily offended. Besides, most of them tend to be arrogant or very proud, especially, when dealing with people who are likely to undermine their achievements. Nonetheless, Chileans are friendly and enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds (Langhans, 2010). Finally, Americans believe that Chileans like wine and avocados. This view is true because a typical cuisine in Chile, especially dinner, will always include wine and avocado. Traditional Customs and Values Chile is one of the countries in the Americas where modernization is taking place rapidly. This has led to the fusion of Chile’s traditional customs with western cultural practices. Nonetheless, Chileans still adhere to their traditional values. Chile’s culture is based o n collectivism, rather than individualism, which is common in North America. Consequently, the family is a very important social unit in Chile. Chileans maintain close contacts with their extended family members.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Furthermore, they hardly separate business from family matters, especially, in small companies that are often run entirely by members of a single family (Ahlstrom Bruton, 2009, p. 112). Thus, Chileans consider nepotism as a positive concept that helps in recruiting the right employees. This perspective is likely to be a culture shock to members of Excel since North Americans hardly maintain close relationships with their extended families and consider nepotism as a form of discrimination. Due to modernization, Chile’s class structure follows that of North America, which is based on achievement and possession of materi al wealth (Roraff Camacho, 2011, p. 49). In Chile, education and wealth are the main determinants of one’s ability to belong to a particular social class. Consequently, Excel’s products such as continuing professional education, college tutoring, and training programs for businesses will be valuable to Chileans. This is because the products will help them to acquire better education and skills, which leads to high income and upward social mobility. Behavioral Dos and Don’ts The acceptable behaviors in Chile’s business culture include the following. To begin with, foreign businessmen are expected to have business cards that are printed in both Spanish and English (Langhans, 2010). This will facilitate effective communication because most Chileans have a better working knowledge in Spanish than English. Thus, business executives from Excel should be aware of the fact that any effort they make to communicate in Spanish will be highly appreciated by Chileans . Chileans expect their business partners to arrive on time for meetings. Nonetheless, Excel’s business executives should not be surprised if their Chilean counterparts or clients arrive late for meetings. Even though Chileans value punctuality, they hardly keep time, especially, when attending social meetings (Langhans, 2010). This contradicts North American’s tradition in which businessmen value their time and usually get offended if kept waiting. It is advisable to utilize every chance to socialize with Chileans outside the workplace. This is because Chileans highly value personal relationships with workmates and clients. The relationships enhance harmony at the workplace and facilitate repeat business. In this regard, it is important to focus on building trust when socializing with Chilean clients. Additionally, it is important to avoid controversial topics during informal conversations because Chileans are easily offended (Roraff Camacho, 2011, p. 89). On the con trary, you should not be offended if a Chilean workmate invades your personal life. This is because Chileans mix family and business matters. Thus, they do not hesitate to discuss personal issues with workmates.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Chile’s Geography and Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conducting Business Chilean businesses use a hierarchical organizational structure. This is similar to Excel’s organizational structure in which the president and the board of directors lead the company, whereas other employees hold lower positions. The top-down method is the preferred approach to decision-making in Chilean organizations (Ahlstrom Bruton, 2009, p. 251). Additionally, employees address each other with the proper title and their surname as a sign of respect. Negotiations can take a very long time due to Chileans’ relaxed attitude towards time. Negotiations between N orth Americans and Chileans can be difficult due to the following cultural differences. First, Americans are likely to take risks, whereas Chileans are risk averse. Thus, Chileans will hardly accept any deal that is associated with a sure loss. Second, Americans focus on the interest of the Individual, while Chileans value the interest of the group. Third, Americans consider conflict to be â€Å"a natural by-product of life, whereas Chileans consider it to be dangerous† (Ahlstrom Bruton, 2009, p. 362). Moreover, Chileans do not contradict or challenge their superiors during negotiations. Chileans try as much as possible to avoid conflicts. However, when conflicts occur, mediators are often invited to help the conflicting parties to find a solution. The mediator normally remains neutral and helps each party to understand the offers made by their colleagues (Rodriguez Gomez, 2009, pp. 276-294). Generally, conflict resolution in Chile follows the legal process of the country a nd the protocol established by individual firms. For example, Excel’s employs will use the company’s reporting structure to channel their complaints to the management. Language and Communication Style Spanish is the official language in Chile and nearly every Chilean speaks it (Langhans, 2010). Chileans use Spanish to conduct business since it is the dominant language in their country. Thus, Excel will have to print its training materials in Spanish in order to communicate effectively with the Chileans. Moreover, they will have to hire people who can speak Spanish in order to communicate effectively with their clients. Learning Spanish in Chile is better than depending on an interpreter to communicate. This is because Chilean Spanish is different from the one spoken in other countries.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, depending on an interpreter who is not conversant with the Chilean Spanish can cause misunderstandings. Additionally, most Chileans have inadequate English skills, thereby limiting their ability to translate Spanish to English correctly. The disadvantage of learning Spanish is that it requires a lot of time. Thus, foreigners who are in Chile for a short period may not find adequate time to learn the language. Chileans prefer written to verbal style of communication because they consider contractual agreements to be binding. In this regard, Chileans require their business partners to make written commitments after verbal agreements. Additionally, it is advisable to provide all relevant information during negotiations because Chileans make decisions after meetings, rather than during discussions (Roraff Camacho, 2011, p. 114). This improves the decision-making process by eliminating the need to make further clarifications after meetings. View of Women, Men, and Ethnic Groups Ch ile’s law considers men, women, and members of all ethnic groups to be equal. This is similar to the USA where both sexes and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds are considered equal by the law. In Chile, women have equal or better educational achievements than men. Moreover, academic achievement and social status depend on one’s effort, rather than gender or ethnicity. Chilean women are very influential and participate in every aspect of life in their society. This includes joining the labor force at all levels and holding key positions in public and private firms (Rodriguez Gomez, 2009, pp. 276-294). Nonetheless, more men than women are employed in most Chilean organizations. Religion Christianity is the dominant and the most influential religion in Chile. Approximately 89% of Christians are Roman Catholics, whereas the remaining 11% are Protestants (Carillet, 2009, p. 96). Religious leaders play an important role in the country by contributing to social and poli tical policies. Even though religion has little influence on Chilean businesses, it will have some effects on Excel. This is because the education system in the country uses a curriculum that includes religious teachings. In public schools, religious instructions focus on the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, Excel will have to include religious teachings in its K-12 syllabus. Another implication for Excel is that Chile has religious national holidays. Thus, Excel will have to close during the holidays in order to conform to the country’s traditions. Conclusion The aim of this paper was to analyze the cultural fit between Excel Learning Centers and Chile. The findings reveal that Chileans conduct business in Spanish, rather than English. Negotiating with Chileans can also be difficult because they are collectivists and risk averse. On the contrary, North Americans are individualists and are likely to take risks. Unlike North Americans, Chileans always try to avoid conflicts because they highly value group harmony. The similarity between Excel and Chilean firms is that they both follow a hierarchical organizational structure. Additionally, women, men, and different ethnic groups are treated equally by being given equal employment opportunities. References Ahlstrom, D., Bruton, G. (2009). International management: Strategy and culture in the emerging world. London, England: Palgrave. Carillet, J.-B. (2009). Chile and Easter Island. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons. Langhans, C. (2010). Doing business in Chile: Chilean social and business culture. Web. Rodriguez, J., Gomez, C. (2009). HRM in Chile: The impact of organizational culture. Employee Relations, 31(3), 276-294. Roraff, S., Camacho, L. (2011). Cultural shock in Chile: A survival guide to customs and etiquette. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. This research paper on Chile’s Geography and Culture was written and submitted by user Korath to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Where the Anzacs fighting for Australia or something else essays

Where the Anzacs fighting for Australia or something else essays Were the Anzacs fighting for Australia or the Empire - or something else? The complexities of life during the early half of the 19th century were exemplified in August of 1914. The Great War offered Australians their first chance at forging a national identity, not only for ourselves but also in the eyes of the rest of the world. In the space of eight months Australias nationhood changed irrevocably as Ross Terrill states, At Gallipoli quirks of timing and circumstance, plus wonderful courage and loyalty, gave the young nation an event to turn into legend . This idea of a young nation seeking identity was one of the main reasons for the bravery and courage witnessed on the blood stained, sandy slopes of Gallipoli. The great test in which we needed to prove our worth was upon us, and from that Cove a nation was born. The early Australian newspaper, The Argus, described it as our Baptism of Blood . As Terrill quotes, The Anzac legend joined the bush legend. Both were soon infused with nostalgia for a failed or abandoned cause . Australias need to forge an identity, independent from Britain, is one of the main reasons for Australias volunteer civilian involvement in World War One. Although eighteen percent of the enlisted men in the AIF (Australian Imperial Force), were of British stock , they were second generation middle class families who needed Australia to succeed if they were to prosper. Malcolm Stirling was fighting for something else though, as Richard White surmises, Australians did not necessarily join the war for the same reasons Australia did . For Stirling, and a great many other young men from respectable middle class families who saw no real dissonance between public and private life...notions of pride, duty, honour, sacrifice, loyalty and self-respect...not just for the empire but for his intimate family rel ...

Assignment 3 for CLS325 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assignment 3 for CLS325 - Coursework Example This paper attempts to present the strengths and weaknesses of the two methods. The text-centered method of analyzing culture is considered as imperative in studying social context. Norman Fairclough explains that the theoretical basis for this concept is based on the fact that text itself is the product of people’s perspectives on the society in which they belong. He also points out that â€Å"texts constitute a major source of evidence for grounding claims about social, structures, relations and processes.† (209) In relation to the aforementioned points, it is, therefore, clear that texts serve as effective means of achieving a profound understanding of culture and society. On the other hand, these also serve as powerful instruments of shaping or influencing culture and society, in general, as well. However, there is an apparent weakness in just limiting the analysis of culture and society according to what the text provides. The text itself may not be able to provide an accurate impression unless this is related to the actual conditions that surround it. According to Urpo Kovala, â€Å"the first characteristic of cultural analysis of texts†¦ is that textual analysis be contextual.† (Cultural Studies and Cultural Text Analysis) It is by getting a more comprehensive picture, which may include knowing the author of the text and the personal and social conditions which he or she is in, that a better appreciation of the textual work produced is achieved. The text should, therefore, not be taken as it is but should be related to the context in which it was made. In this regard, its relevance or irrelevance should be understood through the reception of the readers or the receivers. Otherwise, textualism or the text-centered method could be outright weak. The weakness of the text-centered method of analyzing culture is that it tends to be detached from other conditions that may actually be related to the text itself. By merely relying on th e text and disregarding the other aspects that may have influenced its deliverer or creator, analysis becomes vulnerable to one-sidedness and, ultimately, inaccuracy. The reaction of the audience, which is important in determining the practical relevance of the text, also tends to be disregarded when making a text-centered analysis. This inherent weakness of textualism is the reason why Douglas Kellner suggests three aspects to consider in employing a text-centered method in analyzing culture. These are the â€Å"production and political economy of culture; textual analysis and critique of its artifacts; and a study of audience reception and the uses of media/cultural products.† (Kellner 8) All three must be taken into consideration when analyzing culture using the text-centered method. It must be noted that Kellner already mentions the significance of audience impression. Therefore, in an attempt to overcome the weakness of the text-centered method, some concerns that center s on the audience has to be applied. Hence, the method actually loses its being absolutely text-centered. In New Keywords: The Revised Vocabulary of Culture and Society, Terry Threadgold correctly sumps up the point that â€Å"the text is engage in a continuous play of meaning across the field on intertextuality†¦ at the very least, the meaning is mobile, dispersed, and plural, since any text is always subject to the incessant movement of recontextualization.†

What public Sector Bodies can expect from their Auditors Essay

What public Sector Bodies can expect from their Auditors - Essay Example Auditors often provide added value by noting an opportunity for cost-efficient improvements which may arise from the auditors’ investigation and bring these issues to the attention of the management. Thus, it is expected that public auditors should endeavor to promote better decision making and management wherever possible, in order to effect a more efficient use of public resources. Proper auditing in the public sector is essential for maintaining the confidence of the general public during any tenure of managing public funds, and should be carried out to ensure accountability of those entrusted with public funds. On their own part, Malaysian public sector auditors should be accountable for their performance, and it is the duty of public sector auditors to undertake their auditing work in an objective, cost-effective and professional manner, with due regard to the needs of the public sector bodies that they audit. The primary audience of the public sector auditors includes the local electorates, the taxpayers and the parliament, as their statutory functions are executed on behalf of the taxpayers. It is essential for public sector auditors to thoroughly plan each audit with a good understanding of the operational environment. The major value of financial statement auditing comes from the assurance provided to taxpayers due to objective and rigorous auditing. The service provided by public sector auditors also provides value by causing an improvement of financial management. It is important for auditors to endeavor to promote better decision making and management whenever possible, so as to enable better and more effective use of public resources (Kamaruzaman Jusoff 2010). This can be achieved by the dissemination and highlighting of good practice and the provision of technical assistance which will help to promote efficiency in corporate governance arrangements in the public sector in Malaysia. As set down by the statement of auditing 100,

Social Forces Shaping Curriculum Planning Assignment

Social Forces Shaping Curriculum Planning - Assignment Example Educational institutions are supposed to there to nurture children of academic excellence as well as mould them to become highly motivated persons of good characters. The world demands that education should be fitted to transform every learner to become leaders and credible of human resource imbued with multi-disciplinary skills and deep understanding of moral values and traditions. The educational curriculum should therefore be designed by improving the universal values and traditions that are consistent to the quest for global peace and human solidary so that they, at an early age, can make or decided with moral choices and will grow to become conflict resolution managers in their respective fields and communities. There is also such need for educational institutions, to be sensitive to the children whose senses of values are gained from irresponsible parents and those whose limited access to education is also compounded with poor value system within the households. Added to these are social realities and forces that have strong influence in the advancement of educative process. Based on reports, the state has decreased the budget of $548 million for 40 states; the pre-K funding per child decreased in an unprecedented by $442 compared to $3,841 last year due to fiscal adjustments; only 15 states are able to maintain quality education; and there are more than 1.3 million learners that are covered under state-funded educational institutions. There is an apparent increase of enrolment too by 10,000 and thus an increase of learners that should be served. Hence, an expected stagnation and resource allocation problem is expected in state-supported institutions, including possible inability of the academe to meet its targeted benchmarks. But the educational institution, no matter how challenged, is always a product of social and economic life, legislative actions and policies, and even of contextual issues including the advancement of technology or the racial tensio ns. All of these are social forces influencing the educational system. But as these social forces are supposed to transcend beyond the sad condition of the educational system and to rise above the circumstances that influence learners’ knowledge acquisition, the education stakeholders should superimpose that curriculum for them to excel from such causality. The curriculum that must be developed should only be responsive to the needs of the corporate world but must also equipped them of knowledge and the universal values that are consistent to the dream of having a national resources that are brilliant, critical, skilled, resilient, culturally-aware, and responsive of sustaining a multicultural identity. As such, the curriculum must emphasize value formation aside from the usual academic courses on science, math, language, and communication. Value-based education uphold that philosophy on valuing self, people, and its environment by exploring all the ethical and moral theories that could be the foundation to improve the moral fiber of a child (Hawkes, 2013). Theories on human behaviours that could assist the young to learn what is right from wrong; moral and immoral; and to make them accountable in their life’s choices and the consequences thereof (Hawkes, 2013). Through this, they will be encouraged find leaders

Human Resource Management At Walt Disney World Resort Tourism Essay

Human Resource Management At Walt Disney World Resort Tourism Essay Theres probably no place on earth as magical as the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The theme park continues to thrill, delight and exceed its guests expectations nearly 40 years after its opening. The secret to Disneys success is its well-trained, enthusiastic and motivated work force. Its a secret that the founder, Walt Disney himself realized years ago. You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world but it requires people to make the dream a reality, he said. A Brief History The Walt Disney World Resort, is the worlds largest and most visited recreational resort, covering 30,080-acres near Orlando, Florida, USA. The resort was founded with the opening of the Magic Kingdom theme park in 1971. It consists of four theme parks, two water parks, 23 resort hotels, lodges and time-share properties, sports facilities complex, and other recreational venues and entertainment. Epcot park was added in 1982, Disneys Hollywood Studios in 1989 and Disneys Animal Kingdom in 1998. This world famous resort was inspired by the dreams of Walt Disney and his creation of Disneyland in California. The resort is the largest single-site employer in the United States, employing 42,000 people, with over 3,000 different job classifications. More than 1000 people work in the security department alone. Hiring Disney is renowned for being a fun and friendly place at which to work. Its ability to offer attractive incentives make it a desirable place to work and it is constantly evaluating the market to ensure their wages remain competitive. All Disney employees participate in training programs that update them on the latest service techniques, product knowledge, and technology being used in their parks. Disney recruit both internally and externally, advertising vacancies on their website, via the press, job fairs, employment exchanges and colleges. There is a large quantity of college students working in Disney. Employment representatives also travel to Puerto Rico to recruit for positions such as housekeeping, custodial and food and beverage. It s 4 major employment strategies are: Hire the right people Develop people to deliver service quality Provide needed support systems Retain the best people Once potential employees have been identified, interviews follow. The skills and abilities that managers generally look for are: Excellent communication skills Good team player Self motivated Analytical ability Problem solver Leadership potential Strong computer skills Project management skills Relationships-builder Able to manage expectations Personal and professional style Strong business judgment Ability to facilitate and multitask A guest service orientation Disney theme parks promise to provide a superior service in order to create a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦imaginary world where visitors can escape the themes of the real world. To achieve this, the company has to employ people with the proper skills and personalities, who are also motivated, with a clear knowledge of the companys marketing objectives and strategies. Staff have to be polite, well dressed, energetic, enthusiastic, and people-loving, always serving guests whole-heartedly. All staff are provided with an extensive knowledge of the park facilities, rides, and sites. HRM Practises Disney believes in investing in its staff and provide various training programs and learning opportunities for employees to work their way into higher positions. The company promotes from within 70% of the time. Almost everyone including the managers start out in an entry-level hourly job (Disney almost completely promotes from within). There is a program to help hourly workers who want to become part of management, there is another that lets them transfer to the technical unions like plumbers and electricians as an apprentice. That program involves four years of training leading to a very well-paid job. Disney also give educational reimbursement for those who are continuing their education while working for Disney full-time. Supervisors try to create a family-like atmosphere in Disney by offering flexible schedules and on-site day care programs for working parents. . The company also host numerous special events for its employees that are held in the park after hours. Present day human resources practices at Disney are considered to be extraordinary, with all staff being trained in excellent customer satisfaction policies. However HR practices were very poor in the early years of Disney. The Walt Disney Company originated back in 1923, when Walt and Roy Disney started their first animated recording studio. Early animation production was highly labour-intensive. Rigid division of tasks was further delineated on gender lines. By 1941, the Walt Disney Company employed 1,100 people. Ellwood (1998) describes Walt Disney as a notorious workaholic, a perfectionist who pushed his staff relentlessly. Both paternalistic and domineering he rewarded loyalty and punished dissidents. There were no women or black people promoted to senior positions during this period. The company was the only Hollywood studio without union representation and as such was targeted by the American Federation of Labour. Eventually, animators took industrial action over conditions an d lack of recognition in 1941. By the end of the 1990s, the Walt Disney Company had developed into a $23 billion media conglomerate. Cast Members Employees in Disney are called cast members. Quality cast members are a direct result of quality hiring practices. Bonuses are paid to workers who refer new hires. Disney believes its important to have people who have actually worked in different parts of the company, to do the hiring. So these cast members working in the casting office, come from all different parts of the Disney organization, and work on 12-month assignments. While prospective cast members wait for their initial interviews, they watch a short video that describes the interview process and outlines what the company expects of them, if theyre successful. Once hired, all new cast members go through the same 1 and a half day training program called Traditions. Its here they learn the basics of being good cast members, from Disney history to direction on how to meet and exceed guest expectations. Cast members learn they must adhere to the companys strict 13 page manual of dress codes, known as the Disney Look. The Disney Look is a rigid code of cast member appearance that imposes a well-scrubbed, all-American look. It details the size of earrings allowed, to the size of finger nails, to the no tolerance rule regarding facial hair and dyed hair for both females and males. Disneys grooming standards make sense when you consider employees to be part of a cast of characters so there is no room for non-conformity. Every employee is instructed in the Seven Guidelines to Guest Service which highlights the need to smile and to be cheerful. From the very start, staff are encouraged to implement a have a nice day! mentality, and to smile the Disney smile all day. Casting Employees are routinely assigned jobs according to age and appearance, a process officially known as casting. The most presentable get the most popular front-line jobs and shifts. For example: Young and pretty workers get jobs that involve a lot of interaction with customers; Haitian women generally work in housekeeping; Older women sell in the shops Older men work in security Puerto Recons work in food preparation African Americans work as stewards or cooks, More than a 100 Africans are employed in the Animal Kingdom, to lend authentic flavour. Anyone who might appear less presentable work on the night shift Cast Members receive some excellent benefits including: Health, Dental, Life Insurance Complimentary Theme Park Passports Learning and Development Opportunities Paid holidays, vacations, and sick days Retirement plan. Scholarship Program 30% Discount on park merchandise Employee Stock Purchase Program Access to a Cast Member-only lake and recreation area with tennis, volleyball, and an Olympic-size swimming pool. Educational Reimbursement Educational Matching Gifts Program Service Awards Employee Cast Member Contests Childcare Centres Credit Unions Employee Stores Cast Members usually work 40 hours or more each week, with quality service being the responsibility of every one. Each one measures service quality levels, establish benchmarks and set goals, as there is no person in charge of quality. Instead of one quality director, Disney has 42,000 of them. (Paton S. M. Service Quality, Disney Style, Quality Digest) Disney University Many hours have been devoted to designing successful employee universities which train workers in the Disneyland philosophy. Walt Disney established the Disney University to teach these unique skills. The University provides cast members with free world-class training in diverse skills including computer applications, professional development, management/leaderships development, health safety, interviewing, business, etc. Empowerment Disney is committed to employee empowerment. Employees are empowered to resolve all guest issues on their own, with managers only getting involved in extreme circumstances. Managers use service measurement teams to empower employees. 1 or 2 employees from each department take note of any service issues that might take from a guests stay at the resort. By keeping records of every problem, and how it was dealt with, helps to reduce the chances of it happening again. To keep up-to-date with their guests expectations, Disney also collects huge amounts of data about guests from opinion polls, surveys, focus groups etc. From this information, the company know that the top three things that guests expect are for the parks to be clean, friendly and fun. Every worker, from the CEO to cleaner, know these 3 expectations well, and is empowered to make them happen. All employees know, too, the definition of quality at Disney: Disney defines quality as attention to detail and exceeding guest expectations. Performance Appraisals Management use performance appraisals and performance surveys, to measure internal service quality. The annual performance appraisal is designed to give the employee a broad perspective of his/her accomplishment from the previous year and to identify upcoming challenges. Another strategy employed by managers to deliver service quality, are monthly development action plans. (DAPs) (Zeithaml and Bitner, 2000) Rewards Disney certainly know the true value of retaining productive employees. Annual turnover amongst its employees is only 20%. This low turnover is made possible by treating employees like resort guests, and the extensive employees reward programs, Disney offers. There are in excess of 50 different reward and recognition programs, that are geared towards maintaining high employee morale, the most prestigious award being the Partners in Excellence program. This award involves one employee nominating another employee (who has excellent attendance and no disciplinary action record). The nominated employee then receives a bronze statue of the company founder, Walt Disney, and is invited to a dinner ceremony where he/she is individually recognized for his/her outstanding accomplishments by company executives. Disney also rewards employees through service pins, attendance awards, and Recognition-O-Grams (ROGs). Recipients usually wear service pins on their uniforms, which they receive service pins on their first, fifth, tenth, twentieth and twenty-fifth anniversaries. Attendance awards are also offered to employees after one, three, five, ten and fifteen years of perfect attendance. The awards range from honorary certificates to a $2000 gift certificate. Recession hits  Disney Theme Parks Like many other industries, the entertainment industry has been affected by the world economic downturn. Early this year, Disney reported a 32% drop in net income for its fiscal first quarter of 2010, attributing the results to the recessions effects on its studio, television and parks. The Walt Disney Co. axed 1,900 jobs from its theme parks in California and Florida. Walt Disney World in Orlando eliminated 1,400 jobs. The original Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, axed 300 positions. The rest of the jobs were eliminated at the companys corporate headquarters at Burbank. These decisions are not made lightly, but are essential to maintaining our leadership in family tourism and reflect todays economic realities, said Mike Griffin, a Walt Disney World spokesman. Those laid off received a 60-day paid administrative leave, a severance package that is based on their years of service, extended medical benefits, and job placement. According to the Los Angeles Times: Disney is bracing for an extended downturn as people skip theme parks to save money. The recession, and the recent decline, has really hit the theme park industry, but it has hit the destination parks more than the regional parks, People are staying closer to home, the newspaper said. Trade Unions Workers are represented by 34 unions, the biggest being the Service Trade Council Union (STCU), The STCU represents about 22,000 F/T and 5,000 P/T workers at Disney World. The SEIU is part of the STCU, a consortium of six trade unions that is the only group certified to bargain with the Disney company. In the last two years alone, Disneyland Resort has successfully negotiated nine agreements with the union. These agreements included wage increases, sick pay and access to seven affordable and reliable health care plans offered through Disneys Signature benefits package for full-time cast members. Conclusion This essay looked at the human resource practises that have been adopted at Disney in order to maximize the delivery of superior guest services. Reasons for the companys success include emphasis on customer service, and a focus on the elements of efficiency, courtesy, show, and safety. It has shown how employee strategies at Disney lead to the attainment of exceptional service quality. Disney takes a lot of care with its casting department and regularly assess its pay packages and new ways of recruiting. It offers a competitive package of wages and incentives to its staff, such as free park admission and discounts on park merchandise. In the past, Disneys theme parks has been fairly recession-proof. But this year, fewer people found their way to the Magic Kingdom as profits were down from 2008-10. Disney said the company manages its operation based on demand, and like any other business it is subject to the ups and downs of the economy Its important that management stress to workers that employee development and empowerment is an on-going process, as the actions of empowered employees have enabled Disney to develop a lasting relationship with millions of guests worldwide. The human resource department must continually develop successful recruiting strategies and effective reward and recognition programs to maintain high morale and promote teamwork.

Affirmative Action :: essays research papers

Affirmative Action Ten percent too much or too little? Over two hundred years ago the country was founded by a group of white european christian men wanting to make a better home for themselves and their families. They wrote the Declaration of Independence to form the basis for their beliefs that all men are created equal. This was followed by another document, the Constitution. The Constitution set a foundation of expectations for the government and the people. The Constitution has been modified with amendments over the years. Some of these changes included basic rights for classes or groups of people that were not included in the original document. Today these changes have been incorporated into the life style of the American people and are considered as part of everyday life. One group of changes has been in the rights of different groups of people. This includes women’s rights, veteran’s rights, along with minority rights. The government also ensured the rights of people through civil rights acts and executive orders. T hese civil rights acts addressed discrimination in employment, government grants, loans or contracts and education. The first executive order addressing equal opportunity in the work place was 10925 signed in March 1961. (1995) Another, Executive Order 11246 dated September 24, 1965 and amended by Executive Order 11375 dated October 13, 1967 put federal requirements in place that mandate employers to add affirmative action programs in business practices to aid hiring and advancement of minorities. This order was to support and help the recognition and treatment of the following categories; race, religion, color, national origin and sex. (Gutierrez) This was to help diversify the work place while assisting the incorporation of differences in society. The order would not allow quotes but directed the use of programs and goals to achieve the desired effects of incorporating more diversity in the work place. There are other government methods to encourage the fair treatment of people, independent of the previously listed groups. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 has many regulations and rules against discrimination in educational institutions. These rules apply to institutions as an employer, but also to student admissions. These rules state that the â€Å"†¦affirmative action programs must be â€Å"narrowly tailored† to remedy past discrimination†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gutierrez) Diversity and discrimination has been an area of concern and focus for over 50 years, as can be seen by the dates in the previously stated government actions.