...particular first graders, about multicultural societies. However, there are some aspects of the story that do not make it a great multicultural book. To start, Louie talks about the importance of “authenticity” and the effects of “inadequate representation” of a cultural within a story. Based on the content of the story, it is unclear of the specific culture the story is referring to. The story tells the reader that it is taking place at a market...
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...BUSINESS SOCIETY & CULTURE Businesses interact with wider society they are part of. Businesses are affected by society, for example in the kind of goods and services they expected to produce and businesses affect society by their activities. It is a two-way process. Some of the ways in which business affect societies are negative, and usually governments limit these activities by law. For example, some business activities damage the environment. In addition, there are ethical constraints set by the wider expectations of society. For example, it is legal to sack workers for some actions, but society may think the sacking is unreasonable, and the business may feel pressured to not do it. CULTURE is comprised of many different elements that have been passed down for generations, including knowledge, belief systems, experiences, values, attitudes, religion, art, ideas, law, morals, customs and way of perceiving the world. Some aspects of culture are visible, such as the way people dress or the food that they eat, while other elements of culture are invisible, such as the importance of religion, belief surrounding the role of family in a society, or the way people think and feel about certain issues. While the visible aspects of culture are often easy to spot, it usually takes much more time and efforts to understand and appreciate the importance of the invisible. However, it is usually the invisible elements of the culture that have the most impact on the way people view the...
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...modern times. Throughout his analysis of Spiro’s history La Vera describes the culture of Spiro’s ancient inhabitants, and the cultural clash that began at Spiro between professional archaeologists and grave robbers- or “pot hunters” as they were fondly called. Through these description La Vera is able to show how culture affects the relationships that are formed in and between groups and how it almost lead to the near complete destruction of Spiro mounds, still considered to be one of the greatest archaeological tragedies in America’s history to date. Due to this travesty Looting Spiro Mounds shows...
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...Religion and Social Structure In every society, social structure is the product of institutional constellations, which reflect the needs of individuals within that society. Social structures are created based off societal importance imposed on 6 main fundamental institutional constellations (McIntyre, 2011 p. 141). Institutions are in a sense the response to the needs a particular society may have. The six institutions are family, religion, economy, law, politics, and science. The designated emphasis on these institutions formulates social structures, which are unique to that society. An example of a social structure may be a company, law enforcement, political party, or church (McIntyre, 2011 p. 143). The needs of societies’ vary greatly depending on culture, geography, way of life, and history. Therefore, each society has a distinct and unique social structure created from the importance associated with the six institutions. To further elaborate on this point, this essay will address the institution of religion and its role in three different societies: the San of Nambia, Mexican, and German. Religion is highly variable from society to society with wide ranges in integration, importance, and type of belief. And, it is these variances that produce the distinctly different social structures that can be observed in all societies. For the San people of Nambia, religion is a vastly different from what is known as western religion. For the San, religion is not dependent...
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...Introduction: Psychological theories assume cultures and cross-cultures as stable and homogenous. But democracy, globalization, and high immigration rate brought a new interest for psychologists to think about cultural diversities in terms of psychology. Culture refers to many characteristics of a group of people, including attitudes, behaviors, customs and values that are transmitted from one generation to the next. (In this term paper I had put more stress on “Emotions in cross-culture”.) Emotions in cross-cultures: Although emotions are universal phenomena, they are affected by culture. While some emotions are universal and are experienced similarly as a reaction to similar events in all cultures but some emotions are particularly culture specific and are experienced, reacted and provoked and perceived by surrounding society in complete different manner. Though Ethnographic studies shoe considerable cultural differences, no general conclusions can be drawn regarding what cultural aspects affect emotion or to how much extend do they influence emotion. It might be the same emotion but the event that revokes that specific emotion may be different in different cultures. The way a person perceives himself in a relation with the society affects his emotions. Primary motives are common across all parts of the world. For example Hunger, Thirst is felt by every individual. But secondary motives such as success etc. depends on what society expects one to do and also external motivation...
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...Macionis and Plummer (2012, p. 144) defines Culture as a “the values, beliefs, behavior, practices and material objects that constitute a peoples’ way of life”, and Sociology as “the systematic study of human society” (Macionis and Plummer 2012, p.964). In light of this, Cultural sociology demands that culture and social structural forces, especially economic forces to be dissociated in order to allow a form of cultural self-governance, rather than these cultural structures to be seen as external to individuals. The following essay will discuss the frame work of cultural sociology developed by Jeffery Alexander. In order to discuss how important cultural sociology for the development of South Africa is, I will assess to what extent contemporary South Africa embodies the characteristics of a cultural society in comparison to surviving practices and traditional beliefs. Theoretical framework of cultural sociology is best described as the importance of culture being seen an independent variable. Alexander (2003), emphasizes the importance of culture shaping society instead of culture being a product of society. He puts culture first and highlights that, “To believe in the possibility of a cultural sociology is to subscribe to the idea that every action, no matter how instrumental, reflexive or coerced vis-a-vis its external environments” (Alexander 2003:12). Comparatively, “Sociology of culture” implies that institutions, irrespective of how impersonal and technocratic have an...
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...MIB Subject: INTRODUCTION TO CHINESE CULTURE Title: THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE ON BUSINESS ACTIVITIES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CHINA AND NIGERIA Name: Afouda Dotun Ehizojie Student’s ID number: 31540020 Date: 2015-11-27 Grade: Teacher’s signature: Abstract According to Zimmerman (2015), culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. It was also described by Murphy (1986) as that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs, and many other capabilities and habits acquired by members of society, which gives them their sense of identity. From this we understand that the influence of culture on individuals cuts across every aspect of their lives including business practices. This paper seeks to analyse the influence of culture on the business practices of these two different countries; China and Nigeria, and also comparatively analyse the influence of the traditional culture of these two countries in other to better understand their business practices to foster smooth business relations. Keywords: Culture, Business practices, China, Nigeria, Society. INTRODUCTION Culture which is widely referred to as the total...
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...................................................................................................8 Do's & Don’ts in Italy............................................................................................................................9 Bibliography........................................................................................................................................10 2 Power Distance The PDI (Power Distance Index) deals with the inequalities amongst individuals. It is defined as „the extent to which the less powerful members (…) within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally“ (Hofstede, 2013a). Therefore, a high PDI implies that hierarchy is important and that class division in society is accepted and normal. Italy has a PDI of 50, which means that it is positioned exactly in the middle of the ranking. Therefore, hierarchy and inequalities are accepted and managers, for example, get more benefits than their subordinates (e.g. reserved parking space, larger offices, etc.) (Hofstede, 2013a). Usually subordinates are not allowed to call their...
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...Culture and its implication on the international business management. Introduction Today, problems associated with global business management have been identified as factors that negatively impact the performance and productivity of multinational corporations and in turn, adversely affect regional and national economic growth The goal of this paper is to analyze the influence of culture in international business. The globalization of the world economy has intensified international relationships, increasing the importance of cultural dimension. The world is being affected by the globalization of the economy. This phenomenon is bringing movement of companies, assets, services, capital and people. Analyzing globalization this process is taking the world to major changes in the economic, technologic and social areas, which are having consequences in all organizations and societies that participate in this globalized market. It is a process that does not bring equal benefits to all participants. The globalization concentrates more of its actions in some sectors of economic activity and some regions and countries, rather than acting everywhere. With the world getting flatter doing business anywhere in the world is easier today, because of major changes in technology, global politics and expanded educational opportunities. But it is not only businesses that are affected. Governments, NGOs and society itself is changing at a fast pace. Nevertheless going forward can only happen...
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...Importance of the Society With the establishment of the American Pomological Society, a new era dawned on the science of fruit culture on this continent. The spirit that animated Van Mons, Knight, Noisette, Esperen, Bivort, and other savants of Europe, reached our shore and spread its benign influence across our continent; and wherever the school, the church, or the foot of American civilization has found a home, there our fruit-culture has been seen to follow as the handmaid of refinement, health and domestic comfort. This enterprise has now awakened a zeal through our borders which was never before known in the annals of pomologieal science. Strange, indeed, that it should be left for us of this new world to establish the first great National Society for its promotion - a society which embraces in its organization the largest area and the most varied climate and soil of the globe, where almost all fruits may be grown with success. The progress of fruit culture in our land is indeed wonderful. To encourage this by a cordial spirit of intercourse, to elicit and disseminate correct information in regard to the fruits of our vast territory, and to direct, control and advance this most important branch of terraculture, were the objects in view; and thus to establish a pomology for America which shall endure long after its founders shall have passed from the earth. Few are aware of the powerful influences which this association has exerted and is exercising on the pomology of our...
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...history of native world cultures, focusing on prejudice and inhumane treatment of ancestral members of society. It shows individuals from different cultures displaying intergroup relations and describing similar responses to ancestry hardships with a focus on the same dreams of hope and equality. The group, all though different share many ancestral experiences and tend to have a common bond and shared cultural norms. “Proponents of functionalist theory emphasize that the various parts of society have functions, or positive effects, that promote solidarity and maintain the stability of the whole” (Parrillo, 2014, p. 19). The ancestors of the individuals in the film made it possible for them to see the effects of the future in a different light. They demonstrate and discuss ways to raise awareness and improve interaction patterns between all cultures. In addition to setting goals and taking the necessary step to initiate a revision....
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...DID SOCIETY KILL JACITHA SALDANA It was only meant to be joke, a prank call at the expense of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. It was not intended for any harm, just a funny wake up call to the sleepy Australian public via a popular radio show. Yet it resulted in the unprecedented popularity (for the wrong reasons) of Mel Greig and Michael Christian and the death and destruction of the livelihood of the Saldhana family. The question to be asked here is not why the two Australian DJ’s decided to pull a prank on the royal bloodline of the United Kingdom, but why a prank call would prompt the suicide of a woman who merely acted as the “receptionist” in the event. It is a question in which we must look away from the noose of the rope as the culprit and delve into the sociological reason behind her death, pure and uncomplicated shame. Primarily, we must define what society actually is. According to German sociologist George Simmel, it is the element of companionship, which defines the true essence of society. The sociological definition of society is “the people who interact in such a way as to share a common culture” (CliffsNotes.com. Culture and Society Defined. 1 Jan 2013 .) Thus the culture of a society “consists of the beliefs, behaviours, objects and other characteristics common to the members of a particular group or society.” (CliffsNotes.com. Culture and Society Defined. 1 Jan 2013 .) It is under culture that aspects such as values, norms, tools and institutions...
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...Chantel Carter History 4330 Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Hero Every culture has its heroes. In the poem Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxon view of a hero is revealed. In Anglo-Saxon culture, to be a hero was to be a warrior. This is due to the fact that they derived from a Germanic culture. A hero had to be strong and skillful, courageous, and loyal. At the same time they also had to be generous and humble. Beowulf’s courageous and respectable qualities depict the Anglo-Saxon’s view of a hero during that time. In addition, the respect the characters show for their kings illustrate the high esteem in which the Anglo-Saxons held their kings. These examples also show the importance of gaining honor in this culture. The characteristics of Beowulf, the respect held for their kings, and the importance of honor provide a glimpse into the Anglo-Saxon society. One of Beowulf’s characteristics that are shown early on in the poem is his strength. When he arrives in the land of Dane, he is described as having “the strength of thirty in his mighty hand-grip.”1 Beowulf’s first challenge is to rid the land of the monster Grendel. He decides to make it more than just a simple task of slaying the monster when he declares that it will be a hand-to-hand fight. I have heard it said this evil monster in his wild recklessness scorns all weapons. I therefore decline, that Hygelac my lord may be pleased to the heart, to take any sword or broad-braced shield, yellow war-wood, into this combat, but with my...
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...Dr. Jose Rizal became a national hero for a reason. He was a reformist, a novelist, a poet, a novelist, journalist, an optalmologist, and revolutionary. He sparked the 1896 revolution against the Spaniards. He gave importance to education, our freedom, promoting peace and equality, being proud of our filipino heritage, and many more. Although, while I was growing up, he was never one of my idols, or someone i really looked up to. I never really felt Rizal’s importance and presence in our culture. In fact, if not for this paper, the importance of Jose Rizal would have never crossed my mind. Dr. Jose Rizal was nothing more than another lesson to learn about in History to me. I knew he was many things, and contributed a lot of things to the country but all of these didn’t really mean that much to me. The Relevance of Rizal today, is something I have yet to discover in writing this paper. Growing up, I was in an environment highly influenced by the western culture. The school I was in, in my grade school years was a school where not many of the kids knew how to speak straight tagalog. We struggled with our Filipino classes and this resulted to really easy Filipino lessons because the teachers knew we were not very good at it. Looking back, I realize that the lessons we had in my grade school were extremely easy, compared to the ones they would have in other schools. We barely used Tagalog or Filipino at home. English was the first language taught to the children in our family...
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...The Importance of Understanding Culture in International Business | Business Management in an International Context | | The increasing number of interactions between independent countries, companies and people has highlighted the importance of an understanding of global cultures, both national and organisational. Culture plays a large role in the way individuals behave and interact with one another and therefore plays an important role in business interactions across cultures. Many definitions of culture are offered, but one more relevant to culture in international business is : “Culture is the way in which a group of people solves problems and reconciles dilemmas.” (E.Schein 1985) The first way in which countries can be broadly categorized is into either a high context or a low context culture. High context cultures place more emphasis on the importance of group identity. They have a high sensory involvement and participate more readily in bodily contact. Low context cultures prioritise individualistic properties. They use body language less frequently and are monochronic thus placing a high importance on timing and scheduling. Most Northern European countries and other western societies are low context cultures. It has been suggested by the acclaimed social scientist, Norbert Elias (1978) that the development of society and the basis of its’ cultural contexts are closely associated with the prominent historical groups of the region leading to an establishment...
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