Management Style in the UK and Japan - Case Study Example

Reflective Portfolio Table of Contents Part A: The learning Log 4 Week Personal Language History 4 Week 4: Critical Incidents (CI 5 Week 5: Training plan 5 Week 6: Business ethics 6 Week 12: Management style in the U.K and Japan 7 Part B: Application activities 8 Week 3: Language development 8 Week 8: Semi formal e-mail 9 Week 14: Minutes of the Meeting 10 Week 20: Report Writing: Greenery in the University of Northampton 11 Executive summary 11 Introduction 11 Findings 12 Conclusion 12 Recommendation 12 Week 23: Formal Letter 13 Reference List 15 Part A: The learning Log Week 1: Personal Language History Early Language History My birthplace is the city of Wuhan, located in Central China. Since the city has been divided into three parts by the Yangzi River, there exist a number of dialects. Moreover my homeland is an important traffic area of China between inland and coastal. These local dialects are seen to strongly impact the actual language of Mandarin and many are not able to converse in the language correctly. As a kid, my mother only taught me to speak Mandarin and did not encourage upon me speaking any other language. As a result pronunciations and understanding of the language was good enough. Hence I have always respected my mother’s decision to train me well to speak Mandarin. Educational Experience Due to proper training provided to me in the early childhood years, in respect of speaking Mandarin, by the time I began primary education my accent was quite good as compared with other students. Teachers in each formal school were required to use Mandarin as a result of which I didn’t face difficulties and could easily adjust with the school environment. Even though many of my classmates could understand Mandarin they could not speak the same fluently. The local dialects impacted the manner in which they spoke. After class I used to speak with my classmates using Mandarin, however they insisted upon talking in the local dialect. Idiolects Until the age of 16, my Mandarin pronunciations and manner of speaking was not impacted by the colloquial dialect. However with the passage of time there came slight influences of the local dialect upon the manner in which i spoke Mandarin. In general i use Mandarin in my daily life quite extensively for communicating with others and i use the local dialect very rarely or when speak jokingly (Dornyei, 2003). Week 4: Critical Incidents (CI-1) Cross cultural issues in organizational communications is common phenomenon. From my experience of studying the cultural environment existing in different organizations, I have gained the important understanding that due to the existence of differences in the manner in which work is carried out in organizations, their interactions and communication strategies may differ (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). In case of the incident analysed in the current paper, it is quite evident that companies X and Y are strategically different from each other when it comes to communicating strategies and discussing the same (Gunderson, 2001). From the case given it can be stated that company X believes in having a united approach towards putting across their opinions when they communicate with other organizations. Additionally it is also seen that organization Y adopts a laid back and softer approach towards expressing negative comments (Batt, 2002). Contrarily it is observed that organization Y believes in expressing their opinions straight forwardly. They express their needs and expectations openly and believe that clear communication is essential to take business decisions in a quick and effective manner. This type of an organizational culture is witnessed in modern organizations. On the other hand organization X is based on traditional cultural beliefs (Homburg and Pflesser, 2000). Week 5: Training plan On the basis of the VAK (Visual Auditory kinaesthetic) questionnaire, i essentially feel that my competencies and performance can be improved through either coaching, mentoring and role play techniques. A combination of these techniques would serve as the best. Similarly the basis of the skill set and behaviour assessment questionnaire it is seen that a direct on the job and visual training experience would be more suited. I feel that my primary weakness is lack of technical expertise and knowledge about operations. Due to this there lies adequate incapability in respect of taking effective and confident decisions. I believe that through coaching it would be possible for me to improve my hard skill sets. As my knowledge in respect of technical operations enhance, I believe that it would be possible for me gain greater confidence. Moreover it is also essential that I gain useful insight regarding my approach towards work, colleagues and communications styles. These areas require suitable mentoring. Additionally it would be highly beneficial if i gain the opportunity of being able to gain visual training on the basis of role play (Klein and Weaver, 2000). Week 6: Business ethics I firmly believe that organizations must essentially support and actively indulge in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR are directed towards stakeholders such as the government, suppliers, creditors, employees and customers. Organizations irrespective of the nature of their activities must ensure that interests of stakeholders are met at all times (Kochan, et al., 2003). Companies carry out commercial activities for providing benefits to the society. Hence the needs of the society must be adequately fulfilled. Moreover a firm sustains because of the valuable resources it is able to procure from the society. Therefore it carries adequate responsibilities to ensure that no harm is caused to the society. There exist mutual relationship between organizations and the society (Ulrich, 2013). Firms which only focus upon maximizing profits might not be able to meet the needs of consumers and other stakeholders. I strongly believe that organizations are required to operate in a socially responsible way so as to ensure that the needs of the society of present and the future are met effectively. Additionally CSR activities are also directed towards ensuring that employee grievances are met on time. Companies which efficiently follow the principles of CSR are seen to procure greater goodwill and win consumer trusts easily. Companies such as Nokia, Apple, Toyota, Microsoft and Ford can be cited as examples of firms who are well known the society for their effective ethical implementation of CSR (Vita, 2001). In China I feel that companies are lacking in developing and implementing CSR. Chinese organizations are constantly seeking to enhance profits and reduce costs of operations. This has led to rapid exploitation of resources. Most organizations in China face issues with employee management due to improper CSR implementation. As per my understanding of Chinese firms, it can be stated that most organizations neglect CSR activities as they consider the same to be cost inducing (Treviño and Weaver, 2003). Week 12: Management style in the U.K and Japan The topic selected for the group presentation was studying the management styles which exist is the U.K and Japan. I was required to prepare slides in respect of organizational structure and decision making. Since me and my team members had interests in studying the diversity existing in organizational cultures, selecting the topic was easy and disagreements relating to the same were less. My team members were extremely cooperative and all aspects of the presentation were discussed well in advance before on the same (Ahmad and Schroeder, 2003). The power point slides were organized by first dividing the topic into different sub sections. Then each member was assigned with different sections. Once I obtained my area of work, I began collecting necessary information and chalked out the main points. I prepared a draft of these slides and sent the same to my team members. Other members also did the same. The draft of all slides was then collaborated together to check whether all points agree with each other. Post this we began to add more details into each of our respective parts. Finally all the slides were collaborated together into a single power point presentation (PPT) through suitable formatting. The next task was to practice presenting the PPT in front of an audience. We conducted around three rounds of practice to ensure that no mistakes are made. The practice sessions were highly useful for developing clarity and minimising mistakes. As a result of all the efforts, the final presentation was highly successful and our mentors were adequately satisfied with the work. I was extremely satisfied with the groups as well as my individual work. The marks provided to us were also as per our expectations further enhancing our satisfaction and motivation (Sadler–Smith, et al., 2003). Part B: Application activities Week 3: Language development I intend to become a sales executive in the future. Language proficiency is an important characteristic requirement for executives in this field. Accordingly, I have formulated the following the plan based on SMART objectives: Smart- I am required to work upon three important areas of communication. These are essentially speech, vocabulary and reading. Measurable- I will ensure that I learn a minimum of five new words each day and use the same in my daily communication. This would impact enhancing the quality of both my verbal communication. I will also ensure that I read a minimum of ten pages each day. Attainable- It is essential that I use English in my daily communication so that my learning’s in respect of new words can be put into use. As my communication with others improve, I can know for sure that my set targets of learning new words and reading are effective. Relevant- I aim to develop a career in sales and therefore it is essential that I enhance my language speaking abilities adequately. Time Bound- I language development plan is set for a time period of eight months. Hence by the end of the set time period I expect my linguistic abilities to improve drastically (Storey, 2001). Week 8: Semi formal e-mail Dear Tom, Nanshan Clothing has overtime achieved immense success in the e-commerce market of China. It is known to you that due to increasing competition and saturation of market conditions, it essential for us to enhance our services and reach to greater markets. As online clothes retailers, constant expansion is essential for preventing loss of market position. Considering such a situation I would like to suggest you to consider entering the market of India. The online clothes sector of India is seen to rapidly expand. However in order to expand into the Indian market, Nanshan would require to make a few changes in their product segments. The traditional dresses of India would be required to be added in the product portfolio, apart from existing modern clothing styles. Indian consumers are attracted towards well presented information and impressive tag lines. Hence the website for the company in the Indian market content must be catchy with easy navigation facilities. Indian consumers also prefer many pictures of the products. Hence the virtual presentation capabilities of products on the website must be further enhanced. A major advantage Nanshan would procure is their cheap pricing policy which adequately matches with the consumer needs existing in India. I hope you would take into consideration my suggestions. I would be glad to provide you with further information regarding this matter if you deem it to be necessary. Thank You, (Name) (Designation) Week 14: Minutes of the Meeting Title - 29 April 2015, 10:00 AM, Town Hall in Santa Monica Present Members who were present at the meeting were: Carl Gutzman (Community Mayor) Edith Raven (project director from the head office in Europe). Manuel Garden (Local to the country) Juan Garcia (Leader of the local farmers group) Mary Fernandez (Local Member of Parliament) Carl Gutzman acted as the chairperson of the meeting. Apologies Josef Eider (Community Health Officer) was unable to attend the meeting. Topic 1 / problems : Loss of area population due to lack of employability opportunities. Also there exists lack of proper infrastructure especially road connectivity. Topic 2 / Suggestion + problems The development of an eco tourism venture that is expected to improve the areas infrastructure as well as employability. Topic 3/ Actions To consider developing the eco tourism venture by meeting the needs of all stakeholders, in a sustainable manner. Date of next meeting: Four week later, at the same time and place. Week 20: Report Writing: Greenery in the University of Northampton Executive summary In order to develop a healthy and sustainable environment, green initiatives must be essentially be undertaken by every institution. Most universities located in the U.K are seen to undertake strong initiatives for environmental protection. The current report essentially analyses the manner in which the University of Northampton implements green policies and efforts taken to conserve environmental resources. A number of sustainable practices of the university in this respect have also been analysed. The report concludes with identifying suitable measures by which the green policies of the university can be improved. Introduction The current report is based upon assessing the manner in which greenery is conserved and enhanced in my campus. It is essential that the researcher establishes suitable knowledge of environmental greenery. The report is beneficial to the university authorities for enhancing sustainable development in the campus. It is essential that the researcher procures adequate knowledge in respect of “green initiatives” while preparing the report. The research aims to identify gaps in the existing environmental and sustainable practices. Findings The university at present focuses upon a number of green practices such as waste water management, use of recyclable energy, carbon management and enhancing the biodiversity index existing in the campus. It also participates in a number of seminars and projects for conservation and p0rotection of the environment. The highly efficient plans of the University for enhancing the quality of the environment have received many awards. Conclusion The university has immense reputation in terms of operating sustainably and minimizing environmental footprint. Continued innovation in the area of sustainability and environment conservation facilitates the university to develop better green initiatives for the future. Recommendation The university is seen to give less focus upon expanding their recycling abilities. In my opinion it would be highly beneficial if the efforts taken towards recycling paper and other materials are also implemented. Week 23: Formal Letter Santa Monica Development Committee 454, Main Street, Chile 90607 Hargreaves Consulting Company 155 High Street Kensington London N3 5EU 29 April 2015 Dear Mr. Hargreaves Our community in Santa Monica considers that the need of an eco-tourism venture is essential to improve the conditions existing in Chile. The area in the recent times has become isolated due to lower employability. Many youngsters have left the area due to such a scenario. Hence it is feared that overtime the traditions and the values existing in the locality would be lost. Additionally there exist massive needs for developing the infrastructure of the area, especially the road conditions. The committee has considered seeking the help of your consultancy to procure necessary ideas through which the venture can be made successful. On the basis of the condition existing in the locality a SWOT analysis has been conducted. The primary strength identified was the existence of environmental beauty. However a major weakness is the loss of human resource as population in the area has been lowering. Another major weakness is the lowly developed infrastructure. The primary opportunities associated with the area are the possibility to enhance tourism revenue by developing new eco tourism spots. With the development of tourism it is expected that it would be possible to develop the infrastructure and the employability opportunities existing in the area. A major threat existing in the area is the potential loss of traditional values due to reducing population. Recently the local government of the area was contacted by the Budman and Co. for developing an eco tourism venture. It is essential that the tourism venture is undertaken on the basis on the interests of the stakeholders and the environment at large. The project is valued at 10 million dollars. The project is required to be implemented in a sustainable manner so that no harm is caused to the environment. We hope your consultancy will assists us in making this venture successful. We would be glad to provide you with any further information required. Regards, Sylvia Delgado Committee Clerk Reference List Dornyei, Z., 2003. Attitudes, orientations, and motivations in language learning: Advances in theory, research, and applications. Language learning, 53(1), pp. 3-32. Homburg, C. and Pflesser, C., 2000. A multiple-layer model of market-oriented organizational culture: Measurement issues and performance outcomes. Journal of marketing research, 37(4), pp. 449-462. Klein, H. J. and Weaver, N. A., 2000. The Effectiveness of an Organizational‐level Orientation Training Program in the Socialization of New Hires. Personnel Psychology, 53(1), pp. 47-66. Treviño, L. K. and Weaver, G. R., 2003. Managing ethics in business organizations: Social scientific perspective. London: Stanford University Press. Vita, G. D., 2001. Learning styles, culture and inclusive instruction in the multicultural classroom: A business and management perspective. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 38(2), pp. 165-174. Sadler–Smith, E., Hampson, Y., Chaston, I. and Badger, B., 2003. Managerial behavior, entrepreneurial style, and small firm performance. Journal of Small Business Management, 41(1), pp. 47-67. Storey, J., 2001. Human resource management: A critical text. New Jersey: Thomson. Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2014. Armstrongs handbook of human resource management practice. New York: Kogan Page Publishers. Kochan, T., Bezrukova, K., Ely, R., Jackson, S., Joshi, A., Jehn, K. and Thomas, D., 2003. The effects of diversity on business performance: Report of the diversity research network. Human resource management, 42(1), pp. 3-21. Batt, R., 2002. Managing customer services: Human resource practices, quit rates, and sales growth. Academy of management Journal, 45(3), pp. 587-597. Ahmad, S. and Schroeder, R. G., 2003. The impact of human resource management practices on operational performance: recognizing country and industry differences. Journal of operations Management, 21(1), pp. 19-43. Ulrich, D., 2013. Human resource champions: The next agenda for adding value and delivering results. Boston: Harvard Business Press. Gunderson, L. H., 2001. Panarchy: understanding transformations in human and natural systems. New York: Island press. Read More