The Culture Of Pakistan Essays - Iranian Plateau, Pakistan

The Culture of Pakistan The Culture of Pakistan: An Interview with Sohail Shah by Introduction to Sociology, MTW 10am Mrs. Linda Cook February 15, 1995 I am always fascinated with other people's cultures. The New York or Californian culture always amazes me although these states are in the United States. These areas of the nation seem very different than Texas. I do not have any friends that have recently moved here from another culture so, I set out to my neighborhood Stop N Go. The clerks at this convenience store are all from other countries. One clerk whom I have talked to many times, named Sohail Shah, always spoke of Pakistan. I often listened to his stories of being in the Karachi police force or of Pakistan's different customs. Sohail Shah, a thirty year old male clerk at the Stop N Go located on North Braeswood near Chimney Rock, has been in the United States for four years. He moved here with his wife and two children to "escape punishment". Sohail claims he was in the secret police protecting th e president when many governmental changes were made. Many of his co-workers were put in jail for many years for reasons he would not openly discuss. He has to work two jobs because his wife does not work. According to Mr. Shah, she will never work. In Pakistan, women are to stay home and raise children. Currently, Sohail is observing the holy month of fasting called Ramadan. This is observed during the ninth month of the Islamic year and is ordained by the Koran, the Islam holy book. The fasting begins every morning at dawn and ends immediately at sunset. Muslims cannot eat, drink or smoke at all. In the evening, regular activities resume. The Islam driven culture of Pakistan shapes everyday life. Each day, all Muslims pray five times. The first is before sunrise, the second around noon, the third in the late afternoon, the fourth immediately after sunset, and the fifth before retiring and before midnight. They face the Kaaba, which is a small box in Mecca. No matter where a Muslim is, he will pause, face the East, and pray when it is time. When Sohail lived in Pakistan, he lived in a house with his whole family. As an adult, he lived with his parents and siblings as well as his wife and children. The house was large enough to accommodate over fourteen people. All the women stayed home to keep up the house and prepare meals. If the women were to go to the market, they would completely cover themselves except for their eyes. Women were not to be seen in public without covers. Also, the wives wait for their husbands to come home before eating. The Koran approves of polygamy, allowing up to four wives. If a Pakistani decides to marry a second wife, his first wife must approve of her. Shah says polygamy is not very common in Pakistan. A typical day in Pakistan for Shah was to wake up before sunrise and pray. His wife would prepare breakfast for him before he left for work. He would leave for his police work when an armored truck stopped at his house. He was an of ficer in the police force before being promoted to the secret police. Shah rode around Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, in the truck with twelve other rifle carrying policemen the entire day. Although there is nearly zero crime in Pakistan, the threat of terrorism keeps the police busy. The crime situation is based on severe punishments such as amputation of a hand for stealing. In addition, the people of Pakistan have a very strong conscience. People leave their homes and businesses unlocked while away. When Sohail returned home, his wife would have dinner already made for him and his entire family would eat when all the men returned from work. While the men are away, the women take care of the children, bake bread, and make pottery or baskets to sell at the market. His large family would then discuss different topics of interest before retiring. I found that the funeral arrangements are somewhat strange. First, women may go to

Strategic Management and Successful It

Strategic Management and Successful It Strategic Management and Successful It-related Change Essay Topical Study Guide for Exam 1 To help focus your efforts in preparing for Exam 1, you may find the following list of topics useful in your review of Chapters 1 & 2. 1. An understanding of the general concept of information technology in business, including the meaning of, and the relationship among, the following: a. Information systems b. Function IT, network IT, and Enterprise IT c. Examples of the each of the three categories/types of IT 2. Understanding the three roles of managers relating to information technology in business, including: a. Identifying appropriate IT opportunities i. The magnitude of IT investment ii. The relationship of IT investment to business needs, objectives, goals and strategies iii. The basis of true productivity gain and sustainable competitive advantage iv. The importance of top-down imposition of technology standards in support of successful development and implementations of enterprise IT b. Smoothing the introduction and adoption of IT i. Identify, describe, and distinguish two theories of change management and technology acceptance ii. Organizational complements necessary for successful IT-related change, and there relevance to the adoption and implementation of function IT, network IT and enterprise IT c. Ensuring the mitigation of IT Risks i. ITs of IT risks 3. Basic concepts of strategic planning, including: a. Overall process of

Bariatric Surgery Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Bariatric Surgery - Research Paper Example Firstly, according to Padwal et al., bariatric surgery is the solution to the treatment of type 2 diabetes that occurs in conjunction with obesity when all other methods have failed to produce positive results. It has been evidenced that some individuals that undergo the procedure with high blood sugar levels recover within days to weeks after the surgery. Buchwald et al. demonstrated the applicability of bariatric surgery in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes in a case whereby all other medication approaches had failed to produce results. Secondly, the area of study chosen for this study is in Australia whereby the members of the public have raised a lot of concern about the reasons as to why patients with obesity and diabetes type 2 have to spend the rest of their lives in healthcare centres in addition to facing unstoppable deaths either from the two conditions or from other conditions associated with obesity. This particular study will, therefore, bring into practice a therapeutic procedure known as bariatric surgery into practice, whose outcomes are desirable with reduced times of stay in the hospital and also associated with little chances of hospital re-admission. Pharmacotherapy is also advisable, but it has its own risks of adverse effects hence should only be administered if the benefit is worth the risk. Obesity is as serious as any other chronic disease hence partnership between the patient with the high motivation of recovering and committed health practitioners is essential.

Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty of TESCO Essay

Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty of TESCO - Essay Example Tesco PLC is a public limited company in the retail industry and its headquarters is in the United Kingdom. Tesco is a general merchandise and British multinational grocery retailer. After Wal-Mart, it is the second largest retailer in terms of profit margins and is even the second largest retailer in terms of revenue growth in the world’s retail industry. Jack Cohen in 1919 invented the company as a chain of market stalls. The name of the brand ‘Tesco’ appeared in the shipment of tea that Cohen had purchased. The supermarket’s store that was about 500 in the 1990s is now approximately about 6350 located in various locations. Tesco expanded its business very rapidly and has a market share of about 30%. The countries in which the company has entered and is operating brilliantly are UK, USA, Thailand, Malaysia, Mainland China, Hungary, Czech Republic, Japan, Republic of Ireland, South Korea, Poland, Turkey, etc. The main idea behind the research study is to a nalyze the customer satisfaction and customer loyalty at Tesco. Customers are the most important factor behind the success or failure of a company. It is very much important that the organization takes effective measures to satisfy the customers and build a brand loyal customer base that would generate high revenues for the firm. Tesco through its market expansion strategy has become the market leader in UK retail industry. It has enhanced on its strengths and explored the possible opportunities and developed some innovative strategies to acquire the maximum percentage of the market share.

Do You Support the Allowance of Women Into Combat Positions Essay Example for Free

Do You Support the Allowance of Women Into Combat Positions Essay Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced Thursday a lifting of the ban on female service members in combat roles, a watershed policy change that was informed by women’s valor in Iraq and Afghanistan and that removes the remaining barrier to a fully inclusive military, defense officials said. Panetta made the decision â€Å"upon the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,† a senior defense official said Wednesday, an assertion that stunned female veteran activists who said they assumed that the brass was still uneasy about opening the most physically arduous positions to women. The Army and the Marines, which make up the bulk of the military’s ground combat force, will present plans to open most jobs to women by May 15. The Army, by far the largest fighting force, currently excludes women from nearly 25 percent of active-duty roles. A senior defense official said the Pentagon expects to open â€Å"many positions† to women this year; senior commanders will have until January 2016 to ask for exceptions. â€Å"The onus is going to be on them to justify why a woman can’t serve in a particular role,† said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the plan before the official announcement. The decision comes after a decade of counterinsurgency missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, where women demonstrated hero ­ism on battlefields with no front lines. It dovetails with another seismic policy change in the military that has been implemented relatively smoothly: the repeal of the ban on openly gay service members. Lawmakers and female veterans applauded Wednesday’s news, saying the ban on women in combat roles is obsolete. â€Å"This is monumental,† said Anu Bhagwati, a former Marine captain and executive director of the Service Women’s Action Network, which has advocated for the full inclusion of women. â€Å"Every time equality is recognized and meritocracy is enforced, it helps everyone, and it will help professionalize the force.† Critics of opening combat positions to women have argued for years that integration during deployments could create a distracting, sexually charged atmosphere in the force and that women are unable to perform some of the more physically demanding jobs. Advocates and experts say women are unlikely to flock to those positions, such as roles in light infantry and tank units and Special Forces — although some may. More substantively, they say, lifting the ban will go a long way toward changing the culture of a male-dominated institution in which women have long complained about discrimination and a high incidence of sexual assault. Changes long sought Lawmakers and advocates have long pressed the Pentagon to create a more inclusive force, yielding incremental changes. The American Civil Liberties Union recently sued the Pentagon over its policy, calling it discriminatory. Last year, military officials opened numerous job categories to women after a study concluded that the Defense Department was ready for greater inclusion in combat units. That made it easier for women to be assigned, for example, to combat brigades as radio operators. It also gave commanders a sense of how a broader integration process could work, said an Army general who played a key role in last year’s effort to open new positions for women. â€Å"The average professional will say, ‘I’ve served with women at all levels, and based on my experience, women have done a phenomenal job,’ † said the officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the change had not been formally announced. Ads by Google AMU Military UniversityChoose from 87 online degrees at American Military University. www.AMU.APUS.edu/AirForce The debate over the supposed pitfalls of women and men sharing close quarters has been rendered moot by the recent wars, he said, adding: â€Å"If you were having this debate in peacetime, it might be more emotional.† The fact that women have excelled in de facto front-line roles in Iraq and Afghanistan has proved such concerns unwarranted, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), the head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in an interview Wednesday afternoon. â€Å"The reality is that so many women have been, in effect, in combat or quasi-combat,† he said. â€Å"This is catching up with reality.† In a statement, Sen. James M. Inhofe (Okla.), the leading Republican on the Armed Services Committee, voiced a measure of concern, saying last year’s study raised â€Å"serious practical barriers† that, if ignored, could jeopardize the â€Å"safety and privacy† of service members. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), another member of the panel, said he supports the decision, but he alluded to some of the thorny implementation issues that have yet to be addressed. â€Å"It is critical that we maintain the same high standards that have made the American military the most feared and admired fighting force in the world — particularly the rigorous physical standards for our elite special forces units,† he said in a statement.

The Theoretical Studies Of Organizational Culture Commerce Essay

The Theoretical Studies Of Organizational Culture Commerce Essay The term culture has been used by anthropologists to refer to the customs and rituals that societies develop over the history. It has also been used by some organizational researchers and managers to refer to the climate and practices that organizations build up around the espoused values and credo of an organization. ( Edgar H. Schein,organizational culture and leadership p7). (Hofstede et al. 1990) define Culture as holistic and that involves a larger group of individuals. He asserts that Culture is historically related; it is an emergent phenomenon and is conveyed through traditions and customs and that people tend to hold on to their ideas, values and traditions. Culture is not something inherent but learned and it is human made. It is shared by a group of people. Culture is build upon interactions between people, who are sharing values and beliefs to produce behavioral norms. According to Trompenaars (2003: 26) Culture is necessary for human, it is like a guide. The culture allows to the human to have norms and valuesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the culture plays an important role in business. Culture is learnt and passed on from generation to generation; it belongs to one group in particular and it influences the behavior of group members in uniform and predictable ways (Mead 1998, p.4) A culture is a powerful determinant of group behavior and is setted up by the way employees work and behaves in the work place. Culture is considered a powerful, enduring and pervasive influence on human behavior through the socialization process within a culture individuals learn the norms and expectations of membership of that society the right and wrong of doing things. (Cartwright and cooper,1992). The culture concept is not only deep but also wide and complex (Schein, 1992). The onion diagram: According to Hofstede (2001) culture appear in numerous levels of depth such as symbols, heroes, rituals, and values. The first three layers, symbols, heroes, and rituals represent the layers of culture that are visible to outsiders. These are the practices of a given culture but their cultural meaning may not be obvious to those who are not a part of that culture hofstede(2001 10:8). Symbols are words, gestures, pictures and objects that hold a particular meaning only recognizable by people who share the same culture. The words in a language or jargon belong to this category, as do dress, hairstyles. New symbols are easily developed and old ones disappear (Hofstede, 2001). Heroes are persons, alive or dead, real or imaginary, who possess characteristics which are highly prized in a certain culture, and who serve as models for behavior (Hofstede, 2001). Rituals are collective activities, technically superfluous in reaching desired ends, but within a culture are considered as socially essential. Rituals are also ways of greeting and paying respects to others, together with social and religious ceremonies for example (Hofstede, 2001). Symbols, heroes, rituals are considered as practices. The core of culture is formed by values. Values are broad tendencies to prefer certain states of affairs over others. Values are feelings with an arrow on it: they have a plus and a minus side (Hofstede, 2001). They deal with evil vs. good, dirty vs. clean, ugly vs. beautiful, abnormal vs. normal, irrational vs. rational, etc (Hofstede, 2001). Values are one of the first things that children learn unconsciously and implicitly. Because they were acquired early, many values remain unconscious to those who hold them. as a result, they cannot be discussed nor can they be directly observed by outsiders , They can only be inferred from the way people act under various circumstances (Hofstede, 2001). Definition of corporate culture: The concepts of organizational culture and corporate culture can be debated to hold opposing views although the concepts often are used interchangeable in literature. A plethora of definitions of corporate culture exist in the organizational theory literature. Anthropologists have proposed at least 164 different definitions of culture (Howard, 1998). Although all the theorists believe in the importance of the culture in the organizational studies but Very little consensus exists with regard to a general theory (Sorensen, 2002). There is still no Generally agreed definition of the concept or dominant point of view itself but rather a richer mixture of ideas and approaches. The study of organizational culture indicate the way people are living and working together. Nahavandi and Malekzadeh (1998:80) state that culture is the beliefs and assumption shared by members of an organization. The term culture is often used as if companies do have only one culture, but in reality most companies do have more than one set of culture. Similarly, Krystek (1992) confirms that there are different cultures in different parts of an organization. Alike, Buono Bowditch (1989) assert that in most big companies, there is more than one unified corporate culture. In other words, the organizational culture affects practically all aspects of organizational life (Buono 2002; Cartwright Cooper, 1996). Barney(1986) define culture asa complex set of values, beliefs, assumptions, and symbols that define the way in which a firm conducts its business. Harrison and Stokes (1992) describe  «culture is to an organization what personality is to an individual. It is that distinctive constellation of beliefs, values, work styles and relationships that distinguish one organization from another. OReilly and Chatman (1996, p.166) define organizational culture as a set of norms and values that are widely shared and strongly held throughout the organization. Values define what is important and norms define appropriate attitudes and behaviors for organizational members. OReilly and Chatman (1996, p.160). Sadri and Lees (2001, p.853) states that the corporate culture originates from the fact that the individuals inside an organization have different ethnical or social backgrounds. Inside an organization they together build up norms and rules which results in a corporate culture. Schein (1988, p.9-10) emphasize that in a company where there are only one or a few individuals in the organization they create the organizational culture solitary on their own beliefs. In larger organizations the culture is heavily depending on the originator or the stronger people inside the organization, often people who have worked there for a long time or management. A quotation from Lee, Kim and Yu (2004, p.340) illustrate the corporate culture, a common expression used for describing a particular work practice inside an organization. The way we do things around here. The culture does not only consist of one assumption or one belief, the culture is constructed by all the common assumptions and beliefs which the members of the organization have. (Hatch, 1997, p.213 and Schein 1988, p.9-10) According to Edgar Schein(1992), a noted MIT Professor of Management, researcher and author in the area of organizational culture defines culture in his classic book: organizational culture and a leadership as a pattern of shared basic assumptions, invented or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with the problems of external adaption and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore is taught to new members of the group as the correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to those problems. Furthermore, he define that cultures inside organizations consist of three different levels, assumptions, values and artifacts. According to (Hatch.1997, p.210) these three levels affect and describe the culture inside an organization: Artifacts The artifacts are the tangible things which the organizational members have constructed (Hatch, 1997, p.216). Artifacts are the visible elements in a culture. It is important to know that although the Artifacts are tangible and can be easily discerned but are hard to understand by people not part of the culture. They are at the outer limit of the culture and therefore easy to misinterpret, as they often are individuals reflections of the assumptions, they do not have to represent the core of the culture (Hatch, 1997, p.217 Schein, 1988, p.11). Artifacts can be dress codes, furniture Through a process of realization, artifacts take on the symbolic meaning of the organizations values, work climate, work processes, etc. Espoused values   Espoused values are the second level which affects the organizational culture, it consists of the social principles and goals set by members of the group. The values could be represented by the philosophies, democracy, tradition or other principles which the members endorse of or believe in. (Hatch, 1997, p.214 Schein 1988 p.9) Norms are a part of values, and these are the unwritten rules which exist in the organization. The norms express what is expected from the members and how they should behave in certain situations. The values are an extension from the assumptions, and make the culture more alive (Hatch, 1997, p.216 Schein 1988, p17) Assumptions   Schein (1988, p.9-10) claims that assumptions are the ground and core of the organizational culture, which could be seen as the beliefs inside an organization. The assumption represents the reality which the members inside the organization accept as true and what they perceive as important. This constructs the truth which permeates trough the organization .They are difficult to discern because they exist at a largely unconscious level. (Hatch, 1997, p.217) claims that the assumptions affect all the other levels. Members from the organization create values and artifacts which symbolizes the cultural core as they are based on the organizations assumptions. Smircich (1983) covers the same ground as Schein, but in five stages. Lees (2003) has adapted the theories from Schein and Smircich and conducted a model of culture that is especially relevant for mergers and acquisitions (see table 2-1). Following the viewing of the different definitions of corporate culture, we can sum up that corporate culture is a philosophy or norms that guide an organizations policy or the climate in which members of that organization act together and work together. Corporate culture in merger: Organizational culture is an important aspect in shaping individuals commitment, productivity, and longevity with the organization (OReilly, Chatman Caldwell, 1991). An organizations culture helps to shape and determine the manner of conduct by the members and the practices inside the organization that lead to success. it can be considered as a driver of workforce behavior. It has a significant impact on the way employee feel, think, act and make decision. In todays business world, corporate culture has a high influence and become an important issue in organization because its play a vital role in the success and achievement of goals that why it is important not to ignore or neglect it while planning and executing mergers and acquisition . The concept of corporate culture must be understood in order to allow managers to describe and understand any organization and keep staff company together to achieve its organizational goals and objectives. An effective corporate culture is a remarkable competitive advantage and the key to organizational effectiveness in MA. Organizations that strongly align their organizational culture to maintain their business strategies have a tendency to outperform those organizations whose strategy and culture are not aligned. The corporate culture is perceived when companies merge can be compared to what culture is to an organization what personality is to an individual. When two dissimilar organizational cultures are brought together typically the case in mergers and acquisitions we can expect only two outcomes: it will produce discomfort and end up with a cultural clash or both cultures will fit each other under the umbrella of one unifying culture. Strong culture Robbins, S. P., (1998) defined a strong culture is one that is internally consistent, is widely shared, and makes it clear what it expects and how it wishes people to behave. Kaufman, (2002) stated that a positive organizational culture reinforces the core beliefs and behaviors that a leader desires while weakening the values and actions the leader rejects. Peters and Waterman (1982) indicates that a negative culture becomes toxic, poisoning the life of the organization and hindering any future potential for growth Strong culture exist where employee react to incentive because of their alignment to organizational values. on the contrary, there is a Weak Culture where there is little alignment with organizational values and control must be exercised through extensive procedures and bureaucracy. Kilmann, Saxton, and Serpa, (1986) defined strong cultures as those where organization members place pressure on other members to adhere to norms. Byrne, (2002) indicates that a strong organizational culture will exert more influence on employees than a weak one. If the culture is strong and supports high ethical standards, it should have a very powerful and positive influence on employee behaviour. the corporate culture is divided into strong culture and weak culture. Strong culture takes place in organization where staff responds to stimulus because of their alignment to organizational values. Certainly, strong organizational cultures are those where the core values of the dominant culture are strongly believed by the great majority of organizational members. On the contrary, weak culture exists where there is little alignment with organizational values and where the control must be exercised through extensive procedures and bureaucracy. Strong cultures in which the key values are deeply held and widely shared have a greater influence on employees than the weak cultures. The more employees accept the organizations key values, the greater is their commitment to those values and the stronger the culture is. Strong culture vs weak culture Quantitative analysis has shown that firms with strong cultures outperform firms with weak cultures by facilitating coordination and control, emphasising common goals and increasing employees efforts (Kotter and Heskett, 1992; Gordon and DiTomaso, 1992). a strong culture enhances an organizations ability to execute its strategy (Tushman and OReilly, 1997). In an organization with strong culture, employees are more prepared to take responsibility and fulfill their mission within the organization with enthusiasm. Strong organizational culture serves to provide group members with a way of giving meaning to their daily lives, setting guidelines and rules for how to behave. ( Schein, 1991, p. 15. ) The types of corporate culture Four types of organizational culture were proposed by Harrison (1972) and used in Cartwright and Cooper (1992) work. The Understanding of an organizations culture permits to identify cultures and classify them by making comparative overview. The type of corporate culture classify organizations by a set of characteristics that describe how employee interact with each other ;what are incentive and rewarding system that motivated the workers to furnish their commitment and output in order to attain the underlined goals . Type 1: Power culture. It is characterized by the concentration of power in the hand of a single or small group of individuals (the president, the founder, a key of manager) .in this type of culture, Culture is autocratic and control is the key element and it is common in small entrepreneurial organizations or family tradition business. Reward systems are often inequitable as they are influenced by personal preferences. Employees are motivated by feelings and a sense of personal of loyalty towards their boss or owner because Power cultures tend to have inequitable compensation systems and other benefits based on favoritism and loyalty, as well as performance. Employee demonstrated their loyalty seeking the reward due to out a fear of punishment. Decisions are centralized around one key individual element and tend to be based on hunches and past successes as on logical way of thinking. Type 2: Role culture. Today this type of culture is common in almost organizations. Culture is highly autocratic and it is based on logic, rationality and search of effectiveness. There is an obvious division and specialization of Labor and the culture is results-oriented. The procedures and regulations are clearly defined. Organizations are split into various functions and each person within the function is giving a particular role that has to be executed. This type of culture tends to be inflexible and slow to change due to the high degree of formalization. This culture can be experienced by employees as impersonal and frustrating. Type 3: Task/achievement cultures. Emphasize on the accomplishment of the task and problem solving with success being judged on the achievement. The culture is team-oriented as individuals are gathered around and committed to work in teams for a specific task. The structure is active and flexible depending on the given task . Employees are flexible, creative, and highly autonomous. Employees are respected for their knowledge and valuable skills rather of their hierarchical seniority. People tend to be creative and the working environment is generally satisfying. Type 4: Person/support culture. It is characterized by egalitarianism. Person cultures are commonly found in charities or nonprofit organizations. Organizations with a person/support culture have minimal structure and decision making is carried out on a shared collective opinions. The managerial style is supportive and quick to respond to individual needs. Furthermore, information is shared collectively. Decision-making occurs after discussion of all involved members and with their consensus. Organizational versus National Culture   The purpose of this paper is to examine what is the difference between national and organizational culture and how they are related to each other? What is appropriate in one national setting is wholly offensive in another.   What is rational in one national setting is wholly irrational in another.   And, corporate culture never trumps national culture.  Dr. Geert Hofstede In this part, we focus an insight regarding the cultural aspect of mergers and Acquisitions and to identify the role and the differences between national cultures and corporate culture. Due to the globalization and international trade, many mergers and acquisitions are now crossborder, which imply to give a lot of attention to national cultures that differ from country to another. After an MA transaction, many acquired companies experience many cultural issues possibly because their employees do not like the acquiring companys way of doing thing. Lees (2003) claim that corporate culture is seen as a subculture of the national culture with visible points of distinctiveness and large parts of invisible similarities. Therefore, the organizational culture is divided into the organizational climate (as superficial part) and the national culture (the deep culture part). National culture can be noticed in human interactions and organizations, whereas corporate culture can be related to the environment of business organizations. The common values, customs, practices and behaviors of people groups differ widely between countries; therefore employees bring their cultural inheritance inside the company. All this components that exist outside the company, in the national culture, exist also inside the company as well. Additionally, in cross borders MA the culture of the company reveal peoples values and beliefs, which found its basis in the national culture. Organizations are small and tiny entity with a distinct structure including a set of basic norms, values and assumptions, which are reflected in a variety of patterns of actions by employee and subcultures of the wide national culture. There are different subcultures in one culture. According to Lees (2003), the best manner to make a difference between national and organizational culture is through sorting out organizational culture as subculture of national culture. Researchers often consider organizational culture as the micro context and national culture as the macro-context in which employees operate. In the same way, Hofstede et al. (1990) state that organizational cultures should be distinguished from national cultures; others assert that national culture must be consider along with corporate culture (Scott and Meyer, 1994; Sagiv and Schwartz, 2007; Dickson et al., 2000). The prevailing judgment in researches has been leaded by cross-national comparison based on the hypothesis that culture is principally equivalent to nation. The observations of Nancy Adler (1983 International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior) drive out the myth that organizational culture can Moderate or even erase the influence of national culture; a faith often found within large global corporations and concluded that national culture outweighs organizational culture.   (Lees, 2003:269) affirm: To really understand the organizational culture in a foreign target, acquirers first need to Understand the national culture . According Dr. Geert Hofstede, there are differences between national and organizational cultures. -The national culture is related to our deeply held values regarding and change slowly over the course of generations.    -in contrast, Organizational culture is comprised of broad guidelines which are rooted in organizational practices learned on the job.   The difference between national and organizational cultures is that the differences between national cultures are mainly found in the values of the different cultures, whereas differences between corporate cultures are mainly found in the practices between different companies. (Hofstede, 1991) Some authors as Hellriegel Slocum (1993), and Schein (1999) state that corporate culture is a system of shared values and beliefs that are common to the members of an organization. Hofstede (1997) argues that the core of organizational culture is not values, which he attributes to national culture, but shared perceptions of daily practices because an organization is not a nation. The main difference between organizational and national cultures is the role that manifestation of culture, presented in the onionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ diagram as practices, play in each level (Hofstede, 1997) because Values are acquired early in the life, from family, school, surrounding environment. Practices are learned later, when already as an adult people start working (Hofstede, 1997). In the process of merger and acquisition, what is often disregarded and underestimate is that the differences between cultures may create managerial challenges for the new entity mingling employee from different cultures. For example in the merger, people from different cultural backgrounds and national cultures can be socialized into the culture of the merged company, and therefore follow the corporate culture, but if the corporate values are contradictory and counter the national cultural values, employees will be resisting the companys corporate culture. Since the corporate culture is argued to be deeply embedded in the organizations history and in the behaviour of the employees, corporate culture creates difficulties when implementing change in MA (Lees, 2003). Melewar and Wooldridge (2001) argue that corporate culture cannot be easily manipulated. Laurent (1986, in Weber et al., 1996), on the other hand, argues that it is possible to change artefacts and values and beliefs, but it is not possible to affect the underlying assumptions because they are derived from ones national culture. However, researchers have demonstrated that organizational and national cultures are different constructs with distinct contents and influences (e.g., Bartunek, 1984; Hofstede et al., 1990; Sackmann, 1992; Chatman and Jehn, 1994; Numic, 2008). (Hofstede et al., 1990) found evidence for this in a study conducted across 20 Danish and Dutch organisational units ,His research showed that organizational cultures differ mainly at the levels of symbols, heroes and rituals. This stream of literature recommends distinguishing between national culture and organizational culture. Finally, National culture can be seen as one of the most Influential factors that determine organizational phenomena. The company corporate culture reflects to a large extent the national culture of which the company is part (Schneider and Barsoux, 2003). Hence, The differences between corporate and national cultures can lead to cultural clashes . National culture: Merger and acquisition join two companies reflecting two different national cultures. Many differences can be established between national cultures because those cultures are shaped by common experiences, beliefs and organizations, national values and orientations In MA, national culture is more apparent to strangers because local people are not conscious of their own culture And employees are not willing to change their ways of doing things. Thats why its essential for the acquiring company to understand the national culture of its target because it will be helpful during the acquisition while the acquirer have to plan the integration as well as shaping the corporate culture together (Schneider and Barsoux, 2003). The culture of a nation where a company is set up influence many business variables For example differences in the organizational structure and coordination, career and reward system. People carry their cultures, ways of thinking and behaving, with them into the work place (Hofstede, 1997). The ways in which a firm typically deals with aspects of organizing its business activities vary significantly in different countries and these variations have been shown to be in direct association with national cultural distance between organizations in different countries (Hofstede, 1997). Kogut and Singh (1988) define national cultural distance as the degree to which cultural norms in one country are different from those in another country. A landmark in the research of national culture, and cultural differences, is Hofstedes (1980) work on comparative culture, where he conducted a field survey of over 116 000 IBM employees across 40 countries. Hofstedes theory on national cultures Hofstede (1980:21) defines culture as collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another and proposes that cultural differences between nations can be described and differentiated along five dimensions. Hofstede (2001) created a model through a study in 50 countries, which depicts five dimensions of cultures. This model emphasizes power distance, uncertainty, avoidance, masculinity and individualism. (Salter, LewisValdes2004, Phatak et al 2005, GerhartFang 2005,ArdichviliKuchinke 2002) Power Distance The first dimension relates to the degree of equality/inequality between people in the society. Power distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally (Hofstede, 2005, p46). Hofstede (1997) argues however, that Power and inequality are extremely fundamental facts of any society and anybody with some international experience will be aware that all societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others. Some countries differ in the way it handles inequality. In the power distance index (PDI) a high score suggests that there is a large power distance between subordinates and bosses in organizations. A low score, on the other hand, indicates small power distance and that there is a limited dependence of subordinates on bosses (Hofstede, 1997).In lower power distance the superiors are more approachable while in higher power distance there is a emotional distance between subordinates an d bosses. Individualism versus Collectivism The second dimension focuses on the degree to which a society reinforces individual or collective achievement and interpersonal relationships. Individualism is in societies in which the ties between individuals are loose it refers to the extent to which everyone is expected to look after himself and his immediate family. Collectivism, is the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups refers to the group societies in which people from birth and onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive ingroups, which throughout peoples lifetime continue to protect the in exchange for unquestioned loyalty (Hofstede, 1997:51). As an example management in an individualistic society is the management of individuals. If incentives for example are given these should be linked to an individuals performance, not to the group as in a collectivistic society (Hofstede,1997). Masculinity-Femininity This dimension regards the degree of importance of relationships versus tasks(op citp.119). Hofstede (1997:82-83) argues that masculinity pertains to societies in which social gender roles are clearly distinct and femininity pertains to societies in which social gender roles overlap. In masculine societies, recognition, advancement and a challenging work are the factors Hofstede (1980) finds to be the most important. Whereas having a good working relationship with your superior, cooperation, employment security and to live in a desirable area are the most important factors for feminist societies (Hofstede, 1980). This dimension pertains to the degree societies reinforce, or do not reinforce, the traditional masculine work role model of male achievement, control, and power. A high Masculinity score indicates that a country experiences a higher degree of gender differentiation. In such cultures, males tend to dominate a significant portion of the society and power structure. A low Masculinity score means a society has a lower level of differentiation and inequity between genders. In these cultures, females are treated equally to males in all aspects of the society. Uncertainty Avoidance The fourth dimension Hofstede (1980) investigated concerns the tolerance of ambiguity in different societies. He refers to it as uncertainty avoidance which can be defined as the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain or unknown situations (Hofstede, 2005p.167). One of the key differences between weak and strong uncertainty avoidance is the establishments of law and rules, where cultures with weak uncertainty avoidance have few and general la

Power and Influence in the Workplace Essay

This case study is based upon the conceptual article by Glenys M. Drew titled; ‘Enabling or Real power and influence in leadership’, in which â€Å"aims to provoke thought about power and influence in leadership.† Simply stated, power is our desire to have influence upon others, placing us within a particular social status. According to Lewicki, Barry, and Saunders (2010, p. 199), â€Å"people have power when they have the ability to bring about outcomes they desire or the ability to get things done the way they want them to be done.† Influence is â€Å"the actual strategies and messages that individuals deploy to bring about desired attitudinal or behavioral change,† (Lewicki et al 2010, p. 220). In most relationships there is power imbalances, including an organization structured to flow in a top-down direction. This is known as formal power and influence such as between a boss and his or her subordinate. â€Å"The power imbalance in these relationships stems from the asymmetry in dependence between the parties, which contributes to an asymmetry in influence between the parties,† (Emerson, 1962, p. 37). Problems Specified in the Case â€Å"What constitutes real power and influence in leadership† is addressed and whether â€Å"coercive tactics of wielding power over others† is even necessary. It is contended that the opposite is true in that â€Å"demonstrating real power and influence in leadership† holds back â€Å"usurping power to work with and  enable others to achieve worthwhile ends,† (Drew, 2010, p. 1). Possible solutions presented by the Authors The author explores three suggested solutions of enabling or real power and influence in leadership, each solution is accompanied by an element of paradox. The first suggests that â€Å"enabling or real power and influence does not usurp but serves.† The second is that an instinctual impulse of self-interest is diverted into a more socially acceptable interest for others and the intended goal. The third is that it fosters true engagement in leadership while positioning for growth for the self and others, (Drew, 2010). SWOT Analysis _Strengths_ In diverse coalitions, power and influence can be used to build a consensus. Real power is the ‘power to empower’. _Weaknesses_ In diverse coalitions, power without influence can bring about negative results. â€Å"Usurping power† and self-interest â€Å"tends to stultify and deny useful result,† (p. 7). _Opportunities_ Opportunities exist for leaders to use power to influence guided thinking, not so much to solve problems for people but to engage people in solving problems. _Threats_ Nothing is more important to building vital trust the prevalent state of leadership than that of credibility. A leader can lose credibility when power is misused and when strong professional will and humility are not found to be so effectual. Author’s recommended solution I agree with the author’s recommended solution that â€Å"genuine power and influence reverses the power paradigm, where the leader focuses primarily on the vision ahead more than (demonstrably) on self and partners with and enables others to reach shared goals,† (Drew, 2010, p. 2). Paradoxically, by enabling and empowering others with altruistic use of power and influence is a sign of â€Å"strength, rigor, and potentially rich outcomes† while wielding power just because one can, or for selfish reasons may on the surface seem â€Å"powerful† but could be displayed as weakness, stultification, and acquiring compromised outcomes. The paradox that â€Å"the only power is no power† assists an argument that may be inferred that â€Å"self aggrandizing power, in its bid to grab power, ultimately reduces the self, while resisting the exercise of usurping power expands the self and increases one’s potential for productive influence and authority,† (Drew, 2010, p. 3). â€Å"Self-interest for the interests of the goal† are sublimated by real power and influence within the â€Å"paradoxical proposition that genuine power results from giving rather than taking,† (Drew, 2010, p. 5). Real power and influence displays strength, not weakness within the paradox proposed is that real power and influence â€Å"eschews ‘soft’, uncritical approaches in favor of rigor, building a ‘culture of discipline’,† (Drew, 2010, p. 8). References Emerson, R. M. (1962). â€Å"Power-Dependence Relations,† American Sociological Review 27, 31-40. Drew, G. M. (2010). Enabling or â€Å"real† power and influence in leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, 4(1), 47-58. doi:10.1002/jls.20154. Lewicki, R.J., Barry, B., & Saunders, D.M. (2010). Negotiation (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Origins, After/Otherworld & Codes Of Living Essay

Literature has been a useful way of understanding many aspects about the world and even the essence of the existence of mankind. The connection of literature with humanity can be evidently seen in different historical accounts of stories that have become famous internationally. These literary works may have been mythological, fantasy, religious or even non-fictional, but despite all of this. Finding greater realizations about man can be deeply understood within the confines of these stories. There can be similarities and differences that might appear at the stories. But sometimes, readers would find it surprising when he or she realizes the connections. To further understand man’s origins, understanding literature is one form of assistance. The contents within stories across the centuries of literature define and display messages about the possible origins of man. The following paragraphs showcase two examples of literary examples of the accounts of the creation of man. Genesis Then God said, â€Å"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. † So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, â€Å"Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. † (Genesis: 1: 26-28). Genesis, the initial part of the bible discusses the creation of everything. The book of Genesis made clear the importance of man and the explanation of how man came to be and how man should live. It stated clearly the purpose of man, to rule over the fish and the sea and the birds and every living creature. This account clearly states the importance of man and man’s role on earth. Greek Mythology’s Creation of Man â€Å"By now all was ready for the appearance of mankind. Even the places the good and bad should go to after death had been arranged. It was time for me to be created. There is more than one account of how that came to pass. Some say it was delegated by the gods to Prometheus, the Titan who had sided with Zeus in the war with the Titans, and to his brother, Epimetheus. Before making men he gave all the best gifts to the animals, strength and swiftness and courage and shrewd cunning, fur and feathers and wings and shells and the like – until no good was left for men, no protective covering and no quality to make them a match for the beasts. Prometheus, then, took over the task of creation and thought out a way to make mankind superior. He fashioned them in a nobler shape than the animals, upright like the gods; and then he went to heaven, to the sun. where he lit a torch and brought down fire, a protection to men far better than anything else, whether fur or feathers or strength or swiftness† (Hamilton, p. 71, 1942). The Creation of Man in Mythological description has been plenty. The above paragraph is just one account of man’s mythological creation. However, despite the various accounts, one common theme occurs, and that is man is created by the inspiration of the image of the gods. Death is inevitable.  One question that would come to mind to those who wonder about the afterlife is how does it look like? Is there such truth regarding life after death? These questions attract attention and interest. There are many literary accounts about the afterlife. Understanding them can help give a rather broad description or even just possible options of what the afterlife might really look like. Dante’s Divine Comedy This series shows the three phases of the afterlife according to Dante. Used in a 1st person point of view story-telling, Dante discusses the different places after a man dies. These places attributes to how man lived on earth. The places are the effect of life’s justice. The three places that were tackled are Hell, Purgatory and Paradise which is Heaven. Hell was described to have 9 circles, while Purgatory has 7 terraces, and then the 9 spheres of Heaven. Despite the religious transcription of the Divine Comedy, there are no other literary work that has become more influential about the afterlife than this work by Dante. It almost clearly describes the possibility of the afterlife. Greek Mythology Greek Mythology has been the product of classical literary work. Despite its mythological sense, there has been a good comparison with regards to the afterlife. Greek Mythology consists of the Heavens which is ruled by Zeus, the Waters which lorded over by Poseidon, and the Underworld which is under the control of Hades. The Underworld is the place for the dead. It’s description is a place of shadows and spirits. Most Greek Myths took place in the Underworld. Being considered as a place where the mortals live on after death, the concept of the afterlife is clear in this Greek Mythological place. There are many aspects of how man should live life. The Bible suggests a lot of stories that assists man in living the right kind of way. There are so many inspiring stories that advises how man should roam the earth and in the end reach the common goal of life. There are two striking accounts about the struggles in life but in the end achieving a positive result. The following literary accounts showcase stories about the remarkable aspect of life. These two stories display an interesting and enlightening statement about life.

A Quiz About Quotation Marks

A Quiz About Quotation Marks A Quiz About Quotation Marks A Quiz About Quotation Marks By Mark Nichol Use of quotation marks for dialogue is fairly straightforward; several posts on this website that deal with the topic can by found by searching for â€Å"quotation marks.† This quiz deals with other uses of these emphasis markers. Read the following sample sentences, determine the problem with the use of quotation marks, and devise a solution. (Note that I use single quotation marks rather than double quotation marks because of my custom of framing the entire sample sentence in a pair of the latter.) Then, take a look at my revisions and explanations at the bottom of the page and see how they compare with your changes: 1. â€Å"The IQ evaluation provides a ‘snapshot’ of a child’s cognitive skills at a particular point in time.† 2. â€Å"Perry is connecting with a growing number of Republicans because of his uncompromising rhetoric and his back-slapping, guy-who-married ‘the first girl I dated’ persona.† 3. â€Å"Consider the glass ‘half full and not half empty.’† 4. â€Å"The old fixer-upper looks like it was designed by â€Å"The Amityville Horror† house architect.† (This example is from a newspaper; many such publications use quotation marks, rather than italics, to denote titles of films, books, and other self-contained compositions.) 5. â€Å"They reviewed cross-border reproductive care, or â€Å"medical tourism,† as an increasing phenomenon in respect to egg donation.† 6. â€Å"Our waterworks have reached the classic ‘run to failure’ moment.† 7. â€Å"He used scientific reasoning to show that singing and dancing could cure melancholy by stirring up the ‘secretions’ in the human ‘machine.’† Answers and Explanations 1. The informal usage of a word need not be excused with what are sometimes called apologetic quotation marks (what I refer to frequently in these posts by a more common label: scare quotes): â€Å"The IQ evaluation provides a snapshot of a child’s cognitive skills at a particular point in time.† 2. This sentence attempts to allude to erstwhile presidential candidate Rick Perry’s pride that he married the first girl he dated, but the writer, after a promising start in which they began stringing the relevant words together in an extended hyphenated phrasal adjective, fumbles by attempting to employ a direct quote. The best solution would be to abandon the attempt at direct quotation and fold a paraphrase into the adjective string: â€Å"Perry is connecting with a growing number of Republicans because of his uncompromising rhetoric and his back-slapping, guy-who-married-the-first-girl-he-dated persona.† 3. This reference to the idiomatic metaphors for optimism and pessimism implies that there is an idiom consisting of the phrase â€Å"half full and not half empty.† However, only the distinct antonyms â€Å"half full† and â€Å"half empty† are valid, and there is no reason to enclose them in quotes (also, a comma seems more effective than the conjunction and): â€Å"Consider the glass half full, not half empty.† 4. Here, the writer is attempting to employ the first word of the movie title as a direct article for the framing sentence, but it cannot serve double duty. In this case, it is acceptable to transfer the to duty with the sentence and leave the title temporarily bereft of the direct article that begins it (â€Å"The old fixer-upper looks like it was designed by the ‘Amityville Horror’ house architect†). However, the sentence would read more smoothly if it were relaxed, including the insertion of a couple of additional direct articles and the retention of the full movie title: â€Å"The old fixer-upper looks like it was designed by the architect who designed the house in ‘The Amityville Horror.’† 5. This sentence is doubly irritating. As in the first example above, the scare quotes are extraneous. In addition, it seems illogical to me to introduce the gloss (brief definition) of the phrase â€Å"medical tourism† before it; why, then, bother introducing the idiom at all? Use a term-then-gloss structure: â€Å"They reviewed medical tourism, or cross-border reproductive care, as an increasing phenomenon in respect to egg donation.† (A compromise is to explicitly identify the idiom as such following the literal description for the topic in question: â€Å"They reviewed cross-border reproductive care, known popularly as medical tourism, as an increasing phenomenon in respect to egg donation.†) 6. The phrase â€Å"run to failure† may be a partial quotation from someone, but unless it is a clever coinage heretofore unfamiliar to readers (and even then, use the explanatory solution in the fifth example, above), the phrase should simply be strung together as a phrasal adjective: â€Å"Our waterworks have reached the classic run-to-failure moment.† 7. Trick question in the original context, as least, it’s clear that â€Å"secretions† is a direct quote. Sometimes, it’s best to indicate that an unusual word was actually written or spoken by the source, and sometimes, scare quotes are helpful (as in the case of those framing machine, which may well have also been a direct quote). In this case, I’d leave the sentence as is. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Coordinating vs. Subordinating Conjunctions25 Russian Words Used in English (and 25 More That Should Be)Using "May" in a Question

Content Archetypes.

Content Archetypes. Content ArchetypesofCustomer Interface ArchetypesOctober, 2002Table of ContentExecutive Summary i1Introduction -111.1Purpose - 11.2Method - 11.3Limitation 12Content Archetypes -2 - 422.1Offering Dominant - 2 -32.2Information Dominant 42.3Market Dominant - 43Importance Attributes of Superstore 5-633.1Uniqueness 53.2Strength 63.3Limitation 63.4Improvement 64. Information Dominant - Washingtonpost.com -7-844.1Dimension of Washingtonpost.com Content - 7-8(i) Offering Mix 7(ii) Appeal Mix - 7-8(iii) Multimedia Mix 8(iv) Content Type - 85 Evidence to Fit Information-Dominant 9-1155.1Evaluations and Comparisons 9-105.2Success Story of Washingtonpost.com 10-116Conclusion 127References 138Appendix 14iExecutive SummaryThe purpose of this report is to determine the differences between each of the content archetypes and to gain more knowledge about the dimension of its content.The original Stop and Shop logo used until 2008.There are five content archetypes: Superstore, Category Kil ler, Specialty Store (offering-dominant), information dominant and the market dominant.A superstore is a one-stop shop where the customer can find a wide range of goods in multiple product categories. The site is commonly organized by product categories and subcategory.The dimension of content consists of offering mix, appeal mix, multimedia mix and content type. Most of the websites consists of these 4 dimensions to make the content more attractive and to achieve their e-business.11 Introduction1.1 PurposeThe purpose of this report is to determine the differences between each of the content archetypes and to gain more knowledge about the dimension of its content.1.2 MethodIn order to complete this report, accessing the website has to...

Wal-mart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Wal-mart - Essay Example Such political opposition emanates mostly from community members who raises economic concerns related to the largest retail store company expansion. The inherent politics reflects constant concerns that mainly results from Walmart’s negligence and insensitivity to corporate concerns besides market dominance. Though the opposition may arguably result from local political pressures, partial contribution of unjust interference and violation of business rights exists. Every company would wish to expand and make profit. Any interference against such expansion is unfair and violates their rights. Though Walmart’s expansion remains a genuine business objective, opponents of such success presents valid concerns. Continual expansion of Walmart have assuredly caused various consumption issues amongst consumers. Expansion of Walmart have reduced consumers’ scope of choice for preferred services and goods while additionally increasing prices of retailed items. Involvement of Walmart in corporate responsibilities including provision of relief food to Hurricane Katrina victims and association with government in providing healthy foods reflects opponents’ valid concerns (Shaw & Barry, 2015). Consequently, Walmart’s expansion faces legitimate political opposition from locals besides unfair partial market system interference. It is imperative for Walmart to enhance their corporate responsibility concerns to help manage such political oppositions to their genuine

African American Girls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

African American Girls - Essay Example While studying the two contradictory family settings of African American girls, it was observed that the girls with father can enjoy healthier life than those who are fatherless. The paper focuses on discussing about two types of African girls, one is the girl with father and another is without father. For the healthy development of the child the presence of father in the family is very essential. In the family setting regarding this issue, the basic characters involved are the girl, her mother, father and sometimes other members of the family such as her siblings and her close relatives. The scope of the paper is African American girl with father and her counterpart, the girl of same race without father. Here also we have to take into consideration the status of the father, that means whether the father present in the family is a biological father of the girl or he is the social father (mother’s second husband) it makes a lot of difference in the girl’s life. While com menting on the relationship of father and daughter especially in African American family, Belgrave Faye states, â€Å"Father-daughter relationship is important in the shaping of a daughter’s body image, self worth, and other self attributes.† The setting in which the relationship of a father and his daughter shapes is the family. It is the centre point from which the personality starts shaping. The bringing up and the behavioural pattern are decided by the family and the overall surrounding he/she gets especially at home. The common view of a healthy family means the presence of both father and mother. If anyone of them is missing, the life of the children gets affected adversely. Our paper basically focuses on the importance of father in shaping the life of the Black American Girls. The study aimed at focusing on the major factors of African American girls’ lives and they are as follows: The physical and mental development of African American girls and the role s of their fathers, in shaping them The second theme was to study the behavioural pattern of African American Women in the presence and absence of their fathers. While studying it was hypothesized that: The African American girls having fathers live healthier life physically and psychologically. The behavioural pattern in African American girls having fathers is more balanced and normal as compared to the girls who are fatherless. African American girls with fathers are brighter academically than the girls without fathers The African American Girls with Fathers: Fathers’ role in the physical activities of their daughters is very crucial in the family. For psychological needs, they rely on their mothers but for physical activities, they get support, encouragement and motivation from their fathers. Taylor et al. (1999) studied African American and Letina middle school girls regarding physical activity and found that African American girls ages 14 – 18 reported biological fathers positively influence their physical activity levels. Bungum and Vincent (1997) also found that fathers are instrumental in physical activity promotion among African American girls. (Tara Blackshear P. 24) In the study of Thompson (2003) it was found that African American girls require additional social support to increase physical activity behaviours, especially from their fathers. The girls are so much close both to their fathers and mothers. When it is a question of spending time with the father, they like to engage in sports activities with their fathers (such as playing sports, attending sports events, or going for any amusement with their father. While engaging with their parents, girls are equally engaged with