Video-based training programs Essay Example for Free

Video-based training programs Essay Video-based training programs are being implemented at an ever-increasing rate across the country. While this type of training should certainly not be the only method that is used to train your employees, it is very effective and can offer significant advantages over other training methods. ADVANTAGES There are many advantages to video-based training. However, only the most significant ones are discussed here. Save Development Time. You can shorten your training cycle because you will have the ability to deliver â€Å"just-in-time† training where and when you need it. Facilitation materials with activities and discussion points can be used in whole or in part to create training events that run anywhere from one to four hours. Add Variety to the Delivery Mix. Workshops and lectures can become routine and boring. Video provides a change of pace and can add an entertainment factor that is not possible in a live presentation. Videos can also be used to supplement a face-to-face workshop to stimulate discussion, demonstrate concepts that could not otherwise be presented, and provide meaningful examples of the topic at hand. The more the senses are engaged in the content, the more the participants will learn. Build a Resource Library. Building a video and/or DVD library allows you to offer a broader range of training. You will no longer be limited to custom in-house development or scheduled classroom events. Trainees can check out a DVD or access video training online. RECOMMENDATION Video-based training materials save your organization time and money, and they make your business look progressive. Because they help build learning retention, they can also improve the return on your training investment. The next step should be a formal review of your training needs and an evaluation report to be completed by a professional video-based training firm with a proven track record.

Healthy Vending Machine Business Plan

Healthy Vending Machine Business Plan Food awareness is one of the most common areas over which people have started focusing as it is directly related to their health. Irrespective of their background, age, income, or any other factor they are concerned about their eating habits. Based on this very particular aspect, we have come up with our product, i.e. Healthy Vending Machine which will target customers in a niche segment during its start. Our vending machine will be exactly like any other vending machine, but difference lies in its contents. All the content like snacks, drinks, juice, bars, chocolate, etc. in our vending machine will be chosen in a highly particular manner based on their effect on health. We will be giving very high end concern over quality of food that we place in our vending machine as maintaining healthy food will be acting as our USP (Unique Selling Proposition). We are planning to place our healthy vending machine at all the places where footfall is remarkably high like metro stations, railway stations, shopping malls, crowded market places, etc. We are planning to keep price of our products quite nominal as it will help us in attracting customers are they able to fulfill their need in a healthy way by getting healthy snacks without spending extra money. SWOT (S)trengths Primary strength of our venture Good Luck Food would be its uniqueness in the market. Weve performed extensive research and so far none other vendor is operating in this domain. Thus following a blue ocean strategy, we will be able to capture maximum percentage of the market without any competition. Based on this trend, there had been several restaurant take away places that started in recent past in order to serve healthy food in a community which is struggling to get such options. This particular factor will act as the primary strength for our business. (W)eakness Weakness of this Healthy Vending Machine will be to attract people towards itself during initial times along with ensuring that it is able to form a clientele. It is one of the most difficult tasks to be performed by any new business, especially for those which are not associated with any big brands. Being a startup (though with excellent business idea), it will act as a weakness for us, had it been started by another vendor which is already operating in this segment and has reputation in the market. Another weakness would be that well not be able to spend large sum of money over its marketing and increasing awareness among masses regarding our product. We would be having very limited amount of resources which we would be spending over its marketing and promotion during initial times. Once it starts generating revenue, we will be able to allocate more funds in this domain, but during initial times, new name in the market will act as a weakness for our business. (O)pportunities In recent past, bad and unhealthy eating habits of people have resulted into unnatural physical changes. According to a report, amongst most obese countries in the world, UAE ranked fifth. An average person in UAE is consuming 20% more calories than required on a daily basis. Thus it has become a major problem for authorities to take care of this problem. (UAE the fifth most obese country in the world, 2012) Based on this particular factor, our venture will pose great support to such authorities and we will get initial push without much effort. Also many of such authorities are owned by government, which will provide government support to our venture. It will also help us in getting required permissions from Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and Dubai municipality in a hassle free manner as we are helping them solve the problem along with complying with their Policies and Regulations. (Policies and Regulations) (T)hreats As per our research, there is a high demand of healthy food in almost all the parts of UAE. Also people would be willing to pay more amount of money for this category of food which makes it a lucrative segment of food industry. Also it is one of those segments which have still not been tamed by few market leaders; there is a high end possibility that many new entrants could enter the market soon after us. We ourselves being new entrant in the market would make it extremely difficult to survive for a longer period of time in the market in which echelon of competition is continuously increasing. Another important parameter which should be taking into consideration is that after sometime, if already existing vendors like Snackzone, Coffee Planet, etc. also enters into the same segment of the market as they are always looking for opportunities, it will become highly difficult to ensure our survival if substantially remarkable survival strategies are not adopted by us. Thus we need to focus over our progress throughout our tenure in the market along with taking care of our survival. (Next generation vending machines launched at UAE-based Coffee Planet, 2012) Risk Analysis Basic parameter associated with any new venture is Risk. There is no way one can eliminate the risk completely, but by adopting certain measures it is possible to reduce the level of risk. Intimidations First parameter is level of increasing competition which will be a problem in near future based on the prosperous aspects associated with this market segment. Although new entrant will not pose such high degree of risk, but they will still make an affect over our strategies. Major risk is from existing players. If they also enter the healthy vending machine segment, it will make a high end impact over our profitability and operations. Also they would have ample resources to sell products at lower margins and kick us out of the market. Estimate Risks With every threat, there is an associated factor of risk. Increasing competition over the period of time had already been estimated by us as it is inevitable. It will make an impact over our market capturing and market penetration. If new players will enter this market segment of healthy snacks, it will make an impact over our profitability as it will hamper our profit margins. Although it might not be the case in all the regions, but there is a high end certainty of this particular factor. If existing players enter this market segment, it will make a direct impact over our survival. We may have to follow a separate strategy for survival, but there is also a possibility that we may get extinct if we are not able to handle the competition. Managing Risks To handle new entrants, we will have to cover as much market as possible in our first phase before our competition arises. This particular aspect will give us more market visibility as compared to any other vendor. Also being the first player in the segment, we have a chance to establish our monopoly during initial times and earn large profits which will help us in fighting competition at later stages. To manage the risk of existing players entering in this segment, we will have to ensure that we establish our unique image in the market. Although we do not have ample time, but in order to tackle this risk, we will have to build our brand value and ensure our survival. (Risk Analysis) Form of Business Ownership Defining the form business ownership is extremely important as it will define way of our operations along with our liabilities. We can either form Partnership or Corporation. But as the food industry, especially healthy food industry is not generally liable to go into heavy debts; it is not required to go for Corporation option. We can choose Partnership for our business venture as amount of initial investment is also not extremely high. Specifying details of Partnership firm, we can go for General Partnership as it will ensure equal involvement, responsibility and liability of all the partners in the firm. Thus all the owners will also be responsible for any legal actions if taken against the company which is very less likely as we trying to solve a problem. Business Goals Following are the Business Goals of Good Luck Food: Ensure its profitable existence throughout its lifetime so that we are able to conduct our operations adequately. Build Good Luck Food a brand in Middle East part of the world. Provide healthy food to all the people to ensure that they are following a good lifestyle. Spread health awareness amongst people which is a noble cause and also act as our Corporate Social Responsibility. It will also help in boosting our business in long run. Generate healthy competitive environment in the Middle East region so that customers are also benefitted from our existence. Work in compliance with government norms and help it in solving one of the biggest challenges of near future. Mission Statement Mission of Good Luck Food is to provide easy accessibility of healthy munching options to individuals and become a leader in the market. Marketing Marketing Analysis In the recent few years, UAE has been emerged as one of the biggest business capital in the world. People from all around the world have come in this country to either open up a business venture or work in some countries. With such a great diversity of people coming in this country, the level of health security has also increased. This gives a great leverage to our product Good Luck Food. With an increasing popularity for one-stop-shop or one-stop-machines, the target population for our product is not restricted to any particular age, gender or income level. But still, there are some groups which can be considered as a higher buying level group and there is some other which is considered low. Looking at the demographics of the country, the total population is 7,890,924, as estimate in the year 2011. Around 71% of the people living in this country are immigrants. There is a gender ratio 70:30 (male: female). Talking about the main target market of the product, this product is reachable to all the customers irrespective of their age, gender, or income level. But, the company is mainly focusing upon the people of the working age group and people who are more into sports (mainly kids). As far as the income level of the target population is considered, middle class people and high class people are the main target customers. Main reason for keeping kids and the working age people to be the target market for the product is that our product will mainly be located in Metro Stations, railway stations, Shopping malls, etc. Hence, the specified groups of people visit these places more often as compared to the other groups. Talking about the geographical distribution about the target market, our product will initiate its business in three main cities of UAE Abu Dhabi and Dubai. According to ICD Research, the potential market for vending machine is UAE as per the year 2015 is going to be huge. Already, there are several companies putting their vending machines at different locations in UAE. The popularity of vending machines is continuously increasing because of the changing needs of the people. Today, nobody would like to go to a shopping mall to buy eatables for immediate consumption, everybody wants vending machines they are easy to reach and they are cool! There is a change in the needs to the customers as well. The customer, whichever age may he be from, is now becoming more concerned about his or her health. With such a changing need, Good Luck Food will serve fruitful to the customers because it will be the first vending machined which will help the customers to chose according to their health status. The sales of various products from the vending machines will depend upon the requirement in a particular season; for example, in Soft Drinks will be more popular in the summer season whereas in the winters, coffee and tea will be preferable. Hence, the sales of few of the products from vending machines will be season. The collection of products in the vending machines should be set keeping in mind their popularity in the market and among the customers. It is very much important that the vending machine should contain all the food which is preferable by the customers. Hence, sales from the vending machines depend a lot on the popularity of the products kept inside the machines. Marketing Plan Advertising and Promotional Campaign There are different types of promotional techniques to be used in the marketing of Good Luck Food among the customers. These promotional techniques used by the company are as follows: Using Print Media (Newspapers and magazines advertisements): Not in comparison with the earlier times, but still newspapers and magazines are mostly used by the people when they are travelling or when they are not doing anything else. Almost every age group is acquitted with these. Keeping in mind the diversity of the population of UAE, the advertisement will have to publish in both Arabic and English Newspapers. At the starting stage of the business, it will cost AED 50,000 and the frequency of the usage of the advertisements will be once in a week three months before the launch and daily, one month before the launch and at least three months after the launch. This is one of the most expensive advertisement technique used by the company but is effective as well Using Digital Media (Television, FM): This is again an expensive technique of advertising. Main target market is the kids, ladies, husbands watching sports channel, daily soaps, and news channels, respectively. The frequency of the advertisements from the digital media would be same as the print media. It would cost a little more than the print media i.e. AED 60,000 Web Advertising: This is one of the most preferred ways of advertising. In the present era, almost everyone is acquainted with the internet. Good Luck Food will be promoted on the websites which are highly popular, for example, advertisement will be put in almost every social networking site facebook.com, twitter.com, etc. These are several other websites where the advertisement will be displayed by the company. The cost of web advertisement would be AED 35,000 Posters, Hoardings, etc.: Digital and non-digital posters will be displayed on various important places (mostly the places where these vending machines are to be placed) like shopping malls, railway stations, metro stations, etc. These are available for all the passing by customers. This is one of the most effective ways of promotion in case of promoting the product through an eye to eye catch. Total cost of promotion through these techniques would be around AED 35,000 Web Presence As this has been presented earlier that internet advertisements would be one of the best ways to promote the product because almost all the people at present are acquainted with internet in the present era. Hence, there is a huge web presence of the product before it gets started off in the market as well as the time when it gets launched because at the present times, it is highly important to continue promoting the products during its operations as well otherwise, its popularity degrades. Location Layout Location Good Luck Food vending machines will be available in various places like metro stations, railway stations, shopping malls, crowded market places, etc. These places are chosen for the placement of these vending machines because these have high footfall which clearly means that a lot of people would visit these place on a daily basis. All of these locations would be considered crowded with obviously crowd in the railway stations and metro station would be more than the crowd in the shopping malls as far as the daily frequency is concerned. Hence, these places are chosen because of the fact that they produce high human traffic. As these vending machines would be placed at the railway stations and metro stations in the open, a deal with the Abu Dhabi and Dubai Municipality has to be done. Permission will need to be taken before launching the same. This deal will be cracked in an approximate average lease of AED 100,000 per year per location. As we are planning to have 25 locations in Abu Dhabi and 25 in Dubai at the start of the business, hence for the location charges, the company will have to pay AED 5,000,000 to the municipality. Other stakeholders involved Other stakeholders involved in the business are as follows: Founder and CEO of the company: The company is founded in partnership of two person Mr. A and Mr. B. Mr. A has done his MBA in marketing from UK and has a total experience of 10 years in the CPG industry in UK and UAE both. Mr. B has done his masters in Finance from Abu Dhabi. He has a total experience of 12 years in the CPG industry Suppliers: Our prime suppliers are few of the very important brands in the industry like Dabur, Pepsi, etc. These are the reputed brands in the industry and hence contribute a lot in the sales of the products. Legal and Auditing Firm Companys yearly financial statements will be audited by XYZ firm with an annual charge of AED 50,000. Human Resource Plan Legal Issues with the Employees All the employees in the company will be hired with a legal obligation to work for at least one year in the company. This will be a mandatory bond which the employee will have to sign with the company before joining. Projection for the employees for Future Total Investment Made 42,870,000 Syndicated Loan of AED 30,009,000 has been taken from two different banks of UAE. These loans are promised to be repaid in the time span of 10 years with an interest rate of 10% per annum.

The Rights Of Women In Afghanistan Sociology Essay

The Rights Of Women In Afghanistan Sociology Essay Majority of Afghanistans nationalities profess Islam as their religion. Originally Islam religion regards men more superior than women in every aspect of life. Due to civilization across the world, Islam reformed and some of its doctrines were changes in favor of women. Equality among human beings was included in Islam, regarding men and women equal in various ways. Since then Islam women acquired different rights that allow them to choose marriage partners, inherit, vote and work among other rights. In Afghanistan, women have experienced continued denial of such rights despite acceptance according to Islam doctrines (Mittra and Kunar 267). Fathers, husbands, brothers and government decrees are some of the factors that hinder women from enjoying their human rights in Afghanistan. Most of these restrictions were rampant during rule of Taliban who forced Afghan women to abandon their decent jobs such as teaching and remain indoors or when outside they ought to be in a mans escort. Since 2001, a new era began with end of Taliban reign; an improvement was recorded in regard to cultural and political position of women in Afghan. Human rights accepted under Islam law, so far are practiced in various parts of Afghan though in rural and remote areas many population regard women unequal (Zama and Sifton 25). For instance, cases of forced marriages, death threats due education matters and denial of chance to participate or enjoy public life are recordable according to research. Inequality and repressiveness of women in Afghanistan can be further be illustrated by statistics that show 75% of women are forced into marriages, 87% of women are illiterate, 33% of women experience sexual violence or physical assault, in every 30 minutes death occurs in relation to child birt h and only 30% of girls access education in Afghanistan. Literature review Introduction Afghanistan remains one of many Islamic regions where women are denied their rights and freedom. Despite acceptance by Islam Laws and governmental regulations and policies to uphold Afghan womans rights throughout in Afghanistan, many Islamic men have continued to oppress women. Most of womens rights have been upheld following intense campaigns by human rights activities from Afghan and other parts of the world (Thomsen 227). Also government efforts have helped in promoting equality by criminalizing oppression of women despite their originality and religion. Most of these changes are focused on matters that concern education, marriage and public life. In literature review section of this research, rights of Afghans woman in regard to freedom of live, dressing, education, marriage and expression will be discussed. Recommendations and conclusion will follow this discussion as part of this research work. Communication freedom Currently, Afghanistan is undergoing reconstruction after many years of war and reign of Taliban. During 1995-2001, Afghan remained under dictatorial leadership by Taliban who encouraged oppression of women and girls through out Afghan. Talibans brutality was to extent of denying women a chance to communicate with other women apart from family members. In most cases, women remained locked in their houses with small dark windows hence disallowing public intermingling. According to research, an Afghan woman could only walk to public with a company of a male counterpart who was supposed to be of the family (Osmańczyk and Mango 2708). These men act as a barrier to communication and information flow among women and men in public. Information could only be acquired from husbands, brothers and fathers who also were women oppressors according to Talibans regulations. Harsh circumstances under which afghan women lived in were not conducive for effective communication. Women associa tions that encourage information sharing in regard to social affairs are not allowed in most parts of Afghanistan. Information flow from one Woman to another is difficult in such situations hence hindering effective communication. As much as right of expression is among rights upheld by Afghan government, many women are denied such rights by men close in their lives. Womans opinion is regarded inferior and a chance to speak out is not availed to many women willing to do so. Rising of voices is made difficult due to widespread of discrimination against female gender in other major areas that contribute towards information flow. Lack of education for girl-child is a major hindrance to free flow of information. Many Afghan women can only converse in their vernacular languages due to illiteracy (Mittra and Kunar 143). Lack of access to education continues to pin many women down in decision making even those concerning their own plight. Lack of ideas coupled with fear is a key factor that makes Afghan women lag behind in raising their voices beyond their homestead. Freedom of communication by women is also prevented their lack of voting freedom. Many women are hindered fro acquiring voting cards to prevent them from taking part in political decisions. Instances of murder of electoral commissioners who tried to register women for voting processes show how far brutalism and discrimination against women has extended in Afghanistan (Thomsen 270). Such situations block womens effort to communicate their views in regard to type of governance they want. Similarly, women candidates can not be enrolled easily for similar positions to those held by men due to repression in association to voting rights. Women representatives in other parts of the world represent other women opinions therefore ensuring plight of female gender is communicated to authorities. In Afghan such chances are not provided hence continued lack of communication freedom. Additionally, lack of media freedom is another obstacle that contributes to communication problems in Afghanistan. Widespread violence coupled with political wrangles in Afghanistan prevents media efforts in steering women in fighting for their rights by speaking out loud. For instance, many journalists have been killed including and others such as Kambakhsh imprisoned for exercising their expression rights (Afkhami 179). Such situations leave women threatened and in fear of going against their male counterparts hence remain silent and oppressed. A country without freedom of expression by non-Taliban has efforts by women to communicate their views to governing bodies. Such strictness by rulers and men in the society has hindered efforts for free communication among women and men. This situation is changing as women with the support of their men, actively create awareness in regard to human equality across Afghanistan. Formation of RAWA in 1977 was an effort to eradicate violence against women and air their voices to the world. RAWA is an organization established by women and its goal is to promote Afghan women rights (Silkenat and Shulman 64). The organization major objective is to create awareness throughout Afghanistan concerning plight of girl-child and women. It also aims at reaching as many women as possible by communicating benefits of treating women with equality. Organization airs womens voices through conferences, public campaigns, internet and demonstrations. RAWA efforts have been realized over the years though right of expression by Afghan women is yet to be gained fully. Freedom of women and girls lives Since the seizure of power by the Taliban in Afghanistan, over 9 million women and girls have been denied basic human rights. This government has imposed laws against women citing religious purity while in the real sense it is persecution against women. For instance, Afghan women are not allowed to either go to school or work away from home a move which has led to closure of several schools owing to shortage of teaching staff as prior to the invasion of the Taliban about 70% of the teaching fraternity comprised of women (Afkhami 201). Devastating effects have been advanced towards widowed women who were the only source of livelihood for their families. In case women and girls want to leave their homes, then they must be escorted by a male relative. A whole body covering known as burqa must be worn. Instances of killings and beatings of the women have been witnessed due to failure of the women to be fully covered or escorted. Specific aspects of life on which Afghan women are oppresse d and to be discussed under this heading include education, marriage and dressing Education A large percentage of women in Afghanistan are illiterate due to banning of schooling for all women and successive wars in the nation had completely paralyzed the Education system. During the reign of the Taliban, community schools were opened and ran by women where girls were taught literacy skills, numeracy skills and such like subjects as Biology, English, cooking, and knitting (Zama and Sifton 27). Unfortunately instances of torture and killings of women teachers by the Taliban were witnessed. After the overthrow of the Taliban administration, substantial aid was advanced to the Karzai administration in order to restore the girl-child education. Lack of funding poses major setbacks to girl-child education with many girls opting to drop out as the facilities are not conducive. For instance, the learning facilities under unprotected structures like tents. Lack of women teachers means that majority of the girls do not attend school as their parents fail to place the care of the girls under men teachers. Since most of the girls schools were destroyed during the Taliban administration, girls and boys learn in the same facilities: a move which has caused massive criticism especially from high ranking government officials (Thomsen 184). This largely translates to discrimination and lack of freedom. Several Afghanistan women have consistently risked their lives by running clandestine schools for the women population. From 2001, Education facilities have recorded increased numbers of female students though persistent attacks by the Taliban as well as other forces present in the area continue to demean the progress achieved in the female Education sector. Cases girls dropping from schools before completing primary level education have been witnessed due to early marriages and family obligations Dressing The Afghanistan women have continually suffered turmoil especially in the type of dressing they are supposed to constantly wear. A specialty made traditional garment known as the Burqa which covers the whole body with a small grind for seeing and breathing must be worn by the women. The Burqa is extremely uncomfortable especially during hot weather (Silkenat and Shulman 58). The excessive covering may instigate illnesses such as asthma due to the discomfort of the dress as dust sticks thus enhancing dampness during breathing. The visibility of the wearer is largely limited as the size of the mesh opening does not provide adequate perceptibility. Afghanistan women claim that when they are wearing the burqa, total invisibility is exuded. It is impossible to know the kind of emotion displayed by a woman during normal conversation. Marriage In this patriarchal society, decisions are largely made by men fraternity. Women do not have the freedom to choose their marriage partners. Arranged marriages are largely advanced in this country based on economic and political reasons. Instances of girls being engaged before they are born are widespread (Zama and Sifton 54). The authority of who should marry a girl lies with the father who can opt to wed his daughter to a person who may be very old but rich. In areas badly hit by poverty, girls are sold off or exchanged for meals. Women are treated as properties as once the marriage contract is signed the girl cannot marry another man. In case she dies a suitable replacement must be offered. Violent cases have resulted when multiple betrothing is done so as to collect dowry from several men. Dowry payment is regarded as compensation for the care and upbringing of the bride. A married Afghanistan woman is controlled by the mother-in-law who makes such critical decisions on her behalf as whether to attend hospital or not and the activities to undertake (Thomsen 130). Women do not receive custody of children in case of a divorce. Though obtaining a divorce is largely difficult for women who are in abusive marriages, the divorced Afghanistan women are regarded as outcasts especially due to the Islamic beliefs and traditions. Recommendations Afghan women should fight for a chance to speak out and join others international women who are fighting against women oppression. By communicating their views to their spouses, brothers and the public will be a major start step towards their social life improvement. Freedom of expression is known as an effective tool for resistance against practices that oppress women. Lack of such freedom, means Afghan women may continue to tolerate discrimination by men under religious grounds which are used for personal political benefit. Social oppression can be overcome through speaking out in any context cultural, political or religious. Granting of women rights in education, employment , leadership and other roles in public life come as a primarily result of women expression against discrimination. Opening of communication channels in Afghanistan is a basic step in eliminating injustices that surround lives of many women and girls. Of importance is the right to vote, that has been used by many countries in defining future of women in those countries. I recommend Afghan women to retain and utilize their rights to vote intelligently as it is part of decision making. Through voting women elect leaders in support of their rights therefore acquiring access to equal opportunities similar to those awarded to men. Continued efforts by women by speaking out, eventually leads to liberation of girls and women from oppressive societal rules. Again, society starts to appreciate need to uphold plight of women and girls hence creating a balanced society that pays attention to both genders. International community should offer greater support to women organizations working with minority women at the grass roots. Awareness creations through educational programs are essential effort towards liberation of Afghan women from social, cultural, religious and political injustices in Afghanistan. International support through funding and enlightenment of few educated afghan women should be upheld as away of developing strong women leaders in Afghanistan. Conclusion In conclusion, Afghanistan is a region known for oppression of women and girls in various aspects of life. Existence of connection between Islam and governance of Afghans facilitates dehumanization among Afghan women. Most life rights and expression freedom are denied to female gender despite acceptance by Islam doctrines. Afghan constitutional rights are not upheld due lack of commitment by authorities concerned and political instabilities hence impacting on women by denying them their legal and human rights. International intervention has calmed Afghanistan human situation but majority of Afghan women and girls remain discriminated and repressed. Work-cited Afkhami, Mahnaz. Faith and freedom: womens human rights in the Muslim world. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1995. Mittra, Sangh and Kunar, Bachchan. Encyclopaedia of Women in South Asia: Afghanistan. New Delhi, India: Gyan Publishing House, 2004 Osmańczyk, Edmund and Mango, Anthony. Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: T to Z. London, UK: Taylor Francis Press, 2003 Silkenat, James and Shulman, Mark. The imperial presidency and the consequences of 9/11: lawyers react to the global war on terrorism. Westport, U.S.A: Greenwood Publishing Group. 2007 Thomsen, Natasha. Womens rights. New York. U.S.A: Facts On File publisher, 2007 Zama, Coursen-Neff and Sifton, John. We want to live as humans: repression of women and girls in western Afghanistan. Washington, D.C: Human Rights Watch, 2002

Fate In Oedipus Rex :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Through Sophocles’ use of foreshadowing in the play Oedipus Rex, certain truths are revealed to the reader, such as the fact that a lack of respect for fate can eventually bring on a person’s downfall, by driving them to delusion. Oedipus is looked up to by all his kingdom at the opening of the play, only to be thwarted by his own lack of intelligence-- and more by his lack of faith than even that. Oedipus, once the sanguine, yet slightly overbearing ruler of the people, is reduced to less than a sliver of a human being. When confronted by the prophet Teiresius, Oedipus feels most perplexed and even exposed. And so he rejects any possibility of validity in Teiresius’ prognostication, and, in doing this, signs his own sentence. Because of Oedipus’ failure to respect the insight of a gifted seer, he is doomed to a blind and bloody end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As I have said before, Oedipus was first revered by all his people. His earnest patriotism for his adoptive land and people are well received by all in his kingdom. After all, he is the most â€Å"glorious Oedipus† (p.13,ln.8). Oedipus perceives himself to be a flawless champion for those surrounding him. These blind expectations that the most exalted Oedipus has for himself are the very things that lead him to put little credence in others and nearly all his faith in himself. And once he decides he is stronger than prophecy, his mad, unseeing eyes are unable to pick up the warning signs lining his road to oblivion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At one point in the play, the blind, hermaphroditic Teiresius enters to bring Oedipus’ head out of the clouds and back to earth where things are a mite different. This is one point of the play in which Oedipus is unbelievably close to finally buying into the fact that some power higher than himself could be at work-- and yet his arrogance and pride hinder him from accepting the legitimacy of fate. Oedipus finds the idea that Teiresius could know more than he simply offensive. Teiresius, sensing Oedipus’ hostility toward him, warns the king that when Oedipus berates him that â€Å"such taunts will... cast the selfsame taunts on you,†(p.126,ln.73). One would assume that Oedipus, knowing Teiresius’ reputation as a most unfailing and precise prophet would take heed in his further dealings with fate. However, in a style most befitting his character, he ignores these insights. Only when Teiresius mentions Oedipus’ parents does Oedipus listen. His interest sparked, the king cautiously asks, â€Å" What mortals gave me birth?†(p.28,ln.437). Teiresius elaborates further by stating that the king shall â€Å" At once be revealed as brother

Reflecting on My College Experience :: Personal Reflection

When I first enrolled here at State University, I never thought I would ever be in the position to graduate. Finishing college was a huge goal growing up but it was also my biggest fear. But after three and a half years of dedication I plan to get my degree in the fall. Getting this far in college was not easy, it took encouragement from family, dedication, and assistance from others to reach this position. Many years ago I remember my parents telling me that in order for me to become successful a college education was a must. They always told me that if I wasn’t in school I could no longer live at home. Both of my parents attended college but neither of them finished. They did not want me to go down that same road because they really regret not getting their degrees. My grades in elementary school were poor because I had trouble paying attention to things that were not challenging. I tried to play sick just about every day but my parent were not falling for it. My favorite classes were gym, music, and art. Competing in sports is where I spent most of my time. The words of my parents and teachers went in one ear and out the other. â€Å"School just wasn’t interesting to me† My senior year of high school I decided to dedicate my self to school work. All I did was take school a little more seriously and pay attention. Before you know it I had made the honor roll for the first time and continue to make it the rest of the year. Finally the extra work was reflecting in my grades. My parents were glad to see that my education had some meaning. That summer after school I just wanted to find a job and start making some money. Going to college for anther four year was something I thought I could not handle. I final got a job at UPS unloading trucks. At first I thought how hard could it be? But every day I would come home exhausted from working in the heat. And then when I got tiny pay check, it hit me. From then on I decided that manual labor was something that I could not do the rest of my life and I could definitely not support a family on that income. A job behind a desk in the air conditioning was what I wanted.

Invasion of Privacy Essay

While straightening your teenager’s room, a book falls on the floor. You pick it up and see that it is her diary. As a parent, do you have the right to read it? Would it matter if you found the diary outside her room? Is it okay to read the diary if you suspect there is problem your teen is not telling you about? As a child, did you ever go into your parent’s room (without permission) and snoop around? Was that an â€Å"invasion of their privacy†? Did you find anything you weren’t supposed to? Did you learn from it? Did you tell them? You have every right to read your child’s diary whether it’s found in the laundry or their bedroom. There is nothing wrong with knowing what your child is thinking, the changes that they are experiencing, or perhaps any troubling matters they don’t feel they can approach one of their parents with. Consider yourself lucky you found it. Invasion of privacy? I don’t think so; it could save their life. As long as your child is living at home with you, yes, you should read her diary entries. You are there to protect your child not only from outside influences but also from herself. If it means going through their belongings then so be it. When they move out and establish lives of their own, this is when you give up certain rights as parents, including reading their diaries. I guess my term is not snooping; it is monitoring your children. My parents monitor me. There is nothing in my room that my mother does not have access to. It is unacceptable for anyone to hide anything in our house. And, she monitors which people I hang out with. Granted, I didn’t appreciate it for a while, but as some of her â€Å"NO WAY† choices started ending up hurting me, or others, I knew she had my best interest at heart, and wasn’t trying to sabotage my life. I agree that it’s okay to go through your kid’s belongings. What should be done if you are going through it and you find something inappropriate, you find some roundabout way to bring it up to your child and see if they open up about it. By no means do you say, â€Å"Oh, I was in your room snooping and found this or that.† You have to protect your kids. Sometimes they will get into the habit of believing everything their friends say, not thinking that their mom or dad have been through or experienced just about everything they’re going through and have the wisdom to help them out in certain situations. Of course children do not believe that you should be snooping into what they want to call â€Å"their privacy†. They also think they know everything and can make wise decisions. They think it is ok to text and drive, drink and drive and show their private parts while on spring break. Kids think they should not have to go to school or have a bedtime. Do I have to go on? I think you get the picture. Bottom line is, they are not paying for a phone, internet, computers, Ipads and the electricity it takes to keep them running and until they do those items are not theirs. They are the property of the parent or guardian and can be looked at, searched, monitored at anytime they please. My point is, if you’re not doing anything wrong then there should not be a problem with anyone looking at your text messages or emails which by the way are not private anyway. If you feel you should have privacy and you are old enough then get a job, be responsible, and pay for all of your things yourself and you may also want to move out on your own until then, As my mom says â€Å"My house, my rules.† Legally, parents have the right to monitor their child’s communications simply because they are legally responsible for the child’s actions. Parents are legally responsible for their children. I know of past cases where parents have been arrested for crimes a child has done and they also can be held financially responsible. The trust element also comes into play when both the teen and the parent know they can trust each other that their home is a place free of harmful communication. To do that, the parent has to actively monitor the media that the teen uses and engage in censorship, no matter how awful the word seems. It is simply the act of a responsible society that harmful communication is not displayed to children and that children do their part in respecting the laws of society. I am a teenager. I think parents should be able to monitor my personal life, specifically my texts, because of all the dangerous things in the world. You start to notice on the news teens using drugs more often than they have before. Using a simple text message to one of your friends about drugs or anything can start peer pressure. You’re not talking in person so it’s easier to text it then actually say it. I was reading a story on CNN about a computer programmer who figured out slang use of words to cover so parents won’t get it. He does have a website up with the meaning of the slang use of words. I looked at one and it said â€Å"tdtml†. This means â€Å"talk dirty to me later†. Parents should be able to ask for the phone to see what they are talking about. They should be able to ask for it at random times. My parents also told me that they will check my phone whenever giving me a heads up that I will just hand it over at any time. This has helped me a lot in my life to stay away from peer pressure and many other things as well. Using the website noslang.com can help parents figure out what their kids are texting. Reading the CNN report on what they could code for words was absolutely amazing. Go to cnn.com and in the search bar type in â€Å"Parents do you know what these texts mean?† Parents you will be stunned at the reports and the type of coding teens use in these days.

Uae ; Cultural Differences

List of Abbreviations GDPGross Domestic Product MASMasculinity PDIPower Distance Index UAEUnited Arab Emirates UAIUncertainty Avoidance Index UKUnited Kingdom Table Of Contents I. – List of Abreviations II. – Introduction2 III. – The United Arab Emirates2 III. 1 – History2 III. 2 – Economy4 IV. – Important values for a successful business in the UAE5 V. – Culture7 V. 1 – Cultural differences at the national level7 V. 2 – Cultural differences at the organizational level10 VI. – Kuhne + Nagel12VII. – List of References14 II. – Introduction In the current business environment, in times of globalization, financial crisis and terror, there is a growing consciousness about difficulties that can occur when different cultures collide. These difficulties especially need to be regarded when wanting to expand a business internationally or wanting to enter a foreign market. In this paper the United Arab Emirates is analyzed with focus on critical information for operating a business there.This paper will take into account the history, the cultural aspects as well as differences, the business development and opportunities based on an example of the German logistics company Kuhne & Nagel, which is doing business in the UAE since the 70`s. III. – The United Arab Emirates III. 1 – History The Palm islands, The World, the Burj al Arab and the Burj Dubai and other superlatives come to our mind when thinking about the United Arab Emirates, but they only represent the timeframe since the 1990’s. The UAE was founded in 1971.To really understand the UAE and its culture it is important to take a look at the history and the developments before the foundation and the oil. About 1500 years ago the people in the Arabic region were living in tribes, their lives were dictated by the harsh natural conditions and pearl fishing was the prevalent dedication[1]. The community was very import ant within the tribes and a deep social family structure was established. [2] At that time the Islamic Belief was introduced to the gulf region and is therefore deeply rooted in the history and its culture. 3] As trade and piracy rose in the 18th and 19th century the area became known as the Pirate Coast until the British navy launched several attacks on the pirate strongholds to secure the trade. [4] This lead to the signing of 3 truce treaties in total, including the final treaty in 1892, which made them become the â€Å"Trucial States† and preventing them from entering into relationships with any other country but the United Kingdom (UK) as well as disposing territory to anyone besides the UK, in return for coastal protection and support in case attack of land[5].The first discovery of oil in 1958[6] in Abu Dhabi, which led to many more, was very fortunate as the region, which relied heavily on pearl fishing, saw the pearl market collapse between the First and Second World War. [7] The discovery of oil and the hence evolving wealth had a strong influence on the further development of the area. When the British first announced their intention of withdrawing from the Arabian Gulf by the end of 1971, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi immediately wanted to establish closer relationships between the Arabic states. 8] He and Sheikh Rashid of Dubai, became the initiators towards an union of Arabic Emirates, including the Trucial States, Bahrain and Qatar. [9] Since no agreement could be reached between the nine and Qatar and Bahrain became independent, the rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid, decided to form a union between their emirates and later on present its constitution to the other 5 emirates with the offer to join. [10] One day after the Britsh-Trucial Sheikdoms Treaty expired, the United Arab Emirates were founded on December 2nd, 1971.Four emirates joined immediately and Ra’s al-Kaihmah followed on Feb uary 10th, 1972. [11] Since its foundation the UAE has experienced an incredible growth and has managed to go from one of the least developed countries, to achieving an income level comparable to that of the industrialized nations in less than 30 years. [12] The oil revenues of course have contributed in a major way to the modern development and prosperity, but also political stability as well as the leadership by Sheikh Zayed were very influential. 13] The sheikh, who was born around 1918 and raised under poor circumstances, wanted his people to benefit from the country’s resources, while making sure that the people are aware of their roots and that the country’s history and culture are kept. [14] Through his efforts the Arabian culture has been preserved and passed on to the following generation.He was very popular not only within the nation but also in Europe and the US due to his pro-western mentality. 15] His open-mindness also had a big effect on the UAE and enab led it to become one of the most liberal and pluralistic countries in the Gulf region, with its now massively multicultural population. [16] When he died in 2004 his oldest son HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan became the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the UAE. [17] III. 2 – Economy Since the oil was discovered the oil sector was the main contributor to the GDP of the UAE. [18] However the country has steadily tried to reduce its dependability of oil and to diversify its economy. 19] The oil revenues were at first reinvested in to healthcare, education and the national infrastructure to raise the standard of living and pave the way for a sustainable economic development. [20] In 1985 the first free zone of the UAE was opened. In the Jebel Ali Free Zone no taxes had to be paid and foreign companies could establish subsidiaries without a domestic partner. [21] The concept of the free zone became very popular in the region and was the first step towards being an attract ive location for subsidiaries of companies that want to open up the Middle Eastern market.Today more than 850 companies have registered in the Jebel Ali Free Zone and almost 6,000 companies from over 110 countries conduct business there. [22] All in all more than 10,000 companies are registered in one of the 15 free trade zones in the UAE. [23] Due to the geographical location of the UAE in the Middle East and between the markets in the east, whose importance to the western companies has been steadily rising, and Western Europe the United Arab Emirates has become the hub for the complete Middle East, India, Afirca and the Commonwealth of Independent States. 24] This development is especially explicit in Dubai, which has evolved with over 140 scheduled fairs into one of the top locations for international trade shows and multilateral negotiations. [25]Due to the booming construction industry and tourism after 20 years of budget deficit there has been a balance surplus since 2005. [26 ] The GDP in 2007 grew by 7,5% to 192,6 billion US$. 27] The United Arab Emirates now has one of the most diversified economies in the gulf region and managed to lower its dependence on the oil industry to a GDP-contribution below one third, as sectors like manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, tourism, construction and real estate increased their share. [28] IV. – Important values for a successful business in the UAE To successfully operate a business in the UAE it is mandatory that certain basic values of the Arabian culture are known and respected. [29] One has to aware of his own culture and depart from the wrong and right thinking of rong or right and better or worse when it comes to cultures, as cultures are just different without any judgement. [30]First of all one needs to be aware that time is seen in a totally different way in the Arab world and is not considered to be an issue. Business meetings and negotiations take longer, people are not as punctual and dead lines are often not met. [31] Since personal relations are of highest importance for a successful business it is crucial, when first entering into business relations with people from the United Arab Emirates, to establish a trustworthy and respectful relation, much like a friendship. 32] The first face-to-face meetings are commonly time absorbing and used to become acquainted with the prospective counterpart. [33] Impatience or anger because of the often lengthy process should not be expressed as it would be conceived as rude and disrespectful possibly leading frustration of the business relations. [34] Business meetings generally take longer in the Arab world as at the beginning time is usually spent on inquiries on the well-being of the family members. [35] A strong effect on the business practices has the religious faith.The working hours are for example interrupted for praying[36] and during the holy month of Ramadan overall business slows down in the Arabian area. [37] In norma l business practice the religion also comes into play, inasmuch as some decisions are left to â€Å"fate†. [38] Therefore negotiations might end with the term â€Å"Insh'allah† – â€Å"if God wills†, which underlines the strong belief that the course of events cannot be controlled by the individual meaning that the decision will be made by god and not by them. [39] One of the highest values in the Arabian culture is the belonging to groups, especially the family. 40] Family matters are of higher significance than business[41] and interruptions of e. g. business meetings due to family and personal matters are no exception and should not be misinterpreted as rude.[42] Since age also plays a significant role in the Arabian culture, greater respect must always be shown to the more elderly person, by e. g. greeting the most senior person in a meeting first. [43] Often age and status has a greater influence on the career of an Arab than the actual personal achi evements. 44] The interaction with women is not always straightforward and therefore the behavior of the Arabs in the situation should be adopted in terms of how to greet a woman for example. [45] When negotiating and also in normal interactions with Arabian counterparts the concept of saving face needs to always be kept in mind.Criticism should not be expressed publicly and one should avoid to put anyone in a uncomfortable situation, since it could result in loosing face which seriously harms the person’s and his family’s reputation. 46] Dignity and respect are key elements in Arabian culture and saving face, through the use of compromise, patience and self-control is a means by which these values are maintained. [47] Since confrontation and conflicts are to be avoided in the Arabian culture business communication is done differently. Arabia has been identified by Edward T. Hall as a high context region where one has to read between the lines in contrast to Germany wi th a low context country where explicit words have specific meanings[48].A yes for example may mean a perhaps as the Arabs often communicate indirectly through body language or other forms of non-verbal communication like eye-contact or facial cues rather than communicating directly through words. [49] As, one should be aware of the so called â€Å"High Context Communication†[50] and try to carefully observe his counterpart during a conversation and always pay attention to the way the complete message is conveyed. [51] Management in the UAE is mostly done through centralized decision making and tall hierarchies. 52] Employees in the UAE expect to receive clear instructions and orders from their superiors, rather than having the freedom and the responsibility to manage their own work. [53] Due authority being an element of the Arabian culture, the orders are normally obeyed and only rarely questioned. [54] V. – Culture V. 1 – Cultural differences at the national level The biggest difference between the German culture and the culture in the United Arab Emirates obviously is the religion. Religion in Germany exists and is practiced, but not in an extent comparable to the United Arab Emirates.The culture in the UAE can be defined as the Arabian Culture as it is mostly the same in all Arab nations with some local differences and is mainly influenced by their history and even more their religion. [55] Arabs living in the United Arab Emirates are almost all Muslims and believe that the Islam is not only a religion but a way of living. [56] Their God Allah controls their entire life and even the law called Sharia is partly build on the Holy Koran. Praying five times a day as well as drinking no alcoholic drinks, eating no pork and fasting during the holy month of Ramadan is usual Islamic behavior. 57] Where as in the UAE religion dictates to a large extent the life of the people, in Germany to the contrary, religion is practiced as well, but itâ⠂¬â„¢s done in a considerably more relaxed way. [58] The most popular religion in Germany is Christianity, but Islam, Judaism and Buddhism are among other practiced as well. [59] Even though a majority of the Germans consider themselves as Christian, it has only minor effects on their lives. [60]. The way people eat, dress or behave is rather set by themselves and their parental education than by their religion.The Christian calendar defines the national holidays like Christmas and Easter and the day of rest being Sunday. The festivities of Christmas and Easter are celebrated in most of the Christian families, but on the normal every day life religion has almost no effect, compared to the United Arab Emirates. [61] The calendar in the UAE is also influenced by the religion, as the Muslim New Year is around February and March and Ramadan in October. [62] Even the weeks are separated differently, since Friday is the day of rest and either Thursday or Saturday is given off respectively to form the weekend. 63] The Islam also has influence on the way Emiratis have to dress. Women have to wear the traditional abaya, which is a garment that covers their whole body with exception of the feet, hands and face. They might even have to cover up totally, depending on how strictly the husband practices his religion. [64] Men are required to wear a white cotton thobe at with a guthra covering the head. [65]Leaving aside the religious influence on the people in the UAE, Arabs are very conservative as it is. Emotions and feelings towards each other are not openly expressed in public, as they generally try not to attract any attention. 66] This behavior and urge for privacy can also be found in the way the houses are built, as a lot of space between buildings and thick walls are preferred and used to clearly keep the family inside and leave the rest out. [67] The family in the interior is of highest importance to the Arabs and stands over everything. Family members are very lo yal and close to each other, which has originated from the past. [68] Traditionally the father is the head and leader who provides the family with what is needed for living. [69] Although nowadays the situation s slowly changing and women gain e. g. opportunities in regards of education and are not as underprivileged anymore, the role of the woman still predominantly includes taking care of the children and the house as well as being the center for love and emotional support. [70] Additionally women are still treated differently by the law.[71] German family members also live closely together and parents are very caring for their children, but at the same time statistically every third German marriage fails and commonly children have to grow up in different homes. 72] Generally men and women are more equal in Germany in terms of the law as well as in terms of family. The man is not the predetermined head of the family, as the power is more or less equally divided between the father and the mother. [73] The role of the father as the sole provider is slowly diminishing as more and more women work and have careers even though men yet have to get used to the concept of staying at home to take care and raise the children. [74] Similarities in the development towards equality can be seen in both countries, although Germany seems to be a little bit further than the UAE.Like the family, the community is also of high importance to the Arabs. Relatives, friends and neighbors always support each other in every life situation, while one cares for each other and the community. They are usually very patient and open to compromises, as conflicts or embarrassment are avoided. [75] Criticism is not openly expresses because they do not want anyone to feel inconvenient or harm their dignity, because it could lead to someone loosing his face. [76] To â€Å"keep face† is very important and if someone lost face there would be a strong impact on the family’s reputation . 77] Guests are also always taken care of very generously, since the Arabs are known for their hospitality.[78] Such a strong community cannot be found in Germany, where the people are more independent and concerned of their own good. [79] Germans behave very differently and are a lot more individualistic. People are primarily concerned about themselves and secondly about others. [80] There is no concept of â€Å"keeping face† and therefore conflicts are common, issues are openly addressed and discussed. Germans can be emotional and loud publicly unlike the people living in the Arab world. 81] Their openness for new things is also more distinct and attracting and standing in the middle of attention is not regarded as improper behavior in contrast to the conservative Arabs. [82] Another big difference is the outwards appearance of the people in Germany to the people in the UAE since there is neither a predefined kind of clothing nor any limit to the individualism due to the c onstantly changing fashion trends and styles. [83] V. 2 – Cultural differences at the organizational level To show the differences between the two cultures of Germany and the UAE at the organizational level Hofstede’s analysis is a good instrument to apply.The Dutch professor and influential author Gerard Hendrik Hofstede performed from 1968 to 1972 a survey among 116,000 IBM employees about their preferences in management style and working conditions. [84] Through his study he demonstrated that the behaviour of societies and organizations are affected by national and regional cultural groupings. Out of the results Hofstede identified the four dimensions called Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism/Collectivism and Masculinity/Femininity among which the different groups can be differentiated. 85] The first dimension Power Distance is defined as the extent to which less powerful members of institutions and organizations accept unequal distribution of powe r. [86] In the Arab world, which includes the UAE, a high Power Distance Index of 80 points has been recorded, meaning that people tend to follow orders without hesitation and organizations have a rather steep hierarchy. It can also be said that there are a lot of laws, rules and regulations that have to be followed to reduce the amount of uncertainty.87] The Power Distance Index in Germany is considerably lower than in Arabia with 35 points. Hence Germans have fewer superiors and their orders are more likely to be question than it would be the case in Arabia. Subsequently unequal distribution of power is not unconditionally accepted, the organizational structures are much flatter and decentralized decision making is common applied. [88] The Uncertainty Avoidance Index describes the level of discomfort people feel in insecure situations and the beliefs and means like organizations and institutions that were developed to reduce the uncertainty. 89] In this dimension the UAE and Germa ny are almost at the same level. [90] Both countries have adopted and implemented strict rules, laws, policies, and regulations to avoid those uncertain situations. A high need for security, structured activities and a strong belief in the knowledge of experts mutually applies as well. [91] The way of conducting business though differs, since the Arabian way is affected by their religious belief. They believe their time is controlled by Allah and that they have no influence it.Long talks with lots of coffee and tea are very common in a business meeting and should not be refused, whereas Germans certainly belief that they control their time themselves and are usually on tight schedules and have fixed dates which they administrate. [92] Germans are even famous for creating appointment schedules and seemingly never missing them too. The third dimension is the Collectivism and Individualism (IDV) respectively. This dimension displays whether people rather take care of themselves or othe r people around. [93] The Arabs have a very low IDV score of 38 points compared to the world average of 64 points.This makes the UAE a collectivistic country, where a strong relationship to the member group is very important. That is e. g. the family offering life-long protection and loyalty, which is prior to all other rules. [94] This translated into business as most jobs and promotions are obtained due to age and family status. In Germany to the contrary the IDV score of 67 is relatively high and above the world average, meaning that it is an individualistic country. People rather take care of themselves in stead of others and e. g. job promotions are based on one’s own efforts and market value rather than the family background. 95] In the last dimension the Masculinity Index (MAS) shows the people’s preference for â€Å"masculine† values like competitiveness, authority and materialism.[96] The MAS of 53 in the Arab World is slightly above the average of 50,2 , but still 13 points lower than in Germany, which means that Arabians prefer both â€Å"masculine† and â€Å"feminine† values. [97] They like authority and materialism, while valuing quality of life and relationships at the same time. Germans are mostly â€Å"masculine† in this respect and value especially competition, power and high salaries. 98] Considering the results of Hofstede’s analysis it can be said that religion and tradition have a great influence on the way business is done in the UAE and that there is a fast differences to the Germany, which can not be neglected when doing business. VI. – Kuhne + Nagel Kuhne + Nagel is a German logistics company, which was founded in 1890 in Bremen by August Kuehne and Friedrich Nagel.[99] Since then it has evolved from a traditional international freight forwarder to a globally leading transportation and logistics provider offering integrated supply chain solutions. 100] The company today has 850 off ices in  over 100 countries with more than 54,000 employees. [101] Their concept of helping to turn the customer’s logistic challenges into a competitive advantage through superior service and integrated end-to-end supply chain management solutions has been successful and still is. [102] Kuhne + Nagel has entered the market of the United Arab Emirates in 1977[103], when an office was established in Dubai. [104] For internationally operating logistic companies a global network of representations is very important in order to guarantee a smooth transit of goods.That way in case of any problems the local office can cope with it and is familiar with standards and processes at that location. Like in most Arab countries, a subsidiary can only be established with a domestic sponsor or partner. [105] Therefore the office in Dubai was not owned by majority by Kuhne + Nagel and there was not a lot of business actually taking place in the UAE, but an increasing number of goods passed through, thus the office was at first mainly used for project support. [106] Kuhne + Nagel also moved their office to the Jebel Ali Free Zone and could thus conduct their business independently.With the increasing business activities in the UAE, the branch office in Dubai gained in importance as well. In 2008 there were 120 employees in three Dubai offices, which makes Kuhne + Nagel the 7th biggest German employer in Dubai. [107] Since the company had already established many offices in other countries they are experienced in dealing with different cultures and mentalities. They have always been aware of the cultural differences between e. g. Germany and the United Arab Emirates and paid attention and adjusted to them.As Germans though they enjoyed good reputation and made only positive experiences in making business with the Arabian people as long as they were treated respectfully. [108] With the hotel industry booming, Kuhne + Nagel introduced in 2001 an innovative product contain ing a tailor-made logistics solutions associated with the construction and furnishing of hotel and tourist facilities. Apart from warehousing, the service portfolio further includes the entire management of suppliers and transport. [109] In 2005 this service was even deepened as firstly introduced to the hotels in the UAE by Kuhne +Nagel, which includes supplying amenities to hotels on a regular basis. [110] Kuehne + Nagel is responsible for the entire supply chain, including order management and procurement. Due to its great acceptance the global availability of this service followed in 2006. [111] The general trend towards becoming the â€Å"hub† of the Middle East, makes the location Dubai logistically even more important. [112] The success of Kuhne + Nagel in the UAE is also displayed through the plans of the company to expand its logistic infrastructure as part of the Dubai Logistics City adding about 52,000 m2 to its existing facilities in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. 113]T his new logistic centre will allow the company to optimally provide all the markets in the Middle East and meet the increasing storage requirements of many companies due to the relocating of their stock to the Middle East rather than supplying the area from Europe or Asia in order to reduce their costs and delivery time. [114] VII.