...Culture Clash in the Movie Gua Sha Analysis A Chinese immigrant (Datong Xu) has great accomplishment in his career and a loving family, however, just because of a trivial matter, his life has gone differently. His father has come along to America to visit him. Dennis, who is the child of Datong, feels sick and undergoes a traditional Chinese treatment- Gua Sha by his grandfather. The treatment leaves marks on the child’s back and it is found accidentally by doctors and so, Datong is accused of child abuse. A number of culture clashes have been brought up in the movie. It is not the clash between Gua Sha and Western culture, it is the cultural values of Chinese and Westerners that clash. First of all, the clash between Americans and Chinese is conspicuous, particularly, their different perspective towards the concept of hitting children. At the beginning of the movie, Dennis gets in a fight with an American child who is the son of John (Datong’s boss). Datong is really angry and he hits Dennis in front of his boss publicly. In the middle of the movie, Datong quarrels with John. John says ‘I don’t understand why you hit your son.’ Datong replies ‘I hit him to give respect to you! To give you face!’ However, it is totally inconceivable to a Westerner because a westerner would never hit his/her children just to please the boss. That is why John replies furiously ‘What a twisted Chinese logic!’ In Chinese, there is a saying that goes ‘fighting is petting, scolding is loving.’ Most...
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...In modern society inequality is an inescapable fact of life; certain social groups are better positioned than others to take advantage of the opportunities, wealth and power of a society. When Australian society is examined it becomes obvious that indigenous people as a social group are faced with a decided disadvantage when it comes to opportunities, wealth and power. This essay intends to focus on the over-representation of indigenous people in the criminal justice system from a sociological viewpoint. This over-representation becomes sociologically significant when it is seen as an expression of inequality meaning that wider social issues are at play that effect indigenous people specifically. The two major reasons or drivers of this over-representation stem from this inequality; the first is an element of institutional discrimination found in both the courts and the police services in Australia which tend to target indigenous people disproportionately with the facilitation of legislation and practices which indigenous people have little to no involvement in formulating. The second is a set of cultural and social norms that exist amongst indigenous people which clash with the norms of the dominant white culture who are responsible for the laws and regulations that all groups in society are meant to abide by. Furthermore social conflict theories on crime such as those formulated by Turk and Sellin provide a rich theoretical support for the reasons behind the over-representation...
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...The tension that was characteristic of the 1920’s came from a clash between traditional values and new progressive ideals. This manifested from new developments in commercial ideals, technology, and a new emerging ideal of the expression of "self" in society. The rapidly expanding industry which was consumer goods spearheaded the changes within the American home, especially technology. Furthermore many people were torn by the identification of the self in this new society; to identify with the newer progressive ideals or to hold steadfast to the traditional, victorian ideals which they held so sacred. The division between the progressive, secular, urban northern way of thinking and the traditional, christian, rural, southern mind set are what...
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...for 100 rupees, thinking he is, in fact, selling his almost worthless goats. Two very distinct lives are clearly expressed via the men’s conversation (with themselves, so to speak), however one similarity does arise (women). - the third person omniscient narrator reports clearly and objectively on the characters' words, actions, and memories, and does not comment or judge. This is the writer trusting the reader to notice how absurd the conversation is without having to point it out, thus ruining the humour. It can also be a reflection of the same passivity seen in Muni when it comes to him accepting his fate. The narrator does nto have to explain how foolish or ironic the conversation is, it’s stronger if we see it ourselves. - The main conflict of the story is their inability to understand one another. The climax can be said to be “the truth dawned on the old man” – there seems to finally be understanding between the two. However, we then get the twist, which shows that there is no understanding afterall (Muni misinterprets the American’s wish as for the goats). Characters: The American - He typifies the "Ugly American": he speaks only English, but is surprised and a little annoyed to find that Muni can speak...
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...referred as the earth of the opportunities, causes thousands of people to abandon their homes and their homeland to experience the American dream. In the short story “The Thing Around Your Neck” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the main character, a Nigerian woman, Akunna, wins a the American visa lottery, and she is rewarded with the chance to go to the United States of America. Akunna goes to America to experience the American dream but it is then cut short when she is subjected to sexual abuse at the hand of her uncle. In this literary work the author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie portrays the main characters experiences with the clash in cultures, gender conflict, and identity conflict while trying to experience the American dream that she and her family has heard about. One of the themes found in the story was the main character’s , Akunna, experiences with the clashing of cultures upon arriving to the United States of America. We as Americans grow up eating hot dogs and in some places hot dogs are sold on street corners, festivals, family gatherings, and in people’s homes. But when people from other countries travel to the United States they are not used to the food that is eaten by the majority of Americans. Upon arriving, Akunna’s uncle buys her a hot dog with mustard and ends up getting sick, an “introduction to America” her uncle tells her. Akunna gets sick because she is not accustomed to the hot dog which happens to be a part of the American culture. Not long after, with the...
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...Dead Men’s Path by Chinua Achebe Themes 1) clash of cultures / acculturation M. Obi is trapped between two worlds – the British and the African one- neither of which he understands or which really accept him. He is alienated from his tribal roots but not truly British either. 2) failure Obi fails as headmaster and agent of modernization. 3) mimicry He adopts and reproduces the colonizers’ cultural habits and values and becomes himself an agent of European modernization. In short M. Obi tries to be “more British” than the British (which the supervisor criticizes as a “misguided zeal” and) which results in a tribal war situation and Obi’s failure as headmaster. Summary Michael Obi is appointed to headmaster of Ndume Central School, an “unprogressive” school which he wants to modernize according to British standards. He and his wife want to turn the school compound into “a place of beauty” so they grow flowerbeds as is typical of English school compounds. One day an old woman from the village tramples straight through the hedges and flowerbeds they grow. Michael Obi finds out that a path crossing the compound connects the village shrine with the place of burial. However he dismisses this as primitive superstition and closes the path. When the village priest asks for the path to be re-opened, Obi doesn’t cooperate. Two days later a young woman dies in childbed and the next day one of the school buildings is pulled down and the hedges and flowerbeds...
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...but corporate culture in this country works against women and minorities to a certain extent (Tannen, 1995). The conversational styles that most women use tend to be less popular with businesses and corporations than the conversational styles that men use. Because of this, women are often overlooked for promotions, are seen as less confident, and are not considered as worthwhile when it comes to individuals giving their ideas and helping out with teamwork. Much of this comes from childhood when little girls were taught to be nice to other individuals and help to downplay their weaknesses, while little boys were taught to play up the weaknesses of other individuals and claim strength and domination if they were able (Tannen, 1995; Adams & Galanges, 2005). Individuals who come from one part of the country to another also face this and some men who lack a great deal of self-confidence and are not willing to speak up are also treated as though they are weak. Because of this, many women are overlooked for promotions and other issues in which they are extremely well-qualified but it is not believed that they are confident enough to do the job due to the fact that they do not speak up in the same manner that men do (Michard & Viollet, 1991). Women are not the only ones having difficulty, however. One of the main issues for organizational behavior that is both a challenge and an opportunity is the diversity of the workforce, and this is usually evidenced by conflict. Conflict is common within...
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...Chapter 8 – Social Influences and Culture Motives for Social Conformity 1. Compliance. Members might conform because of compliance which is the simplest, most direct motive for conformity to group norms. It occurs because a member wishes to acquire rewards from the group and avoid punishment. As such, it primarily involves effect dependence. 2. Identification. Some individuals conform because they find other supporters of the norm attractive. In this case, the individual identifies with these supporters and sees himself or herself as similar to them. Identification as a motive for conformity is often revealed by an imitation process in which established members serve as models for the behaviour of others. 3. Internalization. Some conformity to norms occurs because individuals have truly and wholly accepted the beliefs, values, and attitudes that underlie the norm. Internalization occurs when individuals have truly and wholly accepted the beliefs, values, and attitudes that underlie the norm. Organizational Socialization Socialization is the process by which people learn the norms and roles that are necessary to function in a group or organization. Socialization methods (realistic job previews, employee orientation programs, socialization tactics, mentoring, proactive tactics) influence immediate or proximal socialization outcomes such as learning, task mastery, social integration, role conflict, role ambiguity, and person–job and person–organization fit. Proximal...
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...Social disorganization, illustrated by Shaw and McKay, is the theory based on understanding crime through examining the context of neighborhoods within a city. After studying a map of the city of Chicago, it was found that delinquency is concentrated in specific areas. This area where crime is concentrated (as ascribed by Park and Burgess) is known as Zone 2 the zone in transition. Shaw and McKay found that crime is concentrated in zone 2 and as you move out into zones 3, 4, and 5 delinquency decreases accordingly. Park and Burgess separated Chicago into concentric zones. Zone 1 is the central business district and is served primarily as industrial space. Zone 2 is the zone in transition. This is where crime is most likely to occur because it is where social conditions cause disorganization. Migrants and immigrants come to this zone upon first moving into the city. Zone 3 is the working class. People here have jobs that enable them to live on outskirts of the city. Zone 4 is comprised of single family homes and is named the residential zone. Even a lesser amount of crime is committed here. Zone 5 is the commuter zone which is suburban still however it is approaching rural areas. Zone two, as stated earlier, repeatedly had a higher amount of crime. Shaw and McKay concluded that “delinquency was caused by the nature of the environment in which immigrants lived rather than by some characteristics of the immigrant groups themselves.” (Schmalleger). There are four main components...
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...to managing conflict viably. The exploration upheld TKI offers a commonsense approach to launch safe and nonemotional discourse to resolve conflict. That is the reason its perfect for utilization in such a variety of diverse situations. It can additionally enhance organizational profit by helping individuals pick up knowledge into their own particular and others' conduct which thus helps them settle on better decisions about conclusions. The TKI is directed in simple to-utilize online and self-scorable configurations. Conflict is an inescapable part of human relationships. Where responsibility to mission and extended periods with negligible assets converge, not-for-profit work environments might be overflowing with conflict trades. Conflict can go out from administering varying viewpoints and clearly inconsistent concerns. Assuming that we can acknowledge it as a regular part of our zealous scene, it might be simpler to work with than in the event that we need (or wish!) conflict to never resurface. 2.0 Introduction of Thomas Kilmann Models. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument is intended to evaluate an individual conduct and behavior in certain scenarios. "Conflict Situations" are the scenarios in which the concerns of two individuals seem, by all accounts, to be incongruent. Conflict is a social culture context that can enhance our understanding of national diffrences in perceptions of and approaches to conflict(Kwock Leung...
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...Case of DaimlerChrysler merger Introduction The case is about merger and demerger of the two automotive companies which have dedicated and skilled workforces and successful products, but in different markets and in different regions of the world, i.e. Daimler Benz of Germany and other company is Chrysler Corporation of US which take place merger in 1998 and demerged in year of 2007. This study analyses the potential sources of value creation and destruction, and evidence on how this process has affected the valuation of the Daimler Chrysler merger. We also discuss some of the important issues that must be taken into account in cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Differences in corporate culture, compensation policies, ownership structure, and the legal environment may pose significant challenges to international business combinations. This is the historic merger that will change the face of the automotive industry. Context In a Modigliani-Miller framework, if mergers do create value, they do so by changing tax liabilities, changing contracting costs, or changing investment incentives. If the size, timing, and riskiness of the combined future cash flows of the merged firms exceed the cash flows of the separate firms (“synergy”), the merger will be a positive net present-value project. They include:- Tax motivation Mispricing inspiration Market power high price hypothesis motivation Earning diversification stimulation In the case of Daimler Chrysler merger...
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...live-action, film distribution, network and cable television, theme parks, retail stores, merchandising, publishing, and Broadway. After years of growth however, the company recently experienced sub-par performance and slower growth. Strategic Issue This deterioration in performance was preceded by Disney’s ambitious acquisition of CapCities/ABC, which made Disney the largest entertainment company in the U.S. Given its size and recent financial downturn, what opportunities exist for the company to achieve CEO Michael Eisner’s goal of 20% annual growth? Factors Contributing to Problem - With the purchase of ABC, Disney vertically integrated into a mature and highly competitive television industry. The merger also posed synergy challenges due to the immense size of both organizations and the difficulty in eliminating overlap across businesses and processes. - The ABC merger also presented culture clashes between the two organizations. In an attempt to achieve synergies across the company, Disney’s corporate culture became increasingly competitive and cost-driven, leading to an exodus of many high-level executives. - Rising costs in television programming, especially sports, hurting profitability. ESPN, for example, paid $9 billion for the right to air NFL games. - Rising costs in filmmaking and inflated movie budgets resulted after Katzenberg’s departure as head of live-action movies. His replacement focused on big-budget films driven by A-list actors. The costs of...
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...and cultural backgrounds. Since culture greatly impacts communication, it is helpful for teachers to introduce lessons and activities that reveal how different dialects, forms of address, customs, taboos, and other cultural elements influence interaction among different groups. Numerous films contain excellent examples of intercultural communication and are highly useful resources for teachers. Additional reasons for teachers to incorporate films in class and encourage their students to watch movies in English include: • Films combine pleasure and learning by telling a story in a way that captures and holds the viewer’s interest. • Films simultaneously address different senses and cognitive channels. For example, spoken language is supported by visual elements that make it easier for students to understand the dialogues and the plot. • Students are exposed to the way people actually speak. 2 2010 N u m b e r F • Films involve the viewers, appeal to their feelings, and help them empathize with the protagonists. • DVDs usually come with subtitles in English, which facilitates understanding and improves reading skills. After discussing the importance of teaching intercultural communication and suggesting films that match specific cultural categories, this article describes some activities to use when showing a film in the classroom and presents a task-based project involving the use of films. Using films for intercultural training Culture, according to one definition, is...
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...The threat’s to acquiring another organization in the same industry is there may be duplication of efforts between the management and departments. When or if these departments and management positions are merged they possibility of layoffs is high and that will affect the moral of the employees. The conflicts of culture between the two cultures may be high due to the fact that they may use to be competing companies. And finally the acquiring company may have to pay a larger price to acquire the new company. The second option is to merge with another company the strength of this option is that the cost is low and legally simple. Merging the two companies bring more bargaining power with suppliers, customers and distributors. The larger the two companies become the more money they have to invest in other ventures the owners feel may be profitable. They can improve the profitability and culture of the stores by restructuring and using the strengths of each of the two stores to gain more assets and customers. The threats to this option are that the companies may be affected by anit-trust laws and become too large and monopolize the current market. The goals of each company may clash as the co-owners may differ in their approach to business scenarios, which...
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...Running head: GENERATIONS IN THE WORKFORCE 1 Generations in the Workforce John Johnson and Jack Smith Liberty University GENERATIONS IN THE WORKFORCE Abstract Single paragraph, double-spaced, not indented, and between 150 and 250 words. Keywords: employee attitudes, personnel management, age factors 2 GENERATIONS IN THE WORKFORCE Generations in the Workforce 3 Researchers have tried to categorize employees into contemporary work cohorts based on the eras in which they started working (Robbins & Judge, 2009, p. 119). Robbins and Judge (2009) observed that since the average age to enter the workforce is between 18 and 23, the cohorts are loosely based on the chronological age of their demographic and ostensibly reflect the dominant values and job attitudes of their representative generations (p.119). This paper is a systematic discussion of three topics related to contemporary work cohorts: (a) the reality and specifics of the management issues associated with having a multigenerational employee base, (b) the profiles of each of the four generations that compose the workforce today, and (c) advice for company leadership on turning the diverse perspectives of a cross-generational workforce from challenge into advantage. The Significance of the Generational Gap at the Workplace The fact that the phrase “generational gap” is part of everyday vocabulary, suggest that the phrase denotes something real, which makes the theory appear prima facie true. Furthermore...
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