Foul Play :: essays research papers

Foul Play Dear Members of the Board of the National Collegiate Association of America:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the beginning of collegiate athletics, there have been student-athletes whose actions are considered disproportionately deviant. College athletes have defied the rules and regulations set forth by the National Collegiate Association of America by such acts as accepting stipends, committing date rape, abusing drugs, and even committing homicide. For some reason, college athletes believe they are above the law and should not have to abide by the same set of rules as a normal student, because of their athletic talent. As a former NCAA Division II football player, I can attest to the feeling athletes have that they deserve special treatment because of their status. There are some people who believe that college athletics is above reproach, but the purpose of this essay is to assert the statement that college athletics is corrupt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Year after year, college athletes make the headlines of newspapers and magazines across the country, not only for their accomplishments on the field, but more for their antics off the field. College athletes sacrifice their bodies, integrity, and character to gain an advantage over their opponent. Athletes give up the very things that make them who they are to feel appreciated by their coaches, teammates, and fans. Players cheat by taking anabolic steroids and other banned substances that give them a chemically induced physical advantage (Eitzen 3). Athletes desire to be identified with a team that works and sacrifices together to reach a common goal. The guestion we should ask ourselves is: Why? Why do individuals give up so much to be a part of a team? The answer lies within the organization of how big-time college sport exists. Fans are drawn to big sporting events such as the Super Bowl and the World Series. College athletes want to be in that spotlight, and t hey sacrifice everything to gain that status. Fans are consumed by sports. USA Today, the most widely read newspaper in the United States, devotes one-fourth of its space to sport (14). Fans know every detail about their beloved sports team. Not only the latest box scores, but also the win-loss record, point spread, current statistics, play-off probabilities, and biographical information about athletes and coaches (16). College sports appeal to the general public, young and old.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At a very young age, aspiring college athletes are taught the principles of sport and how much winning really means.

Bus405 Final Project

Final Project Ashford University Trena Mealor Dr. James Prentice August 27, 2012 ? Final Project Investing in the total stock market allows an investor to capture the return of the stock market while at the same time diversifying an investment portfolio. The easiest way to build a total stock market portfolio is with a mutual fund or an exchange traded fund. This particular portfolio is diversified with Vanguard ETF’s that were carefully chosen to seek the highest return with moderately aggressive to aggressive risk strategy.The investment strategy associated with this portfolio is short-term with an aggressive attitude of â€Å"more risk more reward†. 7/24 priceInvestment Amount# of Shares8/13 priceValue Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF – (VCR)67. 8910000147. 2970971. 7410567. 0932 Vanguard Financial ETF – (VFH)30. 2510000330. 578531. 5810439. 6690 Vanguard Growth ETF – (VUG)66. 9110000149. 454570. 4810533. 5531 Vanguard Information Technology E TF – (VGT)66. 9310000149. 409871. 7710723. 1413 Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF – (VGIT)86. 9410000115. 154386. 579968. 9077 50,00052232. 36Exchange Traded Funds, also known as ETFs, are mini-portfolios of securities and derivatives that track an asset like an index and/or commodity. When creating a portfolio, it is important to note that there is a difference between diversifiable risk and market risk. According to Elton (1977), diversifiable risk may be caused by random events that are particular to an individual firm. Since these events are random, the influence of events, such as a lawsuit or strike can be almost eliminated via diversification. However, diversification cannot entirely eliminate market risk. Market risk ffects most firms. Examples of market risk include war, recessions and high interest rates. By researching the portfolio funds, the investor can gain an understanding of risk and how it fits into diversification. A single stock has more risk of not creating a positive return than a stock portfolio. In a market dominated by risk-averse investors, riskier securities must have higher expected returns Ross, Westerfield & Jordan (1993) indicates, the principle of diversification tells us that the spreading of an investment across a number of assets will eliminate some but not all the risk.Unsystematic risk is essentially eliminated by diversification, so a relatively large portfolio has almost no unsystematic risk. Ong (1982) mentions that diversification can reduce the overall portfolio risk. However, the possibility for the risk reduction depends on the correlation coefficient and the proportion of the total funds invested in each. According to Jordan, etal (2012), the benchmark for a well-diversified portfolio would be a portfolio of all stocks in the market. Relevant market risk of the stocks within the portfolio is calculated using a beta coefficient.Accordingly, a stock with a high beta will bring a lot of risk t o the portfolio. The authors further explain, as you calculate the beta for various stocks, you may begin to see groupings of low, average and high beta risk. Beta measures the stock’s risk relative to the stock market average. Calculate the weighted average of these groupings, and you will discover the market risk for the entire portfolio. A â€Å"low† beta is generally 1. 0 or below. The average beta is 1. 00 and assets with a beta greater than 1. 00 have more than average systematic risk.Rosenberg and Guy (1995) further explain the importance of beta as the value of beta measures the expected response to market returns and because the vast majority of returns in diversified portfolios can be explained by their response to the market, an accurate prediction of beta is the most important single element in predicting the future behavior of a portfolio. To the degree that one believes that one can forecast the future direction of market movement, a forecast of beta, by predicting the degree of response to that movement, provides a prediction of the resultant portfolio return.To the degree that one is uncertain about the future movement of the market, the forecast of beta, by determining one's exposure to that uncertainty, provides a prediction of portfolio risk. We begin with the first description of the portfolio. Unlike mutual funds or index baskets, the investor does not have to make multiple transactions in order to achieve a market price. With ETFs it's one trade, one price. The first fund in this portfolio is Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF. From July 24, 2012 to August 13, 2012 the value has risen from $67. 9 to $71. 14. The annual investment returns of this ETF are: Annual investment returns as of 12/31/2011 (Vanguard, 2012) Year EndedVanguard Consumer Discretionary ETFSpliced US IMI Consumer Discr 25/50* Capital Return by NAVIncome Return by NAVTotal Return by NAVTotal Return by Market PriceTotal Return 20112. 28%1. 42%3. 71%3. 70%3. 83% 201029. 30%1. 27%30. 57%30. 62%30. 87% The Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF is generating 0. 16% of daily returns assuming volatility of 0. 71% on return distribution over 30 days investment horizon.MERGENT online indicates, the one month beta on this investment is 1. 03. This EFT includes stocks of companies that manufacture products and provide services that consumers purchase on a discretionary basis. The following risks are associated with this type of ETF: Stock market risk, Sector risk, Non-diversification and Investment style risk (Vanguard, 2012). Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF fund’s manufacturing segment includes the following industries: automotive, household durable goods, textiles and apparel, and leisure equipment.The services segment includes hotels, restaurants and other leisure facilities, media production and services, and consumer retailing. The next fund in this portfolio is Vanguard Financial ETF, which includes stocks of companies that provid e financial services. The investment has a one month beta of 0. 73 which indicates that the investment is 73% less risky than the average. This ETF fund is classified as aggressive is subject to extremely wide fluctuations in share prices.The unusually high volatility associated with these funds may stem from one or more of the following strategies: a concentration of fund holdings in a relatively low number of individual stocks, or in a particular sector of the stock market, or in a particular geographical region of the world; a heavy emphasis on small-capitalization stocks or growth stocks with relatively high market valuations; holdings of international stocks or bonds, which are subject to price declines caused by changes in the value of the U. S. ollar against foreign currencies; or investments in bonds that have exceptionally long average durations, whose prices are highly sensitive to changes in interest rates. According to the Wall Street Journal online, the annual investmen t returns of this ETF: Annual investment returns as of 12/31/2011 (Vanguard, 2012): Year EndedVanguard Financials ETFSpliced US IMI Consumer Discr 25/50* Capital Return by NAVIncome Return by NAVTotal Return by NAVTotal Return by Market PriceTotal Return 2011-16. 04%1. 69%-14. 35%-14. 35%-14. 24% 201013. 15%1. 58%14. 74%14. 77%14. 7% Vanguard Financials ETF seeks to track the investment performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Financials 25/50 Index, a benchmark of large-, mid-, and small-cap U. S. stocks in the financials sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). This GICS sector is made up of companies involved in activities such as banking, mortgage finance, consumer finance, specialized finance, investment banking and brokerage, asset management and custody, corporate lending, insurance, financial investment, and real estate (including REITs).The next ETF in this portfolio is the Moderately-Aggressive Vanguard Growth ETF with a closing p rice of $66. 91 on July 24, 2012 and an ending close of $70. 48 on August 13, 2012. The one month beta on this investment is 0. 99 with a positive strong direction. Annual investment returns as of 12/31/2011 (Vanguard, 2012): Year EndedVanguard Growth ETFMSCI US Prime Market Growth Index* Capital Return by NAVIncome Return by NAVTotal Return by NAVTotal Return by Market PriceTotal Return 20110. 0%1. 27%1. 87%1. 84%1. 96% 201015. 66%1. 46%17. 11%17. 15%17. 23% An investment in this the fund could lose money over short or even long periods. The investor should expect the fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range, like the fluctuations of the overall stock market. Vanguard funds classified as moderate to aggressive are broadly diversified but are subject to wide fluctuations in share price because they hold virtually all of their assets in common stocks.In general, such funds are appropriate for investors who have a long-term investment horizon (ten ye ars or longer), who are seeking growth in capital as a primary objective, and who are prepared to endure the sharp and sometimes prolonged declines in share prices that occur from time to time in the stock market. This price volatility is the trade-off for the potentially high returns that common stocks can provide. The level of current income produced by funds in this category ranges from moderate to very low.The type of risks associated with this investment is: stock market risk and investment style risk. The chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising stock prices and periods of falling stock prices. The fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular sector, category, or group of companies. Because the fund seeks to track its target index, the fund may underperform the overall stock market. The chance that returns from large-capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market.Large-cap stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years. The next investment in the portfolio is Vanguard information technology ETF. This ETF seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks in the information technology sector. With a one month beta of 1. 1, this fund is passively managed, using a full-replication strategy when possible and a sampling strategy if regulatory constraints dictate.Includes stocks of companies that serve the electronics and computer industries or that manufacture products based on the latest applied science. The risk potential for this fund is aggressive, more risk more reward. Annual investment returns as of 12/31/2011 (Vanguard, 2012) Year EndedVanguard Information Technology ETFMSCI US Prime Market Growth Index* Capi tal Return by NAVIncome Return by NAVTotal Return by NAVTotal Return by Market PriceTotal Return 2011-0. 28%0. 80%0. 52%0. 53%0. 66% 201012. 08%0. 66%12. 74%12. 67%12. 99%Vanguard Information Technology ETF is made up of companies in the following three general areas: technology software and services, including companies that primarily develop software in various fields (such as the Internet, applications, systems, databases, management, and/or home entertainment), and companies that provide information technology consulting and services, data processing, and outsourced services; technology hardware and equipment, including manufacturers and distributors of communications equipment, computers and peripherals, electronic equipment, and related instruments; and semiconductors and semiconductor equipment manufacturers.Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF which seeks to provide a moderate and sustainable level of current income. Invests primarily in high-quality (investment-gra de) corporate bonds. Moderate interest rate risk, with a dollar-weighted average maturity of 5 to 10 years. Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF seeks to track the performance of a market-weighted corporate bond index with an intermediate-term dollar-weighted average maturity. The fund invests by sampling the index, meaning that it holds a range of securities that, in the aggregate, approximates the full index in terms of key risk factors and other characteristics. Annual investment returns as of 12/31/2011 (Vanguard, 2012)Year EndedVanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETFMSCI US Prime Market Growth Index* Capital Return by NAVIncome Return by NAVTotal Return by NAVTotal Return by Market PriceTotal Return 20113. 77%4. 17%7. 94%8. 97%8. 03% 20106. 16%4. 48%10. 65%9. 88%10. 80% All of the fund’s investments will be selected through the sampling process and at least 80% of the fund’s assets will be invested in bonds included in the index. The fund maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity consistent with that of the index. An investment in the fund could lose money over short or even long periods. The fund’s performance could be hurt by: Interest rate risk: The chance that bond prices overall will decline because of rising interest rates.Interest rate risk should be moderate for the fund because it invests primarily in intermediate-term bonds, whose prices are less sensitive to interest rate changes than are the prices of long-term bonds. Income risk: The chance that the fund’s income will decline because of falling interest rates. Credit risk: The chance that a bond issuer will fail to pay interest and principal in a timely manner, or that negative perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of that bond to decline. Index sampling risk: The chance that the securities selected for the fund, in the aggregate, will not provide investment performance matching that of the index. In dex sampling risk for the fund should be low. Annual investment returns as of 12/31/2011 (Vanguard, 2012)Year EndedVanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETFMSCI US Prime Market Growth Index* Capital Return by NAVIncome Return by NAVTotal Return by NAVTotal Return by Market PriceTotal Return 20113. 77%4. 17%7. 94%8. 97%8. 03% 20106. 16%4. 48%10. 65%9. 88%10. 80% ETFs combine the advantages of both index funds and stocks. They are liquid, easy to use and can be traded in any quantity just like stocks. At the same time an ETF provides the diversification, market coverage and low expenses of an index fund. These characteristics combine to create an investment tool that provides investors with the broad exposure they require, at the level they want; at the moment they need it.As such, they are fast gaining a reputation as an innovative investment solution – a claim greatly supported by the accelerated growth in ETFs. Reference Elton, E, & Gruber, M. (1977), Risk, reduction and portfolio size: an analytical solution. Journal of Business. Vol. 50, 415-437. Hope-Bell, E. (2008). Focus on: Index investing – exchange traded funds – an innovative investment solution. Professional Wealth Management, , 1-n/a. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/205081570? accountid=32521 Jordan, B. , Miller, T. , & Dolvin, S. (2012). Fundamentals of investments, valuation andmanagement (6th ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. MERGENT Online. Retrieved from http://www. mergentonline. com/companydetail. php? pagetype=highlights&compnumber=116548 Ong, Poh Wah (1982).Measuring the expected return and risk of combining several shares in an investment portfolio. Securities Industry Review. Vol. 8, No I, 6-16. Rosenberg, B. , & Guy, J. (1995). Prediction of beta from investment fundamentals. Financial Analysts Journal, 51(1), 101-101. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/219118485? accountid=32521 Ross, S. , Westerfield, W. , & Jordan, B. (199 3). Fundamentals of corporate finance, 2nd ed. , Richard D. Irwin, Inc. https://personal. vanguard. com/us/home Vanguard (2012). Retrieved from https://personal. vanguard. com/us/home Wall Street Journal online. (2012). Retrieved from http://online. wsj. com/home-page

Global Project Management

Similarities and Differences between Domestic and Global Project Management. Global business practices are becoming increasingly common both for large multi-national organizations as well as small domestic businesses. Many businesses outsource work to other countries or contract people of organizations globally to complete project work or provide offshore services (Eberlein, 2008, p. 27). A better understanding of how to manage global projects is important to the body of knowledge about project management. The purpose of this study is to explore the similarities and differences between domestic and global project management. The research questions used to guide this study are 1. In what ways are domestic and global projects similar and different? 2. What are some mediating variables that contribute to global project failure or success? Domestic Project Management In the United States the Project Management Institute (PMI) project management body of knowledge (PMBOK) and the Association of Project Manager’s (APM) body of knowledge (bok) are used as guides for planning and controlling projects (Burke, 2001). According to the PMBOK a project is â€Å"a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service. Temporary means that every project has a definite end. Unique means that the product or service is different in some distinguishing way from all similar products or services† (PMBOK as cited in Burke, 2001, p. ). All projects share the same basic components: (a) a project manager or single individual responsible for the outcome of the project, (b) a beginning and an end, (c) distinct phases, budget of allocated financial and physical resources, (d) unique set of activities specific to the project, (e) fast tracking to getting product or process completed before the competition, and (f) identification of team member roles and responsibilities (Burke, 2001). The role of the project manager is â€Å"to set up a management structure which not only meets the needs of the project, but the needs of the organization, the needs of the stakeholders and the needs of the individuals working on the project† (Burke, 2001, p. 1). Projects range in size and scope from small domestic projects to large multi-national global projects. The first, and often critical task of the project manager is to identify the stakeholders of the project and what their needs and expectations are in relation to the urpose and the scope of the project (Kerzner, 2003). According to the PMBOK, there are nine components that the project manager must consider: (a) integration, (b) time, (c) quality, (d) scope, (e) cost, (f) human resource management, (g) communication, (h) procurement, and (i) risk. This involves the project manager articulating what has to be completed in order for the project to be a success. This includes outlining how long the project will take, how much it will cost, what resources are needed, and what technical or subject matter experts are needed. Prior to implementation, the project manager works with others on the project team to develop a plan and how it will be implemented. Throughout the planning, implementation, and completion phases, the project manager is responsible for managing techniques and tools used as well as integrating, monitoring and maintaining the process and personnel from concept to completion of project objectives (Burke, 2001). Project integration involves the planning, execution, and control of the project and how the inputs from different knowledge and technical experts will be coordinated (Kerzner, 2003). Project scope management involves ensuring that all the tasks required for the project are defined, the resources required are identified, and controlling processes are in place (DeLone et al. , 2005). Project cost management includes understanding budget allocation and restrictions and planning how resources will be used, cost estimates and budgeting, cash-flow and control. Project quality management involves indentifying and maintaining the necessary conditions to ensure quality assurance and control during all phases of the project life cycle. Management of project personnel is also an important responsibility of the project manager. Project human resource management involves identifying, recruiting, and maintaining a project team with the right mix of technical and knowledge experts (Kerzner, 2003). Project communication management involves creating a work environment that facilitates the proper communication channels for the collection and dissemination of information related to planning, implementation, and completion of the project. Project risk management involves identifying risks and incorporating processes and procedures to mitigate against risks to the completion of the project. Finally project procurement management involves identification and implementation of processes that facilitate the planning and procurement of resources and necessary documentation for completion of the project (Burke, 2001, pp. 8-9). During the project life-cycle, project managers are responsible for oversight of such tasks or processes as work breakdown structure, critical path methods (calculation of all the activities from start to finish to determine the duration of the project), resource smoothing, earned value, and configuration control (Burke, 2001). Many organizations are turning to management-by-projects approach because it provides flexibility, decentralized management responsibility, a more holistic or global way of conceptualizing problems and solutions, and problem solution processes that are goal oriented (Burke, 2001, p. ). One benefit of management by project is that it allows for the inclusion of temporary, part-time or full-time workers as team members. Another is that this approach has been endorsed by the International Project Management Assoc iation (IPMA) (Burke, 2001). This is important for global project management scenarios. Global Project Management Global project management often involv es program management in which a project office is designated to mange a large capital project that is subdivided into smaller project teams each with a specific goal to achieve as part of a larger plan. Often the project manager will be involved with one or more of the following, either personally or through designated representatives: (a) recruitment of project team personnel, (b) human resources and personnel issues, (c) identification of economic factors related to the project, (d) computer or other technical systems to be used, (e) legal contracts or other required documentations, (f) sales and marketing issues if applicable, (g) and costs (purchasing, sales, and employee) (Burke, 2001, p. 5). Finally, the project manager either serves as the technical expert or identifies and includes on the project team the necessary technical and knowledge experts required to complete the project. The project manager is key to the success of any project. The project manager sets the overall tone and creates the environment in which the work is to be completed (Delone et al. , 2005). The project manager must contend with and integrate the different expectations of outside forces that influence the project development, implementation, and completion. This includes stakeholder goals and expectations as well as the immediate client or sponsor requirements for the project (Delone et al. , 2005). It also includes understanding how the project fits within the economic cycle, market requirement, and the competition. In addition, the project manager must complete the project within the culture and structure of the organization or organizations while adhering to any rules and regulations governing the industry (Espinosa et al. , 2003). Finally, and sometimes neglected, the project manager must be mindful of the political forces that can affect the completion of the project, both internal to the organization as well as the external environment (Burke, 2001, p. 6). These factors are static and the manager must be able to deal with uncertainty, change, and risk within the project environment. In a growing global business environment, projects often involve international partner and project teams composed of members from different geographical and cultural areas (Eberlein. 008). Global project managers are faced with a different set of challenges than faced by the domestic project manager. â€Å"Conducting projects in different countries, with their unique legal and political environment, security issues, economic factors, and infrastructure limitations and requirements, increases complexity far beyond that of projects executed in domestic settings† (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 1). Many of the issues discussed in relation to domestic project management are applicable to global project management. However, in addition to the PMI and PMBOK in the United States, there are others organizations that provide project management guidelines such as the Association of Project Managers (AMP bok) in the United Kingdom, The AIPM Competency Standards for Project Management in Australia, the ISO 10006 Guideline to Quality in Project Management, South African unit standards, and the International Association of Project Managers (IPMA’s BOK) (Burke, 2001, p. ). The purpose of these resources is to provide a body of common knowledge that can be used in domestic as well as international projects Compared to the PMBOK used in the United States, the APM bok from the United Kingdom employs a broader approach to project management, utilizing 55 knowledge areas compared to the nine knowledge areas of PMBOK. The APM bok: Incorporates not only inward focused project management topics (such as planning and control techniques), but also broader topics in which the project is being managed (such as social and ecological environment), as well as specific areas (such as technology, economics, finance, organization, procurement and people as well as general management). (Burke, 2001, p. 8) Global project management involves an understanding of the industries and types of projects that are used in the countries involved in the project (Burke, 2001). When involved in global project management, a key issue is ensuring a common understanding and competence of project managers who come from different project management certification of licensure programs Delone et al. , 2005). Project managers and team members will have to work out a common business language and set of common practices and procedures that will be adhered to during the planning, implementation, and completion of the project. This is especially important when dealing with different legal systems and requirements of the countries involved in the project (Burke, 2001, p. 10). The Influence of Culture to the Success of a Project Global project managers must effectively deal with differences in language that could be barriers to communication and understanding. Cross-cultural differences can also pose challenges when cultural conventions are violated. This lack of attention to language and cultural will show up at any point in the life cycle from planning to the completion stage in the form of differences in quality standards adhered to by technical and knowledge experts as well as misunderstandings over goals and task requirements (Henri & Sousa-Poza, 2005). Differences in labor relations, governmental agency involvement must also be addressed when forming a project team and setting the project deadline (Freedman & Katz, 2007). A critical mistake a project manager can make in working with an international team is neglecting cultural variables than can pose a risk to planning and execution. For example, assigning a high-risk project to a team composed of members from a risk-averse culture (e. g. Germany, Japan, and China) may result in excessive time spent in the planning and risk assessment phase of the project life cycle, changing processes, procedures, and performance aspects to mitigate against low probability risks that results the wasting of time and resources, and negative attitudes about the success of the project (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 2). In countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and some African nations, the successful completion of time-intensive and time critical projects can be jeopardized by a culture that places an emp hasis on being patient and bending to the will of fate. It is therefore vital to review such cultural characteristics in the context of a project’s priorities, considering alternatives where appropriate† (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 2). Who the stakeholders are in a global project are also important considerations. While this is often neglected in domestic projects, the negative repercussions pose a greater threat to global projects (Freedman & Katz, 2007). To mitigate against the negative risks associated with a global partnership, it is important to establish shared goals and objectives from the start. This is often a difficult process because of cultural differences between the countries involved. While all cultural differences cannot be eliminated, identifying and mutually acknowledging these differences can help decrease misunderstandings and insults that could threatened the completion of the project (Freedman & Katz, 2007). Therefore, a project manager involved in any international partnership would take into consideration several factors that start with an assessment of the cultural values of the country and organization from which some of the team members would be recruited. Questions that the project manager would ask include: 1. How complex is the project? 2. How complex is the project infrastructure? 3. What are the key risk areas of the project? 4. How time-critical is the project? 5. What are your long-term objectives? 6. Which cultural barriers will you have to address? (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 3) Once the team has been established, time should be taken to clarify and align the technical and knowledge competencies required by team members as well as the intentions and expectations from both the domestic and globally based team members for how the project will proceed. Since communication may be more difficult when working with a global partner, it is incumbent on the project manager to take the extra time to clarify and confirm information shared between project team members and key stakeholders in the project (Delone, 2005). This process will help the project manager identify and deal with differences in values that might threatened effective collaboration (Freedman & Katz, 2007). Project team leadership can be influenced differently in domestic and global project management. Approaches to leadership that work well in domestic projects may fail when working with culturally diverse team. For example, there is a hierarchy of communication between workers, supervisors, and leadership that are strictly adhered to in some countries (e. g. , India and Japan) that is not a part of the organizational culture in the U. S. Ignoring these cultural conventions could lead to project delay or even failure (Freedman & Katz, 2007). In addition, some cultures are highly authoritarian, group-oriented, and use indirect communication; these cultural practices are different from U. S. practices that tend to be more egalitarian, individualist, and use direction communication. This can result in situations where project team members are confused about how to interact with others and how to approach project tasks, often leading to delay or project failure (Freedman & Katz, 2007). If problems or conflict does occur, a project manager who understands the cultural differences at play, can work with team members to develop strategies that help adapting behaviors to accommodate differences in expectations about leadership, decision-making procedures, work styles, and rule/tactics of negotiation (Freedman & Katz, 2007). Some cultures expect their leaders to be more egalitarian than is common among US leaders (e. g. , Scandanavia, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand). When leaders are perceived as too autocratic, team members often will resent the leader’s actions and ignore a leader they consider arrogant and overbearing. On the other hand, some cultures expect the leader to be more directive and autocratic (e. g. , most countries south of the US, Russia, China, India, Mid East, and Far Eastern countries) (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. ). When a leader is perceived to be too friendly or casual with subordinates, team members will react to the project manager with confusion and distrust (Freedman & Katz, 2007). It cannot be understated the importance of project managers to accommodate their behaviors to the cultural and organizational expectations. â€Å"It is entirely possible to behave in a way that will be viewed as weak and ineffective in one culture and viewed as boorish and ineffective in an other† (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 4). Palvia and Vemuri (2002) stress the key role that trust plays in the successful completion of a project. This is especially relevant to global project management were trust is built and strengthened by a project manager who recognizes the language, culture, local customs of the international partners and teams members in addition to knowledge about legal or regulatory requirements (Kliem, 2004). Project managers also must be prepared to work with leaders in other countries who are not familiar with working in cross-cultural teams and are unaware of how to interact in these situations. Project managers facile at â€Å"influencing, negotiating, and adapting their behavior to different people and contexts† (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 5) are best suited from global projects. These managers are able to build relationships and understand the important role that these relationship are to the success of a global project. These managers are able to tap into relationships formed with partner organizations to help resolve issues or expedite solutions. Project managers who have difficulty in the following areas would be poor choices for leading a global project: (a) building relationships, (c) knowingly or unknowingly ignores or insults foreign team members, (d) have poor communication skills, (e) views foreigners as lazy, stupid, or unable/unwilling to adapt, (f) unwilling to adapt his/her own behaviors, (g) takes for granted the importance of coming to consensus on issues related to project tasks, times, and quality (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 6). On the other hand, Freedman and Katz (2007) outlined several behaviors of the â€Å"uninformed† superior working for a foreign company that could threaten the collaboration, functioning, and success of a project. These disruptive behaviors include: ? Delegates completely, doesn’t see any reason to get involved. ?â€Å"They work for us—you make that clear to them! † ?Asks if the project manager is keeping â€Å"banker’s hours† when he/she comes in later after being on the phone from 11-3 the night before. ?Sees no reason to be selective (except technically) in placing people on an international project. Selects high risk/high collaboration projects for international work. ?Assumes the time required is the same for international and domestic projects. ?Is unwilling or unable to change leadership style to meet cultural expectations. (Freedman & Katz, 2007, p. 5) Another factor that is different from domestic projects is that members on a global project team often are geographically and sometimes organizationally dispersed (Orlikowski, 2002). It is not uncommon for these project members to meet in â€Å"virtual teams† using telecommunications and information technology (Eberlein, 2008, p. 9). Bell and Kozlowski (2002) point out that the use of virtual teams add an additional layer of complexity to any program. The lack of personal contact hinders team development and constrains performance management. At present, â€Å"there have been few efforts to include the culture variable in the theoretical frameworks† (Gurung & Prater, 2006, p. 24). Conclusion Being the manager of a globally based project can be exciting and rewarding with the project manager has the knowledge and skills to deal with culturally diverse work situations. In order to increase leadership effectiveness and the management of risk, uncertainty, and complexity, the project manager must become familiar with the guidelines for the project process that is common in the country where the project will be completed. In addition, cultural awareness and the ability to engage members of the team in effective communication that considers and respects cultural customs of the hosting country is critical to project success. Different countries respond differently to peers and those in positions of authority. A little â€Å"homework† about the culture and customs of the host country will serve the project manager well. References Bell, B. S. , & Kozlowski, S. W. J. (2002). A typology of virtual teams: Implications for effective leadership. New York: Cornell University, Faculty Publications: Human Resource Studies Burke, R. (2001). Project management: Planning and control techniques (3rd ed. ). New York: John Wiley & Sons. DeLone, W. , Espinosa, J. A. , Lee, G. , & Carmel, E. (2005). Bridging global boundaries for IS project success. Proceedings of the 38th Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science, Big Island Hawaii, IEEE. Eberlein, M. (2008). Culture as a critical success factor for successful global project management in multi-national IT service projects. Journal of Information Technology Management, 19(3), 27-42. Espinosa, J. A. , Cummings, J. N. , Wilson, J. M. , and Pearce, B. M. (2003). Team boundary issues across multiple global firms. Journal of Management Information Systems, 19(4), 157-190) Freedman, S. , & Katz, L. (2007). Critical success factors for international projects. PM World Today, 9(10), 1-8. Retrieved April 18, 2010 from http://www. pmworldtoday. net Gurung, A. , & Prater, E. (2006). A research framework for the impact of cultural differences on IT outsourcing. Journal of Global Information Technology Management, 9(1), 24-43. Henri, M. , & Sousa-Poza, A. (2005). Project management: A cultural literary review. Project Management Journal, 36(1), 5-14. Kerzner, H. (2003). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling and controlling. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Kliem, R. L. (2004). Managing the risks of offshore IT development projects. Information Systems Management Journal, Summer, 22-28. Orlikowski,, W. (2002). Knowing in practice: Enacting a collective capability in distributed organizing. Organization Science, 13, 249-273. Palvia, S. C. , & Vemuri, V. K. (2002). Global e-commerce: An examination of issues related to advertising and intermediation in Palvia, P. C. , Palvia, S. C. J. , & Roche, E. M. (eds. ) Global information technology and electronic commerce: Issues for the new millennium. New York: Ivey League Publishing.

Colonist unity on eve of revolution essays

Colonist unity on eve of revolution essays To an extant the colonists developed a sense of their identity and unity as Americans by the eve of the Revolution. This unity and identity by no means came instantaneously, but came as a slow trickle and even on the eve of the revolution was still not complete. This sense of unity and identity came through change over time and helped shape the American spirit on the eve of the Revolution. At first the colonists thought of themselves to be British settlers. But as time progressed, and many colonists in the colonies were born in America, and began to intermingle with other cultures, they began to develop an identity that they were their won people. This point is shown well in Hector St. John Crevecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer. The colonist that now lived in America had less and les ties ethnically to the British and became moreover products of the melting pot affect, a person created from the many cultures from all over tie globe. An example of the identity shared by the colonists as one people is shown by the manifest of the Contributors of Donations for the Relief of Boston, 1774-1775. The colonists came together on as Americans to help other Americans who were in need when the British government closed Bostons ports in 1773, as a result of the Boston tea party. The colonist of the states that donated items or money saw that fellow colonists were in need and did not perceive them as settlers in another As time progressed and the colonist began to become threaten by the British taking away their rights, they joined together as colonist supporting the same cause and also willing to die for the same cause. As shown in the Declaration for the Causes of Taking Up Arms, issued by the Continental Congress on July 6,1775, the colonists show that they are wiling to stand up against their enemies for the rights they as Americans have. The Continent...

States As Policy Laboratories Example

States As Policy Laboratories Example States As Policy Laboratories – Coursework Example s as Policy Labs: Virginia Policy United s of America is a unique country in the sense that all of its s are responsible for their ownpolicies and the rules and regulations they decide to impose upon their population (Cropf, 2008). During the post-Katrina era, many policy changes in the emergency management response of Virginia have been implemented. The older notion of involving the related federal agencies in a passive manner has been replaced by a new and active style of management. Local bodies have been empowered to achieve the same purpose. The Virginia Emergency services and Disaster Law (VESD) was amended to form the State Department of Emergency Management which empowered the local Governor to take actions that were beyond his control previously. Many additional powers were bestowed to Governor which included mandatory evacuations, emergency declaration and conduction of an annual drill that may include the people of whole state. An additional positive aspect is the reality of empowering the state to such an extent where it is capable of helping the neighboring states as well. VDEM has been given the responsibility of providing resources to the local bodies in the form of trained individuals, modern equipment and water supplies (Common wealth of Virginia, 2012). Consequently, the state’s preparedness for disasters like Katrina has improved and it is hoped that this model will serve as the pilot model for others states and may someday be implemented at the national level. In my opinion, these are the early manifestations of improvement that we have yet to observe in the coming times; since other states are in the process of learning from the laboratory of Virginia and may implement similar policies in the coming future. ReferencesCommonwealth of Virginia (2012). Emergency Operations Plan. Available online from vaemergency.gov/webfm_send/682/COVEOP_2012_Basic_Plan_version_2012_Sep.pdf [accessed 25th January, 2015].Cropf, R. (2008). American public administration: public service for the 21st century. New York: Pearson Longman.

Abramoff case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Abramoff case - Research Paper Example These political lobbyists offered gifts and campaign donations to legislators in return for the unfair legislative support. The scandal was brought to light following the federal investigations into the business as well as political dealings of Abramoff. Indian lobbying scandal was one of the major misdeeds of Abramoff and it was resulted from defrauding native Indian tribes of millions of dollars. As noted already, the scandal represented the bribing of government officials as well. From extensive FBI investigations, Abramoff found guilty of three felony counts including conspiracy, tax evasion, and fraud. The tax evasion charges were roughly amounted to $1.7 million whereas the loss of the defrauded tribes represented a figure of $66 million (US Senate, 2006). Abramoff was asked to cooperate with officials on the investigation of congressional corruption because he had bribed congressional representatives including Bob Ney of Ohio. The scandal also included the hiring of congressio nal staff with intent to influence their former employees. As Eliason (2009) points out, Neil Volz, the chief staff of Tom DeLay, was found guilty of offenses including fraud, conspiracy, and contravention of house rules and which in turn forced DeLay to relinquish his position as the chairperson of the house administration committee. It is apparent that the political scandal perpetrated by Abramoff had many ethical consequences. The parties involved in this scandal had ethical responsibilities toward the society and general public, and therefore the scandal resulted in an ethical downturn of the parties involved. The Abramoff scandal also represented the violation of societal values because ethics is an integral element determining acceptable behaviors in a society. To illustrate, Abramoff defrauded the native Indian tribes of millions of dollars through his lobbying activities, and from a societal perspective it is just equivalent to

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Article Example Thomas discusses the impact of cross cultural interactions in different disciplines. The two domains in which cultural influence mechanisms fall are cognitive and motivational. The cognitive dimension is about the cultural different perceptions and signal interpretations while motivational dimension is about self concepts that are culturally different and can impact what we consider to be desirable. Hence, this can impact out comes and behavior. This implies that knowledge knows what culture is and how it impacts behavior. Mindfulness on the other hand is described as a specific mega cognitive process in which multiple perspectives are sought for and new mental categories are created. People who are high on CQ quotient need to act instead of being just informed about what their culture is like. They must perform and act. The behavioral component of CQ is described as the ability to adjust and adapt behavior in different situation based on one’s expectation of others. In today’s diverse world and society, it is very important to understand the concept of cultural intelligence. The reader is able to relate to other cultures and self concepts by his ability to tolerate them and by understanding their predicaments. This will help establish harmony, understanding and stage the foundation of healthy interactions between people. The article is important for it digs down on the characteristics of cultural intelligence which can be applied by people in their