Pyramid Business Structures In China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Pyramid Business Structures In China - Essay Example This essay explores the basics of the pyramid business structure and checks how far the business model has deep rooted in the Chinese environment. It also analyses whether the pyramidal structure is beneficial or harmful to the Chinese economy through a case study on CITIC. Introduction A pyramid business structure has one person who is a sole controller and owner of one or more organizations. The person and his firms control a chain of other business structures in various industries. Thus the person at the top of the pyramid is the indirect controller of several small firms owned by a handful of his companies. This structure is widely prevalent in all the developing countries especially China. The owner at the top of the pyramid is capable of controlling the actions of every other company under their firms with little investment through this method. Such type of business structure is important for the massive growth of huge corporate in the developing economies. But, developed count ries like the USA efficiently controlled this model as early as the 1930's as it curbed the growth of small entrepreneurs and entrusted too much profit into sectored groups. The US government used various strategies like double taxation to control pyramidal business sector (Marck et al, 2005). ... Claessens, Djankov and Lang (2000) confirm nearly 38.7% huge public firms in East Asia are managed through pyramid ownership. The pyramid business structure enables the ultimate owner to invest less and control massive cash flow. Another main advantage in this system is the firms controlled and the controller firms can share their resources in terms of capital, labour as well as revenue similar to business groups. But, the owner will be free from paying heavy taxes to the government for the small firms as only a handful of major firms are under his direct control. These controlled firms are used for the benefit of the owner in various ways. They can be discouraged from showing profits as the owner might need them to show losses to evade tax. These firms are run by the money invested by the common public or the shareholder who lack any control over these structures. This gap between control and cash investment paves way for tunnelling or which reduces the firm's total value. â€Å"Tu nneling† generally defined as the passing of assets or profits from the smaller country to the bigger companies for the ultimate benefit of the huge group’s owner. Research done by various scholars in the western countries as well as the growing eastern market suggests the same. Research done by La Porta, Lopez-de-Silanes, Shliefer and Vishny (2002) confirmed pyramid business structures paved way for tunnelling more than the other business structures after studying the top 27 economies in the western world. Claessens et al (2002) research in East Asian economies confirms the same. Classens et at (1998) claims there are three main problems in pyramid business structure. They are

Describe the functions of managers Essay Example for Free

Describe the functions of managers Essay Good management and leadership are critical for organisations to function and also for the organisations to thrive. When organisations are well managed just like Barclay, they can operate effectively and they can operate efficiently. Managers have very good and clear plans, mangers have organised structures, systems, and they also evaluate results. When organisations are well led, they adapt to changes in the environment and develop cultures that inspire commitment and innovation. Both good management and good leadership are necessary to sustain organisational performance. Mangers are responsible for getting work done usually through other people; the term manger may also refer to a number of different people within a business. Some job titles include the word manager, such as a personal manger or managing director. Other jobholders may also be mangers even through there titles do not say it. * Mangers act on behalf of the owners in a company, senior management are accountable shareholders * Mangers set objectives for the organisation, for example, they may decide that a long-term objective is to have a greater market share than all of the companys competitors. * Managers make sure that a business achieves its objectives, by managing others. * Managers ensure that cooperate values which means the value of the organisation are maintained in dealings with other business, customers, employees and general public. When an organisation is managed well mangers effectively perform four essential management functions Henry Fayol the French management theorist listed a number of functions or elements of management these are: * Planning * Organising * Commanding * Coordinating * Controlling Planning This involves mangers setting objectives and also the strategies, policies, programmes and procedures for achieving them. Planning might be done by line mangers who will be responsible for performance. However advice on planning may also come from staff management who might have expertise in that are even if they have no line authority. For example, a production may carry out human recourse planning in the production department, but use the skills of the personal manager in planning recruitment for vacancies that may arise. In general, planning involves defining organisational goals and proposing ways to reach them. Managers plan for 3 reasons: * To establish an overall direction for the organisations future, such as a target say for example to increase profit, expand market share,, etc, etc. * To identify and commit the organisations resources to achieving its goals. * To decide which tasks must be done to reach those goals. * Barclays mangers set up objectives * Barclays bank makes up smart plans to achieve set objectives. * Manpower planning * Production budgets * Cash budgets * Sales targets Organising Mangers set task, which need to be performed if the business is to achieve its objectives. Jobs need to be organised within sections or departments and authority and authority needs to be delegated so that jobs are carried out. For example: the goal of a manufacturing company may be to produce quality goods that will be delivered to customer on time. The tasks such as manufacturing, packaging, administration, etc. that are part of producing and distributing the goods, need to be organised to achieve this goal. For example in Barclays within Barclays managers, supervisors must lead the employees with the delegated job. After mangers have prepared plans, they must translate those relatively abstract ideas into practice reality. Organising is the processes of creating a structure of relationships that will enable employees to carry out managements plans and meet organisational goals. By organising effectively. Mangers can better coordinate human, material, and information resources. An organisations success depends largely on managements ability to utilise those resources effectively and efficiently. * Organise working procedures * Organisational structure, chain of command needs to be established. * Organising which member of staff in Barclays does what. * Distribution channels. * Quality systems Commanding This involves giving instructions to subordinates to carry out tasks. The manger has the authority to make decisions and responsibilities to see tasks carried out. For example in Barclays plc the management team must put plans into action by allocating the best use of resources to achieve the plan. To make sure the plans are achieved mangers use their delegation skills. Coordinating This is the bringing together of the activities of people with the business. Individuals and groups will have there own goals, which may be different to those of the business and each other. Management must make sure that there is a common approach, so that the companys goals are achieved. * Mangers coordinate the work force * Mangers in Barclays bank direct employees what they are doing. * Delegating tasks * Mangers resolve conflicts of interests in the different functional areas of the business. * This helps mangers to motivate their staff. Controlling Mangers measure and correct the activities of individuals and groups to make sure that their performance fits in with plans. Control is the monitoring of evens and progress within each department. For example within Barclays the organisation a range of departments for example the finance department they will monitor there budget and performance. The process by which person group or organisation consciously monitors performance and takes corrective action this is called controlling, another example would be that Barclays finance department will be controlling and monitoring customers transactions, etc, etc and they will keep a history and they will keep a record file of that customer. Management control system sends signal to managers that things are not working out as planned and that corrective action is needed. * Barclays bank monitor and measure what is being archived in each of their department. * Barclays control, monitor there sales performance. * Barclays control and monitor their cash flow against their budget. Leading After management has made plans, created a structure of work practice, and hired the right personal, someone must lead the organisation, leading involves communicating with and motivating others to perform the tasks necessary to achieve the organisations goals. Leading is not done only after planning and organising end, it is a crucial element of these functions.

Alien Hand Syndrome: Causes and Effects

Alien Hand Syndrome: Causes and Effects Nia Helyar What is Alien Hand Syndrome and why does it occur? Discuss in relation to one or more case studies. Alien hand syndrome is an intermittent involuntary disorder whereby the hand acts of its ‘own free will’. However, alien hand syndrome is not consistently or precisely defined. Alien hand syndrome describes complex, goal-directed activity in one hand that is not voluntarily initiated by the individual but is well executed (Mark, 2007). This syndrome is an extremely puzzling phenomenon experienced by brain-damaged patients whereby their limb performs purposeful actions without the intention of the patient (Biran, et al., 2006). The patient is unable to explain the exact source of movement from the hand and may actually consider the hand to have a mind of its own (Mark, 2007). It is caused by lesions to the frontal lobes and corpus callosum (Banks et al., 1989) and generally follows acute focal cerebral injury. The most common causes are cerebral hemispheric stroke, severe brain damage or damage to the corpus callosum such as in surgery, which is used to treat severe epilepsy. The corpus callosum connects the two hemispheres, therefore surgery to this area of the brain can lead there to be less or no communication between the hemispheres which can lead to limbs acting of their own accord. Alien hand syndrome can also be seen in patients who suffer from a variety of degenerative, dementing cerebral disorders such as Alzheimer’s (Mark, 2007). Due to the numerous different causes of alien hand syndrome there are many variations of the condition. Therefore, it has been that alien hand syndrome is an umbrella term for a heterogeneous set of symptoms (Chokar et al., 2014). There have been reports of patients who were unable to stop their alien hand from grabbing and seizing nearby objects without any willing from their body (Kumral, 2001). This can be seen by the study of patient JC, a 56 year old man who had suffered from a left hemispheric stroke, with damage extending to the corpus callosum. Four weeks after his stroke he complained of peculiar uncontrolled movements of his hand. His hand would do things â€Å"as though it has a mind of its own† such as playing with light switches, grasping and holding things. In many situations the patient found themselves in the situation where the right hand opposed the left hand without the patient choosing to do so. Furthermore, the alien hand caused the patient difficulty in eating because of the opposing behaviour of the right and left hand (Biran, Giovannetti, Buxbaum, Chatterjee 2006). Often, a patient has to use their other willing hand to prise open their fingers and release the object which the alien hand has grasped (Kumral, 2001). Patients observe and experience their own limbs carrying out purposeful behaviours over which they have no or very little control. In one case it was noted that a patient had picked up a pencil and begun scribbling with the right hand. She indicated she had not initiated the action with the right arm, she experienced a feeling of dissociation from the actions of the right arm, stating that `it will not do what I want it to do’ (Goldberg et al.1981). This alien limb may disrupt movements of the other limb that is actually responding to the intentions of the patient (Akelaitis, 1944-45). Patients can experience their limbs acting without being guided by their own will (Bogen, 1993, fisher, 2000). Bogen, J. E. (1993) found his alien hand undoing the buttons of his shirt even as his â€Å"healthy† limb tried to button the shirt. The errant limb is known to not even rest during sleep in some cases and patients with alien hand syndrome have woken up to find their alien limbs choking them (Banks et al, 1989). In one case the patient’s `left hand would tenaciously grope for and grasp any nearby object, pick and pull at her clothes, and even grasp her throat during sleep . . . . She slept with the arm tied to prevent nocturnal misbehaviour.’ However, she never denied that her hand belonged to her (Banks et al. 1989). This is an important part of this syndrome; that the patient does not deny responsibility for the han d or the behaviour that it carries out. Two types of behaviour are displayed with this syndrome, repetitive involuntary grasping and unilateral goal-directed limb behaviour. Patients clearly recognize that there is a discrepancy between what the hand is doing and their desired actions. The patients are upset by the actions of the hand and will often try to prevent it from moving by grasping it firmly with the other hand (Frith, 2000). MP was a patient who had an operation to repair a ruptured aneurysm of the anterior communication artery. Within two years she was unable to live independently with her family due to the way in which the alien hand syndrome was affecting her life (Sala, 1998). An alien hand sufferer can feel normal sensation in the hand, but believes that the hand, while still part of their body, behaves in a manner that is totally distinct from them. They feel that they have no control over the movements of their alien hand but that, instead, the hand has the capability of acting independent of their conscious control. Alien hands can perform complex acts such as removing clothing which can be seen from examples above. Sometimes the sufferer will not be aware of what the hand is doing until it is brought to his or her attention. Patients frequently report astonishment and frustration at these errant limbs. Overall, alien hand syndrome is difficult to explain as there are many different causes and symptoms that can be described as this condition. However, one symptom that is apparent throughout the many case studies is that the alien hand acts against the willing of the patient. The condition is extremely complex and even though many causes are symptoms are known there is still a lot to learn about it. Further research is therefore required. Word Count: 987 References Akelaitis, A. (1944–1945). Studies on the corpus callosum. IV. Diagonistic dyspraxia in epileptics following partial and complete section of the corpus callosum. American Journal of Psychiatry, 101, 594–599. Biran, I., Giovannetti, T., Buxbaum, L., Chatterjee, A. (2006). The alien hand syndrome: What makes the alien hand alien?.Cognitive Neuropsychology,23(4), 563-582. Chokar, G., Cerase, A., Gough, A., Hasan, S., Scullion, D., El-Sayeh, H., Buccoliero, R. (2014). A case of Parry–Romberg syndrome and alien hand.Journal of the neurological sciences,341(1), 153-157. Farrage, A. D. Alien hand syndrome. http://the-medical-dictionary.com/alien_hand_syndrome_article_5.htm Fisher, C. M. (2000). Alien hand phenomena: A review with the addition of six personal cases. The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences, 27, 192–203. Frith, C. D., Wolpert, D. M. (2000). Abnormalities in the awareness and control of action.Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences,355(1404), 1771-1788. Goldberg, G., Mayer, N. H. Toglia, J. U. 1981 Medial frontal cortex and the alien hand sign. Arch. Neurol. 38, 683-686. Kumral, E. (2001). Compulsive grasping hand syndrome: A variant of anarchic hand. Neurology, 57, 2143–2144. Mark, V. W. (2007). Alien hand syndrome. InMedLink neurology(pp. 418-421). MedLink Corporation San Diego. Parkin, A. J. (1996). The alien hand.Methods in madness: case studies in cognitive neuropsychiatry, 173-183. Sala, C. M. S. D. (1998). Disentangling the alien and anarchic hand.Cognitive neuropsychiatry,3(3), 191-207. 1

Essay on Eating Disorder - Dying to Be Thin :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Dying to Be Thin Seeing an empty box of over-the-counter diet pills in the bathroom at school a couple of weeks ago really got me thinking: what is the ideal body image that we throw at teenagers today? More and more we see people equate success and popularity with beauty and, especially, with being thin. The media, one of the biggest influences on young people, is crammed with images of "the perfect body," and American life seems to revolve around health clubs, diet pills, and fat-free foods. As contributing factors to eating disorders continue to rise in everyday life, so do the statistics. Fifteen percent of the teenagers diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa will die this year, and as many as 1 in 5 college students are engaging in some form of bulimic behavior. Anorexia is found chiefly in adolescents, especially young women, and female anorexics outnumber males 15 to 1. With numbers this high, someone you know, literally, may be dying to be thin. In medicine, Anorexia Nervosa is a condition characterized by an intense fear of weight gain or becoming obese, as well as a distorted body image. An anorexic will claim to "feel fat" even when emaciated, and will refuse to maintain a normal, minimal body weight. Visible signs of Anorexia include: * fear of food and situations where food may be present; * rigid exercise regimes; * dressing in layers to hide weight loss; * use of laxatives, enemas or diuretics to get rid of food. Treatment techniques for Anorexia include family therapy, group therapy, support or self-help groups, and individual psychotherapy. Given the proper treatment, approximately 50% of diagnosed anorexics will recover completely within 2 to 5 years. Bulimia, characterized by compulsive binge-eating and purging, is very closely related to Anorexia Nervosa. Victims of these two disorders may share many of the same behaviors and concerns, especially the intense fear of becoming fat. For bulimics, food becomes an obsession and an addiction. Some visible signs include: * strict dieting followed by eating binges; * disappearing after a meal; * excessive concerns about weight; * expressing guilt or shame about eating.

Borders in Our Minds Essay

Since the presidency under James Polk in 1844, many American citizens have, in one form or another, been in conflict with our neighbors to the south – the populace of Mexico. In the 19th century, however, those conflicts revolved mainly around ownership of land in what are now southwest regions of the United States (Scheffler, 2011). In modern society, American indifference toward Mexican immigrants exists in many other forms and plays a significant role in efforts to control Mexican natives entering the United States. It is my intention to bring to light various circumstances by which intolerance to Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans may have evolved. Such attempt will be made through: presentation of some of the various forms of bias currently in existence; application of the abstraction process as it applies to development of stereotypes; consideration of societal and cultural perspectives and how they may have precipitated non-acceptance of the Mexican immigrant into American society; and reflection on the roles in which Mexican immigrants have been placed that perpetuate stereotypes from an economic perspective. Finally, I will conclude by offering insight into that which I have derived from compilation of this paper from the perspective of one studying general semantics as part of an undergraduate program at Alverno College. This conclusion will include proposal for further consideration of the topic offered to the audience for which this paper is intended. The Basics of Bias Since 2000, the Hispanic population in the United States has grown from 35. 3 million (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000) to 50. 3 million (U. S. Census Bureau, 2010). This segment of the population has realized significant growth making then a large component of all American residents. One would tend to believe that given this growth, Mexicans would be viewed less as â€Å"aliens† and more as American citizens. In most instances, however, they are not considered the latter. They are considered different and in the past five years sociologists and civil rights attorneys have revealed many of the elements that play a role in the perpetuation of the bias numerous Americans hold toward Mexican immigrants. â€Å"They are [viewed as] disloyal . . . and refuse to assimilate† (Villareal, 2006) is one view of a Connecticut attorney who has spent many years defending minorities through legal activism (pg. 1). Villareal (2006) furthers his argument against American bias toward Mexican Americans by stating that â€Å"Mexican Americans will share in that dream and in that society only if they dream in English† (pg. 1). These biases obviously exist, but how they perhaps developed and why they conceivably sustain is the subject matter to follow. From Neighbor to Nuisance: The Power of Abstraction Objectivity and multi-perspective thinking is typically the product of the â€Å"constant interplay of higher-level and lower-level abstractions† (Hayakawa, 1990). It is the tendency to labor only at higher-levels of abstraction where one is inclined to stereotype. This is primarily due to the deduction that high-level abstraction is comprised of vagueness and generalities and it is this indistinct thinking that leads to standardized conceptions of common members of a group. These theories of high-level abstraction could very well account for bias against immigrants based upon linguistic differentials which reveal the tendency of individuals to stereotype or apply prejudice based upon language barriers. According to Nelson (2009), â€Å"linguistic bias mediates the extent to which people maintain stereotypic expectancies in the face of disconfirming information† (p. 499). Nelson predicates this concept upon studies of linguistic differences and how they produce negative behaviors. He describes this â€Å"linguistic bias effect† (p. 499) as existing at higher-levels of abstraction. While his research was done using Italian-Americans as test subjects, the linguistic bias theory assesses language barriers in a general sense and can account for negative predisposition toward Mexican immigrants based upon their unique dialect and possible inability to master language in a sense that individuals can assimilate as indigenous to the United States. The Societal and Cultural Gap A feeling of superiority as a people is likely a major contributor to American bias toward Mexican immigrants; highly distinct cultural attributes play a key role in this arena. In his in-depth studies and published works on cultural differences, Geert Hofstede (1984) reveals that â€Å"Americans see their own culture as very individualistic; and this individualism is interpreted as a major contributor to the greatness of the United States† (p. 150). Individualist cultures have great tendency to protect that which they feel entitlement to and possess a low desire to share. The United States is also a country very low on Hofstede’s scale measuring â€Å"power distance† which indicates a desire for a stable cultural environment where low power distance is â€Å"associated with highly individualistic cultures† (p.164). Based upon Hofstede’s research as it pertains to the cultural gap between Americans and Mexican immigrants, it can be inferred that intolerance toward Mexican immigrants has, in part, evolved from: an inability of Americans to accept cultural differences; ignorance to a culture that is based upon close, long-term commitment and shared responsibility rather than individualistic goals; and a desire to maintain a cultural environment of which they are familiar–an environment which they may view as threatened by change. In furthering the position of cultural disparity and its contribution to the intolerance of Mexican immigrants, various studies of ethnicity have yielded plausible explanation as to why many Americans have difficulty in the acceptance of Mexican immigrants into their native land. As is noted by Portes (1985), â€Å"Studies of ethnicity typically begin by noting the persistence of distinct cultural traits among groups formed by immigration . . . this situation can only be explained from an assimilation perspective, by the insufficient diffusion of the culture of the core to peripheral groups† (p.24). This perspective reiterates the strong role played by cultural disparity in fostering intolerance of immigrants. Economic Pigeon-Holing Some view Mexican immigrants as important only to a specific segment of the U. S. labor market and therefore, fail to see their role anywhere beyond this realm. It has become difficult for Mexican immigrants to transcend these barriers as Portes (1985) describes that â€Å"they have formed, each in their time, the mainstay of a segmented labor market . . . they constitute an indispensable component of the economic structure† (p. 25). He strengthens this argument by stating that â€Å"Granting such groups admittance into the core society on the basis of merit would jeopardize their utility to employers and to the entire dominant group† (p. 25). From this vantage point, it would be difficult for any one person to gain acceptance into a larger group if the economic success of that group were dependent upon that person remaining in one, very specific role. Given this, it is not difficult to understand the reasons why many Americans view Mexican immigrants as migrant workers, laborers, or maids—befitting of only a specific segment of the U. S. labor force. It is conceivable that this is not because they are unable to move beyond these stereotypes, but because they are unwilling to do so as it would upset their perception of an ideal economic structure. Discussion Investigation of the subject matter herein along with subsequent authorship of this paper has for me served as a catalyst toward multi-perspective understanding of current issues that impact the world from historical, social, political, and economic perspectives. I am now of the strong belief that effective communication is highly dependent upon successful integration of multicultural perspectives and diverse social perspectives. The ability to present an idea from multiple perspectives has also provided me an awareness of my ethical obligation as a communicator, that is, to inform without bias. It is difficult to argue that stereotypes precipitated by social, cultural, and economic perspectives exist as they pertain to Mexican immigrants in the United States. Thoughtful reflection upon the evolution of bias and stereotype can bring about greater understanding. To deny that diversity exists within our borders is to deny change. To attempt to keep that diversity out is to deny oneself the ability to live spherically and draw from cultural experiences that could serve to broaden perspective and intellect. A by-product of this dissertation is offered in the form of a challenge to those individuals who may be unaware of the levels of abstraction within which they operate. Heightened awareness of the levels of abstraction from which one functions both verbally and cerebrally can produce deeper understanding and subsequently the ability to understand and be understood. This may very well serve to lessen abhorrence and perhaps ultimately lead to the deterioration of intolerance to build a more peaceful society. References Elissa, G. (2001, August 11). Man Charged in Beatings Is Said to Have Used Racial Slurs. New York Times. p. 6. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Guitierrez, D. G. (1995). Mexican Americans, Mexican Immigrants, and the Politics of Ethnicity. Berkeley, CA: California Press. Retrieved March 23, 2011, from http://books. google. com/ books? hl=en&lr=&id=Had4W9odLX0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Mexican+immigrants& ots=Xb7xBvWz7o&sig=FRbC5aio9PLGrh14YK8pNrmEMnY#v=twopage&q&f=false. Hayakawa, S. I. (1990). Language in Thought and Action. (5th ed. ). Boston, MA: Thomson Wadsworth. Hofstede, G. (1984). Culture’s Consequences. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications. Nelson, T. (2009). Handbook of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. Psychology Press, New York, N. Y. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from http://books. google. com/books? id=J1qeQ T4bkX0C&pg=PA499&lpg=PA499&dq=abstraction+and+prejudice&sourc.

Management Techniques

Moreover, the manager hired also needs to have experience in planning, organizing, leading, and controlling a new service department in order to provide excellent customer service. Based on these qualifications, the following five questions will help determine If this candidate can take charge, organize things, and get people motivated and working again In a Service Department: 1 . Can you tell me of a situation wherein you think you're going to fall, but you were able to reverse the situation and succeed?Can you tell me what you did? (Burblers, 2004) This question ill assess the candidate's temperament particularly how he acts under pressure. Moreover, the answers provided will also indicate the level of the candidate's planning, organizing, leading and controlling skills as solving a dilemma successfully requires a more than average skills in these functions. 2. â€Å"Tell me about the most different employee situation you have ever had to handle. What did you do about it, what wa s the result† (Kodak, p. 39).This question will help me determine the candidate's core competencies as regards motivating people and getting available resources at hand to get the Job done. 3. We all feel that we are unique In our accomplishments; can you tell me an Instance that you feel Is unique? This question will help In assessing the confidence of the candidate on himself. A manager to be an effective leader, must exude confidence, otherwise his staff will not have confidence on his ability to lead them as well. 4. Tell me about a time when you turned down a good job.The answer will help me assess whether the candidate can actually deliver results. 5. Tell me what you have done on a consistent basis to ensure that your staff or direct report feel valued for their contributions. The candidate's answer will help me determine the level of the candidate's interpersonal skills specifically his behavior towards people working under him. The way the candidate answers the above questions will help the hiring manager assess his communication and interpersonal skills.In looking for the right person to fill the position of manager for the new department, that person must show above average skills and capabilities In managing people particularly In directing them towards the attainment of the organization's goals. This is important since the division that the manager will be meaning Is a new one, tune tans could De Klan to uncreated territories. Lastly' t person must also be experienced in exploring new things and being comfortable outside his comfort zone.