Introduction:
A culture is a way of life of a group of people–the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next.
Objective:
The main purpose of this task is to be able to identify value of cultural understanding that management of the organizations have developed over a period of time.
List of company names:
Pepsi
Sony
O2
PEPSI HISTORY
Pepsi is a soft drink produced and manufactured by Pepsi Co. It is sold in many places such as retail stores, restaurant, schools, cinemas and from vending machines. The drink was first made in the 1890s by pharmacist Caleb Bradham in New Bern, North Carolina. The brand was trademarked on June 16, 1903. There have been many Pepsi variants produced over the years since 1898.
It was first introduced in North Carolina in 1898 by Caleb Bradham, who made it at his pharmacy which sold the drink. Known back then as Brad’s Drink, it was a later named Pepsi Cola possibly due the digestive enzyme pepsin and kola nuts used in the recipe. Bradhm sought to create a fountain drink that was delicious and would aid in digestion and boost energy.
PEPSI VISION
Pepsi Co’s responsibility is to continually improve all aspects of the world in which we operate environment, social, economic – creating a better tomorrow than today.
Our vision is put into action through programs and focus on environmental stewardship, activities to benefit society, and a commitment to build shareholder value by making PepsiCo a truly sustainable company.
Culture Value
Pepsi’s image and positioning in USA is not the same as its image and positioning around the world. Pepsi is doing business all around the world. They work in different countries according the culture. Pepsi operates in many countries so they have to keep a tab on all the countries needs. Since it operates in different countries it has to take into consideration every country’s individual needs. To make this possible Pepsi strive to anticipate and understand their needs and delight them with the services. It values its customers above everything else and aspires to make their lives richer, more fulfilled and more connected. They always listen and respond to each of their customers. Pepsi strive to delight their customers, anticipating their needs and deliver greater quality and more value, faster than anyone else – blowing their minds with the experiences they deliver so many kinds of drinks everywhere in the world.
Managing across different cultures
Pepsi is very huge drinks company in the worlds and they can manage very well across the worlds. Management strategy adopted by Pepsi is same in all the countries. Managers across cultures have to make sure that each and all the employees are fairly treated and there must be no discrimination in the staff. Managers across cultures have their own way of managing staff or employees by creating a working environment that encourages initiative and satisfaction at work. Managers across cultures are attentive and well prepared in welcoming new employees. Every member of staff is well trained with diligence in respect of both the tasks and the role.
Sony
History
Sony is japan base company. It is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world’s best largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding $76. 94 billion U. S. Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game consoles, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its name is derived from sonus , the latin word for sound.
Sony Corporation is the electronics business unit and the parent company of the Sony Group. It is one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. . Sony’s principal business operations include Sony Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony Ericsson, Sony Music Entertainment, and Sony Financial. Sony is one of the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders.
The Company’s slogan is making. believe.
Sony Vision
Sony recognizes the importance of preserving the natural environment that sustains life on earth for future generations and helps humanity to attain the dream of a healthy and happy life.
Sony is committed to achieving this goal by seeking to combine ongoing innovation in environmental technology with environmentally sound business practices.
Cultural Values
Sony is a multinational company and it is doing a worldwide business while they adopt an every countries culture because they know cultural values it is very helpful in business.
Sony culture emphasizes a sprit of freedom and open mindedness and a fighting spirit to innovate. Founder Masaru Iuka crafted this cultural value in Sony’s founding prospectus, and the philosophy is embedded in our company DNA, embodied, and seen throughout our history.
Sony is not only multinational company but multicultural.
Performing Across Different Cultures
Sony managing across different cultures and more have a global reach managing differences is increasingly a part of their business and job because they know culture affects management practice. Sony organizational structure to strategy and human resource management is very good comparing to other competitors.
Sony encourages manager to consider, explore, and transfer alternative practices across international boundaries. As well as providing an insight in to other culture. Sony provides and increased awareness of their own culture.
O2
History:
O2 is a leading provider of mobile and broadband service to consumers and businesses in the UK. The company is the leader in non-voice services, including text, media messaging, games, music and video, as well as data connections via GPRS, HSDPA, 3G and WLAN.
O2 was formed in 2001, following the emerger from British telecom of its former mobile business, BT wireless. O2 was ranked as 6th best place to work in the best companies to work for 2008 list and has been awarded a three-star accreditation denoting an extraordinary company.
MANAGING ACROSS DIFFERENT CULTURES:
O2 puts the customers at the centre of everything and promotes a culture of ‘ can do’.
We aim to turn our customers in to loyal ‘ fans’ who form a longstanding and personal attachment to our brand and its values. We rely on the skills and hard work of our employees to make this happen.
We believe that by making o2 a better place to work we are also better placed to fulfill our customer promises and to create a successful and sustainable business.
Vision:
O2 want to enhance people’s lives, the performance of our businesses and the progress of the communities where we operate, by delivering innovation solutions based on information and communication technologies.
Cultural value:
O2 offer to our employees the best place to work, attract and retain the best talent and provide the best career development opportunities. Put customer’s needs at the heart of everything we do, so that they get maximum satisfaction from our services and solutions.
They provide our shareholders with the best combination of growth and returns in the industry. Drive technological, economic and social development in the communities where we operate, combining our ambition to be a global and efficient company with the aim of satisfying the requirements of each local market.
TASK -2
A REPORT ON THE DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE ADOPTED BY ORGANISATION WHEN FACED BY DIFFERENT CULTURE NEEDS.
PEPSI
Pepsi is a major company in the cold drinks industry. It has manufactured Pepsi, diet Pepsi, diet wild cherry Pepsi, diet Pepsi vanilla, caffeine free Pepsi, diet Pepsi lime, diet Pepsi jazz, Pepsi max, Pepsi one and many more. Each of the drinks manufactured by them relates to some cultural figure. One of the major reasons for its sale is that it manufactures different kinds of drinks keeping in mind the different cultural needs of its customers. That’s the success story of Pepsi.
Pepsi manufactures drinks according to the countries. Recently they have manufactured so many kinds of drinks like Pepsi max for European countries. It was called specially designed for the euro pen people. Pepsi takes care of all the countries while making the drinks and that’s what Pepsi is famous for.
VODAFONE
The Vodafone passions back up the company’s focus on customer service and action. Passion for our people makes Vodafone a great company. There is no single prescription which suits their needs in each country and on each issue. Vodafone need to engage globally and locally on single issues and more broadly with single and multiple groups in structured and unstructured ways. Vodafone need to use all forms of engagement to help manage their global business and adapt an approach to meet specific needs.
Cultural attitudes also differ greatly, especially on an issue such as sensitive content. So Vodafone builds much important stakeholder relationship at local operating company level rather than with the group. This is essential for them to understand specific market needs and tailor practices to the needs of the market.
Many Vodafone operating companies have their own stakeholder engagement programmed for example, in Germany they have meet the Federal Association of consumers to discuss pricing policies and age-restricted content, and worked with the credit reference agency Schufa on teenager’s debts.
Vodafone carried out a survey through a panel. Based on the panel’s advice they launched several research projects, especially focusing on mobiles in Africa. The first output was a major report which they launched early in 2005. It identified different patterns of mobile use in developing countries, compared to developed markets, and found that mobile use can improve economic growth, social capital and quality of life. The report highlighted the fact that mobiles are more important than computing in the poorest communities, because they require lower levels of literacy.
The improved understanding of how mobiles are used has also helped Vodafone to develop effective approaches to doing business in developing countries.
Multicultural needs adopted by Vodafone are:
Identifying the working languages of multicultural teams across Europe.
Identifying the relationship between the working languages and the native languages in terms of formal and informal exchanges and also in connection with the channels and frequency of communication.
Assessing the importance of language use and intercultural competence.
Relating communication skills needs to organizational training actions.
Vodafone Pacific is putting its next generation of leaders through a rigorous three-year MBA program.
O2
Our different practice for alternative culture’s are important in embedding Corporate Responsibility in our supply chain management approach and form part of a wider set of supplier policies. It’s based on the standard adopted by the UN through the universal declaration of human rights, and the ILO conventions.
The standards we apply are as follows:
The law is applied.
Employment is freely chosen.
Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected.
Working conditions are safe and healthy.
Child labor is eliminated.
Living wages are paid for different countries culture.
Working hours are not excessive in the management practices.
Regular employment is provided.
No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed.
O2 expect all culture to comply with their policy and they reserve the right not to do business with company where it can be demonstrated that significant violations of the policy exist. In particular we will not bring companies on to our supplier list where there is evidence of under age workers, forced, bonded or involuntary prison labor, or where the supplier’s workers are found to be subjected to potential life threatening working conditions or harsh or inhumane treatment.
O2’s internal efforts to help protect and sustain the environment, our aim are to drill our objectives for sustainable development deeper into the supply chain.
TASK: 3
Virtual organization:
A temporary network of companies, suppliers, customers, or employees, linked by information and communications technologies, with the purpose of delivering a service. A virtual organization can bring together companies in strategic partnering or outsourcing arrangements, enabling them to share expertise, resources, and cost savings until objectives are met and the network is dissolved. Such organizations are virtual not only in the sense that they exist largely in cyberspace, but also in that they exist largely in cyberspace, but also in that they are unconstrained by the traditional barriers of time and place. A greater level of trust is required between employers they will be working out of one another’s sight for most of the time.
“ Verticality” is initiating a change in organizations. It is necessary for companies to be managed flexibly and to respond to the changing needs of the environment. Some new concepts of understanding the organization, accompanied by current technological developments, may offer some opportunities and solutions to the various strategies. A key aspect about the virtual organization in information. Virtual organizations work around an efficient use of information and information systems. How does this work? There is no single and simple answer. It can be assumed that information will be made available to all or most members of the organization. This will cause changes in the organization’s management of finance, marketing, and accounting, but above all, in management of its human resources.
Organization, which work in virtual manner
About Us
The Company Indigo Heron Group is an Austin-based boutique consultancy firm designed to offer technology training and services to other entrepreneurs and non-profits. With an emphasis on high touch and rapid execution, our suite of services includes, UX Design, Brand management, SEO, Social Media, and ecommerce solutions.
Introduction:
The company Co-founders Alora Chistiakoff and Charles Andretta bring a unique combination of background and experience to The Indigo Heron Group, Inc. Company as a career web professional, Alora’s strengths are in leveraging the power of technology for entrepreneurial organizations. For more than a decade, Alora has worked in hands on leadership roles, driving the execution of large-scale web projects in ecommerce, Web and Enterprise 2. 0, operational systems, custom development and complex system integration.
Organisation leverages best practices from all areas of web-based business success for use in training and consulting to entrepreneurs. As a serial entrepreneur, Charles has a keen understanding of the complex challenges that solopreneurs and other growing businesses face in today’s marketplace. With a background in strategic analysis and quality management, a passion for operations efficiency and process improvement, and a penchant for out-of-the-box thinking, Charles is able to offer creative solutions to problems that integrate well within companies’ pre-existing paradigms
Products
The company Indigo Heron’s product line is designed to support the different stages of your business growth. Whether you need on-site, in-person attention to walk you through best practices, plan the foundation of a strong site, or whether you want a webinar that provides a high-level view of tips and tricks to act as a refresher, Indigo Heron strives to provide a suite of products that provide entrepreneurs with the level of assistance they need to make the most of their web presence’
Social Design for a Virtual Organization
At South by Southwest, Brazen Careerist author and CEO Penelope Trunk was quite emphatic that, when starting a new business, having a geographically distributed team is rarely possible. Company said this on his panel, as well as again when we spoke in person. Company was a strong advocate of the notion that, for the first handful of employees to get a new business off the ground, having everyone in the same room is invaluable.
Conversely, a dear friend who is in the process of developing a business from a one-man shop to a full-scale product company disagrees strongly and etc. While company have never been an advocate for ‘ butts in chairs’ as an organizing model in general, company definitely doesn’t subscribe to the idea that the people you would pull together to get a business started can’t do what they need to do virtually. If someone is good enough for you to enlist to help get a business off the ground, then they should be talented enough to do what they need to do remotely, while communicating with the rest of the team in an effective manner.
However, company do admit to a single hurdle that will quickly need a solution: team-building – which ultimately leads to organizing models and culture.
In the most immediate term, the easiest way around this is for the people working together to found the company to already know each other. If those in the trenches to get it off the ground have worked together in the past, have long-standing relationships (both personal and professional, ideally), and respect each other’s abilities, then it there is a foundation of mutual trust that helps get the ball rolling.
But there are still obstacles with that, even among people with common work histories and mutual trust.
DAVENHAM- positive thinking in business finance
This financial information service company created virtual teams company created virtual teams with representatives from so many companies around the world to work on user interfaces for the company. Facilitated by the signing of nondisclosure agreements, there has been savings in recruitment costs, staff benefits and overhead as a result of this virtual organization approach.
Identify and develop suitable areas which management of furniture Works needs to look into when setting up a virtual organization
Furniture Works company
Identification works needs to process for innovation as this is often motivated by competitive pressures and also other factors to achieve increased productivity and quality. Furniture Works company deals with many products but while setting up virtual organization it should offer products which are very unique in it and not very common in the market. Its products should be very different from what the other competitors offer and also should come up with innovative products.
As Furniture Works company can employ mobile workers as virtual organization concepts can help the mobile workers such as auditors, consultants, salespersons and service technicians, now furniture Works company is not a global company it should cater to vast pool of untapped skills, knowledge and abilities throughout in the business. This will make Furniture Works company to deal in a virtual manner.
It can also works improve efficiency by reducing overhead, such as physical assets used to support traditional work environments or redistributing costs over several physical locations.
A change in employee values and attitudes toward work quality of life is a major factor particularly in attracting and retaining quality employees. Employers have realized that a balance of work and personal life, family requirements, personal fulfillment and flexibility are important considerations among employees. These factors can be taken into consideration by Furniture Works.
Virtual Organizations address transportation issues, such as unproductive commute time, traffic hassles, and the cost of fuel and environmental impact of commuting vehicles so furniture works can throw a light on these issues well.
There are many areas for Furniture Works company to consider but these are some of the areas which can be looked in to while setting virtual organization.
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN VIRTUAL ORGANIZATION INCLUDES:
It includes administration, translation and cultural awareness solutions for clients. Helping the organization with administration requirements and deadlines means the business can focus on more important issues.
cultural awareness solutions for clients who need help at important meetings and who need help with making their people and business understood, including meet and greet services, meeting service, business etiquette, recruitment processing and travel services.
Administration solutions to help busy businesses, small, medium or large with a important administrative requirements.
Translation solutions for clients that need translation of documentation such as letters, reports, websites and marketing materials or who need instant translations at meetings.
There is some of the few management practices used in virtual organizations.
TASK -4
COMMUNICATION:
The definition of communication is sending, giving or exchanging information and ideas, which is often expressed nonverbally and verbally.
Communication is a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Communication processes are sign-mediated interactions between at least two agents which share a repertoire of signs and semiotic rules. Communication is commonly defined as “ the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing or signs”. Communication can be perceived as a two-way process in which there is an exchange and progression of thought, feeling, or ideas towards accepted goal or direction.
There are two types of communication 1) Verbal and Non -Verbal Communication.
Good communication involves pro-activeness, to talk with body language and to vary voice tone, pace and volume.
Verbal communication: This includes
Oral communication such as talking to one self, dialogue, discussion between two people, telephone calls.
Visual communication such as maps, graphic, traffic signal, advertisement. Etc
Nonverbal communication
Non-verbal communication includes the over all body language of the person who is speaking, which will include the body posture, the hand gestures and overall body movements. The facial expression also play a major role while communication since the expressions on a person’s face say a lot about his/her mood. On the other hand gestures like a hand shake, a smile or a hug can independently convey emotions. Non verbal communication can also be in the form of pictorial representations, signboards or even photograph, sketches and paintings.
Who can browse mail catalogs or company websites at any time of the day or night? Direct communication gives ready access to a wealth of products and information, at home and around the globe. Direct communication is immediate and interactive -by phone, chat or emails or website to create exactly the configuration of information, products, or services they desire, and then order them on the spot. Direct communication can bring many benefits to both buyers and sellers.
Direct communication provides convenience, easy to use, and private way of interaction. Many have the comfort of their homes or offices. Direct communication is a low cost, efficient alternative for reaching to customers through its lower costs of media, and reaching to customers over internet.
Online communication has many advantages like speed, accessibility, customization, interactivity, and pervasive information over other media channels. Online communication has become cheaper, quicker and more efficient. One can communicate with anyone around the globe by simply text messaging them or sending them an email. The internet has also opened up face-to-face direct communication from different parts of the world, thanks to the help of video-conferencing.
Online communication is also cost effective. This, in turn increases productivity which ultimately gives rise to profits which gives better pay and less stressed working conditions.
It has also helped to bridge the cultural gap by helping people from different cultures to communicate with one another and also allows exchanging views and ideas.
Various aspects of effective and direct communication that are available to the organizations are:
Discretion: Being careful about what one says or does, or the ability to keep silent. Discretion is a choice; it’s a quality that one develops. High achievers have learned to guard their conversation carefully, knowing when to speak, and when not to speak, what to say and what not to say.
Active Listening: It is nearly always more profitable to listen than it is to speak. A good listener may hear something that will add to his collection of knowledge. Be attentive to what others say. One can practice active listening by mentally repeating what the other party says a moment after they say it. One can stay alert and grasp the details of the conversation.
Clarity: Be clear with words. Whenever one attempts to present an idea or the progress of a project, prepare what to say. One should be clear, concise, and candid in every conversation.
Gain Understanding: Don’t leave the conversation until one understands what is expected. Don’t feel unprofessional for asking the boss to explain what he wants. Write it down. Gaining a deeper and more clear understand will greatly enhance the final product.
Learning to communicate is crucial in the workplace environment. These are just four main aspects of effective communication. There are many more, but the point is to know with whom you are communicating. Everyone needs to be communicated with differently.
Other factors are online communication can help the company to answer the queries regarding the products. Customers may feel that are being given importance by quickly replying to these queries. This may also increase in sales.
Online communication enhances cost factor as well. Organization can design its own website where all the products offered can be displayed with all its features. This may help the customers to get maximum information on the website itself.
Through this, organization can identify if the customers are interested in buying online. The information provided will be reliable as the products offered on the website will be displayed by the company itself.
Online communication should be flexible enough as furniture works staff should answer the queries spontaneously. For this Furniture works staff should be well equipped and should have enough staff to answer customer queries online.
Other advantages for the organization are through online communication are increase in sales, customers given priority, information provided instantly, and minimizes risk.
Task – 5
Operating overseas can be posing various threats as threat to global economy, political impact and legislative boundaries.
Recommendations for furniture works on how effective global structures could be created:
Furniture Works company’s team can work on the drafting and designing part to fulfill the requirements of customers. A successful furniture designer needs creative ingenuity, design world knowledge and confident technical skills.
Its team should be well versed in the design standards on a global basis so that they can deliver goods that match international standards. While designing the projects furniture works team should pay special attention to the impacts on the environment.
Furniture Works company needs staff should be highly qualified and should also have latest technology to develop any type of drafting services. It should constantly upgrade the technology to match the global trend.
While operating globally Furniture Works Company should take care of the environment as well. In fact environment should be of top priority. Furniture Works should take care of the market in UK countries by it operates. It should make an analysis of market segmentation and accordingly it should operate in the countries. It should also introduce a collection of furniture with a distinctively modern flair. Innovative ideas should be adopted by furniture works. No all the furniture will work in all the countries. Different countries have different styles, décor and designs. Accordingly furniture works should first study the market and then design and style the products which will attract potential customers.
Furniture Works company policy should be kept simple which is to put people close, enabling to give them the highest quality support and services in local languages and time zones. It should keep in mind the customs regulation to identify any boycotted materials which are not allowed in the destination country. It can attain a copy of the latest customs regulation.
Packaging for an overseas move is different in different countries. It should also take care of the various documents involved which should be completed to avoid any complications. Furniture Works company can showcase their newest products at a number of trade shows around the country.
Conclusion:
There are so many things behind the business some of the internal and external factor like company’s policy and government policy. Business growth is depending upon customer, employee, and product. There are many overseas threats which an organization may suffer but it’s up to the organization how it deals with it. It should identify various aspects and ways to tackle overseas threats. Market segmentation, market analysis, SWOT analysis and various other models can determine how an organization should cater to the needs of the customers. There are many methods to take customer responses so that an organization knows what is it that they need to alter or do things differently from its other competitors. It can also determine through customer responses its stand in the market. It can also get suggestions from the customers and if these suggestions turn out to be cost effective then it may implement them as well. This will further turn the product in a better way, the way the customer wants it to be. Taking the example of Furniture Works Company, effective global structures can be created by taking customer suggestions in the UK. This may involve costs but the returns the organization gets through customer satisfaction will be huge. Creating effective global structures helps the organization operate globally with ease. These are some of the few ideas which Furniture Works Company can implement to help effective in structures. In the last company should have to develop new strategy as a compare to have competitor then growth is possible and company has to develop new product according to environment and market position.
