Literature Review of Recruitment and Selection in International Human Resource Management Essay Example

Literature Review of Recruitment and Selection in International Human Resource Management Essay Example Literature Review of Recruitment and Selection in International Human Resource Management Paper Literature Review of Recruitment and Selection in International Human Resource Management Paper Literature review of Recruitment and Selection in International Human Resource Management Introduction Staffing is one of the main functions on Human Resource Management, refer to International Human Resource Management perspective, staffing will be more important on the managing by the headquartered company to their subsidiaries in order to gain more competitive advantage for them. As a company want to achieve the mind of globalization, they must choose a suitable staffing approach in order to doing business successfully not only in the domestic also in the international environment. Maral Muratbekova-Touron (2008) stated that â€Å"One of the main issues facing the development of the global companies has always been to find the right balance between the local autonomy between subsidiaries and the control of the corporate headquarters. †, it related to how the company recruit and select their staffs in their subsidiaries. In the present paper will concentrate on the international staffing approaches in global companies, and there has four different approaches to managing and staffing their international subsidiaries. The following literature reviews will attempt to explain that four approaches and point out what is the advantage and disadvantage of each approach in the internationalization process of the company. Approaches to Managing and Staffing Global Subsidiaries In research text book by Ball, et al. (2008), it was explained these four approaches in detail, they are Ethnocentric approach, Polycentric approach, Geocentric approach and Regiocentric Approach. Ethnocentric approach is related to the company employing and promoting the Parent-country nationals (PCNs) in their subsidiaries which the employee are the citizen of the nation in the parent company; Polycentric approach is related to employing and promoting the Host-country nationals (HCNs) in their subsidiaries which the employees are the citizen of the nation in the operating subsidiaries; Geocentric approach is related to the company employing and promoting the employees base on their ability and experience, this approach can refer the ompany select the best person for the job without any consideration of the citizenship; and Regiocentric approach is related to the company employing and promoting the employees which they are the citizen on the basis of the specific region in the operating subsidiaries, it can be HCNs or Third-country nationals (TCNs) which the employees are the citizen of neither the parent company nation nor the host country. Ball, et al. 2008) Ethnocentric ap proach refer to the staffing policy base on the PCNs, therefore the clear advantages come up immediately for the headquarters are the communication and control, the PCNs are familiar the policies and practices or working-style of the headquarters, or the PCN staff was training in the headquarters already. (Ball, et al. 2008) As Kathy Monks, et al. 2001) stated â€Å"In the very early stages of internationalization, the staffing policies of the majority were largely ethnocentric in character, an approach which is relatively common at this stage in the internationalization process where a company is setting up a new business process or product in another country, and knowledge of the company’s culture and reporting systems is considered essential†, it shows the Ethnocentric approach are common at the early stage of internationalization process in the multinational or transnational companies, because the controlling and communicating is very important at that stage, therefore, the companies would like to employ the PCNs in order to fully control their subsidiaries at the early stage of internationalization process. Another reason also make Ethnocentric approach are common at the internationalization process is the cost of the company. As Brewster (1988, pg. 18 ) noted, â€Å"Despite the impor tance of expatriate positions, the high costs associated with expatriation and the extensive and largely non-productive â€Å"running-in† periods, it is still the case that most organizations provide no formal training for expatriation†. Overall Ethnocentric approach implies a centralized system with authority high at headquarters with much communication in the form of orders, commands, and advice. Standards for evaluation and control will also be determined centrally and with low pressures for cost reduction and low pressure for local (subsidiary) responsiveness. But the disadvantages of Ethnocentric approach such as the PCNs have language barriers or they have different culture background with the local (subsidiary) customer, it may result a high cost training in long term or the PCNs may not familiar the positions or demands of the local (subsidiary) marketplace. (Ball, et al. 2008; Norma D’Annunzio-Green, 1997) Polycentric approach refer to the staffing policy base on the HCNs, as Christoph Dorrenbacher, et al. (2010) stated â€Å"HCNs on the other hand are seen as basically having a local (subsidiary) orientation, due to their socialization in the host country and their familiarity with the social, political and economic environment of the host country† It can show Polycentric approach provide a high level of local responsiveness in the subsidiaries. It can be prove by another research article, Norma D’Annunzio-Green (1997) also stated â€Å"Polycentric approach implies a widely dispersed authority, little communication between headquarters and subsidiary, and standards for evaluation and control mostly determined locally. There for the less control and order from the headquarters to the subsidiary will be made, the subsidiary also start to be independent in their local area, that mean the company start to doing well and the business is stable in the local (subsidiary) area. The Polycentric approach also has other advantages such as reduce the cost of the local (subsidiary) training programs, and the headquarters will get more information or hints of the local (subsidiary) market development or competition. But according to the non-close relationships between the headquarters and subsidiaries, the subsidiaries are often unfamiliar with the headquarters’ corporate culture, policies and practices. (Ball, et al. 2008) Geocentric approach refer to the staffing policy base on the ability of the staffs, no matter where are they come from, Banai (1999) stated †The geocentric staffing policy seeks the best people for key jobs throughout the organization regardless of their nationality† And Norma D’Annunzio-Green (1997) also stated â€Å"The geocentric ideal involves more integration between centre and subsidiaries to ensure close co-operation between the different parts of the organization, and implementing both universal and local standards for evaluation and control. †It point out the Geocentric approach can bring a lots of different experience and different corporation practices rom the staffs, through these different experience and corporation, the firm can has a better performance in the international co-operation of the company and it also facilitates the development of an international team, and the international team can fully managing the local subsidiary, and they ca n managing the other subsidiary in different area. But Geocentric approach may cost more (both on money and time) on the training or other issue such as working permit. (Ball, et al. 2008) Timothy Dean Keeley (2001) gave a very good conclusion of the Geocentric approach, he noted â€Å"Geocentric firms seek to co-ordinate decision-making among the subsidiaries and headquarters. The organization is balanced between centralized and decentralized in order to effectively and efficiently employ all types of resources on a global basis. † Therefore the subsidiary can be considered as more independent in the international market which managing by the international team. Regiocentric approach refer to the staffing policy base on the region of the subsidiaries, it is without consideration of the nations of citizenship. Therefore it can be HCNs or TCNs and it has similar function of the Geocentric approach. Farrokh Safavi (1991) stated â€Å"A regiocentric orientation has assumed that management development needs within a geographic region are sufficiently similar for application of a unified approach, but different from the needs of other regions. † And the Ball, et al. (2008) point out a disadvantage of the regiocentric, he stated â€Å"The disadvantages often encountered when using employees from the home or host country can sometimes be avoided by sending third country nationals (TCNs) to fill management posts. In the International Human Resource Management, Regiocentric approach is slightly similar with the Geocentric approach, but the Regiocentric approach is limit to consider on the local region and the Geocentric approach is more consider on the global basis. Conclusion Overall the literature reviews above, the different staffing approach was give different effect in the internationalization process of the company, but we can find out, the different approach can apply in the different stage of the company. The Ethnocentric approach refer to the early stage of the internationalization process, because during the early stage, the company need a fully control of the subsidiaries, and they need the subsidiaries fully achieve the order from the headquarters, therefore, the ethnocentric approach will suitable in the early stage of the internationalization process. After the early stage, the company want to increase the competitive advantage of the subsidiaries, therefore, the polycentric approach can increase the local responsiveness and they need to have better knowledge of the local marketplace, so the polycentric approach will suitable in this middle stage; In the finally stage, the company want to have both function from the ethnocentric approach and the polycentric, they need to complete the internationalization process in order to become a global company, therefore the geocentric approach and regiocentric approach will apply in this stage, it can help to company to develop an international team to manage all the subsidiaries of the company. It can prove by James Kelly, as she stated in the article â€Å"companies become more international they usually develop from ethnocentric to polycentric and finally geocentric or regiocentric staffing and development policy†. Therefore the geocentric and Regiocentric can be consider as a expan sion of the polycentric approach.

Modern soil stabilization methods in condition of a dense urban Research Paper

Modern soil stabilization methods in condition of a dense urban environment - Research Paper Example The present study is focused on the methods of soil stabilization, the modern day techniques and materials that are available, and the need and understanding of the methods such that soil stabilization in the urban dense areas can be successfully achieved improving the conditions of the soil, increasing their strength and making them more capable of bearing loads. Introduction: Stabilization of soil refers to the process of soil treatment through the use of chemicals or mechanically. This is primarily done to improve the engineering properties of the soil. The chemical materials that are in common used for the purpose include lime, fly ash, and cement. Mechanical substances include geotextiles and geogrids. The use of cement treated bases generally assists in upgradation of the quality of the soil. There are several reasons for the need of soil stabilization. These essentially include the strengthening of the soil since stabilization of soil increases the strength of the soil that is already in existence thereby improving its capacity to bear loads. Also, soil stabilization enables control of dust and allows waterproofing of the soil. With control in dust, the dust that is generated as a result of use of different tools and instruments may be eradicated. Waterproofing enables preservation of the natural strength of soil by preventing the entry of water travelling from the surface (Ana, 2011). Mechanical or additive methods are the two most significant methods that can be used for soil stabilization. The blending of the materials used is highly essential in this regard since it determines the effectiveness of the stabilization. A stationary or travelling plant is usually considered to be preferable for the mixing whereas other methods like scarifies, plows, disks, graders, and rotary mixers are also used. The amount of stabilization required as well as the environment and prevailing conditions of the site determine the method that may be used for stabilization. Mechanical stabilization mixes soils of two different gradations that result in the desired soil specificity. In the additive method, the use of an additive which when added into particular amounts leads to improvement of the soil. Apart from mechanical and additive measures, soil stabilization might also be achieved through cementing or by modification. The cementing process makes use of chemicals for hardening the soils. In the process of modification, the compacting, mechanical blending, addition of cementing materials in small amounts, or addition of chemical modifiers are done to achieve the stabilization of the soil (Ana, 2011). With understanding the needs of stabilization of soils, and the different methods available for the process of soil stabilization, the present study focuses on the modern methods of soil stabilization that may be applied in the dense urban environments. Literature Review: Day et al (2010, pp.193-195) in their studies reflected on the association of the root and soil in the urban environment which they considered to be critical not only for the lives of trees but also for the functions of the ecosystem in the urban areas as well. The importance of trees and hence the significance of soil stabilization has been considered in these studies. Hence conditions in a particular urban environment that includes the compactness of the soil, and other factors associated with underground infrastructure, contamination, etc are essential for the development of the

Chemistry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chemistry - Assignment Example Question 1: En=-(13.6eV*z ²)/n ², because z=4 it can be written as En=-16*13.6eV / n ² ii) the dependence of quatum numbers n upon l is given by the following formula l=n-1 ÃŽ £2(2*l+1)=2* n ² iii) n=2 for beryllium, so l=1 and can not be 3 d) iii) energy emitted by photon: |Einf- E2|= 0+54.4eV=54.4 eV= 54.4*1.6*10^-19 [J]=8,7*10^-18 [J] 8,7*10^-18 [J] now we should express photon’s frequency from it’ energy: E=h*f => f=E/h f= 8,7*10^-18 [J]/6.63*10^-34 [J*s]=1.31*10^16 [1/s] 1.31*10^16 Hz is ultraviolet spectrum iv) the energy of the lowest energy photon which can be absorbed by beryllium ion is: E2-E1=-54.4eV+217.6=163.2 eV v) it could absorb a photon of a lower energy if its electron was on a higher energetic level i) E1=-16*13.6eV / 1=-217.6eV E2=-16*13.6eV / 4= -54.4eV E3=-16*13.6eV / 9 = -3.067eV Eoo=-16*13.6eV/inf = 0 Question 3 - because ΔH>0 (=29kJ) reaction is endothermic; - I2+Cl2 =2ICL (-29kJ) ΔH=2ΔHICL-ΔHCl2-ΔHI2; - equilibrium will not change as the number of molecules in the left part of the equation equals to the number of molecules in the right part of the equation: I2+Cl2 =2ICL 1+ 1=2 - because it’s endothermic reaction the increase of temperature will cause the shift of equilibrium to the right (forming of ICl); - the reaction will pass faster with the following rate lg (k^(T2/T1)) where k is the reaction rate coefficient; - the presence of catalyst will cause the reaction rate to increase, the equilibrium will cause the shift to the right (forming of ICl) as catalyst mainly reduces activation energy.

HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 7

HRM - Essay Example What’s more, the productive handling of conflicts provides the chance for all the parties to understand the diverse nature of people working within a specific environment (Pardey, 2007). This enables them to improve their methods of working and build a solid team that reflects the mission and vision of the organization. As inevitable as the conflicts between the employees are, organizations must strive to implement a sustainable conflict resolution program. The dominance of conflict often disrupts the departmental productivity, increases the rate at which good employees quit the organization, and reduces the morale of the company. Therefore, effective resolution of the conflicts within the workplace presents a chance for the organization to capitalize on the diversity of the employees and attain a comprehensive employee retention program. The first step towards logical resolution of workplace conflicts as Mrs. R.O states, involves the identification of the cause of the conflicts. The general distinctions of the conflicts at the workplace include the constructive and destructive conflicts. The constructive conflicts constitute disputes that have more benefits over costs. Such conflicts often translate into productivity to benefit the parties that are involved in the conflict. The constructive conflicts enable the team members to come together under the basic benefits from the conflict and strengthen their relationship. On the other hand, destructive conflicts present an opposite of the constructive conflicts. Such conflicts offer more harm and destruction to the organization and often bring no growth to the company. The major contributor to this conflict is unacceptable actions by two or more participants who perform actions that elicit resentment amongst the larger workforce. The continued actions by these parties

Plato Essays -- essays research papers

Plato was a philosopher and educator in ancient Greece. He was one of the most important thinkers and writers in the history of Western culture. Plato was born in Athens into a family that was one of the oldest and most distinguished in the city. His father Ariston died when Plato was only a child. The name Plato was a nickname meaning broad shoulders. Plato's real name was Aristocles. Plato had aspirations of becoming a politician, however these hopes were destroyed when his friend Socrates was sentenced to death in 299 B.C. Extremely hurt Plato left Athens and traveled for several years. In 387 B.C., Plato returned to Athens and founded a school of philosophy and science that became known as the Academy. Topics such as astronomy, biological sciences, mathematics, and political science w...

Macbet Act II Scene II Essay

This scene was one of the most significant, as it the scene where Macbeth murders Duncan, but feels remorse and guilt afterwards. The murder is not shown so that it is left to the audience’s imagination. Also, to signify that the murder has taken place, an owl shrieks. This was thought to be a sign of a bad omen, and it suggests that it is upsetting the natural balance of things (at that time people believed that everything had a natural order and to change this would change other things), as even the natural world knows that Duncan has been murdered. Shakespeare creates tension by setting the scene at night so that when Macbeth returned, Lady Macbeth did not know who it was at first and for a moment she thinks that Macbeth had not succeeded in killing Duncan and the attendants had woken up, and she says; â€Å"†¦th’attempt and not the deed confounds us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  meaning that if Macbeth only tried to murder Duncan and did not succeed then they would be ruined. Macbeth’s character so far is shown as noble and loyal, as in act 1 scene 2 Macbeth is talked about as being; â€Å"A good and hardy soldier† (line 4). In reward for his greatness, Duncan awards Macbeth the title of Thane of Cawdor (as the witches predicted). Macbeth does have some ambition, because when the witches tell him he is going to be king, he wants to speak more to Banquo about it. However, in his letter to Lady Macbeth, he says; â€Å"Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it† meaning that he would like to be king but not attain it by bad deeds. Lady Macbeth’s thoughts are that she wants Duncan to be killed. She calls on evil spirits to give her the strength to do it; â€Å"Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crown to toe topfull of direst cruelty; make thick my blood, stop th’access and passage to remorse† (Act 1 scene 5, lines 39-43) which means ‘evil spirits- make me as strong willed as a man and fill me with cruelty, and make me have no remorse’. The setting of act 2 scene 2 is Macbeth’s castle. This is shown as quit an eerie setting, as you can hear noises from the outside, and it very dark. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are on stage. In lines 1-8, Lady Macbeth is feeling bold, from line 1; â€Å"That which hath made them drunk, hath made me bold†. She comments on how she had drugged the attendants, and she says in lines 7-8; â€Å"That death and nature do contend about them, whether they live, or die†. This shows that she is not really concerned whether they live or die. However, in line 9 she begins to worry that they have been caught, and also says; â€Å"Had he [Duncan] not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t†, showing that she is not completely evil, as she could not murder Duncan as he resembled her father. At the end of the scene she becomes strong, as she takes the daggers from Macbeth (as he brought them back) and goes and puts them back. Macbeth’s mood is that of distress and remorse. This is shown by the fact that he accidentally brings back the daggers when he was supposed to place the by the attendants. This creates dramatic tension, as this would incriminate Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. At he end of the scene, Macbeth feels he can’t live with himself, and says in line 76; â€Å"To know my deed, ’twere best not know my self† meaning that if he is to acknowledge what he has done, he must assume a new identity, as a murderer, and forget who he really is. Dialogue on and off the stage is that of death. Lady Macbeth tries to reassure Macbeth that he has he has done the right thing, as he is very disturbed about what he has done. The dialogue also shows how the outside and natural world is reacting to what has been done; the owl hooting, the crickets crying, the knocking and also when someone laughed in their sleep and one cried â€Å"Murder!† (Line 25) The effect of these noises reflects the beliefs of that time that to change the natural order of things (how things naturally turn out) is to affect everything. It creates tension by suggesting that the outside world will find out and Macbeth will be punished. The audience’s response is that they feel that something supernatural is happening, due to the noises, and to the images Macbeth sees and sounds he hears, like the voice he hears (lines 44-46) saying he will sleep no more. When Macbeth first appears on the scene, his first words are (line 14); â€Å"I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?† The words ‘I have done the deed’ suggest that he cannot bring himself to admit what he has done. The words ‘didst thou not hear a noise?’ suggest that he expected to be caught, and that someone would have heard and come after him. His conversation with Lady Macbeth is that he is in some way shocked about what has happened. He says what he heard, and in lines 38-39, and 33-34, Lady Macbeth talks to him but he doesn’t hear her as he is too deep in his own thoughts. Macbeth uses short, sharp sentences; like â€Å"†¦ when?†¦As I descended?†¦Hark, who lies i’th’second chamber?†¦This is a sorry sight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 17, 19, 21 and 23), because he is repeating what happened, and he is very distraught about what he has done. This effects the audience by creating tension, as Macbeth see ms to have gone mad. In lines 29-36 Macbeth says how he could not pronounce ‘Amen’ after someone cried ‘God bless us’. This shows that Macbeth does not feel he deserves God’s blessings, as he is too evil. In lines 38-46, Macbeth says that he heard a voice saying that he had murdered sleep. This shows his guilt that he will never be able to sleep again, and his remorse, as he shall never have peace from what he has done. Lady Macbeth’s reaction is to tell him not to keep thinking about these thoughts, and to reassure him. She is aware that they must put the daggers back, so at this point she has no guilt or remorse. When Macbeth comes back after murdering Duncan, he is carrying the daggers he used. This suggests to the audience that he is not in a proper frame of mind, and is still shocked by what he has done. It also suggests that he is not in control. Lady Macbeth had told him to leave them by the attendants to incriminate them. When he comes back, Lady Macbeth tells him to go and put them, back, but when he won’t, she does it. This shows that she does not mind blaming innocent people. The audience’s reaction is that she is very much in control, and knows what both of them must do. Macbeth will not go back because he says; â€Å"I’ll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done; look on’t again, I dare not.† This reveals his guilt because he can hardly comprehend that he has done something so awful. This also shows his conscience, as he says ‘I dare not’, showing he does not know what his reaction would be, so knows he is not in control of h imself. When Macbeth returns, his hands are red with Duncan’s blood. Once Lady Macbeth puts the daggers back, her hands are also red. Macbeth says in lines 63-65; â€Å"Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No: this my hand will rather the multitudinous sea incarnadine†. This means that he feels that all the seas in the world could not ash the blood off his hands, and that instead his hands would turn all the oceans red, and also that it will never wash off the blood stain on his conscience, so he feels that he will never be as innocent as he was before the murder. Lady Macbeth says in lines 67-68; â€Å"My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white.† The words ‘my hands are of your colour’ mean that her hands are red, but also that she is now as guilty of the murder as Macbeth is. The words ‘but I shame to wear a heart so white’ means that she is criticising her husband, by saying that she would not want to be so cold and heartless. The washing of the hands is significant later because Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and washes her hands in her sleep. Macbeth’s feeling’s are of extreme guilt and in line 62 he says; â€Å"What hands are here? Ha: they pluck out mine eyes.† This means that he wishes he did not have any eyes so he did not have to see the blood of the man he murdered. At the end of the scene, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth hear knocking. Lady Macbeth does not show any guilt or conscience, as she is only concerned with them getting back to their rooms to not seem suspicious and to get rid of the blood on their hands. Macbeth says how he cannot carry on if he does not forget who he is as he has a bas conscience, and in line 77 he says; â€Å"Wake Duncan with thy knocking: I would thou couldst.† This shows that he wishes Duncan was still alive, so feels guilty about him being dead. The audience’s reaction is that they feel slightly sorry for Macbeth, as he was pressured into the murder by Lady Macbeth and know has to live with his guilt. This scene is the turning point of the play, because it is the point of no return; after Duncan is murdered there is no way Macbeth can go back. It is also the start of Macbeth’s journey from good to evil. At this point his guilt is at its highest, and later he is a bloody tyrant. This is because Lady Macbeth reassures him that once this is done everything will be fine, so he kills because he feels he has to, but later he kills because he is angry (act 4 scene 2). Lady Macbeth also changes. In the beginning, she is in control and has no conscience, but in the end, she is so out of control and so guilty that she kills herself. Her change is also shown by her speech, as in act 2, scene 2, line 70, she says; â€Å"a little water clears us of this deed†, whereas in act 5, scene 1, lines 44-45, she says:† all the perfumes in Arabia will not sweeten this little hand†. Also, she begins to sleepwalk and acts out washing her hands. Finally, in act 5, scene 9, lines 37-38, Malcolm says about Lady Macbeth; â€Å"by self and violent hands took off her life†. This has a double meaning for the audience, as it means Lady Macbeth killed herself, but it could also be interpreted and by her violence and her guilt (of her ‘blood-stained’ hands) she killed her soul. The ending of act 2 scene 2 creates dramatic tension by ending with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both in different frames of mind; Lady Macbeth making sure they don’t get caught and Macbeth lost in thought and guilty over what he has done.

Politics Dissertations - Culture Contested Concept - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3263 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? More than a half century ago noted American poet T. S. Eliot eloquently expressed the complexity of the term culture, a term that is used so freely and with so little aforethought today. As Eliot learned, culture is quite difficult to define. He succeeded in describing the term, as Lord Evans (2001) noted, but a definition eluded even someone with Eliots gift for words. But Eliot was not alone in wrestling with defining culture; experts in a variety of disciplines have yet to agree on a consensus definition and some even contest the concept of culture itself. As this essay will demonstrate, controversy surrounding the concept of culture can be attributed, to a large degree, to the failure by those who study the topic to adopt a widely-accepted definition that adequately captures the complexity of the term. After presenting the results of a literature review on various definitions of culture and the topic of culture as a contested concept, the focus of the essay turns to the significance of culture in conflict resolution, demonstrating that culture is a critical factor in successfully resolving conflicts and, further, that a consensus definition for culture that reflects the realities of modern society would facilitate the conflict resolution process. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Politics Dissertations Culture Contested Concept" essay for you Create order Culture Defined Experts may not be able to agree on a definition for culture, but they apparently experience no difficulty in agreeing that culture is a difficult term to define (Edensor 2002; Hall 1980, cited in Park 2005). Susan Wright (1998) reports the existence of at least 164 definitions for culture. Noted sociologist and anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn (1949) defined culture eleven different ways in his book Mirror for Man, and he and his colleagues (1952) catalogued more than 160 definitions for culture into six categories descriptive, historical, normative, psychological, generic, and incomplete. Raymond Williams writes that, in the term culture, history has bestowed one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language, adding that culture can be used to refer to a wide range of phenomena and that the concept of culture has produced major political and philosophical disagreement (Williams 1983, cited in Chay 1990). Kluckhohn (1954) developed one of the most often cited definitions for culture in writing that it consists in patterned ways of thinking, feeling and reacting, acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts. Culture has also been defined as that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society (Tylor 1871, cited in Kluckhohn 1952); the human-made part of the environment (Herskovits 1955, cited in Earley and Randal 1997); shared meaning systems (Shweder and LeVine 1984, cited in Earley and Randal 1997); the sum total and organization of the social heritages which have acquired a social meaning because of racial temperament and of the historical life of the group (Park and Burgess 1921, cited in Kluckhohn 1952); the mode of life followed by the community or the tribe [including] all standa rdized social procedures (Wissler 1929, cited in Kluckhohn 1952); the sum of mens adjustments to their life-conditionsattained only through the combined action of variation, selection, and transmission (Sumner and Keller 1927, cited in Kluckhohn 1952); and a product of human association (Groves 1928, cited in Kluckhohn 1952). In the aggregate, the various definitions just presented express the theme of shared meanings acquired then passed from generation to generation. They also describe culture at group and societal levels. Other experts describe the term from the perspective of the individual or otherwise provide for differences in cultural attributes within a group or society. Hofstede (1980, cited in Earley and Randel 1997) defines culture as a set of mental programs that control an individuals responses in a given context. Park (2005) describes culture as a marker for difference in society. And Rohner (1984, cited in Earley and Randel 1997) defines the term as the totality of equivalent and complementary learned meanings maintained by a human population, or by identifiable segments of a population, and transmitted from one generation to the next. The phrase equivalent and complementary learned meanings is critical to an understanding of Rohners definition, according to Earley and Randel, because it p rovides for individual variances in interpretations of learned meanings within a culture. Although these definitions represent only a small portion of those revealed from a review of the literature, they provide some insight into the range of thought on the topic of culture, especially perspectives on assessing culture at various levels societal, group, and individual. As will be suggested, the difficulty experts have experienced in defining culture helps to explain why culture is a contested concept and why a solution to the definitional problem is important to resolving the debate about the role of culture in conflict resolution and, ultimately, to facilitating the conflict resolution process. Culture as a Contested Concept Fantasia and Hirsch (1995, cited in Ellis and Thompson, 1997) write, with a hint of sarcasm, that cultural theorists can take pride in their creation of a contested terrain in the study of culture. The literature review indicated that most experts who contest the concept of culture base their disputes on the belief that, in the modern world, there is no all-embracing culture in which everyone in a given society blindly holds precisely the same shared meanings, which is suggested by most traditional definitions of culture. The concept of culture has long been contested (Cooper and Denner 1998; Mathews 2000). Bhabha (1993) writes that, as people have increasingly migrated to other lands in modern times, they have only taken part of their total culture with them. The culture of these migrants becomes a mixture of the cultures from their native societies and those found in the society in which they entered. Heath (1997) writes that experts no longer consider culture to be a viable concept in a world of volatile, situated, and overlapping social identities, contending that various disciplines have taken issue with culture as a concept for various reasons. She writes that educators protest the concept on the basis of its transmission of connotations of objectivity, discreteness, essentialism, and ahistoricism; sociologists challenge the concept on the grounds of production, mass consumerism, and popular entertainment; and experts from the human sciences contest the totalizing universalizing perspectives of culture, replacing these arbitrary constructions with permeable membranes that are not predictable or deterministic. Heath (1997) also points to the fuzzy boundaries of culture, arguing that specific cultures are hard to isolate and claiming that variations are becoming apparent within groups that have been traditionally viewed as possessing unique cultures. Edensor (2002) writes that popular culture is having a major cross-cultural effect on traditional cultures. Childs and Storry (1999) claim that cultures are changing so quickly that a snapshot of current cultural practices is inevitably going to be blurred. Mathews (2000), in noting that even anthropologists are increasingly avoiding the term culture, poses the question as to whether in todays world of global flows and interactions cultural labels are appropriate and claims that individuals personally select which elements of a given culture to apply in their behavioural decisions. Brightman (1995, cited in Mathews 2000) notes t hat some experts are enclosing culture in quotation marks to indicate their ambivalence, self-consciousness or censure about the term. In closing, perhaps Earley and Randel (1997) offer the one of the more revealing insights into the controversy over the term culture: We suggest that while the romance of culture as a grand concept capturing the complexity of society and life is tempting, this conceptualization is both limiting and misleading. The Significance of Culture in Conflict Resolution Conflict resolution and culture are intrinsically intertwined. Rubin and colleagues (1994, cited in Bjrkqvist and Fry 1997) define conflict as perceived divergence of interest, or a belief that parties current aspirations cannot be achieved simultaneously. Hopmann (1998) contends that, in a complex world, conflict is unavoidable. Conflict is an inevitable consequence of the interdependence inherent in human interaction (Bjrkqvist and Fry 1997). Processes used to resolve conflicts must be considered within a larger cultural context (Just 1991). Conflicts are cultural events in every sense of the word, according to Lederach (1991). Bjrkqvist and Fry (1997) write that conflict resolution is a cultural phenomenon. Avruch (1991) refers to conflicts and conflict resolution approaches as cultural events. Various studies have confirmed that conflict resolution processes are culture-specific (Avruch and Black 1991; Avurch, Black and Scimecca 1991, cited in Bjrkqvist and Fry 1997). Ross (1993 , cited in Bjrkqvist and Fry 1997) originated the term culture of conflict to describe the norms and institutions that a society applies in conflicts. Beliefs, attitudes, and patterns of behaviours about conflict are internalised by people in their cultural settings and, in turn, strengthened by cultural norms and institutions. And, because conflict is a cultural phenomenon, the methods used to perceive and respond to conflict are typically transparent to those involved because these methods are based on assumptions that they do not question. (Bjrkqvist and Fry 1997) Bjrkqvist and Fry (1997) urge caution in applying conflict resolution approaches across cultural lines. For instance, they recommend that generic manuals prescribing conflict resolution procedures to be used in all cultural settings should be avoided (Avruch 1991). People involved in conflict resolution should be flexible and sensitive to cultural differences, according to Lederach (1991, cited in Bjrkqvist) and Benvenisti (1986, cited in Avruch 1991). Benvenisti chastises conflict resolvers who believe that communal conflicts are like a chessboard where one can think up the best arrangement of chess pieces and move them all at once. Cultures vary in the mechanisms they use in resolving conflict with some applying formal mechanisms such as court systems and others using informal approaches such as gossip, teasing, and exclusion (Black 1993; Fry 1992, 1994; Hollan 1988; White 1991, cited in Bjrkqvist and Fry 1997). Versi (2002) suggests that if you know where the other person is coming from culturally, you can develop a more effective approach to resolving conflict. Rubin (1994, cited in Bjrkqvist and Fry 1997), articulates four generic strategies used in conflict resolution: (1) contending, which involves a high level of concern for ones own results and a low level of concern for the others results; (2) problem solving, which involves high levels of concern for ones own results and those of the other party; (3) yielding, which involves a low level of concern for ones own results and a high level of concern for the others results; and (4) avoiding, which involves low levels of concern for ones own results and those of the other party. Of these, the authors argue that problem solving is the most effective strategy because it permits both contenders to win. Fortunately, the problem solving strategy is effective across a broad spectrum of cultures. In problem solving, the use of a non-partisan th ird-party facilitator has also been found to be effective across cultures (Black 1993, cited in Bjrkqvist and Fry 1997). The Culture Definition Dilemma and Its Effects on Optimal Conflict Resolution Outcomes The debate about culture, specifically the controversy surrounding the validity of culture as a concept, is important to the field of conflict resolution because cultural factors are so inexorably linked to conflicts and their effective resolutions. Results of the literature review of definitions for the term culture and the review of literature on culture as a contested concept suggest that definitions describing culture as a group or societal phenomenon without allowing for variance within the group or society may be at the root of the cultural concept validity dispute. As Bhabha (1993), Childs and Storry (1999), Edensor (2002), Heath (1997), and Mathews (2000) proffer, modern societies are increasingly integrating and, as this occurs, their members are mixing their unique cultural attributes with one another thereby blurring the distinctions that once defined individual cultures. But does this mean that the concept of culture is invalid? The answer to that question lies in the definitions of culture that allow for individual variance in cultural attributes. For instance, the definition offered by Rohner (1984, cited in Earley and Randel 1997), who defines the term as the totality of equivalent and complementary learned meanings maintained by a human population, or by identifiable segments of a population, and transmitted from one generation to the next, provides for individual variances in interpretations of learned meanings within a culture. This definition seems offer the flexibility to adequately define culture within the context of modern inter mingled societies, thus revalidating the concept of culture. How, then, would a definition for culture that provides for individual variance relate to conflict resolution? Although a definition that considers everyone within a particular culture to share precisely the same cultural attributes would help to make conflict resolution a much more predictable process, such a definition does not reflect the realities of modern societies. However, knowing that members of a culture share equivalent and complementary learned meanings, as proposed by Rohner, permits a certain degree of predictability whilst simultaneously providing needed flexibility to accommodate individual variance. There may even be an additional benefit in this condition for practitioners in conflict resolution. Individual variance may actually serve to weaken strong cultural barriers that have, in the past, obstructed successful conflict resolution. For instance, as cultures integrate more fully, their members typically become more understanding of each others cultural attributes . This understanding should provide an enhanced common basis for resolving conflicts and may even reduce the incidence of conflicts themselves. Conclusion In the modern global village, as opportunities increase for people and their cultures to interact, the need for effective conflict resolution has never been more critical or more difficult, yet experts in a variety of disciplines are engaged in seemingly endless philosophical arguments about the validity of culture as a concept, diverting their energies from what seem to be more productive endeavours such as developing new techniques for conflict resolution that could lead to a more peaceful world. 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