Understanding The Political Party System Of Nigeria Politics Essay

Understanding The Political Party System Of Nigeria Politics Essay Political parties are important in any representative democracy. They gather people with similar interests, set policy-making agendas, allow for choosing new candidates for offices, and provide for coordinated electoral and legislative activity. Democratic development requires efficient and functioning parties. Since the start of the third wave of democratization in 1974, various multiparty systems have been introduced in new, restored and emerging democracies around the world (Political Parties in Conflict-Prone Societies: Encouraging Inclusive Politics and Democratic Development). The multiparty system has positive and negative aspects. The positive aspects includes: redistributing of wealth to the poor, increasing communications between groups, solving problems between parties, and giving power to weaker groups. However its negative aspects damage the processes of democracy by: preventing minorities from getting power and empowering dominant parties. The multiparty system is evide nt in Nigeria. Nigeria is a nation on the west coast of Africa. It is one of the most populous countries in the world. Its terrain varies from hot tropical forests to dry deserts. There are many ethnic groups living in different regions in Nigeria (Nigeria). The United Kingdom gained control of Nigeria in the late 1800s and the early 1900s. Nigeria was a British colony until 1960, when it gained independence. Once after independence, Nigerias political party system was chaotic (Nigeria: Place). Nigerias ethnic groups, Nigerias regions, and Nigerias religious groups affected the political party system, creating a weak and ineffective system. Nigerias Ethnic Groups The different ethnic groups in Nigeria were associated with different political parties which promoted political fragmentation. Arthur Nwankwo refers to Okwudiba Nnoli, an author who writes about the conflicts in Nigeria, about the impact of Nigerians different ethnic groups on Nigerian political party system: There is no nation in the world today, which does not strive for the attainment of full democracy, the material and spiritual empowerment of her people. However, as striving differs in the conscious realization of these ideals, many nations are still caught in the tragic dance of hypocrisy and deceit. Such nations, Nigeria being a ready example, risk the danger of total violence and the pains of collective immolation. We cannot allow this country to suffer that kind of fate of which many states are unworthy examples, which litter the pages of human civilization. To many well-meaning observers and commentators, the democratization process in Nigeria has at best been haphazard and at worst non-existent. The contradictions of our colonial past and our inability to evolve a workable political system stem from the opportunism and lack of vision of most of the post-colonial elite. Okwudiba Nnoli opines that ethnicity, more than any other factor is at the root cause of this. According to hi m, politics, during the era of the nationalist struggle for independence from colonialism, was dominated by the conflict arising from the assertion of interests other than national interest. In their inter-class struggles, the hegemonic regional factions of these privileged classes paid lip services to the desirability of national unity, and condemned ethnic particularism. For all intents and purposes these declarations were not taken seriously and were never intended to be. The same people who inveighed against ethnicity and ethnic identify simultaneously institutionalized them by making them a basis for economic participation within their regional enclaves and to a lesser extent for political participation at both the regional and national level (Okwudiba Nnoli 978: 153-154). (Political parties in Nigeria). In short, Nwankwo argues that ethnicity is the main reason why Nigerias democratization process or Nigerias political party is in chaos. It is because the Nigerian people fail to realize the larger picture. To show that the Nigerian people fail to see the whole picture, Nwankwo also mentions: The conflict arising from the assertion of interests other than national interest is the uncomfortable fact but reality all the same, that the concept of the nation as a Nigeria geographical entity and identity is a novel concept yet to take firm root in the consciousness and psyche of the average Nigerian person and institutions. Put differently, it is my view that the notion of the Nigerian nation and therefore National Interest as a concrete reality of the same meaning and importance in our country is yet to be fully realized (Political parties in Nigeria). Ethnic loyalty dominated political parties in Nigeria. Unlike many African nations, Nigeria never was under the control of a single political party system. According to dictionary.com, a single political party system is a dominant-party system where only one political party can realistically become the government. Governments have tried to force Nigerians to express their will through cross-ethnic parties or diverse parties with multiple groups in one coalition (Kesselman, Krieger, and Joseph 261-268). However, because ethnicity drives much of the political organizing in the country, political leaders have succeeded in undermining the goal of truly national parties through their appeals to ethnic identity. A cross-ethnic party is in that situation nothing more than a coalition of ethnic interests. The NPC (Nigerian peoples Congress) represented conservative, Muslim, largely Hausa interests. The NCNC (National Convention of Nigerian Citizens) was the Igbos party, and the AG (Action Gr oup) was a party that was controlled by the Yoruba (Comparative: Comparing Political Parties). According to Nwankwo, Nigerians political parties are made up of connections whose political persuasions are opposed and this also explains the high level of party indiscipline and collapse of the parties. Because of their artificiality, all the parties are experiencing cracks or fragmentation. The political class has always remained bereft of viable political ideology on which the nations political future could be anchored. This bankruptcy in ideology and vision has rescued party politics in Nigeria to a bread and butter game where monetization of the political process is the bedrock of loyalty and support. In conclusion, ethnicity creates disunity in Nigerians political party system. Nigerias Regions The different regions in Nigeria affect the political party system by creating political instability. Before Nigerias independence, there were three political parties. Each was divided based on the regions: the Northern Region, Eastern Region, and Western Region. After many years of British rule, several positive aspects were found in Nigeria. There was increased urbanization, improved communications, and trade. These aspects made the Nigerians feel United as a nation. As a result, Nigerian leaders agreed to keep the name Nigeria. They also agreed to create a democratic government based on British parliamentary government which shared national and local government power (Nigerian Independence). After independence, the three regional parties had trouble sharing power and unifying Nigeria. They tried to establish national institutions such as education to try to unify the country. Education stressed the importance of national identity and unity. They still had problems (Comparative: Comparing Political Parties). According to the authors of Introduction to Comparative Poltics, the Northern Region had the majority of Nigerian people in its territory. They wanted the most delegates. Sir Ahmadu Bello, the most powerful Fulani leader in the north, handpicked his assistant, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, to be the first prime minister of Nigeria (Kesselman, Krieger, and Joseph 260-265). Following independence Nigerian unity began to disappear. First, a section of the Western Region decided to secede. In 1964, the population in the Northern Regions was larger than the two other regions. Because of this, the Northern Region had many delegates in the national legislature. The north accepted this because it was in their favor. However, the Western and Eastern Regions opposed it. Corruption among the Nigerian government leaders caused problems for regional groups (Nigerian Independence). More problems came up when Prime Minister Balewa and government leaders in the Northern and Western Regions were murdered in a coup staged by several army officers. General Aguyi-lronsi, an Igbo from the Eastern Region, declared himself the head of state (Comparative: Comparing Political Parties). Ironsis government was short, but many Nigerians blamed the Igbo people for the coup that brought Ironsi to power. In July, Northern Region officers assassinated General Ironsi (Nigerian Independence). Colonel Yakubu Gowon, a northerner, became the head of state. Colonel Ojukwu, an eastern military official, was disappointed in the instability of Nigeria. He governed the Eastern Region as a separate nation, expelling all non-easterners. In response to Colonel Ojukwus decision, Gowon infuriated eastern leaders by dividing Nigeria into twelve states without consulting them (nigeria). On May 30, 1967, Ojukwu seceded from Nigeria and declared the Eastern Region the separate country of Biafra, marking the start of the Nigerian Civil War (Nigerian Independence). After three years of fighting, Biafra finally announced the end of its secession on January 12, 1970. The war had a lasting effect on Nigerian life (Nigerian Independence). First, the blockade of Biafra had kept food from entering the war zone. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Biafran civilians died, mostly from starvation and disease. Second, Nigeria remained divided into twelve states, leaving the Igbo isolated politically (nigeria). Finally, the civil war increased the power and prestige of the military. Nigeria increased the size of its military from 10,000 in 1967 before the war, to 250,000 at its height. After the civil war, Nigeria tried to reconstruct the nation, yet political instability continued. For example, Nigerian leaders restructured the political map several times. In 1976 Nigerian military leader General Murtala Ramat Mohammed divided the country into nineteen states. Mohammed also moved the capital of Nigeria from the former colonial capital of Lagos to a new location, called Abuja, in his northern region. In 1991, the political map was again divided, this time into thirty-one states (Nigerian Independence). In conclusion, the different regions created political instability for about thirty following independence that affected the different regional party leaders. Nigerias Religious Groups The different religious groups affect the political party system by allowing for destructive behavior. Religion has been a persistent conflict in Nigeria for a long time. The two dominant religions are Islam and Christianity. Islam came from northeast Nigeria somewhere between the eleventh and twelfth centuries. It spread to the Hausa territory by the fifteenth century and greatly expanded in the early nineteenth century. In the north Islam started with coexisting with the different indigenous religions. However, it gradually converted most of them into Islam. Christianity arrived in the early nineteenth century, but expanded rapidly through missionary work in southern Nigeria. The amalgamation of northern and southern Nigeria in 1914 brought together the two religions and their belief systems. These religious cultures have consistently clashed over political issues such as the secular character of the state. The application of the sharia criminal code in the northern states has been a focal point for these tensions. For many Muslims, the sharia code represents a tradition or a way of life and supreme personal law that transcends secular and state law; for many Christians, the expansion of sharia law threatens the secular nature of the Nigerian state and their position within it. The pull of religious versus national identity becomes even stronger during economic crisis. For example, during the Babangida period, there was a rise in both Islamic fundamentalist movements and evangelical Christian fundamentalism that has continued through the present. Where significant numbers of southern Christians are living in predominantly Muslim states (for example Kaduna State), many clashes have erupted, with great loss of life and the extensive destruction of churches, mosques, and small businesses (Kesselman, Krieger, and Joseph 300-301). The Ineffective Party System and Conclusion Nigerias political system consists of many parties. The different ethnicities contribute to the disunity in Nigeria. The different regions contribute to the political instability. The different religious groups contribute to destructive behavior. The Nigerian multiparty system is ineffective because, unlike most democracy which promotes peace and freedom to its people, it creates disunity, instability, and destruction among political parties. The weaknesses of this system includes: a divided country whose people work against each other; a corrupted system where regional parties fight to dominate government; and a nation who can not think together. There are no significant strengths. Although a multiparty system is good for redistribution of wealth and power; stronger communications; and solving problems together, the multiparty system present in Nigeria would best serve no one. Instead of promoting peace like most democracies, Nigeria, consumed in violent opposition between different groups of people, opt to stay in political turmoil.

Zero Coupon Bonds Essay -- essays research papers

Zero coupon bonds, more commonly known as â€Å"strips† or â€Å"zeros†, are fixed income securities that unlike other bonds, pay no interest until maturity. This means that instead of paying semi-annual interest like other bonds, the interest is compounded throughout the life of the bond and is paid in full upon maturity. Zero coupon bonds are ideal long-term investments for people who have a specific situation, which calls for a specific amount of money to be acquired at a future date, mainly ten to twenty years in the future. These bonds offer a great variety of benefits that are attractive to investors who are looking for more of a long-term investment. They also pose a few drawbacks, but are outweighed by their advantages which make them a sound investment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Zero coupon municipal bonds combine the benefits of the zero coupon instrument with those of tax-exempt municipal securities and offer the following advantages: Low Minimum Investment The first thing that comes to mind when investing in zero coupon bonds is its low initial investment. Zeros are sold at a deep discount relative to other bonds and therefore can be purchased with a low minimum investment. Investors purchase zeros for much less than their face value, which is typically in increments of $5000, however, zero-coupon bonds with face values of $1000 are also sold. The greater the number of years a zero-coupon bond has until maturity, the less an investor has to pay for it. The reason of such a low initial investment is another benefit of zeros, compounded interest. The small initial dollar outlay makes zeros attractive investments for many investors. It allows investors to put aside a modest amount of money today and know exactly how much they will receive at a specific future date. Tax Advantages Another benefit of zero-coupon bonds is its possible tax advantages. Interest on municipal zero-coupon bonds is exempt from federal income taxes and, in many cases, free from state and local taxes. Because municipal zeros offer the benefit of compound interest free from federal taxes, they provide returns that are often much higher on a net basis than comparable taxable securities. ‘Zeros purchased prior to April 1993 and held to maturity are not subject to capital gains tax unless they are purchased at a price lower than the compound accreted value (CAV). The sale or excha... ...e volatility of the bond. Zeros are extremely volatile investments. This means that if the interest rate changes, it can swing the price of the bond in either direction. However, this is only a problem if the bond is sold before maturity. If the bond is held to the mature date, the investor will receive the full face value. If the bond is sold before it matures, there could be a possibility that the investor could lose money. Another inconvenience that zeros offer is its possible tax charges. Although zeros don’t include any coupon payments because they pay no annual interest, the investor is still obligated to pay income tax on the interest he would of earned for the year even though he didn’t receive it. Of course there are ways around this if you invest in tax-exempt municipals where there are no charges. One more drawback of zeros is that they can be callable. This means that the issuer has the right to repurchase the bond back from the investor at any time before maturity. If the issuer repays the bond at a certain percentage rate, it can potentially lose money for the investor. You would also have to pay a capital gains tax if the IRS thinks you made more than you should.

Explore the theme of loneliness or loss and discuss how the writer has

Explore the theme of loneliness or loss and discuss how the writer has conveyed this to the reader through their use of language and style.The stories, The Orphaned Swimming Pool by John Updike, Stone Trees, and The First Adam by Jane Gardam, Short Story Anthology Choose three stories that you feel explore the theme of loneliness or loss and discuss how the writer has conveyed this to the reader through their use of language and style. The stories, The Orphaned Swimming Pool by John Updike, Stone Trees, and The First Adam by Jane Gardam, all explore the theme of loneliness through the authors' use of language and their style. Although all three stories explore the theme of loneliness or loss, all three stories have different kinds of loss or loneliness. In The Orphaned Swimming Pool, loneliness and loss both occur when the marriage of Ted and Linda breaks down and the pool is left in a neglected state. The First Adam shows the main character (Bull) feeling desperately lonely because his wife doesn't understand him. Loss is shown in Stone Trees because the narrator's husband has recently died and she is trying to come to terms with his death. In The First Adam, the character Bull is a contractor and is working abroad. He describes his work as "my mistress". This personification shows that he is deeply involved with his work and is perhaps using it as a substitute for the lack of a good relationship with his wife Moira. Gardam constantly juxtaposes Bulls situation in Drab with Moira back at home in England. She uses only cold and harsh words to describe Moira waking up in the morning, "Moira's is waking to a cold dawn on the winter side of our mattress. Alone". This choice of lexis shows the r... ...ir marriage. Linda eventually sells the house to get away from the pool "Thank God no one had drowned in it. Except her." due to the bad memories it stirred in her. All three stories use juxtaposition to a great effect to show how characters in the stories have experienced loss or loneliness. They also use an implied style of writing to convey the themes of loss and/or loneliness. The implicit styles encourage the reader to work out the story without things being explicitly stated. The two stories by Jane Gardam use first person narrative and the story by John Updike uses third person narrative. The different narrative positions allow the reader to see the stories differently. The first person narratives allow the reader to see the story from the narrator's point of view and the third person narrative allows the reader to see the story more objectively.

Booth Tarkington’s The Magnificent Ambersons is Worthy of University St

A university is a place where students are taught to build upon the basic academic skills acquired in their previous schooling, and to learn to create original ideas. This ability to create original ideas gives students the chance to rise above any preconceived notions of the masses, instead of conforming to them. For example, in the subject of literature, students can find individuality in being able to, critically, analyze a literary work in contrast to most people who can only retell it as a story. Through such critical analysis, students can discover many original ideas that may help bring literature to life. In his prize-winning novel, The Magnificent Ambersons, Booth Tarkington presents a masterpiece of literary work, full of features which can be used in a university setting to teach students literary criticism such as characterization, irony, and theme. First, the characterizations in The Magnificent Ambersons show Tarkington’s mastery in describing human characters. According to Robert DiYanni in Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, characterization is a â€Å"narrative description with explicit judgment†(55). For example, Tarkington’s story begins with Major Amberson. Major Amberson is the head of the family who has built a fortune around the time period of 1873 (3). The story of the Ambersons starts out based on this fortune that Major Amberson has made. Tarkington points out the fact that Major Amberson is the head of the family by naming him, Major. Where the term, major, holds a position of seniority and authority in the military, Major Amberson holds the same in his family. The use of this descriptive name allows the reader to make an explicit judgment on the status and the role of Maj... ...e union of Lucy and Georgie. In conclusion, Tarkington’s use of characterization, irony, and themes in The Magnificent Ambersons has brought this story to life. His techniques in making the characters come alive by using vivid characterization, his unexpected reversal of roles, and his universal themes have enlightened me in such a challenging manner that l am convinced they are worthy of serious study in a university setting. Works Cited DiYanni, Robert. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002. The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington. Dir. Alfonso Arau, Perf. Madeleine Stowe, Bruce Greenwood, Gretchen Mol and Jennifer Tilly. A&E Presentation, January 13, 2002. Class Film. NJIT. LIT 330-001. Fall Semester, 2002. Tarkington, Booth. The Magnificent Ambersons. New York: Richard Press, 1980.

Musket Wars

The first major cause of the Musket Wars was the introduction of European Technology, particularly Muskets. This changed the economy of Maori society, as they had no form of currency so trade was their means to gain power and ‘wealth’ This created the danger of one tribe, in this case Nga Puhi growing increasingly powerful and influential, therefore their supplies of these muskets and weaponry growing exponentially in size. In 1821 Nga Puhi leader Hongi Hika acquired 300 muskets after trading them for his gifts he received from the King of England.This became a turning point in the Wars as it gave him overwhelming power for his tribe in the North. Muskets greatly altered the way in which Maori fought battles, as these muskets could cause far more death and destruction than previous weaponry used by the Maori. Historians such as Angela Ballara argue that the Muskets were not the cause of the actual start of the War, the war could just as easily be called ‘Potato war s’ as many Maori fought for food supply, but because of the destructive nature of the muskets, without their role the Wars could have taken a very different path.The introduction of Muskets also amplified tensions between Nga Whatua and Nga Puhi, as Nga Puhi acquired more and more muskets, other tribes particularly Nga Whatua felt threatened by the potential use of these muskets, and confrontation between these now heavily armed tribes became inevitable. The colonization of NZ by Europeans and subsequent consequences support the ‘Fatal Impact theory’, which states that impact of European society on Maori lead to the general downfall of Maori, but it is impossible to blame the Musket Wars entirely on European impact.Prior to European contact the Maori had a well-established political system between iwis. For them war was an essential part of this, as a means of declaring land ownership. Wars were fought quickly between short distances, resulting in fewer deaths. T he first war fought with muskets was the battle of Moremanui in 1908, when Nga Whatua secured a victory of Nga Puhi, as they tried to reload their muskets.The leader of Nga Puhi Hongi Hika wished to execute revenge on Ngati Whatua for the defeat, thus leading to his acquisition of muskets and intertribal warfare. The conclusion can be made that the Maori pre-established political system of which war was an integral part, was a major factor leading to the intertribal warfare of the Musket Wars, but European impact was the factor that made the warfare so destructive and lead to the many fatalities.

BOSCH GmbH- Human Resource Management Essay

In our work the foreign dispatch process is examined, how far the global requirements on the resource staff are met by Bosch. The measures, Bosch developed for the choice, preparation, moving and reintegration of its employees has been examined and set against the common practice of other enterprises. The work starts with a representation of the enterprise Bosch. The main part is a detailed representation of the measures of Bosch with respect to the four phases of the foreign dispatch. These are judged with the theory from technical literature and compared with the common practice of other enterprises. Subsequently the question is followed whether the expansion plans in the direction of the China require a customization of the staff management. Finally we draw a conclusion whether the measures of Bosch are suitable to fulfill the requirements or must be changed. 2. Bosch2.1 Historical developmentThe enterprise Bosch was set up under the name â€Å"workshop for precision engineering and electrical engineering† in Stuttgart in the year 1886 by the engineer Robert Bosch. The international orientation already started early. In 1898 they founded the first branch office in England (London). One year later they opened a dependance in France (Paris). The first branch office followed in the USA in 1906. The international development has continued until today. In 2003 75% of the manufacturing sites are outside Germany. With daughter and associated companies Bosch is present in more than 50 countries worldwide. Bosch is one of the biggest industrial enterprises in Germany today and is a global player especially in the automobile industry. Bosch has convinced with its innovations since their foundation and has a high position in the market. In 1897 Bosch developed the first low voltage magneto ignition which firstly made the use of internal combustion engines possible. The innovation strength has remained until today; so Bosch was the first component supplier bringing innovations like ESP the anti-lock braking system anti-lock braking system, the navigation system under the names â€Å"Travelpilot† and the electronic stability system on the market. Bosch recognized the significance of its employees for the innovation and market success early, too. In 1906 Bosch introduced the â€Å"eight hour day† when celebrating the delivery of the 100,000 sten magnet igniter. With the delivery of the 500,000 sten igniter they introduced work free Saturday afternoons. 2.2 The Bosch, group todayToday enterprise Bosch consists of the motor vehicle technology, industry technology and use and goods technology. Their core competence and most important unit is still the vehicle technology. This can be proved by regarding the sales volume. The share of this division was 65.4% in the year 2003. The sales development and its foreign share is displayed in graphic 1. Bosch doubled the sales volume within only 10 years, from approx. 16 billion  to 36 billion euros. However, the foreign share of the sales volume increased proportionally faster. From 49% in 1993 it rose up to 71% in 2003. These data underline again the strong international orientation of the company. According to this Bosch has employees all over the world. In 2003 Bosch employed 230,000 people worldwide with a share of 54% outside of Germany. 2.3 The corporate cultureThe idea of the corporate culture is interpreted differently in the literature. Berthel defines corporate culture as follows: Corporate culture is â€Å"the sum of the moral concepts, carried a business together of the employees norms and behavior patterns this one has taken shape in the course of the time†. The philosophy of Robert Bosch stamps the corporate culture since the foundation. So he wrote in 1919: â€Å"It has always been an unbearable thought to me that someone could inspect one of my products and find it inferior . I have therefore always tried to ensure that only look for work goes out that is superior into all respects â€Å". In the year 2001 this culture was strengthened by the new model â€Å"Be Better Be Bosch† and the values were formulated in a written form for the first time. They initiated a modernization project called â€Å"Be QIK†. This model functions as action framework for the after stored aims and strategies:†¢Be QIK, Quality, innovation and Customer oriented†¢Be Better — improve against previous years and gain the competitive edge,†¢Be Bosch, committed to our vision, our tradition and of the spirit of a the company and the legacy of our founder Robert Bosch. The enterprise therefore tries to create a global behaviorial framework, which takes over the orientation function, identification function, coordination and integration function and helps to manage the challenges of the future. 3. Foreign dispatch process at Bosch3.1 Aims of the foreign dispatchBy the assignment of highly qualified employees Bosch aims at a compensation of a lack of know-how in the respective host country. Furthermore Bosch wants to rise the cross culturel skills of their executives in order to improve the  cooperation with foreign departments. Additionally it is possible for the ambitious employees to request for a dispatch in order to enhance their motivation. An important aim of foreign dispatches is finally the implementation of a worldwide corporate culture through which the communication and cooperation within the Bosch group is made easier. 3.2 Dispatch formsBosch distinguishes three dispatch forms. The business trip, the delegation as well as the transfer. The business trip with a duration of up to three months serves to establish contacts or also to conclude business on the spot. With the delegation Bosch distinguishes between the dispatch for the fulfillment of a project task or the dispatch in the context of trainee programs. The expatriate is abroad for a duration between three months and a year. If it is necessary to cover a lack of manpower a transfer is carried out. In this case the duration of the stay abroad is between one and five years. Bosch averagely dispatches their employees for three years. 3.3 Foreign dispatch processA carefully structured dispatch process is very important for Bosch to ensure the success of the foreign dispatch. To this, at first the occupation order is prepared which contains the necessary qualifications of the employee with regard to the vacant job. The choice of a suitable candidate, the dispatch conversation and the information journey to the possible country are the next steps of the process. After this journey the employee finally decides whether he accepts the position abroad. If he agrees, the employee is prepared comprehensively for the stay abroad. Then the moving to the foreign country takes place. After the job completion the employee is reintegrated. The individual phases of the foreign dispatch process are explained in the following more precisely. 3.3.1 Choice3.3.1.1 Theoretical bases and enterprise practiceThe best liability for a success of foreign dispatch can still be seen in the right choice of the employees to be sent. This should include technical criteria, behavior-related criteria, intercultural environment-related criteria as  well as personal criteria. When choosing a suitable dispatch candidate enterprises often orientate at technical performances. However, empirical examinations show, that competences or-related behavior and-related intercultural environment abilities for the cultural customization have a greater influence on the success of the foreign activity. Other surveys from the 1990s confirm that individual performance features are in the foreground at the choice. In addition, they show that the family is hardly co-included in the decision. An interview under Expatriates points, that the well-being plays the family an important role for the professional success. 3.3.1.2 Choice at BoschBosch has recognized the importance of extra-technical criteria for the choice of a suitable dispatch candidate. Besides the career potential, which are investigated by the employee development instruments (see chapter 2.2), features like team and communication ability or representation of the Bosch culture are co-included in the decision. The latter has a great importance for the support of the implementation of a worldwide corporate culture, one of the aims of the foreign dispatch. 3.3.2 Preparation3.3.2.1 Theoretical bases and enterprise practiceInstitutes specialized in further education and intercultural management distinguish between a country specific and country general as well as intellectual and experience obtained preparation. The respective confrontation of these preparation methods shows the following classifications:†¢Intellectual country specific preparationPrimarily general information about the host country is mediated and language courses carried out here. Culture games are, such as the cultural assimilator training. †¢Experience-related country specific preparationThe political, economic and socio-cultural conditions of the host country shall be given to the expatriate a better understanding. With the help of case studies and role plays as well as information journeys the expatriates are prepared for country and culture specifics. †¢Intellectual preparationThe cultural self awareness model plays an important  role in this preparation class. It assumes that it is important to remind the participant of his own stereotyped and behaviors in order to develop a sensibility for the foreign maybe strange looking cultural aspects. †¢Experience-related country general preparationThis preparation method which shall enlarge the intercultural competence of the expatriates (on The job by Outdoor training, intercultural simulation games) consists of the cooperation on international teams as well as of an intercultural action training. â€Å"Source of the success of foreign dispatches is the degree to which an expat is able to establish contacts and manages to overcome culture barriers and to find the way in the strange culture†. The chief attention of the preparation in German and American companies lies in the technical education, the execution of a language training as well as the arrangement of general country information, though. An experience-related preparation seldom takes place. The external execution of the preparation measures is in general preferred opposite the internal one. The family moreover is only seldomly included in the preparations although family problems belong to the most frequent reasons for the failure of foreign dispatches. After a study of the auditing company PriceWaterhouseCoopers 40% of all Expatriates return home ahead of schedule. 96% of these on impulses of the family which often doesn’t cope with the surroundings. The final conclusion is that the size of the preparation is very small in the entrepreneurial practice. 3.3.2.2 Preparation at BoschBosch practices comprehensive preparations for both its employees and their families to ensure the success of their foreign dispatch. At the beginning of the preparation Bosch offers a information journey which is designed for employees who go abroad for longer than 12 months. Before the definite decision, Bosch gives its employees the  opportunity to go to the host country with the companion of their partner. The stay lasts for two to three days, within Europe outside Europe’s approximately one week. By this â€Å"look and sea trip† the employee and his companions can get a better idea of the future place of residence. That shall prevent them from forming unrealistic expectations. If the employee decides to accept the job offered abroad, the real preparation starts. The central HR department is responsible for the execution of the preparation transfers (ZM2). It builds a preparation plan with measures which are coordinated with the needs of the respective employee. The aim of the preparation with Bosch is the arrangement of intercultural competence. This consists of country specific knowledge, linguistic proficiency as well as cultural sensibility of the three elements together. Country specific knowledgeThe arrangement of country specific knowledge contains information about the framework conditions of the host country. Formalities which are connected with a stay abroad are given to the Expatriates and their companions traveling along in a so-called â€Å"Bosch foreign preparation seminar†. So-called â€Å"mentors†, employees already returned home, convey information e.g. to the contract of employment or for tax regulations. By the use of mentors Bosch guarantees that experiences collected abroad are passed on and therefore used for new dispatches effectively. Linguistic proficiencyThe knowledge of the respective national language is prerequisite for a dispatch, because it is very important for an integration in private and in working life. Bosch employees have to learn the foreign language until they reach a level that enables them to come along in working life without any problems. If they want to learn more, they also have the possibility of attaining comprehensive knowledge. The family is tied to ensure that it can find the way in daily life. The language education takes place externally and Bosch takes on the costs both for the employee and for the family. The company attaches importance to the fact that the education starts early so that the required knowledge is reached before the dispatch. Cultural sensibilityThe cultural sensibility of the employees shall be promoted by two measures: the intercultural preparation training as well as the intercultural management training. The intercultural preparation training has the aim of sensitizing the employee to the think and behavior patterns of the host country to make the integration into the strange cultural environment easier for him. If the training is carried out internally, so-called country teams are responsible for it. These teams consist of employees who have made experiences in the respective host country or even are from this country themselves. This five-day intercultural preparation training is offered both for the employee and for the family since this is confronted with the same integration or understanding difficulties concerning the strange culture. This has particularly to be taken into account when thinking of the growing importance of multicultural cooperations, e.g. in the context of joint ventures or international project work. 3.3.3 MovingAt Bosch receives the Expatriate supports for the carrying out of the necessary formalities by the so-called Bosch foreign preparation seminar. When the employee finally starts his stay abroad he usually feels like on holiday. Everything is new to him and he is fascinated by his new task at the company and the new country itself. But this positive feeling often changes after a few months when the first serious problems occur. He feels helpless because he can not manage the situation in the new surrounding. This is called cultural shock. To keep the cultural shock as low as possible, Bosch looks after his employees during their stay and helps them when problems appear. The cultural shock can never completely prevented especially if the difference between the cultures is very large. Nevertheless Bosch tries to prepare their employees by showing general culture differences so that they can deal with problems easyierly. Furthermore Bosch offers his expatriate an intensive coaching. The employee has a mentor in the native country who is two hierarchical orders higher than himself. They meet at least once a year to talk about problems abroad or about further plans of the employee after his return to germany. In addition, a strengths-/ weaknesses analysis is carried out to be able to comprehend the development of the employee and not lose the summary of the knowledge and abilities. An examination of Schroll-Machl shows that the support of the Expatriates is often insufficient in the practice. Many Expatriates have the impression that their enterprise leaves them alone and it doesn’t support at problems. They must manage various difficulties at the same time. Family problems moreover aren’t taken into account in the context of the support in the practice. However, wife and children are especially confronted with greater customization difficulties than the staff member because they have more frequent contacts to the strange culture. 3.3.4. Reintegration3.3.4.1 Theoretical bases and enterprise practiceAfter the expiry of the delegation period the Expatriate returns back to the parent company. A successful reintegration of the employee is both of high entrepreneurial and financial importance. A negative signal starts out from a failed reintegration for other parent company members. The readiness to accept an offer for a foreign activity sinks. Furthermore the financial dimension of the complete dispatch process including the return has to be taken into account. American studies value the total costs of the foreign assignment of an employee at up to 1 millions $. In connection with this, it is surprising that only few enterprises care for the repatriation of their employees professionally. A KPMG examination from the year 2000 showed that 67% of all interviewed people who were delegated abroad said that there is need for improvement at the reintegration process of their enterprise. This criticism has to be taken  seriously since problems with the reintegration have serious consequences for the Expatriate and the enterprise like e.g. a low work motivation or even the cancellation and the change to another enterprise. According to an examination of Black (1992) the share of the returnees who cancel their job within one year after their return due to integration problems is about 25%. The causes of these reintegration diffic ulties are multilayered. You can subdivide them into operational and private difficulties. Operational levelThe search for a suitable position often turns out to be difficult since the HR departments can assess hardly the qualification development of the returnee during his stay abroad. In addition returnees often have exaggerated expectations and therefore are disappointed of the offered job in their home company. They often have the impression that their new skills especially about the country they spent a lot of time in are not appreciated. A study of Wirth from the year 1992 has shown that merely 30% of all enterprises evaluate the experiences of its employees after a stay abroad. Another aspect of the reintegration is the cessation of foreign raises and other privileges. Private LevelProblems frequently appear also in the private area of the Expatriates. During their stay abroad the often only keep the positive aspects of their life in Germany in mind, the negative everyday problems appear only after the return and the first euphoria. The culture of one’s own seems alienated and it comes to the double cultural shock. Particularly the children have to suffer from the new surroundings and from the change since they have accepted the strange culture more strongly, had to leave friends and don’t cope with the German school system any more. For the expatriates and their partners it is difficult to abstain from grown fond privileges like e.g. chauffeur, domestics for themselves or a swimming pool. 3.3.4.2 Reintegration with BoschAs a company with strong international orientation Bosch has recognized the meaning of a successful reintegration of returnees and supports the reintegration of its employees with numerous measures at an operational and private level to put a positive and encouraging signal for future dispatches. 3.3.4.2.1 Measures of the operational reintegrationBosch offers a very comprehensive and strategic personnel policy which takes into account the personal ambitions of the dispatched employees and the future need for highly qualified managers. This prevents Bosch from the problem frequently appearing that no adequate place can be offered to the returnee. Due to its size Bosch is moreover able to offer alternatives in the case of an abrupted dispatch process, like e.g. early return or dissatisfaction with the return position. As already explained different studies have shown that exaggerated experiences on the part of the returnees is the main reason for dissatisfaction with the position after the reintegration. To counteract this, Bosch regularly looks after the expatriate by a hierarchy higher mentor of the parent company. By this he keeps informed about all important developments in the company and furthermore he has contact person for career questions. Due to this permanent communication Bosch is able to get an exact idea about the situation and processes in the foreign business. Another important aspect which fundamentally contributes to the satisfaction of the returning employee is the appreciation and the use of the abroad acquired knowledge. Bosch evaluates the foreign experiences of its expatriates very comprehensively and endeavours suggestions for improvement. Furthermore the HR department tries to find a position in which the returnee can use his new won abilities optimally. This could be e.g. a position in the sales department of the region in which the expatriate was active. Furthermore the returnees have the opportunity to study further in order to work as an expert for the country they stayed in and prepare other employees for future dispatches. The â€Å"BeQIK† corporate culture, introduced in 2001, plays an important role for a successful reintegration. Since all subsidiary firm shall work according to the given behavioral framework, the cultural distance turns out a little bit smaller between host country and native country. Since the practical putting into action of the behavior guidelines is always subject to cultural influences, the degree of the relief should be assessed rather carefully. 3.3.4.2.2 Measures of the private reintegrationTo make the reintegration  easier for the returning expatriate and his family, Bosch offers comprehensive help. They support their employees when they search for an apartment and takes on arising extra tuition costs for the children to make the integration into the German school system easier. Furthermore other Bosch employees who returned from stays abroad in the past can give advice in so called â€Å"returnee seminars† where other persons affected talk about its experiences. 4. Asia, challenge and chance†Rapidly arising markets in the Far East and Bosch takes part †¦ â€Å"This statement of Bosch Bohr, the chairman of the area of motor vehicle technology, shows the meaning of company leaders, which will be attached to Asian and especially to the Chinese market. After a turnover growth obtained already 2003 in China of over 20%, Bosch wants to improve his presence further in the empire of the middle. In the following sections will be analysed, which changes or requirements to the Bosch foreign dispatch will bring the future in the Asian market. 4.2 requirements on German executives in China4.2.1 The intercultural difficultiesThe clashing of different cultures, values and particularly the different styles of management and philosophies leads very frequently to difficulties in the subsidiary firms. To notice which one is the most frequent and greatest problem that the Chinese executives have in the cooperation with German executives and vice versa, the results of a study from the year 1999 shall be illustrated, which Chinese and German manager were working in German enterprises in China. Among the problems, which the Chinese managers have with the colleges from abroad, the most important are the communication problems, like is described in the chart above. The culture, communication, mutual understanding and language are connected closely with each other belong to this category: due to the different culture and the language barrier no satisfactory communication takes place  and therefore it doesn’t come to a mutual understanding. In this connection the bad English knowledge of German managers and their lack of understanding of the Chinese culture will be especially found fault by Chinese colleges. 10% of the mentioning are allotted to problems of the human relations. It disturbs the Chinese executives most, that they are treated differently in comparison with the Expatriates and they don’t have much confidence in Chinese colleges. This is the reason in their opinion that it doesn’t come to friendships between foreign and Chinese executives who are very welcome on a Chinese. The arrogance and haughtiness of the foreigners are also criticized and the lack of interest in the Chinese population. The professional requirements are high: inside the Chinese employees are hungrily to learn the new specialized knowledge of the foreign executive and they notice very fast, weather the German executives aren’t not ready or capable in the expected scale, to give this knowledge further. In connection with this, it is criticized that German executives prefer to work alone, they aren’t cooperative. In the Chinese working world one comes upon, however, the Explanation the Help and Assistance to each other. By the cessation of the in the past (before the open-door policy of China) usual lifelong job in the same enterprise and the fact that one can be discontinued because of a bad performance a considerable pressure is triggered to do well the work and this can have discouraging influence on the employees. There is the high burden of work which lets few leisure time as well as time for the own family. General Manager have variously and very far scattered breadth of the answers without the number of the mentioning being different from each other fundamentally on the part of the foreign ones. Any problem is emerging as  dominate. Problems are most frequently mentioned are in the areas of communication, labour organization, qualification and management. The general managers from abroad find some problems with their Chinese executives not only in the area of the communication. For example they don’t seem to be able to solve their problems with a better communication. However the understanding stands for the Chinese executives, at first place and the lack of communication is also becoming responsibly for many difficulties in the company. 4.2.2 Cultural distinction and integrationThe culture isn’t reflected only in politics and in the everyday life, (i.e. in the social and consume behaviour) but it also influences the business methods, the management behaviour and the relations of employees and employers. In the following section are discussed certain general Asian culture features and their implications for the staff management . Group identity versus individual identityTian xia Wei gong: â€Å"Everything serves the community under the sky†. So there is a Chinese proverb from the old days which has validity today certainly too. The individual never was in the foreground but always, the community within the particular represents a tiny member. This specific and deeply rooted feature has important implications for the staff management: So the individual recognition (punishment) should be carried out in private, the team’s recognition should be carried out barefaced. Conflict avoidanceMost cultures of Asia avoid systematically the open conflict holding. The avoidance of open conflicts is in a close connection with the Confucianism. Straight criticism and open contradiction are accompanied by the danger to lose face and fall to the social trifle. Keeping faceMost Asian societies are settled by the principle of the disgrace (the public humiliation) not by the principle of guiltiness (feeling of individual responsibility, conscience). The concept of the saving face is comprehensively valid, characterizes every human relation and is very important for the staff management since it forbids the public humiliation of employees. Respect opposite to higher-ranking and oldRespect, restraint and modesty are part of the etiquette in the Asian culture room generally. Hierarchies have a more important role (often according to old, rank and sex) than in Germany. The formal authority isn’t called into question; this is part of the harmony commandment. However, one shouldn’t put the Asian respect before the authority absolutely. A bad supervisor is also criticized in Asia and will be corrected though indirect: by pressure on third party, anonymous letters, passive behaviour and resistance, which are disguised with excuses or by frequent illness or really irrational behaviours, like panic bouts. The re-registration is frequently encoded. So the western manager must learn how indirect signals of the discontent should be decoded or interpreted. The respect of the age is one of the basic concepts of a Confucian intellect. The Age doesn’t make only wise but gives a natural authority. Seniority and hierarchy thinking still established tightly in the heads of the Chinese managers. Foreign companies are smitten with the distinguishing between respect of certain hierarchies and the necessity of the support managers who render the corresponding service but don’t have the right age yet. In order to be accepted a younger manager must be more competent than an old one. GuanxiGuanxi has to be translated by the following expression â€Å"personal relations and connections†. It plays a large role in China in all areas of the life; it works as â€Å"sesame-open you† when required because clear and codified jurisdiction doesn’t have any tradition, relations are solution key  for all problems. Western Managers should pay more attention to â€Å"Guanxi† if they want to succeed in china. 4.2.3 Recruitment and motivation of local workersThe recruitment of highly qualified staff and the tie of won workers with the enterprise are a big problem area with which many foreign businesses are confronted in China. These phenomena shall be represented here only briefly since a detailed description would blow up the frame of this work. Recruitment of local workersThe absence of qualified personal is responsibly for the high fluctuation. More and more enterprises try to find Chinese university graduates who are trained in Germany for the business in china. Motivation of local workersIf one has found local executives, one must be able to keep it because the high fluctuation is connected to high costs. Different instruments can contribute to soothe or to overcome the staff bottleneck. These are e.g. the image-building (charitable events), the training (further education possibilities have a high place value) as well as a solid and long-term career promotion strategy. For young highly qualified stuff, a good salary and promotion chances are decisive for staying in the enterprise. 4.3 Optimization/customization of the dispatch process for/to ChinaIf one carries now out an optimization of the foreign dispatch process with Bosch to the employee-employer relationships in China against the background of the executed Asian culture features and criticisms of the Chinese Manager of their German colleagues and colleagues, then the following implications are the result:As a rule, an intercultural preparation takes place. No reason is seen for preparations for the Chinese executives in most enterprises. It will hold the assumption that the Chinese executives must adapt to the western behaviour patterns and methods of working. A common intercultural training is, however, absolutely essential in China for the following reasons:The great difficulties which arise from the lack of mutual understanding, are in a close connection with the knowledge about the respecting other culture, the action sample and moral concepts, but also its enterprise philosophies and styles of management. An intercultural seminar can make considerably, behind certain behaviour which explanations and which roots suit to an executive. It doesn’t prevent the appearance of problems but it offers to possibilities of reacting specifically and developing common action strategies. Furthermore a Chinese executive can for example be made familiar with the German culture as follows: by consignments to the German parent company, international stays, participation in international management courses of Chinese universities or in business Schools. Also for partner and children problems arise in the context of a longer stay abroad. Acceptable solutions must therefore be found also for the family. It is often impossible just in the pacific space to solve the language problems satisfactorily what a far-reaching isolation of the marriage partner and the children can cause with negative family consequences. Therefore the language standard should correspond to that one of the Expatriate which enjoys an education on the standard of the easy communication in the work everyday life. Despite good preparations for marriage partner and if necessary children problems often arise of the cultural integration and problems at school. For the better integration contacts to partners of other Expatriates should be organized. The possibility of working abroad is very important for the partner who accompanies the Expatriate abroad. An intensive cooperation with other enterprises on the spot would be necessary to realize the professional way of expatriate’s wife in China. If no place can be found, the possibility  should be offered for a further training for the meaningful use of the â€Å"timeout† such as a master course of studies. 4.4 Bosch measures for ChinaAll preparatory training is evacuated to the IFIM, the institute for intercultural management in Bad Honnef, since Bosch internal country speakers are specialized in European countries till now. The information journey which shall convey an impression to the Expatriate over its potential future place of work can be extended by max. two days. Another prolongation isn’t granted since the employees/inside activities are used at home and every longer stay also more costs for Bosch meant for hers. The language education is carried out in a 5-week language course at the national language institute NRW in Bochum for which the future Expatriate is put by its work activity completely freely. In the 2 annual cycle the personnel officer the ZM2 accompanies a potential Expatriate on an information journey and this one checks life and employee-employer relationships on the spot. Although Bosch mediates e.g. alone for the partner, however give up many arrangements, not at the job search because of the language requirements. As a rule, Bosch can arrange a job for 5% of the partners. To subsume it, this yields no big changes in the dispatch process especially for China. Professional external help is used regarding the training, one otherwise orientates himself at the worldwide valid dispatch process. 5. ConclusionThe Bosch group is a worldwide active enterprise that on the international markets, special it would like to be present on the Asian market in future. This strategy makes high demands on the staff since intercultural understanding is increasingly important besides technical qualities. International employee use represents a central instrument of the staff development. According to the high importance the dispatch process is organized very professionally by Bosch in all four phases (choice,  preparation, moving, and repatriation). This enormous effort beats itself in very low withdrawal rate, these are only 1-2 % in Bosch and lie under the reference values of other enterprises thus considerably. A possible disadvantage of the time intensive preparatory phase which lasts for at least 10 weeks is the lack of flexibility. Short-term manpower requirements due to problems, like e.g. demolition of a stay abroad or illness of a manager cannot be covered with the usual staff practice in Bosch. The preparation measures of Bosch seem very well suitable also for the dispatch to China, a stronger focus on the language education of the family and the social should be put as well as professional integration of the partner. In order to make an improved cooperation possible of the Expatriates on the spot, a common intercultural training is advisable with the Chinese colleagues. Bibliography Bosch (2004A:) The â€Å"Objectives and Principles† of Employee Development, order enterprise booklet at at all Bosch’s personnel departments as well as Central division employee development and executives (ZM3). Bosch (2004 B): Bosch Australia † — regional corner clays of The Bosch Group â€Å"orders: www.bosch.com.au/downloads/Home/RBAU.pdf (12.04.2004). Bosch (2003A): â€Å"Business report† 2003, order:www.bosch.com/de/download/GB2003_DE.pdf (11.04.2004). Bosch (2003B): â€Å"Bosch today†, order on:www.bosch.com/de/download/Boschheute2003_DE.pdf (10.04.2004). Bosch (2003/2004 ): Worldwide responsibility † — environmental report 2003/2004 â€Å",order: www.bosch.com/de/download/UWB_de.pdf (01.05.2004.)Kuan, Y.-C./Hà ¤ring-Kuan, P. (2001): Journey guest in China, 1st edition, Dormagen. Nickut, J. (2003:) â€Å"Subject and leadership potential recognize and systematicpromotes † to order under : www.mwteam.de/products/Perspek/archives/01-2003/interview HrNickut-RobertBosch.pdf (01.05.2004). Nickut, J./Loose, H., (2000): â€Å"A step to the global player — international choice- AC of Robert Bosch GmbH â€Å". In: Staff, exercise book 7/2000, S.360, 363. Redding, dear/Ng, M. (1982): The Role of ‘Face’ in The Organizational Perceptions of Chinese manager, in: Organization study, 3rd year, no. 3, S.201-219. Welge, K.-M./Holtbrà ¼gge, D. (2003): International management, 3rd edition, Stuttgart. List of the Internet sources:http://www.boschrexroth.com/corporate/de/jobs_und_karriere/personalpolitik/index.jsp (14.05.2004). http://www.bosch-career.de/de/company/aims.htm (14.05.2004). http://www.relojournal.com/nov2000/kpmgsurvey.htm (13.05.2004)http://www.workforce.com/section/09/23/26/42/index.html (13.05.2004)

Exercises for Different Specific Muscle Groups

Muscles, together with our bones, shape a human’s body framework. Muscle causes motions by exerting force. It is divided into four muscle groups which are the head and neck muscles, trunk muscles, upper extremity and lower extremity muscles. A well-balanced exercise program helps to maintain muscle strength and tone.Head and neck muscles move our head and shoulders thus proper exercise is needed to relax and maintain the natural muscle girdle. One can do the isometric front and back neck exercise wherein the person will sit and will gently push his or her head backwards without bending the neck to develop neck muscle. Try to avoid any more head movements as you resist the push. After doing this for 16 counts, work on pushing from the back side of your head (Miller).Trunk muscles can gain more strength from stability ball exercises. Â  You can do full squat with the stability ball by immediately extending legs and standing up and down while pressing hands up above the head to keep wrists over elbows and arms moving parallel to your body. Do this for 20 counts and then for another set.Another exercise for your trunk is the stability ball crunch wherein first you will sit upright in the stability ball with feet firmly on the floor. Walk forward allowing the stability ball to roll until it is placed on to your mid-back part. Place your hands in your chest and contract your abdomen and raise your shoulders up. It is like having sit-ups while taking care of your neck not to be strained by keeping the head at the neutral position. Do this in 20 repetitions for 3 sets (Sports Fitness Advisor).Upper extremity/limb muscles include shoulder, forearm, down to finger muscles. Strive to finish 12-15 repetitions push-ups/triceps push-ups. After that, hold free weights with your palms facing up, stand with feet hip-width apart, abdomen tight. Lift the weights, turn the palms face out, then do in reverse motion. Repeat for 12-15 repetitions (MedicineNet).To improve your lower extremity/limb muscles, do ankle exercises by sitting erectly with your soles against the base of a wall, keeping your legs straight. Place your hands on the floor behind you for support. Flex your feet to bringing your toes toward the shins. Repeat for 5 times to stretch and get your leg’s natural girdle. Last, to improve your hamstrings lie on your back with one knee bent and its foot on the floor.Extend the other leg on the floor with foot bended. Lie down your hands on your side and then extend your straight leg in the air forming as close to 90 degrees with respect to your upper body. Then lower your leg to the floor repeating for 5 times. Try to increase your motion speed with each repetition. Hold your leg up in the air on the last repetition. Jog or brisk walk for 2 minutes after completing all the exercises.