In doing business in this world, people need to be very aware of cultural differences as far as international communication goes.
Every culture has different attitudes toward various issues and ways of doing things, and sometimes these lines get crossed and people can get very offended and ruin business relationships if they do not know how to communicate inter-culturally with other countries and people different from them.
There are many cultural attributes that need to be addressed in raising awareness about interacting with those different from you in business:
ATTITUDES ABOUT TIME
The pace of life is different in every culture. Whether it's the time they eat dinner, how long they take lunch breaks, how they view being punctual/not punctual, when to have meetings, how long to hold meetings, are all things to consider in dealing with cultural time differences.
ATTITUDES ABOUT FORMALITY
Issues like how to address people (Mr./Mrs, shake hands, bow, greet with a kiss, hug). It is important to know how to greet those from different cultures, because this is ususally the first impression you make, and you don't have room to make a big blunder.
ATTITUDES ABOUT INDIVIDUALISM
USA has many entrepreneuers, but some other cultures dont' believe in individual business workings. They work as a team at all times. This is imprtant to know when working interculturally. How do they view the individual vs. group.
ATTITUDES ABOUT RANK AND HIERARCHY
Always know the social status of the business individual you are meeting with. And address him acordingly. Be aware of how to honor other people of different cultures. It is flattering and respectful and makes a good impression on them.
ATTITUDES ABOUT RELIGION
This is ususally a serious and touchy subject accross cultures. Make sure to be aware of different religious traditions, holidays and honor those. This is a huge way to gain respect and show respect.
ATTITUDES ABOUT TASTE AND DIET
Religion an dother cultural influences often affect the way some cultures consume certain meals and foods. be aware of those rules and regulations, and plan meals accordingly.
ATTITUDES ABOUT COLORS, NUMBERS, AND SYMBOLS
Traditions and superstitions vary in different cultures. Hand signs, numbers, shapes, logos all differ. One hand sign may be accepted in one culture, but very disrespectful and vulgar in another.
ATTITUDES ABOUT ASSIMILATION AND ACCULTURATION
Some cultures are more stubborn and will not adjust to other cultures, no matter what. Be flexible in demanding things like this to others, and be as accommodating and respectful of their traditions as you can.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Marketing vs. Public Relations (week 13)
Though marketing and public relations have some similarities, along with advertising, and though these three work hand-in-hand in some instances, there are differences. I will mainly focus on PR vs. marketing.
Public Relations is focused on MANY different publics, while marketing is focused on one major public, one major target market--the consumer.
Public Relations works with managing relationships between organizations and their publics. Marketing focuses on researching, creating, refining andpromoting a product/service and distributinng that to consumers that are targeted with this particular product.
however, though there are differences, marketing DOES affect public relations. PR practitioners are learning some aspects of marketing on the job such as using direct mail, product packaging, and other forms. Marketing also increases communications options of marketing public relations practitioners.
PR has also influenced marketing. It is a two-way process: They have to listen to their publics just like marketers do.
Public Relations is focused on MANY different publics, while marketing is focused on one major public, one major target market--the consumer.
Public Relations works with managing relationships between organizations and their publics. Marketing focuses on researching, creating, refining andpromoting a product/service and distributinng that to consumers that are targeted with this particular product.
however, though there are differences, marketing DOES affect public relations. PR practitioners are learning some aspects of marketing on the job such as using direct mail, product packaging, and other forms. Marketing also increases communications options of marketing public relations practitioners.
PR has also influenced marketing. It is a two-way process: They have to listen to their publics just like marketers do.
Crises Can Bring Positive Results (week 12)
A "Window of Opportunity" opens between the warning and point-of-no-return stages of a crisis. There are many potential benefits that can come out of a crisis, is planned and executed the correct way:
1. Heros are born.
2. Change happens, where it ususally wouldn't otherwise.
3. Problems are faced that normally wouldn't be addressed.
4. Attitudes, behavior of people are changed.
5. People who are hindering business are replaced with new people with fresh ideas.
6. New strategies evolve by learning lessons through the crisis.
7. Businesses develop early warning systems. Experience will cause them to be aware of warning signs and occurrences to detect future crises.
8. Confidence in employees and new competetive edges appear from the sense of teamwork in properly dealing with a crisis as a team, as a business.
1. Heros are born.
2. Change happens, where it ususally wouldn't otherwise.
3. Problems are faced that normally wouldn't be addressed.
4. Attitudes, behavior of people are changed.
5. People who are hindering business are replaced with new people with fresh ideas.
6. New strategies evolve by learning lessons through the crisis.
7. Businesses develop early warning systems. Experience will cause them to be aware of warning signs and occurrences to detect future crises.
8. Confidence in employees and new competetive edges appear from the sense of teamwork in properly dealing with a crisis as a team, as a business.
The Internet Isn't ALL Good (week 11)
In chapter 11 on pages 365- 369, the book talks about issues with using the internet, and how the internet does not solve EVERY problem. Though the internet has widely expanded communication in such a huge information age as ours, there are several problems/issues the internet causes that a PR practitioner should know.
THE ONLINE GENERATION GAP
Moast seniro citizens do not use the internet, because they were not raised on it for most of their lives. And many of them will never give in to using the internet. So, in order to send out mass information to everyone, this is a serious thing to consider.
THE GLOBAL DIGITAL DIVIDE
Different cultures respond and do business in different ways. They all use the internet in different ways and access information in different ways. Language barriers online present problems sometimes, considering not all internet users around the world are English-speaking.
INTERNET RESEARCH PROBLEMS
Much of the research online is not completely accurate, and it is hard to find actual scholarly journals and pieces of work that are reliable. Though there is SO much info online, much of it is unreliable.
UNWELCOME VISITORS
Spam mail, viruses, spim, andhackers present privacy problems, and interent usage can be dangerous to one's identity if they are not careful.
PASSIVE COMMUNICATION
People have to go TO the website to see the information. The company no longer comes TO the audience/client. Also, emailing is a passive way to communicate and has TOO often replaced personal, one-on-one phone or face-to-face conversations. Communication and messages can be misconstrued.
CAREER IMPLICATIONS
Computer technology, over time, becomes more user-friendly, causing tech jobs to be few. These kinds of jobs: webmastering, etc. will not be needed over time, because people are learning to do everything themselves.
THE ONLINE GENERATION GAP
Moast seniro citizens do not use the internet, because they were not raised on it for most of their lives. And many of them will never give in to using the internet. So, in order to send out mass information to everyone, this is a serious thing to consider.
THE GLOBAL DIGITAL DIVIDE
Different cultures respond and do business in different ways. They all use the internet in different ways and access information in different ways. Language barriers online present problems sometimes, considering not all internet users around the world are English-speaking.
INTERNET RESEARCH PROBLEMS
Much of the research online is not completely accurate, and it is hard to find actual scholarly journals and pieces of work that are reliable. Though there is SO much info online, much of it is unreliable.
UNWELCOME VISITORS
Spam mail, viruses, spim, andhackers present privacy problems, and interent usage can be dangerous to one's identity if they are not careful.
PASSIVE COMMUNICATION
People have to go TO the website to see the information. The company no longer comes TO the audience/client. Also, emailing is a passive way to communicate and has TOO often replaced personal, one-on-one phone or face-to-face conversations. Communication and messages can be misconstrued.
CAREER IMPLICATIONS
Computer technology, over time, becomes more user-friendly, causing tech jobs to be few. These kinds of jobs: webmastering, etc. will not be needed over time, because people are learning to do everything themselves.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Barbie Makes Headlines (week 10)
Public Relations, news stories, press releases--they don't have to be boring. They CAN be creative. And from this case study, on page 342-344, it is proven that creativity in the right context and done excellently produces incredible effects.
One lady, who wrote a news release about Barbie and Ken's "break-up", portraying them as real people with real feelings, practically poking fun at them, did very well at entertaining AND informing her publics.
Mattel did a great job at attracting audiences to read the release and pursue more information regarding this split even further. Barbie sales soared, after going down for quite a while; other companies like flower shops and pharmeceutical companies played off this news release to promote their business, and Mattel gained great coverage and respect for this quirky release of information.
Everyone likes Barbie. Everyone has had some sort of encounter with barbies in their life, and producing such a whimsical and clever piece as this one was a smart marketing tactic for Mattel.
Creativity done well.
One lady, who wrote a news release about Barbie and Ken's "break-up", portraying them as real people with real feelings, practically poking fun at them, did very well at entertaining AND informing her publics.
Mattel did a great job at attracting audiences to read the release and pursue more information regarding this split even further. Barbie sales soared, after going down for quite a while; other companies like flower shops and pharmeceutical companies played off this news release to promote their business, and Mattel gained great coverage and respect for this quirky release of information.
Everyone likes Barbie. Everyone has had some sort of encounter with barbies in their life, and producing such a whimsical and clever piece as this one was a smart marketing tactic for Mattel.
Creativity done well.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Fact Sheet Ideas (week 9)
FACT SHEET:
List history, information, treatments, prevention tactics, types of the flu, medicine, flu shots, and symptoms so that employees can be informed about what the bird flu is, how to detect it, treat it and prevent it
Contact information of all employees and directors
List of essential and nonessential employees
List of websites, ressources, doctors, ,etc. for employees to get more informations from and treatment if needed.
Guidelines and procedures for employees and business continuity plans. What to expect, how payroll will be issued, the temporary dates that the offices will be closed, how to work from home, set up a blog, email, etc. in order to be able to work from home
Home care for the elderly, tutoring/care for employees kids who have to be out of school
List history, information, treatments, prevention tactics, types of the flu, medicine, flu shots, and symptoms so that employees can be informed about what the bird flu is, how to detect it, treat it and prevent it
Contact information of all employees and directors
List of essential and nonessential employees
List of websites, ressources, doctors, ,etc. for employees to get more informations from and treatment if needed.
Guidelines and procedures for employees and business continuity plans. What to expect, how payroll will be issued, the temporary dates that the offices will be closed, how to work from home, set up a blog, email, etc. in order to be able to work from home
Home care for the elderly, tutoring/care for employees kids who have to be out of school
Business Continuity (week 8)
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CLEVELAND
http://www.frbservices.org/BizContinuity/NatCash.html
Employees need to be informed on what kinds of disruptions they ned to anticipate if a disaster was to occur.
Communication is important here because employees are directly handling customers' money and cash orders. If ordering channels become unavailable, or if their office closes down temporarily, the employees need to know what offices are available/accessible. Employees will need to know contact numbers of other financial institutions in order to direct orders there if their current institution is down. They will need to know where to direct customers temporarily until their offices are back up and running.
Andrew Fernandes, from www.continuity central.com says about communication:
"Effective and proactive communication will create and build the perception that the organization is under control; that the company knows and understands what is happening; and that it will resolve the situation. No matter how big or small an organization, creditability can be gained or lost during a crisis."
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON INVESTMENTS
http://www.franklintempleton.com/retail/jsp_cm/home/bus_conn_plans.jsp
Communication is important here because employees need to be informed of alternate communications between Franklin Templeton and its customers, if a disaster or disruption were to occur. Also, they need to be notified if they are going to be transferred to another location temporarily, where their other employees will be located, contact information for other branches, etc.
In communicating with employees, a business should consider their location(where they live), how far they drive to work, their payroll, their position in the company (essential or nonessential employee), the days they work inorder to plan face-to-face meetings, what employees will do if they cannot come to work, the diversity of employees, the different needs of each employee, etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Difference of isolation and quarantine, according to: http://www.healthliesexposed.com/articles/article_2006_03_24_3052.shtml
"Isolation refers to the separation of persons who have a specific infectious illness from those who are healthy and the restriction of their movement to stop the spread of that illness. Quarantine refers to the separation and restriction of movement of persons who, while not yet ill, have been exposed to an infectious agent and therefore may become infectious. Both isolation and quarantine are public health strategies that have proven effective in stopping the spread of infectious diseases."
http://www.frbservices.org/BizContinuity/NatCash.html
Employees need to be informed on what kinds of disruptions they ned to anticipate if a disaster was to occur.
Communication is important here because employees are directly handling customers' money and cash orders. If ordering channels become unavailable, or if their office closes down temporarily, the employees need to know what offices are available/accessible. Employees will need to know contact numbers of other financial institutions in order to direct orders there if their current institution is down. They will need to know where to direct customers temporarily until their offices are back up and running.
Andrew Fernandes, from www.continuity central.com says about communication:
"Effective and proactive communication will create and build the perception that the organization is under control; that the company knows and understands what is happening; and that it will resolve the situation. No matter how big or small an organization, creditability can be gained or lost during a crisis."
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON INVESTMENTS
http://www.franklintempleton.com/retail/jsp_cm/home/bus_conn_plans.jsp
Communication is important here because employees need to be informed of alternate communications between Franklin Templeton and its customers, if a disaster or disruption were to occur. Also, they need to be notified if they are going to be transferred to another location temporarily, where their other employees will be located, contact information for other branches, etc.
In communicating with employees, a business should consider their location(where they live), how far they drive to work, their payroll, their position in the company (essential or nonessential employee), the days they work inorder to plan face-to-face meetings, what employees will do if they cannot come to work, the diversity of employees, the different needs of each employee, etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Difference of isolation and quarantine, according to: http://www.healthliesexposed.com/articles/article_2006_03_24_3052.shtml
"Isolation refers to the separation of persons who have a specific infectious illness from those who are healthy and the restriction of their movement to stop the spread of that illness. Quarantine refers to the separation and restriction of movement of persons who, while not yet ill, have been exposed to an infectious agent and therefore may become infectious. Both isolation and quarantine are public health strategies that have proven effective in stopping the spread of infectious diseases."
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