Problems with Cheap Food

Problems with Cheap Food Casey Vorfa Food fight: Worldviews on food production and consumption Cheap Food Is Simply Unaffordable During the past few decades, the Food industrys productivity levels have skyrocketed and our food system is now able to produce large quantities of food in very short time spans. Furthermore, these products are sold at extremely low prices in order to attract consumers. At first glance this seems like an ideal food system but unfortunately things arent as they seem. Producing unlimited amounts of cheap, processed food actually costs a lot of energy and has harmful effects on the environment, animals and our own health . Therefore, finding new sustainable ways of producing food remains crucial. First of all it is important to understand how the food industry manages to sell its products at such an irresistible price. The reason is simple. All large food companies have one single goal : maximizing their profit. In order to do so, they want to make sure that they produce and sell as much as possible in a very short period of time. In order to increase their yield companies use advanced technology and an alarming amounts of resources such as pesticides, herbicides, fossil fuel and corn. In particular corn is of great importance, it is used as a preserving agent and also as food to cattle. More than 12 billion b.u of corn are produced annually(1). Furthermore, with fossil fuel levels running low, corn is turned into ethanol and later used as fuel. The food companies can sell us their products at such cheap prices because the corn that they buy and use doesnt cost them a thing. The price of corn is being maintained at low levels in an artificial way. Over the past decade the US Federal Government has spent more than 50 billion dollars into the corn industry(2). This is the why unprocessed organic foods are so much more expensive. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a dollar could buy 1200 calories of potato chips or 875 calories of soda but just 250 calories of vegetables or 170 calories of fresh fruit (3). In a few words, the large food companies have been receiving financial support by the government. No wonder unprocessed foods are much more expensive and unaffordable. They havent been receiving any royal treatment. One of the main flaws of our food production system is that it is very energy-intense. The food industry is heavily dependent on the use of oil and fossil fuels. In order to increase their output food industries use diesel powered tractors, irrigation pumps, pesticides and herbicides made of natural gas and petroleum. In fact, in the U.S about 10 percent of the energy budget goes to producing, distributing, processing, preparing and preserving the plant and animal matter we consume (4). However, the amount of food that is produced is much smaller than the amount of energy used to produce it. For instance, the U.S expends roughly ten units of fossil energy to produce one unit of food energy (5). Thus, if companies are already producing large amounts of food an unimaginable amount of energy is used to make it. It seems that the large food companies are ignoring the energy crisis we are in. For decades industries have been exploiting Earth’s natural resources as if these resource s were to last forever and the food industry has been no exception. Considering the fact that the global population is increasing and that we are running out of fossil fuels we will no longer be able to satisfy the increasing demand.The demand for meat and poultry is expected to increase by 25 percent by 2015 (6). In addition, the price of oil and other fossil fuels will also increase. Hence, the current food production system is unsustainable and will eventually collapse. Not only is our current food system very energy demanding but it also damages our ecosystems and harms animals. As one of the main energy consumers the food industry is also one of the major water, air and soil polluters. Burning fossil fuels create greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming. Intensive farming requires large amounts of chemical fertilizers. In American farms more than 10 million tons of fertilizers are being used for corn alone. 23 million for all crops (7). All these chemicals end up in rivers, lakes or in seas contributing to water pollution, soil contamination and in what we call dead zones .Dead Zones are areas of approximately 6000 -sq-mi area which contain no oxygen, killing all forms of sea life. There are nearly 400 dead zones and these dead zones cause the fishing industry to lose 212 000 tons of seafood a year (8). But our food system does not only pollute our land by releasing chemicals. Our ecosystem is also affected by the large amount of manure our system releases. One pig can produce four times more waste than humans (9). Considering the number of pigs and other livestock we can definitely say that a tremendous amount of waste is produced. All of this waste is thrown into giant pits called lagoons. These lagoons contain so much waste that they become toxic and they are one of the main causes of pollution in the United States (10). They also pollute the land with heavy metals like cadmium, selenium, zinc, copper and arsenic(11). Furthermore, industrial agriculture also contributes in soil erosion and the loss of biodiversity. Monoculture crops are vast spaces of land where only one type of plant grows. These crops create an ecological vacuum that insects take advantage which reduces the quality of soil (12). These crops also reduce biodiversity which damages the food chain. But the degradation of animal life doesnt end there. Because the food industry wants to make us much profit as possible thousands of animals are cramm ed together in small contracted areas where they never get to see sunlight. Apparently, for large companies animal welfare and our environment are much less important than making profit. Most importantly cheap food has also affected consumers health in a variety of negative ways . Processed foods are low in nutrients, high in salt, sugar and fat. Moreover, three-fourth of the world food sales involve processed foods which means cheap food has reached almost every country. Different studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between consuming cheap foods and the chances of developing different types of diseases. Since the late 1970s, obesity rates have more than doubled among children 6 to 11 of age and more than tripled among those 12 to 19 of age (13). Products like SSBs (sugar sweetened beverages) are major contributors to childhood obesity, as well as to long term weight gain, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (14). Furthermore, the chemicals and hormones that are added in our food also cause health issues. Danish Scientists have proven that hormone residues in beef are linked to high rates of breast and prostate cancer, as well as early onset puberty in girls(15). Moreover, all the waste and pollution that is caused by our food production system doesnt only affect animals but it affects our health as well. For instance, livestock manure pollutes the air with hydrogen sulphide which is linked to respiratory and neurological diseases (16). Hence, cheap food comes with very high costs to our health. Our current food system has many drawbacks, therefore it is important that we find new sustainable ways of producing food. First of all we posses technology that could decrease pollution and spare resources. Anaerobic digesters and micro turbines can convert manure into renewable, low-carbon biogas-fired electricity. Carbon dioxide could be used to grow algae for food and algae could easily be converted into bio-fuels. In addition, drip irrigation seems promising. Drip irrigation consists of underground tubes that deliver water directly to a plants roots. Researchers at Iowa State University estimate that corn farmers would use 40 percent less water and lower their energy bills by 15 percent with drip irrigation (17). No-till agriculture is yet an other promising option. This method involves planting seeds without turning the soil which reduces soil disturbance. Argentina already uses this advanced technique for more than half of its farms. Even though these methods are very helpful there is a lot more to be done. For the past decades large food companies have driven farmers off the land. In fact, nine out of ten hog farmers have left the business since 1979 (18). With unemployment levels getting higher by the day returning to the old way of farming might be a solution. Although it may seem that local farmers dont stand a chance towards the large food companies that is not necessarily true. If we support local farmers and the local food movement we are playing our part into stopping the food industrys harmful practices. Furthermore, companies like Niman Ranch have created networks of small scale farmers who only sale natural meat to restaurants (19). Other companies like Bon Appetit encourage their costumers to make environmental friendly choices. Our behavior as consumers also has a large impact on the energy ratio. Even though we might not realize it, our every day choices do have an influence on the amount of energy that is being used. Our diets one of them. If we eat meat every single day the amount of fossil fuels used is a lot greater than if we ate grain everyday. Meat is four times as energy demanding as grains are. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we should eat grains everyday but reducing our meat consumption and eating more foods that are less energy demanding does have a large impact. Restaurant owners might decide to sell in smaller proportions and keep the leftovers. Moreover, maybe we should think twice before going to eat at buffets. As consumers we should also think about not wasting our own food and not buying more than we need. The USDA estimates that Americans throw out 14 percent of the food that they buy which results in the waste of large amounts of resources (20). Thus our decisions as consumers can have large impacts on the food system. In conclusion, our society simply cannot afford cheap food. Our current food production system is not only highly inefficient but also harms our planet, animals and our own health. Fortunately for us it is not too late to change things. The use of modern technology to manage waste, supporting local farmers and Eco-friendly products are only some of the few ways to create a new sustainable way of producing food. References (1),(2),(3), (6),(7),(8),(19),(20) : Walsh, Bryan, Getting Real About High Price of Cheap Food , Time in Partnership with CNN, August 21, 2009 (4),(5)(9),(16)(17) : Webber, Michael E., More Food Less Energy, Scientific American, January 2012 (10),(11) (15),(16)(18) : Schloser, Eric â€Å" Cheap Food Nation Siera, November/December 2006 : Kaplan, David, Food Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy : Nestle, Marion Food Marketing and Childhood Obesity The New England Journal of Medicine, Boston, June 15 2006. : Stuckler, David and Nestle Marion, Big Food, Food Systems and Global Health Plos Medicine, Volume 9, Issue 6, June 2012

QR Codes Being Used For Marketing Essay

For the purposes of this assignment, a QR code for Coca-Cola was used. The image scanned is to the right. This is a QR Code Coca-Cola places throughout sports websites including ESPN.COM which is where this was found. Analysis of the QR Code’s Effectiveness Having found the image on ESPN.COM it was assumed that the next jump point would be to one of their sports drink brands. In fact the QR Code took me to their Facebook fan page and asked me to â€Å"Like† their page. The page has 58.6 million likes and shows friends who are also â€Å"Liked† the brand. As the landing page was the Facebook fan page for the brand, the call to action was to review and look over their content. As the Super Bowl was just last weekend and Coca-Cola had a series of commercials running at this event, there are pictures, out-takes and other items that show how the commercials were made. There is also a series of videos that are used for further supporting and promoting their brand. The Coca-Cola brand page is one of the more comprehensive in consumer advertising with exceptionally rich, varied international content. There is no overt call to action to buy one of their beverages; there is however an exceptional depth to the history of the brand and its progression over time. Coca-Cola is clearly proud of their history in advertising and branding, and use the Facebook timeline to show this well. They have also shown on their Facebook fan page how to create a community extremely well. The continued efforts on the part of Facebook to create communities and show how Coca-Cola fans all share common bounds together is done well. Conclusion Coca-Cola is maintaining and strengthening its brand with this QR code campaign. It is also showcasing how well it integrates the many channels of customer interaction and communication with its social media efforts. The area Coca-Cola needs to improve on however is the placement of this specific QR code. It was on a sports website which have one assume it was for a sports drink. The branding for sports on the Facebook site used as the landing page was so generic to sports, it was more like a billboard. This QR campaign was designed for a very broad, global audience and for that purpose, did extremely well. It could have been improved through the use of more effective, segmented QR codes to specific Coca-Cola sites dedicated to specific interests. Finally, the call to action was vague and more based on building awareness. What Coca-Cola did well however was create a very effective program for driving people to their Facebook page immediately, driving up Likes. Coca-Cola’s branding is predicated on a spread message of refreshment, and they did accomplish this very well. Finally the company did a great job of showing how it has created entertaining commercials and promotions based on their innate expertise in consumer products branding.

Social Media Resources - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1366 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/04/10 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Social Media Essay Did you like this example? Social media continues to prove to be a valuable resource. In fact, since 2004, the use of social media in healthcare has continued to grow and ignoring its presence can no longer be considered (Smailhodzic, Hooijsma, Boonstra, Langley, 2016). Social media is the way of the future for marketing, educating, and overall communication. The purpose of this project is to identify a specific behavior and utilize social media to promote health to save the target population from possibly contracting the chronic condition of diabetes. Project Title The title of this social media project is Liquid obesity: The road to diabetes. The consumption of sugar in beverages has increased globally and the prevalence of childhood and adult obesity cannot be ignored (Avery, Bostock, McCullough, 2014). Sugary drinks or consuming drinks with calories are nutrient poor and result in insulin spikes with empty energy bursts that quickly come and go. The consumption of these drinks leads to ingesting a large number of calories while still not satisfying hunger. This can lead to obesity and diabetes. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Social Media Resources" essay for you Create order Objectives The objectives of this project are to educate the target audience in (1) identifying empty calories in liquids, (2) how many extra calories are consumed just from drinking your calories (3) how continued consumption can lead to obesity and diabetes and (4) how to pick other healthy options. Target Audience The target audience for this project is adolescents age 14 through adulthood. Based on this target audience the information should be prepared at a 6th-grade education level. This will ensure that the health literacy of the target audience is met and the information is understood. Social Media Platform According to Cook (2014), approximately 91% of children live in a house that has internet access. Cook (2014) continues reinforcing that Facebook is the most widely used social media platform since 2012. Based on this finding Facebook is the best platform for this project. This platform will help reach the intended target audience of both adolescents and adults both looking for health information regarding obesity, weight loss, and diabetes management. This social media platform can also be utilized with multiple media formats including pictures, memes, and videos. Image sharing and video sharing is one of the most popular forms of social media, especially in the younger populations. For this reason short, funny educational video presentations that can be shared on Facebook would be the best platform to ensure they are viewed, shared and commented on the most. Covered Topics The topics to be covered in this project will be tied directly to the objectives to ensure that the intent is met and the health promotion is received appropriately but the target audience. The topics will be as follows: Sugary drinks provide empty calories. There are approximately 18 teaspoon of sugar and 200 extra calories in 20 oz soda (Zimmerman, 2014). 64 oz soda can have up to 700 additional calories in a drink. This is roughly the same amount of calories in a large meal (Zimmerman, 2014). How to find hidden sugar in labels Sugar can be hidden under different names in beverages such as high fructose corn syrup, lactose, dextrose, maltose, and nectar. Obesity and diabetes How to monitor your weight, BMI, and waist circumference. Symptoms of metabolic syndrome including apple or pear-shaped body with a large waist circumference and abdominal fat. Symptoms of diabetes increased thirst, frequent urination, hunger, fatigue, and blurred vision How to choose health beverage options. Water, sparkling water, fruit infused water, low fat-skim milk, sugar free beverages and appropriate water enhancements for flavor. Not all fruit juice is created equally. Choosing a healthy fruit juice versus sugar infused fruit juice. When to see your healthcare provider If you gain more than 10lbs in one month If your BMI is 30 or above If symptoms of diabetes or metabolic syndrome are present. Collaborative Care Approaching care in a primary care setting has to be a team approach. Although as a provider typically the clinician sees the patient alone, however, the clinician should be armed with a wealth of resources. Those resources can be in the form of a referral to other professionals who can help approach care for the patient in a collaborative team approach. As professionals, we then become a treatment team in which collaboration occurs for the best health outcomes for the patient. With regards to this project, an example of a collaborative approach could be with a registered dietician and possibly a physical therapist if dealing with physical limitation due to obesity or diabetes. No patient ever wants to approach their illness alone. This is also where the power of social media comes into play. Online patients can find peers who are on the same health journey they are on. Social support is the most common type of social media used by patients (Smailhodzic, Hooijsma, Boonstra, Langley, 2016). Finally, another important aspect of collaborative care is to ensure the patients family, friends, or loved ones are supportive of the plan of care for the patient. When the patient has a support system at home the likelihood of a positive outcome to reach treatment goals is greatly improved. Clinical example of collaborative care During this terms clinical rotation diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were seen in almost every patient appointment. In each of these patients, there were also overweight, or obese. Many of these patients would report that they would try to lose weight and make better decisions regarding their diet. During the interview when questioned about specifics, it was apparent that many patients just did not have a good understanding of how to make good dietary choices. Their literacy on how to read food labels or how certain foods affected their disease was very minimal. Patients also reported little adherence to an exercise program. Most patients made it more difficult then it needed to be and most did not have an understanding of how exercise can help them. Regular exercise is shown to improve cardiovascular health, including blood pressure, blood lipids and insulin sensitivity as well as weight loss with more calories burned (Kumar, Robinson, Till, 2015). While the pati ents were in the clinic it was important that they were educated that a simple walk of 30 minutes 5 times a week just after dinner, or working in the garden for 30 minutes was effective. Exercise did not have to be a scheduled regimen in a gym or a class. The patients were receptive to this and seemed willing to participate. The lack of knowledge overall collaboration with a registered dietician and diabetes educator could greatly fill the knowledge gap and assist patients to become more independent in their own health care decisions with their diet. The clinic during this rotation did have a staff dietician in which a referral was generated during each of these visits. With patient follow-ups in the clinic patients reported positive results and experiences in which they were taught how to read labels, how to shop at the grocery store, how to cook at home and how to make the best food decisions when dining outs. These were all directly related to actual life skills in which the patients could participate in. The greatest area of learning This assignment really reflected the ease at which caloric intake could lead to obesity and diabetes. This should be a huge concern to those in public health. The amount of obesity in this country could be viewed as a possible public health failure. The price of a sugary beverage is typically much cheaper than that of a bottle of water or other nonsugary beverage. With a search on Facebook, there were also less than 5 resources when searching for how to avoid sugary beverages. There is little information for the target audience on how to identify and avoid sugary beverages. This is a project that is truly needed. Conclusion The overall physical and financial health of the United States is in jeopardy due to the rising trend of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Large-scale attempts with policy change to limit sugary beverages to both adolescents and adults have proven unsuccessful (Zimmerman, 2014). In order to impact this serious public health concern, smaller approach needs to be initiated to achieve change. The outline of this project is an example of how we can start a smaller initiative through education of the target audience.

Essay on Soviet Propaganda - 1881 Words

Soviet Propaganda The soviet communist party, or the Bolsheviks, always new that strong propaganda was essential to increase the consciousness of the masses. As stated in the Encyclopedia of Propaganda, propaganda was central to Marxist-Leninist ideology long before the Bolshevik revolution of 1917.(675) The power of persuasion and coercion were exercised with great force by Soviet leaders. The two leaders whom utilized propaganda to influence public opinion in the USSR were Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. Both men used many different facets of the media to spread their propaganda. They also used the troubled social climate along with the ignorance of the masses to custom tailor a regime that lasted for over seven decades.†¦show more content†¦Lenin said, The struggle of the Russian working class for its liberation is a political struggle, and its goal is the attainment of political liberty. (Pipes 45) Lenin used this form of propaganda, agitprop, to convey the need of a total reformati on of Russias government. He knew that this form of propaganda would work best. Propaganda of agitation, being the most visible and widespread attracts all the attention. (Ellul 71) In his agitative propaganda Lenin cited specific enemies, or scapegoats namely, The Mensheviks. Along with the Mensheviks, or whites as they were called, the soviets expressed outright hatred of the western world and its ways. Soviet propagandists created the idea that the western capitalist civilization was falling behind, as the superior socialists marched forward. Soviet artists and intellectuals were ordered to create propaganda material that portrayed this idea of a weak and inferior western world. The soviets official ideology was that they needed to gain complete control of all aspects of communication. Lenin embraced the idea of agitative propaganda that was introduced earlier by Georgi Plekhanov. Since the Soviet union was founded in 1920 there was an official department of agitprop. This de partment worked directly through schools, publications and the broadcast media. (Encyclopedia of propaganda 17) Part of Lenins strategyShow MoreRelatedSoviet Propaganda And The Soviet State888 Words   |  4 PagesThe origin of the soviet propaganda can be traced from the state’s very conception, as the new government worked tirelessly to convince its populace of its legitimacy. Soviet propaganda uniquely differs from other countries’ propaganda, in that the USSR’s extensive censorship and large-scale manipulation of information created the perfect circumstances for near complete control of the citizenry. Only with the arrival of Glasnost in the 1980’s did many in the Soviet state begin to doubt the legitimacyRead MoreShostakovichs Contribution to Soviet Propaganda1970 Words   |  8 Pages In the year 1922, after a long and bloody civil war, the Soviet Union was officially formed. After World War II, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR, estab lished itself as one of the world’s superpowers, opposite of the United States of America. The Communist regime reigned over the Soviet Union until 1990, shortly before the Soviet Union collapsed and was formally dissolved in December of 1991. However, during that reign, many rules and regulations were imposed on all aspects of lifeRead MoreAnimal Farm Propaganda1295 Words   |  6 PagesAnimal Farm: Timeless Propaganda Upon Animal Farm’s first publication in 1945, it quickly became a success and is now regarded as one of the best allegories of Soviet totalitarianism ever written. All of its characters provided a representation of Soviet Russia’s political figures, with its main character, Napoleon, illustrating Joseph Stalin and a corrupt totalitarian rule. The book parodies Stalin’s rise to power and his eventual total control of nearly every aspect of personal and privateRead MoreCause and Effects of Propaganda Essay1510 Words   |  7 PagesNIcole Barts Mrs. Wilson 3B Effects of Propaganda. Throughout history you find that many techniques of propaganda have affected today’s society. Whether it affects it in a good way or a bad way, propaganda is efficacious and does influence the way we think and act. You probably aren’t aware of what sort of propaganda is circling its way around, but once you are, you’ll think â€Å"wow did I really fall for that†? Propaganda is â€Å"information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to helpRead MoreU.s Propaganda On Vietnam War1355 Words   |  6 Pages U.S propaganda in Vietnam War In the need of human resources, the U.S government in the 3rd quarter of the 20th century has started mobilizing young men into navy and military troops. 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(In an interview with Bill Moyers, Bernays said that what he did was propaganda, and that he just hoped it was proper-ganda and not improper-ganda.) Bernays life was amazing in many ways. He had a role in many of the seminal intellectual and commercial events of this century. The techniques he developed fast becameRead MoreBrainwashing: Fact vs Fiction Essay1093 Words   |  5 Pagesinformation, no scientific experiments have found evidence to measure how brainwashing is done and many people couldn’t be brainwashed against their will. Many scientists, consequently, claim that brainwashing studies are worthless because it is a propaganda technique used by powerful state leaders to manipulate and control citizens under their authority. We compare present Germany to Nazi Germany (1932-45). Although the Germans personal lives have been totally controlled under Hitler’s rule, todayRead MoreThe Early History Of Psychological Warfare Essay1965 Words   |  8 Pagespsychology in wars, it can make or break both the ally and opponent. As a person who lived in a country that lived by the propaganda every day for almost thirty years, I only catch glimpse of it when I was young. Nowadays, it is like another battle not in field, but in the media. According to the Dictionary, the definition of psychological warfare is, The use of propaganda, threats, and other psychological techniques to mislead, intimidate, demoralize, or otherwise influence the thinking or behavior

The Failure of Journalism during the Civil War in El...

The Failure of Journalism during the Civil War in El Salvador The Civil War in El Salvador was an event that most individuals misunderstood. A twelve year conflict and a power struggle that claimed to keep communism out of El Salvador killed 75,000 people and the whole story still remains untold. The Civil War in El Salvador was a conflict that roughly started in 1980 and ended with the peace accords in 1992. These dates are rough because there were many conflicts before 1980 and even after the peace accords were signed in 1992 the â€Å"death squads [1] † were still active every now and again. With respect to United States involvement, the reason the United States was initially involved was to block communist rule from spreading to†¦show more content†¦Many reporters lacked the initiative to investigate the causes of the war and so this trend of general ignorance lasted throughout the twelve years. Tumultuous times for years before 1980, had led to the eruption of this deadly conflict. A generally unstable Central America had caused major rifts in almost all the small countries of this area. For the general American public this meant more conflict in Central America with even less understanding caused by poor reports. Mark Pedelty, who wrote War Stories: The Culture of Foreign Correspondents, explains in a chapter entitled â€Å"Objective Journalism† of the ways in which American correspondents are taught to report. Reports in newsmagazines in America are much different from everywhere else in the world. For America â€Å"objectivity remains the standard by which journalists are judged,† and this means journalists strive to obtain balance and fairness (Pedelty 171). Pedelty argues that objectivity is a utopian goal which is impossible to obtain, and secondly, objectivity and balance are two things that should not play a role in the reporting a journalist does. In countries all over the world newspapers and magazines are based on political lines and are biased in favor of their own viewpoints and agendas. Pedelty claims that these types of journalists, who report according to their own view points, in fact produce better reports that those Americans who strive for objectivityShow MoreRelatedExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesfibres industry. Marks Spencer (B) – turnaround at the high street legend. Haram – managing change in a small Norwegian commune. RACC – strategy development processes in Catalonia’s automobile club. MacFarlane Solutions – condition’s for success and failure in strategy consulting. 755 759 766 770 773 779 784 788 795 800 805 811 817 823 831 840 846 849 Key: ââ€" Ã¢â€"  = major focus ââ€"  = important subsidiary focus Introduction to strategy Business environment: general Five forces analysis Capability

Synthetic vs. Natural an Analysis of Costuming in Blade Runner Free Essays

Ben Boudreau Professor Butorac English 151 10 May 2010 Synthetic vs. Natural: An Analysis of Costuming Used in Blade Runner Blade Runner written by Scott Bukatman and published in 1997 discusses the making of, and larger issues addressed, in Ridley Scott’s film Blade Runner (1982). Bukatman, an Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at Stanford University, has written several books on film. We will write a custom essay sample on Synthetic vs. Natural: an Analysis of Costuming in Blade Runner or any similar topic only for you Order Now His book takes a look at the film formally, ideologically, and even historically. He addresses the film formally by talking about the production of the film. He briefly discusses the process of refining the film’s script which is loosely based on the book Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. Bukatman talks of Blade Runner’s design, touching on the narration, the production of the props and set, special effects, and cinematography of the film. In his ideological analysis of the film he touches on larger social issues in the film such as urbanization, immigration, racism, and post modernism. On age 19 Bukatman says â€Å"With its city that resembles nothing so much as a vast boundless refinery and its world that no longer contains any traces of nature† This discussion of the set and props hint at the problems of urbanization as shown in the film. Bukatman uses the androids as examples for how the film can be viewed as addressing racism and immigration. The paranoia against the androids could represent the racism against Asians which was growing at that time in American history due to Asian’s expanding economic influence (Bukatman 74). Racism against blacks is shown by the androids classification of non-human because during the time of slavery in America, blacks were also not viewed as human (Bukatman 75). One way post-modernism is addressed, according to Bukatman, is by begging the question what does it mean to be human? This question is a major theme throughout Bukatman’s book. In this paper I will discuss the issues of the environment and industrialization. I plan on doing this through the use of costuming in the film. I will analyze the use of synthetic versus natural costuming. This paper will cover the wardrobes worn by Rick Deckard, Pris, and Rachael. Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, is the protagonist in Scott’s Blade Runner. Known as a â€Å"blade runner†, Deckard is a member of the Los Angeles police department who is employed to â€Å"retire† genetically designed humanoids known as â€Å"replicants†. These replicants were designed by the Tyrell Corporation to do work in off-world colonies. Because of their superior strength and comparable intelligence, the replicants were viewed as a threat to the human race. After a bloody uprising on an off-world colony they were deemed illegal on earth. In response, Rick Deckard and his group of blade runners are put in place to hunt down and retire these humanoids. Deckard lives in futuristic Los Angeles set in 2019. The city described by Bukatman is a â€Å"vast, boundless refinery,† which â€Å"no longer contains any trace of nature† (19). Deckard’s costuming throughout the film differs greatly from the rest of the characters. He wears a large brown sport coat with patch pockets for most of the film. The coat’s color is very earthy and natural looking in comparison to other characters’ costumes. It looks unpressed and wrinkled as if nothing has been done to modify its look. Underneath he wears several different dress shirts all with basic patterns and muted colors, along with a plaid styled tie. His pants appear to be dark gray, possibly flannel but nothing remarkable. It is almost as if Deckard is your typical working class male found on any large city’s street during the 1980’s. I believe he can be viewed as representing the past, a time where a natural environment existed and urban landscape did not completely dominate the planet. By dressing the film’s â€Å"good guy† in natural and earthy attire I believe Scott could be voicing his opposition to urbanization and the destruction of the natural environment. In the beginning of the film you learn that a group of Nexus 6 replicants have escaped from an off-world colony and traveled to earth illegally. They have come to earth in hope that their creator, Tyrell, can extend their short life spans of only four years. These Nexus 6 replicants, which are said to be â€Å"more human than human†, were designed with superior strength and agility for use on the off-world colonies. One of the escapees is known as Pris. Born on Valentine’s day, Pris is a â€Å"basic pleasure model†. She is also the girlfriend of the strongest replicant, Roy Batty. In the film, we follow Pris as she befriends the genetic engineer, J. F. Sebastian, so Roy can get closer to Tyrell, their creator. Throughout this film we see Pris in very unique costuming. We first see Pris wandering the crowded streets alone in the rain, dressed as a classic street prostitute. Her hair is frizzy and blonde, looking as if it has been bleached. Around her neck she wears a metal dog collar. A black shirt barely covers her up, and her black nylon tights clearly show her upper thighs. Faint traces of mascara make her eyes appear dark. Anticipating J. F. s route home, she hides outside his apartment disguised under newspapers. J. F. gets off the bus and runs into Pris, not being able to resist the company of a gorgeous girl in his lonely apartment, J. F. invites her in. She spends the night there and quickly becomes â€Å"friendly† with him. The next morning Pris goes through a transformation. She wanders his apartment looking through the endless amount of toys a nd mannequins. She begins playing with his make-ups, and cakes her face with clownish white powder. Next, she closes her eyes to spray them with a black jar of spray paint. This make-up on her face gives her a â€Å"created look†. She appears completely unnatural at this point, and begins to resemble the toys found in J. F. ’s apartment. She uses this ability of looking fake to her advantage when she encounters Deckard in the end of the film. In this scene we see Pris posing completely lifeless among the toys. Her only disguise is a long white veil. She transforms visually into a kind of ghostly bridal doll. In this film, Pris is the polar opposite of Deckard. She wears dark synthetic clothes that appear to be unnatural and fake. Her make-up gives her the appearance of a lifeless toy mannequin. Deckard eventually spots the replicant and a fight ensues. Deckard shoots Pris twice and retires her. I believe the killing of Pris by Deckard gives us another possible example for urbanization and the environment. Pris can be read as one of the evils in this film. Being a replicant, she represents the future, where there is no evidence of nature and the cluttered city dominates the entire landscape. If you look at her costuming, it is very artificial and synthetic looking. Deckard, on the other hand, is dressed naturally and earthy. His killing of Pris could give some evidence of Scott’s opposition to urbanization and the future of the environment. One of the most interesting characters in Blade Runner is Rachael. She is the latest experiment of Tyrell, designed because of the flaws of the Nexus 6 models. Tyrell believes that the replicants have started to develop their own emotions. He believes this is due to the fact that they have no framework within which to deal with the formation of new emotions. Tyrell implants memories of his niece into Rachael and also does not reveal to her, until later, that she is a replicant. Rachael figures it out after she is given a Voight-Kampff test. She leaves Tyrell and in desperation turns to Deckard, who is under orders to kill her. Deckard ends up falling in love with her and spares her life. In the film, we see two different types of costuming for Rachael. In the beginning when Deckard meets Rachael in Tyrell’s pyramid throne, we see a tall, dark, statuesque woman. With broad squared shoulders, exaggerated proportions, straight lines, and lacquered hair she appears to be flawless. She looks to as if she is mechanical, fulfilling her role as a replicant. Later in the movie she goes through a gradual transformation. At this point of the film she is sitting at the piano in Deckard’s apartment. Rachael is wearing a more feminine dress that paints broad stripes of tan and cream across her body. As she lets her hair down, we see her change from the artificial hair she wore previously to a bushy and more natural style. We also see Rachael as she transforms from a pale white face with bright red lips to a more tan and feminine face with little or no lip stick. I believe that the transformation of Rachael can be viewed as representing hope. Rachael stands for the future. She is portrayed in the beginning as being very unnatural but through her transformation she becomes more natural looking like Deckard. This could be Scott showing us that there is hope for the future, and that the future can be a place where nature exists. This pinning of good versus evil, natural versus synthetic, is just one of the many ways the costuming of Blade Runner can be read. In Ridley Scott’s films, the messages or issues addressed by the film are very subtle. They will never come out and hit you in the face. You often have to watch his films several times and really think about the film after you have viewed it to really understand what he is trying to say. This is what makes Scott’s films so great. His films will provoke thought and stay relevant and important to the film industry like few other films can. Even authors such as Scott Bukatman missed what this particular use of synthetic and natural fibers could be saying. Although this message about urbanization and the environment is hidden and could be read a number of different ways, I do believe Scott might be voicing his opposition to urbanization and the destruction of the natural world. Works Cited Blade Runner. Dir. Ridley Scott. Perf. Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young. Warner Brothers, 1982. Film. Bukatman, Scott. Blade Runner. London: British Film Institute, 1997. Print. How to cite Synthetic vs. Natural: an Analysis of Costuming in Blade Runner, Papers

Cross Cultural Management Global Expansion Process

Question: Describe about the Cross Cultural Management for Global Expansion Process. Answer: Introduction The merger and acquisition is one of the most significant strategies that the business corporations undertake during the global expansion process. Most of the multinational corporations use this strategy in order to diversify, consolidate or expand their business entities in the international market (Tellis 2012). It is evident that the merger and acquisition process has the significant impacts on the cross cultural management process. Cross cultural management process is one of the major aspects of merger and acquisition process. It is observed that the considerable amount of management researches is pointing out several potential challenges faced by the business entities due to the merger and acquisition process. It is in fact noticed that the clashes found between diversified cultural people are significantly affecting the business activities. According to Li (2013), the internationalised merger and acquisition process does not only deal with the cross border aspects, it has the c lear connection with the cross cultural management as well. The experienced business personnel have presented different definitions about the cross cultural aspects. The effects of cross cultural communication are much visible in the society (Bird and Orozco 2014). For example, it is quite difficult to cooperate with the people who belong to diverse cultures, as their perceptions and languages are different. The language barrier is thus one of the major concerns. However, the study will analyse the case scenario of acquisition process of Nokia by Microsoft. Concentrating on the case study analysis, it is necessary to understand the underlying issues faced during such acquisition process. It is observed that the major issues are created due to the cross cultural management aspects. The barriers signified by the business personnel while sharing ideas and values are the major sources for the situational conflicts (Wang, Hedman and Tuunainen 2016). The companies ought to face several potential challenges due to such underlying cross cultural mana gement issues. The study will thus present the in-depth description of the possible challenges and consequences due to such acquisition process. The literature based study will present the identified cultural dilemmas that may affect the business functionalities. The associated theoretical analysis will also be presented in this study. Depending on such identified challenges and issues, the preferable recommendations will be presented accordingly. Background of the Industry The mobile industry is the fastest growing sector in the world of communication in this current time. It is noted that in this recent scenario, internet is the most preferable and usable media for people worldwide (Williams 2014). In fact, the business companies have become much dependable on the internet privileges currently. The cell phone or the mobile phone industry is generally involved with the manufacturing process of mobile phone handsets. However, in this current business scenario, it is noted that the mobile phone industry has been largely concentrating on developing the technological tools and innovative communication services (Giachetti and Marchi 2016). This fastest growing industry has become much focused on implementing innovative business process and efficient technologies. The progress of the smart-phones has brought the drastic changes in this current business world of mobile industry. The cell phone industry has begun to develop since 1994. The increased amount of the users has made the improvised version of the smart phones that are much demanding in this current era. In todays time, the usage of the mobile phone has reached up to 182 million in US. The companies like Samsung and HTC started offering the larger-screen smart phones in the recent years in US. On the other hand, it is noted that Apple iPhone started offering the 4.7-5.5 inches screen smart phone, which is known as phablets. It is important to mention that the market entry of Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s plus has increased the momentum to their favour. It is also observed that these Apple products have now made up overwhelming revenues of 84% in the market of US (Adler and Graham 2016). In spite of the cultural differences, the uses of smart phones have been increasing in every corner of the world in this recent time. Another most popular smart phone company is Nokia, which has gathered maximum of the customers supports in the world of mobile communication. However, it is noticed that Nokia has been facing several potential challenges in their business orientation. In fact, it is seen that Nokia is burning cash. In one years time, the company went down with almost 24% of loss (Giachetti and Marchi 2016). In order to mend this loss, Nokia was acquainted by Microsoft Corporation that provided the company a proper support platform (Flood, West and Wheadon 2013). However, it has been noted that the operational costs of Nokia has already consumed almost $1.15bn, which is one of the important fraction of $6.4bn net cash of the company (Adler and Graham 2016). Apart from this consequence, it is also noted that this acquisition process included many other recognisable challenges with the cross cultural factors. This study will be concentrating on such cross cultural factors that have been creating signifi cant challenges for the business. In fact, the recognition of the potential challenges and possible consequences will be determined for suggesting the suitable recommendations in the future business prospects. Literature Review The cross cultural management is considered as the involvement of working of the teams for achieving the global purposes of internationalised business. The cross cultural management process has been focusing on the modified approaches that are useful for participating in the competitive business scenario. According to Laamanen, Lamberg and Vaara (2016), the cultural variations are much foreseen in this current organisational scenario. In majority of the cases, it is noticed that the business people cannot memorise such determinants every time while undertaking any operational functionalities. Most of the variations are seen in the manners of addressing people. Employees from different cultural background hold the diversified attitudes, beliefs, and values. Therefore, it is quite obvious that during the team work, the cultural clashes may occur accordingly. It is observed that the foreign business people tackle the mistakes in a very rude manner. The lack of patience and the huge cult ural differences are prominently shown in the attitudes and behaviour. The imperatives may vary from culture to culture. Cullen and Parboteeah (2013) implied that cultural imperatives refer to the business customs and expectations, which are either conformed or avoided in order to strengthen the relationships with the associates. In fact, the successful business personnel are aware of the diversified languages, which are necessary for communicating with the people from diversified language background. The entire process is depended on the establishment of the proper interpersonal relationships. However, in spite of the benefits in assembling the people from diverse culture, some of the potential challenges are also signified that have the clear impacts on the business activities (McFarlin and Sweeney 2014). Challenges associated with cross cultural management in international business acquisition Acquisition is the term used for purchasing the assets or shares of other company for achieving a particular business goals or managerial influence. This acquisition process may sometimes not be a mutual agreement, but an assembling process of different cultural people. It is considerably the purchase process of one company by another company or business entity. In majority of the cases, it has been found that one company purchases the entire 100% of the assets of other company during the acquisition process. It provides the authority of ownerships and structuring the business functionalities as per the convenience of the purchaser company. Ali-Yrkk et al. (2013) defined that the acquisition process can be specified as the hybrid of two independent firms. The acquisition is signifying the different meaning as resource acquisition or knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, it can be inferred that the acquisition process includes two different types of the process, such as domestic acquisi tion and cross-border acquisition. It is to be specified that the cross-border acquisition involves the companies, which are located in two different countries. On the contrary, the domestic acquisition refers to the acquisition process between the companies that are located within a country. In general description, it can be stated that the acquisition process is usually taken over consents to the takeover process (Singh 2014). In many of the cases, it is noticed that the hostile acquisition includes the widespread of the places where the bigger company takes control over the smaller company without the consent. Identified Consequences of Cross Cultural Management in Business Acquisition Process It is to be specified that the organisations usually undertake the acquisition process for developing the new capabilities, offering the wider range of the brands, expanding their product variations, or increasing the supply and distribution channels. It is even one of the most helpful processes of reducing the costs that are invested for the operational activities (Moran, Abramson and Moran 2014). However, it is noticed that there are several potential challenges associated with the cross cultural management purposes in the international acquisition process. It is noted that during the acquisition process, one company takes the control over the other company, hence, the management functionalities and business objectives changed accordingly. In fact, in this acquisition process, the employees from different organisational collaborate with each other. The collaboration between the people from diverse culture is much recognisable in the international merger and acquisition process. Whi le the employees of one company need to work with other employees of the parent company, the clashes between their business perspectives and values create several challenges for the business process (Minkov and Hofstede 2012). Therefore, it becomes difficult to deal with such diverse scenario. The internal management may face the significant at challenges due to the frequent conflicting scenario. The different mentality, language barriers, and diversified values and beliefs can affect the business process as well. Due to the enormous cultural conflicts, the employees become more insecure about retaining their job. Moreover, it brings the job dissatisfaction eventually. Therefore, it becomes the significant challenge for the merged companies. Along with the negative impact, the cross cultural collaboration brings more positive influences as well. The collaboration of the diverse culture brings out the innovative business ideas, which are effective enough for the future growth opportunities. While working with the people from different cultural background, the assimilations of the new ideas and skills take place (Jain 2014). When these ideas are aligned with each other, it brings the special significance in the business growth. The international marketing process has been generating the sense of sophistications in this business world. In order to maintain such sophistications, the business companies have been looking forward to identify more innovative practices. With the help of innovative tech nologies, the management functionalities are restructured by the business management team. Considering such business perspectives, the managers are trying to gather maximum of business ideas. However, it is noticed that fulfilling such purposes is not the easier process (Hakala, Svensson and Vincze 2012). In order to bring the diversified ideas together, the companies end up having several potential conflicts. The mismatch of the mentalities, pattern of works, and attitudes is bringing more situational crisis. Acquisition in context of the case scenario of Microsoft and Nokia Microsoft has the dominant position in the software service market in this current business scenario. The company provides the best software solutions with the full potentiality. On the other hand, it has been noted that Nokia also has the dominant market in the mobile phone industry. Nokia has been conducting the operational business management since 150 years. The company has already dealt with the manufacturing process of boot, car tyres, and televisions and generated the electricity services as well (Adler and Graham 2016). In the year of 1992, Nokia launched the first digital handheld GSM (Global system for mobile communication) mobile services. It is important to note that Nokia has widespread their dominance in the mobile market industry and take this industry to a symbolic platform. However, the launch of Apple iPhone and other valuable handsets threatened the market position of Nokia more significantly. Recognising such consequences, in the year of 2011, Nokia entered into a n agreement with Microsoft for using the windows software exclusively to add more efficiency in the platform of the smart phones. In that year, Microsoft eventually acquainted the mobile phones of Nokia and started manufacturing the smart devices of the business units (Giachetti and Marchi 2016). It also associated the design team and operational team of Nokia. Eventually, it is noticed that such operational process included facilities related to the production sales and other management functionalities. After the acquisition process, Microsoft started manufacturing the Nokia devices under the name of Microsoft and started distributing Nokia Lumia, Nokia X, and Nokia Asha. However, the problem became recognisable when the company started facing issues with the employment procedure of the internationalised employees. In some of the cases, this process is considered as the organisational fit. It is to be indicated that the cultural formation is never considered as the random events or an action, which is completely dependent on the founders personalities. It is a process that is solely dependent on the reaction of the internal factors to the imperatives of external factors (Flood, West and Wheadon 2013). However, in some of the research studies, it is noted that majority of the information has been signifying the failure of the process much prominently. It has been signified that the company failed to create the significant value more specifically. Considering such problems, it is noted that the managers and leaders have been trying to avoid the merger and acquisition process as much as possible in order to accomplish the pre-determined goals. Moreover, the cultural clashes have been affecting both the internal scenario and the operational activities of the business. The mismatches of the management procedures and lack of communicational transparency are the two most considerable factors of business determinants (Laamanen, Lamberg and Vaara 2016). It is noted that the employees have been feeling more insecure in working with the other employees of different cultural background. They are somewhat unable to establish the proper interpersonal relationship with the other employees who are culturally diverse. These significant challenges have been affecting their morale, which eventually deteriorates the performance parameters. In fact, it is seen that even though the cultural differences serve as the value creation process for improving performance parameter, it does not create any fruitful effects for the operational process. Model of Cultural Dimensions Concentrating on such potential challenges associated with the cross cultural management of the acquisition process, it is necessary to keep the focus on the proper theoretical analysis. In such regards, the establishment of the cultural dimension model would be much beneficial for the descriptive purposes. In considering the cultural dimensions, Geert Hostede introduced a theoretical model, which has been revolving around the impact of cultural integration in the business and society. As far as the internationalised business purpose is concerned, it is noted that the cultural dimension model has become one of the most significant facet (McFarlin and Sweeney 2014). The different features associated with such dimensional model are much fruitful for the business purposes. The origin of this model was subjected to the factor analysis which was considered by the large number of population. There are six major dimensions of the cultural management, which have been creating the specific im pacts n the organisational operational activities. These dimensions have been explained further: Power Distance: This particular dimension is focusing on the absolute extent, which is less powerful. In fact, it is also noted that this dimension is also expected to be controlled by the distribution power, which has taken place unequally. Avoidance of Uncertainties: This dimension signifies the extent to which the associated employees or people do not face much ambiguity. Moreover, they face the significant challenges during the uncertain situations. Collectivism vs. Individualism: The major focus of this particular dimension is the preferences of the associated people who are dealing with the different consequences. The individual preferences are taken into account in such regards. They usually do not receive proper help in time of crisis. During such moments, these people seek more orientations or knitted network. Masculinity vs. Femininity: It is noted that the masculinity is mainly accepted as the social assertiveness, achievements, heroism, and materialistic rewards for attaining success (Minkov and Hofstede 2012). The contradiction found in the description of the femininity aspects. This femininity context has been representing the cooperation, modesty, and quality of life, which is determining the cares for the weaker person. Restraints vs. Indulgence: This dimension deals with the degree to which the focus of the controls over the desires and impulses can be measured. It generally specifies the restrictive attitudes for controlling the desires in a significant way. Long term vs. Short-term Orientation: The final dimension is suggesting the long term vs. Short term orientation. The short term orientation depicts the strongly inclined motives for establishing the underlying truth. On the other hand, long term orientation pertain the inclination of the specific motives for searching the underlying virtues. In order to describe the features of these dimensions, it can be inferred that the power distance is specifying the stands for inequality, which suggests the paternalistic ways of management functionalities. The autocratic leadership values are much prominent in such cases. The uncertainty avoidance is specifying the extent to which the members have been undertaking risks or flexibility in a contrasting way (Moran, Abramson and Moran 2014). In fact, it is noted that the uncertainty avoidance is also suggesting the tolerance towards the diversified opinions and behaviours. In this scenario, people tend to avoid risks. Moreover, the presence of consensus became essential. Significant Challenges faced during Microsoft and Nokia Acquisition Process If concentrated on the western nations, the cultural differences are quite difficult to recognise. However, there are still some of the cultural differences found among Americans and Finns. People from Finland are considerably more reserved whereas the Americans represent the stereotypically confident (Adler and Graham 2016). The differences in the economic structure of these two countries are also much visible. However, in case of the acquisition process between Microsoft and Nokia, it is noted that the companies faced the real challenges due to the cross cultural factors. In this deal, Microsoft purchased Nokia by spending 5.4 billion (Giachetti and Marchi 2016). The senior management of both the companies declared this purchase. The process was the initial stage of removing Nokia from the handset markets. The entry of Apple and Samsung handset smashed the dominant market of Nokia handsets. However, the motto of Microsoft is to evaluate the innovative software in Nokia handsets for participating in competition against Samsung and Apple. After this acquisition process, many of the internationalised employees were appointed for the further operational functionalities (Moran, Abramson and Moran 2014). However, during the collaboration of the diversified cultures, it is noticed that the organisational performance stated deteriorating instead of growing further. In spite of implementing the innovative ideas, these companies faced the huge loss due to the internal conflicts and inefficient work performance. The cultural clashes in the business idea implementation are thus considered as one of the major reasons for business failure. Recommendations Concentrating on the above issues and potential challenges, it can be signified that the companies need to focus on several specific recommendations. The following recommendations will thus be preferable enough for eliminating the hazardous situations formulated due to the cross cultural setting. Establishment of Communication Transparency The lack of communication is the source of most of the situational conflicts. It is noted that creating the communicational transparency is essential for each of the business leaders. The leaders or the managerial figures need to take the responsibility to look after the concerns of the associated employees of the organisation. It is observed that during the acquisition process, the employees of Nokia and Microsoft were assimilated to perform the business functionalities. Due to such collaboration, they needed to communicate with each other to share the business ideas. However, due to the language barriers and cross cultural traits, the employees face difficulties to cope with each other. It creates the major obstacles in understanding the business requirements, performing the operational functionalities, and accomplishing the business goals. Moreover, due to the lack of communication transparency, the employees cannot even raise their concerns, which often lead them towards job diss atisfaction. Hence, it is necessary to promote the interpersonal relationship by establishing the communicational transparency. Undertaking the effective leadership Style The leaders are the major responsible figures for driving the organisational functionalities for accomplishing some certain goals. The effective leadership style helps in gathering the employees together and motivating them to bring the best performance outcome. The assimilation of their fruitful efforts would be much helpful in ensuring the achievement of the organisational goals. Keeping focus on such aspect, it can be recommended that the establishment of the transformational leadership style would be much helpful for strengthening the performance attributes of the associated employees. The transformational leadership style is much helpful in developing the professional and personal skills of the employees as a whole. The leaders need to take the responsibility of making the associated employees aware of the benefits of cultural diversity. Moreover, the leaders need to deal with the employees more efficiently. Especially, when the people from different cultural background collabor ate, it is helpful for gathering innovative ideas and values. It is noted that most of the employees have been feeling insecure regarding their job stability. The internal conflicts are increased more significantly due to such acquisition process. The employees are simply losing their confident, which affects their morale in a significant manner. It can be specified that the efficient efforts and initiatives of the skilful leaders would be much helpful in determining the establishment of the employees motivational factors. The leaders need to keep their focus on the situational conflicts, job security aspects, proper monetary benefits, and rewards and recognition programmes. It would be much helpful for the employees to motivate their self-confidence and ensure the capabilities of sustaining in a competitive business environment. Conclusion The entire study has been focusing on the evaluation of the cross cultural management process during the acquisition process of Microsoft and Nokia. It has been observed that the Microsoft took control over Nokia for strengthening the competitive position in this recent business scenario. The cell phone or the mobile phone industry is generally involved with the manufacturing process of mobile phone handsets. The emergence of smart phone products by Samsung and Apple smashed the dominant market of Nokia in a significant way. Therefore, it was essential to keep the focus on the particular business strategy that could be beneficial for sustaining in this competitive environment. However, it is noticed that such acquisition process brought the employees of different background together. Even though the collaboration of the culturally diversified employees is bringing the innovative ideas for business innovations, it has become the biggest threat for this acquisition process. It is noticed that the employees are unable to cope with the other people who are culturally diverse. Moreover, it has been creating the significant impact on the employees performance attributes, which are the loss for the business. The lack of proper leadership style and communicational transparency were the major reason behind such uncertainties. The autocratic leadership values are much prominent in such cases. The uncertainty avoidance is specifying the extent to which the members have been undertaking risks or flexibility in a contrasting way. However, the recommended strategy has been concentrating on improving such errors and establishing the proper leadership strategies for the business benefits. Accordingly, it would be beneficial for the company to strengthen their organisational position for achieving the pre-determined goals. References Abol, S.M., 2015.Cultural perspective of acquisitions between Microsoft and Nokia in Kenya(Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi). Adler, N.J. and Graham, J.L., 2016. Cross-cultural Interaction: The International Comparison Fallacy?. InLanguage in International Business(pp. 33-58). Springer International Publishing. Ali-Yrkk, J., Kalm, M., Pajarinen, M., Rouvinen, P., Seppl, T. and Tahvanainen, A.J., 2013. Microsoft Acquires Nokia: Implications for the Two Companies and Finland.ETLA Brief,16(3). Bird, R.C. and Orozco, D., 2014. 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