Irresponsible drinking - is it getting worse Essay

Irresponsible drinking - is it getting worse - Essay Example More than one fifth of women and one third of men consume more than the daily recommended alcohol levels (OCR 2011, p. 2). People are also more concerned about irresponsible drinking because young adults and children are beginning to drink at a much younger age than ever before. Statistics further indicate that out of every secondary school student, one drinks alcohol more than once a week. Even the government is concerned that the drinking rates, especially among minors, have reached worrying levels. Parents, friends, and licensed premises have been largely blamed for contributing to irresponsible drinking among children (OCR 2011, p. 2). One proposal that has been made to deal with irresponsible drinking entails appointing auditors to examine how the alcohol industry abides by the codes of practice that check on responsible retailing. Change of laws has also been proposed to force alcohol suppliers into line. Increasing taxes on alcohol prices so as to discourage irresponsible drinking has also been proposed. There have been campaigns about the dangers of abusing alcohol, aimed at discouraging irresponsible drinking (OCR 2011, p.

Answer for exam question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Answer for exam question - Essay Example African culture characteristics Edoho (2001) asserts that the African culture is almost opposite to that of America. In his comparison between the two cultures, Edoho found that the Africa culture exhibits the following characteristics; High power distance, Collectivism, Moderately feminine and Moderate to low uncertainty avoidance. According to Edoho, America has an individualism culture, low power distance, masculine and low uncertainty avoidance. Individualism refers to a cultural state of affairs where individuals’ ties between individuals are loose. Although the extent of collectivism varies within countries, Africa countries are generally collectivist in nature. With regards to masculinity v femininity, African countries are moderately feminine. Uncertainty avoidance is the degree to which members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain circumstances. African culture is generally low on uncertainty avoidance. African culture is characterized by high power distance. The high power distance also gives rise to high social inequality, where subordinates highly depend on managers (French, 2010). A person’s standing in the society depends on the age and social status. In addition, hierarchies, formality and titles are highly regarded in African culture. Africans place value on personal connections, trust, friendship and personal relationships. In addition to valuing relationships, Africans value groups such as clans and ethnic group rather than an individual. This results in the prominence of working for the benefit of the whole instead of an individual. Tradition and honor are highly regarded and the culture endeavors to safeguard the loss of honor. In terms of male domination, African societies are male dominated, although most Africans tend to be modest. While dealing with uncertainty, the African culture stresses on harmony rather than conflict. Africans resort to harmony as they do not feel threatened by unknown circumstances. Africans have a more flexible and relaxed attitude towards time. This flexibility of time in the African culture is unofficially referred to as the â€Å"African time†. Finally, the African culture is characterized by high content where decisions depend on the external environment, circumstances and non-verbal signs. Conclusion In conclusion, the African nature exhibits most of the attributes put forward by Hofstede. Among the most prominent features in the African culture are high power distance, low uncertainty avoidance, collectivism and moderate femininity. High distance in African countries considers inequality as essential and that everyone has a place. Organizational values in African countries hold that most people should be dependent on the leader. People holding social positions are perceived as privileged and people work towards protecting their titles and prestige. As such, only related relationships are accepted in organization as subordinates consider themselves as different from their bosses. Q 1 B: how understanding cultural theories can help international managers to decide on the most suitable management style. Introduction The management of human resources is collective with regard to policies, processes and strategies. Managing and developing human resources in an international setting is increasingly acknowledged as a central challenge, especially for