GREENPEACE

"Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by:
Catalysing an energy revolution to address the number one threat facing our planet: climate change.
Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and creating a global network of marine reserves.
Protecting the world's ancient forests and the animals, plants and people that depend on them.
Working for disarmament and peace by tackling the causes of conflict and calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons.
Creating a toxic free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in today's products and manufacturing.
Campaigning for sustainable agriculture by rejecting genetically engineered organisms, protecting biodiversity and encouraging socially responsible farming.
Greenpeace is present in 40 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific.

To maintain its independence, Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments or corporations but relies on contributions from individual supporters and foundation grants.
Greenpeace has been campaigning against environmental degradation since 1971 when a small boat of volunteers and journalists sailed into Amchitka, an area north of Alaska where the US Government was conducting underground nuclear tests. This tradition of 'bearing witness' in a non-violent manner continues today, and our ships are an important part of all our campaign work.In pursuing our mission, we have no permanent allies or enemies. We promote open, informed debate about society's environmental choices. We use research, lobbying, and quiet diplomacy to pursue our goals, as well as high-profile, non-violent conflict to raise the level and quality of public debate.
And we believe that the struggle to preserve the future of our planet is not about us. It's about you. Greenpeace speaks for 2.8 million supporters worldwide, and encourages many millions more than that to take action every day."

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/about/

BLOGS

For me, the best blog, continue being the Paula Lopez one because all her comments have coherence and are greately supported with sources. I liked her job, and how she expressed her opinions.

THE CLASS

For me was very interesting, to be in this class. I think that all the different topics that we tackle in the expositions are fundamental for the well development of the career but, what i like the most is that i know that it will be useful in my personal life; I also consider very important the fact that all those topics are related with the modern issues.

The investigation work allowed me to understand and know more about an attractive issue "THE GREEN CONSUMERS", it showed me that its not only a marketing aspiration its also a responsability job that all the population of the world will have to consider and to take care of.

This blog activity, help me to think in a deeper way and to organize my ideas in order to investigate and express my opinions with some bases.

AUSTRALIA : DISCRIMINATION

The policies and implemented to separate the indigenous children from their communities are called "assimilation" and by this ones they are forced to leave their lenguages, their traditions and their families; facing a completely new culture "a white culture" and destroying their valuable past.

The prime minister Kevin Rod, give some excuses for all the damage that were done and the pain that all this people had to suffer, compromising to give an equal treatment and the same opportunities ( education, employment..) in order to fix their relations and to redefine, reconsider their position. what is unbelievable and could be unforgettable its that their own government was the one that force them to move to other beliefs, not taking into account the collide, the cultural losses that this could bring and the inmense gap that it created within their population.

The colonization, was full of this discrimination practices, when for example, the Spanish people imposed their own culture to some indigenous groups in america..but one case for the contrary could be attached with the miccosukee tribes located in United States, they are treated with respect and honor.

Its undeniable the presence of discrimination for the minorities, but, there are some organizations ( NGO) that accomplish a good job in the fighting for the preservation of their rights and their identities, also in the private sector its fundamental to implant and awake a responsability and a conscience that obligate them to put first the interest of this different groups and not their private earnings.

Both the public and the private sector in a country will have to understand and to take care of one of the most important cultural sources for a society, these tribes represents a fundamental recopilation, that links inmediatly with the past and if we recognize our past could advance in the future with certainty and success.

E-COMMERCE

E-COMMERCE is the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet, here its vey important to highlight the fast growht of the influence of the media as a channel to make effective, the commerce and the communication within all the population of the world thanks to the globalization process, with a main purpose: be updated.

But, How does this commerce is manage all over the world? as we know the muslim culture its a very religion rooted one, and this, force the e commerce activity to be within the muslim parameters. The Quoran is the holy book, it contains all their normativity and regulates most of their life aspects and sometimes difficults the adaptation to the worlds new system.

Under the Syariah (Islamic Law) this practice its allowed saying that its a new way of technology that facilitates economic transactions and another fundamental thing its that “contract in E-Commerce is legitimate because all the four pillars of Islamic contract are fulfilled”, making special emphasis on the harmful issue imposing that if it could be harmful for the parties the practice or transaction could not be done. it also has five stages to gain validity: initiate the contract (offer and acceptance), confirm the validity (free of interest), implement, binding (buyer must verify the company before signing and should keep a copy of the contract), delivery(can not use credit card).

THE BOBS: "TH!NK ABOUT IT: Climate Change"

http://www.thebobs.com/index.php?w=1266921002809048TJEKRIEJ

"TH!NK ABOUT IT: Climate Change (also referred as TH!NK2: Climate Change) is the second edition of blogging competitions run by the European Journalism Centre (EJC). The contest invited 92 bloggers from 40 countries to write about climate change related issues for three months starting from 23 September until 16 December 2009 in the lead up to the COP15 UN Climate Summit. To kick-start the blog contest, a two-day launch event was held on 21-22 September in Copenhagen, so that bloggers could network with professional journalists and experts in the field as well as among themselves. In addition, participants were equipped with FLIP HD camera with a training on video production at the launch event.The blog platform aims to facilitate all different voices on climate change to meet in one place. By December 31, 2009, the Climate Change round resulted in almost 1200 articles and some 6000 comments on the competition site. In the three main months of the competition, October – December 2009, roughly 110 000 absolute unique visitorsparticipated on the site. The number of hits during that time was 6,7 million, average viewing was 6 pages per visit. In addition, the site had 442 visitors simultaneously on 29 December 2009."

I think its very interesting to see how the enviromental issue, nowadays its playing a very important role ...people its thinking in a very deeper way when talking about it, and the most important, is taking actions in order to contribute and to be aware of the different concequences that this could bring to the humanity, also its amazing because the European continent has a very significative amount of people, and this blog makes evident a mind change in their population ( created in germany).

TRADE UNIONS

Over the last twenty years there has been a widespread decline in trade union membership throughout most of western Europe. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, unionization in many eastern European states has collapsed at an even more dramatic rate. In Poland, for example, today's 14 % level of unionization is in marked contrast to that of the Soviet-controlled era, when almost all workplaces were unionized. Most of those who remain trade union members in Poland work for former state-owned companies.
In only 8 out of the current 27 member states of the European Union (EU) are more than half of the employed population members of a trade union. In fact, the EU's four most populated states all have modest levels of unionization, with Italy at 30%, the UK 29%, Germany 27% and France at only 9%.
As a consequence, three out of every four people employed in the EU are now not members of a trade union. Furthermore, in every EU country outside Scandinavia (except Belgium), trade union membership is either static or continues to decline. Even in the UK, where a clear formal procedure for trade union recognition was introduced through the 1999 Employment Relations Act, the unionization of employees has remained stable.
FedEE estimates that, in the medium term, the average level of unionization across the EU will fall even further - from 26.3% today to just under 20% by 2010.


Over the last twenty years there has been a widespread decline in trade union membership throughout most of western Europe. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, unionization in many eastern European states has collapsed at an even more dramatic rate. In Poland, for example, today's 14 % level of unionization is in marked contrast to that of the Soviet-controlled era, when almost all workplaces were unionized. Most of those who remain trade union members in Poland work for former state-owned companies.
In only 8 out of the current 27 member states of the European Union (EU) are more than half of the employed population members of a trade union. In fact, the EU's four most populated states all have modest levels of unionization, with Italy at 30%, the UK 29%, Germany 27% and France at only 9%.
As a consequence, three out of every four people employed in the EU are now not members of a trade union. Furthermore, in every EU country outside Scandinavia (except Belgium), trade union membership is either static or continues to decline. Even in the UK, where a clear formal procedure for trade union recognition was introduced through the 1999 Employment Relations Act, the unionization of employees has remained stable.
FedEE estimates that, in the medium term, the average level of unionization across the EU will fall even further - from 26.3% today to just under 20% by 2010.

International and pan-European

European Trade Union Congress (ETUC): 74 member organizations from 34 countries and 11 industry federations, making a total of 60 million members. The umbrella organization for national trade union confederations in Europe.

Union Network International (UNI): A grouping of 900 trade unions representing a total of 15 million individual union members around the world. Its regional section in Brussels is UNI-Europe.
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICTFU): 234 organizations in 152 countries which represent a total of 148 million individual union members. A campaigning body concerned about 'globalization' and involved in monitoring the activities of multinational enterprises.

Austria
Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (OeGB): Composed of 9 trade unions with a combined membership of 1.2 million. Founded in 1945 by a merger of pre-war socialist, Christian socialist and communist trade union movements.
Belgium
Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (CSC): 187 trade unions with a total membership of 1.7 million. Dominated by white collar unions and more pragmatic than its rival FGTB.
Belgian General Federation of Labor (FGTB): 14 trade unions with a total membership of 1.4 million members. Socialist body with strongly held commitment to a planned economy and codetermination in the workplace.
Bulgaria
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB/KNSB): 46 trade unions and federations with a total of 350,000 members. Founded after the fall of communism in 1990 and closely allied to the United Labor Block (OBT) political party.
Confederation of Labor (CL Podkrepa): 109,000 members. Founded in 1989 as the Independent Association of Intellectuals in Bulgaria.
Croatia
Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH ): 22 trade unions and 21 branch offices with a total membership of 400,000. Founded after the end of communist rule in 1990.
Czech Republic
Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (CMKOS): 34 trade unions with a total of 611,000 members.
Finland
Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK): 21 trade unions with a total membership of one million. An effective representative body, which negotiates a periodic incomes policy with employers. The union claims that its membership consists of 46% women, with 25% of all members being under the age of 30.
France
French Democratic Confederation of Labor (CFDT): Consolidated union with 800,000 members. Closely affiliated with the French Socialist Party.
General Confederation of Labor (CGT): Consolidated union with 700, 000 members. Closely affiliated with the French Communist Party.
General Confederation of Labor - Force Ouvrière (FO): Consolidated union with 17 branches and 300,000 members. Founded in 1948 as a breakaway group from the CGT. FO does not have ties with any political party.
Germany
German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB): 16 affiliated unions with a total of 6.6 million members. Dominated by the engineering union IG Metal and the services union Ver.di.
Greece
Greek Confederation of Labor (GSEE): 62 union federations and 75 labor centers with a total of 450,000 members. Umbrella organization representing private sector workers. Although founded in 1918, GSEE was reformed after the Greek Civil war in 1950. The strength of the Greek trade union movement owes much to the Ergatiki Estia (OEE) system of compulsory union dues and contributions to trade union funds by a levy on social security payments.
Hungary
Confederation of Hungarian Trade Unions (MSZOSZ): 200,000 members. General body for unions representing private sector employees.
Autonomous Trade Union Confederation (ASZSZ): 100,000 members. Employees in public transport, railways, air traffic, chemical industry, catering, tourism, water supply, police and fire service.
Italy
Italian General Confederation of Labor (CGIL): Composed of 15 national trade federations and 134 labor chambers with a total of 5.5 million members, of which only 2.6 million are employed. Communist and socialist aligned organization.
Confederation of Trade Unions in Italy (CISL): Consists of 14 union federations and nine other union bodies with a total membership of 4.2 million. Traditionally aligned with the Roman Catholic church.
Italian Workers Union (UIL): Consisting of 16 unions with a total membership of 1.6 million workers. Formed in 1950 through a split from CGL. A liberal and republican union which nevertheless co-operates quite closely with the larger CGIL and CISL.
Luxembourg
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (OGB-L): 16 trade unions with a total of 50,000 members.
Confederation of Christian Unions in Luxembourg (LCGB): Represents 40,000 members.
White-collar Union Federation (ALEBA/UEP-NGL-SNEP): A body formed in February 2003 following the break-up of the Federation of Private Sector White-collar Employees. It is an alliance of the Luxembourg Association of Banking and Insurance Staff, the Union of Private Sector White-collar Employees, the Neutral Union of Luxembourg Workers and the National Union of Private Sector White-collar Employees.
The Netherlands
Dutch Trade Union Federation (FNV): 14 unions with a total of 1.2 million members.
The National Federation of Christian Trade Unions in the Netherlands (CNV): Eleven trade unions with a total of 344,000 members.
MHP: Managerial union with 160,000 members.
Poland
Independent and Self-governing Trade Union - Solidarity (NSZZ): 16 branches with a total of 634,000 members. Founded during worker protests in Gdansk, it was a major factor in the collapse of the Soviet regime in 1989/90.
All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ): Confederation with a membership of 600,000. Formerly the state-run trade union body.
Portugal
General Confederation of Portuguese Workers - Intersindical (CGTP): Affiliated unions with a total of 500,000 members. Formed after the end of the military dictatorship in the mid 1970's. Communist orientated body with strong commitment to 'international solidarity'.
General Workers' Union (UGT): 60 unions with total of 200,000 members. Formed in 1978 through merger of social democratic and socialist trade union groups.
Russian Federation
Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR): Claims to have 28 million members and includes managerial employees. Much reformed successor to the former Soviet labor movement.
All-Russian Confederation of Labor (VKT): 3 million members. Established through an initiative by the Independent Miners' Union.
Confederation of Labour of Russia (KTR): 1.2 million members. Well established in docks and sea transport.
Trade Union Association of Russia (SOTSPROF): Nine branches and a total of 500,000 members. Originally designated as a socialist body, but subsequently dropped its socialist affiliations. Principally representing white-collar unions.
Slovenia
Association of Free Trade Unions (ZSSS): 20 trade unions and 19 regional organizations with a total of 180,000 members. 60% of its employees in affiliated organizations work in the manufacturing sector.
KNSS, KSS Pergam, Konfederacija 90: Three smaller independent confederations with a total membership of 170,000.
Spain
Trade Union Confederation of Workers' Commissions (CC OO): Around one million members. Formerly closely associated with the Spanish Communist Party, but now a largely independent body. Favours large-scale collective bargaining structures covering whole sectors.
General Workers' Confederation (UGT): Around 840,000 members. Socialist trade union traditionally linked to the PSOE political party. Favours workplace representation, rather than sectoral initiatives.
Sweden
Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO): 16 unions representing 1.7 million members. Closely aligned with the Swedish Social Democratic Party.
The Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO): 18 unions representing 1.2 million members.
SACO: Organization for union covering graduate-level employees. 586,000 members (including 100,000 students).
Switzerland
Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB/USS): 17 unions with a total membership of 390,000.
Swiss Workers' Federation (Travail-Suisse): 13 trade unions with 140,000 members.
United Kingdom
Trade Union Congress (TUC): 61 unions representing 6.4 million members. The TUC has close links with the UK's Labour Party.

IN COLOMBIA

CUT: central unitaria de trabajadores, created in november of 1986.
CGT:another Colombian workers union, (Confederación General del Trabajo, General Labor Confederation).
ULTRACUN: new national workers union (union de trabajadores de cundinamarca)

" Over recent years hundreds of trade union activists have been murdered for the simple fact of their trade union membership and activities, with urgent action request."

ICTUR has supported jurists' inquiries, called high-level international meetings and initiated practical strategies to counter levels of impunity and to seek justice for the victims of human rights violations against trade unionists and their families.

http://www.ictur.org/Colombia.htm

http://www.google.com.co/search?hl=es&source=hp&q=trade+unions+colombia&meta=&aq=o&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

ORGANIZATION COMMITMENT

FACTORS AFECTING LEADERSHIP:
colombian people are very collective when doing any type of activity, this helps to arise the loyalty and long term commitment are fundamental.
their power distance is also high, this shows that hierarchies are very marked in the society in the work enviroment, and that they respect and accept the decisions that were taken by people with experience. uncertainty avoidance is also fundamental in the analysis taking into account that it helps to understand that colombian people is completely governed by rules and laws and they are strict in their development.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT
colombian sales person obey in a prudent and careful way the orders from their superiors because they want to accomplish their job in the best way also its important to bring out the collectivistic aspect that could be related with the commitment, compromise and loyalty.

LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR
the hierarchy its very important inside the work enviroment in which all the personnel have very clear their position within the pyramid, and they act in that order. leaders have a very good way of instructing and giving orders in a respectful and a promoter way.

ROLE STRESS
ambiguity are low in the colombian sales personnel, they accept the orders reception from their superiors and this is linked directly with the high power distance that they have, this helps to establish an order and facilitates the communication proccess also they have low role conflict due to the clearness in the positions of the people that work in the companies.

COLOMBIAN MANAGMENT STYLE

Being a Manager in Colombia
The business set up in Colombia is very formal and cross cultural management will be more successful if you bear in mind the importance of being courteous at all times. Treat those in positions of authority with particular respect and deference. It is better to err on the side of being overly formal rather than jeopardize a business relationship by being too informal and appearing flippant.
Spend time cultivating relationships and maintaining them once they are formed. This is a country where "who you know" is often more important than "what you know".

The Role of a Manager
Cross cultural communication will be more effective when managing in Colombia, if you keep it in mind that each person has a very distinct role within the organization. People believe that their supervisors have been chosen because they have more experience than those they manage and it is inappropriate for them to consult with lower-ranking individuals when decision-making.
In Colombia, as in other hierarchical societies, managers may take a somewhat paternalistic attitude to their employees. They may demonstrate a concern for employees that goes beyond the workplace and strictly professional concerns.
Approach to Change
Colombia’s intercultural adaptability and readiness for change is becoming more apparent although changes are still made slowly, requiring a considerable amount of thought, planning and evaluation.
Cross cultural sensitivity is important with Colombia’s attitude toward risk dramatically impacted by the negative ramifications of failure on both the individual and the group.

Approach to Time and Priorities
Deadlines and timescales are fluid in Colombia. Patience will play an essential part in successful cross cultural management.
While timescales and deadlines need to be set well in advance and reiterated carefully, it should be understood that these will be viewed as flexible.
Global and intercultural expansion means that some managers may have a greater appreciation of the need to enforce timescales and as such, agreed deadlines are more likely to be met.

Decision Making
Colombian business is rigidly hierarchical. For the most part decisions are reached at the top of the company and passed down to managers to implement. Managers are more autocratic than in many other countries. They do not seek a consensus before making decisions, as they believe it would make them appear weak.
If a subordinate is not clear how they should approach a given task, they will generally ask co-workers rather than their manager. In general, the business climate is risk averse.
Deadlines are not viewed as important. If you must receive information by a certain date, it is a good idea to follow up several times, in a persistent but polite manner.
If a manager must counsel a subordinate about a performance problem, it will be done in private. Positive feedback may be given publicly as it enhances the person’s status.

Boss or Team Player?
If you are working with people from Colombia, cross cultural management will be more effective if you remember the role that hierarchy plays in teamwork and collaboration. Traditionally, the supervisor is seen to hold that position because of superior knowledge and skills. It would traditionally have been unthinkable for someone of a higher position to collaborate with someone from a lower status.
This is changing in younger generations, particularly those employed by multinational corporations. If you would like to encourage participation it is important first to clearly establish a non-threatening work environment and communicate clearly that their participation is desired.
When meeting together and moderating ideas, it is important to qualify ideas that are raised in a gentle manner. If someone is exposed and shamed, they may not participate again, and it will likely stem the flow of ideas and the participation of the entire group.
Praise should be given to the entire group as well, and not to individuals.

Communication and Negotiation Styles
To avoid cross cultural miscommunication take care in selecting a translator. Bear in mind the importance of relationships and prepare to be patient as time is spent developing those relationships. Business meetings are slow and deliberate. Colombians can be strong negotiators and drive hard bargains but you should remember to avoid “high pressure” sales tactics. These can be viewed as confrontational.


http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/intercultural/management/colombia.html

BLOGS

I found very interesting all the blogs that i visited, but in my opinion, paula lopez blog has the most complete and clear answers, her blog demonstrates hard work and compromise.

MANAGING DIVERSITY VALUES AND ATTITUDES

1. abigail= she is the one that iniciates the chain of offences accepting the proposal.

2.symbad= he is offensive because of his proposition, but he was a free person and he said what he wanted.

3.gregory= gregory was offensive because of their feelings of anger and disappointment.

4.slug= he was a violent person and attacked gregory with irritation and madness without knowing him.
5. ivan= ivan took a decision in order to satisfy his feelings of rejection of what abigail could said.

should individuals bear any responsability for the actions of a corporation? if so, to what degree?

the corporation that is better known in society as a legal person should not be responsable for the actions that affects in a very deep way the socity. the real guilt is the hands of the people that works for all these companies, the ones who are encharged of taking the decisions and the ones that support them.
is their compromise to work in a clear and fair way, for example ( salaries, products at the right price, manage power...) in order to benefit the society and set an example of social responsability. this will ensure those companies their progress and the satisfaction of their costumers.

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATIONAL IDENTITY AND CORPORATE CULTURE?

• Is very important to understand that national identity is "the depiction of a country as a whole encompassing its culture, traditions, lenguage and politics" and that corporate culture refers to the values beliefs and behaviors that help to stablish some ethic patterns in order to help the company to improve and define its identity.
• The most important relation between those two is that both are oriented to obtain some specific goals, creating an identity based on their parameters and using it for the well development of an specific structure.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/national%20identity

¿ QUE ES CULTURA ?

• La cultura es el conjunto de todas las formas, los modelos o los patrones, explícitos o implícitos, a través de los cuales una sociedad regula el comportamiento de las personas que la conforman. Como tal incluye costumbres, prácticas, códigos, normas y reglas de la manera de ser, vestimenta, religión, rituales, normas de comportamiento y sistemas de creencias. Desde otro punto de vista se puede decir que la cultura es toda la información y habilidades que posee el ser humano. El concepto de cultura es fundamental para las disciplinas que se encargan del estudio de la sociedad, en especial para la antropología y la sociología.
• 
  La cultura es una abstracción, es una construcción teórica a partir del
  comportamiento de los individuos de un grupo. Por tanto nuestro conocimiento de
  la cultura de un grupo va a provenir de la observación de los miembros de ese
  grupo que vamos a poder concretar en patrones específicos de comportamiento.
• La cultura es una capacidad humana distinta para adaptarse a las circunstancias y transmitir este conjunto de instrumentos y conocimientos aprendidos a la generación siguiente.A su vez la cultura es el modo de vida desarrollado por un grupo humano y transmitido de generación en generación. Para Kotler " la cultura es el conjunto de esquemas mentales y de conducta mediante los cuales la sociedad consigue una mayor satisfacción para sus miembros" .