Critical thinking
Part 1: Huffington Post analysis
Traditional text-based reporting techniques, such as prints, outdoor, audio and slideshows still play a significant role in the media today. The traditional media is, however, blended with the rich media such as social media and videos. Both two types of the media included at Huffington Post to promote the social channels. The Huffington post, for example, uses video links, photos and text to bring a clear and brief presentation of the news. The post is also open to response and feedback through the Facebook, twitter and Google plus links. The video or the post can highly shareable among different audiences through the social media links, hence boosting or promoting the social lead conversation. With this package, Huffington Post can provide interactive storytelling that reaches a wide range of the audience.
Huffington Post offers a short video that covers Former president Bill Clinton taking his position on the government shutdown. The video covers four minutes to highlight the fundamental concepts delivered by the former president. Short video are essential in providing online stories because they give various viewing experiences and summarized stories than the longer videos (Bryfonski, 54). Most audiences prefer a short video because one can upload them very quickly even in the scenario of lower connections such as through mobile phones. In other words, a short video encourages opinions, keep SoundBits short and focus on the targeted viewers.
The Huffington Post has effectively incorporated the social media to provide interactive and comprehensive coverage news. They have applied the leading social media such as Facebook, Twitter, emails, and Google plus to ensure that they have developed a two way communication channel. Audience can simply post their comments through their social media accounts. In an effort to prevent abusive and irreverent posts, Huffington Post retains the full control and editorial rights of the content being posted on their site (Bryfonski, 44). However, the company fails to apply a comprehensive social media strategy such as the use of YouTube to spread their messages or news through the videos. The post fails to give other social media companies such as Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn to reach for more public.
The online news differs very much with the analogue news such as newspaper. The online news is accessible from any part of the world at any time, contrary to the analogue news that consume a lot of time to shop them in limited hours. Compared to the analogue news, online are relatively cheaper to obtain since only the internet charged are required. However, the online news requires use of devices such as computers, tablets and internet phones which are expensive to obtain (Rolls, 6).
The range of the media forms presented by the Huffington Post news can be categorized into narrative media, interactive media, and communicative media. Huffington news provided narrative media through online papers, article, photos and online videos that enable the audience to interpret and understand the content of the information. In other words, this form of the media is used by Huffington post to explain, demonstrate and describe the contents of the message. Communicative media in this post allows the exchange between the audience and the newsroom. Use of email and Google plus enhances the communication between the news readers and the news writer. Therefore, Huffington develops the contents that meet the audience expectation since they can communicate about the reader’s preferences and needs. The form of the interactive media in the Huffington post involve the use of the social media groups such as Facebook and twitter to reach out for the “dot com” audience. Social media provides an effective interactive tool that promotes reflection, encourage exploration, check understanding and provide feedback.
The multimedia elements used by the journalist at Huffington Post involve organizational, cultural and technological factors that influence how news is developed in a convergent setting. The journalists have used these elements to shape the context of different news coverage. Furthermore, the journalists have incorporated these elements with the use of video and photo to enhance the interactive elements (Rolls, 32). However, they assume that all their audience has visual capability and hence can read watch video and view photos. However, this is not true because there is visual impaired individual, and also people who do not like the visual effects of the videos. Thus, the journalist could, therefore, consider this group of persons by use of audio links to increase their participation in the interactive news.
Part 2: case study
Businesses can no longer rely on their local markets if they have to make an impact in the currently competitive business world. Due to globalization, multinationals have developed and are currently making considerable changes in different environments. National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company in Iran south-western Asia is struggling with the cultural diversity that has emerged from its vast workforce. It regularly comes to contact with people of different languages, lifestyles and norms (Tabarsaet et.al. 2013)). These people are from ethnic groups such as Azeri, Mazandarani, Turkmen, Guilaki, Persian, Baloch, Arab and Sistani.
The company has realized that the management and development of people on a global scale inescapably need dealing with cultural diversity and problems such as productivity, authority, leadership and matters of motivation that determines the overall productivity and performance of the business (Powell, 2004). Apparently, the company has opted for cultural intelligence (CQ) as the tool that they would use to address the various issues presented by its diverse workforce and customers.
While the current global business needs that companies manage a diverse workforce, the company is facing internally and externally imposed restrictions of training, acquisition and supporting employees (Tabarsaet et.al,2013). To resolve this conflict, the company decided for a CQ that would help it to respond efficiently to the dynamics of social change. Its managers believe that CQ encompasses both behavioral and cognitive aspects. Cognitive CQ, behavioral CQ and motivational CQ have a momentous association with achievement needs.
Despite the broad nature of the company, the corporate ethos of the business has predominantly been prejudiced toward Western notions and practices, with restricted gratitude of imperative fast growing markets in other regions of the world (Tabarsaet et.al, 2013). They previously believed that it was not possible to operate in markets that they do not understand. While the company’s main intension was to maximize profits, management of its diverse workforce was considered a minus factor in its profits since it increased its operating expenses. More financial resources needed to be used in training a diverse workforce, coordination of teamwork in its management team and ease the process of communicating with managers from different regions.
However, after realizing the importance of CQ, the company has been able to locate leaders who can implement global progressions, strategies, initiatives, manage local teams effectively, and communicate with headquarters. The company started using CQ assessment as criteria to select supervisors to intercultural tasks, and incorporated it into its human resource management policies (Livermore, 2010). CQ calls for engagement of leaders and publics from different cultural groups in policy formulation and implementation to ensure that the interests of various groups have been taken into account in the management structure of the company.
Additionally, CQ breeds accountability and cohesion in an organization (Livermore, 2010). Employees hold themselves accountable to inclusion and diversity work. During seminars and workshops, the same language is used and the workforce gets the sense of equality a factor that motivates them to increase their productivity (Powell, 2004). It also creates a sense of belonging. Information dissemination is conducted with great care bearing in mind the intentional presence of people from diverse origins.
Aspects of working in a globalised environment have boosted the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company. The positive impacts on the environment outweigh the disadvantages. Cultural intelligence has constructive impacts as it raises awareness on the best ways to interact within the society. A globalised environment promotes the use of social capital as a tool of competitive advantage. The negative impacts focus on the animosity that arises when employees are not ready to face the differences in the cultures to live in a friendly environment.
Additionally, working on a globalised environment enhances the psychological well-being of an individual. In the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, the workforce operates on integrity because they appreciate the environment. The ability to accept the workplace has helped the management to always grab the opportunities that come to their advantage. A society that values democracy opens up a chance to learn on the best way to work in a globalised workplace. The globalised environment benefits the consumers because the producers set long term lower prices for their goods and services.
On the other hand, the negative aspects of working in a globalised environment focus on the effects of exported oriented destruction. In most cases, employees treat each other with contempt and the foreigners develop fear for xenophobic attacks (Ng & Earley, 2006). A globalised environment is also affected by an irregular participation and lack of governmental support. The unwillingness of the government to support the operations of the energy company spells doom to the success of the company.
The National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company also operates in globalised environment that suffers from cultural conflicts. The lack of well laid mechanisms to eliminate cultural conflicts interferes with the achievement of the organisational goals and objectives. Most of the employees never interact to exchange ideas that can benefit the company for maximum output and generation of profits. In conclusion, cultural intelligence and social capital guides the company to deviate their attention and zeal in creating awareness on the best way to operate in areas with cultural differences (Hong & Kim, 2002).
Ways to resolve the issue/conflict
The main issue in of the case study tries to shed light on the impact of cultural intelligence to achievement. The best solution to the energy company will be solved by the construction of a highly effective CQ model. The CQ model will offer alternative ways to solve the cultural conflicts existing in the organisation. The top management needs to promote the use of the model to all departments with the aim of creating a better working environment. The model will highlight the procedures that eliminate cultural animosity between employees for the purpose of peaceful coexistence.
References
"Bill Clinton: GOP 'Begging For America To Fail'." The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/29/bill-clinton-gop-government-shutdown-obamacare_n_4012148.html?>.
"What is Multimedia Journalism? | Mark Deuze - Academia.edu." Academia.edu - Share research. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://www.academia.edu/709236/What_is_Multimedia_Journalism>.
Bryfonski, Dedria. The Global Impact of Social Media. Detroit, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Print.
Gholamali Tabarsaet et.al., (2013) American International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, 5(2), December 2013-February 2014, pp. 207-210
Hong, K. K., & Kim, Y. G. (2002), "The critical success factors for ERP implementation: An organizational fit perspective”, Information and Management, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 25–40.
Livermore, D. (2010). Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The New Secret to Success. New York: American Management Association.
Ng, K. Y., & Earley, C. P. (2006), " Culture and intelligence: Old Constructs, new frontiers “, Group and Organization Management, Vol. 31, pp. 4–19.
Powell, G. (2004). Managing a Diverse Workforce: Learning Activities. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.
Rolls, Albert. New Media. Bronx, NY: H.W. Wilson, 2006. Print.
Triandis, H. C. (2006), "Cultural intelligence in organizations". Group and Organization Management, Vol.31, pp20–26
