RELIGION AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

1. How can we create an ethical relationship between religion and business so that they may cooperate towards a more sustainable and respectful development of life?

We can create an ethical relationship between religion and business through the tolerance of the differences between one and each other, through the acceptance of the many truths that may exist even though I may not be a believer of them. I think it´s besides tolerance and acceptance through patience.

2. Can you imagine a world without religion where everyone would be trying to get immediate satisfaction to their individual needs?

No, or at least not right now. For me each one of the different religions teach us the same things, but in a different way, for me they share the fundamental truth of a divinity that´s superior from us and that guide us from heaven.

3. Religion can create networks of trust and familiarity that facilitates economic transactions. Can you name other positive aspects of this relationship?

Religion can be related with economics or with business trough the creation of networks and bonds than create trust and familiarity between the parties. Trough religion, and more specifically the Islamic one, business are being made, in this case, religion give the parameters for the economic system, mostly for the banking system.

4. Do you think that stereotyping based on religion has been influenced by economical or political interests, why, whose? What is the role of The Media in this issue?

I think it depends on the case, but mostly it can be true. Depending on who says it and under which conditions it’s said. The Media, for me has a very strong and important role here because they can show the information according to their position and what´s best for their interests.

VIRTUAL TEAMS

Nowadays and with all the globalization process that generates a lot of interdependence between the countries, I found very interesting to know about how Virtual Teams, which can be defined as “group of geographically and/or organizationally dispersed coworkers assembled using a combination of information and communications technologies for accomplishing an organizational task”.[1]

I think Virtual Teams are more common than what we think, well or at least in multinationals and big companies with subsidiaries in other country or just by the fact that business takes place between people or companies from different places, and when they start running, entrepreneurs from one place to another interact with each other through virtual tools.

When working in a Virtual Team, I think planning is the basis for a good resolution or outcome of the project, planning schedules, meetings, responsibilities and evaluating them in the process is critical for me.

Besides the entrepreneurial field, I think other Virtual Teams can took place between people in a more informal way, just like what happened with Facebook, Twitter and MySpace among others…lately those social networks are moving and turning the world upside down.

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[1] “Virtual Teams”. Retrieved on May 5th from: Malhotra, Majchrzak& Rosen 2007

“Facebook”. Retrieved on May 5^th from: http://www.dreambank.org/images/facebook.png

“Twitter”. Retrieved on May 5^th from: http://www.bruceongames.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/twitter-logo-icon.png

“MySpace”. Retrieved on May 5^th from: http://turbo.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2011/01/myspace-layoffs.jpg

COMMUNICATION

Which ones are the main Cultural Differences in Non-Verbal Communication?

Non-verbal communication is the type of communication that is not organized by oral language. It can be through eye contact, facial expressions, the body language and posture, tone of voice…it even may include the way you express yourself through clothes, how you wear them and even how silent are you.

I think Culture is a very determinant element when defining the way of how you are, how you express yourself in front of others and so many other things. As an example, you can analyze the case of all those Islamic women who grow under the tradition of polygamy with their husband…they must share it, contrary to the western cultures where monogamy is the basis for marriage, I mean it’s not normal if you are a Colombian or Mexican woman to share your husband with other wives.

Also, comparing this difference on how culture induces behavior or expressions, even communication, between women for the eastern hemisphere from the western one, you can notice as a first sign the called BURKAS, they must wear compared to normal clothes like dresses, shorts, miniskirts that women here can wear…Here, its normal and you must do it in order to be credible, when you are talking to someone look him/her to the eyes in order to make eye contact.

Look what I find…It’s amazing.

“Non-Verbal communication”. Retrieved on April 24^th 2011 from:                                                                                                                                 http://www.communication-type.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/nonverbal-communication-percentage.gif

LANDMINES IN Colombia

As you know, Colombia is one of the world´s most famous countries for its landmines, which causes and leave lots of victims and conflicts around its victims or the communities where they are left.

Colombia is the only Latin American country with land mines, they can explode when one steps on them and they seem to be radios or even sweets, so they are even attractive to the human view.

Imagine you walking easily and with no worries and from the sudden find in the floor an appealing object or even a dead body or a wounded people…and it´s risky to help them because they might explode. Others are built and designed to explode in the air even before steeping on them so they can destroy an entire leg.

Where and how are they hidden is like a mystery according to some experts. In many war zones is where they are usually hidden, areas which are extremely dangerous for children to cross by or to play, roads and lands around schools usually are very attractive to be full of mines. Colombian fighting groups including its army are the ones who have been used them.

Juanes, the famous Colombian singer had created an organization to fight against landmines conflict in Colombia and to help its victims.                                                       Today, April 4^th is the first international day to fight against landmines…how to do it? By rolling up a boot of your jean, your pant, short or even your shirt, it’s just a symbol but that can move masses.

I love these types of manifestations and if they are worldwide much better because more repercussion and press or a major impact they can get. It’s time to get conscious and star fighting for what has not been fighted for…besides kidnapping, terrorism or violence.

“ Minas Antipersona” Retrieved on April 4^th 2011 from: http://www.metamike.com/media/mina01.jpg

JAPAN ATTITUDE AND STRENGH TOWARS THOUGH TIMES

Recently, and it's not surprise for anybody Japan suffered a terrible catastrophe. In a same day, Friday March 11th. of 2011, an Earthquake and a Tsunami hit the island with such a strength that ruined the entire city of Sendai, killed even though many of them are still as missing persons and for sad to say it, thousands of people, and left lots of families in great pain and morning for they loved ones, their city, their country I mean their complete life's.

As a result of the earthquake, who was measured as 9.0 in the scale, waves of about 10 meters entered to the city as consequence of the tsunami that hit the island and that was formed by the earthquake strength.

Japan, as a world super power and rich country, has some nuclear and radioactive plants for lots of purposes, but a terrible thing happened, well, it could have been worst compared to Chernobyl in Russia, but anyway it’s a stressful and delicate situation because some of those nuclear/radioactive plants are in or very near of the area where the catastrophe took place and the system suffered some disconfigurations and affected the nucleus of some of those radioactive substances. In order to control the "situation" and prevent a worst disaster, which could affect the entire island of Japan and even other countries, they sent some voluntaries to fix and control the problem while it goes back to normality again, the thing that surprise me here, is that those people are like HEROES for the Japanese people, because due to their constant exposition to all those radioactive substances they are like magnets and they will suffer diseases in a future and even might die faster that what they would ever have thought.

I want to admire and I really admire the way how the Japanese culture have faced and have reacted among these terrible event for their life's and for their country. Order remain everywhere, lines were respected, nobody assaulted markets or stores or even houses or offices that remain in feet, they help each other in whatever they can, they also have shown an amazing behavior of strength when receiving sad news of their missing relatives. It’s a reaction among a very sad and difficult thing that I consider as an example for the entire world, and I hope lots of people learn also from it as I do. I guess their traditions, background and culture, like the Samurai philosophy among others, help them live this mourning process in such an amazing way, it’s a kind of compromise for their land, for their country; its like if they have it in their own blood...I'm surprised.

I recommend you to watch The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise. I loved it.



“ The Last Samurai” Retrieved on March 28 2011 from: http://www.wallpaperpimper.com/wallpaper/Movies/The_Last_Samurai/The-Last-Samurai-7-1CQGMLW7WI-1024x768.jpg

THE LAST SAMURAI MOVIE

Zwick ,E., Herskovitz, M., Le-bour, T., Wagner, P., Kroopf ,S., Engelman, T. (Producers), & Zwick, E. (Director). 2003. The Last Samurai [Motion Picture]. United States: Radar Pictures

“Japan’s Earthquake”. Retrieved on March 28 2011 from:                                                                                                   http://onlinenews4u.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/070531_Kobe_earthquake.jpg

“ Japan’s Earthquake” Retrieved on March 28 2001 from: http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200707/r160426_586651.jpg