Socialization in MMU

I interviewed the exchange student Monica about how she felt about feet into the culture of MMU.

The first thing that the MMU did to make her feel ‘student’ was to give her the student ID. That proved she was a student in MMU and be able to access everywhere in school. It was organized by the Student Exchange Department and they also organized some events to help exchange student familiarize with the school and Manchester. For example, there was a walking tour about walking around Manchester and introduce the city hall, city library, some landmark and even the Asda behind our school. With the organization’s help, Monica got to know the surrounding much quicker. There was also a big dinner held by school along with a traditional Scottish dance so that people from other countries could experience the local culture. In the class called education and culture specially for exchange students, teacher asked students to form into several groups and complete group presentation. The group project itself was easy but group members need to visit three different places together and the member could not from same country. So this group project was actually encouraging every student to make more friends and socialize the student.

Monica felt welcomed by attending the events held by the school, then, she had a chance to experience the culture and she also made more friends in the class.

 

The Dead Poets Society

In the first couple of minutes of the movie presents a traditional British style that I thought it is a British movie. It is similar to my home university in some ways. Most of the universities in Hong Kong is taught in English instead of Chinese and many primary and secondary schools are also taught in English including some cultural input.  English is the main langrage today and using English to teach instead of Chinese can maximize learning English and integrate with the world, including celebrate some Western holidays. For example, we have 7-day holiday for Eastern Day. However, there are some disadvantages of the organizational culture in school. It is more difficult for me to write an essay in Chinese than in English now. For those who study all the courses in English as a kid, Chinese language and the traditional culture could be neglected.

 

 

A Death in the Runnymede Care Home

Runnymede Care Home’s style of management is more of a bureaucracy style. This management approach influence communication at the Runnymede Care Home.

As you can see the organization run primarily as a bureaucracy with levels of management and salary based on rank and seniority, the Equable Care hold all the power. When the care assistant Daya Kishan actually report some important messages may have related to James’ death, but no one would listen to her because of her position in the home.

It seems that what subordinates do is largely trying to please their superior just like when Jill Swinton’s secretary, Val Mackie only gave the good news to Jill and leave all the bad news in a corner. As long as their superior is happy or in a good mood, they would not get grumpy.

Due to the bureaucracy system in the Home, people in the different department can always find excuses and pass the buck to other departments. No one wants to take the responsibility and they are too afraid to report the mass to their boss.

So Jill Swinton should be held responsible for James Fox’s death but it is not completely his fault. If he is nicer and embarrass people less, the secretary would report this issue to him and come up with a solution. As for those subordinates, be responsible and stop shifting the blame onto others may decrease the accident.

In the kitchen

If I were the employee in the television show Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, I wouldn’t be very comfortable because the screaming and the humiliating pushed people and gave them a lot of pressure. But if I were the manager above apprentice/trainee chef, I would be glad to have Ramsay’s help and the way he trained the apprentice/trainee chef and the way he managed the whole kitchen. Because as long as he was not shouting at me with those harsh words, it would be fine. And I have to admit it that it is more effective by publically humiliating employees. Therefore, sometimes humiliating can become motivation.

If I am going to manage 300 people in a day care center, I would set different departments to meet the overall needs of the center, solve problems by specific departments could be more efficient than leave it to one person in charge. As for developing a good relationship with the chef de cuisine, I could communicate with him or her at first to prepare his needs and set up the environment to the way he is comfortable with.