A Cultural Visual Metaphors

A Cultural Visual Metaphors A visual metaphor is a comparison of something that belongs to one category with another of a different category (Arnheim 125). It suggests a similarity between the two things. Visual metaphors vary from one cultural setting to another. For this reason the intended message may be lost if a metaphor from one culture is used in another one.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Cultural Visual Metaphors specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, visual metaphors that are used in cosmopolitan societies must be universal in order to fit into everyone’s mental model of reality. Visual metaphors tremendously enhance our thinking and understanding of things. Some examples of visual metaphors include: American farmers need a financial safety net, Ideas are mushrooms that multiply quickly, he played the devil’s advocate yesterday, ideas are winged, things are elephant right now, asking questions is priming the pump of better understanding, thoughts are the seeds of creation, we left on foot even though it was raining cats and dogs, a positive attitude is a lighthouse for the hopeful, you have the heart of a lion, you’re my sunshine, she is a visual thinking butterfly, still in her cocoon. Visual metaphors play an important role in learning. Metaphors in general improve the speed with which we grasp various things and notions. Learners are able to get some things faster. However, this is thought is true only when the learner has already experience of the image being used (Benson 200). The understanding of a new thing will in such situations depend on the individual’s understanding of the image. Metaphors help the learner understand reality. Metaphors are used on a daily basis to help us get an insight of the world around us. Visual metaphors shape ones understanding of the surrounding. This in turn influences ones mental picture of reality. The mental model of reality is instrume ntal in assisting one to make critical decisions on some situations later in life. The decisions made tend to be more effective when one is exposed to metaphors early in life. Visual metaphors may also inspire and motivate one depending on one’s understanding of the metaphor. Visual metaphors help us in visual thinking. The metaphors provide the user with an opportunity to communicate a visual message in a way that enhances understanding and awareness (Bowers 73). Visual metaphors help people we are communicating with connect with us and thus create a deep understanding of the message being shared. Therefore, metaphors add color to our understanding.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another effect that visual metaphors have on visual thinking is linking the new with the familiar. They help bridge the gap between the new and the familiar. This device assists its users in putting together new concepts and ideas in a way that others can connect with. Each new idea is presented to the end user in a manner that evokes familiarity and understanding. Familiarity helps us overcome the fear and anxiety associated with encountering things for the first time. It nurtures acceptance and tolerance. Visual metaphors help us internalize what we learn. Internalization is a pre-requisite for better understanding and abstraction. Internalization helps us form mental models of things. The models later come into play when we are thinking abstractly. Metaphors, therefore, play an important role in society. They help us understand difficult subjects through association. Visual metaphors are an important aspect of visual thinking. They add color to visual thinking. Without visual metaphors, visual and abstract thinking would be plain. Arnheim, Rudolph. Visual thinking. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. 1999. Print. Benson, Thomas W., Prosser, Michael. Re adings in classical rhetoric. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. 2002. Print. Bowers, A., Flinders, David J. Responsive teaching: An ecological approach to  Classroom patterns of language, culture, and thought. New York: Teachers College Press. 1990. Print.

American Business Managers In Cross-Cultural Negotiations

American Business Managers In Cross-Cultural Negotiations One of the fastest ways for an American to sour negotiations with other cultures is to think that everybody does business the same as Americans. Thank goodness that this is so very far from the truth. For Americans to succeed in the foreign business world, we must learn to be more observant of the feelings and cultures of others. In no place is this more evident than in our own back doorMexico and the Latin/South American countries.Just because they are "local", we should be able to treat them the same as we do our own contacts. This is so very far from the truth.The Spanish culture of Mexico and the Latin/South American countries are similar in so may ways to their Spanish ancestors, but are still quite set in their own Cultural manners. Even in the smallest of towns, there is a tight social ladder that must be adhered to if negotiations are to be successful.United StatesEach person has their own place in the society, and they must be counted as such.A key are that the American Cult ure must re-learn is that of being polite and proper. The Spanish-American culture is very socially oriented, and the "air" that is left is very important. Common courtesy and protocol are sensitive issues. A quick way to sour most relationships is to demean the dominant male figure.More than anyone else I have observed, American Businessmen and Women like to dress-up and show how "proper" they are. This immediately causes a problem in that conservative dress is the norm. On arrival for meetings, or other activities, observe what the local attire is.It is a bad omen to dress more formally than those you are meeting are.Observe the bankers, lawyers, and the professionals/bureaucrats.Americans are...

Competing Through Marketing ''Managing Information '' Assignment

Competing Through Marketing ''Managing Information '' - Assignment Example The most important question that business managers and owners should try to answer is what they need in order to effectively manage the data, internet resources, software and hardware, so as to ensure that they are efficiently used for the success strategies of the business. E-business refers to the application and uses of information systems in order to support and drive the processes of a business, mostly by use of web technologies. According to Amor (1999), e-business allows businesses to link their external and internal processes more effectively and efficiently and closely work with their partners thus satisfying their expectation and needs of their customers thus increasing the overall business performance. There are many types of internet technologies that are specifically designed to help businesses not to work harder but smarter (Sachenko, 2009). These tools include mobile, wireless technology and collaboration tools, social media and customer relationship management among o thers. Strategic /Problem Analysis The business under focus is a small high quality restaurant that uses very basic computer facilities. Therefore, most of the business operations like advertising, supplying and orders are done the traditional way. For example, to receive quality supplies, they have to order by writing a delivery order, and advertisements are done through posters and over the radio and television. Though this is a high quality restaurant, the number of customers it receives every day is so small that it cannot meet its targeted profits. It is therefore important for business owners and managers to understand the importance of application and use of electronic information systems, so that they can reduce on high costs and conveniently increase profits by working smarter. The strategic objective of this restaurant owner is to increase profits as well meeting the expectations of their customers, which is something they rarely achieve. The business has been incurring he avy losses due to the high travel and communication costs as well as few customers, who cannot help reach the desired goals. If the management of this restaurant can switch on to e-business, such losses can be greatly reduced and customers can increase as a result of e-advertising, which is now the most accessible to prospective customers, who are seeking high quality services for example foreign tourists. The following are the benefits that the restaurant is likely to achieve by effectively switching into e-business. Benefits of – Business E-business helps to increase workforce productivity by helping the user in locating and viewing information faster, as well as application of important roles (National B2B Centre Limited 2007). Web browser can help the restaurant owners to retrieve data stored in the data base at any time from anywhere, but with security provisions like encryption and use of passwords (University of Pittsburgh, 2003), thus keeping them updated on business operations. This helps them take necessary precautions and measure that the business requires at the right time, thus improving their performance. It also helps customers to receive the best services from the restaurant as managers are able to fast access useful information that ensure efficient services. E-business will also help the restaurants owners to save time and money as they reduce on travelling and communication