10 "impressing" conspiracy theories:

They were published by a British newspaper, and they talk pretty much about some recent happenings in the world. There were actually 30, but there are going to be shown just the first 10. Many of them are well known:

1. 11th september, 2001: talks about the fact that US troops did not act when needed, and that buildings were intentionally destructed by the US government.

11th september. Retrieved on March 20th from: http://www.taringa.net/posts/offtopic/2058684/30-teorias-conspiratorias-impresionantes-_I-want-to-believe_.html

2. John F. Kennedy 's assassination: shoots given from different angles. Possibility of other murderers, he was maybe killed because of what he represented for US society.

John F. Kennedy. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://www.taringa.net/posts/offtopic/2058684/30-teorias-conspiratorias-impresionantes-_I-want-to-believe_.html

3. One OVNI hit in Roswell in 1947: It hit in New Mexico, and it marked the beginning of some sort of conspiracy theories about OVNIS and invasions from the space. In the same episode, there are some people that said they participated in autopsies done to aliens.

Roswell crash. Retrieved on March 20th from: http://www.enigmasmisteriosos.com.ar/majestic12_2.html

4. Arrival to the moon: deceit from NASA: the moon-landing was created to make people believe they were in the moon. Because of this, they destructed all kind of evidence: pictures, videos, rock samples, etc. 

Moon-landing. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://www.taringa.net/posts/offtopic/2058684/30-teorias-conspiratorias-impresionantes-_I-want-to-believe_.html

 5. The Illuminati group and the New World Order: Powerful groups gathering and organizing to manage the world with one central government. They are supposed to finance politics and control minds through propaganda and fear.

Illuminati dollar. Retrieved on March 20th from: http://www.complotsymisterios.com.ar/complots-y-fabulaciones/los-illuminati.html

6. Conspiration from Jesus: The idea of Jesus getting married with Maria Magdalena and having descendence, helped by the Priory of Sion, becoming later the Merovingian dinasty.

Sangrail. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://cgnauta.blogspot.com/2008/11/imgenes-del-verdadero-santo-grial.html

7. Princess Diana of Wales was murdered: Although there is no evidence of this, many people argue that this was planned by the British Secret Service, because it was not convenient the relationship she had with Fayed. The driver's blood was changed with another blood with evidence of liquor. 

Princess Diana death. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://www.last10posts.co.cc/2010/08/death-of-princess-diana.html

 8. Elvis Presley simulated his own death: It is said that Presley continues alive and hiding himself for various reasons. They started to talk about it because of some photo evidence, and also for his name in the tablet : Aaron, instead of Aron (his real name).

Elvis Alive. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://keseyoke.blogspot.com/2009/08/vivo-o-muerto.html

9. Operation Northwoods: This was a real conspiration in which the US accused Cuba of terrorism in the country, so the US had to attack Cuba to prevent and protect the country. Kennedy aborted the operation, and that can be a reason of his murder.

Operation Northwoods. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://www.rense.com/general67/ordo.htm

10. MK-Ultra Program: this program, consistent on some practices of mind control and chemical questionings, started in 1950 in US and it is supposed that was used until 1960. Some people argue that it continues to be used in secret in the country.

MK - Ultra files. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://mundoconmisojos.blogspot.com/2011/01/testimonio-de-cathy-o-brien-esclava.html

References:

30 impressing conspiracy theories. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://www.taringa.net/posts/offtopic/2058684/30-teorias-conspiratorias-impresionantes-_I-want-to-believe_.html

When painting and graffiting is just opening your heart... and your mind:

I found Banksy, one big artist of recent years... One person that can show with colors, images and paintings what is reality for him, no matter if no one knows about him and his life. And maybe for many of us, reality can be like this.

Discovering Banksy is discovering society from a realist and surrealist point of view. It is demonstrating that life itself has its own glories, prejudices and loses. It is seeing what the others can see or even experiment, what the others are, what you and me can be. What CULTURE means!

Here you have some of its work, expecting you appreciate it... And expecting you can experience what I did!

Flower. Banksy (2007). Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://transparenciavisual.blogspot.com/2010/10/banksy-rebelde-al-arte-o-arte-rebelde.html

Naked man. Banksy (1994). Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://www.esacademic.com/dic.nsf/eswiki/146007



Cisjordania barrier. Banksy (2005). Retrieved on March 20th from: http://artismobile.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/tambien-banksy/



Little lady. Banksy (2007). Retrieved on March  20th from: http://bristolgraffiti.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/banksy-and-graf-in-glastonbury/



Cisjordania barrier II. Banksy (2005). Retrieved on March 20th from: http://elefectokulechov.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html



No name. Banksy. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://culturayartevisual.blogspot.com/2009/07/street-art-banksy.html

Music outside us?

It is very interesting to hear that music or sounds were created in Earth... When you can hear that planets outside have their proper sounds. It is fascinating to listen to other sounds that can transport your soul "millions of light years".

This definitely makes me think that we are not the center of this big system, just a little bit of it. Enjoy these sounds, they are transformed into audible patterns from the electromagnetic waves that planets generate.

Go straight to this link to listen to the Universe Music... It's amazing! :

Spooky sounds: Sounds of universe

It is important to mention that this information is extracted from the US government (NASA), and it can change from one resource to another one.

References:
Spooky sounds. Retrieved on March 20th, 2011 from: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/sounds2/index-nasa.html

Convergence and Divergence discussion:

1. Mention some positive and negative outputs of an homogenization of international business management strategies (Convergence) and of the differentiation (Divergence school).

Convergence:

Positive:

- Common values generate development processes easier for the organization.

- Building of networks to make "integration processes" less complex.

- Cost advantages/Flexibility.

- Reducing barriers (Economic or Governmental)

Negative: 

-  Conflicts about wages and costs (low cost labor)

- Not diversity in processes, not taking into account different scenarios and situations.

Divergence:

Positive:

- Gain some advantages from the differentiated position.

- Creation of different management styles. Diversity.

Negative:

- Resistant in some extent to change.

- Complex relationships due to diversity in management styles.

2. Name at least 3 corporations who have converged their management strategies when reaching foreign markets:

-Unilever

-Falabella

-Nestlé

3. Name at least 3 corporations (business) who have differentiated their strategies when reaching foreign markets:

- Carrefour

- Telefónica

- Johnson & Johnson

4. Do you think we have similar business structures like Chaebol or Keiretsu? Describe one Colombian business structure.

Yes, for example we have Leonisa. It is a business structure where they produce underwear for women and men. It was created in 1956 and nowadays it belongs to the family of its founders: Joaquín Urrea Urrea and Julio Urrea. It has built up its image with the idea of being a Colombian company with high quality and interest on innovation and exploring new markets. Leonisa has expanded its operations and now it has presence in:

Aruba, Bonaire, Curazao, Bolivia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Panama, Canada, USA, Russia, Guatemala, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Peru, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Uruguay.

It is similar to Chaebol business structure since it has belonged to one family through the years and according to some sort of tradition, and I think that is one important characteristic of business units in Colombia: they have been marked by the idea of families holding them and creating them in order to develop and get what they need in order to fulfill needs in families.

Leadership Styles and Management Styles

Main Ideas on Leadership and Management Styles:

• Consensus and sense of responsibility: Consensus would be the idea of making all members of an organization to participate in Decision Making processes, and getting to agreements in some extent so consensus creates a good environment to work in. Responsibility would be assuming the consequences of the agreements.
• In some organizations (In Germany, for example) consensus is omnipresent. It has an important part in day-to-day management.
• "The way a company functions varies according to defferent professional sectors" (Piette, 2004)
• "When there is a consensus, it is not possible to change it" (Piette, 2004) Making decisions is a serious process where consensus takes an important role. The question would be if it is just consensus or passive obedience towards the decisions taken before.
• Consensus in participative Decision Making processes is very important because a chance for everybody to be listened is given, so it is an inclusive process.

Leadership. Retrieved on March 6th, 2011 from: http://luistorodupouy.blogspot.com/2010/09/leadership-what-is-it-exactly.html

Management Style similar and distinct across borders:

• Labeled Convergence: As countries develop, mamagement styles will converge to a model found in developed countries. (Lee et al., 2000)
• Comparative Cultural Approach: A wider set of cultural norms in each society is a powerful force for differentiation across borders. (Lee et al., 2000)
• Japanese firms, for example believe in consensus and group loyalty as principles within organizations, according to Lee et al. in their study on Japanese firms in 2000.
• Internal as well as external factors are key issues when shaping Management Styles across borders. For example, "National culture is an important determinant of a national management system". (Lee et al., 2000)
• Sometimes, firms try to solve managerial problems by imitating practices of other organizations, but it has to be taken into account the main characteristics of the organization. If don't, these strategies can lead to failures.

Management. Retrieved on March 6th from: http://dotmanagement.com.ar/blog/tag/management/

• Cultural embeddedness and technological capability are influential on the strategic business model of the emerging markets under globalization. They can work together in complementary ways to create competitive advantages. (Gupta, 2003)

References:

-Piette, Jean-Jacques. 2004. "Understanding management German style". Les amis de l'école de Paris.

-Lee, Jangho, Thomas W. Roehl, & Soonkyoo Choe. 2000. "What makes management style similar and distinct across borders?" Growth, Experience and Culture in Korean and Japanese firms. 631-52.

-Gupta, V, Wang, J. (2003) "Globalization and Convergence - Divergence debate: Strategic Perspectives for Emerging Markets". Journal of business and economics research. February 2003, Vol. 1 Iss: 2.

Leadership Styles and Management Styles Discussion:

How should followers react when they don't agree with their managers' directions?

How they should react... As they are followers, their actions will be according to what he managers says. I mean, if they do not agree, they should do so because it is the role they have within the organization. If they were not followers, they would probably participate in Decision Making Processes, and that way the will not have to accept decisions without agreeing with them.

Usually, reactions are complicated, bacause followers would do something they do not like, meaning with it that working within the organization could become hard or disgusting. That is why I think Decision Making Processes should include and take into account other's oppinions, even though in organizations followers "are needed"... Are they really needed?