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PERSONALISATION IN
Does personalisation equate respect in regards to business and society? In the woman magazine(1) it said that "Americans prize informality" in its culture. So obviously they wouldn't have heard the expression familiarity breeds contempt then. Although I see nothing wrong in putting someone at ease per se, which shows good manners, but if you personalize everything in society without showing respect then contempt is what you get and is this good business practice? However, I hadn't thought of Americans tending '...to think everyone's the same..' if that was the case there would be no individuality and the figures shown in the magazine(2) it said of Clergy: Women $24,856, Men $31,356 would be equal - right? Seems not. Also Argentina is hardly one to think its culture as formal when a person would have to deal with 'turbocharged office flirting and wearing short skirts etc' which is just as familiar and informal as one could get in a business setting much less society, so why they would be 'profoundly uncomfortable' with the Americans? After all you are bed-fellows in geography as well as a name - North America and South America. So a bit of navel gazing is nice but you also got to clean it once in a while. However, when the line is drawn by a person respect it until informed otherwise. When in the business, I had always thought professionalism should be given priority with emphasis on conduct in a relaxed atmosphere as well. For example, in the newspaper Sir Stuart Hampson (of John Lewis Partnership) states '...It was the morality and integrity of John Lewis which appealed to me [he says] it was the challenge of operating in these two very challenging sectors but in a way that appealed to my personal code of behaviour...' (3) Office rage is a problem because I think people don't make a 'personal code of behaviour' for themselves, sometimes the lack of this is how they behave in society, home and work and also on the internet. I have wondered why the dictionaries etc have more words to debase a woman with and hardly any for a man; could it be that women have had more respect for a man's knowledge (perhaps not for his behaviour) than the other way around over time. When one evaluates history and the present in all areas of society including business - I can't think when there has ever been respect for women other than their reproductive organ...even women-to-women have this fetish in regards to how they value themselves. Therefore it in nonsense to blame one event such as the women's movement because not every woman benefited from it so let's keep it in proportion to the other aspects of time. Most women haven't even touched first base in moving anywhere in society or business, so it's a myth of men to say there is equality. There never has been in the past. As to respect - men have throughout time demanded and commanded respect because it is they who have written books to suit their own ideology but they have not 'earnt' that Right, so the respect they have is hollow and of little value because of their behaviour. Civility and citizenship has yet to be written and acted upon that is inclusive in both society and the business setting as the given norm and not just empty pockets. There is a difference where personal information can be used against someone to another's (dis-)advantage upon details of their private lives on the internet. Personalisation in business is the difference between a woman wearing a bikini and those who choose to wear a one-piece swimsuit. The first lets it all hang out so you already know what's there. The second, you have to use your imagination. It's the same concept when a man wears a 'Y'-front underwear you already know what's there 'cause its out in front to those who men who wear boxer-shorts you have to guess! Again in the business arena it would be seen as detrimental to the company as strict confidentiality of information could be leaked to a competitor or rival organisation and adding the internet into this it is possible if you know what to look for in documents because people know which way your mind swings and can read in-between the lines. In working with people, the fact a businessman would trust anyone to work on a project and you babble it all on the internet would they respect and trust you further with business matters. Its a people-skill in business which should be valued highly to how you are seen in a business way as a professional not a personal one but being who you say you are in character! REFERENCE SOURCES (1) Working Woman magazine (August 1999 issue - page 71-72) (2) Working Woman magazine (August issue - page 48) (3) Sunday Business Newspaper on the 12th September (Business Life, page 21). WEB LINK SOURCE:
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