The Media and Negative Body Image Essays - 2072 Words

The Media and Negative Body Image Picture the world controlled by the media. Could you imagine how ugly, scarce, and hateful it would be. What would you do if a magazine or a television show told you that your body weight had to be twenty pounds lighter to be all most perfect? Would you actually consider the fact or let ignore it? Teens, mainly girls, will be sucked into these magazines. (National Eating Disorders Info Centre 15) These could be magazines like Seventeen and Cosmo Girl. In addition with many others of course. All though, the media is a bad example at times it is not precisely the main issue for negative body image. (National Eating Disorders Association 1) All though, these constant screaming messages the media produces†¦show more content†¦Still, the vast majority are adolescents and young adults. Approximately one percent of adolescent girls develop anorexia nervosa, and dangerous conditions where they will literally starve themselves to death. (National Eating Disorders Info Centre 1) Warni ng signs of anorexia nervosa include the following: dramatic weight loss, refusal of eating certain foods, frequent comments about being or feeling fat, denial of hunger, constant excuses to avoid meal time, and withdrawal from usual friends or activities. ( National Eating Disorders Association 2) With bulimia a person will binge food and then force themselves to vomit. They also use laxatives to get the food out of their systems. Between eighty and ninety-five percent of bulimics are women. (Cauwels 3) Bulimic can grow to a point where it takes complete control of life. Bulimia is frequently associated with a typical depression. (CQ Researcher 869) In example, a typical depression can be concluded from the environments a person lives, works, or attends school at. Bulimic behavior ranges from occasional overeating at parties to consuming fifty thousand calories and vomiting twenty times a day. (Cauwels 3) Warning signs for bulimia nervosa include the following: evidence of binge eating, evidence of purging behaviors, excessive exercise, unusual swelling of the cheeks and jaw area, stained teeth, and withdrawal of friends or activities. (National Eating DisordersShow MoreRelatedNegative Effects Of Media On Body Image1076 Words   |  5 PagesIn today’s society, media is all around us and we cannot escape it. Whether you are getting in your car to head to work or sitting at home on your computer media is everywhere. From billboards, to magazines, television, music, social media, and the internet. The media is thought to have a negative impact on the body image of both men and women of all ages. The Webster dictionary defines body image as â€Å"a subjective picture of ones own physical appearance established both by self-observation and byRead MoreNegative Body Image of Women in the Media2325 Words   |  10 PagesNegative Effects on Women Based on Portrayals of Hollywood Women Today media ranges from television to newspaper articles. Many in society do not realize the negative effects that the media portrays to young women. Young women are more susceptible to these negative side effects resulting in low self-esteem, eating disorders, or depression. Media projects images of women that have been surgically or technologically edited, these projections are causing negative effects. These unrealisticRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of The Mass Media And Body Image998 Words   |  4 Pageswould be some of many negative messages that are being instilled into young minds from the media. The mass media has a great influence on an individual’s body image. The media distorts reality, promotes weight-teasing, and with the lack of diversity, it leads to body dissatisfaction, that would be a person’s negative thoughts about their body, and can inevitably lead to eating disorders. Also, media distorting reality can lead to mental illness and a low self es teem. The body image of many people doesRead MoreThe Negative Impact Of Social Media And Body Image1452 Words   |  6 Pagesthe tremendous exposure to the media has a negative impact in the consumers and their health, as well as their body image. The ideal body image that is seen by today’s society is tall, thin, muscular, and fit. It is constantly advertised in various forms of media including, such as televisions, magazines, internet, and smartphone devices, which make others feel insecure about appearance and health. The constant reinforcement of the ideal body image throughout the media negatively impacts society throughRead MoreSocial Media Has a Negative Effect on Body Image and Self Esteem1202 Words   |  5 PagesSocial media has become one of the most popular sources of communication for the upcoming generation. For young people growing up in today’s society, social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have provided pictures and news that have become the first thing that their eyes see in the morning and the last thing that they see before bed. These pictures have provided unrealistic standards as to what is considered beautiful in today’s society. As young people refer to these images as aRead MoreDoes Media Influence Adolescent Girls Into Having Negative Body Images2580 Words   |  11 PagesOctober 24,2010 Does the Media Cause Individuals to Develop Negative Body Images? The influence the media has upon all of society can have positive and negative effects on the public. The effect the media has on adolescent girls in regard to body image has had negative impacts, such as an obsession with body weight and what the society views as the â€Å"perfect body†. The media can be seen as partly responsible for the pressure adolescent females’ face in consideration to body issues. These pressuresRead MoreSocial Media Allows People To Share Pictures And Ideas1057 Words   |  5 PagesSocial media allows people to share pictures and ideas with others across the world. Women and girls can use social media to earn approval for their appearance and compare themselves to others. Women during this time period that are so heavily impacted by the media can link their self-worth to their looks. I used scholarly articles all relating to how social media affects body image to decide what my view point was. After research, we can conclude that social media has a negative effect on a woman’sRead MoreHow Does The Media Affect Male Body Image?874 Words   |  4 PagesExploratory Analysis: How Does The Media Effect Male Body Image? Today in modern society, we are driven by social forces. Not only do we strive for human approval and companionship, we also thrive on social media. The media plays such a pivotal role in what we buy, eat, wear, etc. that we are conditioning ourselves to fit the mold for the â€Å"perfect† or â€Å"ideal† body type. This social construct has been a pressing issue for many years regarding the female physique, but not as much has been said onRead MoreThe Effects Of Media On Body Dissatisfaction Of Young Girls And Adolescents1214 Words   |  5 PagesThe media is an important aspect of the current society and is ever present to the public. With the creation of new technology, there are more and more ways the media can be received and displayed for people to see everywhere they go. There are so many media sights nowadays such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, as well as new magazines, commercials and other media publications made every day that allow people to connect to current events and new trends. Although today’s media has the potentialRead MoreThe Halo Effect Essay1249 Words   |  5 Pagesdefinitely true in the media because people put so much importance on being attractive and often value people more based on that, whether or not their other characteristics are actually positive. An article that supports the importance of this thin promoting media being harmful said that a study predicted thinness-depicting and -promoting (TDP) media would predict results of eating disorders more strongly than a general exposure to mass media. The findings showed that this TDP media in fact did correlate

Comparing the Plays, A Raisin in the Sun and Death of a...

In history there have been an uncountable amount of plays made, but there have only been two that fully captured the American dream like A Raisin in the sun and Death of a Salesman. In both plays the protagonist is trying to achieve the American dream, but it is near impossible when neither of them has the respect of their superiors or the people around them. It is amazing that two different plays can so closely parallel each other when they have a time gap of over 10 years. Both Miller and Lorraine created a theme of achieving goals, Willy Loman just wanted to earn the respect of the people around him while Walter Younger wanted to get rich quick and support his family. American politician Reubin Askew once said, â€Å"We must stop talking†¦show more content†¦But luckily they both have the support of a loving family to help them through it. Ruth Younger was one of the few things that kept Walter sane and their apartment intact, she kept up the apartment and remains emotio nally strong throughout the play, â€Å"goodbye misery! I don’t ever want to see your ugly face again†. A character from â€Å"Death of a Salesmen† that is almost identical to Ruth is Linda Loman. Linda nurtured a hurting family all those times when Willy’s misguided attempts at success miserably failed. She too held together her family with her emotional strength, without her Willy would have broken long before he did in the play. Linda was the one that kept a cool head in heavy situations, when everyone was freaking out she was the one to bring them down to earth. These two women played a huge role in keeping their family together; they knew when the tough times came they were the ones who needed to stay strong. Both plays have a character that gives the families some news they don’t want to hear. In â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† that character is Mr. Karl Lindner; he informs the Youngers that they are unwanted in a neighborhood that they jus t moved in to. He says that because of their ethnicity they will lower the value of the homes around them. Their excitement from finally buying a house of their own was quickly abolished. Howard Wagner was another prime example of someone that gives bad news, or in this case catastrophic news, he was theShow MoreRelated Comparing the American Dream in Millers Death of a Salesman and Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun3400 Words   |  14 PagesComparing the Destructive American Dream in Millers Death of a Salesman and Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun America is a land of dreamers. From the time of the Spanish conquistadors coming in search of gold and everlasting youth, there has been a mystique about the land to which Amerigo Vespucci gave his name. To the Puritans who settled its northeast, it was to be the site of their â€Å"city upon a hill† (Winthrop 2). They gave their home the name New England, to signify their hope for aRead MoreMarketing Management 14th Edition Test Bank Kotler Test Bank173911 Words   |  696 Pagesbusiness market B) global market C) nonprofit market D) consumer market E) exclusive market Answer: C Page Ref: 9 Objective: 2 Difficulty: Easy 19) Which of the following is true of business markets? A) Buyers are usually not skilled at comparing competitive product offerings. B) Buyers have limited purchasing power. C) Property rights, language, culture, and local laws are the most important concerns. D) Products sold in such markets are usually highly standardized. E) Business buyersRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesConflict 375 SKILL LEARNING 376 Interpersonal Conflict Management 376 Mixed Feelings About Conflict 376 Diagnosing the Type of Interpersonal Conflict 378 Conflict Focus 378 Conflict Source 380 Selecting the Appropriate Conflict Management Approach 383 Comparing Conflict Management and Negotiation Strategies 386 Selection Factors 386 Resolving Interpersonal Confrontations Using the Collaborative Approach A General Framework for Collaborative Problem Solving 391 The Four Phases of Collaborative Problem Solving

Andy Warhol free essay sample

American painter, printmaker, photographer, filmmaker, writer, publisher, commercial artist, and illustrator who first gained recognition with his imaginative advertising designs for elite clients such as Tiffany Company, retailer Henri Bendel, and I. Miller shoes. Warhol ultimately became one of the most famous figures of the 20th century, renowned as much for the persona he created as for his multiple original silk-screen images of common supermarket products, front-page news events, and celebrity icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Jacqueline Kennedy, Elvis Presley, Marlon Brando, and Elizabeth Taylor. Mitchell,2-3) However, there were many critics who did not believe that what Warhol did was art. Some were rather confused and outraged, and questioning whether or not pictures of Campbell’s soup can, Brillo boxes, comic strip characters, was art. When Andy Warhols works first showed up in galleries in the early 1960s people were irritated, because people thought of art as Picasso or Van Gough, and they had not explored the world modern art. But others found his paintings amusing and meaningful. Because Warhol glorified popular culture with realistic depictions of everyday objects, his work was called pop art. (Grolier Online)In this paper I will argue that as time progresses, people like Andy Warhol are a necessity to our society so that we can open our eyes to something we have never seen before, no matter how the media critiques it. Andy Warhol did just that, and that is why he is a major icon of pop art/culture. Andy Warhol was born Andrew Warhola, a son of Slovakian immigrants, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 6, 1928. He was a weak child, and inflexible fever left him with the pale, blemished skin that, along with the shaggy white wigs he wore to hide his thinning hair, contributed to his distinctive looks. If you ever look at images of Andy Warhol, it is very clear that he was very different and that he had something unique about himself. His illnesses sometime forced him to be bed-ridden, and also made him an outcast in school, and created a very strong with his mother. When in bed he used to draw, listen to the radio and collect pictures of movie stars around his bed. After showing an early sign of artistic ability, he attended the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh to study commercial art. After graduating in 1949, he moved to New York City, where his success as a ommercial artist was immediate. In the 1950’s, he fame developed for his whimsical ink drawings of shoe advertisements. Andy Warhols first New York solo pop art exhibition was hosted at Eleanor Wards Stable Gallery November 6–24, 1962. The exhibit included the works Marilyn Diptych, 100 Soup Cans, 100 Coke Bottles and 100 Dollar Bills. His work became popular, and the more attention that he got, the more controversial his works became. (Mitchell 2-3) Art historians, even today, still dispute the significance of the Warhol legacy. For example in 1995, Warhol was issued in a poll which asked who were the most over or under rated artists of the century. Andrew ? Graham-Dixon, chief art critic for The Independent, London, irritably says that the attention Warhol receives is exaggerated far past his importance: I dont ? know why I keep hearing about Warhol shows. We dont need forty exhibitions ? explaining what he did. . . if you cant see it, youre dumb, where as Mark Stevens, another art critic, also adds that Warhol was the most over and underrated artist of the century. Graham-Dixons irritation and Stevens doubt represent ideas that ? control the criticism of Warhol. The enormous opposing array of ? criticism show that Warhols artistic statement struck a ? nerve, raised appealing issues that still shock the historians/art critics, and clearly shows what kind of an important role Warhol played in art history. (Pratt xviii) â€Å"Public fascination with Warhol revolved around two questions: Why is he doing this? And how is he getting away with it? † (Harron) Warhol’s work on the soup cans portrayed everything that was trashy and overexposed in American life. By bringing the supermarket into the art gallery, pop art rejected all main values about what was good or bad, beautiful or ugly, art or non-art. The public perceived him, in a way, as a hustler. And in a way, he was. He manipulated the media and put it into his work as a statement. This completely depicted the whole idea of modern/contemporary art. That’s all Warhol was trying to show. â€Å"Whats great about this country is that America started the tradition where? the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coca-Cola, Liz Taylor drinks Coca-Cola, and just think, you can drink Coca-Cola, too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the cokes are the same and all the cokes are good. Liz Taylor knows it, the President knows it, the bum knows it, and you know it. † (Mitchell,3) This quote describes his character, attitude, and how he knew what to say so that his work was illustrated in the positive direction. In 1964, Warhol held an exhibit called â€Å" the American Supermarket,† which had everything from produce goods to canned goods, basically everything you can see at a deli. At that time his painting was going for $1,500. This exhibit was of the first mass events, which raised a question of what is art? and what is not art? The fact that people, aside from critics, took him into consideration was absolutely phenomenal. People were fascinated, not just by the fact that he had people’s attention to repeat pictures of a soup can, but because of the fact that he had the idea to create repetition into a form of art. Aside from critics, there were people who were not so simple-minded and saw what Warhol was trying to do and saw it as a form of art. People were drawn to his attitude. He would say things like, In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. Business is the best art. I love Hollywood. Its plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic. Were a vacuum here at the Factory. I think its great. (Mitchell, 5) â€Å"The Factory† was his art studio in New York City, where he was trying to increase productivity on factory art and silkscreen paintings. This showed that pop art was all about fun. By the end of the decade, the drug-crazed Factory scene, with its cast of misfits, bred disaster. In 1968 Valerie Solanis, a deranged writer, stepped off the elevator and shot Warhol. Warhol never entirely recovered from the life-threatening wounds, and at the Factory he no longer tolerated carefree 1960s eccentricities. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s Warhol devoted himself to â€Å"Interview†, the celebrity magazine he founded; to writing (The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, 1975); and to commission society portraits based on Polaroid photographs. Although there was talk of a decline in his work of this period, his prolific output was still punctuated by adventuresome experimentation as seen in his Oxidation Paintings of the late 1970s, works of strange, ethereal beauty made by urinating on copper-paint-coated canvas. (5-6) By this time he was not just a celebrity or artist, he was household name. Andy Warhol had passed away on February 22, 1987, in New York City, because of complication after surgery. (Mitchell,5-5) No matter what critics have to say, he is still remembered and looked upon, even 20 years after his death. Andy Warhol had created a world of modern art, something people have never seen before. In recent news, his painting of the Campbell’s soup was sold for $100 million. Over achievement is an understatement, because painters like Picasso were amongst the only artists to ever sell a painting for $100 million. Twenty years after his death, we still commemorate his artistic talent and great ability to show us something that others would be afraid to express. Two museums are dedicated to Warhol. The Andy Warhol Museum, one of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. It is the largest American art museum dedicated to a single artist, holding more than 12,000 works by the artist. (Mitchell, 6) Largely, Andy Warhol was an innovator, a liberator, and to most, an absolute genius. It was clear that critics such as Graham-Dixon, were highly mistaken, because Warhol exhibits were on high demand, and now his work is being sold for millions of dollars. Andy Warhol will for ever stay legacy because he opened up many doors for future generations and allowed artists to be who ever they want to be. One phenomenon that is a majorly inspired by Warhol is Lady GaGa, who is very open about her love for Warhol. She’s successful because she does what she wants, and critics will never stop her.

Organizations Management in Cross Cultural Context-Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Organizations and Management in Cross-Cultural Context. Answer: Active Listening in a Cross-Cultural Context According to Aycan, Kanungo Mendonca (2014: 112), active listening helps individuals in acknowledging their feelings, changing their behavior, and attitudes. The authors also note that active listening creates a supportive atmosphere and consequently reduces the need for individuals to defend themselves. In such an atmosphere, the uninhibited and open communication is defined by acceptance, understanding, and empathy. Besides, individuals involved in the communication process consider each other as crucial resources instead of a threat to assistance and information. Active listening in the context of cross-cultural communication entails listening with sensitivity and establishing an environment where acceptance, permissiveness, freedom, and warmth are respected and emphasized (Aycan, Kanungo Mendonca 2014: 113). Through active listening, an environment of trust is created with the primary objective of conveying the intended information and avoiding miscommunication. However, active listening significantly differs across cultures. For instance, depending on an individuals cultural background, active listening entails utilizing facial expressions, nodding ones head, maintaining eye contact, and utilizing open-ended questions (Aycan, Kanungo Mendonca 2014: 113). Unfortunately, these strategies are common in Individualistic cultures including European cultures and the North American continent and not in collectivist cultures such as in China or Japan. For instance, maintaining eye contact is considered aggressive or rude by individuals from Japanese culture. Nodding means that a person is attentive rather than agreeing in Japanese culture. For all these reasons, it is important to learn non-verbal and verbal communication cues used by individuals from distinct cross-cultural backgrounds to avoid miscommunication. Analysis of the Significance of Active Listening For Cross-Cultural Communication Gore (2013: 59) defines cross-cultural communication as an individual ability to effectively improve, foster, and form relationships with people from different cultural backgrounds. Cross-cultural communication is founded on various factors including social structures, manners, perceptions, cultural values, and decision-making practices. Likewise, it takes into consideration comprehending how people from distinct cultural backgrounds communicate in writing, in person, nonverbally, and verbally in both social and business contexts. Additionally, cross-cultural communication analyzes how individuals from distinct cultural backgrounds communicate among themselves and across cultures. Nonetheless, people from different cultures face communication barriers in their attempt to interact with one another. Overview of Barriers to Cross-Cultural Communication Gore (2013: 62) outlines six main obstacles to effective communication including gender barriers, language barriers, and cultural barriers. Other barriers include perceptual barriers, emotional barriers, and physical barriers. Physical Barriers The concept of the global village has brought individuals from different regions of the world together. In fact, the presence of mobiles, telephones, and the internet has enabled individuals from various parts of the globe to connect, share photos, and communicate with one another. However, physical barriers including workplace separation, marked territories, and geographical locations remains a significant barrier towards effective cross-cultural communication (Steers, Nardon Sanchez-Runde, 2013: 268). In some organizations, the departments, sections, and cabins reflect the different status of their employees. However, technology advancements are eliminating these physical barriers. If the technology is not used to convey the message as intended, it might result in miscommunication. Perceptual Barriers Communicating with individuals characterized by different temperament, disposition, mindset, and colors is quite challenging because they hold distinct views regarding the world and people around them. Emotional Barriers According to Gore (2013:64), individuals emotional behaviors and attitudes significantly differ when reacting to similar or different circumstances. Emotional behavior includes doubts, suspicion, fear, and mistrust. The author notes that emotional beliefs and disbeliefs are the main barrier to free and open communication. Individuals and students from different communities, societies, civilizations, cultures, and continents have distinct sets of emotional attachment which acts a barrier to effective cross-cultural communication. Cultural Barriers Failure to understand other peoples culture results in miscommunication, to be precise, the use of verbal and non-verbal communication. In some instances, positive message is taken negatively by a person coming from other civilization or culture (Gore, 2013: 65). For this reason, it is advisable for individuals working in a multi-cultural institution such as the University of Wollongong (UOW) to have a knowledge of their students and co-workers ideologies and cultures to enhance the communication process. Gender Barriers Gender consciousness is a significant barrier to effective communication. For instance, individuals of opposite sex find it difficult to express themselves freely during conversations. However, this problem is prevalent among Arabians and Asians. For instance, when conversing, a man from the Arabian culture does not maintain an eye contact with a woman because they consider it offensive, and it jeopardizes the effectiveness of the communication. Language Barrier Language is crucial in communication because it helps in conveying and describing what people wish to put across. Through language, individuals express their experiences, thoughts, ideas, emotions, and feelings (Thomas Peterson, 2015: 56). However, people make use of colloquial expressions, jargons, and buzz-words that make communication difficult; especially if they are not viewed in the same context as the sender. Equally, if people use unknown gestures, pronunciations, signs, imageries, symbols and words, miscommunication is bound to occur. Also, the use of body language, non-verbal communication, and similes jeopardizes communication effectiveness (Hofstede, Hofstede Minkov, 2010: 29). For all these reasons, active listening plays an essential role in cross-cultural communication. How Active Listening Eliminates Barriers to Effective Cross-Cultural Communication Fall et al. (2013: 413) consider active listening as an effective strategy in boosting cross-cultural communication. As a technique, active listening entails understanding what the other speaker is trying to put across and asking questions to clarify issues. Accordingly, Krizan et al.(2012: 401) argue that managing cross-cultural communications requires individuals to take into consideration non-verbal communication and listening. In various types of literature, employers consider active listening as one of the top skills in management because it boosts the relationship between employees and customers as well as between employees and the management (Hong, 2012: 125). Active listening eliminates barriers to effective cross-cultural communication because it is characterized by five crucial stages of communication including remembering, responding, interpreting, filtering and hearing (Kic-Drgas, 2015: 17). Being aware of these five processes makes the interaction between individual smoo ther because it focuses on the intention of the sent informational and the receivers attention. Four Key Strategies for Staffs to Advance Their Cross-Cultural Active Listening Skills When Dealing With Students from Other Cultures Staffs at the University of Wollongong (UOW) need skills in cross-cultural communication because they do interact with students and co-workers from distinct cultures and countries. Therefore, failure to recognize differences in verbal and non-verbal communication among different cultures might result in embarrassing mistakes. To avoid such errors, the staffs at the University of Wollongong should apply the following four strategies to enhance their cross-cultural active listening skills. Acquiring cultural competence by studying different cultures at the University The primary objective of the above strategy is to enhance communication skills across distinct cultures prevalent at the university. Through this strategy, the staff will shun behaviors that make their co-workers feel unwanted or excluded. Additionally, understanding other cultures is essential in preventing demeaning and stereotyping remarks or jokes (Guirdham, 2011:35). Knowing and having a deeper comprehension of the staffs language of context The above knowledge is crucial in obtaining significant insights regarding communication across cultures. For instance, staffs will understand unacceptable and acceptable verbal and non-verbal communications across cultures (Maude, 2011: 48). The author also notes that in high-context cultures such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Mexico, and China, nonverbal cues are also important in conveying meaning in the communication process. However, in low-context cultures such as the U.S. and Germany, communication is restricted to spoken or written word. Therefore, through this strategy, the staffs will understand which nonverbal cues to use to make the other party in the communication process know that he/she is actively listening to the conversation. Failure to understand these differences results in miscommunication. Taking part in teaching active listening To enhance effective communication across staffs from various cultural backgrounds at the University, it is important that they take part in educating students about active listening skills. In their teaching, they will comprehend the importance of listening not to judge individuals rather understand them. Through this strategy, staff will become sensitive to other peoples culture. For instance, they will channel their focus on understanding what other people from foreign cultures are attempting to say and how they will react to their responses with the aim of reducing misunderstanding (Bholanath, 2010: 11). Appreciating and Being Optimistic to cultural differences The above strategy enhances communication skills because it requires the staffs to talk less and listen more. The strategy also allows staffs to spend time together with the aim of improving their cultural awareness and being sensitive to other peoples perspective (Moran, Harris Moran, 2011: 93). Identifying Four Key Strategies for Students to Advance Their Cross-Cultural Active Listening Skills When Dealing With Students from Other Cultures Effective cross-cultural communication requires students to be sensitive to other peoples culture. Therefore, to enhance their communication with students from other cultures, the following strategies are crucial. Speaking Slowly Non-native students often find it difficult to figure out what native speakers are trying to put across because of the speed with which they communicate. Regardless, the student is an individual who has started learning English language or who comes from countries that speak English as their national language; it is important to moderate the speed which one communicate. However, speaking too slow might be considered insulting by students from foreign cultures. Sticking To Direct and Simple Explanations and Directions According to cross-cultural communication experts, a single conversation between two individuals contains lots of information. For this reason, they recommend the importance of reducing the amount of information that students attempt to pass across at a one time. Improving communication and reducing incidents of misunderstanding requires students to use simple words and avoid multi-part and complex sentences (Lee, Brown Yeung, 2012: 79). Understanding Distinct Cultural Assumptions Students from foreign cultures base their non-verbal and verbal communications on shared attitudes and beliefs. Therefore, students should understand non-verbal cues that students from other cultures consider to be offensive. Additionally, they should avoid using references, slang, or jokes that might be misleading or confusing to non-native students (Kothhoff Spencer-Oatey, 2010: 279). Practicing active listening Through this strategy, it is important to restate other speakers words with the aim of understanding what they intend to put across. It is also important to ask questions to ensure that significant information is captured during cross-cultural communication. Identifying Four Key Strategies That I Need To Personally Adopt To Enhance My Cross-Cultural Active Listening Skill When Dealing With Students and Staff from Other Cultures To enhance my cross-cultural active listening skills, I will adopt a wide range of strategies to avoid miscommunication and misunderstanding. First, I will channel my focus on understanding my fellow students and staff cultures by reading a wide range of literature. According to Velo (2012:13), literature mirrors a society beliefs, values, and views including their cultural, political, and social development. Through reading such literature, I will have an overview of the aspects of the different cultures at the University. The second strategy is maintaining courtesy and respect of individuals who come from distinct cultures. Through this strategy, I will be able to minimize the stress that individuals feel when attempting to comprehend what people from other cultures are attempting to put across. The third strategy is avoiding the use of slangs. The use of slang significantly differs between cultures and their interpretation is not always correct. Therefore, I will avoid using slang words that are unfamiliar to my audience. The last strategy is avoiding the use of humor because what might be funny in one culture might be insulting in another culture. Recommendation For the University to address the issue of cross-cultural communication, it is essential for both staffs and students at the University of Wollongong (UOW) to surf the internet and understand how people from different cultures use verbal and non-verbal cues. Understanding different cultures is crucial in enhancing communication and reducing misunderstandings. Conclusion In conclusion, the world is increasingly becoming a global village in that people from distinct countries and cultures interact on daily basis. For this reason, it is important for individuals to enhance their cross-cultural communication skills as well as active listening skills. For instance, they need to understand the use of verbal and nonverbal cues across cultures to avoid misunderstandings. For instance, maintaining eye contact is considered active listening in individualistic cultures such as Germany and the United States whereas in collectivist cultures such as Japan, it is considered rude. Equally, individuals need to avoid using slang because it might be interpreted wrong resulting in ineffective communication. Therefore, the key to enhancing active-listening in cross-cultural communication is knowledge. Having knowledge of the different cultures, people will find a way to behave appropriately and address issues associated with the cross-cultural communication. List of References Aycan, Z., Kanungo, R.N. Mendonca, M.(2014) Organizations and Management in Cross-Cultural Context, London: Sage Publications Ltd. Bholanath, D. (2010) Communication in cross-cultural context, ICFAI Journal of Soft Skills, vol.2, no.2, pp. 7-12. Fall, L.T, Kelly, S, MacDonald, P, Primm, C. Holmes, W. (2013) 'Intercultural Communication Apprehension and Emotional Intelligence in Higher Education: Preparing Business Students for Career Success', Business Communication Quarterly, vol. 76, no. 4, pp. 412-426. Gore, V.(2013) 'The Importance of Cross-Cultural Communication', IUP Journal of Soft Skills, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 59-65. Guirdham, M. (2011) Communicating across cultures at work, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G.J., Minkov, M.(2010) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, New York: McGraw- Hill. Hong, W. (2012) 'New Perspective of Cross-Cultural Communications: Applications in China Marketing', Journal of Marketing Development Competitiveness, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 123-130. Kic-Drgas, J.(2015)'Communication Conflicts in an International Environment', Global Management Journal, vol. 7, no. 1/2, pp. 73-80. Kothhoff, H., Spencer-Oatey, H.(2010) Handbook of Intercultural Communication, Berlin; NewYork: Mouton de Grutyer. Krizan, A.C., Merrier, P., Logan, J.P., Williams, K. S.(2012) Business Communication, Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning. Lee, CK, Brown, EL, Yeung, AS 2012, Communication and Language : Surmounting Barriers to Cross-cultural Understanding, Information Age Publishing, Charlotte, NC. Maude, B.(2011). Managing Cross-Cultural Communication: Principles and Practice, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Moran, R.T., Harris, P.R., Moran, S.V.(2011). Managing Cultural Differences: Global Leadership Strategies for Cross-Cultural Business Success, London: Routledge. Steers, R.M. Nardon, L., Sanchez-Runde, C.(2013). Management Across Cultures: Developing Global Competencies, Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press. Thomas, D. Peterson, M.(2015) Cross-Cultural Management: Essential Concepts, Sage: London Velo, V.(2012). Cross-Cultural Management, New York: Business Press