Thursday, September 6, 2012

Romancing London Pound for Pound

London is one of the greatest cities in the world. Each nook and cranny, each towering building and narrow street, each old crumbling castle and verdant countryside celebrate the old and new. London is where Dickens thought of Oliver Twist, where Shakespeare had a Midsummer's Night Dream, and where Mr. Bean stuck his head inside a turkey. London is where Detective Sherlock Holmes solved cases in Conan Doyle's stories. It is where Harry Potter traveled by train, from London's King's Cross railway station to a magical world of moving photos and hypogriffs.

A Pretty British Penny
In London, nothing is certain except for expense. For five years in a row, London has consistently placed as one of the Ten Most Expensive Cities in the World. As rich in culture and tradition as London may be, it is even richer in tourist spending. Consider the following costs of basic goods and services in London, after conversion from British pound to U.S. Dollar:

o Can of soda: .30 US

Romancing London Pound for Pound

o Loaf of bread: $.60 - .40 US

o Downtown London bus ride: US

o Movie theater ticket: -20 US

o Restaurant meal: -40 US

o Rental of mid-sized car for the weekend: 0 US

Hotels in London are just as pricey, with some costing around ,000-,000 US per night! However, before you yell "Blimey," note that London has more hotels than any other city in Europe. So if you want to avoid dipping into your retirement fund before you can check into comfortable lodging, why don't you consider staying in budget hotels in London?

B and B: The Place to Be

A Bed and Breakfast, or B&B, is one of the budget hotels in London. This type of boarding house is usually located in huge single family homes. Guests sleep in private bedrooms at night, and are served breakfast in the morning. B&B prices range range from 0 to 0 US.

A Star at 2 and 3-Star Hotels

If B&B is too much of the simple life for you, two and three-star hotels are also an excellent option. These budget hotels in London offer comfortable lodging at an affordable price. Additionally, they often come with personal and personalized service. Most budget hotels in London that are of this variety boast of one to three restaurants with huge menus, and 24-hour room service. Oh, and expect large gyms and garage parking there as well. Prices of 2-star hotels range from about to 0 US. Prices for 3-star hotels range from about to 0 US.

A Guest at a Guest House

A guest house is very similar to a Bed and Breakfast. It is a private home that has been remodeled to accommodate guests. The owner typically lives in a completely different area on the property. The prices of London guest houses range from about to US.

Hostel: Not Hostile to Your Wallet

Hostels form a group of communal budget hotels in London. If you're traveling on a shoestring budget, a hostel is the most practical lodging option for you. You share a room with up to 10 other people. You sleep in bunk beds, or beds stacked on other beds. You could look upon this arrangement as a hardship, or you could see it as a wonderful adventure. Either way, you get to save money. Hostels will set you back by only or so, but expect no beddings and little service. After all, you can't have a Porsche for the price of a bike.

London combines the best of all possible worlds. It has the sophistication of a metropolis, and the ruins of a city that has seen many civilizations rise and fall. Make the most of your experience by staying at budget hotels in London. London may be a very costly to visit, but it's worth every penny. As Samuel Johnson claims, when you've seen London, you've seen as much of life as the world can show.

Romancing London Pound for Pound
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Sunday, September 2, 2012

Cross Cultural Solutions for International Business

Globalisation, the expansion of intercontinental trade, technological advances and the increase in the number of companies dealing on the international stage have brought about a dramatic change in the frequency, context and means by which people from different cultural backgrounds interact.


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Cross cultural solutions to international business demands are increasingly being viewed as a valid and necessary method in enhancing communication and interaction in and between companies, between companies and customers and between colleagues.

Cross cultural consultancies are involved in aiding companies to find solutions to the challenges cross cultural differences carry.

Cross Cultural Solutions for International Business

International and national businesses are ultimately the result of people. As with incompatible software, if people are running on different cultural coding, problems can occur. Cross cultural consultancies therefore concentrate their efforts on interpersonal communication.

Different cultures and cultural backgrounds between a highly diverse staff base brings with it obstacles, challenges and difficulties. Cross cultural differences manifest in general areas such as in behaviour, etiquette, norms, values, expressions, group mechanics and non-verbal communication. These cross cultural differences then follow on through to high level areas such as management styles, corporate culture, marketing, HR and PR.

In order to overcome potential pitfalls, specialist attention is required in the form of a cross cultural consultant. As one would approach a doctor for a medical diagnosis or an accountant to examine finances, cross cultural consultants offer the expertise, experience and know-how to diagnose problems and provide solutions to interpersonal cultural differences.

Within companies there are many facets in which cultural differences manifest. Some key areas which cross cultural consultants deal with include, but are not exclusive to, the following:

Cross Cultural HR: HR covers a wide range of business critical areas that need cross cultural analysis. Consultants may offer advice on a number of areas including recruitment, relocation, international assignments, staff retention and training programmes.

Cross Cultural Team-Building: in order to have a well functioning business unit within a company, communication is critical. Cross cultural consultants will provide tools and methods to promote staff integration, reduce cross cultural conflicts and build team spirit. This is essentially done through highlighting differences and building on strengths to ensure they are used positively.

Cross Cultural Synergy: international mergers, acquisitions and joint-ventures require people from different cultural backgrounds to harmonise in order to succeed. Cross cultural consultants counsel on group mechanics, communication styles, norms, values and integration processes.

Cross Cultural Awareness Training: working with colleagues, customers or clients from different cultural backgrounds, with different religions, values and etiquettes can occasionally lead to problems. Cross cultural awareness training is usually a generic introduction into a culture, country, region or religion. The aim is to equip the trainee with the adequate knowledge to deal comfortably with people from different cultures, avoiding misunderstandings and mistakes.

Cross Cultural Training for Expatriate Relocation: staff that travel overseas need to understand the cultural basics of the host country or region. Knowledge of the country's history, culture, laws, traditions, business practices and social etiquettes all help to minimise the impact of culture shock and hence smooth their transition overseas.

Cross Cultural Negotiations: equipped with their knowledge of the two or more cultures that can be meeting around the negotiation table, a cross cultural consultant advises on areas such as negotiation strategies, styles, planning, closure and etiquette in order to increase the chance of a successful outcome, free from misunderstandings, suspicions and general cross cultural communication breakdown.

Cross Cultural PR Consultancy: brand image, public relations and advertising are all areas companies must be careful of when moving out of the national context. Tastes and values change dramatically from continent to continent. It is crucial to understand whether the brand name, image or advertising campaign is culturally applicable in the target country. Cross cultural consultants examine words, images, pictures, colours and symbols to ensure they fit well with the target culture.

Cross Cultural Language Training: Language training is an area where little investment is made by companies, but where the business advantages are great. Linguistic knowledge goes a long way in bridging cultural gaps and smoothing lines of communication. Cross cultural consultancies provide language training to business staff, moulding their learning to the business environment in which they work.

In conclusion, clearly the role and expertise of cross cultural communication consultants is important for today's international business. The potential pitfalls cross cultural differences present to companies are extensive. In essence a cross cultural consultant's primary objective is integration. This integration, between colleagues, clients and customers is crucial for business success. Equipped with experience, knowledge and above all objectivity, a cross cultural consultant creates bridges of understanding and opens lines of communication.

Cross Cultural Solutions for International Business

For more information on cross cultural communication please visit http://www.kwintessential.co.uk

Neil Payne is Director of cross cultural communications consultancy Kwintessential.

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