The focus of this week will be on how to assess the Business and Market Landscape, and understanding the need of invention to avoid limitations of the existing solutions available in the market
Dr. Cindy Furse & Dr. Arabella Bhutto will be the facilitators
Objective 1: Introduce you with the resources available through the Marriot Library and enable you to learn about the existing solutions in the market, as an added information towards literature search
Objective 2: Enable you to connect the problem you identified to the existing solutions and perceiving value which you will offer through your innovative solution in the future
IntroDuction
Two components of the LCI will be discussed i-e Existing Solutions and Novelty. Different databases will be introduced which are available through the Marriot library for exploring the existing solutions in the market, looking for limitations in the existing solutions and proposing novelty in the future invention with respect to the elements of the value pyramid.
Learn about Geert Hofstede's 6 Cultural Dimensions
Identify how one or more of the Hofstede cultural dimensions might influence your professional relationships
IntroDuction
Geert Hofstede (1928 - 2020) was a Dutch social psychologist who defined culture as "the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the member of one group or category of people from another.” Culture provides blueprints for so many aspects of people's lives, including how we dress, the ways we related to one another, our values, and beliefs. Hofstede applied what he learned about hundreds of cultures across the globe to professional contexts. Within a research lab, academic department, and workplace, all of our interactions are influenced by cultural dimensions. For example, when attending a meeting, some cultures value mingling, eating, and informal conversation before delving into a formal agenda. In some cultures, this type of pre-meeting socializing could be interpreted as disrespectful (a waste of precious time!). This week, in our matrix mentoring section, you will spend a bit of time learning about Hofstede's 6 Cultural Dimensions and thinking about how it might influence your mentoring, educational, professional, or personal relationships.
Watch Geert Hofstede describe his definition of culture and how organizations, steeped within particular cultures, enact specific cultural dimensions. These six cultural dimensions help organizations solve social issues, including (a) societal inequality (power distance), (b) dependence on others (individualism/collectivism ), (c) emotional expression (femininity/masculinity), (d) response to the unknown (uncertainty avoidance), sense of time (short - long - term orientation), and (e) how people deal with their natural drives (indulgence/ restraint).
OverView of Assignments
After watching Geert Hofstede's short interview and reading through the overview of the 6 Cultural Dimensions, you may be interested in skimming through two studies that apply his theory to the field of engineering.
Type in the name of a country or countries you may consider working in after graduation or a country from which a mentors/peers/faculty is originally from
Briefly summarize the are some similarities and differences about your country of origin and your peer/faculty/mentor?
What are some new realizations or general reactions to what you've just learned?
How might you apply what you've learned about the 6 cultural dimensions in your research team, with a peer, or within your mentoring relationship?
Imagine you will be meeting with a potential employer who was born and raised in a different country. What might something you would interested in learning about with regard to one or more of the 6 cultural dimensions?
Learn the difference between time management skills, time management techniques, time management tools, and personality traits that encourage good time management
Understand the five most important time management skills and how to acquire them
Review a list of time management skills and determine which ones would be important for you to implement
Gain a deeper understanding of procrastination and 11 ways to stop putting things off
IntroDuction
Time management is the process of planning and controlling how much time to spend on specific activities. Good time management enables an individual to complete more in a shorter period of time, lowers stress, and leads to career success. This week you will read an article that describes which skills are the cornerstone of the most productive people in the world and how you can develop them.
Procrastination and distractions can undo all the effort you've put into getting organized and taking control of your time. When your urge to delay a task occurs, it can be helpful to ask yourself, Why am I putting off this task?" or "Why am I not focusing on what I should focus on?" The more you know about what's causing you to veer off track, the more you can work to change your behavior and accomplish your goals. This week you will also read an article to understand the most common root causes for procrastination so that you can identify when you're falling victim to these causes and apply the right antidotes. I've also included a funny, but insightful Ted Talk on procrastination.
Type in the name of a country or countries you may consider working in after graduation or a country from which a mentors/peers/faculty is originally from
Briefly summarize the are some similarities and differences about your country of origin and your peer/faculty/mentor?
What are some new realizations or general reactions to what you've just learned?
How might you apply what you've learned about the 6 cultural dimensions in your research team, with a peer, or within your mentoring relationship?
Imagine you will be meeting with a potential employer who was born and raised in a different country. What might something you would interested in learning about with regard to one or more of the 6 cultural dimensions?
Career Development Topic
TBA
Exploring My Career Path Matches (CD13) Hofstede's 6 Cultural Dimensions and You
