Cross Cultural Chairs

The astronomer’s observing chair as both image and object, and the story it tells about a particular kind of science and a particular view of history. The astronomer’s chair is a leitmotif in the history of astronomy, appearing in hundreds of drawings, prints, and photographs from a variety of sources. Nineteenth-century stargazers in particular seemed eager to display their observing chairs—task-specific, often mechanically adjustable observatory furniture designed for use in conjunction with telescopes. But what message did they mean to send with these images? In The Astronomer’s Chair, Omar W. Nasim considers these specialized chairs as both image and object, offering an original framework for linking visual and material cultures. Observing chairs, Nasim ingeniously argues, showcased and embodied forms of scientific labor, personae, and bodily practice that appealed to bourgeois sensibilities. Viewing image and object as connected parts of moral, epistemic, and visual economies of empire, Nasim shows that nineteenth-century science was represented in terms of comfort and energy, and that “manly” postures of Western astronomers at work in specialized chairs were contrasted pointedly with images of “effete” and cross-legged “Oriental” astronomers. Extending his historical analysis into the twentieth century, Nasim reexamines what he argues to be a famous descendant of the astronomer’s chair: Freud’s psychoanalytic couch, which directed observations not outward toward the stars but inward toward the stratified universe of the psyche. But whether in conjunction with the mind or the heavens, the observing chair was a point of entry designed for specialists that also portrayed widely held assumptions about who merited epistemic access to these realms in the first place. With more than 100 illustrations, many in color; flexibound.

In the 21st century, effective leadership can be defined partially as having an ability to adapt and persevere in various cross-cultural environments. Concurrently, in an increasingly globalized environment, leadership requires a keen capacity for understanding and utilizing cultural diversity to build successful organizations. Contemporary Leadership and Intercultural Competence is a breakthrough text that features contributing chapters from some of the world′s leading scholars in the field of cross-cultural leadership. The book comprises 20 chapters that examine the evolving role of cultural diversity in the workplace, the application of cultural comprehension to organizations, and the measurement of various aspects of intercultural competence. Key Features A unique blend of theory and practical applications Several breakthrough, first-of-their-kind chapters on topics such as leadership assessments that measure parameters of intercultural competence, the legal implications of cross-cultural leadership and trade, and the development and implementation of a multicultural vision A plethora of modern examples that provide an accurate description of the contemporary landscape within organizations Invigorating discussion questions at the conclusion of every chapter that engage students Intended Audience Contemporary Leadership and Intercultural Competence is an excellent text for graduate-level courses in Organizational Development, Organizational Behavior, Leadership Theory, Cross-Cultural Management, International Business, Human Resource Management, Educational Leadership, and Public Administration. The book will be of great interest to students, senior managers, cross-cultural management consultants, government leaders, and human resource practitioners.

Traces the history of the chair and provides guidelines to assist the reader in choosing a chair that suits one's body.

This book is a call to action. We spend about eighty percent of our day at work, the rest is at home. If we have a bad day at work we are likely to take that negativity home with us and vice versa. It is of paramount importance that we create healthy environments in the spaces that most affect our lives by giving of our best and receiving the like in return. The 5 Chairs is a powerful and systematic method which helps us master our own behaviours and manage the behaviours of others. To be a good leader is to contribute to the success and happiness of everyone, at work and at home, on a conscious level. The 5 Chairs offer 5 Choices. Which will you choose?"One of the most practical books on emotional intelligence that I have ever read."Richard Barrett, Chairman and Founder of the Barrett Values Centre."Louise's work is for people with the intelligence and humility to believe that in life one can always improve, one can try to understand before judging and one can listen to other people's convictions no matter how diverse. In an increasingly multicultural, globalised world where managing diversity is key to success, Louise's guidelines should be a moral obligation."Franco Moscetti CEO, Axel Glocal Business, previously CEO of Amplifon Ltd"The 5 Chair experience is powerful. After reading the book you feel more equipped, excited even, to manage your daily behaviours and conversations in a completely new way, both at work and at home. It's a real game changer."David Trickey CEO at TCO International and Partner at Viral Change TM"Louise's groundbreaking book is for anyone who is interested in bringing more empathy, emotional intelligence and consciousness into their career (and into their daily life). The examples in this insightful book are practical and easy to integrate, and it's a must-read for anyone who wants to be an inspiring and more effective Leader."Ellen Looyen, Bestselling Author, "Branded for Life!"

Crossing Cultures provides a bold and refreshing new resource for teachers and trainers with proven methods for developing coping strategies and problem-solving skills in the cross-cultural arena. A comprehensive study structured to provide a framework for teaching; each chapter contains a teaching module, highlighting the potential difficulties, dialogues and variations in cross-cultural teaching. Ideal for those teaching Business across borders, this is a uniquely practical guide that features contributions from the leading lights of the field.

A masterpiece in intercultural training! Exploring Culture brings Geert Hofstede's five dimensions of national culture to life. Gert Jan Hofstede and his co-authors Paul Pedersen and Geert Hofstede introduce synthetic cultures, the ten "pure" cultural types derived from the extremes of the five dimensions. The result is a playful book of practice that is firmly rooted in theory. Part light, part serious, but always thought-provoking, this unique book approaches training through the three-part process of building awareness, knowledge, and skills. It leads the reader through the first two components with more than 75 activities, dialogues, stories, and incidents. The Synthetic Culture Laboratory and two full simulations fulfill the skill-building component. Exploring Culture is suitable for students, trainers, coaches and educators. It can be used for individual study or as a text, and it serves as an excellent partner to Geert Hofstede's popular Cultures and Organizations.

The only way to change culture is to create culture. Andy Crouch says we must reclaim the cultural mandate to be the creative cultivators God designed us to be. In this expanded edition of his award-winning book he unpacks how culture works and gives us tools to partner with God's own making and transforming of culture.

Have you ever wondered where rocking chairs came from, or why cheap plastic chairs are suddenly everywhere? In Now I Sit Me Down, the distinguished architect and writer Witold Rybczynski chronicles the history of the chair from the folding stools of pharaonic Egypt to the ubiquitous stackable monobloc chairs of today. He tells the stories of the inventor of the bentwood chair, Michael Thonet, and of the creators of the first molded-plywood chair, Charles and Ray Eames. He reveals the history of chairs to be a social history--of different ways of sitting, of changing manners and attitudes, and of varying tastes. The history of chairs is the history of who we are. We learn how the ancient Chinese switched from sitting on the floor to sitting in a chair, and how the iconic chair of Middle America--the Barcalounger--traces its roots back to the Bauhaus. Rybczynski weaves a rich tapestry that draws on art and design history, personal experience, and historical accounts. And he pairs these stories with his own delightful hand-drawn illustrations: colonial rockers and English cabrioles, languorous chaise longues, and no-nonsense ergonomic task chairs--they're all here. The famous Danish furniture designer Hans Wegner once remarked, "A chair is only finished when someone sits in it." As Rybczynski tells it, the way we choose to sit and what we choose to sit on speak volumes about our values, our tastes, and the things we hold dear.