作者: 爱尔兰UCD 赖小琪
今天去打印室打印Journal Article, 出来时在大厅里遇到Aidan. Aidan是去年3月到深大面试我的招生官. 看到他时, 我只觉得他好面熟, 可是我已经想不起来他是谁了. 我们面对面走前, 我一直盯着他, 试图回忆起这个人究竟是谁. 他也一直望着我, 突然间他向我打招呼, 过来和我握手, 然后和我说, “Hi! How are you doing these days? How is your study going on?” 我感到一阵慌乱, 突然间我想起他来了, 惊讶地问他: “Are you Aidan?” “Yes!” 他微笑地回答. 我当时有点激动, 兴奋地对他说: “I am doing fine! I have got used to the life and studies here! By the way, how could you recognize me?” 他微笑地说: “Yes, I remember you. You are a student from Shenzhen University. I remember I was impressed by your fluent English in the interview then. But now your English is far better.” 我听了感到有点受宠若惊, 忙说道: “Thanks for your compliment! I hope so!” Aidan和我说, 他和另外两个老师三月份会再次到深大面试招生, 还问我打不打算读博士. 我当时听了忍不住耸耸肩, 再摇摇头, 说: “No, it is too hard for me. Also it will take at least another three years to accomplish the doctoral degree. It is too long for me and I am intended to work after I obtain my master’s degree.” 看来, 今年九月份另一批深大的师弟师妹们又会过来了, 只可惜我到时可能已经回国了. 如果不回国的话, 我真想和他们好好聚聚, 看有什么可以帮助到他们的, 因为千里迢迢跑到这边来读书, 人生路不熟的, 一开始真的挺艰辛的!
前几天查了上学期的期末考试成绩, 有两门课还挺满意的, 但是有一门真的让我无语, 才拿了C+. 其实在没有出成绩前, 我早已感到不妙. 这门课没有考试的, 全是靠平时的一次presentation还有两个group project来评分. 如果有留意我之前空间日记的朋友们应该知道, 之前我因为分小组的事和这个老师闹了点矛盾. 她要把一个我最讨厌的同学安排到我们组里, 而我和我的组员实在无法忍受这个同学, 于是就由我来向老师提出这个问题. 结果当时老师就给我脸色看了, 后面更变本加厉, 对我们小组采取漠视的态度. 有好几次我们都想去program office那里投拆她的了, 可是就被她知道后会用期末分数来报复我们, 所以我才忍气吞气到现在. 结果成绩出来了, 我的小组成员全是B, 就只有我一个是C+! 我当时真的很郁闷, 因为我presentation做得很好, 而两个大的project我也做了很多工作. 第一个project report基本都是我写的, 另一个我也写了不少, 为什么最后得分最低的却是我? 我当时想: 天啊, 这是个什么世界, 还说国外民主公平, 都柏林大学居然会有这样的老师?
不过我真的要好好总结一下上学期的学习情况. 首先是上课不敢大胆, 不敢发言. 这可能是受中国传统教育的影响. 以前在深大老师上课就是在一直讲课, 没有问什么问题的, 问了下面也没有人回答, 结果我也不太想回答问题. 可是这边上课的方式可完全不同, 老师是以问问题为主的. 每次问了问题, 下面一大堆学生七嘴八舌地抢着回答. 这种互动参与占了期末成绩的百分之十五. 像我这样一直不出声的人, 这十五分就白白丢了. 就像我的商务谈判课, 最后拿了B+, 据说已经是一个很不错的成绩了, 因为班上只有两个同学拿了A. 我查了一下成绩的构成, 上面显示我的平时作业B+, 期末考试A, 但是因为上课没有参与回答问题, 所以那十五分一分也没拿到. 我想要是我每堂课回答两三个问题, 最后十五分怎么也可以拿个十分吧? 加十分我就有A了! 这么好的机会就被我白白浪费了. 所以我下定决心这个学期决不可以再在课堂上保持沉默. 不过现在还好, 上课就算我不主动回答老师也会问我, 特别是global strategic management的那个老师, 超喜欢问我问题, 弄得我上他的课绝对不敢走神!
第二个问题是写作有技巧没深度, 其根本原因是没有耐心. 由于多年的写作和翻译, 我的写作水平得了到了老师和我的组员的认可, 完全可以和这里的学生媲美. 这本来是一个强项, 然而正是因为这个强项, 也让我陷入了另一种不幸. 就像上学期的International Business Management这门课, 老师要我们写三篇Journal Article Review. 这三篇东西要对我们分别对自己感兴趣的三篇期刊论文进行总结, 并且指出其中的优缺点. 我一看完文章, 就匆匆动笔, 一气呵成, 自以为效率很高. 可是由于没有深入挖掘里面更深层的东西, 也没有阅读更多的相关文章来对目标文章进行多角度的评论, 结果写出来的东西自然就显得肤浅. 每次作业发回来老师给我的评论都有这么一句话: “Your review is too descriptive and not reflective. Your writing skills far outweigh the content of your article.” 我看了都快晕了过去. 每次上课, 那个老师总会在课程准备结束时指出很多同学在写作中常犯的语法错误以及一些语病, 并且她也带责备性的语气说: “I am not your English teacher! I am not supposed to teach English here!” 有一个同学一句超经典的病句被搬到了老师的PPT里, 我至今想起来仍然忍俊不禁! 这句话的开头是: From my perspective, I myself personally believe that ~~~~~. 这学期我写每一篇文章我都要深思熟虑, 力求做到最好.
第三个问题是学习没有系统性和灵活性, 只是按照老师的安排的东西来一样样完成, 没有理好的扩展自己的知识面以及知识的深度. 我经常是读完老师给的东西就完事了, 没有去找一下自己感兴趣或者有用的文章来读, 显得很被动. 这学期刚好有一门课的老师要求我们要经常读Financial Times(金融时报)的新闻, 刚好为我指明了一条好路子, 所以现在基本每天都在网上读一下相关感兴趣的新闻.但是我知道这还是不够的, 要想学得更广更深, 还要多读各类期刊论文.
这周已经是开学第四周了, 总体来讲我的学习进行得比上学期顺利多了, 大概是因为习惯了这里的学习和生活的缘故. 我相信我这学期的成绩一定会比上学期好的! 我要为自己加油!
Study on Mattel Case
This case is mainly about the recalls of toys by Mattel, the biggest toy production company in the world, due to quality issues. These recall actions have also given rise to a series of problems for Mattel regarding its corporate operations and sales promotions. To address these issues, below are some suggestions for Mattel from the present and future perspectives respectively:
1) What Should Mattel Do Right Now?
There are several measures for Mattel to take in order to steer the company back to the normal track:
1. Recall all the problematic toys as soon as possible regardless of the quantity and scope. Maybe some products were sold several years ago or even earlier and if they are recalled, consumers may feel irritated. But seen in the long run, it can largely demonstrate Mattel’s sense of social responsibility and determination to make a change .Moreover, it can further prevent lawsuits stemming from children’ s being poisoned by lead.
2. For the tragedies caused to the children by the problematic products, Mattel should undertake all the medical expenses for these children and make reasonable compensations afterwards.
3. Instead of simply passing the buck to the contract manufacturing facilities in China for the problem, Mattel should also reflect on its own flawed quality management systems and confess its irresponsibility to the public via mass media and meantime announce its resolve to make a change. Only by admitting the mistakes and expressing the will to correct them can Mattel regain public confidence.
2) What Should Mattel Do in the Future?
1. Mattel should reinforce its products quality inspection. All the products should be strictly scrutinized to guarantee their qualities before they are marketed to customers.
2. Mattel should scrupulously choose its contract manufacturing companies that enjoy a good reputation and can produce high quality products. But even so, Mattel should also conduct second-scrutiny on the products outsourced to other manufacturers to guarantee their qualities.
3. As mentioned in our case, the design flaws of the products in Mattel contributed the most to its quality issues. Therefore, Mattel should design its products in another safer manner. The design of the products should try to avoid sharp edges, easily detachable small parts, long strings, etc. |
