Anthroplogy essays

Anthroplogy essays The face thats changing a thousand minds National Geographic, August 2002: New skull finds. Dmanisi is a republic named Georgia, Its located in south west Asia between the Black sea and The Caspian Sea. Its located at the same latitude as Italy. 1.75 million Years ago when the Black and Caspian thought to be connected, were part of an ocean. Making this land very lush and livable. Homo habilis thought to be part of the footsteps out of Africa for man kind (and even possibly racial tensions in todays Middle East). An animal living 2.4 to 1.6 million years ago. Relatively half the body size of a modern man and also brain size to body ratio was about half. I am not sure whether to believe the brain size to body ratio theory. Homo Habilis were users of Oldowan tools. Consisting of choppers and cutters limited tool sophistications relatively speaking. Having smaller bodies and longer arms, lower centers of gravity, Homo habilis are guessed to be better suited for arboreal life. Very muscular and strong in characteristics. Homo habilis was a creature mastering diversity. In the shade swinging through the trees and also traveling distances in the sun by foot. Not excellent at one but proficient at both. Recently in Dmanisi a skull was found, a 1.75 million year-old pioneer, found last year beneath the ruins of a medieval town called Dmanisi in the republic of Georgia, had a tiny brainnot nearly the size scientists thought our ancestors needed to migrate into a new land (NG). I have a theory that intelligence is like two rubber bands of unequal length. One large and one small both have the capacity to stretch to equal lengths, but the large one always has the ability to stretch much more, but in some cases the larger band can become shorter then the short band. When I ask my self where I get my intelligence, my first thought is learned intelligence. I have the capa...

Leadership Skills Seminar essays

Leadership Skills Seminar essays The idea of leadership development is often plagued by misconceptions and myths. One of the most damaging of these myths is that leadership is an inherent quality that cannot be learned or improved upon. This is absolutely not true: leadership skills can, in fact, be learned, and the purpose of this seminar is to help each of you learn some of the important Once, leadership skills were thought to apply only to people in positions high up in the corporate structure. Today, leadership skills are becoming an absolutely crucial part of almost every person's business skill set. We increasingly work in teams where we must learn to manage the output of others, in both a regular office environment, and in virtual environments. As such, leadership skills are an important part of the skill set of every person in this room. Today, we'll be looking at the leadership of United States Navy Commander D. Michael Abrashoff to help illustrate leadership concepts. Abrashoff is the man in charge of the USS Benfold, the $1 billion warship that is won the prestigious Spokane Trophy for the best combat readiness in the fleet. You might expect Abrashoff to be a rigid, military type barking orders in the style of George S. Patton. In reality, Abrashoff's leadership style is as progressive as any seen in the business world at large. His success begs us to ask: How has he been so successful using innovative leadership skills in such a rigid environment' Today, we'll be looking at some of the theories that underlie his success. The idea of the source of power or authority is important in leadership. Most people are likely the most familiar with the power derived from being an expert in a field. As such, a dentist of doctor draws power from their expert knowledge in a certain area. Abrashoff's leadership style comes from a few important bases of ...

Select an international organization with subsidiaries and examine the Essay

Select an international organization with subsidiaries and examine the operations of the firm in at least two different countrie - Essay Example Seattle, USA is the headquarters of Starbucks Coffee Company. The company operates in more than 60 countries where it has more than 18,000 stores and recording immense growth (â€Å"Starbucks Corporation† 1). The company has a corporate mission â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time (Bruhn-Hansen 19). Starbucks Coffee Company offers various products and services, which include coffee, warm, and cold beverages, premium and sell salads, books, gifts among other accessories (â€Å"Starbucks Corporation† 1). The company enjoys a huge competitive advantage and positive going concern because it has a wide market network, provides a wide range of products, and abhors quality in its operations. More so, Starbucks Coffee Company is a significant player and has a wide customer base in the coffee other blend- drinks industry. The company appreciates corporate social responsibility through its strategy and practice s (Bruhn-Hansen 19). In addition, since the company operates in various countries, it is prone to cultural influence and affects the lives of many people across the globe. Starbucks Coffee Company operates in the global business environment where it specializes in the coffee other blend- drinks industry. ... Indeed, Starbucks Coffee Company has a corporate social responsibility that seeks to attain sustainability and enhance the lives of its immediate society. For instance, the Starbucks Foundation promotes literacy levels among children by building schools for the Starbuck’s community (â€Å"Starbucks† 1). Furthermore, the company has an environmental strategy that seeks to conserve the environment that holds the operations of the company (Bruhn-Hansen 42). In the global business environment, Starbucks adopts market segmentation where it prefers to compete on comfort rather than on convenience in the upper-scale of the coffee market (Mourdoukoutas, 2013, p. 1). The company has various stakeholders, which fall into three categories that include primary stakeholders, secondary stakeholders, and public stakeholders (Bruhn-Hansen, 2012, p. 19). Specifically, the stakeholders are the shareholders, governments, and government agencies in host countries, customers, suppliers, emp loyees, franchisees, and non-governmental organizations. The stakeholders define the company’s operations in the global business environment. Nevertheless, Starbucks Coffee Company faces many challenges in the global market just like other international organizations. Starbucks suffers and is yet to recover the huge losses accrued from the recent financial crisis in Europe (Cameron 1). Moreover, the company has been facing the challenge of closing various stores in 2008 where it estimated the closure of 600 stores in the United States (Cameron 1). This affected the goodwill and operations of the company. Most of all, Starbucks Coffee Company faces the challenge of significant competition in

The Occupy Wall Street Movement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Occupy Wall Street Movement - Research Paper Example In terms of my presentation I will perform a little skit on the â€Å"Occupy Wall Street† movement, demonstrating how communication and interpretations of symbols converge to create a shared reality for the people involved (Jack & Adam, 2011). Introduction The Occupy Wall Street is an underway chain of protests started by the Canadian activist group, Adbusters that started on 17th September, 2011. The setting was in the Zuccotti Park in New York’s Wall Street economic district. A common vision for this group is protesting against fiscal and social inequality which in turn has resulted into increased rates of unemployment, greed and corruption (Jack & Adam, 2011). Such inhuman acts are being done under the effect of organization especially in the fiscal sector. The demonstration group has a slogan we are the 99% referring to the escalating diversity in wealth in the United States of America. This escalation is between the bourgeois 1% and the rest of the populace. Like m ost of good techniques used in rhetorical analysis, the fantasy theme analysis method utilizes the schemata in which there is description, interpretation, and evaluation of the rhetorical material. This paper takes on the particular movement of Occupy Wall Street Movement that has a symbolic reality of the populace under demonstration (Jack & Adam, 2011). Assumptions of this fantasy theme analysis technique are of paramount importance in unveiling the implications of symbols used and the kind of vision that these people hold in common. As such, the plotline of the Occupy Wall Street movement shall be looked into as well as its scene to reveal the kind of setting and motives behind the movement. Along the discussion, the paper shall establish whether there exists a sanctioning agent in the vision of protest. Application Adbusters Foundation, which is well known for its marketing-free anti-consumerist magazine suggested a diplomatic activity of Wall Street to demonstrate corporate imp act on the democracy, the lack of authorized ramifications for the bankers causing the recent universal economic recession, and an increasing disparity in affluence (Bormann, 1985). In the use of the fantasy theme analysis, the movement indicates the element of scene, which is the place in which the protest takes place. As a result, the OWS sought to put together the symbolic setting of this year’s demonstrations in Tahrir Square having the consent decision making of the 2011 Spanish dissents. There most significant reason as to why the setting for such an action was in the Zuccotti Park is because it is privately owned. This bars the police forces from lawfully forcing the complainants to leave without an official permission of the property owner. In this case, the rhetoric, figurative and tricks of the Occupy Wall Street are on the one hand stimulated by the Arab Spring demonstrations like the Tahrir Square in Cairo. In addition, the movement has an immediate archetype whic h is the British student gripe of 2010, Greece’s as well as the Spain’s anti-austerity demonstrations of the â€Å"indignados† (Bormann, 1972). These experiences have a commonality with OWS dependence on social media and electronic messaging to outwit the governments and the notion that monetary organizations, associations and

Compare and Contrast between the Politics and Theories of Plato and Research Paper

Compare and Contrast between the Politics and Theories of Plato and the Politics and theories of Aristotle, Mentioning the Simil - Research Paper Example It is a matter of more than passing interest that Plato and Aristotle are so closely tied - Aristotle having learned from Plato - since the two differ so fundamentally in many of their beliefs and theories despite the similarities that no doubt are attributable to their personal association. For the relationship between Plato and Aristotle was one of master and pupil, as with the relationship between Socrates and Plato. â€Å"Aristotle had sat at (Plato’s) feet, and listened to his lectures; nor could he, if had been pressed, have done otherwise than acknowledge Plato†¦for ‘his master in humanis,’ and pre-eminently in politicis† (Barker, v).1 Placed in a modern context, their beliefs concerning the state and the notion of ethics in politics resonate powerfully in the present. One need only dwell on the political (and personal) hubris that gave rise to the Watergate scandal and subsequent abuses of Constitutional power in the Reagan and both Bush admini strations. Politics, Plato believed, was inseparable from morality; for Aristotle, the symbiotic nature between state and citizen was based on the idea that Name 2 both sides act in the common good. The depredations of domineering and irresponsible states indicate that modern incarnations of government have veered far from Plato and Aristotle’s conceptions of the â€Å"good† city-state. As such, an examination of the similarities and differences between their theories is still instructive within the context of modern-day political and governmental ethics. For instance, Plato distrusted the rich, who tended to act in their own self- interest before that of the state, a concern that echoes in the recent destructive transgressions of Wall Street. However, countless examples have proven that Plato’s belief in a sole ruler, even a philosopher king (â€Å"enlightened† is, after all, a relative term) can never facilitate the participation of all classes – Aristotle’s mixed and participatory government, despite its flaws, allows for wise and informed individuals to become involved in the processes of government. Politics and government Sacrifice, specifically self-sacrifice, is a trait implied in the Aristotelian Democratic ideal. â€Å"Even if the end is the same for an individual and for a city-state, that of the city-state seems at any rate greater and more complete to attain and preserve. For although it is worthy to attain it for only an individual, it is nobler and more divine to do so for a nation or city-state† (Miller, 2011).2 As a shared morality, it would not be possible without the rationality and reason of the law, formalized in a constitution. Reason is one of Aristotle’s five suppositions of politics, a point upon which he and Plato concurred. â€Å"Aristotle agrees with Plato’s dictum that, whenever a system contains a rational element, it is appropriate for it to rule over the non-rationa l Name 3 part, because the rational element alone

Self Other And Social Context Management Essay

Self Other And Social Context Management Essay To help build Departmental capability over the medium and long term the identification of needs should be directly linked to the achievement of the Organisational goals as well as on the broader career development needs of individual employees. Numerous studies have shown that individuals process information differently. In todays educational environment the traditional educational delivery method of a professor standing in front of a classroom of students has been augmented, and in some cases supplanted, by various on-line, distance learning delivery methodologies. Studies have also shown that not all individuals learn at the same level when participating in courses which utilize different approaches. GLOBAL REVOLUTION A global revolution is taking place in the field of workplace learning. It is driven by the requirements of information explosion, increased globalisation, the changing nature of work and business as well as changing learner needs and aspirations. In the modern business environment, companies are forced to approach the way they conduct business activities with a more external focus. Not only the business partnerships extending across regional, national and continental borders, but international standards are also becoming the norm. Preparing workers to compete in the knowledge economy requires a new model of education and training, a model of lifelong learning. A lifelong learning framework encompasses learning throughout the life cycle, from early childhood to retirement. It includes formal, non-formal, and informal education and training. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Formal education and training includes structured programs that are recognized by the formal education system and lead to approved certificates. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Non-formal education and training includes structured programs that are not formally recognized by the national system. Examples include apprenticeship training programs and structured on-the-job training. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Informal education and training includes unstructured learning, which can take place almost anywhere, including the home, community, or workplace. It includes unstructured on-the-job training, the most common form of workplace learning. Recent knowledge and the accumulated stock of human capital are inputs in the production of new knowledge and wealth. The speed of change in the knowledge economy means that skills depreciate much more rapidly than they once did. To compete effectively in this constantly changing environment and globally, workers need to be able to upgrade their skills on a continuing basis. Change in the knowledge economy is so rapid that companies can no longer rely solely on new graduates or new labour market entrants as the primary source of new skills and knowledge. Schools and other training institutions thus need to prepare workers for lifelong learning. Educational systems can no longer emphasize task-specific skills but must focus instead on developing learners decision making and problem-solving skills and teaching them how to learn on their own and with others. Lifelong learning is crucial in enabling workers to compete in the global economy. Education helps reduce poverty; if developing economies do not promote lifelong learning opportunities, the skills and technology gap between them and industrial countries will continue to grow. By improving peoples ability to function as members of their communities, education and training also increase social capital (broadly defined as social cohesion or social ties), thereby helping to build human capital, increase economic growth, and stimulate development. Social capital also improves education and health outcomes and child welfare, increases tolerance for gender and racial equity, enhances civil liberty and economic and civic equity, and decreases crime and tax evasion (Putnam, 2001). Education must thus be viewed as fundamental to development, not just because it enhances human capital but because it increases social capital as well. ORGANISATIONAL REALITIES This article examines the organisational realities. The perspectives appearing in the literature, the structural, the perceptual and interactive are identified and examined. Additionally, a perspective termed the organisational culture, the change leader approach and organisational reframing will also be discussed. 2.1 ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE Realigning processes and roles to fit a new organizational reality is daily work for leaders. Planning and implementing changes is a fundamental set of skills at which all leaders must excel to ensure their teams and functions are set up to do great work. Improving an organizations success through aligning its culture became a popular focus of work in the 1980s. During this time, many behavioural science researchers acknowledged the power and importance of organizational culture. In the last twenty-five years, organization culture has become a frequent topic of discussion among a broad audience of leaders including operational managers and organization development, human resources, and training professionals. Culture is now a regular consideration or it ought to be during strategic planning sessions and throughout change management initiatives. Changes that go against a work culture or that are initiated without regard to the culture are likely to fail whereas culture-consistent changes ensure better results while reinforcing the most important workplace values and beliefs. Sometimes it is the culture that needs to change to support a new reality. Determining how to change a culture without wrecking intrinsic motivation or losing top talent is a delicate matter, indeed. To begin examining this challenge, lets first establish a common definition of organizational culture. What is an Organizations Culture? Many definitions of organization culture can be found in behavioural sciences literature. A frequently cited definition comes from organization development pioneer Edgar Schein. In his book, Organization Culture and Leadership, Schein described culture as being deeper than behaviours and artefacts. I will argue that the term culture should be reserved for the deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organization, that operate unconsciously, and that define in a basic taken for granted fashion an organizations view of itself and its environment. Schein emphasized assumptions and beliefs while others see culture as a product of values. In Cultures Consequences, Geert Hofstede wrote, I treat culture as the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Culture, in this sense, includes systems of values; and values are among the building blocks of culture. Culture is to a human collectively what personality is to an individual. Beliefs and values are linked. What about understanding? In the article, Organizations as Culture-Bearing Milieux, Meryl Reis Louis wrote that, any social group, to the extent that it is a distinctive unit, will have some degree of culture differing from that of other groups, a somewhat different set of common understandings around which action is organized, and these differences will find expression in a language whose nuances are peculiar to that group. These three descriptions of organization culture find root in collectively held individual thinking processes. In their piece titled, The Role of Symbolic Management, Caren Siehl and Joanne Martin argued that culture consists of three components: context, forms, and strategies. This description suggests a more systemic description of culture with both internal and external components. In Riding the Waves of Culture, Fons Trompenaars offers another systemic model and described three levels of culture: 1) the explicit layer made up of artefacts and products and other observable signs, 2) the middle layer of norms and values and, 3) the implicit layer, which is comprised of basic assumptions and beliefs. In Corporate Culture and Performance, John Kotter and James Heskett acknowledge internal and external components of culture, too. They see organization culture as having two levels, which differ in their visibility and resistance to change. The invisible level is made up of shared values that tend to persist over time and are harder to change. The visible level of culture includes group behaviors and actions, which are easier to change. Is it important, or even possible, to sort out these definitions and decide which is most accurate? Schein, for example, argued that artefacts and products reflect the organizations culture, but none of them is the essence of culture. The differences and Inter-connectedness of assumptions, beliefs, understandings, and values could be studied further to determine which are more elemental to culture, but would that be time well spent? Which is most important, that a definition be right or that it be helpful? Although we cannot determine the right definition, each of these descriptions adds value to our approach to strengthening organization culture. Based on the work of these and other researchers, we could make the following conclusions about organization culture: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Each company has a unique culture built and changed over time. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Beliefs, assumptions, values and understandings and the actions and norms they produce are important components of culture. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ We recognize culture by observing actions and artefacts (explicit factors). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ While some call it a sub-culture and others a climate within the larger culture, there may be cultural differences within subgroups of an organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Observable behaviours and actions are easier to change than are beliefs and values. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The observable elements of culture affect the invisible elements and visa versa. Change in one cultural element will impact other elements. Although not apparent in the above offered definitions, it is also important to consider how cultures external to the organization impact and affect the organizations culture. Employees sense their organizations culture soon after they join the company. They might have a hard time describing the culture, but they know it when they feel and see it. There may be similarities in particular industries but each company will have unique cultural attributes. Improving the Organisations Culture A workplace culture can enable or hinder success. Leaders can impact the alignment of the culture with the companys mission and strategies. How? Culture is socially constructed and leaders need to initiate great conversations that tie cultural norms to the organizations goals. If the current culture is not in alignment with the new reality, leaders need to be the catalysts, or bridges, who create a new understanding and help individuals select new behaviours and, eventually, beliefs. Leaders must also define, clarify and reinforce understanding of the actions and beliefs that build the desired culture. The organizational culture is particularly important when implementing organization-wide change. Many organizations are struggling to keep up they layer new initiatives onto the work processes before previous initiatives have taken hold. A culture can either enable or be a barrier to nonstop changes. If the culture is nimble (in the habit of being re-aligned), change will be more fluid and effective. Most large-scale changes need to be supported by complementary changes in the organizations culture. Change plans, then, should address current and desired cultural elements. Leaders can play a key role in facilitating change by aligning projects and development efforts to reinforce the desired culture. A culture of Continuous Learning- Key to improving Organisational Culture Many organizations say they want to build a learning culture. What does this mean? Generally, what they are saying is that they want people to grow and be receptive to changes and willing to take on new tasks. A culture of continuous learning goes deeper than this, although these behaviours are certainly important. Employees value continuous self-development and choose to make learning a priority in the face of competing demands. Leaders, also, match their intention to seek coaching and development with the attention they give learning each day and week. A culture of continuous learning develops when there is a collective understanding of the importance of personal and team growth backed up by actions a resolve to inject learning into everyday work practices. Cultures of continuous learning tend to be more nimble, which means that they are easier to align and realign when new goals or new realities change how an organization must conduct its work. Resistance to changes on an organizational level is more common when team members are unaccustomed to learning and relearning new tasks, projects, and processes. Here are several important indicators of a culture of continuous learning: People are curious and adventurous. They value mental exploration. Most people are naturally curious. To what degree does the work environment encourage people to be curious and adventurous at work? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Team members are allowed and encouraged to experiment. It is safe to venture outside of established practices and explore (within limits). Can employees try new ways and approaches? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The work environment is stimulating it is sensual. The sights, sounds, smells, and textures are interesting and engaging. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Employees at all levels seek and embrace learning in a variety of forms. This is the most telling clue. What level of participation is there in development opportunities? Are executives active learners? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There is a healthy view of failure and mistakes. Employees are held accountable, but productive recovery is also rewarded and mistakes are looked at as learning experiences. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ .The workplace is intrinsically rewarding. When employees are self-motivated, they seek learning and development. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The organization is proactive about succession. Talent is developed and promoted. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The organization has a focus on innovation in all functions and at all levels. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The organization embraces Omni modal learning and communication in-person, over the web, virtual, formal, informal, one-on-one, group, as part of regular meetings, separate courses, on site, off site, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Managers and leaders can help build these conditions by engaging team members in a diverse set of learning opportunities. Being a role model for lifelong learning is important, too. Leaders need to practice what they preach and ways to fit professional growth into their busy schedules. The organizations culture is like a rudder under a large ship. To turn the ship, the rudder must move in the right direction. A nimble culture can help organizations explore and be successful while moving to meet new goals and seize new opportunities. Like an inoperable rudder, if the culture does not move, or moves in the wrong direction, it is hard for the organization to progress. Mahatma Gandhi once said, You must be the change you wish to see in the world. Every leader and manager should model the desired culture and his or her actions should reinforce excellence. 2.2 Change Leader To achieve their purposes, organizations must constantly learn, adapt, and grow, a process referred to as change. Research shows, however, that only a relatively few structured change efforts achieve great success-most just get by while the majority fail to reach predefined performance goals and objectives (Mansfield, 2010); ( Salem, 2008); (Schneier, Shaw, Beatty, 1992). At issue is what underlies this phenomenon of underperformance. Studies of complex social systems suggest that the major reason for failure lies in the way decision makers think about and execute the change process (Smith, 1999). If one looks at the typical change process, it is apparent most decision makers view organizations from an objective perspective-as an assemblage of parts that can be arranged and re-arranged to produce predictable outcomes; however, the magnitude of the failure of planned changes led us to ask the following questions: Research Question 1: What factors facilitate or inhibit the change process? Research Question 2: How do these facilitators and inhibitors evolve within an organization? Research Question 3: What are the implications of understanding this evolutionary process relative to achieving a more sustainable level of performance? The answers to these questions led us to propose an alternative approach to understanding and changing organizational performance, one that supposes that organizational learning and change involves understanding the organization from the objective and the subjective perspectives simultaneously. We call this the Full Dimensional Systems Model (FDSM), a perspective which draws heavily on the concepts associated with Complex Adaptive System (CAS). The FDSM perspective assumes there are multiple, interrelated domains of influence that impact change and that these domains must each be appreciated and addressed simultaneously to achieve sustainable performance improvements. The FDSM provides a valid and powerful rationale for determining how to implement meaningful change within organizations as well as identifying probable outcomes and consequences from those changes. Flaws in Traditional Approaches to Thinking About Change The fact that organizational change frequently fails underscores the flaws inhering in traditional approaches to change. These approaches to change are flawed in four ways. First, the need for change is framed in almost exclusively objective terms, thus overlooking important subjective issues. Secondly, the change problem is viewed as a puzzle to be solved (Mansfield, 2010), and the challenge is collecting and analyzing enough data until all the pieces form the right solution. Thirdly, using this approach means that decisions are often based on flawed and/or incomplete information. Fourth, decision makers tend to develop detailed change strategies (often based on the data collected around the need for change), assuming that, if they follow the plan, the puzzle will be solved and the organization will come through the process better structured to meet the needs of their clients. This typical mental model leads to a misalignment of how decision makers perceive and respond to the hard r eality of reality itself (Wolfberg, 2006). Myths and Other Dangerous Half-Truths About Change Adherence to traditional approaches to thinking has produced a number of myths, or dangerous half-truths, about how to make change happen (Kelly, Hoopes, Conner, 2005); (Pfeffer Sutton, 2006). Myth 1-Change starts at the top Organizational change starts with a goal and a plan created by senior management. This approach is usually met by what is referred to as resistance and typically does not work in the fast changing systems of today because the change strategy reflects the same paradigm that created the problem in the first place. The truth seems to be that change depends on the participation of many system members (agents) in an essentially self-organizing process. It may also depend on change agents who consciously influence self-organization toward new and more adaptable patterns of relationship. Myth 2-Efficiency comes from control Change is possible only when every detail is mapped out in precise terms. This prejudice ignores the fact that every process improvement adds new and/or changes existing subsystems, which adds even more complexity to subsystems/systems that already have problems. The result is that many efforts to solve problems actually lead to more serious ones. Myth 3-Prediction is possible It is assumed by many managers that an action in one place will have a replicable effect in another. This, it turns out, is usually false, in part because a complex system consists of many agents, with different ideas, biases, prejudices, and expectations, and each of these concepts interact with many subsystems to determine outcome. Even small variations in the patterns of interaction can produce enormous variation in outcomes. In other words, complex systems are usually very sensitive to inconsistencies in mind-sets and processes. Myth 4-Change is manageable Assuming the course of change is predictable, many managers make a related assumption-that you can manage the change process by developing and then implementing complex plans. The fallacy of this myth was very clearly illustrated by the recent Gulf of Mexico oil tragedy that cost 11 lives and did untold damage to the Gulfs ecosystem. The assumption was made that through design and control alone, the company could achieve the aim of hazard elimination-This turned out not to be the case. The validity of these myths is not supported by the facts. Decisions made in the manner described above often produce unanticipated and unintended consequences. A typical occurrence is illustrated in one of the organizations we studied (Owen Mundy, 2005) where a shared services human resources model was created to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of human resource delivery. Although the delivery model seemed very efficient, it produced the unexpected and unintended consequences of bringing about a loss of direct contact with customers and direct accountability at the local level. The result was that the quality of service delivery actually declined significantly as did the level of customer satisfaction and, instead of saving money, costs soared as a quiet revolt of internal customers ensued. An important effect of these flaws is the creation of what might be thought of as ripples of dissonance in an organization. These ripples, which represent the diverse patterns of self-interest (significant differences) that exist relative to the change, behave like attractors and exhibit all the properties associated with attractors, that is, the emergence of self-organized, adaptable networks, and so on. The psychological mathematics of how this region of dissonance is resolved, then, is at the root of much of the wasted energy observed when an organization tries to implement a large-scale (organization-wide) change or intervention. Any change that involves new patterns of relationships among members, new ways of behaving, and new processes requires a different mental model than the one that is typically used to understand and execute change. A NEW WAY OF THINKING IS NEEDED The contention is that decision makers must shift from a puzzle-solving perspective (a typical fact-based approach) toward a mystery-solving perspective (a value-based approach). The puzzle-solving perspective rests on the assumption there is one right answer; as soon as it is discovered, events can be expected to flow in a predictable manner (Mansfield, 2010). The mystery-solving perspective rests on the assumption there is no one right answer or even a right way to get to an answer; rather, there is an array of possible outcomes, none of which is predictable. Because there are many possible outcomes and consequences associated with any organizational change decision, decision makers need to be able to anticipate and understand the implications of their decisions, and how to respond should the improbable outcome become a reality (Wolfberg, 2006). The only way to do this is for decision makers to create a fully transparent environment in which the many differences of potential releva nce to a change are put in the open for analysis. Although there are many organizational change methods available, few are based on such a mystery perspective. The result is that change efforts are generally disconnected from a significant pool of knowledge. The bottom line is that the way a change agent views the causes of change determines how she or he sees the world and, therefore, determines how she or he intervenes on behalf of the organization. If change agents see the organization as a machine, then they use interventions consistent with this view; if they see it as a complex, multidimensional system, then they use methods appropriate to that paradigm to change (Kim Mauborgne, 1999). Modern organizations are complex. Simply moving from the organizational chart to examining how work gets done in most organizations easily demonstrates this. Work is a complex process involving multiple interactions between the members of an organization and their teams, teams and other teams, teams and other organizations, and so on. Changes in one part of an organization will invariably have an effect on other parts of the organization-some obvious and others less so. As organizations grow and change through time, their complexity grows and changes as well. (Anderson, 1999) proposed integrating four attributes of CASs into our thinking of modern organizations: agents, feedback loops, self-organization, and coevolution. All human systems comprised numerous semi-independent agents, each of which is capable of autonomous action; such action follows that agents schema of the organization. A schema is a mental model of how the world works and how to interpret events in that world. These schema act like self-fulfilling prophecies and thus can have powerful and sometimes disruptive effects on a change. A second concept is that agents are connected to one another by feedback loops. One agents behavior can affect the behavior of numerous other agents in self-reinforcing cycles of influence. These feedback loops underscore the importance of coevolution. Third, agents coevolve with one another. A given agents adaptations impact the efforts of agents to adapt, and these co-adaptations lead to patterns or waves of self-organization that flow throughout the organization. Finally, CASs evolve over time through the entry, exit, and transformation of existing agents, and new agents can be formed by recombining elements of previously successful agents. Furthermore, the linkages between agents also evolve or coevolve over time, shifting the pattern of interconnections and their strength. CHANGE IN CASs: A METAPHOR How can organizations hope to adapt to the ever increasing level of complexity and in the process remain vibrant, responsive, and healthy? The answer to this question lies in the principles of CASs. (Dooley, 2002) offers the following three principles about the nature of the CAS: (a) order is emergent as opposed to hierarchical, (b) the systems history is irreversible, and (c) the systems future is often unpredictable. The basic building blocks of the CAS are agents. Agents are semiautonomous units that seek to maximize some measure of goodness of fit by evolving over time in response to the environment. Rather than focusing on macro strategic-level changes, complexity theory suggests that the most powerful processes of change occur at the micro level (e.g., the individual and groups) where relationships, interactions, experiments, and simple rules shape emerging patterns. As everything in an organization is interconnected, large-scale change occurs through the integration of changes that affect the smallest parts. Organization change occurs through the evolution of individuals and small groups. Like biological changes, these changes are sometimes not incremental but dramatic. From a complexity perspective, everyone can be a change agent if they are aware of options to help the organization adapt to its environment. A metaphor will serve to clarify these points. A jazz ensemble is a CAS. Each musician is autonomous. They interact as they play. They bring their own intents, biases, levels of interest, experience, and aesthetics to the performance. A minimum number of rules are put in place regarding set, place, time, and so on. Usually, the players know one another very well, and they are all very competent in the theory and practice of jazz music. The music is a balance of control and improvisation (in the moment changes or adaptations in the melodic and/or harmonic line). They listen to each other and adapt themselves to fashion their music. Their enthusiasm influences the other members of the band and the receptivity of the audience. The audience influences the band. In the end, the quality and creativity of the performance is the result of the interaction of all these elements. These emerging patterns influence not only the current selection but also the next piece as well as successive pieces. This metaphor illustrates how creativity and efficiency emerge naturally in human organizations. Some basic rules, positive contacts, and relationships among members allow solutions to emerge from the bottom up. In this CAS, the musicians and the audience all act as autonomous system agents; the setting, roles, rules, and duration of the concert constitute the container/context; the contribution of each instrument and the continuous change of melodies and harmonies are significant differences, whereas the influencing processes between musicians and their audience are transformative exchanges; the continuous successions of music are the self-organizing patterns. Each of these concepts is highly interdependent REFRAMING THE ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT Reframing is about changing perception by understanding something in another way. (Bandler Grinder, 1982) explained reframing in the following manner: What reframing does is to say, Look, this external thing occurs and it elicits this response in you, so you assume that you know what the meaning is. But if you thought about it this other way, then you would have a different response. Being able to think about things in a variety of ways builds a spectrum of understanding. None of these ways are really true, though. They are simply statements about a persons understanding. BASIC TYPES OF REFRAMING There are two basic kinds of reframes: context reframing and content reframing. Both can alter our internal representations of events or situations, which permits us to experience the events in other, hopefully, more resourceful ways. Context reframing Bandler and Grinder noted that every experience in the world and every behavior is appropriate, given some context, some frame (1982,p.9) Context reframing offers an understanding of how we make meaning through the environment physical, intellectual, cultural, historical, and emotional in which a situation occurs. It can also provide a pattern of thinking that helps us see the value in every situation regardless of any perceived downside. Context reframing is taking an experience that seems to be negative, not useful, and distressing and showing how the same behaviour or experience can be useful in another context. Childrens stories are full of reframes designed to show children how what might seem a liability can be useful in another context. For example, the other reindeer made fun of Rudolphs bright, red nose; but that funny nose made Rudolph the hero on a dark night. Context reframing can be used as a perceptual filter, taught and practiced until it becomes an integral and habitual way of organizational thinking. It is a very useful tool in business as it is the way of thinking that gives one the ability to make lemonade from those unexpected

business math paper -- essays research papers

Annuities Businesses, financial institution, and other organizations invest in annuities to raise money to pay such expenses as bond debts, notes due, or stock dividends. They also invest in annuities to provide for future needs, such as new facilities and equipment or employee retirement benefits. Individuals may purchase annuities, such as an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or an insurance policy, from insurance companies, financial institutions, or securities brokers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An ordinary annuity is a series of regular payments where each payment is made at the end of the payment period. The payment period is the length of time between payments. Payments are usually made annually, semiannually, quarterly, or monthly. The term of the annuity is the length of time from the beginning of the first payment period to the end of the last payment period. The amount of the annuity is the sum of all payments plus their accumulated interest. Their amount is also called the cash value.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The amount of an annuity can be found by using the Amount of an Annuity table. The table lists the value of an annuity of $1 compounded at various rates for various time periods. To find the amount of an ordinary annuity using the annuity table, multiply the payment by the appropriate table value. The interest earned can be found by subtracting the sum of the payments from the amount of the annuity. For example: Brian purchased an ordinary an...

History of Tattoos in Australia

A tattoo is the permanent insertion of ink or other pigments below the skin using a sharp instrument, as a form of decorative form of body modification. The word tattoo is derived from the Tahitian term â€Å"tatua,† which means â€Å"to mark. † Since the dawn of time, tattoos have been used for all kinds of purposes. Tattoos have served as symbols of rights, symbols of rank or seniority, symbols of spirituality, devotion, religion, rewards for bravery and security. In ancient times, they were also used as symbols of punishment, slavery and conviction. However, over the past century, tattoos have been most frequently used as body art. The art of tattooing cannot be traced back to a specific time or place. One of the oldest tattoos however, was found to be engraved on the back of a well – preserved natural mummy of a man (now known as â€Å"Otzi the Iceman†) who was buried alive on the slopes of the Alps over 5000 years ago. However, research shows that if the skin rots after death, evidence of a tattoo completely disappears. This means that tattoos may have been around for longer than 5000 years, yet there’s no evidence to prove this. Numerous mummies that were excavated from the pyramids in Egypt have also been found to have tattoos. These tattoos however, were engraved near waists of the women who longed for children and were a symbol of their goddess of fertility. There has been evidence to suggest that in the past tattooing was done for medicinal purposes and that the pigments used in tattoos had some sort of healing effect. For example, societies in the Arctic believe tattoos have powers that can ward off illness or protect people from all types of harm. They believed diseases such as rheumatism were caused by an imbalance in their souls, caused by evil spirits. They thought that these evil spirits entered their bodies through their joints, so they tattooed designs on their joints in an attempt to block them out. Furthermore, ‘protective’ or ‘guardian’ tattoos could be used by these societies to save people from disasters at sea, help them on a journey through the unknown, or even guard against the death of a new born. The art of tattooing was also popular amongst Christian adherents (as many received the tattoo symbolising ‘the Stigmata of the Lord Jesus’) until the church edict forbade them on the pretext of some quotes in the Bible. The Old Testament law commanded the Israelites, â€Å"Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD† (Leviticus 19:28). This command from God is further explained in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 : â€Å"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body. † Therefore, the number of tattoos amongst Christian adherents significantly decreased. Tattoos have since then persisted in various parts of the world for various reasons and although tattoos have now become acceptable in contemporary societies, ‘tattoos are still condemned in God’s eyes. ’ In the Western world, tattooing has historically served as a brand of criminality or a sign of shame (as seen in â€Å"The Scarlet Letter† of Nathaniel Hawthorne. ) These branding mimicked those of the branding of slaves, the tattooing of prisoners of war in ancient Athens and the marking of the foreheads of French prisoners in the 18th and 19th centuries with letters signifying their punishment. Australia has a rich historical background in which the art of tattooing has a special place. Date back to almost 4,000 years, the Samoan and the Maori tribes displayed a wide range of tattoos on specific parts of their body. In fact, these tribes of Australia represent the major history of tattooing. The Samoan tribes used to cover their lower body completely with all-embracing tattoos, though these tattoos held no specific cultural significance beyond fashion. However, having a tattoo proved a statement that an individual could bear pain and those who didn’t have a tattoo were vulnerable to severe criticism from others as they were seen to be weak cowards. The average Samoan design could take as long as six months to complete. In order to complete the arduous task, a special tattooing shed was specifically built; only to be burned down at the completion of the tattoo. Special combs were utilised by Samoan tattoo artists to apply the designs. The combs would be dipped in ink and then tapped along the skin, so that the pointed teeth of the comb would puncture the surface and insert the ink. This extremely painful procedure posed several hygiene issues and usually led to several health problems, such as infections. While the Samoans covered their lower bodies with tattoos, the Maori of New Zealand covered their faces. This tattooing technique, called â€Å"moko† was unique to the Maori. Each man wore an individualised pattern as the design was based on his own particular facial features. The tattooing artist would study the man’s face and create a design that would accentuate them, in an attempt to make his appearance more dignified and forceful. The pattern would be carved into the skin with a bone chisel and the ink would be placed in the cuts to create the tattoo. The whole process, which took up to weeks to complete one face, was awfully painful and would consequently cause a lot of swelling. Maori women also had their faces tattooed, but it was limited to the lips and chin only. In Australia, the modern art of tattooing began when the European convicts were sent into exile here in the late 1700's, after Captain James Cook brought tattoos back to England as curiosities after encountering Tahitian tattoos when in the South Pacific in the 1760’s. To express diverse human emotions, the prisoners used to make tattoos by etching the black sediments of the oil lamps into their skin, forever recording their hopes, beliefs, loves and disappointments. At this time, tattoos became a way for convicts to make human statements about themselves. The positioning of a tattoo was also particularly significant as the most personal of messages were reserved for parts of the body that were usually covered up. For some convicts, tattoos were purely decorative, while others transcribed the dates of their trials, or dates when their sentences were up. Family trees and slogans and religious symbols were also quite common. The most popular tattoo however, was the anchor, which was a symbol of hope and loyalty, and was often attached to a loved one’s initials. The period between the First and Second World Wars has been dubbed the â€Å"Golden Age of Tattooing† as many servicemen in the army and navy tattooed themselves as acts of patriotism and nationalism. During this period, tattoos served as symbols of group identity, memorial dedications to home, girlfriends, wives, family and the wars themselves. These tattoos were almost exclusively a male practice and connoted a bond between men forged by patriotic and militaristic duty, and by necessary association, masculinity and power. A new form of street or ‘biker’ tattoo began to emerge after the Second World War. Instead of patriotic values, however, this new style of tattooing had embedded in it defiance, â€Å"a challenge to mainstream middle-class values as well as to the traditional form of patriotic and love-inspired working class tattoo† (DeMello 2000:67). This style of tattooing became synonymous with biker and prison convict subcultures, and continues relatively unchanged to this day. Although they began as an exclusive practice amongst males, they are now commonly found on women also. ‘Bikers’ were typically heavily tattooed with entire sleeves, legs, chests or backs covered in ink. Popular imagery included religious icons (Jesus Christ, crucifixes, the Virgin Mary), scales of justice, skulls, dragons, spiders, motorcycles, and biblical quotes. Specific tattoos identified the wearer as a member of a particular social group, gang or ethnicity. Throughout the several phases during the twentieth century, the tattoo industry was primarily underground and was relegated to the lower working classes. In the 1960’s, however, tattoos ‘fragmented’ and were used as important identity symbols for convicts, punks, bikers and many subcultures within society. This fragmentation ultimately lead to the ‘tattoo renaissance’ which lead tattoos to become popular culture icons in the 1980’s and 1990’s. With the â€Å"tattoo renaissance,† tattoos came to be seen as an anthropological, sociological and ethnographic phenomenon which changed society’s views of the human body. Punk tattoos of the 1970’s were part of a lexicon of highly visible signs and symbols of sub cultural identity. Inspired by the punk scene that emerged from the British punk scene in the early 1970’s, the punk subculture in Australia epitomised social marginalisation, hostile rebellion and protest. Punks manipulated their clothes, hairstyles and bodies as a form of self creation. Vividly and implicitly displayed in public, punk tattoos were the seeds of what would become mainstream tattoo practices. Nowadays, tattoos are â€Å"not just for bikers anymore† and are now the domain of the middle-class, educated and professionals. Many musicians, athletes, icons and role models now have tattoos, which has also been a contributing factor to their popularity. But most importantly, women now make up 50% of those who have tattoos, as opposed to the past, when it was rare for women to have a tattoo. Today, tattoos generally tend to avoid the â€Å"negative† imagery associated with many traditional prison, biker or punk styled tattoos. Studies show that tattoos worn by the â€Å"career-oriented† include a wide variety of symbols and styles, from the big and colourful, to the small and monochromatic, from Christian iconography to tribal or indigenous designs. Further research has revealed the most popular tattoo designs to be small crosses, butterflies, flowers, Celtic rings and arm and ankle bracelets These days, tattoos have become a large part of our popular culture. The demand for tattoos has grown rapidly, both amongst the rich and famous and within the general population as a whole. One in every seven adults today sports a tattoo as they have now become major fashion statement throughout society. The tattoo industry is growing tremendously, with an increased demand for tattoos, tattoo parlours, tattoo artists and tattoo supplies due to the recent acceptance of tattoos into mainstream culture.

Chinese Railroad Workers essays

Chinese Railroad Workers essays Running head: Chinese Railroad Workers Most Americans take our railroad systems for granted. With the exception of die-hard railroad enthusiasts often referred to as foamers, most of us only notice the railroad systems when were inconvenienced by them. Were annoyed when we have to wait at a crossing or have to turn up our televisions because of the noise of a passing train. What most of us dont realize is the major economic impact railroads have on our lives. We depend on the freight that railroads move for us each day that include everything from automobiles to provisions. An even more important oversight by many of us is the hard work and sacrifice that occurred during the construction of our railroads. Unfortunately for the thousands of Chinese workers that came to America to work on the railroads, they were the ones that would be shouldering most of the hard work and sacrifice. The railroad systems in America didnt come easy. There were many factors that stood in the way of a smooth construction. Social and political factors were always an issue for the early railroads. For example, in California in 1865, the Central Pacific Railroad had a major labor shortage. In 1864, the company had only 600 laborers at work, a small fraction of the 5,000 for which it had advertised (Mintz 2003). Of those railroad workers that were employed at the time, not many of those could be depended upon to get the work done. Resignation, desertion and alcohol abuse plagued the railroads employee pool making it very difficult to precisely forecast time, money and materials needed. An example of this was given in a statement by one superintendent when he said, Some would stay until payday, get a little money, and get drunk and clear out (Mintz 2003). The statement of shortage meant only that there was a shortage of white laborers, mostly Irish specifically. This didn&ap.. .

Eid; S Celebration Essays

Eid; S Celebration Essays Eid; S Celebration Essay Eid; S Celebration Essay Eid’s day will be celebrated by the Muslims after one month of fasting. For Muslims, Eid’s day is a special day to celebrate after we have gone through fasting for a month from food and drinks starting from Subuh until Maghrib. There are three synonymous Eid’s day symbols for me which include wearing traditional clothes, making many types of traditional food and baking cookies. For me the most synonymous symbols is wearing traditional clothes such as baju melayu and baju kurung.Some people could buy clothes every month, some people could only buy clothes once a year that is Eid’s day. But there are also some people that could not even afford to buy new clothes for Eid’s day and could only wait for others to give it to them. Nevertheless, everyone will wear baju melayu or baju kurung on Eid’s day. Furthermore, I can see a lot of delicious, variety and mouth watering food when Eid’s day arrived. For example, the main menu for Muslims are ketupat, lemang and variety of rendang. Ketupat and lemang are cooked in different ways. Ketupat is wrapped by fan palm while lemang is put into the bamboo. Ketupat and lemang is complement when eating with rendang. Rendang have two types which is made by chicken and beef. Ketupat, lemang and rendang is the most synonymous food for Eid’s day. Moreover, many people will start baking cookies for Eid’s day. There are various types of cookies that will be sold everywhere. Eid’s day is not complete without Eid’s day cookies.For instance, almond London cookies, pineapple tart cookies and chocolate chip cookies. When guest come to visit their relatives they will be served with delicious cookies. Usually, this special cookies only available in Eid’s day season. Lastly, Eid’s day is a joyous celebration that involves wearing traditional clothes, making many types of traditional food and baking cookies is feasting in homes everywhere where family members greet one another with happy Eid’s day. Without these synonymous things Eid’s day is not perfect.

Why the American Civil Rights Movement was more successful than Essay

Why the American Civil Rights Movement was more successful than movements for foreigners rights in Japan have been (at least so far) - Essay Example In the U.S, the major social movement was the African-American Civil Rights movement whose main goal was to bring an end to discrimination and racial segregation to the Africans living in the country. The movement heavily campaigned on civil resistance by arranging civil disobedience and non-violence protests, which would lead to crisis all over the country. Industrial boycott was the mostly used as it negatively affected the country’s economic activities as almost all Africans worked as factory workers all over the entire country. Their efforts were rewarded when the 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed (DAngelo, 2001). The Act banned any form of discrimination based on a person’s religion, color, sex, race and national origin in employment and public interaction. Another enactment that was pushed by the movement was the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which stated the voting rights of migrants to the U.S and protecting these rights. The foreigner rights movement in Japan fought f or the few migrants to the country who were subjects to discrimination, harsh treatment by the authorities and racial discrimination. The movement arranged protests and boycott but only a few people came out to fight for their rights. The movement did not have the numbers to push for an end of the oppression foreigners were going through. Another reason why the foreigner rights movements in Japan failed to be successful was the lack of major legislative processes that would lead to the enactment of Acts that would help fight for their rights. The political opportunity and framing theory of social movement clearly explains why the movement in the U.S became successful and contributed to the passage of major bills, which resulted to the end of migrant oppression in the country as compared to the foreigner movement in Japan (Tsuda, 2006). One of the key bases that led to the success of

Social Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Social Change - Research Paper Example As an upshot, individuals, communities and group regardless of cultural and geographical restrictions are increasingly drained into channels clear of space and time. Consequently, isolated localities now compose a gamut, and growth across the borders now forms domestic measures. Thus, other than the predominant political and economic aspects, the social impacts globalization has significant in understanding the trends of current time and space (Palier and Bruno, 148). By contrast with earlier epochs, modern armed globalization is astonishingly broad and intensive. It is calculated, for example, in terms of military-political relations, arms sales and universal military invention for the period illustrious by the lack and deficiency of empires, immense supremacy divergence and interstate confrontation and wars. In contrast with previous years there has been a considerable swing in the organization and coordination of defence invention in the course of more broad and rigorous trans-nationalization through regulating and licensing, co-production treaties, subcontracting, joint ventures and mutual alliances. Few nations currently, including America, can assert to have a sovereign military fabrication facility. Therefore, Globalization has promoted universal peace and coexistence among different communities and countries worldwide (Guillà ©n and Mauro, 251). Intercontinental trade has expanded and developed to exceptional levels, both enormously and comparatively in relation to national revenue. In contrast with the nineteenth century, an era characterized by quick trade growth and escalations, Export levels in relation to GDP share currently are much greater and bigger in OECD states. As results of barriers of entry to global trade which have transverse the world, universal markets have materialized for a lot of goods and, gradually more, services (KesiÄ  and Dragan,