Organizations group jobs and work functions into groups Essay

1. Chapter 7 addresses organizational structures (how organizations group jobs and work functions into groups). For example, a hospital may have hundreds or thousands of employees while a private physician’s office may have just a few employees. For the organizations below, describe which organizational structure they would likely use and why: †¢ A small physician’s office Smaller hospitals tend to have much simpler organizational structures. small business can use one of three primary organization structure options: functional, divisional or matrix. Essentially, the organizational structure creates a business hierarchy to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the business operations. Different small businesses operate in different ways, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution every small business should choose for an organizational structure. You can, however, determine which of the most common structures works for your business. Functional When you establish a functional organizational structure, you are building a hierarchy based on the job role of each employee. Functional organizational structure groups together employees who work toward a common goal. For example, all of your marketing employees would be in the same group. Even if you only have two or three employees who fulfill the marketing role of your small business, you would structure it so one person is in charge, such as the vice president of marketing. His team would consist of a marketing manager and a public relations manager. The functional structure provides focus to the employees, because they know they are working toward a common goal. In this example, the common goal is marketing and promoting the business. Divisional Divisional organizational structures decentralize the functional  organizational structure because the roles of the employees are divided by product or region, rather than function, within your business. For example, you could divide the United States into four divisions: north, east, south and west. Each division would then have its own employees. This provides each region with specialist in each area for that region. If your business sells different products, you can also separate roles by the product under a divisional organizational structure. Matrix Matrix organizational structures combine the characteristics of a functional and divisional organizational structure. The matrix organizational structure works more like a team. Instead of department heads, each team has a leader. Matrix organizational structures bring together employees who focus on a project, but fill different roles from across your business. The matrix organizational structure has the most decentralization, which means it can confuse employees about who is in charge. The matrix organizational structure is appropriate if your business operates on an international level, or serves different geographic regions. Trial and Error Many small business owners start off by structuring the business by trial and error, or in a haphazard manner. You could start the business with just you and an assistant until you learn more about the roles employees must fill within the organization. Changing Structures When your business starts small and then grows, it is not uncommon to start with one organizational structure and then transition to another structure. For example, if your business starts out by only serving the local city where the business operates, but eventually serves the state, you might start with one structure and change to another one to better fit the needs of your business and its customers. †¢ A hospital with one large facility in a city Large hospitals have complex organizational structures The organization structure of the HR department should comprise of the Director as head, HR manager, Assistant Managers and a number  of HR executives looking after recruitment; training;safety, security, general administration, labor, vigilance , government regulations and legal issues. The health care organizations also need to have a strong grievance redresal mechanism both for the staff and users of the facilities. This should be built inbuilt in the HR policy.Human Resource Management is the process of bringing people and organizations together sohe medical staff is a formally organized unit within the larger hospital organization. The president or chief of staff is the liaison between the hospital administration and members of the medical staff. Typically, the medical staff consists primarily of medical physicians, but it also may include other doctoral-level professionals, such as dentists and psychologist that the goals of each are met. The nursing division usually comprises the single largest component of the hospital’s organization. It is subdivided by the type of patient care delivered in the various medical specialties. These nursing units are composed of a number of patient beds grouped within a certain area to allow centralization of the special facilities, supplies, equipment, and personnel pertinent to the needs of patients with particular conditions. †¢ A major, nationwide insurance company The right structure and leadership to drive success. They are fortunate to have strong and committed leaders to help us deliver on their priorities and achieve their long-term vision for success as one company serving the needs of the members and business partners.† They can aid in decreasing the insurance coverage charges and support the person to figure out every single possible way to minimize premiums and increase protection. Most insurance businesses offer bundled deals where a person can merge more than 1 kind of coverage collectively so as to receive a discounted quality volume. The advantages include a one insurance policy service provider to make contact with and pay, as well as an reasonably priced plan for all your needs. If a person isn’t asking the questions they feel ought to be answered, then the person is not actually getting the aid they want. When working with an agent or broker, take the time to satisfy that the agent or broker is experienced in a variety of kinds of insurance. Most states need licensing examinations and continuing education for  insurance producers. Question about these accreditations, knowledge in the discipline and any other variables that are crucial to you. 2. Chapter 17 addresses communication and information technology management. One of the common issues in any workplace is the quality and effectiveness of communications. Email is a form of personally addressed written communication that is common in nearly all work places. While people like using email, there are also drawbacks. Explain the pros and cons of using email messages. The pros of email are: It demands attention,which helps ensure that the receivers pay attention. Has enabled many workers and managers to become telecommuters, people who are employed by organizations and work out of offices in their own homes. Able to reach large numbers of receivers. The cons of email are The growing abuse of email. Employees sexually harras coworkers through email, and divorcing spouses who work together sometimes sign their spouse’s name to email and send insulting or derogatory messages to the spouse’s boss. Top managers also complain that sometimes their email is clogged with junk mail. Problems with email systems also happen alot. Unlikely feedback. Information overload.

Introducing Customer Services Essay

Introduction In this assignment I will be writing about the importance of having good communication skills in customer service. I was assigned to a two week work placement at Superdrug where I had to deal with different types of customers and their needs and expectations. I also was instructed by the supervisor to give good customer care and service to customers. Task 3 Explanation of what a customer is Customers are people or businesses who pay for goods and services or benefit from a particular business. People such as: * The elderly * Teenagers * Disabled * Insurance companies * Banks * Cleaners Task 4 In this task I will be explaining the meaning of internal customers. I will also be giving examples of what an internal customer is. Internal customers Internal customers are those people and employees who might use a company’s services and products. Examples of internal customers are: Store Manager The store Manager is an internal customer because he/she benefits from the company when the company gets sales. They also may get a pay rise if the business does really well. The manger depends on the business to get sales, if the business does badly the manger is then at risk of losing money or getting sacked. Security guard The security guard is an internal customer, for his/her service of making sure goods are not thieved from the store he/she benefits from the business by getting a months salary and also may get discounts from the business. Cleaners The cleaner’s job is to make sure that everything in the shop is clean and presentable. The cleaner benefits from this by getting a monthly salary and may get a discount on the products he/she buys from the business. Task 5 In this task I will be explaining the meaning of external customers. I will also be giving examples of what an external customer is. External customers An external customer is an individual or business outside of the company who receives goods or services from that particular company. For example: Banks Banks are external customer because they benefit from the money that is given by companies. They benefit from this money because when the money is given to the bank the bank loans the money to other companies and make profits off of it e.g.(interest). Suppliers The suppliers are external customers because they provide the products for the businesses and the businesses therefore buy the products from them. The suppliers make a profit from that money used to pay for the product which enables the people who work with the supplier to get a salary. People People are external because they buy products from the business and in return they get good service and quality products. Task 6 Customers at Superdrug and their needs and expectations In this task I will be identifying 4 types of customers I came across while working at Superdrug and what their needs and expectations were. While on my work experience I came across a range of different customers such as: * The elderly * Disabled * Teenager I didn’t come across the external customers who are: * The cleaners * Bank * The manager * Insurance company Internal customer needs at Superdrug Store Manager The store Manager needs to come to the store and buy product in-order for him/her to get paid. The manager also needs employees to come to work early in-order for the store to open if no-one comes in to work the business will have to get closed down and the manager will lose his job. He/she also needs holiday entitlement Security guard The security guard needs to get paid for his/her services. Him/her also need to have at least one lunch break and needs to be useful e.g. (watching out for thieves). External customer needs at Superdrug Bank The bank needs Superdrug to put more money into it that they take out so the bank can make profits. The bank also needs the money to get into the bank on-time and always have some of that money in the bank. Insurance company The needs of the insurance company are for Superdrugs to pay them. Elderly To meet customer needs knowledge of the products are necessary. A lot of elderly customers come in to the store for the in-store pharmacy, the customers brings their prescription to the counter and or they may ask you for something you will have to understand what they need so that the customer can purchase the product. The customers are also like to be buying the product from a decent enough price and have good quality. Teenagers Superdrug attracts a lot of teenage customers because they like to buy a lot of hair products and perfumes. They need good value for money as they don’t work to get money themselves and quality products. Internal customer expectations at Superdrug Store Manager The store Manager expects employees to come in every day and give good customer service and expects a permanent job. He/she also expects the employees to be polite and pleasant to him/her, and expects the business to look after him/her e.g.(sick pay). Security guard The security expects to be treated with respect by all staff in the store, a lot of thieves come into the store everyday and if the security is to catch one of those thieves he/she expects to be praised and maybe get a pay rise for the hard work. For his/her service of making sure goods are not thieved from the store he/she expects to benefit from the business by getting a months salary and also may get discounts from the business. External customer expectations at Superdrug Bank The bank expects Superdrug to pay their money on time and use they right forms. They also expect the money to come in regularly. Insurance company The Insurance Company expect Superdrug to pay their money on time every month and not make untrue claims because this will make the insurance company lose out on money. They also expect Superdrug to fill the form out correctly when apply for that particular company. Elderly Elderly customers expect to be treated with respect and when asking for a prescription they expect staff to be polite and the prescription to be dealt with quickly and efficiently. Elderly customers also expect to have easy access around the store. Teenagers Teenagers expect good customer service from employees. They also expect the products to be of good quality and value for money. They also expect for the product that they want is always available. Task 7 Customer’s expectations at Superdrug are quiet high and are always increasing. While on my work experience I came across many different types of customer, below are just a few examples of customers I came across in the business and what their needs and expectation were. Task 8 Why you have to present yourself appropriately and prepare your work area before customers arrive in Superdrug. In this task I will be explaining why it is important that staff present themselves appropriately and prepare their work area before customers arrive. In Superdrug the majority of customers are members of the public, the appearance of both the staff and the premises are very important. It is important in a retail business that staff pays attention to their appearance because customers expect you to be smartly dressed, and also to be approachable this includes having good hygiene. It is important that I had a positive attitude towards customers so that they may feel welcome to return back to the store and buy products. Knowledge of products and services is also very important because customers won’t always know about the product so they would seek advice from staff. In Superdrug it is important that the work area is clean and tidy before customers arrive to provide a pleasant and sufficient environment to give the impression to the customers that the store is well looked after. It is important that equipment is easily accessible to those who need to use it. For example the tills would be turned on and appropriate amount of cash put in, and televisions advertising certain products so that customers can buy them. The work tops will also be cleaned before customers arrive. It is also important to keep store safe for customers at all times this can be done by making sure that the till area is always tidy and making sure the walking areas no obstructions such as boxes and plastic wrappers left from staff stacking items. There would also be security staff protecting the store. Task 9 How Superdrug staff prepare themselves and their work area for customer service In this task I will be describing how staff in Superdrug prepares themselves and their work area for customer service. Staff Positive attitude While on my work experience I had positive attitude when dealing with customers and was enthusiastic about the products I was selling. It is also important that I was polite and understood the customer’s needs so that the customer will be happy to buy the product I was describing to them. Personal presentation In Superdrug it was expected of me to be professionally presented. The customers will have certain expectations including being approached by staff that is clean, smartly dressed and has good personal hygiene. Dress code I was instructed by the manager to arrive at the Superdrug wearing a smart black blouse with smart black trouser and black shoes (no trainers). It is also expected of me to have clean hair and brushed teeth so my breath does not smell while talking to customers. Posture It was important that I had good posture which means standing up straight and looking confident so that you look approachable by customers. If I did not have a good posture for example slouching with my hands in my pocket customers may think I can’t be bothered and I don’t care about my job, therefore customers will not feel comfortable approaching me. Personal space It is important that when I was talking to a customer face to face that I was to stand at least arms length away from them. Standing closer than the recommended length is invading that customer’s personal space and they may feel uncomfortable. Standing further away from the customer may give them the impressions that you are either scared or you don’t have time for them. First impressions First impression of a business is very important. If a shop is first opening and the shop floor is dirty and staff looks scruffy, the customers may think the business is not run properly and may not get the chance to see the products. The customers will see the dirt and poor appearance of the staff and will expect the product to be poor quality. Knowledge of products and services Customers expect staff to know about the products and services that the retail outlet provides. It is important that staff familiarise themselves with the layout of the shop floor, this will enable staff to provide information regarding products (e.g. product whereabouts). While on my work experience at Superdrugs it was required of me to have knowledge of the section I was working in and also know other sections around the store, I was given a sheet of paper showing everything that was in the store and where they were. By the end of the day I knew where every thing was on the shop floor, when customers approached me asking where a particular item was, I was able to tell them straight away. It helped to have the section I was given to work in because I had a lot of knowledge of those products as I am always buying those products myself. Organisations guidelines and standards required for customer service It is essential that Superdrug have a customer service policy that states the required standard for customer service. This ensures that employees know what to do when they are dealing with customers and will help them provide a high standard of customer care. Teamwork It is important that staff are good at working as a team, this can improve your customer service skills as you would have to use the same skills in order to build a good relationship with your team workers. For example listening skills, negotiation skills and assertiveness. Teamwork involves sharing ideas and working together, for example in Superdrug on the pharmacy counter processing customers prescriptions is customer service staff working with each other the till staff send prescription info to a computer behind the scenes, the prescription is then processed and given to the customer. Work area Appropriate equipment In Superdrug it is important that the work area is clean and tidy before customers arrive to provide a pleasant and sufficient environment to give the impression to the customers that the store is well looked after. It is important that equipment is easily accessible to those who need to use it. For example the tills would be turned on and appropriate amount of cash put in, and televisions advertising certain products so that customers can buy them. Safe and tidy work area It is important in that Superdrug keep the work area clean and tidy. I did this by making sure that I cleaned up my rubbish after stacking the shelves. If the store is not kept safe and tidy it could cause hazards and may result in customers injuring themselves. It is also important that the workplace is kept tidy because staff may find it is easier to lose important documents. Efficient use of space It is important that in Superdrug there is enough space for all types of customers to walk about with. For example mothers with buggies and disabled people in wheelchairs. It is also important that items displayed on the shelves are easy reach by customers of average height. Remember high shelves can make it hard for shorter people to reach. Health and safety By law all employees/staff are required to take responsibility of their own health and safety and that of other e.g. (customers). It is also important that when staff use equipment they clean up after themselves or put the equipment in its rightful place. For example, when stacking out items on the shelves make sure the boxes or the products wrapping is not obstructing the aisles, this could cause a customer to trip and injure themselves. Fire safety It is important that staff follow the procedures of fire safety. All members of staff should know what to do in an event of fire and where the equipment is, for example marked fire exits, emergency evacuation procedures and fire extinguishers. While on my work experience on the first day I was shown all the nearest fire exits and it was explained to me what I should do in an event of fire. There was a practice fire alarm and it was my job to make sure that all customers were safe and evacuated the building immediately. Accident It is important that all staff in Superdrug no what to do in case of an accident to an employee or customer. If a customer or employee has been injured it is important that you notify an appropriate member of staff e.g. (manager, first aider). If the injury severe you should dial 999 and ask for an ambulance. Task10 Health and Safety risks in the workplace Task 11 In this task I will identifying four possible hazards found in Superdrug. Four possible hazards in Superdrug Poor maintenance Slips, trip and falls Fire exits Smoking Task 12 In this task I will be identifying the potential hazards and risk in Superdrug. I will also be explaining how the hazards and risks could harm employees and customers. Hazards Risks Poor Maintenance If shelves are broken and not repaired quickly. A customer might want an item which is on a high shelf not knowing that is broken they will pick up the item and the products could fall on the customer which may cause an injury. If shelves are broken and not repaired quickly. An employee can be stacking the shelves not knowing the shelf is broken they will stack items on there and the shelves will collapse onto the person causing an injury. Slips, Trips and Falls If the floor has just been cleaned and a hazard sign has not been put up. A customer could walk into the store not knowing the floor is wet, they would then walk in that wet area and slip and injure them self. If an employee has just finished their task of unpacking products and stacking them on the shelves and they leave the rubbish on the floor, another employee could walk by not knowing the rubbish is there, the could trip over rubbish and fall and injure themselves. Fire exits If the fire exits are not clearly labelled for customers in an event of fire customers could be a great danger. If employees leave their boxes and rubbish in front of the fire exits in an event of fire people won’t be able to get out of the building and will then result in a lot of staff and customers getting injured. Smoking It is important that customers do not smoke in the building because if they are to drop the cigarette on the floor without putting out, this could cause the building to set on fire and put a lot of lives in danger. If employees are to smoke in the building they at risk of injuring themselves and others around them, everyone around them will be breathing in second hand smoke which could damage their body severely. The employee is also at risk of causing a fire and getting sacked. Task 15 In this task I will be explaining the meaning of communication. The meaning of communication Communication is when people interact with each other and share information. For example, while on my work experience I listened to customer’s needs and what they had to say which is that they wanted to buy a 3 mobile, then I gave back the right information on products and services in order for them to buy the products they wanted. Task 16 Why it is important to have good communication skills It is important to have a good level of communication skills because in the retail industry a large proportion of the work is dealing with customers verbally. Customers expect retail staff to be helpful, polite and to be well presented. Retail staff are required to have a good level of spoken English in order to understand customer needs and to be able to clearly provide information on request. Throughout my work experience I think I had very good communication skills towards customers I feel that I showed that I was enthusiastic about what I was doing. And there for customers would not hesitate to approach me. In the end it is important that the customers get what they want, the business then makes money and customers will be happy to return to the store. Task 17 In this task I will be explaining 3 types of communication I came across when approaching staff in a business Verbal communication One example of verbal communication that I came across as a customer was that when I asked a member of staff for a particular item they explain very clearly where the item was and they were very welcoming and polite Non-verbal communication One example of non-verbal communication that I came across was that when I tried to approach a member of staff in a store they didn’t even make eye contact with me they just pointed to a section of the store. Body language One example of body language that I came across is that when I tried to ask a till cashier for some information they just shrugged their shoulders with an angry face like I done something wrong. Task 18 In this task I will be identifying six communication skills and why they are important Appropriate spoken English It is important to have appropriate spoken English in Superdrug. While on my work experience it was important that I was polite to customers and that my language was clear and straightforward so that customers would fell comfortable buying the products and to return back to the store. Level and tone of voice When speaking to customers it was important that I pay close attention to my level and tone of voice. For example, if my tone of voice is too loud the customer may think I am being angry towards them. The level of voice should be balanced, not too loud and not too quiet. Welcoming In Superdrug it is important to be welcoming and friendly. For example, I welcomed every customer that came into the store and ask if they needed any help finding anything. This encourage .customers to return to the store/ Listening In Superdrug it was important that I know how to listen to customers. I made sure that I listened to the customer’s needs and what they wanted. I showed that I understood the customers and didn’t interrupt them unnecessarily. Assisting It is important to offer and give help to customers. While on my work experience I made sure I did this. For example, opening doors for customers with lots of bags, this will encourage customers to come back to the store. I also offered to get products from high shelves and if the customer was looking for a product that my store didn’t sell I advised them on what others stores would sell the product. Questioning Questioning is very important in customer services in Superdrug. When customers first enter the store the first contact with them was in form of a question. For example, ‘how can I help you Sir/Miss?’ or ‘what are you looking for?’ Questioning helped me find out the needs of the customer. Which then gave me information on what they needed, to ask another question like, ‘what is your budget for this item?’. M3 How can I provide good customer care and services? In this task I will be describing how I can provide consistent customer care and services. Good customer care It is important in Superdrug that customers are satisfied with the way they have been treated; giving good customer care and loyalty will attract more customers to the store and keep Superdrug in business. Giving good customer care means being polite and helpful to customers. It is important that I listen carefully to customers and ask them questions so I get an understanding of what the customer wants so that I can get the right products for the customer. Having a positive attitude towards customers is mostly important because without a positive attitude customers will receive a negative vibe and therefore will not feel comfortable with me serving them. For example, while on my work experience customers asked for products that were no sold at the Superdrug store, instead of saying ‘we don’t have that’ I recommended them to a store that might have it. It is important when providing customers with information that I am clear and accurate about the product and that I confirm that the customer understands the information I have supplied. It is good to remember that when a customer enters the store, try and give customers more than they pay for. Good customer services When customers enter the store they should be assisted. In Superdrug every customer that entered the store was given information on the products that were sold there and the products features. It is important in Superdug to provide after sales care such as refund and guarantees. Communicating with customers is an essential part of customer service. This includes letting them know what services are available and making sure they are happy with the product I have sold to them. Good customer service in Superdrug attracts more customers and increases sales. It also improves the business reputation which means more customers just through recommendations. For example, two main factors that contribute to its business success are Superdrugs commitment to high standard of service and the expertise of its staff. To maintain these standards and keep staff up to date with new products Superdrug invests in training. D2 The importance of providing good customer care and services Importance of good Customer service Customer service is the provision of care to customers from pre-service to after sales service. It may be face-to-face, over the telephone, written or via new technology using e-mail and the Internet. Superdrug use customer care to create an overall impression of an organisation that puts the needs of the customer first, to ensure quality and increase sales over competititors. Increasingly, Superdrug have customer services departments or customer services desks whose job is to ensure the efficient process of delivering customer care, including provision for those customers with special needs. Superdrug produce literature, which outlines their Customer Care Policy or Charter; this may include their policy on refunds, warranties, after sales service and how to make a complaint. Customer service is very important part of any business organisation. Bibliography BTEC introduction business-published by Heinemann in 2005 Heinemann Educational Publishers Halley Court, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8EJ ISBN 978 0 435401 21 4 John Ruskin college intranet site Superdrug 452-456 Brixton Rd

Information strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Information strategy - Coursework Example Table of Contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Identification and Analysis of Factors Affecting Information Strategy 5 Strategy Formulation 5 Relationship amidst Differentiated Functional Departments and Strategy Level 6 Executors 6 Top Management 7 Middle Management 7 Lower Management and Non-Management 7 Communication 8 Implementation Tactics 8 Commitment 9 Review of Dell’s Approach to Strategic Information System Given the Likely Impact on Global Issues 10 Critical Analysis of Dell’s Application and Benefits of Strategic Information System in Mitigating Global Issues 13 Conclusion and Recommendation 14 References 15 Introduction Strategic Information System (SIS) frames a vital constituent of the operations of any modern day organisation. It is essentially a process for performing a decision- making strategy of the on-going activities of the business. It has been taken into consideration that facilities associated with the application of the strategic information system lays a greater impact upon the individuals, employees and the entire society. With emergence of globalisation, the application of SIS has become an integral part for ensuring sustainability of the organisations operating within this global scenario. Furthermore, by observation the SIS, it is viewed that it is as a channel for gaining opportunities. On the basis of the information based on the application of SIS, it has been ascertained that once an organisation invests on such advanced applications, it becomes difficult for it to turn-back. Such application demands higher investments for effective and optimal usage to gain sustainability (Galliers & Leidner, 2003). In relation to SIS, it has also been ascertained that SIS is different from the normal information systems. It is an advanced form of the information system, which depicts the impact of the information systems as a viable weapon. On further observations, it has been revealed that as the application of the SIS has acceler ated to a greater extent, it has become much cheaper in recent days. SIS has the ability to change the present activities of an organisation. Mainly the information systems introduce the electronic technology within the market, by applying which transaction of products and services becomes easier (Grant & et. al., 2009). This study intends to discuss the identifications along with the analysis of the factors, which mainly affect the information strategy. Moreover, the study also intends to provide a brief description based on a review of an organisation’s i.e. Dell’s approach towards the strategic information system and its impact upon the external issues. With this concern, Dell has been taken under consideration for in-depth analysis of SIS. Identification and Analysis of Factors Affecting Information Strategy Primarily, there arise numerous hurdles during the execution of SIS. By conducting an in-depth analysis, it has been ascertained that SIS implementation is loo ked upon as a dynamic and complex process, which assists in the decision-making of the managers and the employees. In this context, there is requirement to analyse the factors that are responsible for creating a hurdle in effective application of SIS within an organisation (Li & et. al., 2008). The differentiated factors that are responsible for creating a hurdle in effective implementation of SIS have been explicitly discussed hereunder: Strategy

Exploring my own Ethnicity Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Exploring my own Ethnicity - Term Paper Example In addition to the inclusion of all Arabized people in the world (language being the acid test), it has been exclusively used where Arab nomads once were sometimes used and the current focus shifting towards the entire settled descendants. It is also used in a colloquially similar way especially today in the American community. Townspeople previously popular as ‘sons of the Arabs’ within the case of various ethnicities or nations help in the identification of people as ‘Arabs’ to different degrees. This might not be the primary identity of an individual as it tends to remain rather compete in terms of the country, religion or sect. this is irrespective of the emphasis placed on them based on the audience at hand. Arab identity is independently defined as religious identity as it pre-dates since the rise of Islam (Maleh, 2009). This was the definition that was popularly used across medieval times like it was the case with Ibn Khaldun even though it later decr eased in relevance across time due to the fact that a better portion of the Arab ancestry continued to lose their respective links regarding their ancestors' motherland. On the other hand, Hispanic is more of denoting an extensive relationship to Spain and ancient Hispania comprising the Iberian Peninsula and the modern states of Andorra, Spain and Portugal. Other definitions also mention the inclusion of Morocco (Hispania Ulterior Tingitana) and the British Crown Dependency in Gibraltar. Currently, organizations around the United States continued using the term for purposes of referring to individuals with a thoroughly established historical and cultural relationship irrespective of Spain and Portugal and regardless of race. However, in the perception of the US Census Bureau, Latinos or Hispanics are from of any race, any country of origin, or any ancestry (Marger, 2008). The term is broadly used in referring to due culture where peoples and nations develop a strong historical link for Spain with regards to the countries that were previously colonized by Spain especially those that Latin America had sought in colonizing. Spain remained a geographic territory residence to various kingdoms (Muslim and Christian), with separate religions, governments, languages, laws, and costumes and was actually the historical Hispano-Gothic unity remnant. It was not until much later that Spain became a political entity while referring to Middle Ages which are confounded with today’s nation-state dimension (Klich & Lesser, 1997). The Spanish Empire expansion between 1492 and 1898 proceeded to bring in many Spanish migrants towards the conquering of lands establishing settlements mainly along the American lands and in other distant parts producing various multiracial populations. History of "your people" Coming to The USA Hispanic and Latino Americans essentially refer to one of the many ethno-linguistic groups cross the United States which has substantial origins in the Iberian peninsula or the countries of Latin America. Further, it includes people from the United States having self-identifies as Latino or Hispanic. Reflecting on the history of this ethnicity with special focus on the Latin American population, the Hispanics/Latino Americans are essentially racially diverse. This is because their origins were sourced from all the continents as well as many ancestries. As a result, they formed

Appropriatness of alternative methodologies for different Essay

Appropriatness of alternative methodologies for different organizational configurations - Essay Example These sub-systems are an interrelated set of activities which are executed to meet the goals of the organisation (Luthans 1985, p. 22). Hicks and Gullet (1975 p. 14) defines an organisation as a specific design of structure, people, duties and procedures. Structure explains the form of departments, the pecking order and committees. The structure influences the organisations competence and effectiveness. People refer to the abilities, attitudes and social relations of the employees of the organisation. Duties or tasks refer to the goals of the employees and the organisation. Procedures refer to the methodical approach used to perform tasks. Organisational structure thus refers to the institutional arrangements and mechanisms for mobilizing resources i.e. physical, financial, information and human resources at all levels of the organization. Organisation has been defined differently by numerous people. However, all definitions generally contain these five common features: Change can be said to be situations and events that occur in an organisation that have an effect in the way it operates (Huse and Bowditch 1973, p. 57). The effects can be positive or negative. There is need for organisations to embrace changes so that they can stay ahead of their competition. Several factors may necessitate change but this will be discussed later on in the paper. The phrase â€Å"organisational change† is about a major change in the organisation which might include issues like reorganization or adding up a new product or service (Gortner, Mahler and Nicholson 1987, p. 63). This is in contrast to smaller changes such as implementing a new computer procedure. Organisational change can look like such a vague occurrence but it is helpful especially if you can think of change in terms of a variety of dimensions. Organisations that offer services, either large or small scale, often view taking risks as the core of their business. True to

Kant's Theory of Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Kant's Theory of Religion - Essay Example The researcher states that in what has been grouped as his philosophy of religion, Kant gives an extensive discussion on the immortality of the soul, arguments for the existence of God and his attributes, the ‘moral argument’ for God, moral principles’ relationship to religious practice and belief as well as the problem of evil. He also gives criticisms of organized religion, among others. Before the 1781publication of the Critique of Pure Reason, Kant’s major interest lay in the theoretical standing and function of the concept of God. Therefore, he sought to locate this concept within a methodically ordered set of basic philosophical principles, which give an account of the world’s structure and order. As he developed his critical philosophy, Kant proposed a new philosophical principles’ role in understanding the world’s structure and order. Consequently, the critical project had an important effect upon the way he treated the role as well as the status of the concept of God within the hypothetical enterprise of metaphysics. Furthermore, Kant uses the critical philosophy as a locus for addressing more explicitly other key aspects of the concepts of God and religion than he had done in his former writings. Chief among these are the moral and the religious importance that humans ascribe to the concept of God. Important to note is the fact that throughout his entire career, Kant's interest in the theoretical function and status of the concept of God persists.

Planning and Implementation of Information Technology in Civilian and Essay

Planning and Implementation of Information Technology in Civilian and Military Organizations - Essay Example In fact, at the present there is very complex and dangerous environment for security and privacy. In this scenario, there is critical need for applying more appropriate security and privacy management technology based solutions. However, for implementation of such solutions there is need for effective planning and management of overall development. These days extremely complex national security situation is taking the Forces toward new, frequently non-traditional military missions, anti-terrorism actions, regional threats, homeland defense and counter-drug operations those are among a lot of disputes we face every day. In this critical situation, a powerful and flexible force is a necessary element of every national security plan. In addition, in order to convene nation's worldwide commitments in this demanding 21st Century setting, all types of the national Forces have be an expeditionary force (Price, 2011; Turban, Leidner, McLean, & Wetherbe, 2005). As discussed above there are cr itical changes happening in the worldwide environment, as a result there is need for much better and effective planning and management of new technology based solutions in order to deal with such kinds of operation and situation. In this scenario there is need for managing security and privacy of information transfers and data movements. These all processes need to be well planned and managed in order to better manage the national security and privacy (i.e. military operations and systems). On the other hand, in the business world, smart and successful businesses are those that are successful and quick enough in making effective use of information technology with co-evolution in unified limits similar to, social and economic transformations, technological progresses, and changes in ideas of processes, association procedure, authority and management techniques, training and education of people. Thus, these business corporations attain control over their ecosystems by establishing and making use of latest information technologies (Martzoukos & Haramis, 2009; Hughes & Cotterell, 2005). However, in both cases in business and national security or military point of view the security and privacy management of overall situation is the basic need of each entity. The business and military both need effective security and privacy that can be attained through the effective implementation of technology based solutions. In other words, this can be done through the application of new and innovative technology solution and it needs effective planning and management guidelines. Thus, with effective planning we can be able to get a better solution that will offer us an opportunity to effectively manage the business and national security (military operations). These solutions will offer the forces more power to fight against the national issues and problems. On the other hand, businesses will be able to deal with hacking and virus related issues (Martzoukos & Haramis, 2009; Hugh es & Cotterell, 2005). In this scenario, we can say that we completely agree with the statement that application of effective planning for and implementation of information technology in civilian and military organizations require essentially similar

Review of the movie Missing Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Of the Missing - Movie Review Example Alternatively, the film also demonstrates the relationship between Horman’s father Ed Horman (Lemmon) who is an American and Horman’s wife (Spacek). At the beginning, Lemmon blames Charles for his radical political views that resulted in his disappearance. However, he later on changes his mind thinking that there is a possibility of the Government being heavily involved with the disappearance of Charles or possibly his death. There is also the possibility that Charles the young American would have been on the informal hit list that involves foreign journalists taken away and probably killed. It is also claimed that the American embassy officials were aware of his fate and were even involved in approving Charles death. A drama film, which is set in Chile at a time when the nation is experiencing civil war, the film generally concerns some of the actions in which the United States government takes to gain more popularity. Generally, Missing focuses mainly on power from its actual life basis. Alternatively, Missing is a straightforward film that has an extensive deal that imparts on the United States behaviors in foreign countries especially in its operations. The theme in this case revolves around the United States on foreign land. Alternatively, the film demonstrates how the United States works in sustaining its operations in foreign nations and yet its own citizens decry the nation’s secret operations especially when the public are aware of these events. From the film drama, it is quite evident that the United States operates like a two-edged sword whereby the United States citizen’s priorities tend to shift especially when matters become personal. Ed Horman who is Charles father de monstrates this aspect. Edward and Mildred Lewis uses the characters in this film in such a way that they effectively bring out some of the true events that once happened during the civil war year. The characters are

Friedrich Nietzsche Essay Example for Free

Friedrich Nietzsche Essay Existentialism provides a moving account of the agony of being in the world. The spirit of existen- tialism has a long history in philosophy. But it be- came a major movement in the second half of the 20th century. Existentialism is not a systematic body of thought like Marxism or psychoanalysis. Instead, it is more like an umbrella under which a very wide range of thinkers struggled with ques- tions about the meaning of life. Much of the appeal and popularity of Existential- ism is due to the sense of confusion, the crisis, and the feeling of rejection and rootlessness that Euro- peans felt during World War II and its aftermath. Existentialism’s focus on each person’s role in cre- ating meaning in their life was a major influence on the Phenomenological and Humanistic traditions in psychology and on the â€Å"human potential† move- ment that emerged from them. Rene Descartes (1596-1650) said, â€Å"Conquer your- self rather than the world. †. To modern existential- ists this means that the World itself has no real meaning or purpose. It is not the unfolding expres- sion of Human Destiny or a Divine plan, or even a set of natural laws. The only meaning is that which we create by acts of will. To have a meaningful life we have to act. But we should act without hope. Acting is meaningful but it doesn’t create meaning that lasts beyond the acts themselves or beyond our own lifetime. You are what you do – while you are doing it – and then nothing. (Very depressing. ) In The Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus (pronounced â€Å"Kam-moo†) (1913-1960) describes life as a kind of hopeless, endless, uphill labor. Hence, the only true problem is that of suicide. Yet, he rejects nihilism; for the human being must fight and never accept defeat. The problem is to be a saint without a God. The last judgment takes place everyday. The human being must do his best, try for what he can within the confinements of his situation. Camus describes Sisyphus condemned by the gods to push a stone up a hill over and over, only to have it roll back down each time he reaches the top. A task that can never be completed. But he finds meaning in the fact that Sisyphus at least gets to decide each time whether to carry on or end it all. Camus says, The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a mans heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy. Although there can never be any meaning in Sisy- phus’ task, there is meaning is choosing each time to continue. Despite encompassing a staggering range of phi- losophical, religious, and political ideologies, the underlying concepts of existentialism are simple: Mankind has free will. Life is a series of choices, creating stress. Few decisions are without any negative conse- quences. Some things are irrational or absurd, without explanation. If one makes a decision, he or she must follow through. Notes on Existentialism by Tanweer Akram. The fundamental problem of existentialism is con- cerned with the study of being. The human beings existence is the first and basic fact; the human be- ing has no essence that comes before his existence. The human being, as a being, is nothing. This nothingness and the non-existence of an essence is the central source of the freedom the human being faces in each and every moment. The human being Notes on Existentialism Compiled for PSY 345 (Fall 2004) Existentialism Notes 2 has liberty in view of his situation, in decisions which makes himself and sets himself to solves his problems and live in the world. Thrown into the world, the human being is con- demned to be free. The human being must take this freedom of being and the responsibility and guilt of his actions. Each action negates the other possible courses of action and their consequences; so the human being must be accountable without excuse. The human being must not slip away from his re- sponsibilities. The human being must take deci- sions and assume responsibilities. There is no sig- nificance in this world, this universe. The human being cannot find any purpose in life; his existence is only a contingent fact. His being does not emerge from necessity. If a human being rejects the false pretensions, the illusions of his existence hav- ing a meaning, he encounters the absurdity, the fu- tility of life. The human beings role in the world is not predetermined or fixed; every person is com- pelled to make a choice. Choice is one thing the human being must make. The trouble is that most often the human being refuses to choose. Hence, he cannot realize his freedom and the futility of his existence. Basically existence is of two types: authentic and inauthentic forms of existence. Authentic existence is contrasted with dynamic and is the being-for- itself, rising from the human beings bad faith, by which the human being moves away from the bur- den of responsibility, through this beliefs in dogma and by regarding himself as subject to outside in- fluences and his actions to be predetermined. There is a striking contrast between the authentic and the inauthentic forms of being; the authentic being is the being of the human being and the inau- thentic being is the being for things. Yet, authentic being is only rarely attained by the human being; still it is what the human being must strive to gain. The inauthentic being-in-itself is characteristically distinctive of things; it is what the human being is diseased with for his failure to see himself as and act according as a free agent and his impotency to reject bad faith. Things are only what they are. But the human being is what can be. Things are deter- mined, fixed, and rigid; the human being is free; he can add essence to his life in the course of his life and he is in a constant state of flux and is able to comprehend his situation. The human being does not live in a pre-determined world; the human be- ing is free to realize his aims, to materialize his dreams; hence, he has only the destiny he forges for himself because in this world nothing happens out of necessity. The human being hides himself from freedom by self-deception, acting like a thing, as if he is a pas- sive subject, instead of realizing the authentic be- ing for the human being; this is bad faith. In bad faith, the human being shelter himself from re- sponsibility by not noticing the dimensions of al- ternative courses of action facing him; in bad faith, the human being behaves as others demand of him by conforming to the standards of accepted values and by adopting roles designed for him; in bad faith, the human being loses the autonomy of his moral will, his freedom to decide; in bad faith, the human being imprisons himself within inauthentic- ity for he has refused to take the challenge of re- sponsibility and the anxiety that comes along with his freedom. Anxiety ascends from the human beings realiza- tion that the human beings destiny is not fixed but is open to an undetermined future of infinite possi- bilities and limitless scope: The emptiness of fu- ture destiny must be filled by making choices for which he alone will assume responsibility and blame. This anxiety is present at every moment of the human beings existence; anxiety is part and parcel of authentic existence. Anxiety leads the human being to take decisions and be committed. The human being tries to avoid this anguish through bad faith. But the free human being, in his authenticity, must be involved; for his own actions are only his, his responsibility is to himself, his being is his own. The human being must be com- mitted. To be committed means not to support this in place of that, but to attach a human beings total- ity to a cause; it is the human beings existential freedom that leads to total commitment. Existentialist thinkers begin from the human situa- tion in the world; the condition of despair, the modes of existence, the human beings tendency to avoid authentic existence, his relation to things, his own body, and to other beings, with whom he can- not come into genuine communication, and the sufferings of life. Starting from the study of being, each existentialist thinkers originate their own doc- trines, with their own emphasis on particular as- pects. Very often their viewpoints is conflicting and sometimes contradictory; yet this philosophi-cal attitude of being, as a whole, can be described as the existentialist movement, which stresses upon the being of the human being. Existentialism Notes 3 Additional Notes on Existentialism Existentialism, philosophical movement or ten- dency, emphasizing individual existence, freedom, and choice, that influenced many diverse writers in the 19th and 20th centuries. Major Themes Because of the diversity of positions associated with existentialism, the term is impossible to define precisely. Certain themes common to virtually all existentialist writers can, however, be identified. The term itself suggests one major theme: the stress on concrete individual existence and, consequently, on subjectivity, individual freedom, and choice. Moral Individualism Most philosophers since Plato have held that the highest ethical good is the same for everyone; inso- far as one approaches moral perfection, one resem- bles other morally perfect individuals. The 19th- century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, who was the first writer to call himself existential, reacted against this tradition by insisting that the highest good for the individual is to find his or her own unique vocation. As he wrote in his journal, â€Å"I must find a truth that is true for me . . . the idea for which I can live or die. † Other existentialist writers have echoed Kierkegaards belief that one must choose ones own way without the aid of universal, objective standards. Against the traditional view that moral choice involves an objective judgment of right and wrong, existentialists have argued that no objective, rational basis can be found for moral decisions. The 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche further contended that the indi- vidual must decide which situations are to count as moral situations. SubjectivityAll existentialists have followed Kierkegaard in s tressing the importance of passionate individual action in deciding questions of both morality and truth. They have insisted, accordingly, that per- sonal experience and acting on ones own convic- tions are essential in arriving at the truth. Thus, the understanding of a situation by someone involved in that situation is superior to that of a detached, objective observer. This emphasis on the perspec- tive of the individual agent has also made existen- tialists suspicious of systematic reasoning. Kierke- gaard, Nietzsche, and other existentialist writers have been deliberately unsystematic in the exposi- tion of their philosophies, preferring to express themselves in aphorisms, dialogues, parables, and other literary forms. Despite their antirationalist position, however, most existentialists cannot be said to be irrationalists in the sense of denying all validity to rational thought. They have held that rational clarity is desirable wherever possible, but that the most important questions in life are not accessible to reason or science. Furthermore, they have argued that even science is not as rational as is commonly supposed. Nietzsche, for instance, asserted that the scientific assumption of an orderly universe is for the most part a useful fiction. Choice and Commitment Perhaps the most prominent theme in existentialist writing is that of choice. Humanitys primary dis- tinction, in the view of most existentialists, is the freedom to choose. Existentialists have held that human beings do not have a fixed nature, or es- sence, as other animals and plants do; each human being makes choices that create his or her own na- ture. In the formulation of the 20th-century French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre, existence precedes essence. Choice is therefore central to human exis- tence, and it is inescapable; even the refusal to choose is a choice. Freedom of choice entails com- mitment and responsibility. Because individuals are free to choose their own path, existentialists have argued, they must accept the risk and respon- sibility of following their commitment wherever it leads. Dread and Anxiety Kierkegaard held that it is spiritually crucial to rec- ognize that one experiences not only a fear of spe- cific objects but also a feeling of general apprehen- sion, which he called dread. He interpreted it as Gods way of calling each individual to make a commitment to a personally valid way of life. The word anxiety (German Angst) has a similarly cru- cial role in the work of the 20th-century German philosopher Martin Heidegger; anxiety leads to the individuals confrontation with nothingness and with the impossibility of finding ultimate justifica- tion for the choices he or she must make. In the philosophy of Sartre, the word nausea is used for the individuals recognition of the pure contin- gency of the universe, and the word anguish is used for the recognition of the total freedom of choice that confronts the individual at every mo- ment. Existentialism Notes 4 History Existentialism as a distinct philosophical and liter- ary movement belongs to the 19th and 20th centu- ries, but elements of existentialism can be found in the thought (and life) of Socrates, in the Bible, and in the work of many premodern philosophers and writers. Pascal The first to anticipate the major concerns of mod- ern existentialism was the 17th-century French phi- losopher Blaise Pascal. Pascal rejected the rigorous rationalism of his contemporary Rene Descartes, asserting, in his Pensees (1670), that a systematic philosophy that presumes to explain God and hu- manity is a form of pride. Like later existentialist writers, he saw human life in terms of paradoxes: The human self, which combines mind and body, is itself a paradox and contradiction. Kierkegaard Kierkegaard, generally regarded as the founder of modern existentialism, reacted against the system- atic absolute idealism of the 19th-century German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel, who claimed to have worked out a total rational understanding of hu- manity and history. Kierkegaard, on the contrary, stressed the ambiguity and absurdity of the human situation. The individuals response to this situation must be to live a totally committed life, and this commitment can only be understood by the indi- vidual who has made it. The individual therefore must always be prepared to defy the norms of soci- ety for the sake of the higher authority of a person- ally valid way of life. Kierkegaard ultimately advo- cated a â€Å"leap of faith† into a Christian way of life, which, although incomprehensible and full of risk, was the only commitment he believed could save the individual from despair. Nietzsche Nietzsche, who was not acquainted with the work of Kierkegaard, influenced subsequent existential- ist thought through his criticism of traditional metaphysical and moral assumptions and through his espousal of tragic pessimism and the life- affirming individual will that opposes itself to the moral conformity of the majority. In contrast to Kierkegaard, whose attack on conventional moral- ity led him to advocate a radically individualistic Christianity, Nietzsche proclaimed the â€Å"death of God† and went on to reject the entire Judeo- Christian moral tradition in favor of a heroic pagan ideal. Heidegger Heidegger, like Pascal and Kierkegaard, reacted against an attempt to put philosophy on a conclu- sive rationalistic basis—in this case the phenome- nology of the 20th-century German philosopher Edmund Husserl. Heidegger argued that humanity finds itself in an incomprehensible, indifferent world. Human beings can never hope to under- stand why they are here; instead, each individual must choose a goal and follow it with passionate conviction, aware of the certainty of death and the ultimate meaninglessness of ones life. Heidegger contributed to existentialist thought an original em- phasis on being and ontology as well as on lan- guage. Sartre Sartre first gave the term existentialism general currency by using it for his own philosophy and by becoming the leading figure of a distinct move- ment in France that became internationally influen- tial after World War II. Sartres philosophy is ex- plicitly atheistic and pessimistic; he declared that human beings require a rational basis for their lives but are unable to achieve one, and thus human life is a â€Å"futile passion. † Sartre nevertheless insisted that his existentialism is a form of humanism, and he strongly emphasized human freedom, choice, and responsibility. He eventually tried to reconcile these existentialist concepts with a Marxist analy- sis of society and history. Existentialism and Theology Although existentialist thought encompasses the uncompromising atheism of Nietzsche and Sartre and the agnosticism of Heidegger, its origin in the intensely religious philosophies of Pascal and Kierkegaard foreshadowed its profound influence on 20th-century theology. The 20th-century Ger- man philosopher Karl Jaspers, although he rejected explicit religious doctrines, influenced contempo- rary theology through his preoccupation with tran- scendence and the limits of human experience. The German Protestant theologians Paul Tillich and Rudolf Bultmann, the French Roman Catholic theologian Gabriel Marcel, the Russian Orthodox philosopher Nikolay Berdyayev, and the German Jewish philosopher Martin Buber inherited many Existentialism Notes 5 of Kierkegaards concerns, especially that a per- sonal sense of authenticity and commitment is es- sential to religious faith. Existentialism and Literature A number of existentialist philosophers used liter- ary forms to convey their thought, and existential- ism has been as vital and as extensive a movement in literature as in philosophy. The 19th-century Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky is probably the greatest existentialist literary figure. In Notes from the Underground (1864), the alienated anti- hero rages against the optimistic assumptions of rationalist humanism. The view of human nature that emerges in this and other novels of Dostoyevsky is that it is unpredictable and per- versely self-destructive; only Christian love can save humanity from itself, but such love cannot be understood philosophically. As the character Alyo- sha says in The Brothers Karamazov (1879-80), â€Å"We must love life more than the meaning of it. † In the 20th century, the novels of the Austrian Jew- ish writer Franz Kafka, such as The Trial (1925; trans. 1937) and The Castle (1926; trans. 1930), present isolated men confronting vast, elusive, menacing bureaucracies; Kafkas themes of anxi- ety, guilt, and solitude reflect the influence of Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky, and Nietzsche. The in- fluence of Nietzsche is also discernible in the nov- els of the French writers Andre Malraux and in the plays of Sartre. The work of the French writer Al- bert Camus is usually associated with existential- ism because of the prominence in it of such themes as the apparent absurdity and futility of life, the indifference of the universe, and the necessity of engagement in a just cause. Existentialist themes are also reflected in the theater of the absurd, nota- bly in the plays of Samuel Beckett and Eugene Ionesco. In the United States, the influence of exis- tentialism on literature has been more indirect and diffuse, but traces of Kierkegaards thought can be found in the novels of Walker Percy and John Up- dike, and various existentialist themes are apparent in the work of such diverse writers as Norman Mailer, John Barth, and Arthur Miller. Conclusion Existentialists make endless claims. They never bother to show how they reached their claims or if these are, indeed, true. The existentialists when he pretends to present a representation of reality pro- vides no cognition; unverifiable assertions may well express powerful and even necessary emo- tions and passions, but thats best left to the arts and literature. Existentialism is a highly passionate philosophy and, from the outset, seems to aim at a dynamic and fashionable life-style. Also it is mostly unsys- tematic and pays little attention to logic or science. Whatever one makes of its metaphysical claims, one cannot deny that existentialism was able to provide a moving account of the spirit of the con- temporary world and the nausea and frustration of survival. Indeed, it is basically for its richness in psychological insight and its impact on culture that existentialist philosophy will continued to be stud- ied.

Madame Bovary And The Death Of Ivan Ilych Essay Example for Free

Madame Bovary And The Death Of Ivan Ilych Essay What is the nature of man? Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary and Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych portray not only a glimpse of what man’s nature is, but also in so doing provide a criticism of it. Both works look into the life of people who want more out of life, and yet ironically what they desire only adds shallowness and not meaning to their existence. Whereas Flaubert’s Madam Bovary shows the depressing end of a woman consumed by passions, Tolstoy gives hope with a dying man’s last days where he gets an epiphany of what the nature of man should be. Emma is Madame Bovary, a young woman who lived in her world of romantic fantasy. She came from the country and read romantic novels when she was in the convent, and believed in earnest that love and marriage will make her happy. But after marrying a simple-minded and incompetent doctor Charles, she grows disillusioned as she sinks in the routine activities of daily life. She wanted romance, passion, excitement, and although her husband loves her and adores her, she wanted more. She wanted the latest trends in fashion and she felt that she was born unjustly to a lower class than was supposed to be for her, the aristocrat. But Emma does nothing to earn the admiration or the respect of the people she admired: she can copy their outward mannerism and clothes, but she does not have the refinement or the manners to be truly aristocratic. She merely believes in her fantasy world where the aristocrats live in luxury and a life of excitement. She was ambitious, but did not have any means to acquire her material cravings but for using her beauty and body. She gets into extramarital affairs because she finds her married life dull, even when she gives birth to a daughter. She does not take care of her daughter because she wanted a boy, and instead romps off with Rodolphe Boulanger, and does not care what other people say. She is oftentimes indiscreet and cares not of her reputation or her husband’s. Emma is self-centered and she had a sense of entitlement and superiority which had no basis but drove her to act without a thought to the consequences of her actions. She is, in a way, always likening herself to playing a role that sparks her imagination at the moment: a young woman being married to a foreign doctor, a middle class with a noble’s spirit, a bored wife having an affair, a lover, a woman of rich tastes. She could not accept that her reality was the norm and that her fantasies were exaggerated, dramatic ideals. When she was young she wanted the same romance she read in her romantic novels. When she became exposed to the high society at the ball she wanted to become like them. When she saw the melodramatic opera â€Å"Lucia de Lammemoor† she adopts the character and like her commits suicide. She drove herself to debt by buying expensive items which she sometimes gave as gifts to her lovers even when she had no means of paying for these in the first place. She signed promissory notes even when she did not understand them because the merchant Lheureux played with her fantasy that she was meant for the finest things in life. When her first lover leaves her, she is distraught and falls gravely ill. With her second affair she acts as the man, covering the costs for the affair and taking charge of where, when, and how they will meet. Her debts pile up as she purchases more and more to fill the gaping hole in her being. She believed she needed passion and excitement, but it seems that what she really needed was purpose and direction, for her life held no meaning. Her innocent tendency towards romance is transformed into full blown moral corruption as she was unable to hold herself together and keep her urges and desires under control. Emma is not productive, she has no desire to improve herself or her skills, and she does not nurture her relationships with her husband, her daughter, not even with her lovers. She just saw them as means of escape from her dull life, and when they fall short of her expectations she just drops them. When the consequences of her actions finally catch up on her and her world becomes smaller and smaller, she decides to play a role – that of a tragic heroine and kills herself with swallowing arsenic. She could not face up to the trouble that she has caused and decides to escape rather than take responsibility as she could not imagine a life of poverty and shame – although her whole life she was never wealthy and she lived a scandalous life with her known affairs. Up until then she saw her life differently – believed she had wealth, pride and breeding because that was what she wanted, but sadly these did not bring her the happiness she sought. Emma had a good life but was not able to appreciate it with her preoccupation with the things she did not have. By focusing her energies on her fantasies of wealth and romance she failed to live her life to the fullest, and for the most part it could be said that she was living in a dream and when she woke to find herself in the gravity of her real life situation, she killed herself to escape, but there was no going back to her fantasy world, and no redemption as even after her death her husband discovers her infidelity which kills him and her daughter sent off to work on a cotton mill. In her, we see the nature of man as ruled by emotions, desires and appetites, without caution or control, without compassion to others. Emma was not able to see and recognize the humanity in her, all the time she was acting out, even her motherly functions, her martyr facade. She never truly enjoyed life because she never saw anything and anyone beyond their appearances, and never learned to appreciate the little things that make life worthwhile. The theme of life and death is also examined in Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych, where he uses the characters to critique the artificial life that people live in society characterized by materialism and shallowness. Tolstoy puts forward a picture of society with striking honesty and insight: individuals do not behave as individuals but rather aspire to be like everybody else, trying to live a correct life as appropriated by norms, striving to have a comfortable life accentuated with material wealth even if their spiritual life and human relationships are dry and empty. With his narrative, Tolstoy then poses the question of what is important in life, how life should be led, and ultimately, how important life is and how people take it for granted by deluding themselves into believing they are exempt from death. Most of the characters in the story are portrayed as materialistic social climbers, who equated material wealth and position in society as determinants of success and happiness. Ivan, his wife and daughter, his supposed friends, all troubled themselves with appearances – they were preoccupied with proper decorum and attires, of looking well off, of having power over others. But these are all temporal, for these things do not really matter in the face of death. Ivan finds out that what is important is living one’s life according to one’s own vindication, not blindly following trends in society which results in a shallow, routine, meaningless life. He belatedly understood that empathy and recognizing the individual as an individual with thoughts and emotions rather than as subjects with mere faces is what mattered in life, that to live humanly is what gives life its meaning. Only Gerasim and his son are the ones in the story that have empathy and humanity in them – in Gerasim it is made obvious by his understanding that everybody, regardless of position or appearance, are all equal, with the same fate waiting for them in the end, especially when he said, â€Å"We shall all of us die, so why should I grudge a little trouble? †. The son, on the other hand, is the only one in Ivan household who showed any feelings for his dying father – he took his father’s hand and kissed it while crying. This can be taken as the boy was young; he was still innocent and not yet tainted with the demands of society. Ivan himself was dissatisfied with the boy because he behaved differently from him, his wife and daughter, but in his last days it was his son who showed him that there is a human soul in the world who regarded his life important. Also, this depiction of the innocence in childhood is mirrored in Ivan’s experiences: the only times he felt truly alive was when he was a boy, before he went to Law School. Being assimilated into society, he found that he trapped himself into a prison of standards, and lived a largely artificial life. Tolstoy showed that an artificial life is characterized by materialism and social climbing. At the beginning of the story, we find Ivan dead but his friends were chiefly concerned with the position that he will be vacating, the promotions and changes in the workplace and what they have to gain from it, all the while denying to themselves that they too will end up like Ivan sooner or later, that they will die eventually. They act as though they could live forever and concern themselves with the trivial everyday things. Even in his wake, his friends put a show of grievance because it was what was required of â€Å"friends†, but were more interested in playing bridge. They did not see the inevitability of death and suffering, of the hollowness of their lives. Peter Ivanovich, Ivan’s perceived closest friend, somehow felt disturbed and concerned, but rushed to quell these feelings because he reasoned he was alive and Ivan dead and there should be no reason to â€Å"hinder their spending the evening agreeably†. When he was still alive, Ivan himself saw how he had lived superficially in the way his doctors treated him, as though he was some subject whose sentence they hold in their hands, his life holding no real importance or meaning to the doctors. What mattered to the doctors was their perception of themselves that they feel important and significant by virtue of their occupation; that is what gave them satisfaction and purpose. Ivan himself acted the same way many times in his life – with the accused brought before him he reduced them to facts on paper and did not see them as individuals, he got married for it was expected of a man of his station and chose a bride not out of love or devotion but out of the social status it will benefit him. In the end, the story teaches that material wealth and position in society are not what matters. In the face of death, one looks back at the quality of life that he has led, and the most precious times would be the ones he felt most alive, when he was free and himself. The Death of Ivan Ilych and Madame Bovary teach us the nature of man as susceptible to fantasies of the happiness that wealth and material possessions can bring, but in reality these are more likely to corrupt us than give us real happiness. The nature of man is that of desire – desire to achieve in all aspects of life, and in this man should always apply himself to make himself a better person. However, desire for achievement is different from greed. Achievement should not only be limited to the professional and material aspects of life, but more importantly to the relationships with others. The meaning and purpose of life is not about the material achievement but how well one lived his life. Man’s nature reflects that of his society, and society that of man, as the individual is part of the whole and the whole consists of its parts. Both protagonists were deeply influenced by their time and what was regarded as important then. They have let others dictate, influence and take advantage of them, and by not taking responsibility d control over their lives they eventually found themselves in situations they did not dream of. This could have only come up to those who did not examine their actions and the kind of life they lead. Emma and Ivan believed that wealth and material things can bring happiness, but they both ended up dead – although here the stories’ protagonists differ. Whereas Emma chooses suicide to escape her suffering, Ivan comes to terms with his death and accepts it. Although Emma’s final act was of her own decision, we cannot say that she was finally taking things in her hands as before that she was always feeling hindered and trapped by her circumstances. She did not have a realization of what brought down her downfall, even in her final days she did not know what held meaning and not. Her suicide, like all her actions before, was an attempt at escaping reality, and this time she succeeded. Emma was not able to redeem herself, nor was she able to see what would make her life happy, but Ivan was changed and in his last days was able to make sense of his suffering. Tolstoy showed that no matter how sullen or materialistic a man behaved and lived, there is still hope for him to change as long as he lives. That man’s innate nature is towards living an authentic life, towards goodness, and that even if society is corrupt and superficial, pure love and humanity also exists, and it is always within us, and also in our capacity, to choose what kind of life to lead.

Self assessments in leadership

Self assessments in leadership This assignment comprised of five essays based on the completion of self-assessments on (1) Self-Confidence, (2) Leader-Member Exchange, (3) Trust in Leadership, (4) Job Affect, and (5) Motivation to Lead. Self Confidence. The purpose of this assessment is to assess a leaders generalized self-efficacy. There are many reasons a leader needs self-confidence because being a leader is a very difficult job. According to Pierce and Newstrom (2008), leaders must know their worth and trust themselves without letting their ego, or image get in the way. To accomplish this, leaders must have self-confidence by acting confidently and acknowledge their fears, and avoid thinking in terms of perfection and imperfection. The leadership self-assessment is to determine leadership styles and effectiveness. Many factors were taken into consideration in this self-assessment that allowed for positive and realistic perception when evaluating leadership abilities. This self-assessment was characterized by personal attributes such as assertiveness, optimism, enthusiasm, affection, pride, independence, trust, and the ability to handle criticism and emotional maturity. The score on this self-assessment ranged from 1 through 7, with one indicating the statement is strongly disagreed, and 7 indicating that the statement is in strong agreement. An overall score of 6 or greater indicates a strong sense of self-efficacy with the highest score being a 7. There were seventeen questions on this self-assessment. On the question of making plans work, a score of seven out of a total score of 7 was achieved by this author. When faced with difficult situations, a score of 4 was achieved out of a total of 7 on this question. On this self-assessment this author achieved an overall score of 5.3 which is close to the high of six that is set for this assessment. According to the criteria set for this assessment and in interpreting the scores, it was identified that the one area that needs improvement is with handling difficult situations. This area can be improved by building on self-confidence. According to Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) self-confidence plays an important role in decision making and in gaining trust. There are two main things that contribute to self-confidence that can help, and they are self-efficacy, and self-esteem. Self-efficacy is gained when mastering skills and achieving goals that matter in the skilled areas. By learning and working hard in a particular area, success will be achieved. This is the type of confidence that leads people to accept difficult challenges, and persist in the face of setbacks. This overlaps with the idea of self-esteem, which in a more general sense takes place when coping with whats going on in a persons life, and the right to be happy. In part, this comes from a feeling that the people around us approve of us, which we may or may not be able to control. It also comes from the sense that we are behaving virtuously, and are competent at what we do, and that we can compete successfully. The action plan that is being set to address needed growth, to improve on this situation, is to take stock of the present, address and focus on the future. A commitment to starting this action plan and staying with it must be achieved so that the needed growth can be realized. In preparing for this journey, a look at what have already been achieved is necessary. To accomplish this, listing the ten best things that was achieved in an achievement log is needed. Among some of the things that should be noted in the achievement log are such things as whether a key role in an important team project was accomplished; whether an achievement was reached in producing the best sales figures in a period; whether something that made a key difference in someone elses life took place, or whether delivery of a project that meant a lot for the company was accomplished. These are some of the things that should be listed. This list should then be reviewed often and time should be spent each week enjoyi ng the success that was achieved, so that improvements will be built to further the growth of this success. Another technique that should be used to address needed growth is to use the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. The SWOT analysis can be used to take a look at strengths and weaknesses, and from this, consider the opportunities and threats that are being faced. This will lead to thinking about whats important, and what direction to take. Once this is accomplished, goals must be set which must be measured by success. By hitting on the targeted goals that are set, and coupled with self-confidence, key factors in enhancing growth areas will eventually be achieved. The leadership self-assessment is very helpful in identifying areas that are needed for improvement since these areas directly relate to leadership growth. Interpreting the scores provide an awareness of a leaders worth because every leader must know their worth and trust them without letting their ego or image get in the way. This is one area that needs improvement because recognizing a leaders strengths will help to compensate for any weaknesses. The need to have the capacity to distinguish between perceived skills, and what the job requires are important as well. The findings from the self-assessment will help in recognizing areas that need improvement to enhance a leaders ability which will lead to becoming an outstanding leader. This will result in sound decision making, planning, organizing, directing, and controlling by the leader. Leader-Member Exchange This self-assessment is to assess the leader-member exchange relationship. Seven statements were provided that required the follower in a group to think of a situation for which there is a leader and indicate the degree to which there is agreement, or disagreement. The purpose of this assessment is to determine trust in leadership and team performance. There are three aspects of leadership that are explored in this assessment, fairness, trust, and ethical behavior. A score of 6 or greater indicates that there is a high quality leader-member exchange relationship with the leader. A low score of two or less suggests that there is a low quality leader-member exchange relationship with the leader. On this self-assessment this author scored 6.5 out of a total of 7. The score that was achieved on this self-assessment suggests that this author, the follower, has a high-quality leader-member exchange relationship with the leader. This score has connected to key concepts that are presented in the text. For example, recent evidence conducted by Wayne, Shore, Linden, 1997, suggests that followers who experience a high quality leader-member evidence exchange relationship may help their leader by carrying out their required role activities and by engaging in good citizenship behaviors. The follower will go beyond their expected role requirements in exchange for the benefits provided by the leader in the exchange process. The action plan that is set to address needed growth areas is to seek out probing questions, such as what makes a follower unique in the organization, and identify any accomplishments that will make the follower proud of. Reflecting on the most important work-related values, and figuring out values that are met, and those that are not met, will help improve needed growth areas. Probing questions that should be taken into consideration such as whether working with people, data, things, or ideas are satisfying, will help in identifying which mixture would be most satisfying for a follower and why when building growth areas. Since performance reviews are based on past performance, and connected to a supervisors view on an employee, reflecting on the last performance review will help in improving on growth areas that need to be strengthened. To enhance on growth areas, asking good probing questions, and avoiding ones that give only yes, or no answers will assist. This will allow the best way to gain a deeper understanding of what really matters to an employer. Practical application to individual leadership growth: The self-assessment focused on the leader-follower relationship. It introduces the concepts of fairness, trust, and ethical behavior. The self-assessment also focused on leadership as a relationship between leader and follower and extends the leader-member exchange theory to consider issues of organizational justice. The findings on this self-assessment, based on the cores, showed whether trust affects team performance, and whether trust in leadership mediates the relationship between past and future team performance. A score of 6.5 shows that this author has a high quality leader-member exchange relationship with the leader. The lesson learned from taking this self-assessment shows that part of leadership is observational learning done by the subordinates, and it is important that ethical values and conduct are demonstrated at all times. This will help with leadership growth because overall, leaders are expected to be honest, considerate of followers, fair in decisions, and make decisions based on ethics; but none of these aspects constitute ethical leadership by themselves. Gaining experience working in a highly ethical organization can help contribute to ethical leadership characteristics that are carried with the leader from one organization to another. This will be applied in any job that calls for leadership qualities. Trust in Leadership: The purpose of this self-assessment is to evaluate trust in leadership and team performance. Trust can be defined as an expectation or belief that one can rely on another persons actions and words that the person has good intentions. Trust in leadership is meaningful because the leader typically has the most formal power on the team, causing others to be vulnerable to him or her. The self-assessment was based on a score of 1 through 7 with one reflecting that there is strong disagreement with the statement and seven indicating strong agreement. A score of six and above reflects a high level of trust in leadership and team performance. There were nine questions. The overall score on this self-assessment was an 8.2 reflecting that most team members trust and respect their leader. This author scored an 8. The interpretation of this self-assessment score shows that there is a high level of trust in leadership and team performance. This self-assessment provides an awareness that trust in leadership is important. This awareness allows the team to be willing to accept the leaders activities, goals, and decisions, and working hard to achieve them will be their ultimate goal. This self-assessment is connected to key concepts presented in the text because trust in leadership has a positive effect on team performance. Trust in leadership mediates the relationship between past team performance and future team performance. Trust in leadership allows the team members to suspend their questions, doubts, and personal motives and instead throw themselves into working toward team goals. Specific plan of action that needs to be addressed is to identify and enhance growth areas by ascertaining ones present position. This growth area can be enhanced by using a variety of tools including interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, and data that are already available inside the organization. Once the data is collected, it can be used as a benchmark from which to establish short-term, and long-term goals, and objectives for relationship, trust, and team performance. The score, interpretation, and action plan on this self-assessment will be used to enhance and improve leadership skills because as a leader, one of the main priorities is to get the job done, whatever the job is. The findings on this self-assessment will be used to make things happen by knowing what the objectives are and having a plan of action on how to achieve them. This can be done by building a team committed to achieving the objectives and helping each team member give their best efforts. A leader must know their strengths and weaknesses, so that they can build the best team around them. 4. Job Affect: The job affect evaluation is designed to measure mood at work. The purpose of this assessment is to determine how people felt at work, while on the job during the past week. Mood at work, as assessed here is a state-based condition. Therefore, as a state-based condition, people can express different moods, depending upon the state to which they are exposed. On the other hand, mood can be relatively stable across emotional states and across time. Achieving a sore of four and greater on this assessment implies a high level of affect and a score of two or less imply a low level of affect. This authors overall score was a four. The job affect assessment is designed to measure mood at work and to decipher how people felt at work while on the job during the past week. Since this evaluation is a state based condition, people can express different moods, depending upon their state to which they are exposed. Mood can be relatively stable across emotional situations and across time. According to Pierce and Newstrom (2007), leaders who have strong positive affect are characterized as possessing an air of confidence, competency, and optimism. Leaders with strong positive affect transfer their energy to others and to be characterized as leaders of cohesive, productive work groups. The action plan to address needed growth areas specifically comes from confidence. Leaders are more likely to be assertive, decisive, and emotionally stable if they have self confidence. Confidence in self plays an important role in decision-making and in gaining others trust. To enhance growth areas, leaders need to have cognitive ability to formulate suitable strategies, solve problems, and make correct decisions. Effective leaders must have great knowledge about the company, industry, and technical matters. Industry knowledge and aspects of self-confidence can be developed through experience and training. Improvement of traits corresponding to leadership will be implemented. Traits such as drive that leads to achieve more, become ambitious, show and energy, tenacity and initiative are all qualities that need to be developed and nurtured to be a successful leader. Interpreting and evaluating the scores on this job affect self-assessment will help and can be used to improve leadership growth in such areas as traits, skills, and behavior. Since effective leadership is essential in increasing organizational performance, leadership success in todays competitive environment requires the combination of leadership traits, skills and behavior, and the understanding of how these elements interact in the leaders role. Leadership development is not universal; instead, leadership development programs must be tailored to each organization. These findings can be used to invest in leadership training and development that will enhance the competencies and capabilities of existing leaders, ensure leaders have the ability to effectively resolve competitive and economic challenges, and help leaders inspire and engage the organization and its management team to enhance overall business performance. 5. Motivation to Lead This self-assessment focuses on motivation to lead. According to Kirpatick and Locke (1991), leadership motivation involves the desire to influence and lead others, and is often equated with the need for power. People with high leadership motivation think a lot about influencing other people, winning an argument, or being the greater authority. Many people prefer to be in a leadership rather than subordinate role, and this assessment will help leaders know whether they have the ability to be a good leader. Achieving a score of 6 and above for each of the three motivations-to lead dimensions indicates a strong motivation to lead based on that factor. A sore of two or less indicates a weak motivation to lead based on the specified factor. The highest score is a 7 and the lowest a one. On this assessment, this author scored a 4.6 on the affective identify-based motivation to lead. On the non-calculative-based motivation to lead a score of 4 was achieved and a score of 4.8 was obtained on social normative based motivation to lead. An average score of 4.5 was achieved indicating that this author has the traits necessary to become a leader. According to Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991), leadership traits are important preconditions giving an individual the potential to be an effective leader. Traits are an important part of the picture, although each trait accounted for a small portion of the criterion variance. Leadership is proactive rather than passive in nature and while a leaders traits are important tools, the traits must fit the situation. Specific action plan needed to address growth areas in motivating a leader, and key traits that need strengthening were identified in this self-evaluation. Traits such as drive, desire to lead, honesty/integrity, self-confidence, cognitive ability, and knowledge of the business are important traits that need to be strengthened. Other possible characteristics of effective leaders that should be considered for improvement will be charisma, creativity, originality, flexibility, and adaptiveness. Industry knowledge and aspects of self-confidence can be developed through experience and training. Honesty does not require skill-building because it is a virtue that one achieves or rejects by choice. According to Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991), regardless if leaders are born or made or some combination of both, it is clear that leaders are not like other people. Leaders do not have to be great men, or intellectual geniuses. While a leaders traits are important tools, the traits must fit the situation, for instance a strong relationship between intelligence and leadership exists because a person does not emerge as a leader simply by possessing key leadership traits. Confidence in the self plays an important role in decision-making. By gaining others trust and developing self-confidence, leaders are more likely to be assertive, decisive, and emotionally stable. Effective leaders must be proactive. They must make choices and take action that will lead to change instead of reacting to events or waiting for things to happen. They must show a high level of initiative. .