Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Personality disorders and eating disorders Essay
Personality disorders and eating disorders - Essay Example would have been very difficult for me even to accept the behavior of Aidan initially, but with time I would have also accepted the absurd behavior or sexual innuendoes of Aidan. Like Richard only, I would have also passed through a volley of comments sometimes discreet and sometimes open from my colleagues or seniors. At one side the pang of homophobia and on the other hand the teasing and threats of mismanagement regarding handling the case form the colleagues would have been a mental pressure and anxiety for me. I would have felt disgusted, lonely, and even distracted from my other jobs as the client used to show resentment for Richardââ¬â¢s divided attention. At some point of time my disgust would have reached its optimum point as it can happen in the case of any happily married man. The sense of isolation or when everybody around fails to interpret oneââ¬â¢s activities is really more depressing and frustrating for a working married man as in this case the mental disgust cau ses misbalance in behavior which causes disturbances in both the domain-professional and personal. But like Richard only I would have also discussed the case with my staff and crew cause open communication helps in clearing up all the misunderstandings and doubts. It is obvious that Richard shares a special kind of sympathy with the patient which is a mark of a true nursing staff but really it is impossible to say whether it would have been possible for me like Richard to hold back patience and face the disgust of everyone around yet serve the ailing client who can be a trauma to any one and every one. Though tough but in this case dealing with Aidan in my own way and receiving comments and giving explanations for the way of treatment would have been hard for me to balance, but with endurance and patience I would have overcome it. Putting oneself in place of Aidan who is an acute patient of Personality Disorder is weirder but like Aida, I would also have tried to cling to Richard and my
Monday, October 28, 2019
Information Systems Security Survey Essay Example for Free
Information Systems Security Survey Essay The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) is an institution that was built back in the 19th century. UNMCââ¬â¢s mission is to improve the health of Nebraska through premier educational programs, innovative research, the highest quality patient care, and outreach to underserved populations (UNMC, 2004). As an institution with key interest to privacy of its students, staff and subordinate staff, UNMC has adopted various policy guidelines to ensure information security system. The Information Security Management Plan (ISMP) describes its safeguards to protect confidential information. These safeguards are meant among another reason to: Ensure the confidentiality of data Ensure the integrity of data Ensure the availability of data Protect against anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of the information UNMC has adopted information security industry best practices to implement its information security system (UNMC, 2014). They have become so effective that during 2011, a Hitrust Gap assessment was performed, and no significant gaps were found within its security program. The worksheet below outlines how these programs have been rolled out by different offices in the university. Worksheet: Information Security Program Survey Security Area Responsible Party / Office of Primary Responsibility Known Vulnerabilities / Risks Countermeasures / Risk Mitigation Strategy Acquisition (systems/services) Information Security Office Breach of the confidentiality clause All service providers must undergo an evaluation process to verify they are qualified. Contracts have a confidentiality clause whose breach terminates the contract. Asset management System Administrator Poor asset management Proper policies and procedure in placeà to ensure effective asset management. Evaluation to ascertain the qualifications of asset managers. Audit and accountability Information Security Office Dishonest employees disclosing confidential information to third parties Every application contains a log that must be maintained to meet regulatory requirement. There is Information security Incident Response plan to handle any notable strange events. Authentication and authorization System Administrator Covered data may be transferred to third parties without authorization Employees are provided with user name and password to access the data. Employees are trained on developing a secure password. There are control policies in place governing access to this information. Business continuity Information Security Office Non-coordination and miscommunication between employees All employees are supposed to keep contact information of co-workers and supervisors to seek for help in case of any emergency. Compliance management Compliance Officer the Information Security Officer Employees failure to comply with the set guidelines, policies and procedure There is a compliance form that is filled before a major project is undertaken by the enterprise. The form is to ensure that no new risk is introduced to the enterprise. Configuration control System Administrator Compromised system security Every configuration must have a password. Each password must have at least ten characters. The password must be encrypted at all times. Data System Administrator Data may be intercepted during transmission Database with security keys is available to authorized employees only. Access to classified data is allowed to limited employees. Information security plan ensures security of covered data. Hardware System Administrator Destruction of hardware in disaster Only employees with technical know-how of operating hardware are allowed to use them. The hardware are encrypted for security purposes. Hardware backup system. Identity management Information Security Office Unauthorized covered data and information transfer through third parties Identity Management Program (IDM) outlines procedure for issuing credentials based on the NIST guidance. Checks are done on employees prior to their employment. Incident management Command Centre Incident Response Team Physical loss of data in a disaster An Incident Reporting and Response Plan is in place to report and respond to anyà identified risk. Availability of a well-trained incident response team. Command Centre is established to manage emergency. Maintenance procedures Change Advisory Board (CAB) Existing patches within the security system A release process is in place to ensure that the changes do not affect non-primary system. Patching policies for workstations to ensure security. Media protection and destruction Information Security Office Unauthorized access covered data as well as information Data storage policies define how data stored in the media is to be protected. Data is only stored in a secured data centre or encrypted medium. Network System Administrator Unauthorized access to the network Network traffic is controlled by Cisco enterprise-class firewall where inbound connects are only allowed to DMZ. Internal trusted network is provided via an encrypted VPN tunnel. Technical perimeter is established to bar direct access from the internet to the Internal Trusted Area. Planning Information Security Office Poor planning that compromise management of the security system Contingency plan is in place to handle any eventuality. Employees are encouraged to store data on network file servers for backup. All backups are surely stored and marked for easy identification during emergencies. Personnel System Administrator Loss of data integrity Employees are only employed after exhibiting minimum security requirement. Information Security Addendum are to be signed for confidentiality purposes. An insider who ensures that all legal requirements are followed before access is granted must accompany outsiders accessing information. Physical environment System Administrator Physical safety of the environment may be compromised through attacks and burglary No unauthorized personal is allowed within the data centre premises. The data centers are controlled by keycard access. Policy Information Security Plan Coordinator Policies may be misinterpreted by the employee The Universityââ¬â¢s security policy is enshrined in the Privacy, Confidentiality and Security of Patient Proprietary Information Policy and the Computer Use and Electronic Information Security Policy. The two policies require that authorized people can only access this information. The policies are reviewed every two years to make them in tandem with the prevailing circumstances. Operations The Information Security Officer and the Infrastructure Teamà Failure for operations to comply with the system security policy An operation must fill a compliance Checklist or a Security Risk Assessment form for review to verify that no new risk is introduced to the enterprise. Outsourcing System Administrator Unauthorized disclosure of security information by third parties Outsourced vendors must comply with UNMC Policy No. 8009, Contract Policy. Vendors accessing classified student information must sign the GLB Act contract addendum. Risk assessments Information Custodian Poor method of risk assessment that may downplay the actual impact of a risk Security assessment I conducted annually. All applications must meet the organizations security policies and procedure. Software System Administrator Software may be infected with a virus Software should not be installed unless the user trusts it. Vendor update and patches must be installed unless directed otherwise. Software license must be retained to get technical assistance. Training System Administrators and Information Custodians Misuse of security system Loss of data integrity Employees are trained on information security system before they are employed. System administrators and information custodians are annually trained on Specific Information Security Policy and Procedure. References UNMC. (March 2014) Strategic Plan 2010-2013. Retrieved from http://www.unmc.edu/wwwdocs/strategic-plan_06-10_v3-brochure1.pdf United States Government Accountability Office. (February 2010). ELECTRONIC PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE: Health Care Entities Reported Disclosure Practices and Effects on Quality of Care. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10361.pdf UNMC. (February 9, 2004). Information Security Plan. Retrieved from http://www.unmc.edu/its/docs/UNMCInformationSecurityPlan-Sept2010.pdf
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Essay --
Lauren Hurst Professor Larson BIBL 105 ââ¬â Introduction to Bible Study 19 December 2013 1 Timothy 2:8-15 ââ¬Å"In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy. And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do. Women should learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly. For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived and sin was the result. But women will be saved through childbearing assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.â⬠Introduction ââ¬Å"Men wanted for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.â⬠That advertisement appeared in a London newspaper and thousands of men responded! It was signed by the noted Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton, and that was what made the difference. If Jesus Christ had advertised for workers, the announcement might have read something like this: ââ¬Å"Men and women wanted for difficult task of helping to build My church. You will often be misunderstood, even by those working with you. You will face constant attacks from an invisible enemy. You may not see the results of your labor, and your full reward will not come till after all your work is completed. It may cost you your ho... ...o explain how a local church should be managed, and to enforce his own authority as a servant of God. In 1 Timothy 2:8-15 Paul encourage Timothy to confront the false teachers who had infiltrated the church at Ephesus. In context, Paul is dealing with false deceived teachers who are teaching false doctrine (1 Tim. 1:3, 7). Prior to 1 Timothy 2: 9-15, Paul gives instructions to Timothy regarding how the men and women who claim godliness should conduct themselves in the church while they are in the midst of the false teachers (1 Tim. 2:1- 10). Paul writes 1 Timothy with instruction to Timothy, a young man who responded to Christââ¬â¢s call to help build His church. Timothy was one of the apostle Paulââ¬â¢s special assistants. 1 Timothy, one of three pastoral letters, is instructing Timothy how to lead and instruct the church in the city of Ephesus.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Mildred D. Taylor Essay
The successful and renowned author Mildred D. Taylor was born in Mississippi, Jackson and has used her excellent writing style to create the thrilling and compelling novel ââ¬Å"Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cryâ⬠to put across her knowledge and experience of the complexities of the south when there was legalised segregation of Blacks and Whites. The interesting and diverse characters in this story were skilfully created by Taylor to put across the varied and often devastating injustices that regularly occurred in the south during The Great Depression of the 1930s. For the purposes of this essay I will be discussing the experiences and reactions of two very different characters, Uncle Hammer and Mr. Morrison. The reason for my choice is that I feel they are characters that in some way stand out when looking at their experiences and actions in regards to the question. They are two very diverse characters particularly physically Mr Morrison was a ââ¬Å"human tree in height, the long trunk of his massive body, his skin the deepest of ebonyâ⬠relating to where he came from which was two ââ¬Å"strong like bullsâ⬠parents which suggested that he had a family heritage of stud farms. Uncles hammer ââ¬Å"dark, red-brown skin, a square jawed faceâ⬠. These two men are used in this novel to represent an understanding of the south through experience of violence. Uncle hammer fought in the civil war along with his brother who had died. Mr Morrison had regularly been confronted by violence through family and the loss of his job. They use this violence to battle racism that is put towards them and confront it when needed in their environment but in different ways and Uncle Hammer will do anything to stop racism as he does not like it for the fact his brother was killed by whites. When Mr Morrison is confronted there is no stopping this machine that was brought from knowledge of the creations in stud farms ââ¬Å"They was both of them from breeded stock and they was strong like bullsâ⬠but he only acts in self-defence. In contrast uncle hammer is the owner of land whilst Mr Morrison is a poor sharecropper. They are two very diverse characters although they have similar qualities. Mr Morrison the poor sharecropper has only friends he can rely on because of his story in the railroad business. He shows how grateful he is and this lands him a job in the Logan family business. Uncle hammer gets land from the Logans because he can protect their business from going down the drain. Mr Morrison a calm man had a tragic event; he experienced the killing of his own father and mother during the civil war when they had come after them that are the white people. Mr Morrison had also another experience of segregation when he got fired from the railroad business for beating up the white people. He was fired got fired because he was black and therefore was not good enough while the whites had stayed on to their job. This showed an example of how the south was at this time. On the other hand, Uncle Hammer experienced the same occurrence as Mr Morrison but his family was his two brothers that sacrificed themselves to make life better for blacks. During the civil war Uncle Hammer and his two brothers fought for how they believed the world should be. Uncle Hammer came out with a broken leg ââ¬Å"limping slightly on his left legâ⬠His brothers failed to return and he has come back to avenge his brothers and also to get justice. In conclusion, to this compelling book Mildred D Taylor used these two characters due to the fact that they were the tellers of what the south was like during the period of legalised segregation. They used their understanding to explain the difficulties as well as what would happen to Blacks if they were to disobey Whites.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Ingvar Kamprad Leadership Essay
Business Leader Profile Ingvar Kamprad Founder of Ikea Retail Stores Why Ingvar Kamprad? Does the name Ingvar Kamprad mean anything to you? To most people it doesnââ¬â¢t and it's a testament to the fact that he built up a brand that is so powerful people recognize it immediately, while not tying it into, or even knowing, the genius behind it. The brand? IKEA! The reason why we chose this business leader is simple, Ingvar Kamprad is a businessman and the founder of IKEA with an estimated worth of $22. 5 billion dollars.Kamprad was born in the south of Sweden in 1926 and raised on a farm called Elmtaryd, near the small village of Agunnaryd. He is a great leader and one amazing thing about him is that he went into business early in life, selling matches as a schoolboy and also, very wisely for his age (or any age for that matter) Kamprad took his profits and used them to expand his operations, adding to his small line of goods with decorations of Christmas trees, fish, and seeds. He was learning the operational side of retailing, and he was learning it quickly and profitably.When Kamprad did well in school, his dad rewarded his with some money, and that was the seed to launch a company he named IKEA. He got the name from his initials I. K. , and then added the EA from the name of the farm and the town he was raised in ââ¬â Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd. Don't think the idea of a furniture company was brewing in the mind of Kamprad with his new company, he still focused on smaller items, and for the most part look to the business of securing contracts of supplying pencils. Like in his younger years, Kamprad soon began to expand into all sorts of other areas, including everything from jewelry to male and female ccessories. He soon outgrew individual visits to customers and went into the mail order business on the local level, having the milk trucks deliver his products to his customers. When Kamprad first included furniture as part of the product line of IKEA, his i dea was to use local manufacturers to keep costs low and under control. That was in 1947. By 1951, furniture sales were so successful, he decided to drop all other products and focus on the furniture line alone. The first furniture showroom opened in 1953, and the rest is history.Almost immediately a price war started between IKEA and its chief competitor, and the inclusion of the showroom helped sway potential customers who were able to see and touch the quality before making their purchases. Like many great retailers, Kamprad was obsessed with controlling costs, and dedicated to finding new ways to do things at a less expensive level. That has been one of the major reasons behind the ongoing success of IKEA furniture sales and profits. Some people attempt to point out the fact that Kamprad has several properties he owns and so the frugal image is contrived.I have to disagree with that, because the reason he can afford some of these things is because he remained frugal within the c onstruct of his company, and so because he was able to put of instantaneous gratification, could then do whatever he wanted once he became wealthy. While there is some truth to the image part, it was also very much practiced by Kamprad. Many people think being frugal is being cheap in a negative way, and yet those best at it are the ones that serve their customers and employees at the highest level by giving customers the best deals possible, while at the same time offering longevity to employees.The best definition that reflects the idea of leadership for Kamprad is ââ¬Å"Leadership is a kind of activity meant to influence behavior, beliefs and feelings of the group members in a certain direction. â⬠(Wright, Peter L. and Taylor, David S. Improving Leadership Performance. Great Britain: Prentice-Hall International Ltd; 1984. p. 2). As Peter F. Drucker said ââ¬Å"The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say ââ¬Å"I. â⬠And thatââ¬â¢s not because t hey have trained themselves not to say ââ¬Å"I. â⬠They donââ¬â¢t think ââ¬Å"I. They think ââ¬Å"weâ⬠; they think ââ¬Å"team. â⬠This idea is mostly based on a simple word, and that word is ââ¬Å"teamâ⬠. Every leader who has this trait is surely to have great success simply because they donââ¬â¢t work and take decisions just on their own, they seek and welcome the help of employees, one of those leaders being Kampard of course. If we go back to Niccolo Machiavelli, we can see that he once said that ââ¬Å"The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him. and it a really smart and correct thesis, because in order for a leader to successfully empower his organization he needs employees, but not just any employee, they have to be creative, loyal and intelligent in order to really be useful to their organisation. So while cost control is a major part of the IKEA success story, the empowerment of its custo mers is as well, which is brought about from a highly committed and talented design team. Leaderââ¬â¢s position in organizational structure ââ¬Å¾In an hierarchical system, participants take for granted what the participants with the higher position definesâ⬠(Becker, 1998).In other words, social actors in the labor market believe what the professionals (leaders, professors, mass-media) define as leadership, considering that the privilege formal position brings privilege information and ethics. This is not a valid statement if we look into the organizational structure at IKEA. Anecdotes about Kamprad abound. When his father complained that Ingvar slept late in the morning, Ingvar got himself an alarm clock, set it for six oââ¬â¢clock, and yanked away the off button. According to Kamprad, we should all divide our lives ââ¬Å"into 10-minute units, and sacrifice as few of them as possible in meaningless activity. Though past 80, Kamprad still travels the world to visit new IKEA stores. He flies economy class, calls his employees ââ¬Å"co-workers,â⬠encourages everyone to dress informally, stays in cheap hotels and even replaces bottles from the hotel room mini-bar with cheap bottles bought in local supermarkets. He gives no interviews. As far as setting an example through his actions, Kamprad flies only economy class, drives a 15-year-old vehicle, and focuses on little things for his workers like writing on both sides of the paper, and other frugal practices. That has helped IKEA remain on the top of a highly competitive market.Critics of these stories say they seem intended to reinforce the companyââ¬â¢s no-nonsense brand and encourage cost-awareness among company staff. They point out that Kamprad may be the worldââ¬â¢s richest man, that owns several lavish houses around the world, and that it would be ludicrous to assume a man of such wealth would not use any of it for private purposes. If you've ever read IKEA literature, catalogs or advertising, they reinforce their and Ingvar Kamprad's motto of not only existing to make improvements in the lives of people, but to improve people themselves.With that in mind, the way the stores themselves are set up and the design of the furniture built with the idea of being very simple to assemble, it generates the healthy idea of self-sufficiency, which helps empower people and make them feel good about themselves. Leader or non-leader; manager or leader If we would be to make a list with leader and non-leader and manager traits we would easily see that Ingvar Kampard is a leader, not only that, he is a good example for hundreds of people out there who thrive to become leaders themselves. If we look closely at Kampard we can see that he is a proactive an, he believes in people following examples, he motivates and inspires top results and has great strategic orientation. If a leader is not like this, then as Abraham Maslow said â⬠If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. â⬠. Based on interviews with employees at IKEA, Ingvar Kamprad is a good example of leadership because he strongly expresses the organisational value of IKEA through his behaviours. Thereby, all the IKEA employees (from top management to co-workers) follow this organisational value as a framework.In addition, the leadership style of management position also was influenced through strong organisational value. Employees have used descriptives such as ââ¬Å¾role modelâ⬠and ââ¬Å¾fatherâ⬠when speaking about Ingvar Kamprad thereby denoting the familial nature of IKEA corporate culture. If we apply the model of leader vs. Manager described by Abraham Zaleznik ââ¬â Ingvar Kamprad is the epitome of business leader. All of this is based on his empathic relationship with his co-workers and employees. By setting examples and inspiring, he also sets the companyââ¬â¢s overall direction by altering the direction of its employees.One of his subordinates characterises his leadership style as a ââ¬Å¾teacherâ⬠. Senge (1990) and Max de Pree(1990)ââ¬â¢s theory states that a leader should be a teacher in the organization ââ¬Å¾ â⬠¦ much of the leverage leaders can actually exert lies in helping people achieve more accurate , more insightful and more empowering views of reality, when the leaders carrying out stewardship (Senge, 1990: 353)â⬠, according to Senge (1990). The roles that leaders should play is exactly how Kamprad has been doing for so long. Creativity As Teresa M. Amabile once said ââ¬Å¾Keep doing what you are doingâ⬠.Or if you want to spark innovation, rethink how you motivate, reward, and assign work to people. â⬠What is business creativity? We tend to associate creativity with the arts and to think of it as the expression of higly original ideas. Think of Pablo Picasso reinvented the conventions of painting or how William Faulkner redefined fiction. In business, originali ty isnââ¬â¢t enough. To be creative, an idea must also be appropriate, useful and actionable. Within every individual, creativity is a function of three components : expertise, creative-thinking skills and motivation.Expertise is, in a word knowledge ââ¬â technical, procedual and intellectual. Creative-thinking skills determine how flexibly and imaginatively people approach problems. Do their solutions apend the status quo? Do they persevere through dry spells? Not all motivation is created equal. An inner passion to solve the problem at hand leads to solutions far more creative than do external rewards, such as money. This compenent ââ¬â called intrinsic motivation is the one that can be most immediately influenced by the work environment.Senior manager at IKEA strongly believes that IKEA is a creative organisation based upon home-furnishing company; IKEA has to be creative within value ââ¬Å"efficiency and cost consciousâ⬠. This reason makes IKEA differ from other companies because it is not easy to produce a good product at low price. Furthermore, IKEA has a strong organisational value that every employee should concern as follows: â⬠¢ Togetherness â⬠¢ Cost consciousness â⬠¢ Respect â⬠¢ Simplicity IKEA follows a model of ââ¬Å¾family businessâ⬠because at its inception, Ingvar Kamprad was developing it as a family business which eventually grew to outstanding proportions.Due to this, most of his own ideeas like the simplicity and togetherness have actually become some of the companyââ¬â¢s most important organizational aspects. IKEA is an extremely creative organisation because IKEA allows employees to work in freedom and are open for trying new ideas. To demonstrate clearly, when employees have concepts, it is important to express their concepts to the manager in order to consider whether it is possible to develop and make this concept concrete. The respondent emphasises that ââ¬Å"It does not take a long time, if you have a really good idea.This creative idea will be developed and spread out to use at every store of IKEA in the world Moreover, the organisation also encourages employees to continually learn from their own experience and also otherââ¬â¢s experiences such as co-workers. As a result, employees are able to complete their own tasks as well as generate new ideas that make IKEA different from other companies. Leadership styles Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. Kurt Lewin (1939) led a group of researchers to identify different styles of leadership.After a complete analisys of all three styles(autocratic, democratic and delegative) we have reached the conclusion that Ingvar Kampard is most of the times a Participative(democratic) leader. This style involves the leader including one or more employees in the decision making process (determining what to do and how to do it). However, the leader maintains the final decision making authority. Using this style is not a sign of weakness, rather it is a sign of strength that your employees will respect. But of course, he is not always using this style, since every problem requires a different style.Besides the fact that Kamprad is one of the wealthiest living people, he is also an impressive leader. The leadership style he embodies is one of personal example. Though he has billions of dollars, Ingvar is reluctant to a life in luxury. People confess seeing him haggling in the market and dining together with his wife in cheap, dirty places. His image makes up for billion words. Black worn out shoes, cheap glasses and a grey faded coat dress up the billionaire in most of his rendezvous. Taxis are substituted with public transportation like busses and subways and, luxurious jets with low-cost airlines.By his daily routine and his habits of living in an artificial poverty, Ingvar Kamprad embodies the average IKEA customer. ââ¬Å"I look at the mo ney I'm about to spend on myself and ask if IKEA customers could afford it. â⬠ââ¬Å"If I start to acquire luxurious things then this will only incite others to follow suitâ⬠¦ â⬠. Ingvar considers himself to be an example for all others and tries to appear as a normal individual. In ââ¬Å"A Furniture Dealerââ¬â¢s Testament,â⬠Kamprad suggests that ââ¬Å"IKEA people do not drive flashy cars or stay at luxury hotels. â⬠, ââ¬Å"How the hell can I ask people who work for me to travel cheaply if I am traveling in luxury? he asks. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s a question of good leadership. â⬠From a young age, Ingvar learned what working hard meant and what a strong bound truly is. He is a preacher of the religion of simplicity and during over half a century, along the constant growth of his company, numerous others joined in. According to Plato, the mob is a ââ¬Å"big and dangerous animalâ⬠which must not be underestimated. What kind of strategy could work with masses rather than a leader of their status? Governments have fallen and people died along time only to protect the need of having a representative leader which could alike them.Ingvar Kamprad succeeded in building up a truly simple and productive leadership style only by regarding himself as equal as and never more important than the commoner. Nicolo Machiavelli stated: ââ¬Å"Religion is not important because of the truth it holds but because of its efficiency in maintaining control over massesâ⬠. In our case we have little to do with angry mobs but with the angry way in which money are wasted by a company or individual in matter of costs. Kamprad understood this fact and built a distinctive corporate culture which comprehended his true nature.In contrast, the famous RJR enjoyed the expense of private planes and luxury and unlike our billionaire, success was only passing by. Warren Buffetââ¬â¢s mentality resembles the one IKEAââ¬â¢s Founder and together with the m indset, the income is comparable. Coming again to Plato, the philosopher once said ââ¬Å¾Those who rule must provetheir leadership abilities. A person can be trained to be a good ruler, but we have to distinguish between superficial competencies (oratory) and profound competencies (developed with the help of philosophy). The ruler has to guard not only the peaceon the ship but also to know which wayto sail and ow. â⬠Ingvarââ¬â¢s thinking is flexible and innovative. Mistakes are praised and considered as the most important link to success. He is without regard a transformational leader. His style motivates people and defines a new way of thinking. Ingvar also connects with his followers and is a source of inspiration for younger generations. Bernard M. Bass, after decades of research and experimentation, regards transformational leaders as the leaders who recognize the needs of the followers and in addition tends to go further and satisfy higher needs of the follower.All of these actions are aimed to propel the follower on a higher tier in Maslowââ¬â¢s hierarchy of needs. Whereas common leadership or transactional leadership seeks only to maintain the satisfaction of the individual, transformational leadership looks into enchanting the well-being of the followers in order to achieve a higher outcome alongside with their happiness and devotion. This gap between the leadership styles is what I believe to be the main reason for the existence of excellent, world-changing people, in contrast with the unsuccessful ones.Their view of the world is their most precious asset and how they regard to others is the main secret of conquering unreached heights. Due to the fact that Ingvar Kamprad has a unique way to behave with the employees of IKEA and tries to enrich them with traits so important for the success of both the corporation and the employeeââ¬â¢s leadership skills, I believe that Kamprad is a brilliant representative of Bassââ¬â¢s beliefs. Kamp rad could also be considered to be a Level 5 leader according to Jim Collinsââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Good to Greatâ⬠. Ingvar greets the uncommon and is on a constant quest for taking apart obstacles which lie between failure and success.His constant struggle for reaching excellence in everything he does could be clearly seen in the process which I would like to call ââ¬Å"building the empire of selfâ⬠. His focus on the main purpose, the one of bringing innovative furniture in each and every household and changing the lives of many by simplifying their existence, assured his success and the status of one of the greatest business managers and leaders to have ever existed. A Napoleon of the furniture industry, Kamprad was. Close to followers, talented and emotionally involved were some principles he used during his reign.Thus many would say he received divine help, he started as a common man. Only his devotion and hard work made the difference. Garry Gemmill and Judith Oakley refer to a leader as a Messiah or a savior and hardly agree with the concept of a leader as a creator. Moreover, they state that ââ¬Å"Leadership is nothing else but a myth propagated in order to keep everybody else quiet and nice. â⬠. They might be right but in my consideration, this words do not apply to the hero we analyze in this project. Ingvar strongly encourages creative discussions within the company and his actual position is one of a leant and a symbol of excellence.David Goleman on the other hand expresses, in his work ââ¬Å"What makes a Leader? â⬠some traits which could help us identify other traits of the IKEA Giant. Goleman places a great emphasis on emotional intelligence and connects the status of a leader according to it. The main skills David puts behind a glorious leader are Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Motivation and the abilities to relate to others ââ¬â Empathy, and Social Skill. Ingvar seems gifted with emotional intelligence when managing peop le and events. Happiness is in his opinion the greatest asset an IKEA worker should possess.An excellent business man and an excellent time manager he proved to be during many occasions and time only knows when the world could inherit another great leader such as Ingvar Kamprad, the Swedish Scotsman. Conflict management style ââ¬Å"The Ikean culture, which was directly linked to Scandinavian culture, valued simplicity and informality, frugality, humbleness, responsibility, and the constant will to renew. â⬠The company initially sold furniture provided by numerous suppliers. As time passed, competition started to corrupt the suppliers and as a result, Ingvar decided never to trust others than himself.It was a turning point in the history of IKEA which now started to produce its own furniture. A moment of conflict and lack of trust turned into a brilliant idea and started to place the organization on the path to success. Another turning point in Ikean history was by the time an employee decided to disassemble the furniture in order to transport it by car. Kamprad saw this particularly insignificant moment of conflict as a possibly gorgeous opportunity for the future. From that point onward, the furniture company started to differentiate and build up not just furniture but a light, innovative, easy to use and cheap type of furniture.The most significant property Ingvarââ¬â¢s furniture has is its ability to be assembled by the customer and offer him the joy of putting the puzzle pieces together. Price was amazing. IKEA furniture was 50% cheaper than the competition and besides this important factor; it was more than friendly and practical. Ingvar once was accused of being a Nazi supporter due to the fact that he attended to their meetings on numerous occasions. The conflict took a serious impact on Ingvarââ¬â¢s personality and started to shift its public perception in a truly negative way.However, the conflict was in some manner consumed when Kamprad composed letters of apology to all his employees and people whom he disappointed. He recognized that he made a mistake and that it was a dark chapter in his existence which shouldnââ¬â¢t have happened. Questioning the status quo is Ingvarââ¬â¢s best way in dealing with everyday problems and through his successful career they were many. To begin with, the more IKEA grew, the more Ingvarââ¬â¢s problems developed. Alcohol, Nazi support and deaths at the opening of a store were only the biggest of them.Despite the severity of the problem, the modesty, humanity and determination always brought Ingvar on the right track. For the IKEA founder, conflict never ceased to be functional. It helped both him and the employees remain focused and constructive. It generated growth, activated learning, maintained excellent interpersonal skills and gave a different perspective over issues. The main conflict management style of his was collaborating. In almost every occasion he and the employe es formed a team and everyone is expected to contribute with anything they can.Departments are structured on the philosophy of sharing ideas and support. Also, there is a win-win situation between IKEA and its customers. On the one side, IKEA has tremendous profit margins (about 16% ââ¬â almost two times higher than other furniture retailers) and sells for tens of billions annually and on the other side, the customer benefits from exceptional quality and practicability for the given money. Ingvarââ¬â¢s mentality (comprehended by the Business Harvard Review: How Management Teams Can Have a Good Fight) is one of creating common goals. The company and he was an impeccably motivated and determined group of people.Creative and interpersonal relations are also highly praised within a company and IKEA makes no exception. In his work, Kenneth W. Thomas, refers more and more to the importance of conflict in an organization. Throughout a sustained study of the great players in the corp orate world, the mesmerizing power of a poorly managed conflict is revealed. Too many companies suffer great reductions in income and performance due to this mostly overlooked default. Using a bi-dimensional representation, Thomas expressed the whole conflict issue using 5 elements ââ¬â Avoiding, Accommodating, Compromising, Competitive and Collaborative.The IKEA model works entirely based on the Collaborative model due to the fact that it is mostly a win-win situation in which both the company and the employee reach a high level of fulfillment. Conflict can also be managed using a system of rewards resembling the one parents use for their children. It might be unexpected but I believe this is an awesome way to educate outsiders and to make them behave according to a reward. Despite the fact that it might be a bit manipulative, the rewards system is a good way to achieve a prosperous work environment.However, if good is not enough for a company, this system could be substituted by one composed of amazing people, highly talented and qualified personnel which requires little training and can propel the company to new heights. The ideal way in which I believe conflict could be turned into a powerful creative force is through the use of Virtuoso Teams. Despite the fact these kinds of teams require a constant action and an important continuous goal. Jeff Weiss and Jonathan Hughes express in their ââ¬Å"Accept-And Actively Manage Conflictâ⬠the necessity of conflict in a prosperous working environment.After and during the Industrial Revolution, people and mostly employees were kept under and oppressive working regime which limited their creativity and power to change their condition. Riots were common and worker unions started to prosper. However, the work was dull and no sane man could cope with it more than a few years. Now, a century later, conflict is comprehended as a powerful tool. Just thinking about the Olympiads or a race between two close friends is more than enough in order to have an insight into the invisible motivation a challenge releases.The same principle applies in the development of Ikean furniture. People have a ââ¬Å"Vojna Idejâ⬠(War of the Ideas) and as a result breakthroughs occur. However, due to the fact this war of ideas is hardly sustainable in time, there must be a boundary composed of the corporate vision and goal. I believe that none of the amazing commercials and ways of presenting the company could have emerged without a nearly balanced conflict management system. Weather we think of the cleverly designed buss stations or the exquisite TV commercials, IKEA is a sign of greatness. EthicsBusiness ethics (also corporate ethics) is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. It applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and entire organizations. Busin ess ethics reflects the philosophy of business, one of whose aims is to determine the fundamental purposes of a company. If a company's purpose is to maximize shareholder returns, then sacrificing profits to other concerns is a violation of its fiduciary responsibility.Kamprad began to develop a business as a young boy, selling matches to neighbors from his bicycle. He found that he could buy matches in bulk very cheaply from Stockholm, sell them individually at a low price, and still make a good profit. From matches, he expanded to selling fish, Christmas tree decorations, seeds, and later ballpoint pens and pencils. When Kamprad was 17, his father gave him a cash reward for succeeding in his studies. IKEA was founded in 1943 at his uncle Ernst's kitchen table. In 1948, Kamprad diversified his portfolio, adding furniture.His business was mostly-mail order. The acronym IKEA is made up of the initials of his name (Ingvar Kamprad) plus those of Elmtaryd, the family farm where he was b orn, and the nearby village Agunnaryd. Kamprad has lived in Epalinges, Switzerland since 1976. According to an interview with TSR, the French language Swiss TV broadcaster, Kamprad drives a 15-year-old Volvo 240, flies only economy class, and encourages IKEA employees always to write on both sides of a paper. He reportedly recycles tea bags and is known to pocket the salt and pepper packets at restaurants. In addition, Kamprad has been known to visit IKEA for a ââ¬Å"cheap meal. â⬠He is also known to buy Christmas paper and presents in post-Christmas sales. The firm he created is still known for the attention it gives to cost control, operational details and continuous product development, allowing it to lower its prices by an of average 2-3% over the decade to 2010, while continuing its global expansion. Kamprad explains his social philosophy thusly in his ââ¬Å"A Furniture Dealer's Testament,â⬠ââ¬Å"It is not only for cost reasons that we avoid the luxury hotels.We don't need flashy cars, impressive titles, uniforms or other status symbols. We rely on our strength and our will! â⬠Despite this, Kamprad allows himself some luxuries; he owns a villa in an upmarket part of Switzerland, a large country estate in Sweden, and a vineyard in Provence, France; he also drove a Porsche for several years. Ingvar Kamprad had made two ââ¬Å¾big mistakesâ⬠. From 16 to 25, Kamprad was a friend and follower of Per Engdahl, the leader of the quasi-fascist, pro-Nazi Neo-Swedish movement. Engdahl attended Kamprad's first wedding in 1950.Kamprad only terminated his involvement in 1951. When the scandal broke in the early 1990s, Kamprad wrote to his employees: ââ¬Å"You have been young yourself. And perhaps you find something in your youth you now, so long afterwards, think was ridiculous and stupid. In that case, you will understand me better. â⬠He also apologized in a television interview and said he had not fully understood what the Neo-Swedish movement was about. And the second happened while working with furniture manufacturers in Poland earlier in his career, Kamprad became an alcoholic.He has, however, stated that his drinking is now under control. In 1947, Kamprad introduced furniture into the IKEA product line. The use of local manufacturers allowed him to keep his costs down. The furniture was a hit, and in 1951, Kamprad decided to discontinue all other product lines and focus on furniture. In 1953, the first IKEA showroom opened. It came about because of competitive pressures. IKEA was in a price war with its main competitor. The showroom allowed people to see it, touch it, feel it, and be sure of the quality before buying.Kamprad's vision has been the driving force behind IKEA's succcess. IKEA hires its own designers, who have received numerous awards over the years. Kamprad believes that the company exists not just to improve people's lives, but to improve the people themselves. The self-service store design and ease of assembly of their furniture are not merely cost controls, but an opportunity for self-sufficiency. This vision is reinforced in their advertising and catalog, as well. Kamprad has been extremely shrewd in creating IKEA's organizational structure.It is owned ultimately by a Dutch trust controlled by the Kamprad family, with various holding companies handling different aspects of IKEA's operations, such as franchising, manufacturing, and distribution. IKEA even has an investment banking arm. Kamprad has repeatedly resisted pressure to take the company public, feeling that it would slow their decision-making processes that have allowed their phenomenal growth. On a final note This leader and founder of IKEA is an Old ââ¬â School Business man that made mistakes in his teens. His mistakes were that of an average teen that dreamed at glory and power or of that of an overworked man.He weakes up at 5am in the morning, every day and sometimes arrives at the IKEA store before the first truck. Ingvar Kamprad treats all his employees with respect and calls them co-workers, he recycles and he tries to persuade his employees not to buy expensive cars and big villas in countries that are reprezented as dots on the World map. Ingvar Kamprad built IKEA from scratch and he worked very hard so that the comapany became what it is today. Finally, he is a man that was interested in being a business man since he was a child.He is a much respected man and a wonderful example for future leaders and it was a pleasure for our team to work out together in order to realize this portfolio about Ingvar Kampard. I hope you enjoyed reading our essay as much as we enjoyed writing it. ( Questions Are there strong parallels between theory and organizational environment, reflecting your understanding of reality? -Based on our understandings the reason for that is most experiences in organizations have autonomous processes which are self-replicating and form themselves randomly by gro up decision.Theory is embedded only when it is actually considered firsthand Did you use various perspectives to analyze the leader? -We have extended our search into various perspectives about Ingvar Kampard, such as private life, workplace and even his ââ¬Å"funâ⬠time. How many problems or ââ¬Å"bugsâ⬠did you identify in the theory or practice of leadership? -As far as weââ¬â¢ve gone into research, we were not able to find many bugs in the practice or the theory of our leader, only minor mistakes that are now ââ¬Å"buriedâ⬠underneath the ground. Do you have a critical approach to leadership? Our approach towards leadership is pretty much critical but not to a higher extent Did you use tables, logical schemes or graphics to illustrate your ideas? -At our meetings we needed to put up our ideas somewhere so we used logical schemes that we followed and established by ourselves and after that we transferred the info onto paper. Are your ideas backed-up by eviden ce? ââ¬â The evidence is provided in the form of surveys and results conducted by people with authority to perform such research. Some evidence may be anecdotal, lacking any form of statistical analysis.However most of the data is falsifiable (both in theory and practice) hence observable in different ways, so that reality can speak for itself instead of giving evidence or proving points. Did you use relevant and important papers/authors? -We have used relevant and also important papers/authors/articles. Did you use both academic and professional sources? -Yes we did. One of our most important sources were the Harvard Business Reviews Reference: fondatorul-ikea/ ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â [pic]
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Affirmative Action Professor Ramos Blog
Affirmative Action Introduction Society is built off a hierarchy, whether that is through economic status or social status, we all have a place in it. This poses a problem and begs the question if there is fairness within our social network. In this report I will introduce the concept of affirmative action, who it has affected society within the workforce and education systems, explain the positives and negatives of affirmative action, and finally analyze what would happen if affirmative action did not exist. What is Affirmative Action? Affirmative action is a policy that intended to integrate the minority group in order to ââ¬Å"[revert] discriminationâ⬠(Holzer and Neumark 13). This, in a way, diffused the lines of social boundaries among people of ethnic backgrounds to maintain an equal playing field. Affirmative action was an attempt to retaliate against racial and ethnic discrimination, especially discrimination against African Americans. It was then first used under the executive order of former President John F. Kennedy in 1961 for the purpose of ensuring that the people are treated equally without regard of their ethnic background (AAED). Former President John F. Kennedy intended affirmative action not only to target individuals of color, but regardless of their gender, social status, etc. At first, this policy initially ââ¬Å"focused on improving opportunities for african americans in employment and educationâ⬠in an attempt to bring equality among the white and blacks, becoming the byproduct of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement (NCSL). The sequence à of events that took place within the oppression of african americans and other minorities that would later come became the recipe of creating the policy of affirmative action. Who is Affected by it? In todayââ¬â¢s society, affirmative action technically affect everyone in someway. But in terms of being affected in a beneficial manner, it mainly targets the minority group like african americans, latinos, asians. But affirmative action does not only help those of color, women of different ethnicity are also affected. Statistics reveal that ââ¬Å"6 million women overall had advances at their job that would not have been possible without affirmative actionâ⬠(Massie). This is significant as it implies that without the policy of affirmative action, there was a possibility that about 6 million would be unemployed or would not have advance in their field of work. Pros and Cons of Affirmative Action Throughout the decades, affirmative action has thrived and benefitted many individuals into a more fair society. Starting with the positives of affirmative action, the most obvious benefit of this policy is that it aids those that are disadvantaged and creates an opportunity to advance in school and work environments (Ayres). This policy opens the possibility for many social environments not to be predominantly white, thus creating and promoting a diverse environment. Another positive effect of affirmative action is that it would facilitate and compensate for centuries of oppression against minorities (Ayres). From the enslavement of african americans and native americans or the japanese internment camps used against the japanese-americans, many would see affirmative action as a way to make up for historyââ¬â¢s worth of discrimination and segregation. Although affirmative action provides opportunities and aid in alleviating for the less fortunate, this policy is also not advocated by everyone. There are many that believe that affirmative action also brings up problems into society. Protestors of affirmative action believe it is doing the opposite of what it was intended to ââ¬Å"[serving] as a reverse discriminationâ⬠(Ayres). Many are convinced that affirmative action is actually hurting those who are qualified for the task by not being picked over a minority or other ethnic group. Another negative effect of affirmative action is the possibility of reinforcing stereotypes (Ayres). This could be possible among many school or workplace environment as individuals may see minorities do not fit the respective environment. Another article addresses how over 90,000 employees filed employment discrimination complaints towards the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2009 (Gaile). This implies that although minorities were giv en the opportunity to be provided work, it does not guarantee the dissipation of racial and ethnic differences. As a result it would, in turn, create and hinder working and schooling institutions. One academic paper accentuates affirmative action would force employers to lower working standards, with the possible consequence that continuous poor performance by the preferred workers will only result in reinforce negative prejudices (Coate and Loury 1221). It is suggesting that by choosing applicant through the process of affirmative action, companies and businesses would be cornered to change their standards. This would indirectly result in a less selective process and ultimately hurt the labor market. A World With no Affirmative Action The policy of affirmative action has certainly affected and shifted societyââ¬â¢s social boundaries in ways that are both beneficial and hindering. But it is worth to dwell on the idea of a society that do not use affirmative action. In one study, ââ¬Å"New York Timesâ⬠presented statistics illustrating the state of California approving the statewide ban of affirmative action and the decline of enrollment rates among hispanics and blacks, with less than five percent of hispanics and less than one percent (ââ¬Å"How Minorities Have Faredâ⬠). With the absence of affirmative action it is clear that the enrollment of minorities will decline, leaving the white population overrepresented. Furthermore, another article it pointed out states that were ââ¬Å"post-affirmative actionâ⬠showed a decline of minority applicants by about twenty-three percent. The repeal of affirmative action resulted in the minority applicants to be neglected and therefore affecting the balance of an already underrepresented social group. Conclusion Affirmative action opens the door not to dissipate inequality but more to promote fairness. Although the main function of affirmative action is to blur the lines of social barriers, it does not certainly mean equality and diversity cannot be side-effects of affirmative action. Affirmative action also functions in a way that gives voice to the underrepresented. But affirmative action alone cannot solve the many social differences that occur. Historically, The Brown v. Board of Education decision, that outlawed school segregation, in 1954 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 along with affirmative action policies were not enough to integrate African Americans and other minorities into the mainstream social infrastructure. Policies alike even today are not sufficient in maintaining equality and equity, and so, affirmative action paves the way of opening a broader spectrum of more acceptance within social differences. Ayres, Crystal. ââ¬Å"20 Principal Pros and Cons of Affirmative Action.â⬠Green Garage, 19 Aug. 2015, greengarageblog.org/20-principal-pros-and-cons-of-affirmative-action. Bautsch, Brenda, and Suzanne Hultin. Affirmative Action | Overview, ncsl.org/research/education/affirmative-action-overview.aspx. Coate, Stephen; Loury, Glenn C. ââ¬Å"Will Affirmative-Action Policies Eliminate Negative Stereotypes?â⬠The American Review, Vol. 83, No. 5. (Dec 1993), pp. 1220-1240. Gaille, Brandon. ââ¬Å"25 Important Statistics on Affirmative Action in the Workplace.â⬠BrandonGaille.com, 23 May 2017, brandongaille.com/24-important-statistics-on-affirmative-action-in-the-workplace/. ââ¬Å"History of Affirmative Action | American Association for Access Equity and Diversity.â⬠AAAED, aaaed.org/aaaed/history_of_affirmative_action.asp. Holzer, Harry; Neumark, David. ââ¬Å"ASSESSING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.â⬠NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH. August 1999, NBER Working Paper No. 7323 ââ¬Å"How Minorities Have Fared in States With Affirmative Action Bans.â⬠The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 June 2013, archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/06/24/us/affirmative-action-bans.html. Kiesel, Laura. ââ¬Å"What Happens When Theres No Affirmative Action.â⬠TheStreet, 11 Feb. 2014, thestreet.com/story/12321563/1/what-happens-when-theres-no-affirmative-action.html.Massie, Victoria M. ââ¬Å"White Women Benefit Most from Affirmative Action and Are among Its Fiercest Opponents.â⬠Vox, Vox, 23 June 2016, vox.com/2016/5/25/11682950/fisher-supreme-court-white-women-affirmative-action.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Facts About Phylum Chordata - The Vertebrates
Facts About Phylum Chordata - The Vertebrates The Phylum Chordata contains some of the most familiar animals in the world, including humans. What sets them apart is that they all have a ââ¬â¹notocord,à or nerve cord, at some stage of development. You might be surprised by some other animals in this phylum, as they are very different from humans, birds, fish and the fuzzy animals that we usually think of when we think of the Phylum Chordata. Chordates Have Backbones or Notocords Animals in the Phylum Chordata may not all have a spine (some do, which would classify them as a vertebrate animal), but they all have a notochord. The notochord is like a primitive backbone, and is present at least at some stage of their development. These may be seen in early development, and in some they develop into other structures before birth: All have a tubular nerve cord (such as the spinal cord) above the notocord, which is gelatin-like and encased in a tough membrane.All have gill slits that lead into the throat or pharynx.All have blood enclosed in blood vessels, although they may not have blood cells.All have a tail that has no internal organs and extends beyond the backbone and anus. Three Types of Chordates While animals like humans, mammals and birds are all vertebrates in the Phylum Chordata, not all animals in the Phylum Chordata are vertebrates. The Phylum Chordata contains three Subphyla. The Vertebrates: Subphylum Vertebrata. When you think of animals, you probably are thinking about the vertebrates. These include all of the mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and most fish. In vertebrates, a backbone develops around the notocord, made of bone or cartilage separated into segments called vertebrae. It protects the spinal cord. There are over 57,000 species of vertebrates.The Tunicates: Subphylum Tunicata. These include the salps, larvaceans, andà tunicatesà such as the sea squirt. They are invertebrates as they dont have a backbone, but they do have a notochord during development. They are marine filter-feeders, with some tunicates living attached to rocks for most of their life except for a free-swimming larval stage. The salps and larvaceans are tiny, plankton-like free-swimming animals, although the salpsà spend a generation as an aggregate chain. They have a very primitive nervous system. Many think that the ancestors of the tunicates also evolved into the vertebrates. There are about 3,000 species of tunicates. The Cephalochordates: Subphylum Cephalochordata. There are only about 30 species in this grouping. They include the lancelets, which are small aquatic filter-feeders that are fishlike. They have a large notochord and a primitive brain. Their circulatory system doesnt have a heart or blood cells. Classification of the Chordates Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Classes (the classes in bold below include marine species): Subphylum Tunicata (formerly Urochordata) Appendiculariaà (pelagic tunicates)Ascidiaceaà (sessile tunicates)Thaliaceaà (salps). Subphylum Cephalochordata Cephalochordataà (lancelets) Subphylum Vertebrata Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)Amphibia (amphibians)Aves (birds)Cephalaspidomorphi (lampreys)Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays)Holocephali (chimeras)Mammalia (mammals)Myxini (Hagfishes)Reptilia (reptiles)Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish)
Sunday, October 20, 2019
What Authors Actually Think of Amazonââ¬â¢s Pay-Per-Page Model
What Authors Actually Think of Amazonââ¬â¢s Pay-Per-Page Model What authors actually think of Amazonââ¬â¢s Pay-Per-Page Model This past month's buzz about Amazonââ¬â¢s announcement of a Pay-Per-Pageà model for Kindle Unlimited authors has received a myriad of responses. Much of it has consisted of information being blown completely out of proportion on various media pages. Vocal journalists have expressed their fear of Amazon promoting length over quality, or of Amazon total dominance of the publishing industry. It all made us think: ââ¬Å"what do authors actually think about it?â⬠So we went ahead and asked a few ââ¬Å"indieâ⬠and hybrid authors - the ones affected most by the changes.Amazonââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Pay-per-pageâ⬠responds to author feedbackIt turns out that the main thing that the media have been forgetting to say is that Amazonââ¬â¢s change is actually prompted by authors requesting it. When Kindle Unlimited was launched, Amazon paid authors for a full ââ¬Å"borrowâ⬠as soon as the reader read more than 10% of the book. This means that authors who were writing long er novels were being undercut, but the ones writing shorter books were sliding under the radar and collecting their checks every time a reader made it 10% of the way through a book. If you are reading a short novel, 10% may not be many pages at all.This is what indie author Lindsay Buroker and hybrid author Bob Mayer point out:ââ¬Å"The changes seem to be more a response to author feedback, and perhaps reader feedback as well. I know many novelists who were frustrated that short stories and installments of serialized fiction made as much as their full-length novels. Were readers also frustrated with all of the short fiction and chopped up books?â⬠- Lindsay Buroker, author ofà The Emperor's Edgeââ¬Å"Overall, authors who wrote full length novels were actually getting screwed. If Iââ¬â¢d wanted to game the system, I should have focused on writing five 20,000 words stories (earning $6.60 if all are borrowed) rather than one 100,000 page book (earning only $1.32 if borrowe d). Under Kindle Unlimited my income would have been five times what it is. Under the new system, my income is more, as long as those pages get read.â⬠- Bob Mayer, author of the Area 51 seriesClick on the image to tweet it!Sharing is caring! Click on any images above to tweet the quote with the author's handle!What isà your opinion on the Amazon pay-per-page change? Are subscription services a threat to authors in the long term? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below!
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Lab report on NITROGEN Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1
On NITROGEN - Lab Report Example Nitrogen is a diatomic element with an atomic number of seven and weighing approximately 14.0067 amu. It is a nonmetal and is located in group fifteen, period two of the periodic table. It is one of the main elements, which make up all organic compounds. It exists typically in pure form as either a gas or as a liquid at super cooled temperatures. In addition, Daniel Rutherford discovered nitrogen in 1772. Since its discovery, we have learned that many natural cycles, such as the nitrogen cycle, effect the way in which energy travels through the food chain. The importance of nitrogen in cellular and molecular biology has been emphasized. Industries have taken advantage of nitrogen through processes, such as the Haber process, which is used to create ammonia (Jones 201-2). As mentioned previously, ammonia (NH3) is an important nitrogen-containing compound, which is created industrially. It is used heavily in fertilizers as well as in some foods, medicines, etc. In large amounts, it can be toxic to humans. Trinitrotoluene, otherwise known as TNT, is a very explosive compound including nitrogen. It has widely been used as a common explosive device by both military and civilian groups. One of the reasons it is so highly valued as an explosive is due to itââ¬â¢s insensitivity to factors, which could accidentally detonate it. TNT is very toxic to humans when exposed to any portion of skin or accidentally ingested and can be fatal ("Trinitrotoluene (TNT)"). Lastly, amino acids contain large quantities of nitrogen. Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins, which themselves are the foundation for tissues and all other biological structures. There are twenty different amino acids in which DNA and RNA code for. Understanding the coding and structure of amino acids is especially important in the study of genetics and how to cure genetic disorders which originate from mutations and errors in the coding to create the amino
Analyzing sports in Latin America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Analyzing sports in Latin America - Essay Example Strictly speaking the region encompasses many different people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Although some people would argue that the continent has been dominated by Spanish and Portuguese colonization, many successive waves of immigrants from various parts of Europe, Asia and Africa has made a significant impact on the continent. For example Nestor Kirchner (The former president of Argentina) was of German descent, and Alberto Fujimori (The former President of Peru) was of Japanese descent. This has played a significant role in the impact of sports in Latin America insofar as people tended to bring their own cultural traditions with them when emigrating to Latin America. For example cricket (A sport which was created by the British) plays a more domineering role in the Falkland Islands, and baseball plays a more important role in the Dominican Republic (A nation with some historic ties with the United States). Physical geography plays a significant role in the impact of sport in Latin America because the continent is extremely diverse. FIFA had a temporary ban on international matches stadiums at high altitudes which made it difficult for nations like Bolivia. Moreover, nations that have access to lakes and oceans are more likely to engage in paddling sports than those that are landlocked. For the purpose of this paper the major sports that will be discussed are soccer (football), baseball, and basketball. Without question, soccer plays a significant role in Latin America. Although the sport is likely played across the entire continent some nations have become international powerhouses. Argentina is a nation that not only performs well in international competitions (Such as the World Cup) but has also give us some of the most memorable players. Diego Maradona is a player who came from humble roots in Buenos Aires yet is remember for two major goals during his career ââ¬Å"The goal of the Centuryâ⬠and the ââ¬Å"Hand of Godâ⬠goal. Just after the completion of the Falkland war Argentina and England came face to face at the 1986 FIFA World Cup Quarter Final. The first half of the game was scoreless yet in the first few minutes of the second half, an English player tried to clear the ball yet accidentally hooked it towards the English goalkeeper. At this point Maradona jumped , screeching through the air with his fist extended which came into contact with the ball which went into the goal. The referee never saw the infraction and the English. However just a few minutes later Maradona ran at full steam for over sixty meters, blazing past five English defenders and ran 'dribbled' the ball around the English goalkeeper to score the goal that the English could not return. Although Argentina went on to win the World cup, it was often stated that beating England was more important as it satisfied their revenge for the Falkland war. Although some soccer players ar e relatively unknown in the United States they are often more popular than movie stars in their own country. Player such as Lionel Messi (Argentina) Ronaldinho (Brazil), Marcelo Salas (Chile), or Cladio Pizarro (Peru) are all international celebrities. Soccer plays a significant role in South American sports but it is by no means the only Sport. In nations such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Venezuela
Friday, October 18, 2019
Road Freight Transport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2
Road Freight Transport - Essay Example The road freight industry basically refers to the groups of companies that manage cargoes and shipment of other luggage through the road network including railways. These goods may be for other industries or for consumer use. Over the years, road freight has become more costly and thus less prefered. This owes to the ever up surging petroleum prices, increased road taxes, lots of heavy road traffic even after the peak hours, more alternatives available and most of all stringent rules and restrictions on road freight. The United Kingdom has also seen a change in the goods that are carried by road and also the transport means that are being used for it. The road freight industry of UK has been highly criticized for its legislations and other informal regulatory policies from time to time. However, it has survived through all this and come out successful, nonetheless. The road freight industry in the UK is composed of lorries, cargoes and railways mainly. Many laws have been passed to ensure the smooth running of the industry and to minimize smuggling and other bads in the society such as trade of illegal goods. However, it has been criticized for been a lousy industry which hasnââ¬â¢t worked up to its capacity. This criticism can only be weighed under the facts and figures that will be described in this paper. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has been working tirelessly to make the freight process in UK highly civilized and well planned. It has, to a considerable extent, been successful in achieving its goal. Though, there is more yet to be done. It is not just one company that will make road freight reach new heights, a lot more private companies will have to plunge in and turn dreams into reality. Road haulage companies may volunteer to give some suggestions and suggest strategies that might help improve the public image of the road freight industry. This is very important for the industry to survive and earn profits. The road freight industry in the
Human trafficing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Human trafficing - Essay Example This is similar to slavery. Traffickers tend to exploit such persons and limit their freedom and movement. They sell them in the traffic market so as to make a kill out of it (Thomas 2). The complex nature of human trafficking needs an advanced approach and cooperation by different people involved in this vice. Stakeholders involved include law enforcement agencies, agencies working with the government, religious and non-profit making organizations. This approach combats human trafficking of women in particular by preventing, prosecuting, and even providing direct assistance to the victims in question, not forgetting interventionary approaches (Thomas 6). Moreover, there is also the crucial issue of trafficking women for the purpose of sexual exploitation. This continues to be an old trade in the world. It can be estimated that a large portion of women get trafficked internationally across borders of different countries in the world. These figures can be obtained from the recent study of sex slavery in the world. Nevertheless, global initiatives are now in control to help curb such vices from destroying a countryââ¬â¢s fabric of integrity. They help in preventing, punishing and suppressing human trafficking. Certain stringent policies are now in effect to help suppress this vice. Persons caught trafficking and smuggling human kind can be observed as having committed two offences. Hence, smuggling is the delivering persons into a country they are not legal citizens and leaving them to fend for themselves illegally without legal documents of operation in that country. It involves paying a bribe to provide entry into that country. Sm uggling and trafficking of human kind is a vice involving the use of force that can be considered to be illegal and involuntary to the will of such persons (Thomas 13). The law plays a crucial part in defining them. It explores the method in which women who can be trafficked, can be viewed by law. For instance, having a view at the
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Joyce Carol Oates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Joyce Carol Oates - Essay Example The paper tells that born in 1938, Joyceââ¬â¢s writing was evident even at the age of 15 when her first novel was rejected due to its ââ¬Ëdarkââ¬â¢ way of characterizing things. Joyceââ¬â¢s style appeared to be extraordinarily unfamiliar, and her gates of writing opened further after completing a masterââ¬â¢s program at Wisconsin University.à Her work showed a lot of creativity, and this showed the perfect relationship between humans, and also showing better approach to humankind in terms of rape, murder and mysterious existence. It is witnessed in Tucson case that the story is showing us the very unfamiliar life of a girl, which surrounds a life hidden under the pillow. These provide the evidence that psychologically brings about killer sin the hands of her life, and it also proofs evidence of desires, love, and existence. The changing life is full of dreams and youngster existence which is thought to be comprised of sexual desires and whose Joyce Oates analysis pr ovides full idea about the killer scene. This fully reflects uncertainties in her life, and her story shows ironies that are nonetheless full of her personal inertia in both the real world and the original standing of her life. Oates capture in the street life is surrounded by narcissism, viciousness, and cheapness which are a non-existent belief in the life of excitement, unknown destination and above all, wilting fortunes that desperately involves astonishing actions and events.à Her future in the episode appears to go unnoticed, andâ⬠allocate the fatal attraction of death (or the devil) for a young woman who is seduced by her own vanityâ⬠has created shortfall in desires for sex, devil and symbolical mysteries. The craziness of life and the characteristic life embraces the staggering sense of sensation. From the ââ¬Å"Shaggy black hair that like crazy as a wig...â⬠changing problems of her life, she allocated herself a winding reality of hate, disuse of life an d characteristic disconnection with reality. While in Tucsonââ¬â¢s understanding, Oates appear disconnected and the real images created appeared to be awkward and unrealistic. The Creation of a retelling Joyce life define the seemingly changing classic archetypes that are different from the existing phenomena and the different manner in which her thoughts are being retold again and again provides a repeated emphasis on humanity and the myriads of vices planted in the way. And this pessimism explores gruel mechanisms that that society is based. Ultimately, Propp, (1968) provides Joyce position amorality, imaginative war and serial killer dynamics. These dictated the retell and this also became the existing imagination that appeared to be incomprehensible and unpredictable. The elusive point of death and eroticism also provide obsessive characterization which reexamines Oates invasive victimization. This touches the shady romance and the tales, ââ¬Å"Hawthornean, romantic, shading into parableâ⬠. The tale paradoxes the unromantic reality that explores the interventions and aggressive change in life defines powerful forces that are realistically comprised of people and a changing fortune which is historically examined by nature. The story is repeated in absolute show of the objective nature of passion, change and contemporary change. Johnson, (1994) in Joyce Oates characterizes the thoughtfulness of killers as a fairy tale and this also establishes the actual reality of individualistic measure that both extorts and makes blunders relative to the positive levels of life. For example, the character formation provided a relevant environment which maximizes a unit of peopleââ¬â¢s believes in protectionism and extreme life change. Equally, her views express expressions that equally exploit the humane nature of dangerous situations such as murder, drunkenness and extortion. How much of the story is ââ¬Ëtheirsââ¬â¢ ââ¬â Where are you going This masterpiece of Joyce Carol Oates provides a special recognition of immediate reproach that mentions the past actions and hence develop a perhaps a renewed future. The
Compensation Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Compensation Practice - Essay Example This entails use of rewards in place of punishment to get the expected results and this was also influenced much by the motivational theorists such as Abraham Maslow (Armstrong & Baron, 2005). The needs of workers must be taken care of for them to be productive. This in turn led to development of performance management systems to evaluate employees and reward them accordingly; compensation is no longer job based but is based on performance. Successful companies thus strive to develop effective compensation strategies to ensure workers are rewarded accordingly and that the business strategies are achieved. According to Heneman (2002 p. 198) the cornerstone of a compensation strategy is the compensation philosophy of the company. This is the strongly held belief about goals of all components of compensation system relative to business strategy. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the compensation practice of a publicly traded company. To achieve this, the company to be discussed is an international company dealing with foods and beverages; PepsiCo, Inc. Its short history will be outlined after which its compensation strategy will be evaluated bearing in mind best practices and challenges faced. Its impact will then be discussed followed by the factors impacting on the practices such as unions, laws and regulations and finally, a brief summary. Company Background PepsiCo, Inc is a leading global food and beverage company with respected brands throughout the world. It was formed in 1965 after the merger of Pepsi-cola Company and Frito-lay, Inc. It acquired Tropicana in 1998 and Quaker Oats in 2001 and an addition of Gatorade thereafter (PepsiCo, 2013). Its mission is to be the worldââ¬â¢s premier consumer Products Company focused on convenient foods and beverages with a vision to improving all aspects of the world in financial success which is to be achieved through driving shareholder value. It operates in a very competitive environment but its main competitor is coca-cola company. It boasts of net revenue of over $65 billion as recorded in the financial year 2012. It is managed by a board of directors with Indra Nooyi as the board chairman and chief executive officer since 2006 and has a workforce of 297, 000 scattered in many parts of the world. Its headquarters are in Purchase, New York in the United States. It is committed to delivering sustainable growth through empowering people and as such its compensation philosophy is for employees to act and be rewarded as business ownersââ¬â¢ thus recruiting, retaining and motivating workforce. Compensation Strategy Compensation is a vital part of performance management in organizations. This involves rewarding employees for their achievements and also correcting underperformance. A company has a great task of deciding on how to reward employees as this strategy may make or break the company. According to Aquinis (2011) the compensation strategy should be aligned to business strategy to ens ure the organizational goals are achieved and to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. If the business strategy is cost-cutting then the company cannot go on to develop costly compensation strategies such as those involved with monetary rewards. Before everything else when
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Joyce Carol Oates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Joyce Carol Oates - Essay Example The paper tells that born in 1938, Joyceââ¬â¢s writing was evident even at the age of 15 when her first novel was rejected due to its ââ¬Ëdarkââ¬â¢ way of characterizing things. Joyceââ¬â¢s style appeared to be extraordinarily unfamiliar, and her gates of writing opened further after completing a masterââ¬â¢s program at Wisconsin University.à Her work showed a lot of creativity, and this showed the perfect relationship between humans, and also showing better approach to humankind in terms of rape, murder and mysterious existence. It is witnessed in Tucson case that the story is showing us the very unfamiliar life of a girl, which surrounds a life hidden under the pillow. These provide the evidence that psychologically brings about killer sin the hands of her life, and it also proofs evidence of desires, love, and existence. The changing life is full of dreams and youngster existence which is thought to be comprised of sexual desires and whose Joyce Oates analysis pr ovides full idea about the killer scene. This fully reflects uncertainties in her life, and her story shows ironies that are nonetheless full of her personal inertia in both the real world and the original standing of her life. Oates capture in the street life is surrounded by narcissism, viciousness, and cheapness which are a non-existent belief in the life of excitement, unknown destination and above all, wilting fortunes that desperately involves astonishing actions and events.à Her future in the episode appears to go unnoticed, andâ⬠allocate the fatal attraction of death (or the devil) for a young woman who is seduced by her own vanityâ⬠has created shortfall in desires for sex, devil and symbolical mysteries. The craziness of life and the characteristic life embraces the staggering sense of sensation. From the ââ¬Å"Shaggy black hair that like crazy as a wig...â⬠changing problems of her life, she allocated herself a winding reality of hate, disuse of life an d characteristic disconnection with reality. While in Tucsonââ¬â¢s understanding, Oates appear disconnected and the real images created appeared to be awkward and unrealistic. The Creation of a retelling Joyce life define the seemingly changing classic archetypes that are different from the existing phenomena and the different manner in which her thoughts are being retold again and again provides a repeated emphasis on humanity and the myriads of vices planted in the way. And this pessimism explores gruel mechanisms that that society is based. Ultimately, Propp, (1968) provides Joyce position amorality, imaginative war and serial killer dynamics. These dictated the retell and this also became the existing imagination that appeared to be incomprehensible and unpredictable. The elusive point of death and eroticism also provide obsessive characterization which reexamines Oates invasive victimization. This touches the shady romance and the tales, ââ¬Å"Hawthornean, romantic, shading into parableâ⬠. The tale paradoxes the unromantic reality that explores the interventions and aggressive change in life defines powerful forces that are realistically comprised of people and a changing fortune which is historically examined by nature. The story is repeated in absolute show of the objective nature of passion, change and contemporary change. Johnson, (1994) in Joyce Oates characterizes the thoughtfulness of killers as a fairy tale and this also establishes the actual reality of individualistic measure that both extorts and makes blunders relative to the positive levels of life. For example, the character formation provided a relevant environment which maximizes a unit of peopleââ¬â¢s believes in protectionism and extreme life change. Equally, her views express expressions that equally exploit the humane nature of dangerous situations such as murder, drunkenness and extortion. How much of the story is ââ¬Ëtheirsââ¬â¢ ââ¬â Where are you going This masterpiece of Joyce Carol Oates provides a special recognition of immediate reproach that mentions the past actions and hence develop a perhaps a renewed future. The
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Description of Target Audience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1
Description of Target Audience - Essay Example The athletes have their own specific style of playing a sport. These audiences can identify the major positive outcomes or the concerns with the co-athlete. The athletes may be a serious resource in locating the best ways to crack a selection process. The athletes are the people who can rate the kind of effort you have had put in the game or event. So, the athletes are the valuable audience to validate your performance. The athletes serve as a word of mouth propaganda tool for promoting to an authenticate source. The sports institutions are the first major path which would open the competition to show case your skills in your concerns region. The athletic institutions are set up to capture the glimpse of the regional talent in a concerned region. The institutions are provided with the standards the athlete should meet on which the potential Olympic athlete can work on. The athlete institutions provide necessary infrastructure with the support of various government and private sports promoters. The tools and expertise provided in the institutions can add on for to focus more enhancing the performance level. The coaching these institutions provide for a group will certainly provide a platform to share the expertise among the peers. The potential athlete should therefore should therefore more conscious about the kind of sport he is into, the kind of institution he/she target, he/she should have a clear idea of the kind of the exposure he/she will get. The potential athlete should chalk down the selection process clearly to join the sports institution. The coaches are the knowledge banks about the intricities involved in the achieving the highest level of standards. A sports coach creates the right conditions for learning to happen and to provide the motivating factors both physically and mentally to the athletes. Athletes who are highly motivated to their task can seek the
Monday, October 14, 2019
The Role of Perception Essay Example for Free
The Role of Perception Essay What is perception? How can a persons perception of others impact an organizations behavior? What are the positive and negative effects of using perceptive shortcuts when judging others? How are decisions in real world organizations actually made? How can our perceptions shape ethical or moral decisions? These are the questions that will be attempted to be answered in this essay. According to Robbins, S. (2005) Perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment. The role of perception in the decision-making process goes beyond the five senses (1) sight, (2) hearing, (3) smell, (4) taste, and (5) touch. The representation of perception in decision-making is based on a persons internal understanding and personal analysis of environmental observations combined with past experiences. Consequently, perception varies from one individual to the next. There are many factors that can influence or shape a persons perception during the decision-making process. Robbins, S. (2005) identifies three types of factors that influence perception:1.Factors in the Perceiver: Personal Characteristicsâ⬠¢Attitudes: feelings, beliefs or behavioral tendencies towards specific people, ideas, objects etc. â⬠¢Personality: individual behaviors, temperament, emotions or state of mind. â⬠¢Motives: reasoning toward problem-solving or achieving a goalâ⬠¢Interests: selective concentration on personal likes or dislikesâ⬠¢Experience: knowledge gained from past involvements or exposure. â⬠¢Expectations: what is hoped to be achieved. 2.Factors in the Target: Observed Characteristicsâ⬠¢Novelty: uniqueness. â⬠¢Motionâ⬠¢Soundsâ⬠¢Sizeâ⬠¢Backgroundâ⬠¢Proximityâ⬠¢Similarity3.Factors in the Situation:â⬠¢Timeâ⬠¢Work settingâ⬠¢Social settingHow can a persons perception of others impact an organizations behavior? To find the answer to such aà question one must first understand organizational behavior. According to Robbins, S. (2005) organizational behavior (OB) is defined as a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations, for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organizations effectiveness. Organizations are run by human beings, not machines. For that reason, a persons perception can have either a positive or negative impact on an organizations behavior depending on the factors that influence his or her perceptions. Ones perception of other individuals within an organization can influence the level of commitment as well as cooperation of employees within an organization. Take family-owned and operated (managed) businesses for instance. According to Barnett, T. and Kellermanns, F. (2006) Securing the commitment and cooperation of nonfamily [sic] employees is likely to be more difficult if they do not perceive that decision outcomes, decision processes, and decision makers are fair or just. Non-family employees perceptions of the fairness of human resource (HR) practices in such areas as: positions of authority, wages, promotions, discipline and so on within family-owned businesses may vary depending on the existent of family influence within the organization. Barnett, T. and Kellermanns, F. (2006) identifies non-family perceptions of HR practices at three different levels of family influence as:1.Low levels of family influence tend to have little impact on the fairness of HR practices. 2.Moderate levels of family influence tend to have positive effects on the fairness of HR practices. 3.High levels of family influence tend to have negative effects on the fairness of HR decision processes and outcomes. Clearly, a persons perception of others can impact an organizations behavior in many different ways because the overall organizational behavior is not just based on one persons perspective but rather a collective perspective of all the employees within the organization. However, it isà possible for a single person or a small group of people to affect an organizations behavior i.e. the CEO, family members etc. depending on their level of influence or control over the organization. What are the positive and negative effects of using perceptive shortcuts when judging others? Perceptive shortcuts can affect the quality of a persons decision-making and performance. According to Robbins, S. (2005) some of the most frequently used shortcuts include:â⬠¢Selective perception: selective interpretation based on ones expectations. â⬠¢Halo Effect: bias opinion based on first impression or single attribute. â⬠¢Contrast effects: assessment of persons qualities based on others with similar qualities. â⬠¢Projection: Attributing ones own characteristics to other people. â⬠¢Stereotyping: preconceived notion about an individual based ones perception of the group to which that person belongs. â⬠¢Self-fulfilling prophecy: A situation in which one person inaccurately perceives a second person and the resulting expectations cause the second person to behave in ways consistent with the original perception. Positive effects of using perceptive shortcuts when judging others:â⬠¢Simplify the amount of information being received. â⬠¢Having express knowledge of individual characteristics allows interviews to go quickly. â⬠¢Grouping people based on similar characteristics can help interviewers to extract applicants with specialized skills quickly. â⬠¢It is easier to judge an applicant positively if the interviewer perceives that they are alike. Negative effects of using perceptive shortcuts when judging others:â⬠¢Unwarranted conclusions from vague information. â⬠¢Having limited knowledge of individual characteristics can lead to hiring a person not suited for a particular position. â⬠¢Grouping people based on similar characteristics can lead to distort perceptions of applicants. â⬠¢When interviewers perceive applicants to be like themselves their ability to respond to the applicants differences becomes distorted. These lists could go on and on, but notice that: in theory, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Decisions made in real world organizations are not quite so cut and dry. How are decisions in real world organizations actually made? In real world organizations decisions depend great deal on the accuracy of managerial perceptions. However, due to the aspect of human nature (shortcut perceptions), the accuracy of managerial perceptions may vary. This often causes some managers to have inaccurate or unrealistic perceptions of an organization. In one case study on the accuracy of managers perceptions Mezias, J. and Starbuck, W. (2003) evaluated 70 different managers and found that:About 35% of the managers had very accurate perceptions, with errors below 11%. About 35% of the managers greatly underestimated sales, with errors ranging from âËâ75% to almost âËâ100%. About 24% of the managers overestimated sales to extreme degrees, with errors ranging from 200% to 4800%. Overall, about two-thirds of the managers expressed unrealistic notions of their business units sizes in monetary terms. Noticeably, several managers did have accurate organizational perceptions. However, the percent of managers with inaccurate perceptions was much higher. One would not have to speculate which managers used shortcut perceptions. Unfortunately, shortcuts cause a continual bias for error. Organizations concerned with production growth, sales growth, manufacturing concentration and so forth need to follow a more rational decision-making process in order to maximize performance. The rational decision-making process depicts how decisions should be made. Robbins, S. (2005) lists the six steps in the rational decision-making process as:1.Define the problem: compile information regarding the problem. 2.Identify the decision criteria: identify all the relevant criteria that will be important in solving the problem. 3.Allocate weights to the criteria: rank criteria in order from most important to least important. 4.Develop the alternatives: list all the viable alternatives while being aware of all the possible consequences of each alternative. In addition to the rational decision-making process5.Evaluate the alternatives: analyze and evaluate each alternative in reference to the solution to the problem and rank in order of viability to possible consequences. 6.Select the best alternative: the alternative with the highest rating for success and lowest rating for adverse consequences. How can our perceptions shape ethical or moral decisions? First, one must look at the criteria for ethical or moral decision-making before determining how a persons perceptions shape ethical or moral decisions. Robbins, S. (2005) lists three different criteria that can be use in making ethical decisions as:1.Utilitarian: liberal ethical element i.e. the greatest good for the greatest number2.Rights: legal or moral entitlement i.e. protecting the basic rights of individuals3.Justice: being just or fair element i.e. equitable distribution of benefits and costsEach criterion has benefits as well as drawbacks. For example:â⬠¢Utilitarianism: promotes efficiency and production of the organization, but can result in a lack of regard for theà rights of individual workers, generally minorities. â⬠¢Rights: protects the rights of individual workers, but can result in a decline in the efficiency and productivity of the organizationâ⬠¢Justice: promotes equitable distribution of benefits and costs, but can result in more uncertainty in the effects on efficiency and profits. Observably, these examples of the criteria for ethical or moral decision-making clearly identify the dilemmas of managerial decision-making. Consequently, one might be more inclined to see how managers perceptions of organizational values may sometimes merge with their personal values to form individual business ethical judgments. According to Hunt and Vitell, (1986):This ethical judgment is assumed to be influenced by deontological evaluations (doing what one believes to be right regardless of its consequences), teleological evaluations (assessing ones action in light of its consequences in the tradition of utilitarianism), or a balance of these two perspectives suggested in the theoretical framework posited by past researchers and practitioners. In conclusion: Perception is the process by which an individual obtains, interprets, selects, and classifies sensory information. Perception in decision-making is based on a persons internal understanding of reality rather than reality itself. Therefore, a persons perception of other individuals within an organization can influence the level of commitment as well as cooperation of employees within an organization. Perceptive shortcuts are a combination of various mental shortcuts used to save time in the decision-making process. Perceptive shortcuts can have both positive and negative affects in the quality of a persons decision-making and performance. Decisions in real world organizations are made by using a combination of perceptive shortcuts and the rational decision-making process. Ethical or moral decisions are shaped by a persons perception of the balance between organizational values and his or her personal value system. Based on these findings, one can conclude that successful people do try to make rational and logical decisions. However, due to internal and external factors of perception not all decisions are rational and logical.à The reality of it all is that people are people, and to err is human. References Barnett, T. and Kellermanns, F. (2006). Are We Family and Are We Treated as Family? Nonfamily Employees Perceptions of Justice in the Family Firm. Entrepreneurship: Theory Practice; Vol. 30 Issue 6, p837-854, 18p, 1 diagram. Retrieved November 8, 2007, from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/detail?vid=15hid=101sid=8db3f227-5161-4202-a37e-220847ed375d%40sessionmgr107Fritzsche, D. and Oz, E. (2007). Personal Values Influence on the Ethical Dimension of Decision Making. Journal of Business Ethics. Vol. 75 Issue 4, p335-343, 9p. Retrieved November 9, 2007, from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/detail?vid=3hid=9sid=179955d8-0df8-48d7-ad28-786c88c92be7%40sessionmgr8Mezias, J. and Starbuck, W. (2003). Studying the Accuracy of Managers Perceptions: A Research Odyssey. British Journal of management. Vol. 14 Issue 1, p3-17, 15p, 5 charts, 5 graphs. Retrieved November 7, 2007, from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/detail?vi d=11hid=101sid=8db3f227-5161-4202-a37e-220847ed375d%40sessionmgr107Robbins, S. (2005). Organizational behavior (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
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