Information Systems Governance Structure Research Paper

Information Systems Governance Structure - Research Paper Example the following principles; ensuring the smooth running of internal controls with a common objective set by the management, utilizing the resources of the company, making sure that the information systems are in compliance with the law, and ensuring that no existing structures are interfered with (Irani, & Love, 2008). Transaction processing functions include process transactions like making purchases, sales. IBM’s IMS system is used to process billions of transactions on a daily basis by 95% of the top Fortune 1000 companies. A record of direct transaction taking place, its report or an explanation coupled with a record for reference is imperative. The maintenance of master files is integral relating to storage of data pertaining to the organization coupled with production of reports. Management reporting is also a function that is used in the production of output for users. The output is commonly reports that are geared towards the planning, control and monitoring of the organization purposes. IBM continues to enhance its system manages an estimated 15 million GB of critical data. Decision support is based on programmable, semi-programmable and un-programmable decisions. Programmable decisions are repetitive and well defined while semi-programmable decisions are partially reliant on the manager. In addition, programmable decisions rely on the manager’s experience (Khosrowpour, 2006). Kallinikos, (2010), states that transaction processing systems automate the handling of data on business activities and transactions. They are the oldest type of business information system and record routine transactions. IBM in 1968 launched the world’s first commercial database management system later renamed Information Management System in 1968.The information system had a transaction processing software responsible for financial applications, inventory management and other high volume based transaction operations. Management reporting systems perform routine

The Bleakness and Humiliation of Our World Research Paper

The Bleakness and Humiliation of Our World - Research Paper Example Singer’s arguments in his article are that the suffering and death that are due to the lack of shelter, medical care, and food are damaging. That we ought, morally, to sacrifice anything that is of comparable moral importance when there is the power to prevent some things terrible from taking place, for instance, one might get wet in order that he or he saves a drowning a child. Singer also argues that it is the obligation of all to prevent the terrible thing. This is, in fact, to preventing people dying from starvation by trying to give food, money to famine relief than one does. The other argument is that by giving more money to famine relief that one do in normal circumstances, and then he or she is not sacrificing anything that is morally significant. The last argument Singer presents in his article is that we should give more to famine relief than we do. Therefore, the surest way to prevent lack of food and shelter without sacrificing anything that is of comparable moral importance is by giving maximally. That we ought to give maximally, or in other term, give at least much more than we currently do (Singer, 2005). The Singer’s concept of marginal utility states that one ought to give until a certain level (Marginal Utility), in which case one shall cause as much suffering to sell or the dependents as he or she would relieve by the gift. This implies that everyone obliged to give as much as possible, to at least some point of giving where one would begin to cause some serious suffering to others who depend on him or her or to oneself. Therefore, one ought to give until one become quite uncomfortable, even when one do not seem to encounter starving. Singer also proposes some ideas of duty and charity change in the world. He says duty is a duty in itself while charity is beyond the call of duty. He reiterates duty as wrong not to do it while, in charity, he reiterates that it is expedient to do it. However, it is not wrong to refrain from doing it. In addition, duty is doing the morally required while charity is doing what is charitable. He then reiterates that duty is refraining from murder and charity is giving to famine relief to the extent that one is sacrificing something morally significant. Therefore, according to Singer, one has to revise the way of thinking. That giving to famine relief should be thought of in terms of duty, as a wrong when one does not do it as morally required (Singer, 2005). Morality may be an object or its state of affair that can be invalid or wicked, an event that can be wrong or right, or it can be an agent that can be either blameworthy or praiseworthy. In the article, Singer suggests the agent that is praiseworthy because of giving to charity but not blameworthy because of not giving to charity is wrong. He stands out that the agent that does not provide to charity should be blameworthy, in which case Singer establishes charity as a duty. In his arguments, Singer is well direct, and henc e, we should be offering help to all those who are physically near to us. This is because of the close proximity. The only flaw that is there in many people is because they do not get the motivation to help someone that is far away, even though the person needs a lot of assistance. This, in essence, demonstrates that there are suffering and challenges in the world. (Singer, 2005, p.633). Singer also

Comparison of Subculture and Countercultures

Comparison of Subculture and Countercultures In any society there are not only cultures, but also a variety of subculture and countercultures that develop within society. Subcultures and countercultures are formed by generalizations, occupation, class, lifestyle, likes, dislikes, etc. [1] Basically subculture is a group of people that differentiate from the larger culture that they belong to. In earlier 1950s, there has been a distinction between an accepted majority style and a subculture as an active minority style. Dick Hebdige argued that a subculture is subversion to normality. Subcultures tend to be perceived as negative and have a nature of criticism. Subcultures bring together individuals who feel neglected and allow them to develop a sense of identity. [2] Counterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group. Counterculture can also be described as a group whose behavior deviates from the societal norm. Although distinct countercultural undercurrents have existed in many societies, here the term refers to a more significant, visible phenomenon that reaches critical mass and persists for a period of time. It is important to distinguish between counterculture, and subculture. [3] Subculture A subculture is a group of individuals that do share some qualities that the majority of society share, but the group has its own values, beliefs, norms, behavior, etc. Subcultures tend to be created when society endures problems or enjoys common privileges. Most individuals within a subculture have common interests and beliefs.   Types of subculture   Following are the major types of subculture. Organizational Culture A type of subculture that allows members to have solidarity, community, and social relationships that influence individual behavior. It is the way an organization deals with the environment.   Counterculture It is a type of subculture that completely disregards societys norms and values and creates new ones.   They tend to develop when people will not conform to the mainstream.   They have their own beliefs, problems with cultural integration, and have their own material culture. [1] Racial or nationality subcultures These subcultures tend to vary in their values, ambition and beliefs which get reflected in their consumption priorities, spend save patterns, purchase behavior, use of credit, social traditions and customs etc.Nowadays multiracial societies like America comprised of citizens who come from different nationalities or belong to different races. Religious subcultures: Most societies of the world today consist of people subscribing to different religions, which may differ in their beliefs, values and customs. The religious subgroups may follow different custom, have important rites of passage (like birth, marriage and death) performed in different ways and have different festivals. [4] Counter culture vs. Sub culture Counterculture can be defined as a group whose behavior deviates from the societal norm. It is different to the mainstream culture in their politics, norms, social beliefs, and way of dress and social structures. (or) A counter culture is one that reacts against the prevailing culture in place. Example: Throughout the last century examples of counterculture might be the suffragettes, the green movement, polygamists and feminists, punk movement and the infamous hippie counterculture movement of the 1960s, are formed and exist to oppose the dominant culture. All of these counter cultures have specific beliefs and values that cause social change. Counter cultures are large movements that cause social change. Counter cultures are against mainstream culture.[5] Members of a counterculture come together around their desire to reject movements within the larger, dominant culture. While members have this opposition in common, they may not share religious or political affiliations, similar socioeconomic situations, or values. Countercultures can be both negative and positive. They can also become larger when more people are involved and assimilate into the mainstream just as subcultures in general have this potential.[6] Biker Gangs, drug users, career criminals, prisoners, and terrorists have in common that they all have negative perceptions from society and are countercultures. [7] Subculture A sub culture can have its own beliefs, norms and values, but they are generally able to exist within mainstream culture. Their beliefs or manner of being may be different enough to make them stand out, but they are not at odds with society. Subculture is a culture shared and actively participated in by a minority of people within a broader culture. Examples: sub cultures might be Goths, emos, surfies, homies etc. Jews and Tea Party members are both examples of subcultures in the U.S. While the Jewish subculture is based around shared religious values, the Tea Party movement was primarily founded around dissatisfaction with the political status. Sub cultures tend to also share common interests and experience. Sub cultures can exist within mainstream culture.[5] Sub cultures are united by common aesthetics, interests and experience. Subcultures are distinctive segments of the larger culture of a region or society that are marked by shared interests in music or cultural phenomena, membership in a specific ethnic or religious group, or shared socioeconomic status. While some subcultures exist in contradistinction to the societys dominant culture, others exist harmoniously within it. Subcultures incorporate large parts of the broader cultures of which they are part, but in specifics they may differ radically. Subcultures bring together like-minded individuals who feel neglected by societal standards and allow them to develop a sense of identity. Subcultures can be distinctive because of the age, ethnicity, class, location, and/or gender of the members. [6] The qualities that determine a subculture as distinct may be linguistic, aesthetic, religious, political, sexual, geographical or a combination of factors. They certainly play an important role in any individual life and help to explain how each person develops a frame of reference. [7] Everybody has their own perceptions on society, values, and life in general. Values, attitudes, gestures, and sanctions tend to stem from the dominant culture in ones life. Throughout the dominant culture that a person spends his or her time in learning and changing through different experiences many subcultures have developed. Subcultures allow people, who share similar interests to assimilate, socialize, gives them a sense of belonging and fellowship among peers.  [8] Similarities Countercultures and subcultures both identify themselves in juxtaposition to the dominant culture of a society. Members usually dress and behave in different ways than average citizens of a society and are usually identifiable by their different appearances. Differences Culture is made up of an amalgamation of subcultures. So, a single subculture is a small segment of the larger culture, which is usually defined by shared socioeconomic status or a common cultural interest. A counterculture, on the other hand, is defined by their opposition to the dominant culture. A member of a counterculture may oppose the prevailing cultures values. Or, it could just oppose certain segments of the culture, or certain subcultures. A subculture is differs slightly from the dominant culture in a society, while a counterculture opposes the culture or subculture itself.[6] Literature review Dick Hebdige argued that a subculture is subversion to normality. Subcultures tend to be perceived as negative and have a nature of criticism. [9] According to Hebdige, subcultures are actually an alternative and reconfiguration of the dominant cultures. As his all very brief references to black and West Indian cultures suggest that he considers these cultures to be transplanted dominant cultures within British society. This misrepresentation raises the question of whether ethnic groups or minorities fit into Hebdiges notion of what constitutes either a parent culture or subculture. [10] According to Wolfgang Ferracuti, subculture is a normative system of some group or groups smaller than the whole society .This implies that there are value judgments or a social value system which is apart from and a part of a central value system. But a subculture is only partly different from the larger culture, and cannot be totally different from the culture of which it is a part; otherwise it is what Wolfgang called contra culture. This implies that the subculture has some major values in common with the dominant parent culture. The transmission of sub cultural values involves a learning process that establishes a dynamic lasting linkage between the values and the individuals .But also important to Wolfgangs subculture of violence theory is the notion that people may be born into a subculture. They argue that the black subculture actually values violence and that it is an integral component of the subculture which experiences high rates of homicide. Just as the dominant society punishes those who deviate from its norms, deviance by the comparatively non-violent individual from the norms of the violent subculture is likewise punished, either by being ostracized, or treated with disdain or indifference. Also, the more a person is integrated into this subculture, the more intensely he embraces its prescriptions of behavior, its conduct norms, and integrates them into his personality. The subculture of violence theory might be even more relevant today than it was when it was first published, especially with regard to juvenile crime. It seems to be a common fear that adolescents today are more violent and lacking in empathy than those of only a generation or two ago. Parker (1989) criticisms of the black subculture of violence model are many: First, the use of global indicators describing an entire class of people, southerners or blacks, assumes that these communities are homogeneous in values and lifestyle, an assumption that is clearly false for any group as large as these groups. Second, particularly in the case of blacks, it entails an implicit pejorative indictment of urban minority residents and communities, which is unfair and racist in nature. Finally this approach ignores the role of institutionalized racism itself in producing a link between violence and racial composition. Wolfgangs subculture of violence theory has had its share of critics. Erlanger (1974), Parker (1989), Shihadeh and Steffensmeier (1994), are just a few of the investigators who have failed to find the theory useful in explaining sub cultural violence. Other authors have found that the sub-culture of violence theory is a useful model, particularly when it is used along with other theories Benedict and Baron. Kennedy and Baron call for such an integrative approach, and assert that often, different theories may complement one another. Finally, still other researchers continue to rely upon the model. 11] Scholars differ in the characteristics and specificity they attribute to counterculture. Counterculture might oppose mass culture,  or middle-class culture and values. Counterculture is sometimes conceptualized in terms of generational conflict and rejection of older or adult values. It typically involves criticism or rejection of currently powerful institutions, with accompanying hope for a better life or a new society. Countercultures tend to peak, and then go into decline, leaving a lasting impact on mainstream cultural values. Their life cycles include phases of rejection, growth, partial acceptance and absorption into the mainstream. According to Sheila Whiteley, recent developments in sociological theory complicate and problematize theories developed in the 1960s, with digital technology, for example, providing an impetus for new understandings of counterculture. Andy Bennett writes that despite the theoretical arguments that can be raised against the sociological value of counterculture as a meaningful term for categorizing social action, like  subculture, the term lives on as a concept in social and  cultural theory to become part of a received, mediated memory.[12] Conclusion The term counter-culture is not entirely an adequate way of describing all of the changes that took place for several reasons: some changes were a progression of events throughout the century, other changes were due to scientific discoveries which have always produced new ideas and ways of looking at the world, and many changes can be better described as movements or ideologies.[14] Subcultures allow people, who share similar interests to assimilate, socialize, gives them a sense of belonging and fellowship among peers.   Sub cultural studies often involve participant-observation, and may variously emphasize sociological, anthropological, or semiotic analysis in order to address the organization and production of relational, material, and symbolic structures and systems. [15] Suggestion Healthy sub-cultures share leaderships conceptualizations of how tasks should be accomplished; how employees can advance and take on greater responsibility; how employees interact with each other; the ways in which change is accepted and accomplished; and how new knowledge is acquired and perpetuated. Distinct, healthy sub-cultures are organizationally aligned in their understanding of how they must perform to produce successful and acceptable results and outcomes. Leaders actively seeking to influence their organizations culture must consider sub-cultures. The major point here is to make sure that you are integrating and linking your sub-cultures into the broader, intended cultural objectives. Accept and foster productive sub-cultures while consistently communicating how employees must perform in order for the organization to be successful.[13]

Scary Story Essay -- Short Stories Fiction Essays

Scary Story I looked up at the black sky. I hadn't intended to be out this late. The sun had set, and the empty road ahead had no streetlights. I knew I was in for a dark journey home. I had decided that by traveling through the forest would be the quickest way home. Minutes passed, yet it seemed like hours and days. The farther I traveled into the forest, the darker it seemed to get. I was very had to even take a breath due to the stifling air. The only sound familiar to me was the quickening beat of my own heart, which felt as though it was about to come through my chest. I began to whistled to take my mind off the eerie noises I was hearing. In this kind of darkness I was in, it was hard for me to believe that I could be seeing these long finger shaped shadows that stretched out to me. I had this gut feeling as though something was following me, but I assured myself that I was the only one in the forest. At least I had hoped that I was. As the bushes and brush grew more solid I began to ponder. Will I make it through this forest tonight or will I be taken in by the thick of the mystery? Sounds from sluggish foot steps caused a vibration around me that lead me to stop in my place and listen closely. Could this forest be haunted or was I just over exaggerating? I started to get very nervous by this time. â€Å"It will be just fine,† I told myself. I am just imagining things. I continued my journey through the forest but negative thoughts were running through my l... Scary Story Essay -- Short Stories Fiction Essays Scary Story I looked up at the black sky. I hadn't intended to be out this late. The sun had set, and the empty road ahead had no streetlights. I knew I was in for a dark journey home. I had decided that by traveling through the forest would be the quickest way home. Minutes passed, yet it seemed like hours and days. The farther I traveled into the forest, the darker it seemed to get. I was very had to even take a breath due to the stifling air. The only sound familiar to me was the quickening beat of my own heart, which felt as though it was about to come through my chest. I began to whistled to take my mind off the eerie noises I was hearing. In this kind of darkness I was in, it was hard for me to believe that I could be seeing these long finger shaped shadows that stretched out to me. I had this gut feeling as though something was following me, but I assured myself that I was the only one in the forest. At least I had hoped that I was. As the bushes and brush grew more solid I began to ponder. Will I make it through this forest tonight or will I be taken in by the thick of the mystery? Sounds from sluggish foot steps caused a vibration around me that lead me to stop in my place and listen closely. Could this forest be haunted or was I just over exaggerating? I started to get very nervous by this time. â€Å"It will be just fine,† I told myself. I am just imagining things. I continued my journey through the forest but negative thoughts were running through my l...

Citibank: Performance Evaluation Essay

The California Division of Citibank has introduced a new performance scorecard to highlight the importance of a diverse set of measures in achieving the strategic goals of the division. Among the new measures introduced was a customer satisfaction indicator. Unfortunately, James McGaran, the manager of the most important branch and who consistently delivers impressive financial results scored â€Å"below par† on customer satisfaction. Frits Seeger, President of Citibank California and Lisa Johnson, area manager supervising James, are pondering what overall performance rating are they going to give to James. Areas of ConsiderationCitibank’s strategy in California was to build a profitable franchise providing relationship banking combined with ah high level of service to its customers. Financial measures had dominated Citibank’s performance in the past but management felt that these measures were poor vehicles to communicate the high service strategy of the bank. Other areas to consider in this case are: †¢To reflect the importance of non-financial measures as leading indicators of strategy implementation, the California Division developed a Performance Scorecard which complemented existing financial measures with new measures reflecting important competitive dimensions in the bank’s strategy. †¢James’ customers in his branch are sophisticated- they require high service quality and knowledgeable employees who could satisfy their financial needs and his performance exceeded expectations every single year by delivering impressive financial results for four years in a row. †¢But when the division expanded its performance indicators to include non-financial measures, it became apparent that his branch’s customer satisfaction ratings are not as good as his financial performance. His customer satisfaction was â€Å"below par† for 2 consecutive quarters. †¢James discussed concerns regarding the (in)adequacy of the survey: customers rated not only their branch but also other Citibank’s services such as ATMs that were out of the control of branch managers. †¢Even so, he worked hard to improve the customer satisfaction rating by designating a staff to greet customers and held meetings and coached branch employees to focus their attention on improving customer satisfaction. †¢James felt very disappointed when for two quarters, his rating had been only par. He thought that his efforts deserved an above par rating considering that he’s able to successfully run the hardest branch in the division. †¢Frits is considering to give James an â€Å"above par† rating given his excellent performance in other dimensions, but if the performance evaluation team gave James an â€Å"above par,† the other managers could think that the division was not serious about its non-financial measures. Alternate Courses of Action†¢Set aside the performance evaluation guidelines and give James an overall â€Å"above par† rating thus entitling him to as much as 30% bonus. †¢Observe and uphold the performance guidelines and give James an overall â€Å"par† rating and get a bonus of up to 15% of basic salary. RecommendationsI recommend that the evaluating team follow the guidelines they set forth and give James the following ratings: †¢Financials – Above par†¢Strategy implementation – Above par†¢Customer satisfaction – Below par†¢Control – Above par †¢People – Above par †¢Standards – Above ParJames’ average in customer satisfaction for the four quarters was a dismal 64.75 – a far cry from the required market average of 77 to get â€Å"above par† and about 10 points shy from the 74-79 score to get a â€Å"par† rating. Based on the guidelines, with a â€Å"below par† rating, James is no longer qualified to get an overall â€Å"above par† rating and thus settle for a â€Å"par† rating. This is to give credibility to the intent of the management in implementing a balanced scorecard and in giving other factors equal weight and importance as that of financials. Having said that, some important issues need to be addressed in Citibank’ performance evaluation. First, Lisa should have provided support to James as  early as the 2nd quarter when his customer satisfaction scores began to slip from 66 to 63 (then further down to 54 during the 3rd quarter). Performance evaluation should not be a static document- it should be a reference for the employee and superior to identify deficiencies and gaps during the rating period. It should be revisited regularly, identify areas of improvement and see how management can intervene and improve the performance of the manager. A regular performance feedback is crucial so that the managers can align their activities with what is expected of them. Second, it would be worthwhile for Frits and Lisa to review the scores of the other managers focusing on customer satisfaction- this is to find out how all the managers are faring with the new performance indicator and to determine James’ performance vis-à  -vis his colleagues. If the general results of the customer satisfaction are similar with that of James, then his concerns are not unfounded- it may be that while the branches are doing their best in extending excellent customer service, the centralized services might be the one that’s pulling down everyone’s performance. Third, it would be excellent if Frits can benchmark their performance evaluation with the rest of the industry and see if their parameters in especially on customer satisfaction are within industry standards. Fourth, a reorientation or training on the proper administration and use of the performance evaluation is in order. Based on the scores and comments that Lisa gives to James, it appears that she is lenient with him. She overemphasizes James’ financial achievements but mentions too little on his deficiency on customer satisfaction. There also seems to be a halo error in the way Lisa evaluates James- where his financial prowess seems to unduly influence the other evaluation dimensions. Imons, R. Citibank: Performance Evaluation. 1997. Harvard Business School

Porter’s 5 Forces of Age Advantage

1. Bargaining power of supplier – HIGH As it has been mentioned before in the external analysis, staffing difficulties is one of the issues threatening the aged care service company. The issue of labor shortages then limits the ability of Age Advantage to recruit key people and add up the bargaining power of suppliers who provide workers for aged care service. As labor costs represent the largest fixed costs for aged care service providers, this can be considered as a threat for the business. 2. Bargaining power of buyer – MEDIUMBased on our research, there is a fair level of choice and options regarding age care service providers in Malaysia resulting in medium level of bargaining power of buyer. However, it is assumed not to be a significant problem for Age Advantage. As with our unique age in place service, we believe that we have a higher degree of competitive advantage compared to other aged care service providers existing in Malaysia. 3. Threat of substitutes â₠¬â€œ LOW The threat of the development of robotics for assisting with health care and aged care can be said as embryonic at the moment as it faces cost and price barriers as well as low social acceptance.Also, the existence of aged home can be said as not hazardous with the trend of ageing people preferring to receive service at home rather than residing in aged care facilities. Hence, the threat of substitutes for this business can be considered as low. 4. Threat of new entrants – LOW The low threat of new entrants is a result of high start-up costs for this kind of business as well as the length of the franchise agreement which could reach up to 10 years as people tend to avoid this kind of too-long-term contract.Besides, adequate training and well-trained labor force is essential for aged care service as this business deals with the life of people. Not forgetting as well the requirement of license approval from the government in order to enter the aged care service industr y. As a result, it results in a high degree of entry barriers causing a low degree of threat of new entrants. 5. Intensity of rivalry – LOW As it has been stated previously, there is only a fair level of choice and options regarding aged care service providers in Malaysia.Derived from the research we have done, age in place service is still rare in Malaysia as most aged care facilities have not provided a service of aged care at clients’ own homes. With the competitive advantage we own, it is believed that intensity of rivalry surrounding our business is low as the kind of service we provide is still considered one of a kind in Malaysia. 6. Complementary product We also add up a complementary product like insurance that when released pays the cost of aged care. Therefore, the insurer and their products become the complementor and the consumer gains additional value.

Spans of control and scalar chain Essay Example

Spans of control and scalar chain Essay Example Spans of control and scalar chain Paper Spans of control and scalar chain Paper Flour Daniels opted to implement a decentralised structure largely due to them being forced by the changing environment, and as a result of this they merged and became much larger in size. In order to assess this new structure Flour Daniels would have considered the nature of the product and service being offered, policy making, day-to-day management and standardisation of procedures and contract terms for employees. This would have meant that senior management still needed to maintain effective control and co-ordination of all the activities of the organisation. Ideally, organisations thinking of moving to decentralisation need to blend the benefits for customer orientation and increased responsiveness, taking into account the advantages of size, common resources and economies of scales.  Mercy Hospital adopted a completely team based approach which involved a participative style of managerial behaviour, which encouraged supportive relationships between superiors and subordinates. Group methods of organisation, decision making and supervision led to a sustained improvement in work performance reacting positively to the change in the organisations structure. Both companies changed their organisation structure, as this was clearly essential for continued economic performance and competitiveness. In adopting these changes it is apparent that due to their current success they took into account a similar framework as Christensen and Overdorf suggest, in their management styles and approaches. This framework helps managers understand what types of change the organisation is capable and incapable of handling by considering the following:  Resources access to abundant, high quality resources increases and organisations chances of coping with change. Processes the patterns of interaction, co-ordination, communication and decision making employees use to transform resources into products or services.  Values the standards by which employees set priorities that enable them to judge whether an order is attractive, of if a customer is more or less important or an idea for a new product is attractive or marginal. Analysis of Mercy Hospital and Fluor Daniels  Before the re-organisation of structure design within Mercy Hospital and Fluor Daniels both companies reflected a tall hierarchical structure. This is normally associated with bureaucratic organisations such as these where they were working within specialisation of tasks, hierarchy of authority and decision making with systems of rules and regulations, with many layers. This resulted in simple tasks being dealt with inefficiently due to the number of levels of authority in order for a decision to be made. As Tom Peters suggests there are three key things that must happen to an organisational structure if they are to change quickly to different circumstances.   Layers of management must be radically reduced. No more than five layers are necessary, regardless of the size.   Most support staff must be assigned to the operations of the business, reporting to line managers. They should be encouraged to be business team members rather than narrow functional specialists. A radically increased ratio of non-supervisors to supervisors must be established so that there is a wide span of control. The minimum being one supervisor to every 25-75 non-supervisors.  Although adopting different approaches as a reaction of change both companies reflect the above suggestions of Tom Peters.  Before the reorganisation employees had little or no say on how they wish to see the organisation going, with no delegated power of decision making which leads to frustration due to the beauracacy involved. Today, both companies enable empowerment of individuals allowing them greater freedom, autonomy, and self control over their work as well as responsibility for decision making. This results in the decision making process being speeded up, the release of creative innovative capacities, greater job satisfaction, motivation and commitment as well as their employees gaining a greater sense of achievement from their work. The movement of tighter and leaner organisations has increased emphasis on the demand of a flexible firm; this is highlighted by economic pressures and rapid developments in information technology. One particular approach to flexible structural design is the concept of a shamrock model. Charles Handy describes this as an organisation which possesses several parts which are nevertheless attached to a whole. This could be described as the approach taken by Fluor Daniels. Mercy Hospital and Fluor Daniels were aware that they needed to improve their efficiency and competitiveness, whilst appreciating the demand for more participative styles of management and greater involvement of staff. This drew their attention to the consideration of looking at their spans of control and scalar chains. Flatter structures, not only has benefits to both companies due to a reduction and savings on managerial costs but also by the image perceived by customers by reducing unnecessary layers of the scalar chain, with fewer levels between the top and base of the hierarchical pyramid. Mercy Hospital and Fluor Daniels observed the conclusion made by Meredith Belbin the pre-eminence of team working in current and future scenarios will inevitably lead to trapezium organisations where autonomous work groups or teams are supported by a small number of operational managers, and where strategic decisions are taken by a small group of separate managers in a balanced team.  They both incorporated the classic structure recommended for empowering, whereby their separate organisations are an inverted triangle, drawn to illustrate the role of the board of directors and facilitators in supporting positions rather than authoritative positions. Both these organisation which are team based do not require managing, it merely requires their managers and supervisors to become skilled people in facilitating, communicating good and bad news, breaking down barriers and providing expert information and knowledge.  Drucker stated There are only organisations, each of which has distinct strengths, distinct limitations and specific applications. It has become clear that organisation is not an absolute. It is a tool for making people productive in working together. As such, a given organisation structure fits certain tasks in certain conditions and at certain times.

How To Use Your Blog To Tell A Story

How To Use Your Blog To Tell A Story A story can prick a conscience. A story can motivate into action. A story can cause outrage or empathy. A story can take a reader off of her sofa and on an adventure across the world. We often talk about using story in content marketing as a way to tell about our brand, our team, our product, or our service. We discuss how to use storytelling for businesses as a way to make themselves more human. We give pointers on how to write copy  in a story-like manner that would make it interesting to read. But what about telling a genuine story, free of the responsibility of overtly furthering your brand? In an age of long form content, it makes sense to delve into telling stories online. Our brains like stories. It makes them active, and if the story uses the right words, it causes our brain to respond as if what we were reading was really happening to us. Words that speak of action make our motor cortex buzz. Words that speak of textures get our sensory cortex alight. In other words, when we read a story, our brains light up like a meteor shower on a dark winter night. Our brain, on a diet of stories, is intense. The Plays the Thing, wherein Ill catch the conscience of the King. Hamlet What Makes A Good Story No one will agree on what makes a good story completely. We all have our own tastes that dictates which kinds of stories we are drawn to, and the kind of language we prefer to read. But there are a few ways to consider good story as you create your own. There are also a few generalizations that can tentatively be applied across the board, no matter which approach to story you take. 1. Simplicity is best. A simple plot is ideal. It is the convoluted plot that allows a soap opera to go on endlessly for 30 years. A simple plot, with simple motivations, will always be easier for you to write and a reader to follow. A simple plot can be deceptively complex, depending upon how you tell the story. Unique and conflicting points of view, jumping back and forth in time–these all make a simple plot compelling and deep. Can you sum up the plot in a sentence or two? Simple language that is clear and concise is also best. 2. Boring words dont work. Cliches  don’t work. Phrases that have become common don’t work. Our brain skips over phrases it is used to seeing without registering them as anything special. Common phrases (tough as nails) dont light up our brain. This isnt a license to write purple prose that is extravagant and excessive.  In his 10 Rules Of Writing, author Elmore Leonard ended his list with this: Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip. Leonard understood how people read books, whizzing by solid paragraphs of purple prose to get to the dialogue. The dialogue, after all, is where the characters develop, where they interact, where the action happens. Avoid cliches, but dont turn to purple prose to do so. Look for concise and unusual word pairings that readers brains havent become accustomed to yet. 3. Get familiar with literary devices. When telling a story, you cant avoid using literary elements, even if you wanted to. These include things like  plot, dialog, setting, narrative, characters, mood, theme, and so on. Without them, there is no story. You could, however, avoid using literary techniques, though that would be a shame. These include things like allegory, irony, personification, metaphor, etc. They make your story richer. Even the simplest story becomes a real story when you use literary techniques. In The Old Man And The Sea, the plot could be summed up as an unlucky fisherman finally catches a marlin. Of course, Hemingway made that simple idea into much more than that, using conflict and allegory and imagery to tell something completely different. Use classic  literary devices  in your story if youre not sure how to make a boring story interesting. Once you realize how many  literary techniques  you can use to tell the same story, you wont suffer from the I dont have a story to tell syndrome that keeps you from giving storytelling a try. 4. There must be conflict. Without conflict, your story is not a story. It is an article. A listing of facts. It is informative but not dramatic, readable but not eminently so. Conflict is what propels and pushes a story forward, what keeps a reader guessing and reading. Though there has been disagreement on what kinds of conflicts are truly legitimate (depending upon your philosophy), here is a list of possible  narrative conflicts  you might use in a story: Man against man. Man against society/institution. Man against nature. Man against machine. Man against self. Man against God. Even a superhero cannot be so super that there is no conflict, no thing that could stand in the way. There must at least be Kryptonite. Conflict, in stories, is the engine that keeps them going forward.5. Have characters your readers can cheer for. Along with having conflict, you need characters that your readers can cheer for. Ever read a book and disliked the main character? You end up disliking the book, even if the story was good. Its tough to be sympathetic with characters we dont like. Readers want to be able to root for someone. They want a character that at some point is a fill-in for the heroic or the noble or the daring or the adventurous–the things they dont experience in daily life. Sometimes the best way to tell your reader about a character is to create another character who acts as a  foil. A foil contrasts another character in such a way that it highlights qualities that you could otherwise not reveal. For example, Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. You learn more about these two characters by how different they are when contrasted with each other. How To Approach Storytelling Lets look at a few different approaches that people have used to understand story, a kind of crash course on some storytelling basics. The 7 Basic Plots In 2006, after 34 years of writing, Christopher Booker published  The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories. In it, he proposed that all stories can fit into one of seven basic plots: Overcoming the monster. Protagonist vs. antagonist. The antagonist is threatening the protagonist and all that the protagonist holds dear. Rags to riches. Poor protagonist acquires vast wealth, loses it, then finally gets it back when he/she has grown as a person. The quest. Protagonist (and friends) set out to find something, facing many challenges along the way. Voyage and return. Protagonist travels to a strange place, faces challenges, and returns with nothing but valuable experience. Comedy. Protagonists are destined to be together, but something keeps getting in the way. By the end, it is all resolved. Tragedy. The protagonist becomes the villain, falling from grace. His/her death at the end is a good thing. Rebirth. The protagonist is a villain or unlikeable. By storys end, though, has completely turned around. Others have come up with their own efforts to diagram story in a similar manner to Booker. Ronald Tobias wrote 20 Master Plots And How to Build Them, coming to a different conclusion than Booker and going into more detail (get a PDF checklist of these plots).  Georges Polti created a list of 36 Dramatic Situations in which he came up with every possible situation that might occur in a story. These are not quite the same as categorizing an overall plot; they could be used in many combinations within one of Bookers plots. Whether you agree with Booker or Tobias understanding of plot, the key is to be able to familiarize yourself with available plots.  Understanding these plots may help you tell your story better just by knowing how you are approaching what you are trying to say. Brands can also  use these basic plots as a way to understand how to tell a story about themselves (and maybe understand they are not relegated to just being funny and inane). The Heros Journey In 1949, Joseph Campbell wrote a book, The Hero With A Thousand Faces, that proposed that almost all mythical stories across culture followed a similar pattern. This monomyth was known as The Heros Journey. Everyone from musicians, video game makers, writers, and movie makers have used The Heros Journet as a model for their stories. Blogger Lisa Paitz Spindler has done an excellent job explaining and illustrating The Heros Journey. While Campbells theory on how to interpret myths has come under fire as being an oversimplification of complex myths, many writers still turn to his theory for their stories. You can see several of Bookers seven plots as possibly fitting into The Heros Journey (quest, rags to riches, monster, etc.) Modern mythology, such as Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, reflect elements of this Heros Journey.  If youre a Star Wars fan, youll recognize the plot almost immediately. George Lucas all but followed Campbells approach to monomyth to the letter.  Movies have further refined and simplified The Heros Journey into a formula of sorts; you are likely quite familiar with the pattern you see here, even if in a simpler form. The Inverted Pyramid The Inverted Pyramid method of telling a story is most commonly associated with journalists and news articles. In it, you tell the most important part of your story right at the beginning and then gradually break it down with details as the story progresses. This is because people might not read the full news story, but instead rely on the headline and the first paragraph or two to get a summary of the story. It is also a way to play your hand up front, trusting that the dramatic and explosive beginning will securely hook a reader and keep them reading. Pennsylvania State University, Newsletter, January 2011 The important questions–who, what, when, where, how–get answered in the first paragraph. The why is explained later in the article, as less important details and backstory trickle out. Letting Readers Decide Do you remember the delightful Choose Your Own Adventure books? As a kid, I loved reading them. A while back, I attempted a kind of CYOA on the Todaymade blog in the form of a social media adventure. A bit corny, yes, but readers had fun with it. When you let the reader decide how the story unfolds, you get to write several alternate endings (a bit of fun) but have to keep everything organized (a bit tricky). Youll write several types of plots, conflicts, and endings with the same characters, which can be a challenge. You will also write so that the main character is the reader. There are other ways to make your story interactive. Michael Lutzs story My fathers long, long legs is clever as a story and incredibly creative in how interactive it is for the reader (follow it through all the way to the end). Lutz uses methods you could only use in online storytelling. Recommended Reading: The Hero With A Thousand Faces  by Joseph Campbell Save The Cat!  by Blake Snyder The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories  by Christopher Booker 20 Master Plots And How to Build Them  by Ronald Tobias 10 Rules Of Writing  by Elmore Leonard Putting Story To Work: Snowfall Snowfall.  You’ll either think of this as something from winter, or you’ll think of an avalanche and a 2012 online article from the New York Times. With Snowfall, the Times put forth an amazing effort to tell a story online like no one else had done before. They followed up their Pulitizer Prize-winning Snowfall with The Jockey and A Game Of Shark And Minnow; other publishers followed suit, covering stories about Greenland and the Iditarod. Big and flashy stories seemed to be the direction the web was heading. Dissecting How Snowfall Worked Lets take a look at Snowfall. In this classic man vs. nature true story, the Times started with the climactic moment of the avalanche. They got you hooked because you met characters in danger and distress and would hopefully keep reading to know what happened to them. Next, they filled in the backstory, introducing new characters and telling us more about all of the characters in a personal way so that we could identify with their humanity. After revealing the climax, they started back at the beginning so that the reader could put what they just read in context. They broke the story up into chapters, which helped keep the reader from getting confused. Snowfall is a long piece, and chapters help guide the reader through it. The Times used interactive maps and graphics, pull quotes, photos, and video to flesh out the story in an attempt to create extra content that was related, but not necessary, to reading the story. Readers could plow on through the text and read just the story, or they could venture into these extra elements and learn a bit more. This was no article. It was a story,  a true one, and the Times meant to put you right there, on the mountainside, to experience it.

Using Questions to Refocus or Adjust Lessons

Using Questions to Refocus or Adjust Lessons One of the most important responsibilities for a teacher is the planning of instruction. Planning instruction provides direction, provides assessment guidelines, and  conveys instructional intent to students and supervisors. Planned instruction for grades 7-12 in any academic discipline,  however, is met with everyday challenges. There are distractions within the classroom (cell phones,   classroom management  behavior, bathroom breaks) as well as the  external distractions  Ã‚  (PA announcements, outside noises, fire drills) that often interrupt lessons.   When the unexpected happens,  even the best planned lessons or most organized  plan  books  can derail.   Over the course of a unit or a semester, distractions can cause a teacher to lose sight of the goal(s) of a course.   So, what tools can  a secondary teacher use to get back on track?   To counter the many different interruptions in  the execution of lesson plans, teachers need to keep in mind three (3) simple questions that are at the heart of instruction: What thing(s) will the students be able to do when they leave the classroom?How will  I  know the students will be able to do what was taught?What tools or items  are needed for me to accomplish the task(s)? ​These questions can be made into a template to use as a planning tool and  added as an appendix to lesson plans. Instructional Planning in Secondary Classrooms These three (3) questions can also help secondary teachers to be flexible, since teachers may find they may have to modify lesson plans in real time for a specific course period by period. There may be different academic levels of students or multiple courses within a particular discipline; a math teacher, for example, may teach advanced calculus, regular calculus, and statistics sections in one day. Planning for daily instruction also  means that a teacher, regardless of content, is required  to differentiate or  tailor instruction to meet individual student needs. This differentiation  recognizes the variance among learners in the classroom. Teachers use differentiation when they account for student readiness, student interest, or  student learning styles. Teachers can differentiate the academic content, the activities associated with the content, the assessments or end products, or the approach (formal, informal) to the content. Teachers in grades 7-12 also need to account for any number of possible variations in a daily schedule. There may be advisory periods, guidance visits, field trips/internships, etc. Student attendance can also mean a variation in plans for individual students. The pace of an activity can be thrown off with one or more interruptions, so even the  best lesson plans need to account for these minor changes. In some cases, a lesson plan may need an  on the spot change or maybe even a complete rewrite! Because of differentiation or variations to schedules that mean real time adjustments, teachers need to have a quick planning tool that they can use to help adjust and refocus a lesson.  This set of three questions (above) can to help teachers at minimum the means to check to see they are still delivering instruction effectively. Use Questions to Refocus Daily Plans A teacher who uses the three questions (above) either as a daily planning tool or as a tool for adjustment may also need some additional follow-up questions.   When time is removed from an already tight class schedule, a teacher can choose some of the options listed beneath each question in order to salvage any pre-planned instruction. Moreover, any content area teacher can use this template as a tool to make adjustments to a lesson plan-even one that is partially delivered- by adding the following questions: What thing(s) will the students still be able to do when they leave the classroom today? If this was planned as an introductory lesson, what will students be able to explain what was taught with assistance?  If this was planned as an ongoing lesson, or a lesson in a series,  what will students be able to explain independently?  If this was planned as a  review lesson,   what will students be able to explain to others? How will  I  know the students will be able to do what was taught today? Can I still use a  question/answer session at the end of class where I check comprehension?Can I still use an exit slip quiz question with days lesson content or problem to receive feedback from students?Can I still assess through a homework assignment that is due the following day? What tools or items  are needed for me to accomplish the task(s) today? What necessary texts are still available for this lesson   and how do I still make these available for students? (textbooks, trade books, digital links, handouts)What necessary tools are still available to present the information? (whiteboard, Powerpoint, SmartBoard, projection and/or software platform)What other resources (websites, recommended reading, instructional videos, review/practice software) can I still provide to students as support for what I am teaching?What kinds of communication (assignment posts, reminders) can I still leave for students to keep pace with the lesson?If something goes wrong with the tools or items needed, what backups do I have? Teachers can use the three questions and their follow-up questions  in order to develop, to adjust, or to   refocus their lesson plans on just what is important for that particular day. While some teachers may find the use this set of questions particularly useful every day, others might use these questions infrequently.

English Paper Essay I will upload for what is needed

English Paper I will upload for what is needed - Essay Example Terry Bisson is a fantasy author, best known for his short stories. Several of his stories are award winning. He also wrote several comic books including â€Å"Web of horror†, which is a horror comic magazine. â€Å"Bears discover fire† is one of the most preferred short science fiction stories. As claimed by the author, the story is exactly what its title suggests. Once upon a time in a place called Appalachia, all of the bears started burning bonfires in the widespread freeways. They used to assemble themselves in a circle and stare into the flame all night long. During the ritual, they intermittently get up from the fire to find barriers or hunt for firewood. The news media and police wanted to capture the occurrence and made sure they kept the local folks away from the ritual. The story begins when one family manages to get to a very close proximity of the bears’ social gathering due to a flat tire. (Whyte) The story begins with Chronicler driving with his brother and nephew, Wallace jr. to the North of Bowling Green, when he experienced a flat tire near a bear military camp. Their flash light goes out and the narrator had to change the tire in the dim glow of orange light that was coming from the torches held by two bears. â€Å"They just held the torches up, whether out of curiosity or for helpfulness, there was no way of knowing† (P:2, Bisson ) Afterwards, in the car, the narrator’s brother comments that it seemed like finally the bears had discovered fire. Use of fire is the well-built western icon of civilization and intelligence. This symbol is often used to separate humans from the animal kingdom. Fire describes humanity in a cultural level. The narrator states a number of events in the story that depict the decline of humanity in human beings. Meanwhile, bears are discovering what humanity and civilization is. One event was the disappearance of the narrator’s mother from a nursing home and

Air Pollution in the Grand Canyon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Air Pollution in the Grand Canyon - Essay Example Humans pollute the environment voluntarily through smoking and channeling of polluted substances directly into the environment without treatment. These effluents have both short-term and long-term effects on the environment (Phalen and Robert 8). Humans are responsible for preserving and protecting the environment. With the advancement of technology, enterprise that is more industrial emerges and grows. Failure by humans to prevent and control the environmental pollution is unethical (Clowney and Patricia 22). Humans should consider all the other living organisms before engaging in environmental pollution acts. The negative actions of man towards the environment raise discontent to him. The reason is that air pollution causes acid rain and disruption of the ozone layer. Global warming is an emerging issue resulting from man’s inconsiderate actions towards the environment. Environment is the primary source of a man’s livelihood, and it is essential that humans should care of it (Kun-Ming et al. 1). Failure to enhance measures to ensure clean air quality raises ethical concerns since the man has the responsibility of conserving the environment by nature. Grand Canyon is a landmark landscape overwhelming peoples’ senses through its immense size. The landscape is a steep-sided canyon carved by Colorado, a river in the State of Arizona in America. It is entirely located in north Arizona in America. Grand Canyon consists of unique combinations of geologic color and erosion forms beautify a canyon that is 277 miles long. Grand Canyon encompasses several unique areas including Grand Canyon National Park and the United States national park. The national park stretches to the north Rim and the South Rim. The Landscape consists of uncovered geologic strata layer upon layer from the bottom Vishnu schist to the capping Kaibab limestone. The entire park area is a semi-desert experiencing all the desert climate and temperatures. Adjacent

What is the difference between 'old' and 'new' social movements Essay

What is the difference between 'old' and 'new' social movements illustrate your answer with reference to specific movements - Essay Example Social movements are created through a course of action, starting with disorder or campaigns as a response to a social problem, then organization of involved parties. People mobilize, leadership develops, duties are assigned, the public is notified, and guidelines or strategies begin to form, resulting finally in the establishment of the movement (Polletta & Jasper, 2001, 283). The course of action is not easy and there could be a decline phase in the group when it either disintegrates or is restored in a changed form. Social movements could be either reactive, involving opposition to change, or enthusiastic, with an aim for social change (Rootes, 1990, 10). Proactive social movements that aspire to reform a particular feature of human conduct, like the Women’s Christian Temperance Movement, are transformative (Polletta & Jasper, 2001, 283); those aspiring for an absolute transformation of individual conduct, like religious fundamentalist groups, are liberating (p. 283). The emphasis of the other two kinds is societal transformation: movements with goals of altering a particular feature of society, as represented by labor groups, are alterative, and organizations trying to transform the whole social order are revolutionary (Rootes, 1990, 12). The objective of this essay is to discuss the distinctions between ‘old’ and ‘new’ social movements. Theorists of new social movement observe a greatly reformed social structure behind these new social movements, diversely referred to as ‘postindustrial’, ‘network’, or ‘information society (Pichardo, 1997, 411). In the theory of Melucci (1994, 105), ‘modernization’ has obliged that individuals be able to process or understand the informational or network components on which present-day societies rely on, but heightened individualism has been escorted by great demands toward standardized conformity. On the other hand, the theory of

How effective was development of the Europe economic in 1500 CE Research Paper

How effective was development of the Europe economic in 1500 CE - Research Paper Example The idea of states with a standing army and bureaucratic process began to take root, and this changed the world’s perspective of Europe. This paper will elaborate on the development of Europe economy in 1500 AD and illustrate how this period saw the advancement of technology by great inventions such as gunpowder, relatively advanced ships, improved navigation techniques, and the printing press would be the premise of change in Europe. Changes in Social Structure The chaos of the late middle Ages did not equally affect the inhabitants of Europe. Advancement in military technology and better pikemen in the battlefield challenged the dominance of the knights in battle; the title of being a noble began to reduce in value and stature. The Economic challenges of the Middle Ages saw an increased in labor shortages and this translated to higher prices of commodities (Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson 57). The wealth belonging to the people In nobility was cut into by the high inflation o f that time, and this was due to the static value of land which was the base of their wealth. A large number of peasants in Europe had attained the capacity to purchase their freedom from their lords; they began to pay a fixed amount of rent instead of paying them with labor. Due to the high inflation, the rent paid by the tenants was insufficient to satisfy their needs and therefore the value of nobility declined. Not all nobles were affected by inflation; some nobles sought employment from the king and were taken on to join the army or work as courtiers. A good number of people lost their nobility status from having involving themselves with agriculture and commerce like the middle class. Despite the loss in value, nobles were still held in high standing in society; for that reason, the now wealthy middle class began buying nobility titles from the king, surrendering their business oriented lives, settling in landed in landed estates. The provision of buying nobility titles enable d the noble class to be replenished despite its rapidly dwindling numbers. Western Europe did not have any peasants by 1500, most of the former peasants owned their own land by that time. In addition to that, the middle class was getting higher due to their increasing wealth and the positions held in the Kingdom. Recovery of the Economy Europe’s economic rebirth happened on the foundation of agriculture. The aftermath of the conflicts in the middle ages weakened the nobles and the church that had great influence on economic activities. The reduced influence of the church and nobles led to the emergence of well-structured monarchies in Western Europe that safeguarded peace encouraging the growth of commerce and trade. Peasant s that had not lost their lives in the Black Death inherited land belonging to the deceased and were able to improve their standards of living. Agricultural production standards rapidly rose due to the fact the former peasants worked on their own land and this motivated them to work harder than they did before. The improved standards of living and food security fueled an increase in population; it is estimated that the population rose to 70 million from 50 million fifty years earlier (Janssen 89). The economic recovery had a great trickle-down effect that cumulated to the creation of capitalist economic system. The effects were: 1. The rapid population growth had the implication that

Algabraic Functions, real life, and teaching them to your students Essay

Algabraic Functions, real life, and teaching them to your students - Essay Example Therefore, this problem can be modeled as creating a function in which the miles per gallon (MPG) is a function of the money in dollars spent annually powering the car. Context In trying to decide what type of car to get, Ryan is looking at what kind of car he can get for the right price. Since he is a college student, he is looking for a car that gets good mileage so that he can spend less money on gas and still be able to drive around. The car dealership gave him a guide in which he could compare the amount of money he would need depending on the type of vehicle he bought. The larger, inefficient trucks typically get about 10MPG and will cost approximately $2,700 in gas per year. The dealership has it listed in increments of increasing 5 MPG, ending with the most economically and ecologically efficient cars which get around 50 MPG and only cost $540 annually to drive around. Table MPG Cost per Year in Dollars 10 $2,700.00 15 $1,800.00 20 $1,350.00 25 $1,080.00 30 $900.00 35 $771.43 40 $675.00 45 $600.00 50 $540.00 Use of Words The lower the MPG of a vehicle, the larger the annual cost is to fund the gas for travel. The higher the MPG of a vehicle, the smaller the annual cost is to fund the gas for travel.

Stravinsky and Shoenberg's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stravinsky and Shoenberg's - Essay Example Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was born on June 17, 1882, in Oranienbaum, Russia and died April 6, 1971, in New York. His father, a bass singer and his mother, a gifted pianist, raised him in St. Petersburg. Also, he was a citizen of the United States and France. After fathers death in 1902, Stravinsky decided to become a composer. And he really became one of the most famous genius composers of the 20th century. Igor is a key figure of such art direction, as modernism. His work has had a revolutionary impact on musical ideas during the First World War. Stravinsky created more than 100 works, executed by the Ballets Russes. One of his the most successful ballet works was "The Rite of Spring", which brought to him the extraordinary fame in the world of music. It was premiered in Paris in 1913. This musical work was created in the first phase of Stravinskys career, the so-called Russian period. In that time the composer often visited Paris for work. Nevertheless, Russia remained his home. (A&E Television Networks, 2015) The first performance happened at the Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre des Champs Élysà ©es on May 29, 1913. It was one of the most famous exciting actions, which led to protests and disputes among the audience. In the history of musical theater it is one of the first nights of unrest. During the performance, the dancers could not hear the music, because people have created a very loud noise. Without a doubt, we can say that this composition was the original thanks to its bold, rough rhythms and unresolved dissonance. The Rite of Spring is a new musical concept, in which vary metric imbalances and rhythms. This work is accompanied by brilliant orchestration and sharply dissonant harmonies. The composers approach was empirical. He always wanted to test his musical materials and create something new, previously unidentified. He experimented with different chords, constantly playing the piano. Despite

Algabraic Functions, real life, and teaching them to your students Essay

Algabraic Functions, real life, and teaching them to your students - Essay Example Therefore, this problem can be modeled as creating a function in which the miles per gallon (MPG) is a function of the money in dollars spent annually powering the car. Context In trying to decide what type of car to get, Ryan is looking at what kind of car he can get for the right price. Since he is a college student, he is looking for a car that gets good mileage so that he can spend less money on gas and still be able to drive around. The car dealership gave him a guide in which he could compare the amount of money he would need depending on the type of vehicle he bought. The larger, inefficient trucks typically get about 10MPG and will cost approximately $2,700 in gas per year. The dealership has it listed in increments of increasing 5 MPG, ending with the most economically and ecologically efficient cars which get around 50 MPG and only cost $540 annually to drive around. Table MPG Cost per Year in Dollars 10 $2,700.00 15 $1,800.00 20 $1,350.00 25 $1,080.00 30 $900.00 35 $771.43 40 $675.00 45 $600.00 50 $540.00 Use of Words The lower the MPG of a vehicle, the larger the annual cost is to fund the gas for travel. The higher the MPG of a vehicle, the smaller the annual cost is to fund the gas for travel.

The Coach Essay Example for Free

The Coach Essay As a group coaches are often criticized for their overemphasis on winning and their overly serious attitude toward the league experience. Most studies, however, point out that in general Little League coaches get involved for the love of the game and for the love of their participating child. Coaches that angrily shout criticism from the sidelines are not appreciated or liked as are relaxed, supportive, and knowledgeable coaches who emphasize the improvement and learning of new skills. Coaches that develop close and personal relationships with the child and her/his parents are the most likely to contribute to a positive learning experience. Coaches are first and foremost role models and teachers. Good coaching is not about producing winning teams; its about asking every day before practice or a game: Is what were planning to do today in the best interest of the kids? The best lesson a coach can teach is that playing fairly makes everyone a winner, and that: Developing Coaching Philosophy A casual observer of any little league game site will notice the excessive seriousness and tension exhibited by coaches on the sidelines. Coaches and spectating parents get very involved with their childrens game. Some fail to realize the deleterious effects of their vocal protests regarding game referee decisions or disapproval of their childs performance. Several soccer leagues that I am familiar with have on record a very appropriate league philosophy statement. These statements emphasize learning, fair play, fun, equal opportunity, etc over winning. Ironically, the same leagues use trained referees and linesmen, for example, to officiate a game between two teams comprised of nine-year-old players. Players are often assigned to positions in which they are most productive or least destructive. And, coaches, parents and players exhibit excessive celebration when a goal is scored (even when the goal resulted from a clumsy goalie error) or when a game is won. Overly formal game control, early specialization, and excessive celebrations seem incompatible with a child-centered league philosophy. Should the league experience serve best only the most talented and promising individuals at the expense of the less skilled? A typical league reality of winning first, child second, seems to prevail over the same leagues beautifully crafted philosophy statement. The stress associated with coaching a losing team stems from the distorted view that winning equals good coaching and loosing equals poor coaching. The child that is allowed to play a variety of positions will learn and progress irrespectively of her or his teams winning or loosing record. In the soccer league that I joined as assistant coach during the Fall of 1999, the head coach knew which the two best teams on the league were several weeks before kickoff. Who gets the credit for coaching these kids? Four of the kids on our nine-year-old boys team never played the game. How are they going to learn and improve if we are not going to allow them to make mistakes? Sticking to a child-centered game plan can get very tricky and involve tough decisions. A Coaching Philosophy Some coaches get turned off by the word philosophy. They cannot see how any one philosophy can have an impact on their daily problems and work. Ones teaching or coaching philosophy, however, is actually a very practical matter. An analogy to ones philosophy may be equated to a pair of glasses that filter reality through ones personal experiences, opinions, values and beliefs. It has, therefore a direct influence on how we see and understand the world around us, what actions we take, and why we choose to behave in the ways we do. In fact, every coach, whether aware of it or not, is following certain principles or his philosophy while coaching. It may seem reasonable to assume that the philosophy that directs the coachs everyday life thinking and actions would be also applied by her/him to coaching. Yet, this often seems not to be the case. For example, most coaches would agree that a less skilled child with little or no self-confidence needs special attention and time investment. Yet, who are the kids that usually get the most attention, the most playing time, the most praise? Still, let’s assume, for example, that a businessman discovered that the firm he is negotiating with was dishonest. He decides to do his business with another group despite the fact that he may end up paying more for essentially the same product. This may not sound like good business, yet many a businessman I talked to expressed willingness to stick to their principles even if it meant higher expenses. How many coaches do you know that would stick to principles of sportsmanship or fair play rather than win a game? Obviously, we can readily see a gap between what a coach may think is the right thing to do in every day life situations, and the actions he/she ends up taking on the playing field. Developing an Alternative Coaching Philosophy Dr. Rainer Martens, a world renowned sport psychologist and publisher, explains that the development of a functional coaching philosophy involves two major tasks: †¢ become a student of your own feelings and who you are? †¢ prioritize and delineate your coaching objectives †¢ Developing Self-Awareness Children are great imitators. Therefore, you are more likely to shape them into your own image than into what you would actually like them to become. The coach is a very powerful role model. This is why it is important that the coach be honest as he/she evaluates her/himself and get in touch with here/his own feelings. The coach needs to discover whether he really likes who he/she is. A quick subjective self-awareness test would be to ask oneself When I was a child, would I have liked to have my current self as a parent? As a coach? If the answer is yes, explain to yourself why you think the way you do. What is it that makes you a good parent, teacher, coach? If you realize that you do not like everything about yourself, dont panic, nobodys perfect. The key factor is not for every coach to be a perfect individual. It is crucial, however, that the coach be honest with her/himself, and willing to take the appropriate steps to change for the better. Dr. Martens suggests that one such first step would be to form an open door policy and solicit feed back from the kids, assistant coaches and the parents. This, according to Dr. Martens means that the coach needs to learn to listento be attentive to both overt and covert communication patterns. Good listening skills ensure two way communications and thus decrease the filtering effect that often distorts the true message delivered by the other party. Prioritization and Delineation of Coaching Objectives It is an indisputable fact that children are their parents and nations most precious asset. It may seem natural to assume, therefore, that the majority of adults mean well for the kids. Yet, how often do we wish something for our child, and then step back and take the time to find out whether this is what the child really wants? More often than not, adults feel they know better, and thus, exclude children from the decision making process. Youth sport, unfortunately, is a prime example of this phenomenon. In 1987 the Athletic Footwear Association in America sponsored a study of 10,000 students ages 10-18 regarding their feelings about sport. The students reacted to questions such as why they participate, why they quit, and what changes they would make in order to get involved again in a sport they dropped. The most important finding of the study was that winning, which is the most publicized and pursued goal of sports never ranked higher than seventh even among the most competitive athletes. To have fun and to improve my skills were consistently the first two choices why the students chose to play sports. When asked why they dropped from sports three of the first five reasons were I was not having fun, coach was a poor teacher, and too much pressure. How many coaches you know would have predicted this outcome? (Rainer, 1987, 3-14) Dr. Martha E. Ewing and Dr. Vern Seefeld of the Youth Sports Institute of Michigan State University who conducted the study, and Dr. Steven J. Danish, chairman of the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University who added psychological and developmental interpretations proposed the following truths about children and sport: Fun is pivotal; if its not fun, young people wont play a sport (Rainer, 1987, 3-14). Skill development is a crucial aspect of fun; it is more important than winning even among the best athletes. The most rewarding challenges of sports are those that lead to self-knowledge. Intrinsic rewards (self-knowledge that grows out of self-competition) are more important in creating lifetime athletes than are extrinsic rewards (victory or attention from others). The American Youth and Sports Participation study authors proposed the following tips for coaches and parents who are willing to develop an alternative coaching philosophy: For Coaches Become a communicator (a listener and a giver of feedback). Recognize the needs of your kids and balance your needs with theirs. Develop perspective: remember what you were like at their age and what you could do then; dont judge the kids by what you can do now. Remember the truths and plan activities with them in mind. Seek out workshops and educational programs that teach not only sports-related skills but also communication and interpersonal skills that will help you work with parents and get the most out of your kids. Try to work with parents and make them part of the team rather than viewing them as critics to be avoided. Coach Development Education, as pedagogical theory so perceptively points out, is a two-way process, which means that both sides of the process have an opportunity to influence each other. Therefore, the coach can expect to be shaped by his team members’ characters and styles in a way that is no less decisive than his or her influence upon them. Realizing it may prove a challenge to many authoritative coaches, yet this impact is undeniable and should not be underestimated. However, in case of a younger team, the coach’s influence is going to exceed that of the children as they, as mentioned before, are great imitators and need a role model to follow. For this reason among others, the coach has to develop certain moral and professional qualities that will form the basis for practical application of one’s coaching philosophy. The tenets of coaching philosophy determine which exactly qualities one needs in order to develop one’s team and bring them to a victory earned in the spirit of fair play sportsmanship. In the first place, a coach has to be a superb organizer. This is the coach’s primary function in the team: to unite a disparate set of players into a coherent whole. Unity in the contest has to stem from psychological unity of the team, the much talked about team spirit. A coach in one’s philosophy has to define how important a place the team occupies in his/her activities and endeavors and what ways of achieving this unity are legitimate and effective. In team sports specifically, the value of team relationships cannot be overrated, since a victory is only a product of collective efforts and rarely a gift of luck.

Managerial development and strategies for Tata Steel Group

Managerial development and strategies for Tata Steel Group Introduction Tata communications formally known as VSNL is one of the chief telecom player in the world of communications, the company has a strong position in the world market. Formed 1985, after taking over VSNL in 2002, the company has overtaken many midsized organizations such as Neotel in south Africa , Teleglobe in Canada United telecom in Nepal. Many of the fortune 1000 companies, service provider and the consumers depend upon the network provided by the Tata communication, encompassing one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks, a tier 1 IP network, and connectivity to more than 200 countries across 300 PoPs. TATA Communications serves its customers from offices in 80 cities across 40 countries, reflecting the diversity of the customers and markets we live in and serve. TATA Communications Ltd. is part of the $29 billion TATA group; it is listed on the Bombay stock exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:TCL). I chose this company for my leadership assignment because it is a classic example to true leadership where different cultures are involved and the industry is very dynamic in nature . 1 (a) Leadership: The study of leadership is very important and crucial in the field of any organizational behaviour. Leadership is the ability of a superior to influence the behavior of a subordinate or group and persuade them to follow a particular course of action. Chester Bernard. Qualities of an effective leader: Although there is no set of qualities/traits defined for a real leader but still at TATA comm. A leader is defined who has the following characteristics: Takes initiative. High on ambition. have desire to lead. Is self-confident. Poses analytical abilities. Have knowledge of the process, technology and the industry. High creativity level. Flexible in teaching and learning ways. Theories and models defined for leadership in TATA comm.: There are 3 global theories defined and applied in the co. I worked. 1) Personality Trait theory: As per this theory, leaders stand apart from non-leaders in terms of some personality traits which are unique. One of the traditional old age theory under this was Great person theory which said that leaders might not born with the required leadership attributes but it can be acquired gradually by learning and experience. There is one model and theory under this, which explains this trait theory in more detail. This theory is called Theory X and Theory Y. T.McGregor was in an opinion that managers/leaders tend to make certain assumptions about human nature. These assumptions/views were explained in the theory X and theory Y. As per McGregors Theory X of trait theory the managers are those persons who displays control associated and direction with the exercise of authority, where as Theory Y managers normally display facilitation and integration activity. This theory was very impactful in the management world, even today in TATA Comm. managers are referred as X and Y managers. Model: Leadership Continuum and Theory X and Theory Y 2) Behaviour Theories: The behaviour theories explained the aspects related to the behaviors found in the leaders which take them to effective leadership. There are 4 theories under this. Out of this the managerial Grid is the most applicable to TATA comm. The Ohio States studies. Universities of Michigan studies. The Managerial Grid. Scandinavian studies. The Managerial Grid: This model was developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton. This is also called The Leadership Grid which majorly focuses on the parts missed in the early theories. This revolves around production/relationship orientations. The grid is based on the Leaders concern for people (relationships) and production (tasks). As per this the best way to lead and manage people the 9,9 way. The Tri-dimensional Grid: This is one of the approaches of behavioural theories of leadership defined. This talks about 2 main dimensions of the style i.e.: Tasks Orientation: This describes the main effect on the efficiency of the leaders work. Relationship Orientation: This talks about the human relations and the resources in TATA Comm. Change / Effectiveness: This aspect of the theory tells about how effectively the leader can adapt in the changing scenario. 3) Contingency Theories: Also called situational theory. As per this theory the leadership style is not same to all situations. Every leader is expected to analyse the situation and then adapt or apply a style that is best suited for the situation. There are 5 contingency models under this leadership style: Fiedlers contingency model. Hersey and Blanchards situational theory. Leader-member exchange theory. Leadership-participation model. Path goal theory. In TATA Comm.s managerial environment 2 contingency models apply i.e. (a) and (e). Fiedlers contingency model: in this approach a leadership style is apt to the situation as described by the 3 principles below: Leader-member relation: how much is the leader accepted and supported by the group members. Personalities of the leader and subordinates play an important role in this principle. Task Structure: under this it is examined that how the task is structured for the subordinate. To what extent the freedom is given to the group member to accomplish the tasks. Position Power: Its the ability and power of the leader as to how much his power and he himself is accepted in the group. e) Path Goal theory: this theory was coined by Robert House. Under this theory the leader is expected to provide a complete guidelines/coaching to the team members to achieve the objectives of the TATA comm.s goal. The leader defines the goals of the individual and supports them to achieve them in a better an efficient way. Below model describes the entire path goal theory followed at TATA comm. The Path-Goal Model Types of leadership:- Directive leadership Supportive leadership Participative leadership Achievement-oriented leadership Leader effectiveness in influencing subordinates Are matched against To Produce Situational Factors: Æ’Â  Subordinate Characteristics Ability Perceived control of destiny. Æ’Â  Nature of the task Ambiguous Routine Emotional Intelligence: A persons self-awareness, self-confidence, self-control, commitment and integrity, and a persons ability to communicate, influence, initiate change and accept change. (Source: Coleman) Self awareness: A leader needs to do a self assessment in terms of self confidence. Self-regulation: control over self emotions is very necessary for a leader to lead his team. He needs to take responsibility for performance, should be approachable and adaptable to change. Motivation: Self motivated leader is the one who can lead the team and take them to the position where required. Empathy: Its quality of understanding others by being noticed about their feelings, needs and concerns. Social Skills: Handling the situation diplomatically, be an open ear and offer convincing messages, inspire and motivate others to achieve the shared goals. 1 (b) Impact of a range of leadership styles on TATA Comm.s various important functions: The important functions in TATA Comm. are: Product management: This team is responsible introducing new products in the market based on the research done analyzing the completion. The major challenges are faced in terms of pricing the product. A combination of leadership styles fits in this functions is in following ways: The leader here motivates the team by both means i.e. monetary and non-monetary rewards. The outcome of the product team is judged by the revenue generated out of their product. Sales and marketing: This team is responsible for selling the products in the market in the most profitable way. The issue which is faced by this team is the extensive pressure for the numbers. The leaders play an important and crucial role in this function by:- Always being in an energetic style which is contagious to the team. Giving directions to the sales people. Rewarding and recognizing their performance on regular intervals by giving the employee of the month award. Back office for sales: This function is responsible for the entire back office job done after sales. Includes from order login to making reports for performance done by sales team from various regions in the company. The job of this function is very monotonous and thus requires and high level of leadership and motivation. The leaders face a very challenging role in this function. They apply contingency theory to a large extent as to acting differently in differently in different situations. Keep the employees motivated. Keep the employees guided and coshed regularly. CSO (customer service operations): This function is responsible for after service delivery to the customers. They need to function as per the customer issues faced on day to day basis. In telecom industry the main service/product offered are leased lines and voice services. Being so dynamic in nature these services need immediate fix from providers side. Leadership qualities displayed in TATA comm.s CSO function are as below: Path goal theory is used as providing the final goal to be achieved in terms of fixing the circuit for the customer. Team management of the leadership grid 9,9 style impacts by keeping the team in harmony and fixing the circuit or fixing the network laid for the customer. Finance: This function is responsible for all MIS related activities in terms of revenue reporting, fund raising, preparing balance sheet, performance reporting of various LoBs (line of business), etc. Traits theory plays a major role in this function. Leaders find the type x and type y kind of members in the team s defined by the theory X and theory Y. After identifying the types, the leader takes contingency approach to deal to deal with situation and people. 2 (a) Current leadership and managerial requirements at TATA Communications: As leaders and managers at TATA comm. they have a key leadership role in influencing others to achieve success. As an organization and as individuals it is necessary to be able to provide the appropriate balance between leadership and management. The leadership requirements are defined as below: Leaders are required to set and communicate the vision of the organization, department, or group. Leaders need to align the organization to the vision-leaders at TATA Comm. are exceptional who not only create the vision of where they are going but also make sure other see it can help get there. They motivate and inspire others to succeed-they inspire greatness in others. They not only effectively manage change but also are the drivers of change. The Managerial requirements are defined as below: The managers help people cope with everyday- they remove barriers to getting things done and help people solve problems. They need to provide the consistent expectation that need to be achieved and prove stability. They need to monitor work and report on success. They are more of problem solvers and help others focus on the details. They are more tactical- focused on short term planning and everyday business function such as budgeting. Achieving the balance: At TATA Comm. the leadership and management expectations are covered in the following matrix called achieving the balance. All are managers and leaders. They have to focus on the work and focus on the future. It is not one or the other but how they balance their manager hat with that of being a leader. Able to meet todays needs and to predict, respond and often drive the future. Great ideas, energy, innovative. Execution is the challenge. High Leadership Delivers well in stable environment. Slow in adapting to change. In Trouble. Low Low High Management 2 (b): Future requirements of leadership at TATA Comm.: Before we analyze future requirements of leadership I would like to identify some future challenges which are/will be faced in todays generic environment. Information age Changing technology Virtual Organizations Diversity New careers-generation X New psychological contracts Globalization rapid changes in the market places Overtaking of strategies Rapid changes in workplace culture and ways of working Delegation Focusing on Strategic Vs operational activities. Mergers and acquisitions Increasing accountability and regulation The leaders are faced with these challenges on day to day life at work. The leaders need to adapt to these changing conditions both internally and externally. A t TATA Comm. this is done by leaders accepting these changes and adapting different leadership styles to overcome these challenges. For this the conditional leadership style is mostly suited to change roles as per the situation and take the lead. Managers role is generally to stick to the goals set by the leaders to achieve the target and help the team to reach there. They need to cultivate winning relationships with the rest of the functions as well: Boss Other Leaders Boss Peers YOU Peer Peers Team Customer Other teams Your team 3 (a) Proposals for development of leadership: Here i have identified different methods of developing leaders and managers which are followed and implemented in TATA Comm.: Training Courses: At TATA Comm. various trainings are organised round the year to develop and enhance the leadership and managerial qualities in the employees. These training are generally related to enhancing leadership skills. These are organised by the external trainers who are professional in this field. Coaching: Great leaders as coaches, encourage employees to take risk and let them make mistakes and learn from them. They get the most out of every employee and recognise the difference between adding workload and offer growth opportunities. At TATA Comm. the following model is used to decide whom to coach and how much time to devote: Coaching for values and results model Employee B Employee A High Results Employee D Employee C Low Low High Values Mentoring: Mentoring is done on one to one basis in TATA Comm. by the respective managers who play a leaders role at this time. Companies own universities: TATA Comm. have their in-house training centre called as TMTC (TATA management and training centre). This is separate entity in TATA group responsible for various training and development programs for TATA employees. Time management and delegation: Mangers do a proper time management and delegation of work to the subordinate employees as they grow in their leadership ladder. They do take care of the transition traps. 3 (b,c). The methods used and described above result in the 3 main/core expectations from leaders at TATA Comm.: Leading the business Leading the results. Leading the People. Leadership of results: Drive for results: High energy professionals who play to win. Institutionalize stretch as a way of life. Laser sharp focus on execution. Constantly evolves and applies appropriates benchmarks and dashboard to calibrate results. Customer Focus: Lives customer centricity in judgement and behavior. Collaborates with customers to add value. Strives to achieve leadership for TCL in its targeted segments by developing compelling and sustainable value propositions. Timely decision making: Demonstrates the ability to ensure that decision making is clear, timely and taken at the appropriate level. Innovation management: Demonstrates ingenuity and creativity. Champions and steers business innovations. Leadership of Business: Managing Vision and purpose: Displays the ability to think through the future creating a vision factoring in opportunities and threats in terms of technology, competitors, regulations, suppliers, partners and customer buying behaviour. Ability to effectively communicate and get shared ownership on the vision to motivate stakeholders. Dealing with ambiguity: Is able to juggle multiple conflicting priorities. Is comfortable living, leading and managing in an environment of constant and rapid change. Communicates effectively to address ambiguity. Strategic capability: Capability to identify opportunities globally with internal and external constituents. Is able to align short term with long term strategy. Plans contingencies. Factors in CSR appropriately. Business Acumen: Displays financial acumen and bottom line centricity. Ability to steer business proactively anticipating market developments. Optimizes resources and creates sustainable value. Leadership of people: Interpersonal effectiveness: Ability to work vertically, horizontally and diagonally. Fosters a network of collaborators. Ability to factor in ones own work style while working with others. Is able to inspire and manage knowledge workers. Building effective teams: Is effective in a cross cultural and multi functional environment. Enables and empowers others by creating context and an environment of shared ownership of vision. Displays ability to zoom in and out at need. Inspires performance People Development: Grows and develops others. Stimulates and supports a learning culture. Reviews organizational capability and fosters talent. Build future capability. Withstanding pressure: Handles demands of operational conflict and complex systems. Is able to optimize stretch with work life balance and human element at the work place. Uses motivational techniques to deliver enhanced performance.