Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) or Texas v. Johnson (1989) Research Paper

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) or Texas v. Johnson (1989) - Research Paper Example Selma, Alabama was the center of the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. and 700 others were arrested during demonstrations against state regulations on voting. On the social front, miniskirts first made their appearance and health warnings were placed on packs of cigarettes. President Johnson signed into effect the Voting Rights Act, which ensured equality for all at the voting booth, by eliminating literacy tests and other barriers. He also signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which initiated Title 1, which ensured remedial education for students in need, and the Head Start Program which began in May. In December of 1965, John and Mary Beth Tinker, and Christopher Eckhardt were members of a community group against the American involvement in the Vietnam War. John, fifteen years old, and Christopher, sixteen years old, were high school students in Des Moines, Iowa. Mary Beth, John’s sister was a thirteen year old junior high student. To demonstrate their objections and to promote their support for a holiday truce, they decided to wear black armbands from December 16 to New Year’s Day (Cornell University Law School). The school authorities in Des Moines discovered in advance the plan of the students to wear the armbands, and issued a policy on December 14 stating that any student wearing armbands would be sent home and suspended until they could return to school without them. Their fear was that the armbands would create a disturbance to the school environment, especially considering that a school graduate had been killed in the Vietnam War. Two days following the issuance of the new school policy, the above-mentioned students wore the black arm bands. The students were aware in advance of the new policy. After school officials requested that they remove the armbands, they refused. The students were then sent home suspended from school, and returned

Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction Essay Example for Free

Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction Essay PEMDAS stands for Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction. PEMDAS corresponds the right order of numerical operations that has to be used when solving mathematical problems. Following that definition, PEMDAS implies that expressions inside the parentheses should be evaluated first. If there are multiple parenthesis and brackets in the equation, the rule of thumb indicates working from the inside going out. After which, those with exponents are handled. Next, multiplication and division are performed. These two are actually ranked equally and should be carried out from left to right. Them being equal, you can evaluate the expression as you go along. You can multiply or divide from left to right, depending upon to what is called for. The same is true with addition and subtraction, which comprises the last part of the sequence. Just like multiplication and division, these two regarded as equal. It means that you can perform either addition or subtraction as required from left to right. PEMDAS is the universally accepted way of solving mathematical problems. It ensures a better flow of operation within the equation and is generally considered the most logical way to solve a problem. For example, the simple operation 2+(3-1)24 will generate 18 if PEMDAS is used. Evaluating this equation from left to right isnt really possible, because you dont have anything to square unless you evaluate whats inside the parenthesis first. If PEMDAS is not applied, mathematical problems will show different results. 5+32 is equal to 11 applying PEMDAS. But if it is merely evaluated from left to right, the answer becomes 16. Simply put, the use of PEMDAS standardizes the evaluation of algebraic equations and other and mathematical problems. Using it enhances the smooth flow of communication between people as well. We all know how mathematics is important in our daily lives. There are a lot of direct application of mathematics in medicine, engineering, and business. What will happen if doctors dont interpret in the same way a certain mathematical formula provided by pharmaceutical companies to determine the exact dosage of medicine to a patient? Then the results may just be fatal to the patient for all we know.

White-Collar Crime in South Africa Essay -- financial crimes, corruptio

It would be nearly impossible to find a South African who has not been affected by crime in one way or another. â€Å"White-collar crime,† a term first used by Edwin Sutherland in 1939, describes crime that is non-violent, but for the purpose of personal financial gain. This type of crime, including fraud and corruption, is becoming a greater problem in South Africa every year, and it is negatively affecting the country as a whole. Although they are not violent, fraud and corruption cause as much harm as any other types of crime, and a great effort must be made soon to stop them. All over the world, financial crimes are wreaking havoc. People have been scamming others, taking bribes, and doing other greedy things forever. It’s human nature, but in today’s society, it’s unacceptable. In just one fiscal year (2012/2013), the South African government’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) recovered over 1.1 billion rand from the illicit economy. This money came from the proceeds of fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, corruption, and other financial crimes. One billion rand may seem like a lot, and its recovery is a great achievement, but that is only a fraction of what was lost. No one knows how much wasn’t recovered, but it’s safe to guess that it’s in the billions It is not easy to detect fraud, and criminals have been getting away with it for decades. With the birth of the internet, it has become even easier to scam people, communicate with other criminals all over the world, and hide your profits. It wasn’t until 2008 that South Africa created their Financial Intelligence Centre to help combat white-collar crimes. Most financial crime in South Africa is international, so the FIC collaborates with global organizations like the Fin... ...rime. â€Å"Corruption Watch. Defining the real meaning of corruption.† Sunday Times, The (Johannesburg, South Africa), February 3, 2013. Accessed March 2, 2014. http://infoweb.newsbank.com.libdb.belmont-hill.org:2048/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=14440CF59A86A640&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=6. â€Å"Countries.† Financial Action Task Force. Accessed February 27, 2014. http://www.fatf-gafi.org/countries/. â€Å"Jordan, South Africa and Tunisia join the movement.† Transparency International. Last modified December 18, 2013. Accessed March 1, 2014. http://www.transparency.org/news/feature/jordan_south_africa_and_tunisia_join_the_movement. â€Å"South Africa Country Profile.† Business Anti-Corruption Portal. Accessed March 1, 2014. http://www.business-anti-corruption.com/country-profiles/sub-saharan-africa/south-africa/general-information.aspx.

Microsoft Office

Office Word 2013 Getting Started with Internet Explorer 10 Getting Started with Microsoft Office Powering 201 3 Creating a Worksheet and Charting Data with Microsoft Office Excel 2013 Content and/or context understanding Development Information and Communication Technologies (Sits) for Development CITED Applications in Core Sectors of Development Ethics, Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights This is a Unions signature module, which is important for your qualification, as it orientates you to societal issues. It is set on NSF level 5 – the first higher education level in your degree, diploma or certificate.This is a 12 credit module, which means that an average student will require about 1 20 hours to complete it. You will be exploring the discipline of Computer and Information Sciences, and more specifically, the field of Data Entry and Microcomputer Applications. This module is presented in English only as this is the predominant language in this field of study. 1. 1 Sig nature Modules were specially developed at UNIONS, are taught fully online and have the support of Teaching Assistants to help the students in small groups. PIPE 501 is the Signature Module for the College of Science,Engineering and Technology and as such is meant to represent a particular discipline and distinct character values that the College believes is relevant and important for their graduating students to study. However, the fact that this module forms part of 99 different qualifications, including many students from other colleges, was taken into account in the selection and presentation of content and learning activities offered in this module. JEEPS 501 is one of the largest modules being offered at UNIONS: There were more than 14 500 students registered in each of the first and second semesters Of 2014 for this module.We know 3 that especially when there are so many students, it might feel like you get lost in this crowd. One of the advantages of the Signature Modules is that they are designed so that you work in much smaller groups. As students register for the Signature Modules, you will be divided into small groups of no more than 30 students each, with a Teaching Assistant (TA) – an ‘electronic' tutor – allocated to facilitate the group. This means that the Teaching Assistant will help to guide you through the module, provide you with assistance on your assignments and also mark most of your assignments. Microsoft Office Appreciate the Issues Impacting upon the future development and use of methods In Industry. AD. Discuss professional and ethical Issues relating to information systems development Plagiarism is presenting somebody else's work as your own. It includes: copying information directly from the Web or books without referencing the material; submitting Joint coursework as an Individual effort; copying another student's coursework; stealing or buying coursework from someone else and submitting It as your own work.Suspected plagiarism will be investigated and if found to have occurred will be dealt with according to the procedures set down by the University. D AID material copied or amended from any source (e. G. Internet, books) must be laced in quotation marks and in italics, with a full reference to the source directly underneath the material. Dour work will be submitted for electronic plagiarism checking. Any attempt to bypass our plagiarism detection systems will be treated as a severe A ssessment offence.Dockworkers submission Requirements An electronic copy of your work for this coursework should be fully uploaded by midnight (local time) on the Deadline Date. The last version you upload will be the one that is marked. For this coursework you must submit a single Acrobat PDF document. In general, any text in the document must not be an image (e must not canned) and would normally be generated from other documents (egg MS Office 2007 using â€Å"Save As Ã'› PDF†). For this coursework you must also upload a single ZIP file containing supporting evidence.There are limits on the file size. Make sure that any files you upload are virus-free and not protected by a password otherwise they will be treated as null submissions. Comments on your work will be available from the Coursework page on the Intranet. The grade will be made available In Bannered. You must NOT submit a paper copy of this coursework. Coursework Regulations weeks late that meets the criteria fo r a pass will be treated as a referral. It will be subject to university regulations for referral work.Coursework submitted late without an Extenuating Circumstances claim will receive a ZERO grade. Elf you have extenuating circumstances you may submit your coursework up to two weeks after the published deadline without penalty but this is subject to acceptance of your claim by the School Extenuating Circumstances Panel. If your claim is rejected then you will receive a zero grade for your work. Coursework submitted more than two weeks late will be given feedback but a grade of non-submission will be awarded regardless of any extenuating circumstances. However, if your ExtenuatingCircumstances claim is accepted then the Extenuating Circumstances Panel will recommend to the Progression and Award Board that you be permitted to retake a different item of assessment at a future assessment point. All coursework must be submitted as above. Detailed Specification You must complete this ass ignment using the given case study – The Children Support Agency (CSS) Case Study. Firstly, read the information given in the case study (which is attached to this coursework specification). Then produce all of the deliverables detailed below. Note that the case study contains a lot of information about CSS – read it carefully.

Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. OVERVIEW 2. DIVERSITY IN THE WORLD 3. CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE 4. DEFENSE OR PROMOTION OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY 5. DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE 6. CASE STUDY OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE 7. 1. Coca cola company _an example in cultural diversity 7. 2. Statement from the coca coal company 7. WORKPLACE ISSUES AND INTERVENTIONS 8. 3. Miscommunication 8. 4. Cultural bias 8. 5. Assimilation . BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE 9. 6. Better decision making and improved problem solving, greater creativity and innovation 9. 7. Ability to compete in global markets 9. MAKING DIVERSITY A BUSINESS ADVANTAGE 10. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DIVERSE WORKPLACE SUCCESS 11. 8. Managing diversity tools 11. 9. Creating the Multicultural Organization 11. 10. On the Interpersonal Level 11. IMPLEMENTATION LEGAL FRAMEWORKS 12. CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORING DIVERSITY 13. CONCLUSIONS ABOUT DIVERSITY AND SIMILARITY 14. RECOMMENDATION 15. REFERENCES OVERVIEW Managing diversity is defined as â€Å"planning and implementing organizational systems and practices to manage people so that the potential advantages of diversity are maximized while its potential disadvantages are minimized,† according to Taylor Cox in â€Å"Cultural Diversity in Organizations. † Cultural diversity is the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific region, or in the world as a whole. The term is also sometimes used to refer to multiculturalism within an organization. This article does not currently cover that alternative meaning. ) There is a general consensus among mainstream anthropologists that humans first emerged in Africa about two million years ago. Since then they have spread throughout the world, successfully adapting to widely differing conditions and to periodic cataclysmic changes in local and global climate. The many separate societies that emerged around the globe differed markedly from each other, and many of these differences persist to this day. As well as the more obvious cultural differences that exist between people, such as language, dress and traditions, there are also significant variations in the way societies organize themselves, in their shared conception of morality, and in the ways they interact with their environment. DIVERSITY IN THE WORLD By analogy with biodiversity, which is thought to be essential to the long-term survival of life on earth, it can be argued that cultural diversity may be vital for the long-term survival of humanity; and that the conservation of indigenous cultures may be as important to humankind as the conservation of species and ecosystems is to life in general. The General Conference of UNESCO took this position in 2001, asserting in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity that â€Å"†¦ cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature] This position is rejected by some people, however, on several grounds. Firstly, like most evolutionary accounts of human nature, the importance of cultural diversity for survival may be an un-testable hypothesis, which can neither be proved nor disproved. Secondly, it can be argued that it is unethical deliberately to conserve â€Å"less developed† societies, because this will deny people within those societies the benefits of technological and medical advances enjoyed by those of us in the â€Å"developed† world. In the same way it is unethical to promote poverty in underdeveloped nations as cultural diversity it is also unethical to promote all religious practices simply because they contribute to cultural diversity. Particularly, there are some practices that are recognized by the WHO and UN as unethical: Female Genital Mutilation, Sati (burning the widow on the husbands burial pyre), polygamy, child brides, human sacrifice, etc. Cultural diversity is tricky to quantify, but a good indication is thought to be a count of the number of languages spoken in a region or in the world as a whole. By this measure, there are signs that we may be going through a period of precipitous decline in the world's cultural diversity. Research carried out in the 1990s by David Crystal (Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor) suggested that at that time, on average, one language was falling into disuse every two weeks. He calculated that if that rate of language death were to continue, then by the year 2100 more than 90% of the languages currently spoken in the world will have gone extinct. Overpopulation, immigration and imperialism (of both the militaristic and cultural kind) are reasons that have been suggested to explain any such decline. CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE The Universal Declaration of UNESCO on Cultural Diversity of 2001 is regarded as a legal instrument recognizing for the first time, cultural diversity as â€Å"common heritage of humanity† and considers its safeguarding to be a concrete and ethical imperative inseparable from respect for human dignity. There is also the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage ratified in June 20, 2007 by 78 States which said: â€Å"The intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and ives them a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. † Cultural diversity was also promoted by the Montreal Declaration of 2007, and by the European Union. The idea of a global multi-cultural heritage covers several ideas, which are not exclusive. See multicultur alism. In addition to language, diversity can also include religious or traditional practice. DEFENSE OR PROMOTION OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY The â€Å"defense of cultural diversity† can take several meanings: * A balance to be achieved: thus, the idea of defense of cultural diversity through the promotion of actions in favor of â€Å"cultural minorities† said to be disadvantaged; * Preservation of â€Å"cultural minorities† thought to be endangered; * In other cases, one speaks of â€Å"cultural protection†, which refers to the concept of â€Å"cultural exception†, which is mainly used in France under the title â€Å"French exception†. This makes the link between the social vision of culture and the vision inherent in its commercialization. The cultural exception highlights the specificity of cultural products and services, including special recognition by the European Union in its Declaration on Cultural Diversity. In this context, the objective is to defend against what is seen as a â€Å"commodification† – considered harmful to a â€Å"disadvantaged† culture – supporting its development through grants, promotion operations, etc. , also known as â€Å"cultural protectionism†. * This defense may also refer to incorporating â€Å"cultural rights† provisions, conducted unsuccessfully in the early 1990s in Europe, into a layer of human rights. DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE Diversity is a reality in today’s workforce. Diversity is a difference between people, for example, in race, age, gender, disability, geographic origin, family status, education, or personality that can affect workplace relationships and achievement. Diversity management aims to value these differences and encourage each person to fulfill his or her potential in terms of organizational objectives. The approach goes beyond equal opportunities, which stresses the rights of particular disadvantaged groups rather than those of the individual. Cultural diversity in the workplace provides strengths as well as challenges to businesses today. The United States is often thought of as the great melting pot where anyone from any background can assimilate into a single society. A more realistic and appropriate â€Å"Ideal† is one of multi-culturalism (cultural diversity). Multi-culturalism is based on the idea that cultural identities should not be discarded or ignored, but instead, should be maintained and valued. The importance of cultural diversity in the workplace has been, for the most part, accepted in international business. The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is a United Nations–sanctioned international holiday for the promotion of diversity issues. It is currently held on May 21. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this holiday due to UNESCO's Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in November 2001. It was proclaimed by UN Resolution 57/249. Diversity Day, officially known as â€Å"The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development†, is an opportunity to help communities understand the value of cultural diversity and learn how to live together in harmony. It was adopted in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. CASE STUDY OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE COCA COLA COMPANY _AN EXAMPLE IN CULTURAL DIVERSITY â€Å"The Coca-Cola Company is a model employer for diversity and inclusion within its own work force and as a member of the larger business community. Its leadership on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in the workplace is not only reflected in its long-standing achievement of 100 percent on the Corporate Equality Index, but in its principled support of anti-discrimination legislation that would protect every worker in the United States from being judged on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Joe Solmonese President, Human Rights Campaign STATEMENT FROM THE COCA COAL COMPANY We believe that associates who are inspired and valued create superior results. We strive to be a great place to work for all of our 92,400 associates globally by fostering safe, open, inclusive and healthy work. We want to ensure that our Company is as diverse and inclusive as our brands and our business. Our inclusive cult ure is defined by our seven core values: leadership, passion, integrity, collaboration, diversity, quality, and accountability. Our 2020 Vision is the roadmap that guides every aspect of our business. An unwavering focus on people is essential to our achieving sustainable, quality growth. Our People goal is to â€Å"Be a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be. † This is supported by our efforts to create a winning culture that defines the attitudes and behaviors that will be required of us to make our 2020 Vision a reality. WORKPLACE ISSUES AND INTERVENTIONS Diversity issues change over time, depending on local historical and dynamic conditions. Diversity issues relate to race, gender, age, disabilities, religion, job title, physical appearance, sexual orientation, nationality, multiculturism, competency, training, experience, and personal habits are explored here, the bias is toward valuing diversity. There are challenges to managing a diverse work population. Managing diversity is more than simply acknowledging differences in people. Many organizational theorists have suggested reasons that work-teams highly diverse in work-relevant characteristics can be difficult to motivate and manage. Miscommunication There are many challenges which face culturally diverse workplaces, and a major challenge is miscommunication within an organization. In an article entitled Developing Receiver-Centered Communication in Diverse Organizations, written by Judi Brownell, she explains that meanings of messages can never be completely shared because no two individuals experience events in exactly the same way. Even when native and non-native speakers are exposed to the same messages, they may interpret the information differently. It is necessary for employees who are less familiar with the primary language spoken within the organization to receive special attention in meeting their communication requirements. â€Å"In high context cultures, communicators share an experiential base that can be used to assign meanings to messages. Low context cultures, on the other hand, provide little information on which to base common understandings and so communicators must be explicit†. Because of this fact, it is better to view all diverse organizational environments as low-context cultures. Cultural bias Cultural bias is an additional factor which challenges culturally diverse work environments. Cultural bias includes both prejudice and discrimination. â€Å"Prejudice refers to negative attitudes toward an organization member based on his/her culture group identity, and discrimination refers to observable adverse behavior for the same reason†. Assimilation Another challenge faced by culturally diverse organizational environments is assimilation. According to the journal Cultural Diversity in the Workplace: The State of the Field, Marlene G. Fine explains that â€Å"Assimilation into the dominant organizational culture is a strategy that has had serious negative consequences for individuals in organizations and the organizations themselves. Those who assimilate are denied the ability to express their genuine selves in the workplace; they are forced to repress significant parts of their lives within a social context that frames a large part of their daily encounters with other people. † She goes on to mention that â€Å"People who spend significant amounts of energy coping with an alien environment have less energy left to do their jobs. Assimilation does not just create a situation in which people who are different are likely to fail, it also decreases the productivity of organizations†. BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE Diversity is beneficial to both the organization and the members and brings substantial potential benefits: Managing diversity well provides a distinct advantage in an era when flexibility and creativity are keys to competitiveness. An organization needs to be flexible and adaptable to meet new customer needs. Heterogeneity promotes creativity and heterogeneous groups have been shown to produce better solutions to problems and a higher level of critical analysis. This can be a vital asset at a time when the campus is undergoing tremendous change and self-examination to find new and more effective ways to operate. With effective management of diversity, the corporate develops a reputation as an employer of choice. Not only will you have the ability to attract the best talent from a shrinking labor pool, you can save time and money in recruitment and turnover costs. Better decision making and improved problem solving, greater creativity and innovation This leads to enhanced product development, and more successful marketing to different types of customers. Simply recognizing diversity in a corporation helps link the variety of talents within the organization. The act of recognizing diversity also allows for those employees with these talents to feel needed and have a sense of belonging, which in turn increases their commitment to the company and allows each of them to contribute in a unique way. Ability to compete in global markets Diversity also provides organizations with the ability to compete in global markets. Diverse organizations will be successful as long as there is a sufficient amount of communication within them. Because people from different cultures perceive messages in different ways, communication is vital to the performance of an organization. Miscommunication within a diverse workplace will lead to a great deal of challenges. Diversity is not only about preventing unfair discrimination and improving equality but also valuing differences and inclusion, spanning such areas as ethnicity, age, race, culture, sexual orientation, physical disability and religious belief. Scott Page’s (2007) mathematical modeling research of team work supports this view. He demonstrated that heterogeneous teams consistently out-performed homogeneous teams on a variety of tasks. Page points out that diversity in teamwork is not so simple in the messy real world. Too often the cultural differences create problems. The goal is to manage diversity to take full advantage of it. MAKING DIVERSITY A BUSINESS ADVANTAGE Diversity is being touted as the most important source of competitive strength in the global markets. Rather than merely observing minority representations within a rank, companies are now dwelling into their employee's backgrounds, perspectives, styles to gain better understanding and using them to leverage business advantages. Companies are attaching importance to diversity and how it could benefit the bottom-line. By adopting a few practices, companies can create a diversity strategy. Ask relevant questions such as which diverse populations is your company serving, how can the diversity of your company reach them, how can your company better leverage diversity. Answering these questions will give you an insight into your diversity strategy. Building a strong infrastructure is also an important practice while creating diversity strategy. Merely appointing a diversity officer is not enough, involvement of all senior management is important. By doing so, your diversity strategy isn't isolated. Create different groups that will focus on different identity groups. These teams will help to spot market opportunities upon which companies can act and gain profit. Like in any other corporate initiatives, involve every employee in diversity efforts and hold them accountable. Inclusion of different employees will boost them to put greater efforts in diversity strategy. Diversity strategies are being viewed as the latest effort to gain competitive edge over rival companies and to grow and strive in the global market. Serving are the three main steps that can be followed to generate higher leadership qualities. If we want to develop effective working relationships with diverse people at work, we need to start with similarities, not differences, among people when you build relationships. Diversity in the workplace adds a special richness, but also special challenges. As a human resources professional, manager, supervisor, coworker, staff member or business owner, effective diverse work relationships are critical for your success. Emphasis is on honoring and appreciating the diverse needs, skills, talents, and contributions of people in recent years. While this is critical, don't let the pendulum swing too far in this direction. We are in danger of forgetting to honor and appreciate our similarities. By acknowledging the similarities and likenesses, we create a starting point for understanding and appreciating diversity in the work place. A strong example emerges in The Human Capital Edge: 21 People Management Practices Your Company Must Implement (or Avoid) to Maximize Shareholder Value (Compare Prices), by Bruce N. Pfau and Ira T. Kay, executives with Watson Wyatt Worldwide. In Watson Wyatt's Work USA research, they asked 7500 workers at all job levels across diverse industries to respond to 130 statements about their workplaces. Watson Wyatt broke down the responses to look for diversity patterns across demographics including whites versus minorities, men versus women, and people over and under 30 years old. They found more similarities than differences, especially in the categories respondents rated as most important to them. People agreed about what inspires their commitment to a particular employer. People cited the following factors as important. * They supported their company's business plan, * They had a chance to use their skills on the job, * Their reward package was competitive, and The company acted on employee suggestions. People also agreed on what organizations need to improve: employee input and promoting the best performers while helping the worst performers get better. Additionally, the employees want to know how their job affects internal and external customers. They want to understand how their job contributes to the accomplishment of company business goals. They want a safe work environmen t and highly rated products and services. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DIVERSE WORKPLACE SUCCESS Managing diversity tools Managing diversity goes far beyond the limits of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. High performing diversity managers recognize that specialized skills are necessary for creating a productive, diverse workforce. They seek out continuous learning opportunities and some go as far as acquiring certification. Managers must be willing to work towards changing the organization in order to create a culture of diversity and inclusion. Assessment skills and diversity education are key elements of culture change. However, the leadership’s support of the change cannot be understated. Creating the Multicultural Organization â€Å"The key to managing a diverse workforce is increasing individual awareness of and sensitivity to differences of race, gender, social class, sexual orientation, physical ability, and age†. There are several ways to go about creating the multicultural organization that performs extremely well. The â€Å"business case for diversity†, theorizes that in a global marketplace, a company that employs a diverse workforce (both men and women, people of many generations, people from ethnically and racially diverse backgrounds etc. is better able to understand the demographics of the marketplace it serves and is thus better equipped to thrive in that marketplace than a company that has a more limited range of employee demographics. An additional corollary suggests that a company that supports the diversity of its workforce can also improve employee satisfaction, productivity and retention. This portion of the business case, often referr ed to as inclusion, relates to how an organization utilizes its various relevant diversities. If a workforce is diverse, but the employer takes little or no advantage of that breadth of that experience, then it cannot monetize whatever benefits background diversity might offer. In most cases, US employers are prohibited by federal and state laws from giving race or ethnicity any consideration in hiring or assigning employees. However, the US Supreme Court has upheld the use of limited preferences based on race, ethnicity, and sex, when there is a â€Å"manifest imbalance† in a â€Å"traditionally segregated job category. † In response to the research, Pfau and Key recommend that organizations concentrate on four areas with their employees. * Keep your company effective, winning, and on the right track. * Help people, supplied with needed resources; use their talents and skills to contribute to the overall accomplishment of organization objectives. * Respect and value people and recognize and act on their contributions. * Create an environment in which people have interesting work and enjoy their coworkers. On the Interpersonal Level Take a look at your coworkers or reporting staff with new eyes. Think about the factors that you share in common with them. You'll find: * You're all human beings with complex emotions, needs, interests, outlooks, viewpoints and dreams. Share something about yourself to create an environment in which your coworker wants to share information with you. Listen and don't pry. Polite and continuing interest in your coworkers contributes to workplace harmony. * You have family and other interests outside of work. Hear what your coworkers tell you about their personal lives. Remember the highlights to demonstrate respect and interest. You have similar needs from work as demonstrated above in The Human Capital Edge. Acknowledge this and note the commonalities. Work is more exciting when you feel as if you are accomplishing mutual goals. Act as if you are part of a winning team. Emphasize, with coworkers, your common interest in your success and the success of the organization. You'll get to know people as people if you participate in any fun or team buil ding events your organization sponsors. Better yet, join the team that plans them. Implementation Diversity issues change over time, depending on local historical and dynamic conditions. Overt â€Å"diversity programs† are usually limited to large employers, government agencies and businesses facing rapid demographic changes in their local labor pool and help people work and understand each other. The implementation of diversity is often limited to the Human resources department] when there is also a good economic case for UK companies to use it as a tool to reach new market shares. Legal frameworks US anti-discrimination laws prohibit employers giving any consideration to customers’ preferences for being served by employees of a given gender, ethnic group, or color. In general, the laws also prevent consideration based on religion, although the law allows major exceptions of this provision for religious organizations. Many countries are also introducing anti-discrimination laws (for example the DDA in the UK) forcing companies to be more aware of diversity. The law student organization Building a Better Legal Profession generated significant controversy in October 2007 for reporting data suggesting that most private law firms themselves lacked demographic diversity. CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORING DIVERSITY Ignoring diversity issues costs time, money, and efficiency. Some of the consequences can include unhealthy tensions; loss of productivity because of increased conflict; inability to attract and retain talented people of all kinds; complaints and legal actions; and inability to retain valuable employees, resulting in lost investments in recruitment and training. CONCLUSIONS ABOUT DIVERSITY AND SIMILARITY If you start by recognizing the ways in which you are similar to your coworkers, you'll build a base of understanding and acceptance that will withstand the sometimes stormy times when your differences come to the forefront. REFERENCES 1. Cultural diversity in the workplace : issues and strategies / George Henderson by Henderson, George, 1932- Westport, Conn. : Quorum Books, 1994 2. www. unep. org 3. www. unesco. org 4. The Human Capital Edge: 21 People Management Practices Your Company Must Implement (or Avoid) to Maximize Shareholder Value Bruce N. Pfau and Ira T. Kay, executives with Watson Wyatt Worldwide 5. Cross-cultural management / edited by Gordon Redding and Bruce W. Stening Cheltenham : Edward Elgar, c2003 6. Cross-cultural management : case studies development and delivery : report and case studies /CCM Research Team ; Research Institute for Asia and the Pacific, University of Sydney Sydney : Research Institute for Asia and the Pacific, University of Sydney, 1997 7. Multinational cross-cultural management : an integrative context-specific process / Robert J. Mockler, Dorothy G. Dologite by Mockler, Robert J Westport, Conn. : Quorum Books, 1997 8. International management : a cross cultural and functional perspective / Kamal Fatehi by Fatehi, Kamal Englewood Cliffs, NJ. : Prentice Hall, 1996

A pollack by any other name - Emphasis

A pollack by any other name A pollack by any other name We should all be eating more pollack, for cods sake. So say the environmentalists trying to save the perennial partner to chips from an early, non-watery grave: cod stocks in the North Sea are a mere fifth of what they were forty years ago. Sainsburys have given the humble pollack a makeover to boost its popularity as an alternative. Shoppers have apparently previously blushed to ask for this fish by name. We must now all practise our French accents to request colin (pronounced co-lan), which actually means hake across the water. Honourable motives? Mais oui. But will this prove to be a successful rebrand or just fishy jargon? And it brings to mind that age-old question: whats in a name? Quite a lot, it seems, in business. Finding just the right name for a brand is so important that its spawned its own industry to take care of the christening for you. It can be the difference between being noticed or passed over; remembered or forgotten if you will: between being reeled in or thrown back. To borrow from branding firm Hinges website: [a] name encapsulates all of the content intellectual and emotional that people associate with a product or service. The extent to which Colin the pollack will enter public consciousness and public house menus well, time will tell. If nothing else, people are certainly taking the bait for its comedy and pun potential: why not call it Jackson? What a load of pollacks, etc. It does seem to be catching on rather better than the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) campaign to gain sympathy for all fish by renaming them sea kittens. Even comedy has its limits.

Free Essays on Rave Culture

RAVE CULTURE This essay will explain rave culture. The reason that I chose to research and write on this topic is that I am involved with rave scene and enjoy going to â€Å"raves.† From researching this topic I discovered that rave culture displays many of life’s simple pleasures, such as dancing. Over the last 10-15 years, a new trend of parties has been evolving. These gatherings are known in the media as raves, and are often simply called parties by those attending them. A rave is an all night event where usually young people gather in a social atmosphere while listening to hypnotic dance music. These parties have slowly evolved into spectacles of total sensory overload. The first is the social aspects, unhindered freedom of expression of ones self through dance, dress or any other mean without fear of ridicule from others. The second is the dancing and its often quasi-spiritual effects on those partaking. The key to the success of raves is the positive atmosphere, or "vibe". Raves are renowned for people's acceptability and tolerance for others. They are safe havens for people who wish to be free from social pressures. Because of this, many ravers (person who attends these parties) are dressed differently then people you would normally see. Bright colors, clothing with different textures and feel, and generally clothes that is very comfortable to dance with. A sense of unity is formed between the partygoers, they attempt to form a community of sorts through there individuality. People feel free to go up to strangers and start up conversations. They also become very comfortable with everyone around them and try to share this feeling with others. This is a very important part of the whole Rave experience. When this occurs, then the "party kids" can truly feel free to be themselves in every way. This is something quite rare in today's commercialized society which often dictates wh! at is normal, and what isn't. Rave mu... Free Essays on Rave Culture Free Essays on Rave Culture RAVE CULTURE This essay will explain rave culture. The reason that I chose to research and write on this topic is that I am involved with rave scene and enjoy going to â€Å"raves.† From researching this topic I discovered that rave culture displays many of life’s simple pleasures, such as dancing. Over the last 10-15 years, a new trend of parties has been evolving. These gatherings are known in the media as raves, and are often simply called parties by those attending them. A rave is an all night event where usually young people gather in a social atmosphere while listening to hypnotic dance music. These parties have slowly evolved into spectacles of total sensory overload. The first is the social aspects, unhindered freedom of expression of ones self through dance, dress or any other mean without fear of ridicule from others. The second is the dancing and its often quasi-spiritual effects on those partaking. The key to the success of raves is the positive atmosphere, or "vibe". Raves are renowned for people's acceptability and tolerance for others. They are safe havens for people who wish to be free from social pressures. Because of this, many ravers (person who attends these parties) are dressed differently then people you would normally see. Bright colors, clothing with different textures and feel, and generally clothes that is very comfortable to dance with. A sense of unity is formed between the partygoers, they attempt to form a community of sorts through there individuality. People feel free to go up to strangers and start up conversations. They also become very comfortable with everyone around them and try to share this feeling with others. This is a very important part of the whole Rave experience. When this occurs, then the "party kids" can truly feel free to be themselves in every way. This is something quite rare in today's commercialized society which often dictates wh! at is normal, and what isn't. Rave mu...

Master Networking for Introverts with this 4-Step Guide

Master Networking for Introverts with this 4-Step Guide You know how important networking is for your career- any career. Trouble is, you absolutely loathe it. Big crowds of people, mingling, small talk, sales pitches†¦ the whole idea makes you queasy. Can’t you just stalk people on LinkedIn from the comfort of your couch and sweatpants and call it square? Unfortunately, networking is too crucial to avoid. But there are four things you can do, even as the most introverted introvert in all of introversion, to put a smile on your face, pull up your grown-up underpants, and start schmoozing.1. Say yesNetworking event? Cocktail hour invite? DELETE. IGNORE. RUN AWAY. Right? Wrong. Remember how important it is to make connections in the business world. Try saying yes to every other invite you receive. Or every three. The more you go to, the easier they’ll get. Remember: it’s good for your career.2. Acknowledge the awfulYou’re probably still going to hate it. Changing your attitude- and your R.S.V.P.- won’ t make that big of a difference in your actual enjoyment of these events. But knowledge is power. If you prepare yourself to be a little uncomfortable, a little ill at ease, but to grin and bear it and know that it won’t go on forever, you’ll have a better time.3. Prepare a survival kitLike an uncomfortable actor fiddling with a prop, make yourself a tool kit. Have a nice briefcase you can use as a shield. Fill it with copies of your resume, business cards, pens, Rescue Remedy, breath mints, a book. You’ll be the go-to savior if anyone should need a writing implement. And you can always busy yourself with the contents of your bag when things get awkward and you have to retreat into a corner. Plus, you’ll be prepared for anything and never once caught with your pants down (read: without a resume or business card to give someone when asked).4. Reward yourselfEven in the best of circumstances, networking events can take a lot of energy. Plan to give yourself a buffer of some quality alone time before and after the event. Reward yourself with a Netflix marathon and a box of mac and cheese. Put your phone on silent and enjoy the peace and quiet.Remember, when in doubt (or terror, or discomfort) you can always hide out at the snack table or the bar. Who knows, you might even run into a fellow introvert and have a pleasurable conversation.

Participant Observation in Prague Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Participant Observation in Prague - Essay Example People of all ethnicity fill the site when a group of around twenty students enter the church. Camera flashes seem to increase shining on the statue with the arrival of the group. They are accompanied by and older and more composed man. He seems not to be frightened as compared to his companions. He briefly gives the history of the hand at the statue to his students. The teacher explains to his students that they still have one more site to visit as the dark tourism sites in Prague are many. As the group streams out of the church one of the students faults the early Christians in Prague for nailing the thiefs hand on the sculpture. An Asian lady in their midst does not seem to clearly understand and corrects them by saying the thief deserved it. She mentions that they ought to visit more similar sites in their future academic trips. The group discuss their next move, and they decide to tour Theresienstadt concentration camp. At the entrance of the camp, the group is silent. They enter the camp after parting with a few coins which the gate fellow explains it is for maintenance of the camp. Inside the camp, the group is directed to a small fortress. When the guide was explaining camp a young woman breaks down and starts to cry. The emotions are running high as her peers console her, and they leave the room. Opposite where the group is standing there is a couple who from their dressing are Jewish. The couple is holding hands as a tour guide explains to them the events that took place at the fortress. The group is lead through a thin corridor to a yard that was an excursion ground. The couple follows the group letter to the yard. The lady now seems very weak and is held firmly with her husband. The couple later head towards the Star of David and whisper a prayer. The students return into the fortress and enter to a small room. As the guide explains to the group the function of the room, all concentration is on

K-Pop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

K-Pop - Essay Example As a result, the youth had disposable resources that they could use in consuming popular culture. K-pop emerged to meet the need for a form of entertainment that was local but also embraced the pop curiosity that was rampant at the time. An interview conducted on a friend on whatsapp revealed that K-pop music is amazing and emotional. In addition, they are fresh and illustrate change as evident in the manner in which dancers attain rhythm and unity. Many people think that PSY single-heartedly invented K-pop, the Korean music scene. However, the emergence of the music genre can be traced to idol acts who popularized it in the 90s (Oak & Woong 1). Gangnam style, Psy’s sound and comedic choreography has attracted over 1.7 billion views since its release (Oak & Woong 1). In spite of this being the first K-pop hit that has achieved international success, early idols used a combination of western and Eastern sounds that were in-sync with the fashion choices of the time. In 1992, the Seo Taiji and Boys, a trio of singers and rappers emerged with a penchant for mixing American and Korean lyrics (Oak & Woong 1). They experienced success in South Korea due to the inherent desire for a music genre that could reflect their embrace of western culture with betraying their own. Entertainment companies looked at this new trend as an opportunity for enhancing their profits (Williamson 1). As a result, copycats emerged and contributed towards the genre becoming a mainstream act in Korea.

Obstacles Facing Sysco Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Obstacles Facing Sysco - Case Study Example After granting the implementation of BI software into Sysco, the company initially decided to customize it according to their business purpose and train their employees to use it properly (Harvard Business School Publishing, â€Å"Business Intelligence Software at SYSCO†). Sysco is a big company with 420,000 customers and it had employed 45000 employees in the year 2002. Sysco’s calculated sales in the year 2002 were 23.4 billion dollars. Thus, the company’s biggest obstacle is to determine the amount of software it will need to operate the firm. The company also has to consider the number of licenses they have to buy for using this software. If Sysco buys software then the vendor will provide the company a suitable discount. Thus, it was a great challenge for Sysco or only by the amount needed for the present time (Mcafee & Wagonfeld, â€Å"Business Intelligence Software at SYSCO†). With the help of BI software, the company can create a customer profile and frequently update them. The company compares the customer profile with each other with regard to ordering. After that, they can create a report which will show the sales of additional products and help to decide further prospects towards the customer. It would be tough to keep this record manually without the BI software. This way they can keep tracking the customer as they are reducing the use of certain specific products or increasing the order. This also shows whether the customer is satisfied with their service or not. It helps to recognize the fact that whether Sysco is loosing out on their customers to their competitors due to unhappiness with the provided service of Sysco. They can constantly monitor the customer from the report generated by BI software and identify which customer is valuable to them and which customer they are losing.   

Integration Paper (Operations Management) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Integration Paper (Operations Management) - Essay Example These two concepts when taken personally and professional are very much and related and cannot be really separated. Personally, ERP is something that one needs to learn in order to maximize the use of resources (financial and time). I know that I can relate on how specific inputs should be handled in order to get the most benefits. An example of this is the efficient allocation of budget which is very significant with the current economic situation. Professionally, the concepts of ERP and SCM should always be considered in any activity noting the profit maximizing goal of the firm. Thus, each employee should see to it that all resources should be put into best use. The most interesting lesson for the week is JIT and lean operations. I am really amazed by these concepts in operations management. I have always wondered why Dell Inc does not have retail distributors for their products. I thought it might have been just easy for them to stock their products and wait for walk-in customers to buy. However, with the discussion, I have appreciated this strategy of JIT where products are manufactured as they are ordered by customers.

The African and Chinese legal systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The African and Chinese legal systems - Essay Example Although, laws are culture specific and effectivity of laws still has to originate between man and the natural law. No amount of positive laws will prosper if the self controlled order is not put into consideration. Human beings as intelligent as ever could not be presumed to have no culture. As human beings, they have their own way of settling conflict amount themselves which are born out of human experience. In both Africa and Chinese laws they have their history to look back. Various events in their history shapes the present Leal legal system under which they operate. They have their historical cultures to look back that point’s evidence to their existence and them the manner they settle conflicts among themselves. The Western denial or branding on African and Chinese laws could not contradict the existence of internally developed wisdom of each culture. Each group of people in the world has its own way of doing things. For other culture not respect another’s cultur e would be me missing the very point of existence. Perhaps the law must have something to do as well with geographical locations because how these people behave socially or individually is also a function of geographical location, where they could be found on earth.

How does the Study of Heat Relate to the Kinetic Theory of Matter Essay

How does the Study of Heat Relate to the Kinetic Theory of Matter - Essay Example If an equal amount of heat is supplied to all of them, the gas will be the first matter to break apart because of its loosely bound particles. On the other hand, a liquid substance would break due to the stretching ability of its particles reacting against the forces of attraction. However, solids take time to break apart and hence, possess the ability to break apart slowly as compared to liquids and gases. Ans. Heat is a form of energy. It is formed in a substance due to the movement of its atoms and molecules in a random motion. When energy is induced in an object, it causes the atoms and the molecules of an object to move at a higher speed thus causing heat in the object. It has also been found out that even the cold objects possess some degree of heat in them because of the movement of their atoms and molecules. Joules is used as a standard unit to measure heat. Ans. The average heat or thermal energy of the particles in an object is known as the temperature of that substance. It is important to know that, since temperature is the average measurement of the heat or the thermal energy, therefore, it is not dependent on the quantity of the particles present in an object. It is the physical property of an object which differentiates between the degree of hotness and coldness. Temperature has three standardized temperature scales such as Kelvin (K), Celsius (C), and Fahrenheit (F). However, Celsius is widely used around the world to measure temperature. Ans. Heat and temperature are closely interrelated with each other. Their relationship is dependent on the change in the state of the matter from solid to liquid and then to gas. We know that heat is a form of energy whereas, the temperature is the effect produced by the heat.  

The African and Chinese legal systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The African and Chinese legal systems - Essay Example Although, laws are culture specific and effectivity of laws still has to originate between man and the natural law. No amount of positive laws will prosper if the self controlled order is not put into consideration. Human beings as intelligent as ever could not be presumed to have no culture. As human beings, they have their own way of settling conflict amount themselves which are born out of human experience. In both Africa and Chinese laws they have their history to look back. Various events in their history shapes the present Leal legal system under which they operate. They have their historical cultures to look back that point’s evidence to their existence and them the manner they settle conflicts among themselves. The Western denial or branding on African and Chinese laws could not contradict the existence of internally developed wisdom of each culture. Each group of people in the world has its own way of doing things. For other culture not respect another’s cultur e would be me missing the very point of existence. Perhaps the law must have something to do as well with geographical locations because how these people behave socially or individually is also a function of geographical location, where they could be found on earth.

BHS 420 Quantitative Reasoning (Module 5-SLP) Essay

BHS 420 Quantitative Reasoning (Module 5-SLP) - Essay Example Introducing imagery has novel implications for bipolar treatment innovation - an area where CBT improvements are much-needed. Santosa, C.M., Strong, C.M, Nowakowska, C., Wang, P.W., Rennicke, C.M., & Ketter, T.A. (2007). Enhanced creativity in bipolar disorder patients: A controlled study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 100, (1-3), pp. 31-39. Research Procedure: Direct study of 49 BP, 25 MDD, 32 CC, and 47 HC (all euthymic) completed four creativity measures yielding six parameters: the Barron-Welsh Art Scale (BWAS-Total, and two subscales, BWAS-Dislike and BWAS-Like), the Adjective Check List Creative Personality Scale (ACL-CPS), and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking--Figural (TTCT-F) and Verbal (TTCT-V) versions. Mean scores on these instruments were compared across groups. Where and How Sample Obtained: Researchers assessed non-eminent creativity in euthymic bipolar (BP) and unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD) patients, creative discipline controls (CC), and healthy controls (HC). Description of Results: Researchers found BP and CC (but not MDD) had similarly enhanced creativity on the BWAS-Total (driven by an increase on the BWAS-Dislike) compared to HC. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms of enhanced creativity and how it relates to clinical (e.g. temperament, mood, and medication status) and preclinical (e.g. visual and affective processing substrates) parameters. Research Procedure: Researchers compared creativity in bipolar parents and their offspring with BD and bipolar offspring with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with healthy control adults and their children, using 40 adults with BD, 20 bipolar offspring with BD, 20 bipolar offspring with ADHD, and 18 healthy control parents and their healthy control children who completed the Barron-Welsh Art Scale (BWAS), an objective measure of creativity. Description of Results: The results of this study support an

Cost Behavior and Allocation Essay Example for Free

Cost Behavior and Allocation Essay Analyze the complexity of cost behaviors in health care organizations and describe how costs are classified according to their relationship with volume. Health services managers are vitally interested in how costs are affected by changes in volume. Before costs can be managed, one must have an understanding of how and why costs are being incurred. For, example medications dispensed from the pharmacy are variable costs items since the more often medications are dispensed to the patient, the higher to the total medication costs (Lang, 2012). In this example the cost is driven by the prescription of the medication for the patient, which leads to dispensing the medication and incurring the cost. If the medication is not prescribed the total cost would be zero. The salary of the Director of the Pharmacy is a fixed cost, at least over the short run because that person is paid the same salary regardless of how many, or how few, prescriptions they fill. The text defines the relationship between an organization’s total costs and volume as cost behavior or underlying cost structure, is used by mangers in planning, control, and decision making. The primary reason for defining and organization’s underlying cost structure is to provide healthcare managers with a tool for forecasting cost and profits at different volume levels (Gapenski, 2012). The cost structure of both fixed and variable costs- that is some of the costs are expected to be volume sensitive and some are not- is typical in healthcare organizations. Total variable costs increase or decrease proportionately as volume changes, but variable cost rate remains constant as long as volume remains within the relevant range. Fixed, costs, in contrast to total variable costs, remain unchanged as the volume varies. The Academy of Healthcare Management Journal states, when attempting to improve profitability by decreasing or controlling costs, cost behavior is particularly important. If activities are limited or decreased to lower variable costs without consideration of fixed costs profits may actually decrease. In conclusion, total costs are merely the sum of the two. Because total variable costs are tied to volume, total variable costs increase as the volume increases even though fixed costs remain constant. Discuss the importance of cost allocation and how it may be leveraged by health care organizations. Cost allocation is essentially a pricing process within the organization whereby managers allocate the costs of one department to other departments. Cost allocations within healthcare organizations must establish prices that proxy those that would be set under market conditions. Costs within a health services organization must be allocated. Overhead costs of the business, such as those incurred by administrators, facilities management personnel, financial staffs, and housekeeping and maintenance personnel must be allocated to those departments that generate revenues for the organization (Gapenski, 2012). The goal of cost allocation is to assign all of the costs of an organization to the activities that cause them to be incurred. Health services managers track and assign costs by individual patient, physician, diagnosis, reimbursement contract, and so on. Much of the motivation for more accurate cost allocation systems comes from the recipients of overhead services. Mangers at all levels within health services organizations are under pressure to optimize economic performance, which translates into reducing costs. To assign costs from one activity to another, two important elements must be identified: a cost pool and a cost driver. A cost pool is a grouping of costs that must be allocated, while a cost driver is the criterion upon which the allocation is made. Clearly, the proper allocation of overhead costs is essential to good decision making within health services organizations. In conclusion, revenues must exceed the total of both fixed costs and variable costs combines in order for an organization to be profitable.

HPTLC Method for Determination of Edaravone

HPTLC Method for Determination of Edaravone Development and Validation of HPTLC Method for Determination of Edaravone in Bulk and in Injectable Dosage Form A simple, rapid, reliable and accurate high performance thin layer chromatography method has been developed for the estimation of Edaravone in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage form. The chromatographic development was carried out on aluminum plates, pre-coated with silica gel 60 F254, using a mixture of Toluene: Methanol (6:à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °v/v) as mobile phase. Detection was carried out densitometrically at 254à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °nm. Theà °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ ¦fvalue of analyte was found to be0.66 ±0.02. The method was validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection, limit of quantification and specificity. The linear regression analysis data for the calibration plots showed a good linear relationship with Ã… ¸2=0.9995 in the concentration range 200–600à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °ng/spot. The % assay (Mean  ± S.D.) was found to be100.27 ±0.72. Accuracy of the method was accessed by percentage recovery and found to be99.77 ±0.71%. The m ethod is new, simple and economical for routine estimation of edaravone in bulk, pre-formulation studies and pharmaceutical formulation rapidly at low cost in routine analysis. Keywords: Edaravone, HPTLC, Pharmaceutical dosage form 1. Introduction Edaravone [EDA] is a neuroprotective agent  used for the purpose of aiding  neurological  recovery  following acut ebrain ischemia and subsequent  cerebral infarction. Chemically, it is 3-Methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one. [1]. It is a strong novel free radical scavenger, was developed by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (Osaka, Japan). It acts as a  potentantioxidant, protecting against  oxidative stress  and  neuronal  apoptosis Furthermore, edaravone has anti-apoptotic, anti-necrotic, and anti-inflammatory cytokine effects, as well as scavenging free radicals in cardiovascular diseases and stroke, showing protective effects in the heart, vessel, and brain in experimental studies [2-5] Different methods have been reported for the determination of EDA in the bulk drug, in the dosage forms and in biological samples. HPLC [6-7] and potentiometric titrations [8] methods are available for determination of the analyte in bulk drug and formulation. RP-HPLC [9], RP- HPTLC [10] and LC-MS/MS [11] methods are reported for determination in biological samples. The literature survey revealed that HPTLC method is not reported for determination of EDA in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The present study describes the development and validation of a simple, specific, sensitive, accurate, precise, and economical HPTLC method for determination of EDA in bulk and injectable dosage form. The proposed method is optimized and validated as per the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines [12,13]. Fig 1: Edaravone 2. Experimental 2.1 Reagents and chemicals Edaravone was kindly gifted from Sun Pharmaceuticals, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. Edaravone injection was obtained from commercial sources within their shelf life period. All the reagents and solvents used were of analytical grade and obtained from Merck Chemicals. 2.2. Instrumentation and chromatographic conditions Chromatography was performed on 20cmÃâ€"10cm aluminum foil plates precoated with 0.2mm layers of silica gel 60 F254 (E. Merck, Germany). The plates were prewashed with methanol and water mixture, dried in the current of dry air and activated at 120 °C for 5min. Samples were applied as bands 6mm wide, by use of a CAMAG (Switzerland) Linomat 5 applicator with a CAMAG microliter syringe. A constant application rate of 150nLs−1was employed. Linear ascending development was performed in a twin-trough glass chamberwith mobile phase consisted of toluene: methanol (6:4 v/v), which gave sharp and symmetrical peak withà °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ ¦f0.66 + 0.02. The optimized chamber saturation time was 15 min at room temperature (25à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‹Å"C ±2à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‹Å"C) and relative humidity60% ±5%. After development, the plates were dried. Densitometric scanning, at 254 nm, was performed with a CAMAG TLC scanner 4 in absorbance mode. The source of radiation was a deuterium lamp emitting a cont inuous UV spectrum in the range of 190–400 nm. 2.3. Preparation of Standard Stock Solution An accurately weighed quantity of 10à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °mg EDA was transferred to 10à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °mL volumetric flasks, dissolved in methanol, and volume was made up to mark with the same solvent to obtain a working standard having concentration 1000à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °ngà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃŽ ¼L−1. 2.4. Optimization of mobile phase Initially, different ratios of methanol and toluene were tried, but tailing of spots was observed. Finally, the mobile phasecomprising of toluene:à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °methanolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °(6:à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °v/v) gives good resolution, sharp and symmetrical peak withà °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ °Ã‚ Ã‚ Ã‚ ¹value of 0.63 at 254à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °nm. Figure 2: Chromatogram of standard Edaravone: (Rf = 0.63). 3. Result and discussion Validation of HPTLC method: The proposed method was validated as per the ICH guidelines in terms of its linearity, accuracy, specificity, intraday and interday precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). 3.1. Linearity (Calibration Curve) The amount of standard solution equivalent to 200-600 ng/spot of EDA was spotted on the prewashed TLC plates. The plates were developed, dried and scanned as described above. The calibration plot was constructed by plotting peak areas against the corresponding concentrations (ng/spot) of EDA. The linearity of response for EDA was assessed in the concentration range 200-600 ng/spot in terms of slope, intercept and correlation coefficient values. The calibration plot showed the correlation coefficient (r2 = 0.999), the intercept (5.838) and the slope (703.3) over the concentration range of 200-600 ng/spot (Fig. 2). The results of regression analysis are shown inTable 1. 3.2 Limit of Detection (LOD) and Limit of Quantification (LOQ) The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the drug were derived by calculating the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N, i.e., 3.3 for LOD and 10 for LOQ) using the following equations designated by International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines LOD = 3.3 Ãâ€" ÏÆ'/S LOQ = 10 Ãâ€" ÏÆ'/S Where, ÏÆ' = the standard deviation of the response and S = slope of the calibration curve. 3.3 Range Suitable levels of precision and accuracy have been demonstrated between the upper and lower concentration limit of linearity under study. 3.4 Precision: The intra-day and inter-day variation for the determination of EDA was carried out at three different concentration levels 400, 600, 800 ng/spot. Intra-day variations were assessed by analyzing these concentrations in triplicate within a day and inter-day variation was assessed by using the same concentration of drug and analyzing it different days and time. Accuracy: The accuracy of the method was determined by the use of standard addition at three different levels. The pre analyzed sample solution of 400 ng/spot of EDA was spiked with extra amount equivalent to 80 %, 100 % and 120 % of the standard edaravone and the mixtures were analyzed by the proposed method. The experiment was conducted in triplicate. When these solutions were analyzed the recoveries were found to be within acceptable limits (Table 1). Specificity The mobile phase was optimized and it showed good result. There was no interference of diluents and other constituent’s in determining peak purity. This method is specific. Conclusion A new HPTLC method has been developed for the identification and quantification of EDA. Low cost, faster speed, and satisfactory precision and accuracy are the main features of this method. The method was successfully validated as per ICH guidelines and statistical analysis proves that the method is sensitive, specific, and repeatable. It can be conveniently employed for routine quality control analysis of EDA as bulk drug and in marketed injectable formulation. Acknowledgments The authors express their gratitude to Sun Pharmaceuticals Vadodara, Gujarat, India for providing a gift sample of Edaravone, the Management of Pioneer Pharmacy Degree College, Vadodara, Gujarat, India, and Anchrom Test lab Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai, Maharastra, India, for providing the necessary facilities. References Japanese Pharmacopoeial Forum, sixteenth edition, March 2012 Vol.21 (1), pp. 701-702. Doherty, Annette M, Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 37, Boston: Academic Press. Watanabe T, Tanaka M, Watanabe K, Takamatsu Y, Tobe A,â€Å"Research and development of the free radical scavenger edaravone as a neuroprotectant.Yakugaku Zasshi, March 2004,124(3): 99–111. Higashi Y, Jitsuiki D, Chayama K, Yoshizumi M (January 2006). Edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one), a novel free radical scavenger, for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery1(1): 85–93. Kikuchi, K.; Miura, N.; Kawahara, K.; Murai, Y.; Morioka, M.; Lapchak, P.; Tanaka, E. Edaravone (radicut), a free radical scavenger, is a potentially useful addition to thrombolytic therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke (review). Biomed. Rep. 2013, 1, 7–12. George Lunn Hplc Methods For Recently Approved Pharmaceuticals A John Wiley Sons, Inc., Publication; P.p 204-206. XIA Ya Jun, ZHANG Xiao Ping Determination of Edaravone Injection by HPLC: Chinese Journal of Pharmaceuticals; Chinese journal of pharmaceuticals; 34; 352-353 ZHANG Fu-Cheng, TIAN Shu -Xia, JIANG Ye Comparison Of Two Potentiometric Titration Determinations Of edaravone [j]; Chinese Journal Of Pharmaceuticals; 2005-09 WEI Min, XIAO Yi (Guangxi Liuzhou Municipal People s Hospital, Liuzhou 545001, China); Determination of the Concentration of Edaravone in Human Serum by RP-HPLC [J]; China Pharmacy; 2007-08 M. Gandhimathi, M. Saravana Kumar, R. Baghla and T. K. Ravi RP-HPTLC Method for theIn VitroEstimation of Edaravone in Human PlasmaIndian Pharmaceutical Association Convention Volume: 72Issue: 2 P.p: 276-282 GU Li-Qiang XIN Yan-Fei ZHANG Sheng WEN Lei YANG Shi-Bao, HU Xiao-ling, XUAN Yao-Xian; Determination of edaravone in plasma of Beagle dog by LC-MS/MS [A]; [C]; 2009 ICH-Guidelines Q2A, â€Å"Validation of Analytical Procedures: Definition and terminology,† (CPMP III/5626/94), Geneva, Switzerland, 1995. ICH-Guidelines Q2B, â€Å"Validation of Analytical Procedures: Methodology,† (CPMP/ICH/281/95) Geneva, Switzerland 1996.

Driving In India :: essays research papers

Driving in India Traveling in India is an almost hallucinatory mixture of sound and sight. It is frequently heart-rending, sometimes hilarious, mostly exhilarating, always unforgettable - and, when you are on the roads, extremely dangerous. Most Indian road users observe a version of the Highway Code based on some ancient text or on the position of the moon. In general the 12 rules of the Indian road code are: ARTICLE I The assumption of immortality is required of all road users. ARTICLE II The following Order of Precedence must be accorded at all times. In descending order give way to: cows, elephants, heavy trucks, buses, official cars, camels, light trucks, buffalo, jeeps, ox-carts, private cars, motorcycles, scooters, auto-rickshaws, pigs, pedal rickshaws, goats, bicycles carrying goods, handcarts, bicycles carrying passenger(s), dogs, pedestrians. ARTICLE III All wheeled vehicles shall be driven in accordance with the maxim: to slow is to falter, to brake is to fail, to stop is defeat. This is the Indian drivers' mantra. ARTICLE IV Use of horn: Cars (IV, 1, a-c): Short blasts indicate supremacy, i.e. in clearing dogs, rickshaws and pedestrians from path. Long blasts denote supplication, i.e. to oncoming truck, "I am going too fast to stop, so unless you slow down we shall both die". In extreme cases this may be accompanied by flashing of headlights. Single casual blast means "I have seen someone out of India's 870 million people whom I recognize", "There is a bird in the road (which at this speed could go through my windscreen)", or "I have not blown my horn for several minutes." Trucks and buses (IV, 2, a): All horn signals have the same meaning, "I have a gross weight of 12.5 tons and have no intention of stopping, even if I could." This signal may be emphasized by the use of headlights. Article IV remains subject to the provision of Order of Precedence in Article II above. ARTICLE V All manoeuvres, use of horn and evasive action shall be left until the last possible moment. ARTICLE VI In the absence of seat belts (which there is), car occupants shall wear garlands of marigolds. These should be kept fastened at all times. ARTICLE VII Rights of Way: Traffic entering a road from the left has priority. So has traffic from the right, and also traffic in the middle. Lane discipline (VII, 1): All Indian traffic at all times and irrespective of direction of travel shall occupy the centre of the road. ARTICLE VIII Roundabouts: India has no roundabouts. Apparent traffic islands in the middle of crossroads have no traffic management function. Any other impression should be ignored. ARTICLE IX Overtaking is mandatory. Every moving vehicle is required to overtake

Cognitive Linguistic Approach to Language Study

It has its origins in the sass as a conscious reaction to Chomsky linguistics, tit its emphasis on formalistic syntactic analysis and its underlying assumption that language is independent from other forms of cognition. Increasingly, evidence was beginning to show that language is learned and processed much in the same way as other types of Information about the world, and that the same cognitive processes are Involved In language as are Involved In other forms of thinking.For example, In our everyday lives, we look at things from deferent angles, we get up close to them or further away and see them from different vantage points and with efferent levels of granularity; we assess the relative features of our environment and decide which are important and need to be attended to and which are less important and need to be backgrounder; we lump information together, perceive and create patterns in our environment, and look for these patterns in new environments when we encounter them.As we will see in this volume, all of these processes are at work in language too. The two key figures who are associated with the inception of Cognitive Linguistics are George Alaska and Ronald Linebacker. Both, t should be remembered, started their careers as members of a group of young scholars associated with the radical new approach spearheaded by NOAA Chomsky. By the sass, however, both Alaska and Linebacker were becoming increasingly disaffected with the formalistic approach to syntax associated with the Chomsky school.Both scholars turned their attention, Instead, to semantic Issues, which had been relatively neglected within the Chomsky framework. Alaska raised fundamental questions with regard to ‘objectivism' SE antics that is, theories which maintained that entente meaning maps onto objectively verifiable states of affairs in the world. He argued, instead, that semantic content is mediated by how speakers construe and conceptualize the world. An important aspect of co nstrual is how we categorize the things in our environment.Taking up the notion of prototype category developed by cognitive psychologist Eleanor Roach, Alaska argued that words do not name classically defined categories, that Is, categories constituted by a set of necessary and sufficient conditions. Rather, entitles can be good, or less good, members of a category. In a crucial and highly influential move, Alaska then proposed that the a syntactic construction, might also be analyses in terms of a central, prototypical member, and a number of extended, or more peripheral senses.A noteworthy milestone here is the dissertation by one of Alaska s students, Claudia Bergman, on the polymers of the preposition (Bergman, 1981). Bergman argued that t he ‘central', ‘prototypical' sense combines the meanings of ‘above' and ‘across', as in The bird flew over the yard . Extended senses, related in virtue of some common shared features, include the ‘above' sense , as in the electric is hovering over the hill, the ‘across' sense, as in Sam drove over the bridge , the ‘covering' sense She spread the tablecloth over the table, the dispersal sense, as in The guards were posted all over the hill , and several more.Bargeman's thesis (presented in Alaska 1987: Case Study 2) not only inspired a plethora of -studies, it also provided a template for polymers studies more generally. La Coffs second main contribution was to id entity a number of ‘conceptual metaphors' that underlie our abstract concepts and the way we think about the world and ourselves (Alaska and Johnson 1980, 1999).For example, one of the most important conceptual metaphors is the idea that ‘good' or ‘active' things are ‘up' whereas ‘bad' or ‘static' things are ‘down', which allows us to say that we're feeling IoW or having ‘down time', that things are or that that they are ‘up and going' . This metaphor was taken to r eflect our basic experience with the world that we have as children; when we fall over we feel bad; when we lie down we are stationary, when we get up we are active, and when we are feeling good, we literally ‘stand tall'.As discussed in a later chapter, conceptual metaphor theory has come in for a good agree of criticism in recent years and the theory has been refined to take account of empirical psycholinguistic findings as well as more socio-cultural approaches to language, but the basic tenets remain the same: language tends to reflect our physical interactions with the world and abstract concepts are linked to physical experiences through metaphor. Linebacker's contribution is perhaps more fundamental than Lassoes .His Cognitive Grammar (Linebacker 1987, 1991, 2008) offers a radical re-think of basic issues concerning the nature of linguistic meaning and its relation to the surface form of utterances. He proposed a ‘minimalist' approach, whereby the only elements in linguistic description are (a) phonological representations, concerning the overt form of an expression (whether spoken, written, or signed), (b) semantic representations, roughly, meanings, broadly understood to include pragmatic, situational, and encyclopedic aspects, and (c) symbolic relations between elements of (a) and elements of (b).On this basis, a language comes to be characterized, quite simply, as an inventory of phonological, semantic, and symbolic units, and language acquisition is a matter of a speaker's increasing command of these units. Importantly, the units differ along a number of dimensions. Thus some units are internally complex, while others are schematic to some degree or other.For example, the expression can-opener is internally complex, while the component unit can is an instance of the more schematic unit Noun, the whole expression being an instance of the complex schematic unit [N V- ere] and its associated semantics (roughly: ‘ a device that can be used for V- ins Ins'). The schematic unit can sanction an open-ended set of instantiations; in this way, Cognitive Grammar is bled to handle syntactic and morphological generalizations.It should also be noted that the unit has other semantic values (think of examples such as dog-lover , which denotes a person, not a thing, and , where the initial noun designates the place where a person dwells); in other words, the unit is polygamous, Just like the words of a language. The mechanics of Cognitive Grammar are discussed in more detail elsewhere in this volume. Three aspects, however, may be singled out for special mention here: The first concerns the way in which ‘grammaticality (or ‘acceptability- cognitive insists see little reason to distinguish the two concepts) is to be understood.Grammaticality, namely, has to do with the extent to which an expression is sanctioned, or legitimated, by an already existing schematic unit, or possibly by several such units, in the langu age; the fit, needless to say, need not be perfect, neither will different speakers of the language always assess the matter in the same way. * The second observation concerns the idea that syntactic organization is inherently symbolic and therefore meaningful, and that syntactic structures – Just like individual words ND morphemes associate a form and meaning.An early indicative study concerned the passive construction in English (Linebacker, 1982). Rather than being seen as the result of syntactic transformations, the construction and its various components, such as the verb be the verbal participle, and the by phrase, were argued to have semantic content, which contribute cumulatively to the semantic and pragmatic value of the passive construction. Thirdly, the Cognitive Grammar approach is sympathetic to the notion that linguistic knowledge, rather than residing in a small number of very road, high-level abstractions, may actually be rather low-level and ‘surface or iented', consisting in multiple memories of already encountered usage and relatively shallow generalizations over these remembered instances.In practical terms, this means that linguistic knowledge will tend to be centered on individual lexical items and their idiosyncratic properties, concerning the syntactic environments in which they occur and their stylistic or pragmatic values. Similarly, the representation of syntactic and word-formation constructions will incorporate knowledge of the lexical items which typically occur in hem, in addition, once again, to information about the kinds of situations in which they are likely to be used.Although it represents a radical departure in some ways from many established ideas in linguistics (such as the formerly widely held view that syntax, semantics and pragmatics were largely independent of one another), the principles underlying Cognitive Linguistics resonated with many traditional concerns one thinks of classics such as Gustavo Steer 's Meaning and Change of Meaning (1931), C. S. Lewdest Studies in Words (1960), and various works by Stephan Almsman (e. G. , Almsman, 1964)

Nagel’s Negative Good vs Negative Evil

?Chapter 9 short writing assignmentShannon Prendergast Nagel explains negative good. as the absence of something bad and he describes a negative evil as the absence of something good. He is comparing these as they apply to death in this chapter. Assuming that death without anything is either good or bad to the person who dies. . He describes death as being either a negative evil or negative good. It can be described as a negative good because it can lack something bad. If someone is dying from a painful disease there death will result in the lack of the bad pain they were feeling. It can also be described as a negative evil because they will miss out on the great experiences of life (sun shining, flowers blooming, laughing. ) But for these to be true we must think we don’t exist after death. If we believe otherwise it could be these things don’t change for us. If you were a bad person you may continue to suffer, or maybe the sun and flowers are more beautiful after death if you were a good person. An example of a negative good in my life is the death of my brother-in-law. He suffered from depression (unknown to family) He was in a dark place and felt much turmoil and pain within. He committed suicide and this could be considered a negative good for him because his pain was ended. It can also be considered to be a negative evil because he will never see his children’s smile, hear there laughter or watch them grow. He was young and there was much life to live. I hope that there is existence after death and that people are at peace with there pain after death and can watch over there loved ones. Another example in life of a negative good is I had to leave a job I loved, but it happened to open the door for me to go back and finish my degree. The losing of the job was in turn not a bad thing because it produced something that otherwise would not have happened. There is also a negative evil in this situation and that is that I was unable to sign up for the class I wanted to take. It was not necessarily bad; it just lacked a something good. In wrapping up the difference between negative good and negative evil, I would like to believe that every negative has a positive and when a bad happens to us it is because a good is on its way. As far as death goes I believe we go on to a wonderful, place. whether it be as ourselves or not. After all did we ever not exist, or do we live forever just changing forms. Maybe are cells evolve into different thing and everyone lives forever somehow.

Organisation and Behaviour Essay

Case Study 1: Dimensions of Organisational Structure Changing the Rules at Bosco Plastics When Jill Thompson took over as chief executive officer at Bosco Plastics, the company was in trouble. Bosco had started out as an innovative company, known for creating a new product just as the popularity of one of the industry’s old standbys was fading, i.e., replacing yo-yo’s with water guns. In two decades, it had become an established maker of plastics for the toy industry. Bosco had grown from a dozen employees to four hundred, and its rules had grown haphazardly with it. Thompson’s predecessor, Wilhelm K. Blatz, had found the company’s procedures chaotic and had instituted a uniform set of rules for all employees. Since then, both research output and manufacturing productivity had steadily declined. When the company’s board of directors hired Thompson, they emphasized the need to evaluate and revise the company’s formal procedures in an attempt to reverse the trends. First, Thompson studied the rules Blatz had implemented. She was impressed to find that the entire procedures manual was only twenty pages long. It began with the reasonable sentence â€Å"All employees of Bosco Plastics shall be governed by the following . . .† Thompson had expected to find evidence that Blatz had been a tyrant who ran the company with an iron fist. But as she read through the manual, she found nothing to indicate this. In fact, some of the rules were rather flexible. Employees could punch in anytime between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. and leave nine hours later, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. Managers were expected to keep monthly notes on the people working for them and make yearly recommendations to the human resources committee about raises, bonuses, promotions, and firings. Except for their one-hour lunch break, which they could take at any time, employees were expected to be in the building at all times. Puzzled, Thompson went down to the lounge where the research and development people gathered. She was surprised to find a time clock on the wall. Curious, she fed a time card into it and was even more flabbergasted when the machine chattered noisily, then spit it out without registering the time. Apparently R&D was none too pleased with the time clock and had found a way to rig it. When Thompson looked up in astonishment, only two of the twelve employees who had been in the room were still there. They said the others had â€Å"punched back in† when they saw the boss coming. Thompson asked the remaining pair to tell her what was wrong with company rules, and she got an earful. The researchers, mostly chemists and engineers with advanced graduate degrees, resented punching a time clock and having their work evaluated once a month, when they could not reasonably be expected to come up with something new and worth writing about more than twice a year. Before the implementation of the new rules, they had often gotten inspiration from going down to the local dime store and picking up five dollars worth of cheap toys, but now they felt they could make such trips only on their own time. And when a researcher came up with an innovative idea, it often took months for the proposal to work its way up the company hierarchy to the attention of someone who could put it into production. In short, all these sharp minds felt shackled. Concluding that maybe she had overlooked the rigidity of the rules, Thompson walked over to the manufacturing building to talk to the production supervisors. They responded to her questions with one word: anarchy. With employees drifting in between 8:00 and 10:00 and then starting to drift out again by 11:00 for lunch, the supervisors never knew if they had enough people to run a particular operation. Employee turnover was high, but not high enough in some cases; supervisors believed the rules prevented them from firing all but the most incompetent workers before the end of the yearly evaluation period. The rules were so â€Å"humane† that discipline was impossible to enforce. By the time Jill Thompson got back to her office, she had a plan. The following week, she called in all the department managers and asked them to draft formal rules and procedures for their individual areas. She told them she did not intend to lose control of the company, but she wanted to see if they could improve productivity and morale by creating formal procedures for their individual departments. Case Questions (AO 1.1, 1.2 & 1.3): †¢ Do you think Jill Thompson’s proposal to decentralise the rules and procedures of Bosco Plastics will work? If so, why and how? Give reasons. What, in your opinion, are the requirements to make decentralisation effective? †¢ What kinds of rules and procedures do you think the department managers will come up with? Which departments will be more formalised? Why? †¢ What risks will the company face if it establishes different procedures for different areas? Explain your reasons by analysing the merits and demerits of ‘organic’ and ‘mechanistic’ structures with regard to changes proposed by Jill Thompson. Case Study 2: Organizational Structure and Culture Surviving Greenscape’s Hard Times In ten years, Greenscape had grown from a one-person venture into the largest nursery and landscaping business in its area. Its founder, Lita Ong, combined a lifelong interest in plants with a botany degree to provide a unique customer service. Ong had managed the company’s growth so that even with twenty full-time employees working in six to eight crews, the organization culture was still as open, friendly, and personal as it had been when her only â€Å"employees† were friends who would volunteer to help her move a heavy tree. To maintain that atmosphere, Ong involved herself increasingly with people and less with plants as the company grew. With hundreds of customers and scores of jobs at any one time, she could no longer say without hesitation whether she had a dozen arborvitae bushes in stock or when Mrs. McCormack’s estate would need a new load of bark mulch. But she knew when Martina had been up all night with her baby, when Adrian was likely to be late because he had driven to see his sick father over the weekend, and how to deal with Emily when she was depressed because of her boyfriend’s behaviour. She kept track of the birthdays of every employee and even those of their children. She was up every morning by five-thirty arranging schedules so that Johnson could get his son out of daycare at four o’clock and Doris could be back in town for her afternoon high school equivalency classes. Paying all this attention to employees may have led Ong to make a single bad business decision that almost destroyed the company. She provided extensive landscaping to a new mall on credit, and when the mall never opened and its owners went bankrupt, Greenscape found itself in deep trouble. The company had virtually no cash and had to pay off the bills for the mall plants, most of which were not even salvageable. One Friday, Ong called a meeting with her employees and levelled with them: either they would not get paid for a month or Greenscape would fold. The news hit the employees hard. Many counted on the Friday paycheck to buy groceries for the week. The local unemployment rate was low, however, and they knew they could find other jobs. But as they looked around, they wondered whether they could ever find this kind of job. Sure, the pay was not the greatest, but the tears in the eyes of some workers were not over pay or personal hardship; they were for Ong, her dream, and her difficulties. They never thought of her as the boss or called her anything but â€Å"Lita.† And leaving the group would not be just a matter of saying good-bye to fellow employees. If Bernice left, the company softball team would lose its best pitcher, and the Sunday game was the height of everyone’s week. Where else would they find people who spent much of the weekend working on the best puns with which to assail one another on Monday morning? At how many offices would everyone show up twenty minutes before starting time just to catch up with friends on other crews? What other boss would really understand when you simply said, â€Å"I don’t have a doctor’s appointment, I just need the afternoon off†? Ong gave her employees the weekend to think over their decision: whether to take their pay and look for another job or to dig into their savings and go on working. Knowing it would be hard for them to quit, she told them they did not have to face her on Monday; if they did not show up, she would send them their checks. But when she arrived at seven-forty Monday morning, she found the entire group already there, ready to work even harder to pull the company through. They were even trying to top one another with puns about being â€Å"mall-contents.† Case Questions (AO 2.1, 2.2 & 2.3): †¢ How would you describe the organization culture at Greenscape? Under the different types of culture, what type of culture, do you think, operating in Greenscape? Justify your views with evidence. †¢ How large can such a company get before it needs to change its culture and structure? And why it is important to change culture and structure? Discuss briefly the benefits and difficulties that Greenscape have to cope with changing its culture and structure as the company gears for its growth. Case Study 3: Leadership Models and Concepts Right Boss, Wrong Company Brenda Hogan was continuously on top of things. In school, she had always been at the top of her class. When she went to work for her uncle’s shoe business, Fancy Footwear, she had been singled out as the most productive employee and the one with the best attendance. The company was so impressed with her that it sent her to get an M.B.A. to groom her for a top management position. In school again, and with three years of practical experience to draw on, Hogan had gobbled up every idea put in front of her, relating many of them to her work at Fancy Footwear. When Hogan graduated at the top of her class, she returned to Fancy Footwear. To no one’s surprise, when the head of the company’s largest division took advantage of the firm’s early retirement plan, Hogan was given his position. Hogan knew the pitfalls of being suddenly catapulted to a leadership position, and she was determined to avoid them. In business school, she had read cases about family businesses that fell apart when a young family member took over with an iron fist, barking out orders, cutting personnel, and destroying morale. Hogan knew a lot about participative management, and she was not going to be labelled an arrogant know-it-all. Hogan’s predecessor, Max Worthy, had run the division from an office at the top of the building, far above the factory floor. Two or three times a day, Worthy would summon a messenger or a secretary from the offices on the second floor and send a memo out to one or another group of workers. But as Hogan saw it, Worthy was mostly an absentee autocrat, making all the decisions from above and spending most of his time at extended lunches with his friends from the Rotary Club. Hogan’s first move was to change all that. She set up her office on the second floor. From her always-open doorway she could see down onto the factory floor, and as she sat behind her desk she could spot anyone walking by in the hall. She never ate lunch herself but spent the time from 11 to 2 down on the floor, walking around, talking, and organizing groups. The workers, many of whom had twenty years of seniority at the plant, seemed surprised by this new policy and reluctant to volunteer for any groups. But in fairly short order, Hogan established a worker productivity group, a â€Å"Suggestion of the Week† committee, an environmental group, a worker award group, and a management relations group. Each group held two meetings a week, one without and one with Hogan. She encouraged each group to set up goals in its particular focus area and develop plans for reaching those goals. She promised any support that was within her power to give. The group work was agonizingly slow at first. But Hogan had been well trained as a facilitator, and she soon took on that role in their meetings, writing down ideas on a big board, organizing them, and later communicating them in notices to other employees. She got everyone to call her â€Å"Betty† and set herself the task of learning all their names. By the end of the first month, Fancy Footwear was stirred up. But as it turned out, that was the last thing most employees wanted. The truth finally hit Hogan when the entire management relations committee resigned at the start of their fourth meeting. â€Å"I’m sorry, Ms. Hogan,† one of them said. â€Å"We’re good at making shoes, but not at this management stuff. A lot of us are heading toward retirement. We don’t want to be supervisors.† Astonished, Hogan went to talk to the workers with whom she believed she had built good relations. Yes, they reluctantly told her, all these changes did make them uneasy. They liked her, and they didn’t want to complain. But given the choice, they would rather go back to the way Mr. Worthy had run things. They never saw Mr. Worthy much, but he never got in their hair. He did his work, whatever that was, and they did theirs. â€Å"After you’ve been in a place doing one thing for so long,† one worker concluded, â€Å"the last thing you want to do is learn a new way of doing it.† Case Questions (AO 3.1, 3.2 & 3.3): †¢ What factors should have alerted Hogan to the problems that eventually came up at Fancy Footwear? †¢ Could Hogan have instituted her changes without eliciting a negative reaction from the workers? If so, how? Case Study 4: Need-Based Perspectives on Motivation More Than a Pay Cheque Samuel Gibson was a trainer for Britannia Home Manufacturers, a large builder of prefabricated homes. Britannia Home had hired Gibson fresh from graduate school with a master’s degree in English. At first, the company put him to work writing and revising company brochures and helping with the most important correspondence at the senior level. But soon, both Gibson and senior management officials began to notice how well he worked with executives on their writing, how he made them feel more confident about it, and how, after working with an executive on a report, the executive often was much more eager to take on the next writing task. So Britannia Home moved Gibson into its prestigious training department. The company’s trainers worked with thousands of supervisors, managers, and executives, helping them learn everything from new computer languages to time management skills to how to get the most out of the workers on the plant floor, many of whom were unmotivated high school dropouts. Soon Gibson was spending all his time giving short seminars on executive writing as well as coaching his students to perfect their memos and letters. Gibson’s move into training meant a big increase in salary, and when he started working exclusively with the company’s top brass, it seemed as though he got a bonus every month. Gibson’s supervisor, Mirella Carta, knew he was making more than many executives who had been with the company three times as long, and probably twice as much as any of his graduate school classmates who concentrated in English. Yet in her biweekly meetings with him, she could tell that Gibson wasn’t happy. When Carta asked him about it, Gibson replied that he was in a bit of a rut. He had to keep saying the same things over and over in his seminars, and business memos weren’t as interesting as the literature he had been trained on. But then, after trailing off for a moment, he blurted out, â€Å"They don’t need me!† Since the memos filtering down through the company were now flawlessly polished, and the annual report was 20 percent shorter but said everything it needed to, Gibson’s desire to be needed was not fulfilled. The next week, Gibson came to Carta with a proposal: What if he started holding classes for some of the floor workers, many of whom had no future within or outside the company because many could write nothing but their own names? Carta took the idea to her superiors. They told her that they wouldn’t oppose it, but Gibson couldn’t possibly keep drawing such a high salary if he worked with people whose contribution to the company was compensated at minimum wage. Gibson agreed to a reduced salary and began offering English classes on the factory floor, which were billed by management (who hoped to avoid a wage hike that year) as an added benefit of the job. At first only two or three workers showed up—and they, Gibson believed, only wanted an excuse to get away from the nailing guns for a while. But gradually word got around that Gibson was serious about what he was doing and didn’t treat the workers like kids in a remedial class. At the end of the year, Gibson got a bonus from a new source: the vice president in charge of production. Although Gibson’s course took workers off the job for a couple of hours a week, productivity had actually improved since his course began, employee turnover had dropped, and for the first time in over a year, some of the floor workers had begun to apply for supervisory positions. Gibson was pleased with the bonus, but when Carta saw him grinning as he walked around the building, she knew he wasn’t thinking about his bank account.