The First Amendment and Restricting Free Speech essays

The First Amendment and Restricting Free Speech essays In response to verbal assaults and hate speech, several colleges and universities have prohibited language that can be racist or sexist. Victims of racism or hatred have the full right to be offended by such shameful speech. But although it is offensive, banning free speech on campuses is not justifiable because of the simple offense. Susan Jacoby says "You can't OD [overdose] on the First Amendment because free speech is its own best antidote." To reach a higher level of understanding, freedom of thought and expression is especially vital in a college or university; but should be limited and free of harm. Freedom of speech is a beautiful attribute that would only ever become an issue with humans who are socially satisfied and wish to address their beliefs publicly. Of course, someone who thinks they are right, and everyone else is wrong, should be given the right to talk. Fortunately for the rest of the world, once the "know-it-all" begins to speak, we will quickly realize how stupid they make their self-look. It is also a great addition to society to have such judgmental people. Humans are such great judges that whenever anyone around you says something you do not quite agree with, you begin to automatically assume the other possible parts of the person. If we hear someone publicly address how homosexuals are humans and should be given their natural rights, we will automatically link them to liberals or even Democrats. How we judge people allows us to give everyone feedback on what they have to say. If someone in class says something that is outrageous and offensive to me, I will m ost certainly look at them and give him or her some type of stare that expresses how I feel about their ignorance. Again, giving people emotional feedback on what they are saying is a gift and should be treated as one. If you are the one getting the "dirty look", then you might feel contended to change or rephrase what you just said in hopes of a misunde...

Failure is feedback Why objective opinions improve your work

Failure is feedback Why objective opinions improve your work Oftentimes in life, the difference between a crushing setback and an opportunity is perspective. HealthRise Solutions David Farbman believes that a â€Å"failure† is simply a time for feedback, an opportunity to make yourself better. Business is a long and winding road, and the ability to see opportunities for what they are (without lying to yourself) is a crucial skill for anyone trying to navigate it. [Source: Daily Fuel]

Ethics and Social Reqponsibiliities Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethics and Social Reqponsibiliities Paper - Essay Example Nike abused workers in various third world countries with sweetshop operations which violated human rights and working standards. In India in 1984 there was a huge gas leak accident cause by Corporation which could have been prevented if the company followed the safety standards of developed nations. This paper analyzes the statement â€Å"Strict governmental regulations are necessary to make companies behave ethically. The essay provides an analysis of the statement to illustrate whether the statement is true of false. Ethics and corporate responsibility are the two concepts used to dissect the statement. Ethics is the rules of conduct that are considered to determine if an action is right or wrong (Webster’s II, 1984). Most corporations especially public firms have established codes of ethics to set guidelines for the behavior of its employees. These written documents many times are not proactively referenced and utilized by the firms. In their host country many companies act and practice legitimate business practices, but once the opportunity surges to break the rules in foreign land it is another story. Ethics are suppose to be universal principles, but competitive forces at times drive company and its management staff into unethical decision due to the pressure to achieve results. A company establish in a foreign country such as the South American nation of Peru can legally abide by the standards set in that nation and if the norms in this nation are softer in different operating aspects the company will take advantage of it and lower their standards in order to reduce cos ts. The regulations about environmental issues set by agencies such as EPA are tough. If in Peru a company does not have to comply with certain air quality standards a company will not purchase the machinery and equipment necessary to comply with the US standard. The premise that strict governmental

In cold blood pt.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In cold blood pt.2 - Essay Example They are lodged in separate jail cells in the same building. During the course of next rounds of questioning, the evidence is put forth. The sets of footmarks taken at the scene of crime are similar to those of two pairs of shoes in the possession of the two accused. In panic, Dick breaks down and names his friend of the murders. The people of Holcomb take the developments of the case leading to the arrest of two men stoically. They have doubts whether they are to be blamed for the murders exclusively. Truman Capote writes about their mixed feelings, â€Å"Some day they’ll get to the bottom, and when they do they’ll find the one behind it. The one wanted Clutter out of the way. (231) Once the detectives succeed in creating confusion between the two accused on the basis of the evidence in their possession, they have achieved the obvious. Both the accused become suspicious about each other and wish to save one’s own skin and escape from the clutches of law. Look a t the plight of Perry en-route to Garden City when Dewey, the Chief Investigator, mentions to him the episode of the bicycle chain killing. In cold†¦.2 Perry concludes that Dick has made a clean slate of the issues. He panics and makes a detailed confession and avers that of the four Dick is responsible for two killings. The sequence of events was: The duo reached River Valley, being sure that Clutter kept a safe with 10 thousand dollars.

IT service Essay Example for Free

IT service Essay The IT service offers reliable, fast and cost smart IT online support to global clientele. The idea for such a service is derived from the constant growth of demand for various IT services and a wide offer of skilled professionals available globally. The projected 2004-14 employment increase of 453,000 translates into 1.6 million jobs [1]. Main service features are flexibility and real-time problem solutions offered round-the-clock. The innovation of service process is in hiring freelancers from different time zones and building the network of highly skilled workforce at minimum cost possible. The company would have on-site professionals as well to ensure consistency and proper recourses management. Recent Accenture study shows that 85% of IT managers claimed that global IT operations were crucial to their business strategy, 94 percent of them said their companies operating capabilities to support that strategy were not up to it[2]. Here are some pointers how to avoid potential ethical and legal obstacles that may occur in the process: Avoid dumping pricing accusation on certain markets by building smart pricing scheme Avoid payment and labor law issues in the countries we are hiring professionals from by creating virtual marketplace with its own terms and conditions. There is concern about federal, state and local government policy proposals that may restrict overseas outsourcing where labor costs are lower[3]. Run transparent businesses processes and give the clients proper information on your staff and policies – some clients do not trust service providers from less developed countries, so we have to make sure to distribute the work force properly. Mission statement We are a dream IT department for every client: always available, professional and cost smart. We want to be considered number one choice for online support within next three years. Marketing objectives for year one Although we are going to offer our services globally, this projection is done on the basis of three major markets defined by the size of market potential: Country A, B and C. For the first quarter we will focus on sales contacts and building the brand and site visibility: Achieve brand/website awareness among the target customers of 30% on target audience. Sales force will have task to perform initial contacts or address inquiries received online. Customer contact will be fully completed once the customer receives the tailored offer. This will be the base for bonus scheme. Total customer contacts achieved 1200. Offers accepted 850. We expect slow profit growth in first year due to initial setup costs. Expected profit from 850 contracts: 4250000$ (based on average 5000$ annual maintenance fee umbrella contract) Market share:   Country 1: 3%, Country 2: 7%, Country 3: 2%. Other markets: total of   3%

Age Of Reform In America Essay -- essays research papers

American reform movements in the early to mid 1800’s strived at improving our developing society. America was growing larger, and with the expanding population, many new ideas sprang up. Conflicting opinions between the people of the United States caused the emergence of an Age of Reform, where people tried to change things such as the educational system and women’s rights. These movements were the result of our nation’s self-determination and interest in improving the society we live in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Between the 1820’s and 1860’s, Americans were trying new things and promoting different ideas and ways of thinking. Once such idea is that of a utopian society. A utopian society, simple put, means a perfect society. There are many examples of experiments at utopian society in the 1800’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  George Ripley endeavored to create one of the first utopian societies in West Roxberry, Massachusetts. The community was called Brook Farm, and was established in 1841. Everyone in the community shared labor and leisure time equally. Ripley believed that leisure was the most important step to understanding yourself. The problem with Brook Farm was that the residents ended up believing in a form of communism, despite its objective of being a community where the individual would be able to become ‘whole’. A fire late in 1847 caused the community to disband and separate. Brook Farm is important because not only was it one of the first utopian society experiments in the 1800’s, but it proved that people were confident about trying new things. Critics of Brook Farm said that the point of the community was nothing more than the desire to become better than other people. This demonstrates that (even though it failed) Brooke Farm was created solely for t he purpose of bettering the way in which people lived.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1948, John Humphrey founded another utopian experiment in Oneida, New York. This was another important utopian society experiment in the 1800’s. In this society, children were raised by the whole community, and businesses were run by the whole community. In other words, everyone who lived there was part of one big family. The Oneida experiment grew fairly large over 30 years, including over 200 peopl... ...forbade black education. Besides that, very little of the white population went to schools anyway. Establishing school systems in these areas was a tricky job. Despite problems in the South and West with education, America had grown into a more learned nation. Over 80% of the population (excluding the slavery population) were literate, compared with a much lower literacy rate prior to the 1800’s. Americans had once again worked hard in order to enhance their societies’ standards.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Age of Reforms was a period in which many changes were made to improve the way in which people lived at the time. Utopian experiments were attempts at creating a flat out perfect sociological structure. Reforms in women’s rights made strides in making basic civil liberties available to not just men, but females as well. Lastly, reforms in the educational systems of America provided more hope for future generations by making our country a more intelligent nation. All of these accomplishments demonstrate how the Age of Reforms was a period in which America improved by leaps and bounds in the process of turning it into what we know it as today.

Critical Evaluation of the Benefits and Limitations of Using Ict in Knowledge Management Processes Essay

1. 0 Introduction Knowledge management can be considered to be an essential strategic function in any organisation today. As the world becomes more globalised, and traditional structures of intermediation are removed whilst new ones are created, it is clear that knowledge, and consequently a learning organisation is one that is more likely to find unique sources of competitive advantage, and be able to develop sustainable competitive strategies in the long term. A number of different processes and sub-processes have been identified with knowledge management, such as knowledge generation, knowledge codification, and knowledge transfer or realisation (Grover and Davenport, 2001). Nonaka (1994) suggests that knowledge itself is created through the conversion between tacit and explicit knowledge, through the processes of socialisation, internalisation, externalisation, and combination. Technology has often been used to facilitate and support the processes involved in knowledge management. Knowledge management is essential for sustaining the growth of an organisation and ensuring its success. From the perspective of investors, the worth or value of an organisation is as a result of its ability to strategically retain and generate knowledge that facilitates the organisation’s business activity. The sharing of practices throughout the organisational hierarchy, and adoption of effective techniques formulated by individuals having great expertise in the relevant field can help to improve the efficiency of the business activity. Yet the intertwining of knowledge management processes and information and communication technologies (ICT) may blind knowledge managers to the shortcomings of the use of ICT in knowledge management processes. This essay therefore seeks to present a critical evaluation of the benefits and limitations of ICT in knowledge management processes. 2. 0 Benefits of Using ICT Knowledge management is essential for sustaining the growth of an organisation. From the perspective of investors, the worth or value of an organisation is as a result of its ability to strategically retain and generate knowledge that facilitates the organisation’s business activity. The sharing of practices throughout the organisational hierarchy, and adoption of effective techniques formulated by individuals having great expertise in the relevant field can help to improve the efficiency of the business activity. Wenger et al (2010) explain that one of the main advantages of technology is that it has allowed communities to interact in new ways. In fact, new technology that was developed to facilitate interaction between communities was often the result of a need that was felt by these communities, for a tool to facilitate interaction within the community. The technology tools help communities to bridge problems such as time and space, participation and reification, etc. Examples of such tools include the Internet itself, wikis, etc. In terms of knowledge management processes, these communication tools are important because they facilitate communication between two or more people, and consequently tacit knowledge sharing within the community. Kelly (2009) explains that the technological dimensions are part and parcel of effective knowledge management. Some of the technologies which are essential for modern knowledge management processes include business intelligence, CRM (Customer relationship management software), collaboration, distributed learning, knowledge mapping, etc. Databases can be used as knowledge repositories, as well as for storing structured and unstructured knowledge; they may also be used to identify the people (tacit knowledge holders) within the organisation. Each of these different set of technological tools facilitate different knowledge management processes. For example, business intelligence software allows the firm to create knowledge about its competitors, and the broader economic environment. Collaboration and distributed learning technologies allows individuals within the organisation to communicate and share knowledge, allowing for geographical and structural barriers to be overcome. This is especially important in today’s globalised world. Technology simplifies the flow of knowledge and accelerates its dissemination and assimilation. Knowledge discovery technologies allow the firm to find new knowledge, either within the organisation itself, or outside; knowledge mapping technologies facilitate the tracking of knowledge sources effectively, etc. Overall, it can be said that the different aspects of knowledge creation, transfer and storage is facilitated through technological infrastructure. Introducing technology in knowledge management will reduce redundancy in the activities of an organisation. It can enhance productivity and can be used for skill development. Promoting client value can also simplified by using technology for knowledge management. Improved and efficient use of knowledge management offers competitive benefits in the market. It leverages an organisation and makes it better prepared to face uncertainties both on a local and global scale. The sharing of practices, techniques and information with partners around the globe, made easy by technology can help streamline business processes which otherwise may be inefficient and wasteful i. e. aligning the organisational objectives with the available resources to successfully conduct the business activity can be greatly enhanced with the use of technology in knowledge management. Zack, 1999) 3. 0 Limitations of Using ICT Boland et al (2004) opine that much of the effort to design information technology to support some of the higher level knowledge management functions such as cognition and decision making at the managerial level have severe shortcomings. They highlight some of the problems inherent with using ICT such functions, explaining that as the collection of representations grows, as in hypertext, it becomes increasingly difficult to navigate through the collection. Help is required, and this help is the price that has to be paid for richer communication. Then there is multiplicity, where each of the actors have their own interpretations of the same situation; these multiple interpretations are required in order to support individual reflective thought as well as group dialog. Clearly, technology is not sufficiently advanced yet to support these high level rich communication that is required for knowledge management. Roberts (2010) is rather critical of the ability of ICT to contribute to knowledge transfer, especially tacit knowledge transfer. She states that technology has been proven to be very useful for the transfer of codified knowledge, i. . explicit knowledge, but is still relatively less useful for the transfer of tacit knowledge. Furthermore, the impact of ICT on the production processes even in the knowledge based economy of today, which is highly dependent on technology, is unevenly distributed. This is because technology is yet to be able to replace, much less enhance certain forms of human interaction. Roberts (ibid) further explains that knowledge is a very complex construct, resulting in technology being inadequate to fully facilitate knowledge transfer (esp. acit knowledge). For example, she highlights that tacit knowledge transfer requires antecedents such as trust, mutual understanding, and many other factors that can be established only through face to face interaction (Jarvenpaa and Leidner, 1998). Hislop (2002) explains that the sharing of knowledge between communities is very complex and not straightforward. Different organisations may experience different problems with the sharing of knowledge, because of different factors. Any application of technology for the purposes of knowledge sharing therefore should take into account the potential difficulties involved in knowledge sharing across communities. Knowledge sharing within communities is made more complex also when there is a lack of the sense of collective identity as well as a significant common knowledge base. Divergent identities means that there may be perceived or actual differences in interest between two or more communities, creating a potential for conflict. Walsham (2001) provides many examples of where ICT is inadequate for knowledge management. For example, he shows that the knowledge management processes are particularly complex when working across different cultures. The workers in different cultures based their specialist expertise on different foundations (such as experience, or theoretical knowledge) resulting in different methods of knowledge transmission through the product cycle. These different workers from different cultures would then give different degrees of importance to technology, and the different emphases on face to face contact. Walsham (ibid) further suggests that the role of technology in knowledge management processes is limited to facilitating communication, such as through the creation of safe enclaves for online communication. He also stresses that the use of technology should be context-dependant. In fact, Newell et al (in Prichard, 2000) rightly point out that technology has been considered to be essential in knowledge management, but is actually based on ‘nebulous concepts’. However, the increasing pervasiveness of technology in organisations, and the different ways in which it can be put to use creates its own problems. They explain that the routine use and reliance on IT cuts across different managerial specialisms, and increases the levels of uncertainty about the relationship between the use of the technology and the pursuit of the organisational goals. This means that many organisations perhaps adopt technology for the sake of adopting technology. However, this should not be the case, as IT is just a tool like any other, to be used to achieve a particular purpose. The relative sophistication of the tool tends to blind managers as to the fact that it is a tool, and using the tool becomes the goal. This is detrimental to the organisation’s long term prospects. Hislop (2010) explains that it is the fundamental nature of knowledge that makes it extremely difficult for technology to play a central role in the knowledge sharing processes. This is because very specific conditions are required for ICT-based knowledge sharing to take place successfully. From the practical perspective, the tacit and explicit division of types of knowledge has worked well; viewing knowledge through a different lens does not do away with the problems that arise when technology is to be used in the knowledge management processes. McKinlay (2002) also points out that there may be other dangers associated with the over reliance on technology for knowledge management. For example, he explains that team work is used for knowledge sharing, because it was able to result in the extraction of tacit knowledge hidden in the routines of team work; this extraction of tacit knowledge could then allow for its conversion into codified knowledge. If team work were to be abolished totally, then the team working routines which facilitated the extraction of the tacit knowledge would not take place; consequently, the extraction of tacit knowledge would also not take place. Furthermore, he points out that the use of technology often results in formal working practises. However, there are ‘relatively frubby and pedestrian forms of knowledge’ that are very important for knowledge creation, in the form of radical product and process innovation. From this it can be seen that the over emphasis on the use of technology in knowledge management can actually be counter productive, and result in less effective knowledge management. Jackson (1999) explains that one of the major problems with the use of technology in knowledge management processes is that both technological and business changes are taking place at a very rapid pace. This means that human beings have very little time to get to grip with the change, and assess the impact of these changes. There is also consequently even less time for reflection on the type of systems and competencies needed, and to create new configurations of work based on these new technologies. In addition to this there is also the issue of cost effectiveness, which underlies all effort in the business environment. If any task is not cost effective, it should not be undertaken. However, the pace of progress of technology cannot be predicted, and this undermines the cost efficiency of any effort relating to the assessment and effective implementation of technology in knowledge management processes. Overall, it can be said that it is clear that the blind use of technology in knowledge management processes has a number of disadvantages which should not be ignored by any good knowledge manager. 3. 0 Conclusion Clearly, the role of ICT in knowledge management is one that is evolving. This is because not only is knowledge management itself evolving, but technology itself is developing at a rapid pace. ICTs have been shown to bring a number of benefits to the various knowledge management processes, and can be considered to be essential for these processes. However, it was also shown that ICTs are not sufficiently developed to be able to replace face to face interaction in knowledge management processes. In fact, it is shown that ICT is still highly inadequate in replacing the antecedents required for higher level knowledge management processes that are provided by face to face communications. Hence it can be said that knowledge managers must use ICT in a considered manner. Neither can they ignore the benefits of ICT to some knowledge management processes, nor can they ignore the limitations of ICT for the other knowledge management processes.

The Effect of Conflict Towards Performance

INTRODUCTION Businesses nowadays are operating in a turbulent environment where organisations are searching for measures that will allow them to improve their performance and competitiveness (Dodd, 2003). Conflict is generally regarded as disagreement regarding interests or ideas (Esquivel and Kleiner, 1997). In addition organisational conflict is regarded as the discord that occurs when the goals, interests or values of different individuals or groups are incompatible with those of individuals or groups block or frustrate each others in an attempt to achieve their objectives.Conflict are inevitable part of organisational life since the goals of different stakeholders such as managers and staff are often incompatible (Jones  et al. , 2000). Besides that,  Loomis and Loomis (1965)  argue that Conflict is an ever-present process in human relations. That is why various organisations have changed their approaches to enable them to manage their organisations effectively to avoid con flicts at all costs. Conflict is a fact of life in any organisations as longer as people compete for jobs, resources, power, recognition and security.In addition, dealing with conflicts is a great challenge to management (Adomi and Anie, 2005). Conflicts commonly arise when employees interact in organisations and compete for scarce resources. Employees in various organisations are organized into manageable groups in order to achieve common goal, therefore, the probability of conflicts to arise is very high. Nowadays, most serious conflicts make headlines in the newspapers, which might affect the public image of the company. Conflicts have both negative and positive outcomes to the individual employees and the organization at large.There is no one source of conflicts which occurs in organisations at all levels of management (Barker  et al. , 1987). In social life, conflicts do occur but they are managed by family members, friends and relatives. The same case applies to organisation s, when conflicts arise; it needs to be resolved by management for the sake of the organisational growth, survival and enhance performance. However, conflicts are rarely resolved easily, to a certain extend most conflicts are managed, as individuals work out differences (Barker  et al. , 1987).Conflict can occur within groups (intra-group conflict) or among groups (inter-group conflict). Therefore, the main aim of this study is to examine the effects of organizational conflicts towards organizational performance. It specifically tries to examine in detail, the causes, types, effects and recommend various strategies on how to resolve organizational conflicts to enhance organizational performance. WHAT IS ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT? ‘A condition between or among workers whose jobs are interdependent, who feel angry, who perceive the other(s) as being at fault, and who act in ways that cause a business problem. (Dana, D. 2001) Interdependency – each party needs something fr om the other and are vulnerable if they don’t get it Feeling Angry – people are emotionally upset – anger is not always visible – some people will hide their anger with a veneer of politeness – however, Dana suggests that the emotion we all know as anger is always present when there is a conflict. Blaming Each Other – each party sees the other as being at fault often moving from the immediate workplace issue into personal issues Causing a Business Problem – How is the conflict impacting on job performance? if it is not then it does not fall within the definition of workplace conflict. This definition includes emotions, thoughts and behaviors – psychologists consider these three the only dimensions of human experience. So conflict is rooted in all parts of our human experience. Factors of conflict in organization 1. Managerial Expectations – it is job of an employee to meet the expectations of his manager, but if those ex pectations is misunderstood, conflict can arise. 2. Breakdown in Communication If a department requires information from another department in order to its job, and the second department does not respond to the request this is will lead to conflict to arise. 3. Misunderstanding the information Internal conflict can sometimes arise as the result of a simple misunderstanding. One person may misunderstand information, and that can trigger a series of conflict. 4. Lack of accountability Organization conflict might arise from frustration. One source of frustration is a lack of accountability.If something has gone wrong, and no one is willing to take responsibility for the problem, this lack of accountability can start to permeate throughout the entire company until the issue is resolved. Factors of conflict in employee 1. Differing values Some employees have strong beliefs, which they are not willing to compromise. These beliefs can conflict with coworkers’, creating conflict. 2. Opposing interest When an employee decides to pursue her own career goal, without regard for the organizational goal and its well- being, it result in strife among coworkers. 3. Personality ConflictsOne employee may have a reserved a personality while another may be more outgoing and forward. Problem arises when the two do not understand or respect each others’ inner nature. 4. Personal problems If the employee has problems outside the workplace, such as marital or parental issues, she may take them to work with her. Positive And Negative Effects Of Conflict It is often assumed that all conflict is bad for the organisation, however if managed effectively, conflict can bring benefits: Potential Positive Effects * Better ideas produced * People forced to search for new approaches Long standing problems brought to the surface and resolved * Clarification of individual views * Stimulation of interest and creativity * A chance for people to test their capacities Potential Negative Effects * Some people feel defeated and demeaned * The distance between people increased * A climate of mistrust and suspicion developed * Individuals and groups concentrate on their own narrow interests * Resistance developed rather than teamwork * An increase in employee turnover Models Of Conflict Management There have been many styles of conflict management behavior that have been researched in the past century.One of the earliest,  Mary Parker Follett  (1926/1940) found that conflict was managed by individuals in three main ways: domination,  compromise, and integration. She also found other ways of handling conflict that were employed by organizations, such as  avoidance  and suppression. Early Conflict Management Models Blake and Mouton (1964) were among the first to present a conceptual scheme for classifying the modes (styles) for handling interpersonal conflicts into five types: forcing, withdrawing, smoothing, compromising, and problem solving.In the 1970â€⠄¢s and 1980’s, researchers began using the intentions of the parties involved to classify the styles of conflict management that they would include in their models. Both Thomas (1976) and Pruitt (1983) put forth a model based on the concerns of the parties involved in the conflict. The combination of the parties concern for their own interests (i. e. assertiveness) and their concern for the interests of those across the table (i. e. cooperativeness) would yield a particular conflict management style.Pruitt called these styles yielding (low assertiveness/high cooperativeness), problem solving (high assertiveness/high cooperativeness), inaction (low assertiveness/low cooperativeness), and contending (high assertiveness/low cooperativeness). Pruitt argues that problem-solving is the preferred method when seeking mutually beneficial options. Khun and Poole’s Model Khun and Poole (2000) established a similar system of group conflict management. In their system, they split Kozan’s confrontational model into two sub models: distributive and integrative. Distributive – Here conflict is approached as a distribution of a fixed amount of positive outcomes or resources, where one side will end up winning and the other losing, even if they do win some concessions. * Integrative – Groups utilizing the integrative model see conflict as a chance to integrate the needs and concerns of both groups and make the best outcome possible. This model has a heavier emphasis on compromise than the distributive model. Khun and Poole found that the integrative model resulted in consistently better task related outcomes than those using the distributive model.DeChurch and Marks’s Meta-Taxonomy Model DeChurch and Marks (2001) examined the literature available on conflict management at the time and established what they claimed was a â€Å"meta-taxonomy† that encompasses all other models. They argued that all other styles have inherent in the m into two dimensions – activeness (â€Å"the extent to which conflict behaviors make a responsive and direct rather than inert and indirect impression†) and agreeableness (â€Å"the extent to which conflict behaviors make a pleasant and relaxed rather than unpleasant and strainful impression†).High activeness is characterized by openly discussing differences of opinion while fully going after their own interest. High agreeableness is characterized by attempting to satisfy all parties involved In the study they conducted to validate this division, activeness did not have a significant effect on the effectiveness of  conflict resolution, but the  agreeableness  of the conflict management style, whatever it was, did in fact have a positive impact on how groups felt about the way the conflict was managed, regardless of the outcome. CONFLICT CONTROLSTRATEGY| POSSIBLE ACTIONS| EXAMPLES| Avoidance| Avoid situations where conflict occurs; reduce triggering events ; cooling off periods| Reduce contact between the parties; set up system for dealing with conflict subjects; adjourn meetings| Alteration| Change the form or place of the conflict| Agree not to argue in front of others, or to criticise each other without making a positive suggestion; meet before conflict situations to resolve problems| Feedback| Help parties to understand how others are affected| Other people are upset; team s losing resources or cooperation from others; loss of dignity| Help With Consequences| Provide support, more rest, more thinking time| Neutral person to listen to stressed people; time off; more social events; encourage getting away from the office at lunch time; discourage overwork| Suggestions To Overcome Conflict Management. There are many ways to overcome this problem. Here are some suggestions and tips to manage and cope with the conflict management towards organization. * Build a certain and good communication. * As we know communication is a process of i nteract between one person to another.Communication is a tool to convey a message. A good communication can avoid misunderstanding and uncertain information and can directly solve any problem wisely. All person in any organization must know how to build a good communication and know how to react with any problem to a void conflict. If there is something that they might in argue or disagree they have to sit together and come out with a best solution that everyone satisfied. * Don’t ignore conflict. * Conflict in organization can lead a positive outcomes too. Each person in any organization must take a fairly solution and never avoid and ignore the conflict.It is very essential because it can avoid the problem become twice and become bigger and bigger. Conflict might happen in any organization because each person have a different opinion, goals, value and belief. So, everyone must support and help each other to cope the conflict in order to achieve a common goal in the organiza tion. * Have an own conflict management skills. * Skills such us know how negotiate and know how to minimized anger can help and enhance the effectiveness of good working environment. This will make everyone in the organization can achieve a joyful in a workplace.The way everyone carry themselves in the work place can avoid a conflict and misunderstanding between each other. Everyone in any organization must have their own conflict management skills so that every single problem can be solve and minimized easily. Four ways towards organizational performance 1. PM focuses on results, rather than behaviors and activities A common misconception among supervisors is that behaviors and activities are the same as results. Thus, an employee may appear extremely busy, but not be contributing at all toward the goals of the organization.An example is the employee who manually reviews completion of every form and procedure, rather than supporting automation of the review. The supervisor may con clude the employee is very committed to the organization and works very hard, thus, deserving a very high performance rating. 2. Aligns organizational activities and processes to the goals of the organization PM identifies organizational goals, results needed to achieve those goals, measures of effectiveness or efficiency (outcomes) toward the goals, and means (drivers) to achieve the goals.This chain of measurements is examined to ensure alignment with overall results of the organization. 3. Cultivates a system-wide, long-term view of the organization. Richard A. Swanson, in  Performance Improvement Theory and Practice  (Advances in Developing Human Resources, 1, 1999), explains an effective performance improvement process must follow a systems-based approach while looking at outcomes and drivers. Otherwise, the effort produces a flawed picture. For example, laying off people will likely produce short-term profits.However, the organization may eventually experience reduced prod uctivity, resulting in long-term profit loss. 4. Produces meaningful measurements These measurements have a wide variety of useful applications. They are useful in benchmarking, or setting standards for comparison with best practices in other organizations. They provide consistent basis for comparison during internal change efforts. They indicate results during improvement efforts, such as employee training, management development, quality programs, etc. They help ensure equitable and fair treatment to employees based on performance.

AP by John Updikes

AP by John Updikes Introduction The story, set in a small town in New England, opens with three teenage girls, wearing just their bathing suits, walking into an AP grocery store; it is the watching of these girls that gets the story rolling (Tiger-town). The narrator, Sammy, a teenage boy working in the store, watches these girls closely, taking note of how they behave and carry themselves, their hair styles and bodies as they go on about their business in the store.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on AP by John Updikes specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sammy and his coworker, the married Stokesie, ogle over the girls and joke about it. But Sammy is conscious of the fact that Stockesie is married and cannot go after the girls but he feels he still has the opportunity and freedom to go after the girls himself. The store manager, Lengel, reproaches the girls because of the way they are dressed and the girls are embarrassed. When the girls le ave, Sammy, hoping that they are watching, reproaches his boss for his treatment of the girls and decides to quit. Against his boss’s pleas he insists and in the end, he leaves only to find the girls long gone. Discussion The story explores a number of themes; the key one around which the rest seem to revolve is the power of desire (Tiger-town). The author manages to bring out this through the behavior of the characters. The girls, although there’s no beach around, are dressed in bathing suits, a symbol of their disregard for the town’s social norms and a deliberate and explicit provocation of the men. Now they have set the men’s desires rolling, including the married Stocksie and Lengel who downplays it by confronting them. While every man watches them, they act nonchalantly, especially Queenie; thus, by not acknowledging the men, the girls further inspire the men’s desire while managing to avoid being subject of it. In Sammy, the narrator, the gi rls inspire much stronger desires since his desire for Queenie inspires his imagination. His description of the girls shows, on one end, his appreciation of the females, and on the other, how aggressive the male gaze is. In the end he quits his job; it is largely argued that Sammy’s reckless behavior is not purely as a result of his desire. Instead it is blamed on his hormones. Nonetheless, his response cannot be separated from his desire. For Sammy, he has attained a kind of freedom and the deliberate behavior by the girls against the norms, symbolized in their dressing, opens up a world of possibilities for him. As such when Lengel reproaches the girls, it is as if he has hurt Sammy’s belief in possibilities; Sammy’s quitting may as well be his effort to reassert to himself the world he has just envisioned.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Upd ike also explores the pervasiveness of advertising (Tiger-town). The brand names in the shop sets the story in the American prosperity after the war. These names don’t just reflect the plenitude of the time, but also the domination of marketing in shaping people’s tastes. Sammy’s revolt is partly against the artificiality of these brand names. Conclusion Generally, AP is a story about desire; the girls’ desire for male attention; Stocksie’s desire of freedom from his wife, Sammy’s desire of Queenie and for the desire that the adverts spark from the consumers among others. But it is equally the role that age plays in the belief on possibilities that is explored. Tiger-town. â€Å"AP  by john updike.† 2009. Web. tiger-town.com/whatnot/updike/

Exercise Your College Reading Skills

Exercise Your College Reading Skills Your college career depends largely on your ability to read well. However, its a fact that some of the most brilliant minds, including Albert Einstein, were not great readers. You may be frustrated if you understand advanced material but have trouble getting it from the page into your brain. Here are some tips on how to improve your reading skills and your grades. Indulge in Pleasure Reading Daily Sure, you spend most of your day reading textbooks and other course-related content. It is hoped that you enjoy at least some of what youre reading. However, set aside some time before bed to read something you truly enjoy. Choose a magazine, chick lit, a classic novel, or the hottest creative nonfiction. When youre engaged in what youre reading, youll be more attentive and naturally improve your reading skills. Allow Enough Time Scheduling regular study times throughout the week is a good idea anyway, but particularly if you find reading challenging. Leaving all of your reading assignments for the last minute makes you feel pressured to fly through the material, which is never good for deep understanding or long-term memorization. Read While You Listen Listening to an audiobook as you follow along with a print version can be an enjoyable experience. While it may sound like overkill, this double-input method is a great way to improve weaker reading skills. Hearing the words pronounced aloud as you read them will improve your retention of vocabulary and your comprehension. Just be sure that your audiobook is an unabridged version; otherwise, you may have a hard time skipping ahead to the right spot in your book. Read to Yourself You may not have access to a recorded version of your school texts. If your roommate is gone frequently or tends to wear headphones a lot, try reading aloud as you study. Hearing the words may increase your comprehension and retention of the material. Use a Reading App It may contradict what weve said above, but if youre an average reader, pronouncing words in your head as you read may slow you down. After all, you have the capacity to read words far faster than you can speak them. Therefore, while some people have reading difficulties that respond best to vocalization, others do better to quiet the voice in their head. An app like Syllable can actually teach you how to become a speed-reader. Eliminate Distractions Online Who can read when there are ads, links, pictures of cats, and other distractions on the margins of a webpage? Install a browser add-on or plugin that allows you to read a clean version of the primary content. Youll read faster and remember more of what you read. Use a Dictionary or Thesaurus If you understand every word that you read in college textbooks, youre probably a professor by now. Dont just skip over unfamiliar words. That one definition may clarify an entire paragraph. Make sure you have a dictionary or thesaurus site or app nearby whenever youre reading. Take Care of Your Eyes Even though youre young, youre staring at screens and pages for hours a day. Human eyes simply werent designed for so much effort. If you struggle even the slightest bit with reading, be sure to get an eye exam. Glasses or contacts might make a huge difference in your reading ability. Furthermore, dry eyes are a common affliction today, so always have a bottle of artificial tears on hand. You blink less when you stare at a computer screen, so youll need to replenish that lost moisture regularly. The more comfortable your eyes are, the better youll be at reading. Some people are natural-born readers, but that doesnt mean that you cant improve your skills significantly. Get into good reading habits and make use of the tools that are available to you. When you can read well, you can accomplish anything.

City of Worcester Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

City of Worcester Report - Assignment Example A critical review of the literature on the aforementioned will serve to outline the nature of tourism marketing and, in so doing, identify the core objectives and components of the City of Worcester's tourism marketing plan. The report will conclude with a set of best practice recommendations, specifically addressed to the City of Worcester. Branding is a managed process to serve consumers, create identity for goods and services, and differentiate goods and services from competitors (Kotler, 1994; Kapferer, 1997). Branding is a powerful means for creating competitive advantages in marketing corporations, products, and services. Cai (2002) acknowledged that branding is the single most important objective of marketing today. The ability to create value by developing and maintaining the attributes that appeal to consumers emotionally has become a main focus of branding (Knowles, 2001). Therefore, branding refers to the process of transforming functional assets into relationship assets (Knowles, 2001) or the process of adding meaning to consumer products (Aaker, 1991). Branding has developed into a modern concept that can be applied to anything from products and services to companies, not-for-profit causes, and even countries (Clifton, 2003). Modern branding is concerned increasingly with assembling and maintaining a mix of values, both tangible and intangible, which are relevant to consumers and which meaningfully and appropriately distinguish one supplier's brand from that of another (Murphy, 1998). Emotional benefits over and above a product's functional benefits are emphasized increasingly in the branding process. Branding is a powerful means of differentiation, and differentiation is a significant competitive positioning strategy (Pappu, Quester, & Cooksey, 2005). Berry (2000) noted that "a brand reduces customers' perceived monetary, social, or safety risk in buying services, which are difficult to evaluate prior to purchase" (p. 128). Due to greater opportunities to visit a variety of destinations, places are becoming increasingly substitutable and difficult to differentiate (Pike, 2005). 2.1 Destination Branding Travel destinations, just like other consumer products, have had to turn to branding to identify and distinguish themselves and to convey a positive and motivating message (Aaker, 1991). Although branding is a relatively new concept in tourism marketing (Cai, 2002; Pike, 2005), branding's extension into tourism destination management is expanding (William, Gill, & Chura, 2004). Consumers increasingly recognize that a destination can also be a perceptual concept which can be interpreted subjectively through the experience process (Buhalis, 2000). A strong and lasting destination experience for tourists, if appropriately managed, can act as a foundation for building destination brands (Hall, 2002). Buhalis (2000) states that destinations offer an amalgam of tourism products and services which are subsumed under the name of destination brand. Also, Murphy, Pritchard, and Smith (2000) noted that a tourism