Englishwriing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Englishwriing - Essay Example In contrast to other writers of his generation Tolstoy was connected with noble families of Russian aristocracy, who had brilliant French pronunciation and manners. At the same time he was a person full of antagonism. When Leo was nine he became an orphan. Tolstoy's upbringing was in the hands of Madam Egorsky. Having lost the parents Tolstoy became a rather difficult child. He was naughty boy with unexpected deeds, thoughts, ideas, but very kind-hearted (Derrick Leon, 1944, p. 54). Tolstoy began the literary work at the age of twenty. Being so young the author already had the dismissal from today's literary cannon. He always kept in mind the agonizing doubts between the dream and reality. It became the initial question that came through all his creative life. During his whole life Leo Tolstoy kept a diary. In 1852 the strict analisys of himself and surrounding left the bounderies of the diary and became a literary masterpiece. The author wrote his trilogy - "Childhood", "Boyhood" and "Youth". It was a work about different epoches in the life of every person. Up to Tolstoy it was considered that a human beeing was developing from simple level to complicated one. Every next step of his spiritual experience exceeded and canceled the privious one. We grew and our childhood left us forever. Up to Tolstoy the unit of measurement of a literary hero was his complex character. The Russian writer categorically denied such a view point. Beeing a seventy-six year-old man Tolstoy wrote: "If you ask me how I can perceive myself as a child, a youth and a grown-up paying no attention to time, I will answer you that I who combines a child, a young man and a chap is the answer" (Leo Tolstoy, 2005, p. 117). In his first novel "Childhood" he used the facts that he had gone through and the feelings that he felt deeply. In other words it was the spiritual autobiography of the Russian writer. The main hero of the novel was Nikolay Irtenyev. Everyone could see that the hero had a complex character. On the one hand the boy couldn't concentrate his attention on something particular, he wanted everyone to pay attention to him, he was selfish and easily carried away. On the other hand Nikolay was sensitive, shy and wanted to rank high among others. The Count Leo Tolstoy had the same features of character in his childhood. Tolstoy's aunt Yushkina was a very rich and noble madam with wide established relations. The best society of Kazan city enjoyed the time in her house. She dreamt of her famous nephews to become diplomats and aide-de-camp to the Emperor. The aunt was also sure that Leo Tolstoy should have relations with a woman of property and influence. At that time Leo's childhood was over. The second period of his life began. It was adolescence. Under such circumstances the writer changed a lot. Tolstoy wrote the second meaningful novel "Boyhood" where he used a technique of psychological analysis, which was to become his personal literary weapon. The inner world of Nikolay Irtenyev again resembled the inner world of the great writer. Unexpected emotions and almost arbitrary changes of mood reigned in the boy's soul. Dreams poisoned his mind at every opportunity. Causeless tears and irritation told about shattered , too sensible nerves inherited from the

High Feeding Costs Limit Dive Time Essay Example for Free

High Feeding Costs Limit Dive Time Essay Despite their massive appearance, the largest whales (and also the largest predators) have shorter dive time compared to other smaller fishes. Our hypothesis is that ‘lunge-feeding’ (the whales’ feeding behavior), is energetically expensive resulting to inability to dive at lower depths and at longer time intervals. This study is aimed at determining how and why the largest whales exhibit shorter dives by examining how lunge-feeding affects their behavior and dive duration. Methods In order to determine how and why the largest whales exhibit shorter dive times compared to other fishes, we have to study how its lunge-feeding behavior affects whales’ overall behavior and their dive time limit. In gathering data, we used remote sensing techniques. In this experiment, we used the TDR â€Å"time/depth recorders† technique since it is the most applicable method considering that the subjects were not in a controlled environment. The TDRs actually recorded the oxygen level of each tagged whale. After some time, the TDRs were collected and the results were analyzed through specialized software that translates the data from the TDRs. Results showed that the whales move faster when at the ascent (or climbing) portion of the dive while it showed that whales move significantly slower during descent. Recovery time spent at the surface was also viewed as an important factor in determining the effect of lunge-feeding. Our tests showed that there is a correlation between the number of lunges and the time spent recovering at the surface. Finally, using optimality models, we were able to compare the results of the actual study to the predicted outcome. The result was a common cost for lunge dives which indicated the high energy cost during lunge dives resulting to shorter dive duration. Results and Discussion Results of this experiment showed that there is a relationship between the number of lunges and the surface recovery intervals. The TDR analysis showed that whales move faster during ascent and move significantly slower when at descent. This indicated that lunge-feeding is energetically expensive. We were able to measure the high energy cost of lunge-feeding using the remote sensing technique. Whales usually recover at the surface after each dive and the length of stay at the surface is relative to the number of lunges it makes during the dive. The more lunges the whales make during feeding, the more time it spent at the surface for recovery. The optimality models showed the relative differences between the lunging-costly model versus the no-cost model. In the lunging-costly model, observed forage depths, vertical speed, number of lunges, time spent recovering at the surface, are some of the variables that were examined to provide an outright solution. Conclusion Based on the results of this experiment, it has been found out that lunge-feeding in large whales is an energetically expensive activity. Using the TDR technique to record the energy cost of lunge, we were able to deduce that the more lunges a whale makes, the more time it spends recovering at the surface, usually regaining oxygen levels. Therefore, the high energy requirements of lunge-feeding limit the dive time and depth of dive in large whales. Reference: Acevedo-Gutierrez, A. , Croll, D. A. , and Tershy, B. R. (2002). â€Å"High Feeding Costs Limit Dive Time in the Largest Whales†. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 205, 1747-1753.

Types Of Crisis With Special Reference Management Essay

Types Of Crisis With Special Reference Management Essay Natural crises, typically natural disasters considered as acts of God, are such environmental phenomena as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes and hurricanes, floods, landslides, tsunamis, storms, and droughts that threaten life, property, and the environment itself. Example: 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (Tsunami) Technological crises Technological crises are caused by human application of science and technology. Technological accidents inevitably occur when technology becomes complex and coupled and something goes wrong in the system as a whole (Technological breakdowns). Some technological crises occur when human error causes disruptions (Human breakdowns). People tend to assign blame for a technological disaster because technology is subject to human manipulation whereas they do not hold anyone responsible for natural disaster. When an accident creates significant environmental damage, the crisis is categorized as mega damage. Samples include software failures, industrial accidents, and oil spills. Examples: Chernobyl disaster, Exxon Valdez oil spill Confrontation crises Confrontation crises occur when discontented individuals and/or groups fight businesses, government, and various interest groups to win acceptance of their demands and expectations. The common type of confrontation crises is boycotts, and other types are picketing, sit-ins, ultimatums to those in authority, blockade or occupation of buildings, and resisting or disobeying police. Example: Rainbow/PUSHs (People United to Serve Humanity) boycott of Nike Crises of malevolence An organization faces a crisis of malevolence when opponents or miscreant individuals use criminal means or other extreme tactics for the purpose of expressing hostility or anger toward, or seeking gain from, a company, country, or economic system, perhaps with the aim of destabilizing or destroying it. Sample crises include product tampering, kidnapping, malicious rumors, terrorism, and espionage. Example: 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders Crises of organizational misdeeds Crises occur when management takes actions it knows will harm or place stakeholders at risk for harm without adequate precautions. Lerbinger specified three different types of crises of organizational misdeeds: crises of skewed management values, crises of deception, and crises of management misconduct. Crises of skewed management values Crises of skewed management values are caused when managers favor short-term economic gain and neglect broader social values and stakeholders other than investors. This state of lopsided values is rooted in the classical business creed that focuses on the interests of stockholders and tends to disregard the interests of its other stakeholders such as customers, employees, and the community. Example: Sears sacrifices customer trust Crises of deception Crises of deception occur when management conceals or misrepresents information about itself and its products in its dealing with consumers and others. Example: Dow Cornings silicone-gel breast implant Crises of management misconduct Some crises are caused not only by skewed values and deception but deliberate amorality and illegality. Workplace violence Crises occur when an employee or former employee commits violence against other employees on organizational grounds. Example: DuPonts Lycra Rumors False information about an organization or its products creates crises hurting the organizations reputation. Sample is linking the organization to radical groups or stories that their products are contaminated. Example: Procter Gambles Logo controversy Government and crisis management Historically, government at all levels local, state, and national has played a large role in crisis management. Indeed, many political philosophers have considered this to be one of the primary roles of government. Emergency services, such as fire and police departments at the local level, and the United States National Guard at the federal level, often play integral roles in crisis situations. To help coordinate communication during the response phase of a crisis, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the Department of Homeland Security administers the National Response Plan (NRP). This plan is intended to integrate public and private response by providing a common language and outlining a chain-of-command when multiple parties are mobilized. It is based on the premise that incidences should be handled at the lowest organizational level possible. The NRP recognizes the private sector as a key partner in domestic incident management, particularly in the area of critical infrastructure protection and restoration. The NRP is a companion to the National Incidence Management System that acts as a more general template for incident management regardless of cause, size, or complexity. FEMA offers free web-based training on the National Response Plan through the Emergency Management Institute. Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) is a relatively recent mechanism that facilitates crisis communication across different mediums and systems. CAP helps create a consistent emergency alert format to reach geographically and linguistically diverse audiences through both audio and visual mediums. Elected officials and crisis management Historically, politics and crisis go hand-in-hand. In describing crisis, President Abraham Lincoln said, We live in the midst of alarms, anxiety beclouds the future; we expect some new disaster with each newspaper we read. Crisis management has become a defining feature of contemporary governance. In times of crisis, communities and members of organizations expect their public leaders to minimize the impact of the crisis at hand, while critics and bureaucratic competitors try to seize the moment to blame incumbent rulers and their policies. In this extreme environment, policy makers must somehow establish a sense of normality, and foster collective learning from the crisis experience. In the face of crisis, leaders must deal with the strategic challenges they face, the political risks and opportunities they encounter, the errors they make, the pitfalls they need to avoid, and the paths away from crisis they may pursue. The necessity for management is even more significant with the advent of a 24-hour news cycle and an increasingly internet-savvy audience with ever-changing technology at its fingertips. Public leaders have a special responsibility to help safeguard society from the adverse consequences of crisis. Experts in crisis management note that leaders who take this responsibility seriously would have to concern themselves with all crisis phases: the incubation stage, the onset, and the aftermath. Crisis leadership then involves five critical tasks: sense making, decision making, meaning making, terminating, and learning. A brief description of the five facets of crisis leadership includes: Sense making may be considered as the classical situation assessment step in decision making. 2. Decision making is both the act of coming to a decision as the implementation of that decision. 3. Meaning making refers to crisis management as political communication. 4. Terminating a crisis is only possible if the public leader correctly handles the accountability question. 5. Learning, refers to the actual learning from a crisis is limited. The authors note, a crisis often opens a window of opportunity for reform for better or for worse. Models and theories associated with crisis management Crisis Management Model Successfully defusing a crisis requires an understanding of how to handle a crisis before they occur. Gonzalez- Herrero and Pratt found the different phases of Crisis Management. There are 3 phases in any Crisis Management are as below 1. The diagnosis of the impending trouble or the danger signals. 2. Choosing appropriate Turnaround Strategy. 3. Implementation of the change process and its monitoring. Management Crisis Planning No corporation looks forward to facing a situation that causes a significant disruption to their business, especially one that stimulates extensive media coverage. Public scrutiny can result in a negative financial, political, legal and government impact. Crisis management planning deals with providing the best response to a crisis. Contingency planning Preparing contingency plans in advance, as part of a crisis management plan, is the first step to ensuring an organization is appropriately prepared for a crisis. Crisis management teams can rehearse a crisis plan by developing a simulated scenario to use as a drill. The plan should clearly stipulate that the only people to speak publicly about the crisis are the designated persons, such as the company spokesperson or crisis team members. The first hours after a crisis breaks are the most crucial, so working with speed and efficiency is important, and the plan should indicate how quickly each function should be performed. When preparing to offer a statement externally as well as internally, information should be accurate. Providing incorrect or manipulated information has a tendency to backfire and will greatly exacerbate the situation. The contingency plan should contain information and guidance that will help decision makers to consider not only the short-term consequences, but the long-term effects of every decision. Business continuity planning When a crisis will undoubtedly cause a significant disruption to an organization, a business continuity plan can help minimize the disruption. First, one must identify the critical functions and processes that are necessary to keep the organization running. Then each critical function and or/ process must have its own contingency plan in the event that one of the functions/processes ceases or fails. Testing these contingency plans by rehearsing the required actions in a simulation will allow for all involved to become more sensitive and aware of the possibility of a crisis. As a result, in the event of an actual crisis, the team members will act more quickly and effectively. Structural-functional systems theory Providing information to an organization in a time of crisis is critical to effective crisis management. Structural-functional systems theory addresses the intricacies of information networks and levels of command making up organizational communication. The structural-functional theory identifies information flow in organizations as networks made up of members and links. Information in organizations flow in patterns called networks. Diffusion of innovation theory Another theory that can be applied to the sharing of information is Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Developed by Everett Rogers, the theory describes how innovation is disseminated and communicated through certain channels over a period of time. Diffusion of innovation in communication occurs when an individual communicates a new idea to one or several others. At its most elementary form, the process involves: (1) an innovation, (2) an individual or other unit of adoption that has knowledge of or experience with using the innovation, (3) another individual or other unit that does not yet have knowledge of the innovation, and (4) a communication channel connecting the two units. A communication channel is the means by which messages get from one individual to another. Unequal human capital theory James postulates that organizational crisis can result from discrimination lawsuits. Jamess theory of unequal human capital and social position derives from economic theories of human and social capital concluding that minority employees receive fewer organizational rewards than those with access to executive management. In a recent study of managers in a Fortune 500 company, race was found to be a predictor of promotion opportunity or lack thereof. Thus, discrimination lawsuits can invite negative stakeholder reaction, damage the companys reputation, and threaten corporate survival. Social media and crisis management Social media has accelerated the speed that information about a crisis can spread. The viral affect of social networks such as Twitter means that stakeholders can break news faster than traditional media making managing a crisis harder. This can be mitigated by having the right training and policy in place as well as the right social media monitoring tools to detect signs of a crisis breaking. Social media also gives crisis management teams access to real-time information about how a crisis is impacting stakeholder sentiment and the issues that are of most concern to them. Public Distribution System (PDS) The Public Distribution System (PDS) in India is an important public intervention for enhancing food security. The PDS provides subsidised food grains (and other essential commodities) through a network of fair price shops. Until 1992 access to the PDS was, at least in theory if not in practice, universal. Corruption and high operational costs were among the reasons that were used to justify the move to the Revamped Public Distribution System (based on a principle of geographic targeting) in tribal, arid, hill and remote areas in 1992 and then to a Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in 1997. Under the TPDS, households were classi ¬Ã‚ ed as Above Poverty Line (APL) or Below Poverty Line (BPL), based on the economic status of households. BPL households continued to receive subsidised food grains through the TPDS whereas subsidies for APL households have been gradually phased out. The impact of these changes can be evaluated on several criteria including selection into or exclusion from the TPDS, utilisation of PDS quotas, e ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ect on the consumption patterns and so on. Correct identi ¬Ã‚ cation could mean that the programme may have improved in terms of better targeted subsidies. Access to cheap food grain could make a more diversi ¬Ã‚ ed and nutritious diet a ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ordable for poor households. Much depends, however, on the actual functioning of the PDS on the ground. Those with BPL cards made repeated trips to ration shop that were often quite far and queued in order to enjoy this small subsidy. In spite o this, they rarely got their full entitlement of 35kg. Having spent some time at ratio shops, I noticed that they were often cheated by their PDS dealer. Those who were aware of being cheated often complained to me, but did not protest in front of the PDS dealer. I find that though BPL cards have generally been given to the poorer households in the sample, utilisation is low. Among those who have access to the TPDS, one-third of the sample households do not utilise their quota at all and another half do not utilise their quota fully. Further, many of these households purchase the same items from the market at higher prices. This puzzle of under-purchase (purchasing less than ones entitlement and yet purchasing from the market at a higher price) from the PDS is examined using a dual pricing model. The dual-pricing model provides a framework within which government intervention in the wheat market and its associated problems can be analysed. However, in order to account for under-purchase from the PDS and related patterns, the standard dual-pricing model needs to be extended to take into account additional factors such as transaction costs, uncertainty, and quality variations. There could be various reasons for low utilisation levels. Demand-side bottlenecks include cash- ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ow problems (that is, households may not have cash when foodgrain is available in government ration shops), inappropriate foodgrains being supplied through the PDS, and so on. There are also supply-side constraints in the form of diversion to the open market or just irregular functioning of ration shops. The article also examines the impact of the PDS on consumption patterns. While the PDS does not have much impact on the level of cereal consumption, it seems to a ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ect the composition of cereal consumption. Speci ¬Ã‚ cally, the TPDS tilts cereal consumption of households towards wheat , away from coarse cereals. This is possibly a matter of concern, since coarse cereals are generally more nutritious than wheat. Problems which headed in PDS Free Amenities Free Supplies: Many family card or ration card holders dont go to the Fair Price Shops to get the goods or benefits which is eligible to them. As a result rice, wheat, sugar, kerosene or any other form of PDS which needs to be settled or handed over to the real beneficiary is not properly distributed. Still there are issues of hoarding and creation of black markets. The one who deserves is deprived of the benefits. The Govt.s prime motive is to eradicate death which occurs due to starvation and poverty. As a result it was decided to introduce subsidized PDS goods and free PDS goods. Later on this PDS was taken as a political strategy by politicians for their success in elections As a result of providing free amenities and free PDS people become lazy. They dont go for any form of employment especially, marginalized sections of the people. In the case of a SSI or Tiny sector which is labour intensive in nature face the heat or crisis in the form of short supply of labour. The amount which is being spent from the States Treasury for PDS Free Amenities results in price rise for other articles, goods and services in the form of taxation and setting off the amount which has been infused / spended in the PDS Free Amenities. Due to short supply of labour and due to power crisis which is now seen in many parts of India the GDP with regard to manufacturing sector has declined. At present due to failure of monsoon and uneven monsoon rains the kharif crops are destroyed. This has resulted in a heavy loss to the farmers and this lead to reduced supply of food grains and increased prices in the market. Now this particular free PDS cannot apply due to short supply of grains. Now the people who are unemployed or underemployed face the crisis as they have enjoyed free benefits throughout these years. They dont have the mindset to go in search for any other alternative employment opportunities. These free amenities made people more greedy Suggestions to solve the crisis which was created due to free PDS free amenities: The BPL(Below Poverty Line) should be provided with these benefits. Proper survey and field work should be conducted to know the population which is in the BPL. It is better to reduce the issue of PDS to APL (Above Poverty Line) and at a later stage it is advisable to eradicate this PDS to APL as they prove to be self sufficient with their earnings. Free PDS other amenities should be provided to the marginalized sections of the society based on a condition that atleast one person either male / female in a family should make themselves employed in any organized or unorganized sector. Awareness camps on health, stress management and necessity of being employed should be given. If the above said measures were put into effect then the scarce supply of labour can be reduced. Crisis of Malevolence: Organizations face crisis of malevolence when some notorious employees take the help of criminal activities and extreme steps to fulfill their demands. Acts like kidnapping companys officials, false rumours all lead to crisis of malevolence. Malevolence Employees who behave illegally or unethically act with malevolence. Intentional harm to an individual or company is malevolence. This type of crises includes security breaches, product tampering, sabotage, extortion, lawsuits and employee scandals. Malevolence outside of an organization may include kidnapping, assault or spreading rumors. Malevolence may refer to: Evil Hostility Malice (law) Sadism Security breach An act from outside an organization that bypasses or contravenes security policies, practices, or procedures. A similar internal act is called security violation. Broadly speaking, a security breach is a violation of any policy or law that is designed to secure something. When people or vehicles bypass screening checkpoints, or enter secure buildings without presenting the appropriate credentials, security breaches are generally obvious. Less obvious are security breaches that involve data or information. In a data context, a security breach is any activity that compromises the confidential nature of certain information. Most of the time, what is or is not a security breach is defined by law. Statutes in many countries set out security measures for any number of things, from border crossings to data sharing and electronic commerce transactions. A breach is usually defined as any action, intentional or otherwise, that weakens a certain defined security interest. The best-known security breaches typically cause some noticeable harm. An airport security breach that allows a passenger to board a plane with a weapon, or a data loss that leads to identity theft are clear examples. Under most security breach laws, however, harm is not always a requirement. The threat of harm, or likelihood of harm, is usually enough. Product Tampering, the unauthorized altering of a consumer product without the knowledge of the products owner or eventual user, is almost always treated as a threat to human health or safety, because it typically changes the contents of ingested products, such as foods or drugs, in a harmful manner. An exception to this pattern is fraudulently decreasing the odometer settings on used automobiles in an effort to increase the apparent value of a vehicle to a prospective buyer. Product tampering began in the 1890s. An especially bad case was the cyanide poisoning of Bromo Seltzer containers. The worst case of product tampering in America in the twentieth century happened in Chicago in 1982, when poison placed in packages of Tylenol killed seven people. Congress responded with the Federal Anti-Tampering Act of 1983, making it a crime to tamper with products or to make false claims of tampering. Tampering motives have included revenge, financial gain, and publicity for various causes. Ta mpering incidents have triggered false reports and copycat cases, both of which occurred in 1993 in response to a fabricated story that syringes were found in Pepsi-Cola cans. To combat tampering, manufacturers use science and technology to generate tamper-evident packaging and DNA testing to identify suspected tamperers. Sabotage is a form of subversion which involves deliberate damage, interference, or disruption. In a classic example, ecological activists have disabled the engines of logging equipment in the Pacific Northwest to prevent loggers from working at various points in history. There are a number of different forms of sabotage, all of which are designed to obstruct an activity in some way, creating chaos and often generating economic problems as people struggle to resolve the damage. Many people are not familiar with the true origins of this word, although they may be acquainted with the folk etymology, which claims that the term is derived from the practice of throwing wooden shoes known as sabots into the workings of machines. Though a charming idea, this is not, in fact correct. Sabotage actually comes from the French word saboter, which means to walk clumsily, a reference to the self-same sabots discussed above; the term is actually meant to describe the work stoppage and disruption created by sabotage. One of the most infamous forms is military sabotage, in which saboteurs penetrate the defenses of an enemy and attempt to disrupt weapons systems, military strategy, and so forth. Sometimes, damage comes from within, with rebels sabotaging the military of their own nations in an attempt to help the enemy gain the upper hand. It can also take a political form, in which case it is primarily carried out through well-timed media releases and comments which are designed to undermine opposing political campaigns. Extortion is a crime that involves the illegal acquisition of money, property, or favors through the use of force, or the threat of force. Historically, the term was defined as an abuse of privilege on the part of a public official who used his or her position to get money or favors, but today, people at all levels of society could potentially commit extortion. Penalties vary, depending on the specifics of the crime. In some countries, it is treated especially seriously because it is linked with organized crime, and sometimes special laws are designed to make it easier to prosecute and punish extortion. To the casual ear, extortion can sound very similar to blackmail, in which people use a threat to demand payments or favors, and robbery, in which a criminal takes something by force. However, extortion is slightly different from both of these crimes. In blackmail, someone threatens to do something which is entirely legal, such as publishing a set of photographs, with the blackmailee offering payment to avoid exposure and humiliation. Extortion is entirely illegal, as it involves threats of violence or other illegal acts. A lawsuit or (very rarely) suit in law is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendants actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiffs complaint. If the plaintiff is successful, judgment is in the plaintiffs favor, and a variety of court orders may be issued to enforce a right, award damages, or impose a temporary or permanent injunction to prevent an act or compel an act. A declaratory judgment may be issued to prevent future legal disputes. Although not as common, lawsuit may also refer to a criminal action, criminal proceeding, or criminal claim. A lawsuit may involve dispute resolution of private law issues between individuals, business entities or non-profit organizations. A lawsuit may also enable the state to be treated as if it were a private party in a civil case, as plaintiff, or defendant regarding an injury, or may provide the state with a civil cause of action to enforce certain laws. The conduct of a lawsuit is called litigation. One who has a tendency to litigate rather than seek non-judicial remedies is called litigious.The plaintiffs and defendants are called litigants and the attorneys representing them are called litigators. When Good Employees Do Bad: Seven Behaviors that May Precede a Scandal by David Gebler Good intentions can lead to bad outcomes in business. This is  especially true in organizations that have toxic cultures in which  leaders tout worthy valuesand then put up roadblocks that prevent  employees from living those values. The GSA scandal provides an apt example. With all the rampant spending  at the GSA, one has to ask if employees were afraid to speak up, lest  they upset their coworkers. Or perhaps they had become complacent in  an upbeat, backslapping culture that rewarded everyone early, often, and extravagantly. Time will tell. In the case of the GSA, the good  intention of employeesto be a solid team playerled to a very bad  result. But its poor leadership that created that toxic culture and  allowed it to drag good employees down. Gebler says desirable behaviors such as being team players (as in the  case of the GSA), or even meeting deadlines, being goal-oriented, and  staying on budget can get distorted and become destructive in a  company driven by weak leadership values and a weak culture. Thats  because leadership values drive success, not employee behaviors. When we look at companies that have faced scandals such as recalls,  ethical violations, or crimes, the problem often comes down to  employees whose surprisingly positive behavior was distorted by a  toxic culture and clueless leaders. Here are seven seemingly benign  behaviors that may come back to bite a company if they become  exaggerated and throw the organization out of alignment: Blind loyalty to the team. Loyalty is a good thing, right? Not when it  creates a culture of I know this is bad, but its not my decision.  The unethical spending at the GSA was a symptom of leadership without  values. Employees were rewarded with lavish perks provided by managers  who had their own interests at heart. This created a culture in which  employees received the greatest benefit by staying loyal to their  coworkers and generous bosses, rather than questioning their actions. Commitment to meeting deadlines. One would think that a company where  employees are encouraged to meet deadlines and rewarded for doing so  consistently would lead to super-productivity and efficiency. In fact,  it can lead to disaster. At Johnson Johnson, the understood  directive to get product to market on tough deadlines created a  culture of Dont ask too many questions and resulted in a series of  dangerous drug recalls that badly sullied the companys reputation. Excessive optimism. When a person is sick, optimism can buoy his  spirits and help healing. When a company is unhealthy, Everything is  going to be okay is not what you need to hear from those in authority  positions. Take David Myers, former controller of WorldCom. By his own account, he saw the problems of the now-defunct company through  rose-colored glasses. He simply kept believing-and telling his  frightened staff-that the problems would resolve themselves  eventually. By the time he came to his senses, he was under arrest for  accounting fraud. Staying focused on a goal.  Telling employees to keep their eye on the prize is not intrinsically a bad thing. But when the goal becomes more important to management  than the underlying values of the organization, it can lead to a  dysfunctional culture. For example, in the 1990s, Sears gave its auto  repair mechanics a mandatory sales goal of $147 per hour. It wasnt  long before customers began to be overcharged or sold unnecessary  repairs. Having a competitive mindset. Boeing is known for its highly  competitive employees and work culture. Thats a good thing, right?  Not so in 1996, when the company lost billions in government contracts  for ethics violations after an employee stole 25,000 pages of  proprietary documents from Lockheed. Flash forward to 2005, when  employees were still so competitive that their own work teams were  known to keep useful information secret from other teams in the  company to make sure they stayed on top. Too much competition can  erode cultural values, leading to disaster. Sticking to a budget. Most managers would be thrilled if their  employees were doggedly determined to stay on budget and not cost the  company any unnecessary money. But a good intention can go bad when  financial performance becomes the only metric that matters. That was  the case, many believe, behind the fatal mistake made on the BP oil  platform in the Gulf. Before the explosion in April 2012 caused by a  safety shortcut, BPs Macondo project was more than $40 million over  budget. You know the rest. Wanting to please higher

Waterford Crystal A Case Analysis :: essays research papers

Waterford Crystal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Waterford Glass was started by two brothers, George and William Penrose, in 1783. It was the most notable of all Irish crystal companies. In 1799, the Penrose brothers sold Waterford Glass to the Gatchell family. The crystal industry was prosperous until 1825. Irish glass manufacturers began to slowly close due to high export duties, the economic depression, and a lack of capital. Waterford Glass was the last to close in 1851. It was reestablished nearly a century later by Charles Bacik and Bernard Fitzpatrick. In 1947, they set up a factory in Waterford, Ireland.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A turning point in the company's history came in 1950 when Joe McGrath made a sizable investment in Waterford Glass. He invested the capital needed to convert the small crystal manufacturing company into one with the potential to become a major player in the crystal industry. This investment gave his family control for the next thirty-five years. Joe McGrath was committed to Ireland and providing jobs for his country. He wanted to reduce the country's high unemployment level. His focus for Waterford Glass was on growing the company through exports to the United States. In 1966, Joe McGrath's son, Paddy McGrath, took over management of Waterford Glass. Like his father, he was dedicated to Ireland and to providing employment opportunities for the Irish. McGrath's quest to provide more jobs for the Irish led him to diversify the company. By 1983, the company had acquired more than thirty non-core businesses. To reflect the expansion, management changed the company's name to Waterford Glass Group. In 1985, Paddy McGrath resigned as chairman of Waterford Glass.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Concurrent with Paddy McGrath's resignation, Paddy Hayes was appointed chairman and CEO of Waterford Glass Group. He immediately began to sell off the non-core businesses in an effort to reduce the company's high debt level. Waterford Glass's debt was virtually eliminated with the issue of American Depository Shares (ADS) on the United States NASDAQ market. On November 28, 1986, Waterford Glass acquired Wedgwood, a two hundred year old manufacturer and marketer of fine bone china. Paddy Hayes was named the chairman and CEO of both companies and Paddy Byrne was appointed CEO of Wedgwood. In 1989, the company's name was changed to Waterford Wedgwood. Three divisions were created as a result of this acquisition: the Waterford Crystal division, the Wedgwood division, and the Creative Tableware division. In 1989, Paddy Hayes resigned from his position as chairman and CEO of Waterford

Somali Movement

The initial opposing party to Barre's regime was conducted by the officers in the army after his defeated in Ogden war in 1977, some of them were sentenced and others escaped to Ethiopia and established the first opposing front called â€Å"Somali salvation Democratie Frof† (SSDF), as well as the immigrants of Ishaq tribe in England established â€Å"Somali National Movement† (SNM). Later in 1989, the United Somali Movement was formed by Hawiya tribe and controlled Mogadishu. The next year about (100) politicians signed a document demanding Barre to resign and appointing a transitional government. In 1991, the Somali Congress Forces (SCF) led by Mohammed Farah Aidid defeated the government forces, however Barre coerced to escape to â€Å"Gedo† near Kenyan borders. The ouster of Barre's government left behind a vacuum power which inspired the appetite of opposing groups to govern. An armed combat between (USC) commanders Mohammed Aidid and Ali Mahdi Mohammed to control of the capital. The fighting lasted for 100 days and the number of the victims was estimated about (30.000) thousands. On the meantime, the (SNM) proclaimed independence under the name of Somaliland. In 1992, a cease fire between Aidid and Ali Mehdi was a greed, and no one controlled the capital which amplify the gap between the north and the south. The United Nation Operation in Somalia I (UNOSOM I) was establish in 1992 to maintain ceasefire and support humanitarian relief efforts (Khaleji, 2007). Unfortunately, the ceasefire was ignored and fighting nonstop. In 1992, about (350.000) Somali died due to illness, hunger and civil war. The US established multinational forces to secure humanitarian processes and it became United Task Force (UNITF) after approving by Security Council. In March 1993, the United Nation operation in Somalia II (UNOSOM II) started to reconstruct Somali state and economy. They withdraw in 1995 after having incurred causalities. In 1995, the military combat between local parties became less intense. Aidid stated himself as a president of the Somalia without getting any recognition. His forces occupied Daidoa. In 1996, Ali Mehdi elected as a chairman of the United Somali Congress and Somali Calvation Alliance (USC//SSA). In the same year, Aidid died of his wounds. In 2000, Ali Mehdi lost votes to Abdulqasim Salad Hasssan. In the same year, the transitional national government (TNG) was established because of Somali National Arta Conference in Djibouti. In 2004, the Transitional Federal Government was established in Nairobi. In 2006, a clash between U.S backed militia leaders and Islamic Courts Union (ICU) which won the combat and controlled most of the Southern Somalia (Dresso,2009). Thus, Ethiopia entered Somalia as allies to (TFG) against (ICU). The next year president Abdullah control Mogadishu and US began strike against al-Qaida. In 2010, al-Shabaab declared a coalition with al-Qaida and attacked the capital. In the same year, the famine killed about 260,000 people. In 2012, the Federal Government of Somalia was established. In 2013, US recognized the Somali government for the first time since 1991. In the same year and the next, al-Shabaab conducted some attack operations against Kenya like what happened in November a mass killing in north-east Kenya. In 2016, the African Union leaders agreed to raise their troops and support their military to deteriorate al-Shabaab. In 2017, Mohammed Abdullah selected as a president of Somalia. In October 2017, bombing killed about 350 people in Mogadishu. In march 2018, about 18 citizens were killed and 22 others injured because of blast close to hotel in Mogadishu.

Pump and Dump: The Rancid Rules of the New Economy Essay

                  Mr. CEO was very efficient when he requested a report on the study of organizational culture in the company. The shared knowledge in an organization concerning the rules, norms and values that shape the attitude, and the behaviors of the organization’s employees are termed as the organizational culture. Organization culture has its components in the business that helps the culture to be successful in its functioning. In addition, organization should have a strong culture and try its best ways to maintain the culture of efficiency in the organization business performance. An organization also develops different steps to ensure that the newcomers in the group will easily fate themselves in the organization culture. The study of organizational culture and change is discussed based on the theories in chapter14 of Wolf of Wall Street video.                  In this chapter, corporate culture has a number of facets that are derived from its definition, the key one being culture; that is the shared knowledge among the associates of the organization (Cameron11). Employees learn about the most vital aspects of the shared experience through other employees of the association. Moreover, culture being a common knowledge amongst the employees, this shows that members of the organization indeed understands and have a degree of consensus on the definition of culture. The second facet of the organizational culture is that culture informs the employees about the rules, norms, and values surrounding the organization and also helps the employees to answer some questions concerning the organization for instance; what kind of behaviors are appropriate or inappropriate at the workplace?                     The last facet of organizational culture is that it natures and reinforces confident employees attitude and acts by creating a structure of control over all the employees in the organization(Tillman18).Organizations have three chief components concerning their culture, and they include; observable relics, adopted values, and fundamental underlying notion. Group culture components are usually compared with the theory of an onion since some components are readily visible and apparent; these are denoted to be the skin of the onion since people can observe and make their understanding of the organization. While the other components that are inside the organization remains to be a mystery and are referred to be the inner part of the onion since it is until they peel off the cover in order to gauge the values and assumption that are beneath the organization.                  The first component that is the observable artifacts is manifested by the culture of the organization that the employees can easily see or talk about on their own. The artifacts supply the signals that are interpreted by the employees in order to gauge their personal behavior when working. In addition, the artifacts provide primary means of transmitting to the organization culture to its workforce. Artifacts are of different types that include; symbols that conveys the message to the people, physical structure; that are the buildings in the association and designs of the internal office. The last type of the artifacts is the rituals that are planned on weekly routines and practiced in the organization.                   The other component is espoused values, which include beliefs, philosophies, and norms. These values are explicitly stated by the great organization of companies, for example of an espoused value is the one found in the corporate constitution of Calgary-based EnCana Corporation. The last component is the basic underlying assumption which are the fixed beliefs and attitudes that are ingrained in order for the employees to act upon them rather than basing their questions on validity of their behavior in a specified situation. The assumptions represent the deepest and the minimum visible part of the acquired knowledge, and it may not be apparent even to the organizational veterans.                   The chapter14 of this movie describes organizational culture through its components and its culture along various dimensions (Harrison23). Organizations culture is characterized by two theories that are solidarity and sociability. The degree in which group members think and act similarly is termed as solidarity while sociability represents how employees show friendship to one another. On these two dimensions, lower organization experience both dimensions in a fragmented culture whereby employees are distant and disconnected from approaching each other. While, on that organization that has cultures in which employees think similarly, but they are unfriendly to each other, this culture is considered to be mercenary cultures and the organization are likely to be so political in nature.In addition, there is networked culture whereby employees are friendly to each other but thinks differently and does their work personally. The last organization culture is th e communal culture in which the organizational is built of the friendly employees who have the same thoughts in their actions.                  Not all organizations have high culture although most of the organization seems to strive for one culture. A high culture exists when its employees agree with the way things are supposed to run the organization, and their behavior should be subsequent to that expectation. Indeed, a high culture plays a role to unite and gives directions to the employees. Weak cultures originate due to disagreement among the employees on matters of how things are supposed to be done. This shows that it has nothing that it can add to the unity of the employees or even direct their attitudes and doings.                  In accordance to the chapter14 of the video, a culture is tested when the founders of the organization and the original employees start to novice and hire fresh members (Robbins9). If these new employees fail to fit in the organization, the culture weakens or differentiates. Two theories that can conspire to keep the culture strong that is through attrition or socialization. For example, in ASA framework, states that potential members will be fascinated by the organization whose cultures matches their character. This means that the some potential job candidates would not smear due to perceived dearth of fit. On the other hand socialization that is defined as primary process through which employees learn the social knowledge that higher them the understanding and adoption of the organization culture. This knowledge aids the employee to adopt quickly and specialize in the organization culture more readily than other new members.                After cultures are established and maintained in an organization, they tend to persist over a long time until bad news concerning the culture may occur (Lewis46). The bad news can lead to the culture failing to fit in the organization. In order to change a culture, there is the primary process that involves three phases that include, unfreezing; initiative can be amended, and refreezing. These steps would be based on the problems associated with the culture for example, if it is about unfreezing, the issues concerning the customer’s complaints on the product quality should be checked since it may trigger awareness about the company’s culture problems.                In assumption, according to the Wolf of Wall Street, organization acquired knowledge extremely contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. Organization culture theories aid the people to understand the organization since it conveys signals that are easily interpreted by the employees on their socialization. It would recommend that the company’s organizations to uphold their culture system since it equips the employees with excellent knowledge on their relationship with others in the workplace. References Cameron, Kim S, and Robert E. Quinn. Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture: Based on the Competing Values Framework. San Francisco, CA: Josser-Bass, 2011. Internet resource. Harrison, J R, and Glenn R. Carroll. Culture and Demography in Organizations. Princeton [u.a.: Princeton Univ. Press, 2006. Print. Lewis, Michael. Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt. , 2014. Print. Robbins, Stephen P, Aletta Odendaal, and G Roodt. Organisational Behaviour: Global and Southern African Perspectives. Cape Town: Pearson Education South Africa, 2003. Print. Tillman, Robert H, and Michael L. Indergaard. Pump and Dump: The Rancid Rules of the New Economy. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers Univ Press, 2008. Print. Source document

Everyone is left behind essays

Everyone is left behind essays The reauthorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary Schools Act, ESEA, crafted by Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy and recently signed into law by President George Bush with the wide and bipartisan support of Congress, The "No Child Left Behind Act" or NCLB is a monumental law that will affect virtually every aspect of public education for many years to come. The goal is pure and simple: to ensure that every student in the nation receives a good education. Keeping that promise is a tall order, and the president's supporters are fervent in their belief that the only way it can be done is by enforcing higher standards for all students through increased testing and tougher accountability for schools. To accomplish this, the NCLB addresses four principlesaccountability for students' academic achievement, local control of federal education dollars, parental involvement, and the implementation of scientifically proved programs and teaching methods. Schools will be held accountable for the academic achievement of all students. This year, states must create their own academic standards for what children in grades pre-K12 should know in mathematics and reading. Students' progress in these subjects will be monitored by standardized tests. In 200203, tests are required in three grade spans: grades 35, 69, and 1012. Starting with the 200506 school year, mathematics and reading tests will be administered annually in grades 3 through 8. NCLB also requires schools to submit annual state and district report cards. Administrators, teachers, parents, and policymakers, as well as state and local leaders, will receive this critical information. Schools that fail to meet state academic performance standards may be required to offer supplemental services and transportation to other schools, or may even face restructuring. States and local communities will have more flexibility to direct feder...