Challenges, problems and conflicts that may occur in teams Assignment The WritePass Journal

Challenges, problems and conflicts that may occur in teams Assignment Introduction Challenges, problems and conflicts that may occur in teams Assignment ) assert that emerging reliance on organized research is a weakness that has the potential to slow the progress research. Others have widely utilized the challenges to the teamwork concept over the course of the past generation to produce quick and successful project results (Eddy, Tannenbaum and Mathieu 2013). Personal experience has shown that by working with a team and by being a vital part of the effort to find miniscule details in several literary research projects, the team potential for effective decision making is markedly increased (Ibid).   During the challenge to identify specific passages that related to research in the texts,   team efforts aided during the process of wading through a wide range of literature. The experience and camaraderie increased positive feelings, which in turn served to further enhance the research results (Ibid).   Hackman (2011) identifies the clear challenge that the concept of   shared responsibility created between the collaboration group and the team enables a better decision making model. The very first challenge to the concept of teamwork is for management to weigh the effort of team formation versus the streamlined and much less complex individual application (Ibid). However, with only one person on the task, the likelihood of delay or detriment increases (Eddy, Tannenbaum and Mathieu 2013). This is a very effective argument for teams: redundancy. Teamwork has been found to increase the potential for success substantially (Murase, Doty, Wax, Dechurch, and Contractor 2012).   As technology evolves and more resources became available, teams have evolved past the simple construct into a much more complex creation that are commonly able to meet challenges that exist at the start up stage. However, a question that must be asked is if the effort of forming a team offset by the potential knowledge gained from the experience (Ibid)? If the decision can be better   accomplished   alone, the effort of creating a team is not worth the result. Organisational theory is utilized in the effort to streamline business and predict human behaviour that occurs in the organisational setting (Dyer,Dyer, and Dyer 2007).   Teamwork has become a growing challenge in this field as the strength of the potential for gain has been recognized in the business world (Ibid). The Contingency Theory argues that there is no best method to the creation of a team, but each situation is unique and must be fit to the individual application (Decostanza, Dirosa, Rogers, Slaughter, Estrada, and O. 2012). This is a primary challenge that must be addressed in every team operation process. Others cite the process of teamwork decision process as cumbersome and a burden to individual potential (Zingone, Franks, Guirguis, George, Howard-Thompson, and Heidel, R. 2010).   The challenge to the   teamwork decision making concept is that it has the potential to be as positive or detrimental as the members allow.   Personal experience has illustrated how te am decisions and course correction was essential due to the fact that the work simply could not be done by one or two people and benefited from the teams input (Ibid). Further, there were many points of view that required a varied field of knowledge, making team decisions essential.   Finally, the deadline was very short increasing the pressure, which the team was able to minimize (Decostanza et al 2012). It took a team decision that served to guide the project past the difficult points in order to achieving the target goal (Ibid).   A primary challenge from the outset of any team effort is morale and energy (Ibid). Another challenge to an effective team decision making is the creation of a cross functional working environment that will be conducive to supporting the entirety of the effort (Tohidi 2011).   The process of team process requires that the members know how to function and provide incentive (Ibid). Personal experience has demonstrated that   especially as a project begins to develop, the pressure creates issues that cause members of the team to leave, or splinter from the original.   This form of teamwork friction can turn a small issue into a major problem (Beatty et al 2012).   Challenges in this area include disputes over leadership positions which in turn hobbles the entire decision making process and serves to skew the research (Ibid). Beatty et al (2012) Identifies four particular challenges that must be addressed in order to enable a team decision making process to be successful: a) Appropriate formation b) Members are accountable for both individual and team work c) Assignment promotes team development d) Timely communication In each case, careful consideration before implementation has the potential to increase effectiveness consequently reducing issues (Ibid). The creation and implementation of an effective team is essential in the decision making process and is faced with many challenges as the group comes together to find a solution (Dyer et al 2007).   A primary hurdle facing a team is the initial assessment of which person will be best suited to which specific task within the scope of the project (Ibid). As Dyer et al (2007) Illustrates, the role determination at the outset can have a tremendous impact on the subsequent performance of the entire team.   Personal experience has demonstrated the fact that the right leader can make or break a team project from the very beginning (Ibid). Further, primary challenge that the leader will mitigate is the identification of the proper employees to become part of the team decision making experience (Ibid).   Weak leadership in a team setting often leads to many voices, which in turn have a variety of directions and takes away from the capacity to make effective decisions (Ibid).   Leaders in a team provide resources, rewards and management that are effective focusing and maintaining the project goals (Schultz, Wilson, and Hess 2010).   Lacking any one of these elements will quickly become a challenge to the entire organization.   Teams have a real potential to start off well, and then flounder when the perceived leader does not provide the pieces necessary to progress as a group (Ibid).   If there is a method but no practical application for that method, the entire group is left at a standstill. Team leadership is responsible for guiding the members to produce the best effort for the benefit of the entire project (Ibid).   The style of leadership in a teamwork setting is important, as it must fit with the temperament of the project.   A successful team decision is due to the capacity of the leader and team to work together in a positive, upbeat environment (Sarrafzadeh and Williamson 2012).   Leaders that have instilled a sense of doom and gloom have seldom evoked the same level of skill from the teams (Ibid).   Management leadership that is worth their pay assists t development of the teamwork effort while integrating the individual goals with that of the group. Atkinson (2013) defines the role of organisational culture as reflecting the overriding assumption regarding the method of work and the limits of what is and is not acceptable. Principals are often at the heart of dissension in the teamwork environment if there is a lack of structure and coherence during the formation period (Ibid).   Personal experience has illustrated that different team approaches can cause substantial strife. With no clear structure the negative discussion took up vital research time (Ibid). The dynamic of teamwork issues will vary according to the size of the team, the bigger the effort the more complex the application (Goldman, B. and Shapiro 2012).   Research has shown that when working in larger groups, the difficulties are multiplied and the need for coordination is only enhanced as the group grows in scope (Ibid).   Conversely, personal experience with a small team of three or four individuals has the capacity to be as effective as much larger, less c ommunicative teams (Atkinson 2013). Once the team has begun to work issues such as Groupthink must be avoided in order to progress (Sikorski, Johnson, and Ruscher 2012).   As the establishment of routine sets in during the team environment, there is the threat of following the leader (Ibid).   There is the potential for team members   to follow the group, even if they had an opposite opinion (Ibid). This has clear potential to set the entire effort back as it is necessary to go back and deal with the issue.   Further, this mentality lacks creativity and innovative depth that can doom a team’s effort from the very beginning (Ibid).   Tannenbaum, Mathieu, Salas, and Cohen (2012) identify three modern challenges to the operation of an effective team: a) Dynamic composition of the members b) The distance and technology that are involved. c) Empowerment and delayering Personal experience has illustrated that there are significant challenges in each of these areas, particularly cross cultural challenges as research partners are often on completely different sides of the planet (Sweet and Michaelsen 2012). Recent projects commonly have had to include translation programs and uncommon times to meet. In each case the culture and area of my partner serves to influence the project (Ibid). Emerging technology has made it possible to extend the resources which can be a significant enhancement to the team potential (Ibid). Others argue the extreme increase in the cultural diversity of team makeup creates more issues than benefits and adversely impacts the underlying integrity of the study in question (Sweet and Michaelsen 2012).   When an international team first comes together, the very basic elements of language and cultural understanding are very critical points that must be considered as the team is given assignments.   A lack of adequate understan ding of the social dynamics has the potential to not only hobble and slow a team’s efforts, but in very many cases completely derail the process (Ibid). An emerging challenge to any team decision making model is the continuous upgrade and application of technology (Buchanan, and Huczynski 2010). With computers, tablets and mobile computers becoming a vital tool, the mix of the forms of technology can lead to a significant issue. Personal experience with this dilemma came when during the attempted transfer from an Ipad to a research partners PC.   This quickly became an issue as it was necessary to obtain the correct application to make the one program work with the other. Further, this same concept translates into the manner in which the entire team communication effort is managed (Child, 2005).   The method and manner of organization throughout the team process has the potential to create a myriad of issues. The issue of finding emails and means of transferring data from my platforms to the groups is a continuous challenge which creates a situation in which the group cannot fully share scheduling information and updates due to t he different nature of the programs used (Ibid).   Leadership must account for and adapt to the many layered technological nature of the modern work place (Ibid). Conclusion The concept of team decision making in organisational theory is credited with being the next evolution in business. With the evidence presented in the study illustrating many of the potential benefits, there were areas of concern that could serve to diminish many of the expected returns of implementing a team based network. The primary expectation for a team project is the increase in resources and depth, which in turn adds to the capacity to make more informed decisions.   Issues surrounding the team   itself ranging from organisation, leadership, technology and personal cohesiveness all serve to come together to impact the overall effectiveness of the concept.   There is clear evidence to support the assertion that a team can produce better decisions, yet, this is dependent on the unique factors that surround the formation, implementation and result of the team experience. If any one area of the teamwork process is lacking, so too is the final result. Beginning with the determination of needing to form a team, choosing leadership and structure, to communication and goal sharing the team decision making process is a highly complex, delicate instrument that has the potential to make better decisions than past models. In every case, the team has the potential to exceed expectations or fail miserably, which in turn will be determined by the members themselves.   In the end, a team is individuals that share a common vision and the will to make it happen. References Atkinson, P. 2013. Corporate Culture.  Philip Atkinson Consulting, 1 (2), pp. 1-10. [Accessed: 3 Dec 2013]. Beatty, S., Kelley, K., Metzger, A., Bellebaum, K. and Mcauley, J. 2009. Team-based learning in therapeutics workshop sessions.  American journal of pharmaceutical education, 73 (6). Child, J. 2005.  Organization. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.. Decostanza, A., Dirosa, G., Rogers, S., Slaughter, A., Estrada, A. and X, O. 2012. Researching teams: Nothings going to change our world.  Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 5 (1), pp. 3639. Doina, R., Mirela, S. and Constantin, R.. The Organizational Culture and the Factors of its Formation .ANALELE UNIVERSIT\uA\cTII DIN ORADEA, p. 561. Eddy, E., TANNENBAUM, S. and MATHIEU, J. 2013. Helping Teams to Help Themselves.  Personnel Psychology. Goldman, B. and Shapiro, D. 2012.  The psychology of negotiations in the 21st century workplace. New York: Routledge. Hackman, J. 2011.  Collaborative intelligence. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Hirst, G. 2009. Effects of membership change on open discussion and team performance: The moderating role of team tenure.  European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 18 (2), pp. 231249. Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D. 2013.  Organizational behaviour. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Johns, G. and Saks, A. 2011.  MGMT20001 Organisational behaviour. Sydney: Pearson Choices. Murase, T., Doty, D., Wax, A., Dechurch, L. and Contractor, N. 2012. Teams are changing: Time to â€Å"think networks†.  Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 5 (1), pp. 4144. Sarrafzadeh, M. and Williamson, K. 2012. Multicultural, Virtual Work Places: Opportunities and Challenges for LIS Educato.  International Journal of Information Science and Management (IJISM), 10 (1), pp. 89102. Schultz, J., Wilson, J. and Hess, K. 2010. Team-based classroom pedagogy reframed: The student perspective.  American Journal of Business Education (AJBE), 3 (7). Sikorski, E., Johnson, T. and Ruscher, P. 2012. Team Knowledge Sharing Intervention Effects on Team Shared Mental Models and Student Performance in an Undergraduate Science Course.Journal of Science Education and Technology, 21 (6), pp. 641651. Sweet, M. and Michaelsen, L. 2012.  Team-based learning in the social sciences and humanities. Sterling, Va.: Stylus Pub.. Tannenbaum, S., Mathieu, J., Salas, E. and Cohen, D. 2012. Teams are changing: are research and practice evolving fast enough?.  Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 5 (1), pp. 224. Tohidi, H. 2011. Teamwork productivity effectiveness in an organization base on rewards, leadership, training, goals, wage, size, motivation, and measurement and information technology. Islamic Azad University of South Tehran, 3(1) pp. 1137-1146 West, M. and Lyubovnikova, J. 2012. Real teams or pseudo teams? The changing landscape needs a better map.  Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 5 (1), pp. 2528. Zingone, M., Franks, A., Guirguis, A., George, C., Howard-Thompson, A. and Heidel, R. 2010. Comparing team-based and mixed active-learning methods in an ambulatory care elective course.  American journal of pharmaceutical education, 74 (9).

The First 30 Days of the George W. Bush Presidency

The First 30 Days of the George W. Bush Presidency Setting priorities for his first term in 1933 was easy for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He had to save America from economic ruin. He had to at least begin to pull us out of our Great Depression. He did it, and he did it during what has now become known as his First Hundred Days† in office. On his first day in office, March 4, 1933, FDR called Congress into a special session. He then proceeded to drive a series of bills through the legislative process that reformed the U.S. banking industry, saved American agriculture and allowed for industrial recovery. At the same time, FDR wielded the executive order in creating the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Public Works Administration, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. These projects put tens of thousands of Americans back to work building dams, bridges, highways and much needed public utility systems. By the time Congress adjourned the special session on June 16, 1933, Roosevelts agenda, the New Deal, was in place. America, though still staggering, was off the mat and back in the fight. Indeed, the successes of Roosevelt’s First 100 Days gave credence to the so-called â€Å"stewardship theory† of the presidency, which contends that the President of the United States has the right, if not the duty, to do whatever best addresses the needs of the American people, within the limits of the Constitution and the law. Not all of the New Deal worked and it took World War II to finally solidify the nations economy. Yet, to this day, Americans still grade the initial performance of all new presidents against Franklin D. Roosevelts First Hundred Days. During their first hundred days, all new Presidents of the United States try to harness the carryover energy of a successful campaign by at least starting to implement the main programs and promises coming from the primaries and debates. The So-Called Honeymoon Period During some part of their first hundred days, Congress,  the press, and some of the American people generally allow new presidents a honeymoon period, during which public criticism is held to a minimum. It is during this totally unofficial and typically fleeting grace period that new presidents often try to get bills through Congress that might face more opposition later in the term. The First Thirty-or-so of the First Hundred Days of George W. Bush Following his inauguration on January 20, 2001, President George W. Bush spent the first one-third of his First 100 Days by: Getting himself and his successors  a raise in presidential salary to $400,000 a year as approved by Congress in the closing days of its last session;Reinstating  the Mexico City policy denying US aid to countries that advocate abortion as a method of family planning;Introducing  a $1.6 trillion tax cutting program to Congress;Launching  a Faith-Based Initiative to help local charitable groups;Launching  a New Freedom Initiative to help disabled Americans;Filling out  his Cabinet including the controversial appointment of John Ashcroft as Attorney General;Welcoming a pistol firing visitor to the White House;Launching renewed air strikes against expanding Iraqi air defense systems.Taking  on big labor unions in government contracting; andFinding  out that an FBI agent may have spent years spying for Russia. So, while there were no depression-busting New Deals or industry-saving reforms, the first 30 days of the presidency of George W. Bush was far from uneventful. Of course, history will show that most of the rest of his 8 years in office would be dominated by dealing with the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attack a mere 9 month after his inauguration.

Sunflower Incorporated.International Business Assignment

Sunflower Incorporated.International Business - Assignment Example Economic growth refers to an increase in the size of a country’s national income. It can also be defined as an increase in the amount of goods and services produced by the economy of a country over a given duration. To measure economic growth is to quantify the increase in the welfare of a country and derive with numerical accuracy of this large scale economic and social change. The formula for the calculation of economic growth is outlined below as; Economic Growth= Change in income/ Income of the Previous PeriodÃâ€" 100 Economic growth is crucial to the national economy well-being of any country and; therefore, requires the government to take the necessary actions to help its citizens to enhance that growth. Many factors that promote strong economic growth are connected to the business framework cycle and efforts directed towards improving the living standards for the consumers. Factors that stimulate economic growth are namely, healthy competition within the market place, innovations in technology, increases in labor supply, and expansion in value and extent of the resources available such as land. Other factors include; science progression and productive knowledge, growth of individual skills and government incentives, the cultivation of new markets in emerging nations, and finally the investment in foreign ventures all are stimulants of a strong economic growth. Central bank is a bank that is owned and operated by the government. It is also a government bank and a banker’s bank. The centr al bank stimulates strong economic growth by conducting monetary policy that controls the money supply in the economy and hence generates more production and high living standards. The central bank also maintains the stability of exchange rates, ensures equitable distribution of income, stable prices of commodities and high levels of employment as ways of influencing the economic expansion. The government banker also sets the official rates of interest that are utilized to manage inflation so that economic growth can be positive and quantifiable. A trade deficit arises when a country buys or imports more than it sells or exports to other countries. A trade deficit is not necessarily undesirable. It bestows benefits and carries some costs and the benefits may outweigh the costs. Trade deficits are a vehicle for extending the gains from trade, where lending and borrowing among nations can lead to a more saving allocation efficiency, and preferred consumption pattern overtime (Sloman, John & Mark 24). Trade deficits do not necessarily cause slower economic growth or lead to any economy-wide job losses. However, a persistent trade deficit is harmful to the national economy since it may decrease aggregate demand and also reduce the actual Gross Domestic product by diverting manpower and finances from competing ventures like imports and exports where these resources are required most due to their productivity. Another consequence is the high levels of foreign investment into the deficit country. This has the effect of hurting investment locally as local investors prefer to keep assets than invest them due to their favorable nature. A persistent high trade deficit in a country can cause economic hardship in the long run in case of changes in political leadership or the beginning of a war. Persistent trade deficits tend to make countries more exposed to global variations in costs and products. This vulnerability though short-lived can produce risks that are highly une xpected for investors. International financial and monetary activities are becoming more integrated since they bring the countries involved more extensive international

Module 4 DQ 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Module 4 DQ 1 - Essay Example I also intended to record commercials that featured children as the target consumers. There was coding of the type of data recorded. As mentioned earlier, the items targeted were programs featuring children and commercials targeting children as the main consumers. In that, age of the primary characters was between 5 and 15 years. The reason for considering 15 years old characters as children is due to the fact that some people enter and leave adolescence late (Bordens & Abbott, 2014). There was coding based on ethnicity or race of the participants. Similarly, gender was not a primary concern in the selection of subjects to observe. Besides the video recording, there it was not possible to record the observation in another way. From the observation, it was apparent that the children observed in the program and the commercials had similar behaviors. Critical analysis of the behavior showed that children in both settings had high levels of brain activity. Children in the two settings loved play and seemed to be in quest for learning many issues. In fact, the commercials recorded had children appearing to be analyzing toys with great

Business Biblical Worldview Essay Example for Free

Business Biblical Worldview Essay This paper will explore what a Biblical Worldview is and present a Biblical Worldview process of contracts, ownership and responsibility. A Biblical Worldview is a view that holds to the belief that there is absolute moral truth; no one can earn their way into Heaven with good deeds; the Bible is 100 percent correct in all aspects; Jesus Christ lived a life free of sin while He was on earth; and God is omnipotent, omniscience, and the ruler of the universe (Barna Group, 2009). It has been proven that one’s worldview has a powerful impact on the way he conducts his everyday life and the choices made in any given situation (Barna Group, 2009). One living by a Biblical Worldview is less likely to use profanity; to misuse media; to gamble away money; and to abuse alcohol (Barna Group, 2009). The person with a Biblical Worldview is more likely to be honest; be more civil towards others, and make proper sexual choices (Barna Group, 2009). There exists a belief that a person develops a primary worldview by the time he reaches age 13. The teen and early adult years refine the worldview and then it is passed on to others throughout their life as an adult (Barna Group, 2009). A contract is an agreement that is enforceable by the law. It is created when two or more persons agree to do something or agree to not do something (Liuzzo, 2010, pg. 79). All involved parties must be competent. A competent person is one that is of legal age and possesses normal mental health (Liuzzo, 2010, pg. 80). â€Å"All contracts are agreements, but not all agreements are contracts† (Luizzo, 2010, pg. 9). In business, contracts are used to employ people and to sell goods, and to sell services (Luizzo, 2010, pg. 79). For a contract to be enforceable legally it must contain certain elements. There must be an offer made to one party and acceptance by another party; there must be consideration; all involved must mutually agree; all parties must be competent; there must be proper form; and the expected performance of the contract must legal (Luizzo, 2010, pg. 79-80). Because of the definition of contracts, there is a tendency to view it as a hysical experience with no spiritual implications at all (Chester, n. d. ). Buying, producing, selling and serving take place in the tangible physical world but it is taking place just below the intangible spiritual world connecting them together (Chester, n. d. ). The prophet Elisha saw the connection in 2 Kings 6:17, NASB, †Then Elisha prayed and said, â€Å"O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see. † And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. Here in the tangible physical world they appeared to be doomed, however, in the intangible spirit world they were victorious. (Chester, n. d. ). The physical aspects of life must line up with the spiritual aspects in a business with a Biblical Worldview. Any business that lasts is organized to line up philosophically, values wise and has the principles that demonstrate the nature of God (Chester, n. d. ). A contract or agreement that holds to a Biblical Worldview would not mirror the lop-sided contract held between Jacob and his uncle Laban. The contact between Laban and Jacob was legal. Both Laban and Jacob were competent, as they are both equals (Mabee, 1980, pg. 194). Though the agreement had all of the necessary elements of the Biblical time to make it legal, Laban did not adhere to the contract. Laban set out to cheat Jacob at every turn. The initial agreement was for Jacob to work at â€Å"Laban, Inc. † seven years for Rachel’s hand in marriage but he ended up working 14 years for her instead due to Laban’s trickery. Altogether Jacob worked for Laban a total of 20 years with Laban changing his wages (the agreement) ten times, â€Å"You know that I have served your father with all my strength. Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times†, (Genesis 31:6-7, NASB). As a Christian, the business owner is to honor any made agreements and contracts, as this mirrors the attributes of God. The Bible admonishes the believer to â€Å"Let your no be no and your yes be yes†, and anything outside of that is evil doing (Matthew 5:37, NASB). James 5:12, NASB also warns, â€Å"But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment. Christian business owners who hold to a Biblical Worldview understand and accept the fact that God owns everything (Tacket, 2012). â€Å"Hear, O My people, and I will speak; I am God, your God†¦For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills† (Psalm 50:1-10, NASB). God tells us in Haggai 2:8, NASB that He even owns the silver and gold (money) everyone seeks after, â€Å"The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts. † Jehovah God is simply loaning it to one and requires good stewardship over the things He has granted.

The Healing Process Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Healing Process This is a brief psychological overview of the healing process. The image of healing is best described by Gloria Vanderbilt in "A Mother's Story" when she talks of breaking the invisible unbreakable glass bubble which enclosed her that kept her always anticipating loss with echoes of all past losses. She wrote, for example (Page 3),"Some of us are born with a sense of loss there from the beginning, and it pervades us throughout our lives. Loss, as defined, as deprivation, can be interpreted as being born into a world that does not include a nurturing mother and father. We are captured in an unbreakable glass bubble, undetected by others, and are forever seeking ways to break out, for if we can, surely we will find and touch that which we are missing". This concept of healing was also described by Philip Berman in "If It Is Not Good Make It So" as changing positively from the unhappy attitude of(Page 48) "we never got the habit of happiness as others know it. It was always as if we were waiting for something better or worse to happen". Psychological theory of change suggest it is possible to heal, to break out of the glass bubble, to develop the attitude of happiness. For example, in "The Process of Change: Variations on a Theme by Virginia Satir says on Page 89 that "successful change-making turns out to involve struggle, necessitating skill, tenacity and perspective". The struggle occurs when a foreign element produces chaos until a new integration occurs which results in a new status quo. Kurt Lewin echoed this view in saying that an old attitude has to unfreeze, the person experiments, a new attitude develops and a refreezing occurs. Janis and Prochasky suggest a person starts in relative complacency, is presented with challenging information, the person evaluates the new challenge to habit or policy and reviews alternate policies to create a new policy or return to the original one, The psychological theories focus on perspective and rational thought. The significance of the therapist is in giving a new perspective and in aiding self-esteem in order to break down resistance to change. Otherwise, Satir suggests people are likely to revert to their trance lik... ... learn that laws and mores are not absolutes but open to constant revision as we are to do with our inner selves. Psychology seems to share the ideas that a person in emotional pain is stuck in a self made prison which can be escaped through unconditional positive regard and a fresh perspective. What isn't clear is how rational thought combined with 'love' enters the person's heart and soul. Bibliography Bugental James,F.T. "Lessons Clients Teach Therapists", J. of Humanistic Psychology Vol.31 No. 3 Summer 1991 Mittleman Willard "Maslow's Study of Self-Actualiztion: A Reinterpretation" Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 31 No.1, Winter 1991 Pages 114-135 Morrow Susan L. and Smith Mary Lee,"Survival Coping by Sexual Abuse Survivors", Journal of Counseling Psychology 1995 Vol 42, No.1, pages 24-33. "The Process of Change:Variations on a Theme by Virginia Satir", J. of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 34 No.3, Summer, 1994 Pages 87-110. Schoen Stephen MD "Psychotherapy as Sacred Ground", J. of Humanistic Psychology, Vol 31 No.1, Winter 1991 Pages 51-55 Vanderbilt Gloria, "A Mother's Story", Alfred A. Knopf, N. Y. 1996

Performance Appraisals Essay

There are three fundamental questions every business organization must consider. The first is how are the employees doing? The second is why? The third is what should the employees be doing? In this of advancement of technology and rapid obsolescence of knowledge, every business organization must continuously assess the performance of its most important asset and determine what needs to be done to improve their performance. The effective assessment and evaluation of employee performance is one of the goals of performance appraisals. Early studies conducted by companies reveal that performance appraisals may serve as an effective motivating strategy to boost employee performance. This conclusion was reached after these companies noticed that employees with the same skills, abilities, educational background who are generally given the same compensation package perform differently at work. Some perform very well, while some were performing poorly. As a result, the emphasis for reward was gradually replaced by other motivational tools. One of them is performance appraisals. Some managers however find performance appraisals as one of their most difficult function. (Linda Gravett p. 1) They fail to realize that the managers have been doing this function for a long time even at the time they were still supervisors. As a human resource management function, performance appraisal has started only in the 20th Century. However, the essence of performance appraisals which is judging the work of employees has been practiced by employers and managers since time immemorial. According to Shannon Burger (2006) it is a basic human tendency to make judgments about those one is working with, as well as about oneself. †(Burger p. 11) Recently, however, some practitioners in the field of Human Resource Management that and Human Resource Managers are questioning the effectiveness of the performance appraisal System as an effective motivational strategy. A research on this issue shows that about 80 percent of companies in the United States use annual performance reviews of some kind. Yet 85 percent of these firms are dissatisfied with employee appraisals. Also, surveys conducted by Mercer and Wyatt consulting firms report that a majority of the firms are currently experiencing problems with their performance appraisal. (Chalmer E. Labig Jr. & Tan Yew Chye, p. 1) On the other hand, some are in favor of the continuation of the performance appraisal systems in company arguing that the performance appraisals help motivate and change the behavior of employees. It helps in measuring the performance of every employee and his effectiveness on the job. It also is a good mechanism by which the employers may provide feedback to their employees on their performance. This research paper seeks to determine whether performance appraisals indeed can motivate the employees and help result to a change in their behavior and attitude toward their work. This research paper proceeds on the theory that performance appraisals are effective in motivating the employees and that any misconception on the nature of performance appraisals stem from a lack of understanding on the part of the managers and supervisors on how to effectively perform this function. Performance Appraisals: The Two Sides One of the most often reasons why performance appraisals are criticized is its lack of objectivity of the Human Resource Manager or the person conducting the performance appraisal. The idea behind performance appraisal is that it is intended to evaluate work performance based on pre-set goals and objectives. The problem with this is that human factor always comes in the way of producing an objective and accurate performance appraisals. It is always possible that the person conducting the evaluation may rate the employee on the basis of his personal opinion. As a result, it is feared that the evaluator may make a mistake which have a serious impact not only on the present salary of the employee but also on his performance. In response to this objection, it is common knowledge that no human resource function is perfect and is 100% objective. Human Resource Management in essence is about people who are very complex and have different skills, motivations, character and personalities. Unlike the other managerial functions which deal with other company resources that are predictable and controllable, Human Resource Management function deal with unique individuals. It is to be expected that emotions will become part and parcel of the performance of their functions. The important role of managers now is to become aware of their own biases and prejudices and make sure that this does not interfere with their important function of measuring employee performance. The Halo Effect is anther most commonly raised argument against performance appraisals. This means that the person who conducts the evaluation has the natural tendency to rate an employee high in one particular area simply because the subject rated high in other areas. Thus, an employee who may have the excellent technical skills but low on customer relations may still get a high mark in customer relations because of the evaluator may give more emphasis on technical knowhow of the employee under the Halo effect. In addition, some people also object to performance appraisal because of the Horns effect. The Horns effect is the opposite of the Halo effect which is the tendency of the appraiser to rate the employee low because the employee rated low in some aspects of his job. Thus, if an employee is not good in one aspect of his job such as customer relations, if the person conducting the evaluation considers such function as his more important then it is highly possible that he may get a lower rating for his other function even if he may be excellent in these other functions. In answer to the second argument, it is always to be borne in mind that when a company conducts performance appraisal of its employees it is to be expected that the company only had the best interest of the employees and the company in mind. Every company desires to know the strengths of its employees and their weaknesses. Weaknesses must be identified so that the employees can be given the proper training. No company would purposely do anything that will prevent them from attaining this objective. Thus, there is no reason for the employees to feel that the person conducting the evaluation will purposely do any act that will lead to the failure of the performance appraisal. After providing counter arguments to the objections against Performance Appraisal, we now turn to the reason why Performance Appraisal can change human behavior. An ideal performance appraisal has two basic elements: a) the evaluation system and b) the feedback system. (Margaret J. Palmer, 2007, Ch. 1) The first element of performance appraisal is the evaluation of employee performance. Here, the person conducting the evaluation seeks to find out whether the performance level of the employees is at par with what is expected of them. In case the performance is below what is expected there is what is known as the performance gap. Those who are determined to be performing below what is expected of them are required to undergo training which is in essence a good thing also since the employee will be able to learn more about his job. For those who performed well in the appraisal, it can also be used to determine which among the employees are entitled to promotion, pay increases and bonuses. (Tznier, p. 282) Performance Appraisal is therefore very important since it can be used as basis prior to any action that may be done by the company. According to Richard Rudman (2003), Expectancy theory tells us that, if people want more pay and believe that working harder will get it for them, they will work harder and perform better. (Rudman p. 173) The second element of performance appraisal is the feedback which in essence is the opportunity for the employees to hear from their superiors how well or how poorly they are doing from work. In most companies this is the only time where the employees can actually know from their superior what the latter thinks of their performance. According to Manuel London (2003), â€Å"feedback is an important part of the education process†¦It helps newcomers learn the ropes, midcareer employees to improve performance and to consider opportunities for development, and late career employees to maintain their productivity. Managers are an important source of feedback because they establish perform objectives and provide rewards for attaining those objectives. † (London p. 11) A positive feedback from his superiors will help boost the morale and confidence of the employee in performing his functions. It may also help in defining the career path of the employee. On the other hand, negative feedbacks from his superiors will help identify the particular areas where the employee needs to be trained. This will help in the improvement of the skills and knowledge of the employee. Conclusion Based on the arguments for and against performance appraisals, it is clear that the objections against it are mainly because of the employee’s lack of understanding of the very nature of performance appraisals and the role this play in maintaining the company’s competitive edge. I am in favor of the conduct of performance appraisals in business organizations. It is effective in changing employee behavior. It helps boost employee morale and helps help open up channels of communication between the employer and the employee. The most important role of performance appraisal is actually the communication between the management and the employees. Proper communication to the employees of the conduct of the performance appraisal helps strengthen and improve their working relationship.

Consumer Behaviour – Concept Used by Marketers

An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognise excellence in a certain field, a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signified by trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons. Each person on this earth yearns for appreciation, recognition and affirmation. Some hanker for the recognition from their loved ones, some want to be recognised by their boss, organisation want to be recognised by consumers, some aim at appreciation from the masses or their peers in general and usually, organisations aim for affirmation (For example, ISO or Cast Trust awards). Marketers in this case had used the consumer-driven approach, consumer wants are the drivers of all strategic marketing decisions. Every aspect of a market offering, including the nature of the product itself, is driven by the needs of potential consumers. Concept There are some types of relationships a person may have with a product. Trophies, medals and awards have given the consumers relationships of self-concept attachment, nostalgic attachment and love. They help to establish the user’s identity, serve as a link with a self past and elicit emotional bonds of warmth, passion or other strong emotion. Our perception is an approximation of reality. Our brain attempts to make sense out of the stimuli to which we are exposed. Several sequential factors influence our perception. Trophies, medals and awards have given consumers the perception of vision and touch. Vision Marketers reply heavily on visual elements in advertising, store design, and packaging. They communicate meanings on the visual channel through a product’s colour, size and styling. Colours may even influence our emotions more directly. Evidence suggests that some colours create feelings of arousal and stimulate appetite, and others create more relaxing feelings. Others reactions are a result of biological and culture differences. We know that perceptions of colour depend on both its physical wavelength and how the mind responds to that stimulus. Touch This sensory channel is relatively important even though scientists have done little research on the effects of tactile stilulation on consumer behaviour. Sensation that reach our skin, whether from a luxurious massage or the bite of a winter wind, stimulate or relax. Researchers even have shown that touch can influence sales interactions, they are starting to identify the important role the haptic (touch) sense plays in consumer behaviour. Haptic senses appear to moderate the relationship between product experience and judgement confidence, confirming the common sense notion that we are more sure about what we have preceive when we touch it. Motivation Motivation refers to the process that lead people to behave as they do. It occurs when a need is aroused that the consumer wishes to satisfy. The need creates a state of tension that drives the consumer to attempt to reduce or eliminate. The desired end state is the consumers’s goal. Marketers try to create products and services that will provide the desired benefits and permit the consumer to reduce this tention. When trophies, medals or awards are given to people or organization, it acts as a form of appreciation, recognition and affirmation. It becomes a very strong motivating factor to do more and be better. On the other hand, the absence of timely appreciation acts as a powerful de-motivator, and sometimes even pushes people to destructive behavior. The use of awards trophies and awards plaques can be used as an exceptionally potent way to express appreciation, recognition and affirmation at all levels, at home, at the work place and even globally. Values Researchers had identified four dominant of values, freedom, belongingness, excellence and connection. Classifying Consumer Needs Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is one of the consumer needs theory. People need to engage themselves to gain recognition and have an activity or activities that give the person a sense of contribution, to feel accepted and self-valued, be it in a profession or hobby. Maslow's concept of self-actualisation relates directly to the present day challenges and opportunities for people, employers and organisations to provide real meaning, purpose and true personal development. Self-Concept The self-concept is composed of relatively permanent self-assessments, such as personality attributes, knowledge of one's skills and abilities, one's occupation and hobbies, and awareness of one's physical attributes. The self-concept is not restricted to the present. It includes past selves and future selves. Future selves or â€Å"possible selves† represent individuals' ideas of what they might become, what they would like to become, and what they are afraid of becoming. They correspond to hopes, fears, standards, goals, and threats. Possible selves may function as incentives for future behavior and they also provide an evaluative and interpretive context for the current view of self. Self-Esteem Self-esteem reflects a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. People with high self-esteem expect that they will perform very well and people with low self-esteem will try to avoid embarrassment, failure or rejection. Marketers communication can influence a consumer’s self-esteem. A process of social comparison, where the person tries to evaluate himself/herself by comparing it to the person these artificial images depict. Examples The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognise excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is one of the most prominent film award ceremonies in the world. Generally, it has been seen that the award of such trophies can be powerful motivators for all people. This is basically because most people crave appreciation, recognition and affirmation for their efforts, whether they work at home or in an office. These awards need not be expensive or grand, as long as they are tailor made for the recipient. 1248 words References http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Trophy http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Medal https://www. amazines. com/article_detail. cfm/725101? articleid=725101 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Consumer_behaviour http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/International_Organization_for_Standardization http://www. consumerpsychologist. com/cb_Perception. html http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Self-concept http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Academy_Awards Michael R. Solomon,_ Consumer Behaviour_, 8e Pearson Education, Inc.

buy custom History of Literacy essay

buy custom History of Literacy essay History of Literacy and Comparison to the Impacts of Todays Technologies Literacy level has been growing along with the growth of technology. Illiteracy was and still is a common factor in the developing nations, but it is not so serious in the developed nations. Literacy has various advantages, and planners believe in eradicating illiteracy as the only way out to achieve economic growth (Ragains, 2006). For planning reasons, planners have made it possible for the governments to understand the need of having statistics of the rate of literacy in their nation. With this development, a history of literacy was made. With the growth of technology, which has also promoted the economic growth, literacy has been increasing considerably. There are different angles which one can take while analyzing the literacy level. One can use gender, age or any other social setting. This creates a clear picture of how this social group have been fairing with literacy, as compared to the others. Literacy level in the developed nations was considered high, as compared to the developing nations before the introduction of technology. United States, for example, in 1970 had a literacy level of 70%. Mid 80s, the level of literacy was increasing. This was contributed to the peoples way of living among other factors that made it possible for the society to deal with illiteracy among them. Among the reasons why this region had high rate of literacy was because there was an infrastructure laid by the government to support the literacy growth (Ragains, 2006). Also the citizens themselves recognized the importance of having a literate society. This nation, for example, was already industriaized, and workers needed to work in the companies, as well as to drive government agendas. In the year 2010, the literacy level in this same nation was 99%. This growth was brought forth by the introduction of technology. Currently, almost all citizens irrespective of age can perform basic duties wit h fewer challenges. Peoples living styles have been totally changed by the technology, and all business and social activities are done by the help of technology. By making technology the part of their lives, this economic region has been forced to be literate for them to survive (Ragains, 2006). In the developing nations, things are different. Instability and continued humanitarian challenges have made it not possible for literacy level to go up. In 1970s, literacy level in Sierra Leon, for example (in Africa), had 11% literacy level. In 1980s, literacy level remained decreasing, holding the fact that this country was involved in civil war. Children did not have time for classes, and instead, they spend all their time at war. With the influence of technology, the literacy level improved to 35%. Although this is considerably not reasonable, technology is helping them to grow, and at the same time improve their literacy level (Gibson, 2006). In the modern society, technology has played a major role where all social or economic activities are done with the help of technology. Technology, therefore, has turned to be the part of our lives. For one to cope with the technology, or to take advantage of the technology, one must be literate. To use a phone, TV and other electronics, literacy must be there (Eisenberg, 2004). This development has pushed those who considered literacy as tertiary or the secondary need. Technology has beecome a basic need, and one has to be advanced for one to extend his or her interest. In the developing nations, introduction of technology has made the society informed, and hence, becoming realistic on how necessary literacy is. With the technology, there are so many channels of information ranging from radio channels, TV channels, news-papers and internet among others. This source of information has turned to be very relevant to the normal human life, hence creating the demand for those who dont no w how to use them to go to school or learn how to use them. In return, the level of literacy has gone up. In years to come, in developed nations, literacy level will be at 100% while achieving a relevantly high rate in developing nations (Bruce, 2000). Technology is the mother of globalization, where the world is expected to live and do business as a single village. Due to this development, literacy rate history stands to change for the better. Holding the fact that all are expected to inter-relate, all are expected to have a standard literacy rate, where business and socialization will be possible. With this, world literacy rate will increase considerably (Braun, 2007). To conclude, the world literacy history is long, but it has been improving with the increase of business activity, and recently, technology has made it realistic for a world with high rate of literacy rate. Technology has united all living human beings, irrespective of the geographical locations, hence creating a need for sharing. This has created the need to learn from others, whereby some have adopted others living standards, hence eradicating illiteracy in the society. Literacy is no more a secondary need, but a basic requirement to all. Buy custom History of Literacy essay

Exercise in Writing With Specific Details

Exercise in Writing With Specific Details Specific details create word pictures that can make your writing easier to understand and more interesting to read. This exercise will give you practice in revising sentences to make them more concrete and specific. Instructions Revise the following sentences to make them more concrete and specific. ExampleThe sun came up.At 6:27 on March third, the sun rose in a cloudless sky and flooded the earth with liquid gold. The food in the cafeteria was unappealing.We painted part of the garage.She sat by herself in the coffee shop.The kitchen was a mess.Marie looked sad.I waved to my pet.The car sped away.The waiter seemed to be impatient and annoyed.He was hurt in a boating accident.I felt tired after practice.She enjoys listening to music.There was a strange smell in the attic.The movie was stupid and boring.She ate lunch at a restaurant with her sister.It was noisy in the room.

Analyse or evaluate macroeconomic problem using appropriate macro Essay

Analyse or evaluate macroeconomic problem using appropriate macro economic theory. (no keynsian cross or IS-LM model) - Essay Example The results were evidenced in the forms of reduce activity in the stock market and collapse of financial institutions. This caused massive job losses and it had a direct impact on the price of goods. Prices of most commodities went up due to economic effects of cost in production and unavailability of capital which had an inflationary effect on the country’s economy (Buttet & Roy, 2014). Since the occurrence of the credit crunch, countries have been on different recovery paths that have been determined greatly by the policies and financial strategies laid by their leaderships. Since the main focus of this paper is to compare the different growths, the paper shall also look into how the DAD-DAS model has been applied and how it has or has not worked in both the best performing country and the worst performing country in the G7 group (Chiarella et al, 2013). The information available indicates Britain to be the best performing G7 country with a GDP growth rate of 2.6% compared to the United States of America whose GDP growth rate comes second at 2.4% per year. The economic performance in Britain has been attributed to improved consumer confidence, stabilisation of interest rates and reduced inflation rates in the country. Other G7 countries such as Germany, France, Canada, Japan and Italy have recorded low growth rates which have also been attributed to a slow growth in consumer confidence and high inflation rates (Ghosh & Ghosh, 2012). There exists several relationships that make up the DAD-DAS model and they are inflation, interest rates, demand shocks and supply shocks. These are based on the thinking that if there is an expectation of inflation then it will definitely occur. This means that if a population expects inflation to be at a certain level at a particular point in time, then inflation will possibly occur even without the causative effects from other factors. The second reasoning is that excess demand will most likely cause