Organizational Behavior in Software Companies essays

Organizational Behavior in Software Companies essays It is difficult to make generalizations about organizational behavior. Organizational structure and thus organizational behavior can vary greatly from one corporation to another, one particular geographic or regional corporate climate to another, and one industry to another. Even within the particular organizational climate of companies that develop computer software, considerable environmental and managerial differences are evident between, for instance established companies such as Microsoft and upstart companies such as Red Hat.' For instance, Microsoft's current dominance of the proprietary software market and Red Hat's' stress upon nonproprietary software create a distinct divide between these company's corporate culture as well as the magnitude of Microsoft's sheer largess. Thus, different corporate cultures can be created between companies for many reasons, even within the software industry. For instance, because of the different salaries commanded by the average employee, and the different corporate ethos advanced by the individuals at the head of the corporation, a different ambience' or set of values may be stressed, formally or informally, between members of the staff and members of the staff and their supervisors. Also, chief executives do not only determine hiring and firing of employees. They also set a tone that can be quite unique, even within firms of the same industry, depending on whether the executive got his or her start within the industry, or is a hired gun' with an MBA, determined to turn a profit wherever he or she may find him or These fact being duly noted, there is still a general, distinct organizational climate of companies that develop software, as opposed to companies that are purely creative in focus, such as advertising agencies, for example, or purely numerical in nature, such as financial investment banking powerhouses su...

Writing Tips How to Use Commas and Semicolons Part 2

Writing Tips How to Use Commas and Semicolons Part 2 Need some writing help with how to use commas and semicolons? Check out Part 1 of this series if you haven’t already, then read on for more punctuation rules and how to fix a comma splice. Semicolons are the proper punctuation marks to use when you want to connect two strings of words that could stand on their own as full sentences, but that are so closely related that you want to make them part of the same sentence. If you read my article last week, you saw some examples of that.   Heres how it works: The following word strings could all  stand as sentences on their own: In high school I was certain of my academic strengths. The daughter and younger sister of doctors, I excelled in math and science and dreaded every English course I was ever forced to take. Addison’s Disease is a chronic adrenal insufficiency that leads to liver failure, kidney failure, effusions, and in some cases, death. I was determined that it would not kill my brother. When you put a comma between two sentences, it is called a â€Å"comma splice† and it is an incorrect way to use a comma! The following is an INCORRECT use of a comma: [INCORRECT] In high school I was certain of my academic strengths, I excelled in math and science. See how each of the two parts of the sentence can stand on its own? In high school I was certain of my academic strengths. I excelled in math and science. You can fix a comma splice in one of three ways: 1.   Replace the comma with a period: [CORRECT] In high school I was certain of my academic strengths. I excelled in math and science. 2. Add a conjunction, such as or or and,  after the comma: [CORRECT] In high school I was certain of my academic strengths, and excelled in math and science. 3. If the sentences are closely related,  replace the comma with a semi-colon: [CORRECT] In high school I was certain of my academic strengths; I excelled in math and science. Conversely, if you have two parts of your sentence that do NOT stand on their own, it is INCORRECT to connect them with a semicolon. Here are two examples of an INCORRECT use of a semicolon: [INCORRECT] Finally you can convert all those friends on Facebook into something useful; spreading the word about your skills, experience and what a great hire you would make. Can you see that while the first part of this sentence is a sentence (â€Å"Finally you can convert all those friends on Facebook into something useful.†), the second part of the sentence is NOT a sentence (â€Å"Spreading the word about your skills, experience and what a great hire you would make.†).   Therefore   it is INCORRECT to divide them with a semicolon; a comma would have been the correct punctuation mark to insert between them. Another example: [INCORRECT] The Justice Action Center would allow me to study and work in anti-discrimination law and criminal law; a few areas for which I have gained a passion. Again, the second part of this sentence, â€Å"a few areas for which I have gained a passion,† does NOT stand on its own as a sentence, so we need a comma. If you use your ear here, you’ll HEAR the difference.   Read the sentences aloud, and you will hear an upward inflection after the word â€Å"useful† in the first example and â€Å"law† in the second example. This upward inflection indicates what?   You got it. A comma. Here are the correctly punctuated sentences: [CORRECT] Finally you can convert all those friends on Facebook into something useful, spreading the word about your skills, experience and what a great hire you would make. [CORRECT] The Justice Action Center would allow me to study and work in anti-discrimination law and criminal law, a few areas for which I have gained a passion. Are you working on an academic paper, cover letter, college application essay, or other writing project? Do you still have questions about whether you’ve used commas and semicolons correctly?   Contact The Essay Expert for professional writing help! Category:Grammar Writing TipsBy Brenda BernsteinOctober 29, 2010 4 Comments Rosanne Dingli says: November 2, 2010 at 1:17 am Brenda! Wow fantastic. This is explained so clearly and succintly. Cant WAIT for how you do the colon. Log in to Reply Rosanne Dingli says: November 2, 2010 at 1:18 am Brenda! Wow fantastic. This is explained so clearly and succinctly. Cant WAIT for how you do the colon. Log in to Reply Laya Bajpai says: December 9, 2010 at 1:53 pm Brenda, This is one of the best lessons in the use of semi-colon, and comma and what is comma splice and how to correct it. You should be a grammar teacher. You are just excellent! Log in to Reply The Essay Expert says: December 27, 2011 at 10:29 am Thank you for your comment Judy. You are correct that no comma is required in this sentence. For my ear it works better. I do not think it is incorrect, though I would be willing to be proven wrong! Log in to Reply

Divorce and Remarriages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Divorce and Remarriages - Essay Example For the divorce option to be accepted the church need to consider the divorce’s ground according to scriptures. The main grounds for divorce according to the New Testament are on either desertion by an unbeliever or sexual sin features (Adams 1986, p.24).   These features comprise of sexual sin like homosexuality, incest, bestiality and adultery. In the case one of the partners violates the intimacy and unity of marriage by any of the sexual sins, thereby forsaking the covenant responsibility the faithful member is left in a very difficult situation. Under such condition, the bible permits the release of the faithful partner via divorce. After divorce has occurred the faithful partner is free to remarry if at all the divorce took place on biblical grounds. However, in case of people divorce on other grounds, they have sinned against both their partners and God. In mark 10:11-12, if these partners remarry, they will be considered to have committed an act of adultery. Paul made an explanation for this and proposed any person who divorces sinfully should remain unmarried for the rest of their life unless either of them reconciles with her or his partner (Cherlin 1992, p.54). The Jesus’ teachings on the issues of divorce should be read repeatedly in both the church and at home. It should be done in every part of the world in the essence of spreading the gospel. The society has witnessed an increase in the number of remarriages and divorces in the present days. The main reason of this problem facing the society is that people tend to ignore the instructions that are provided in the bible. Some people also tend to listen to what other men think about the teachings of Jesus rather that reading for themselves in the bible (House & Laney 1990, p.76).  

The 1980s Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The 1980s Crisis - Essay Example This was caused by excessive and continous borrowings even at a negative interest rates and rising commodities which was aggravated by the the Organizationof Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decision to raise the price of fuel which drove the interest rate of repayment and made the Latin American countries, particularly Mexico unable to service its loans (Buerkle, 2007). II. Background In the 1960s and 1970s, Latin American countries likeArgentina, Brazil and Mexico was experiencing tremendous growth in their respective economies (Swan, 1992). They capitalized on this growth by embarking on an industrialization program and borrowed heavily from foreign creditors to finance their industrialization program particularly their infrastructure projects. Given the performance and the prospect of the economies of these Latin American countries, foreign creditors granted them loans. These loans continued that in the span of seven years (1975 to 1982) of continuous loans, it had a cumulati ve annual rate of 20.4 percent. This translated to the contiunous accumulation of debts. Latin American country’s loans which was only $75 in 1975 rose to a staggering amount of more than $315 in 1983. These loans already amounted half of the region’s GDP or Gross Domestic Product. As a consequence, debt payment, both on the principal and the interest, increased rapidly that it amounted to $66 billion in 1982 when debt service was only $12 billion back in 1975. The Oil Crisis When the Organizationof Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) initiated in October of 1973 the increase of the world price of oil to as much as much as five times and backed by a selective embargo which was directed against the industrialized countries, Latin America and developing countries took the hit because of their vulnerability to external shocks (Street, 1978). Of the 19 countries that has to import oil, they have to pay OPEC’s increased price by an additional amount of $4.8 billion more in 1975 and added $5.2 billion in 1975 (Robichek, 1975:1). To make the matter worst, Latin American countries’ trade fell as a result of the global recession that was aggravated by the OPEC’s decision to increase the price of oil. As a result, the demand for Latin America’s primary products decreased while production cost increased because the price of imported materials from industrial nations also increased due to the increase of price in oil. This resulted to the region’s â€Å"deterioration of balance of payments current accounts of $2.5 billion above their expanded oil import costs in 1974, and of $2.9 billion in 1975† (Robichek, 1975:1). The Effect of the Oil Crisis OPEC’s decision to increase the price of oil contributed to the recession of the US economy in 1974 to 1975. This decreased the demand for loans in the domestic economy. These loans however was availed by Latin American countries which had a tremendous appetite for for eign loans (Hawkins And Maese, 1986). The global economy also slid into recession after the OPEC’s decision to increase its price in oil. The crisis that OPEC precipitated was however unusual as it transmitted even to countries that did not experience the â€Å"stagflation† of matured economies such as United States and Europe. â€Å"Until 1970, 15 Latin American countries enjoyed relative stability in the cost of living, and only 4 experienced price level increases in excess of 15 percent per year† (Inter-American Development Bank, 1977:6). Brazil which had always managed to decreased its inflation rate in the 1960s experienced an increase of 13% inflation in 1973 which increased further in 1976 to as much as 42% (International Financial Statistics, 1977:53). Its annual growth of over 10% from 1968 to 1974 fell dramatically to only 4.2% in 1975.

An Ethical Dilemma Essay Example for Free

An Ethical Dilemma Essay There exists a strong link between the way and pace of life in a society and eating habits of the individuals. No matter how diverse and sophisticated the cuisine of a certain culture might be, todays hyper moving tempo necessitates cheaper and faster food. That is where the fast food sector steps in, saving the day. At first glance, they appear to be life savers with their affordable menus. However, when we take a closer look and observe the long-term effects of fast food on individuals, we are faced with health problems such as obesity and heart diseases. Nevertheless, fast food firms also do a very good job in marketing their products to carefully targeted audiences, especially children. This paper will focus on the case of McDonalds and argue how ethical it is for them to advertise for children directly, examining the issue from the perspective of social responsibility. The spread of McDonalds in other parts of the world creates mixed feelings in some countries, and people even claim that the McDonalds and the distorted image of Americanization is harmful for their culture and societies. This opinion is especially valid in Europe, but surprisingly McDonalds is welcome in Asia. What is a common reaction in all countries hosting McDonalds, including its homeland America, is the attitude taken towards the effects of McDonalds on eating habits and the following negative consequences. There are plenty of fast food advertisements in North America and this industry has especially become a part of the life of families with children. Starting from very little ages, children are used to eating this good-tasting, well-marketed and fun menus which usually come along with a toy for free; and their tastes and eating habits are influenced. Even though fast food companies have started to offer â€Å"light† menus and food with less fat and calories, they do not offer the best menus for children. They continue the habit of eating fast food as they go into adolescence and adulthood, and become another candidate for an obese person with various diseases resulting from being overweight. â€Å"Overweight children do tend to become obese adults, putting themselves at a much greater risk, and at a much earlier age, for chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease† (Dalton, 2004, p. 2). One out of three children in the United States is either overweight or at serious risk of becoming so. The number of overweight children ages six to nineteen has tripled within three decades; the rate of overweight preschool children is nearly as great. The accelerating rate indicates that the current generation of children will grow into the most obese generation of adults in history. (Dalton, 2004, p. 2) Although parents are aware that food sold at McDonalds is not very healthy, they are misled by the fact that it is affordable and makes their children happy. What is more, some parents do not have very healthy eating habits either; so one should not be surprised in seeing their children liking McDonalds menus. Moreover, it is not easy to resist the tempting advertisements. â€Å"Some might say that no one is forcing parents to buy these products or foods for their children. But, these ads position the products as must haves. Even if their parents do not buy them the products, children are influenced† (How to Prevent Childhood Obesity. com, 2009). â€Å"Experts name Ray Kroc, founder of McDonalds franchise and Walt Disney as the pioneers of child-focused marketing, since they first recognized children as a separate marketing demographic from adults in the 1960s† (Veracity, D. , 2008). Today, we cannot help but wonder how the managers of McDonalds feel about the harsh criticisms that the company gets for advertising and promoting unhealthy food for children. From a business point of view, the company has done a great job since it was founded by Ray Kroc in 1955, generated enormous profits and even became a better known brand than Coca-Cola (Veracity, D. , 2008). Competition in the fast food sector is harsh, so McDonalds heavily invests in high quality advertisements aimed at targeting the right audience, using celebrities and partnerships with other brands, or cartoon characters in their campaigns if possible. They build playgrounds in their stores, which serve as a socializing place for children to meet other kids and have fun. McDonalds not only influences American children and families, but also exports its food, image and advertisements to the rest of the world. They have opened branches in almost all parts of the world, and keep expanding despite the economic recession. They are â€Å"optimistic about business prospects in China and plan to open about 500 stores in the country in three years† (Yan, F. Li, H. , 2009). This gives an important hint about the tastes and habits of the growing generation of children and it is not difficult to foresee that the global influence of McDonalds will intensify in the coming years, despite all criticisms that it is unethical to promote unhealthy food to children. How ethical is the advertising strategy of McDonalds really? Are the managers of McDonalds actually guilty, or is everyone being too harsh and oversensitive? Even though it is normal for a company to hold its own rights and benefits before everything, if it is as influential and global as McDonalds, it also has some moral and ethical responsibilities and should consider the social consequences of its actions as well as making profits and opening new stores. One of the most important causes of childhood obesity is lack of exercise, so it might not be totally fair to blame McDonalds and other fast food chains for obese children. On the one hand, the McDonalds culture heavily contributes in a bad way to developing irregular eating habits. But on the other hand, they cannot be the only ones to blame, as children and their parents are increasingly becoming computer and TV addicts, engaging in very little physical activity. When coupled with fast food consumption, health problems become inescapable. What is the solution to this moral problem then? It is obvious that a company this successful will not quit this business or abandon its strategy. However, McDon can at least modify its advertising approach slightly and recommend doing exercises as the underlying message after having a good McDonalds meal. They can include famous sportsmen in their advertisements and encourage children to engage in sports. They can give out toys associated with sports brands, even organize sports competitions for children with awards, sponsored by major brands like Nike or Adidas. These are just a few suggestions, and there is no doubt that professionals designing McDonalds marketing strategy can work wonders with this idea if they want to. This way, children can learn to associate the consumption of fast food with exercise in their minds and be convinced that they must be physically active in order to burn those calories taken at McDonald and be healthy. In conclusion, if McDonalds and other fast food chains would alter their advertisement campaigns so as to include the theme of more exercise and sports, they would have been more socially responsible. This way, even though they do not sell the most healthy meals, their customers, especially children would know that they have to pay a price for eating a high calorie and high fat meal by doing more exercise. They would also associate fast food meals with the energy and dynamism of sports, which also makes individuals happy. Therefore, this can be a very good formula for McDonalds to keep its happy customers all over the world and appease an angry crowd of protesters who argue that McDonalds advertisements are unethical. References Dalton, S. (2004). Our Overweight Children: What Parents, Schools, and Communities Can Do to Control the Fatness Epidemic. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Should there be Ethical Issues with Fast Food Companies Advertising to Children?How to Prevent Childhood Obesity. com. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www. howtopreventchildhoodobesity. com/ethicalissues- fastfoodadvertisements. html Veracity, D. (2008, July 13). Americas Fast Food Giants Perfect the Art of Selling Junk Food to Children. Organic Consumers Association. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www. organicconsumers. org/articles/article_1092. cfm Yan, F. Li, H. (2009, February 18). McDonalds eye 500 stores in China in 3 years. Reuters. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www. reuters. com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE51H13F20090218

Summary of Metamorphosis :: Gregor Samsa

Gregor Samsa awakes one morning to find that he has been inexplicably transformed into a giant insect. He has also slept late. His parents and his sister Grete try to rouse him so he can make it to his dreary job as a traveling salesman. The family depends on him for its livelihood. Gregor, however, is now a bug. When a clerk from his company comes to demand an explanation for his absence, Gregor makes a great effort to open the bedroom door and show himself. This sends the terrified clerk tearing down the stairwell and Gregor's family into shock. Grete, more than his father or mother, handles the situation practically. Gregor is fed, and his room is cleaned. Before long, however, economic reality requires all three to find work, and less attention is paid to Gregor--except when he gets out of his room. No one in the family is fully able to reconcile him- or herself to the insect Gregor, and Gregor is unable to express himself to his family. The fear and disgust his presence inspires (the irrational fear of the mammoth cockroach) is a detriment to his mother's health and incites his father to brief fits of violence. One such fit, a bombardment of fruit, deals Gregor a deep and crippling wound. Hobbled and neglected, Gregor begins to waste away in his room. The family takes in three carping lodgers, using Gregor's room to store excess furniture and other miscellanea--adding insult to injury. Yet the family does leave Gregor's door slightly open in the evenings, so that he may take part in the household in a small way. One evening, the lodgers hear Grete practicing her violin. They call her into the parlor for a concert. She obliges, and the music so moves Gregor that he creeps out into the parlor towards her, wanting to convey that he understands her gift and will help it to blossom. The lodgers see Gregor and immediately give notice. This is the breaking point for the family. Grete declares that they must abandon the notion that this hideous bug is their dear Gregor. All sadly agree. Gregor slinks back into his room. He dies that night. A great weight has been lifted from the family. After a moment of mourning, the father demands that the lodgers leave immediately. The family takes a trolley out of the city and into the countryside. It is a beautiful, sunny day, and as Grete stretches out her limbs in the trolley car, her parents' thoughts turn to finding her a husband.

Application of Ethics

Understanding, acceptance, and application of ethics are important to individuals and groups for several reasons. Ethics are our basic beliefs, and they come into play constantly. Many times we are using our personal Ethics and we are not even aware of it. Acceptance of ethics is important to individuals and groups because it allows for constructive criticism, and it helps avoid and resolve conflicts. In groups it is very important for ethics to be accepted because it will give a common ground of understanding and respect that a team or group needs to be successful. Accepting ethics of others is important to individuals and groups because it allows the individual and members of a group to gain confidence in themselves which leads to morale and productivity. Application of ethics is important on individual levels because a person who applies their ethics is true to themselves. Application of ethics also makes an individual who they are or who they are perceived to be. Application of ethics on a group level is also important because it allows people to act in a way that they are proud of. It also allows a group to be responsible for their actions. If a group shares ethical beliefs the application of them will also be a common ground. Application of ethics by individuals and groups shows integrity and confidence. This can lead to pride in work, and a group mentality. These effects are important in any group situation, and the effective application of ethics will lead to success. When we work in any organization we are bound to accept the moral ethos of that organization. Relying on our own moral principles only erodes the trust and understanding that is necessary for any cooperative work to function successfully. I will discuss and evaluate these claims. In any position we hold within a company, it is important to make sure that our conduct in that company facilitates the smooth functioning of that workplace. However, if the moral ethos of the organization we work for conflicts heavily with our own, or with a common view of morality, then should we have to obey the rules and regulations of that company, or is there some way we can call the ineptitude of their moral ethos into question without risk to our position in the company? In this essay I shall discuss the problems that can arise with conflicts of organizational and individual moral values by looking at specific role moralities, the role of ethics in a company, whether the boss is really the right person to make ethical decisions and I will decide whether the ffective running of a company entails worker conformity to a company moral ethos or whether individuals should be allowed to reason ethically for themselves in the workplace. When faced with a conflict involving organizational and personal moral codes, the role we fulfill and the requirements that that role entails are important factors in resolving the conflict. Sometimes a pa rticular job will hold with it several responsibilities to be upheld which may not mesh with our own individual ethical standards and values. For instance, a lawyer may find out that their client is guilty, but cannot divulge this information to another because of the obligation of confidentiality that their job entails. In the case where keeping the confidences of another directly and negatively effects somebody else, the personal moral ethos of the lawyer may encourage her to believe that by informing someone of this private information she is doing the right thing. The moral ethos of her profession would hold that to uphold the confidentiality of the lawyer/client relationship would take precedent over doing what would commonly be seen as the ethically right thing to do. This distinction between role morality and common morality is often debated, with many believing that a professional role should provide exceptions to certain areas that are taken to be ethically black and white. Certain roles can only be carried out if a certain amount of ethical leeway is granted for their execution. Although it is widely recognized that some professions prioritize certain values above others and that this prioritization may not be consistent with a common morality view, many argue that even though specialized roles may require a certain amount of confidentiality, breaching some of the most fundamentally universal moral principles should never be condoned, even in such role related circumstances. One of the grounding features of a common view of morality is that it is seen to be universal. The role of ethics in the company is generally kept to a bare minimum, with a code of company conduct providing the skeletal structure for ethical workplace behavior. To this effect, the rules of a company are generally viewed in a more practical light as opposed to being viewed as a form of moral compass. Morality is often viewed as a highly subjective, often religiously defined way of regulating behavior and lacks the political correctness of an objective bureaucratic set of rules and regulations. Indeed displays of moral behavior can even be deemed as threatening in the workplace. They can be threatening to our position in the company if they do not gel with company policies, they can be threatening to our relationships with our co-workers, and they can make others feel uncomfortable about the way they conduct themselves in the workplace. In view of this, ethical concerns are rarely raised and an attitude which adopts company policy and coerces those who don't agree to keep their mouths shut is usually what is seen around the workplace. Raising an issue of ethics in the workplace that conflicts with company policy can lead to a breakdown of the delicate relationships which keep a company functioning. . Business decisions cannot be made based on personal values. This is why it is necessary for every business, whether large or small, to have a code of ethics in which employees can follow to ensure the success of the business. Most importantly, the leaders of a corporation Significantly affect the way the business is being conducted, and the need for strong values leads the way for employees to follow, and contributes to the success of a business (Storm, 2007). Every corporation has their own rules of conduct, or code of ethics, which refers to policy statements that define ethical standards for their conduct. Corporate codes of conduct typically do not have any authorized definition and there is great variation in the way the statements are drafted. The authors of a code are usually the founder, board of directors, CEO, top management, legal departments, and consultants. Also involved in the process, are sometimes employee representatives, or randomly selected employees When business people speak about â€Å"business ethics† they usually mean one of three things: (1) avoid breaking the criminal law in one's work-related activity; (2) avoid action that may result in civil law suits against the company; and (3) avoid actions that are bad for the company image. Businesses are especially concerned with these three things since they involve loss of money and company reputation. In theory, a business could address these three concerns by assigning corporate attorneys and public relations experts to escort employees on their daily activities. Anytime an employee might stray from the straight and narrow path of acceptable conduct, the experts would guide him back. Obviously this solution would be a financial disaster if carried out in practice since it would cost a business more in attorney and public relations fees than they would save from proper employee conduct. Perhaps reluctantly, businesses turn to philosophers to instruct employees on becoming â€Å"moral. For over 2,000 years philosophers have systematically addressed the issue of right and wrong conduct. Presumably, then, philosophers can teach employees a basic understanding of morality will keep them out of trouble. But does this position give them clear moral authority? Robert Jackall in his Drawing Lines (1988, p. 111) article from Moral Mazes believes that â€Å"†¦ people in high places i n big companies at some stage lose sight of the objectives of their companies and begin to focus on their positions†. Imagine if a manager of a grocery store had failed to evacuate his store when a fire broke out in a nearby shop. There was not a high risk of the fire spreading to the grocery store, but there was smoke coming into the store and there had been an evacuation call for the whole complex. The manager of this grocery store gave the explanation that the fire was not a great risk and it would have been unwise to cause unnecessary panic. The actual reason he did not evacuate the store was because he knew that he would not make sales targets for that day if the store had to be closed for a period of time. He may have done the right thing for his profit margins at the end of the year, but he certainly did not do the right thing ethically. In this scenario, the other employees of the store, seeing the inaction of their boss, would either have to obey his wishes and keep working and serving the customers, or they would do what they feel is the right thing and get the occupants of the store out of harm's way. It is difficult to make a decision about ethical conduct which goes against our boss, especially if this decision turns out to be the wrong one. For this reason, most people obey not necessarily the moral ethos of their company or their own personal moral ethos, but they will follow blindly what their boss tells them to do. Robert Jackall continues in Drawing lines (1988, p. 111) that â€Å"Bureaucracy transforms all moral issues into immediately practical concerns. A moral judgment based on a professional ethic makes little sense in a world where the etiquette of authority relationships and the necessity for protecting and covering for one's boss, one's network, and oneself supersede all other considerations and where accountability is the norm. This leads us back to whether conformity to an organizational moral ethos actually does create a smoother functioning and more productive workplace. Of course there needs to be a certain level of conformity in the workplace in order for there to be cooperation between employees and to hence provide a smoothly functioning work environment, but does this necessarily entail a strict fo llowing of a company's rules and regulations. On this point, even many company heads say that a company's moral ethos does not need to be followed exactly as it is written, but that compromise and flexibility are often the best way to approach work life. Of course this does not mean that company heads think it is fine for employees to freely express their own moral judgment, because this often leads to an unpredictable workplace and with this things may start to get out of hand. To keep the workplace running smoothly we often have to leave our personal ethical concerns to rest, unless of course the issue is of a very important nature. It is all about weighing up what is most important in the situation, and whether what is happening is harming anyone. If it is harming someone, then the issue should be raised and we should employ some of our own ethical standards in convincing others of the moral importance of the case. But if the issue is a minor one, it is best from both a company perspective and for our own job security that we do, in that instance, keep our mouth shut. When employees act unethically and/or without integrity, customers lose trust and confidence in organizational products and services. When leaders act unethically and/or without integrity, employees lose trust and confidence in organizational processes, systems and products. Both directly impact the bottom line and the return on investment. Organizations are built on the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Working together creates results and outcomes for the whole that outweigh the results and outcomes of everyone working for them. The secret to success is not the principle but the way synergy is created. Synergy is defined as a dynamic state in which combined action is favored over the sum of individual component actions. Synergy is an emergent behavior that arises out a multitude of simple actions based in ethics and integrity. Everyone in an organization is expected to do the right thing at the right time in order to create synergy. Doing the right thing at the right time creates positive safety, quality, and productivity and cost results. This is ethics-the determination of right and wrong in organizations. Ethics is learned through trial and error. When behaviors are wrong, they are corrected. When behaviors are right, they are reinforced. These lessons learned and best practices are the moral code that defines the synergistic behaviors required for organizational performance. Problems occur when individuals seek to maximize their personal ends through behaviors that violate the ethics of the organization and its moral code. If one gets more, others get less. For example, employees who slow down during the week to ensure overtime pay reduce the return on investment for others. To prevent violations of the moral code, leaders and managers in organizations are entrusted with a fiduciary responsibility (something that is held or founded in trust and confidence) to reinforce and enforce the requisite synergistic behaviors required for organizational sustainability. Corruption occurs when there is an abuse of entrusted poor for personal gain whether it is financial or political. Corruption sub-optimizes the performance and jeopardizes the sustainability of the whole. Corruption often deceivingly masks itself as business reality. In order to ensure business targets are achieved and performance bonuses are distributed, an accepted practice called â€Å"does what it takes to get the job done† rears its ugly head. This may mean cutting corners, applying Band-Aid solutions, suppressing , ignoring or misrepresenting information in order that the problems or defects are knowingly or unknowingly passed on to another part of the process. Since no one wants a product or service with built in defects, the second part of this practice is â€Å"don’t get caught. † This is corruption and it destroys synergy and undermines organizational principles. Corruption spreads. Employees who do what it takes and don’t get caught are rewarded. This creates a culture of knowing where employees know that doing the wrong thing at the right time will be rewarded. In time, many embrace corruption simply because everyone is doing it. Corruption ignores the fact that unethical actions involved in doing the wrong things create a chain of consequences that far outweighs the cost of doing the right thing. For example, organizations that ship product with quality defects to meet production targets lose in product returns and warranty repairs that reduce profitability. It is a short term gain for a few, and a long term pain for the many. Government, through its regulatory agencies, intervenes to control corruption in financial, safety, human rights, and environmental areas. Unfortunately, regulators cannot legislate compliance to the law. They can only enforce consequences to violations. This is where the â€Å"don’t get caught† behavior invokes ingenuity that defies the legal system. The principle of protecting the whole and the right way to do things then falls to the integrity of the participating individuals. The commitment to comply is an integrity based decision. Integrity is defined as wholeness, unfolding and objectivity. If the ethical foundation and the moral code are sound, then individuals have trust and confidence in the organization. Wholeness is completed by doing the right thing. The unfolding is defined by doing the next right things and objectivity is enhanced by doing things the right way. Performance and sustainability are the outcome of individual commitment to compliance and collective synergies arising out of an ethical moral code. If the ethical foundation and moral code is corrupt-benefiting the few at the expense of the many, then individuals lack trust and confidence in the organization and its products. Doing the wrong thing fragments the whole. Not doing the next right thing creates chaos and objectivity is compromised when people don’t do things correctly. Performance is at risk in the short term and long term sustainability is undermined. Ethics and integrity are the cornerstones of performance and sustainability. As seen in the Enron failure, corporations consistently hold more and more impact on the shape and structure of the world as we see it. They are the large and small organizations that society places their trust in to process the economy. Whether it be a large conglomerate such as Enron, or a one person â€Å"mom and pop† shop, society places their trust in these companies and deserves to have this trust upheld. A company's culture is what determines how the company is operated. A company born of poor ethics in the culture is ultimately at risk for unscrupulous acts. The acts of Enron our probably structure from only a small percentage of its employees, however, due to the company's unethical culture, procedures and policies our allowed that did not facilitate personal ethical behaviors. I believe it is this lack of personal ethics that served as the catalyst to the demise of Enron as a company and the damage that they leave behind. Who is responsible for a company's ethical culture? I believe the leaders of the organization are responsible for these ethics through their own personal ethics. One might argue that personal ethics do not have a role, provided they are kept separate from the business world. I believe it is impossible to maintain a separation between personal and business ethics. They inevitably intermingle. The issue is then, how to foster a sense of accountability that transcends the workday. I believe one method of creating a strong sense of personal ethics in all employees, and hence a corporate ethical culture, is through social responsibility. This is done by empowering employees to create and be responsible for their own actions and environment. When employees see a correlation between their actions and direct consequences, they develop pride associated with a job well done and a sense of accountability and responsibility to their jobs. An example of a company that, through its leadership has a great sense of company ethics and has created a culture of social responsibility is Enterprise, an internationally known rental car company. The company began its operation when its founder, Jack Taylor, worked for a car salesman and was tired of the lies and gimmicks that our used by the competing car companies. With his employer, Taylor invested in a new kind of car company whose culture consisted of no tricks or hidden agendas and offered all of the facts up-front to its customers. Taylor's personal sense of ethics determined the standards of his business model. And because his personal ethics centered on straightforward dealings with customers, his customers responded positively. Relieved to find someone in the automotive business who would deal with them honestly, customers helped Enterprise become an industry leader. Its status continues to this day: it has never laid off any of its employees and is considered one of the most financially sound rental car companies by Standard & Poor's. Enterprise's success is also a testament to the influence of social ethics. Their system of promoting new employees fosters a sense of social responsibility. Its primary new employee candidates are new college graduates, who are immediately placed in a junior management program. Upon their success as a branch manager, they are offered their own store location to run. All management from junior manager on up to the board of directors are then rewarded primarily on a commissions basis based on their own individual performance and those of their subordinates. Due to the empowerment of its employees for their own success or failure and the establishment of a reward system, Enterprise has reached success rates that are otherwise non-existent in its industry. Enterprise also has one of the lowest attrition rates in its industry and in many industries around, simply because its employees want to work there. It is evident that the success of Enterprise is largely due to the company's sense of social responsibility and the company's cultural ethics, which stem from the personal ethics of its leadership

Feminism & Law Essay

Feminism simply refers to the thought that women and men should have similar and equal rights in all fronts, be it sexually, politics, economics or civil amongst others. Though feminism efforts can be traced back to the late 19th century, intense activism can be placed at the upper quarter of the 20th century where there arose feminist movements, philosophy, theories and literature supporting equality between the genders. Indeed these movements and efforts bore fruits and are credited with the revolution that would see a flurry of laws enacted and policies aimed at opening more opportunities implemented. The recent past years have seen this change and feminist movements have become dormant and almost irrelevant, many agree that this has been brought forth by the mere fact that their grievances were addressed. Indeed feminism had genuine grievances. A look at the traditional society, and also the prevailing circumstances up to the world war period, indicates that the society was highly patriarchal. Both the unwritten and the written rules were aimed at subjugating women while elevating the position of men in all aspects. Job opportunities, politics and economics were wholly dominated by men. Women leadership was looked down upon and women roles were only limited to household chores. The Declaration of Sentiments, a document detailing grievances of women as published in 1846 during the Seneca Falls Convention, has clearly outlined these concerns indicating how inequality raged in the male dominated society be it in the marriages, economics and also in the workplaces (Estelle, 2003). The key grievances ranged from the role of women in marriages and also the pursuit of equal opportunities in the workplaces. The first wave of feminism was concentrating its efforts in rooting out inequality aimed at property rights and universal voting rights. These were accorded by the law by the first quarter of the 20th century. The second wave of liberation was radical and was pursuing injustices meted out against women revolving around cultural and political inequalities. These grievances were touching on the very foundation of marriage and sought to ensure that a woman’s voice and rights in marriage were respected and ensured by the law. Consequently, legislations recognizing marital rape were enacted and women’s rights in regard to divorces were also put into place. Abortion was also a key concern and resulted to intensified activism demanding for women to be allowed to take control of their sexuality and also the fate of their pregnancies. The Roe v Wade landmark court ruling that outlawed abortion was seen as a major success for feminist movements. Political and social rights were advanced. The third wave of feminism became referred to as the Women’s Liberation and took place from the late 1970s to 1990s. This was aimed at rooting out sexism and all forms of discriminations especially in the workplaces. Women demanded laws aimed at tackling sex discrimination and abuse. This was a wave that was also aiming at rooting out the perception that feminist movements were pursuing the upper class women, it is for this reason that this movement began focusing at the issues that generally affected women such as gender based violence and the removal of gender based connotations and stereotypes (Estelle 2006). With the accomplishments of the ideals that feminism sought to achieve, there is now a general feeling that feminism has become irrelevant. As Anita (2004, 96) contends, â€Å"years and years ago this feminist thing was really big and people did fight for women’s rights, and that was good. But we are equal now, so there’s not that need. † This is indeed the prevailing situation; feminism has ceased to be relevance. Women have acquired rights and although still disadvantaged, have equal rights to men. The angry bra burning and men bashing activists are no longer around as their common objectives were met and the modern woman is unencumbered by the traditional feminist ties (Estelle 2006). The popular media is said to mirror the society bringing into perspective all the held perceptions and norms. A comparison of the movies that cropped up a couple of decades ago and today’s movies for example indicates a stark contrast. Whereas the 80s movies gave women subtle and supportive roles, modern movies are according men and women equal roles and are portraying women playing the roles that were regarded as the preserve of men. They are also no longer seen as sex toys and objects to provide comic relief in movies and magazines but are rather playing active roles. Today’s women are seen as assertive in their own right but not mere props to support men, they are holding executive roles and have plunged deep into the cutthroat executive and political affairs if the recent Hillary Clintons candidature is anything to go by. They possess charisma and enough magnetic pull to carry out demanding political tasks as their men counterparts. Though sexism is yet to be eradicated, the rigorous feminist movements no longer enjoy the huge membership like they used to in the 80s, today they have taken a more integrative approach. References Anita H. (2004). All about the girl: culture, power, and identity. Routledge. Estelle B. F. (2006) Feminism, sexuality, and politics: essays. UNC Press. Estelle B. F. (2003) No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women. Ballantine Books.

Auditory Learning Strategies and Characteristics

Auditory Learning Strategies and Characteristics Do you prefer lectures over long reading assignments? Are you great at following verbal directions? Do you benefit from in-class discussions and receive great marks for class participation? If so, you may be an auditory learner. Auditory learning is one of the  three learning styles  established by the VAK model of learning. In essence, auditory learners retain information best when it is presented through sound and speech. Auditory learners generally remember what their teacher says and readily participate in class. They are good listeners and often very social, which means they can sometimes get distracted from the lesson by everything else going on in the classroom. Auditory learning methods range from studying with voice recordings to memorizing vocabulary words by inventing short songs. Strengths of Auditory Learners From kindergarten to calculus class, auditory learners will be some of the most engaged and responsive members of any classroom. Here are some of the strengths that will help them achieve success in the classroom: Good at explaining ideas out loudKnack for understanding changes in tone of voiceSkilled at oral reports and class presentationsUnafraid to speak up in classFollows verbal directions wellEffective member of study groupsGifted storytellerAble to work through complex problems by talking out loud Auditory Learning Strategies Those with an auditory learning style like to speak and hear others speak in order to learn, but they may have trouble reading silently or staying engaged in a completely quiet classroom. If you are an auditory learner, try these strategies to improve your learning experience. Find a study buddy. Team up with a study group or a reliable study partner and quiz each other on the content. Verbally reinforcing the information will help you retain it, especially if you have to memorize lots of details.Record class lectures. Ask your instructors permission to create audio recordings of class lectures. During class, focus your brain power on listening closely to the lecture. Youll process the information much better this way than if you try to jot down every word the teacher says. Later, you can listen back to the recording and take notes on the most important information.Sit near the front of the room. Find a spot in the front row so that you can hear every word of the lecture.Listen to classical music. Listen to lyric-free music while you study. (Music with lyrics may be too distracting.)Participate in class discussions as much as possible. Talking about your ideas and voicing your questions will increase your understanding of the material. Encourage other stud ents when they speak so that others feel just as comfortable as you do speaking in front of a group.   Record yourself reading key terms and their definitions out loud. Then, listen to the recording while you walk to class, exercise, or get ready for bed.Repeat facts with your eyes closed. This technique will help you focus your attention on the auditory process, rather than any other visual stimuli that might be in front of you.Read assignments out loud. If youre given a homework assignment that involves reading a lengthy chapter, dont feel like youre trapped into a silent reading session. Instead, curl up in your room or another study space and read aloud to yourself. (You can even make it interesting by using goofy voices.) Auditory Learning Tips for Teachers Auditory learners need to listen, speak, and interact in order to learn. They are often social butterflies. Help the auditory learners in your class put their gift of gab to good use with these teaching strategies. Call on auditory learners to answer questions.Lead class discussions and reward class participation.During lectures, ask auditory learners to repeat ideas in their own words.Record your lectures so that auditory learners can listen to them more than once.Allow any struggling auditory learner to take an oral exam instead of a written one.Create lesson plans that include a social element, such as paired readings, group work, experiments, projects, and performances.Modulate your vocal tone, inflection, and body language during lectures.Allow students with an auditory learning style to listen to approved music during silent study periods.

Feminist Literary Criticism Defined

Feminist Literary Criticism Defined Feminist literary criticism (also known as feminist criticism) is the literary analysis that arises from the viewpoint of feminism, ​feminist theory, and/or feminist politics. Critical Methodology A feminist literary critic resists traditional assumptions while reading a text. In addition to challenging assumptions which were thought to be universal, feminist literary criticism actively supports including womens knowledge in literature and valuing womens experiences. The basic methods of feminist literary criticism include: Identifying with female characters: By examining the way female characters are defined, critics challenge the male-centered outlook of authors. Feminist literary criticism suggests that women in literature have been historically presented as objects seen from a male perspective.Reevaluating literature and the world in which literature is read: By revisiting the classic literature, the critic can question whether society has predominantly valued male authors and their literary works because it has valued males more than females. Embodying or Undercutting Stereotypes Feminist literary criticism recognizes that literature both reflects and shapes stereotypes and other cultural assumptions.  Thus, feminist literary criticism examines how works of literature embody patriarchal attitudes or undercut them, sometimes both happening within the same work. Feminist theory and various forms of feminist critique began long before the formal naming of the school of literary criticism. In so-called first-wave feminism, the Womans Bible, written in the late 19th century by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, is an example of a work of criticism firmly in this school, looking beyond the more obvious male-centered outlook and interpretation. PhotoQuest / Getty Images During the period of second-wave feminism, academic circles increasingly challenged the male literary canon. Feminist literary criticism has since intertwined with postmodernism and increasingly complex questions of gender and societal roles. Tools of the Feminist Literary Critic Feminist literary criticism may bring in tools from other critical disciplines, such as historical analysis, psychology, linguistics, sociological analysis, economic analysis, for instance.  Feminist criticism may also look at intersectionality, looking at how factors including race, sexuality, physical ability, and class are also involved. Feminist literary criticism may use any of the following methods: Deconstructing the way that women characters are described in novels, stories, plays, biographies, and histories, especially if the author is maleDeconstructing how ones own gender influences how one reads and interprets a text, and which characters and how the reader identifies depending on the readers genderDeconstructing how women autobiographers and biographers of women treat their subjects, and how biographers treat women who are secondary to the main subjectDescribing relationships between the literary text and ideas about power and sexuality and genderCritique of patriarchal or woman-marginalizing language, such as a universal use of the masculine pronouns he and himNoticing and unpacking differences in how men and women write: a style, for instance, where women use more reflexive language and men use more direct language (example: she let herself in vs. he opened the door)Reclaiming women writers who are little known or have been marginalized or undervalued, sometimes referre d to as expanding or criticizing the canon- the usual list of important authors and works  (Examples include raising up the contributions of early playwright ​Aphra Behn, showing how she was treated differently than male writers from her own time forward, and the retrieval of Zora Neale Hurstons writing by Alice Walker.) Reclaiming the female voice as a valuable contribution to literature, even if formerly marginalized or ignoredAnalyzing multiple works in a genre as an overview of a feminist approach to that genre: for example, science fiction or detective fictionAnalyzing multiple works by a single author (often female)Examining how relationships between men and women and those assuming male and female roles are depicted in the text, including power relationsExamining the text to find ways in which patriarchy is resisted or could have been resisted Feminist literary criticism is distinguished from gynocriticism because feminist literary criticism may also analyze and deconstruct literary works of men. Gynocriticism Gynocriticism, or gynocritics, refers to the literary study of women as writers. It is a critical practice exploring and recording female creativity. Gynocriticism attempts to understand women’s writing as a fundamental part of female reality. Some critics now use â€Å"gynocriticism† to refer to the practice and â€Å"gynocritics† to refer to the practitioners. American literary critic Elaine Showalter coined the term gynocritics in her 1979 essay â€Å"Towards a Feminist Poetics.† Unlike feminist literary criticism, which might analyze works by male authors from a feminist perspective, gynocriticism wanted to establish a literary tradition of women without incorporating male authors. Showalter felt that feminist criticism still worked within male assumptions, while gynocriticism would begin a new phase of women’s self-discovery. Resources and Further Reading Alcott, Louisa May. The Feminist Alcott: Stories of a Womans Power. Edited by Madeleine B. Stern, Northeastern University, 1996.Barr, Marleen S. Lost in Space: Probing Feminist Science Fiction and Beyond. University of North Carolina, 1993.Bolin, Alice. Dead Girls: Essays on Surviving an American Obsession. William Morrow, 2018.Burke, Sally. American Feminist Playwrights: A Critical History. Twayne, 1996.Carlin, Deborah. Cather, Canon, and the Politics of Reading. University of Massachusetts, 1992.Castillo, Debra A. Talking Back: Toward a Latin American Feminist Literary Criticism. Cornell University, 1992.Chocano, Carina. You Play the Girl. Mariner, 2017.Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar, editors. Feminist Literary Theory and Criticism: A Norton Reader. Norton, 2007.Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar, editors. Shakespeares Sisters: Feminist Essays on Women Poets. Indiana University, 1993.Lauret, Maria. Liberating Literature: Feminist Fiction in America. Routledge, 1994.Lavigne, C arlen. Cyberpunk Women, Feminism and Science Fiction: A Critical Study. McFarland, 2013. Lorde, Audre. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. Penguin, 2020.Perreault, Jeanne. Writing Selves: Contemporary Feminist Autography. University of Minnesota, 1995.Plain, Gill, and Susan Sellers, editors. A History of Feminist Literary Criticism. Cambridge University, 2012.Smith, Sidonie, and Julia Watson, editors. De/Colonizing the Subject: The Politics of Gender in Womens Autobiography. University of Minnesota, 1992. This article was edited and with significant additions by Jone Johnson Lewis

Riordan Corporate Compliance Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Riordan Corporate Compliance Plan - Essay Example Riordan attracts customers from various industries including, electronic companies, household item producers, defense, bottlers, aircraft, and even software companies. The entire vendor management and human resource management systems that Riordan uses in its various branches in the United States are with an Oracle system. The Vendor management and the HR management system are available on the Riordan website and almost all the processes are done including, placing the orders, tracking the order, accepting delivery, and process management. The management system automatically delivers e-mails to the relevant persons once a transaction gets generated through the e-mail engine. The Riordan Corporate Compliance should be created and approved by the senior management or Board of the company and stick to the regulations that may be applicable in various states the company is functioning. Third, the Compliance plan should also give importance to monitoring and auditing the system and ensuri ng that enforcement and breaches are addressed appropriately. In such a manner, the legal compliance plan should meet the legal standards and be in line with the legislations of that particular nation. Legal Compliance Plan Introduction Riordan Production is a manufacturing and productions company concerned with the manufacture of plastics, polymers, electrical appliances, and household appliances. It will not only sell the appliances to other businesses but also to the end consumer. Initially, Riordan was a company that supplied other companies, and it has been recently until which Riordan has entered the relationship sector. Within the company, Riordan consider meeting certain legal and ethical obligation concerned with business and comply with the standard business practice. The legal compliance document of Riordan will not only ensure that the ethical and legal obligation of the company and the manner in which it functions is known to others. This also ensure that the various st akeholders concerned, including employees, other businesses, companies, partners, and the government, are aware of these standards and the manner in which the company functions. The Company compliance plan will chalk out the legal and the ethical commitments and the set of standards that has to be followed during the business practices. The important aspects of corporate compliance are †¢ Enterprise liability †¢ Tangible property and intangible property (intellectual property) †¢ Governance principles of regulatory compliance requirements †¢ The specific international laws This compliance plan created by the company senior management and approved by the Management Board of Riordan Productions. It sets the basic framework and the manner in which the business is conducted. It shall be binding on the company management, employees, contractors, and the third parties who do business with Riordan Productions. The compliance plan will also be binding on the managers and the supervisors. Some of the important set of functions includes Standard policies and guidelines to be adhered to concerned employee management, risk identification, risk management, evaluation, monitoring, implementing corrective processes, and managing the property/assets. Legal Standards Riordan Productions is a manufacturing hub and would be appointing, supporting, and using the services of the human