Theoretical Approaches to the Organizational Development

What is organization development? Organization development refers to a systematic and ongoing process of designing and implementing effective organizational change. It is also a scientific field of inquiry in which scholars study how best organizations can be developed.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Theoretical Approaches to the Organizational Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The underlying principle of organizational development is therefore the need to implement change in organizations and manage the change so as to achieve certain predetermined objectives (Cummings Worley, 2009, p.1). Theoretical approaches to organizational development Systems approach Most of the modern theoretical approaches to organizations are derived from the systems theory founded by Von Bertalanffy in 1951. It conceptualizes organizations as being composed of sub-systems which interact with each other for the co mmon good of organizations. Each sub-system is considered as being important for the success of the whole and therefore organizations need to be guided by mutual trust, harmony and a unity of purpose. Von Bertalanffy argued that each and every employee was unique and thus there was the need of treating them as such without any cultural stereotypes or prejudices (Burns Flam, 1987, p.381). The systems approach has affected the field of organizational development by making organizations understand that each part of the organization is important for the functioning of the whole. Through the approach, organizations have been able to integrate their various departments to operate in an interdependent manner, a situation which has seen the emergence of what is referred to as line or horizontal management. The harmonization of organizational departments has also led to the emergence of team work in many organizations. The Contingency Approach According to Burns and Stalker in an article ti tled â€Å"The Management of Innovation†, as quoted in the FAO Corporate Document Respiratory, it is not possible to have a universal approach to all situations and that different situations require different guidelines and modes of intervention.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Organizations do not exist in a vacuum but rather exist in an environment which is characterized by social, cultural, economic, political and technical forces. In order for an organization to attain its objectives in an efficient and effective manner, it is good to consider the environments in which it exists and come up with strategies which match those environments, then cultivate an organizational culture which would enable it to thrive in those environments. The contingency approach has affected organizational development in that organizations have become more inclusive in the proc ess of decision making, which has seen employees have the permission to micromanage their work and come up with the best ways of performing their duties. The reason is that managements have realized that full control of employees may interfere with their productivity, which in turn negatively affects that of the organizations (Donaldson, 2001, p.5). Socio-Technical Theory According to Pasmore in an article titled â€Å"Designing Effective Organizations†, and as quoted in the FAO Corporate Document Respiratory, each and every organization comprises of the people, the environment and a technical system. The social system is composed of the employees while the technical system is composed of knowledge, tools and techniques used by the social system. According to Pasmore therefore, there is a need to maintain equilibrium between these subsystems so that organizations may be effective and efficient. The social technical theory has made organizations to integrate employees’ work with technology with a view of maximizing the available opportunities for attaining organizational goals and objectives (Thompson, 2003). Action research approach The approach conceptualizes organizational development as a product of a bottom up strategy to organizational improvement. The philosophy behind the action research approach is that any effective change must be based on evidence. The approach has its roots in Kurt Lewin, who is considered by many scholars as the father of organizational change and development.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Theoretical Approaches to the Organizational Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lewin came up with what he called three stage theory which involves three stages or steps namely unfreezing, changing and freezing (Cummings Worley, 2009). The first step of unfreezing is about doing a cost benefit analysis about the proposed change and weighing whether the pros of the change outweighs the cons, then creating the necessary motivation for the change. This stage is therefore the preparatory stage and is very crucial because it determines the success of the change if effected. When employees are highly motivated to change, the resistance to change is minimized and vice versa (Cameron Green, 2009). The next stage is the change stage which is also known as the transition stage and involves implementing the change. This is the hardest stage in change implementation because employees are always reluctant to move out of their comfort zones despite any motivation (Burke, 2011). During this stage therefore, employees need to be guided and encouraged to undertake the change. The final stage is the freezing stage, which is also known as refreezing stage. During this stage, the organization has successfully sailed through the change process and is now leaving in a new dispensation. There is therefore the need of creating a new culture in the organization which is in line with the new organizational dispensation (Cummings Worley, 2009). Action research has affected organizational development in a variety of ways. In fact, it is the most popular approach in determining organization development in that many organizations actually base their changes on research. Through research, organizations are able to initiate changes based on data collection and analysis. Some usually develop strategic plans based on empirical data. Programs are also implemented through a rigorous process which is composed of base line surveys, monitoring and evaluation of the programs in an ongoing process. Forces which influenced the emergence of organizational development The social force The social force which influenced the emergence of organizational development was the shift from the classical management theories which viewed employees as robots to be operated by the managers to the human relations approach to management which views emp loyees as social beings with physical, emotional and psychological needs.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The shift brought the need for organizations to put in place fare employee practice which involves things like employee training, team work, flexible working and scholarships to the employees. Through this, organizations are able to improve the competencies of their employees thus leading to increased efficiency, effectiveness and productivity (Jones Brazzel, 2006). Political forces The political forces which led to the emergence of organizational development were the events of the World War II. Prior to the war, organizations largely relied on the scientific management theory by Taylor. Taylor’s theory was synonymous to colonization in that it viewed employees as laborers and the managers as all knowing elites with an all round knowledge virtually in all aspects of organizational processes, functioning and procedures. After the world war, nations of the world realized that collaboration with each other was far much better than elimination of rivals or competing ideologies. As a result, organizations realized that all stakeholders were important for their success. Managers therefore started embracing employee inputs by allowing them to be creative, innovative and flexible while discharging their duties. The result was increased productivity because some employees actually had unique talents, which made organizations improve their levels of attainment of objectives (Bradford Burke, 2005). Economic force The economic force which led to organizational development was the global recession of the 1980s, a period of poor economic performance characterized by low gross domestic product for countries, reduced productivity, less income for those working or doing business, inflation and high costs of living. The recession affected virtually all aspects of human life including organizations both in the public ad private sector. Due to the recession, organizations were forced to come up with strategies of cutting on operational costs. One way mostly adopted was t hat of training employees so as to enable them undertake various tasks within an organization. Interpersonal force Globalization is the interpersonal force which led to the emergence of organizational development. It can be defined as the minimization of the differences between people of the world and the maximization of their similarities through interactions, cooperation and communication. The advancement in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has transformed the world into a global village. Through ICT and improved means of transport, people are more than ever able to do business with each other without any form of barriers (Scholte, 2005). Through globalization, organizations have found themselves opening new branches in other countries. Examples of such organizations which have used globalization as an aspect of development include Tesco in the United Kingdom and Wal- Mart stores in the United States. References Bradford, D. L., Burke, W. W. (Eds.). (2005). Reinvent ing organization development: New approaches to change in organizations. San Francisco, CA: Wiley. Burns, T.R., Flam, H. (1987). The shaping of social organization : social rule system theory with applications. London: Sage Publishers. P.381. Burke , W.W.(2011). Organisation change: theory and practice.(3rd Edn.). Thousand Oaks : SAGE Publications. Cameron, E., Green, M.(2009). Making sense of change management : a complete guide to the models, tools techniques of organisational change. London: Philadelphia. Cummings, T. G., Worley, C. G. (2009). Organization development and change (9th Edn.) Mason: OH, South-Western Cengage Learning. P.1. Donaldson, L. (2001). The contingency theory of organizations. Thousand Oaks, Calif. Sage Publishers. P.5. Jones, B. B., Brazzel, M. (Eds.). (2006). The NTL handbook of organization development and change: Principles, practices, and perspectives. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer. Scholte, J. A. (2005). Globalisation: A Critical Introduction, (2nd Edn.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Thompson, J.D. (2003). Organizations in action: social science bases of administrative theory. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. This research paper on Theoretical Approaches to the Organizational Development was written and submitted by user Kailyn Phillips to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Stonewall Riots Essay Example

Stonewall Riots Essay Example Stonewall Riots Essay Stonewall Riots Essay The response was not immediate, and continues yet today. Many people in that community could not take their fights seriously. â€Å"It is tempting to tell the history of the gay rights movement as a history of laughteralternately anxious or derisive, mirthful or sardonicas who is laughing, and with what emotion, has changed very much, very quickly.† (Yoshino, 1, 2002) Many believed that homosexuality was a psychiatric mental disorder, and although this notion has lost its credibility, it still continues today. The Stonewall Riots gave the individuals the strength to fight back against what was occurring. â€Å"When the police raided the Stonewall Inn, gay patrons of the bar refused to go quietly. Barricading themselves in the bar, they alternately hurled out beer bottles and slogans like Gay Power. The riots did not last the week, and the mainstream press accorded them no great significance. Yet the riots imaginatively inaugurated the gay fights movement.† (Y oshino, 1, 2002) The Stonewall Riots paved the way for organizations to form, propelling the rights of homosexuals, where no one had dared to tread before. The Stonewall Riots â€Å"paved the way for other anti-passing events by making themselves visible in unprecedented ways. The riots called forth a new set of gay activist organizations, including the Gay Liberation Front, Radical Lesbians, and the Third World Gay Revolution.† (Yoshino, 1, 2002) No longer would these groups deny their sexual orientation, but proclaim it proudly. They conducted sit-ins in the offices of newspapers and magazines that purveyed demeaning images of homosexuals; they marched in the street to protest police harassment; they disrupted the conventions of psychiatrists who proclaimed them to be sick; they occupied campus buildings to win concessions from university administrators. (Yoshino, 1, 2002) The Stonewall Inn was a unique establishment that welcomed those who were not welcomed elsewhere. â€Å"When it was raided, they fought for it. They had nothing to lose other than the most tolerant and open-minded gay place in town. (Cusac, 1, 1999) The Stonewall Inn created an atmosphere where everyone felt comfortable to be who they were and take pride in who they were. â€Å"On June 28, the drag queens and junkies and hustlers- Stonewall catered to a poor, underworld gay male communityfought back. The riot spilled out onto the street and continued intermittently for five days. That show of resolve gave birth to the Gay Liberation Front, led to the annual gay pride parade in New York (today the citys largest annual parade), and is widely credited with emboldening a generation of activists.† (Oppenheimer, 86, 1996) The Stonewall Riots demonstrate that sexual orientation has the ability to mark both personal identity and social divisions. â€Å"Sexual orientation has steadily been replacing religion as the identity characteristic that is both physically invisible and morally polarizing. In 1900, ones group identity was largely defined by ones ethnicity, social class, sex, and religion. The norm was Anglo-Saxon, middle-class, male, and Protestant. The Jew, Roman Catholic, or Jehovahs Witness was considered deviant and was subject to social, economic, and political discrimination. In 2000, ones group identity will be largely defined by ones race, income, sex, and sexual orientation. The norm will be white, middle-income, male, and heterosexual. The lesbian, gay man, or trans-gendered person will be considered deviant and will be subject to social, economic, and political discrimination.† (Eskridge, 1, 1997) The Stonewall Riots provided the opportunity for homosexuals to come out of the closet and be proud for doing so. â€Å"The Stonewall generation not only definitively associated coming out with the destruction of the closet, but also deepened and transformed the meaning of the particular phenomenon. Coming out as lesbian, gay, or bisexual now is viewed as telling outsiders, not just insiders, about ones sexual identity. It no longer is understood merely as a discrete personal discovery and expression of ones sexuality, but is now seen as a process of continual discovery and exploration made possible through liberation from the clichà ©s of compulsory heterosexuality. (Eskridge, 1, 1997)

Compliance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compliance - Essay Example Additionally, SOX might affect the company’s information systems that entail information security and IT organisation (Spears, 2009). SOX might define the executive’s accountability for IT irregularities and the need for modern information systems in the company. SOX may influence information systems at Wobbly Wheels (WW) Distribution Company. SOX issue may compel the executive, CFO to adopt a detailed finance and accounting system that will enhance the success of the accurate financials. SOX will influence the company’s route optimization and freight tracking system where the executive, CIO and CFO will offer freight origin and destination details. In addition, SOX compliance issue will advocate for the adoption of a detailed financial reporting process that entails WW’s daily financials thus affecting its management reporting system. The company can modify the systems to address SOX compliance issue by allocating more resources to information technology systems used in the management, distribution, and warehousing. The increased allocation will enhance improved accuracy in financial reporting. The company can also adopt modern technologies that will help in implementing standard auditing and accounting procedures and methods. The company should train its IT staff and support specialization to boost efficiency. Additionally, WW should secure its databases, minimize network outages, and reduce IT costs. Spears, J. L. (2009). How Has Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Affected Information Security?  Retrieved from:

Problem Statement Wal-Mart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Problem Statement Wal-Mart - Essay Example Customers of the company benefit from the low prices and variety of products which can be purchased in various branches nationwide (Terpstra, et al.138). However local communities suffer from a deterioration of the environment in areas where Wal-Mart stores are located, due to an increase of the vehicular flow. In addition, local communities suffer from the overall decline of local business activities in areas where Wal-Mart stores are located because smaller businesses cannot compete with one of the largest retailers in the history of US also the world. Suppliers cooperate effectively with the company but they have to always match its low-cost strategy. Otherwise, Wal-Mart would choose other suppliers. Moreover, Wal-Mart tends to shift to large corporations as its major suppliers because they offer minimal prices of products and are capable of delivering homogeneous products nationwide. Hence competitors cannot outpace Wal-Mart as one of the largest retailers in the US. All these fa ctors constitute the unique management of Wal-Mart as it has remained competitive and is gaining popularity across the world despite criticism. At the international level, Wal-Mart has a less significant impact compared to the US market. Nevertheless, the company has kept on growing and today Wal-Mart is one of the leading retailers not just in the US but also in the world. Moreover, if the company continues its aggressive international market expansion, Wal-Mart may become the world's leader, overpowering its major rivals, like Target or Carrefour. While entering international markets, such as China, Wal-Mart attempts to introduce its standards and organizational culture abroad to its overseas outlets to make them similar to those in the US and hence this will...

Organisational change management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Organisational change management - Essay Example The positive energy approach will help to build the organisations on the strengths (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2001; Cooperrider, et al., 2008). The first step in this process is identifying and describing the problems which are needed to be solved. The approach can be described in five steps: (Source: The Eye Health Summit, 2013) Definition Definition is the first phase of the Appreciative Inquiry process. It is the phase where the organisations try to find out the underlying issues of the current business process, which require immediate attention of the management. In this phase, the management makes a flow map of those factors which are creating problems in the present business process and require external enquiry. In today’s business environment, the importance of organisational change management has been one of the most widely investigated areas. The organisational change management has gained attraction to a great extent from the researchers all around the world. Accordin g to Harigopal (2006), the organisational change is an essential process associated with the growth and expansion of a particular business. It is considered to be a complex process because a change which was successful for one organisation might not be so for other organisations. Thus, it becomes necessary to check that the change is congruent to dynamism, complexity and finally the uniqueness of the respective organization. The changes taking place in the political, economic and social environment also has an effect on the individuals and the organizations. Even if the change has been a constant process but its rapidity and swiftness have always been different. It is because of this reason that the external environmental changes have forced the organizations to make certain changes in their operational systems. We find a large number of companies implementing various strategic changes for coping up with the existing challenges. In case of strategic change, the companies restructure their business or marketing plans in a wider context. The main intention of performing strategic changes in an organization is for achieving the organizational goals and harmonizing the organizational activities along with the business environment. Organizational change management is one of the most crucial activities of an organization (Chen, et al., 2013). According to Jones (2004), there are two reasons responsible for the changes in the organizations. One is the response to the changes in the external environment. Another reason is the response of the companies to a specific crisis situation. The organizational change also becomes evident when various companies undergo any change in their executive power (Haveman, Russo and Meyer, 2001). The present study deals with the investigation of the problems in D2, which is an automobile components manufacturer. The company is facing a large number of problems associated with the cost of operations. The economic downturn has resulted in the worsening of the scenario in the company. D2 had to struggle for surviving in the market. The company planned for formulation of new strategies in order to achieve the economies of scale. The new strategy which has been taken into consideration is yet to be conveyed to the employees and only the senior managers are informed about the strategy

Understanding The Definition Of Holy Books Religion Essay

Understanding The Definition Of Holy Books Religion Essay Where do they come from? What role do they have in our lives? How do they work? Do they have any benefit? Most people think of the holy books as a set of heartless rules, laws and ancient story empty of clear meanings, which are difficult for our mind to comprehend fully. Their languages are strange to our modern languages, we do not know their true meanings and their purposes, and we do not have any clue how they can help us in life. Prove 30:5-6, Romans 7 :12-14 Every word of God is pure he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Gods law is holy just good and spiritual. All of these concepts are justifiable because we do not know any thing about them as much as we should do, just to reach them for some religious events. No wonder we are not able to experience God because we do not know his words, the more we learn about Gods word the more we become that close to God. The Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David, the Gospel of Jesus and the Koran of Mohammad, they are magnificent holy books, pure truth, with matchless value, which come from the one and the same source. These heavenly books have been the most influential books in history all of them are miracle with no equal, beyond the capacity of human. Divine religions help people to save and develop their faith , their original holy books are best references which are exclusive from any personal preference, if the people do not add or take away from them for better translation or some times for personal advantage. Koran 32:2 This is scripture free from all doubt has been sent down from the lord of the worlds. They provide us with all the information we need to get enlightened and advanced. Through considering and appreciation our holy books, we could become conscious and to realize the universal realities, secrets, messages and cods. These heavenly books are, slightly cross bridge between visible and invisible worlds, connection between the creator and creature we have been honored with this amazing set of connections. These luminous books tell us how to purify our soul from the impurities for perfection in order to prepare ourselves for our journey toward God, we are people of love who want to observe and experience his love and truth. Their messages have addressed directly to all people regardless to their class, gender and age, they have instruction and information in different styles and ways for all classes of human beings in favor of their happiness. They are the source of truth and true knowledge, which teach us all rational, moral, spiritual matters and principle of happiness, make us aware of our creator through his magnificent creation, and explain our divine purpose for his creation. Romans 10:17 So then faith comes from hearing the words of God. These revelations are the life-maps for us to find our right path and any one could find his own share, they are Gods timeless speeches for whole universe regardless of era, sex, ethnic group and location. They reveal the tremendous meanings and purposes of life and are inspired by God for eternal life and salvation they are heavenly divine truth, religious beliefs, laws and mortality. These practical books contain different subjects; philosophy, sociology, history, psychology, physics, biology, law, tradition, spirituality, mortality, and religion, every body with different level of understanding can obtain benefit from them. Through them, we are able to see how God acts and rules in universe, their insignificant historical events have verity meanings we could draw universal conclusion from those ordinary events. They hold the vast store of divine purposes, facts, and bear hidden universal principle and general law even the rules of personal, social conduct and principal of happy life. Koran 3:164In deed God conferred a great favor on the believers when he sent among them a messenger from among themselves reciting to them his holy book and purifying them. These divines words are a gift of mercy beyond our expectations which enable us to attach ourselves to the spirit of God to see the source of truth, understand the way to the eternal life, find out about the secrecy of life and our magnificent destiny. They are healing for any kind of spiritual sickness that treats any patient in a certain way since human beings are different in the condition of their heart. They invite us to the unlimited peace and delight, the most important thing is to train our heart and our mind to unite with God. To have all answers to all our needs (physically and spiritually) according to our moral purity and our intellectual capacity, we would achieve perfection, and to elevate and revive our soul through learning and understanding these scriptures. God shows his true signs to people through his divinely revelation in order that they find out about the reality of creation. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works All revelations have specific purposes, to know and believe our creator through his creation, to open the door of more love and blessings, to achieve lasting happiness, to give inner power for faith testing trail. We should take Gods words prayerfully with all our heart because their truth protects our spirit and our body. God has blessed us with extensive knowledge and guidance we should learn and internalize the true meaning of his word through understanding, experiencing, following our heart and our conscience. The most important matter is, to apply Gods principles into our ordinary lives and avoid regretting from making wrong decisions in additional, to build our lives upon the solid rock of divines word in order to achieve eternal happiness. We should recite them over and over to fix them in our scattered heart firmly it means to recite them with the tongue of our heart. KORAN 5:15-16 In deed there has come to you from God a light and a clear book with which God guides him who seeks his pleasure to the ways of safety and brings them out of darkness into light by his permission and guides them to a straight path Every time we read them, our mind and our soul recognize the new truth and meaning from them. When we read them with holiness and sincerity, we discover new meaning and understanding. There is no point in reciting them with out understanding and contemplation. We believe in heavenly books because we follow our heart and our conscious, they are supported by light of faith and signs of Gods wisdom and power and mercy we glorify our God through thankfulness, obedience and specially loving attitude. James 2:21-24 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed GOD, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the evidence

Components of Compensation paid to Employees Essay -- wages salary inc

A rigorous review of compensation and all its components Compensation is what is paid to an employee, whether in the form of wages, salary or incentives by the employer for a specific amount of time, skill and effort made available by the employee in fulfilling specific job requirements (Biesheuval, 1984). Compensation is important in organisations as it conveys information to an employee about their relative importance to the organisation and provides a scale to identify how much recognition they are receiving for their contribution (Harley and Stephenson, 1992). Compensation shows employees how much they are appreciated and worth. The most important differentiating element between jobs is the effort involved in performing a job (Biesheuval, 1985). †¢ Objectives of pay systems (Harzing and Van Ruysseveld, 1999): Objective: How to achieve it. To attract employees: Job salary To keep qualified employees: Bonus or incentive to stay e.g. shares To stimulate effective performance: Payment by results To teach employees new behaviours at work: Multi-skill bonus To compensate for inconvenient working conditions: A separate allowance †¢ Monetary and non-monetary compensation Compensation is made up of many parts. Although money (extrinsic compensation) is the most recognised, other factors can be just as rewarding. Employee benefits are one type of non-monetary compensation and are intended to improve the quality of work life of an organisations labour force (Sherman and Bohlander, 1992). These benefits make up a significant portion of the wage bill. Although benefits were initially introduced as a bonus to employees, they have since come to be expected in the workplace (ibid). Employee input is integral in determining the type of non-monetary compensation that is the most desired (ibid). Benefits (Sherman and Bohlander, 1992): †¢ Medical aid funds including health and dental plans †¢ Pension funds where the employer also contributes a percentage. †¢ Employee assistance programs where counselling and assistance are provided with day-to-day issues such as career planning and emotional trauma. †¢ Education assistance plans where the employer pays a portion towards further study. This often benefits the employer as the employee becomes more multi-skilled and efficient at their job. †¢ Child and elder care ... ...e company’s overall strategy before determining the compensation structure. The way an organisation uses compensation can drive an organisation in specific directions (Noe et al, 2003). Therefore, great thought should go into deciding what type of compensation structure to use in terms of the whole organisations strategy and the chosen method should contribute to furthering the overall objectives of the organisation (Sherman and Bohlander, 1992). E.g., individual incentives will not fit into an organisation that wants to further a team-based approach to work (ibid). Compensation sends a message about what an organisation feels is important and the types of activities it encourages (Sherman and Bohlander, 1992). Compensation tailoring is an integral method of maintaining the budget (ibid). For this reason, many companies resort to retrenchments in economic downturns (Venter, 2003). An organisations compensation program determines the type of employees that it will attract a s well as either increase or decrease the applicant pool (Sherman and Bohlander, 1992). 2295 Works Cited Work Motivation and Compensation By Simon Biesheuvel Published 1984 McGraw-Hill ISBN:0074507184

Love and Sacrifice Essay

Sacrifice is one of the purest and most selfless ways to love someone. There is no better way to show one’s loyalty or love for another than through sacrifice. The Kite Runner clearly demonstrates the sacrifices individuals made to make the ones they love happy. In Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner, a little boy named Hassan demonstrates love and sacrifice the most. Hassan admires Amir an immense amount and his loyalty towards Amir is always present in everything he does. He constantly sacrifices things for Amir and does whatever he can to make Amir happy and Amir’s father Baba, very proud of Amir. Hassan makes sure Amir is always pleased and does anything and everything Amir tells him to do. Hassan has an unconditional love and loyalty towards Amir that he does not falter no matter how badly Amir treats him. Hassan is absolutely selfless; to a point where he sacrifices himself for the one thing he knows Amir has craved his whole life, his father’s admiration. When Hassan goes running for the blue kite, Amir asks him to come back with it and Hassan replies â€Å" For you a thousand times over!† (pg.71). Hassan has two choices; to give the blue kite, which will consequently betray his best friend Amir, or to be punished by Assef and his friends and keep the kite. His devoted love to Amir results in a horrible sacrifice. Hassan gets raped and does not even think twice about giving up the blue kite, the key to Baba’s heart. He stays loyal to Amir even though he pays a hard price. Hassan has always taken the blame for things Amir does or farthings Amir makes Hassan do. Hassan being the selfless person he is never speaks up for himself knowing that will only get his dear friend Amir in trouble. Hassan’s final sacrifice for Amir is deliberately planned by Amir himself. Amir cannot withstand the pain and guilt of knowing that he does nothing to help  Hassan from getting raped; he is selfish and a coward. He is reminded of this every time he looks at Hassan. He thinks if he can find a way to make Hassan and his father the servants of their house, Ali will then leave and rid him of his guilt and suffering. So he plants his new watch under Hassan’s bed and then accuses Hassan of stealing it. Knowing that Hassan will never disappoint him. He waits for Hassan to respond when Baba asks him if this is true. â€Å"Did you steal that money? Did you steal Amir’s watch, Hassan?† Hassan lies †¦ â€Å"yes† (pg.111) this is another sig nificant event where Hassan put Amir before himself selflessly. Baba Is always perceived as a wise man with strong morals and opinions in â€Å"The Kite Runner†. He is not a coward nor selfish, he stands up for what he believes is right and Baba is a very brave man. This is displayed when he sacrifices his life for a woman he does not know. He stands up and says, â€Å"Tell him I’ll take a thousand of his bullets before I let this indecency take place†. (Pg. 122) This act stops a Russian soldier from raping a woman that is carrying a baby on their way to America. This shows the love Baba has in his heart to help this woman from a terrible event that would have taken place if he had not stopped it. He has shown love and sacrifice for women he does not know and that shows his good character and bravery. Although Amir had feels his father never appreciated him enough his father makes a big sacrifice for Amir. With the war-taking place in Afghanistan, Baba knows it will not be a safe place for Amir to grow up and knows he has to do something about it. He leaves everything he has behind. He sacrifices everything he has for Amir, all his belongings, and his house, and where he grew up. He leaves his life behind so Amir can have a happy and safe life in America. He does not like America but he knows it is best for Amir. He puts Amir before himself, demonstrating another one of Baba’s selfless acts. Throughout the novel, Amir has some very negative personality traits. He is selfish, demanding, cowardly, disrespectful and jealous. He does not seem like the type of person that will do something for another out of the kindness of their heart. He always thinks about himself and what he wants. He has never sacrificed anything for the people he loves. Growing up with  the memory of Hassan’s rape still fresh in his mind like a situation that has just unfolded has finally opened his eyes and makes him realize he needs to be brave for once in his life. So Amir acts. He goes back to Afghanistan to find Hassan’s son, Sohrab. Rahim Khan’s advice, â€Å"There is a way to be good again† (pg.2) helps Amir to put his feelings into action. Assef, now a Taliban officer, beats Amir up badly, but this, heals Amir of his wrong doings from the past and he takes Sohrab back to America with him to live a good life. Amir finally puts someone before himself after all the sac rifices Hassan has made for him in the past. This shows the love and sacrifice he makes for Hassan’s child knowing it is the only way he can ever repay Hassan for the years of mistreatment in their childhood. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini demonstrates a very good lesson on sacrifice and love. The novel is a perfect example of the ways Jesus shows us how to live our lives. â€Å"There is no greater love than to lay ones life down for a friend†.

Sociology notes Essays

Sociology notes Essays Sociology notes Essay Sociology notes Essay The social structure-education religion, politics 6 basic human emotions Altruism-selfless behavior Colonization Is a learning process that we all go thru Feral children grow up with no colonization Gender Is learned and sex Is biological George Herbert mead- imitation ,play, and game are the 3 stage of the development Social groups- are made up of individuals who share something from physical space to values and morals A group must be 3 or more people Looking glass self -Charles Horton Cooley Primary group cooperative, Intimate, long term relationships Ex-sporting teams, family church The primary group becomes part of your Identity and helps you to develop positive self esteem Secondary groups-large groups that tend to be relatively temporary or formal The reason you are in the group is because off reason, interest, or activity Ex- classes and service fraternities In and out groups in group are groups you feel loyalty to wards out groups are groups you feel antagonistic toward In groups loyalties may Include :America, tutu, sports teams, religious groups Reference groups- the groups we use as standards to evaluate ourselves Ex: we compare ourselves to models, movie stars, Celebes, family, friends, etc Max Weber- functionalist, mid-late asses, German -was one of the founders of sociology -came up with the rationalization of society Rotationally Is efficient maximizing your time and abilities This came with the industrialization of society Assembly lines are the human element; it will make things more rational Human inevitably make mistakes and are not efficient He was interested in how to take the human element out of However, the human element is necessary in things like teaching parenting, Bureaucracy -when the humanity is sucked out of a situation and there Is nothing you or anyone else do about It Ex prerequisites for later classes, falling because you didnt study Bureaucracy- rules we have to follow and human element is gone turned in assignment late, get audited because you did not pay your taxes, getting arrested, jury duty, the military Occupational psychosis- what happens to humans when they are forced to take the emotions and humanity out of a situation? Ex: nurse does not give a dying patient CPRM because according to liability and contractual reasons The the idea that as the number of bystanders to an incident increases, the likelihood that anyone will intervene decrease A woman is stabbed by robber on the way home and collapses on the front porch of her apartment to death and then robber runs away. People say they assumed that someone else called the cops because its NYC. 7 people witnessed the attack -she was kitty Geneses Irving Janice reading#3- about group thinking and how a group can sway you into asking bad decision, because no one wants to speak out The bay of pigs scandal with JEFF was one example nobody would question the ruling of the group and especially not the presidents ruling Also in a Jury, one member of the Jury may disagree, but will conform to the group to avoid a mistrial. Cash line experiment- Cash put 12 men in a room, who were all similar. 1 of the 12 were confederates or actor and were in on the experiment -Cash put 3 lines on a chalkboard, and 11 of the 12 said that the shortest line was actually the longest, and the 12th agreed even Hough he knew this was not correct The experiment measured peoples level of conformity towards a group Prison story-power domains(cat calling by the guards) Sociality- communication, interaction, experiences among people Sociality does Not have to have people other then yourself(no other people needed) Society is normal (or what feels normal) How human interact with society Society- the environmental influent on action in self concourses Physiology- inside the mind how it works thought process Generalized other- society in your mind self concourse Ex devil and angle on the shoulder Looking glass self- see yourself in someone else emotion and to use it to change Ex answer the question wrong but keep going in hope to get it right and the teacher show feed back Physiology- older Sociology- mid sasss, began in Europe not a hard science (statistics and numbers) Hard science -To make predictions, scientific method Positivism-applying the scientific method to study human beings August Compete developed positivism, father of sociology, tried to make sociology a hard science, but humans have free will Sociology to have trends that is used to improve how sociology unctions Social cancers- crime, racism and other apply society- use it in the real world ex- interview, polls, statistics Method- a way of gathering data Data-piece of information You are the instrument to let the data speak objective- let the data speak there you Social facts- facts about society Look at data in different ways Hackwork effect- interviews someone but unknowingly support their story How sociali st scored the productivity of factory using light increase productivity because they were being watched being watched is bytes. This increased productivity cause they were being watched and because of fear of losing their Jobs they worked harder. Interviews- can change result of answer admitting a byes Think of society as a human body- and the parts needed to work and how it serves the whole If something fails it all fails Emilee Druthers segments of religious life the way religious effect life Suicide- types of suicide and all 4 Conflict theory- society is viewed composed of groups in competitions for scarce resources all the time Ex Jobs, oil, water The main theory was invented by Carols Marks Two groups Propeller vs Argosies has everything (elite) 1% rules in their favor Propeller has little to none (99% or workers)(poor) Inequity for the bourgeoisie C Arles Marks- we can have a revolution but the people in the propeller dont know it. The only way it would happen is class conchies Symbolic interaction- interact with people views people Macro level- big Mezzo level-middle conflict between groups of people Micro level- small Realer Game This theory do not include person to person Dramaturgy we are all actor and putting on a performs Cultural scripts- how you know how to act Cultural custom-what you wear We all know it Get We know the script by experience Front stage-act more(ex around anyone) Backstage- when you are by yourself prepping for front stage Ethnography- away to study a culture Thick description-extremely detailed notes on a culture Anthropologist -the study of other people cultures Baked heads in oven peg 74 saloon Mushinesss Syndrome enjoy pain Sadist enjoy giving pain Holy mouth man peg 74 dentist Who they are on peg 72 Americans or manicure(America backwards)- talking about American Bicyclist -witch docs 3 thick description-cell phone or head nod , wink What does imperial mean observable What theorist is it possible to be complete basis in a interview conflict theory caused by wealth Colonization- the process of learning(mainly culture or society) -starts before you are born (buying stuff for the baby) Gender no matter what is not a natural construction it is a social construction Social construction is not a natural event society its weird or deviant What is normal in society and if they are not like many people Gender normal- what they are made to think When you teach someone how to act is a colonization agent Ex: parent, family, public, media, school, friend, church Farer children- have no social skills or uncivilized George Herbert Mead -found out there are three stages when they are learning Stages of learning 1 . Imitation-copy 2. Play-other people and a basic understanding of their actions, learn the script 3. Game-other people and the add of rules Learning to handle your emotion and they are also social 6 basic emotions normal people have 1. Sad 2. Happy 3. A nger 4. Fear 5. Surprise 6. Discuss Tells us how to use these emotions Cognitive dissonance- actions dont match what is expected Exposable that ends with her saying no Ex buyers remorse Cognitive congruence -actions that society thinks is normal, lie or convince yourself as normal Ex talking yourself out of things Schemas-mental grouping Ex cow walks into the class room or a cop comes into the classroom Designed to feel good about themselves Altruistic- showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others Ex-very rare never 100%, donating body for science, parenting society and culture Culture is part society Culture is the language, belief , the norm, behavior ,values and objects passed down Beliefs- have faith in a idea something we believe in it is real Ex: capitalism, hard org, the American dream Values- morals are value, fairness, putting it on a higher pedestal.

Read This Before Applying to an Economics PhD Program

Read This Before Applying to an Economics PhD Program I recently wrote an article about the types of people who shouldnt pursue a Ph.D. in economics. Dont get me wrong, I love economics. Ive spent a majority of my adult life in the pursuit of knowledge in the field studying around the world and even teaching it at the university level. You may love studying economics, too, but a Ph.D. program is an entirely different beast that requires a very specific type of person and student. After my article was published, I received an email from a reader, who just happened to be a potential Ph.D. student.   This readers experience and insights into the economics Ph.D. program application process were so on point that I felt the need to share the insights. For those considering applying to a Ph.D. program in Economics, give this email a read. One Students Experience Applying to an Economics Ph.D. Program Thanks for the graduate school focus in your recent articles.  Three of the challenges you mentioned [in your recent article] really hit home: American students have a comparative disadvantage for selection compared to foreign students.The importance of math cannot be overstated.Reputation is a huge factor, especially that of your undergraduate program. I applied unsuccessfully to Ph.D. programs for two years before conceding that I might not be ready for them. Only one, Vanderbilt, gave me even a wait-list consideration. I was a little embarrassed at being shunned. My mathematics GRE was 780. I had graduated at the top of my class with a 4.0 GPA in my economics major and completed a statistics minor. I had two internships: one in research, one in public policy. And accomplished this all while working 30 hours a week to support me. It was a brutally hard couple of years. The Ph.D. departments I applied to and my undergraduate adviser all pointed out: I attended a small, regional public university, and our professors spent significant time with students to the detriment of their own publishing.Though I took a heavy load of statistics coursework, I only had two terms of calculus.I had never been published; not even in an undergraduate journal.I aimed for highly-ranked schools in the Midwest like Illinois, Indiana, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Wisconsin, Washington University in St. Louis, but neglected schools on the coasts, which might have seen me as a more diverse candidate. I also made what many considered a tactical error: I went to talk with the graduate programs before I applied. I was later told that this is a taboo and seen as schmoozing. I even talked at length with the director of one program. We ended up talking shop for two hours and he invited me to attend presentations and brown bags whenever I was in town. But soon I would learn that he would be ending his tenure to take a position at another college, and would no longer be involved in the approval process for that program. After going through these obstacles, some suggested I prove myself with a Masters Degree in Economics first. I had originally been told that many schools pick top candidates immediately after undergraduate, but this new advice made sense because departments commit considerable resources to their Ph.D. candidates and want to make sure their investment will survive first-year exams. With that path in mind, I found it interesting that so few departments offer a terminal Masters in Economic. Id say about half as many as those that offer only the terminal Ph.D. Fewer still offer an academic Masters - most of these are professional programs. Still, Im glad it gives me a chance to dig deeper into research and see if Im ready for Ph.D. research. My Response   This was such a great letter for many reasons. First, it was genuine. It wasnt a why didnt I get into a Ph.D. program rant, but a personal story told with thoughtful insights. In fact, my experience has been nearly identical, and I would encourage any undergraduate student considering pursuing a Ph.D. in economics to take this readers insights to heart. I, myself,  was in a Masters program (at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada) before I entered my Ph.D. program. Today, I must admit that I wouldnt have survived three months as a Ph.D. student had I not attempted an MA in Economics first.

Financial Analysis of Tesco Supermarket Research Paper

Financial Analysis of Tesco Supermarket - Research Paper Example For a potential investor, the stock of Tesco Plc is strongly recommended as better investment than its rival because it provides higher gains in the long-run. The performance of a business organization is quantitatively reflected in its financial statements. Ascertaining the financial health of a company has become important to different decision makers like managers, stockholders, potential investors and creditors. As such, it becomes important to evaluate the financial situation of any business organization to identify their relative strengths and weaknesses. In order to accomplish this task, this report will utilize financial ratio analysis. From its humble beginning as a one-man business in 1919, Tesco is now highly regarded for its size and strength in the global retailing industry. Tesco is engaged in international grocery and general merchandising retail chain. It is named as the largest retailer in Britain in terms of global sales and domestic market share. During 2006, it is estimated that in every 8 spent is UK retail sales, 1 is spent on Tesco indicating its strong foothold of the market (Tesco Plc 2007). The success of Tesco is based on a fourfold long term growth strategy: "to grow the core UK business; to become a successful international retailer; to be as strong in food as in non-food; and to develop retailing services such as Tesco personal finance, Telecoms; and Tesco.com" (Tesco Plc). With this, Tesco has established presence in international markets such as Ireland, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, and China and has complemented its core business with retailer service business such as online shopping, personal finance, and telecoms. In order to comply with regulatory requirements, Tesco has adopted the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in preparing its financial statements in the fiscal year 2005 (from UK GAAP). The adoption of IFRS is expected to lower the reported turnover and net income and increase debt. As with any other business organization, the company also recognizes the presence of risks and uncertainties in its operations. Financially, Tesco is facing challenges in "the availability of fund to meet business needs, the risk of default by counter-parties to financial transactions, and fluctuations in interest and foreign exchange rates" (Tesco Plc 2007). In order to ensure fund availability, Tesco employs policy which includes smoothing the debt maturity profile, arranging funding ahead of requirements and

Leaders and Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leaders and Leadership - Assignment Example This involved operation out of a sense of calling and not self drive or willingness. God had called for Jesus to instill righteous views in people. This is also transformational leadership according to Ford (Ford, 1991, p.60). This would compel others to respond. Effective leadership involves transparency with respect to one’s individual life, family and even an institution one belongs. Leaders are inclined to form teams and such teams look for leaders and a leader like Jesus does not need followers. The leadership as modeled by Jesus was that of servant leadership. Jesus’ instructions are based upon a principle â€Å"the one who rules’ should be the like the one who serves† (Ford, 1991, p. 153). Instead of building any organization, Jesus focused on the idea of collecting people with shared vision. He spent efforts on trust building. A leader might face opposition from prominent places. Jesus experienced the same but never distanced his enemies and propagated love and harmony throughout. This showed his humility and integrity. Thus leaders cannot be dictators but should set righteous examples before others. This is unlike Hitler and Stalin who were dictators or extreme leaders without any character attributes to be followed. In fact one may call his leadership timeless and relevant even in modern times because he had all qualities one would expect from a perfect leader who maintains accountability in order to stay within boundaries and provide new direction and inspiration for an organization. Authority should be applied in order to motivate trust from people and make them follow their example (Tucker and Russel, 2004, p.103). Transformation leadership, as conceptualized by Burn involves four categories – â€Å"idealized influence, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration and inspirational motivation†