Thursday, October 31, 2019

Individual report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Individual report - Coursework Example The organization has the strength of being perceived as positive help for those in their older mature years, from ages sixty to eighty. This age group represents more serious risk factors than other groups; the representatives from this population can have problems combined with various other circumstances of his situation have made them vulnerable. Because the organization is perceived as helping the vulnerable rather than taking advantage, a key strength is in public perception. Weaknesses: One potential internal weakness of the proposed expansion for Southwark to UK Circle is that the organizational leadership may perceive the status quo as acceptable, and resist public relations (PR) intervention from an external source. â€Å"One of the greatest problems public relations practitioners face is proving that they make a worthwhile contribution to their organizations. This is especially so during economic downturns when businesses and nonprofits are looking for ways to eliminate ne edless expenses† (Wirth, 2003). Another weakness is that the client base of the organization, on average, does not have a lot of spending power to add to the financial bottom line. They may receive little or no support from the children, and may be a retired veteran of the second World War. There are also complicated gender role relations among the elderly. Retirement may cause a man to miss the more competitive role that he may have played as a breadwinner in society, and one study â€Å"found that men who return to work typically by choice--such as accepting part-time consulting jobs with former employers--are more satisfied with their lives†¦ than men who retire permanently† (Kearl, 2000). Some elderly individuals might be experiencing cognitive changes as well as symptoms of the mental illness of depression, which are serious issues that Southwark/UK Circle cannot help with. Opportunities: In terms of external expansion, Southwark/UK Circle can take advantage o f marketing opportunities to spread the word about the organization, and give it a wider public range of awareness. Through PR, market segmentation, target market selection, and positioning, the organization can become more visible, as well as more economically viable. The first point is market segmentation. This is basically the process of dividing the market for Southwark/UK Circle into categories or groups, based on demographics and other indicators that make each member of a group. For example, a company making cell phones might divide their market of customers (by age, income, gender, etc.) into smaller groups. And as a baseline in relation to these groups, the basic message of the organization remains fundamentally positive: â€Å"Southwark Circle community believes that people can be each others' solution, and backs it up every day, week and month by helping each other out with life's practical  bits and pieces. Southwark Circle is also about  learning new things, and en joying your hobbies and interests with others in the community† (Southwark, 2010). Threats Externally, balance can be sought between different extremes by recognizing that there are many different situations in which a business can succeed or fail that are circumstantial and would be unchanged no matter what the planning structure. There are many businesses that have had core competency but have not been able to expand nationally successfully. Other

Monday, October 28, 2019

Critical Incident Analysis Essay Example for Free

Critical Incident Analysis Essay Throughout this assessment I will analyse a critical incident of an interaction between a worker and a service user or carer during my statutory observation experience. I will conclude my own assessment of the situation and demonstrate my understanding of the use of self, context in which social work takes place and the knowledge and methods of practice. I will not use any of the service users, carers or agencies names in this essay due to the data protection act 1998. I will also adhere to the GSCC codes of conduct that respect and relate to the service users confidentiality and safety. This include respecting confidential information and clearly explaining agency policies about confidentiality to service users and carers, being reliable and dependable, declaring issues that might create conflicts of interest and making sure that they do not influence your judgement or practice; and adhering to policies and procedures about accepting gifts and money from service users and carers. (GSCC, codes of practice for social care workers. ) My statutory observation placement is at a clinic for substance misuse, mainly being heroin, crack cocaine and alcohol. During one of my days there I was given the opportunity to shadow one of the clinics general practitioners for the day. The general practitioners main role is to work alongside the service user in order to help the break the cycle of drug or alcohol dependency and also to live a healthier lifestyle and offer them a better standard of living. The general practitioner meets with the service users on a monthly basis in which gives him the opportunity to gain as much information about the service user as he can in order for him to work with them as effectively and efficiently as possible. The general practitioner greeted the service user in the service room, and he also asked the service user’s permission for me to be present in the room, which then he further explained me being a student social worker. The service user agreed to this. Before actually meeting the service user I had the chance to read through their notes with the doctor so I could get a better understanding of what the meeting would entail, Furthermore to gain a better understanding of the service user’s background and their main reasons for being there. I introduced myself to the service user as a student social worker. We all sat down and the GP went through the notes with the service user and asked them about any other incidents that may have occurred since the last meeting. Prior to the meeting with the service user the GP had revived the service users latest drug test results which were indicating that the service user still had very high traces of heroin in his system even though he was on a methadone script. Furthermore the drug test did not correspond with the amount of methadone that should have been visible in the service users system. Therefore the GP explained what the test results indicated and queried the service user of why the test results have come back with these conclusions. The service user then went on to explain that these indications are showing on the results because the service user has been selling his methadone prescriptions to feed his heroin addiction as he is unemployed and was not receiving the same feeling off the methadone that he would get when he would take heroin. The GP then called one of the clinics social workers as he could only advise the service user on the effects that it will have on their health, but could not help them with the mental and social strain that comes with drug addiction which a social worker could. A social worker then come in and spoke to the service user, to find out about his social background and other emotional issues that are present in the service user’s life that may influence the taking of heroin. ‘A critical incident analysis is a solution, either positive or negative that made a particular impression on a student (Clamp 1984 cited in Reed and Procter 1993) (p. 69). Richard and Parker (1995) argue that reflecting and analysing the incident the practitioner is able to consider how the incident may have been managed differently by applying other knowledge and consequently enable the practitioner to move forward and consider a future situation differently. For the purposes of this piece of work I will be analysing an observation of a meeting between a male and a GP. When I learnt that I was going to be shadowing at a clinic for service users with drug and alcohol problems I was quite worried and intrigued as to what would take place. Then I realised I had to be holistic and also realistic, and although I am not close to anyone that has a heroin, crack cocaine or even an alcohol addiction I have been surrounded by people that have used certain drugs such as cannabis or cocaine. I also feel that I will not always know that this is the case as not everyone demonstrates through their behaviour that this is an issue for them, also some individuals feel ashamed as drug and alcohol use is frowned upon and individuals will deny using drugs. Some individuals explain that they use drugs as a way of numbing their problems or to gain confidence and self esteem. Beliefs about oneself and about the role of drugs or alcohol in ones life are sometimes called existential models (Greaves, 1980). Khantzian (1985) has proposed that addicts use drugs to offset or address specific problems they believe they have, such as a lack of confidence in social-sexual dealings, a view sometimes referred to as the adaptive model of addiction. According to Peele (1985), the individual becomes addicted to a substance because it fulfils essential intrapsychic, interpersonal, and environmental needs. I have always been swayed, and my views have always been clouded by what is written in the media. Substance misuse is always given a negative image and the people that use drugs or alcohol are looked upon in a very negative way, and seen as less important and problematic in society. When looking in on various conversations at this placement I have noticed the band wagon effect- Brown and Rutter (2009) come into play, as it seems to me that family members were scared to be disowned or frowned upon if they were to help the drug user, or even offer advice and support. Throughout my upbringing I have always been warned about the effects of drugs and alcohol misuse, however I feel that my parents didn’t really carry a lot of knowledge about the subject. The misuse of drugs act 1971 intends to prevent the use of non medical use of certain drugs for this reason it controls not just medicinal drugs (which will also be in the Medicines Act) but also drugs with no current medical uses. Offences under this Act overwhelmingly involve the general public, and even when the same drug and a similar offence are involved, penalties are far tougher. Drugs subject to this Act are known as controlled drugs. The law defines a series of offences, including unlawful supply, intent to supply, import or export (all these are collectively known as trafficking offences), and unlawful production. I was able to relate the misuse of drugs act 1971 to the conversation in which I shadowed as the service user was selling drugs that were only supposed to be taken as a controlled medicine that is prescribed. Therefore the service user is committing an offence. The medicines act 1968 clearly states that Prescription only medicines are the most restricted. They can only be sold or supplied by a pharmacist if supplied by a doctor. Pharmacy medicines can be sold without a prescription but only by a pharmacist. General Sales List medicines can be sold by any shop, not just a pharmacy. However, even here advertising, labelling and production restrictions apply. drugscope. org. uk Interviews were carried out with 68 people who were involved in selling in the four markets. Three-quarters of them were men. Their average age at the time of interview was 31, and just under a third had lived in the areas all their lives. Many had experienced unsettled early lives: over half had lived with a foster family, in a childrens home or in secure accommodation. Interviewees had typically used alcohol and illicit drugs from an early age. Many had had a disrupted education, over half being excluded from school or leaving with no educational qualifications. Nearly all had been in contact with the criminal justice system, and over two-thirds had served a prison sentence. Throughout the interaction between the GP the social worker and the service user, and also having conjured up these images of substance miss use I was worried I was going to find it extremely hard to relate to the service user, and also find it difficult to hold in my emotions. I felt as though the individual did not value his own life and other around him, this then made me reconsider my own values and belief systems. I believe that my â€Å"use of self came into context as I strived for genuineness with the service user and I truly wanted to believe that they were on the road to recovery. However I still honoured the values and ethics I strongly value in social work. I could not imagine myself, what it must be like to be addicted to a drug or alcohol, and I have had this stereotypical image of what it would be like and how a person would live their life. I imagined them to be without a lot of money, and living in very poor housing conditions. But also imagined them to hang around with the wrong crowd which may be a big influence on how they go about things. Some of these perceived ideas were backed up by research or what I have seen in the media. It is also very much a stereotypical image. Rogers (cited in Thompson 1988) says that making a judgement about people can be a barrier to effectiveness and is something I need to be aware of if I am to become a reflective and reflexive practitioner. When I first met the service user, I was surprised as to how well he looked considering the circumstances, He seemed very outgoing, friendly and generally happy. I order to gain the facts around the service user’s current situation this meeting had been arranged between the GP and the service user. The conversation began with open questions from the GP to the service user in an effort to gather information about his behaviour and addiction to heroin. He asked the service user about any events that had happened since the last meeting, he explained that he had used heroin since even though he has been assigned to a methadone script, and the way he has been fuelling his heroin addiction is by selling his methadone to other users that can not get any substances top feed their addiction. According to Lawson (cited in Davies 2008) even if their is a key worker system in place the whole team still need to be aware of the intervention and support that the service user is getting. I felt that this was not happening as their should of been a closer supervision in place for the service user to take his methadone script which would therefore prevent the service user being able to sell the drug for money and other purposes. This to me proved that there was a lack in communication; therefore I would be worried that this could potentially be dangerous and cause problems if the service user was able to get away and carry out these sorts of actions. As Seden (2005:2) states â€Å"whether a communication is good depends on how it is received in the situation and what is conveyed to the other person. GP prescribed the service user with a higher methadone dosage that he was on before. This was never noted to his key worker or discussed before hand which therefore allowed the service user to sell his extra methadone and be unnoticed for so long. As Seden (2005:2) states â€Å"whether a communication is good depends on how it is received in the situation and what is conveyed to the other person. Throughout the meeting I made sure I paid particular attention to the way in which I was positioned using the Egan (2007) theory of Soler. I also made sure that I put the focus on the ther person and on what they were offering as they spoke, rather than keep asking them for additional information or going on to talk about other things, this is called paraphrasing and summarising. Eye contact or looking at the user of services is important in this kind of situation and context as it conveys that we are attending to the other, it is a way of saying â€Å"I am interested in what you say and f eel†. The Soler theory is an effective theory to undertake whilst being in this position when listening to a service user one on one. As you need to make the service user feel that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say, then only will the service user actually open up and truly tell you what his problems are as then they are confident that I am here to honestly try to help them. Egan (2007) (p. 99) argues that attentive listening to these experiences and feelings of users of services is critical for further work: these experiences help us to understand where they are starting from and their frame of reference. Attentive listening is very effective in these sorts of situations with service users, as every service user is different and has different problems. Therefore listening intricately is very important as this will then help you navigate in which is the most effective and efficient route to take in trying to help rehabilitate each individual. As the meeting went on social worker began to question the service user’s motives for selling his methadone script and continuing to take heroin. The service user then went on to explain that it is because he does not have a strong support network as his family have disowned him and the only companions he has are the other heroin users. This is why he is struggling to break the chain of causation as the only people he is surrounded by are the other users and dealers. After hearing this I was impressed with his capacity to cope with the situation that he was in. This meeting reinforced Schulman’s (2006) resilience theory. Here was a man who had been disowned by his own family for being a heroin user for many years and is currently undergoing a methadone script and does not have much support around him at all and is experiencing a lot of disruption in his life. In reference to the Ecological model I can see that the service user is struggling to stop continuing taking heroin. This is because the environment that he is present in is surrounded my other drug takers and drug dealers which therefore triggers his new drug fuelled instinct to relapse and take heroin again. Whereas if the service user had a different environment that he could go to where it was drug exempt, this could encourage the service user to stay off heroin and act as a barrier in which would break the chain of causation for relapsing and taking drugs again. (Social service review 1998) Being able to read the case notes enabled me to be better informed. Schulman (2006) talks about how ‘tuning in’ and how it involves the workers effort to get in touch with the potential feelings and concerns that the client may bring to the encounter. The purpose is to help the worker become a more sensitive receiver of the client’s indirect communication in the first sessions. I tried to put myself in a similar where I had questioned someone that had authority over me, the only example I could think of was when I had been in detention at school as a child and I was questioned as to why I was there, and why I did the incident. I felt powerless and frightened as they had more authority over me, and seemed so much more important. I could not seem to get my point across and I did not feel that he was listening to my point of view and taking it into consideration. This has made me realise how important it is to make the service user feel at ease as you are asking them to open up and asking them to let you in and explore their troubles. They will only allow this if they feel comfortable and not undermined. However at the same time establishing clear boundaries with the service user is very important. Throughout the meeting I realised just how hard it would be discussing your problems and the use of drug addiction to two complete strangers, furthermore having to open up about your life and all the problems you have encountered on the way to lead you to this state of life. As a result I tried to keep a low profile during the meeting, by not making eye contact with the service user and trying to make myself inconspicuous. By avoiding eye contact I was merely reinforcing the awkwardness I felt. Schulman (2006) believes that it is better to tackle difficult subjects head on. Then I was worried that the service user may think that my lack of ability to maintain sufficient eye contact could lead him to think that I was merely not interested in what he had to say or that I disapproved with some of the explanations that he was presenting. When it was just to do with me being uncomfortable. Lloyd (cited in Davies 2008) talks about the need for social workers to work on there own issues. This should involve self awareness and being comfortable around others. This will help me challenge my views but also help me become more self aware and, in turn, more open to others who are struggling to express their difficulties. While my own life was not trouble free neither was it associated with the emotional turmoil and psychic disturbance which Hall Stanley G (cited in Davies 2008) research showed. I have always had the support of a loving family and friends. I have always been influenced to do well at school, go on to university and make something of my life. I have also been lucky enough to always live in nice areas that have very low crime rates, however this was not the case for the service user. He has always grew up and lived in very run down, deprived areas and has mixed with the wrong social circles. He has also not have had the family and friend support network which I think a person strongly needs in their life. The service user also left school with no GCSE’S and went straight into work, which was bar work which lead him to a wrong crowd. Giddens, A (2001) refers to gender as the psychological, social and cultural differences between makes and females. Essentially sex is determined biologically and gender is culturally learnt. The functionalist sociologist would argue that boys and girls learn sex roles through socialisation while the feminist perspective would be that women do not share the same status as men in society. It can be argued that male socialisation infers that they are the stronger sex and not able to express their emotional feelings as females are able to. The service user’s lack of permanence and consistency with his own parents and friends will, according to Rushton (2000) impact on his emotional development. It is therefore important that the professionals in his life are not seen to perpetuate these feelings. The holistic approach builds on the social model of disability which is the theory of there being blocks such as environment disabling systems and social attitudes that are getting in the way of the service users independence. Therefore in this case going by the holistic approach, the service user that I was able to shadow, his environment acts like a block to his independence as the social attitudes to the people within his environment are drug related which is leading the service user to carry on using drugs. The holistic approach builds on the social model of disability that sees blocks to independence arising from social attitudes, disabling systems and environments. (Campbell and Oliver 1996; Oliver 1993). Further more this pproach stresses the need for attention to the service users ethnicity, culture and history because together they form their identity and influence life options open to them, and the attitudes of some people towards them and their abilities. Throughout this experience I have been able to learn about the importance of drawing on theoretical frameworks to understand a person’s current behaviour and the effects of his life experiences. According to Freud behaviours driven by th e id are largely unconscious and describe impulsive behaviours that can lead to all kind of difficulties. What this critical incident analysis has highlighted to me is that social workers and other professionals have a responsibility to reach decisions about intervention, protection and safeguarding in a series of situations where evidence may be unclear or contested. Baldwin, N. and Walker, L in Adams et al (2005) say that it is important to recognise that risk can be assessed through a process, which is a collaborative and undertaken within a legislative and organisational framework. From my experience at this particular placement I can draw upon a number of different things that have made me question my own learning and development. It had made me wonder weather I see things differently to others, and also whether my views and opinions would be appreciated. From this shadowing experience I have most definitely changed my views on substance misuse and the kind of stereotypes I had around it. I feel that it has made me value my life more however value the people that are in my life even greater. This experience enabled me to see the importance of ‘critical thinking’ to find a workable solution (Brown, K, pg 12). Throughout the conversation the GP and the social Worker ‘reached for feeling’ and put feeling into words. I feel that I was very judgemental before actually meeting the service user, and I realise that this is a very bad habit as a Social Worker, however this helped me in my development and learning. This also made me think about other factors that may affect how people ‘label’ others such as; discrimination and oppression. I was also able to observe how different agencies work together in order to provide better care for the service user. In this case the GP worked alongside the job centre, the pharmacy, the social worker and the key worker. ‘They can offer service users a more flexible approach and share expertise in order to give them a better outcome’. (Tennyson,1998). When the service user had left the GP had a ‘de briefing session’. This was also a time for me to ask any questions, this is something that I have practiced through reflection time and feedback time with my peers and tutors. The importance of ‘tuning in’ was explained to me. ‘Research informs practice’.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Reflective Account on Implementation of Change Process

Reflective Account on Implementation of Change Process This reflective account deals with implementation of a change management process at a workshop, where the author was employed for some years a few years ago. The workshop provides a range of electrical, mechanical and overhauling services to different departments of an industrial firm. It has separate departments for activities like electrical and mechanical work, fabrication, transmission and general repair and overhauling. The workshop was set up in the early 1980s and has its own accounting, administration and inventory functions. The conduct of an efficiency audit revealed numerous deficiencies in the working processes of the workshop and the emergent need to implement significant changes for enhancement of productivity and achievement of (a) swifter turnaround time, (b) reduction of labour and (c) cost savings in various areas. External consultants recommended the adoption of a sophisticated ERP system for coordination of various workshop activities and optimisation of its operations. The organisational management accepted these recommendations for the implementation of a modern ERP system and initiated processes for its introduction in the organisation. It was estimated that the adoption of the new system would lead to reduction of workshop strength by 30 employees, significant lowering of inventory levels, elimination of material shortages for workshop operations, and shrinking of turnaround time. The external consultants and the senior management of the company were convinced that the combined effect of these different advantages would result in substantial improvement in workshop productivity and profitability. The workshop manager was informed about the decision by the CEO and two board members and was asked to initiate and implement the change management process. He asked for some time to study the proposal and involved me and two other junior workshop managers in the exercise. We found in the course of our investigation of system features that whilst its introduction could certainly result in improvement of workshop productivity and efficiency, it would be very difficult for the existing workshop employees, many of whom had been with the department for years, to handle the complexities associated with operating the proposed system. It would be necessary to appoint some fresh individuals with expertise in handling such ERP systems and train other workshop employees in the operations and mechanisms of the new system. Concerns were also raised about the organisational implications of terminating 30 employees who had worked sincerely for the workshop for many years. The change management group, headed by the workshop manager and staffed by myself and two other members examined the various implications of introducing and implementing the system and came to the conclusion that it would be necessary to recruit at least 7 fresh employees with requisite knowledge to implement and operate the ERP system. We felt that in such circumstances it would be better to remove 37 departmental employees and induct 7 ERP specialists in order to meet organisational objectives, both in areas of system proficiency and in reduction of employee strength. The workshop manager and the rest of us in the change management team had some theoretical knowledge of Lewins and Kotters change management process. We decided to implement the change management process in specific phases comprising of (a) informing the workshop employees of the proposed change process and its implementation schedule, (b) the implications of the proposed change on the productivity and efficiency of the workshop, (c) the various inputs that would be provided by the company to facilitate the change, and finally (d) the imperative requirement to reduce existing employee strength by 37 people and induct 7 specialist employees (Gary, et al, 1995, p 114). Deliberating on the possible adverse repercussions of the decision to terminate employees, our group leader specifically sought a meeting with the CEO and asked him to accommodate the surplus employees in other areas of the company (Heller, 1998, p 37). The CEO understood our apprehensions and after discussions with the HR department was able to confirm alternative positions for 25 people on similar terms and conditions, but placed at different locations. Handsome severance packages were also worked out for the employees who would have to perforce be released (Heller, 1998, p 37). The first task of the change management team concerned dissemination of information about the proposed change to all workshop employees (Joseph, 2006, p 24). The announcement about the impending change and its implications were made at a general meeting where all employees were asked to be present (Joseph, 2006, p 24). The announcement at this meeting was followed up by detailed meetings with smaller groups where members of the change management team individually informed workshop employees about the need for the change process and the ensuing benefits (Joyce, 2000, p 73). It was decided by us that the existing system would continue for at least 3 months after the implementation of the ERP system (Joyce, 2000, p 73). The training of existing employees in the new system was delegated to external trainers and the change process was formally put into motion (Joyce, 2000, p 73). The proposed change however met with very severe resistance from a section of employees, most of whom had been shortlisted for termination of employment or transfer to other departments (Moss, et al, 1992, p 67). Whilst approximately 20% of the employees chosen for release were reasonably satisfied with the carefully formulated severance package, the other 30 employees became vocal in their opposition to the plan and asked to see the CEO in order to vent their concerns and apprehensions. With employee relations in the workshop being happy for many years, the internal workers union had been disbanded many years ago. The workers however began to feel betrayed and vulnerable and started discussing the idea of forming a new workshop union with national trade union organisations (Moss, et al, 1992, p 67). The CEO and the workshop manager had detailed discussions with the affected workshop employees but were unable to convince them to take up alternative postings, many of which were in distant places and required them to live separately from their families (Moss, et al, 1992, p 68). The breakdown in discussions between the workers and the management led to disruption in production schedules and made it very difficult for us to recruit new employees to operate the new ERP systems. Such difficulties led to significant delays in implementation and to disruption of workshop activity (Joyce, 2000, p 81). The organisational management was however firm in its decision and arranged for subcontractors to compensate for the drop in workshop productivity (Joyce, 2000, p 81). Many of the existing employees also started feeling demoralised and started looking elsewhere for alternative employment (Joyce, 2000, p 81). It finally took the organisation more than a year to complete the implementation of the new ERP system and stabilise workshop production (Joyce, 2000, p 81). Whilst the introduction of the system has resulted in significant improvement in workshop efficiencies, productivity and profitability, I do feel that the change management process could have been handled better (Buono Kerber, 2010, p 4). My theoretical knowledge of change management processes informs me that successful change management needs to be planned very carefully and is dependent upon the effectiveness of communication with the people most likely to be affected by the change process (Buono Kerber, 2010, p 4). I feel that the decision to introduce the system was pushed with too much haste and without allowing the employees to acclimatise to the change proposal (Frame, 2002, p 54). My colleagues in the change management team also agree with me that our communication of the various implications of the proposed change was possibly inadequate and did not instil feelings of the emergent need of bringing about the proposed change (Frame, 2002, p 54). Whilst the senior management of the company was committed to the change management process and extended all possible help, communication failures and hasty action at the operational level precipitated concern and crystallised resistance among employees, which eventually resulted in implementation delays, loss of productivity and incurrence of subcontracting costs (Doherty, 2002, p 89). I personally have learnt significantly from my experience and realise that theoretical knowledge of change management processes, whilst helpful for implementation of change, needs to be supported by strong management skills, clear and careful planning, preparation for contingencies and sound knowledge of employee behaviour for bringing about successful completion of change management initiatives. Situation 2: Reflective Account on Team Work and Leadership I have had the opportunity to participate in a diverse team, comprising of individuals from different ethnic and national backgrounds, which was given the specific tasks of preparing a promotional and marketing campaign for an NGO working in different areas of environmental conservation. The opportunity came about because of my interest in environmental issues and the acceptance of my request to volunteer with a well known international NGO. Teams comprise of groups of two or more individuals who work dynamically, adaptively and interdependently for the achievement of common goals and objectives (Arya, 1997, p 9). Members of such teams are usually provided with specific roles and responsibilities (Arya, 1997, p 9).Our team consisted of 7 members and we were given the task of working together for the creation of a marketing and promotional campaign for reduction of environmental pollution in and around airports in the UK. The significance of team work for achievement of specific outcomes is now widely accepted in modern day organisational behaviour theory (Buller Bell, 1986, p 305). Modern day organisations are increasingly making use of teams for improving organisational performance in increasingly complex and changing business environments (Buller Bell, 1986, p 305). Organisational experts however ironically argue that whilst team work is now widely accepted as an important instrument for enhancement of organisational productivity and efficiency, many organisations that have built their operations around teams have found that the use of such teams very often results in little positive effect on organisational productivity. In some cases their use actually results in loss of productivity (Rees, 2001, p 19). It has often been witnessed that teams with numerous high calibre individuals with demonstrated performance capabilities fail, even as teams of people with far more mediocre abilities often produce excellent results (Banker, et al, 1996, p 868). The modern day business environment is replete with examples of freshly started innovative and committed teams getting the better of large and established corporations with far greater resources (Banker, et al, 1996, p 868). My experience of participation in a diverse team of people in a not for profit NGO environment provided me with the opportunity of understanding and appreciating team work mechanisms. Our team was significantly diverse with regard to gender, nationality, academic training, work experience and personality. The team consisted of six members Larry, Martha, Nora, James, (myself), Peter and Sheila. Larry, the oldest member automatically assumed the role of leader. Organisational theory and literature specifies that diverse teams lead to the availability of a variety of skills and perspectives (Brett, et al, 2006, p 84). These, if utilised appropriately, can result in significantly greater creativity and flexibility in creation of concepts, ideas, options and solutions in comparison with more homogenous groups and thus result in significantly better performance (Brett, et al, 2006, p 84). Whilst teams with diverse members often have access to a wider range of skills, abilities and perspectives, they also face challenges on account of differences in attitudes, cultures, perceptions and languages of team participants (Brett, et al, 2006, p 86). Our team members came from the UK, Latin America, Africa and South East Asia. Their educational backgrounds varied from the performing arts to the liberal arts, sciences and management. Whilst three of the group, including myself had experience of organisational work, the other four were fresh from college. The leadership of the team devolved upon Larry, who was the oldest and most experienced team member (Olmstead, 2002, p 79). This development actually took place, without his actively seeking it, because other team members came to him on their own for advice and suggestion on the functioning of the group (Olmstead, 2002, p 79). Leadership is an extremely significant element of team work processes. Much of the credit for both successes and failures of teams is given to leaders and to their decisions (Olmstead, 2002, p 79). Leaders are required to communicate with clarity on the goals of the teams, provide team members with appropriate and specific roles, build environments of cooperation and collaboration, encourage communication between team members, generate commitment towards achievement of team objectives and create atmospheres of inclusiveness by involving team members in various discussions and asking them for comment, feedback and suggestions (Rees, 2001, p 42). Leaders often ap preciate the roles of team members in order to motivate them to perform better in their tasks (Rees, 2001, p 42). Whilst leadership devolved upon Larry without his asking for it, he certainly did not disregard his responsibilities and worked for the development of an efficient, cooperative and focused team that was committed to its objectives (Ephross Vassil, 2005, p 109). All of us were given specific responsibilities for the development of the marketing and promotional campaign on airport pollution. We were asked to meet on determined dates, provide updates on our progress and asked to contribute by way of suggestions on the work of other team members (Ephross Vassil, 2005, p 109). I was asked to research information on legal aspects of airport pollution, assess the work of other team members, and help them in achieving their objectives (Ephross Vassil, 2005, p 109). Our team activity required members to engage in extensive discussions and generate numerous ideas and concepts for the campaign. Some of these sessions led to disagreements and even quarrels, which resulted in some members refraining from talking to others for some time (Olmstead, 2002, p 92). Nora, who was otherwise very friendly and outgoing, could not stand being opposed and would become excessively argument if she was contradicted by others. Larry would on such occasions take her aside and explain to her the necessity of collaboration and pleasantness between team members for effective team effort (Olmstead, 2002, p 97). We were asked to prepare the campaign in a period of six weeks and were happy to find that the job was completed in time despite arguments and delays. The marketing campaign was presented to the board of the NGO on the predetermined date. Larry deliberately chose Nora to handle the presentation, even as all of us were present to answer questions on our areas of work. We were at the end of the exercise happy to know that we had succeeded in our team objectives despite our diversity and our different social and cultural backgrounds. The results of our team reiterated that teams with diverse members could excel in areas of creativity if they were led with sincerity, provided with transparent environments, and encouraged to communicate and collaborate with each other. Section 3: Reflective Account on Motivation and Reward This reflective narrative concerns my experiences of working with a HR consultancy organisation entrusted with the task of formulating a reward and remuneration programme for textile workers in Bangladesh. The client of the HR consultancy services operates a garment manufacturing factory that is situated on the outskirts of Jessore, a small town in western Bangladesh. The organisation creates garment designs in their London studio and produces the garments in Bangladesh in a subcontracted factory with local Bangladesh labour. The produced garments are subsequently sold to clothing retailers across the UK and in some towns in Germany. The recent stress on sustainability in business operations in the UK has resulted in substantial pressure from UK clothing retailers and consumers for ensuring of sustainable manufacturing practices at the workplaces of outsourced suppliers and manufacturers in developing countries (Marks, 2005, p 7). The organisation, in response to market demand, conducted an internal HR audit and found both working conditions and the remuneration of workers at the factory in Bangladesh to be significantly below acceptable norms. Workers, both male and female, were being paid salaries of approximately GBP 20 per month, which were 15% lesser than the minimum wages specified by the Bangladesh government. The factory operated in two shifts of 10 hours each, even as the maximum legal time of a shift was 8.5 hours. The HR audit also revealed deficiencies in working conditions in areas of sanitation, availability of water, separate washrooms for men and women and crà ¨che facilities for working mothers. The internal audit also revealed that some of the workers appeared to be a bit too young for taking up such strenuous work, even though HR records revealed that all workers were above 18 years in age. My organisation was given the brief of formulating suggestions for improvement of working conditions, rationalisation of remuneration and improvement of motivation of workers at the outsourced production centre in Bangladesh. I was a member of the small team of three that was entrusted with the responsibility for making a primary study on the issue and develop workable solutions that would serve sustainability objectives without placing undue financial pressure on the management of the company. Modern day HR theories are informed by the work and theories advanced by psychologists and behavioural experts like Maslow, Herzberg, Vroom and McGregor. Maslows well known theory of needs states that individuals essentially work to satisfy their needs, which progress from basic physiological needs like food, clothing and shelter to safety and security, love, status and esteem, and finally to self actualisation (Maslow, 1954, p 11). Herzbergs theory of motivation on the other hand states that individuals are influenced in their job choices by two distinct sets of conditions, namely hygiene factors and motivation factors. Hygiene factors represent issues like salary, security, workplace reputation and general working conditions (Herzberg, et al, 1993, p 21). Motivation factors on the other hand consist of issues like potential for learning and growth, scope for enhancement of responsibilities and official recognition for efforts of employees (Herzberg, et al, 1993, p 21). Our team found, whilst analysing the remuneration levels and working conditions at the clients factory in Bangladesh that the workers lived lives of basic subsistence and were just about able to meet their physiological needs with their existing salaries. Most of them lived in low quality slums and did not have the resources to buy liveable houses. The application of Maslows theory of needs in such circumstances led to the conclusion that the workers would be ready to put in significantly greater efforts in order to satisfy their physiological and security needs and work even harder to achieve their status and esteem needs. The application of Herzbergs theory revealed that the workers did not at the time of the study have access either to hygiene or to motivation factors. Their working conditions were poor, their salaries were low, and there was little scope for career progression, reward or recognition. Apart from such circumstances, it was also evident that the owners of the sub-contracted manufacturing facilities at Bangladesh were deliberately contravening governmental rules and regulations with regard to minimum wages, time of work and also possibly utilisation of underage labour. It did appear ironical to all of us that whilst people in the UK were concerned about the application of modern day HR theories and the work of Maslow, Herzberg and McGregor, people in the developing countries continued to work in extremely difficult conditions just to survive and meet the very basic needs of their families and their own selves. It was also very obvious that outsourcing by the client organisation to Bangladesh had been done primarily to exploit the low wages in the region. Any recommendation to improve the wages or the working conditions of the workers was bound to lead to greater costs, reduction of profitability and negation of the basic reasons for shipping the work abroad. Members of our team however understood that growing pressure from environmentally conscious buyers and final consumers was bound to create pressure on firms that shipped work to low wage regions to improve the working conditions of their workers (Latham, 2006, p 47). We thus formulated a detailed report recommending the improvement of wages to 20% higher than minimum wage levels and the construction of a scheme to reward sincere, efficient and productive workers. We recommended the establishment of washrooms, canteen facilities and crà ¨ches and the reduction of daily working hours to 8 hours a day, with overtime payments at established rates in case operations at the facilities had to be conducted for longer hours (Latham, 2006, p 47). We also recommended the establishment of a performance appraisal and management system for locating good performers who could be shortlisted for more responsible positions in future (Latham, 2006, p 47). We explained in detail in our report that the implementation of such measures would lead to significant organisational benefits, both in the market place and at the manufacturing facilities (Armstrong, 2006, p 5). Awareness of sustainable manufacturing practices among buyers and consumers would lead to improvement of reputation and increased demand for products (Armstrong, 2006, p 5). The implementation of the recommended measures at the workplace would also lead to improvement of productivity, reduction of wastage, lesser absenteeism and greater commitment among members of the workforce (Legge, 2004, p 16). Compliance with governmental regulations on the other hand would reduce the liability of prosecution and the levy of significant penalties (Legge, 2004, p 16). We were happy to find that the suggestions in our preliminary report were accepted with openness and appreciation by our clients. The clients called us for a detailed meeting wherein we explained of the likely benefits of adopting more worker-centric policies to organisations that shipped work to low wage regions. We provided the example of Nike and the extensive critical media reports on the company after the publication of exposes on the abysmal working conditions at its factories in South Asia (Dusen, 1998, p 1). The senior management of the company assured us that they would initiate plans to improve working conditions at their facilities in Bangladesh in line with our suggestions. I think of my experience in working on the project as one of the most rewarding and fulfilling episodes of my working career. It showed me how modern day HR theories can be used to good effect in different types of situations and workplaces. It not only gave me the opportunity to practically use my theoretical knowledge on motivation and reward but also gave me the chance to make a difference to the lives of people who work in difficult conditions for survival and subsistence.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

To the Snake by Denise Levertov :: essays research papers

In the poem 'To the Snake'; the author Denise Levertov use several writing techniques to portray money and gambling. She uses syntax, sound imagery, color imagery, figurative language, and symbolism to represent money and gambling. Symbolism is used cleverly throughout the poem to depict a number of things that would take numerous readings to see. Throughout the poem the sentences are structured so that every other sentence is indented, with exception to the first two and the last four. In those sentences not indented the author chose to make every other sentence shorter so that the ends were uneven. This syntax structure gives the reader the feeling of something hard to catch or control. The author did this because money, as it is depicted in the poem, is something this person can't handle. In other words this person can't get control of money, instead the want of money is controlling them. This introduces the idea of gambling into the poem. In the poem it says, '…I swore to my companions that certainly you were harmless!';, which is the typical statement of people addicted to gambling. Once again there is the control factor. This person can not control their desire for money and, the means of getting the money, gambling. Another important syntax technique can be seen in line 12. The poem says '…for that joy, whic h left a long wake of pleasure…'; The words 'which left'; are put on a line alone to draw attention to them. When read without stopping, the words make it seem as if, '…a wake of pleasure…';, was left. However, if the line is read again slowly, the line seems to say, '…that joy…';, left. The author did this to show that even though the joy left, the memory of pleasure was still there, which is why this person continues to gamble. ` Sound imagery is another writing technique put to use by Levertov in the poem. When reading the poem out loud, the reader notices the 'S'; sound. The misleading 'S'; or hissing sound could be interpreted, by some readers, to be the sound of a snake. It is instead the sound of money. When gambling, it is often necessary when betting on something to count money quickly. Paper money when rubbing together makes a hissing sound very much like the sound you get when reading the poem. The hissing could also be attributed to the sound of machines or people in a casino.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Arthur Conan Doyle Essay

Discuss Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s presentation of evil in the Hound of the Baskervilles  In some eyes, Doyle is the creator of Sherlock Holmes and the man who started the whole detective genre scene. However, my admiration for Doyle goes further than just enjoying Holmes’s latest escapade.  On a superficial level, Doyle uses powerful verbs and adjectives to create the evil atmosphere, and teamed up with the colourful writing of the background, he can simply and easily create a blanket of malice around the hound;  Ã¢â‚¬Å"There stood a foul thing, a great, black beast†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚  In my mind, the best way Doyle portrays evil is by adding a touch of verisimilitude to his novel. â€Å"Of course, I’ve heard of the hound ever since I was in the nursery. It’s the pet story of the family, though I never thought of taking it seriously before.†Ã‚  Here, by adding a history to the hound, Doyle gave an unbelievable beast a sense of authenticity.  Doyle can contribute to the ‘believability factor’ in other ways;  Ã¢â‚¬Å"From this point onwards I will follow the course of events by transcribing my own letters to Mr Sherlock Holmes which lie before me on the table.†Ã‚  This is an excellent example of how Doyle can make a fictional character recite a fictional event, and still have it sound as if it is a factual account.  The weather is another method employed by Doyle to give the novel realism. â€Å"October 16th – A dull and foggy day, with a drizzle of rain. The house is banked in with rolling clouds, which rise now and then to show the dreary curves of the moor, with thin, silver veins upon the sides of the hills, and the distant boulders gleaming where the light strikes upon their wet faces†Ã‚  Here, instead of going into the character’s actions, Doyle goes into great detail about the surroundings, to add to the authenticity of the proceeding actions. More specifically about the bleak weather, the malevolence of the hound is easier to comprehend because of the desolate backdrop of the Moors.  Moving away from the idea of the weather being used to create realism, I can see a more important part the weather plays in the novel. Doyle uses the weather so extensively throughout the narrative you could say that the weather is a character in its own right. Doyle’s use of patheticfallacy helps to convey the character’s feelings of terror towards the evil of the hound, which combined with points I mentioned previously, help to improve the impact of the, in comparison, small matter of a large dog.  Ã¢â‚¬ËœDiscuss the presentation of evil in the Hound of the Baskervilles’ is a difficult question to answer. That’s why I thought it best to go to the hound itself;  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Or a spectral hound, black, silent, and monstrous?†Ã‚  The hound is expressed as a satanic manifestation, a beast with no hope, no scruples. It symbolises the greed and evil harboured in men, and what could be unleashed if the thin veneer of morality, which protects us from our own desires, was breached. You could even go as far as to say that the beast is Doyle’s representation of the darker side of capitalism. The beast is also a symbol of how fear can be use against people, and how people can be led to believe the unbelievable;  Ã¢â‚¬Å"To do so would be to descend to the level of these poor peasants who are not content with a mere fiend dog, but must needs describe him with hell-fire shooting from his mouth and eyes.†Ã‚  As touched on previously, this story can be read simply by fans of the Sherlock Holmes trilogy and the simply put evil references on the surface of the novel can act in as good as a way as the deeper points. Also the pace of action is a simple writer’s trick to help boost the presentation of the subject. For example, Doyle uses fast snappy sentences, such as ‘gaunt, savage and as large as a small lioness’, to speed up the action, and he uses long and complex sentences to allow the reader to reflect on the previous action. They are also used to allow the reader to start to solve the mystery in their own head. Another point of interest for me is the idea of a tragedy, the main tragedy of course being Stapleton. The thought that Stapleton could have been a good and loyal friend to Sir Charles Baskerville, but then turned to the greed in his own heart of the possible inheritance, is what constitutes a real tragedy.  To conclude, there are many ways in which Doyle portrays evil through his writing, be they the beast, the realism developed or the simple good versus evil. However, I have also found that none of the methods can stand alone, and that they all compliment each other in the rich diversity that is the Hound of The Baskervilles. I’ve been James Cordingley, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

6 Things Recruiters Wish Job Seekers Knew

6 Things Recruiters Wish Job Seekers Knew Working with recruiters can be an extremely beneficial way to find a new job–they often have connections and access to opportunities not available to the general public. Based on their relationships with hiring managers, recruiters  can also get your foot in the door for positions otherwise  difficult to break into on your own. They’re in the know and have seen it all–consider them job-seeking experts. The team at ResumeSpice, a resume writing and career coaching service developed by recruiters, has put together a list of six things recruiters wish job seekers knew. Save yourself a lot of time and rejection by taking this expert advice to heart.Be specific about what you want.Recruiters are professional matchmakers. They take your criteria for in a position and match you with the position that best fits your needs. For example, while saying you want to find a project management role is a good starting point, saying you want a project management role for an oi l and gas company, that you’re interested in global projects, and that you would consider expatriate work is a better way to go.It may be counterintuitive, but an attempt to appear â€Å"flexible† could be interpreted as unfocused. Recruiters will have a better sense of where to start if they’re not left guessing for details.You don’t have to email them every day.Recruiters love making a matches between employers and candidates. It’s the basis of their entire job, so a good recruiter will keep you in the loop on where you stand and will provide updates as they arise. It’s not necessary for candidates to call or email every day. Most recruiters will recommend a weekly or bi-weekly email for temporary assignments and every 2-3 weeks for direct hire positions.Don’t take rejection personally.You win some, you lose some. Roll with the punches. Tomorrow’s another day. While we’re all familiar with those adages, being rejected is still never easy. A recruiter can do everything they can to try to convince a hiring manager that you’re the perfect for a role–but at the end of the day, the employer makes the decision and sometimes they don’t tell the recruiter why. It’s best to move on and focus your effort on the next role.Have an updated and ready-to-submit resume.The demise of the resume has been severely overstated. Always have one at the ready. Recruiters will typically offer insight on how you can tighten your resume, but actually reformatting and rewriting your resume is up to you. If you need help strengthening your resume, a professional resume writing service may be the best route to take.Be on your best behavior.Companies pay recruiting and staffing agencies to find their most skilled talent, so always treat recruiters as you would any employer. They understand that you may be frustrated as you look for a job and most are happy to lend advice during a difficult job searc h, but it’s never a good idea to vent your frustrations at a recruiter. Treat them poorly and they’re unlikely to present you to their clients.There’s on time and there’s way too early.Because you want to impress a recruiter, it’s natural to want to arrive promptly for your scheduled meeting. However, there’s a fine line between arriving early and arriving on time. A good rule to follow is to not to check in more than 10 minutes before your scheduled time. Sure, arrive early so that you’re not rushed and panicked when you walk in the door, but respect that most recruiters are not going to be able to see you thirty minutes before your scheduled meeting.This is certainly not a comprehensive list of everything recruiters wish you knew, but it should help ensure you’re on the proper path to success when it comes to keeping a great relationship with your recruiter.Savannah Ober is a resume writer and career consultant at ResumeSpice . In addition to being a resume expert, Savannah is also an experienced corporate communications professional, working with one of the world’s largest global companies. Savannah has written recruiting advertisements for trade publications, created marketing collateral, written press releases and blogs, and developed social media content. Savannah holds a BA in English, creative writing.

Monday, October 21, 2019

How to be yourself at work

How to be yourself at work If you’re like most people, you’ve encountered at least one situation at work in which you’ve wondered, â€Å"How should I behave?† â€Å"Can I be myself in this situation or do I need to act a certain way?† These situations can be challenging to navigate and can make an already stressful job experience harder than it is- or needs to be. The truth is, for most people, the subject of workplace behavior can be a tricky balancing act. On one hand, you want to approach your job- whatever level or industry you’re currently in- as a rung on a ladder. At the top sit your ultimate professional and career goals, and you want to align your on-the-job behavior in a way that will best help you climb gracefully and easily. On the other hand, you don’t want to create an artificial or disingenuous work persona that’s so far removed from who you really are that you make yourself miserable.Your main goal is to strike a positive and productive ba lance, using your well-honed workplace instincts and your true sense of self to become an effective and genuine employee that your coworkers appreciate having around. The following are some proven strategies to help you stay on track.Be situation smart.Truly successful employees make it a point to learn the unique â€Å"ins and outs† of their specific work environments. On top of doing their jobs effectively, they study their colleagues and their particular work styles- how they like to collaborate, their preferred communication tools, the tone and topics they typically respond best to.Once you get a good handle on your work environment, you can best understand when and where you can be your true self. Are you a lighthearted employee who prefers face-to-face conversations and a casual tone when discussing work-related issues? If so, be sure to figure out which of your colleagues this style works best with and feel confident that you can be your â€Å"true self† when de aling with them.And what about those more serious coworkers who prefer everything to be handled over email with a minimum of witty banter? It can really be in your best interest to modulate your approach to best suit their needs and preferences- not only will this increase your chances of handling work issues effectively, it should also score you some points with these folks, which is never a bad thing.Pay attention to clues.The most effective employees are truly self-reflective workers- they make it a habit to analyze their behaviors across situations in an effort to discover what works best. This gives them a tremendous advantage when encountering any type of work issue. From what to wear on any given day or event to how aggressive or laid back to be in a meeting and how freely you should share constructive criticism or new ideas, they truly make an effort to analyze a situation and tailor their approach accordingly. There’s a time and a place for most things at work- the t rick is to learn the crucial when, where, and with whom.Learn from mistakes.Let’s be honest- no one is perfect, and we all have done things that we’d love to take back or erase, given the chance. But those who tend to be most successful in their work environments are those who learn from mistakes- both theirs as well as the mistakes of others. It stands to reason that the best measure of what works and what doesn’t is history, and this holds true for the world of work as well. Did you or a colleague deliver a presentation that fell flat? Do you know someone at work who coworkers tend to avoid whenever possible- or perhaps you’re this person?If so, analyze the situation and take an honest look at things in an effort to figure out what’s wrong and where you can get back on the right track moving forward. Strong employees don’t approach this as a moment to declare, â€Å"I just can’t be myself when I’m at work!† or, â€Å" I’m stuck in a hopeless situation!† Instead, they take it as a helpful inflection point, a time to address challenges head on and make improvements in an effort to get further up that career ladder. Oftentimes, the truest way to discover the right approach is by learning which ones are wrong. Trial and error are great guides in life.The Bottom LineIt’s been said that effective employees are like chameleons. They have an uncanny ability to adapt and blend into all sorts of situations. While this may or may not mean that you can completely and totally be â€Å"yourself† in every situation you’ll encounter at work, the truth is that most of us have a wide range of behaviors that comprise who we are- at various times, we’re serious or playful, focused or multitasking, talkative or quiet- the trick to being your â€Å"true self† at work is to know which aspect of your personality is appropriate given the situation. Follow the strategies out lined here and before long you should find yourself climbing higher and higher up that ladder to career success.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Jane Eyre, compare and contras essays

Jane Eyre, compare and contras essays In the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Jane encounters two men of considerable power that profoundly change her life. One man, Edmund Rochester, is the love of her life, however, he is in an unfortunate marriage with a savage woman. The second man, St. John Rivers, will not be able to fulfill Janes emotional needs and desires like Rochester can. Janes relationships with Rochester and St. John become evident by the settings in which they interact with each other. Through her comparisons and contrasts of characters and settings, Charlotte Bronte is able to guide the reader through the turbulent chapters of the novel that ultimately decide the fate of the title character, Jane Eyre. Charlotte Bronte uses settings to represent relationships and to interconnect events throughout the novel. Thornfield is the primary setting because it is in the middle of the plot and it attributes structural unity to the novel (Napierkowski 172). Thornfield is the ideal home for Jane in that every other place she has ever or will ever reside in is subject to comparison to the mansion. Moor House is Thornfields antithesis because Moor House is a place where Jane is cared for, whereas in Thornfield, she is one of the caretakers of Adele (Craik 10). The teachers cottage that the Oliver family provides for Jane is also much different from Thornfield in that it offers the bare necessities of life; physical, mental, and emotional (Craik 10-1). Jane lived alone, with the exception of an occasional visitor, and had the simplest furnishings possible. In Thornfield, Jane had all of lifes luxuries at her fingertips; fine furnishings, agreeably nice companions, entertainment, and the love of her life were contained within the walls of the mansion. Thornfield also differs from the Lowood Institution; in Thornfield, freedom and happiness are in its gardens and landscap...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Discuss paul gilroy quote (youth cultural practice) Essay

Discuss paul gilroy quote (youth cultural practice) - Essay Example taken distinguishing local factors as well as histories into account, they hope that they can concur that different youth cultures are by now hosting an influential commitment between these thoughts and the hesitant - micro-political instead of pre-political - appearances that resist them either by asserting difference as well as diversity or by rejoicing the transcendence of different racial and ethnic differences. More new music enlightens how these impacts are reduced into the same gesticulations, the identical delighted moment. For this rationale alone, it seems suitable to look into those cultures for the purpose of plan how rejoinders regarding the new racism as well as its minority complements have developed and also to observe what energies different youth cultures can give way for future resists against the ethnic absolutism, racism as well as nationalism (Gilroy, 1993). According to Gilroy 1993), these above mentioned aspects related to youth cultural practices are leading to the effect where these cultures are emerging as the essential hybrid of different social as well as political forms (Gilroy, 1993). Gilroy’s idea of youth culture, in this context, is closely associated with the observation that different social and political aspects are interrelated with these practices. Different social aspects, such as the degree of social integration between one community and the other and the associated transformation of various social and communal aspects and ideas are regarded as the most important guiding force behind the development of youth cultural practices. In most of the cases, youth cultural practices are guided by the associated norms or rules and regulations of the society under consideration. For instance, the situation where large number of people across the community are taking drugs or are creating significant amount of social nuisance in the locality are most likely to be seen affecting the youth cultural practices within that community.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Modularity of Mind Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modularity of Mind - Essay Example The notion of modularity has also taken part in the role in modern debates in epistemology, philosophy of language. Among other core areas of philosophy more evidence of its utility as a tool for thinking about the mind. The notion of modularity has taken part in a recent argument in epistemology, philosophy of language, and other main areas of philosophy further evidence of its utility as a tool for thinking about the mind. This research creates present information from the variety of fields of cognitive science in sustenance of a new and stimulating theory of mind. Most psychologists consider horizontal processes as resembling memory and flow of information; Fodor proposes for a vertical and modular psychological organization triggering biologically logical behaviors. The view of mental architecture is constant with the historical institution of faculty psychology at the same time as integrates a computational method to mental processes (Fodor et.al, 17).  The first two items of Fodor’s account of modularity-localization and characteristic breakdowns-are closely related. The claims that mental faculties are localized supported by the fact that focal brain liaisons cause selective mental shortage. Additional proof of localization is reached from neuroimaging studies that assert in identifying the brain areas that are lively when healthy persons perform mental responsibilities.   The evidence for anatomical localization appears overwhelming at first, but problems appear on closer analysis.

Someone who inspired you and what the inspiraton was Essay

Someone who inspired you and what the inspiraton was - Essay Example However, the main reason I admire him so much is because I know from what my parents and him told me how extraordinary his life has been. Unlike my parents, he never finished college and had to do many menial jobs – something he probably regretted later a lot. I came to learn that his youth was a wild one, and he dropped out of college halfway due to drug related problems. At that time, he had sunk so low that he would disappear for months living in shelters for homeless people, and the sense of his life was the next dose. Even his own family had given up hope on him; however, his struggle is something I can only describe as the greatest act of self-redemption I have ever heard of: he turned his life around, and today he teaches literature at a local college and has a PhD degree in the same subject. After he got rid of his drug problems, he worked nightshifts at a factory, and during the day did distance courses. No one thought he could keep this up, but to everyone’s s urprise, he finished college in three years. Having got his diploma, he worked as a teacher at a local high school teaching English to foreign students on a part-time basis to earn some extra money. By spreading himself thin in ways I will never come to comprehend, he managed to acquire a master’s degree finishing his education in a span of only five years. These days my uncle gives motivational talks to youths and homeless people as well as people with drug problems. Also, he finds time to talk once a week in a drug rehabilitation center that was founded by him and a few other sponsors. His taking care of people in need, shows what an altruistic and understanding person he is; my uncle believes, like one of his role models Martin Luther King, that love has a redeeming power and can change the world. His massage to them and everyone else is that everyone deserves a second chance, and one should always take time to help those have lost hope and support. To me,

The concept of freedom in Yoga philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The concept of freedom in Yoga philosophy - Essay Example It describes how one can remove pain and suffering from their minds and body. It describes the different concepts that form part of our world. This philosophy states that when one feels deep pain in their body, they want to destroy their body and mind (Sinha, 2012). This becomes a problem because we do not have the knowledge on how to destroy our body or mind. The philosopher states that â€Å"life means integration of the body; mind and consciousness, whereby some are unwanted while others are desired† (Buley, 2006). We can see that this philosophy combines consciousness and the body matter. This is shown in the two independent variables namely, the Purusha and the Prakriti. The philosopher concludes by saying that real freedom is obtaining freedom from the three types of pain and suffering the physical, emotional and spiritual (Michaels, 2004). Therefore the philosopher identifies with our experience of pain, fear, anger and any other emotional or physical pain. The philosophy then gives us a means by which we can remove or deal with this pain accordingly. The process by which one removes pain is called the doctrine of cause and effect. It states that â€Å"there is a time and process by which undesirable, painful elements get into our bodies and consciousness and there is a means by which we can reverse it. Every effect has its cause and it is possible to remove the cause, thus removing the effect† (Sinha, 2012). This is true, but us as Human beings, are we able to clearly know what is causing us pain? It is not true that we can effectively identify the causes of our problems. The philosopher was not wrong in saying that we can find the cause and effect of pain, although it is still true that many people have been unable to find the root cause of their pain and suffering. In conclusion we can see that the proponent was able to combine consciousness and the body. Research studies have found that the mind can control what

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Information Security and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Information Security and Ethics - Essay Example Professional ethics plays crucial role in helping information security professional to execute their duty. However, to ensure maximum information security, organizations need to institute relevant legislations to guard against information security breach. This paper explores policies and procedure that organizations should implement to secure their confidential information. It is crucial that security forms an integral part of organizational culture. Protecting the firm from possible information security breach should be a major focus of the company’s operational process. To achieve this, security policies or e-policies provide the fundamental framework for an organization to beef security over its crucial information. Security policies are regulations that outline how organizational information are supposed to be used in executing daily organizational tasks and also dictate who is authorized to access what information. What Are Security Policies or e-policies? A security poli cy can be referred to as a document that gives guidelines on how an organization intends to protect its physical as well as information technology assets. According to Ciampa (2010), a security policy refers to â€Å"a document that outlines the protections that should be enacted to ensure the organization’s assets face minimal risks.†An organization’s security policy is usually referred to as a living document because it is continuously upgraded to meet emerging organizational challenges in the face of organizational change and evolving employee requirements. The security policy of an organization usually reflects on policy implementation requirements and possible corrections in case loopholes are detected (Ciampa, 2010). Recommended Information Security Policies for Organizations Control over Access to Computer Rooms In order to ensure high level security for crucial organizational information, computer rooms should be kept under lock and key at all times. Com puter rooms should have doors fitted strongly and manned by security officers at all times. In addition to locking computer rooms, there should be security officers deployed to man the doors to main information areas. Only authorized personnel should access such rooms through user authentication process. Use of Passwords and Authentication Procedures The organization should have documented guidelines to control access over its crucial information areas. All computers in the organization should have passwords in relation to security demands. These guidelines need to be assessed on regular intervals. The guidelines should have password requirement and control the storage of such passwords. All users of information accessing information system of the company must be authenticated. Individuals who are authorized to access company information should have unique blend of usernames and passwords to bar unauthorized personnel or external intruders from gaining easy access to the organizatio n’s private information. Information users are held responsible for the usage of their passwords and usernames, which they should keep secret unless called upon by the chief security officer to disclose such passwords and usernames. Data Encryption Policy The second policy that an organization can establish to protect its valuable information is data encryption. In recent times, there have been numerous

Project II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project II - Essay Example alize that there is actually a net surplus that is left after accounting for all the fixed expenses, which represented about 40.48% of net income; and the variable expenses amounting to 47.62%. It simply gives the family more leeway in terms of adjusting the variable expenses when time comes that we need to minimize some expenses to give way to more important priorities. The projected income is easy to determine as no other sources were currently eminent. The income from salaries of both my husband and me as teachers comprises the basic cash in which is easy to establish on a monthly or yearly basis. On the other hand, cash expenses are composed of several different items, and the expenses are clearly classified into fixed and variable expenses. Some could be established as regular fixed expenses which do not differ on a monthly basis. On the other hand, other expenses such as food, savings for emergency purposes and miscellaneous expenses differ depending on diversity of needs and requirements of family members across time. I therefore learned that a substantial portion of our family income is spent on different needs but somehow, by managing to allot a small amount for emergency purposes and still be able to maintain some surplus, we could be able to meet unforeseen and unanticipated expenses and could plan for future financial goals. From the income and expense developed in September, the same income and expenses are expected in October, except for the additional savings needed as outlined in the financial goals worksheet in Part I, where the long term goal of a vacation in Hawaii, life insurance of children, and funds to be earmarked for the coming Christmas vacation need to be allotted as additional savings. These amounts were taken from the net surplus of $750. When the additional savings are taken out, only $54.17 will remain. One intends to use a computer spreadsheet (Excel) to record and continue monitoring the income and expenses, as well as managing

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The concept of freedom in Yoga philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The concept of freedom in Yoga philosophy - Essay Example It describes how one can remove pain and suffering from their minds and body. It describes the different concepts that form part of our world. This philosophy states that when one feels deep pain in their body, they want to destroy their body and mind (Sinha, 2012). This becomes a problem because we do not have the knowledge on how to destroy our body or mind. The philosopher states that â€Å"life means integration of the body; mind and consciousness, whereby some are unwanted while others are desired† (Buley, 2006). We can see that this philosophy combines consciousness and the body matter. This is shown in the two independent variables namely, the Purusha and the Prakriti. The philosopher concludes by saying that real freedom is obtaining freedom from the three types of pain and suffering the physical, emotional and spiritual (Michaels, 2004). Therefore the philosopher identifies with our experience of pain, fear, anger and any other emotional or physical pain. The philosophy then gives us a means by which we can remove or deal with this pain accordingly. The process by which one removes pain is called the doctrine of cause and effect. It states that â€Å"there is a time and process by which undesirable, painful elements get into our bodies and consciousness and there is a means by which we can reverse it. Every effect has its cause and it is possible to remove the cause, thus removing the effect† (Sinha, 2012). This is true, but us as Human beings, are we able to clearly know what is causing us pain? It is not true that we can effectively identify the causes of our problems. The philosopher was not wrong in saying that we can find the cause and effect of pain, although it is still true that many people have been unable to find the root cause of their pain and suffering. In conclusion we can see that the proponent was able to combine consciousness and the body. Research studies have found that the mind can control what

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Project II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project II - Essay Example alize that there is actually a net surplus that is left after accounting for all the fixed expenses, which represented about 40.48% of net income; and the variable expenses amounting to 47.62%. It simply gives the family more leeway in terms of adjusting the variable expenses when time comes that we need to minimize some expenses to give way to more important priorities. The projected income is easy to determine as no other sources were currently eminent. The income from salaries of both my husband and me as teachers comprises the basic cash in which is easy to establish on a monthly or yearly basis. On the other hand, cash expenses are composed of several different items, and the expenses are clearly classified into fixed and variable expenses. Some could be established as regular fixed expenses which do not differ on a monthly basis. On the other hand, other expenses such as food, savings for emergency purposes and miscellaneous expenses differ depending on diversity of needs and requirements of family members across time. I therefore learned that a substantial portion of our family income is spent on different needs but somehow, by managing to allot a small amount for emergency purposes and still be able to maintain some surplus, we could be able to meet unforeseen and unanticipated expenses and could plan for future financial goals. From the income and expense developed in September, the same income and expenses are expected in October, except for the additional savings needed as outlined in the financial goals worksheet in Part I, where the long term goal of a vacation in Hawaii, life insurance of children, and funds to be earmarked for the coming Christmas vacation need to be allotted as additional savings. These amounts were taken from the net surplus of $750. When the additional savings are taken out, only $54.17 will remain. One intends to use a computer spreadsheet (Excel) to record and continue monitoring the income and expenses, as well as managing

Ibm Case Essay Example for Free

Ibm Case Essay History By the 1950’s, IBM became the dominant vendor in the computer industry with the release of the IBM 701 along with many other series of mainframes, which are large central processors. Then in the1960’s and 1970’s, the company had to diversify to get on the same level as smaller companies, such as Digital Equipment Corporation, who were introducing microprocessors. This threatened IBM’s position in the computer industry. Their response was coming put with a personal computer, software, and services. In 1981, IBM officially introduced the IBM PC with a compatible hardware platform. This was a large accomplishment for the company. A few years later, on May 1st, 2005, IBM sold its PC division to the Chinese company Lenovo for $655 million in cash and $600 million in Lenovo stock. Then on January 25, 2007, IBM sold their printing systems division for $725 million to Ricoh and created a new Ricoh subsidiary called InfoPrint Solutions Company. Ricoh will now own a 51% share and IBM will own a 49% share. Also in 2007, IBM’s yearly revenue was $98. 8 billion and they had a net income of $10. 8 billion dollars. IBM is run by about 427,000 employees. There are three main people who keep the business running smoothly. The most important one is Samuel J. Palmisano, who is the Chairman, President, and CEO. Another important associate at IBM is Mark Loughridge, who is the SVP and CFO. And lastly, Douglas Elix, who is another SVP, a Group Executive, and is in charge of Sales and Distribution. These three men are vital to the company’s success. Besides them, most of the employees at IBM are IT Specialists, Application Services Consultants, and Managing Consultants. Every company has to have competitors. Competition makes a healthy industry. Some of the top competitors IBM runs against are EDS (Electronic Data Systems Corporation), Hewlett Packerd, and their biggest competitor, Microsoft, whom they are ranked right behind in second place in their industry. IBM has many recent accomplishments within that last few years. One of the major ones was the development of the world’s tiniest nanophotonic switch, which is a device for routing light on a chip scale. Another project they have completed wasweb 2. security concerns with â€Å"SMash,† which is one of their development tools. Another very large project they completed was the design of the microprocessor for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Nintendo Wii. All three of those were a good addition to the list of products they already design. This opened up their age range of consumers as well since a lot of children play these video systems. Besides recent accomplishments in their elec tronic field, IBM also had many of their employees win multiple awards for their achievements. They have had three of their employees win Nobel Prizes, which are achievements in either physics, chemistry, literature, peace, economics, medicine and physiology; four have received a Turing Awards, which are awards for technology; five have National Medals of Technology; and five more have received National Medals of Science. These are all very big accomplishments that IBM is very proud of. IBM is currently working on many projects. One of its big ones is Eclipse, which is a platform-independent, Java based software framework. Another is developerWorks, which is a website run by IBM for software developers and IT professionals. It contains large numbers of how-to articles and tutorials, software downloads, code samples, discussion forums, podcasts, blogs, wikis, and other resources. Then there is alphaWorks which is IBM’s source for emerging software technologies. They are also working on more semiconductor designs and manufacturing for them. Open client offering is another project they are working on. It is to run on Windows, Linux and Apples. Used for word processing, presentations, Lotus Notes, instant messaging, blogging, etc†¦ UC2: Unified Communications and Collaboration is an IBM and Cisco joint project. It will offer numerous Eclipse applications developers a unified platform for an easier work environment. Examples of this would be click-to-call and voice mailing. SWOT on Management IBM holds more patentsthan any other U. S. based technology company. IBM’s Project Management Center of Excellence, or PM COE, is first-rate. PM COE is considered IBM’s â€Å"Think Tank†. It is a program that has been set up to define the steps needed to strengthen IBM’s project management capabilities. PM COE combines external industry trends and directions with IBM business, organizational, geographic requirements and insight. Using PM COE, IBM has developed project management policy, practices, methods, and tools (Wikipedia, 2008). For someone to be considered for a management position, they must complete IBM certification or accreditation. To be accepted in to the certification or accreditation process an individual must have done the following. Successfully passed PMI exam (i. e. be a certified PMP). Verifiable documentation and approval for mastery/expertise in a well-defined set of PM skills. Several years of PM experience spanning at least 3 verifiable projects within the immediate 5 years (including specific role, team size, and budget requirements). Verifiable documentation and proof of at least one area of specialty. Demonstrated the use of IBMs Worldwide Project Management Method (_WWPMM_). Completed extensive classroom and online education and testing. To become a Junior Project Manager, you must go through self assessment and get supervisors authorization to be accredited. Becoming a Senior Project Manager requires going through the rigorous IBM certification process, which involves Candidate preparing a detailed package with proof of above requirements. Package review, approval, and support by at least two levels of Senior Management. Package review and re-verification by PM COE expert. Personal interviews with the PM COE Certification board. Candidates whose experience, skills, knowledge and education are deemed valid, verifiable and accurate, are certified by the board as either Certified Senior Project Manager (CSPM) or Certified Executive Project Manager (CEPM). Senior Project managers must validate their skills and expertise against IBM’s worldwide standards. It is a deliberately long process with multiple checkpoints designed to ensure the integrity, fairness and legitimacy of the certification. This helps IBM maintain customer confidence in their products (Wikipedia, 2008). Since IBM is such a large, diversified, and established company they do not have many weaknesses. One weakness is they have a tendency to â€Å"strong arm† clients that are highly dependent on IBM products (Bradley, 2004). In the future this reputation could lead companies to be hesitant to rely on IBM’s merchandise. This reputation could also create bad enough relationships with current clients to make them transfer to a competitor’s product. IBM has also been known to â€Å"over promise† (Bradley, 2004). Since they are such a large corporation, with many capabilities, they tend to promise unrealistic deadlines to their customers. Businesses don’t like losing money, and opening later then planned is a good way to do that. These delays in their customers start-ups, could also lead to unfavorable relationships that could cause clients to move their business elsewhere. IBM is constantly looking for new opportunities to expand their share of the market, or start a new market. IBM is looking into revolutionizing the prevention of traditional and online fraud and Identity thefts. They are working on a comprehensive anti-fraud program that is going to help banks protect themselves and their customers, while continuing to offer their products and services (IBM, 2006). IBM is also conducting case studies for the automotive industry. The case studies are going to help them change the industry, and become more innovative (Lunani, 2006). Hopefully, the innovations will alleviate some of the stress the industry is under. Management Practices ; Theories SWOT analysis is a very important part of finding out a lot of information pertaining to current management functions within the company. However, it is what the management does after they find their strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats that are the most relevant part of determining a company’s success. The theories and practices the company uses to take advantage of their strengths, try to combat their weaknesses, use opportunities to their best interest, and to defend themselves from threats are the key determinant on what the company’s future looks like. IBM as one of the top companies in the world clearly knows what they are doing. They have taken into careful consideration their SWOT analysis and their management theories and practices are derived from their analysis. Being involved in competitive global competition, the company’s workforce is an essential part to IBM’s success. In knowing of this, IBM has created a list of seven key core workforce capabilities. These capabilities include: Understanding the demographics and capabilities of the workforce, predicting future labor supply and demand, utilizing social networks to increase the visibility and application of knowledge across the organization, enabling individuals to perform work regardless of location, facilitating collaboration across traditional organizational boundaries, driving the rapid development of skills and capabilities to meet changing business conditions, and evaluating employee performance and providing appropriate feedback. IBM has implemented these guidelines so their workforces can constantly adapt to the ever changing global business environment. In addition, workers are paid incentives for their input to keep the employees with a sense of involvement which is important to keeping them excited about IBM. At IBM, the managers believe and in a workforce that is diversified. According to Ron Glover, VP for Global Workforce Diversity at IBM, focuses on what it means to retain a true culture of diversity is IBM’s greatest competitive advantage. From all the way back to World War I, IBM has romoted workforce diversity when they hired disabled veterans to work for the company. Even when no one was using diversity IBM was. Way back in 1953, CEO at the time Thomas Watson sent out a very controversial stating that IBM needs to hire the best people, regardless of their race, ethnic origin, sex. In addition, the company added sexual orientation in 1984. He knew that this would give IBM a competitive advan tage because IBM would then be able to hire talented people the it’s competitors would turn down. (hrmreport. com, 2008) Another way IBM tries to get the best workers is using their program called Extreme Blue. This is an internship program for graduate and undergraduate students. This internationally known program is great for getting students prepared to work for IBM. IBM believes this will give students interested in working for a IBM a realistic perspective on what it would be like to work for them. IBM runs this diverse workforce under a classical management perspective. Money is assumed to be the primary motive and have a traditional compensation plan. The main forms of pay to employees are base pay and valuable other forms of benefits such as retirement plans and insurances. According to the company’s website, â€Å"cash compensation opportunities include base pay, commissions, performance bonuses, awards and other forms of earnings. † In addition to these forms of pay, IBM also offers generous paid vacation and holidays. There are also some benefits to relieve stress and just get away from the company for a little while. These benefits include reduced-prices, cooking lessons, and fitness centers. This management style has worked for them and we think they should stick with the classical approach to management and not move to a behavioral perspective. IBM uses an analyzer strategy which most large companies use. An analyzer strategy is a strategy in which the firm attempts to maintain its current businesses and to be somewhat innovative in new businesses. They use this strategy because they want to produce some new product opportunities while protecting their base of operations. (Griffen, 2007) Management Structure â€Å"The management structure that IBM maintains is an effective internal control structure. This structure has clearly defined lines of responsibility, as well as comprehensive systems and control procedures. This structure is beneficial because it assures customers that their transactions are put through correctly and efficiently. â€Å"(http://sec. edgar-online. com) An important part of IBM’s management structure is a good internal audit program. IBM takes a good amount of time to train its workers correctly. Each employee receives written policies and procedures to ensure that each employee knows exactly what to do under any circumstance or problem that may arise. By doing this everyone is on the same page and everything is done the way they want it done. IBM is now thinking about cutting 13,000 jobs most of which should be mostly in Europe and other headquarters around the world. Ethics With all of the diversity that exists within the company it would be hard for IBM to conduct any work without ethics on their minds. As in any large company there is some sort of unethical behavior going on, however these behaviors have not been detrimental to the company thus far. So far it is obvious that IBM wont make any large scale unethical decisions such as the like of Enron. The ethics are very important in the business process and will be discussed more in an interview with a former employee. Interview With a Former Employee Flat or tall management structure? â€Å"The structure tends to be taller than most companies, especially within the consulting group. † Management Style? â€Å"The managers take a very classical by the book style to their decisions. Everything that had happened before was documented and later considered protocol, if there was success. † What ethics does IBM use in decision making? â€Å"IBM has well defined guidelines on many ethical issues, and it is required that all new employees review these guidelines. Employees are also required to take an annual review test to comply with IBM corporate policy. In my experience IBM relies on individual managers to make judgment calls on grey areas, and the managers I worked with all took ethic approaches to handling the issue. † What are the areas for improvement? â€Å"IBM has had difficulties integrating its consulting division, since the acquisition of Price Waterhouse Coopers consulting in 2002. Much effort has been focused on getting full value from this acquisition, and at least initially the purchase was viewed as a misstep. With changes over the last few years, the consulting division has become the bulk of IBM revenue, but there are still opportunities to better leverage the consulting division in light of other IBM business units. IBM has also been severally criticized for its outsourcing practices, and has taken very proactive measures to combat this public criticism. † Any alliances? â€Å"IBM has numerous alliances with companies, all the way from suppliers to working with competitors. The number of alliances in likely in the thousands. † What makes IBM so successful? The ability to solve large scale business problems, especially in the IT sector, by combining various internal specialties and partnerships to create and implement end to end solutions. † Have you witnessed any unethical behavior throughout the company? â€Å"I have not personally witnessed any unethical behavior, but have spoken to a former VP who was put in a position to take an unethical action by someone who wa s very senior in the organization. † Hiring procedures? Promotions procedures? â€Å"Hiring is done at the group level, based upon target numbers that are established at the top of the organization. Final hiring decisions are made at the senior manager level. Promotion decisions occur annually with promotions and compensation based upon the outcome of the decision. Promotion is granted if the employee can show sufficient evidence that he/she is operating at the intended promotion level, and that the results are sustainable (ie. , results must be shown for a relatively long time and consistent time period, in various situations) . The implementation of the corresponding compensation typically occurs six months after promotion decisions are made. The timing of promotions and compensation increases are an area which many employees feel needs to be corrected, and IBM has stated it intends to reduce the total time of the process. † Relationship between managers and subordinates? â€Å"Varies greatly based upon individual relationships. IBM offers many channels to discuss issues, but the design of the promotion/compensation/staffing structure makes it imperative to have a successful working relationship with direct and next level management. † Is there a lot of management restructuring? Yes, at the lower levels, especially in consulting, management roles are very fluid and change frequently in comparison with other companies. Some of this is based on market changes, some on promotions/exits, and some on business results. † What kind of fringe benefits do workers receive? â€Å"Discounts with partner companies, cell and broadband reimbursement, 401k contribution, pension (eliminated in 2006), corporate educatio n, annual bonus (consulting division), extensive health care coverage at low rates. † Is there a lot of communication between the different headquarters? Conclusion It is obvious that IBM is successful because their values and the way they conduct business. This is a direct reflection upon their management structure, style, and practices. They will surely stay on the same track of success for many years to come. As they push forward in their business they are becoming one of the most well known businesses whether it be for technology or consulting around the world. No matter what kind of work a person is in one thing is for certain, everyone can learn from the way IBM conducts their business.