The Use of Conflict Management Styles Across Different Cultures Assignment

The Use of Conflict Management Styles Across Different Cultures - Assignment Example The study will also intend to evaluate the process of selection of the conflict management styles in the organizations and the factors influencing them. The cultural identities of the organizations have become more diversified in the contemporary scenario as the internal workforce is more widespread and open (Cochran & Harpending, 2009). According to Devine et al. (2002), culture defines the identity of an individual, group or an institution and is one of strongest psychological attachments that can give rise to conflicts if tempered with. Blair (2001) opined that often it is observed that mergers and strategic alliances fail in the real world businesses because of their cultural differences. For instance, the merger between Ford and Chrysler in the year 1998 failed because of the inability of their workforce of the organizations to adapt to the changes in the work structure. In order to assess the influence of culture on the conflict management process, it is essential to first understand the factors involved in culture. Devine et al. (2002) reflected that although culture is not always the cause of the conflict but it can influenc e the conflict resolving process. In the words of Blair (2001), culture of a firm reflects the core values, passion and its aim. Geary (2005) added that the stakeholders of a firm contribute towards the development of its culture. This again creates complicacies and conflicts among the management and the shareholders of a company. Bentley et al. (2007) argued that organizational culture is influenced by the aims and objectives which in turn dominate the work process of the firm. Devine et al. (2002) focused on the influence of cultures on the business process and stated that when the basic needs of an individual, group or organization are satisfied, conflicts do not rise among diverse cultures. However, Chiappe & MacDonald (2005) stated that cultural diversity also increases the chances of conflict among the people as it reflects

Mechanistic and Organic Organizational Structures Essay

Mechanistic and Organic Organizational Structures - Essay Example Mechanistic characteristics and features include; low differentiation of tasks, has an unwavering environment, centralized decision making, low integration where due to the stability of tasks there is low integration between departments and functional areas and moreover, in situations where tasks are stable they are standardized and formalized which facilitates the smooth running of operations without breakdown. Organic structures are best applicable in dynamic and uncertain environment and differentiation of tasks is high since tasks are often changing which calls for differentiation (Ross 2011). Additionally, organic organization structures have a higher integration of departments and functional areas as compared to mechanistic structures, decision making is decentralized and, there is little standardization and formalization, how? Due to the rapid change in tasks it is impractical to apply standardization and formalized procedures and instead tasks are supposed to be mutually adjusted so that each sub problem is balanced with other sub problems (Burn & Stalker

A critique of the national literacy framework and the hour Essay

A critique of the national literacy framework and the hour - Essay Example The literacy hour is a means of implementing the objectives designed by the Framework. In this one hour teachers devote themselves entirely to making literates of their students.The National Literacy Framework and the training it provides are based on the National Literacy Project. Its aim is laudable and it has shown a degree of success in improving literacy standards. However it has been condemned on a number of counts and many teachers are up in arms against it. Therefore it is imperative for a teacher to subject the Framework and the literacy hour to intense scrutiny and analyze its positive and negative features with respect to the subject of teaching of reading. This examination with its salient features and results are outlined below.In the words of Jeanne S.Chall and Steven Stahl, reading is an "activity characterized by the translation of symbols, or letters, into words and sentences that have meaning to the individual". From their earliest years, children acquire the skills needed for learning to read. According to Chall and Stahl children as they become acclimatized to the sounds in their environment, "learn that spoken words are composed of separate sounds and that letters can represent these sounds." Itzhoff (1996:20) also stresses the importance of language proficiency in reading proficiency. Therefore parents can help children on their journey to fluent reading by diligently reading bedtime stories, having conversations and indulging in language play. Children having equipped themselves with these skills are now ready to learn reading. The National Literacy Framework has outlined three levels of work that children have to master in order to become literate; 1. Word-level work that includes phonics, proficiency in spelling and an improving vocabulary. 2. Sentence-level work pertaining to grammatical and punctuation rules. 3. Text-level work with regard to comprehension and composition skills. Wray et al. (2001:2) state that, "Each of these three levels was seen as essential to effective reading and writing and there is a close interrelationship between them." It now remains for the teacher to impart knowledge to the students about these skills as they constitute the entire foundation of their future proficiency in reading and writing. EFFECTIVE TEACHERS AND METHODS OF TEACHING "Success in literacy is measured not by what children know about texts, print etc. but by what they can do with them."(Wray et al. 2001:6) this statement captures the essence of what literacy is meant to do. The prerequisites for effective teachers and methods of teaching given below are derived from the research done by Wray, Medwell, Poulson and Fox. Effective teachers have a clear idea of what they are going to teach and how they are going to go about it. They are systematic in their teaching methods. Teaching is done using "shared" texts, where the teacher and students pool their resources to negotiate their way through the obscure and sometimes treacherous terrain of grammar, punctuation and other literacy essentials. The many aspects of reading and writing are taught not as so many isolated shards of information but as part of a larger, comprehensive whole. Good teachers have well-developed system for monitoring every individual student's progress and catering to their needs accordingly. Effective methods of teaching include careful attention to the teaching of pronunciation, word features like syllables and inflections, synonyms, punctuations, grammatical constructions etc. A suitable "literate environment" must be constructed bearing in mind a

Mechanistic and Organic Organizational Structures Essay

Mechanistic and Organic Organizational Structures - Essay Example Mechanistic characteristics and features include; low differentiation of tasks, has an unwavering environment, centralized decision making, low integration where due to the stability of tasks there is low integration between departments and functional areas and moreover, in situations where tasks are stable they are standardized and formalized which facilitates the smooth running of operations without breakdown. Organic structures are best applicable in dynamic and uncertain environment and differentiation of tasks is high since tasks are often changing which calls for differentiation (Ross 2011). Additionally, organic organization structures have a higher integration of departments and functional areas as compared to mechanistic structures, decision making is decentralized and, there is little standardization and formalization, how? Due to the rapid change in tasks it is impractical to apply standardization and formalized procedures and instead tasks are supposed to be mutually adjusted so that each sub problem is balanced with other sub problems (Burn & Stalker

Strategic Analysis of Apple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Analysis of Apple - Essay Example The company is also the second largest publicly traded company in terms of market capitalization. As of 2012, the company had 394 retail stores spread throughout the world (Apple Store, 2012). The total revenue of the company for the financial year 2011-12 is $156.508 billion and the net income was $ 41.733 billion. The current employee strength of the company is around 72,800 people and has presence in many parts of the world (Golson, 2012). Some of the competitors of the company are Samsung, Nokia, LG, and Motorola among the others (NASDAQ, 2012; Gallo, 2012). This report will analyse the issues Apple is currently facing and also how the company is dealing with it. It will be divided into 5 sections; the first and second section will cover the external and internal analysis of the company. The third and fourth section will shed light on the challenges faced by the company and how they are dealing with it. Finally, the last section will conclude the project. Part I – External analysis The external analysis of a company is about analysing the external business environment of a company (Monczka, 2000). In order analyse the same, the report will use PEST analysis and Porter’s five forces analysis. PEST Analysis Political factors: - The technology businesses remain highly dependent upon the political scenario of a country. Moreover, it also needs to depend on the rules and regulations of the operating country. However, the government of USA has always encouraged products which are innovative and trendy. Moreover, the political scenario of the country is highly stable which provides an opportunity for the company to further develop its R&D infrastructure and come up with innovative products. Economical factors: - USA is considered as one of the richest nations of the world. The total GDP of the country is 15.09 trillion and the per capita income is $ 49,800 (CIA, 2013). The figures clearly reflect that the country is economically stable. Moreover, the disposable income of the US population is also high. Hence, it provides a great opportunity for Apple to get success with its high range products. Hence the economic condition of USA is extremely favourable for Apple. Social factors: - The total population of USA is 316,668,567 and the total urban population is 82%. Another positive aspect is that the rate of urbanization is 1.2 % (CIA, 2013). Hence, Apple with its high end products holds great chances of success in the US market. In addition, US population is also considered as tech-savvy which again acts as a positive factor for the company. Technological factors: - The market for mobile phones, laptop and tablets are growing at a rapid pace in USA which acts a favourable factor for Apple. In addition, information and communication infrastructure of USA is very strong which fosters research and development function of Apple. Industry Analysis (Porter’s Five Forces) Force Intensity Description Buyer’s Power High Due to the presence of a large number of established players in the market, users have the widest range of options. This increases the bargaining power of buyers. Supplier’s Power Moderate The suppliers of Apple include Intel, IBM, Motorola, Sony and Disney among others (Satariano, Burrows and

Romantics cautioned Essay Example for Free

Romantics cautioned Essay Whereas the great minds of the Enlightenment has placed great value on the pursuit and acquisition of knowledge, the Romantics cautioned that knowledge, unrestrained by a proper respect for the natural order, could lead to despair. There are several episodes in the book that point to the destructive power of knowledge that does not respect proper boundaries. The readers impression of Victor undergoes a transformation from a light, idyllic childhood, to a darker, more solitary figure pursing his passion by moonlight at Ingolstadt. His retelling of the story takes on a rushed, obsessive mood as he talks of nights in graveyards and charnel houses, foraging in the ground for human flesh and body parts. He remarks, I seem to have lost all soul or sensation but for this one pursuit.(Shelley 39) In his obsessive pursuit of knowledge and the power to create life, Frankenstein oversteps the boundaries of nature. In a moment of reflection, Frankenstein warns Walton, Learn from me how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow. (Shelley 38) In a similar manner, the innocence and naivetà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ of the monster undergoes a transformation while sitting outside the cottage increasing his knowledge from tales in Ruins of Empire. Retelling this new knowledge to Frankenstein, the monster laments, I could not conceive how one man could go forth to murder his fellow, or even why there were laws and governmentswhen I heard details of vice and bloodshed, my wonder ceased and I turned away in disgust and loathing. (Shelley 104) Having previously been enamored with the beauties of nature, and capability of man, the monster reflected a sense of disillusionment when he asked, Was man, indeed, at once so powerful, so virtuous and magnificent, yet so vicious and base?(Shelley 104) Perhaps the most powerful caution against knowledge that does not respect natural laws comes when Shelley invokes the themes of Genesis, and Miltons Paradise Lost. What more powerful image could there be to prove this point, than that of Adam and Eve disobeying Gods laws, eating from the forbidden tree of knowledge, and being cast out of the Garden of Eden into the dark world? Shelleys portrayal of Victor and the monsters evolution seem to align the innocence of childhood with the Romantic themes of sentiment, emotion, and an idealized view of the world. Victors depiction of his childhood seems to be filled with hope and happiness. He retells fond memories of family and friends that appear in stark contrast to the path his life took after the death of his mother. Similarly, the monster is initially described as possessing a childlike inquisitiveness, innocent and optimistic, until the outside world changes him. I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend.(Shelley, 84) Experience and knowledge change both of these characters for the worse. It is only the return of a friend from Victors childhood, Henry Clerval, which can pull Victor out of his darkness and rekindle an appreciation for the beauties of nature. Romantics believed that people should look to the natural world around them in order to provide insight into their inner selves. (Spielvogel 152) Frankensteins obsessive and reclusive studies cause him to neglect correspondence with his family for two years, and it is only Clervals appearance that can draw him out of seclusion and into nature. Their explorations through the countryside restore life to Victor. His renewed appreciation for nature makes him temporarily forget the dark, destructive path he was on. Clerval is the epitome of a Romantic character, well read in books of chivalry and romance, a composer of heroic songs, and an author of tales of enchantment and knightly adventure. (Shelley 23) These are the themes of the Romantic Movement! Shelleys depiction of Victor and Clerval are not meant to be an indictment of education and knowledge, or even of science for that matter. According to Patricia Neal, Shelley considered education essential for improvement. (Neal) In fact, it is the knowledge the monster receives by reading great works of literature that allow him to develop a sense of awareness and truth about himself. Shelley cautions against the unrestrained quest for knowledge, as Victor warns Walton you seek for knowledge and wisdomand I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been.(Shelley 15) It is the selfish pursuit of knowledge, to the detriment of an appreciation for natural beauty, which leads her characters down destructive paths. An important theme of Romantic literature, and one very present in Frankenstein, is the idea that the progression of industrialization would cause people to become estranged from their inner selves, their identity, and the natural world all around them. (Spielvogel 152) The Movement placed a great deal of emphasis on nature and a glorified past because the Industrial Revolution was destroying nature and creating a gloomy environment. Victor is so immersed in his selfish scientific pursuits that he becomes oblivious to natural beauty all around him, Never did the fields bestow a more plentiful harvest or the vines yield a more luxuriant vintage, but my eyes were insensible to the charms of nature. (Shelley 40) Waldmans characterization of scientists penetrating the depths of nature to discover its secrets, draws attention to industry and Sciences attempt to master the natural world, and the disruption of the delicate balance between humankind and nature that had existed in a previous era. (Shelley 33, Damyanov) The early days of the Industrial Revolution held so much promise and potential for improving civilization, but the results were not always so beneficial. Similarly, Victor had noble intentions when he began his research, but a lack of self-restraint meant the outcome was destructive. Shelley was alarmed by the absence of conscience, or awareness of implicit obligation to provide safeguards in scientific creations. (Neal) She was concerned about the long-term effects as Victor/mankind focused on his ability to manipulate nature, and lost sight of the bigger picture. The creation that held so much promise in the beginning, whether it was Shelleys monster or the Industrial Revolutions machines and science, had become a scourge upon society and a threat to its very existence. Shelley issues an eerie warning as the monster threatens the lives of Victors loved ones, Remember that I have poweryou are my creator, but I am the master. (Shelley 152). The countless adaptations of Frankenstein that have been drawn from the original, fail to capture the essence of the story and the societal conflict it addressed. Victor Frankensteins desire to challenge the laws of nature led him down a path of self-destruction. His pursuit of knowledge and glory consumed him as he lost sight of the larger purpose, and lost respect for the natural world. Shelley intended his story to be a lesson to a rapidly changing society. Originally applied to the Industrial Revolution, these same lessons are still appropriate to a contemporary society engaged in a Technological Revolution. Works Cited Bushi, Ruth. The author is become a creator-God (Herder). The deification of creativity  in relation to Frankenstein' October 15, 2002 http://www.kimwoodbridge.com

David Hume - Naturalistic Metaethics, Politics, and Psychology :: Philosophy David Hume

David Hume - Naturalistic Metaethics, Politics, and Psychology ABSTRACT: According to the views expressed in this paper, influences unrelated to the conclusions of Immanuel Kant and G. E. Moore respecting what they saw as the appropriate foundation for moral systems seems to have been at work in the reactions of both to the earlier criticisms of David Hume. Building on a "recent meeting" with Hume in a pub on Princes Street in Edinburgh, I develop the suggestion that both Kant and Moore were loyal to traditional notions of an intuited, non-prudential basis for ethical injunctions. Kant, by his insistence that any morality linked only to hypothetical imperatives cannot be truly "moral," and Moore by his refusal to see the emptiness of his posited "good as simply good" which he felt must be kept free of any corrupting reference to real-world prudential constituents, thus support the foundation of ethical systems in an inner, unanalyzable moral impulse. And they do so in obedience to commitments that antedate their moral philosophies. I also claim that Hume has been misunderstood in that he did not mean to oppose the naturalistic grounding of moral systems in his famous statement disjoining is-statements from ought-statements; what he really intended was to point out the illogic of moralists who improperly pretend to derive categorical or intuited moral imperatives from real-world is-statements while denying any prudentiality or a posteriority to the transaction. Because both maintain that this simple inner moral impulse must be independent of prudential considerations in making moral decisions and judgments, Kant and Moore oppose naturalistic ethical systems which, like J.S. Mill's, suggest that this-worldly welfare and happiness are in large part coexistent with the true meaning of morality. Their position, therefore, places both of these proponents of intuitionist metaethics at odds with the principle of political social democrats that a respectable moral system must place worldly satisfactions and happiness above obedienc e to any putative "higher" moral law and its intuited imperatives. I had a talk with David Hume one rainy night recently in a pub in Edinburgh, over—naturally—kippers with brown bread and a pint of stout or two. He let me in on a secret and gave me leave to whisper it in turn to a few friends. Which is why I jotted down this account of our meeting and am presenting it to you here. Remember what that great analyst wrote to set in motion the train of thought that culminated in G.