Black Asthetics and Toni Morrison Free Essays

The black arts, or the black aesthetic, movement was born among the black artist as a response to the ideologies of the black power in the 1960’s. The movement was a continuation of the 1920’s and 1930’s Harlem Renaissance that had begun the tradititon of rediscovering the roots os black culture and heritage,dating back to slavery. Some of the major literary figures of the Harlem era included authors James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes and Nella Larsen. We will write a custom essay sample on Black Asthetics and Toni Morrison or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Black arts emerged to promote art that illustrated African-American music, languages, heritage, and beauty. In order to be substantial, art had to have a proudly black subject matter and style; be it sculpture, a piece of music, a novel or a poem. Empowered by the concepts of the black power, the movement inspired the emergence of the black theatre groups, magazines, and printing presses. Literature influenced by the black arts concepts struggled to abandon W. E. B. Du Bois’ idea of double consciousness, which meant blacks were constantly struggling towards the white culture’s ideals, even though the dominant society disabled them for reaching the Eurocentric goals. Mirroring themselves against the value structure of the oppressive white society was depriving the blacks of their empowerment. Black writers wanted to concentrate on solving the problems of the African-American community from the inside, developing awareness of the rich black heritage and gearing the co mmunity to realize it worth. The Black Arts movement brought the time for blacks to stop internalizing the image of being the inferior in the society as a whole. The black population had to find strength, beauty and self esteem within the black community. The black arts, characterized by acute awareness, produced writers like Toni Morrison, Ishmael Reed, and Alice Walker. Toni Morrison undeniably is an author who internalizes the main concerns of the black aesthetic. She writes about black oppression, consciousness and tradition. Her major characters’ are black and they are in constant search for their ethnic identity. The first African American writer to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 1993, Toni Morrison is a leading voice in current debates about the construction of race and black marginality in literature and culture. As a prominent writer of the age she refuses to allow race to be marginalized in literary discourse. Throughout her writing Morrison uses narrative forms to express African Americans’ dislocated, oral tradition, and culture, and reclaim African American’s historical experiences. She profoundly uses the fictive narratives to transfigure the old south; the bedrock of black dehumanization, degradation and sorrow into an archetypal black homeland, a cultural womb that lays claim to history’s orphaned, defamed and disclaimed African children. In her novels Morrison humanizes black characters in fictions that strive to overcome and excavate enforced invisibility of African Americans’ social reality. Morrison critiques the mainstream thinking and acclaims that black writers and black characters are the relative means by which text demonstrates to be human and superior. Imagination is possible in the presence of black characters and black contents. At the same time talking African discourse is inferior and submissive tends to impoverish cultural interpretation of reality. Morrison questions the validity and vulnerability of a set of assumptions conventionally accepted and taken for granted among literary historians and critics. Africanist presence, in a constitutive part in the entire history has been rejected. Morrison in Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and Literary Imagination proposes, â€Å"[t] he contemplating of this black presence in central to any understanding of our national literature and should not be permitted to hover at the margins of the literary imagination† (5). Morrison argues that American culture is built on, and is premised by, and always includes, the presence if blacks’, as slaves, as outsiders. She likens the unwillingness of academics in a racist society to see the place of Africanism in literature and to the centuries of unwillingness to see a favorite discourse, concerns and identity. She posits whiteness as the ‘Other’ of blackness, a dialectical pair, each term both creates and excludes the other: no freedom without slavery, no white without black. The major themes of Toni Morrison’s writing is to redefine the notion of white American canonical texts and their idea of African American writing as being non-canonical or inferior. She demonstrates the idea of racial superiority and hegemonic culture in her writings. Morrison, in the preface of her critical work Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and Literary Imagination says she is â€Å"struggling with and through a language that can powerfully evoke and enforce hidden signs of racial superiority, cultural hegemony and dismissive ‘Othering’ of people and language which by no means marginal or already and completely known and knowable in my work† (XI). It is clear that Morrison’s writing is different from that of mainstream white discourse, which always bserves that African American literature is subsidiary product. Her intention, thorough her writing , is to reinterpret and redefine the hidden, dislocated and alienated Afro-American presence in American mainstream discourse and claim that Afro-Americans are no more inferior human beings. Toni Morrison’s fiction demonstrates a central interest in the issues of boundary, attachment , and separation. Her characters experience themselves as wounded, or imprisoned by racial and economic divisions within American culture. The boundaries that circumscribe black people are not only the prejudices and restrictions that bar their entry into the mainstream but the psychological ones they internalize as they develop in a social structure that historically has excluded them. Toni Morrison draws from a rich store of black oral tradition as well as from her own imaginative angle of vision to illuminate the potentialities for both annihilation and transcendence within black experience. Black lore, black music, black language and all the myths and rituals of black culture are the most prominent elements in Toni Morrison’s writing. She feels a strong connection to ancestors because they were the culture bearers. She thinks that it is the responsibility of African American writers to dig out that annihilated history and secure the importance of it in the making of American civilization. Toni Morrison ranks among the most highly regarded and widely read fiction writers and cultural critics in America. As a critic she refuses to allow race to be relegated to the margins of literary discourse. She focuses on the importance of African American’s oral and musical culture and to reclaim black historical experiences. Morrison says that African American have rediscovered texts that have long been suppressed or ignored, have sought to make places for African American writing within the canon, and have developed ways of interpreting these works. Works Cited Morrison, Toni.  Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1992. Print â€Å"Toni Morrison.†Ã‚  Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 21 May 2011. Web. 23 May 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toni_Morrison. Welcome to Black Aesthetics Institute. Web. 23 May 2011. http://blackaesthetics.org/. How to cite Black Asthetics and Toni Morrison, Papers

Vodafones Organizational free essay sample

After having been brought public in 1988, Vodafone kicked off its international expansion by acquiring minority stakes in other wireless telecom companies, following with multiple joint ventures within countries that were about to launch their cellular networks. Under the cabinet of Chris Gent as Vodafone’s CEO, the company drastically expanded the portfolio of its overseas acquisitions. Arun Sarin, who initiated the One Vodafone project, maximizing economies of scale, then succeeded him. The One Vodafone was to unify and simplify the company’s structure. This mainly included reshaping organizational charts and integrating Vodafone as a global brand. When Vodafone’s current CEO, Vittorio Colao, took over in 2008 he established a set of clear goals for the company to pursue. These mainly focused on â€Å"improvement of operational performance, [ ] pursuit of growth opportunities, [and] increase in shareholder returns†. (Colao, 2008, cited in Grant Jordan, 2011, p. 1 2) First results of Coleo’s newly adopted strategies came up positive yet the concerns arose around Vodafone’s long-term strategies in terms of its international presence. So as to help Vodafone pursue the aforementioned goals, we were assigned a consulting mandate to evaluate the following queries: 1- Are Vodafone’s organizational capabilities correctly aligned with their current strategy? If not, how could they improve them in order to grow within the competitive market they are facing? 2- Does Vodafone’s organizational structure enable them to undertake efficient decision-making processes? If not, what kind of organizational structure should Vodafone adopt? In order to develop a set of recommendations, the current strategy is first taken apart into its four components and for each the organizational capabilities needed are identified. In a second step, we define Vodafone’s current capabilities and determine the gaps to be closed. After having done so, we provide recommendations on how to close the organizational gaps by referring to the three leverage points, organizational structure, management preferences and leadership behavior. 2 Vodafone’s current strategy and required capabilities To make sure Vodafone’s international strategy is consistent with its organization, the required organizational capabilities have to be determined. In order to do so, the strategy is broken into its four components, goals, product-market focus, core activities and value proposition. In a subsequent manner, the organizational capabilities necessary to fulfill each one have to be established. (Crossan et al. , 2013, p. 160) Goals Every strategy follows a certain set of goals. For Vodafone said set consists of three parts. Firstly, top operational performance is achieved through cost cutting and superior customer service. Secondly, growth in emerging markets, mobile data services and comprehensive telecom solutions for business customers leads to the leading or the second position in every market. Lastly, Vodafone increases its shareholder returns by balancing selective investment and disinvestment. (Grant Jordan, 2011, p. 1 2) To accomplish those goals, Vodafone as to continuously improve its ability to cut costs, grow in emerging markets and generate a surplus form investments and divestments in the long-term. Product-Market Focus Operating in over 52 countries, Vodafone aims to provide high-class wireless communications and mobile services, integrated business solutions and mobile advertising (Vodafone, 2014). With its international scope and business but also private customers as clients, the definition of a â€Å"market† can vary. Markets for telecommunications can in this case either be determined by their geographical location or by their users. While corporate clients benefit from a â€Å"seamless† roaming, especially when operating globally, smaller clients get won’t acknowledge the service offered by a single, international provider. In order to develop the right product-market focus, the right target markets have to be identified and innovation has to be fostered consecutively. Value Proposition As stated before, Vodafone aims to provide high-class services. Therefore instead of challenging its competitors on price, customer value is created through premium services and differentiation. The global scope allows the customer to benefit from high quality reception worldwide, always offered by Vodafone and without value decreasing interceptions in the network. A strong value proposition requires the ability to offer superior data services and superior customer services, always moving one-step ahead of competition. Core Activities When operating globally, the core activities have to be established in a structure that allows the company to benefit from synergies and international integration. For Vodafone core activities focus on procurement, global development of products and services, marketing and brand development and service functions. If core activities are to be performed efficiently and effectively, it is not only necessary to balance the need for coordination and synergies with local initiatives and to adapt to industry changes, but also to have a well functioning corporation. This means, back-room systems have to run smoothly, economies in equipment purchase have to be realized and know-how has to be transferrable from one unit to another. Moreover the international scope has to be transferred into customer value and thus a competitive advantage. 3 Identifying Vodafone’s Organizational Capabilities As the strategy has been broken down into components, it is now necessary to identify Vodafones existing capabilities with respect to each component. The summary of these capabilities has been annexed to the present document. Currently, there are two main capabilities that facilitate the accomplishment of Vodafones goals. Firstly, there is the ability to grow in emerging markets. Between the years 2005 and 2008, Vodafone had demonstrated that it was able to enter emerging markets and to grow within these markets through acquisitions in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. Secondly, Vodafone possesses the ability to generate long-term profits from investments and divestments. In fact, this capability is a indispensable in order to create shareholder returns. As shown in table 1 of Grant and Jordan’s case study (2011, p. 2), Vodafone realized continuous, positive free cash flows between four and seven billion pounds during the years 2005 to 2011. As for the product-market focus, there is one main capability that can be identified with the company, the ability to identify potential target markets. Vodafone has shown that it is constantly and actively seeking for new target markets to exploit and its ability to expand their international scope. With innovative projects in Kenya, Asia and Eastern Europe, Vodafone further established a global presence. (Grant Jordan, 2011) Vodafone possesses four main capabilities with respect to its core activities. Firstly, as a result of its international expansion, Vodafone can transfer seamless connections into costumer value. The company is thus able to provide integrated solutions to businesses with international functions. Smaller firms and private customers however don’t benefit as much from a global partner as most domestic providers offer good roaming services through partner agreements. Thanks to the large distribution of fix costs, Vodafone is able to offer promotional deals to small clients and therefore allow them to benefit from a unified provider. Secondly, by rationalizing its back-room systems Vodafone eliminates expenses that do not generate value for the costumers and strengthens the organizational structure. Thirdly, due to the international scope, economies in purchasing equipment can be realized. Lastly, the ability to exploit learning and knowledge transfer is directly linked to the required ability to innovate new generations of voice and data services. In order to enhance these capabilities Vodafone restructured the organization in 2011 (Grant Jordan, 2011, p. 9 16) Finally, with respect to Vodafones value proposition, the companys main capability is being able  to offer superior customer service. This capability is demonstrated by the fulfillment of three criteria: effective delivery to costumers, short response time and responsiveness  to customers needs. In order to fulfill these criteria, Vodafone nurtures an entrepreneurial mindset and provides each of its company with challenging missions to accomplish (Grant Jordan, 2011, p. 8). In conclusion, Vodafone disposes of several crucial capabilities but still can improve its abilities to adapt to industry changes and to innovate new generations of voice and data services. In addition the ability to balance the need for coordination and synergies with local initiatives has not been flawless. However those capabilities are determined inside-out. At the end it is the customer that determines how innovative Vodafone is or whether its customer service is superior (Crossan et al. , 2013, p. 161). 4 Developing New Organizational Capabilities Now that we’ve identified the organizational gaps, we develop new organizational capabilities or improve existing ones to ensure consistency in the strategy-organization linkage. To do so, we refer to the three leverage points, organizational structure, management preferences and leadership behavior. As the available information does not provide sufficient detail on the latter, we therefore focus on the organizational structure and management processes. Organizational Structure Although the organizational structure had been redesigned in 2011, remaining weaknesses were identified. Creating geographical and functional units on the same level of hierarchy prevents efficient transfer of information and knowledge as competencies become unclear. Moreover a global strategy and business development department are contra-productive in two ways. Firstly  it opposes the necessity to adapt to cultural peculiarities and secondly it doesn’t fit the autonomous position of local subsidiaries. General strategic decisions have to be taken by a superior unit, mostly the executive board or the board of directors. The lack of clear hierarchical structures and well-defined competencies thus prevent a rapid reaction to industry changes. In order to enable efficient decision-making, opportunity recognition and a fast and free flow of information the organizational structure is to be redesign as follows. Figure New Organizational Structure The company is to be divided into the four geographic units of Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and Middle East. Each geographic unit consists of functional units managing the tasks for their respective area. The only functional unit operating globally remains the technology unit. This allows Vodafone to test a technology in one market and deploy it into another later on, without relying on several independent units. To facilitate the communication between the different units, the internal communications and cultural mediation unit (ICCM) is created. It is composed of one manager from every geographic unit. The ICCM also acts as a channel for internal communications and monitors synergies and manages the coordination between different units where necessary. The new structure allows maximizing efficiency in procurement, global developing of technology and new products or services, marketing and brand development as well as common service functions. The reduced complexity further keeps administrative costs low and permits additional growth. Management Processes Changes in management processes have the potential to act as a leverage point to develop new capabilities. These processes are separated in three components: decision-making processes, operational processes and performance assessments and reward processes. Each of these components contributes to the development of new capacities. (Crossan et al. , 2013, p. 172) In order to increase the ability to innovate new generations of voice and data services, the company has to give the authority and latitude necessary to the Research Development department to take decisions on their own. Being able to take decisions and find innovative solutions increases employee satisfaction as well. Empowered employees feel as if their contributions matter and productivity increases. The company thus has to accelerate the approval of innovative ideas and enable projects to get fast tracked. Furthermore, the creative and innovative actions of employees are to be recognized and rewarded. For most employees financial rewards are insufficient and sometimes even contra-productive. When design a incentives, opportunities for self-development, recognition of achievement etc. Have to be equally considered. (Crossan et al. , 2013, p. 176) In order to properly react to industry changes, Vodafone has to consider the dynamics in the changes of the environment. Along with a dynamic environment, it is crucial to monitor its competition regularly and identify possible threats and new entrants early on. 5 Feasibility Assessment The suggested changes in organizational structure and management processes allow Vodafone to develop the organizational capabilities necessary to transform its international scope into a distinct competitive advantage. In order ensure the effective realization of the proposed measures, the implementation of each step has to be according to the required time frame. Changes within the decision-making process can be conducted over a short period of time. Modifications in operational processes and performance assessments take a little more time to be established. In order to ensure a successful outcome, all actions have to be constantly monitored and communicated within the whole corporation. 6 Conclusion Over the years, Vodafone has shown it was capable to outrank competition and to generate large revenues. Nevertheless by ensuring consistency in the strategy-organization linkage, untapped potential can be realized. Improving and developing capacities, redesigning the organizational structure and modify management processes allow Vodafone to close existing inconsistencies. A detailed analysis of Vodafone’s organizational capabilities has yielded the following results. It is able to effectively cut costs and innovate new generations of voice and data services but needs to constantly improve those qualities, while capabilities such as balancing  the need for coordination and synergies with local initiatives, adapting to industry changes and offering superior data services are required and need to be developed. In order to achieve the envisioned capabilities, we suggest a redesign of the organizational structure and several adjustments within the management processes. The company is to be divided into geographical units on the first and into functional units on the second hierarchical level. Simultaneously a new department for internal communications and cultural mediation is to be created and the technology unit is kept on a global scope. Moreover, research development requires more decisional autonomy and a fast track for innovative and important projects has to be established. Finally, all measures have to be constantly monitored and evaluated to ensure their effectiveness. Bibliography Crossan, M. M. Rouse, M. J. Fry, J. N. Killing, J. P. (2013). Strategic Analysis and Action (8th ed). Toronto: Pearson. Grant, M. , J. , Jordan, J. (2011). Vodafone: Rethinking international strategy. Foundations of Strategy. Appendix A The ICCM Unit B Recommendations for management processes New Capabilities to be Developed Decision-making Process Operational Processes Performance Assessment and Reward Processes Ability to innovate new generations of voice and data sevices Give more decisional empowerment to the RD department Reduce time approval for innovative ideas and enable fast track projects Reward creative and innovative actions   and work Adapting to industry changes.

Both The Roman And The Athenian Civilization Enjoyed Recreation And Ch

Both the Roman and the Athenian civilization enjoyed recreation and cherished it dearly. Recreation was and is one of the most important things in a person's life. If a person has a total lack of recreation there are chances of melancholy that can later on lead to death. Having recreation in our lives gives us a sense of happiness thatwe all need. The Romans were alike with the Greeks in a few ways. The Romans watched chariot races to entertain them just like the Greeks did, what was so fascinating About the Romans is that they had the biggest arena in the Mediterranean called the Circus Maximus. The arena held about two hundred fifty thousand people, that was five times as much as the collosseum. The Athenians didn't like the barbaric fighting as much as the Romans did; the Athenians were more aristocratic. The Romans loved watching gladiator's fight in the collosseum, which seated fifty thousand spectators. The colloseum was used for fights, two people which were either slaves condemned criminals or Christians fought until someone's life was taken away. The collosseum was also used for condemned criminals, or Christians to fight wild animals, or starving beasts. This is one of the biggest difference's that the Greeks had from the Romans. Another difference between the Greek and the roman empire was, the fact that the Romans had festivals that represented something for the king or ruler at that time, but in Greece it was mostly sport festivals and festivals that honored the gods. Something that the Romans didn't have but the Greeks did and could brag about was the Olympic games. The Olympic games took session every four years and had five events (the pentathlon), wrestling, running, chariot races, jumping, and the javelin. Today more than twenty events take place that is one way that the ancient Greek life affected ours today. The Romans and Greek Empire had similarities and differences in their way of recreation. Mostly the differences overruled the similarities and this is perfectly normal because they were and are two different cultures. Recreation though played a very important role in both cultures and in any other culture in the world.

The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essays

The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essays The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essay The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essay Undergraduate Programme Individual Coursework Submission Feedback Form To#be#completed#by#the#student#- #complete#all#grey#areas#5#failure(to(fully(complete(this(section(or(giving(inaccurat e(information(may( result(in(coursework(being(refused(or(delayed. ( Moduledetails: Module:code: MS3102! Course ofStudy'(please tickone! ): BScAccountingandFinance BSc BankingandInternationalFinance BSclnvestmentandFinancialRiskManagement BSc RealEstateFinanceandlnvestment Studentdetails: 596! BScActuarialScience BScBusinessStudies BScManagement Other'(pleasespecify) Family! Name:! Sarkhel! First! Names:! Jade! Nina!! *your! Student! Registration! Number! (Reg! No)! is! printed! on! the! right! hand! side! of! your! Student! Identity! Card.! ! PLAGIARISMSTATEMENT:TOBESIGNEDBYALLSTUDENTS (courseworkwillnotbeprocessedifthisisnotsigned) l! certify! that! the! coursework! that! l! have! submitted! is! my! own! unaided! work,! and! that! l! have! read! and! complied! with! the! guidelines! on! plagiarism! as! set! out! in! the! student! software! and! that! my! work! may! therefore! be! stored! on! a! database! which! is! accessible! to! ther! users! of! the! same! software.!! l! certify! hat! the! word! count! declared! is! correct.!! ! Students! should! be! aware! that,! where! plagiarism! is! suspected,! a! formal! investigation! will! be! carried! out,! and! action! may! be! taken! under! the! Universitys! rules! on! Signature: Date: 31. 10. 2013 Coursework#must#be#submitted#by#20:OO#on#the#day#of#the#deadline. #Work#r eceived#after#that#time#will#not#be# accepted#for#marking. # ! To#be#completed#by#the#Course#Offce# Date! Received:! ! To#be#completed#by#the#Lecturer# Revised! Submission! Date:! Reason:! Youshouldpayparticularattentiontoanyfeedbacknoteddirectlyonyourwork. ! FinalMark: Authorised! by:! Please(contact(your(lecturer(to(discuss(his/ her(comments(and(obtain(further(feedback. (All(marks(are(provisional(until(approved(by(the(appropriate(Assessment(Board. ( Technology facilitating virtual organisations This report endeavors to study the application of Skype to facilitate a virtual organisation. This critical analysis will identify benefits and risks associated with the application of this technology and scenarios for its use in the immediate and slightly more distant future. Word count: 2013) )3! ENCOURAGE! KNOWLEDGE! BUILDING! VIRTUAL! INTERVIEWS! † 5 TRAINING! 6 24/7! CUSTOMER! CONCLUSION) BIBLIOGRAPHY). OF MI 980).!! The% exponential% growth% (App. % 1)% of% the% internet% over% recent% years% has% eroded% international% barriers,% given% access% to% a% plethora% of% information% at% our% fingertips% and% has% influenced% a% significant%shift%in %the%way%businesse s%work%today. %with%the%help%of%technological%tools, %we%have% %work%to%more%virtual%organisationsl . These% organisations% operate% in% a % dispersed% manner% with% intensive% use% of% information% technology, %opening%up%both%endless%unexplored%opportunities%and%threats. %with %offce%space%in% prime%locations%becoming%increasingly%more%expensive %and%individual%desk%space%costing%up%to% El 2,000%a%year2,%we%see % many%businesses%warmly%welcoming%the%use%of%virtual%organisations%to% help%drive%down%costs. %% To% successfully% gain% the% benefits% of% operating% as% a% virtual% entity,% frameworks% such% as% the% intelligent% exploiter% model% could% be% used% to% overcome% challenges. highlights% the% importantance% of% implementing% an% effective% system% in% order% to% utilize% information% systems% and%successfully%enhance%performance3%(app%2). %This%critical analysis%endeavors%to%find%value%in% the%use%of%the%web %2. O%t0015,%Skype,%as%an%effective%system%to%facilitate%a%virtua l %organisation. %lt% will%detail%applications%of%skype%to%support%virtual%work %and%the%risks%that%may%arise. %% Skype%is%the%current%leader%in%voice %over%lP%(VolP)%service%and%instant%messaging. %First%released%in% August %freemium4%service%fits% under% the% category% of% a% Web% 2. % tool,% which% is% a% technological% service% that% enables% users% to% interact,% personalize% and% share% information% over% the% Internet5. % Skype% is% classed% as% a% peer% to% peer% application% and% operates% over% a% ultitude% of% platforms% (across% Mac% and% PC)% % mobile% devices%such %as%tablets,%smartphones%and%laptops%allowing%onMtheMgo%accessibility. %% %A virtual organization or company is one whose members are geographically apart, usually operates primarily via electronic means, appearing to others to be a single, unified organization with a real physical location http://whatis. echtarget. com/ %Richard Nessen- Lecture on Virtual Organisations% 3 %Holtham, Clive (October 2009) The I ntelligent Exploiter, Cass Business School. Available At: 4% Freemium is a business model by which a proprietary product or service (typically a igital offering such as software, media, games or web services) is provided free of charge, but money (premium) is charged for advanced features, functionality, or virtual goods. %Antiroiko Savolainen, 2011 It was coined in 2004 by OReilly who claimed that the use of these tools are to make the internet a more collaborative place (BCS, 2009) The% ability% of% a% firm% to% culminate% relevant% knowledge 6 %and% transform% them% into% unique% capabilities% can% be% crucial% in% developing % nonMimitable% competitive% advantages. % a% virtual% organisation,% is % quiet% common% to% have% individuals% in% different% geographical% locations to% be% working% on% the% same% projects. Interactions% between% individuals% operating% remotely% become% more%challenging%thus%reducing %the%amount%of%knowledge%being%shared. %Skype%allows%up%to%25% partic ipants%to%Join%a%conversation%at%once7,%which%can%be%implemented %into%an%organisation%to% facilitate% knowledge% management 8 ,% virtual% brainstorms% and% group% discussions. % Borderless% collaboration%can%help%to %improve%innovation%through%generating%a%wider%variety%of%ideas%with% influence% from% leading% practices% from% different% geographical% locations. can% improve% consistency%throughout%work,%as%everyone%has%equal access%to%information%and%overall%improve% decision%making%due%to%a % reduction%in%the%loss%of%knowMhow%tacit9%knowledge. %Facilitating%group% discussions%also%increases%productivity%by%reducing%cases%of%reinventing interactions% would% have% significant% benefits,% the% difficulty% arises%when %trusting%relationships%are%not%fully%developed%and%thus%hinders%the %dissemination%of% tacit% knowledge. The% facilitation% and% management% of % knowledge% sharing% also% becomes% more% challenging% in% absence% of% physical% presence% as% a% physical% brainstorming% session% would% usually% ontain% a% mediator% that% actively% manages% the% interaction% to% either% encourage% our% prevent% interruptions% for% example% in% a% physical% scenario% individuals% would% raise% a% hand% before% interrupting. % Another% important% risk% is% exposing% confidential% material,% as% there% is% very% little% control%over%who%is%listening%in%via%the%25%possible%channels%of %communicators. Knowledge is a fluid mix of framed experience, values, contextual information, and expert insight that provides a basis for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information. It originates and is applied in the mind of individuals. In organisations, it often becomes embedded not only in documents or repositories but also in organisational routines, processes, and practices. (Davenport Prusak, 2000) 7 %There is a magic number for brainstorming and that number is 8-10 people. If you get more than ten people, it becomes challenging for everyone to participate and its too easy for side conversations to get going. ]rsconsulting. net/ freearticles 26. html% 8 %Knowledge Management is the discipline of enabling individuals, teams and entire organisations to collectively and systematically create, share and apply knowledge, to etter achieve their objectives Ron Young. 9 %Goffn, K. Koners, U. (2011). Tacit Knowledge, Lessons Learnt, and New Product Development. J PROD INNOV MANAG, 28, 300-318. With tacit knowledge, people are not often aware of the knowledge they possess or how it can be valuable to others. Effective transfer of tacit knowledge generally requires extensive personal contact, regular interaction and trust. This kind of knowledge can only be revealed through practice in a particular context and transmitted through social networks. To some extent it is captured when the knowledge holder Joins a network or a community of practice. 0 %250 companies using Skype, 80% said using it increased employee productivity. http://financialsocialmedia. com/theadvantages-of-skype-in-business- communications/% Physical%and%social%interaction%is%known%to%bind%an%organisation. %The %lack%of%these%interactions%in% virtual% organisations% tends% to% hinder% the% development% of% a% company% culture. % To% encourage% social %interaction%between%virtual%workers,%Skypes%instant%messaging%and%VoIP %can%be%used%for% immediate% support% during% projects% and% general% social% interactions. Encouraging% employees% to% upload% profile% pictures% nd% building% a% personal% profile% for% themselves% can% help% to% develop % a% more%humane%appearance%to%workers,%especially%when%primarily %interacting%on%a%virtual%level. %lt% can% help% to% foster% teamwork% and% a % sense% of% belonging% in% a% virtual% organisation. % The% risk% of% encouraging%employees%to%use%skype%as%a%social%media%tool%is%the %inability%to%control%the%extent%it% is%being%used%for%social%interaction %and%thus%distracting%employees%from%their%work. % Internet%accessibility%has%opened%up%a%global%pool%of%potential%employees %from%which%to%recruit% from. %The%opportunity%to%outsource%work%through virtual%organisations%has%reduced%the%cost%of% remuneration% and% provided% a% wider% pool% of% applicants% for% firms% to% filter% out% the% most% skilled% people% across% the% globe. % So% although% firms% are% no% longer% limited% to% applicants% within% a% comfortable% com muting% distance % from% an% office% base,% the% difficulty% arises% when% interviewing% international%applicants%for%a%virtual%offsite%role. To%overcome%this,%Skype %could%be%implemented% to%hold%virtual%interviews%via%video%VolP. %The %absence%of%travel%time%would%improve%flexibility%of% meeting%times%and would%also%reduce%the%physical%space%required%to%hold%interviews. %These%two% factors%would%significantly%reduce%the%cost%for%both%parties, %due%to%increased%freedom%to%connect% from%more%convenient%locations %and%the%ability%to%reallocate%meetingMroom%space. %The%benefit%of% using %video%calls%as%opposed%to%a%telephone%conversation%would%allow%the %interviewer%to%assess% important% contributors% such% as% body% language% and% presentation. From% the% applicants% perspective,%being%in%a%familiar %location%might%reduce%nerves%and%in%turn%improve%performance% during% the% interview. Skypes% built% in% recording% software% could% be% utilized% to% document% the% interview%as%referen ce%when%making%comparisons %between%applicants%or%to%allow%third%parties%to% asses% applicants% performance% for% a% more% balanced% final% decision. % A% drawback% of% %employees%experiencing%true% company% culture. Through% physically% entering% an% office% building,% they% would% experience% the% work% environment% and% have% the% opportunity% to% interact% with% potential% colleagues. % A% virtual% interview%could%also%result%in%interruptions%due%to %being%more%exposed%to%external%distractions. For%example%using%lnternet %in%a%cafe%could%result%in%disruptive%background%noise,%it%can%also%be% difficult%to%identify%whether%an%individual%requires%privacy%when%sitting%in %front%of%a%laptop%with% headphones%in. Connection%also%plays%a%big%part %in%determining%whether%the%process%works%well% or% not. Delays% can% occur,% calls% can% be% dropped,% and% poor% connectivity% may% result% in% broken% speech%and%noticeable%lag%in%signal%reaching%its%destination. %skype%does%not%offer%a%serv ice%level% agreement%(SLAb%warranting%that %service%will%be%available%and%quality%good,%therefore%call%and% onnection%quality%are%not%always%as%good%as%they%are%on%the%public %switched%telephone%network% (PSTN). %% Technological%advances%has%allowed%multinationals%to%converge%in%the%way %things%are%done%on%a% global% scale. Another% difficulty% experienced% in % virtual% organisations% is% the% ability% to% bring% all% employees%together %and%disseminate%the%same%standard%of%training%across%the%board. %skype %can% be% utilized% by% providing% prerecorded% training% sessions% to% off% site% employees% for% mobile% % anywhere%access. %For%a%more%localized %approach,%one%to%one%or%group%training%via%skype%video% calls% % creen% sharing% would% allow% a% firm% to% create% bespoke% and% highly% interactive% training% programs. The%interactive%aspect%encourages%live %feedback%on%sessions,%encourages%employees% to%be%more%participative%as %levels%of%intimidation%in%a%classroom%setting%are% reduced. %%The%ability% to%tailor%the%course%based%on%individuals%specific%requirements%also %becomes%more%achievable. % Additionally,% it% could% facilitate% training% seminars% with% external% industry% experts% that% may% not% usually%have %the%time%to%travel%away%from%work. The%live%aspect%of%the%sessions means%that% information%is%always%up%to%date%in%comparison%to %learning%via%literature,%and%again%the%built%in% recording% function% can% be% used% to% record% training% sessions% to% build% a% reference% library% with% anytime% access. % The% drawback% of% the% virtual% training;% leaves% the% speed% of% employee% development% down% to% their% own% motivations% to% progress% and% it% becomes% difficult% to% ensure% alertness% during% sessions% due% to% a% higher% level% of% distraction% in% comparison% to% being% in% a% classroom. sharing%confidential%tacit%%explicit%training % of% this% information% reaching% competitors. The% application% of% Skype% training% in% a% virtual% organisation% can% be% leveraged% as% a% competitive % weapon% and% an% employee% retention% tool% to% ensure% that% employees % are% being% offered% career% development,% growth% prospects%and%support %to%reach%personalized%goals%even%when%working%remotely. % % ln%virtual%organisations%newer%team%members%can%be%deprived%of%the %opportunity%to%learn%from% more% senior% workers% and% valuable% knowMhow% tacit% knowledge% can% be% lost% within% a% firm. % The% application%of%skype%calls%for%the%purpose%of%mentoring%could%mend%this %gap. Again%the%benefit%of% flexibility%and%virtual%faceMtoMface %communication%from%mentors%makes%it%easier%to%set%a%time%% date%to %agree%upon,%especially%with%executives%whose%time%may%be%in%high %demand. This%factor% could% encourage% more% frequent% encounters,% allow % relationships% to% develop% faster% and% shorten% power% distances% between% hierarchical% levels. % The% erosion% of% power% distance% can% benefit% both% levels,%as%experience%is%past %down%to%newer%members%and %the%most%up%to%date%knowledge%from% the% front% line% can% be% filtered % back% up% to% higher% levels. % The% challenge% of% implementing% virtual% entoring%is%the%temptation%for%either%party%to%multiMtask%instead%of %concentrating%on%the%task%at% hand. The% feature% of% having% email% access% and% social% media% literally% at% your% fingertips% can% be% highly %distracting. % The%emergence%of%social%media%%blogging%sites%has%empowered %consumers%and%has%supported% the%development%of%the%term %coMcreation. 1 1 %customers%and%producers%are%beginning%to%see%the% benefit%in%interacting%to%create%experiences%and%build%relationships%even %after%the%transaction%or% purchase% has% been% made. % A% successful% example% of% this% is% Apple% care,% which% allows% 2417% customer%support online. Skypes%voice%over%lP%services%could%be%utilized%to%provide %virtual%faceM toMface%interaction%and%support%with%customers. %The %onMtheMgo%access%via%its%mobile%application% would%allow%virtual %workers%to%take%calls%from%across%the%globe%in%a%preferred%location %without% having% to% operate% from% an% office% base. % % Exploiting% time% zones% % the% differences% in% public% and% religious%holidays%would%allow %firms%to%allocate%hours%to%different%regions%to%cover%24/7%support. % The % use% of% Skype% as% a% virtual% interaction% tool% could% help% to% create%

Toni Morrison's Commencement Speech at Wellesly College on Adulthood Essay

Toni Morrison's Commencement Speech at Wellesly College on Adulthood - Essay Example When we talk about development, there are three phases- the future, the present and the past. The trick here is, to understand the realities of each phase face them and live each one of them with the greatest zeal. According to Toni Morrison, nothing gives one a more satisfactory feeling than becoming the adult at mind and heart- not in age. Age is inevitable and so is death, but adulthood is not! One can live being a child forever- immature, careless, insensitive and aimless. The beauty of being an adult is that one can work towards whatever he wants to achieve. Some people like Kardashian never grow up because they do not achieve maturity of the mind. Adulthood is about being content with the present, being happy about the bounties one has and working towards better every day. It is also about understanding the differences between generations and coming to a compromise to reduce discrepancy between generations. Furthermore, adulthood is the outcome of learning from experiences and mistakes that have been made during childhood and teenage, where the requirement is to acquire ample understanding of life from them. Morrison further clarifies this phenomenon by saying that adulthood in the global context requires one to make their story individualistic and different rather than just ordinary. Every adult has the opportunity to make at least his own circumstances different and personalized in the context of his individual circumstances. Morrison believes that every individual who is mature enough to be called an adult should have the tolerance and patience to bear problems and develop tolerance in oneself for others and for things that are out of one’s control. Instead of whining about a specific situation, one should make desirable effort to achieve results that would make things relatively better. Morrison believes that it is the

White-tailed Deer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

White-tailed Deer - Research Paper Example It has a brownish gray body with white hairs on the under side of the tail. During summer its color is reddish brown. Today the white tailed deer population is 18 million (pp. 5-11). They are found in deserts, swarms, farmlands, prairies. They mostly prefer living in open lands near the rivers and streams. As described in Zwaschka (1999), an adult male deer grows 41 inches tall and weigh about 160 pounds.(72 kgs) Female deer (doe) is smaller in size and they weigh 40-90 kgs on an average. The weight of white tailed deer varies from region to region. They live up to 10-20 years. It is herbivore and its feeding hours are in the early morning and late after noon. Its diet changes depending on the habitat and the season (pp. 4-10). It is a shy and cautious animal. They are good runners, leapers and swimmers. In alarming situations they flag their tails and run. The bucks alone have antlers that grow annually and fall off in the winter. Female deer gives birth to one to three young ones a t a time, usually in the May or June. Their gestation period is 7 months. They are nocturnal and crepuscular animals. They are preyed up on by bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions. The scientific classification of white tailed deer; Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae Subfamily: Capreolinae Genus: Odocoileus Species: O. virginianus (Source: Squam Lakes Natural Science Center). Life Cycle The breeding season or rut extends from October to January though the majority occurs in October- November. Both bucks and does are seen active and they get out of their nocturnal habits during the breeding season. Patent (2004) describes the life cycle of white deer; the bucks rub their well developed antlers against big trees to mark their territories. These signs are called rubs. Bucks often fight with each other using antlers but fatal injuries are rare. During winter they shed off their antlers. But, antlers grow very fast, and those which grow will be stronger than the previous ones. (pp. 5-11). Antlers get their nourishment from a highly vascularized membrane called velvet which dries off which is rubbed against trees and shrubs. Fully grown antlers mark the breeding season for the bucks. Fawns are born after a 200 day gestation period. Two to three fawns are born in one litter. For the first few weeks the doe hides the fawns by themselves. The fawns have a spotted coat for the first 3-4 months but it is lost when the first winter comes. As described in National Geography website, when the mother goes in search of food the fawns lay flat on the ground quietly among the grass. They are scent free for few weeks to safe guard themselves from predators. Deer reproduces quickly and can over populate the area. To keep check on their numbers natural predators like bobcats and coyotes play a significant role (National Geography). Structure and function The organ system of the white tailed deer is same as that of any mammal. But its digestive system requires special mention. The front of the upper jaw bone does not have any teeth like other mammals. Teeth are replaced with a resilient pad which is in contact with the lower incisors. As Deal (2010) illustrates, they have 32 teeth. 8 incisors, 12 pre molars and 12 molars. They have a four chambered stomach. This ruminant stomach enables the deer to collect large quantity of food at a time, chew and digest it later. The deer pushes its food with its tongue to the back of the mouth where it is chewed. It is chewed just enough to swallow (p. 139). Then it is passed to the gullet of the stomach. The stomach is compartmentalized to four sections. They are the rumen, reticulum,

Organizational Culture Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational Culture Analysis - Research Paper Example The presence of continues disagreements on the shared values or lack of commitment by the staff members is a sign of weak organizational culture and it is usually not healthy for any given company. Some of the strongest values that the employees of the company that I worked for termed, as being important to them are that of honesty, trust, quality production, and discipline amongst others. Consistency is one of the primary values that the employees viewed as being most important (Baack, 2012). Consistency in the duties that we performed in the company accompanied by a high degree of precision together led to an improvement in the general performance and production of the company. The behavior of each and every employee acting as a role model for the other also acted as a strong culture that helped in the smooth running if the organization. The above culture helped in making the employees be responsible for whatever action they did in the company (Baack, 2012). Being responsible tends to reduce the conflicts between the management and the employees themselves that in turn lead to strong relationships between the parties. The result of this was improved production. Another key culture that existed in the company is that of attention to details that lead to the creation of a very strong production culture with lots of accuracies. In this value, the employees paid full attention in the process of production. The process then ensured that quality was achieved and at the same time, the deadlines for production were met too. The production of high-quality goods was another organizational culture that governed our work in the company (Baack, 2012). Each employee was supposed to work in his or her line of production while ensuring that the full production procedures were followed to ensure the production of high-quality products. The employees were given the opportunity to start or stop the production process if they noticed any fault in the production line