Monday, January 27, 2020

The Challenges Faced By An Organisation

The Challenges Faced By An Organisation Organization is a place where number of people work with each other to achieved a mutual Goal and Management is interested in an organization mainly from an instrumental point of view. For a company, organization is a means to an end to achieve its goals, which are to create value for its stakeholders (stockholders, employees, customers, suppliers, community). Therefore Management behaviour can be describe in terms of structure Culture In which the relationship between management structure and culture and its effect on business performance should be analyze very carefully to sustain the Organization growth and its development. Now for improving organizations overall effectiveness is a constant key objective for all executives so that organization will benefit significantly through: -Increased productivity -Faster decision making -Less internal conflict Organizational effectiveness stems from the organization being able to do the things it   Needs to do with minimum use of resource. In fact not doing things that dont need to be done   is perhaps the single biggest contribution to becoming truly effective. Making Tasks simpler so there is less work, avoiding mistakes so that there is no rework, quality systems to get things done consistently, training to enable a task to be done quicker are all examples.   However,   the organisation doesnt   become more effective spontaneously.   It requires time,   effort, know  ­how   and will.   Individuals,   particularly those with management   responsibilities need to have the skills and competencies to analyse what is going on, to propose solutions to problems,   and implement the changes in the workplace and to have the confidence that   consistent   long-term improvement   is what   will make the organisation competitive.   If the gains in effectiveness are not to be eroded the whole process needs to be set in a culture of continuous improvement so that each improvement builds on its predecessors and is not lost just as easily as it was gained through apathy or through attention shifting elsewhere. Refer to the case study of Barclays banks when there is an acquisition with Lehman Brothers in September 2008 Barclays had to face number of hurdles and problems to overcome Organizational Behavior of the Lehman Brother but without an effective measures and decision making it would not be organized and successful acquisition so to understand the important part of Management theories for Organizational Behavior we have to understand effective management behavior that grouped into 6 management qualities. Values new Ideas: Effective Management can be through when we give importance and respect to new ideas present by the employees and give them rewards for this and let the employee try new, potentially better methods for an organizational growth. Values Others View: This includes Involve sub ordinates in important decisions, take time to listen and understand, provides feedback when subordinates shares ideas Appreciate Differences among others: Recognizes that individuals needs and abilities differ, Values the experiences and perspectives of people from diverse backgrounds 4) Takes Action to Solve Problems and Conflicts Takes steps to improve bad relationships, Takes action to resolve interpersonal conflicts, Finds win/win solutions, Learns from his/her mistakes, Sorts essential from unimportant information 5) Communicates Expectations Communicates what he/she expects to be accomplished, Provides understandable performance data 6) Principled Maintains consistency between words and actions, Models the behavior he/she expects from others, Recruits and promotes fairly regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or age The above mentioned 6 qualities are used to make an Organization effective. In case of Barclays Acquisition they started to implement this technique to boost the employee performance and to make them believe that they are still very attached with the organization and have a same respect as it was in Lehman Brothers. Barclays find out number of key organizational behavior issues with the acquisition like Integration, Organizational Culture of Both Barclays and Lehmans and Motivation. EXAMPLE REATED TO EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT U. S. Network Appliance Inc. (NetApp), founded in 1992, has been an industry leader in networked storage solutions. Since its inception, the founder of NetApp great importance for the development of a healthy work environment and friendly staff the company. Emphasis was placed on trust and integrity, team spirit and ambition to reach higher goals. The company had a policy of openness, flexible working hours and offer a host of other benefits for their employees. The company is employee-friendly policies have been recognized by leading magazines as one of the best places to work. For the year 2009, NetApp ranked first in the list of 100 Best Companies to Work For by Fortune magazine. In January 2009 ranked U. S. Network Appliance Inc. (NetApp), a leading solution for network storage company, No. 1 on the list of 100 Best Companies to Work For, Fortune magazine had 4. The position of the company significantly the 14 th in 2008 (see annex I for a list of 15 of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2009) improved. The list was compiled by Great Place to (TMP) for work on behalf Institute5 Fortune magazine. According to GPW NetApp is a serious matter. Serious about customer service to compete seriously with serious and that a large work area. In 2009, NetApp # 1 Best Company to Work for in America is was established after investigations GPW, the 528 companies with new jobs in 2008, replacing an increase of around 12% 0.7 With this, NetApp INC8 Google, which held the title for two consecutive years 2007 and 2008. Occasionally, Dan Warmenhoven, CEO of NetApp, We are delighted and honored to be in the top of the prestigious list of Fortune. Our employees are the heart of our society and the strength of our global culture. values of the culture that teamwork, productivity, leadership and innovation We help clients create more discoveries to retain the best talent and deliver superior returns for our shareholders. I am very proud of what we have achieved and what the value of our employees every day: a shared workspace successfully NetApp personnel policies on the welfare of employees. Policies on the development of healthy and motivated employees. AfterGwen McDonald (McDonald), Vice-president, Human Resources,NetApp, We are clear that our people are our cornerstone of our success is actually taught by our leaders, both in terms of what we say and do.. NetApp Management believes that customers who do business with the value proposition of the companys corporate culture is measured. When the culture was strong enough that customers would be attracted to be inclined to establish business relations with the company of others. Emphasizes this fact, NetApp staff about the unique culture of the educated workforce. NetApp staffs have always been motivated by the words of appreciation and were aware that they were valued in society. There were several awards and recognition programs structured to recognize the contributions of personnel in various areas. Among them was the share of rewards program, which involves an incentive program to encourage employees to share their knowledge. It is now clear that the importance of an effective organization. Say, if an organization is effective is not certain to survive in this era of competition, losing to determine the reason. Therefore, the organization ineffective. INEFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION Such an organization will be termed as effective organization as its members do not work for organizations goals. The behavioral approach establishes a direct relationship between integration of organizational and individual goals and organizational effectiveness. It should, however, be noted that organizational effectiveness is not the result only of integration of two goals, rather are a lot of other variables affecting it. But still we can say, that as human factor is one of them important and the only active factor integrating other factors in the organization. This analysis holds good from management of organization point of view. For example in an organization where number of employees compete with each other not in positive manners his could affect directly to the organization as if individuals are not align in a proper positive direction then the organization will definitely face a great Obstacles, Now to manage all this things we understand that human factor is one of the most important and viable factor to see within an organization and should be managed properly, As in the case study of Barclays we discussed in the class we have seen that how employees were managed because of their importance in their organization and to retain them and to make them happier how Barclays made strategies to cope up that situation of successful integration. So we have to closely analyze that what factors affect organizational effectiveness. OBSTACLES / FACTORS AFFECTING ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND ITS PERFORMANCE: This is a very important and difficult task for the manager, who is analyzing the organization, is to identify the factors underlying organizational effectiveness. The major set of factors or variables that potentially have their influence on effectiveness are: 1. Organizational characteristics 2. Environmental characteristics 3. Employee characteristics 4. Managerial policies and practices. For example Barclays acquisition with Lehman brother would have definitely affect organization as above factors affect a lot as both companies have different Organizational Characteristic, Environmental characteristics, Employee characteristics and also Managerial policies and practices. Organizational characteristics which affect the effectiveness are of two types: 1. Organizational structure and 2. Technology Organizational structure influences the effectiveness in the following ways: Structure in terms of functional specialization, size centralization of decision making and even formalization is likely to increase productivity and efficiency. Job satisfaction of the employees is also related to the organizational structure, equitable division of work and delegation or authority and responsibility and proper direction are likely to generate the feeling of satisfaction among people at work. Technology and organizational structure are interrelated. The type of technology determines the nature and structure of Organization, Change of technology will require a lot of changes in the organization in the form of: a. Change in operation e.g. from labor-intensive to capital intensive b. Shifting of employees to either different departments within the same factory or to some other factory of the organization. c. Change in span of control d. Creating of new and winding up of the few departments. e. Change in them materials which are used f. Retraining and provision of more knowledge about the latest technology to the workers. If the organization fails to change the structure according to needs of technology, it will never prove to be effective. needs of technology and it will never prove to be effective. Environmental Characteristic Management should have experts who will suggest adjustments which are to be made in the organizational set up to comply with environmental changes. 1. External environment 2. Internal environment Employee Characteristics Human factor is the most important factor which influences the goal achievement of organizations. If there is a close integration among the individual and organizational goals, the organizational will be highly effective as explained in the behavioral approach to the effectiveness. If the organization, without compromising with its fundamental programmers and policies, could readjust to accommodate legitimate aspirations of the employees, In employees, it should do so the achieve effectiveness. In case there is a conflict between the individual and the group goals and the issued relate to the very existence of the organization, the organization will have to take a firm stand to deal with the situation. To help in achieving the effectiveness of the organization, the employees the effectiveness of the organization, the employees should have the following characteristics: a. They should be attracted towards and satisfied with the organization. b. They should be committed to the organization. c. Their motives, goals and needs should not be in conflict with the organizational goals. d. The employees should be able and knowledgeable. e. They should have their role clarity. f. The job turnover should be very low, if any. EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH ADAPTIVE COPING STYLE AND HOW THESE OBSTACLES OVERCOME: 1. Sensing of Change. The first basic stage in the cycle is the sensing of change in some part of the internal and external environment. Failure to perceive changes in the environment or incorrectly perceiving the changes is the major factor for the failure of the organization to cope with environment. The organizations should have effective Management Information System for effectively coping with the environment. 2. The second stage in the cycle is the import of relevant information about the change into those parts of the organization that can act upon it. However, it is very difficult to decide which imputes are to be taken from the environment and organizations often fail to perceive the relevant inputs, particularly the information. 3. Changing Conversation Process. Inputs are taken by the organization from the environment for further processing, this is known as the conversion process. The conversion process should be modified according to environmental requirements as indicated by the information. 4. Stabilizing Internal Changes. The fourth stage of the cycle is to stabilize the internal changes while taking care of undesired changes in related systems which have resulted from the desired changes. This is necessary because each sub system in the organization is dependent upon others and change in one may affect others but this effect may be positive or negative. 5. Exporting New Outputs. When the internal change is established, the organization becomes in a position to export new outputs which are in accordance with the environmental requirements. Some different and additional attempts may be required for exporting the new outputs. If the organization fails to adopt the new methods, it may become ineffective.. 6. Obtaining Feedback. The last stage in the cycle is the obtaining of feedback on the outcome of the changes for further sensing of the state of the external environment and the degree of integration of the internal environment. This stage is very much related with the first stage because process of sensing may be the same. Failure at any of these stages may result into ineffectiveness. A successful coping suggests that all of the stages must be successfully negotiated. Following are the major organizational conditions for effective coping: 1. The Organization must have a proper communication system through which reliable and valid information may be passed. 2. Enough internal flexibility should be there so that changes can be brought absorbed by the organization. 3. Successful coping requires integration and commitment to the organizational goals which provides willingness for change. There should be supportive internal climate which can support good communication, reduction in inflexibility and stimulation of self protection. The Most important factor that likely to determine the successful performance of work organizations is Organizational Culture There are four steps in the integration of organizational cultures in international expansions that result from mergers or acquisition The two groups have to establish the purpose, goal, and focus of their merger They have to develop mechanisms to identify the most important organizational structures and management roles They have to determine who has authority over the resources needed for getting things done They have to identify the expectations of all involved parties and facilitate communication between both departments and individuals in the structure Three aspects of organizational functioning that are important in determining MNC organizational culture The general relationship between the employees and their organization The hierarchical system of authority that defines the roles of managers and subordinates The general views that employees hold about the MNCs purpose, destiny, goals, and their places in them. Guideline to Overcome such diversity i.e. Culture in an organization Select team members for their task-related abilities Team members must recognize and be prepared to deal with their differences Team leader must help the group to identify and define its overall goal Members must have equal power so that everyone can participate in the process All members must have mutual respect for each other. Managers must give teams positive feedback on their process and output Example related to Cultural Environment: The company plays an important role in the success of the organization. A corporate culture helps to attract the best talent in the industry. The case describes the corporate culture of Google Inc. Google is one of the few companies that have successfully blended technological innovation with a strong corporate culture The case provides insight into the work environment, and recruitment process at Google. The case also provides insight into how Google fostered innovation among employees. The case ends with a critique of Googles organizational culture Google Inc. (Google) is considered one of the most successful Internet start-ups. In 2003, favorite search engines in the world was for their accuracy and speed in obtaining results. Apart from the technological advantage over its competitors, Google is successful because of its ability to attract and retain the best talents of these employees. And the process was possible thanks to Googles corporate culture. During the Internet bubble in late 1990, Google was the only company that does not suffer wear, while the experience of other employees of large tech companies had sales of 20-25% Googles corporate culture is legendary in Silicon Valley. Googlehas been a symbol of successful Internet companies. For many, the successful combination of company culture and technology in Silicon Valley. It is estimated that Google has succeeded because it had removed the unnecessary bureaucracy and hierarchy gave its engineers to work hands free. But not everyone in the culture of Google was impressed. Some think that Google could not complete support their growth with the current culture. It is believed that Google had exceeded its informal culture, and it would be informal, from now on, the confusion among employees and customers. In addition, Google also crucial for their establishment and the lack of unity of command at the highest level. Google founders Larry Page (Larry) and Sergey Bring (Sergio) graduated in computer science from Stanford in 1995. In January 1996, the work of Larry and Sergey in their project aims to extend the summer through a search engine. They wanted a technology that has provided the necessary information from the enormous amount of data available on the Internet to grow because of its ability to identify and analyze the links in its search engine Back Backrub which refers to a site particular. Backrub in 1997 had received great popularity due to its unique approach to solving the problems of Internet research. During the first half of 1998, Larry and Sergey were focused on perfecting his technique. To store large amounts of data, they bought a terabyte of disk storage (a billion bytes is a terabyte) at bargain prices. Larry dormitory use data Center while Sergey room via an office. So far, they knew your search technology best available technology and other. They began an active participation with potential partners in the Technology Licensing YourSearch Engine Research technology. Larry and Sergey contact lots of people plus friends and family. One of the people they got in contact with was David File , the creator of Yahoo, a leading portal2. File complimented them for the solid equipment they had build, although did not come into any contract among them. Instead, he motivate them to set up their own company After collecting another $ 1 million from family and friends, the office of Larry and Sergey, 7 opened in September 1998. California office was in the garage of a friends house in Menlo Park. The name of Google, but by an accident, said the companys mission and organize the data available on the Internet most of the selected type. The site is set www.google.com and operation of the duo their first employee Stanford colleague Craig Silverstein (Silverstein), later chief technology officer of Google. . Google has an informal work culture in the (home) Googolplex. Both Larry and Sergey wanted to make Google a great place to work. Because of their faith, the Googolplex, decorated with lava lamps and painted in bright colors of the Google logo (Refer Figure I for Google Logo). Googles have been allowed to bring pets in the workplace, and were willing even with snacks, lunch and dinner by a famous chef Charlie Ayers. The room was Googolplex Google snack cereals, gummy bears, cashew nuts and other snacks and fruit juices, soft drinks and cappuccino Sergey and Larry have also focused on hiring people with good humor. They have been personally involved in hiring. To attract major change in Google Top Ten Reasons to Google on its website (Refer Table II). Google has hired people with different abilities and characteristics (see Table III).When hiring, Google for its academic excellence, as in the class of SAT test scores and other graduates were needed. For an interview call from Google, a person must be a first class university .Google management should also encourage innovation and creativity in the workplace. Clear that to maintain growth, the company had come up with new products and features. However, the company had problems, these ideas are translated into successful products, knock. Silverstein said: Weve always had good ideas, but we had no good way to express or catch them. To resolve the problem, Google implemented an internal web site to pursue new ideas Many analysts believe that fluctuations in Googles zero percent during the dotcom boom, the evidence from tissue culture. But not everyone was convinced that Google was entitled to its work culture. They found that the company was to manage growth. A 12-hour day became the norm in the industry. Googles hiring process has been criticized by analysts. It was noted that Google is too narrow in its approach; it is displayed in the stands and graduate certificates of the candidates instead of experience. Commenting on the hiring process, said a Google, If youre already at Cisco for 20 years, who do not. But the government defended the contracting process say they have intelligence and reason more valuable than experience. Performance of the Organization can be sometimes seems to be very easy but actually it is not the case. So most of the important thing in any organization is to look for is Manpower Humanreource and the environment in which all the employees are working both internally and externally both have to analyze with an close eye to take any advancement in any decision making in an organization The changing nature of modern work organizations and attempt to challenge and criticize the validity of this statement. Yes, As now the Modern work environment changes a lot due to Global attraction and as the whole world is becoming a global village now one which is more effective organization will survive. In this era Mergers Acquisition, Technology Advancement, Outsourcing, Modern HR like Rewards, Incentive, Retention, Training and Development took place a far more level just take an any example in developed or developing nation these practices are very common especially in Banking Industries examples like Barclays and Lehman and for Technology now a days SAP is used every Organization to integrate all his regions, Departments, Supply Chain Customers now these practices are also common in developing nation like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh etc. Major Merger Acquisition 1990s Top 10 Merger Acquisition deals globally by value (in mil. USD) from 1990 to 1999: Category Year Buyer Purchased 1 1999 Vodafone Air touch PLC Mannesmann 2 1999 Pfizer Warner-Lambert 3 1998 Exxon Mobil 4 1998 Citicorp Travelers Group 5 1999 SBC Communications Ameritech Corporation 6 1999 Vodafone Group Air Touch Communications 7 1998 Bell Atlantic GTE 8 1998 BP Amoco 9 1999 Qwest Communications US WEST 10 1997 WorldCom MCI Communications 2000s Top 10 MA deals worldwide by value (in mil. USD) from 2000 to 2009: Category Year Buyer Purchased 1 2000 Fusion: America Online Inc. (AOL) Time Warner 2 2000 Glico Welcome Plc. SmithKline Beecham Plc. 3 2004 Royal Dutch Petroleum Co. Shell Transport Trading Co 4 2006 ATHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATTHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATTT Inc BellSouth Corporation 5 2001 Comcast Corporation ATHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATTHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATTT Broadband Internet Sacs 6 2009 Pfizer Inc. Wyeth 7 2000 Spin-off: Nortel Networks Corporation 8 2002 Pfizer Inc. Pharmacia Corporation 9 2004 JP Morgan Chase Co Banc One Corp 10 2008 Imbed Inc. Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc As shown in the above table it is clearly indicated the facts that the number of MA are increasing day by day so the organization who handle his Human resource well can lead in this race. Defining MWO (Modern Work Organization) Definitions of MWO usually need to be understood against its presumed antidote, i.e. the scientific management principles associated with the names of Frederick Winslow Taylor and Henry Ford. Using the categorization of Atkinson (1984), MWO is related to functional flexibility, rather than numerical or wage flexibility. Other terms which have been in use to describe the phenomenon include High Performance Work Organisation and High-Involvement management (cp. Besant 2003). Attila and Ylà ¶stalo (2002; 2005), in their research on Finland, talk about pro-active workplaces, key characteristics of which are that workers have increased possibilities to exert influence, and at the same time increased responsibility. A pro-active work organisation is simultaneously (a) able to implement new workplace practices within operational activities (for example semi-autonomous teams); (b) able to coordinate work across organisation (for example flat organisation or interaction) and (c) it has an active HRM policy as support and assistance (for example training). This is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1 (from BDL 2002). Systematic approach towards Modern Organization: Systematic approach is very useful for this modern era to make an organization effective make the work which is really want to be in the systematic manner. The Following are the systematic approaches which are used to be modern organization. -Way work is coordinated across the organisation -Way work is organized within operational activities -Supporting Human Resource Policies -Flatter Hierarchy -Information Flow -Team/Management Interaction -Semi-autonomous work teams -Investment in training -Reward Systems -Performance Measurement -Multi-skilling through Job Rotation Decentral organisational structures: Flat hierarchies and decentralization of decision-making (reduction of the number of management layers; fewer different functions, i.e. job enlargement; improved flow of information between shop floor and management); Semi-autonomous work teams; Process focus; Direct cooperation links with stakeholders (customers, business partners, public authorities, RD units etc.) at every hierarchic level; Corporate cultures which focus on people and learning: Systematic approach to skill acquisition (lifelong learning) with a focus on widening skills rather than simply adapting skills to changing functional requirements; Strong focus on soft skills such as communication skills, team-working, conflict management etc.; Wide participation in training, also involving less qualified members of staff; Innovative performance measurement reward schemes: Management by objectives (for teams and individuals); Financial and non-financial performance measures; Performance-related remuneration. While each of these components have been extensively dealt with in the management literature, evidence suggests that they provide the biggest benefit to companies if deployed in a systematic approach Impact on Workers: While decentralization of control is generally praised as an ideal means to achieve greater labor flexibility as well as higher motivation and (following from that) higher productivity, there are also risks involved. It is certain that increasing responsibility and self-control at all hierarchical levels tends to increase the work pressure as perceived by employees (Voß 1998, Gottschall Voß 2005; Cullen e

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Prisoner – Creative Writing

At least the sun's shining on this old decrepit prison. I can't understand why they've put me in this remote room, alone. I've just arrived. From the 1st of December until my last breath, you would expect to be greeted with open arms, wouldn't you? It's not like she didn't deserve it†¦ Meeting our new friends will be as amusing as reading – I can't think of anything worse. I'd rather listen to her baby wail, scream and shriek again. I sometimes wonder what happened to that baby, watching its mum suffer. Time is valuable, so I won't waste it with those ‘freaks', they're all the same – worthless vermin. Well they'll see, I have got it all planned out. Dear Jason, It's hell here. I feel like Satan's minion, sweeping, scrubbing, and sweating in this ‘hell-hole'. An insignificant ant challenging the irrefutable Mount Everest – each step is an anxious challenge; as for every single stride I make, I end up stumbling back. Pointless. There is a burden of anxiety and mental suffering depicted in the face of every man, as we are all pampered like peasants; especially Little Bill, he can't defend himself so everyone takes advantage. I've just been placed with Derrick my new cellmate, the old fool's fifty, twice my age; his senseless stories of driving his own crane in ‘the good old days' shuttles you towards insanity – without mentioning his nauseating scar which runs the length of his face; my stomach convulses when I gaze upon it. Sneering when he answers ‘How did that happen?'- He fell down flight of stairs; he must think I'm mad to believe him. That's the other problem, I can't trust anyone – I will need to eventually though. ‘Bro', when you next visit Mum's grave can you leave a bunch of roses from me; she always cherished the aroma they produced: even though I still hate them. Do you know she's the only thing that's keeping me going? If only she hadn't taken that job as ‘her' assistant none of this would have happened. Mum didn't deserve so much pressure, she was only the ‘messenger' doing as she were told, without a wink of sleep in over two weeks a car accident was inevitable. But I have no remorse for what I did to ‘June', revenge is sweet. Jake I am gazing through the confined window; the icy steel bars obstruct my route from death. The frenzied frost tearing at my tender hands. I'll be out there soon, we will be free, I can smell it. Old, dilapidated and weathered; these bricks can't withhold us. From slavering away in the kitchen at a Kings pace a few helpful utensils have been gathered; a carving knife, spoon and fork. These can be stored inside the T.V; no one would bother looking there. ‘Derrick? Where are you, idiot, get here. You've worked in the demolishing business for long enough; tell me, can we burst through now?' ‘Too right son, too right.' ‘Luckily this fork and spoon has lasted from wear, but it looks the knife won't be needed ‘aye Del'.' ‘It's getting late my boy, move your rock of a bed back to its normal spot. The incessant stomping of the pigs will soon pass our cell. We must wait until dusk.' The moon's beams of lurid light echoed through the prison. A steely smell of anxiety overhauled the sound of the snoring from the convicts. This was nearly it. Weeks of planning boiled down to this. Thankfully, I'm fearless, this time I will get away, we will be free ‘Jimmy.' We could go, now? Just leave Derrick; he's someone we can't trust anyway. We should desert him; he would soak up all the blame. Droplets of blood were dripping on the floor; my hands sore and weeping from pounding powerful punches like a boxer at the gapping hole in the corner of the cell – I only had to make it half a foot wider whilst being quiet as possible. A seed of adrenaline sprouted inside me, the round circle in the wall had subsided. It was time. Psyching myself was easy, I knew what had to be done. ‘ESCAPEE, AN ESCAPEY!' I turn around horrified, standing still paralyzed. Derrick? ‘No it can't be, y-you set me up?!' Glaring him straight in the face – I had no choice†¦

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Cultural Meaning Essay

The meaning humans give to actions, concepts and behaviours is dependent on the cultural milieu and is conditioned to a great extent by the underlying meaning systems, values and frames of meaning he/she inherites from the society in general. Socialization plays a direct role in that process. Education, effects of peers and the intellectual atmosphere all contribute to what is called cultural meaning or systems of meaning. Cultural meaning conditions our perception and determines the way we process external perceptions. In this sense, what Gregory Bateson calls â€Å"an ecology of mind† is at work here. The mind acts in an ecology of preceding concepts, comments and semantic networks operating in a particular field and in society as well. Through these networks meaning is produced within a particular person, system, or culture. This meaning then frames and motivates the actions of individuals and groups. â€Å"Events are not just there and happen, but they have a meaning and happen because of that meaning,† wrote Clifford Geertz. Meaning is also historically formed. For example; body image varies across cultures and is shaped by the specific meaning given to it by a culture. There is a time dimension involved in this same process, too. Western societies tend to value slim and fit bodies in terms of representation in popular culture. Whereas, body images of other cultures are very different in most cases. Some Pacific island people prefer fatness both as a sign of wealth and of esthetic superiority. But with the advent of globalization and the expansion of western cultural codes through TV and other media, these same people have come to question their body images. Western culture’s meaning system expanded its sphere of influence in that case. In fact, a mild fatness was accepted as a desirable physical trait in western history, too. Much of what is classified under popular culture is subject to meaning systems and the accompanying perceptions about them. A society’s selective perceptions and evaluations favor a certain behavior, a mode of thought and even such ephemeral things as fashion fads. Famous anthropologist Clifford Geertz suggests that an analysis of culture must also cope with the category of meaning. â€Å"The culture concept to which I adhere . denotes an historically transmitted pattern of meanings embodied in symbols, a system of inherited concepts expressed in symbolic forms by means of which men communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes toward life. † As is understod from this definition, meaning is an inseparable component of culture and it directly shapes our perceptions and understanding. Alternative meaning systems combine to give a culture its core values. As a cultural phenomenon, gift giving may be evaluated from that pespective looking at different cultures and their subjective meaning systems attributed to this practice. As can be deduced from David R. Counts’ article , some cultures see the act of gift giving in a radically different way. Reciprocity brings about a gift giving approach that is essentially different from ours. The people of New Guinea think gift giving must include a symmetry in that you also have to respond to the act of gift giving by giving something in return for the one you received. It is a kind of implied bargain, or shopping through barter more to say. In the lack of formal rules and practices of trade, the natives created their own concept of reciprocal gift giving as a means of doing trade. From a western point of view, the meanings ascribed to gift giving are very different, though. But New Guineans have refined this form of gift giving through centuries and created this particular meaning system. Western culture sees gift giving as away from commercial thoughts. Though reciprocity is emphasized again, the hints of mutual give-and-take are shunned carefully lest monetary concerns come between. Western culture’s refusal of this kind of gift giving and its derisory look at the issue are witnessed through some sayings and idioms. The term â€Å"Indian giver† is one such example. A network of meanings developed through centuries of experience emerges as cultural meaning. It becomes a culture’s core over time and forms the basis also of other attitudes. Western culture makes one think there are indeed too many bananas, whereas in New Guinea there can not be too many bananas at all. Another cultural phenomenon seen through the different lenses of various cultures is leadership. Leadership is also loaded with cultural meanings and values. In general, eastern cultures are said to put much emphasis on social harmony and collective action. Respect to elders, family ties are given importance in these cultures. Leaders in these cultures are expected to be humble, caring and considerate thinking about the well-being of their followers. In this sense, they are seen as somewhat paternalistic figures. They are required to show mercy and understanding towards inferiors, to care for the problems of those they lead. Whereas, in western culture a competitive society is preferred and leaders are thought to be assertive, highly competitive and efficient decision makers. Humane considerations do not seem to play great role in this scheme. Efficiency and beneficial results matter more than paternalistic protection of subordinates. So, one who is accepted in the West as a good leader may be perceived as a ruthless go-getter obsessed with his egotistic views in the East. Cultural meaning acquired through immediate experience and classified into an unwritten code of ethics, appears as the determinant of perceptions about power and leadership. In contrast, a western look may detect an apathetic, lethargic society in the East viewing the style of leadership there as suffocating innovation and development. These two seemingly irreconcilable views about the same concept result from the respective meaning systems of the two cultures. Leaving aside the theoretical concerns over the validity of the broad-based concept culture, it is possible to derive conclusions after comparing differences between meaning systems of societies. Culture as a web of meaning systems is observed best in such comparisons. I would like to quote here a passage from Clifford Geertz who is among those attributing great singificance to culture as a system of meanings. † The concept of culture I espouse . . . is essentially a semiotic one. Believing, with Max Weber, that man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun, I take culture to be those webs, and the analysis of it to be therefore not an experiential science in search of law but an interpretive one in search of meaning. . . . Meaning, that elusive and ill-defined pseudoentity we were once more than content to leave philosophers and literary critics to fumble with, has now come back into the heart of our discipline. † New Guineans asserted their view on gift giving and that’s what struck westerners most as strange. In the other case of Fiji girls experiencing problems with their body image, western culture’s meaning system can be said to intrude upon the culture-and hence meaning system- of Fiji through the images brought by mass media. Culture is an ambient, all encompassing structure composed of interrelated and interdependent meaning systems. There are both implied and overt systems of meaning in a culture and they can be grasped through socialization. As I tried to show with respect to the phenomena of gift giving and leadership, specific meaning systems forming a culture condition our perceptions and how we evaluate certain phenomena. If I am not mistaken, Italian writer Umberto Eco penned a short story protagonist of which is a â€Å"savage† from a distant land who visits a â€Å"developed and civilized† country to observe the mores, customs and habits of the people living there. Of course the apparent irony points to the reversal of the usual relationship between â€Å"savages and the civilized†; it has always been the civilized who observed and analyzed savages but that time roles were exchanged. The savage travels across the lands of the civilized people and, as can be expected in this case, gets surprised much. For the first time, the usually observed, passive one turns a critical gaze toward the usually active observer. It is such a striking idea that the story caught me surprised. I think the irony here explains once again the essence of culture as a web of meanings. The savage walks through streets of cities, analyzes people and their unintelligibly strange habits, behaviors and customs. He is faced with a maze of meanings totally out of reach of his understanding because he is the product of another set of meanings. He has difficulty with interpreting certain behaviors; some of them look funny and others as grotesquely irrational. I think Eco’s wonderful story has many implications for understanding culture and cultural phenomena. When faced with a different culture, all of us become as helpless and stricken as the savage. Devoid of cultural cues to interpret the events taking place around us, we try in these circumstances to find a usual meaning that enables us to grasp the world anew and have a sense of familiarity. We all live out our pesonal narratives in this search for meaning in a maze of seemingly opaque networks of meaning.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Essay on The PATRIOT Act is Necessary, Lawful and Effective

Two thousand nine hundred people from fifty-four countries were killed on September 11, 2001. In response to this tragedy, the United States of America passed the USA PATRIOT Act, an acronym standing for Uniting and strengthening America by providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act, on October 26, 2001. The act gives law enforcement agencies and the Foreign Intelligence Agency the right to share information. It also allows these agencies to tap phones and gather other forms of information using delayed notice warrants. Investigators are also allowed to get hold of personal information, such as library records, under this act (Update). Although critics of the PATRIOT act say that it violates privacy, the†¦show more content†¦Even when the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, told the FBI that al-Mihdhar and other Bin Laden related individuals were in the United States, the FBI refused to open a criminal investigation because at that time it was illegal to share information among the agencies. If this case had been opened, the investigation of al-Mihdhar could have given key evidence regarding the participants of the 9/11 attack beforehand, helping to prevent the attack (Kyl 140). The delayed notice and â€Å"sneak and peek† warrants that the USA PATRIOT act allows are just as crucial as the information sharing between intelligence and criminal investigators. As Attorney General Gonzales explains, Winning the war on [terrorism] requires winning the war of information. [The United state is] dealing with a very dangerous, very patient, very diabolical enemy who wants to [harm it], and in order to be effective in dealing with this enemy, [the country needs] to have information. [The United States needs] to know who the enemy is †¦[,] what the enemy is thinking †¦[, and] where the enemy is thinking about striking [next].(Domestic) The only way for investigators to acquire this sort of information is through delayed notice and â€Å"sneak and peak† warrants. These types of search warrants allow investigators to conduct searches without informing the subjects before the investigation. If investigators followed the previous protocol for searches, they would not be able to gatherShow MoreRelatedRole Of Colonial Propaganda During The American Revolution1821 Words   |  8 Pagescolonies so it would have a greater social effect, informed the colonists of the tyranny of Britain, and pushed the colonies towards unity against an unfair government. Therefore, colonial propaganda of the American Revolution provided the extra, but necessary, push the colonies needed to fight for their independence from Britain. The purposes of colonial Revolutionary propaganda were to inform and persuade the colonists to join the cause of independence. It was important that all colonists wereRead MoreEssay about America Must Stop Illegal Immigration1096 Words   |  5 Pagesare not given to an individual, they are earned. In order to earn one’s rights as a citizen of the United States, an individual must put forth some effort as they adopt the American lifestyle. Although many immigrants choose not to, due to their necessary reasons, and remain an illegal alien. These illegal aliens are not granted the rights of citizens. One of the greatest of these rights is the right to vote. With this being said, illegal aliens have little to no say in the democratic government inRead MorePolitics : Us, Realism, And Terrorism3539 Words   |  15 Pagescounterterrorism policies. Therefore, in the recent publications by Human Rights Watch, US’s image as a free and just nation has been ravaged. P rimary causes include Large-Scale Surveillance. Furthermore, many have questioned the legality of the Patriot Act due to immense violations of human rights following the 9/11 attack. In addition, Guantanamo Bay has raised countless concerns regarding human rights violations. All of these issues raise the question regarding whether US is a free and democraticRead MoreThe Intelligence Communities Lessons Learned3627 Words   |  15 Pagesthat defined a turning point in their history; it has been compared to the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Both historical events not only led to defining America’s role in the world but helped to refine, create, and shape the steps necessary to ensure our Nation’s safety and began to bring the IC into the 21st century. The lessons learned from both events have major similarities that have had many pondering the question of, what went wrong and how to fix it? The 9/11 Commission was createdRead More Regarding Indefinite Admi nistrative Detention Essay2769 Words   |  12 Pagesgoverning detention of aliens lie in a complex net of statutes declaring the rights of the government to detain aliens under different situations. When Donald Rumsfeld says that the end of active hostilities will come â€Å"when we feel that there are not effective global terrorist networks functioning in the world† (Mariner), the importance of looking at exactly what the Supreme Court has to say about detention regulations becomes increasingly clear: indefinite detention could very well become life imprisonmentRead MoreCommercial Liens - a Potent Weapon Essay32374 Words   |  130 Pagesmatter, private citizens can’t sue the President of the United States, a Governor, judge, or even an IRS agent for failing to obey or enforce the laws. If we try to sue in court to compel our government officials to obey the law and perform their lawful duties, the judges routinely ignore our petitions and laugh us out of court. Because legal and de facto immunities shield government personnel from being sued for committing crimes against the People, the public is legally disarmed, unable toRead MoreAmerican Revolution Dbq5241 Words   |  21 Pagesstillest night ensued that Boston had enjoyed for many months. Document C SOURCE: The Association of the First Continental Congress, October 20, 1774, in Journals of the Continental Congress, Vol. 1, pp. 75-80.. The Association was the most effective device adopted by the American colonials and the First Continental Congress to deal with grievances with Great Britain. Copying earlier spontaneous boycotts and harshly enforced by radical Sons and Daughters of Liberty, the non-importation of BritishRead MoreNational Security Outline Essay40741 Words   |  163 Pagesto protect people from the national government -Protection of people extends to US citizens abroad as well (First US â€Å"war† - Barbary Pirates that were harassing US ships in Mediterranean) -Resources -Centers around protection of resources necessary for military capabilities -Other resources US willing to use force to protect: Oil (note actions taken by US to protect oil), worldwide economic access -Ideals -Many Americans (since nation was founded) view that protection of certain fundamentalRead MoreHistory and Rolls of Law Enforcement in America10094 Words   |  41 Pagespeople toward a responsive federal government, coupled with an idealistic, reformist spirit, characterized what is known as the Progressive Era, from approximately 1900 to 1918. The Progressive generation believed that government intervention was necessary to produce justice in an industrial society. Moreover, it looked to experts in all phases of industry and government to produce that just society. President Roosevelt personified Progressivism at the national level. A federal investigative forceRead MoreBusiness Ethics Test Questions with Answers Essay22425 Words   |  90 Pagesexamples of gatekeepers. c. They serve as intermediaries between market participants. d. They are not responsible for ensuring conformance to fairness in the marketplace. Answer: c 17.  Which of the following rely on gatekeepers for fair and effective functioning of economic markets? a.  Bankers b.  Auditors c.  Accountants d.  Financial analysts Answer: a 18. The function of auditors as gatekeepers is to:   a.  verify a company’s financial statements so that investors’ decisions are free from