Tuesday, December 31, 2019

North India And The Ganges Voyage - 1101 Words

North India The Ganges Voyage Why this trip? Envision the unusual chance to experience India s most prominent highlights and journey by the relentless Ganges River in this extraordinary adventure tour package. The tour covers the vivacious surge of Delhi, the peacefulness of the Taj Mahal, the character of provincial towns, and the real tranquility of cruising the waterway from sanctuary to palaces. This unique trip on water and land will make you need to come back to the magnificence of India again and again. Itinerary Day 1 Delhi Arrive in Delhi, Arrival meet and greet with tour our tour representative. Transfer to Hotel (check-in timing is 12 noon). Relax till evening than enjoy the city. Transport: Women on Wheels Transfer (1.00-1.50 hours) Day 2 Delhi/Agra Stroll by the backstreets of Delhi through a guided walking tour with our assisted by our young tour representative, supporting New Delhi Street kids Project. Later, investigate Old Delhi with your tour representative before an evening. Transfer to Agra. Transport: Private Vehicle (3.00-4.00 hours, 200km) Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Agra On reaching Agra explore the walled city, including the internationally renowned Taj Mahal, Baby Taj, and Agra Fort. Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Agra/Jaipur Drive to Jaipur, going by the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri in which three palaces are built by Emperor Akbar for his three wives from three different religions. This is a UNESCO world heritageShow MoreRelatedEnglish As A Global Language2096 Words   |  9 Pages2011). This is a number that now seems minuscule compared to the 1.5 billion people who speak English today (Statista, 2016). English in America In 1584, the first English ship landed in America in a quest to colonise the new world, however, this voyage was sadly unsuccessful (Crystal, 2003). After several attempts, the first successful permanent colony to be founded in America landed in 1607 at the Chesapeake Bay and by 1732 there were 13 British colonies (McIntyre, 2009). Throughout the rest ofRead MoreAlexander the Great Essay13163 Words   |  53 Pageshis father King Philip the best military formation of the time, the Macedonian Phalanx, armed with sarisses - the fearful five and half meter long lances. He was the first great conqueror who reached Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor, and Asia up to western India. He is famous for having created the ethnic fusion of the Macedonians and the Persians. From victory to victory, from triumph to triumph, Alexander created an empire which brought him eternal glory. He brought Greek ideas, culture and life style toRead MoreSwami Vivekananda14669 Words   |  59 PagesRamakrishna | | 1.3 Wanderings in India | | 1.4 In the west | | 1.5 Back in India | | 1.6 Death | | | 2 Principles and Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda | | 3 Works of Swami Vivekananda | | 4 Interaction with contemporary giants | | 5 Quotes of Swami Vivekananda | | 6 Trivia avout Swami Vivekananda | | 7 Recommended Reading | | Biography of Swami Vivekananda Birth and Early life Narendranath Dutta was born in Shimla Pally, Kolkata, West Bengal, India on 12 January 1863 as the sonRead MoreIndian English Novel17483 Words   |  70 Pagesliterature in India witnessed a revolution against the idiom which the colonial writers followed. Gradually the Indian English authors began employing the techniques of hybrid language, magic realism peppered with native themes. Thus from a post colonial era Indian literature ushered into the modern and then the post-modern era. The saga of the Indian English novel therefore stands as the tale of Changing tradition, the story of a changing India. The stories were there already in India steeped in folkloresRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesAmerican History. Revised and Expanded Edition E SSAYS ON _ T WENTIETH- C ENTURY H ISTORY Edited by Michael Adas for the American Historical Association TEMPLE UNIVERSITY PRESS PHILADELPHIA Temple University Press 1601 North Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright  © 2010 by Temple University All rights reserved Published 2010 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Essays on twentieth century history / edited by

Monday, December 23, 2019

Will the Use of iPads Enhance Reading in Middle School...

Every year paraprofessionals attend pre-services, teacher training, and professional development seminars - where staff continues to learn how to identify and accommodate for differences in learning styles and disabilities in their teaching strategies. Schools that provide for Special Education need these collaborative skills to properly serve the daily instruction for individuals with disabilities in inclusive class setting in conjunction with support staff and clinical specialists. Technologically enhanced curricula are appearing in schools across the nation that scaffolds the methods of interaction and content retention for students with learning disabilities. Some of these students may have multiple disabilities and motor/ sensory disabilities where a flexible design is adapted based upon neurological research along with universal principles. Through research, evidence based multimedia lessons plans can be used in the classroom to engage students who struggle in school. The iPad is a learning hub. The value far outweighs the cost by providing multiple uses for research, brainstorming, creation, and organizing information and reflects information in several formats. The advantages of incorporating the iPad in the classroom include; the use of the speech to text feature where students can speak into the device with its built in microphone to take notes for a class. In addition, the class environment changes all together with the use of an iPad because teachers canShow MoreRelatedAssistive Technology And Instructional Technology1551 Words   |  7 Pageshow they can both beneficial to student with disabilities. To understand Assistive technology (A.T.), we first should defined it. Assistive technology is defined as, as any gadget/equipment for and exceptional individual that helps to counter-balance their specific disability(s). (Stanberry Raskind, 2009, para.4) In clearer terms A.T. is any device that is used to help someone with a disability complete daily tasks. The devices enable children with disabilities to function more independentlyRead MoreThe Impact Of Technology On College Students Learning And Thinking3255 Words   |  14 Pages Contribution of Technology in College Students’ Learning and Thinking Farwa Javed City College of New York December 11, 2014 Professor Deidre Anglin Abstract: Many researches have been done to determine the positive and negative effects of technology in a person’s live in this Information age. This particular study was performed to find out the contribution of technology on a college student’s learning and thinking. The purpose of the study was to determineRead MoreTechnology And Technology1684 Words   |  7 Pagestechnology in the learning field has expanded as well. The use of technology in education has provided students and teachers with almost an unlimited number of options for learning in and out of the classroom. The advancement of technology in recent years has enhanced teacher’s ability to be innovative in their instructional methods, by allowing students and teachers to utilize new interactive games and apps, using the internet as a teaching tool, and by creating new ways to learn. Learning in classroomsRead MoreA Study On The Field Experience1349 Words   |  6 Pagesnot need glasses, hearing aids, wheelchair, braces, or other any other type of adaptive accommodations. The student is known to be Hispanic, because the author asked the student’s teacher for the student’s ethnic demographics. On most days, the child came to class unless they had a doctor’s visit. The child seemed to never be absent otherwise. The student seemed to appear clean. This student was however a 1st grade boy and did have trouble keeping his hands and finger nails clean. On most occasionsRead MoreHow Do The Internet Impact Children?1961 Words   |  8 Pagesways. Some children do have the potential of learning by having the access to all sorts of information, they use the Internet constructively and for positive educational uses, but many unfortunately don’t get good things from it or used the internet for things they aren’t suppose to be doing. Inte rnet has its risks and benefits. Some benefits are; education is being teach differently, kids are improving cognitive abilities, increasing interest in reading, improving writing ability, improving socialRead MoreJsdgflka3918 Words   |  16 Pagesexpose students to social experiences that in some cases are shared in diverse parts of the world and in other cases are culturally specific. Students need to consider, moreover, how these experiences are expressed through the imaginative prisms of cinema and literature. What are some of the resources that films employ to which textually-based literatures do not have access and vice versa? â€Å"International Cultures: Film and Literature† is both a literature course and a film course, so students mustRead MoreThe Benefits of Progress Monitoring and Assessment on Pupil Performance16691 Words   |  67 Pagesthat are designed to track the progress of pupils of different age groups. The major emphasis is laid on how it affects the kids and their academic performance. The benefit of these programs is also highlighted in this paper encouraging their use in schools worldwide. The definitions and terms used in pupil performance and their tracking have been adequately explained. Stress is laid on the advantages and disadvantages of tracking pupils as well. Programs like SIMS and Primary Essence are describedRead MoreJoyful Noise : Poems For Two Voices, Mayflies P. 15414 Words   |  22 Pages A. High-Quality Children’s Book promote cross-curricular learning 1. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, Mayflies p. 8, by Paul Fleischman’s Newbery Medal winner. Poetry encourages reading and the development of oral language. Writing poems provide techniques in writing, and enrich experiences across the curriculum. (Poetry) 2. Wake Up, It’s Spring! By Lisa Campbell Ernst (fiction) Scholastic Award 3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, winnerRead MoreE T Level 4 CERT PORTFOLIO Anon27074 Words   |  109 Pages27: Teaching in a Specialist Area Unit reference number: J/505/1096 Unit 1: Understanding Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Education and Training Unit reference number: H/505/0053 RPL Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector Evidence Page PTLLS certificate†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.1, 2 Level 2 Literacy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Level 2 Numeracy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 Unit 3: Delivering EducationRead MoreApple, Inc Strategic Audit8435 Words   |  34 Pagesnetworking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The company s portfolio of offerings comprises Mac computing systems, iPods line of portable digital music and video players, iPhone handsets and iPad portable multimedia and computing devices (8). Apple was the first to use a 3.5 disk and first graphic based interface to be sold to customers. This strategic audit of Apple analyses the company’s strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. To determine that research had to

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Brzonkala Vs Crawford Morrison Free Essays

The case is between a freshman in Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Christy Brzonkala, and the respective Institute as well as two members of the football team; Antonio Morrison and James Crawford. The case citation is 132 F.3d 949 (4th Cir. We will write a custom essay sample on Brzonkala Vs Crawford Morrison or any similar topic only for you Order Now 1997). This means it was held in 1997 June and the final decision was made on 23rd December 1997 (Leagle Incoporations, 2017). The events which occurred in 1994 are attributed to the case presentation. The plaintiff Christy Brzonkala accused two members of Virginia Institute football team Antonio Morrison and James Crawford of gang rape. According to an in-depth case file in Justia, Christy claims that both suspects raped her upon their meeting during an evening. Christy was in the company of her female friend. Morrison is also claimed to have raped Christy when they were left in Christy’s room alone despite her saying no to his request of having carnal knowledge with her. The two footballers repeatedly raped her without the use of protection. Another accusation falls on the institute with the plaintiff claiming no action was taken when she reported the matter to the authority. Prior to that, the rape had affected Christy’s behavior to the point she was prescribed anti-depressants medicines and she dropped out of school due to the trauma she received. The assailants she claims also threatened her. Out of the two assailants, only one; Morrison was found guilty after confirmation from his friend Crawford. Crawford was not charged. Issues The following issue can be linked to the case: Whether it was fair to inform Christy later on not involving previous testimonies in her statement during the second hearing. Whether the school was leaning on one side to protect its name; allowing Morrison access to first hearing tape but denying Christy access. Whether it is true Virginia Tech’s choice of providing simple punishment was violating title IX of 1972 and the rape occurrence violated Title III; violence against women act. Which legal steps would be taken on the hostile environment claim which was provided under Title IX? Did the plaintiff’s complaint meet the legal standards as stated in Title IX? The plaintiff had to prove four points under both Title VII and Title IX. For Title VII, Christy had to prove she was harassed and she was against it, the harassment situation had an impact on her environment and she had a reason to accuse the school. For Title IX, Christy had to prove she is part of a protected group and she faced harassment, the basis of the assailants was based on her sex and the occurrence had an impact to her school environment. Ruling The first ruling was that of the District court which blew off Christy’s case on the basis that there was no authority to enact the constitutional section 13981 by the Congress. The same decision was later made by the court of appeal. After several considerations, the decision of the court of appeal was affirmed based on the theory which related to the amendment of gun-free zone act which required people to abstain from possessing a gun 1000 meters around any school. The reasons also point at the federal system setting which required justice of Christy to be passed by the Commonwealth of Virginia (Jerome, 1996). The other reason why Virginia Tech was pardoned and Christy’s case dismissed is because the institute is said not to have made any remarks or acted in a way which displayed discrimination against Christy as a female. According to the Justia case recording, the school did not know of Christy’s predicament until the first hearing and under Seamons 84.f3d at 1232 proceeding, an employer is only liable if he/she knew of the predicament of the assaulted individual (Legal Information Institute, 2000). The convincing reasoning of the institute is that most of the rape victims do not report an assault and when some come out to speak, they do so by pressing charges against the assailant and not the school. Morrison is also found to have returned to school for the other semesters despite the accusations and earlier suspension by the school’s dean. The district court in their dismissal of the case stated that Morrison’s suspension was excessive (Jerome, 1996). Part two Q1: Why the reasoning of particular parties is more persuasive. The minority, in this case, I find it to be Christy Brzonkala who is the plaintiff in the matter. I would support the Congress on the district court’s dismissal of Christy’s case. Using congressional authority excuse to dismiss a gang rape case is unconstitutional. The facts presented before the court state that the assailants; Crawford and Morrison raped Brzonkala thrice before making hateful remarks like ‘I hope you don’t have diseases’. The remarks were not only demeaning but also a cause of depression for the plaintiff. According to the four points mentioned above, Christy proved three of each point perfectly for the court to dismiss her case twice. Brzonkala is alleged to have said no twice before Morrison went down on her, unrobed her and pinned her down raping her. His friend Crawford came back and raped her before Morrison did it for the second time. After the rape, Morrison is later heard making remarks on having sex with girls without their consent. These two facts prove the point that Christy was forced to have sex, she is part of a protected group and the two accused men did it due to gender bias since there are no other points as stated in the case proceedings of Justia. Other points include the intention for robbery, physical abuse, and provocation (Legal Information Institute, 2000). Therefore, the court should not have dismissed the case based on a lack of power to exercise judgment. The majority which in this case I term as the Institute in which Brzonkala was a freshman at had a case to plead. The first fact they provided goes according to Seamons proceedings which says employers who have no knowledge of an assault, in fact, have no mistake. At the same time, employers cannot be blamed for an offense which was done to an employee by their fellow employees. However, this fact goes diverts from Brzonkala complaint which was based on discrimination and lack of action by the Institute when the issue was brought forward. Nevertheless, Brzonkala did not provide evidence of discrimination and lack of special attention to her depression apart from the failure of the school nurse to notice her trauma and report the case. Therefore, dismissal of the Brzonkala case against Virginia Polytechnic Institute is justified. Question 2 The court decision on dismissing Brzonkala’s case will have a negative impact on other victims who may not have spoken up about male sex offenders. The reason behind this is how long the case and appeals took for the final decision to be made. The facts provided were enough to implicate the assailant; Morrison. However, the court decided to base their ruling on congress unconstitutionality and the absence of enough power to enact the law on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) (Jerome, 1996). The court ruling in favor of Virginia Polytechnic Institute comes in a time when employees assault each other and the blame is placed on the institute or the employer. Listening and making decisions based on the law and evidence favored the employer bracket. However, the same ruling blocked aspiring plaintiffs to hold their cases of assault against their institute or employer. References BIBLIOGRAPHY Jerome, R. (1996, March 11). No Justice, No Peace. Retrieved September 29, 2018, from The people Magazine : https://people.com/archive/no-justice-no-peace-vol-45-no-10/ Leagle Incoporations . (2017). BRZONKALA v. MORRISON . Retrieved September 26, 2018, from Leagle Incoporations website : https://www.leagle.com/decision/2001960272f3d6881882 Legal Information Institute . (2000, May 15). UNITED STATES v. MORRISON (99-5). Retrieved September 29, 2018, from Cornell University Law School : https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/99-5.ZO.html How to cite Brzonkala Vs Crawford Morrison, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Discipline in School and Home free essay sample

Perhaps you havent really considered this question. Its definitely something to think about. You see, were talking about your children here. This isnt just some academic question . .. Its a question of whether or not you want the best for your kids. I taught academic subjects for students in elementary through high school, and you know what Ive discovered? The best classrooms are well managed, well disciplined classrooms. Theres just no substitute for discipline in education. Its the oil that makes the machine move smoothly.And theres always more potential for disciplined efficiency in a home school classroom. You know your child better than anyone. You know what motivates and what doesnt. Yes, there truly is great potential for discipline in a home school. Unfortunately, theres also more potential to make do with mediocrity. Dont let that happen to you! SO To answer Our question, classroom discipline is very important. And Id like to share a little of my experience with you. So lets take a look at the issue of classroom discipline and see if we can make your home school as efficient and effective as we can. Here are five principles to oil your machine and make your classroom the best it can be. 1. Lay Down the Law! Who would you rather be? A parent with no workable plan for discipline screaming and yelling all day at her kids who dont seem to mind getting yelled at in the first place and just do what they want to do or A parent who is alway on top of it, has a plan written down and communicated adequately to her children who know and respect that plan and follow it day in and day out. So So who would you rather be? I think we would all agree that the second example pictures success more than the first. So whats the difference? Other than the obvious difference in results, the difference is very simple The second parent had a plan. And she communicated that plan clearly to her children. Thats success for a classroom. Thats classroom discipline at its best. You have to have a clear plan written down in black and white. Then you must communicate that plan to your children. They need to know When the school day begins and ends. What the classroom rules are. What goals must be accomplished for that day. What kinds of breaks are acceptable and when. Lets take each of these one at a time I cant emphasize more how important sticking to a schedule is. If you get this part of classroom discipline wrong, youll find yourself in the middle of a mind-blowing madhouse rather than a calm, cool and collected classroom. A good schedule includes when you begin class and when you end it. An ending time may not seem important. But it adds structure to your childs life by giving a clear cutoff for getting work done. Anything after this cutoff time is homework. Rules must be established and enforced as well. Be strict with these at first. Then loosen up later when a pattern of acceptable behavior has been established. This alone can make a big difference in your home school classroom. Your childs goals should be clear and reachable. Its probably best to place some kind of goal chart in front of your child. You wont believe how excited your daughter will be when she has crossed off all the goals on her chart. Shell feel shes accomplished something! Breaks are another matter. Dont forget to take them! Some overachieving parents tend to push their childs attention span to the limits. For all you overachievers let me ask you a question How would you like it if your boss took away all your breaks at work? Thats what I thought! Children need breaks too. Make sure you take them often and on time. Breaks should be part of your daily schedule. And make sure to vary them in length. Your lunch break should be longer than your other water breaks. Play breaks should be thrown in at least once a day. If your kids know what to expect for any given day, your life will be, oh, so much easier! 2. Be Consistent. Once you have your plan written down, communicated and kicked into action STICK TO IT! (Excuse me for yelling. ) Be consistent in how you implement your schedule. This is one of the most important parts of classroom discipline But consistency extends to more than just your written plan. It also comes into play in the academics of a classroom. We mentioned using a goal card in the last section. If you use this idea, remember to do it every day. It only works if you do it consistently. Consistency also extends to rules. Every home school parent should be careful to enforce rules. But those who teach more than one child at a time need to be even more careful. Make sure the rules and their correlating punishments are justly enforced. Dont favor one child over another. Thats recipe for disaster. Be consistent with your rules! Be consistent with where you home school as well. Make sure you have a designated place for your children to learn. This learning center should be the main hub of your educational day. Not that you cant take your children outside or to other locations to learn. But the bulk of your academic work should be accomplished in the learning center. The key here is be consistent in your classroom discipline! In what ever you do be consistent. Classroom discipline depends heavily upon sticking to what youve come up with in your plan. More about this in our last point. 3. Always Consider Individuality. Consistency is important in classroom discipline. But consistency does have its limitations. Where the realm of consistency ends, personal individuality begins. What do I mean by personal individuality? There are certain unchanging rules in education. Teaching facts, making application and careful student testing are just a few. But keep this in mind Every child learns in different ways. You must work with your childs learning strengths. What do I mean by learning strengths? Some children can only learn with a hands on approach. These types many times become inventors, mechanics and carpenters. They dont normally come across as intelligent as students. But they are. Many times theyre more intelligent then the average person just in different ways. So put things in concrete terms, and illustrate your point with things they can touch, feel and interact with. Others learn in abstract ways. Theyre what most people would peg as academic. These types learn more through challenging their thinking skills on an academic level. They like charts, flash cards and academic organization many times. So put things in academic terms for this type. And there are other learning types as well. The point is Dont pigeonhole your child. Try to find your childs strengths and work them into the curriculum you choose. Your child will be much happier if you work with their individual strengths. This is an important part of classroom discipline. Dont forget it! 4. Start Slowly. As far as classroom discipline goes, this ones easy but its the most often missed. Many times home school parents who allow a summer break think their children can just jump into where they left off. After all it was only a month or two Big mistake! It does make a difference. Yes, its true. They are children. They learn things much more readily than we adults do. But keep in mind Theyre miniature adults in many ways. Theyre still human. They have weaknesses just like we do. To expect them to recall everything they learned from two months ago with no refresher isnt realistic. Can you remember everything you did two months ago? I cant even remember what I had for lunch today! The fact is, children need time to recall what they stuffed into their brains two months ago. Give them a few days to refresh their memories. Take it slow at first. Help them remember in a fun way some of the key concepts from the last academic year. Maybe you could make a trivia game out of some of the last concepts they learned before summer and test their knowledge. Whatever you do, make it fun the first couple days. Youll want to ease them into the year. The rest of school will go much more smoothly and if you do. Classroom discipline depends on it! 5. Stick to It And Finish Strong! If the last section was the easiest part of classroom discipline this is the hardest. S tick to your plan. Be consistent in everything you do. And be consistent through the whole year. Once you get into the swing of the new school year, keep on going! Get a rhythm going and try to keep it. That doesnt mean you cant take breaks. Youll want to stop for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Easter and other holidays that may be important to you. You may want to schedule field trips and extra-curricular activities as well. But theres one important word here PLAN! If youre going to do these things, plan them into your schedule before the year begins. This will lead you to a much more consistent school year. And it makes your life a whole lot easier if you know what to expect. Of course, life may throw you your share of difficulties. Those will come. You cant schedule everything. When that does happen, try to come up with a backup plan that will at least keep your child close to where he needs to be. Remember This is your childs education were talking about here. Loosing a loved one or enduring some natural disaster may be difficult. But always keep your childs education well being in mind no matter what. You need to keep a consistent clip throughout the year and end on a strong consistent note. The key is Be consistent all the way to the end. Keep on keeping on. Stick to it. Because Your child deserves the best! God bless!

Friday, November 29, 2019

Od and Change Essay Example

Od and Change Essay OD and Change The Message Is Clear Change Or Disappear â€Å"There’s no off season anymore† Nolan Ryan â€Å"You miss 100% of the shots you never take† Wayne Gretsky â€Å"Somebody has to do something, and its just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us. † Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead CHANGE AN ONGOING PROCESS Companies no longer have a choice, they must change to survive. Unfortunately, people tend to resist change. It is not easy to change an organization, let alone an individual. This puts increased pressure on management to learn the subtleties of change. This final chapter was written to help managers navigate the journey of change. FORCES OF CHANGE †¢ How do organizations know when they should change? †¢ What cues should an organization look for? Organizations encounter many different forces for change. These forces come from external sources outside the organization and from internal sources. This section examines the forces that create the need for change. Awareness of these forces can help managers determine when they should consider implementing an organizational change. EXTERNAL FORCES External forces for change originate outside the organization. Because these forces have global effects, they may cause an organization to question the essence of what business it is in and the process by which products and services are produced. There are four key external forces for change: demographic characteristics. technological advancements, market changes, and social and political pressures. Each is now discussed. 1. Demographic Characteristics (1) the workforce is more diverse and (2) there is a business imperative to effectively manage diversity. We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Organizations need to effectively manage diversity if they are to receive maximum contribution and commitment from employees. 2. Technological Advancements Both manufacturing and service organizations are increasingly using technology as a means to improve productivity and market competitiveness. Manufacturing companies, for instance, have automated their operations with robotics, computerized numerical control (CNC), which is used for metal cutting operations, and computer-aided design (CAD). CAD is a computerized process of drafting and designing engineering drawings of products. Companies have just begun to work on computer- integrated manufacturing (CIM). This highly technical process attempts to integrate product design with product planning. control. and operations In contrast to these manufacturing technologies, the service sector of the US economy is using office automation. Office automation consists of a host of computerized technologies that are used to obtain, store, analyze, retrieve, and communicate information. â€Å"The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment. † Warren Bennis 3. Market Changes The emergence of a global economy is forcing US companies to change the way they do business. Companies are having to forge new partnerships with their suppliers in order to deliver higher quality products at lower prices. 4. Social and Political Pressures These forces are created by social and political events. Managers thus may need to adjust their managerial style or approach to fit changing employee values. Political events can create substantial change. For example, the collapse of both the Berlin Wall and communism in Russia created many new business opportunities. Although it is difficult for organizations to predict changes in political forces, many organizations hire lobbyists and consultants to help them detect and respond to social and political changes. INTERNAL FORCES Internal forces for change come from inside the organization. These forces may be subtle, such as low morale, or can manifest in outward signs, such as low productivity and conflict. Internal forces for change come from both human resource problems and managerial behavior/decisions. . Human Resource Problems/Prospects These problems stem from employee perceptions about how they are treated at work and the match between individual and organization needs and desires. Dissatisfaction is a symptom of an underlying employee problem that should be addressed. Unusual or high levels of absenteeism and turnover also represent forces for change. Organizations might respo nd to these problems by using the various approaches to job design, by implementing realistic job previews, by reducing employees role conflict, overload, and ambiguity, and by removing the different stressors. Prospects for positive change stem from employee participation and suggestions. 2. Managerial Behavior/Decisions Excessive interpersonal conflict between managers and their subordinates is a sign that change is needed. Both the manager and the employee may need interpersonal skills training, or the two individuals may simply need to be separated. For example, one of the parties might be transferred to a new department. Inappropriate leader behaviors such as inadequate direction or support may result in human resource problems requiring change. Leadership training is one potential solution for this problem. Inequitable reward systems are additional forces for change. MODELS AND DYNAMICS OF PLANNED CHANGE American managers are criticized for emphasizing short-term, quick-fix solutions to organizational problems. When applied to organizational change, this approach is doomed from the start. Quick-fix solutions do not really solve underlying problems and they have little staying power. Researchers and managers alike have thus tried to identify effective ways to manage the change process. This section sheds light on their insights. After discussing different types of organizational changes. we review Lewins change model, a systems model of change, and organization development. Lewins Change Model Most theories of organizational change originated from the landmark work of social psychologist Kurt Lewin. Lewin developed a three-stage model of planned change which explained how to initiate, manage, and stabilize the change process. The three stages are unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. Before reviewing each stage, it is important to highlight the assumptions that underlie this model: 1. The change process involves learning something new, as well as discontinuing current attitudes, behaviors, or organizational practices. 2. Change will not occur unless there is motivation to change. This is often the most difficult part of the change process. 3. People are the hub of all organizational changes. Any change, whether in terms of structure, group process, reward systems, or job design, requires individuals to change. 4. Resistance to change is found even when the goals of change are highly desirable. 5. Effective change requires reinforcing new behaviors, attitudes, and organizational practices. The three stages of change. Unfreezing The focus of this stage is to create the motivation to change. In so doing, individuals are encouraged to replace old behaviors and attitudes with those desired by management. Managers can begin the unfreezing process by disconfirming the usefulness or appropriateness of employees present behaviors or attitudes. Changing Because change involves learning, this stage entails providing employees with new information, new behavioral models, or new ways of looking at things. The purpose is to help employees learn new concepts or points of view. Role models, mentors, experts, benchmarking the company against world-class organizations, and training are useful mechanisms to facilitate change. Refreezing Change is stabilized during refreezing by helping employees integrate the changed behavior or attitude into their normal way of doing things. This is accomplished by first giving employees the chance to exhibit the new behaviors or attitudes. Once exhibited, positive reinforcement is used to reinforce the desired. Additional coaching and modeling also are used at this point to reinforce the stability of the change. Resistance to Change Individual Sources of Resistance †¢ Fear of the Unknown †¢ Self-Interest †¢ Habit †¢ Personality Conflicts †¢ Differing Perceptions †¢ General Mistrust †¢ Social Disruptions Organizational Sources of Resistance †¢ Structural Inertia †¢ Bureaucratic Inertia †¢ Group Norms †¢ A Resistant Organizational Culture †¢ Threatened Power †¢ Threatened Expertise †¢ Threatened Resource Allocation UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE We are all creatures of habit. It generally is difficult for people to try new ways of doing things. It is precisely because of this basic human characteristic that most employees do not have enthusiasm for change in the workplace. Rare is the manager who does not have several stories about carefully cultivated changes that died on the vine because of resistance to change. It is important for managers to learn to manage resistance because failed change efforts are costly. Costs include decreased employee loyalty, lowered probability of achieving corporate goals, a waste of money and resources, and difficulty in fixing the failed change effort. This section examines employee resistance to change, relevant research, and practical ways of dealing with the problem. Why People Resist Change in the Workplace 1. An individuals predisposition toward change. 2. Surprise and fear of the unknown. 3. Climate of mistrust. 4. Fear of failure. 5. Loss of status and/or job security. 6. Peer pressure. 7. Disruption of cultural traditions and/or group relationships. 8. Personality conflicts. 9. Lack of tact and/or poor timing. 10. Nonreinforcing reward systems. RESEARCH ON RESISTANCE TO CHANGE The classic study of resistance to change was reported in 1948 by Lester Coch and John R P French. They observed the introduction of a new work procedure in a garment factory. The change was introduced in three different ways to separate groups of workers. In the no participation group, the garment makers were simply told about the new procedure. Members of a second group, called the representative group, were introduced to the change by a trained co-worker. Employees in the total participation group learned of the new work procedure through a graphic presentation of its cost-saving potential. Mixed results were recorded for the representative group. The no participation and total participation groups, meanwhile, went in opposite directions. Output dropped sharply for the no participation group, while grievances and turnover climbed. After a small dip in performance, the total participation group achieved record-high output levels while experiencing no turnover. Since the Coch and French study, participation has been the recommended approach for overcoming resistance to change. Empirical research uncovered three additional personal characteristics related to resistance to change. A study of 284 nonmanagerial office personnel (43 percent male) showed that hands-on experience with computers, whether through training or on-the-job practice, fostered more positive attitudes toward working with computers. Finally, high self-efficacy and an internal locus of control were negatively associated with resistance to change. OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE Before recommending specific approaches to overcome resistance, there are three key conclusions that should be kept in mind. First, an organization must be ready for change. Just as a table must be set before you can eat, so must an organization be ready for change before it can be effective. Use the survey to evaluate a company that you worked for or are familiar with that undertook a change effort. Assessing an Organizations Readiness for Change Instructions: Circle the number that best represents your opinions about the company being evaluated. Yes Somewhat No 1. | Is the change effort being sponsored by a senior-level executive (CEO, COO)? | 3 | 2 | 1| 2. | Are all levels of management committed to the change? | 3| 2| 1| 3. | Does the organization culture encourage risk taking? 3 | 2 | 1| 4. | Does the organization culture encourage and reward continuous improvement? | 3 | 2 | 1| 5. | Has senior management clearly articulated the need for change? | 3 | 2 | 1| 6. | Has senior management presented a clear vision of a positive future? | 3 | 2 | 1| 7. | Does the organization use specific measures to assess business performance? | 3 | 2 | 1| 8. | Does the change effort support other major activities going on in the organization? | 3 | 2 | 1| 9. | Has the organization benchmarked itself against world-class companies? | 3 | 2 | 1| 10. | Do all employees understand the customers needs? 3 | 2 | 1| 11. | Does the organization reward individuals and/or teams for being innovative and for looking for root causes of organizational problems? | 3 | 2 | 1| 12. | Is the organization flexible and cooperative? | 3 | 2 | 1| 13. | Does management effectively communicate with all levels of the organization. | 3 | 2 | 1| 14. | Has the organization successfully implemented other change programs? | 3 | 2 | 1| 15. | Do employees take personal responsibility for their behavior? | 3 | 2 | 1| 16. | Does the organization make decisions quickly? | 3 | 2 | 1| Total Score: ——— Source: Based on the discussion contained in T. A. Stewart, Rate your readiness to change, Fortune, February 7,1994, pp. 106-10. (Arbitrary norms are as follows: 48-40 = High readiness for change; 39-24 = Moderate readiness for change; and 23-16 = Low readiness for change. ) What was the companys readiness for change, and how did this evaluation relate to the success of the change effort? Second, organizational change is less successful when top management fails to keep employees informed about the process of change. Third, employees perceptions or interpretations of a change significantly affect resistance. Employees are less likely to resist when they perceive that the benefits of a change overshadow the personal costs. At a minimum then, managers are advised to (1) provide as much information as possible to employees about the change, (2) inform employees about the reasons/rationale for the change, (3) conduct meetings to address employees questions regarding the change, and (4) provide employees the opportunity to discuss how the proposed change might affect them. ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT Organization development (OD) is an applied field of study and practice. A pair of OD experts defined organization development as follows: Organization development is concerned with helping managers plan change in organizing and managing people that will develop requisite commitment, coordination, and competence. Its purpose is to enhance both the effectiveness of organizations and the well-being of their members through planned interventions in the organizations human processes, structures, and systems, using knowledge of behavioral science and its intervention methods. As you can see from this definition, OD provides managers with the tools needed to manage organizational change. The four identifying characteristics of OD and its research and practical implications. OD Involves Profound Change Change agents using OD generally desire deep and long-lasting improvement. OD consultant Warner Burke, for example, who strives for fundamental cultural change, wrote: By fundamental change, as opposed to fixing a problem or improving a procedure, I mean that some significant aspect of an organizations culture will never be the same. OD is Value-Loaded Owing to the fact that OD is rooted partially in humanistic psychology, many OD consultants carry certain values or biases into the client organization. They prefer cooperation over conflict, self-control over institutional control, and democratic and participative management over autocratic management. OD Is a Diagnosis/Prescription Cycle OD theorists and practitioners have long adhered to a medical model of organization. Like medical doctors, internal and external OD consultants approach the sick organization, diagnose its ills, prescribe and implement an intervention, and monitor progress. OD Is Process-Oriented Ideally, OD consultants focus on the form and not the content of behavioral and administrative dealings. For example, product design engineers and market researchers might be coached on how to communicate more effectively with one another without the consultant knowing the technical details of their conversations. In addition to communication, OD specialists focus on other processes, including problem solving, decision making, conflict handling, trust, power sharing, and career development. OD Research and Practical Implications OD-related interventions produced the following insights: †¢ A recent meta-analysis of 18 studies indicated that employee satisfaction with change was higher when top management was highly committed to the change effort. A recent meta-analysis of 52 studies provided support for the systems model of organizational change. Specifically, varying one target element of change created changes in other target elements. Also, there was a positive relationship between individual behavior change and organizational-level change. †¢ A meta-analysis of 126 studies demonstrated that multifaceted interventions using more than one OD technique were more effective in changing job attitudes and work attitudes than interventions that relied on only one human-process or technostructural approach. Od and Change Essay Example Od and Change Essay OD and Change The Message Is Clear Change Or Disappear There’s no off season anymore Nolan Ryan You miss 100% of the shots you never take Wayne Gretsky Somebody has to do something, and its just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us. Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead CHANGE AN ONGOING PROCESS Companies no longer have a choice, they must change to survive. Unfortunately, people tend to resist change. It is not easy to change an organization, let alone an individual. This puts increased pressure on management to learn the subtleties of change.This final chapter was written to help managers navigate the journey of change. FORCES OF CHANGE †¢ How do organizations know when they should change? †¢ What cues should an organization look for? Organizations encounter many different forces for change. These forces come from external sources outside the organization and from internal sources. This section examines the forces that create the need for change. Awareness of these forces can help managers determine when they should consider implementing an organizational change. EXTERNAL FORCESExternal forces for change originate outside the organization. We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Od and Change specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Because these forces have global effects, they may cause an organization to question the essence of what business it is in and the process by which products and services are produced. There are four key external forces for change: demographic characteristics. technological advancements, market changes, and social and political pressures. Each is now discussed. 1. Demographic Characteristics (1) the workforce is more diverse and (2) there is a business imperative to effectively manage diversity.Organizations need to effectively manage diversity if they are to receive maximum contribution and commitment from employees. 2. Technological Advancements Both manufacturing and service organizations are increasingly using technology as a means to improve productivity and market competitiveness. Manufacturing companies, for instance, have automated their operations with robotics, computerized numerical control (CNC), which is used for metal cutting operations, and computer-aided design (CAD). CAD is a computerized process of drafting and designing engineering drawings of products.Companies have just begun to work on computer- integrated manufacturing (CIM). This highly technical process attempts to integrate product design with product planning. control. and operations In contrast to these manufacturing technologies, the service sector of the US economy is using office automation. Office automation consists of a host of computerized technologies that are used to obtain, store, analyze, retrieve, and communicate information. The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog.The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment. Warren Bennis 3. Market Changes The emergence of a global economy is forcing US companies to change the way they do business. Companies are having to forge new partnerships with their suppliers in order to deliver higher quality products at lower prices. 4. Social and Political Pressures These forces are created by social and political events. Managers thus may need to adjust their managerial style or approach to fit changing employee values. Political events can create substantial change.For example, the collapse of both the Berlin Wall and communism in Russia created many new business opportunities. Although it is difficult for organizations to predict changes in political forces, many organizations hire lobbyists and consultants to help them detect and respond to social and political changes. INTERNAL FORCES Internal forces for change come from inside the organization. These forces may be subtle, such as low morale, or can manifest in outward signs, such as low productivity and conflict. Internal forces for change come from both human resource problems and managerial behavior/decisions. . Human Resource Problems/Prospects These problems stem from employee perceptions about how they are treated at work and the match between individual and organization needs and desires. Dissatisfaction is a symptom of an underlying employee problem that should be addressed. Unusual or high levels of absenteeism and turnover also represent forces for change. Organizations might respond to these problems by using the various approaches to job design, by implementing realistic job previews, by reducing employees role conflict, overload, and ambiguity, and by removing the different stressors.Prospects for positive change stem from employee participation and suggestions. 2. Managerial Behavior/Decisions Excessive interpersonal conflict between managers and their subordinates is a sign that change is needed. Both the manager and the employee may need interpersonal skills training, or the two individuals may simply need to be separated. For example, one of the parties might be transferred to a new department. Inappropriate leader behaviors such as inadequate direction or support may result in human resource problems requiring change.Leadership training is one potential solution for this problem. Inequitable reward systems are additional forces for change. MODELS AND DYNAMICS OF PLANNED CHANGE American managers are criticized for emphasizing short-term, quick-fix solutions to organizational problems. When applied to organizational change, this approach is doomed from the start. Quick-fix solutions do not really solve underlying problems and they have little staying power. Researchers and managers alike have thus tried to identify effective ways to manage the change process. This section sheds light on their insights.After discussing different types of organizational changes. we review Lewins change model, a systems model of change, and organization development. Lewins Change Model Most theories of organizational change originated from the landmark work of social psychologist Kurt Lewin. Lewin developed a three-stage model of planned change which explained how to initiate, manage, and stabilize the change process. The three stages are unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. Before reviewing each stage, it is important to highlight the assumptions that underlie this model: 1.The change process involves learning something new, as well as discontinuing current attitudes, behaviors, or organizational practices. 2. Change will not occur unless there is motivation to change. This is often the most difficult part of the change process. 3. People are the hub of all organizational changes. Any change, whether in terms of structure, group process, reward systems, or job design, requires individuals to change. 4. Resistance to change is found even when the goals of change are highly desirable. 5. Effective change requires reinforcing new behaviors, attitudes, and organizational practices.The three stages of change. Unfreezing The focus of this stage is to create the motivation to change. In so doing, individuals are encouraged to replace old behaviors and attitudes with those desired by management. Managers can begin the unfreezing process by disconfirming the usefulness or appropriateness of employees present behaviors or attitudes. Changing Because change involves learning, this stage entails providing employees with new information, new behavioral models, or new ways of looking at things. The purpose is to help employees learn new concepts or points of view.Role models, mentors, experts, benchmarking the company against world-class organizations, and training are useful mechanisms to facilitate change. Refreezing Change is stabilized during refreezing by helping employees integrate the changed behavior or attitude into their normal way of doing things. This is accomplished by first giving employees the chance to exhibit the new behaviors or attitudes. Once exhibited, positive reinforcement is used to reinforce the desired. Additional coaching and modeling also are used at this point to reinforce the stability of the change.Resistance to Change Individual Sources of Resistance †¢ Fear of the Unknown †¢ Self-Interest †¢ Habit †¢ Personality Conflicts †¢ Differing Perceptions †¢ General Mistrust †¢ Social Disruptions Organizational Sources of Resistance †¢ Structural Inertia †¢ Bureaucratic Inertia †¢ Group Norms †¢ A Resistant Organizational Culture †¢ Threatened Power †¢ Threatened Expertise †¢ Threatened Resource Allocation UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE We are all creatures of habit. It generally is difficult for people to try new ways of doing things.It is precisely because of this basic human characteristic that most employees do not have enthusiasm for change in the workplace. Rare is the manager who does not have several stories about carefully cultivated changes that died on the vine because of resistance to change. It is important for managers to learn to manage resistance because failed change efforts are costly. Costs include decreased employee loyalty, lowered probability of achieving corporate goals, a waste of money and resources, and difficulty in fixing the failed change effort.This section examines employee resistance to change, relevant research, and practical ways of dealing with the problem. Why People Resist Change in the Workplace 1. An individuals predisposition toward change. 2. Surprise and fear of the unknown. 3. Climate of mistrust. 4. Fear of failure. 5. Loss of status and/or job security. 6. Peer pressure. 7. Disruption of cultural traditions and/or group relationships. 8. Personality conflicts. 9. Lack of tact and/or poor timing. 10. Nonreinforcing reward systems. RESEARCH ON RESISTANCE TO CHANGEThe classic study of resistance to change was reported in 1948 by Lester Coch and John R P French. They observed the introduction of a new work procedure in a garment factory. The change was introduced in three different ways to separate groups of workers. In the no participation group, the garment makers were simply told about the new procedure. Members of a second group, called the representative group, were introduced to the change by a trained co-worker. Employees in the total participation group learned of the new work procedure through a graphic presentation of its cost-saving potential.Mixed results were recorded for the representative group. The no participation and total participation groups, meanwhile, went in opposite directions. Output dropped sharply for the no participation group, while grievances and turnover climbed. After a small dip in performance, the total participation group achieved record-high output levels while experiencing no turnover. Since the Coch and French study, participation has been the recommended approach for overcoming resistance to change. Empirical research uncovered three additional personal characteristics related to resistance to change.A study of 284 nonmanagerial office personnel (43 percent male) showed that hands-on experience with computers, whether through training or on-the-job practice, fostered more positive attitudes toward working with computers. Finally, high self-efficacy and an internal locus of control were negatively associated with resistance to change. OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE Before recommending specific approaches to overcome resistance, there are three key conclusions that should be kept in mind. First, an organization must be ready for change.Just as a table must be set before you can eat, so must an organization be ready for change before it can be effective. Use the survey to evaluate a company that you worked for or are familiar with that undertook a change effort. Assessing an Organizations Readiness for Change Instructions: Circle the number that best represents your opinions about the company being evaluated. Yes Somewhat No 1. | Is the change effort being sponsored by a senior-level executive (CEO, COO)? | 3 | 2 | 1| 2. | Are all levels of management committed to the change? | 3| 2| 1| 3. | Does the organization culture encourage risk taking? 3 | 2 | 1| 4. | Does the organization culture encourage and reward continuous improvement? | 3 | 2 | 1| 5. | Has senior management clearly articulated the need for change? | 3 | 2 | 1| 6. | Has senior management presented a clear vision of a positive future? | 3 | 2 | 1| 7. | Does the organization use specific measures to assess business performance? | 3 | 2 | 1| 8. | Does the change effort support other major activities going on in the organization? | 3 | 2 | 1| 9. | Has the organization benchmarked itself against world-class companies? | 3 | 2 | 1| 10. | Do all employees understand the customers needs? 3 | 2 | 1| 11. | Does the organization reward individuals and/or teams for being innovative and for looking for root causes of organizational problems? | 3 | 2 | 1| 12. | Is the organization flexible and cooperative? | 3 | 2 | 1| 13. | Does management effectively communicate with all levels of the organization. | 3 | 2 | 1| 14. | Has the organization successfully implemented other change programs? | 3 | 2 | 1| 15. | Do employees take personal responsibility for their behavior? | 3 | 2 | 1| 16. | Does the organization make decisions quickly? | 3 | 2 | 1| Total Score: ———Source: Based on the discussion contained in T. A. Stewart, Rate your readiness to change, Fortune, February 7,1994, pp. 106-10. (Arbitrary norms are as follows: 48-40 = High readiness for change; 39-24 = Moderate readiness for change; and 23-16 = Low readiness for change. ) What was the companys readiness for change, and how did this evaluation relate to the success of the change effort? Second, organizational change is less successful when top management fails to keep employees informed about the process of change. Third, employees perceptions or interpretations of a change significantly affect resistance.Employees are less likely to resist when they perceive that the benefits of a change overshadow the personal costs. At a minimum then, managers are advised to (1) provide as much information as possible to employees about the change, (2) inform employees about the reasons/rationale for the change, (3) conduct meetings to address employees questions regarding the change, and (4) provide employees the opportunity to discuss how the proposed change might affect them. ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT Organization development (OD) is an applied field of study and practice.A pair of OD experts defined organization development as follows: Organization development is concerned with helping managers plan change in organizing and managing people that will develop requisite commitment, coordination, and competence. Its purpose is to enhance both the effectiveness of organizations and the well-being of their members through planned interventions in the organizations human processes, structures, and systems, using knowledge of behavioral science and its intervention methods. As you can see from this definition, OD provides managers with the tools needed to manage organizational change.The four identifying characteristics of OD and its research and practical implications. OD Involves Profound Change Change agents using OD generally desire deep and long-lasting improvement. OD consultant Warner Burke, for example, who strives for fundamental cultural change, wrote: By fundamental change, as opposed to fixing a problem or improving a procedure, I mean that some significant aspect of an organizations culture will never be the same. OD is Value-Loaded Owing to the fact that OD is rooted partially in humanistic psychology, many OD consultants carry certain values or biases into the client organization.They prefer cooperation over conflict, self-control over institutional control, and democratic and participative management over autocratic management. OD Is a Diagnosis/Prescription Cycle OD theorists and practitioners have long adhered to a medical model of organization. Like medical doctors, internal and external OD consultants approach the sick organization, diagnose its ills, prescribe and implement an intervention, and monitor progress. OD Is Process-Oriented Ideally, OD consultants focus on the form and not the content of behavioral and administrative dealings.For example, product design engineers and market researchers might be coached on how to communicate more effectively with one another without the consultant knowing the technical details of their conversations. In addition to communication, OD specialists focus on other processes, including problem solving, decision making, conflict handling, trust, power sharing, and career development. OD Research and Practical Implications OD-related interventions produced the following insights: †¢ A recent meta-analysis of 18 studies indicated that employee satisfaction with change was higher when top management was highly committed to the change effort. A recent meta-analysis of 52 studies provided support for the systems model of organizational change. Specifically, varying one target element of change created changes in other target elements. Also, there was a positive relationship between individual behavior change and organizational-level change. †¢ A meta-analysis of 126 studies demonstrated that multifaceted interventions using more than one OD technique were more effective in changing job attitudes and work attitudes than interventions that relied on only one human-process or technostructural approach.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Battle of Palo Alto

The Battle of Palo Alto The Battle of Palo Alto: The Battle of Palo Alto (May 8, 1846) was the first major engagement of the Mexican-American War. Although the Mexican army was significantly larger than the American force, American superiority in weapons and training carried the day. The battle was a victory for the Americans and began a long series of defeats for the beleaguered Mexican Army. The American Invasion: By 1845, war between the USA and Mexico was inevitable. America coveted Mexicos western holdings, such as California and New Mexico, and Mexico was still furious about the loss of Texas ten years before. When the USA annexed Texas in 1845, there was no going back: Mexican politicians railed against American aggression and fired the nation into a patriotic frenzy. When both nations sent armies to the disputed Texas/Mexico border in early 1846, it was only a matter of time before a series of skirmishes were used as an excuse for both nations to declare war. Zachary Taylors Army: The American forces on the border were commanded by General Zachary Taylor, a skilled officer who would eventually become President of the United States. Taylor had some 2,400 men, including infantry, cavalry and the new flying artillery squads. The flying artillery was a new concept in warfare: teams of men and cannons who could change positions on a battlefield rapidly. The Americans had high hopes for their new weapon, and they would not be disappointed. Mariano Aristas Army: General Mariano Arista was confident that he could defeat Taylor: his 3,300 troops were among the best in the Mexican army. His infantry was supported by cavalry and artillery units. Although his men were ready for battle, there was unrest. Arista had recently been given the command over General Pedro Ampudia and there was much intrigue and infighting in the Mexican officer ranks. The Road to Fort Texas: Taylor had two locations to worry about: Fort Texas, a recently-built fort on the Rio Grande near Matamoros, and Point Isabel, where his supplies were. General Arista, who knew he had overwhelming numerical superiority, was looking to catch Taylor in the open. When Taylor took most of his army to Point Isabel to reinforce his supply lines, Arista set a trap: he began bombarding Fort Texas, knowing Taylor would have to march to its aid. It worked: on May 8, 1846, Taylor marched only to find Arista’s army in a defensive stance blocking the road to Fort Texas. The first major battle of the Mexican-American War was about to begin. Artillery Duel: Neither Arista nor Taylor seemed willing to make the first move, so the Mexican army began firing its artillery at the Americans. The Mexican guns were heavy, fixed and used inferior gunpowder: reports from the battle say the cannonballs traveled slowly enough and far enough for the Americans to dodge them when they came. The Americans answered with artillery of their own: the new â€Å"flying artillery† cannons had a devastating effect, pouring shrapnel rounds into the Mexican ranks. The Battle of Palo Alto: General Arista, seeing his ranks ripped apart, sent his cavalry after the American artillery. The horsemen were met with concerted, deadly cannon fire: the charge faltered, then retreated. Arista tried to send infantry after the cannons, but with the same result. About this time, a smoky brush fire broke out in the long grass, shielding the armies from one another. Dusk fell about the same time as the smoke cleared, and the armies disengaged. The Mexicans retreated seven miles to a gulch known as Resaca de la Palma, where the armies would battle again the following day. Legacy of the Battle of Palo Alto: Although the Mexicans and Americans had been skirmishing for weeks, Palo Alto was the first major clash between large armies. Neither side won the battle, as the forces disengaged as dusk fell and the grass fires went out, but in terms of casualties it was a win for the Americans. The Mexican army lost some 250 to 500 dead and wounded to about 50 for the Americans. The biggest loss for the Americans was the death in battle of Major Samuel Ringgold, their best artilleryman and a pioneer in the development of the lethal flying infantry. The battle decisively proved the worth of the new flying artillery. The American artillerymen practically won the battle by themselves, killing enemy soldiers from afar and driving back attacks. Both sides were surprised at the effectiveness of this new weapon: in the future, the Americans would try to capitalize on it and the Mexicans would try to defend against it. The early win greatly boosted the confidence of the Americans, who were essentially a force of invasion: they knew they would be fighting against huge odds and in hostile territory for the rest of the war. As for the Mexicans, they learned that they would have to find some way to neutralize the American artillery or run the risk of repeating the results of the Battle of Palo Alto. Sources: Eisenhower, John S.D. So Far from God: the U.S. War with Mexico, 1846-1848. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1989 Henderson, Timothy J. A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United States.New York: Hill and Wang, 2007. Scheina, Robert L. Latin Americas Wars, Volume 1: The Age of the Caudillo 1791-1899 Washington, D.C.: Brasseys Inc., 2003. Wheelan, Joseph. Invading Mexico: Americas Continental Dream and the Mexican War, 1846-1848. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2007.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Dual Diagnosis Treatment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Dual Diagnosis Treatment - Essay Example The police initiated most of these. Each time Leon was admitted, he was intoxicated and vocalised thoughts of persecution. Once, he tried to hang himself whilst in the hospital. At the age of fourteen, he began to use amphetamines and ecstasy. This has ceased only because he lost contact with friends he used to socialize with and used these drugs with after Leon became engaged in the mental health system. He stopped using cannabis daily and, as a result, his alcohol consumption increased to six litres from four litres of hard cider every day. He usually drinks this when he is on the street with friends. He experiences a feeling of needles and pins in his feet and hands. He believes this is caused by the medications that have been prescribed for him; however, this symptom can be caused by thiamine deficiency which is one of the possible side effects of abuse of alcohol because of dependency on this substance. His past treatment was receiving alcohol detoxification when he was in the hospital. Leon has repeatedly relapsed after his discharge. Several times, during his hospital stay, Leon drank alcohol whilst there and was discharged early because of this. Leon is somewhat concerned about his alcohol consumption but he perceives this in a positive manner because it provides a social outlet. He believes it also helps to diminish the residual hallucinations he writes that he experiences even when he is taking his medication properly. He has professed the belief that the stopping the use of cannabis was all of the change in his lifestyle that he could handle. He wants what he considers a "normal life." Leon would like to have a one on one personal relationship with a partner. (Starkey, Leon, date unknown) Leon has four