The Convergence of the Twain Essay Example

The Convergence of the Twain Essay Example The Convergence of the Twain Paper The Convergence of the Twain Paper Essay Topic: The Convergence Of the Twain In April 1912, the RMS Titanic sank, with the loss of 1,517 passengers. In the weeks that followed, numerous responses to the disaster were published, one of which was Hardys The Convergence of the Twain. The poem portrays a view of the disaster relating to the complex relationship between the two dominant forces of man and nature, and the understatedly devastating consequences of the consummation of mans hubristically flawed ambitions with the enduringly relentless power of the Spinner of the Years. The challenge of public poetry also alters the ways in which Hardys literary techniques of theme, structure; form and imagery combine to form the verse that went out to the grieving masses of 1912. In terms of theme, The Convergence of the Twain follows the story of the Titanics sinking, as well as exploring another side of the disaster, away from the predictable hysteria and grief. One of the main themes is that of juxtaposition, and the idea of the conflict, or consummation between the eternal verities. Ideas surrounding this theme include And the Pride of Life that planned her, stilly couches she, referring to the contrasts between life and death, and with the capitalisation in Pride of Life, elevating mans ambitions to those on a par with the omnipotence of the higher verities, of Time and Fate, of The Immanent Will and The Spinner of the Years. This juxtaposition in premise between the desires, actions and feelings of man against the unflinching rigour of the eternal verities is also one of the enduring themes of the poem, as it is in many of Hardys more confessional works of verse. Reflections of this include the idea of Times unflinching rigour reducing a person to one phantom figure in At Castle Boterel, and the intimate and confirmatory lyric of Woman much missed, how you call to me, call to me being reduced to the bitter indictment of And the woman, calling through the passage of time in The Voice. This suggests that Hardy keeps his main stylistic themes consistent, and applies them to differing events more in terms of scale, or levels of contrast, rather than changing the actual content of the themes. The form and structure of The Convergence of the Twain is very much unlike many of Hardys poems, a possible response to the scale of his commitment to write publically or perhaps simply an exploration of form to try and convey his own views, slightly antithetical in themselves, on the disaster. The poem is divided into eleven heroic triplets, self containing the stanzas with the rhyme scheme, and leaving the poem in an isometric form- possibly highlighting the impersonality of Hardys view on the events. Furthermore, these structurally static, contained triplets do not possess the natural speech rhythms caused by the heavy use of caesurae and changes in line length that exist of many of his more personal poems. This process of technique enacting meaning leads to poems like The Voice and Neutral Tones possessing a much deeper, heartfelt message as a result of the effervescent lines, Saying that now you are not as you were and the heavily accented pauses that convey effect and depth- Thus I; faltering forward/Leaves around me falling. This contrast in personal poetry having a more heartfelt feel and the public having a more stagnant, artificially composed nature suggests the impersonality of the public against the deeply confessional verse of the personal, and the lack of pronouns and simple lack of recognition of the dead in The Convergence of the Twain in contrast to the consistent I and You in the personal works adds to this feeling. A further comment that can be made on the form of structure of The Convergence of the Twain is the way that tense is portrayed in the poem, and how this contributes to its effect as well as how it contrasts or identifies with Hardys confessional work. The The Convergence of the Twain has a clear division between tense, and furthermore, this division is also key to the narration of events and the dynamic aspects of the narrative. Stanzas I-V are written entirely in the present tense, as Hardy describes the current situation of The Titanic- Steel chambers, late the pyres/Of her salamandrine fires/Cold currents thrid, and turn to tidal lyres- the ship itself is passive against the metaphor of the music of the tidal lyre sweeping over it, and the cold currents that employ the neologism of thrid to explain the meaning of their power over the once pristine ship. This passive stasis of the poem could highlight Hardys indifference to the loss of those who are described as the opulent, or the simple fact that the ship is now at the bottom of the ocean, at the mercy of the greater forces that Hardy discusses and references with such vigour in stanzas VI-XI. In stanza VI, the tense changes upon the heavily accentuated caesura of Well:, and Hardy proceeds to actively describe the events that contributed to the Titanics downfall- The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything/Prepared a sinister mate, exemplifies this through the stanza wide enjambment highlighting the unstoppable nature of the Will, and the stirs and urges adding to dynamism of the poem. This idea of a clear definition between tense is one that occurs much more sparsely in works of a direct importance to Hardy, as his verse of this type often blurs the boundaries between tense to highlight the distinction, or lack of distinction in his memories and the contrast and confusion between the past and present. Examples of this include lines in The Voice, Saying that now you are not as you were, and the recounting of a memory through present description in At Castle Boterel, Myself and a girlish form benighted/In dry March weather.

Invention of Credit Cards

Invention of Credit Cards What is credit? And what is a credit card? Credit is a method of selling goods or services without the buyer having cash in hand. So a credit card is simply an automatic way of offering credit to a consumer. Today, every credit card carries an identification number that speeds up shopping transactions. Imagine what a credit purchase would be like without it.  The sales person would have to record your identity, billing address and terms of repayment. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the use of credit cards originated in the United States during the 1920s, when individual firms, such as oil companies and hotel chains, began issuing them to customers. However, references to credit cards have been made as far back as 1890 in Europe. Early credit cards involved sales directly between the merchant offering the credit and credit card and that merchants customer. Around 1938, companies started to accept each others cards. Today, credit cards allow you to make purchases with countless third parties. The Shape of Credit Cards Credit cards were not always been made of plastic. Throughout history, there have been credit tokens made from metal coins, metal plates, and celluloid, metal, fiber, paper and now mostly plastic cards. First Bank Credit Card The inventor of the first bank issued credit card was John Biggins of the Flatbush National Bank of Brooklyn in New York. In 1946, Biggins invented the Charge-It program between bank customers and local merchants. The way it worked was that merchants could deposit sales slips into the bank and the bank billed the customer who used the card. Diners Club Credit Card In 1950, the Diners Club issued their credit card in the United States. The Diners Club credit card was invented by Diners  Club founder Frank McNamara as a way to pay restaurant bills. A customer could eat without cash at any restaurant that would accept Diners Club credit cards. Diners Club would pay the restaurant and the credit card holder would repay Diners Club. The Diners Club card was at first technically a charge card rather than a credit card since the customer had to repay the entire amount when billed by Diners  Club. American Express issued their first credit card in 1958. Bank of America issued the BankAmericard (now Visa) bank credit card later in 1958. The Popularity of Credit Cards Credit cards were first promoted to traveling salesmen (they were more common in that era) for use on the road. By the early 1960s, more companies offered credit cards by advertising them as a time-saving device rather than a form of credit. American Express and MasterCard became huge successes overnight. By the mid-70s, the U.S. Congress begin regulating the credit card industry by banning practices such as the mass mailing of active credit cards to those who had not requested them. However, not all regulations have been as consumer friendly. In 1996, the U.S. Supreme Court in case Smiley vs. Citibank lifted restrictions on the number of late penalty fees a credit card company could charge. Deregulation has also allowed very high-interest rates to be charged.

Current Even Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Current Even Paper - Assignment Example The company specializes in training other corporations on how to incorporate lean concepts in their operations. Javelin has developed the â€Å"Lean Startup Machine† methodology that equips businesses with the necessary tools and techniques that can be used to iterate their products. The tools and techniques provided by this company help organizations to build new products and ensure that the products are brought to the market faster. The founder of Javelin Inc. notes that the scale of waste in many operations and projects is huge. The Lean Startup Machine is aimed at addressing these problems. The above article highlights how Javelin Inc. is helping corporations improve how they undertake their projects and process. In particular, the Lean Startup Machine developed by Javelin Inc helps corporations understand how to get feedback from customers and other stakeholders and this helps to improve the quality of products and services offered. It emphasizes on the importance of iteration during manufacturing or processing. Quality improvement is one of the goals of lean processes where business aim to reduce product defects. In addition, the article above also highlights how Lean Startup Machine helps corporations to minimize waste. In lean processes, there are different types of waste that need to be eliminated. Chapman, L. (5 March, 2014). Javelin Raises $1.5M to Bring Lean Startup Method to Big Corporations. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved form

Change Process and Models Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Change Process and Models - Coursework Example Without any iota of difficulty, the change that took place can be explained using three change process theories. These change process theories have carefully been enumerated below; in relation to the change that took place within the organization. The first theory that explains the change that took place is the expectancy theory. In an expectancy theory, it is generally said that people are induced to act in specific ways because they are motivated to act as such (Johnson, 2012). What this means is that expectancy theory demands that people pay off the motivation they receive by giving back excellent delivery. Looking at the fact that two people were promoted as a form of intrinsic motivation (Homik et al, 2008), it can be said that the expectancy theory was applied in this instance. This is because by motivating these two employees with the promotions, they will become obliged and expected to work with certain levels of output expectations. If for nothing at all, they will be expected to work above their means as a way of proving to their superiors that they deserve the promotions that were granted them. Another change process theory that comes to play in this instance is that of equity theory. According to the equity theory, people within an organization will be expecting to judge whether or not there is being fair distribution of available resources (Fuchs et al, 1997). With the present scenario, fairness and equity can be judged from the fact that the employees of the organization who were promoted can be labeled as resources because they form the basis of the human resource of their organization (Gardener, 2008). Secondly, fairness was attained because their hard work for their organization was acknowledged and rewarded. Indeed, there had been situations within the same organization whereby some employees were very aggrieved because they felt that their efforts were not recognized

Organization Psychology Essay Example for Free

Organization Psychology Essay During the period between 2002 and 2005 a cancer center in Jordan i. e. King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) changed its organization model from traditional to transformed model. The need for transformation was in response to external factors of the environment in order to accommodate the needs of its stakeholders. Initially the center was called Al-Amar center which had operations and image problems that were affecting the organization (Miller, 2006). Al-Amar centre was perceived to be ineffective institution for caring of cancer . However it has transformed into a comprehensive centre for cancer that resemble western styles. The name of this centre changed to King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC) following the change between 2002 and 2005 there were improved care services and improved its quality levels. In the same period the center was accredited and achieved Joint Commission International (JCI) (Miller, 2006). Organization Psychology Following the changes of KHCC it was able to achieve accountability, fiscal balance, certificate of accreditation from the international body and diversification of the service. There are three concepts which are believed to have led to the rapid changes in KHCC these are transnational culture, transformational leadership and political competence (Jeffrey, Gregory Andrew, 2007). Both natural and political values are included in transformational leadership formulation. Transformational leadership can be explained by looking at the values, norms and cultural organization behavior; others are like internal negotiations, political influence in assessing such resources and setting external boundaries. The mechanisms that facilitated changes lie within the capabilities of the leaders and their behavior. The leaders in KHCC were seen to sacrifice themselves a great deal in drawing out themselves and the followers. The leaders were devoted to attend to the needs of patients and those of lower level employees. This was in an effort to raise the healthcare standards the attributes that result from transformational leadership are universal and are mediated by specific cultural expectations from the lower employees (Miller, 2006). The characteristics of leadership in KHCC were not cultural specific. There is new form of leadership that is different from the previous one. The new leadership is goal oriented and allows participation of the followers in identification, implementation and evaluation of projects and programs aimed at improving the performance of the healthcare. However transformational leadership can be autocratic or democratic but the form of leadership that is observed in KHCC involves all the stakeholders in the project design and implementation of their programs. The aspect of involvement of the stakeholders fall under four components in KHCC i. e. intellectual stimulation, idealized stimulation, ideological motivation and individual consideration (Jeffrey, Gregory Andrew, 2007). Inspirational motivation can be created by leaders by articulating the future of the organization through setting of higher goals and standards that are inspiring and appealing to the follower. These goals or standards make the follower to be optimistic in what they are doing and therefore they will sacrifice themselves even where there are difficulties. For an organization to move to higher level of service it requires the team members to sacrifice themselves. Activities such as problem solving, daily meeting and working in late hour’s in order to meet the goals and objectives of the organization requires personal sacrifice and therefore there is need for the stake holders to be motivated (Miller, 2006). Initially the safety of the patients was compromised and therefore the leaders and the followers of KHCC committed themselves inured to create higher standards and improve the health care services. Idealized influence can be achieved when the follower admire or emulate a leader as being ideal. The followers of KHCC admired their leaders since they had high level of commitment, show of professionalism and they were willing to take care of patients. Respect of the leaders is also necessary in the achievement of the vision of the organization. In KHCC the goals are expressed to the team as inspirations and all the stakeholders are involved. There is training for staff at all levels based on the individual needs. Team building serves to reinforce commitment mutual respect and gathering ideas. Intellectual stimulation and individual consideration are behaviors among the leaders that attend to individuals with challenging issues or needs, concerns and soliciting the ideas of others (Andrea, 1997). Cultural sensitivity also contributed to the transformation of KHCC. This refers to the art of understanding the preference, norms and biases which may result to ineffective patient interaction. Cultural sensitivity and competence contribute to the success of the organization. At KHCC the staffs are recruited with knowledge of global technologies and communication that contribute to a medical society globally. Currently many international corporations are living expatriates with both local and western knowledge. Cultural competence can be gained by deploying information technology (Bommel, 2005). Prior to the transformation of KHCC information technology was poor and therefore the rapid growth of the center required a wider distribution of information technology. At KHCC video conferencing internet and e-mail access, access to national and global libraries of health, telepathology have been made possible. The increased use of information technology has influenced transnational culture (Moe, 2007). The establishment of the information technology was to enhance the health services to patients. The technologies have made KHCC to advance into western center for cancer. There is advanced training that has facilitated competent and qualified clinical scientist who is familiar with therapeutic and clinical oncopology practice. Through the training they have succeeded in both internal and international medical environment (Bommel, 2005). â€Å"End of life† is a service that has been implemented in KHCC and did not exist previously. This is a system that was implemented during transformation and was aimed at prolonging life. The system is also aimed at paying attention to quality of life of patients. The staffs have been able to create and mobilize cultural support through training that they undergo under palliative care. The staff has also diversified their language in order to break the language barrier and cater for the needs of all the stake holders. The influence and control between the stakeholders also have contributed to the rapid transformation of KHCC. The confidence and trust that is created by the leaders confer the followers’ willingness to follow or have an explanation of their willingness. KHCC staffs were able to create this confidence among their followers and therefore contributed to the rapid growth (Andrea, 1997). The staffs were also genuine and sincere in their commitment towards the achievement of KHCC the relationship between the domestic organization of healthcare, senior staffs and the overseas organization was vital for the transformation of KHCC. This relationship enabled the center to use effectively the technologies in order to cater for the needs of the stakeholders. Conclusion Culture extends beyond the boundaries of institutes. The professional role of culture and cultural context that is carried within information technology can make globalization to be possible. Political competence as a characteristic of a leader has a particular utility in the role of government in promoting health care and resource use and exchanges. Government incentives should include political capabilities in setting external broader boundaries in environment. Political capabilities can help to achieve the desired goals of an institution since they impact on their financial status. Therefore political competence need to be identified and leaders be trained on how to posses them. During the rapid changes of KHCC there were growing number of patients and programs and services increased (Moe, 2007)

Rene Descartes Essay -- Biographies Bio Biography

Rene Descartes was a famous French mathematician, scientist and philosopher. He was arguably the first major philosopher in the modern era to make a serious effort to defeat skepticism. His views about knowledge and certainty, as well as his views about the relationship between mind and body have been very influential over the last three centuries. Descartes was born at La Haye (now called Descartes), and educated at the Jesuit College of La Flà ¨che between 1606 and 1614. Descartes later claimed that his education gave him little of substance and that only mathematics had given him certain knowledge. In this lament he joins a chorus of seventeenth century philosophers including Bacon, Hobbes and Locke. In 1618 he went to Holland to serve in the army of Prince Maurice of Nassau, in traveled to Germany with that army. On the night of November 10, he had a series of dreams which he interpreted as signs that he would found a universal science. The most important influence on Descartes at this time was the mathematician Issac Beeckman, who stimulated Descartes by posing a number of problems and discussing issues in physics and mathematics with him. His first substantial work was the Regulae or Rules for the Direction of Mind written in 1628-9 but not published until 1701. This work shows Descartes interest in method which he share d with many sixteenth and seventeenth century scientists, mathematicians and philosophers. One source of this interest in method was ancient mathematics. The thirteen books of Euclid's Elements was a model of knowledge and deductive method. But how had all this been achieved? Archimedes had made many remarkable discoveries. How had he come to make these discoveries? The method in which the results were pr... ...l could interact with the body in 1643. In response to Elisabeth's questions, Descartes wrote a short work which developed into the Passions of the Soul. The work is a combination of psychology, physiology and ethics, and contains Descartes' theory of two way causal interaction via the pineal gland. Two months before the publication of the Passions Descartes set sail for Stockholm, Sweden, at the invitation of Queen Christina of Sweden. Descartes' death in Stockholm of pneumonia, has regularly been attributed to the rigors of the Swedish climate and the fact that Descartes (no early riser) was sometimes required to give the Queen lessons as early as five in the morning. However unpleasant these conditions may have been, it seems plain that Descartes acquired his fatal malady as a result of nursing his friend the French ambassador (who had pneumonia) back to health. Rene Descartes Essay -- Biographies Bio Biography Rene Descartes was a famous French mathematician, scientist and philosopher. He was arguably the first major philosopher in the modern era to make a serious effort to defeat skepticism. His views about knowledge and certainty, as well as his views about the relationship between mind and body have been very influential over the last three centuries. Descartes was born at La Haye (now called Descartes), and educated at the Jesuit College of La Flà ¨che between 1606 and 1614. Descartes later claimed that his education gave him little of substance and that only mathematics had given him certain knowledge. In this lament he joins a chorus of seventeenth century philosophers including Bacon, Hobbes and Locke. In 1618 he went to Holland to serve in the army of Prince Maurice of Nassau, in traveled to Germany with that army. On the night of November 10, he had a series of dreams which he interpreted as signs that he would found a universal science. The most important influence on Descartes at this time was the mathematician Issac Beeckman, who stimulated Descartes by posing a number of problems and discussing issues in physics and mathematics with him. His first substantial work was the Regulae or Rules for the Direction of Mind written in 1628-9 but not published until 1701. This work shows Descartes interest in method which he share d with many sixteenth and seventeenth century scientists, mathematicians and philosophers. One source of this interest in method was ancient mathematics. The thirteen books of Euclid's Elements was a model of knowledge and deductive method. But how had all this been achieved? Archimedes had made many remarkable discoveries. How had he come to make these discoveries? The method in which the results were pr... ...l could interact with the body in 1643. In response to Elisabeth's questions, Descartes wrote a short work which developed into the Passions of the Soul. The work is a combination of psychology, physiology and ethics, and contains Descartes' theory of two way causal interaction via the pineal gland. Two months before the publication of the Passions Descartes set sail for Stockholm, Sweden, at the invitation of Queen Christina of Sweden. Descartes' death in Stockholm of pneumonia, has regularly been attributed to the rigors of the Swedish climate and the fact that Descartes (no early riser) was sometimes required to give the Queen lessons as early as five in the morning. However unpleasant these conditions may have been, it seems plain that Descartes acquired his fatal malady as a result of nursing his friend the French ambassador (who had pneumonia) back to health.

Control immigration Essay

Every now and then, especially in periods of crisis, the argument of restricting the access of immigrants to one’s own country resurfaces. Whether a country is flourishing or struggling, there is never enough for all: there’s always someone else which is too many and comes to steal your air, particularly if he is poor, dirty, not speaking well your language, and so different from you. The fear and suspicion toward the immigrants is the easiest instinct an unscrupulous leader could incite in an ignorant undiscerning crowd. The grounds proposed to restrict immigration, and persecute or throw out foreigners, are the most selfish, vile and oblique, or specious and exploitable are its supports in any case. It is said that immigration policies must be tightened because many â€Å"illegal† immigrants enter the country day by day, but there does not exist a man or woman which is â€Å"illegal† outside a human artifice: a person can not be â€Å"illegal†. It is a universal right for people to stand and inhabit the land they want when doing no harm; men and women have no other home than the one that they choose. The nationalists (and the like) want to believe or make believe that the country has reached its limit of reception, but a land, unlike a field, it is not a private property: you cannot claim its possess just because you arrived first and declare who could come in and who cannot. Nation are fictitious, borders are drawn. It is being said that the immigrants come into the country to â€Å"steal† jobs and resources to the natural citizens, and profit from their welfare system, but the vast majority of newcomers come with the hope and the intent of building a living and keep themselves with fatigue, contributing to the wealth of their new country all along, whereas they undertake all the sort of jobs the so-called natural citizens don’t want to do anymore. There is no â€Å"natural† citizen (especially in the case of Americans): everybody came from somewhere, and all have always moved, and always will. There is no right of  first-class people with precedence over second-class ones; the class is one: the humankind. The fear gets spread professing that the immigrants bring crime with them, but the crime level they raise it is the one caused by the laws that consider them â€Å"illegal† from the beginning, simply because they are considered undesired by an authority that doesn’t grant them the right to stand where they have arrived with great difficulties and fatigue: instead of pursuing the duty of integration the states fill up their jails with whom escaped the toils of the rejections relegating these people to the fringe of society, where the crime is a means to survive, and the worst tendencies find the worst companies. Anti-immigration laws create illegality. Nearly every emigrant flees from backgrounds of intense poverty, maladies, scarcity, violence, persecutions, hopelessness and wars (or they are simply trying to achieve a better life), and trying to stem with force an inevitable social process, byproduct of that same globalization system promoted by who opposes to fluxes of migrants, can just produce a climate of terrorism. In the meantime, the dread and the hate toward the foreign and the diverse, and the battle of the poor against the poor(er), keep a population distracted from the real causes and persons responsible for its penalties. Beware of a society where goods and financial capitals have more freedom of the people themselves.

Organizational socialization Essay

Organizational socialization is a very important aspect in all organizations. It has been a lot of definitions, one is â€Å"the process by which organizational members become a part of, or absorbed into, the culture of an organization† (Jablin, 1982, p. 256). Another meaning that we have for organizational socialization is â€Å"the process of ‘learning the ropes,’ being indoctrinated and trained, and being taught what is important in the organization† (Schein, 1968, p. 2). Last but not the least, we have â€Å"the process by which a person learns the values, norms, and required behaviors which permit him or her to participate as a member of the organization† (Van Maanen, 1978, p. 67). Organizational socialization is evidently very important for growth and satisfaction not only in an individual’s job output, but more importantly it is essential to an organization’s growth towards innovation, job satisfaction, cooperation, organizational commitment, and ultimately organizational performance (Fisher, 1986). Even though organizations vary in their different natures, we must keep in mind that the nature of man and the dynamics of working as a group towards a common goal is what keeps all organizations united in the process of keeping its dynamics at its utmost best to come with the best results as they can with the given field of work they choose to follow. This is why so many people have come up with so many different theories with having the most ideal organizational socialization in their company. More importantly, this is why these different theories matter in the day to day encounters of people with in the company or any organization for that matter. Although the theories hold well in some practices in organizational development, practice of each theory in different settings will still vary and depend a lot on how each person will practice what theories present specially in organizational socialization (Tosi. et al, 2000 p3). Up to date, there have been a lot of studies pertaining to organizational socialization. A problem with these studies though is that so far, little research has been done to measure the specific settings and circumstances in which such socialization occurs (Ashforth & Saks, 1996; Jones, 1986). There was this one study, conducted by Ashforth, Saks and Lee (1998) that the examined the effects of three organizational context variables such as structure, size and job design. These variables were tested on the use of socialization tactics and the impact of these tactics on newcomer adjustment. This was particularly pretty helpful in t he field of organizational socialization to measure and compare the data gathered not only in the newcomer’s experience, but also to contrast each experience in varying fields. The study and application of organizational socialization is very important in the dynamics of the organizational processes also for many different reasons. One is that organizational socialization opens doors to behavioral changes that may occur from an employee’s entry point to being a key player in an organization or in a managerial or administrative role. Another is that the transitional view point of a worker in this process shapes an individuals’ growth, behaviors, decisions and even some key points that help shape the entrepreneurial process of an organization (Gartner, 1989; Stevenson & Jarillo, 1990). Another would be that specific role relationships within the person and key outsiders can be shown by viewing the influential outside constituents as socializing agents that can assist a newcomer in the formation of the firm he entered. Another would be that socialization literature such as orientations and the likes can identify the response of a new comer to the pressures of the environment of a new comer depending on the adaptability of each individual, henceforth showing the diversity of entrepreneurial experiences and new ventures (Gartner, 1985). Finally, the socialization perspective complements the environment of the newcomer by specifying the mechanisms that singles out those who cant fit with in the new environment. In the socialization process, the newcomers learn how to adapt and value the beliefs through social knowledge their new roles and function that they have to play in effectively in and organization (Aldrich & Zimmer, 1986). Van Maanen and Schein (1979) even developed a theoretical model of socialization which shows that socialization tactics used by an organization can influence the role orientation of a newcomer. Jones (1986) argues that a combination of six tactics form a socialization process namely formal, collective, sequential, serial, fixed, investiture or individualized. Jones concluded that institutionalized tactics encouraged newcomers to passively accept these established roles, while individualized tactics tend to encourage newcomers to develop their own approaches to playing their roles. According to some studies, there are specific socialization tactics in organizational socialization, Jones summarized Van Maanen & Schein’s 6 socialization tactics into a single polarity called institutionalized vs individualized dimension. He defined the institutionalized to be characterized by the common starting learning experiences. Due to the nature of this specified learning, it is sequential, fixed, collective, formal, and investiture. On the other hand individualized socialization is by its name, individual, random, informal, variable, and disjunctive and divestiture. This may be due to the nature of how it is learned by the new comer as it was defined by its characteristics. There are a lot of bases for adaptation of organizational socialization. In the motivational bases for adaptation, sociability of a newcomer is directly in line with the newcomer’s motivation to adapt to the expectations, norms and values that are already eminent not only in the organization members, but also in the structure of the organization. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors also let new recruits attend to socializing with the older members and adjusting accordingly through their actions. Furthermore, man’s psychological make-up makes him have real qualities that will help him have the right motivation to learn to adapt to the new setting that he is in behavior wise. This is probably why individuals respond in organizational efforts differently which causes a personalized response to each new setting. In organizational socialization, the main goal of adapting as a newcomer is to reach the entrepreneurial stage. In the entrepreneurial process, this can be viewed as a way where in you determine where in you will to start out a career in the path you chose as a newcomer in the field that you entered. This process of adapting to the field that you entered can also be viewed as your initiation or stepping stone towards your will to start a business. Some literature has tried to link a relationship between the motivational factors driving entrepreneurial activity and firm performance, with limited success (Cooper & Gascon, 1992) Even though some studies show the motivation to adapt in the environment of entrepreneurial endeavors, the literature in the entrepreneurship world shows the typical entrepreneur as the innovator who has to be different from the people around him. In most studies present, there has been a small consideration of the motivational mechanisms, activities, circumstances, or encounters where imitation, accommodation, or compliance might be the critical survival response. Four motivational bases for adaptation to socialization pressures can be applied to the entrepreneurial context–Personality, Anxiety or stress reduction, Choice, and Rewards/Power. A big aspect you have to factor in an organizational socialization also is personality. The variable of the uniqueness of each personality is bound to affect the motivation to become socialized. An individual’s unique tendencies to respond to authority, his need for control, and feedback can affect the newcomer’s adjustment and accommodation process to the expectations of members around him. One example would be a newcomer with moderate self-esteem and self-efficacy beliefs will cause him not be afraid to explore the new role and seek feedback as the basis for learning how to behave appropriately, otherwise, his coping mechanisms will be different. In other cases when an individual with a strong self-efficacy concept may have the tendency to attempt to change the organization rather than adapt to the situation presented to him. In the entrepreneurial context, his need for achievement motivation has been manifested to be his driving force in his start-up process in the organization (Brockhaus & Hurwitz, 1986). The goal orientation, self-confidence, and independence that compel individuals to start new businesses may also be factors in the entrepreneurial socialization process. Another thing to factor in organizational socialization is the anxiety and stress levels of the new comer. The new comer’s capacity for anxiety or stress reduction is important given that it is only inevitable for a newcomer to face a lot of stress while dealing with the unfamiliar pressures of a given field he entered. Some people are even motivated but this kinf of tension created by a new setting that tend to let them seek out new information for a new learning experience. Through developing and adaptation to the new environment, they will be able to create a predictability and certainty. This will enable then to adapt to their new setting. In the entrepreneurial context, one’s ability to manage risk, and associated personal characteristics such as tolerance for ambiguity, are generally linked to new firm performance. Another important thing to factor in is the concept of choice. This is because a person’s motivation to adjust to a new setting will always be influenced by the newcomer’s choice and commitment he has to his new role. This choice is essential considering that this choice defines to what extent a new comer will be willing to adjust to. Also, if the new role is a role the newcomer preferred compared to his previous role, his inclination and motivation to succeed in the new role should be higher. Rewards and power also is another factor in organizational socialization. Tangible benefits and possible power holding roles can be a big motivation for a new comer to excel and be more adaptive to changes in his new environment. This aspect of motivation is an essential component of organizational socialization. This is because newcomers respond to organizational communications that specify role behaviors that can promise or lead to organizational rewards or career growth. Also, traditional sources of social influence and reciprocity, such as proximity, status, and affective interactions, may also motivate compliance. In one study, Dornblaser, Lin, and Van de Ven observed differences in the concerns and performance expectations of innovation managers and resource controllers in 16 innovation settings (Dornblaser et al. , 1990). In human resource procedures, most of the instructions regarding norms, values, standard operating procedures, skills related to the job and the likes are provided by veteran organization members. Organizational insiders act as socializing agents which serve as critical resources who may both be the reason for impediment or better adaptability of new comers in an organization. The person in charge of giving the orientation is in charge of providing the background history, informal practices, local culture and any other information that a newcomer will be needing to cope with the new environment. Due to this, the newcomer’s perception of the organizational experiences will rely a lot on the person in charge of introducing him to the organization. Through this orientation to the organizational structure, a newcomer will be able to adapt to the organization, despite this other current members may or may not also be cognizant that they serve as role models and information sources for newcomers. In the modern scenario of emerging organizations, given that there are a number of organizations setting a competitive scene, an entrepreneur must learn to respond or adapt to several incumbents representing multiple organizational contexts. Due to this, customers, suppliers, bankers, employees, and other members of the business community function as comrades who guide, and influence the new entrepreneurial recruit (Aldrich & Zimmer, 1986; Larson & Starr, in press). Mentioned here are some features of entrepreneurial networks which describe ways in which network members serve as socializing agents in the entrepreneurial setting. Typically, in organizational settings, there is normally more than one agent who influences the newcomer. The power of agents’ influence depends on several factors earlier discussed such as tangible reward power, frequency of contact, perceived legitimacy and expertise, explicitness of expectations, and the compatability between the expectations of the agent and the newcomer. Other agents such as colleagues, bosses, and subordinates surrounding the newcomer in his environment are very important in the process of organizational socialization. Although this area has not yet been explored, future research should be dedicated regarding the facilitation of better dynamics of all these agents in relation to maximizing the results of organizational socialization. In the entrepreneurial context, the powers in the dynamics of hierarchy are more subtle. Despite this it is still implicit in the negotiations and informal and legal contracts with critical stakeholders that they exist. (Gabarro, 1987). Ofcourse organizational socialization exists and is studied for a very good reason, this is done to achieve a better outcome not only of the newcomer in an organization but also for good output of the organization as a whole. Outcomes related to organizational socialization should ideally be measured to improve tactics on how to deal with newcomers for optimum results. Role orientation is ideally done in this process where in a newcomer will be briefed and equip to face the new challenges for his job. Given that a newcomer ideally fits in a fixed role in an existing organization, it is through this process that our new comer can accept the conformity of a position while practicing innovation that he needs to display in wanting the best for his growth and that he wants to impart in the organization that he is taking part in. Organizational Politics is also an intricate issue that managers should deal with in orienting a newcomer for his proper adjustment to the organization. This is where managers orient acquired employees by specifying clearly the job hierarchies and the reporting relationships associated with different jobs in the firm and its component groups. In doing this, the newcomer can easily distinguish his superior from his subordinates and more importantly, to whom he should regularly report to. It is through this formal communication that organizations can avoid confusion within operations and its structure. This can also be where a new comer can view the organization structure so that he can be motivated and set his work and goal towards climbing up the organizational ladder. Another important aspect of organizational socialization is the technological advances that now innovate the way we deal with organizations. Technology has now paved the way in the way run organizations especially in the way we store and communicate information. As compared to older and traditional means of running organizations, new age technology through electronic communication and information technologies, information is now disseminated faster at an even much lower cost that what used to cost organizations before. While more people offer increased data communications and more powerful technological capabilities, the advancement of the communication process has extended the number an variety of people involved in organizational decisions (Huber, 1990; Sproull & Kiesler, 1991), this happens because technological communications make it possible to diminish temporal and physical interaction constraints through online conferencing and the likes (Eveland & Bikson, 1988; Kaye & Byrne, 1986), it will also increase horizontal and vertical communication as everyone in the organization is easily accessible via the world wide web(Hinds & Kiesler, 1995).

The History of Mr. Potato Head

The History of Mr. Potato Head Did you know that the original Mr. Potato Head was missing a head? The original model didnt come with the familiar brown plastic potato. Inventing Mr. Potato Head In 1949, Brooklyn inventor and designer George Lerner (1922–1995) came up with a revolutionary idea: a toy that children could design themselves. His toy came bundled as a set of plastic body parts- noses, mouths, eyes- and accessories- hats, eyeglasses, a pipe- that were attached to pins. Children would then decorate a potato or other vegetable with the pieces, inventing as they went along.   Lerner shopped his toy idea around for a year but met with resistance. During World War II, the U.S. had suffered through food rationing and somehow using a potato as a toy seemed like a waste. So, instead, Lerner sold his idea to a cereal company for US$5,000, who would distribute his plastic parts as prizes in cereal.   Mr. Potato Head Meets Hasbro In 1951, the Rhode Island Hassenfeld Brothers company was primarily a toy manufacturing and distributing company, making modeling clay and doctor and nurse kits. When they met George Lerner, they saw great potential and paid the cereal company to stop production, buying the rights to Mr. Potato Head for $7,000. They gave Lerner $500 in advance and 5 percent royalties for every set sold.   Girl playing with Mr. Potato Head in 1953. Picture Post / Getty Images Those first sets had hands, feet, ears, two mouths, two pairs of eyes, and four noses; three hats, eyeglasses, a pipe, and eight pieces of felt suitable for beards and mustaches. They came with a styrofoam head that children could use, but instructions suggested a potato or other vegetable would do as well.   In 2002, Mr. Potato Head celebrated his 50th birthday, with these retro examples of the old spud. Spencer Platt / Getty Images The First TV Ad for Children The first television advertisement directed to children, rather than adults, was by the Hassenfeld Brothers for Mr. Potato Head, with the toy riding in a wagon and playing with kids; it premiered on April 30, 1952. The kits sold like hotcakes: the Hassenfelds earned more than $1 million in the first year; in 1968, they changed their name to Hasbro, and today they are the third largest toy company in the world.  Ã‚   Mrs. Potato Head and the Kids By 1953, it became clear that Mr. Potato Head needed a family. Mrs. Potato Head, their children Yam and Spud, and the childrens friends Kate the Carrot, Pete the Pepper, Oscar the Orange, and Cookie Cucumber soon joined the family. A Mr. Potato Head car, boat, and kitchen were soon marketed, and eventually, the brand expanded into puzzles, creative play sets, and electronic hand-held board and video games.   Hasbros later successes include Monopoly, Scrabble, Play-Doh, Tonka trucks, G.I. Joe, Tinker Toys, and Lincoln Logs; but the first and most influential was the famous spud.   Safety Issues The United States was changing rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and by the late sixties, the first child safety laws were passed, the Child Protection Act of 1966, and the 1969 Child Protection and Toy Safety Act. The gave the Federal Drug and Safety administration the ability to ban unsafe toys: the Consumer Product Safety Administration wasnt  formed until 1973.   Mr. Potato Heads small pieces of plastic with sharp pins on them were considered unsafe for small children. At the same time, parents complained that they kept finding moldy potatoes under their kids beds. In 1964, Hasbro began making hard plastic bodies, and eventually larger body and part sizes for its plastic potato.   Kylo Ren Mr. Potato Head. Hasbro The Modern Mr. Potato Head Hasbro has developed a reputation for responding to cultural changes, or perhaps taking advantage of them. In 1986, Mr. Potato Head became the official spokespud of the Great American Smokeout, surrendering his pipe to then-surgeon general C. Everett Koop. In 1992, Mr. Potato Head starred in an early Public Service Announcement for the Presidents Council for Physical Fitness, renouncing his role as couch potato.  In 1996, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head joined the League of Women Voters in an advertising campaign to get out the vote, and in 2002 when he turned 50, he joined the AARP.   Mr. Potato Head has become a staple of American culture over the years. In 1985, he received four write-in votes in the mayoral election in the potato hotbed of Boise, Idaho. He also had a starring role in all three Toy Story  movies, where he was voiced by veteran character actor Don Rickles.  Today, Hasbro, Inc. still manufactures Mr. Potato Head, still responding to cultural changes with special Mr. Potato Head kits for Optimash Prime, Tony Starch, Luke Frywalker, Darth Tater, and Taters of the Lost Ark. Sources Everhart, Michelle. Even at 50, Mr. Potato Head still all smiles. Quad City Times. August 22, 2002.   Miller, G. Wayne. Toy Wars: The Epic Struggle between G.I. Joe, Barbie, and the Companies That Make Them. New York: Times Books 1998.   Mr. Potato Head. Western Pennsylvania History Spring 2016:10.   Swann, John P. Clacker Balls and the Early Days of Federal Toy Safety. FDA Voice. U.S. Food and Drug Association 2016. Web.

William Quantrill and Jesse James

William Quantrill and Jesse James It wasn’t always possible to determine on which side certain individuals fought for during the U.S. Civil War, especially when Confederate guerrillas were involved in the State of Missouri. Although Missouri was a border state that stayed neutral during the Civil War, the state provided more than 150,000 troops who fought during this conflict- 40,000 on the Confederate side and 110,000 for the Union.   In 1860, Missouri held a Constitutional Convention where the main topic was secession and the vote was to stay in the Union but to remain neutral. In the 1860 Presidential election, Missouri was one of only two states that the Democratic candidate, Stephen A. Douglas, carried (New Jersey being the other) over Republican Abraham Lincoln. The two candidates had met in a series of debates where they discussed their individual beliefs. Douglas had run on a platform that wanted to maintain the status quo, while Lincoln believed that slavery was an issue that needed to be dealt with by the Union as a whole. The Rise of William Quantrill After the onset of the Civil War, Missouri continued its’ attempt to remain neutral but ended up with two different governments that supported opposite sides. This caused many instances where neighbors were fighting neighbors. It also led to famed guerrilla leaders like William Quantrill, who built his own army that fought for the Confederacy. William Quantrill was born in Ohio but eventually settled in Missouri. When the Civil War started Quantrill was in Texas where he befriended Joel B. Mayes who would later be elected as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1887. It was during this association with Mayes that he had learned the art of guerrilla warfare from Native Americans.   Quantrill returned to Missouri and in August 1861, he fought with General Sterling Price at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek near Springfield. Shortly after this battle, Quantrill left the Confederate Army in order to form his own so-called army of irregulars that infamously became known at Quantrill’s Raiders. At first, Quantrill’s Raiders consisted of just over a dozen men and they patrolled the Kansas-Missouri border where they ambushed both Union soldiers and Union sympathizers. Their main opposition were  the Jayhawkers- guerillas from Kansas whose loyalty was pro-Union. The violence got so bad that the area became known as Bleeding Kansas.   By 1862, Quantrill had approximately 200 men under his command and focused their attacks around the town Kansas City and Independence. Since Missouri was divided between Union and Confederate loyalists, Quantrill was easily able to recruit Southern men who resented what they perceived to be the harsh Union rule. James Brothers and Quantrills Raiders In 1863, Quantrill’s force had grown to over 450 men, one of whom was Frank James, older brother of Jesse James. In August 1863, Quantrill and his men committed what became known as the Lawrence Massacre. They torched the town of Lawrence, Kansas and killed more than 175 men and boys, many of them in front of their families. Although Quantrill targeted Lawrence because it was a center for Jayhawkers, it is believed that the terror that was imposed on the cities’ residents stemmed from the Union imprisoning family members of Quantrill supporters and allies, including the sisters of William T. Anderson – who was a key member of Quantrill’s Raiders.  A number of these women died, including one of Anderson’s sisters while imprisoned by the Union.  Anderson who was nicknamed Bloody Bill. Quantrill would later have a falling out that caused Anderson to become the leader of most of Quantrill’s group of guerrillas which would include sixteen-year -old Jesse James. Quantrill, on the other hand now had a force that only a few dozen. The Centralia Massacre In September 1864, Anderson had an army that totaled approximately 400 guerrillas and they were preparing to assist the Confederate Army in a campaign to invade Missouri. Anderson took about 80 of his guerrillas to Centralia, Missouri to gather information. Just outside the town, Anderson stopped a train. On board were 22 Union soldiers who were on leave and they were unarmed.  After ordering these men to remove their uniforms, Anderson’s men then executed all 22 of them. Anderson would later use these Union uniforms as disguises. A nearby Union force of approximately 125 soldiers began to pursue Anderson, who by this time had rejoined his entire. Anderson set a trap using a small number of his force as bait which the Union soldiers fell for. Anderson and his men then surrounded the Union force and killed every soldier, mutilating and scalping bodies. Frank and Jesse James, as well as a future member of their gang Cole Younger,  all rode with Anderson that day. The Centralia Massacre was one of the worst atrocities that occurred during the Civil War. The Union Army made it a top priority to kill Anderson and only one month after Centralia they accomplished this goal.  In early 1865, Quantrill and his guerrillas had moved on to Western Kentucky and in May, after Robert E. Lee had surrendered, Quantrill and his men were ambushed. During this skirmish, Quantrill was shot in the back causing him to be paralyzed from the chest down. Quantrill died the following as a result of his injuries.

Managed Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managed Care - Essay Example In this type of organization there is a very good interlinks that is formed between the hospitals, doctors as well as the various health insurance plans and mostly these three can be found in the same organization. In such cases it is found that the HMO will own the hospital and the salaries of the physicians are paid by them. Under normal circumstances, the patients have to go for the managed care plan that is being offered by the organization and only in very extreme cases, the patient can opt for other types of medical care providers. It has been widely seen that the HMO offers medical plans that are quite friendly to the pockets of the patients, since they force both the doctors as well as the patient to control the cost for the medical treatment that is to be undergone. As a result they are considered to be much more advantageous than other plans but at the same time they lack the quality aspect through the control of costs. (Nguyen 2009) Fee For Service or FFS: In this case of plan the patient can choose any doctor as well as any type of health care provider they wish. As a result the physicians are paid fees on each visit of the patient and in addition to this; the patients also have to pay for the various medical tests that they undergo.

Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 7

Interview - Essay Example The other similarity in the cultures of both countries is the mish-mash cultural diversity, where American culture comprises of cultural practices from different nationalities and ethnic groups, since America is an immigrant country, while the Kenyan culture comprises of a mixture of tribal cultures and cultures from different nationalities too. Nevertheless, while the American language culture is characterized by English as the predominant language, the Kenyan language culture is multilingual, comprising of 42 different spoken languages, in addition to English and Swahili which are the official Kenyan languages. The youth culture is another notable area that both the USA and Kenya shares a similarity. Despite the fact that Kenya is by way, too far to develop its economy to the level of the American economy, the advancement in education and technology in Kenya has been great especially in the last two decades. Consequently, the youths in Kenya are able to access the social media and other globally interactive platforms where the people share information and cultures internationally. As a result, the Kenyan youths have adapted a high percentage of the western culture, and most especially the American culture, such that the American youths are likely to feel at home while in Kenya. However, there are many aspects in which the culture of the USA and that of Kenya vary. Firstly, the family culture in the USA and in Kenya are very different, considering the fact that in USA, the family unit is basically the nuclear family, with the extended family not often living together. On the other hand, the Kenyan culture comprises of the extended family living together in the same homestead. Additionally, the family cultures in both countries vary in size, with the size of the nuclear family in Kenya being relatively bigger than that in the USA, having on average 2-4 children and 4-7 children respectively.