Uncovering the blind spot article Research Paper

Uncovering the blind spot article - Research Paper Example 2). The process of solving a problem, for example, involves generative and analytical approach for understanding available solutions and their consequences before identifying the best alternative. The definition of critical thinking that include a reflective approach also corresponds to Scharmer’s elements of generative listening and the U theory of understanding inner environment towards informed decisions and actions (Marquis and Huston, 2009). The article therefore establishes a strategy for understanding a leader’s inner environment towards effective leadership and decisions for solving existing problems. I for example, though subconsciously, applied the U theory to avert a work boycott by my team due to unmet demands by my organization’s management. While the team had complained about poor work conditions and demanded management’s intervention, the concerns were ignored. The team then met one morning and decided to boycott duty until their concerns were addressed. As the team leader, I isolated myself, analyzed the situation, and decided to persuade the team against the boycott and to outline to them the most appropriate strategy for solving the problem, an approach that averted the boycott. The article’s authors identify a transition from the traditional organizational structure in which communication followed bureaucratic processes and initiated communication barriers across levels in organizations. Based on the authors’ research, the traditional approach is rarely used and its application bears little success as compared to the new informal communication model that organizations are currently implementing. The authors further concludes that a shift from the traditional communication model is necessary due to emerging factors such as globalization, technological advancement, and new approaches to value creation and customers relation. Implementing the new communication model

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 289

Assignment Example However, technological innovation is analyzed as a changing network of agents interacting in an industrial area and in an institutional infrastructure involved in generating, diffusing and utilizing technology. Technology innovation is the process that that brings improved and developed technologies widespread. The reason of technological innovation is to analyze and later develop a particular technology field in structures and processes that support it. The components of technological innovations are called structures. These are representations of the static aspect of the system as it stabilizes over time. They consist of technical infrastructures and artifacts where they are integrated. They also involve the techno-economic that includes the costs, reliability and safety. However, the designing of a cost- effective technological innovation has become quite a challenge as the world has become more interconnected (Graetz, 2013).There are two things that are clearly uncontested by economists. The first thing is the importance of technological innovations in relation to the economic growth. In 1957, Robert Slow demonstrated how significant economic growth per hour of work in the United State s in 1909 and 1949 could be attributed to the advances in technology (Graetz, 2013). Development of intellectual property (IP) is an essential element to national wealth building. Therefore, the government supports the advances in technology in the form of IP legal protection, providing loans and grants and guarantees to both the profit and no-profit making organization research institutions. In addition, they tax benefits for research and development for the innovations. In cases of a closed economy, the citizens and the residents will reap the reward to direct their taxes to spur. Studies have addressed the effects of increased research and development on employment pattern and

The Impact of Technology in Business Dissertation

The Impact of Technology in Business - Dissertation Example 3.0 Literature Review 3.1 Impact of communication advancement on Business Despite the fact that the bigger companies have huge and dedicated information and communication technology departments, today, the technology levels the playing field to accommodate even the smallest companies (McKenney, Copeland and Mason, 1995). The smaller companies have a huge chance of surpassing the bigger companies if the smaller companies can use the ever increasing technology to their advantage (Johnson, 2009). 3.2 Impact of Databases to replace file systems in businesses A lot of technology has been applied in businesses today. For example, Database management systems are being used over the world in businesses. The database management systems replaced the old file systems (Atkinson and Draheim, 2010). This is probably one of the most widely used technology in businesses today. The database management systems are especially used in the accounting departments. Wang, 2014, suggests that businesses are solemnly driven by databases today. The better the database design, the more effective the business. 3.3 Impact of teleconferencing and home working Technology has changed how businesses operate is improvements in communications. With advances in communications, businesses can easily communicate with clients, suppliers and other important stakeholders quite effectively. This has led to increased productivity in the businesses. With teleconferencing for example, people can attend a meeting without necessarily being together in a physical room.

Healthy Snacks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Healthy Snacks - Assignment Example Apart from that, the information that was stored in the systems was not available on timely basis which resulted in incorrect information about faulty credit prices. Another problem that can be identified in the sales process of Healthy Snacks was that it was following a very long sales process that eventually created certain errors. The sales team of the company delivered handwritten quotation to the customers and was indulged in making faxes of the duplicate copy of the quotation to the sales office. This process was found to be quite lengthy and was bound to create a lot of confusion. While filling of orders, the procedure has also been found to be very complex as there were tendencies of mishandling the products at the time of order filing from the warehouses. After acquiring a brief idea about the problems that have been observed about the way the sales force of Healthy Snacks currently takes and fills an order, it can be affirmed that it is quite essential to improve the overal l information sharing system of the company as there laid several problems associated with the existing information system. The existing information system which was currently being prevailing within the company tends to affect the overall sales of the company by a considerable level. The top management team of the company can either simplify the information process by creating a single information system that can be connected with all the department of HS or adopt as well as execute the approach of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in place of the existing system for boosting its sales and thus earn significant profits. It is highly recommendable to the top management of the company to implement ERP... The sales team of the company delivered handwritten quotation to the customers and was indulged in making faxes of the duplicate copy of the quotation to the sales office. This process was found to be quite lengthy and was bound to create a lot of confusion. While filling of orders, the procedure has also been found to be very complex as there were tendencies of mishandling the products at the time of order filing from the warehouses. After acquiring a brief idea about the problems that have been observed about the way the sales force of Healthy Snacks currently takes and fills an order, it can be affirmed that it is quite essential to improve the overall information sharing system of the company as there laid several problems associated with the existing information system. The existing information system which was currently being prevailing within the company tends to affect the overall sales of the company by a considerable level. The top management team of the company can either simplify the information process by creating a single information system that can be connected with all the department of HS or adopt as well as execute the approach of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in place of the existing system for boosting its sales and thus earn significant profits. It is highly recommendable to the top management of the company to implement ERP as it is regarded as one of the most efficient software programs that most of the company uses.

Truth in Management and Power Relationships Essay Example for Free

Truth in Management and Power Relationships Essay Throughout history, philosophers have come up with their versions of the actual definition for ‘truth’. The Greek philosopher Aristotle had explained truth as â€Å"To say of what is that it is not, or of what is not that it is, is false, while to say of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not, is true† [1]. Aristotle explains that truth can be described as that something that is definite and distinct in its own form, nature or identity. Another Greek sophist and philosopher Protagoras held the view that â€Å"man is the measure of all things, of things that are that they are, and of things that are not that they are not†[2]. According to him, every person’s opinion of truth is based his or her own perception of truth. In the famous Greek poet Homer’s epic Odyssey, there is one instance when the Greek hero Odysseus did not actually reveal the truth when he says â€Å"I will tell you all the truth†[3]. In his epics, there are characters that hold back information or tell lies. In the present day management, we have to be cautious as to how we go about telling the truth to our subordinates or colleagues. There are multiple scenarios that we have to consider before revealing the truth. Sometimes, we may end up in situations whereby we have to cover up the truth to protect our integrity and position in the company or organization. Socrates, an Athenian Greek Philosopher once quoted: â€Å"You, my friend, are you not ashamed of heaping up the greatest amount of money and honour and reputation, and caring so little about wisdom and truth and the greatest improvement of yourself which you never regard or heed at all? [2]† We can relate to his quote in today’s fast paced times, when in the quest for power, wealth and reputation, we tend to forget our very basic virtues of being righteous and truthful. I can quote an example of my personal experience whilst working in a semiconductor company where my supervisor and colleague were from Philippines. I used to have reservations initially in opening up to my colleagues and then as the months passed, I started confiding with my Filipino colleague regarding a couple of problems I had with the company management style and extremely long working hours. He then later betrayed the faith that I had in him when he passed on all the complaints over to my supervisor behind my back. Since then, the company management started to ignore my inputs and started giving me disapproving eyes at every meeting. The lesson we can learn from that was to ensure that certain truths however cumbersome they may be to carry around, we have to ensure that they stay hidden away due to the competitiveness and lack of trust among employees in today’s management. The Greek philosopher Plato once said â€Å"You should not honor men more than truth[4]† but in today’s world of management, the key areas of output and performance are valued more highly than the truthful principles at work. Power relationships play a very important role in management in the present day. These relationships have taken on a very aggressive dimension nowadays with the current crop of power hungry managers. In my opinion, we need to build such relationships with our colleagues as well as our superiors to firstly sustain ourselves for the long run and then to ensure that we maintain a steady progress throughout our careers. From my personal experience while working with my previous employer, I used to notice that my team consisted of mainly Filipinos, Indians, Malaysians and Chinese. They used to split up into their respective nationality groups and stay together always while doing work and used to provide assistance and useful advice only to their countrymen when in need. Those groups kept trying out negative organizational politics against each other to ensure that none of them could grow in the company so as to attain overall power. The organizational politics at my company even went upto the higher management where in the promotions were dedicated only to their respective countrymen and was not based on ability or performance. The higher management even had absolute control of the human resource (HR) department whereby the hiring of new staff was prioritized based on nationality of the hiring manager or supervisor rather than giving priority to the qualification and experience of the new recruits. Quoting from Plato, â€Å"The measure of a man is what he does with power[4]†, in management terms, his words signify that a true ability of a manager can only be determined by how he utilizes his power effectively in the context of an organizational environment. The Greek Philosopher Socrates had once said: â€Å"Esteemed friend, citizen of Athens, the greatest city in the world, so outstanding in both intelligence and power, arent you ashamed to care so much to make all the money you can, and to advance your reputation and prestigewhile for truth and wisdom and the improvement of your soul you have no care or worry[2]†. This quotation is apt in describing the insatiable need for wealth among the Athenians in those days for gaining reputation and prestige at the cost of their moral values like truth and wisdom. Socrates’ words can even be applied with respect to today’s management style. In the current times, taking into account the fallout from the financial crisis and its impact on the organizations, managers get even more reluctant to follow the truthful ideologies and instead strongly engage in strengthening their power relationships with other hierarchical members within their organizations to establish a strong foothold for themselves in the industry. References: 1. Owens, J., Doctrine of Being in the Aristotelian Metaphysics. 3rd ed1978, Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies. 2. Spillane, R. , An Eye For An I: Living Philosophy2007, Melbourne: Michelle Anderson Publishing. 3. Thiselton, A. C. , The New international dictionary of New Testament theology, ed. B. Colin. Vol. 3. 1978, Exeter: Paternoster Press. 4. Stavropoulos, S. , The Beginning of All Wisdom: Timeless Advice from the Ancient Greeks. 1st ed2003: Da Capo Press.

Communication Healthcare

Communication Healthcare This essay will look at communication within a healthcare setting and will give examples from literature to demonstrate the importance of communication. It will use the work of (Ellis Beattie, 1986) and also (Egan, 1990) as models for effective communication. It will discuss whether these models are adequate alone to enable effective communication and will also draw on personal experiences from the clinical area. Communication underpins all other nursing interventions (Minardi Riley, 1997). Communication is a fundamental tool for healthcare delivery (Rungapadiachy, 1999). To listen to another person is the most caring act of all, Listening and attending are by far the most important aspects of being a nurse (Burnard, 1992). (Roper, 2001) Emphasizes communication as an integral part of the unique function of nursing. (Peplau, 1988) used the term, psychodynamic nursing, to describe the dynamic relationship between a nurse and a patient. Peplau described four phases of this relationship: The orientation phase, in which the person and the nurse mutually identify the persons problem. The identification phase, in which the person identifies with the nurse, thereby accepting help. The exploitation phase, in which the person makes use of the nurses help. The resolution phase, in which the person accepts new goals and frees herself or himself from the relationship. Peplau also identified six nursing roles of the nurse: Counseling Role working with the patient on current problems Leadership Role working with the patient democratically Surrogate Role figuratively standing in for aperson in the patients life Stranger accepting the patient objectively Resource Person interpreting the medical plan to the patient Teaching Role offering information and helping the patient learn (Betts, 1992) states that people have a basic drive to relate to one another, which is expressed through communication. Even if conversation doesnt take place, smiling as is not smiling a form of communication albeit non verbal. Communication can be conceptualized as a series of components that require a message, transmitter, receiver and a channel for transmission. All of these elements can be categorized into either verbal or non-verbal components. Both of these categories combine in the skill of active listening, which is a cornerstone of effective communication (Minardi Riley, 1997). (Ellis Beattie, 1986) used a diagram to illustrate the communication system, (appendix a). The communication system is divided into verbal and non-verbal parts. The verbal communication consists of words, clauses and sentences, which enables the exchange of information, clarification of issues, demonstrating understanding and to offer support and direction. The non-verbal system contains four elements: Prosodic, which is used to give emphasis to verbal communication through intonation and rhythm. Paralinguistic, which are the vocal but non-verbal expressions such as mmm, ah which will allow the person offering the information the confirmation that they are being listened to. Kinesic, is body language, for example facial expressions, gestures, position of the recipient. And The standing element, which may include physical appearance, personal space. Although a model of communication can simply demonstrate the communication process it can also oversimplify. A model only provides a framework for observing, understanding and predicting what occurs when two people communicate (Heath, 1995). Effective communication between a nurse and a patient is a conscious, goal directed process that differs from casual or social interactions. It is undertaken as a tool with which to develop trust, effect change, promote health, provide limits, reinforce, orient, convey, identify and work towards goals (Schultz Videbeck, 2002) An important aspect within effective communication is the ability to understand the message. Each element of communication must be examined separately. For example, within the Kinesic element, (Egan 1990) offers the acronym, SOLER, when considering the aspect of body language. Egan suggests to: Sit Squarely in relation to the client, Maintain an Open posture, Lean slightly towards the client, Maintain reasonable Eye contact, Relax. Through personal experience whilst in the clinical area I have implemented this acronym and found it effective although needing to examine my own actions later to assess whether its was used to its full potential. I have found that to sit squarely with the client isnt necessarily the best position this has offered periods of discomfort both for myself and visibly to the patient. By sitting in this position there is less opportunity to break eye contact without appearing distracted or disinterested. Open body posture can give a sense of disinterest as well as increasing anxiety in myself in situations where there may be a risk of physical aggression. In the suggestion that Egan gives of relaxing, this has been easier at times when the other suggestions of Egans have been modified. (Betts, 1992) states it is important not to stare at the patient for too long as this can be seen as an intimidating gesture as also can distance where too close can be seen as an invasion or a threat or too far can be interpreted as the nurse being unable to cooperate. Within the verbal element it is also important for the nurse to recognize the difference between a person saying what they mean and meaning what they say (Minardi Riley, 1997). An example of this from my own clinical experience was whilst having a conversation with a patient, they told me that they just wanted to kill themself. When we explored this statement further the patient said that they didnt actually mean they wanted to kill themselves but rather that they felt they couldnt cope with current problems. By sitting and discussing these problems, a number were able to be resolved and others discussed. In this situation and with such an alarming statement for a student nurse it would have been an easy get out to dismiss the statement. (Speight, 1991) however, states that by responding in this way could have led to the patient being unwilling to explore this statement further. Speight suggests that reflection can be used as a communication technique. For example, when the patient made the statement, the response that could be used is one of â€Å" you want to kill yourself?† and thereby encouraging a further response from the patient about the statement. To enable effective communication the healthcare worker must also be aware of the individual factors involved. All communication between individuals has internal factors that can influence the sending or receiving of the message, these may include beliefs, goals, physical and emotional states and the perceptions of others roles, status and personality. External factors may include environmental, social, biological, psychological and economic influences (George, 1990). (Minardi Riley, 1997) suggests that it is also important in being an effective communicator to ensure that the language used during communication is at a level that can be understood through familiarity of words. Once the basics of communication are understood, in order to turn this into effective communication it is important for the healthcare worker to examine their own actions through reflection (Minardi Riley, 1997). This may be done with the aid of a model of reflection such as Gibbs reflective cycle (appendix 2). Gibbs identifies five points for reflection. Description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action. By using Gibbs reflective cycle I have been able to identify obstacles either personal, environmental or on a physical level. This I believe has led me to a greater understanding of my own actions, thoughts or feelings and helped me identify solutions to these obstacles. Conclusion In conclusion, this essay has identified and examined models of communication and discussed the various elements involved. It has given examples from literature to stress the importance of communication and identified elements needed towards communication being effective within healthcare. It has drawn on personal experience form the clinical area to demonstrate the skills required in maintaining a therapeutic relationship and also identified the need for ongoing reflection during the communication processes.

Homosexuality in the Film Latter Days and in Sexual Perversion by Nagel

From the assigned readings and film, I felt that I have gained a better understanding on one of the most controversial types of relationships, homosexuality. The topic of homosexuality isn’t easy to openly talk about but it is important as philosophy students, to have an open-mind about topics that we don’t partake in. Doing so allows us to promote new ways of thinking about the world around us and see them in a whole new light. In this personal response paper, I will discuss homosexuality in connection with the film Latter Days to determine why a homosexual relationship can meet Kant’s criteria for acceptable love as mentioned in Ruse’s essay, â€Å"Is Homosexuality Bad Sexuality?†, as well as why it qualifies as a complete and healthy relationship as described by Nagel in â€Å"Sexual Perversion.† Michael Ruse’s essay revolves around the central question if homosexuality is an acceptable form of relationship. In order to help answer this question, Ruse examines this argument from multiple philosophical perspectives, mainly the categorical imperative and utilitarianism. The first ethical framework is Kant’s categorical imperative. According to this theory, a person should not use another for their own benefit or the benefit of others because â€Å"people must be treated as subjective worthy beings in their own right† (Ruse, 1995, pg.113). This means that in a relationship, one must not treat the other as a means to the fulfillment of their sexual desires (e.g. as a sexual object). Instead, there must be respect for the dignity of the other. â€Å"By giving oneself reciprocally – by yielding oneself, body and soul – one shows respect for the other as an end and not just as a means† (Ruse, 1995, pg. 113). In doing so, according to Kant, there woul... ...ity was something that I never really took the time to think about but after reading the essays and watching the film, I have newfound respect for homosexuality. I know it’s only a matter of opinion, but I do genuinely feel that homosexuality is indeed an acceptable way for people to act and that there is nothing wrong with it. Works Cited Nagel, T. (1995). Sexual perversion. In R. Stewart (4th Ed.), Philosophical Perspectives on Sex and Love (pp. 105-112). New York, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. Ruse, M. (1995). Is homosexuality bad sexuality?. In R.Stewart (4th Ed.), Philosophical Perspectives on Sex and Love (pp. 113-123). New York, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. Schaefer, J. & Tibbles, K. (Producers), & Cox, C.J. (Director). (2003). Latter days [Motion picture]. United States: Funny Boy Films & Davis Entertainment Filmworks.