Bean Trees Essay

Most authors convey an important message or idea through turn out(p) their noevls to give a gr ingest understanding to their readers. In Barbara Kingsolvers novel, The attic Trees, a strong idea that was develop was the possiublity of new offshoots. The Bean Trees is the story of the protagonist Taylor Greer, who starts off on a journey from her home town of Kentucky to Arizona. Along the way she she is given an given child which is the start to her learning about motherhood, becoming a women, the power of friendships and excessively learns to be capable.The idea of new beginnings is the top executive for characters to start over and leave their past behind them. It was mainly developed through Taylor, Turtle, and as well as a Guatamalan couple Estevan and Esperanza. The startle person who helped develop this idea is Taylor. At the beginning of the story Taylor was c bothed Marietta before she decided that she wanted to have a clean break beca engross she had never been ha ywire about the names which she had been c totallyed previously.I didnt have any special name in mind, but just wanted a change this fitted into the cornerstone of new beginnings because she was capable of leaving behind her old life and things that surrounded her name and had the opportunity to have the chance to create a new exigency for herself. As well as giving herself another chance to start her life and live it the way that she wanted through the changing of her name she also left her home town, house, friends, and mother all in search of somewhere new to live her life. She used chance to decide where she was going to stop with the use of her machine.Wherever it ran out of fuel or something happened to it, she would stop there. With the ambition of leaving her old Kentucky life behind her, she started a journey which led her to Oklahoma. this just happened to be the place where she was given an abandoned child. This was another new beginning for Taylor. Can you talk? What am I supposed to do with you tonight? What do you eat? This series of questions that Taylor asked the abandoned child showed that she had absolutely no idea what she was doing and still had to learn the first steps of becoming a mother.It was a new beginning for her to take on responsibility for someone else. She had to grow, learn and understand in order to take cargon of the child that she had suddenly gained to take on her journey. She whitethorn not have understood what to do or how to do it, or even truly wanted this new beginning, but all in all she was given the chance. Kingsolver suggests through the use of Taylor that often life presents us with unexpected occurances, but if grasped correctly can lead to a possible great change, and then future.Through the use of Taylor as a character Kingsolver helps to show us that around the corner, in every situation, if something as small as a car journey, can lead to amazing opportunities to start afresh in our lives. Turtle is anot her character that helps develop Kingsolvers idea of new beginnings. Turtle is an abandoned 3 year old Indian child, who was abused when she was younger. After her mother died she was left to an unexpected Taylor who was just someone passing through the town, but glowering into the receiver of a child who she had no clue what to do with.On later inspection of the child which she named Turtle she noticed that her body was covered in bruises and worse as Taylor said. When Taylor realised that turtle was a girl she said that fact already burdened her short life with a kind of affliction that she could not imagine. Through this you can picture just how horrible the life this young child must have had. However this was the end of her unspeakable story and the beginning to a new one. Just like Taylor she is given a new name, but also a new mother, new friends, and a new chance.With the opportunity Turtle is now able to grow. Turtle had managed to get through her whole life without a bo ok, I suppose, and then she had two of them bought for her in one day. This quote shows the beginning if Turtles chance of recovery. She was a 3 year old stuck in an 18 month old body. She was a child with a horrible past, but a chance to start over. The development of Turtle made you understand that the majority of people are at some bespeak given the ability to have a new beginning, no matter how terrible their life was before hand.Estevan and Esperanza are a Guatamalan couple who are also given the opportunity to have a new beginning and therefore helped develop the idea of new beginnings. Estevan and Esperanza are people who are illegally lifespan in Tucson. Esperanza and Estevan live in Matties sanctuary that she has set up for people like them. After becoming good friends with Taylor they decide that they need to perish on from Tucson and constantly running from the law. With Taylor and Turtle they set off to go to a safe house in Oklahoma.They were considered illegals and needed to be taken out of the country. however there should not be people judged as legal or illegal. There is only a difference between people who are good or bad. Because of this they are taken to a safe house where they are unlikely to be taken away. Instead of focusing on the interdict once at the church Estevan says dont think of us stuck here forever. Think of us back in Guatemala with our families. His optimism in their new ability to have a clean break and go back to their home country showed the idea of new beginnings in a different light. Its not ever so physically being somewhere that gives people their new beginnings.Sometimes it is just a chance that makes believing in what was, or what could be, possible again. This is how Estevan and Esperanza helped deleop new beginnings as an idea in the novel. In conclusion, everyone has a chance at a new beginning, whther big or small. Three different sets of characters showed this throughout the novel The Bean Trees. Taylor he lped the idea become present in the story as well as develop in as not only the physical actions that let the new beginning to happen, but also a state of mind.Turtle developed the idea so that it showed the readers that just because someones life starts out badly, it doesnt mean their opportunity to have a new beginning wont come along. Estevan and Esperanza developed the idea so that you realised sometimes all that you need is faith to have the chance at a new beginning. In the end new beginnings was an idea that many characters showed their their own stories and therefore developed into their own way of showing the idea and allowing readers to understand it.

Portfolio Essay

Portfolio Reflection study The beginning of high groom I was a seed in English phratry. I was non particularly good at English and had doubts on whether I should ask the teacher to move me grim to the college prep class. Just like a seed, I was a plain little student sit down in an honors class. Maybe from last years English class, I was fully aw are my physical composition was non anything special. That was what I thought because I compared myself to my friends, alone for sure, one thing I was positive was that paper was my strength in English rather than vocabulary and reading comprehension.With a portfolio with all my past essays in front of me on my desk, I flipped through it. I noniced that my essays were non well-organized, and I had trouble with structuring my essays. How of all time, at the same time, I saw that I had a variety of transitions, and clear topic sentences. The topic sentences were not creative because it was in a introductory format, but I knew she could work on that the upcoming year.Thanks to the portfolio that my teacher handed out at the start of the prepare year, I was able to realize that my writing behind change and believed that if I put time and effort through the year, my writing may ferment a f low-downer one day and bloom beautifully. I sat down in that classroom, day after day, learning new ways to improve. Eventually, almost a year of 9th grade passed. Now that almost a year has gone by and I compare my current self to myself in the beginning of the school year, I definitely see an improvement.I started the year off well, with galore(postnominal) As in my measure writing and my annotations. But as the year progressed, my grades were dropping. At first, I thought it was because I was putting less(prenominal) effort or my English teacher was grading hard on me. Although my grades did not show improvement, I encounter my grades are unimportant. What really matters to me is that I grew and improved mentally thr ough the year despite what my low grades. Of course, if I improved then my grades would rise, but compared to the beginning of the school year, I feel that I am able to write more(prenominal) fluently.Response to literature essays seem more familiar to me, and I do not struggle with concrete enlarge anymore. Due to the timed constant timed writings I had to take, I can brainstorm essays faster and finish essays within the given time limit. Paying attention to details was a major problem for me in the beginning of the school year, but now I turn in that I should read the text more than once and constantly write notes in the book with post-its so that I do not forget what happened.In addition, just like I exigencyed to improve on my topic sentences, I was able to learn to concord a variety of topic sentences instead of the basic topic sentence formats. Discussions, homework, lectures, and tests, were not the most interesting things, but through these, I was able to change. end-t o-end the year, I was given many on-demand writings reflecting upon each book that I read in class. I always had trouble with brainstorming because I took too much time on it. I was not able to organize my paragraphs well with pressure of time.The results of this were shown through my basic formatted paragraphs because I could not think of varieties of sentences. However, as time passed, my brainstorming time got faster and I was able to cast off enough time to cut off my essay afterwards. As I looked through my portfolio toward the end of the year, I saw all the on-demand writings I took over the course of the year. My regardite one turned out to be the Fahrenheit 451 in class essay. The essay was well written according to the comments from the teacher.It had an interesting opening sentence, organized thesis, and clear topic sentences. I am proud that I showed changes in my TS especially since I wrote the Fahrenheit 451 ICE toward the beginning of the school year. I would probab ly say that this essay is far the best on-demand writing I have ever written. In addition, I wrote a couple other ICEs on Oedipus Rex and Romeo and Juliet. From these two essays, I learned that I need to work on my commentaries and my introduction paragraph. I look forward to seeing new harvest-feast in myself next year. Process essays were my worst essays.It took up lots of time to brainstorm and research, especially since they are worth a lot of points and important. However, I found that the fact that we had only a limited center of sentences for commentary was invaluable. I should have the freedom to write as much as I want in the commentary especially since that part is one the most important parts to each proboscis paragraph. A couple essays I wrote were a persuasive essay and a rush report. Typically, people would favor the essay that received a higher grade, but I prefer my persuasive essay. It had an attractive hook, but needed work on unity and depth.Persuasive essays are my worst type of essay especially because I have to do research and I am terrible at looking up concrete details for these essays. I usually tend to blow off my commentaries because I do not have enough detail. But while flipping through my last years essay, I found a persuasive essay, and it brought a smile to my face. There was a huge improvement with the flow of the essay. My other essay, the career report, was definitely better than my persuasive because it had a good introduction and integrations, but the improvement touched me more than just a grade.I never knew an essay with the worst grade I ever received could make me smile. At the moment, I am a seed with a small, barely noticeable sprout. I feel that I am still not a great writer, but I learned many valuable lessons this school year. Through those lessons and small improvements I noticed, I hope my writing will move around and bloom like flowers in the spring. Next year, I wish to create stronger commentaries, introd uctions, and conclusion paragraphs. My weaknesses will become my strengths to improve throughout my high school years.

Quality Television Program Essay

As the channels available on Americas cable programs exceed a thousand and as idiot box becomes more readily available through mobile electronic devices, the criteria for what makes for a quality boob tube program has certainly become more intricate and competitive. There are many different genres of television programs that appeal to a certain type of audience. As a huge fan of drama movies and television, I will be evaluating the recently new spin-off television show 90210 which is currently aired on CW.The American teen drama series revolves around a series of characters attending a fictive high-pitched school in Beverly Hills. The program seems to attempt to capture many of the same audiences that enjoy shows such as Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries which are also hot TV programs on CW. To mensurate and determine the quality level of 90210 I will be looking at a knack of criteria that includes the appeal that the characters bring to the show, how realistic the show is, and a look at the development of plots throughout the final stage few mollifys.To shed some light on the television program I will come in some of the main characters that have been present in the four seasons the show has been airing. Lori Loughlin and Rob Hestes play arouse and Debbie Wilson as mother and father of daughter Annie Wilson and adopted son, Dixon Wilson. after(prenominal) a move from Kansas, the family of four enters season one as a new family to Beverly Hills and with Harry as the principal of Annie and Dixons new high school. Jessica Stroup plays Erin Silver Silver who has a bipolar disorder and tends to hang out with some of the less popular of those at Beverly Hills High.Annalynne McCord plays the infamous Naomi Clark who is the most popular, gorgeous, untouchable girl available at her school. Then there is Michael Steger who plays Navid Shirazi who in the first season plays as role as Dixons quirky sidekick and then slow falls into a leading role as he get s involved in a kin with Jessica Lowndes who plays Adrianna Tate-Duncan. And it certainly would not be a teen drama without the good looking guy, Matt Lanter performing Liam Court who soon gets together with Annie Wilson.As far as criteria is concerned for evaluating the shows characters I want to look at how engaging the characters are for the audience, how unique and identifiable they are, and what the relationships between the characters are like. After watching all four seasons of the show, they did a great job of picking actors/actresses that fit their different roles. With that said, individually of the characters definitely has their own unique characteristics and personalities.

Reaction Paper of the movie Les Miserables (1998) Essay

The movie is a potent social document of poverty, ignorance, and brutality of man by Victor Hugo. Les Miserables is similarly a rousing adventure of the hapless victim of French society Jean Valjean, and his valiant struggle to redeem his past. The movie had been so well d angiotensin-converting enzyme. The actors and actresses had played their check and portrayed the reputations in a way that the audience could really relate to. It was shorter than the adaptation of 2012 Les Miserables but the graphic symbols gave legal expert to their role. In addition, I prefer the 1998 adaptation than of the latest.Les Miserables is a story that portrays of the heroic life of a artless and good man in the person of Jean Valjean. He is a very memorable character who is morally upright but guilty of certain thefts for which he feels remorse. To avoid capture and life sentence, he assumes the identity of Monsieur Madeliene, soon becoming the mayor of the small town he has adopted. It is a ve ry well-favoured story packed with excitement. You will always try to think what would happen to the characters as they ventured into new frontiers. It negotiation about mans struggle to escape the past and reaffirm his humanity in a society where in poverty and ignorance prevails. Aside from being a superb adventure, it passel also be considered as a powerful social document. It shows the inhumane treatment of the convicts and ex-convicts.It also shows how a man faeces be redeemed by accepting suffering, and by following the dictates of his conscience even if it entails suffering and ostracism from many people. It also talks about the mans struggle for existence in the racing shell of the principal character, Jean Valjean as he tried to forget the past and go on with his life. He is such a remarkable character distinct to other people we met in our daily undertakings. Hes exceptional and one of a kind. It dwells with the supernatural power of sock, the love to give up ones fr eedom for the sake of justice. It is also quite romantic peculiarly on the part of the love affair of Marius and Cosette that tickles your bones. However, it is more on being a melodrama that allow your core group cry out especially on the ending part when Jean was willing to sacrifice his freedom for the happiness and peace of theme of his adopted daughter Cosette.On the other hand, I dont like the part where Cosette strike down in love to Marius on a short span of time. Marius was the big disappointment. He came across as a wimp. It had to be Cosettes lack of knowledge that attracted her to him. She could fill done so much better. I dont feel that anyone, with the exception of Fantine, was portrayed as well as possible. There were generation that I should have been brought to tears, and I wasnt. Another memorable character is Javert, the inspector who always followed Jean in the hope of capturing him. He is very much obsessed about it that leads to his death in his own hand s. He cant accept that he who is trying to inflict harm to a person was save by the same person. I admire his courage to admit that his father was a thief and his nonplus was a prostitute helps me understand more fully his reactions to Valjean, Fantine, and Cosette.My favorite scenes?Valjeans last moment with Marius and Cosette who among us have not lost a loved one, ever? Im sure everyone can relate. I also like the part when Valjean was willing to do everything just to protect Cosette. It stirred me thickset inside because knowing that hes not her biological father and yet hes willing to risk everything for the happiness of his adopted daughter. It reminds me of my father on the other way round.Gavroches move the kid was awesome too. He deserves to have another movieThis film teaches us many things. much(prenominal) as we cant escape our conscience. Even if we have successfully hidden our secrets in the variance of misdeeds in the past, it will continue to haunt us until w e face it and divulge it in public. Such was the typesetters case of Jean. It opens our eyes about the reality in our society we belong where there are lots of injustices, discriminations and the like. It also tells us not to judge the book by its cover in the case of Marius. We should not let pass any judgment over anybody because that person might have a golden heart hidden within him. We should also put in mind that if there is life, there is hope.No result how messy our past had come, we could still make amends to it and make our lives better. Jean is a great exemplar of such thing he succeeded to become a mayor in a town contempt his dark past. Life is difficult but it is in difficulty that we canappreciate its meaning. The miserable character of Jean in the movie teaches us the reality in life. Nevertheless, the bottom line is It does not theme how many heartaches, sufferings and pains we encountered in life as long as we have loved and we have been loved.

Example: Economics

Importance Of sparings al federal agencysyone is a activate of providence and everyone uses the rules of miserliness too. From the time we be born, we beat consumers of non-homogeneous products and utilitys (say, medical dish ups, baby foods, and so on). We grow and diversify to attain various diametric roles as producers, traders, mediators and agents. Todays world is that of economic imperialism, where economical factors, nearly consequenti every last(predicate)y, money dictates all the elements of the order of magnitude, non to forget close family relations. With recession wreaking havoc, economics is something which even up ignorant households ar learning.Economics is a science which deals with production, scattering and consumption of goods and services. Therefore, we sewer conclude that whatever involves transfer of money includes economics. There ar cardinal schools of economics, namely, microeconomics and macroeconomics. The combined results of these ii determine the actual effect of economics on people. To list all the important functions of economics would be literary impossible as newer issues keep creeping up. In the fol gloomying lines, we puzzle described some broad and basic functions of economics. Signifi skunkce Of Economics Optimizes Resource UsageIn todays world, the count of visions available to us is reducing each day. This condition will only worsen, if we keep utilise our resources with low efficiency and effectiveness. Economics provides a mechanism for looking at possible trends to optimize resource utilization and reduce wastages. Utilizes the Opportunity Cost This is a nonher principle employ for resources in which the scarce resources argon utilized efficiently, after calculating and checking the opportunity cost. A simple theory of exclusion is put into play. If you incur aim something all over another thing, then what loss you sustain is the opportunitycost.If we minimize the opportunity cost, we g et maximum profits. For example, a psyche who invests $10,000 in a stock denies himself the interest that could arrive been accrued, by leaving the $10,000 in the bank account instead. The opportunity cost of the decision to invest in stock, is the value of the interest. When this principle is apply in budget allocations by disposal, it results in best(p) ontogenesis pass judgments. Gains Social Efficiency If a society keeps on putting money into its rescue with no profits or loss, then the economy becomes wasteful and so does the society, as it gets dependent on the economy.If the input into an economy is larger than the output, then the society starts disintegrating and locomote prey to destructive social evils, want unemployment and poverty. The same is the case if the economy is stagnant. Understanding of economics leads to better think economy. similarly, profitable economic steps introduced largely aid in the societys overall prosperity. Stabilizes The Overall E conomy The stability of an economy is inevitable to every country or society. Only by economically sound practices tooshie we ensure that the economy is stable and growing at the same time.In novel times, when the worlds economy fell, only a few countries were able to sustain their growth rate and prevent severe monetary impacts on their citizens. Understands Individual Economics This is important for the growth of individuals economically. A person aims to understand the economic situations and stipulations present in his own life. He whitethorn not need the hardcore inborn understanding of economics, but he definitely needs to understand the economic practices that he must follow to eradicate chances of going broke or bankrupt.Also, understanding of economics helps in utilize the resources in the best possible delegacy and gaining maximum profit. What is Economics? A Definition of Economics Ever wonder why food costs rise when gas prices spike? Ever question why U. S. polit icians worry when other countries talk of going bankrupt? Ever wonder why you cant get a good interest rate on your savings account? All of these phenomena can be explained through economics. Economics is the story of the production and consumption of goods and the transfer of wealth to produce and reserve those goods.Economics explains how people interact indoors securities industrys to get what they want or accomplish certain goals. Since economics is a driving force of benignant interaction, perusal it often reveals why people and governances behave in cross ways. There be deuce main types of economicsmacroeconomicsandmicroeconomics. Microeconomicsfocuses on the actions of individuals and industries, like the dynamics among buyers and sellers, borrowers and lenders. Macroeconomics, on the other hand, takes a much broader view by analyzing the economic activity of an entire country or the inter provinceal marketplace.A study of economics can describe all aspects of a cou ntrys economy, such(prenominal) as how a country uses its resources, how much time laborers devote to extend and leisure, the outcome of investing in industries or financial products, the effect of taxes on a population, and why businesses succeed or fail. People who study economics are callight-emitting diode economists. Economists seek to answer important questions round how people, industries, and countries can maximize their productivity, create wealth, and have financial stability.Because the study of economics encompasses m some(prenominal) factors that interact in complex ways, economists have different theories as to how people and regimens should behave within markets. Adam Smith, know as the Father of Economics, established the first neo economic theory, called the Classical School, in 1776. Smith believed that people who acted in their own self-interest produced goods and wealth that benefited all of society. He believed that governments should not restrict or interf ere in markets because they could regu belated themselves and, thereby, produce wealth at maximum efficiency.Classical theory forms the basis of capitalism and is still prominent today. A second theory known as Marxism states that capitalism will eventually fail because factory owners and CEOs exploit labor to generate wealth for themselves. Karl Marx, the theorys namesake, believed that such exploitation leads to social unrest and class conflict. To ensure social and economic stability, he theorized, laborers should own and control the means of production. While Marxism has been widely rejected in capitalistic societies, its interpretation of capitalisms flaws remains relevant.A more recent economic theory, the Keynesian School, describes how governments can act within capitalistic economies to promote economic stability. It calls for reduced taxes and increased government spending when the economy becomes stagnant, and increased taxes and reduced spending when the economy becomes overly active. This theory strongly influences U. S. economic policy today. As one can see, economics shapes the world. Through economics, people and countries become wealthy. Because buying and selling are activities vital to survival and success, studying economics can help one understand piece thought and behavior.Branches of Economics Economics has two branches microeconomics and macroeconomics. Microeconomicsis the branch of economics that deals with the personal decisions of consumers and entrepreneurs. Its primary concern is to help consumers and investors sire their lives better by increase their earnings and satisfying their needs despite exceptional resources. Also included in its study are the consumers decisions on what products to buy and how the cost of commodities is determined. Macroeconomicsdeals with the larger aspects of a nations economy, such as the sectors of agriculture, industry, and service.It aims to (a) speed up the economys growth rate and increase to tal production (b) increase the rate of employment (c) keep the prices of commodities stable so that they remain affordable and (d) have sufficient reserves for foreign exchange for importing goods and paying onward loans. Economists help in solving problems like unfair wages, rapid population growth, people migration to city centers, gamey crime incidence, and loss of human resources due to overseas migration. Economic Methodology What is the difference surrounded by compulsory and normative economics?Positive economicsis objective and fact based, maculationnormative economicsis subjective and value based. Positive economic statements do not have to be correct, but they must be able to be tested and proved or disproved. Normative economic statements are opinion based, so they cannot be proved or disproved. While this distinction seems simple, it is not unendingly easy to differentiate between the positive and the normative. galore(postnominal) widely-accepted statements that people hold as fact are actually value based.For example, the statement, government should provide basic healthcare to all citizens is a normative economic statement. There is no way to prove whether government should provide healthcare this statement is based on opinions close to the role of government in individuals lives, the importance of healthcare and who should pay for it. The statement, government-provided healthcare increases public expenditures is a positive economic statement, because it can be proved or disproved by examining healthcare spending data in countries likeCanadaandBritainwhere the government provides healthcare.Disagreements over public policies typically revolve around normative economic statements, and the disagreements persist because neither attitude can prove that it is correct or that its opponent is incorrect. A clear understanding of the difference between positive and normative economics should lead to better policy qualification, if policies are made based on facts (positive economics), not opinions (normative economics). Nonetheless, numerous policies on issues ranging from international trade towelfareare at least partly based on normative economics.Deduction in Economics Deductive economics starts with a fructify of axioms about economies and how they work, and relies on these principles to explain individual cases or events. Supply and demand epitome, a staple in any introductory economics course, is an example of deductive reasoning because it involves a set of generally accepted principles about demand and supply. To summarize, deduction in economics starts with a generally accepted principle and carry on to the specific. innovation in EconomicsInductive reasoning in economics does the reverse of deductive reasoning namely, it begins with an individual problem or question and proceeds to form a general principle based on the evidence detect in the real world of economic activity. For example, an economist who a sks if a government program of public kit and boodle spending will stimulate a regions economy will proceed to research the issue, collect and break down data, and based on conclusions, form a general theory about the economic impact of pecuniary policies. Classification of economic resources? here are two types of economic resources a. Property resources b. human resources Human resourcesis the set of individuals who make up theworkforceof anorganization,business sectoror aneconomy. Human capital is sometimes used synonymously with human resources, although human capital typically refers to a more narrow view i. e. , the familiarity the individuals embody and can contribute to an organization. Likewise, other terms sometimes used include manpower, gift, labour/labor or simply people. The Four Factors of Production in EconomicsLand Land refers to the intrinsic resources that are available and used in the production of goods. For example, a heavy mining industry could not exist without the natural deposits of valuable minerals in the ground, while a thriving farming community would have a hard time surviving with poor soil and no rainfall. Labor Labor refers to the human inputs of work to produce the goods and services. For example, the training required for employees to successfully operate machines to produce cars would be considered as part of labor.In addition, the mental capacity to perform tasks and invent new products is also part of labor. The only human element not included in labor is entrepreneurship. Capital Capital refers to the tools and machines that are required for the production of the product. For example, when making cars, the capital would include the factory and all the machinery in the factory used in making the car. On a farm, the capital would include the tractors, harvesters and other equipment used to grow crops or raise livestock. EntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship refers to the economic motive for an individual to attempt to ma ke a profit from an idea. For example, people may know how to build cars, machines may be available and the land for the factories for sale, but it takes an entrepreneur to put those factors together in an attempt to make a profit. Entrepreneurs put their own resources at stake by personally investing in the company. For example, a business owner is not paid an hourly wage like the people who work for her. Instead, her income depends on the success or failure of the business venture. production possibility curveA graphicalrepresentationof the alternativecombinationsof theamountsof twogoodsorservicesthat aneconomycanproduceby transferringresourcesfrom onegoodorserviceto the other. Thiscurvehelps in determining whatquantityof a nonessential good or a service an economy canaffordto produce without jeopardizing therequiredproductionof anessential goodor service. Also calledtransformation curve. What are the three basic economic problems? the basic economic problem is the unbounded want s and needs of human which results to scarcity of resources. what are the needs? the needs are the things we must posses in order to survive like food,water, clothing,shelter. while the wants are those things that human would like to have in order to improve there office in life. we limited resources thata why encounter this problem. the economic resources like land, labor,and capital which are the factors if production are insufficient to satisfy our needs and wants. All 3 problems are more clearly explained using a ppf/ppc 1) What to produce This problem is what should theeconomyproduce in order to satisfy consumer wants (as seen by demand curves) as best as possible using the limited resources available.If a country produces goods in a way that maximisesconsumer satisfactionthen the economy is allocatively efficient. 2) How to produce This problem is how to combine production inputs to produce the goods decided in problem 1 as most efficiently as possible. Aneconomyachieves prod uctive efficiency if it produces goods using the least resources possible. A productively effiecient economy is represented by an economy that is able to produce a combination of goods on the actual curve of the PPF. 3) For whom to produce Should the economy produce goods targetted towards those who have high incomes or those who have low incomes.What sort of demographic group should the goods in the economy that are produced be targetted towards? If the economy is addresses this problem then it has reached preto efficiency or pareto optimality. If all three problems are addressed at any one time then the economy has achieved still efficiency. If the economy achieves static efficiency over a period of time then it is dynamically efficient. All these problems are focused around the problem of unlimited wants and limited resources. Where resources are the fators of production (such as labor, capital, technology, land.. ) which are used to produce the products that satisy the wants. c onomic system Anorganizedway in which a state ornationallocatesitsresourcesandapportionsgoods and servicesin the nationalcommunity. Types of Economic Systems You cant always get what you want. Thats what the Rolling Stones sang, anyway (check it out great song even if its a bit in advance your time). And while Mick Jagger probably didnt have Econ 101 in mind, he managed to sum up utterly the core concept underlying all economics. Scarcityis the fundamental contest confronting all individuals and nations. We all mettle limitations so we all have to make choices.We cant always get what we want. How we deal with these limitationsthat is, how we prioritize and allocate our limited income, time, and resourcesis the basic economic challenge that has confronted individuals and nations throughout history. But not every nation has addressed this challenge in the same way. Societies have developed different broad economic approaches to manage their resources. Economists generally make d o four basic types of economic systemstraditional, take, market, and abstrusebut they dont completely agree on the question of which system best addresses the challenge of scarcity.Atraditional economic systemisheres a shockershaped by tradition. The work that people do, the goods and services they provide, how they use and exchange resources all tend to follow long-established patterns. These economic systems are not very dynamicthings dont change very much. Standards of living are static individuals dont enjoy much financial or occupational mobility. But economic behaviors and relationships are predictable. You know what you are supposed to do, who you trade with, and what to expect from others. In many traditional economies, community interests take precedence over the individual.Individuals may be expected to combine their efforts and share equally in the proceeds of their labor. In other traditional economies, some sort of private property is respected, but it is restrained b y a strong set of obligations that individuals owe to their community. Today you can find traditional economic systems at work among Australian aborigines and some isolated tribes in the Amazon. In the past, they could be found everywherein the feudal agrarian villages of medieval Europe, for example. In acommand economic systemorplanned economy, the government controls the economy.The state decides how to use and distribute resources. The government regulates prices and wages it may even determine what sorts of work individuals do. Socialismis a type of command economic system. Historically, the government has assumed varying degrees of control over the economy in socialist countries. In some, only major industries have been subjected to government management in others, the government has exercised far more extensive control over the economy. The classic (failed) example of a command economy was the communist Soviet Union. The collapse of the communist bloc in the late 1980s led to the emise of many command economies around the world Cuba continues to hold on to its planned economy even today. Inmarket economies, economic decisions are made by individuals. The unfettered interaction of individuals and companies in the marketplace determines how resources are allocated and goods are distributed. Individuals choose how to invest their personal resourceswhat training to pursue, what jobs to take, what goods or services to produce. And individuals decide what to consume. Within apure market economythe government is entirely absent from economic affairs.The United States in the late nineteenth century, at the h octet of the lassez-faire era, was about as close as weve seen to a pure market economy in modern practice. Amixed economic systemcombines elements of the market and command economy. Many economic decisions are made in the market by individuals. But the government also plays a role in the allocation and distribution of resources. The United States today, li ke most advanced nations, is a mixed economy. The eternal question for mixed economies is just what the right mix between the public and private sectors of the economy should be. Why It Matters TodayHalf of the twentieth century went down as a global battle between defenders of take over markets (democratic capitalist nations, led by the United States) and believers in command economies (the communist bloc, led by the Soviet Union). The US and USSR never went to war against each other directly, but dozens of smaller (yet still tragic and significant) wars unfolded around the world as bitter fights over economic systems turned bloody. Korea, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Angola millions of people died in the various hot theaters of a Cold War fought to decide whether markets or states should control economic affairs.The great irony was that the Cold War finally ended not on a battlefield, but because the Soviet economy finally self-destructed by the late 1980s. For most of the wo rld, the Soviet collapse proved that command economies were simply humble to the market-dominated mixed economies of the capitalist world. Of course, China still ruled politically by an authoritarian Communist Party, even though its economy is now more mixed if not exactly free is now the biggest creditor nation to the United States. What are six major economic goals of a market economy? Freedom, efficiency, comparability, stability, security, growth.The 6 Economic Goals Objectives Summarize the basic economic goals societies share 6 Economic Goals Economic Efficiency Making the most of resources Societies must be efficient Economic Freedom Freedom from govt intervention in the production & distribution of G & S Economic Security and Predictability We want to know that G & S will be available (Paychecks too) Safety Net- govt programs that protect ppl experiencing unfavorable economic conditions 6 Economic Goals Cont. Economic Equity bazar distribution of wealth Eco nomic Growth and Innovation Innovation leads to growth, and economic growth leads to a high standard living Standard of Living- level of economic prosperity Other Goals Environmental Protection, Consumer Safety millennium Development Goals MDG redirects here. For other uses, seeMDG (disambiguation). The Millennium Development Goals are aUNinitiative. TheMillennium Development Goals(MDGs) are eightinternational developmentgoalsthat were officially established following theMillennium Summitof theUnited Nationsin 2000, following the bankers acceptance of theUnited Nations Millennium Declaration.All 193 United Nationsmember statesand at least 23international organizationshave agree to achieve these goals by the year 2015. The goals are Eradicatingextreme poverty and hunger, Achievinguniversal primary education, Promotinggender equalityandempoweringwomen, Reducingchild mortalityrates, Improvingmaternal health, CombatingHIV/AIDS,malaria, and other diseases, Ensuring environmentalsu stainability, and Developing a global partnership for development. 1Each of the goals has specific stated targets and dates for achieving those targets. To accelerate get on with, theG8Finance Ministers agreed in June 2005 to provide complete funds to theWorld Bank, theInternational Monetary Fund(IMF), and theAfrican Development Bank(AfDB) to cancel an special $40 to $55billion in debt owed by members of theHeavily Indebted Poor Countries(HIPC) to allow impoverished countries to rechannel the resources save from the forgiven debt to social programs for improving health and education and for alleviating poverty.Debate has surrounded adoption of the MDGs, focusing on lack of analysis and justification behind the chosen objectives, the difficulty or lack of measurements for some of the goals, and uneven progress towards stretchability the goals, among other criticisms. Although developed countries aid for achieving the MDGs has been rising over recent years, more than half the aid is towards debt relievo owed by poor countries, with much of the remaining aid money going towards natural disaster backup man and military aid which do not further development.Progress towards reaching the goals has been uneven. Some countries have achieved many of the goals, while others are not on track to realize any. A UN conference in September 2010 reviewed progress to date and concluded with the adoption of a global action plan to achieve the eight anti-poverty goals by their 2015 target date.There were also new commitments on womens and childrens health, and new initiatives in the worldwide battle against poverty, hunger, and disease. Government organizations take care in achieving those goals, among them are the United Nations Millennium Campaign, the Millennium Promise Alliance, Inc. , the Global Poverty Project, theMicah Challenge, The Youth in Action EU Programme, Cartoons in Action video project, and the 8 Visions of Hope global art project.

Foundations of Organizational Structure Essay

TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 judicature & mankind imaginativenesstutorial 1 public Introduction1. Ice-breaking session.2. Self-introduction by tutor and students.3. Briefing on course requirements.4. Tutorial expectations and administer upicipation.5. Briefing on throng Report & Oral Presentation (requirements and expectations). 6. Team formation for Group Report. (4 part per convocation)7. Tutor assigns question and time for viva presentation & group report ** Oral presentation and group report submission eitherow for starts from run forweek 3 to 5****Important note**Students ar required to sit for one (1) online teston Week 3. Please make sure that you atomic numeral 18registered on a lower floor this course and be able to nettleto CEL to take the test.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & humansity imaginationtutorial 2Topic 1 Foundations of Organizational social structure start A Multiple alternative Questions1) The ________ refers to the number of subordinates that a manager directs. A) span of controlB) whiz of commandC) chain of commandD) decentralization principleE) attractionship web2) A undertaking that is subdivided into near separate communication channels is considered to live________. A) a luxuriously breaker point of departmentalizationB) a low degree of decentralizationC) a elevated degree of practise distinctionD) a low degree of structureE) a high degree of matrix structuring3) Aeronautics Inc., a parts supplier, has departments for g all overnment aircraft and contracts, large commercial aircraft clients, and tenuous in the flesh(predicate) aircraft clients. This is an example of ________ departmentalization.A) productB) functionC) geographyD) customerE) service4) Stalsberry Company has employees in personnel, sales, and accounting. This division of an organic law into groups according to work functions is an example of ________, the second element of structural establishment.A) social clusteringB) bureaucratismC) specializationD) centralizationE) departmentalization5) The unbroken line of function that extends from the hap of the scheme to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom is boundaryed ________. A) chain of commandB) authorityC) span of control.D) unity of commandE) web of authority6) Which one of the pastime is consistent with a innocent structure? A) highcentralizationB) high horizontal differentiationC) high employee discretionD) standardizationE) bureaucracy7) Which of the undermentioned is a drawback of a narrow span of control? It ________. A) reduces in force(p)nessB) is much efficientC) encourages too tight supervision and discourages employee autonomy D) empowers employeesE) increases participatory ratiocination- qualification8) In an presidential term that has high centralization, ________. A) the corporate headquarters is placed centrally to branch bump offices B) all top level officials atomic number 18 located withi n the same geographical area C) action drop be taken more quickly to solve problemsD) new employees have a great deal of legitimate authorityE) top managers make all the decisions and turn down level managers merely carry out bursting chargesTUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCEtutorial 3Topic 2 Organizational Culture element A disputeion Question1) Explain the primary methods of keep abreasting an organizations market-gardening. Once a culture is in place, in that respect are practices within the organization that act to maintain it by giving employees a come of similar experiences. Three forces play a particularly grave part in nurseing a culture extract practices, the actions of top counselling, and socialization methods.a) First, the unambiguous goal of the plectron process is to identify and hire personistics who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to run thejobs within the organization successfully. It would be naive to sac k that the final decision as to who is hired lead be signifi digesttly regularized by the decision shapers judgment of how well the raftdidates will fit into the organization. This attempt to ensure a proper match, whether intentionally or inadvertently, expirations in the hiring of people who have values fundamentally consistent with those of the organization, or at least(prenominal) a hefty portion of those values. In addition, the option process provides information to applicants astir(predicate) the organization. Candidates learn about the organization and, if they perceive a counterpoint surrounded by their values and those of the organization, they can self-select themselves out of the applicant pool.b) In addition to selection, the actions of top forethought likewise have a major affect on the organizations culture. done what they say and how they behave, senior executives establish norms that filter down by means of the organization as to whether pretend taking is desirable how frequently independence managers should give their employees what is appropriate dress what actions will manufacture off in terms of contain raises, promotions, and new(prenominal) rewards and the like.c) Finally, no matter how good a job the organization does in recruiting and selection, new employees are not fully indoctrinated in the organizations culture. Beca social function they are unfamiliar with the organizations culture, new employees are potentially potential to disturb the teachings and customs that are in place. The organization will, in that locationfore, want to help new employees adapt to its culture. This adaptation process is called socialization. This is when the organization seeks to run the outsider into an employee in good standing. Employees who fail to learn the essential or pivotal per centumage ports risk be labeled nonconformists or rebels, which frequently leads to expulsion. But the organization will be socializing every(prenominal) employee, though maybe not as explicitly, through with(predicate)out his or her entire career in the organization. This barely contributes to sustaining the culture.2) Explain how an institutionalized culture can be a barrier to diversity. quarter how an organization could expend the trio forces at play in sustaining a culture to help create a assorted workforce.By limiting the function of dealable values and tendencys, unbendable cultures put considerable pressure on employees to conform. In some instances, a strong culture that condones prejudice can even undermine semi-formal corporate diversity policies. Strong cultures can also be liabilities when they support institutional bias or develop insensitive to people who are different.Hiring new employees who differ from the majority in race, age, gender, dis mogul, or new(prenominal) characteristics creates a paradox management wants to demonstrate support for the differences these employees bring to t he workplace, but newcomers who wish to fit in must accept the organizations core cultural values. Beca uptake diverse behaviors and unique strengths are likely to diminish as people attempt to assimilate, strong cultures can generate liabilities when they effectively lead these advantages. The explicit goal of the selection process is to identify and hire individuals with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully. Taking diversity into consideration at this phase does not have to be antagonistic to the culture.The final decision, because its significantly enamourd by the decision makers judgment of how well the candidates will fit into the organization, identifies people whose values are essentially consistent with at least a good portion of the organizations. Looking beyond arise level differences at the selection phase will help create a diverse workforce. Through words and behavior, senior executives establish norms that filter through the organization ab out, for instance, whether risk taking is desirable, how much freedom managers should give employees, what is appropriate dress, and what actions pay off in terms of pay raises, promotions, and other rewards. Management actions should be inclusive and non-prejudicial to create a diverse and utilitarian culture. During the metamorphosis stage of socialization management should use institutional practices to encourage personorganization fit and high levels of commitment.3) What are the three stages of socialization through which employees frame indoctrinated into an organizations culture?The three stages of socialization are prearrival, encounter, and metamorphosis. a) The prearrival stage effs that each individual arrives with a sterilize of values, attitudes, and expectations. These cover twainthe work to be done and the organization. b) Upon entry into the organization, the new member enters the encounter stage. Here the individual confronts the possible dichotomy amidst her expectations and reality. c) Finally, the new member must work out any problems discovered during the encounter stage. This may mean going through changes hence, this is called the metamorphosis stage.4) Discuss the difference mingled with strong and weak organizational cultures and discuss the effect that a strong culture can have on an acquisition or merger. Strong cultures have a greater impact on employee behavior and are more directly related to reduced turnover. In a strong culture, the organizations core values are both intensely held and widely shared. The more members who accept the core values and the greater their commitment to those values is, the stronger the culture is. A strong culture will have a great influence on the behavior of its members because the high degree of sharedness and intensity creates an familiar climate of high behavioral control.One specific result of a strong culture should be lower employee turnover. A strong culture demonstrates high agreemen t among members about what the organization stands for. Such consonance of purpose builds cohesiveness, loyalty, and organizational commitment. These qualities, in turn, lessen employees propensity to leave the organization. In recent years, cultural compatibility has become the primary concern. All things beingness equal, whether the acquisition actually works seems to have more to do with how well the two organizations cultures match up. The primary cause of failure is involutioning organizational cultures, when people simply dont match up. Therefore, when considering an acquisition or merger, management would study to carefully evaluate the cultures of each organization.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 4Topic 3 Foundations of Group Behavior & Understanding blend in TeamsPart A parole Question1) List and briefly describe the stages in the five-stage model of groupdevelopment. The five-stage group development model characterizes groups as proceeding through five distinct stages forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. a) Forming is characterized by a great deal of uncertainty about the groups purpose, structure, and attractionship. Members are testing the waters to fancy what personas of behavior are acceptable.b) In the storming stage, members accept the existence of the group, but there is resistance to the constraints that the group imposes on individuality. There is conflict over who will control the group.c) The third stage is one in which windup human relationships develop and the group demonstrates cohesiveness. There is now a strong sense of group identify and camaraderie. This norming stage is complete when the group structure solidifies and the group has assimilated a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behavior. d) The fourthly stage is performing. The structure at this point is fully functional and accepted. Group energy has moved from get to know and underst and each other to performing the task at hand.e) In the adjourning stage, the group prepares for its disbandment. superior task military operation is no womb-to-tomb the groups top priority. Instead, attention is directed toward wrap up up activities.2) Design the most effective aggroup to figure out ways to reduce the number of preparation hours for conveyance products overseas for your company. Choose the shell of police squad up from one of the four principal team types. Describe your teams context, composition, and process parameters.Answers will vary. A problem-solving team is probably the best type of team for this task. In a problem-solving team members share ideas or suggest how work processes and methods can beimproved. The problem-solving team will offer ideas to management. Together they discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment.The team will need information on what products are being shipped and howlong each of them takes, as well as details on the current procedures. Adequate information is essential. A firm goal of reducing the hours played out must be established by a leader. The group should be comprised of workers and management with expertise in the shipping department procedures. The team should have five members, three management and two people from shipping and packaging. The process parameters should be clearly outlined, with goals of exactly how much time involve to be shaved off of packaging processes.3) Explain the difference between groupthink and group shift. Give an example to support your answer.Groupthink is related to norms. It describes berths in which group pressures for conformity deter the group from critically appraising strange, minority, or unpopular watchs. Groupthink is a affection that attacks many groups and can dramatically hinder their work. Group shift indicates that in discussing a given set of alternatives and arriving at a solution, group members tend to exaggerate th e initial positions that they hold. In some situations, caution dominates, and there is a conservative shift. More often, however, the evidence indicates that groups tend toward a risky shift. Students answers may vary.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 5Topic 4 Motivation ConceptsPart A Discussion Questions1) oppose and contrast a manager that implements possibleness Y and one that adheres to the expectancy guess. How would each choose to prod their employees? surmise Y managers assume that employees can apparent horizon work as being as native as rest or play, and therefore the average person can learn to accept, even seek, responsibility. Theory Y assumes that higher-order needs dominate individuals. Theory Y managers would contend that ideas much(prenominal) as participative decision making, answerable and challenging jobs, and good group relations are approaches that would maximize an employees job motive. A Theory Y manager believe s that the employee is inherently make as long as the conditions respect his intellect and character. A Theory Y manager would work hard to include the employee in decision making concerning his job, to adjoin work environment preferences, and to make sure the work is stimulating.Expectancy hypothesis proposes that employees will be incited to exert a high level of effort when they believe it will lead to a good performance appraisal that a good appraisal will lead to organizational rewards such(prenominal) as bonuses, salary increases, or promotions and that the rewards will satisfy the employees personal goals. An expectancy theory manager would focus much more on the reward expectations of the employee, versus the psychologic expectations. It would be important for the manager to understand the personal goals that the employee strives to achieve so that he can be appropriately rewarded and praised.2) Describe Maslows pecking order of needs including the types of needs and ho w they become dominant.Maslows hierarchy of needs hypothesized that within every human being there exists a hierarchy of five needs.a) The physiological needs include hunger, thirst, shelter, sex, and other bodily needs. b) Safety includes security and protection from personal and emotional harm. c) Social includes affection, belongingness, acceptance, and friendship. d) Esteem includes internal appraise factors such as self-respect, autonomy, and achievement and external esteem factors such as status, credit place, and attention. e) Self-actualization is the drive to become what one is capable of becoming includes growth, achieving ones potential, and self-fulfillment.As each of these needs becomes substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant. So if you want to motivate someone, according to Maslow, you need to understand whatlevel of the hierarchy that person is currently on and focus on satisfying those needs at or above that level3) harmonise to Two-Factor Theory , how might a manager motivate employees?According to Herzberg, the factors leading to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction. Therefore, managers who seek to eliminate factors that can create job dissatisfaction may bring about peace but not inescapably result in motivation. Conditions surrounding the job such as quality of supervision, pay, company policies, physical functional conditions, relations with others, and job security were characterized by Herzberg as hygiene factors. When they are adequate, people will not be dissatisfied neither will they be satisfied. If we want to motivate people on their jobs, Herzberg suggested accenting factors associated with the work itself or to outcomes directly derived from it, such as promotional opportunities, opportunities for personal growth, recognition, responsibility, and achievement. These are the characteristics that people baffle intrinsically rewarding.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEA BDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 6Topic 5 Motivation From Concepts to ApplicationsPart A Discussion Questions1) List and describe THREE (3) different variable-pay programs. Be sure to include piece-rate plans, profit-sharing plans, and gainsharing.a) Piece-rate plans. In piece-rate pay plans, workers are paid a fixed sum for each unit of achievement completed. When an employee gets no base salary and is paid only for what he or she produces, this is a pure piece-rate plan.b) Merit-establish pay. Merit-based pay plans also pay for individual performance. However, unlike piece-rate plans, which pay based on objective output, merit-based pay plans are based on performance appraisal ratings.c) Profit-sharing. Profit-sharing plans are organization-wide programs that distribute compensation based on some established formula designed around a companys profitably.d) Bonuses. Bonuses can be paid altogether to executives or to all employees. Many companies now routinely reward production employees withbonuses in the thousands of dollars when company net income improve.e) Skill-Based Pay. Skill-based pay (also called competency-based or knowledge-based pay) sets pay levels on the basis of how many skills employees have or how many jobs they can do.f) ESOPs. Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are company-established benefit plans in which employees acquire stock, often at below-market prices, as part of their benefits.g) Gainsharing. Gainsharing is a formula-based group incentive plan. Improvements in group productivity determine the total amount of money that is to be allocated. By foc utilize on productivity gains rather than profits, gainsharing rewards specific behaviors that are less influenced by external factors. Employees in a gainsharing plan can receive incentive awards even when the organization isnt profitable. 2) Compare and contrast the benefits of intrinsic rewards such as recognition and extrinsic rewards such as pay as forms of motivat ion.Organizations are increasingly recognizing that both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards are important. Rewards are intrinsic in the form of employee recognition programs and extrinsic in the form of compensation systems. Intrinsic rewards range from a spontaneous and private thank-you to widely publicized formal programs in which specific types of behavior are encouraged and the procedures for attaining recognition are clearly place.Pay, an extrinsic reward, is not the primary factor driving job satisfaction, however, itdoes motivate people, and companies often underestimate its importance in keeping top talent. No matter how much recognition a top performer gets, he will be tempted to leave if the pay scale is much lower than the market and other offer arrives. Recent survey data indicate most employees dont see a strong connection between pay and performance. Variable pay structures, such as bonuses are often the best production motivators. When pay is tied to performance, th e employees earnings also recognize contribution ratherthan being a form of entitlement. Over time, low performers pay stagnates, while high performers enjoy pay increases commensurate with their contributions.An obvious advantage of intrinsic rewards like recognition programs is that they are tacky since praise is free. However, they are highly susceptible to political manipulation by management. When applied to jobs for which performance factors are relatively objective, such as sales, recognition programs are likely to be perceived by employees as fair. However, in most jobs, the criteria for good performance arent self evident, which allows managers to manipulate the system and recognize their favorites. cry out can undermine the value of recognition programs and demoralize employees. Research suggests financial incentives may be more motivating in the short term, but in the long run intrinsic incentives will continue good employees if the extrinsic incentives are competitive .3) What is employee conflict and why is it important. Give two examples. Employee involvement is be as a participative process that uses the entire capacity of employees and is designed to encourage increased commitment to the organizations success. The underlying logic is that by involving workers in those decisions that affect them and by increasing their autonomy and control over their work lives, employees will become more motivated, more committed to the organization, more productive, and more satisfied with their jobs. Examples of employee involvement include a) Participative management. Participative management programs use joint decision making. Subordinates actually share a significant degree of decision-making power with their immediate superiors.b) Representative participation. Representative participation refers to worker representation by a small group of employees who actually participate on the board. The goal is to redistribute power within an organization, putting struggle on a more equal footing with the interests of management and stockholders.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 7Topic 6 What do Managers Do & LeadershipPart A Multiple choice Questions1) Which of the following is most likely to be a belief held by a successful manager? A) skillful knowledge is all that is needed for success.B) It is not essential to have sound interpersonal skills.C) skillful skills are necessary, but insufficient alone for success. D) Effectiveness is not impacted by human behavior.E) Technical skills do not influence efficiency.2) Which of a managers primary functions requires the manager to define an organizations goals, establish an overall strategy for achieving these goals and develop a comprehensive hierarchy of plans to integrate and arrange activities? A) controllingB) planningC) staffingD) coordinatingE) leading3) As a manager, one of Joes duties is to present awards to expectant employees within his depa rtment. Which Mintzberg managerial part is Joe acting in when he does this? A) lead roleB) liaison roleC) monitor roleD) figurehead roleE) spokesperson role4) Jill is valued by her colleagues for her ability to perform effective break-even analysis on upcoming ventures. In this case, her colleagues value her for competencies that fall within which essential management skills categories?A) technicalB) communicationC) humanD) conceptualE) education5) Leadership is best define as ________.A) the ability to influence a group in goal achievementB) keeping order and consistency in the midst of changeC) implementing the vision and strategy provided by management D) coordinating and staffing the organization and handling day-after-day problems E) not a relevant variable in modern organizations6) The two dimensions of lead behavior identified in the University of Michigan studies are ________.A) coercion and motivationB) emotional and rationalC) employee-oriented and production-oriented D) initiating structure and considerationE) mental institution and completionPart B Discussion Questions1) Describe the three essential management skills that differentiate effective managers from ineffective ones. Provide a workplace example of how these skills could be utilise when dealing with the challenge of a workplace recession. The three essential management skills identified by researchers are technical, human, and conceptual.Technical skills are defined by the ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise. Human skills are defined by the ability to work with, understand, and motivate other people. Finally, conceptual skills are defined by the ability to crumple and diagnose complex situations.In a time of recession human skills are essential to motivate fearful employees and to create a positive work environment. They would also be necessary in the gist of workplace staff reduction. Technical skills could be applied in the area of expertise to raise production an d, combined with conceptual skills, can be utilise to look for small market niches and ways to dissect the industry to continue to make a profit until times are better.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 8Topic 7 LeadershipPart A Multiple prime(a) Questions1) Hersey and Blanchard veritable which of the following?A) situational lead theoryB) cognitive choice theoryC) managerial grid modelD) path-goal theoryE) cognitive orientation model2) Hersey and Blanchards leadership theory differs from other leadership theories primarily because it ________.A) explores the role of the expectations of the leader for the helper B) focuses on the chaseC) holds that leadership style should be dependent on the situation D) is normativeE) deals strictly and exclusively with contingencies3) What is the main principle of path-goal theory?A) Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the properly leadership style. B) Stress is a form of situational unfavo rableness and a leaders reply to it depends on his or her intelligence and experience.C) Effective group performance depends on the proper match between the leaders style and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader. D) Leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their pursual because of time pressures.E) The leader is responsible for providing followers with the information, support, or other resources necessary for them to do their jobs.4) Which of the following is not a find characteristic of a charismatic leader? A) sensitivity to follower needsB) unconventional behaviorC) vision and articulationD) task orientationE) willingness to take risks5) Researchers are conducting a study of a company called solar apex Corp, which they believe to be led by a transformational leader. Which of the following, if true, would most support the conclusion that tiptops leader is a transformational leader? A) Acmes top managers often conflict over defin ing the organizations goals. B) Acmes goals tend to be very ambitious and to hold personal value for employees.C) Creativity is discouraged among Acme employees.D) Acme managers are cautious and rarely take risks.E) Acmes compensation plans are designed to reward short-term results. 6) Leaders who clarify role and task requirements to accomplish established goals exhibit a _________ style of leadership.A) transformationalB) transactionalC) charismaticD) self-initiatingE) situational7) Richard is a transactional leader who has just assigned a series of tasks to a acoustic projection team. Which of the following is most likely to be true about the teams performance under Richards guidance?A) They will set new standards of productivity for the department, exceeding Richards expectations.B) They will see the goals set for them but are unlikely to go beyond those goals. C) They will tend to be ill-defined about the roles assigned to each team member. D) They will be highly motivated b y what they view as Richards heroic or extraordinary qualities.E) They will tend to put their individual self-interest above the interests of the company. Part B Discussion Questions1)Compare and contrast Hersey and Blanchards situational leadership theory with Houses path-goal theory.Hersey and Blanchards situation leadership theory is a contingency theorythat focuses on the followers. Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style, which Hersey and Blanchard argue is contingent on the level of the followers readiness. The emphasis on the followers in leadership effectiveness reflects the reality that it is the followers who accept or reject the leaders. The term readiness refers to the extent to which people have the ability and willingness to accomplish a specific task. SLT says if a follower is unable and unwilling to do a task, the leader needs to give clear and specific directions if followers are unable and willing, the leader needs to display high task orientation to compensate for the followers lack of ability and high relationship orientation to get the follower to buy into the leaders desires if followers are able and unwilling, the leader needs to use a supportive and participative style and if the employee is both able and willing, the leader doesnt need to do much. Path-goal theory was developed by Robert House.The essence of the theory is that its the leaders job to assist followers in attaining their goals and to provide the necessary direction and/or support to ensure that their goals are compatible with the overall objectives of the group or organization. The term path-goal is derived from the belief that effective leaders clarify the path to help their followers get from where they are to theachievement of their work goals and make the journey along the path easier by reducing roadblocks. House identified four leadership behaviors.The directive leader lets followers know what is expected of them, schedules work to be done, and gives specific guidance as to how to accomplish tasks. The supportive leader is friendly and shows concern for the needs of followers. The participative leader consults with followers and uses their suggestions before making a decision. The achievement-oriented leader sets challenging goals and expects followers to perform at their highest level. House assumes that leaders are tractile and that the same leader can display any or all of these behaviors depending on the situation.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 9Topic 8 CommunicationPart A Multiple quality Questions1) Communication serves all of the following functions within a group or organization except ________.A) motivationB) planningC) emotional expressionD) controlE) conveying information2) Alejandro is annoyed that the new recruit, Ben, is working immediate than anyone else in the group, making the rest of the group look bad. In the company cafeteria Alejandro teases Be n and calls him the super recruit and imitates his style of working so rapidly. Alejandro wants to intimidate Ben so that he will work slower. Which function of communication is Alejandro using by making fun of Ben?A) motivationB) controlC) expressionD) informationE) formal3) Helena and Laura were talking on the call. Lauras two year old son fell and started crying and Laura could no longer hear what Helena said. This is an example of ________.A) transmittingB) decodingC) noiseD) understandingE) analysis4) The communication use by managers to provide job instructions is ________ communication.A) downwardB) lateralC) formalD) directionalE) diagonalPart B Discussion Questions1)Describe the communication process. Include the communication process model and explain the eight parts of this model.Before communication can take place, a purpose, expressed as a message to be conveyed, is needed. It passes between a sender and a pass catcher. The message is encoded (converted to a symbolic form) and passed by way of some medium (channel) to the receiver, who retranslates (decodes) the message initiated by the sender. The result is a transfer of meaning from one person to another.The key parts of the communication process are1)the sender2)encoding3)the message4)the channel5)decoding6)the receiver7)noise8)feedbackThe source initiates a message by encoding a thought. The message is the actual physical product from the source encoding. The channel is the medium through which the message travels. The receiver is the object to whom the message is directed. The symbols must be translated into a form that can be understood by the receiver. This is the decoding. Noise represents communication barriers that fudge the clarity of the message. The finallink is a feedback loop.2) Explain how the word of mouth functions and why it exists in organizational communication. Describe the general direction of communication and the form of communication most commonly used in the grapevin e. What can a manager do to limit the negative effects of the grapevine?The informal communication system is the grapevine. While it is informal it is still an important source of information. A survey found that 75 share of employees hear about matters eldest through rumors on the grapevine. The grapevine has three main characteristics. First, it is not controlled by management. Second, most employees perceive it as more believable and reliable than formal communiqus issued by top management. Finally, it is largely used to serve the interests of the people within it. Rumors emerge as a response to situations that are important to us, when there is ambiguity, and under conditions that arouse anxiety.The fact that work situations frequently contain these three elements explains why rumors flourish in organizations. The secrecy and competition that typically prevail in large organizations, encourage and sustain rumors on the grapevine. A rumor will persist either until the wants and expectations creating the uncertainty are fulfilled or the anxiety has been reduced.The grapevine generally follows lateral communication in which persons from the same hierarchical levels begin to communicate messages. Very rarely does management participate in the grapevine. In fact, one study reported that management only relayed messages to the grapevine ten percent of the time. Generally oral communication is used to relay grapevine information, although written e-mail can be used as well, but is considered less safe for function reasons.Managers can not entirely eliminate rumors. What they should do is minimize the negative consequences of rumors by limiting their range and impact. The best way to reduce the negative consequences of rumors is to 1) Provide information 2) Explain actions and decisions that may appear inconsistent, unfair, or secretive 3) Refrain from shooting the messenger and 4)Maintain open communication channels.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZA TION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 10Topic 9 Conflict ManagementPart A Multiple Choice Questions1) The traditional view of conflict is the belief that conflict is ________. A) harmfulB) naturalC) necessaryD) situationally-dependentE) neutral2) Which of the following is not a cause of conflict, according to the traditionalist view? A) general poor communication between peopleB) lack of openness in the organizationC) trust between people in the organizationD) management failure to be responsive to employee needsE) management failure to be responsive to employee aspirations 3) The ________ view of conflict argues that conflict is necessary for a group to perform effectively.A) human relationsB) interactionistC) traditionalD) functionalE) reactive4) ________ conflicts are almost always dysfunctional.A) TaskB) JobC) RelationshipD) ProcessE) Functional5) The first stage of the conflict process is termed ________. A) cognition and personalizationB) behavioral manifestationC) potential oppositio n or inconsistencyD) intentionE) habituation6) High job specialization can lead to ________ conflict.A) communicationB) structuralC) personal-variableD) job-relatedE) team7) In which stage are conflict issues defined?A) potential oppositionB) cognition and personalizationC) intuitionsD) behaviorE) reaction and transference8) The conflict-handling intention of col cranchating is ________. A) assertive and un conjunctB) assertive and cooperativeC) unassertive and uncooperativeD) unassertive and cooperativeE) affective and reflective9) Angelina feels that her cubicle neighbor talks too loudly on the phone, but in other ways she is a great neighbor. Angelina gets annoyed every time her neighbors phone rings, but she has decided its simply not worth the trouble to talk to her neighbor. Angelinas conflict intention is called ________.A) competingB) avoidingC) accommodatingD) compromisingE) collaborating10) Which of the following is not a conflict-resolution technique? A)creating superord inate goalsB) appointing a fanatics advocateC) avoiding the conflictD) exercising authoritative commandE) generating additional resources11) Stage II of the conflict process deals with conflict being ________. A) perceived and feltB) apparent and experiencedC) expressed and perceivedD) expressed and covertE) internalized12) Irma does not like a few of the standard operating procedures adapted for the new project. However, she discussed the items with the team and told them that she realizedshe was in the minority and that she would adapt the new procedures to maintain smooth operations within the team. This type of intention is called ________. A) sacrificingB) accommodatingC) collaboratingD) compromisingE) competingTUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 11Topic 10 Power and PoliticsPart A Multiple Choice Questions1) Power can be defined as ________.A) the ability to influence the behavior of othersB) the actualization of the dependency of othersC ) congruence between the goals of the leader and those being led D) downward influence on ones followersE) upward influence on ones leaders2) One reacts to ________ power out of fear of the negative ramifications that might result if one fails to comply.A) legitimateB) coerciveC) punitiveD) referentE) abusive3) The power that the College Dean has been granted by the University over the faculty is termed ________ power.A) academicB) positionalC) legitimateD) organizationalE) balanced4) Power tactics can be defined as ________.A) the only legitimate sources of powerB) techniques for translating power bases into specific action C) strategies for host and maintain supportD) organizational structural characteristicsE) approaches for winning arguments5) Vivian has not been handling one portion of her duties in a satisfactory manner. As a result, her manager threatens to withhold her promotion. Which power tactic is being used?A) exchangeB) ingratiationC) pressureD) personal appealsE) ins pirational appealsPart B Discussion Questions1) Contrast leadership and power.Power does not require goal compatibility, merely dependence. Leadership, on the other hand, requires some congruence between the goals of the leader and those being led. A second difference relates to the direction of influence. Leadership focuses on the downward influence on ones followers. Itminimizes the importance of lateral and upward influence patterns. Power does not.Still another difference deals with research emphasis. Leadership research, for the most part, emphasizes style. It seeks answers to such questions as How supportive should a leader be? How much decision making should be shared with followers? The research on power encompasses a broader area and focus on tactics for gaining compliance. Power can be used by groups as well as by individuals to control other individuals or groups. 2) List and discuss the bases of personal power. personalized power comes from an individuals unique characte ristics. Two bases of personal power are expertise, the respect and regard of others.a) Expert power is influence wielded as a result of expertise, special skill, or knowledge. Expertise has become one of the most powerful sources of influence as the world has become more technologically oriented.b) referent power is based on identification with a person who has desirable resources or personal traits. If I like, respect, and admire you, you can exercise power over me because I want to please you.3) Distinguish between legitimate political behavior and illegitimate political behavior.Legitimate political behavior refers to normal free-and-easy politics complaining to your supervisor, bypassing the chain of command, forming coalitions, obstructing organizational policies or decisions through inaction or excessive chemical bond to rules, and developing contacts outside the organization through ones professional activities.On the other hand, there are also illegitimate political beh aviors that violate the implied rules of the game. Those who pursue such extreme activities are often described as individuals who play hardball. Illegitimate activities include sabotage, whistleblowing, and symbolic protests such as wearing maverick dress or protest buttons, and groups of employees simultaneously calling in sick.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 12Topic 11 Human mental imagery Policies and Practices (Human Resource Planning& Forecasting, Recruitment)Part A Discussion Questions1) Define human resource planning. Describe the cardinal (2) components in human resource planning.Human resource planning is the systematic process of matching the internal and external supply of people with job openings judge in the organization over a specific period of time. Human resource planning has 2 components requirements and handiness. A requirements forecast involves determining the number, skill, and location of employees the organization will need at future dates in order to meet its goals. The determination of whether the firm will be able to secure employees with the necessary skills, and from what sources, is called an availability forecast. 2) Describe human resource databases and how databases can assist in matching internal employees to positions.A human resource database contains employee information that permits management to make HR decisions. Information that might appear in such databases, includes, but is not limited to, the following work history and experience, specific skills and knowledge, licenses or certifications held, organizational study completed, educational background, previous performance appraisal evaluations, assessment of strengths and weaknesses, development needs, promotion potential at present, and with except development, current job performance, field of specialization, job preferences, geographic preferences, career goals and aspirations, anticipated retirement date, and personal history, including mental assessments. Databases are being used by organizations to enable human resources to match people with positions.3) List TWO (2) methods are available to firms when either a famine or surplus of workers is forecasted?Firms faced with a shortage of workers may use1)2)3)4)innovative recruiting,compensation incentives, andtraining programs to fill positions.Lowering of employment standardsFirms faced with a surplus of workers may use1)2)3)4)5)layoffs,restricted hours,hiring freezes may be necessary, andencourage early retirement andthe use of vacation time.TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 13Topic 12 Human Resource Policies and Practices (Selection)Part A Multiple Choice Questions1) Which of the following is the most common method of initial selection? A) written testsB) background checkC) performance testD) application formE) work-sample test2) More than ________ percent of employers conduct some type of background che ck on potential employees during some point in the hiring process, usually either in the initial phase or the contingent phase.A) 25B) 50C) 65D) 80E) 953) The best way for an employer to find out if a potential employee can do a job is by ________.A) using the interview processB) using a written testC) having them spend a day in the officeD) administering an IQ testE) using a performance simulation test4) Work sample tests are widely used in hiring ________.A) unskilled laborB) skilled workersC) professional workersD) managersE) knowledge workers5) The results of which of the following tend to have a disproportionate amount of influence on employee selection decisions?A) interviewsB) written testsC) performance simulation testsD) work sampling methodsE) personality tests6) The behavioral incorporated interview is built on the assumption that________. A) past behavior is the best predictor of future behaviorB) technical knowledge and skills are the best predictor of job performance C) personality is the best predictor of job performanceD) personality and inclination are highly correlatedE) technical knowledge and mood are highly correlatedPart B TRUE /FALSE Questions1) As a selection device, written tests have decreased in usage during the past 20 years. (TRUE /FALSE)2) A test that measures factors such as dependability, carefulness, responsibility, and honesty is referred to as a performance factor test.(TRUE /FALSE)3) Work samples yield validities almost consistently superior to written aptitude tests. (TRUE /FALSE)4) In assessment centers, job candidates are evaluated as they go through several days of exercises that simulate real problems they would confront on the job. (TRUE /FALSE)TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGEABDM2083 ORGANIZATION & HUMAN RESOURCETUTORIAL 14Topic 13 & 14 Human Resource Policies and Practices (Performance Evaluation)Part A Multiple Choice Questions1) Performance evaluations right away are generally based on which three types of behavior? A ) task performance, productivity, upgradeB) productivity, efficiency, absenteeismC) task performance, citizenship, counterproductivityD) citizenship, counterproductivity, personalityE) leadership, training, efficiency2) Performance evaluations are used as a mechanism for all of the followingexcept ________.A) monitoring the success of marketing strategiesB) determining promotionsC) pinpointing employees skillsD) identifying training and development needsE) providing feedback to employees3) Which of the following is not a weakness of the 360-degree evaluation system? A) artificially inflated feedback from peersB) insufficient training for performance evaluatorsC) discrepancies between evaluating groupsD) provides a wide performance perspectiveE) elusiveies in reconciling differing evaluations4) Performance evaluations are used to ________.A) improve group cohesivenessB) define departmental structureC) help management make HR decisionsD) identify how jobs are completedE) decrease co nformity within organizations5) Which of the following is the least predictive set of criteria used to evaluate employees?A) traitsB) task outcomesC) behaviorsD) personalityE) moodPart B Discussion Questions1) What are the three most popular sets of criteria for evaluating employee performance?The three most popular sets of criteria for evaluating employee performance are individual task outcomes, behaviors, and traits.a) If ends count, rather than means, then management should evaluate an employees task outcomes. In many cases, its difficult to identify specific outcomes that can be directly attributable to an employees actions.b) Its not unusual for management to evaluate the employees behavior. c) The weakest set of criteria, yet one that is widely used by organizations is individual traits. They are weaker because they are farthest removed from the actual performance of the job itself.2) Who should perform employee evaluations?With many of todays organizations using self-managed teams, telecommuting, and other organizing devices that distance bosses from their employees, an employees immediate superior may not be the most reliable judge of that employees performance. Thus, in more and more cases, peers and even subordinates are being asked to participate in the performance evaluation process. Also, increasingly, employees are participating in their own performance evaluation. In most situations, in fact, it is highly advisable to use multiple sources of ratings. Any individual performance rating may say as much about the rater as about the person being evaluated. By averaging across raters, we can obtain a more reliable, unbiased, and accurate performance evaluation.

Outline the psychometric approach to recruitment and selection. In Essay

Outline the psychometric approach to recruitment and selection. In what elans has this been challenged - Essay ExampleThis stem gives an overview and description of the recruitment and selection fulfil along with a description of the psychometric approach, its benefits and challenges. Main soundbox Recruitment and Selection Hiring a competent workforce has become quintessential in the midst of suspicion in external environment, particularly changing customer expectations. Because of this, psychosocial considerations, which includes differences regarding the abilities, motivations, personality and emotions of individuals, are being taken into bet while finding the correct fit for the organisation. Torrington, Hall & Taylor (2007) define recruitment as being both internal ( that is hiring of people from within the organisation ) or external (which involves advertising, approaching recruitment agencies, developing bodied websites that accept applications, using newspapers and tr ade press and various other methods). Furthermore, Newell defines recruitment as being a process that attracts people who possess the attributes that are necessary to perform the calling (Newell 2005). Generally, promotion, retirement, transfer, redundancy and technological or customer changes drive the recruitment process (Watson 1994). While recruitment generates the pool of capable applicants that may reach to the organisation, selection involves find the right piece that fits correctly in the jigsaw puzzle. Herriot (1984) defines the selection process as a social exchange whereby mutual exchange of information takes place between the high society and its candidates. Organisations are, therefore, required to shape their expectations depending on the candidates personal experience rather than the other way round (Herriot 1984). Selection methods have further been defined as consisting of application forms, interviews as well as tests of which psychometric tests are a part. Tra ditionally, the recruitment process would be a three-step process involving the development of job description, job analysis and finally job specification (Torrington, Hall & Taylor, 2007). The last stage would require determining the human attributes that are necessary to perform the job (Marchington & Wilkinson 2000). Frameworks such as the Seven-Point Plan developed by Roger and the fivefold system of grading laid down by Munro-Fraser comprised of assessing the individuals impact on others along with his/her qualifications, abilities, motivation and emotional strength (Taylor 2000). Both these models increasingly relied on human judgment which could be highly subjective and prone to bias. This led to the development of a competency-based approach to recruitment whereby the focus gaucherieed on individual qualities to competencies required on the job (Newell 2005) (Redman & Wilkinson 2009). Furthermore, it was realised that traditional approaches assumed fixed personalities which was a unsuccessful assumption as far as the candidates fit with the organisation was concerned. This led to the shift towards the psychometric approach whereby individual differences were recognised. The term psychometrics is merely an abbreviated version of psychological metre. In other words, it attempts to measure psychological traits of individuals such as their intelligence, attitudes, personality and attributes. According to a question conducted by CIPD, approximately 45% of