Smoking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Smoking - Essay Example (Sloan 222). The lung is able to filter some of the beneficial substances in cigarettes though harmful chemicals leak into the lungs. Tar causes damage to airways of lungs and this could lead to unusual multiplication of cells in the lungs. As one continues to expose lungs to smoking, lungs experience irreversible changes in the cells. This specifically affects nucleus of the cells hence uncontrolled cell growth of cells in the lungs. Every puff smoke inhaled by a smoker either of tobacco or cigarette deposits tar that coats the lungs and may cause difficulty in breathing since there is no exchange of clean air from the atmosphere to lungs and vice-versa. Mouth cancer, also referred to as oral cancer cannot be evaded by smokers. People have been made to believe that smoking using cigars and pipes leaves less tobacco in the system. However, this is untrue since cigar and pipe smokers are at high risks of mouth cancer. The pipe-stem rests on the lip and exposes users to another great risk of lip cancer. Continued smoking or tobacco use is said to be the major cause of mouth cancer. Smoking causes irritation on the mouth surface. Burning of tobacco and its by-products is the base line of this irritation after interacting with mouth membrane. Moreover, cigars and pipes take some considerable time to burn and thus expose user to secondary smoke. Smoking could also lead to loss of teeth and other teeth illnesses. Smoking has a direct effect on the way the body responds to exercise. Exercise requires oxygen in the body. Smoking brings carbon monoxide in the body which reduces the level of oxygen in the body. As a result, there is increased heart beat since less oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream (Owing 166). The heart is overworked in an attempt to get more oxygen since carbon monoxide stops supply of oxygen. Thus, smokers have poor body fitness since the body cannot respond to any vigorous activity. Smoking

Developing People Module Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Developing People Module Assessment - Essay Example This has been similar with the whole process of critical reflection as has been described by different experts (Gardner & Fook, 2007, pp. 19-33). It is a personal belief that intentions and motives play a crucial role in success or failure of a teaching-learning process. Besides theoretical frameworks and formal objectives of education, it is very imperative for a teacher to believe in things that later become a part of any learning process. However, at the same time, it is essential for an effective teacher to avoid inclusion of biasness resulting in making teaching a very difficult process that often is considered a simple process that is not the case at all. From module readings, it is an observation that experts (Rodgers, 2002, pg. 845) have set the criteria for reflection as a meaning-making process, disciplined way of thinking, and a notion that requires attitudes and interaction with the community. From understanding of these researches and personal experiences, it is a belief that teaching is nothing but a reflection of reflection, in which a teacher has to endeavor to reflect on his/her own reflections while at the same time, equipping learners with capacity to reflect on their own. This is one of the reasons that in initial sections of this reflection, I inclined to consider teaching as a learning process itself. In addition, from further observations, I can reflect considerably that for an effective and efficient learning and reflective process, it is very imperative for teachers to consider needs, experiences, context, and attitudes of learners (Gardner & Fook, 2007, pp. 41-53). In other words, personally, the learning process cannot reach to its plinth when teachers focus more on subject matters rather than learners’ intelligences. One can associate this personal new insight with Gardner’s argument in which â€Å"he questioned the validity of determining an individual’s intelligence through the process of taking a person out o f his natural learning environment and asking him to do isolated tasks he had never done before and probably would never choose to do again† (Armstrong, 1994, pg. 1). Particularly, a teacher has to play the role of a network hub in which he/she can allow the learners to bring and connect their own perceptions, experiences, and context in the learning process while at the same time, acting as an encoder, as well as decoder to understand and reflect on personal experiences of each learner. This may seem very unrealistic in theory; however, in classroom settings where teachers spend an extended period with the learners, this is possible and if implemented, may result in enriched learning experience. On the other hand, absence of such considerations may although enable a climber to reach to the mountain base with the help of a guide; however, may not equip him/her with skills to reach to peak and conquer the mountain without help of any guide and even without any oxygen support. A mountain guide can be a teacher or a facilitator, whereas, absence of oxygen support can be critical

Professionalism in teaching

Professionalism in teaching A Search of Teacher Professionalism. A personal reflection through the Lenses of a Traditional, Conflict Theory, Neo Liberal and Critical Perspective. In a recent Guardian Secret teacher article (2015) one school leader explains how they feel lost, set adrift, since the last update to the Ofsted inspection guidance. â€Å"I used to think I knew the rules for inspections – I built my career on it.† Is this a reflection of the teaching profession today? Have teachers been re-professionalised under the scrutiny of performativity as put forward by Ball (2003). I aim to consider these ideas looking at the role of the professional with particular emphasis on my own feelings of professionalism. I joined the teaching profession to make a difference or that is certainly how it felt. My decision to become a teacher was built upon a desire to influence the life chances of young people. But having entered the profession with seemingly noble intentions what sort of profession have I joined? What sort of professional have I become? The nature of professionalism has been subject to much scholarly debate. It has even been suggested (Whitty, 2000) that a profession is whatever society thinks it is and therefore this could mean we have to consider professionalism in a personal context. In order to discuss the concept of professionalism I first need to attempt to define the term ‘professionalism’ for myself. The terms professional and professionalism mean different things to different people. Through my readings around professionalism there appear to be four main structures with which to consider the concept of professionalism. I will examine each of these stances and reflect on my own sense of professionalism through these lenses. Ultimately attempting to consider each perspectives utility for my own practice. Traditional Traditional views of professionalism are largely based on occupations like medicine and law (Demirkasimoglu, 2010). These professions have high status and pay but also high levels of autonomy. For this reason occupations like teaching are traditionally accepted as quasi professional in that ‘Bureaucratic control†¦.fills the need for coordination by limiting the semiprofessionals discretion or autonomy’ (Leiter, 1981 pp225) There are many aspects of teaching that I believe correlate with the traditional view of a professional. Teachers provide a public service, require expert knowledge and skills, and are driven by a moral imperative. I would align myself with these principles and therefore to some extent with the view that teaching is a traditional profession and that I myself am a professional from a traditional perspective. Teaching as an occupation does however differ from traditional professions. Teachers are subject to more organisational control than both lawyers and doctors and although the responsibility of education is vast it could be argued that it is not as large as those of liberty and health. When considering my own sense of professionalism from a traditional perspective, I also question if there is a further distinction between modern teaching and the traditional view of professionalism. Traditional professions afford a significant amount of distance between the client and the practitioner. Within teaching, due to the regular interaction between client and practitioner and the nature of the relationships that are formed this metaphorical distance is not so extensive. This idea leads me to consider the changes that may have occurred to teacher professionalism as the role of teacher has altered over the past century. Teachers are expected to be more than imparters of knowledge and as the emphasis on their role has shifted so too has the potential for teachers to be considered alongside doctors and lawyers as traditional professionals. From a personal perspective I find it hard to align my own feelings of professionalism with the traditional view that would separate teaching as a high status profession from other occupations. As much of a teachers work is conducted through direct client interaction and the relationship that is formed is an essential part of successful p ractice, much like nurses and social workers, this consigns teaching to remain quasi professional and for me to not consider myself a teacher in the fully traditional sense. Conflict Theory Another view point on the nature of the professional can be gained from Conflict Theory. Conflict Theory originates from Marxist thought. Macdonald (1995) suggests that from a Marxist standpoint it is not the knowledge that makes a professional high status but the value of this knowledge to the capitalist system. Therefore the professionals maintain structures in society by ensuring that positions are monopolised. Conflict Theory proposes that the social relationships of differing groups are built upon power and exploitation. Thus it is suggested that in effect the education system is organised to ensure that power is exercised and different groups within society exploited. Ozga (1987) defines teacher professionalism as a form of state control with teachers being subject to ‘direct’ or ‘indirect rule’ by the state as political, economic, social and cultural circumstances determined. This suggests that the state is using professionalism as a means to gain desired outcomes. â€Å"When we hear from all sides the demand for an introduction of regular curricula and special examinations the reason behind it is, of course, not a suddenly awakened ‘thirst for knowledge’ but the desire for restricting the supply of these positions and their monopolization by the owners of educational certificates† (Weber, cited in Gerth and Wright Mills 1946, pp 242) Analysing the arguments made by conflict theory about the role of professionals in society fills me with personal disquiet and apprehension. Conflict Theory suggests a role of the professional that significantly differs from my own feelings of morality, integrity and service. I believe that I entered the teaching profession to be of value. I see the role of a teacher as potentially immense in individual lives. Teachers have the opportunity to develop the academic ability and achievement of their students but also to have influence on their development as people. To suggest that part of the role of professionals, and therefore teachers, is to ensure that groups within society are restricted and that the structure of society maintained is, for me, and I would suggest many others within teaching, unpalatable. This does not however mean that this is an incorrect standpoint. It would be hard to argue that the teachers professionalism has been used by the state to manipulate the profession into certain modes of behaviour. The teachers standards (2011) indeed define the behaviour and attitudes which set the required standard for conduct throughout a teacher’s career. I find it difficult to square this particular circle. I see no problem with the statements made within the Teachers Standards but there still remains a discordancy between this view of an imposed professionalism and my own feelings of myself as a professional. Whatever the larger political structures that we live and work under this does not mean we have to fulfil the role suggested. Evans (2008) sees professionalism more as a sum of individuals ‘professionality orientation’. The plural of how a group of individuals perceive their own professionalism. Professionalism is co constructed by the actions and beliefs on individuals who make up the profession. I believe strongly in the role of teachers to break norms in society and enable those that are less fortunate to succeed. Conflict Theory may suggest that systems would make this difficult however I do not feel that this in any way defines myself as a professional. Conflict Theory suggests a view of teachers as an occupational group with a professionalism defined by the state. Is the individual sense of ‘professionality orientation’ as outlined by Evans not a better measure of an individual’s professionalism? Or as Gewirtz stated â€Å".. teachers are not the passive dupes of classical Marxism, unwittingly co-opted as agents of the state: they are active agents resisting state control strategies and forcing their employers to refine and rework those strategies.† (Gewirtz, cited in Hextall et al 2007, pp39) Considering all of the points above I do not feel that the conclusions from Conflict Theory help to define an individual teacher as a professional. I certainly do not feel that they help to define me as a professional. A sense of professionalism seems more personal than that which can be provided by broad statements defined by the state. Neo-Liberal We live in an age of high levels of external accountability. Ofsted, School league tables, the National Curriculum and performance related pay are just some of the high stake measures which have been introduced over the past thirty years. Gewirtz (2002) argues that the restructuring of the education system has been part of the dismantling of welfarism whilst introducing managerialist forms of control and increased centralisation. This is seen as part of a Neo-Liberal approach to create competition and markets where previously there were none. This Neo-Liberal agenda has significantly shifted the role of the professional. â€Å"The preferred strategy of the neo-liberal marketisers has been deregulation of the profession..† (Gleeson Husbands, 2001, pp287) Dale (1989) describes a shift in the mode of state regulation of teacher professionalism. Regulation has altered professionalism from a licenced form of autonomy to a more tightly controlled ‘regulated’ autonomy. These views do not agree with assumptions that teachers have been moving towards a professional status parallel to that which has been attained by the traditional professions of Medicine and Law. The march of the Neo-Liberal agenda has resulted in a ‘struggle over the teachers sole’ (Ball 2003 pp 217). Ball suggests that the introduction of such performativity has led to an erosion of the traditional professional values, a shift in professional identity and the meaning of ‘professional’ for teachers. This has led to the emergence of a new kind of professional with differing professional values. I can identify with some of the ‘new professional’ values that Ball (2003) identifies. The increased levels of performativity have altered the way the profession as a whole behaves and I think individual views of their own professionalism. I can identify with some of the traits Ball attributes to the new managers. ‘Thus the work of the manager, the new hero of educational reform, involves instilling the attitude and culture within which workers feel themselves accountable and at the same time committed or personally invested in the organisation’ (Ball, 2003, pp219) Whilst recognising the negative spin that Ball is placing on this role I also would suggest that the new managers have helped improve the education system thought accountability and investment measures. I do see these attributes as part of my own professional identify. However Ball continues by suggesting that part of the manager role is to create a docile (and capable) workforce. I do not see this as something that is part of my professional identify. I feel that we should be developing teachers who are able to question and drive the profession forward. Who have ‘extended professionality‘ (Hoyle, 1975, pp 318), an ability to have a much wider view of what education involves. Whilst Ball is strongly questioning the use of performativity and the values of the new professionalism that has arisen from its use I find that some, but not all, of these values do align with my own feelings of professionalism. Critical Perspectives. More recent perspectives on professionalism suggest that we might rethink professionalism to be about how we do what we do, rather than an acquired status. Whitty (2008) moves beyond the notion of educational reforms being used to de-professionalise teachers but instead for these to be an attempt at re-professionalisation. There is acknowledgement that educational reform has brought about changes in professionalism but that this may be constructing a new type of professional potentially more appropriate to contemporary needs. Hargreaves (2000) identified four ages of professionalism: the pre-professional age, the age of the autonomous professional, the age of the collegial professional and post-professional or postmodern. The fourth age, post-professional or postmodern, which Hargreaves believes the profession is moving into (or has already entered) is characterised by a struggle between groups or forces which are trying to de-professionalise the work of teaching and groups or forces who are trying to redefine teacher professionalism. ‘One possible outcome of these processes is a new, postmodern professionalism that is broader, more flexible and more democratically inclusive of groups outside teaching and their concerns than its predecessors.’ (Hargreaves, 2000, pp167). These are some of the attributes that would be clear in postmodern professionalism. Whitty (2008) categorises the teachers into two distinct groups. The ‘new entrepreneurs’ and the ‘old collectivists’. Both Whitty and Hargreaves are suggesting we are at time of change in teacher professionalism. But unlike the ‘new managers’ defined by Ball (2003) the new entrepreneurs who have embraced the changing educational agenda have gained more potential status and rewards, including broader training opportunities and a limited degree of autonomy. So rather than managing the line of performativity the new entrepreneurs have the opportunity to help re define teacher postmodern professionalism. It does feel that the work of teachers has altered even within my own professional life. I would suggest that the critical perspective lens allows for potentially the greatest reflection into my own thoughts of professionalism. As previously mentioned I can identify with some of the traits Ball (2003) attributes to the new managers. When these professional attributes are considered from a critical perspective lens I begin to feel that I can form some stronger opinions as to my own professional identity. The traditional professional has some features that are in common with my own professional identify. However, the client-professional relationship that is formed within the work of teachers leads me to believe that I cannot align my own professionalism with these traditional beliefs. Whist Conflict Theory and a Neo-Liberal analysis allow us to consider the role that the state has, and is, playing on teacher professionalism I do feel that that the role the state is playing defines me as a professional. Evans (2008) proposes that professionalism is not something that is an idealised concept. Professionalism has to be something that people actually ‘do’ not something that government or any other agency thrusts upon them. Therefore professionalism has a very personal context. I believe that I hold some of the professional attributes that would be associated with the new managers described by Ball (2003) and the ‘new entrepreneurs’ described by Whitty (2008). I believe that systems of accountability and investment within the organisation are part of my own feeling of professionalism. These are about increasing teacher performance but for the benefit of the young people who have one chance of succeeding within the education system. However I also feel that there are areas of my own professionality that are not discussed in these roles. The concept of ‘extended professionality‘ (Hoyle, 1975) is something that is deep within my own feelings of profess ionalism . It is a teachers duty to continually improve, to value the underlying pedagogy, to have a much wider view of what education involves and to adopt generally a more critical approach to the job. (Evans, 2008). Hence, I would suggest that I am potentially a new professional, one who has accepted the changes of performativity but trying to see the benefits such performativity can bring as well as ensuring that the main focus does not stray from what is best for the young people in our care. Bibliography Ball, S.J (2003) The teachers soul and the terrors of performativity, Journal of Education Policy, 18:2, 215-228 Department for Education (2011) Teachers’ standards. Teachers’ standards. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-standards (Accessed: 12 February 2015). DemirkasÄ ±moÄÅ ¸lu, N. (2010) ‘Defining â€Å"Teacher Professionalism† from different perspectives’,Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 9, pp. 2047–2051. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.444. Evans, L (2008) Professionalism, professionality and the development of education professionals, British Journal of Educational Studies, 56:1, 20-38. Gewirtz, S (1996) Post-welfarism and the reconstruction of teachers work, paper presented at the British Educational Research Association Conference, University of Lancaster, September 1996. Gewirtz, S (2002), The managerial school : post-welfarism and social justice in education. Routledge, London ; New York Gleeson, D. and Husbands, C. (2001) The performing school managing, teaching, and learning in a performance culture. United Kingdom: Londonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯: RoutledgeFarmer, 2001. Hargreaves, A (2000) Four Ages of Professionalism and Professional Learning, Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 6:2, 151-182 Hexhall, I et al. (2007) Changing Teacher Roles, Identities and Professionalism, Teaching and Learning Research Programme Hoyle, E. (1975) Professionality, professionalism and control in teaching. In V. Houghton et al. (eds) Management in Education: the Management of Organisations and Individuals (Management in Education: the Management of Organisations and Individuals London, Ward Lock Educational in association with Open University Press). Leiter, J (1981) Perceived Teacher Autonomy and the Meaning of Organizational Control, The Sociological Quarterly, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Spring, 1981), pp. 225-239 Mockler, N. (2004) ‘Transforming Teachers: new professional learning and transformative teacher professionalism’ Paper presented to the Australian Association for Educational Research Annual Conference, University of Melbourne, 28 Nov-2 Dec, 2004. Macdonald, K. (1995) The sociology of the professions. United Kingdom: SAGE Publications Ltd. Ozga, J (1987)Schoolwork: Approaches to the Labour Process of Teaching. United Kingdom: Milton Keynes, Englandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯; Open University Press, 1988. Parsons (1947) ‘Gerth, H. H., and C. Wright Mills (Eds. and Trans.). From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology. Pp. 490. New York: Oxford University Press, 1946. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Patrick, F. (2013) Neoliberalism, the Knowledge Economy, and the Learner: Challenging the Inevitability of the Commodified Self as an Outcome of Education, ISRN Education, vol. 2013. Raab, C.D, David, M, Levitas, R (1990) ‘The State and Education Policy’ British Journal of Sociology of Education, 11(1), pp. 87–96. Teacher, T. S. (2015) ‘Secret Teacher: Dear Ofsted, please can you send me a copy of the real rules?’,The Guardian, 24 January. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/jan/24/secret-teacher-ofsted-rules (Accessed: 13 February 2015). Whitty, G (2000) Teacher professionalism in new times, Journal of In-Service Education, 26:2, 281-295. Whitty, G. (2008) Changing modes of teacher professionalism: traditional, managerial, collaborative and democratic Pp.28-49 in B. Cunningham (ed) Exploring Professionalism. London: Institute of Education.

Archimedes Essay example -- Biographies Bio Biography

Archimedes was born in Syracuse, Sicily, in 287 B.C. His father was Philas, an aristocratic astronomer. He was educated in Alexandria, Egypt; where he met the Alexandrian scholars Conon of Samos and Eratosthenes of Cyrene. For much of his life, Archimedes kept a correspondence with these two scholars, updating them on his most recent discoveries and proofs. Archimedes spent the major part of his life in Sicily, in and around Syracuse. He did not hold any public office but devoted his entire lifetime to research and experiment. Archimedes is credited with the invention of the compound pulley, the hydraulic screw, the burning mirror, and vast improvements made on the catapult. He calculated the exact value of pi, proved that the volume of a sphere is 2/3 that of the circumscribed cylinder, and defined the law of the lever. Perhaps one of Archimedes’ most famous discoveries is the discovery of the hydrostatic principle now called the Archimedes principle. There are three different accounts of Archimedes’ death in 212 B.C. One of the most popular is that a Roman soldier came upon Archimedes while he was drawing diagrams in sand during the Roman siege of Syracuse during the Second Punic War. As legend has it, Archimedes, so involved in his calculations, had not noticed the commotion around him; he offended he intruder by saying, â€Å"Do not disturb my diagrams.† The soldier stabbed Archimedes through the chest, killing what historians call one the Three Greatest Mathematicians. Archimedes wrote many books containing his propositions and proofs before his death, but none were so famous as The Method Treating of Mechanical Problems, or more simply known as The Method. This work is also widely known as the Archimedes Palimpsest. ... ..., Archimedes provides a proposition as to the cause of this remarkable experiment. He sates that two solids of equal weight and equal size will, when immersed in water, will displace the same amount of liquid. He also states that the two solids will come to rest just beneath the surface of the water. Archimedes hypothesizes that any solid that is heavier than a fluid will sink to the bottom of the fluid, but will be lighter than the fluid displaced, if weighed in the fluid. Archimedes was, in conclusion, one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. Without his contributions, the branch of math known as the calculus would likely not be complete, nor would there likely be as many advances in the fields of science and mechanics as we have today. One can hardly imagine what great treasures will be unlocked in the Palimpsest, or where those discoveries might lead.

Individual Behaviour

ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR MSC 42102 Individual Processes Attitude and Values Organizational Behavior Submitted To :Submitted By : Dr. Pramod PathakAjit Vinod Kujur Manwendra Prakash Anshul Rawat Prateek Purty Prateeksha Maurya Individual Processes Individual behavior is how we as individuals behave ourselves. This behavior is subject to many personal traits as well as habits, values, perceptions, and other qualities and features. People make assumptions about those whom they work with, supervise, or spend time with in leisure activities.To some extent, these assumptions influence the person’s behavior towards others. Effective employees understand what affects their own behavior before attempting to influence the behavior of others. Individual behavior is the foundation of organizational performance. Understanding individual behavior, therefore, is crucial for effective management. Each person is a physiological system composed of a number of subsystems- attitudes, perception, personality, needs, values and feelings. Attitude A tendency to feel & behave in a particular way towards objects, people or events. Characteristics Remain unchanged for a long period – unless influenced by external forces * Evaluative statements – favorable or  unfavorable Components * Cognitive – the opinions, values or  beliefs of an individual * Affective – the feelings of a person towards something * Behavioral – the intention of a person to behave in a particular way Sources of  Attitude * Attitudes are acquired by parents, teachers,& peer group members * Individuals are willing to modify their  behavior & shape their attitude – to match with the opinion leader   * Attitude can be changed by providing feedbackTypes of  Attitude * Job satisfaction * The pleasurable or positive emotional state that results when an individual evaluates his job or job experience. Dimensions * It is an emotional response to a job. * The satisfac tion that an individual derives from his  job depends on the extent to which outcomes meet his expectations. * Job satisfaction reflects other attitudes of employee. * 6 dimensions (P. C. Smith, L. M Kendall, C. L. Hulin) i. e. 1) The work 2) The pay 3) Promotion 4) Opportunity 5) Supervision 6) Co-worker 7) Working conditions Job Involvement * The extent to which person identifies himself psychologically with his job, actively participates in it & considers that his performance in the job contribute to his self worth * Organizational Commitment * An employee’s satisfaction with a particular  organization & its goals OC is affected by a number of * Personal variables – employee’s age, attitude towards job. * Organizational variables – job design, leadership style of the superior. John P. Meyer & Natalie J. Allen gave 3 component model i. . * Affective commitment – It is concerned with employee’s emotional attachment & involvement with th e organization * Continuance commitment – It is influenced by the costs that could accrue to the employee if he leaves the org * Normative commitment – It refers to the extent to which an employee feels obliged to continue in the organization. Functions of Attitudes * The adjustment function * People modify their attitudes to adjust to their work environment * When fair treatment is given – positive attitude When treatment is not good – negative attitude * Ego-defensive function * Attitudes help employee to defend their self  image – when mistake identified – protects their ego * The value expressive function * Values can be expressed through attitudes E. g. if mgr wants employee to work hard – may tell company has a tradition of hard work. * The knowledge function * Attitudes act as a standard of reference which allows people to understand & explain their environment. E. g. Union leader’s attitude towards management – based on past.Attitudes & Consistency * People may change their attitude – do not contradict their action * If any discrepancy arises, individuals will try to bridge the discrepancy by developing a rational explanation for  the discrepancy. Cognitive Dissonance Theory – Leon Festinger (1950s) * Cognitive dissonance – Incompatibility that an individual may perceive between 2 or more of his attitudes or between his behavior and attitude. * Emotional dissonance – Conflict between the emotions an individual experiences & emotions he needs to expressAn individual can deal with dissonance either by * Sticking to his attitude * Give up his attitude * Change the attitude Values Values are enduring beliefs that a specific mode of conduct or end state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end state of existence. Values in the Workplace * Stable, evaluative beliefs that guide our preferences * Define right or wrong, good or bad * Value system — hierarchy of values Values and Behavior Habitual behavior usually consistent with values, but conscious behavior less so because values are abstract constructs * Decisions and behavior are linked to values when: * Mindful of our values have logical reasons to apply values in that situation * Situation does not interfere Values Congruence * Used where two or more entities have similar value systems * Problems with incongruence * Incompatible decisions * Lower satisfaction/loyalty * Higher stress and turnover Benefits of incongruence * Better decision making (diverse perspectives) * Avoids â€Å"corporate cults†Values across Cultures: Individualism and Collectivism * Degree that people value duty to their group (collectivism) versus independence and person uniqueness (individualism) * Previously considered opposites, but unrelated — i. e. possible to value high individualism and high collectivism Ethical Behavior Ethical Beh avior means acting in ways consistent with one’s personal values and the commonly held values of the organization and society. Qualities Required for Ethical Decision-making * The competence to identify ethical issues and evaluate the consequences of alternative courses of action. The self-confidence to seek out different opinions about the issue and decide what is right in terms of a situation. * Tough-mindedness – the willingness to make decisions when all that needs to be known cannot be known and when the ethical issue has no established, unambiguous solution. Values, Ethics & Ethical Behavior * Value Systems – systems of beliefs that affect what the individual defines as right, good, and fair * Ethics – reflects the way values are acted out * Ethical behavior – actions consistent with one’s values

The Kraft Turn-Around

The Oreo bicycle campaign in China was the idea of local managers, which Rosenfeld characterized as â€Å"a stroke of genius that only could have come from local managers. † She stated that local managers' opportunities to address local conditions will be â€Å"a source of competitive advantage† for Kraft. Do you agree? I believe that Rosenfeld's primary goal in making these statements were aimed at strengthening her strategic thrust of enabling local responsiveness by strengthening Kraft's values of supporting front line innovation, and empowering workers at all levels.The Kraft China website lists these values in these words: We inspire trust. We act like owner. We keep it simple. We are open and inclusive. We tell like it is. We lead from head and the heart. We discuss. We decide. We deliver. (1) Could the Oreo-bike-wheel idea have possibly come from some other source? Yes, but they also say that give an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of typewriters an d sooner or later, one of them will type the collected works of William Shakespeare.But if you do not have infinite resources and can't afford to wait, using people who understand the local culture, history, habits, and trends will find something brilliant much faster than taking the infinite number of monkeys approach. Is using empowered local managers a competitive advantage? At this point in time I would say yes. But this is a time-limited advantage. More and more companies have found that expat management is not a high success percentage path. According to research by Black and Mendenhall (1990), 16% to 40% of expatriate managers terminate their overseas missions ahead of time due to poor performance or mal-adaptation.Furthermore, 50% of them are unable to return to their original positions because of poor performance (Black and Mendenhall, 1990). In addition, based on a study of more than eighty transnational corporations, researcher Tung pointed out that in more than 40 compan ies, 10% to 20% of expatriate managers were repatriated or dismissed due to their inability to effectively carry out assigned missions (Tung, 1982). Numerous studies have attempted to pinpoint the exact reasons for failure in order to develop solutions that counteract these problems, boosting success rates and developing strategies to avoid failure (Hall and Yeaton, 2008).In my experience, many multi- and trans- national companies put people on an expatriate assignment with little expectation other than they become acclimatized to the uniqueness of the local market. Especially in the Asia-Pacific region, I have seen many expats ‘pay their dues' on their way up the corporate ladder, but personally view their time abroad as an extended, company paid vacation. Could it be that companies see the long term value of this cross-cultural exposure has value well beyond any immediate performance during the expat assignment?Kraft's strategy for future global growth involves a limited num ber of markets and products and focuses on going only where management believes the company can win a market share. How does this strategy align with Irene Rosenfeld's restructuring plan? The restructuring described in the text certainly does appear reflect a strategy to focus on a portfolio including fewer product categories and markets. The worldwide restructuring includes encouraging mature market growth in addition to emerging markets where larger growth may be possible.In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Rosenfeld noted 2008 figures of 3% growth in Europe, 5% in the US, and 28% in emerging markets (2). The strategy includes dropping certain product/brand types/markets and replacing them with others, eg. trading Post Cereals and Cream of Wheat for a the French cereal and cookie firm Groupe Danone. REFERENCES (1) Accessed from http://www. kraftfoodscompany. com/cn/en/about/values. aspx (2) Accessed from http://online. wsj. com/ad/article/wbf-rosenfeld Black, J. S. and Mendenhall, M. 1990), Cross cultural training effectiveness: A review and theoretical framework for future research, Academy of Management Review, 15(1), 113-136. Hall, N. & Yeaton, K. (2008), Expatriates: Reducing failure rates, The Journal of Corporate Accounting & Finance, March/April, 75-78. Tung, R. L. (1982), Selection and training procedures of U. S. , European, and Japanese multinationals, California Management Review, 25(1), 57-71. Essentials of Business Development 2, BUS5602 2nd Edition Edited on Saturday, November 24, 2012 – 6:37 PM